Shardcast: Knights Radiant #2

I don’t think a radiant could heal the parshmen. The person being healed has to remember what they lost on some level. They have to still think of themselves as being whole.

These Parshmen were never whole. A Shard could fix them we’ve seen they can create life and move planets around. I don’t think Odium used Progression.

I think Edgedancers have to become physically graceful because they are moving without friction. Any misstep and they flop all over, as Lyft does. That’s why she goes to her knees and paddles with her arms.

Contrast her to the Fused she was chasing in Thaylen Field. The Fused was skating along very efficiently.

An idea about the Truthwatchers:

If Progression is seen not just as Regrowth and that kind of stuff, but a wider meaning (I think Grace suggested this) as "speeding up time, progressing through time"....  then combine that with Illumination....  couldn't you get a "type" of Futuresight?  Not necessarily seeing what will happen, but like Dr. Strange in Avengers when he's going through the limitless options of choice and playing those out through time.  This also lends itself to the ideas of strategy Ian suggested, as well as detecting lies.  The Unmade and Odium probably have a different version of this (far more powerful, more branches able to be explored, more understanding of what the highest probability scenarios are) but fundamentally what Truthwatchers do is not Futuresight.  Renarin would be a special case because his spren has been corrupted, so some of that more powerful enemy-vision-juice seeps into his powers.  Just a thought, plus it lends to Eric's notions that each of the power pairs have interesting applications when combined.

Thanks for all the great podcasts, love what you all do.  Keep it coming!  Journey before destination, Radiants!

While you were talking about Lightweaver Oaths I noticed that Shallan’s oaths are a little strange. We think of truths as being super introspective about “who you really are” but Shallan’s truths for the most part have been things she has done. She could have said “I am a murderer” as one oath and covered both parents deaths, but instead they are separated out into two different oaths and actions. I guess that’s just more proof that Lightweaver oaths are incredibly flexible. 

Has anyone ever asked Brandon, or had any thoughts, on how quickly Hoid progressed (or is progressing) through his Truths after picking up Elhokar's Cryptic?  I like to think he knows himself so well at this point in the Cosmere story that he spoke all 4 Truths immediately.

After re-reading the series again recently, I have gotten the impression that regular Truthwatchers see visions of the Present;  that is, they see what is happening in the now and can deliver that information to others. They "see" the truth of the moment (perhaps using illumination). 

A corrupted Truthwatcher sees The Future(s) and no longer sees truth but instead sees possibility. This is dangerous since now an order based on objective fact is making decisions based on possibility and conjecture.

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It is also interesting to notice that Truthwatchers share a location with Bondsmiths. Perhaps both orders can manipulate the spiritual and cognitive realm more readily than other orders. As well, this may give some hint as to how/why the enemy chose to target Truthwatcher spren as opposed to the spren of another order. The truthwatcher order may have been a top priority to expunge due to there spiritual-realm manipulation 

Thinking about soulcasting blood, could it be that when you soulcast blood inside a person their spiritual identity or whatever is providing the blueprint for the blood so that it’s correct for their body? Then when you soulcast outside of the body, like Shallan soulcasting that goblet, you can specify a blood type and some of the particulars and the magic makes the rest a sort of “one size fits all” for individuals with that blood type?

Also, when would they ever soulcast blood outside of the body to put into a person? Are they medically advanced enough for blood transfusions?

I have a feeling that regular Truthwatchers do see visions- of present or past events- especially given the fact that they had to have "An Abundance of Tact", according to in world Words of Radiance.

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Listening to the part about Edgedancers, I think their surges do go together if you focus on their healing aspect.  They are the battlefield surgeons.  Progression obviously allows them to heal folks, but abrasion helps them get to those in need quickly, as well as avoiding direct conflict if necessary, which goes with the "loving" attribute, as well as their namesake.

***edit:  Of course, as I listen on, this gets mentioned anyways and I no longer feel so clever

Theory time: (well, really more of something I found interesting)

When Adolin is healed by renarin, he sees a vision of his perfect self. The truth watchers have a combination of Illumination and Progression. My thought is that progression and illumination combine to show the perfect self, and then bring the healed part over from that’s perfect self. Sort of like (massive Reckoners Spoiler) how

But wait, where are you gonna getting this from? Enlightenment was a big thing in the middle ages through the 1900s that referred to the achievement of perfect society through several principles. Enlightenment was also called illumination. Coincidence? I think not. 

They could use illumination to find the perfect self, and then heal accordingly. This has limits- like how Kaladin couldn’t get tattoos because he didn’t see them as part of himself, or that his brands wouldn’t heal. 

TL; DR Truthwatchers use spiritual illumination and physical progression to heal people. 

On 6/7/2019 at 11:01 AM, BookishOcelot said:

Theory time: (well, really more of something I found interesting)

When Adolin is healed by renarin, he sees a vision of his perfect self. The truth watchers have a combination of Illumination and Progression. My thought is that progression and illumination combine to show the perfect self, and then bring the healed part over from that’s perfect self. Sort of like (massive Reckoners Spoiler) how

They could use illumination to find the perfect self, and then heal accordingly. This has limits- like how Kaladin couldn’t get tattoos because he didn’t see them as part of himself, or that his brands wouldn’t heal. 

TL; DR Truthwatchers use spiritual illumination and physical progression to heal people. 

I've seen similar ideas in the time since Oathbringer, and my big issue with them is that such complexity just doesn't seem necessary. Progression, like most magical healing in the Cosmere, already uses the patient's Spiritual Aspect to figure out what state to restore them to; adding Illumination, let alone Spiritual Illumination (something we don't really know exists, though I personally think it does) to the mix just seems... unnecessary. But I understand the desire to make Truthwatchers special in a way similar to how the Bondsmiths are, given their place in the Double Eye.