Cosmere Encyclopedia
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- cosmere
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Adonalsium
God, also known by Singers as Origin of Songs. It created the Rosharan system and three primeval spren: Wind, Stone and Night. Adonalsium has been destroyed during the event known as Shattering of Adonalsium and its power divided into sixteen parts, known as Shards of Adonalsium.
Allomancy
One of the three forms of Investiture on Scadrial. Users of Allomancy are Allomancers.
Allomancy comes from Preservation and relies on burning Allomantic metals by Allomancers, which in turn provides them with specific power bound to the kind of burned metal. Side effect of burning Allomantic metals is that it creates Allomantic pulses, which Allomancers who burn Bronze can detect.
There are sixteen basic Allomantic metals. They come in pairs: one is the base metal, while the other one is its alloy. One is “pushing” metal and the other is “pulling” metal. Some metals influence things which are outside of Allomancer’s body (external metals), others influence their internal powers. Other way of dividing Allomantic metals is by the type of power they influence: physical or mental attributes, enhancement of other Allomantic powers and manipulating time (temporal metals).
Physical | Pushing | Pulling | Pushing | Pulling | Mental |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
External | Steel Pushes from nearby metals; allows detection of other metals |
Iron Pulls to nearby metal; allows detection of other metalss |
Brass Soothes emotions |
Zinc Enflames emotions |
External |
Internal | Pewter Increases physical abilities |
Tin Sharpens senses |
Bronze Allows detection of Allomantic pulses |
Copper Hides the fact of burning Allomantic metal |
Internal |
External | Nicrosil Enhances power of currently burned metals by other Allomancer |
Chromium Depletes metal reserves of other Allomancer |
Bendalloy Speeds up time |
Cadmium Slows down time |
External |
Internal | Duralumin Enhances power of currently burned metals |
Aluminum Depletes metal reserves of Allomancer |
Electrum Reveals Allomancer's future |
Gold Reveals Allomancer's past self |
Internal |
Enhancement | Pushing | Pulling | Pushing | Pulling | Temporal |
Some Allomancers can burn God Metals, which provide other effects than the ordinary Allomantic metals. Some God Metals, like Lerasium, can be burned by anyone.
Ambition
One of Shards of Adonalsium. Its original Vessel was Uli Da, but she was killed by Rayse who held the Shard of Odium at that time.
Shortly after Shattering Uli Da had visited Threnodite System, where she, Odium and Mercy fought against each other, ultimately loosing to Odium.
Aon
Aon Aon before Reod
Possible Aon Aon after Reod
Name of the writing system and glyphs used on Sel, primarily used in Arelon, as well as the name of the first glyph of the system. All glyphs together are called Aons and the first glyph is Aon. Aons serve as a base for AonDor magic system.
Aons are tightly connected with geography of Arelon. All Aons base on the shape of the first Aon Aon, which itself bases on the shape of Arelon: its top line represents the Sea of Fjorden, right curve Atad Mountains and the dot in the middle: Lake Alonoe. After Reod shape of Aons have changed, adding the line at the bottom right, representing the chasm created during the earthquake. Without that line, Aons are incomplete and don’t work as intended for their magical purposes.
Each Seon displays a glowing Aon at its core.
Aons aren’t invented, but discovered.
Name | Meaning | Use in AonDor |
---|---|---|
Aon | First, Language | Base for other Aons |
Aan | Truth, Fact | |
Aeo | Bravery | |
Aha | Breath, Air | |
Ake | The Direction West | |
Ala | Beauty, Handsomeness | |
Are | Unity, Cohesion | |
Ashe | Light, Illumination | Creates a light, without a heat. |
Ata | Grace, Smoothness | |
Ati | Hope | |
Ato | The Direction North | |
Daa | Power, Energy | Offensive spell; creates a burst of light which strikes the opponent |
Dao | Stability, Security | |
Deo | Gold, Metal | |
Dii | Wood | |
Dio | Steadfast, Immovable | |
Eda | Superior, Lofty | |
Edo | Protection, Safety | Defensive shield/wall |
Ehe | Fire, Warmth | |
Ela | Focus, Center | |
Ena | Torena | |
Ene | Wit, Cleverness | |
Eno | Water | |
Eon | Willpower, Endurance | |
Eshe | Gift, Endowment | |
Eto | Body, Flesh, Muscle | |
Iad | Trust, Reilable | |
Ial | Helpfulness, Aid | |
Ido | Mercy, Forgiveness | |
Ien | Wisdom | Base Aon for healing; specialised use requires many modifiers |
Ire | Time, Age | |
Kae | The Direction East | |
Kai | Calmness, Solemnity | |
Kii | Justice | |
Mai | Honor | |
Mea | Thoughtfulness, Caringness | |
Nae | Sight, Clarity | Magnifies what's in the middle of the circle in center of Aon Nae |
Omi | Love | |
Opa | Flower | |
Rao | Spirit, Essence | |
Reo | Reo | Power Amplifier |
Rii | Wealth, Affluence | |
Sao | Intelligence | |
Sea | Chasity, Faithfulness | |
Seo | Loyalty, Service | |
Shao | Transform, Change | Base for creating illusions which are tied to the clothing |
Sheo | Death | |
Soi | Order, Organized | |
Tae | Open | |
Teo | Royal, Majestic | |
Tia | Trave, Transportation | Quick travel, teleportation |
Toa | The Direction South |
Aona
Original Vessel of Devotion. Together with Skai she violated the pact of original Vessels to not settle on the same world, and they both settled on Sel. Later, Rayse arrived at the system and killed Aona and Skai. Their combined Investiture creates the Dor.
AonDor
Magic system (manifestation of Investiture) on Sel. It uses Aons to draw energy from Dor.
Normally only Elantrians who are past Shaod can use AonDor, but a person invited and accepted to one of Elantrian’s groups can use AonDor too (example: Hoid tricked Elantrian Riina into inviting him to become Elantrian). Soul stamping a person to Elantrian may work too (Wan ShaiLu stamped herself).
To channel Investiture, Elantrian draws Aons resembling geography of Arelon. Aons usually are drawn in the air. Precision of drawing is of highest importance and any mistake nullifies the Aon. Intent of drawing is necessary, the same as in other forms of Investiture, but due to the complexity of Aons, it is unlikely to draw them without the proper Intent.
Each Aon has unique effect. Aons can be combined, or modified by drawing additional dots and lines that change their power and range. For example, thanks to the careful drawing, healer can define which limb AonDor should heal. Once drawn, Aon doesn’t deplete and continues to function until destroyed by another Elantrian.
AonDor can be used to cast curses upon a person. Curses have negative effects on their subjects, such as change of appearance, personality, or forbidding them to explain the curse to the others. To break the curse, one must fulfill its conditions. Curses are hard to break by other means, even by their caster.
Shapes of Aons have changed after Reod. Unable to draw the new Aons, Elantrians lost their powers and Shaod couldn’t finish the transformation of new Elantrians because of the missing chasm line in the enormous Aon Rao which Elantris and the four Gate Cities create. Prince Raoden of Arelon drew the missing chasm line on the ground, restoring the powers of Elantrians.
The distance of Elantrian from Arelon weakens AonDor, which makes it very difficult to use outside of Sel. To be successful, one would need a source of Dor and a local map combined with Aon (likely Aon Rao serving as power amplifier) drawn on the ground where Elantrian casts the spells. Ire have devised methods of channeling Dor through Cognitive Realm. It’s also possible to transfer purified Dor between worlds in ordinary containers to use AonDor off-Sel.
Aonic
Aonic people is the ethnic group of people on Sel, living mostly in the region surrounding Elantris and Arelon.
Arelon

Map of Arelon after the Reod
Nation in the northwest part of Opelon on Sel with the capital in Elantris. Shortly after Reod Arelon’s capital was moved to Kae, but it was moved back after the invasion of Arelon and reconstruction of Elantris.
Deo is the currency of Arelon, named after Aon Deo.
Arelon remains the last nation on Opelon independent from the Fjordell Empire.
Ati
Original Vessel of Shard Ruin.
Together with Leras, a Vessel of Preservation, he created Scadrial and sapient life on it and formed a deal with Preservation that one day he could destroy it. However, Preservation broke the terms of their deal: he trapped Ruin in the Well of Ascension and stole part of his power and stored it as atium in the Pits of Hathsin.
Ati could still influence the world in some minuscule ways. He tricked Vin to release the power of the Well which freed him. Without his full power, he couldn’t destroy Scadrial immediately so he began to seek the hidden deposits of atium. He was unsuccessful. Vin, who ascended to the Shard of Preservation, killed both Ati and herself, and the power of Ruin and Preservation were taken by Sazed, who ascended to Harmony.
Atium
God Metal associated with Shard Ruin. Its name comes from Ati, the original Vessel of Ruin. It was created by Preservation who imprisoned Ruin, took part of its power and hid it in the Pits of Hathsin. Hidden power of Ruin, his “body”, manifested as a metal atium.
Because atium is the physical manifestation of condensed power of Ruin, Allomancers who burn atium, draw their power from Ruin, not Preservation.
When burned by Allomancer, atium allows to see few seconds into the future, producing “shadows” of things which may happen. When two users of atium look at each other, they see many different shadows, because future is uncertain for them. The same nullifying effect occurs when atium user encounters user of electrum.
Feruchemists can use atium to store their youth.
When used as a Hemalurgical spike, atium can steal any power.
Autonomy
TBD
Awakening
TBD
B
Bavadin
TBD
Beyond
TBD
BioChromatic Breath
TBD
BioChromatic Entity
TBD
Breath Equivalent Unit (BEU)
Unit of measurement of Investiture, based on the quantity of Investiture in one BioChromatic Breath.
C
Catacendre
TBD
Chan Ko Sar
TBD
Cultivation
TBD
D
Dawnshard
TBD
Devotion
TBD
Dominion
TBD
Dor
TBD
E
Edgli
TBD
Elantris
TBD
Endowment
TBD
Euridrius
TBD
Eye of Ridos
TBD
F
Feruchemy
TBD
Fjordell Empire
TBD
G
Gate Cities
TBD
God Metal
Solid mianifestation of Shard of Adonalsium’s Investiture. Known God Metals are: atium, malatium, harmonium, lerasium, trellium and raysium
H
Harmonium
TBD
Harmony
TBD
Hemalurgy
TBD
Hoid
TBD
Honor
TBD
I
Intent
TBD
Invention
TBD
Investiture
Base of all cosmere magic systems. Investiture is measured in Breath Equivalent Units.
It naturally belongs to the Spiritual Realm. In large quantities, it causes time dilation in Cognitive and Physical Realms, where time and space do matter.
Energy, relativistic mass and Investiture are different forms of the same thing, deriving from the famous Einstein’s formula E = mc², which is a special case of energy-momentum relation with momentum equal to 0.
Investiture manifests itself differently on different worlds, for example as Awakening on Nalthis, as Stormlight on Roshar or as Allomancy on Scadrial.
Ire
TBD
J
K
Kae
TBD
Koravellium Avast
TBD
L
Leras
TBD
Lerasium
TBD
M
Malatium
TBD
Medelantorius
TBD
Mercy
TBD
Mistborn
TBD
N
Nalthis
TBD
Nightblood
TBD
O
Odium
TBD
Opelon
TBD
P
Pits of Hathsin
TBD
Preservation
TBD
Q
R
Raoden
TBD
Rayse
Original Vessel of Odium. Killed by Taravangian with Nightblood.
Raysium
TBD
Realm
Place of existence. In cosmere everything exists in one of three Realms: Physical Realm, Cognitive Realm and the Spiritual Realm. On Roshar the theory of three Realms has been first proposed by the scholar Gavarah.
Physical Realm is a Realm which we perceive with our senses.
Cognitive Realm is the world of thought and perception. On Roshar Shadesmar is on the Cognitive Realm.
Spiritual Realm is made entirely of Investiture and lies beyond space and time. Shards are almost entirely contained in the Spiritual Realm.
Reason
TBD
Reod
TBD
Riina
TBD
Roshar
TBD
Rosharan System
TBD
Ruin
TBD
S
Sazed
TBD
Scadrial
TBD
Scadrian System
TBD
Sel
TBD
Selish System
TBD
Seon
TBD
Shadesmar
Section of Cognitive Realm in the Rosharan system. It is the kingdom of spren. Also known as Makari Sin by the Shin.
Shaod
TBD
Shard of Adonalsium
Piece of Adonalsium’s power created during the Shattering. Each Shard is named after its purpose or its Intent, which defines how they act and what they’re capable of. To be used, Shard needs a Vessel: a person who holds its power.
When two or more Shards are being held by one person, they mix and create a new Intent. Although the Intents of individual Shards still exist, the mix constitutes as a new Shard. In total, 65535 Shards can be created this way, including the one made of all sixteen primary Shards.
Primary Shards are: Ambition, Autonomy, Cultivation, Devotion, Dominion, Endowment, Honor, Invention, Mercy, Odium, Preservation, Reason, Ruin, Valor, Virtuosity and Whimsy.
Shattering of Adonalsium
Event after which Adonalsium was destroyed and its power divided into sixteen parts, known as Shards of Adonalsium. It took place over 10000 years before the True Desolation.
Adonalsium was killed by Aona, Ati, Bavadin, Chan Ko Sar, Edgli, Euridrius Hoid, Koravellium Avast, Leras, Medelantorius, Rayse, Skai, Tanavast and Uli Da, using the dawnshards.
Shin
TBD
Skai
TBD
Soulstamp
TBD
Spren
TBD
Sycla
Name of continent on Sel. Opelon. Name of Sycla is used by the nations that live in the eastern part of the continent.
T
Taldain
TBD
Tanavast
TBD
Taravangian
TBD
Teod
TBD
Threnodite System
TBD
Trellium
TBD
True Desolation
TBD
U
Uli Da
TBD
V
Valor
TBD
Vasher
TBD
Vessel
A person who took one or more of Shards of Adonalsium.
Vin Venture
TBD
Virtuosity
TBD
W
Wan ShaiLu
TBD
Warbreaker
Warbreaker or *Warbreaker the Peaceful is the title of Vasher which he held on Nalthis.
Well of Ascension
TBD
Whimsy
TBD
X
Y
Z
Zahel
See: Vasher.