mawaschwa Posted November 9, 2020 Report Share Posted November 9, 2020 An interesting connection that occurred to me, that I haven't seen discussion about in the wake of Dawnshard: I think we might now have all the puzzle pieces to put together the origins of Soulcasters (the fabrial-like devices). They are ancient tools that modern artifabrians have been unable to replicate. We know based on Jasnah's hypothesizing that the ancient humans did not have long lost knowledge: Shardblades, Shardplate, Soulcasters were not created by humans but received via some other, magical means. We've known there is some tenuous connection between Soulcasters and Akinah based on the Kaza interlude from Oathbringer: the Liaforan Soulcaster thinks about a rumor amongst Soulcasters that links them to the abandoned city. She believes there might be some knowledge or power there to cure her of the effects that prolonged use of a Soulcaster has on an individual. In Dawnshard, Nikli tells Rysn that the Soulcasters are kept “out of reverence, as they were offerings to the Ancient Guardians long ago.” So, again we have a connection between Soulcasters and Akinah (via the larkin, which are linked to the island as evidenced by their needing to return and bond the specific mandra variant that exists there). Now, this might be the source of the rumor that drives Kaza to seek out Akinah (I don't think it is, but can't be sure)--but either way, it opens up another question: why do the Sleepless view Soulcasters as offerings to the larkin (I don't imagine the larkin can use them, except for maybe eating the stormlight within the gemstones). I don't have a good answer to this, but it further strengthens the link between Soulcasters and Akinah/the Ancient Guardians. And this is central to my theory: because now we know that the secret hidden on Akinah, the thing the Ancient Guardians were protecting, is one of the Dawnshards; specifically, the one that encapuslated “The will of a god to remake things, to demand they be better.” And what is it that Soulcasters do? Well--pretty much that, if only at a smaller scale! So here's my theory: this Dawnshard of Change was used to create the Soulcasters. Someone (or some divinity) wielded the Dawnshard to imbue the power of Change into these devices, enabling individuals to use the power of transformation without requiring the Nahel bond or Honorblade. Tinfoil hat theory extension: I'm thinking Honor was the one who used the Dawnshard to create the Soulcasters. Based on a comment from Brandon on the Dawnshard megathread: "Soulcasting via a fabrial is way, way less dangerous than Radiant soulcasting--which is in turn far less dangerous than unbound soulcasting (meaning without oaths.)" It seems like the degree of "oaths" or perhaps bonds on the usage of Soulcasting makes it less dangerous. The Honorblades that grant the Soulcasting ability require no oaths to use, and so have great power; Radiant Soulcasters are bound by their oaths, rendering their ability safer; but the Soulcasters are much more limited in their application, often only able to perform one type of Soulcasting. So, it makes sense to me that Honor had some role in creating the Soulcasters, making them safer to use. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KandraAllomancer Posted November 10, 2020 Report Share Posted November 10, 2020 That idea crossed my mind, but fabrials are supposed to be the part of the third magic system on Roshar: Quote rags You have told us there are more than 30 magical systems on Roshar. I am assuming there are 10 Surgebindings and 10 Voidbindings. Do the next 10 belong to another such classification? If yes, can you give us the name for it. Brandon Sanderson Fabrials are part of it. 17th Shard Forum Q&A (Sept. 26, 2012) and I'm not sure if using Dawnshards should be classified as magic system. It seems more like a unique magical effect, like Odium creating Vyre's knife. Also, I guess figuring out the origin of Soulcasters will be a major plot point in Rhythm of War and Dawnshards will probably remain a secret for the main characters for at least a while. According to Ars Arcanum the third magic system is even more esoteric than Voidbinding... whatever that means. Maybe their creation is related to some advanced Bondsmith powers and/or the Sibling? That's probably my number one question for RoW 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eternal Khol Posted November 10, 2020 Report Share Posted November 10, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, KandraAllomancer said: According to Ars Arcanum the third magic system is even more esoteric than Voidbinding... whatever that means. That means that the third magic system is even less understood/practiced than the voidbindings(which we still hardly know anything about) It must be a pretty small group of people.(my guess is cultivations magic) Edited November 10, 2020 by Eternal Khol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KandraAllomancer Posted November 11, 2020 Report Share Posted November 11, 2020 (edited) 22 hours ago, Eternal Khol said: It must be a pretty small group of people.(my guess is cultivations magic) Cultivation is also a possibility, but I see two problems here: A. The WoB that @mawaschwa mentioned: Quote alercah The Sleepless presumably do not want her to swear a Radiant oath because she would be able to use the Dawnshard in conjunction with Surgebinding, and we know that that combination already destroyed one planet in the system so it's pretty understandable. But there were a bunch of Soulcasters lying around and they didn't seem bothered. So is this one of the differences between Radiant Soulcasting and Soulcasting via the fabrial? That the Dawnshard cannot be used alongside the fabrial? Brandon Sanderson So, the Sleepless ARE capable of Radiant bonds. (I believe the back jacket of the first book implies as much, if I remember correctly.) However, things they at first thought were great are making them increasingly worried, for reasons that will come up (not related to them specifically) in this book and the next. Soulcasting via a fabrial is way, way less dangerous than Radiant Soulcasting--which is in turn far less dangerous than unbound Soulcasting (meaning without oaths.) Dawnshard Annotations Reddit Q&A (Nov. 6, 2020) So, in terms of danger, we have: Fabrials < Radiants < Honorblades Fabrial magic system being are of Cultivation implies that this order would correspond to: Cultivation < Cultivation & Honor < Honor Why would pure Cultivation's magic be the safest if her Shard seems to be associated with the Change Dawnshard? Shouldn't the results be strengthened even more? Also, the Oathgate spren seem to have been forbidden by Honor to give access to Shadesmar to humans and (RoW spoilers) Spoiler Dalinar can lift this ban as he's seen by the spren as Honor's successor This seems to imply Honor's involvement in the magic system. B. We're running out of groups of people who are associated in any way with Cultivation and could create the Surge Fabrials. Aimians apparently didn't do it; Horneaters don't have access to Soulcasters - which leaves with people of Purelake, which also seem unlikely Edited November 11, 2020 by KandraAllomancer 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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