Gemstone Awakening

[Dwmaster204]

Could a gemstone such as a diamond be awakened with enough breath? If so would it still be able to store stormlight and spren. Would the conscious gem be able to affect fabrials it is placed into?

[Dunkum he/him]

In theory you could awaken just about anything with enough breath. but it would take a lot, and that much investiture would definitely interfere with using it for other purposes. it might till be possible, but I would bet against it.

[Trusk'our he/him]

Here's a quote from Brando Sando himself on the matter

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Questioner

Could a skilled Awakener Awaken a gemheart?

Brandon Sanderson

Yes, but you got to remember, some of these things like metal and gemstones and things do not Awaken well, how about that... Technically yes, it may not do the thing that you want it to do.

Questioner

But it'll do a thing?

Brandon Sanderson

It'll do a thing.

So yeah, it's doable, but it probably won't do much. 

In addition, if you used a Gemstone's color to fuel Awakening it will effect the Gemstone for Soulcasting purposes.

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TearablePuns

If an Awakener were to use a gemstone as a color source, will that affect its Soulcasting properties?

Brandon Sanderson

Yes.

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zas678

If an Awakener went to Roshar and bled color from a gem, would this gem still hold Stormlight?

Brandon Sanderson

If an Awakener bled-- No it would-- Oh wait yes it would because a colorless gem could still hold Stormlight. It just would not have--

zas678

Would not have the properties of the original color.

Brandon Sanderson

Yeah, the color is integral to what's going on because molecularly some of these gems are the same except for the different coloring. The coloring is kind of what--

zas678

What defines what magic.

Brandon Sanderson

Yeah. It has to with fabrials and some of the effects, and that relates directly to the spren and what spren-- anyway.