Gravitation
The power to command the fall, to fly without wings, or to turn the sky itself against an enemy.
Gravitation is the Surgebinding art that turns the world's weight into a mere suggestion. It grants wielders dominion over attraction and repulsion, allowing them to shed gravity's chains to soar through highstorms or crush stone with a thought. This singular power bridges two distinct orders of Knights Radiant: the protective Windrunners and the judgmental Skybreakers. From simple levitation to complex battlefield maneuvering, this surge transforms its users into living anchors—or falling stars—essential for survival as ancient conflicts reignite on Roshar.
- Associated Orders
- Windrunners, Skybreakers
- Investiture Source
- Stormlight
- Primary Effect
- Gravity manipulation and flight
- Key Wielders
- Kaladin Stormblessed, Szeth-son-son-Vallano
- Related Surge (Windrunner)
- Adhesion
- Related Surge (Skybreaker)
- Division
- Current Status
- Active
Lore & Background
Gravitation is one of the ten fundamental Surges that define magic on Roshar. Historically, it was wielded by the Knights Radiant before their betrayal and disbandment known as the Recreance. This power allows for the manipulation of attraction and repulsion between objects, fundamentally altering how gravity affects the user or their targets.
In the modern era, this ability has returned through new bonds with spren of Honor and Law. Windrunners utilize it alongside Adhesion to protect others, while Skybreakers combine it with Division to enforce judgment from above. The return of these powers signifies a growing threat that demands the Radiants rise once more.
Using this power requires significant Stormlight investment. Without sufficient energy stored in gemstones or infused directly into the body, the user cannot maintain flight or altered weight states. It is a dangerous gift that separates those who can walk among the clouds from those bound to the earth.
In Their Own Story
The highstorm howled, a wall of grey violence that should have torn him apart. Yet, he did not fall. Beneath his skin, azure light pulsed like a second heartbeat as the invisible tether binding him to the stone ground loosened its grip. He drifted upward, defying the chaos below where bridge crews scrambled for cover. Above them, stones detached from the cliffside and hovered in a bubble of defiance around his boots, suspended in a silence that mocked the roaring wind.
Reader's Guide
Gravitation is not merely about flying; it is the art of redefining 'down.' By infusing themselves or objects with Stormlight, Radiants can alter their mass relative to the ground, effectively negating weight to ascend or increasing pressure to shatter defenses. The sensation is often described as a sudden, vertiginous lightness, as if the planet has forgotten to hold them.
However, this defiance demands a heavy price: Stormlight. Maintaining flight requires a constant, rapid drain of energy from gemstones or the user's own reservoirs. A lapse in concentration—or an empty gem—results in an immediate, often catastrophic return to normal weight. Mastery lies in the balance between mental focus and light consumption; Windrunners use this delicate control for rescue and defense, while Skybreakers weaponize it, dropping from the clouds with the force of a falling mountain.
Did You Know?
- Szeth-son-Valan was known as the Truthless Assassin before his redemption arc.
- Flight consumes Stormlight significantly faster than most other Surgebinding applications.
- Gravitation is one of only two Surges shared between different Radiant orders (the other being Adhesion).
- Gravity can be reversed to repel objects, allowing users to push heavy boulders or enemies away with a mere thought.