The Powers of the Bondsmiths - three different types

[Ixthos Luke/Luke]

There are typically three Bondsmiths, and Bondsmith powers seem to tie heavily into support powers for other Radiants. We know that Dalinar, bonded to the Stormfather, can both provide Stormlight to others - and open Perpendicularities - as well as enhance Shallan's lightweaving, while still keeping it essentially as lightweaving. This, along with the idea of Urithiru's tie to the Sibling and the presence of suppression systems, and the Nightwatcher's status and abilities ... I propose the following:

• The Stormfather's Bondsmith - provide power and boost radiant abilities, so support by temporarily strengthening allies
• The Sibling's Bondsmith - suppress enemy powers and drain their strength, so support by temporarily weakening enemies
• The Nightwatcher's Bondsmith - "change" the powers of others, or expand their abilities in new ways, so support by temporarily altering allies and possibly enemies

 

Does this seem like a potential set of differences that makes sense?

[Dawnshard]

I like the Nightwatcher's change to others ability. That seems to make a lot of sense the way Brandon lays out his magics. Also I think the Sibling is more about protection in the tower than by suppression. I think it just happens to have a suppression field in the tower. 

[Truthwatcher Artifabrian he/him]

I think it is less about specific powers and more  about specific tuning of those powers.

 

Each Bondsmith is related to a particular place:

Stormfather is the highstorm. Because the highstorm moves, the Bondsmith is also by extension the world as a whole.

 Sibling is Urithiru.

 Nightwatcher is the Valley.

 

They have the same powers, attuned  to that area. For example, they can all boost Radiants. They boost a different surge for each Radiant order. They change nothing except provide that surge information about the area. For lightweavers, for example, they allow creating a map of that area. The map changes real time as the place changes, but the Stormfather’s map of the world only changes as the highstorm goes over it. In addition to changing real time, the Sibling and Nightwatcher maps can have much more detail. If the Bondsmith enhances an Elsecaller and therefore transformation surge, you can create a physical, permanent map of the area. The downside to this is it doesn’t change real time.

I believe only the Stormfather Bondsmith can infuse radiants with stormlight, however. This is because the highstorm is the source of stormlight. The other Bondsmiths can provide whatever their areas are sources of. Maybe the nightwatcher Bondsmith can give mini boons and curses, and the sibling Bondsmith can give the various plants growing effects and Anti Magic effects that Urithiru gives. That one is kind of wasted though seeing as how we know the sibling Bondsmith never leaves Urithiru.

 As for opening perpendicularities, we have it confirmed that only Dalinar can do it because of the Stormfather being combined with Tanavast’s cognitive shadow  and what not.

[Halyo_Alex he/him]

2 hours ago, Truthwatcher Artifabrian said:

the sibling Bondsmith can give the various plants growing effects and Anti Magic effects that Urithiru gives. That one is kind of wasted though seeing as how we know the sibling Bondsmith never leaves Urithiru.

Maybe you need the Sibling Bondsmith to properly use those effects in Urithiru, and the fabrials help sustain the effects?

[OathKeeper]

Spoiler

Uruthiru is characterized as, essentially, a deadeye by the ancient fused. Deadeyes maintain some semblance of their power but the broken bond breaks their sentience and weakens their power significantly.

It's not hard to imagine what Uruthiru looks like in its full power (at least in general terms). Climate control, water, agriculture growth, the lifts, and yes, protection. Normally only one bondsmith stays at the tower full time. The bond is probably needed for full control of directing all that investiture. I can't imagine Uruthiru--when alive and bonded--is dependent on the stormfather or his bondsmith to bring investiture in. 

think of the three great spren in terms of theme. 

Stormfather- oaths

Nightwatcher - growth

Uruthiru - ??? But maybe artifice/construction/technology

Quote

The Sibling's Bondsmith - suppress enemy powers and drain their strength, so support by temporarily weakening enemies

I have a hard time imagining that suppression is the central theme of the sibling. It's just one aspect of Uruthiru. The central theme seems to be related to investiture via fabrial, or perhaps an alternative to fabrials that is more friendly to the spren involved.