The Enlightened and their consequences on the Rosharan Revolution

[twinborn97 he/him]

As someone obsessed with the magic system and very excited for the RPG, this book has been a boon and a curse. If anything, WaT left me hanging on enlightened spren and getting to the nitty-gritty of their abilities, but there were a few hints to get me theorizing again. 

 

Now, let me know if there are any current theories I’ve missed(cosmere hiatus), but last I remember, it seemed like the process converted one surge to an odium surge and kept the other normal while altering the oaths a little. Now, the reason for that theory was I believe a quote in Oathbringer about regular truthwatchers using illumination like lightweavers and Renarin(and faceless historical truth watcher) being the only exception to this rule in seeing the future. 

 

Now, near the ends of Wind and Truth(ch 141), the honor bearer with Paliah’s blade uses a globe of light to reveal ghosts from Szeth’s past to put him on tilt, sounds a lot like Renarin’s little wonky globes. This leads me to theorize that regular truthwatchers can use illumination in more spiritual ways than lightweavers with a bit of practice(or it’s simply in their nature to keep it secret?)and Renarin uses that to help him voidbind more clearly in the ends of WaT. The enlightening slightly changes how surges are expressed, but the most dramatic effect is the resonance changing to one of the levels of voidbinding, like seeing the future. 

 

 

Hopefully, with the RPG release next year, they give us enough info to elaborate on the other orders, but for now, this is where I’m at. Any thoughts?

Edited December 29, 2024 by twinborn97

[Argenti he/him]

On 12/28/2024 at 11:18 PM, twinborn97 said:

Now, near the ends of Wind and Truth(ch 141), the honor bearer with Paliah’s blade uses a globe of light to reveal ghosts from Szeth’s past to put him on tilt, sounds a lot like Renarin’s little wonky globes. This leads me to theorize that regular truthwatchers can use illumination in more spiritual ways than lightweavers with a bit of practice(or it’s simply in their nature to keep it secret?)and Renarin uses that to help him voidbind more clearly in the ends of WaT. The enlightening slightly changes how surges are expressed, but the most dramatic effect is the resonance changing to one of the levels of voidbinding, like seeing the future. 

I would assume truthwatchers can "Illuminate the past" it's a more spiritual thing than lightweavers, but isn't future sight. My crack theory is the voidish version of the surges are... backwards? Truthwatcher illumination lets you see the past, but the enlightening version makes you see the future. Maybe Regrowth can create rot, gravitational won't let you fly, but "anchor" you to the ground, Transportation will push the realms apart, draining Investiture, and transformation will let you unmake?

 

[twinborn97 he/him]

Ooh I haven’t approached it from that angle. I like it a lot. It would definitely make a lot of variety in the power system without complicating it too much