Dakhor and Elantrian agelessness?

[Trusk'our he/him]

Both the Dakhor and the Elantrians are, if not straight up biologically immortal, at least very long lived. I know that they both have access to active forms of investiture (drawing aons and activating bone twists), but is the reason for their longevity due to them passively holding on to large portions of investiture, similar to the heightenings of bio-chromatic breath?

 If it were simply a constant influx of kinetic investiture, then they’d likely be in a similar position of the allomantic savants, which don’t have an increased lifespan, so I don’t see that being the case.

What is your guys’ take on this?

[NameIess]

I think that Elantrians (and probably Dagkhor) need regular investiture to sustain their lives, but are constantly fueled by the Dor while on Sel. While off Sel, Elantrians need to consume investiture regularly, as we see in SH.

[Quantus he/him]

Elantrians are being sustained (by the Dor connection that was broken for a bit, I assume) and are functionally immortal. It's also worth noting that they dont really die to become what they are, so they wouldnt have the same sustanence requirement of a Cognitive Shadow like a Returned.  It's possible they are immortal more like the Kandra. 

Dahkor monks are known to be longer lived but it doesnt sounds like they are immortal by default.  Given their Sacrifice mechanism, it would not surprise me to find out they can extend it by sacrificing the Lives of others, but that sounds like it would be closer to F-Atium's extension mechanism that has diminishing returns.

 

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Questioner (paraphrased)

[Something about whether Elantrians are immortal or long-lived] 

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

Elantrians have no physical limitations on their lifespan. The power will sustain them, but it's emotionally and mentally exhausting to be an Elantrian, so as far as immortality goes it's actually harder to be an Elantrian than other forms of immortality that exist in the cosmere.

GollanczFest London (Oct. 17, 2015)

 

 

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Khyrindor

You've said that Returned count as Cognitive shadows "stapled" back into their bodies, and that the Heralds are at least similar. Would I be right in assuming that Elantrians could be considered as Cognitive Shadows as well, or am I barking up the wrong tree?

Brandon Sanderson

Elantrians are something different. They don't actually "die" to be created.

Recognize that the term cognitive shadow is an in-cosmere theory, which I'm not going to comment on as the creator of the setting. The theory is this:

Investiture seeks sapience. It looks for someone to control it or, in some instances, spontaneously adopts personality.

A mind (cognitive aspect of a person) can become infused with Investiture. This acts a little like minerals with petrified wood, replacing the mind and personality with investiture.

When the actual person dies, this investiture imprint remains behind. A copy of the soul, but not the actual soul.

Others disagree with this, and think the soul itself persists. Still others reject the theory in its entirety.

linkhyrule5

Huh.

... Kandra are almost literally stapled to their bodies with Hemalurgy - would they count as such, to the in-setting scholars?

Brandon Sanderson

No, they wouldn't. They are beings who have had their souls twisted by Hemalurgy--the soul never left, it's just been messed up. Someone else who has a soul stapled to a body with Hemalurgy would count though.

Stormlight Three Update #6 (Jan. 20, 2017)