Stormlight

Kaladin Stormblessed
Fan art by Chillalord[1]

Stormlight is a vibration and radiant energy given off by highstorms that can be stored in gemstones and then later used by Surgebinders. Stormlight is also a source of light and power that is used to power the technology of Roshar. Gemstones are much better at holding Stormlight than other objects because the light can remain within them for weeks. Usually, those gemstones kept in spheres (the currency on Roshar), can be infused with Stormlight by leaving them outside during a highstorm. Infused spheres can also be obtained from money exchangers. Stormlight leaks quickly when held by a Surgebinder or infused into an object other than a gemstone, though persons can slow the leakage by holding their breath (which they can do for an extended time while holding the light).

Stormlight is not simply illumination, as it gives off illumination. It behaves like a liquid when drawn from a full gemstone into an empty one, mimicking osmosis.

Characteristics

Stormlight has the power to heal, though such healing only speeds up and slightly enhances the natural healing process depending on how much of it is used.

Stormlight in a highstorm is transferred from the Spiritual Realm through the Stormfather into the highstorm.

It flows through one's body, reknitting bones, repairing organs ... but it's used up in a moment.

Having been filled with Stormlight, one's body will glow, but that's from the Stormlight leaking from one's skin.

While captured, the illumination given off by Stormlight behaves like sunlight: it can be split by a prism, and diffuses the farther it gets from its source. But the Stormlight itself is different from the illumination it radiates.

The strange refractive properties of Invested Light are related to the backward shadows in the Cognitive Realm and of Axies the Collector.

Stormlight is not easy to get off of Roshar, and is technically keyed.

Surgebinding

Stormlight is used by all Surgebinders to perform certain feats, which are akin to those performed by the Knights Radiant, which had ten orders. Each order possessed different abilities. However, Stormlight can be used by any Surgebinder to increase battle reflexes, reactivity, speed, and strength within the physical limits of their bodies.

Stormlight can be used by Windrunners to perform the three types of Lashings (Basic, Full, and Reverse).

Stormlight can be used by Lightweavers to create illusions with light.^{[citation needed]}

Stormlight can be used by Elsecallers to Soulcast.

There is no toxic level for Stormlight; when one is in a storm, one cannot get to the point where one has too much.

People bearing Stormlight are more difficult to Lash, something Szeth is coming to understand as a Skybreaker squire.

A Returned can feed off of Stormlight very easily. One can't use Stormlight to power Awakening very easily, but if one still has Breaths, one can use and reclaim them.

Known Surgebinders

• Jasnah is an Elsecaller and is able to Transform and Transport through her bond with her spren, Ivory.

• Kaladin was able to save his bridge crew by using a Reverse Lashing on Parshendi arrows directed at Bridge Four. He is a Windrunner and his power comes from his bond with his spren, Syl.

• Shallan is a Lightweaver. Her power comes from her bond with her spren, Pattern.

• Szeth frequently used Stormlight as a tool during his assassinations to kill his victims. But his powers, unlike those of others, did not come from a bond with any spren. It had come simply from wielding an Honorblade.

• Lift visited the Nightwatcher and received a direct physical connection with Shadesmar, allowing her to physically interact with spren and metabolize food into Stormlight. She is an Edgedancer and her bond is with Wyndle.

• Dalinar is a Bondsmith. His power comes from his bond with the Stormfather.

• Navani is a Bondsmith. Her power comes from her bond with the Sibling

• Renarin is a Truthwatcher and his bond is with Glys.

• The Stump (Arshqqam) is also a Truthwatcher, yet her spren (Arshqqam's spren) remains unnamed.

• Malata is a Dustbringer and her bond is with Spark.

• Venli is a potential Willshaper and her developing bond is with Timbre.

• Warren is an Azish Master Skybreaker.

• Joret is a Skybreaker squire.

• Cali is a Skybreaker squire.

• Zedzil is a Skybreaker squire.

• Fari is a Skybreaker squire.

• Ty is a Skybreaker squire and the leader of a group of other such squires.

• Teft is a Windrunner squire and is bound to Phendorana.

• Lopen is also a Windrunner squire and is bound to Rua.

Notes

Navani says to Raboniel, "Three gods. Three types of Light." That to which she is referring are Honor, Odium and Cultivation, and each their connections to Stormlight, Voidlight and Lifelight, respectively.

Black sand can be used to measure Stormlight in a gemstone or fabrial. It slowly turns white when exposed to Stormlight.

Speculation

It is theorized that Voidbringers can hold Stormlight perfectly.

Q&A with Brandon

Q. Why can Stormlight heal Lopen's arm, but can't heal Kaladin's scars?

A. Because a lot of the healing in the cosmere works on principles of expectation and how you envision yourself.

Q. So Kaladin has accepted the scars.

A. And Lopen never accepted the one arm. It's one of these ties when I built the magic systems that I wanted certain threads to run through them, so when I eventually have them being used in the same books, there will be consistency among them, so they won't feel like everything's just thrown together. So, the intention and expectation, for instance, in Warbreaker. What you want to have happen, the expectation, the way you are thinking about things, all that influences what actually happens. Very important for most of the cosmere magics.

Q. Why does Stormlight make things cold?

A. It's not the Stormlight; it's condensation because something is going directly from a gas into a solid. The coldness is caused by that, it's not necessarily that the Stormlight is making things cold, but that the Shardblade is condensing.