Cultivation

Cultivation
Cultivation Fan art by botanicaxu[1]
Biographical information
Race	Shard/Dragon
Gender	Female
Status	Alive
Abilities	Splintering, Surgebinding, Old Magic
Social Information
Aliases	Koravellium Avast, Slammer
Appears in	The Way of Kings (mentioned), Words of Radiance (mentioned), Oathbringer, Rhythm of War (mentioned)

Cultivation is one of the sixteen Shards of Adonalsium and one of the three Shards located on Roshar.

A reference by the Almighty (a god according to Vorinism, also known as Honor, and her lover) in one of Dalinar's visions lends insight into her abilities.

“	"I cannot see the future completely. Cultivation, she is better at it than I."	”
–The Almighty to Dalinar in one of his visions

Following the Shattering of Adonalsium, Cultivation moved to Roshar with Honor.

Cultivation is worshipped by the western peoples of Roshar (i.e., the Shin). The Nightwatcher calls her Mother.

Her perpendicularity is located in the Horneater Peaks.

Appearance

Cultivation/Nightwatcher
Fan art by Kyle Pearson[2]

She has brown skin the color of darkwood bark. She has a matronly build and wears a sweeping brown dress which seems to become bark or grass, melding with her surroundings. Vines from her dress curl into the earth, permeating everything. Her voice is like tumbling stones.

Concerns

Cultivation supervises some visits to the Nightwatcher, as she did with both Lift's and Dalinar's visits.

“	"Cultivation is always aware of what's going on. Cultivation rarely intervenes, even if she thinks it would be a bad boon, because she wants the Nightwatcher to learn. And she also is very interested in seeing what happens. So, rarely intervenes, but is aware."	”
–Brandon Sanderson

Cultivation interceded with Lift, causing her to be so connected to herself that Lift directly metabolizes food into Lifelight.

In intervening with Dalinar's visit, she tells the Nightwatcher that this boon is beyond her. She tells him that this is the first time in centuries that she's come personally to speak with one like him. When he asks her why she chose to come out now, she tells him that it's because of the attention others pay him.

Abilities

Cultivation and the Nightwatcher
Fan art by Ari Ibarra[3]

Some of the many spren found on Roshar were created by Cultivation and Honor at some point before the Desolations began, by Splintering themselves.

Cultivation is responsible for Dalinar's boon.*

“	THIS WILL BE YOUR BOON. I WILL NOT MAKE OF YOU THE MAN YOU CAN BECOME. I WILL NOT GIVE YOU THE APTITUDE, OR THE STRENGTH, NOR WILL I TAKE FROM YOU YOUR COMPULSIONS. BUT I WILL GIVE YOU ... A PRUNING. A CAREFUL EXCISION TO LET YOU GROW. THE COST WILL BE HIGH. "Please," Dalinar said. "Anything." She stepped back to him. IN DOING THIS, I PROVIDE FOR HIM A WEAPON. DANGEROUS, VERY DANGEROUS. YET, ALL THINGS MUST BE CULTIVATED. WHAT I TAKE FROM YOU WILL GROW BACK EVENTUALLY. THIS IS PART OF THE COST. IT WILL DO ME WELL TO HAVE A PART OF YOU, EVEN IF YOU ULTIMATELY BECOME HIS. YOU WERE ALWAYS BOUND TO COME TO ME.	”
–Cultivation to Dalinar

She may be responsible for spren relating to physical phenomena:

“	I CONTROL ALL THINGS THAT CAN BE GROWN, NURTURED. THAT INCLUDES THE THORNS.	”
–Cultivation to Dalinar

Lifelight

(To be continued.)

Notes

Cultivation's Shardholder is still alive.

“	"That's right," Adolin said with a nod. "Stick to women your own age." Wit grinned. "Well that might be a little harder. I think there's only one of those around these parts, and she and I never did get along."	”
–Adolin to Wit

(In the above quote, Wit is referring to Cultivation.)

*Cultivation has intervened before.

She has been confirmed by Brandon to be a dragon.

Theory

A reader has theorized that Cultivation saw the chance of Adolin reviving Maya with her future sight. Further, that she then instructed the Ring to hold spren off from bonding Adolin. Further still, that she did this so Adolin could forge a connection to Maya, and then - with help from Bondsmith Dalinar - restore Maya to life. Even further, that this would show the distrustful Radiant spren that humans can heal the past and possibly forgive the humans; that this would result in a massive up-surge in bonding due to reviving dead spren, thereby increasing the size of the Radiants one-hundred fold. Finally, that this would also potentially convince Realeaser spren and Stonewardspren to side with team Honor. All of this ultimately striking a huge blow to Odium and team hatred.

Another reader has theorized that Cultivation gave Taravangian a curse and a blessing. That the blessing was for him to become Odium and fail against the Knights Radiant, and therefore save everyone. And, that the curse is obviously the way his intelligence and compassion invert in various days. But that the design itself is to drive him to his doom, which is salvation for Roshar.

Yet another reader has theorized that Cultivation is setting the stage for three champions, or perhaps for those three to inherit the Rosharan Shards (i.e., Taravangian inheriting Odium, Dalinar inheriting Honor, and Lift inheriting Cultivation herself). Further, it seems to this reader that Cultivation has set the stage for a whole new set of ascensions.

Q&A with Brandon

Q: What are Cultivation's feelings with regards to the Stormfather?

A: Cultivation's feelings ... I don't think that has spoilers. Cultivation is, um uhhh [long pause] I just have to decide how I can say things that are not spoilers. Cultivation ... the Stormfather reminds her of certain things about someone else she knew, and she feels the same way about the Stormfather in some ways as this person she knew.