Spiritweb Studies

[TheHeadHancho]

The spirit web.

Most of us know what it is and mostly what it pertains, but a lot of us know bits and pieces of what it contains. Here we are going to create a structure for the spirit web, so that everyone can have a good framework for theories they want to involve it in.

With that out of the way, I always imagine the spirit web as a (modified) spider web. With thick, cordial strings coming outward from the center, and thinner, more fibrous strings connecting them. The challenge here is to establish what the thicker tendrils are to a being and how this stays constant within the Cosmere.

Of course, imagining it that way makes it easier but is not entirely correct. To put it more masterfully, the focal points of a spirit web are divided into three major portions but on their own represent sub-dominant qualities.

The definite things we know are part of a spirit web are as follows:

(Feel free to correct me here)

Fortune:

The interactive capabilities of spiritwebs which is greatly expanded upon when attaining greater amounts of investiture. Most notably allows for future sight in humans, shards, cognitive impact in a few tseWshadows, splinters, etc. primarily shown in shards (ex. Odium, Preservation, probably Cultivation) 

Connection:

Displays what form of investiture any being is connected to and is heavily related to the planet that being inhabits naturally (with some exceptions). Shards are connected to their own investiture, splinters are connected to whatever shard they originate from, cognitive shadows are connected to whatever investiture sustained them (threnrodite shades) and people inherit connection through s DNA.

Identity:

The most normal of the three, identity is responsible for, basically, who you are: what do you love, what do you hate, physical appearance, etc. is all contained in the identity portion. Most heavily influenced by s DNA of course.

Sub-Dominant qualities:

(again, looking for corrections\feedback)

Fortune-Identity:

Location—

where and when you are.

Fortune-Connection:

Future sight—

allows varying degrees of insight into the future. (Seers vs Shards)

Connection-Identity:

Magic—

the fins of investiture you can access or manifest.

Manipulation of the Spiritweb:

I have decided to separate the classes of manipulation into the capabilities each form of change has on the being.

Names are subject to change

Charging:

modifying the spiritweb by boosting it with investiture. Can be thought of as coating or lacing it. (Ex. Breath)

Splicing:

Using an already torn piece of a spirit web to insert investiture, usually a splinter. None of the original web is lost during this exchange (Ex. Spren or Divine Breath)

Stealing:

Intentionally tearing the spirit web to take a piece of it away. Usually destroys the being stolen from. (Ex. Hemalurgy or [possibly] Dark One Magic)

Destruction of the Spiritweb:

can be caused by “life changing” traumatic experiences. Has been caused regularly on several shardworlds to use magic. Includes: Scadrial, Roshar, and Nalthis.

 

 

Edited February 17, 2018 by TheHeadHancho
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[Steeldancer he/him]

If you want spirit web, refer to my signature. I've discussed them, in extreme detail.