What does the surge of Division really do?

[smolbep]

The actual abilities of Division are never made clear. It is said to be some vague force of destruction and decay, and it's been shown both burning and turning things to dust. There's WoB saying that it breaks molecular bonds. The question is, how does it manifest as both fire and decay? Fire is more than just breaking bonds, so how does it do that? I'd suggest that it's using energy from the bonds to raise the heat to regularly start a flame, but that can't be it because the energy released from reactions where we think about bonds being broken is really from the second half where new bonds are formed. It's probably just that the perception of the Surge means that all vague destructive powers are lumped in there as one, but it feels odd for such a power to exist side-by-side with ones that are really just one ability, like Gravitation and Adhesion. I suppose there's already Illumination with its ability to generate sound, but at least that has a slightly more rational explanation in that light and sound are both waves (even if they are different kinds of waves and in different things).

[Honorless]

This post by @Pagerunner has a thorough breakdown about the Surges we didn't have a lot of info on, it's from before RoW so it doesn't have any spoilers / isn't updated with any new info on the Willshaper Surges:

 

[Quantus]

Ok, so what follows is mostly speculation:

Division is the power Separation, of Breaking Bonds, as compared to Adhesion that creates them or some of the others that manipulate them.  Generally it will break Molecular Bonds (it will not break Atomic Bonds for purely Narrative balance reasons, too OP). 

Decay and Combustion are both just Oxidation reactions, and the Stormlight makes it happen in those fractal cascades even if the natural reaction might not be self-sustaining). Im no chemist by any stretch but if we assume they can learn/choose to break the bonds differently, they could (for example) either Decay wood by decomposing it into various Carbon Cycle type molecules compost-style, or they could Ignite wood by more specifically strip off all the O2 creating a small/local zone of pure O2 which can ignite in the presence of basically any carbon.  

I suspect Division is also responsible for creating the Electric Potential Differential that is Electricity and Lightning; I think we've seen this in Stormform (assuming Forms of Power are all still Surge-based) and I suspect it's part of why the Skybreakers came to be known as such.  If so they also have spark creating capability to ignite any flammable gasses that can be released from decaying the target wood (in the above example).

[Frumpy]

On 6/4/2021 at 5:34 AM, smolbep said:

The actual abilities of Division are never made clear. It is said to be some vague force of destruction and decay, and it's been shown both burning and turning things to dust. There's WoB saying that it breaks molecular bonds. The question is, how does it manifest as both fire and decay? Fire is more than just breaking bonds, so how does it do that? I'd suggest that it's using energy from the bonds to raise the heat to regularly start a flame, but that can't be it because the energy released from reactions where we think about bonds being broken is really from the second half where new bonds are formed. It's probably just that the perception of the Surge means that all vague destructive powers are lumped in there as one, but it feels odd for such a power to exist side-by-side with ones that are really just one ability, like Gravitation and Adhesion. I suppose there's already Illumination with its ability to generate sound, but at least that has a slightly more rational explanation in that light and sound are both waves (even if they are different kinds of waves and in different things).

[Sunlit Man]

Spoiler

The way that it creates fire, which we only see Dustbringers do, is because it’s a resonance with Abrasion. Friction increasing in tandem with “destruction” creates fire. We never see Sigzil create fire, only shape the wind the fire is on, so my headcannon is that fire is only a Dustbringer thing, especially bc in the prelude of WoK, when smoldering ground is mentioned it’s attributed to the Dustbringers, not Skybreakers.

Edited March 29 by LewsTherinTelescope
add spoiler tags

[Treamayne]

7 hours ago, Frumpy said:

The way that it creates fire, which we only see Dustbringers do, is because it’s a resonance with Abrasion. Friction increasing in tandem with “destruction” creates fire.

TSM Spoilers:

Spoiler

We never see Sigzil create fire, only shape the wind the fire is on, so my headcannon is that fire is only a Dustbringer thing,. . . 

. . . especially bc in the prelude of WoK, when smoldering ground is mentioned it’s attributed to the Dustbringers, not Skybreakers.

Please make sure you spoiler tag TSM material while it is still in its Spoiler Period.

[alder24]

8 hours ago, Frumpy said:

The way that it creates fire, which we only see Dustbringers do, is because it’s a resonance with Abrasion. [...]

Please avoid necro-posting, this is against Shard's policy. This topic is almost three years old and the question is already marked as answered. Reviving such old and dead topics is not advisable. 

[Quantus]

1 hour ago, alder24 said:

Please avoid necro-posting, this is against Shard's policy. This topic is almost three years old and the question is already marked as answered. Reviving such old and dead topics is not advisable. 

It's probably fine.  When last I raised a similar concern on a necro thread, the mods told me it was generally ok and not to worry too much if the thread isnt locked.  The Policy states one of the acceptable reasons to revive a topic would be to discuss new related information and the TSM content probably qualifies.

 

Quote

Post Necromancy;

• Refers to reviving an inactive and out of date topic without a legitimate reason. If you wish to continue the discussion please make a new post.
• Legitimate reasons for reviving a post could include;
  • New information has been released that directly relates to the central theory being discussed and creation of a new topic would not substantially differ from continuation of the original post.
  • Continuation of a forum game or roleplay
  • The topic in question is specifically meant to be ongoing (eg. Typo threads)
  • Many old topics have been locked to prevent thread necro’ing--if you believe a thread should be reopened, please contact a moderator.

 

• •  

 

 

[LewsTherinTelescope]

@Frumpy Sunlit Man is still in the spoiler period and discussion of its contents must be hidden and labeled.