theory Cultivation's magic and Adolin

[KandraAllomancer]

Let's start with some basic facts and my assumptions about the third magic system on Roshar:

• Fabrials are part of the third magic system (WoB)
• There is more to Cultivation's magic than Old Magic (WoB) and the green mist surrounding Cultivation and Nightwatcher seems to be Cultivationlight (WoB)
• Given that there are 30 magic systems on Roshar, I assume Cultivation's magic is also part of the third magic system
• Lift's boon seems to be the ability to use Cultivation's magic (WoB). There are also off-screen users of the same magic – I think the most reasonable candidate are the Sleepless, which are kind of Cultivation's agents (WoB)
• For Lift, food is the focus allowing her access to external Investiture (like metal on Scadrial, WoB). The exact type of accessed Investiture is a RAFO (WoB), but I assume this is Cultivationlight. If so, it can power Surgebinding (just like Stormlight can power fabrials)
• Given their short descriptions in Poem of Ista and their connection to Aimia (WoB), the Dawnshards seem vital for Surge fabrial creation
• I think the relation between Dawnshards and Surge fabrials is somehow similar to Honorblades and Shardblades/Shardplates (Surgebinding fabrial-like items)
• I assume that the analogy between Surge fabrials and Sharblades goes even further – the spren in these fabrials (unlike in modern fabrials) don't seem to be bound in the gemstones, but form the metal (godmetal) parts of the fabrial (Soulcaster chains, Oathgate keyhole). Or example, breaking the gemstones doesn't destroy the Soulcaster, but breaking the chains does. Gemstones are there to power and control the device (the latter also provides some analogy with bonding a dead Shardblade)

What potential effects might Cultivation's magic provide? Here is the list of possible candidates I came up with – as you might suspect, they're generally very spren/fabrial–oriented:

• Wyndle believes that Lift exists partially in Cognitive Realm and this is supported by the fact that her shadow behaves abnormally with respect to the sun (WoB). It allows her to interact with spren in untypical ways (e.g. touch them). This is possibly the effect of Cultivationlight in her body
• If the magic system is inspired by the Dawnshards, imprisoning spren might be a part of it (an effect similar to what Timbre does to the Voidspren in Venli's gemheart). Lift even says this to Wyndle:

  Quote

  You're my pet Voidbringer, and no lies are going to change that. I got you captured.

  It seems like a friendly teasing, but this might be foreshadowing hidden in plain sight
• Fixing broken Surge fabrials. Just like Stormlight is used for Shardplate regeneration, Cultivationlight might potentially be used to regrow fabrials (e.g. a broken Soulcaster)
• Continuing with the regrowth theme, I think Cultivationlight might be the key to reviving deadeyes
• Changing fabrial settings. Oathgates are currently tied to Urithiru route only, but it seems possible that they once provided transport between each other. Some Soulcasters provide many modes, but most are locked in one (safety measure?). I think Cultivation's magic might be the solution here, allowing its users to change fabrial's behavior

I have absolutely no idea how Cultivation's magic can be obtained by humans (except by Nightwatcher's boon), but I believe there are multiple reasons why Adolin would be the perfect candidate for the first guy to achieve it:

• Killing Sadeas. At first it seems like an unnecessary plot with little to no payoff. But it proves that Adolin has the right mindset – he is ready to make a hard decision that would benefit all  in the future (something that Cultivation would probably called “pruning” instead of murder). Such actions directly violate the First Ideal, but I don't think Cultivation's magic would have this type of restrictions. It would allow her agents to operate outside the bounds of Honor's oaths. Just look at Arclo killing two Skybreakers that followed him – it's not technically necessary (he admits it's barely self-defense), but, given their mission to eliminate Radiants, it saves lives in the long run
• Accepting necessary evil is something Shallan struggles with and Adolin could really help her with this. Kaladin could use some help as well
• It could potentially help him revive Maya
• Dalinar is a Surgebinder and Renarin is a quasi-Voidbinder – it would fit if Adolin had access to the third magic system (beyond fabrials, obviously). Also Dalinar can repair items with Tension/Adhesion and Renarin can heal people – it would be really interesting if Adolin could revive spren and fix fabrials
• Dalinar has access to huge amounts of Stormlight and Navani has the necessary knowledge, but Adolin might provide the catalyst to reboot Urithiru and wake the Sibling up

Edited November 11, 2019 by KandraAllomancer

[Honorless]

I like this theory, @KandraAllomancer!

Though I don't really want more Kholin Radiants and Adolin is such a great character as he is. It would be interesting to see him develop without him developing a Nahel Bond. I don't like the idea of him Bonding Maya either, reviving her, maybe. These spren are called dead, revivals here might not only undermine the narrative weight of the permanence of death but also resolve a lot of tensions that Ashspren and Stoneward spren in particular have against humans for the Recreance. I wouldn't want it to be that easy. I like the idea that both of them are spren that might Bond to the Herald narrators. Stoneward for Taln and Dustbringer for Ash (since Lightweaver is already taken).

I think Cultivation's magic might be artificial bindings of the Ten Surges, not just fabrials, it fits with Cultivation's Intent.

[Agent34]

I don't think you can revive a spren without bonding them so unless his bond to Maya (or her bond to Adolin) is broken as soon as she's revived we'll have another Edgedancer. Having Radiants in the same family or group tends to happen because a bonded individual attracts the attention of spren to those around them.

The First Ideal isn't defined by what Teft told Kaladin either, that's just one interpretation. A couple of Radiant Orders would actually approve of Adolin's killing of Sadeas.

Given how fabrials tie into Roshar's third system I could see it being something that only requires knowledge and materials rather than an Initiation: (Mistborn details in the spoiler box)

Spoiler

Just like how hemalurgy doesn't require anything in the user besides Intent, technique and spikes.

 

[Calderis]

3 minutes ago, Agent34 said:

The First Ideal isn't defined by what Teft told Kaladin either, that's just one interpretation. A couple of Radiant Orders would actually approve of Adolin's killing of Sadeas.

Thank you.

For reference, we know of two orders per WoB that would accept a Machiavellian, which is in direct opposition to the first oath as presented by Teft. The Skybreakers, and Elsecallers. And I doubt they're alone.

The Willshapers would accept Adolin's actions for one, and because of this Epigraph... 

Quote

When Simol was informed of the arrival of the Edgedancers, a concealed consternation and terror, as is common in such cases, fell upon him; although they were not the most demanding of orders, their graceful, limber movements hid a deadliness that was, by this time, quite renowned; also, they were the most articulate and refined of the Radiants.
—From Words of Radiance, chapter 20, page 12

I don't think the Edgedancers are all pacifists, or that they would have a problem with what he did. His actions were directly inspired by a man who had killed thousands of people who Adolin was responsible for, and many of whom were friends that he actually cared for. 

Pacifists don't inspire terror, and aren't known for "deadliness." I think the Edgedancers were Mama Bears. They don't want to have to hurt anyone... But if you mess with the people they care for... 

[Lccaseiro58]

7 hours ago, Calderis said:

Thank you.

For reference, we know of two orders per WoB that would accept a Machiavellian, which is in direct opposition to the first oath as presented by Teft. The Skybreakers, and Elsecallers. And I doubt they're alone.

In my opinion what Adolin did was not Machiavellian. For me, a Machiavellian plans for the long game taking unorthodox means if necessary, like Jasnah.

Adolin killed Sadeas because he was provoked and got angry. Which is understandable in that circumstances, but doesn't make it right.

I don't see Adolin becoming a Radiant in the near future, the way he handled the "I killed Sadeas" to Dalinar as an excuse to not be king was, imho, not very Radiant like.

[Aon Tia]

39 minutes ago, lccaseiro58 said:

I don't see Adolin becoming a Radiant in the near future, the way he handled the "I killed Sadeas" to Dalinar as an excuse to not be king was, imho, not very Radiant like.

Is it? But that is the whole idea that the ideals that these orders represent, are so flexible and their are so many interpretations that there is not really such a thing as un-radiant like behaviour....

Yes he did not want to be king but for him, it was not about shirking away from responsibility but getting out of the way so that the right person could be selected for the job..

Not every order cares about leadership.. 

It is said that only if the oaths that were broken are said anew could then the dead eyes become alive again.. the only catch being that it should be the same radiant who broke the oaths. But those radiants are long dust in the wind.. so some work around must be required regarding the identity and connection of the one who must say the oath anew but I don’t see how the oath can be avoided at all.. 

But it is possible that this bond that Adolin will form will be different somehow from the regular radiant bonds..

[Calderis]

3 hours ago, lccaseiro58 said:

In my opinion what Adolin did was not Machiavellian. For me, a Machiavellian plans for the long game taking unorthodox means if necessary, like Jasnah.

Adolin killed Sadeas because he was provoked and got angry. Which is understandable in that circumstances, but doesn't make it right.

I don't see Adolin becoming a Radiant in the near future, the way he handled the "I killed Sadeas" to Dalinar as an excuse to not be king was, imho, not very Radiant like.

And that is exactly my point. There is no "like a Radiant" 

Different orders. Different spren. Different individuals, can all interpret the oaths differently. 

Malata is a radiant, and opened the Oathgate to allow Urithiru to be raided. Nale is a Radiant, and kills at the slightest "crime." Venli is a Radiant and responsible for the deaths of quite a few people. 

Radiant does not, and has never meant, "good." 

[Aon Tia]

11 minutes ago, Calderis said:

Radiant does not, and has never meant, "good." 

Agreed.. There is no this is “not-like radiant” quality.. This whole system based on oaths has been designed by honor’s intent and I don’t think he is necessarily good.. Almost anyone with the right kind of interpretation to their actions can become eligible for radiantness..

Foremost, I want to see a deadeye get revived again. What will that require, what will that lead to.. I don’t particularly care for it to be Adolin but if that is what it takes as events in OB suggest, Adolin becoming KR or a near cousin KR, then I will take it. 

Edited November 12, 2019 by The traveller

[+Bliev]

I think that's the whole point of having Dalinar be the most powerful Radiant we have seen--in no way can you categorize him as "good". He was a genocidal maniac! But he is trying to be better, and is adhering to the oaths he has made--holding onto an honorable intention. And so long as his spren accepts his progress/intention, then it seems he'll remain Radiant and have access to that sort of power. All of the Radiants are three dimensional with very real weaknesses that make them less than "good" (save maybe Kal, whose flaw is depression, thus in the immortal words of Jane Austen, "you have chosen your fault well--I really cannot laugh at it"). 

Voidlight and Stormlight are both investiture--as is cultivation light. I'm sure it can power magic--much like metal is a conduit to investiture in mistborn, but the

Spoiler

mists are direct investiture.  

So I am confident that cultivation's investiture will come into the picture soon--aside from how she has been empowering the Nightwatcher and cultivating her as her godspren.

Now, with that said, I am curious about how the orders of spren organize themselves around cultivation and honor. Like, edge dancer spren seem to be associated with cultivation or the night watcher (Wyndle calls her "mother", the vines, etc.). Honorspren, likewise, with Honor. But we have yet to see a "real" Edgedancer that isn't using weird investiture like Lift, so take an upvote for the theory that there's something with "cultivation light" that might be happening with the Edgedancers...until we see more of them, it's hard to tell...

[Calderis]

As to Lift... We've been told repeatedly that the Investiture she uses is stormlight. It's glows in the same manner as stormlight and is not green like the Mist in the Valley. 

Yes, she is a clue towards Cultivation's magic, but what that means is anyone's guess. 

Frankly, with fabrials being a part of, or connected to, Cultivation's magic I thin we won't see much of it directly. Brandon's said there are three main magic systems in stormlight, which are Surgebinding, Voidbinding, and fabrials. 

I am really curious how Cultivation's Investiture would mix with the Surges though. We see differences in the way they are used with Voidlight, and I'm curious how someone with "Cultivationlight" would behave differently. 

[Aon Tia]

11 minutes ago, Bliev said:

All of the Radiants are three dimensional with very real weaknesses that make them less than "good" (save maybe Kal, whose flaw is depression, thus in the immortal words of Jane Austen, "you have chosen your fault well--I really cannot laugh at it"). 

This is very well written.. 

I like the theory regarding cultivationlight and What lift is doing.. It makes so much sense than somehow she is metabolising food into stormlight. But cultivationlight could totally work in this manner.. Also explains why she has not been able to suck in stormlight.. 

How does fabrial system of magic goes with what we know of cultivation’s intent? For one, as the OP has said, it does not require any oaths.. so it is not honory. 
Old fabrials especially are about cultivating a bond between the spren and magic to get the desired result?

[+Bliev]

11 minutes ago, Calderis said:

I am really curious how Cultivation's Investiture would mix with the Surges though. We see differences in the way they are used with Voidlight, and I'm curious how someone with "Cultivationlight" would behave differently. 

Agreed. WE've seen that some investiture is "substitutable":

Spoiler

(e.g., Vasher using Stormlight instead of Breaths) 

But it's not clear to me whether the difference in voidbinding and surgebinding is due to the type of investiture or the type of spren, if that makes sense? can cultivation's magic be powered by stormlight and vice versa? Probably? But maybe with some different manifestations?

[Calderis]

2 minutes ago, Bliev said:

But it's not clear to me whether the difference in voidbinding and surgebinding is due to the type of investiture or the type of spren, if that makes sense?

I don't believe the powers we've seen from the Fused are Voidbinding, so I don't think there's a choice in the matter. 

 

[+Bliev]

7 minutes ago, Calderis said:

I don't believe the powers we've seen from the Fused are Voidbinding, so I don't think there's a choice in the matter. 

 

I can get behind this (and, plot twist, I DID when you posted it a year ago, haha!). But I suppose my larger point still stands--could void binding be powered by something other than voidlight, as investiture is investiture, yes? Maybe with some small differences. It's hard to tell with Lift because she's a unique case in this scenario, thus it's hard to be able to try and describe her as possibly using "cultivation's investiture" because she's just...different...in every way. 

So, there are three major forms of magic on Roshar (plus the old magic) per that Argent WOB, and also three forms of investiture (per the three shards). The investiture could likely power all three forms of magic, thus the differences in the forms of magic wouldn't necessarily be due to diff types of investiture but something else all together, as per your allegory with the three types of magic on Scadrial.

TL;DR: yes i agree with you. haha

[SzethIsBadAsHell]

I think Cultivation magic system has to do with how you gain Stormlight . Lift eating food and accessing Stormlight is assumed to be part of her boon/curse . I think we have all been duped . There is a WoB where Brandon briefly hints at it . He said Cultivation magic system has to do with what Lift does . Soooo it could either mean that everyone who uses her magic system has to eat food to power it . The only other thing that Lift does that’s unusual she was able to enter Dalinar dream area and leave at Will . What if her ability is to exist partially in the Cognitive which allows her to touch spren and kind of quasi  transportation to the border of shadesmar like anyone who soulcast does .  Finally I don’t think Lift has always been 13 . I think Lift was a woman at one time . I say that because how does an 10 reshuffle girl even know about the night watcher much less travel there. She must have been older and getting made a child was her cost . Or She is like Wonder Woman and Cultivation made her out of clay . Anyway enough of my crazy theories . Cool post .

[Nellac]

Another thing to take into account is the fabriel Nahel uses on Szeth. It is something that literally pulls him back from the spiritual realm. This is far more than a simple healing. I wouldn't be surprised if this turned out to be a dawnshard. Either way, it seems to be something far past what normal radiant regrowth can do. It could easily be powered by cultivation light or have some other special property, such as being made of God metal, that only someone as old as a herald would know about.

[Calderis]

12 minutes ago, Nellac said:

Another thing to take into account is the fabriel Nahel uses on Szeth. It is something that literally pulls him back from the spiritual realm. This is far more than a simple healing. I wouldn't be surprised if this turned out to be a dawnshard. Either way, it seems to be something far past what normal radiant regrowth can do. It could easily be powered by cultivation light or have some other special property, such as being made of God metal, that only someone as old as a herald would know about.

Szeth had not gone Beyond (which is different than the Spiritual). That was simply a regrowth Fabrial. Lift did the same thing to Gawx, and better. 

Szeth's after image is because the Fabrial is less efficient/precise/nuanced than a Radiant using the surge. 

Szeth's state is because that Fabrial was worse than a Radiant, not better. 

[Nellac]

15 minutes ago, Calderis said:

Szeth had not gone Beyond (which is different than the Spiritual). That was simply a regrowth Fabrial. Lift did the same thing to Gawx, and better.

Okay, you might be right on him not going beyond. But there is a very distinct difference between Szeth and Gawx. They were healed from very different sounds. Gawx had his throat slit by a normal blade. While this is an injury that kills very quickly, it is not instantaneous. Szeth, on the other hand, was killed by a shard blade through the spine. This kills instantly, and leaves no actual damage to the body. As far as we've seen, only a person holding investiture inside of them can heal from such a wound. Regrowth would most likely be useless because the actual body requires no healing. This is why I think it's a dawnshard. It doesn't heal just the physical body, it heals the soul itself.

[Aon Tia]

1 minute ago, Nellac said:

As far as we've seen, only a person holding investiture inside of them can heal from such a wound. Regrowth would most likely be useless because the actual body requires no healing.

I would say that szeth’s healing by Nale using regrow this itself proves that regrow this can heal even shard wounds in someone who is not a radiant.. We have no reason to think that the regrow this fabrial is inferior to the surge of progression.. Also, we have soulcasters that can convert anything into anything, as shallan has mentioned them, so they can work as well as a radiant using surge of transformation..

[Calderis]

22 minutes ago, Nellac said:

Okay, you might be right on him not going beyond. But there is a very distinct difference between Szeth and Gawx. They were healed from very different sounds. Gawx had his throat slit by a normal blade. While this is an injury that kills very quickly, it is not instantaneous. Szeth, on the other hand, was killed by a shard blade through the spine. This kills instantly, and leaves no actual damage to the body. As far as we've seen, only a person holding investiture inside of them can heal from such a wound. Regrowth would most likely be useless because the actual body requires no healing. This is why I think it's a dawnshard. It doesn't heal just the physical body, it heals the soul itself.

In the Canon version of the ending that is not how Szeth died, albeit we've been directly told that mecha is of both would work in either case. 

But as far as it goes, Szeth's state is specifically because the Fabrial is worse. 

Warbreaker spoilers

Spoiler

Questioner

*inaudible*

Brandon Sanderson

Yeah the Divine Breath is a gift of investiture directly to the...basically they are being given a large splinter of Endowment.

Questioner

But is it the size?

Brandon Sanderson

The size is important, to make that happen, yeah.

Questioner

To make it happen?

Brandon Sanderson

To make it happen, yeah. To make them come back and to do the things but...there is obviously some leakage there when they basically taking a cognitive sh...they have to create a cognitive shadow of the spirit, right. Which requires some work, and then to push that back into the body and get it to stick requires some work as well. You'll see that with Szeth it isn't sticking very well.

Questioner

*inaudible*

Brandon Sanderson

Yeah Szeth is not a cognitive shadow, he actually got stuck back in but the soul is not sticking very well to the body

Questioner

*inaudible*

Brandon Sanderson

That's what she's saying.

Arcanum Unbounded Seattle signing (Dec. 1, 2016)

The difference between Szeth and Gawx is that Gawx was healed. Correctly, and Szeth wasn't. He's soul is not "sticking" to his body correctly. 

Renarin or Lift wouldn't have had the same issue. As long as the soul has not gone beyond, regrowth is perfectly capable of resurrection, even vs a shardblade. 

[Nellac]

7 minutes ago, Calderis said:

In the Canon version of the ending that is not how Szeth died, albeit we've been directly told that mecha is of both would work in either case. 

  Reveal hidden contents

Questioner

*inaudible*

Brandon Sanderson

Yeah the Divine Breath is a gift of investiture directly to the...basically they are being given a large splinter of Endowment.

Questioner

But is it the size?

Brandon Sanderson

The size is important, to make that happen, yeah.

Questioner

To make it happen?

Brandon Sanderson

To make it happen, yeah. To make them come back and to do the things but...there is obviously some leakage there when they basically taking a cognitive sh...they have to create a cognitive shadow of the spirit, right. Which requires some work, and then to push that back into the body and get it to stick requires some work as well. You'll see that with Szeth it isn't sticking very well.

Questioner

*inaudible*

Brandon Sanderson

Yeah Szeth is not a cognitive shadow, he actually got stuck back in but the soul is not sticking very well to the body

Questioner

*inaudible*

Brandon Sanderson

That's what she's saying.

Arcanum Unbounded Seattle signing (Dec. 1, 2016)

 

Renarin or Lift wouldn't have had the same issue. As long as the soul has not gone beyond, regrowth is perfectly capable of resurrection, even vs a shardblade. 

What do you mean in the Canon version?

Also, do you have any evidence for thinking that Renarin or lift could heal shard blade wounds or even resurrect someone? It says in OB that Renarin can't heal Rysn's legs. So far we have not seen it dinner, so I'm curious where you're getting this idea. Also, from what we've seen fabriels are weaker then radiants. Just look at soul casters compared to Yasnah. How could a fabriel do something we haven't seen any radiant do, heal shard blade wounds.

[Calderis]

24 minutes ago, Nellac said:

What do you mean in the Canon version?

The ending of Words of Radiance was changed. Kaladin only cut Szeth's hand, he dropped the blade, released the bond, and fell into the storm. 

25 minutes ago, Nellac said:

Also, do you have any evidence for thinking that Renarin or lift could heal shard blade wounds or even resurrect someone? It says in OB that Renarin can't heal Rysn's legs. So far we have not seen it dinner, so I'm curious where you're getting this idea. Also, from what we've seen fabriels are weaker then radiants. Just look at soul casters compared to Yasnah. How could a fabriel do something we haven't seen any radiant do, heal shard blade wounds.

Because Nale says as much. 

Quote

“I recognize you,” Szeth realized. “I’ve seen you somewhere before.”
“You have.”
Szeth struggled to rise. He managed to make it to his knees, then knelt back on them. “How?” he asked.
“I waited until you crashed to the ground,” the man said, “until you were broken and mangled, your soul cut through, dead for certain. Then, I restored you.”
“Impossible.”
“Not if it is done before the brain dies. Like a drowned man restored to life with the proper ministrations, you could be restored with the right fabrial. If I had waited seconds longer, of course, it would have been too late.”

Anything that can heal the soul can heal a shardblade wound. 

Rysn's inability to be healed says more about her perception of herself, just like Kaladin's brands. If either of them didn't accept those wounds on some level, they'd have been healed, like Lopen's arm, or Renarin's eyes. 

As an example that in general, cosmere healing doesn't care about shardblades... Mistborn spoilers. 

Spoiler

Questioner

If a Shardblade was put through Wayne's eye, would he able to use his ability to [heal the wound]?

Brandon Sanderson

Yes, he should be able to heal that.

Oathbringer Leeds signing (Dec. 1, 2017)

 

[KandraAllomancer]

16 hours ago, Honorless said:

These spren are called dead, revivals here might not only undermine the narrative weight of the permanence of death but also resolve a lot of tensions that Ashspren and Stoneward spren in particular have against humans for the Recreance. I wouldn't want it to be that easy.

Actually, easy spren revival would probably cause more problems than the current situation, because most people would refuse to give up their priceless Sharblades. Imagine ashspren reaction to that...

3 hours ago, Calderis said:

Different orders. Different spren. Different individuals, can all interpret the oaths differently. 

Absolutely, but we cannot forget about self-perception here. When Adolin kills Sadeas, he says that Dalinar is wrong to believe that Adolin is a better person than him. Plus, he's a duelist, used to dealing with his enemies in open combat, not by silent assassination. I would assume that Adolin considers his deed to be dishonorable, but necessary - and in my opinion it's a big hurdle in forming/maintaining a Nahel bond.

15 hours ago, Agent34 said:

I don't think you can revive a spren without bonding them so unless his bond to Maya (or her bond to Adolin) is broken as soon as she's revived we'll have another Edgedancer.

I don't think we know that much about deadeyes to assume that. Maya is not fully 'dead', she can communicate with Adolin in a limited way. Large part of her is stuck and locked in a broken form in Physical Realm though, and this might be the source of the problem. This kind of reminds me of a certain Elantrian we meet in Oathbringer... I'm very curious what would happen if someone tried to dissolve Maya-blade in Cultivation's Perpendicularity

15 hours ago, Agent34 said:

Given how fabrials tie into Roshar's third system I could see it being something that only requires knowledge and materials rather than an Initiation

In your example, the Initiation is kind of replaced by (Mistbon spoiler)

Spoiler

the necessity to kill a person in the first place, which is a very Ruin thing to do

I would assume there should be something similar linked to Cultivation's Intent before one could use Cultivationlight

3 hours ago, Calderis said:

As to Lift... We've been told repeatedly that the Investiture she uses is stormlight. It's glows in the same manner as stormlight and is not green like the Mist in the Valley. 

The problem with this is that it would probably mean that (A) accessing Investiture by food and (B) existing partially in Cognitive Realm are two separate boons (the curse seems to be the inability to inhale Stormlight). That's very unusual, even by Old Magic standards

[Toaster Retribution]

It is a nice write-up, but I am not sold on this. For a number of reasons:

1. Adolin is defenitely not the kind who person who would want to wander about repairing fabrials. He hardly knows the basics of how they work. Adolin is a warrior, general and leader. His character needs to change radically in order for him to want to be more scientific-minded. Brandon might be able to pull it off, but I doubt he will.

2. Cultivations magic is probably not a ”power-set” in the sense of the Radiant magic or (supposedly) Voidbinding. I think it will be more of a low-key technical kind of thing, which anyone can theoretically access. That is just my personal guess though. 
 

1 hour ago, KandraAllomancer said:

The problem with this is that it would probably mean that (A) accessing Investiture by food and (B) existing partially in Cognitive Realm are two separate boons (the curse seems to be the inability to inhale Stormlight). That's very unusual, even by Old Magic standards

Unless one of her supposed boons is an unitentional side-effect of either the curse or the boon, which is plausible.

[KandraAllomancer]

19 minutes ago, Toaster Retribution said:

1. Adolin is defenitely not the kind who person who would want to wander about repairing fabrials. He hardly knows the basics of how they work. Adolin is a warrior, general and leader. His character needs to change radically in order for him to want to be more scientific-minded. Brandon might be able to pull it off, but I doubt he will.

I don't think that will happen - I mostly see Adolin as a person who figures out at least parts of Cultivation's magic (probably with Shallan's and Azure's help) in his quest to revive Maya. Navani would take it over then, I assume. Also, Adolin's wife and brother are scholars who learn to fight - I don't see why the reverse can't happen for him

24 minutes ago, Toaster Retribution said:

Unless one of her supposed boons is an unitentional side-effect of either the curse or the boon, which is plausible.

This is exactly why I think Lift has access to Cultivationlight. If this is Stormlight instead, I don't know how it could put somebody partially in the Cognitive Realm. As for the other option, we've seen multiple people transported to Cognitive Realm and no one seemed to gain Investiture from food so far