Dominating Preservation

[Trusk'our he/him]

The Heralds had a strong Connection to Odium that Honor was able to take advantage of.

This makes me wonder, Kelsier has directly held the Shard of Preservation before. Could his soul be leveraged to bind Preservation? For example, if Autonomy convinced him that Sazed was becoming to erratic, could she Invest him in such a way to to further cripple Sazed's influence?

Or, if Kelsier took up a piece of Ruin Ishar style, could he shield himself from Harmony's direct action, both because of his alignment with Ruin (similar to how Mishram was safe-ish from Odium) and his old Connection to Preservation?

[Frustration]

That seems like it should work, yes.

[NerdyAarakocra They/Them]

Both of those seem like they would work, but Harmony's nature as a dual shard probably means that attacking from one direction (i.e. Kelsier's Connection to Preservation) would still leave Sazed able to use the other shard.

[listerfeend]

23 hours ago, NerdyAarakocra said:

would still leave Sazed able to use the other shard.

And exclusively that shard, which could have far ranging impacts, probably sending him to Discord, as has been foretold

[Jult]

On 1/21/2026 at 2:22 PM, Trusk'our said:

This makes me wonder, Kelsier has directly held the Shard of Preservation before. Could his soul be leveraged to bind Preservation? For example, if Autonomy convinced him that Sazed was becoming to erratic, could she Invest him in such a way to to further cripple Sazed's influence?

I'd say yes. Kelsier has strong Connections to Preservation, Ruin, AND Sazed himself. He'd make an excellent attack vector.

A tangential idea that popped into my head while reading this:

The New Oathpact protects the spren from Retribution despite them being created from Honor's Investiture. Scadrian's were created from Preservation and Ruin's Investiture.  

Could some kind of Scadrian Oathpact protect all Scadrians from Discord?

[Qianweilian He/him]

5 hours ago, Jult said:

Could some kind of Scadrian Oathpact protect all Scadrians from Discord?

I'd say no, because the Oathpact mainly relied on themes of Honor, and indeed, Honor prevented Retribution's retaliation against spren.

[Trusk'our he/him]

2 hours ago, Qianweilian said:

I'd say no, because the Oathpact mainly relied on themes of Honor, and indeed, Honor prevented Retribution's retaliation against spren.

Wouldn't Preservation fit that role fairly well? Not necessarily the oath part, but shielding Scadrial from Ruin's Intent?

[Aliroz-The-Confused]

I don't think Autonomy's going to be able to convince Kelsier to do anything.  If she tries, she'll get a fist to the face from the one being we know can punch Shards.

And I especially don't think she's going to be able to convince Kelsier to mess over his old friend.

Wait...

HEY BAVADIN I HAVE A GOOD IDEA FOR YOU!

[therunner he/him]

On 1/21/2026 at 8:22 PM, Trusk'our said:

The Heralds had a strong Connection to Odium that Honor was able to take advantage of.

This makes me wonder, Kelsier has directly held the Shard of Preservation before. Could his soul be leveraged to bind Preservation? For example, if Autonomy convinced him that Sazed was becoming to erratic, could she Invest him in such a way to to further cripple Sazed's influence?

Or, if Kelsier took up a piece of Ruin Ishar style, could he shield himself from Harmony's direct action, both because of his alignment with Ruin (similar to how Mishram was safe-ish from Odium) and his old Connection to Preservation?

I'll be a bit contrarian and say it wouldn't work. 

Not all Shards have the same powers and Honor is especially suited to binding and Oaths. His first binding of Odium was done even without active intent of the Vessel, if I recall correctly. So I don't think Autonomy, Shard that is in a sense quite against being bound by things, would be able to bind another Shard. 

Basically, I think Honor could, but other Shards couldn't.

Edited January 23 by therunner

[Jult]

8 hours ago, therunner said:

I'll be a bit contrarian and say it wouldn't work. 

Not all Shards have the same powers and Honor is especially suited to binding and Oaths. His first binding of Odium was done even without active intent of the Vessel, if I recall correctly. So I don't think Autonomy, Shard that is in a sense quite against being bound by things, would be able to bind another Shard. 

Basically, I think Honor could, but other Shards couldn't.

Honor's power definitely strengthened the binding power of the agreement that Tanavast, Rayse, and Koravellium made. And, you remember correctly, Honor did that on its own without Tanavast's intent (though Tanavast leaned into it when he realized it was happening). But, as far as we know, all Shards experience some level of binding when making a promise. It's why Tanavast and Koravellium proposed a deal with Rayse in the first place.

For a non-Rosharan example, it cost Leras severely when he broke his pact with Ati:

Quote

This, then, was their bargain. Preservation got mankind, the only creations that had more Preservation than Ruin in them, rather than a balance. Independent life that could think and feel. In exchange, Ruin was given a promise—and proof—that he could bring an end to all they had created together. It was the pact.

And Preservation eventually broke it.

By sacrificing most of his consciousness, Preservation created Ruin's prison, breaking their deal and trying to keep Ruin from destroying what they had created. This event left their powers again nearly balanced—Ruin imprisoned, only a trace of himself capable of leaking out. Preservation reduced to a mere wisp of what he once was, barely capable of thought and action.

-HoA Epigraphs 54 and 55

Also, here's a bonus WoB on the same pact.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

12 hours ago, Qianweilian said:

I'd say no, because the Oathpact mainly relied on themes of Honor, and indeed, Honor prevented Retribution's retaliation against spren.

A Scadrian Oathpact would probably* be weaker without Honor's involvement but based on the above I think it would work. And as @Trusk'our pointed out already, Preservation would probably be very keen on respecting it.

*I say "probably" because there are other factors. Such as:

• the number of oath keepers. Tanavast said either 16 or 10 oath keepers would be the strongest options for him. For Preservation, 16 holds double significance.
• Tanavast only held Honor's power. Sazed is packing two Shards

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Side-side note with some IotE spoilers:

Spoiler

Could this be the thing Ed mentioned that Harmony/Discord is the "only known living Shard" to have done? An Oathpact to protect his people from himself?

[Trusk'our he/him]

6 minutes ago, Jult said:

the number of oath keepers. Tanavast said either 16 or 10 oath keepers would be the strongest options for him. For Preservation, 16 holds double significance.

Actually, isn't 1 a number of power? 1 Cosmere, 1 Adonalsium?

That's one of the reasons Taln was allowed to stay in Damnation alone- they thought they could get away with doing so without completely compromising the Oathpact (though obviously that wasn't the real reason they did so).

16 would probably work better, yes, but it might not be too necessary to form a strong binding.

[listerfeend]

13 minutes ago, Jult said:

  Hide contents

Could this be the thing Ed mentioned that Harmony/Discord is the "only known living Shard" to have done? An Oathpact to protect his people from himself?

Possibly

IotE

Spoiler

But I still struggle with the phrasing of that line "perform the..."

I can't think of anyway to match "the" up with literally any action a Shard would make. It MUST be some Pathian rite, ritual, or name for something he did that doesn't match to anything we know so far, that's the only conclusion I can draw from all this.

[Jult]

45 minutes ago, Trusk'our said:

Actually, isn't 1 a number of power? 1 Cosmere, 1 Adonalsium?

That's one of the reasons Taln was allowed to stay in Damnation alone- they thought they could get away with doing so without completely compromising the Oathpact (though obviously that wasn't the real reason they did so).

16 would probably work better, yes, but it might not be too necessary to form a strong binding.

Correct. There's two points when they discuss numbers of power. Before the original forging of the Oathpact:

Quote

"He granted you his powers. There is a Connection we can exploit, so long as the circle contains enough of you. Strongest would be sixteen or my own number of ten - it cannot be nine."

-Tanavast, WaT Chapter 64

And then later when the Heralds want to alter the pact (which is what you're remembering):

Quote

"Change it, so that others can take our place," Ishar said. "Or... or maybe make it allow half of us to hold the bond for one Isolation, then trade with the other half..."

"Five?" Honor said. "No. Impossible. Five is a number of weakness. No symmetry, no power. Perhaps four would work. The number of Adonalsium's four aspects. Or ten, sixteen... one."

Dalinar felt cold. "One?"

"One cosmere," Honor said. "One Truth. One Adonalsium. A number of power and strength."

-WaT Chapter 77

So one, four, or sixteen would probably work for a Scadrian Oathpact. Unless 1 happens to be Ruin's number - then it might be a bad idea.

[Trusk'our he/him]

37 minutes ago, Jult said:

Correct. There's two points when they discuss numbers of power. Before the original forging of the Oathpact:

And then later when the Heralds want to alter the pact (which is what you're remembering):

So one, four, or sixteen would probably work for a Scadrian Oathpact. Unless 1 happens to be Ruin's number - then it might be a bad idea.

Fair point. Time for Sazed to Invest 15 more people to stop himself from himself. . .

Actually, hasn't Marsh has been Invested in some way in the past to guide deceased people? Don't know by how much, but if it's a lot maybe if you want to bind Ruin use him instead? Maybe the two deathless bros stand together, one for each Shard.

Yes, that's two, not a known number of power, but if each is alone in binding a single Shard and not Harmony as a whole then that might count as a plausible loophole.

Edited January 23 by Trusk'our

[therunner he/him]

2 hours ago, Jult said:

Honor's power definitely strengthened the binding power of the agreement that Tanavast, Rayse, and Koravellium made. And, you remember correctly, Honor did that on its own without Tanavast's intent (though Tanavast leaned into it when he realized it was happening). But, as far as we know, all Shards experience some level of binding when making a promise. It's why Tanavast and Koravellium proposed a deal with Rayse in the first place.

Yes, but Shard making a promise is different from what OP is proposing, which is binding a Shard forcibly

On 1/21/2026 at 8:22 PM, Trusk'our said:

This makes me wonder, Kelsier has directly held the Shard of Preservation before. Could his soul be leveraged to bind Preservation? For example, if Autonomy convinced him that Sazed was becoming to erratic, could she Invest him in such a way to to further cripple Sazed's influence?

Or, if Kelsier took up a piece of Ruin Ishar style, could he shield himself from Harmony's direct action, both because of his alignment with Ruin (similar to how Mishram was safe-ish from Odium) and his old Connection to Preservation?

Oathpact worked because:

1. There was pre-existing deal binding actions of Odium, Honor and Cultivation
   • That was stronger than 'just' a regular promise done by Shard, being strengthened by Honor
2. Heralds had pre-existing Connection to Odium
3. Honor was involved, Shard that is explicitly about binding

As Harmony doesn't have any pre-existing deals that would limits its actions that we know of, nor ones strengthened by Honor, I doubt that Harmony could be forcibly bound.

[Jult]

1 hour ago, therunner said:

Yes, but Shard making a promise is different from what OP is proposing, which is binding a Shard forcibly

True. I got caught up in the Oathpact talk and started imagining Sazed as a willing Tanavast-type participant. Binding him forcibly like Rayse would be much harder.

1 hour ago, therunner said:

Oathpact worked because:

1. There was pre-existing deal binding actions of Odium, Honor and Cultivation
   • That was stronger than 'just' a regular promise done by Shard, being strengthened by Honor

There is a pre-existing deal binding the actions of Preservation and Ruin - The aforementioned pact they made when they created Scadrial. Preservation agreed to let Ruin destroy their creation at some point. In the same way that Honor and Odium remember their deal despite the deaths of their original Vessels, Preservation and Ruin may still be bound to this agreement. 

1 hour ago, therunner said:

2. Heralds had pre-existing Connection to Odium

All Scadrians have pre-existing Connection to Preservation and Ruin. Preservation and Ruin created them (unlike Rosharans who were created by Adonalsium). Metallic Arts users would have stronger Connections.

1 hour ago, therunner said:

3. Honor was involved, Shard that is explicitly about binding

THIS would be Autonomy's biggest hurdle. Maybe Retribution is the one that Sazed should really be afraid of?

____________________________________________________________

 

2 hours ago, Trusk'our said:

Fair point. Time for Sazed to Invest 15 more people to stop himself from himself. . .

Actually, hasn't Marsh has been Invested in some way in the past to guide deceased people? Don't know by how much, but if it's a lot maybe if you want to bind Ruin use him instead? Maybe the two deathless bros stand together, one for each Shard.

Yes, that's two, not a known number of power, but if each is alone in binding a single Shard and not Harmony as a whole then that might count as a plausible loophole.

Marsh may have a better Connection than Kelsier honestly. Kelsier has somehow lost his Mistborn card from what we know. And I think Marsh is still technically a Misting? I don't recall if all his Hemalurgy has messed with that.

If we wanted to shoot for 4, Wax makes a good candidate. And so would Spook if the crazy theories about him being alive are valid. Or maybe TenSoon?

[Qianweilian He/him]

2 hours ago, Jult said:

Kelsier has somehow lost his Mistborn card from what we know. And I think Marsh is still technically a Misting?

Afaik, Kelsier is still a "mistborn" in the spiritweb/connection sense, and he's a sliver of Preservation anyways, and Marsh is still a bronze misting.

[therunner he/him]

11 hours ago, Jult said:

There is a pre-existing deal binding the actions of Preservation and Ruin - The aforementioned pact they made when they created Scadrial. Preservation agreed to let Ruin destroy their creation at some point. In the same way that Honor and Odium remember their deal despite the deaths of their original Vessels, Preservation and Ruin may still be bound to this agreement. 

From what we know, Leras and Ati swore was, "You help me create a planet, and in exchange you can destroy it later (or some specific time frame".
This won't bind the Shards anymore than that.

That is very different from the pact of Honor and Odium, which was directly intended to limit all actions they can take on the planet. 
Oathpact is explicitly called out as kind of closing a loophole in the original deal, not a strong restriction of its own.

As there is no loophole Harmony is using to act, there is nothing to close with 'Oathpact'.

Quote

All Scadrians have pre-existing Connection to Preservation and Ruin. Preservation and Ruin created them (unlike Rosharans who were created by Adonalsium). Metallic Arts users would have stronger Connections.

You likely need stronger Connection than just that. 

Heralds were so warped by the Surges granted by Odium they basically didn't age. This is far from any Scadrian, barring maybe Kelsier.

[Qianweilian He/him]

10 hours ago, therunner said:

This is far from any Scadrian, barring maybe Kelsier.

I think Kelsier is the best candidate. He's a sliver of Preservation, currently uses Hemalurgy, and has historically been connected to Ruin.

[Jult]

On 1/24/2026 at 1:05 AM, therunner said:

From what we know, Leras and Ati swore was, "You help me create a planet, and in exchange you can destroy it later (or some specific time frame".
This won't bind the Shards anymore than that.

That is very different from the pact of Honor and Odium, which was directly intended to limit all actions they can take on the planet. 
Oathpact is explicitly called out as kind of closing a loophole in the original deal, not a strong restriction of its own.

As there is no loophole Harmony is using to act, there is nothing to close with 'Oathpact'.

I don't think we have the full terms of either agreement, but I could be misremembering (especially on the Scadrial side - I haven't read MB Era 1 in ages).

On 1/24/2026 at 1:05 AM, therunner said:

You likely need stronger Connection than just that. 

Heralds were so warped by the Surges granted by Odium they basically didn't age. This is far from any Scadrian, barring maybe Kelsier.

I think we're starting to conflate "Connection" with "Investment" here. I think the strongest factor for Kelsier and Marsh is that they know Sazed and have a relationship with him. Just like the Heralds (minus Taln maybe) had a pre-existing relationship with Rayse. Investment probably matters too, but I'd wager it isn't as important as Connection.

[therunner he/him]

59 minutes ago, Jult said:

I don't think we have the full terms of either agreement, but I could be misremembering (especially on the Scadrial side - I haven't read MB Era 1 in ages).

True, however consider this: 

• In SA we know that the agreement was explicitly designed to limit how Shards can interact with 'mortals', how they can grant powers, modify them, interfere with them etc.
  • And that this agreement was further strengthened by power of Honor (which goes step beyond just Shardic agreement alone)
• In Mistborn, at most we know that Ruin was allowed to destroy Scadrial, and that they agreed to create Scadrial together. It likely doesn't involved much further limits considering:
  • Sliver of Preservation can: move continents, genetically engineer all the species on planet, move orbit of the planet
  • Preservation can: move continents, move orbit (Vin did both when Ascended), cause earthquakes
  • Harmony can: rewrite genetics of multiple species, all the orbit/continent shenanigans as well, and can grant powers (Spook becoming Mistborn)
    • And Sazed did this without rescinding any agreements between the Powers, and we know (from Odium) that pre-existing agreements still bind the Power, unless explicitly voided.

From the above I think it is reasonably clear that Odium, Honor and Cultivation were all much more limited in how they can interact with Roshar and its people. 
E.g. the only reason Taravangian was capable of destroying Khabranth was because it was his per the agreement with Odium, he couldn't do the same to others. This constrasts with how both Ruin and Preservation are both capable of massacring population of Scadrial with no regard to breaking of any agreements.

59 minutes ago, Jult said:

I think we're starting to conflate "Connection" with "Investment" here. I think the strongest factor for Kelsier and Marsh is that they know Sazed and have a relationship with him. Just like the Heralds (minus Taln maybe) had a pre-existing relationship with Rayse. Investment probably matters too, but I'd wager it isn't as important as Connection.

Being Invested by Shard creates Connection, e.g. we know that Mistborn have stronger Connection to Preservation than non-Mistborn.
Knowing someone does also, however knowing e.g. Stormfather and being Invested by Stormfather (as Radiant is) are very different, and the second Connection is the more important one.

Ishar specifically suggested Oathpact because of their Connection to Odium, Connection that was there because they were granted power by Odium, so much so they stopped aging. Them knowing Rayse is never specified as mattering, only their Connection to Odium due to being granted Surgebinding by him.

I would say that knowing someone is much less important of a Connection than "had a soul modified by them and their power", which implies some flow of Investiture between the participants. Knowing Sazed didn't make anyone Mistborn, so that Connection is likely useless for binding a Shard.

Edited January 26 by therunner

[Jult]

2 hours ago, therunner said:

From the above I think it is reasonably clear that Odium, Honor and Cultivation were all much more limited in how they can interact with Roshar and its people. 
E.g. the only reason Taravangian was capable of destroying Khabranth was because it was his per the agreement with Odium, he couldn't do the same to others. This constrasts with how both Ruin and Preservation are both capable of massacring population of Scadrial with no regard to breaking of any agreements.

All good points.

 

2 hours ago, therunner said:

Them knowing Rayse is never specified as mattering, only their Connection to Odium due to being granted Surgebinding by him.

Except it is specified as mattering:

Quote

"We eight who have sworn," Jezrien said, "all remember the old world. But there is one more here who knew the gods. Midius? It is time."

-Jezrien WaT, Chapter 64

"It must be a volunteer," Tanavast said. "And to create the bond it is better if it is someone who has interacted with the gods in the past."

-Tanavast WaT, Chapter 64

"The horse keeper?" Ishar asked, skeptical. "Wasn't he dismissed from the front lines and forbidden a weapon?"
"Yes," Jezrien said. "Nale, this is a bad idea."
"Honor said he wanted someone who had interactions with the gods," Nale said. "Well..."

Notably, Hoid was among one of the people who was considered for the original Oathpact. And I don't believe Rayse Invested in him at all.

[therunner he/him]

10 hours ago, Jult said:

Except it is specified as mattering:
 

Spoiler

"We eight who have sworn," Jezrien said, "all remember the old world. But there is one more here who knew the gods. Midius? It is time."

-Jezrien WaT, Chapter 64

"It must be a volunteer," Tanavast said. "And to create the bond it is better if it is someone who has interacted with the gods in the past."

-Tanavast WaT, Chapter 64

"The horse keeper?" Ishar asked, skeptical. "Wasn't he dismissed from the front lines and forbidden a weapon?"
"Yes," Jezrien said. "Nale, this is a bad idea."
"Honor said he wanted someone who had interactions with the gods," Nale said. "Well..."

Notably, Hoid was among one of the people who was considered for the original Oathpact. And I don't believe Rayse Invested in him at all.

I stand corrected! 

Though Tanavast also specifies since Odium granted them powers, there is a Connection to exploit

Quote

“Most of you once served him,” Tanavast said. “He granted you his powers. There is a Connection we can exploit, so long as the circle contains enough of you.  
 - Tanavast WaT, Chapter 64

He further brings up a 'blessing' (likely the granted powers) of Odium

Quote

Your pact will complete the blessing that Odium began, then rejected—but you will become mine instead of his.”
 - Tanavast WaT, Chapter 64

And Taln is specified as being warped by his attempt to kill Cultivation when talking about how he interacted with gods

Quote

“How?” Dalinar asked Jezrien, curious. “How did he interact with the
gods?”
“Have you forgotten so easily?” Ishar asked.
“I have had a lot on my mind,” Dalinar said. “Jog my memory.”
“His soul is warped,” Jezrien said, “from his attempt to kill Cultivation.”

So likely Oathpact requires the would-be Heralds to both have souls warped by the Shards (at least some by Shard they want to bind, but not all, considering Taln) and to have some personal Connection. 

So, to sum up Oathpact required:

1. Pre-existing agreement of Shards that limited how they interact with mortals
   • Possibly one strengthened by powers of Honor
2. People that interacted with the Shard directly (not all have to have interacted with Odium, as Taln interacted with Cultivation)
3. People that have been given power by Shard, for necessary Connection to exploit.

Kelsier does satisfy point 2), but points 1) and 3) are missing on Scadrial (unless regular old Allomancers count). So I don't think Harmony could be bound by something similar (not that he has to be, considering they are already more limited than Honor and Odium ever were). 

Kelsier is likely the one that could be most easily re-fashioned into something like a Herald, however he is just one person.

[Frustration]

9 hours ago, therunner said:

I stand corrected! 

Though Tanavast also specifies since Odium granted them powers, there is a Connection to exploit

He further brings up a 'blessing' (likely the granted powers) of Odium

And Taln is specified as being warped by his attempt to kill Cultivation when talking about how he interacted with gods

So likely Oathpact requires the would-be Heralds to both have souls warped by the Shards (at least some by Shard they want to bind, but not all, considering Taln) and to have some personal Connection. 

So, to sum up Oathpact required:

1. Pre-existing agreement of Shards that limited how they interact with mortals
   • Possibly one strengthened by powers of Honor
2. People that interacted with the Shard directly (not all have to have interacted with Odium, as Taln interacted with Cultivation)
3. People that have been given power by Shard, for necessary Connection to exploit.

Kelsier does satisfy point 2), but points 1) and 3) are missing on Scadrial (unless regular old Allomancers count). So I don't think Harmony could be bound by something similar (not that he has to be, considering they are already more limited than Honor and Odium ever were). 

Kelsier is likely the one that could be most easily re-fashioned into something like a Herald, however he is just one person.

Kelsier was given something similar to Allomancy while a CS directly from Preservation, and then held the Shard itself a little later.

And I don't think that 1 is necessary, there was no agreement between Wind and Retribution, but it worked all the same.

Edited January 27 by Frustration

[therunner he/him]

2 hours ago, Frustration said:

Kelsier was given something similar to Allomancy while a CS directly from Preservation, and then held the Shard itself a little later.

Yeah, I think that was basically the same as when Allomancer is using Mists, powered by part of Preservation directly.

If so, then the only two/three candidates for something similar to Heralds (pre-Oathpact) are Kelsier, Wax and likely Marsh.

But of those I think only Kelsier and Marsh have been Invested enough to be in the same ballpark as pre-Oathpact Heralds.

Quote

And I don't think that 1 is necessary, there was no agreement between Wind and Retribution, but it worked all the same.

No, but there was an agreement between Honor and Odium, and the Power of Honor still wants to stick to those Oaths, as we have seen.
The powers explicitly say to Taravangian that Honor demands the Oath of Heralds be followed

Quote

They are protected, his powers said. “By what?” Retribution demanded.
By an oath and a circle, the powers said. By Adonalsium’s strength. Ten stand against you, using the piece of us within them. Honor demands their oaths be followed.

It is likely that neither Preservation, nor Ruin would have the same compulsion to follow oaths.

Plus, Ishar explicitly says that they (Heralds) are a weakness of Retribution

Quote

"Yes,” Ishar said. “We bear Honor’s power. Much as our Connection to Odium helped us bind him and his spren long ago, our Connection to Honor could let us bind Retribution. In a small way.” The elderly Herald wiped blood from his mouth. “We could maybe prevent him from taking the spren to himself. We could seal away that part of his power, weaken him. Yes … Yes, that could work.”
...
"We must reforge the circle,” Ishar replied. “If the spren are to be preserved, if a Splinter of Honor is to be kept from Retribution’s touch, we must stand tall again. Reaffirm our oaths, exploit that weakness he made in himself for us.”

So likely without Oathpact already existing and without the exceptional Connection they have to Honor (even spren consider them closer to Honor than themselves are), they couldn't protect spren.

Plus all of that is just Ishar altering already existing Oathpact, and creation of Oathpact did require Honor.

So I still think 1 (pre-existing agreement of Shards) is necessary for something like Oathpact. And quite likely, the Shard of Honor itself, if you want to bind something against its will.

Edited January 27 by therunner