Aethers and White Sand

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

Okay, this is an insane theory that popped into my head just now and I need to get it out so everyone can tell me that I'm crazy.

Spoilers for Tress of the Emerald Sea.

In Chapter 23, Fort mentions a legendary supposed thirteenth spore, the "bone spore," which people supposedly can't decide whether it's white or black. 

I think it's supposed to be assumed that these spores are aethers. They activate when exposed to water, which fits what we see in The Lost Metal. Each has a different effect.

This interested me earlier in the book, because it's similar to the White Sand, which takes water from the Sand Master as it uses its energy.

Then it struck me.

I'm proposing that this supposed thirteenth spore either is, or grows on, the white sand of Taldain, and that Sand Mastery is a form of Aether magic.

I know very little about how aethers actually work and don't know how the theory will actually hold up. I've only read up to the point where this thirteenth spore is mentioned, then came here to post the theory. I don't know if it fits with anything else, or how a "spore" would make it to Taldain. But this is something that I think is worth discussion.

And if it isn't, please tell me, so I can stop following a crazy theory.

[The Unknown Order he/him]

I think White Sand follows a similar mechanic, but isn't quite an aether. In a little bit the word Luhel bond is used, which seems to work the same as White Sand does.

[Stormtide_Leviathan]

Yeah this makes a lot of sense! White sand does change from white to black and activates with water so it makes sense that people would assume it's a spore. I agree that it's probably not directly an aether but rather something that works by a similar mechanism

[KSub]

I haven't read Brandon's unpublished work but I think it might have more in common with events on Yolen.

[Sandon Branderson]

I had this theory when they mentioned the thirteenth spore. My guess is that autonomy made an imitation of the luhel bond in the form of sand mastery, the sand masters have an innate investiture which makes it different then the luhel bond we see in the aethers. 

[Ashbringer he/him]

White Sand almost certainly follows a Luhel Bond. I've got a suspicion that Aviar may as well, either with the parasites->Aviar or Aviar->human.

It could very well be that the sand is bone spores - it would fit the description and why they're so rare. But "bone" spores is a strange name for it in that case.

[iceblade44 he/him]

I think you might be on to something, granted I don't think White Sand is an Aether. When Brandon made the WoB of the connection between the two, It was most likely just referring to the Luhal Bond, which Sand Mastery operates. White Sand itself is a lichen, which could be similar to aether spores but I think it just two things operating under same mechanics.

 

That said, the legends of bone spores most certainly could have come from worldhopping Sand Masters, thus explaining the uncertain nature and the rumors. Its at least a headcanon I most certainly would enjoy.

[lacrossedeamon]

Lumar doesn’t have coral reefs so no sand beaches. They probably saw an errant Sandmaster worldhopper using powers noticed it was mechanically similar to Aethers but didn’t recognize the material and so thought it was bone instead.

[Sprouter]

On 2.1.2023 at 1:51 AM, The Bookwyrm said:

Okay, this is an insane theory that popped into my head just now and I need to get it out so everyone can tell me that I'm crazy.

Spoilers for Tress of the Emerald Sea.

In Chapter 23, Fort mentions a legendary supposed thirteenth spore, the "bone spore," which people supposedly can't decide whether it's white or black. 

I think it's supposed to be assumed that these spores are aethers. They activate when exposed to water, which fits what we see in The Lost Metal. Each has a different effect.

This interested me earlier in the book, because it's similar to the White Sand, which takes water from the Sand Master as it uses its energy.

Then it struck me.

I'm proposing that this supposed thirteenth spore either is, or grows on, the white sand of Taldain, and that Sand Mastery is a form of Aether magic.

I know very little about how aethers actually work and don't know how the theory will actually hold up. I've only read up to the point where this thirteenth spore is mentioned, then came here to post the theory. I don't know if it fits with anything else, or how a "spore" would make it to Taldain. But this is something that I think is worth discussion.

And if it isn't, please tell me, so I can stop following a crazy theory.

I have had this theory cooking in my had for a while, and now while reading the Taldain chapter in Arcanum Unbounded (I have had the UK audiobook version so haven't read this before) and than seeing your theory and the  mention of the bone spores it clicked! 
From the Taldain systen interlude: 

«The  Investiture  beats down from the sky, and is absorbed by a microflora that grows like a lichen on the surface of the sand, giving it its brilliant white color (when fully Invested) or deep blackness (when that Investiture is depleted). 
Giving  water  to  the  tiny  plant  causes  a  chain  reaction  of  sudden  growth, energy,  and  Realmic  transition.  Certain  people  can  control  this  reaction,  using the water from their own bodies to forge a brief Cognitive bond. They can draw Investiture  (in  very  small  amounts)  directly  from  the  Spiritual  Realm,  and  use that to control the sand. 

Though the effect is dramatic, the actual power used is quite small. This is a magic more about finesse than raw strength.»

And from Kanton’s description of the same color in chapter one of the excerpt:

«With an explosion of light, the sand changed from bone white to shimmering mother-of-pearl.»

I love the Cosmere and this small hints Branden puts into his works! Would love if this could be addressed in a WoB

[Rlain]

A notable difference between the sands and the spores is that the sands appear able to form the luhel bond before receiving an offering. So it's possible that the transactional nature of spores is part of their corrupted or altered nature that makes them different from aether based magic in other places.