Szeth and an Ability.

[shadowwisp]

Does Szeth have the Gravitation Surge again?

Either it's very subtly implied or I am overthinking things. What do you guys think?

First point: 

Quote

Her companion rose up beside her. “Coming, assassin?” The woman looked down toward the landing and the man wearing white.

“I’ve danced that storm once before,” he whispered. “On the day I died. No.”

“You’re never going to make it into the order at this rate.” He remained silent.

The two floating people eyed each other, then the man shrugged. The two of them rose higher, then shot out across the city, avoiding the inconvenience of traveling through the trenches.

Szeth doesn't say that he is not able to come, only that he doesn't want to. The journeyman skybreaker also seems to expect Szeth to join them in the air. I doubt she meant on foot, as even Szeth admits to Lift that she won't be able to outrun them since they can fly.  

 

For my second point: 

Szeth is now traveling with Nale. Nale is also traveling with two journeyman who can fly. Nale can also fly. Nale is absolutely dedicated to finding and killing Radiants throughout Roshar. Szeth seems to be keeping his pace with Nale and I find it very hard to believe that Nale would slow his pace down just for Szeth. His job would be significantly slower if he had to walk or ride a horse from city to city. Therefore, in order for Szeth to tag along with the group, Szeth has to be able to fly. 

 

Note that I am not saying Nightblood is what gave Szeth the ability to fly again. It could just as easily be a Gravitation Fabrial. We have already seen a Regrowth one, why not a Gravitation one? 

 

Edit: changed title, as I realized it could be seen from the home page of the forum without specifically being in the Edgedancer forum. 

Edited January 10, 2017 by shadowwisp

[Eki]

I think it's more likely that one of the two Skybreakers would Lash Szeth to make him fall with them.

[asterion137]

just realized Szeth is probably stuck in Yeddaw now

[GeneralStu]

I agree that It seems that Szeth can use the Gravitation surge.  Whether his bond with Nightblood is giving him access to this surge or something else is purely conjecture at this point, however I think it unlikely that he is gaining access to the surge through a normal Nahel bond with a High spren.  Though a High spren may be attracted to his rigid following of his inner code, and he is certainly broken, I dont see a High spren being bonded to him at the same time as Nightblood.

@Eki I think the tone of the passage implies that he could do it on his own.  I at least read it as the two journeymen Skybreakers being a little snide, and mocking, like if he doesnt use his surges he will never become a full Skybreaker.  No other reason for this other than the feelings I got reading it.

[+Extesian]

At least as of before Arcanum Unbounded, Szeth could not draw Stormlight so that probably means he does not have a Nahel bond. Could have changed as of AU but no indication of that. WoB

Quote

INTERVIEW: Oct 9th, 2015

Shadows of Self - San Francisco

 

BRANDON SANDERSON

Nightblood can feed off Stormlight, but Szeth can't draw in Stormlight right now. So Szeth better not draw that sword, for a while at least

 

[DeTess]

2 hours ago, Extesian said:

At least as of before Arcanum Unbounded, Szeth could not draw Stormlight so that probably means he does not have a Nahel bond. Could have changed as of AU but no indication of that. WoB

 

He actually partially draws nightblood at one point in edgedancer. I doubt he'd go that far if he wasn't capable of drawing it in full.

[Pattern]

As far as I can remember from Warbreaker, pulling Nightblood partially doesn't make him feed on breath/stormlight. So there would be no danger for Szeth doing that.

Spoiler

It's basically the Nightblood test to see if someone is considered "evil". "Good" people get a sick feeling from a partially drawn Nightblood, "evil" people are attracted, take Nightblood and get sucked dry of investiture and life eventually.

Between the summoning of the Everstorm and Edgedancer lie only some days, the Everstorm just hit the western part of Roshar after rounding the planet. It would be a really quick evolving spren-bond to grant willing access to the surges, though not impossible if Nale ushered Szeth, for example by telling him the Ideals. I think it is unlikely that Szeth already can use stormlight again, though the comments of the other Skybreaker acolytes do hint at it.

Also, I don't remember Nightblood granting abilities or being bonded in a Nahel-bond way.

Edited January 10, 2017 by Pattern
addition - no double post

[Spoolofwhool]

50 minutes ago, Pattern said:

Also, I don't remember Nightblood granting abilities or being bonded in a Nahel-bond way.

If Szeth can partially draw Nightblood without feeling any effects then he is bonded to it. We have a WoB that implies that being bonded to a splinter on Roshar will give you some sort of powers, so chances are that he is receiving some sort of enhancements.

 

[Pattern]

1 minute ago, Spoolofwhool said:

If Szeth can partially draw Nightblood without feeling any effects then he is bonded to it. We have a WoB that implies that being bonded to a splinter on Roshar will give you some sort of powers, so chances are that he is receiving some sort of enhancements.

 

That's a big IF. We don't know what Szeth feels while drawing Nightblood, there is no POV from Szeth with Nightblood, except in the end of WoR, where Nightblood greets him. No feelings are mentioned there, but an instant bonding when he sees Nightblood for the first time doesn't add up for me. 

Szeth might also be quite saturated with feelings, namely guilt because of all his murders, so he doesn't realize some influence from Nightblood the first time he takes it. What is some nausea when dead people are screaming to you nearly all the time...

[Yata]

6 hours ago, Eki said:

I think it's more likely that one of the two Skybreakers would Lash Szeth to make him fall with them.

Thanks Eki, I din't realize this possibility...sure it's a dangerous one, but possible.

On the "they expect Szeth to follow them", maybe they simply don't know Szeth is "special" and they simply assume He may fly with them.

[Eki]

1 minute ago, Yata said:

Thanks Eki, I din't realize this possibility...sure it's a dangerous one, but possible.

As long as the Skybreaker never let Szeth go, but kept a hold of him all the way, I don't think it would be that dangerous.

[Yata]

Just now, Eki said:

As long as the Skybreaker never let Szeth go, but kept a hold of him all the way, I don't think it would be that dangerous.

Oh no, with your description I will imagine for a while Nale and Szeth like Wendy and Peter Pan 

[Pattern]

But it would drain double the amount of stormlight. And it would require a lot of trust on Szeth's side.

[Eki]

1 minute ago, Pattern said:

But it would drain double the amount of stormlight. And it would require a lot of trust on Szeth's side.

Assuming Lashing another object takes as much stormlight as Lashing yourself, it would use just as much as if Szeth had used the stormlight himself, in total. So no difference there, compared to the theory that Szeth could Lash himself.

It would require some trust, yes, but if those Skybreakers really wanted Szeth dead, they could have killed him pretty much whenever, by Lashing him into the sky against his will. That would, however, clearly be illegal, so the Skybreakers wouldn't do it.

But it's also likely, as Yata says, that they just don't know Szeth doesn't have a spren (except for Nightblood).

12 minutes ago, Yata said:

Oh no, with your description I will imagine for a while Nale and Szeth like Wendy and Peter Pan 

[shadowwisp]

16 hours ago, Eki said:

I think it's more likely that one of the two Skybreakers would Lash Szeth to make him fall with them.

 

9 hours ago, Eki said:

Assuming Lashing another object takes as much stormlight as Lashing yourself, it would use just as much as if Szeth had used the stormlight himself, in total. So no difference there, compared to the theory that Szeth could Lash himself.

It would require some trust, yes, but if those Skybreakers really wanted Szeth dead, they could have killed him pretty much whenever, by Lashing him into the sky against his will. That would, however, clearly be illegal, so the Skybreakers wouldn't do it.

But it's also likely, as Yata says, that they just don't know Szeth doesn't have a spren (except for Nightblood).

I had considered that, but you need to touch the person in order lash them, right? Both the Skybreakers were already several feet in the air when they asked him if he was coming. If they needed to lash him, it would have made more sense to ask when they were on the ground. 

[Spoolofwhool]

13 hours ago, Pattern said:

That's a big IF. We don't know what Szeth feels while drawing Nightblood, there is no POV from Szeth with Nightblood, except in the end of WoR, where Nightblood greets him. No feelings are mentioned there, but an instant bonding when he sees Nightblood for the first time doesn't add up for me. 

Szeth might also be quite saturated with feelings, namely guilt because of all his murders, so he doesn't realize some influence from Nightblood the first time he takes it. What is some nausea when dead people are screaming to you nearly all the time...

You are correct. In fact, I'll go further and correct myself. I reviewed what Brandon said about bonding Nightblood, and it appears that it actually requires wielding Nightblood and allowing it to feed off of investiture you possesses. Since I doubt Szeth has done that, chances are that he is not bonded to the weapon and can just resist the nausea. In any case, that doesn't matter too much since he will still possesses the innate physical enhancements Nightblood on its own grants, so he's probably still extremely effective as a fighter, even without whatever enhancement Roshar grants him.

Edited January 11, 2017 by Spoolofwhool

[Eki]

6 hours ago, shadowwisp said:

 

I had considered that, but you need to touch the person in order lash them, right? Both the Skybreakers were already several feet in the air when they asked him if he was coming. If they needed to lash him, it would have made more sense to ask when they were on the ground. 

Ah, I didn't realize they had already begun floating at that point... I guess my idea would still work, but it's less likely.

[+Extesian]

It is interesting that Szeth doesn't seem to feel nauseous or overcome by Nightblood, indicates he's not an evil person even though he's unquestionably done terrible things.

[Eki]

2 hours ago, Extesian said:

It is interesting that Szeth doesn't seem to feel nauseous or overcome by Nightblood, indicates he's not an evil person even though he's unquestionably done terrible things.

Szeth's response at the end of WoR doesn't match either of the two reactions we've seen Nightblood induce in people. He didn't feel nauseous, but he didn't feel compelled to possess it either. That could just be because he was in shock after having died and stuff, or it could be because Nightblood had already started bonding with him before he even woke up. Iirc, that stops both effects. (We know for sure it stops the nausea, because of events in Warbreaker.)