Whose system do Regals use? [DISCUSS]

[+Oltux72 he/him]

Wind and Truth has told us very little about the origin of the Regals and their powers. However, it has added to the timeline and the possible sources. Let me summarize what I consider the relevant facts

1. Regals predate the arrival of Odium [Eila Stele]
2. Regals have red eyes
3. There are more than ten kinds of Regals

From that I would draw one important conclusion:
They are not voidbinding

What does that leaves us with? Given that magic systems without Shards and predating Shards definitely exist (Aethers, Sho Del, Dragons and microkinesis) I think that Regals are using the magic system of the old gods Night, Wind and Truth (and possibly some fourth old god associated with the fourth moon).

[Trusk'our he/him]

6 hours ago, Oltux72 said:

Wind and Truth has told us very little about the origin of the Regals and their powers. However, it has added to the timeline and the possible sources. Let me summarize what I consider the relevant facts

1. Regals predate the arrival of Odium [Eila Stele]
2. Regals have red eyes
3. There are more than ten kinds of Regals

From that I would draw one important conclusion:
They are not voidbinding

What does that leaves us with? Given that magic systems without Shards and predating Shards definitely exist (Aethers, Sho Del, Dragons and microkinesis) I think that Regals are using the magic system of the old gods Night, Wind and Truth (and possibly some fourth old god associated with the fourth moon).

Personally, I don't see the Regals' power being a magic system in the same sense that Allomancy, (Nalthian) Awakening, or Surgebinding is. I see it more like an organic adaptation to Investiture- their Forms- making use of more potent Spren to up their natural abilities and harness the Spren's Investiture.

If there was a more potent Spren than normally seen made of Cultivation or Honor that they could bond to their Gemheart, it would be reasonable to assume they would be using the corresponding Shard's "system". Since the Spren they normally bond appear to be of Odium (whether corrupted or naturally made of his essence), I would consider them as drawing on his system- albeit somewhat loosely since I don't think it's as formalized as most systems.

[+Oltux72 he/him]

15 hours ago, Trusk'our said:

Personally, I don't see the Regals' power being a magic system in the same sense that Allomancy, (Nalthian) Awakening, or Surgebinding is.

It is a system like the Aetherbound are. Preshattering.

15 hours ago, Trusk'our said:

If there was a more potent Spren than normally seen made of Cultivation or Honor that they could bond to their Gemheart, it would be reasonable to assume they would be using the corresponding Shard's "system". Since the Spren they normally bond appear to be of Odium (whether corrupted or naturally made of his essence), I would consider them as drawing on his system- albeit somewhat loosely since I don't think it's as formalized as most systems.

Today they draw on Odium's spren - but their eyes are red. In other words Odium is again fueling an alien system, just like he fuels Surgebinding in case of the Fused. How can the Eila stele ban using the power of spren, unless the ban predates the arrival of humans? Hence the original source must be different spren.

[Atlas333]

These are the ways Brandon catologues the magic of Roshar

Quote

Questioner

How many magic systems are in The Stormlight Archive, and how many of them haven't been seen?

Brandon Sanderson

I would say the only major one you haven’t seen is Voidbinding, it depends on how you count them. I count fabrials as one, Surgebinding as one, and Voidbinding as one. And then the Old Magic is kind of its own weird thing.

Calamity Seattle signing (Feb. 17, 2016)

If they're not voidbinding that leaves surgebinding, fabrials, and old magic. Of those three, I think it's clear that fabrials are the most fitting. They have a spren inside them that grants them different effects. Regals are just unique in that the spren they're using have been touched by Odium but it's the same system as normal forms of power (which of themselves are just organic fabrials)

[+Oltux72 he/him]

1 hour ago, Atlas333 said:

If they're not voidbinding that leaves surgebinding, fabrials, and old magic. Of those three, I think it's clear that fabrials are the most fitting. They have a spren inside them that grants them different effects. Regals are just unique in that the spren they're using have been touched by Odium but it's the same system as normal forms of power (which of themselves are just organic fabrials)

1. Then why are their eyes red?
2. Why do their forms match their functions?
3. What are the people with enlightened spren doing? Why are their eyes not red?

[Atlas333]

1. Red is the color of corrupted investiture. Meaning Odium is corrupting a magic system that isn't his own with his intent.

2. Could you explain what you mean by this?

3. Not sure. Maybe it's based on what light they're using? Our heroes usually use stormlight, so no red eyes. But if someone with an enlightened spren used voidlight, maybe it would be a different story.

[LewsTherinTelescope]

I don't think the red eyes are because Odium's corrupting a system but because Odium's corrupting their soul, not unlike how soulstamps give off red smoke when used on a living thing. Regal forms overwrite the individual's personality much more strongly than normal ones.

[Frustration]

On 11/9/2025 at 2:39 AM, Oltux72 said:

It is a system like the Aetherbound are. Preshattering.

Today they draw on Odium's spren - but their eyes are red. In other words Odium is again fueling an alien system, just like he fuels Surgebinding in case of the Fused. How can the Eila stele ban using the power of spren, unless the ban predates the arrival of humans? Hence the original source must be different spren.

They Eila stele says that humans destroyed their homeworld using magic they were forbidden to touch, i.e. Surgebinding. Not the use of Spren.

 

And we can see that Regals did not predate the shattering for a few reasons.

1. Honor lists them as a development Odium made in their arms race.

2. There were no Regals in between the Desolations, they were sealed away just like the Fused were.

3. Regals cannot hear the normal Rhythms of Roshar