[OB] Squire Proximity Restriction

[Kaladin Zahel]

So, we discovered in Oathbringer that Kaladin has to be within a certain range of his squires for then to access surges.

But the cute story of when The Lopen begins to regrow his invisible arm happens while Kaladin is located elsewhere.

My question: is this a mistake or some kind of delayed loss of surge access? Can squires have a capacitor-like storage of investiture/surge-ability to delay the effect caused by the absence of their raidiant?

[Calderis he/him]

The range is significant, 50+ miles. Long enough that the Oathgate was most likely in range. The cutoff is not instant either. The powers fade over the course of several hours. 

Add in that after the events at the end of WoR, Kaladin was one of the only people able to operate the Oathgate, and he was most likely in and out of range frequently. 

[RShara she/her]

I always thought that Kaladin had returned to Narak to help work the Oathgate and transfer people.  And to get Elhokar and make sure he got to Urithiru safely. 

 

Edit:  Knew I shoulda hit submit before I got my drink!

Edited March 26, 2018 by RShara

[MountainKing]

I think that Lopen was currently beginning to form a Radiant bond, like Kaladin did when he was a slave.

[Zelly]

7 hours ago, MountainKing said:

I think that Lopen was currently beginning to form a Radiant bond, like Kaladin did when he was a slave.

That's a good point, and could make it more difficult to pinpoint things.  As we saw in OB, however, most of the squires seem to breathe in stormlight as the very first thing they do, just to get initiated.  Lopen's arm growing scene was also his first success with taking in stormlight, so I'm guessing he didn't have a spren interested in him yet.  

[MountainKing]

4 minutes ago, Zellyia said:

That's a good point, and could make it more difficult to pinpoint things.  As we saw in OB, however, most of the squires seem to breathe in stormlight as the very first thing they do, just to get initiated.  Lopen's arm growing scene was also his first success with taking in stormlight, so I'm guessing he didn't have a spren interested in him yet.  

Yeah, but that's also what most Radiants do first as well, I really think this should just be asked for a WoB.

[Calderis he/him]

1 hour ago, MountainKing said:

Yeah, but that's also what most Radiants do first as well, I really think this should just be asked for a WoB.

Lopen, like the others, was unable to use his powers while Kaladin was away at other points in the book. 

If that was truly the beginning of his bond, he should have had his powers for the entirety of Oathbringer. He wasn't exploring powers that no one had seen before. He had an idea of what was possible, and as we've seen with the squires, it would have developed much more quickly for him. 

[RShara she/her]

2 hours ago, MountainKing said:

Yeah, but that's also what most Radiants do first as well, I really think this should just be asked for a WoB.

It has.  Lopen was definitely a squire for a time.

 

Quote

Questioner

Did Lopen bond a spren or is he a squire?

Brandon Sanderson

As of right now, Lopen is a squire.

Questioner

Okay, as of right now. So it's a potential RAFO.

Brandon Sanderson

Uh, I answered your question exactly. *questioner laughs* That's not a RAFO, that's an exact answer to the question you asked.

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