Soft and strong axial interconnection

[Through The Living Grub He/Him]

Cohesion and Tension are the Surges of soft and strong axial connection respectively, but what does this even mean. The Focused Ones have this power, but I'm confused about how the whole system works. Would it make a wall stronger or weaker depending on the Surge?

[Treamayne]

38 minutes ago, Xiahida said:

Cohesion and Tension are the Surges of soft and strong axial connection respectively, but what does this even mean. The Focused Ones have this power, but I'm confused about how the whole system works. Would it make a wall stronger or weaker depending on the Surge?

We do not have much information yet, as they will get more depth in the back five. based on current known data:

• Venli uses Cohesion to make hard things (stone) malleable (like clay-RoW Ch 83)
• Dami uses Tension to make flexible things (cloth) rigid (WaT Ch 74)

Hope that helps

[Nitpicking]

On 3/7/2025 at 2:50 PM, Xiahida said:

Cohesion and Tension are the Surges of soft and strong axial connection respectively, but what does this even mean. The Focused Ones have this power, but I'm confused about how the whole system works. Would it make a wall stronger or weaker depending on the Surge?

Brandon (a chemistry major once upon a time) likes to make his magic science-adjacent. The soft and strong axial connections are meant to either be, or at least bring to mind, the weak and strong nuclear forces. Keep in mind that "axi" is Cosmere for "atoms". It would seem that some Yolen people can perceive them directly.

[+Oltux72 he/him]

On 3/7/2025 at 8:50 PM, Xiahida said:

Cohesion and Tension are the Surges of soft and strong axial connection respectively, but what does this even mean. The Focused Ones have this power, but I'm confused about how the whole system works. Would it make a wall stronger or weaker depending on the Surge?

In materials you have elastic and plastic deformation. In the former case if you apply a force to an object and it deforms. If you remove the force, the object will go back to the old shape. In the case of a plastic deformation, the object changes its shape permanently.
It seems to me that Tension is a manipulation of elastic properties. Cohesion changes the shape of a solid object. Cohesion can make a rock soft, but not springy.