Intent

Intent is a Spiritual concept in the cosmere referring to a being's express will or purpose. Intent plays a vitally important role in the workings of most manifestations of Investiture in the cosmere. Shards have an innate Intent to them, a driving motivation that is encompassed by the name of the Shard itself. Individuals can also focus their will into a deliberate Intent, something necessary when working with many types of Investiture. 
== Nature ==
The precise nature of Intention, and how it functions and is used, is currently unclear. When Intent is exercised, one's mind reaches out into and interacts with the Spiritual Realm, allowing for one's intentions to have influence in the Spiritual Realm. This influence can range from the power involved in chaining a Shard to a simple Aon's effectiveness.
Intention plays an important, esoteric role in the underlying framework of the cosmere's magic. Within the context of specific magic systems it is often involved in specific ways, though the extent and importance of these functions varies.
== Role ==
In general, while use of magic can often be learned without guidance, and even be performed subconsciously, many applications can be learned significantly faster and with greater ease when the magic user receives instruction and is able to perform the magic intentionally within the bounds of its nature.
Intention is involved to some degree in the following contexts:
; Selish Magic
: Intent plays a particularly notable role on Sel, where the copious manifestations of Investiture are accessed in ways that are distinctly tied to human culture. The precise shapes and movements associated with these magic systems must be composed with the intention of accessing the Dor for a specific purpose. For example, experiments performed by Khriss suggest that an Elantrian must know the required shape of an Aon and draw it willingly in order for the magic to manifest. For the creation of soulstamps, a Forger must not only have proper Intent themselves, but also understand the intent behind the thing being stamped.
; BioChromatic Breath
: While the exact wording of a Command in Awakening is important, one must also exercise Intent through careful visualization of what the Awakener intends to happen. Without explicitly willing the expressed ideas to take place, merely pronouncing the words of the Command will not allow for a successful Awakening. Notably, the Command used for Breath transfer, "My life to yours, my Breath become yours," cannot be forced; in order for one person to give their Breath to another they must willingly speak the Command phrase.
; Allomancy and Feruchemy
: With Allomancy and Feruchemy, the role of Intent is less significant than in many other systems. The specific application of Investiture is shaped by the metal used rather than by the user's will. However, Intention does allow for faster learning and greater skill with the magic. More complex uses, such as Compounding or tapping specific Investiture from a metalmind, also require some measure of intentionality.
; Hemalurgy
: While Hemalurgy can be performed anywhere in the cosmere and by anyone, Intent is required to some degree during the placement of the Hemalurgic spike. It is unclear whether this means the person must only know generally what they are doing, or if they must have specific knowledge as to what the spike will do, where it must be placed, or why.
; On Roshar
: The remnants of Honor's power could be used to release and expel Odium from Roshar, if the wielder of the power did so with Intent. Prior to the Recreance some believed that the Sibling had withdrawn from humans by intent, though there is some evidence that this was not the case. In order to access the powers granted by an Honorblade, one must do so intentionally. It is possible to hold an Honorblade and not have access to its powers if they are unknown.
; Aethers
: Each variety of Aether manifests as its own type of spore. When spores are exposed to water they react uniquely depending on the related aether, and on the intention of the one who initiated the reaction. For example, Midnight Essence will act and communicate according to the intention of the host, and similarly the one who initiates a verdant spore reaction forms a sort of Connection to the verdant vines and can control their growth. The more practised the sprouter, the stronger their connection to the manifestation.
== Notes ==
Category:Magic
es:Intención (investidura)