Cognitive beings emigrating [DISCUSS]

[+Oltux72 he/him]

We have seen a spren living far away from Roshar. That raises questions.

1. If you are a spren where would you go?
2. Will other worldsform groups akin to the Knights Radiant?
3. Where are the inkspren? Given what we saw Szeth do, the economic value of an inkspren should be phenomenal.

[Onironte he/him]

I would probably be a windspren, so... maybe just float around?
If I were a smart spren but not Nahel-bonded, I would probably go to the Peaks for a while, just to be adored. I would likely try to find Cultivation and offer to be her emissary, an ally. I would seek the Old Magic to be able to use the Surges and become a Surgebinder myself, without needing a Knight. Then I would act as a diplomat between the Shards. I would help Hoid and follow him (cool things happen around him), picking up investiture all across the Cosmere.

Oh, I know: I would go after my dearest Sig and propose to him that he give me the Dawnshard of Existence. And since I am a spren, probably an Inkspren or a Highspren, the command of Existence would be tied to my own Intent, self-mastery if Inkspren, seeking Justice if Highspren. That would prevent me from being limited by the torment of the Dawnshard.

Once I reached that point, I think I would get bored and just continue following Hoid.

By the way, what is exactaly what Szeth do, and why does it impact the value of an inkspren?

[Jult]

On 7/17/2025 at 12:41 PM, Oltux72 said:

We have seen a spren living far away from Roshar. That raises questions.

1. If you are a spren where would you go?
2. Will other worldsform groups akin to the Knights Radiant?
3. Where are the inkspren? Given what we saw Szeth do, the economic value of an inkspren should be phenomenal.

1. Far away from any Shards. Lumel, maybe?

2. I doubt this. Mainly because it will result in a ton of factions that would be hard to keep track of. But also, because I personally suspect you need to be on Roshar in order to bond a Spren. I think someone (Syl probably) needs to 'Accept' the Words as Stormfather once did. Otherwise Radiants would be too commonplace in the late stage Cosmere. Sigzil and Aux may possibly contradict this idea. But most rules seem to stop applying once Dawnshards come into play.

3. Elsecallers should be a huge deal during the space age, and I agree that their absence from the few stories we have in this time period is odd. Especially IotE. Who cares about a Perpendicularity? Just send someone to open an Elsegate. Something game changing must happen to the Elsecallers and/or Inkspren in the second Stormlight Era.

[Mage of Lirigon he/him]

54 minutes ago, Jult said:

2. I doubt this. Mainly because it will result in a ton of factions that would be hard to keep track of. But also, because I personally suspect you need to be on Roshar in order to bond a Spren. I think someone (Syl probably) needs to 'Accept' the Words as Stormfather once did. Otherwise Radiants would be too commonplace in the late stage Cosmere. Sigzil and Aux may possibly contradict this idea. But most rules seem to stop applying once Dawnshards come into play.

Also as of the end of WaT, there's not much incentive for a spren to have a Nahel bond anymore since they can manifest and live normally in the Physical World without it.
 

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3. Elsecallers should be a huge deal during the space age, and I agree that their absence from the few stories we have in this time period is odd. Especially IotE. Who cares about a Perpendicularity? Just send someone to open an Elsegate. Something game changing must happen to the Elsecallers and/or Inkspren in the second Stormlight Era.

Same as above. Inkspren don't like Nahel bonds already. Once they find out they don't really need it anymore, why bother with the risk?

Edited August 4, 2025 by Mage of Lirigon

[Onironte he/him]

Okay, I'm missing something important... Why don't Inkspren need Nahel bonds anymore?

[+Oltux72 he/him]

On 8/4/2025 at 7:18 PM, Mage of Lirigon said:

Same as above. Inkspren don't like Nahel bonds already. Once they find out they don't really need it anymore, why bother with the risk?

Money, fame, status, boredom, ...

[Jult]

20 hours ago, Onironte said:

Okay, I'm missing something important... Why don't Inkspren need Nahel bonds anymore?

The rules have changed a bit for Spren by the end of WaT. Some, like Notum, are finding it possible to manifest in the Physical Realm without the aid of a Nahel bond. 

[Nitpicking]

On 8/4/2025 at 9:29 AM, Jult said:

... But also, because I personally suspect you need to be on Roshar in order to bond a Spren. I think someone (Syl probably) needs to 'Accept' the Words as Stormfather once did ... 

But Seons and Skaze bond on Sel, and the spirits of Komashi bind the yoki-hijo. Splinters of various Shards bond everywhere we see them, in fact. (Scadrial and Taldain and Nalthis and Yolen have no known Splinters.)

[Jult]

2 minutes ago, Nitpicking said:

But Seons and Skaze bond on Sel, and the spirits of Komashi bind the yoki-hijo. Splinters of various Shards bond everywhere we see them, in fact. (Scadrial and Taldain and Nalthis and Yolen have no known Splinters.)

Sure. But none of those Splinters require Oaths. We also know there are weird planetary restrictions on abilities related to Rosharan Spren. For example, you need to be on Roshar the first time you summon your Shardplate. Though you can summon it off-planet after the first time.