Physical/Mental and Active/Passive Radiant Orders

[Argent]

I hesitate to call this a theory because it's more of an observation, and it doesn't have much substance to it... But here goes.

 

Looking at the names of the Radiant Orders, it now strikes me as obvious that half of them sound inherently more physical and active in nature, while the other half are more passive and mental, or perhaps cognitive. Stonewards, Windrunners, Skybreakers, Dustbringers, and Edgedancers all sound folks who perfect some physical activity - ward (I admit this one doesn't form an activity as well as the others), run with the wind, break the sky, brings things down to dust, and dance on the edge. The other half then - Truthwatchers, Lightweavers, Elsecallers, Willshapers, and Bondsmiths - fall more strongly in the domain of mental, or passive, activities. Watching (for) the truth, weaving light, calling the else, shaping (with) will, and smithing bonds.

 

Alternatively, there is another dichotomy I see - internal vs. external orders. The division here is not as clear (to me), because a few of the orders could be interpreted either way (do the Bondsmiths' bonds make them an internal order, because bonds are your own thing, or external because you form them with others?), but Windrunners, Skybreakers, Dustbringers, Edgedancers, and Lightweavers all sound much more external to me than Truthwatchers, Elsecallers, Willshapers, Bondsmiths, and Stonewards. I could allow for Stonewards and Lightweavers to swap places (maybe because Stonewards can somehow defend others while Lightweavers and internalized truths go hand-in-hand). 

[Jondesu]

I think that's a brilliant division on the first part!  There's definitely a case for categorizing them that way, and I think I might go ahead and start treating that as headcanon.  I don't think the other one makes as much sense, plus it's too similar to the internal/external metals division from Mistborn.  I would be curious to see how they will divide between Honor, Cultivation, and perhaps some (most/all?) that are influenced by both.  Are there some orders that are exclusively bound by Honor and others by Cultivation, or are they all a mix?

 

jW

[Seloun]

Honor appears to be associated with the top of the vertical axis of the chart, while Cultivation appears to be the bottom of the vertical axis (Windrunners and Stonewards are the most 'Honor' associated Orders, IMO; this is obliquely supported by the Recreance vision).

 

I've also noticed the Physical/Cognitive 'array' going horizontally, but that seems less pronounced. I had a brief theory that the chart might actually be split into thirds (the top third being Spiritual, the left-bottom being Cognitive, and right-bottom being Physical) but the chart doesn't otherwise naturally break into thirds.

[Argent]

I don't think the other one makes as much sense, plus it's too similar to the internal/external metals division from Mistborn.  

 

This is actually precisely why I brought it up, it's a parallel between magic systems.

[hoser]

I agree.  The left side seems to me to relate to the cognitive realm and the right side to the physical realm.  I don't really understand the internal/external thing, but that could just be my stupidity and impatience. 

[ParadoxicalZen]

You could argue (abstractly, with a bit of twisting) that each Order inteprets their given Surges as pulling/pushing e.g. Windrunners - Adhesion is pushing, Gravitation is pulling. None too sure about Internal/External though, although you could split the diagram into  running vertical and horizontal, which would make the two centre Orders both depending on perception (which could reflect in each different Radiant)