Jump to content

(OB) The cost of Soulcasting


Recommended Posts

Does anybody know what happens to soulcaster physicals bodies after Prolonged use of a Soulcaster Fabrial. Twice I have seen descriptions of weird side effects. The first was during Gavilar funeral. The soulcaster Ardent skin seemed to be turning to stone. His eyes were described as becoming gem-like. Later on a ship that was headed to Aimia. The soulcaster on there skin was turning into gas I think . The user said she didn’t expect to live much longer. Jasnah using surges to soulcast doesn’t seem to have these side effects. What causes this? And why is it fatal?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If I'm remembering it correctly regular soulcasters slowly turn into what there soulcasters makes, a soulcaster that makes stone would slowly turn into stone. This happens because the soulcasters spiritweb is warped by the power and as that warping occurs there physical body is changed. 

This doesn't effect radiants to such an extent because the nahal bond acts as a filter through which the power flows thus causing less warping, but apparently said warping can occur with radiants as well over a much larger period of time.

I found the WoB i was remembering I think.

 

Spoiler

Questioner 1 [PENDING REVIEW]

Do all Soulcasters risk turning into the element or is it only those using the device?

Brandon Sanderson [PENDING REVIEW]

All Soulcasters have an affinity but the ones using the device are locked down much more than the Soulcasters who are Knights Radiant.

Questioner 1 [PENDING REVIEW]

So they are protected from being turned into--

Brandon Sanderson [PENDING REVIEW]

Oh no they-- I wouldn't say protected... *clarificaiton* Protected is the wrong term but that event, the savanthood and how it affects them and things like that is much less pronounced if you are a [Knight].

Questioner 1 [PENDING REVIEW]

Or is that counteracted by the healing as well?

Brandon Sanderson [PENDING REVIEW]

Healing doesn't have to do with it because-- in cosmere terms there's nothing wrong with your body, your spirit is actually drifting, and so it's not hurting you physically by what's happening with the magics. So it's not the healing but if you have an active bond with a spren it takes a little different path. Let's just say, in simple terms--

Questioner 1 [PENDING REVIEW]

You are not losing body parts to smoke.

Brandon Sanderson [PENDING REVIEW]

Yes, you are not using body parts to smoke. 

Questioner 1 [PENDING REVIEW]

What timeframe does it happen for the normal Soulcasters then?

Brandon Sanderson [PENDING REVIEW]

For normal Soulcasters? It takes-- I mean, you've seen it happening in the books. We are talking [about] a process of years even decades, depending on the person. It happens to some--

Questioner 2 [PENDING REVIEW]

Depending on how often they Soulcast?

Brandon Sanderson [PENDING REVIEW]

It depends on how often they Soulcast, and it depends on the person. 

source

 

Edited by Doomdrinker
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's the same thing as Spook in HoA. 

Overuse of a power warps the spiritweb which changes the physical form according to the power used excessively. And because the soul is changed, this is your new normal. Healing doesn't work because your soul says your shaped the way you should be. 

A mechanical hack providing a power is less safe than a power that's actually a part of you. And being limited to only a single form in which to alter things, as Kaza's Soulcaster was, or the one in Azir that turns things bronze, means always using the power in the same way which exacerbates the problem. 

Edited by Calderis
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a follow up question to this. Jasnah's "soulcaster" had three different stones that would have given the ability to soulcast into three different things. Shallan didn't seem to think that odd at all. But many of the other soulcasters (devices) that we are shown only have one type of gemstone and the soulcaster (user) is having issues of savantism. But those issues don't come up much in common dialogue about soulcasters. So which is truly more common? Single use soulcasters with savants or multi use soulcasters that would seem to help prevent savantism?

Edited by Philomath
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Philomath multiuse are common but it's usually limited to three. "Jasnah's Soulcaster" only had three gem slots but was supposed to be able to alter any essence which wasn't unheard of but was extremely rare, per Shallan.

Most actually seem to be limited to three, as Kaza's narrative implies hers should have two other modes but is incapable for some reason. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, Angsos said:

Are we sure those rare soulcaster fabrials weren't like Jasnah, soulcaster people using a fake fabrial?

Considering Ivory is the only Inkspren to bond, and the others think it would be better if Jasnah were dead I doubt it.

Edit: for context. From Jasnah's PoV in OB. 

Quote

Ivory was the only new-generation inkspren to form a Radiant bond. Some of his fellows would rather have killed Jasnah, instead of letting him risk what he had done.

 

Edited by Calderis
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Angsos said:

Isn't shallan a soulcaster though?

Yes, but at least according to pattern, he was also the only one sent at first. That's obviously changed. I think the information we've been presented with, that this is the first generation of new Radiants, save the Skybreakers, since the Recreance is true. 

Edit: there would also be some very obvious questions to ask if no one else were able to use the Soulcaster beyond a single person, and it failed to function after their deaths. 

Edited by Calderis
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Calderis said:

@Philomath multiuse are common but it's usually limited to three. "Jasnah's Soulcaster" only had three gem slots but was supposed to be able to alter any essence which wasn't unheard of but was extremely rare, per Shallan.

Most actually seem to be limited to three, as Kaza's narrative implies hers should have two other modes but is incapable for some reason. 

Thanks @Calderis  I had always thought for some reason that all soulcasters had three gem slots and was surprised that so many only had one type of gem for all three slots as compared to Jasnah's fake. I didn't know the ability to change the type of gemstone in each slot was a rare thing. I suppose that maybe they are each designed with a specific purpose. Other fabrials require specific gems to work so soulcasters could be the same unless designed with the express purpose to be interchangeable. Which is probably more complex. 

Does anyone have any thoughts about why we have seen so many soulcasting savants (I guess it is just 2-3) yet the implications of that never seem to be brought up by people? I feel like that is something that would be noticed. Although I do know there is a WoB somewhere saying that soulcasting savantism is really dependent on the person. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

40 minutes ago, Philomath said:

Does anyone have any thoughts about why we have seen so many soulcasting savants (I guess it is just 2-3) yet the implications of that never seem to be brought up by people? I feel like that is something that would be noticed.

I feel like a big portion of this is just because of Vorinism. The vast majority of Soulcasters are in control of the church. The only Soulcasters we see in Vorin lands are Ardents keep shuttered to all but the highest ranked or at special times like Gavilar's funeral.

I think the secrecy is used to cling to the one piece of power that the church seems to hold, and to keep the Soulcasters themselves out of the view of the populace. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Calderis said:

I feel like a big portion of this is just because of Vorinism. The vast majority of Soulcasters are in control of the church. The only Soulcasters we see in Vorin lands are Ardents keep shuttered to all but the highest ranked or at special times like Gavilar's funeral.

I think the secrecy is used to cling to the one piece of power that the church seems to hold, and to keep the Soulcasters themselves out of the view of the populace. 

I agree.  It's mentioned how they bring out large panels to keep people's eyes off, but Adolin is able to go inside because of his rank, although the ardents still seem uncomfortable with him watching soul casting.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Chaos locked this topic
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...