Symbolspren: What Attracts Them?

[Odium's_Shard]

“I’m dying, aren’t I? Healer, why do you take my blood? Who is that beside you, with his head of lines? I can see a distant sun, dark and cold, shining in a black sky.”

Collected on the 3rd of Jesnan, 1172, 11 seconds pre-death. Subject was a Reshi chull trainer. Sample is of particular note.

The epigraph is correct when it states that this sample is of particular note. It is a clear link to the truthspren and also actively corrects the theory that they are the bridge to Shadesmar. Surely if a dying chull-trainer can perceive the symbolspren, then any and all who wish to gain access may be appropriately allowed. Perhaps what allowed him to see them was that he was indeed prone to 'honesty' as opposed to having the potential to give a great 'truth'.

This lead me to form this theory, and thanks to thoughts by Telcontar, so additional credit to him for this idea. Please help to correct me!

Ok, so my perception of the symbolspren's Intent is as follows. Symbolspren are known to have been near people, according by one of three (mutual) things.

• The potential to hold great knowledge/ perform great feats
  
• The grasp of a tantamount secret
  
• Having followed the path of honesty

This make me refer to the truthspren (symbolspren, a less common name)as almost scavengers of knowledge. They can perceive if one is in the line of business as to receive a secret, holds a secret and lies about it, or is prone to being honest with all information they handle.

However, this is not what I feel symbolspren are attracted by. Telcontar said that the truthspren was attracted to the dying chull trainer in the epigraph. It is my belief that it is because he is dying that he was able to see the symbolspren, similarly to how they can perceive the samples that Taravangian takes from them, not because they revealed themselves to him, but because dying people momentarily have access to all three planes.

This makes sense, because the chull trainer (the mundane job inferring that there is nothing special about him) was all at once able to see through the Physical, as everyone else can, in order to perceive the 'healer' that he mentions. He earns a glance at the Spiritual, in order to witness the symbolspren that was attracted to the 'healer'. And yet he gives a clear link to the Cognitive (Shadesmar) when he talks about a 'sun in a black sky', as we know Shadesmar to also have.

This is my theory about the dying over: they see all three planes for a short time. Now onto the reason symbolspren are attracted.

I believe it is through either being greatly Learned (primary attribute of Palah) or greatly Creative (primary attribute of Shash). This forms the initial bond, or interest. Now, Shallan does not appear to be 'bonded' to the spren, but, correct me if I'm wrong, she is because the one spren follows her around ever since the 'incident' with the vase and the blood. It is the only one she sees whenever she Sketches from that point onwards. Clearly, the moment the sympolspren because first attracted to her was during her work on the portrait of Taravangian, in which she describes intense bursts of creativity, saying it is her greater piece.

And we see that Jasnah is sought out by the symbolspren by her Learned attribute. This alludes to Telcontar mentioning she learned Soulcasting out of a book, but either way, nobody can dispute that she is rightly Learned.

Now I believe that the Nahel bond is strengthen by the secondary attribute, while the Nahel bond is activated by the primary. This is clear when we see Syl being attracted to Kaladin while he first protects Tien, and then his Squad in the Alethi Army, followed by Bridge Four. This maintains the bond. However, it is when he leads Bridge Four, when he is at the head of the bridge, or leading the charge, that he can give oaths/ strengthen his Nahel bond.

However for Jasnah or Shallan, Transformation (and thus Shadesmar access) only becomes available when Jasnah Gives, or when Shallan tells the Truth. Now, in this instance, it reinforces the links between Order 5 and Order 6 as the Soulcasting Orders, because the act of Giving a Truth and Truly Giving seem synonymous with each other, and so Jasnah recognises the process Shallan uses to enter Shadesmar. However, Jasnah's may vary, as in she may be able to give items of note, were Shallan can give only truth.

This is my theory. It sort of covers why all spren Feel free to comment, and please do respond and criticize.

Odium's_Shard

EDIT: Instead of the secondary attribute being necessary to activate the Surge, it now instead strengthens the Nahel Bond.

Edited March 9, 2012 by Odium's_Shard

[Connerjade]

Overall, I think I like it. I might quibble with exactly what you are defining as the Surge activating should probably be defined as solidifying the Nahel Bond (Primary makes you a candidate, Secondary effectively makes the bond solid), but it is fully possible that I am misunderstanding what you are trying to say.

Also, Order 7 seems weird in this case. I don't really see where you can point out and say, there, that wise man was careful there. Other orders have extremely complimentary attributes (Loving/Healing) but those seem distinguishable. However, careful seems weird in this case... It doesn't really invalidate the theory, I just have trouble visualizing it.

[Odium's_Shard]

I feel that the primary makes the bond, whereas the secondary activates the Surge, ie performs the Lashing/Soulcasting etc. We see this with Kaladin. Kaladin leads, makes a Lashing. Shallan tells the truth, Soulcasting/Shadesmar sequence takes place.

Please post any problems you have with this it may help make the point better,

[Connerjade]

That places an absurd limitation on the power system. For example, if Kaladin is alone, he is unlikely to be leading at that moment. Therefore he can't use a lashing?

[Odium's_Shard]

I agree, I will amend that the secondary attribute only strengthens the Nahel bond, and isn't necessary in every instant for the bond to be used to activate a Surge, just to increase the power.

[Connerjade]

Do you see the power level growing as a one time thing (like getting a new level in a game) or acting out the second attribute as a temporary thing ( like getting a powerup? I feel like it is the first, but I could be wrong.

[Odium's_Shard]

In comparison to the Oaths, which I am unsure whether or not is related to the strengthening of the Nahel bond by the secondary attribute, at least, it seems to be a permanent bonus, as they don't seem to have to retake them. However, I feel it would be appropriate if neglecting them would result in the bonus becoming revoked (back to the previous level).

However, Jasnah never mentions taking Five Oaths, yet she seemingly employs KR powers. Maybe she has taken them and we do not know of it. I am a bit hazy as to whether Kaladin had access to one of his Surges (Full Lashing?) before taking the First Oath. This would mean that the first Surge comes packaged with the initial Nahel bond, and you have to unlock the other one. In this case, Shallan would make sense. She has access to the Surge of Transformation, but, to my knowledge, has taken no oath (unless the giving of Truth is to the Sixth Order what giving Oaths is to the First).

Please give your feedback.

Edited March 10, 2012 by Odium's_Shard

[Connerjade]

Well, Kaladin binds rock to other rock before taking the second oath.

He pressed it against the wall of the barrack and willed his Light into the stone. He felt a chill. The rock began to stream with luminescent vapors. When Kaladin pulled his hand away, the stone remained where it was, clinging to the side of the building.

Sanderson, Brandon (2010-08-31). The Way of Kings (p. 796). Macmillan. Kindle Edition.

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If you hold to the second attribute being important in the moment, perhaps the ideals open up your flow of power more on a permanent-like status. Acting according to the ideal gives you a momentary surge of strength.

[Odium's_Shard]

Unsure how to progress with the theory any more for now. Would like some more feedback on the points made in the original post so I can set about rephrasing my argument, or ditching it altogether for a new point of view.

[Aeshdan]

Well, Kaladin binds rock to other rock before taking the second oath.

.

If you hold to the second attribute being important in the moment, perhaps the ideals open up your flow of power more on a permanent-like status. Acting according to the ideal gives you a momentary surge of strength.

This is my theory as well. The Second Oath locks your bond "on." Before that, you can only use power when acting according to the Ideal. The other Oaths... I'm guessing they deepen the bond, make it more effective, but we don't know for sure.

[dj26792]

I think that we've been told what the 2nd oath does, it makes your use of stormlight more efficient, Kalladin demonstrates all of the wind runner powers after taking only the first oath, and in fact subconsciously before he's even done that he is helping himself fight better and deflecting arrows into the bridge to protect himself. I think acting in the right way, and gaining the right spiritual condition get you the bond and the powers and after that the oaths strengthen the bond and focus the bond to make it more efficient and more powerful.

I know this theory is about symbolspren for Shallan and potentially Jasnah and Elhokar, but I think the Radiant's powers all work essentially the same way, and so what we've seen of Kalladin's development will be true of Shallan's and was/will be true of Jasnah's.