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Polestone

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Polestone
Related to Spheres
Soulcasting
Fabrials
World of Origin Roshar
This page or section contains spoilers for Words of Radiance!
This information has the ability to potentially ruin elements of the plot for the reader. Proceed with caution if you have not read this book.

The Polestones are the ten varieties of gemstone that naturally hold Stormlight. They also serve as the basis of spheres, the basic Rosharan money system.[1]

In addition to the ability to hold Stormlight, polestones are able to trap spren. The type of spren that can be trapped depends on the polestone used and its cut. This quality serves as the basis for fabrials.[2]

Some polestones are the same type of crystal but with different color and chemical signatures. Sapphire and ruby are both types of corundum. Smokestone and amethyst are both types of quartz. Emerald and heliodor are both types of beryl. Much like how iron and steel, despite being very similar chemically, are different metals in the Metallic Arts, the exact color and chemical signatures are enough to differentiate the polestones. As a result, an off-color polestone acts much like an impure alloy in Allomancy.[3]

Although the type of polestone Stormlight is stored in is irrelevant for most Surgebinding, polestones do have an important impact on Soulcasting. Namely they determine what objects can be Soulcast into.[4]

While polestones are produced via mining, a significant source of them on Roshar is the harvesting of the gemhearts that grow inside greatshells. Larger species of greathshell, like chasmfiends, produce gemhearts of great size, which are incredibly useful in Soulcasting as a larger stone is less likely to break from the strain.[5] This trait however has led to many species of greatshells, such as the lanceryn.[6] The exact method by which gemhearts are grown is not understood, though it is known to be caused by a leak from the Spiritual Realm into the Physical, and is analogous, though not identical, to the production of atium in the Pits of Hathsin on Scadrial.[7] Although they may have flaws, gemheart polestones have virtually no impurities, unlike their conventionally mined counterparts.[8]

It is believed to be impossible to create polestones via Soulcasting.[9]

If a polestone is set in the pommel of a deceased Shardblade it allows the blade to be bonded, whereby it can be summoned and dismissed.[10]

The Ten Polestones

Sapphire

Sapphire is associated with the Essence of Zephyr. They are used to Soulcast translucent gases, like air.[11]

Sapphire spheres are given the "sky-" prefix.[12]

Smokestone

Smokestone is associated with the Essence of Vapor. They are used to Soulcast opaque gases, like smoke and fog.[11]

Ruby

Ruby is associated with the Essence of Spark. They are used to Soulcast fire.[11]

Rubies are used in the production of conjoiner fabrials, where a single infused ruby is split in two. Once activated the two halves will mirror each others movements, lift one and the other will also rise.[11] Spanreeds are a common application of this phenomenon.[13]

Rubies are also used in a kind of heat producing fabrial.[14] They are also used in the construction of the Painrial, a pain reducing fabrial, designed by Longshadow and adapted by Navani Kholin.[15] A ruby was also part of the Oathgate at the center of the Shattered Plains.[16]

Ruby spheres are given the "fire-" prefix.[1]

Diamond

Diamond is associated with the Essence of Lucentia. They are used to Soulcast crystals, like quartz, and glass.[11]

Diamonds are used in a kind of light producing fabrial.[16]

Diamond spheres are given the "clear-" prefix.[17]

Emerald

Emerald is associated with the Essence of Pulp. They are used to Soulcast plant material, like wood and moss.[11]

Emeralds can be used to capture flamespren.[2]

Garnet

Garnet is associated with the Essence of Blood. They are used to Soulcast the eight types of blood and all other non-oil liquids.[11]

Garnets are used in a type of water attracting fabrial.[18]

Garnet spheres are given the "blood-" prefix.[19]

Zircon

Zircon is associated with the Essence of Tallow. They are used to Soulcast oils.[11]

Amethyst

Amethyst is associated with the Essence of Foil. They are used to Soulcast metals.[11]

Amethysts are used in the production of reverser fabrials, where a single infused amethyst is split in two. Once activated the two halves will inversely mirror each other's movements, lift one and the other will be lowered.[11]

Topaz

Topaz is associated with the Essence of Talus. They are used to Soulcast rock and stone.[11]

A topaz was observed as part of a fabrial replicating Regrowth, an application of the Surge of Progression.[20]

Heliodor

Heliodor is associated with the Essence of Sinew. They are used to Soulcast animal material, like meat and flesh.[11]

Heliodors are used in the production of alerter fabrials. These fabrials can be used to detect a variety of stimuli, such as people and emotions, and give notice to its user.[21]The larger the heliodor, and as a result the more Stormlight that can be infused in it, the wider the fabrial's range is.[11]

A heliodor was observed as part of a fabrial replicating Regrowth, an application of the Surge of Progression.[20]

Notes

  1. ↑ a b The Way of Kings chapter 3#
  2. ↑ a b Navani's Notebook: One Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Navani1.jpg" defined multiple times with different content
  3. ↑ Broken reference - Missing date declaration: What is the dividing line between gemstones?
    — Theoryland - {{{date}}}#
  4. ↑ Broken reference - Missing date declaration: Why Can Kaladin Surgebind with any gem type but Jasnah and Shallan need specific types?
    — Theoryland - {{{date}}}#
  5. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 13#
  6. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 36#
  7. ↑ Broken reference - Missing date declaration: The gemhearts that are grown inside the beasts in The Way of Kings... is that the same as the way atium is grown inside geodes in the Pits of Hathsin?
    — Theoryland - {{{date}}}#
  8. ↑ Broken reference - Missing date declaration: Are gemhearts, the gems in those chemically identical to mined gemstones?
    — Theoryland - {{{date}}}#
  9. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 33#
  10. ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 67#
  11. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m The Way of Kings Ars Arcanum#
  12. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 27#
  13. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 28#
  14. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 15#
  15. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 22#
  16. ↑ a b Words of Radiance chapter 86#
  17. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 11#
  18. ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 82#
  19. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 17#
  20. ↑ a b The Way of Kings chapter 19#
  21. ↑ The Way of Kings interlude I-4#
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