Confused

Online dictionaries define bond as "a thing used to tie something or to fasten things together." To fuse is to "join or blend to form a single entity." I see this as the difference between the magics. The Nahel bond "fastens" Syl to Kaladin. "Fusing" causes the Fused-Spren to "form a single entity" with the Fused. That's not a bond. Also, "cosmere bond" (to me) is symbiotic and connotes mutual benefit. A "parasitic" bond seems contrary to mutual benefit. To my mind, parasitic bonds "shouldn't" be a form of cosmere bond, even for Odium or more appropriately Ruin (FWIW). I can see it either way and raise the question rather than answer it. Posters have debated this epigraph before, and many agree with you. The debate seems to pivot on the meaning of "become." One side equates "become" with "assume" the burdens. I don't think the words are synonyms, but people can differ.

Part 3 - The Mechanics of Every Magic System This post accompanies My Revised Cosmere Magic Theory and Glossary of Cosmere Terms. My theory’s framework rests on the difference between “power” and other forms of Investiture. I believe Spiritual Realm power is raw and undifferentiated – the same everywhere – but converts into unique forms of Investiture on each planet. I call each planet’s Investiture “local,” meaning found only on that planet, to distinguish it from power. This WoB and the BoM Ars Arcanum (“On the Three Metallic Arts – Allomancy”) suggest there are three types of cosmere magic systems: “Interaction with nature” systems – People interact with local Investiture, but cannot direct magic of any kind. Non-Catalytic “people with magic” systems – People can direct local Investiture. Catalytic “people with magic” systems – People use Catalysts to direct power. In most cases, people consume the Catalyst to Invest themselves with power. In a few Catalytic systems, the Catalyst causes power to Invest an object. Every magic system uses power or local Investiture as the Fuel that causes magic. Every system also includes a means to Focus power. Magic Users are the “people with magic” in their systems. Some “people with magic” systems add the Catalyst component to summon power. IMO, Adonalsium and the Shards Focus their power by command. Gods think, and magic happens. I think divine command is the Focus of every planet’s inherent Investiture and most of the “interaction with nature” systems. Once power has been Focused into local Investiture (a process Khriss calls “an Investiture”), I believe local Investiture is not further Focused – it already does what it’s intended to do. This post presents my best guess of how each known magic system works on each planet (in alphabetical order). First of The Sun Aviar (“Interaction with nature” system): Fuel: Patji’s Eye Investiture Focus: Adonalsium/Shard command Brandon calls the Patji’s Eye ecosystem an “interaction with nature” system. IMO, mortals cannot direct Aviar, which choose whom they bond to. Dusk doesn’t direct the Aviar’s magic; he interacts with and benefits from his Aviar. When asked whether the pool is a “natural manifestation” or a perpendicularity, Brandon opts for the former. I think he means the pool holds Adonalsium’s inherent Investiture. I suspect a Shard later added its Investiture to the pool, but doesn’t “reside” there; hence, no perpendicularity. I believe the Aviar choose “bond-buddies” only if those mortals show a self-reliant, independent temperament, like Taldain Sand Masters. Even if Autonomy didn’t lay a “dragon egg” in Patji’s Eye, the magic system still seems to reward certain behaviors. To me, that selectivity smacks of some Shard’s Mandated Investiture (Investiture subject to an intent), not Adonalsium’s Investiture. Because Patji’s Eye is ‘natural,” I don’t consider Aviar a Focus even though island and mainland species produce different magical effects. Every Patji lifeform has some Investiture-granted cognitive ability. The Patji Investiture seems to interact differently with each species’ Spiritual DNA. IOW, I think the Investiture itself is always the same, already Focused by Adonalsium’s and/or a Shard’s command. I think Patji’s Eye is like the Old Magic, which also uses its Investiture to grant different magical effects – unique boons and curses. Nalthis Non-Awakening Breath Transfers (Non-Catalytic “people with magic” system): Fuel: Breath Focus: Command (“My Breath is yours”) Magic User: Breath transferor Like with Feruchemy, another “end-neutral” system, some “facilitating power” probably lends Spiritual energy to Breath transfers (its “fuel”). IMO, the Investiture that causes Breath transfer – its Fuel – is Breath itself. As innate Investiture that acts as Fuel in an end-neutral system, I think Breath resembles the Feruchemical gene. IMO, color loss from Breath transfers comes from the transferor’s reduced Breaths, lowering his Heightening. I think color loss from simple Breath Transfers doesn’t cause the transferor to become Invested with Endowment’s power. The Returned (Non-Catalytic “people with magic” system): Fuel: Divine Breath Focus: Command (“My Life is yours. My Breath becomes yours.” Warbreaker, Chapter 57, Kindle p. 629.) Magic User: Returned The Returned are Cognitive Shadows bound to the ideal their Divine Breath represents. Brandon says the Honorblades/Heralds are essentially the same magic system. The Returned’s magic is a specialized form of Breath transfer. The Returned transfers its Divine Breath to heal the recipient. The equivalent Fifth Heightening of 2,000 Breaths grants the recipient perfect health, which is what Divine Breath does. Awakening (Catalytic system): Fuel: Endowment’s power Focus: Visualized commands Magic User: Awakener Catalyst: Invested electromagnetic radiation (EMR) I think Awakening’s Catalyst is the Invested EMR colored objects absorb. “Draining color” withdraws the absorbed Investiture from the colored object. Awakeners can easily “drain” black (fully absorbed EMR), but cannot drain white (fully reflected EMR). Investiture withdrawal causes colored objects to turn gray, just like a Shardblade-severed limb that’s loses its Connection to the soul. I theorize Endowment Invested the Tears of Edgli with vivid color because that narrows the reflected light EMR spectrum. The broader absorbed EMR spectrum remains, leaving more Investiture for an Awakener to withdraw. The “sticky” dyes the Tears create mark where an Awakener can find Investiture. Roshar The “Old Magic” (“Interaction with nature” system) Fuel: Cultivation’s power Focus: Adonalsium/Cultivation command I think the Old Magic is an Adonalsium-created “interaction with nature” system that Shard Investiture changed. I speculate the Nightwatcher (by some other name) began as a large splinter that native Rosharans personified into a sapient spren. We don’t know its original magic. I think Cultivation’s Investiture and human personification of Cultivation morphed that spren into the Nightwatcher. IMO, the Old Magic remains an “interaction with nature” system, though Shard Invested, because mortals don’t direct its magic. They can ask the Nightwatcher for a boon; but as Av tells Baxil, she “gives [the boon] she feels you deserve, then gives you a curse to go along with it.” (WoK, Interlude I-7, Kindle p. 709.) Like Aviar, the Nightwatcher’s magic makes only Cognitive changes. Surgebinding (Catalytic system): Fuel: Honor/Cultivation’s power Focus: Radiantspren Magic User: Knights Radiant Catalyst: Stormlight I believe Radiantspren’s mixed Investitures make them dual Focuses, giving each Surgebinder access to two powers. Some posters think Roshar’s bonds are its Focus. IMO, Surgebinders consume Stormlight as their Catalyst to cause power to Invest them. The Radiantspren as Focus determines which power Invests the Surgebinder. I think the Surgebinder “binds” the Surges by directing the Invested power to create the magical effect – choosing gravity’s vector or drawing a new persona. Fabrials (Catalytic system): Fuel: Honor/Cultivation’s power Focus: Adonalsium spren Magic User: Fabrial user Catalyst: Stormlight Fabrials seem to rely on pre-Shattering Adonalsium spren, which Focus a single power like fire, life or gravity. Though these are Adonalsium spren, the power they draw comes from Honor or Cultivation. IMO, the fabrial gemstone filters Stormlight to replicate the symbiotic conditions of a gemheart. Spren consume the Stormlight and Focus the power that Invests them on the machine they think is a lifeform. The spren-Focused power animates the machine for the desired magical effect. Voidbringing (May not be a magic system): Fuel: Odium’s power Focus: Voidspren Magic User: Unclear Voidbringing may be something Odium alone does and may not be a magic system. It’s like calling the Nahel bond a magic system. Here’s what I think Voidbringing is. I believe the listener spren are “Voidbringers.” “Listener spren” are spren the listeners personify and bond with to create listener forms. These spren differ from the spren humans personify. IMO, listener spren reside on Braize between Desolations. Voidbringing to me means bringing listener spren into Roshar’s Physical Realm. Listener spren are Voidbringers because they easily succumb to Odium’s influence. I believe Odium’s voidspren invade listener spren like a virus and mutate the target spren’s Spiritual DNA. Odium then controls the target spren’s host. I believe Odium Invests each voidspren with the power to change innate Investiture – Voidbringing’s Fuel. Like a mini-Hemalurgical spike, the voidspren then merges its Investiture with the target spren’s Investiture. IMO, stormspren are a fusion of windspren and voidspren that causes listener stormform. Voidbinding (Catalytic system): Fuel: Odium’s power Focus: Voidspren Magic User: Voidbinders Catalyst: Voidlight I believe Voidbinding is Odium’s form of Surgebinding. IMO, Odium’s power severs bonds but can’t make them. That’s why there are Nine Unmade – no Bondsmith analog. I speculate Voidbinding breaks bonds to bind the same Surges as Surgebinding. Just as Stormlight “makes things grow,” I believe Voidbinders infuse themselves with Voidlight as their Catalyst to sever their body’s bonds. Scadrial Allomancy (Catalytic system): Fuel: Preservation’s power Focus: Metal Magic User: Allomancer Catalyst: Metal I think the metal Allomancers burn is both Catalyst and Focus. Any Allomantic metal is a Catalyst that causes the Allomancer to Invest himself with Preservation’s power. The specific metal chosen acts as a Focus to determine the specific power the Allomancer Invests himself with – rioting, soothing, leeching, etc. IMO, the Allomancer then directs the Focused power that Invests him to make magic: how and when to use the power to riot, soothe or leech. While metal Catalysts are consumed in Allomancy (its fuel), its Fuel is Preservation’s power. Feruchemy (Non-Catalytic “people with magic” system): Fuel: Feruchemical gene Focus: Metal Magic User: Feruchemist While the Feruchemist’s “end-neutral” internal Investiture - the Feruchemical gene – causes attribute time-shifting and is its Fuel, I believe Feruchemy consumes a “fuel” to make the magic. Brandon says “end-neutral” systems rely on a “facilitating power.” This “facilitating power” keeps the Feruchemist’s internal Investiture “end-neutral” and thermodynamically sound. I think each Feruchemical metal is a Focus for the specific power that “facilitates” time-shifting the corresponding attribute. Hemalurgy (Catalytic “people with magic” system): Fuel: Ruin’s power Focus: Metal Magic User: Hemalurgist (the “spiker”) Catalyst: Metal I believe Hemalurgy’s Fuel is the power to transfer innate Investiture. The metal Focus/Catalyst causes this power to Invest the spike, but not the Hemalurgist. Sel AonDor (Catalytic system): Fuel: The Dor (mix of Devotion and Dominion’s power) Focus: Aons Magic User: Elantrian Catalyst: Ground Investiture I believe Sel’s ground holds the Investiture that Catalyzes AonDor. Khriss says “early on…the powers…permeated the landscape.” After Odium splinters Sel’s Shards, “the very landscape itself has become Invested to the point that it has a growing self-awareness.” (AU, “The Selish System,” Kindle pp. 17, 18.) This suggests Sel’s ground holds Investiture, like Roshar’s highstorms hold Stormlight. While a Reod Elantrian, Raoden must draw Aon Rao on the ground for power to pour through that Focus; air drawing Aons doesn’t work. Once Aon Rao Focuses the Dor into Elantris, I believe the “mostly Spiritual” Elantrians can draw any Aon without further catalysis. Distance from Aon Rao proportionally weakens an Elantrian’s ability to make magic. We know little of Sel’s other magic systems. The following summaries are (even more) speculative. Dakhor Dor (Catalytic system): Fuel: The Dor (mix of Devotion and Dominion’s power) Focus: Symbols inscribed on bones Magic User: Dakhor monk Catalyst: Ground Investiture Hrathen’s arm glows when he summons the Dor. That suggests Dakhor Dor is a Catalytic system where power Invests the monk itself. I believe Sel’s ground Investiture Catalyst leaches through the ecosystem like Patji’s Eye Investiture does and enters Sel’s lifeforms, including the monks’ bodies (bones). IMO, Dilaf sacrifices monks to Catalyze teleportation with the investiture the monks have absorbed. The bone-inscribed symbols and chanting twist the monks’ bones and bodies, which Brandon says reflects the twisting of their souls. In this, they resemble Elantrians, whose bodies the Dor also changes. Dilaf and Hrathen use Dakhor Dor in Elantris and Teod, far from Fjordell. It’s unclear (to me) how they do this. My best guess is the Dakhor monastery holds some power-amplifying form like Aon Rao that transmits Dakhor Dor power to them through their bone-inscribed symbols. Forgery and Bloodsealing (Catalytic systems): Fuel: The Dor (mix of Devotion and Dominion’s power) Focus: Essence stamp forms Magic User: Forger Catalyst: Ground Investiture Fuel: The Dor (mix of Devotion and Dominion’s power) Focus: Bone stamp forms Magic User: Bloodsealer Catalyst: Ground Investiture These systems have identical mechanics. Their Catalyst summons the Dor to Invest each systems’ soulstamps to change or mark the target’s Spiritual DNA. IMO, Shai’s squid ink Catalyzes her stamps, and her blood Catalyzes the Bloodsealer’s stamps. As with the Dakhor monks, I think these organic compounds hold Sel’s ground Investiture. ChayShan (Non-Catalytic “people with magic” system): Fuel: Ground Investiture Focus: Dance forms Magic User: JinDo ChayShan practitioner ChayShan practitioners can use their magic far from JinDo. That’s why I believe the Dor doesn’t Fuel ChayShan, and it is a Non-Catalytic system. IMO, ChayShan gives JinDo the ability to redistribute their body’s energy. Forton’s Potion (Non-Catalytic “people with magic” system): Fuel: Ground Investiture Focus: Unknown form Magic User: Hrovell potion maker Like ChayShan, Forton’s potion creates magical effects outside Hrovell, suggesting it’s a Non-Catalytic system that doesn’t use the Dor. I speculate the system’s Fuel is the ground Investiture held in each potion’s ingredients. Their Focus should be a form, but we’ve not seen a potion maker on-screen. Some posters suggest the potion stirring form is the Focus. I think the mix of ingredients also determines the potion’s effect. Maybe there’s a “hand-dance” as the potion maker adds his ingredients, plus the stirring forms? Taldain Sand Mastery (Catalytic system): Fuel: Autonomy’s power Focus: Unknown, but I believe it’s an Autonomy splinter Magic User: Sand Master Catalyst: Body water I speculate Sand Mastery’s Focus may be an Autonomy splinter that attaches itself as innate Investiture to the Sand Master’s soul. This splinter resembles Radiantspren, since it appears attracted to a “self-reliant,” autonomous temperament. I believe Taldain’s oceans hold the planet’s inherent Investiture left by Adonalsium. Autonomy Invests the oceans through solar radiation, combining her Investiture with Adonalsium’s. Taldain’s Water Cycle – evaporation, condensation, precipitation – spreads the combined Investiture to the lungs and stomachs of Sand Masters. Sand Masters consume this Investiture, now held in their body, to Catalyze their magic and summon Autonomy’s power to direct the sand’s microflora. Threnody Shades (“Interaction with nature” system): Fuel: Ambition’s Investiture Focus: Unknown Brandon calls Threnody’s Shades an “interaction with nature” system. Khriss says “ripped off chunks of Ambition’s power twisted…both the people and the planet of Threnody.” (AU, The Threnodite System, Kindle p. 417.) Because power Invested both people and the planet, some people turn into Cognitive Shadows at death, their consciousness “imprinting” on their “extra Investiture.” Khriss says Shades are “barely self-aware.” That suggests there probably isn’t much “extra Investiture” added to people who become Shades or that there’s a long time between death and Shade-dom that causes Shades to lose most of their consciousness.

Part 2 - Glossary of Cosmere Terms This is a glossary of terms I deem important to understand cosmere magic. Most are MY DEFINITIONS, NOT CANON. This glossary accompanies "My Revised Cosmere Magic Theory" post above. I capitalize all defined terms. “Adonalsium” – Adonalsium is the mind that Directs the cosmere’s Power immediately before the Shattering. I speculate Power is the cosmere’s original “one substance” that at some point develops consciousness on its own and becomes Adonalsium. Adonalsium is an anagram for “a mind, a soul.” “Ambient Magic” – This is how Brandon describes the magic of “Interaction with Nature” Magic Systems, “magical aspects to the setting.” “Bond” – I think a Bond is a mutually beneficial Connection. Most Connections aren’t symbiotic and aren’t Bonds. On Roshar, spren materialize in the Physical Realm in exchange for granting magic to their hosts. Dictionary definitions highlight that a bond "fastens" objects together. “Catalyst” – Khriss says Magic Users consume a Catalyst to Invest themselves with Power. (BoM, Ars Arcanum, “On the Three Metallic Arts – Allomancy.”) Catalysts differ from chemical catalysts, which are not consumed in their reactions. I believe the cosmere’s Catalysts are made from a Shard’s Essence. I think Stormlight, Scadrial’s metals, Taldain’s body water, Nalthis’ absorbed electromagnetic radiation, and Sel’s Investiture-imbued ground are Catalysts. “Catalytic Magic Systems” – This is my term for Magic Systems that use a Catalyst. Catalytic Magic Systems enable Magic Users to Direct Power. The Catalyst acts as fuel to summon that Power. In Allomancy, AonDor, Awakening, Dakhor Dor, Sand Mastery, Surgebinding, and Voidbinding, I think Magic Users consume the Catalyst to Invest themselves with power. In other Catalytic Magic Systems (like Fabrials, Hemalurgy, Forgery, and Bloodsealing), the Catalyst will cause power to Invest an object. “Cognitive DNA” – Brandon states “people have three sets of DNA.” Cognitive DNA is one such set. I believe the term refers to a person’s unique psychological profile, his or her Cognitive Realm makeup. “Cognitive Realm” – The Realm of the mind, of ideas, feelings and perception. Jasnah says the Cognitive Realm is the place of the unconscious as well as the conscious. “Cognitive Shadow” – The Cognitive Realm remnant of a person who does not pass “beyond” and suffer a final Spiritual death. Cognitive Shadows differ from other forms of Invested consciousness (like spren) because the consciousness comes from a dead person. Examples are Kelsier, the Threnody Shades and the Stormfather (Tanavast’s Cognitive Shadow). IMO, Cognitive Shadows retain their Souls, but their Connection to the Physical Realm severs; and some, like the Shades, seem to suffer Cognitive Realm damage. “Connections” – These are the relationships among Souls (“external” Connections) and the relationships that span Realms (the “internal” Connections between an entity’s mind, body and Soul). Collectively, I call the Soul and its Connections a SpiritWeb. Connections are not an “on/off switch” – a person can be “more” or “less” Connected to something. “Direction” – Sazed says Power needs a mind to Direct it. IMO, the ability to Direct magic distinguishes “People with Magic” Systems from the cosmere’s original “Interaction with Nature” Magic Systems. “Essence” – Brandon gives this term multiple meanings. I prefer the Mistborn meaning, where he describes Essence as a “condensed” or “concentrated” form of Power that manifests in the Physical Realm. He calls the mists, for example, Preservation’s “concentrated essence.” Other meanings: In TES, Shai describes an object’s Soul as an “essence.” The SLA Ars Arcana refers to an “essence” as a substance related to a Surge. “Focus” – I define Focus as the Magic System component that determines which Power is available to perform magic. Focuses include Scadrial’s metals, Nalthis’ commands, Sel’s forms and IMO Roshar’s spren. (Some posters believe Bonds are Roshar’s Focus.) I believe Focuses only Focus Power; once Power has been Focused into Local Investiture, that Local Investiture already does what it’s intended to do. “Fuel” – I define Fuel as the Power or Local Investiture that causes a Magic System’s magical effect. “Fuel” differs from “fuel,” which is a substance consumed to provide energy to the Fuel. For example, a Catalyst IMO “fuels” Power’s Investiture of a Magic User, but the Power itself is the “Fuel” that causes the magical effect. Brandon says Power “fuels” Feruchemy, but the Feruchemical gene is Feruchemy’s Fuel. “Hacking” – IMO, Hacking describes the changes a non-native Magic User must make to their Spiritual DNA to use a non-native Magic System. I think Hacking always requires changes to the non-native’s Identity and may require additional changes to Connections or other magical attributes: “if you can find a way to rewrite your Spiritual DNA, you can do all kinds of funky things.” “Identity” – I define Identity as the relationship between a person and its Shardworld that permits that person to use its Shardworld’s Investiture. Breaths are the only known Investiture that adjust themselves to their holder’s Identity. Identity is encoded in a Magic User’s Spiritual DNA. “Inherent Investiture” – Brandon says Adonalsium left Inherent Investiture on each Planet. I think Inherent Investiture is a Planet’s “magical energy,” Brandon’s magical analog to mundane energy. I believe Inherent Investiture is part of a Planet’s Spiritual DNA, its Soul. Examples IMO include the Investiture Adonalsium placed in Roshar’s highstorms, Sel’s ground, Nalthis’ electromagnetic field, and Taldain’s oceans. I believe Shard Investiture later mutated the Inherent Investiture on these Shardworlds. As a Shard-made planet, Scadrial never held Adonalsium Investiture. “Innate Investiture” – I think Innate Investiture is the substance that makes a Magic User a Magic User. Because Innate Investiture attaches to a Spiritweb, IMO it is a form of “magical matter,” the magical analog to mundane matter. Brandon says, “innate Investiture is when a person is a conduit to/from the Spiritual Realm.” “Intent” – Intent is the non-canonical term Forum Head Administrator Chaos coined to explain the compulsive characteristics of each Shard. See “Mandate.” “’Interaction with Nature’ Magic Systems” – These are the cosmere’s original Magic Systems that rely on Inherent Investiture. IMO Shards later changed the investiture in some of these systems. Mortals cannot Direct the magic in “Interaction with Nature” Magic Systems – mortals can only “interact” with them. Examples include the Patji Eye ecosystem and pre-Shattering Roshar. “Investiture” – Investiture is the cosmere’s magical substance. I believe “an Investiture” is also the process by which Power becomes Invested into Magic Users and other objects. For example, Khriss says burning metals causes “an Investiture” of the Allomancer. (BoM, Ars Arcanum, “On the Three Metallic Arts – Allomancy.”) Brandon calls Investiture the “building blocks of the cosmere.” Each Realm has unique forms of Investiture. “Kinetic Investiture” – Brandon says, “Kinetic Investiture is energy/power that is being actively (currently) used.” Nightblood can “feed off that Kinetic Investiture” when an Allomancer burns metals. I define Kinetic Investiture as Power in transition between Realms. “Local Investiture” – This is my term for a planet’s unique forms of Investiture. I use this term to distinguish a planet’s unique Local Investiture (like Stormlight or Breath) from Spiritual Realm Power, which is always the same. “Magic System” – I define a Magic System as any cosmere phenomenon that enables lifeforms to participate in magic. I believe there are two kinds of Magic Systems: “People with Magic” Systems, where mortals can Direct magic, and “Interaction with Nature” Magic Systems, where mortals and other lifeforms only “interact” with magic. “People with Magic” Systems are further divided into Catalytic and Non-Catalytic systems. “Magic User” – I define a Magic User as a sapient mortal who Directs magic. “Mandate” – This non-canonical term refers to the compulsion that attaches to a Shard’s use of Power. The term derives from Sazed’s observation that, without a mind to Direct the Powers, they have “only a vague will of their own, tied in to the mandate of their abilities.” (HoA, Chapter 79 Epigraph.) IMO, Mandates reflect each Vessel’s Cognitive DNA at the time it ascended. “Manifestation of Investiture” – I define a Manifestation of Investiture as the way Investiture manifests in the Physical Realm. I don’t think the term refers to Magic Systems. Thus, spren and Stormlight are both “manifestations” of Roshar’s Investiture. Neither is a Magic System, though both IMO are components of the Surgebinding and Fabrial Magic Systems. “Major Shardworld” – This is a Planet a Shard currently resides on. The term includes a Planet on which a resident Shard has been Splintered. Examples are Nalthis, Roshar, Sel, Scadrial, and Taldain. “Minor Shardworld” – This is a Planet a Shard Invests but doesn’t reside on. Minor Shardworlds hold less Investiture than Major Shardworlds. Examples include First of the Sun and Threnody. “Non-Catalytic ‘People with Magic’ Systems” – This is my term for “People with Magic” Systems that use Local Investiture as Fuel. Feruchemy and non-Awakening Breath transfers are examples. “’People with Magic’ Systems” – Brandon says these are the Magic Systems Shards create that enable mortals to Direct a magical effect. I believe there are two kinds: Catalytic and Non-Catalytic. Mortals Direct Shard Power in the Catalytic Magic Systems, but not in the Non-Catalytic “People with Magic” Systems. These systems are found only on Major Shardworlds. “Perpendicularity” – A Perpendicularity is a conduit between the three Realms. A Shard’s residence on a planet creates a Perpendicularity, and they exist only on Major Shardworlds. The presence of a Perpendicularity makes it difficult for a Shard to divest itself from that planet. “Physical DNA” – This is the genetic makeup of the Physical Realm structure of lifeforms. It corresponds to Earth’s DNA. The term may also refer to the chemical structure of all things, whether or not alive, but Brandon has not clarified his meaning. “Physical Realm” – This term refers to the physical structure of the Cosmere, the “floor” in Preservation’s M:SH metaphor of the Realms. It corresponds to our own universe. “Planet” – I believe Planets Shards never Invest are just Planets and not Shardworlds. IMO, most Planets are not Shardworlds and hold only Adonalsium’s Inherent Investiture. I think both Major and Minor Shardworlds are Planets Shards Invest. “Power” – Power is my word for what Brandon alternately describes as the “godly powers,” the “powers of creation,” the “energy of Shards,” and similar formulations. Power is Spiritual Realm Investiture that’s not part of a Spiritweb. I think Power is the cosmere’s original “one substance” and predates Adonalsium’s consciousness. It is the Spiritual Realm’s “energy” (just as Spiritwebs are the Spiritual Realm’s “matter”). Power can convert into matter, energy or other forms of Investiture, but despite a directly contrary WoB, I believe matter, energy and other forms of Investiture cannot convert back into Power. I explain why in my Thermodynamics definition. “Realms” – The three aspects of cosmere reality: the Spiritual, Cognitive and Physical Realms. “Shard” – The “Shards of Adonalsium [are] pieces of the power of creation itself” that passed in equal parts to the sixteen Vessels that Shattered Adonalsium. The sixteen Shards originally were of equal Power, but at least four of the Shards have since been Splintered and two Shards are now held by the same Vessel (Sazed). Shards are “mostly Spiritual” but exist in all three Realms. “Shardpool” – This non-canonical term is commonly used to describe the liquid manifestation of a Shard on a Shardworld. The term is not a synonym for Perpendicularity, though many Shardpools are part of Perpendicularities. The Patji Shardpool, for example, is not a Perpendicularity while the Well of Ascension is. “Shardworld” – IMO, this term refers to Planets Shards Invest. “Shattering” – This is the event by which the Vessels “killed” Adonalsium and broke his Power into sixteen equal pieces. These people used some “weapon” to accomplish the Shattering. I speculate they dropped an aluminum “bomb” into what I believe was Adonalsium’s sole Perpendicularity, on Yolen where he resided. The aluminum bomb destroyed Adonalsium’s mind. Because Adonalsium Shattered equally, I further speculate these people drained Adonalsium’s liquid Investiture into 16 equal pools, which they entered to ascend. “Soul” – This term refers to the Spiritual Realm aspect of each cosmere lifeform or object. A Soul is an ideal Spiritual Realm form for that lifeform or object. Thus, human Souls are “aware” of a human’s natural life span and will age a person to their “normal” age in the absence of magic; that’s what killed the Lord Ruler when Vin removed the Bands of Mourning. “Spiritual DNA” – A person’s “Spiritual DNA is what encodes the Magic System into them…” As with Cognitive DNA and Physical DNA, Spiritual DNA comprises the unique Spiritual Realm characteristics of lifeforms and objects. “Spiritual Realm” – The Spiritual Realm is the Realm of ideals and perfect forms. IMO, the Spiritual Realm has two components: Spiritual matter (Spiritwebs) and Spiritual energy (Power). “SpiritWeb” – This term IMO refers to a Soul and its unique network of Connections. “Spren” – A Spren is a “living idea,” an idea that Power Invests and through interaction with people “comes alive.” Unlike other Splinters, which are merely self-aware, Spren have personality. They are found on Roshar. In that WoB, Brandon says Sel’s seons are also living ideas, though with a “different power…pushing them.” “Splinter” – “A Splinter is a term used by certain people in the cosmere for the power of Adonalsium which has no person caring for it, no...no person holding it, which has attained self-awareness." Source. Confirmed examples of Splinters include Radiantspren (Honor and Cultivation), the Unmade (Odium), Divine Breath (Endowment), and Aons (Devotion). “Subastral” – A subastral is the Cognitive Realm region associated with each planet with a sentient population. Hoid uses the term in M:SH to describe Scadrial’s Cognitive Realm region. “Thermodynamics” – The cosmere’s laws of Thermodynamics resemble our universe’s laws of matter and energy conservation, but add Investiture as a third component. Brandon says the cosmere begins as “one substance” that converts into other substances. Matter, energy and Investiture are mutually inter-convertible, but must always add to a constant sum. Despite a WoB to the contrary, I believe matter, energy and other forms of Investiture are not convertible back into Power. Otherwise, the cosmere becomes a “perpetual motion machine” that violates the Second Law of Thermodynamics. “Vessel” – This term refers to the mortal consciousness that Directs a Shard. The Vessel’s mind and Soul remain after its ascension, but the Vessel’s mortal body is vaporized. “Worldhopping” – This term refers to a person’s movement between Shardworlds. Brandon has RAFO’d whether a person needs some magical ability to Worldhop. A person can Worldhop by travelling through the Cognitive Realm between Shardworlds and emerging through a Perpendicularity located on the destination Shardworld. We don’t know whether other means of Worldhopping are available.

PART ONE - Statement of Theory This and the following two posts in this thread present my revised theory of cosmere magic. I made major changes from prior theory versions to account for poster comments. Thank you all for helping refine my thoughts. I hope @Yata, @Calderis, @Extesian, @Blightsong, @Spoolofwhool, @Weltall, @Pagerunner and others who responded to the earlier versions will take another look at this one. I try to understand magic because to me it’s the most “knowable” cosmere element. Understanding magic makes plot and character easier to figure out. This post describes my pre-Oathbringer conclusions. The other two posts on this thread complete my cosmere magic analysis: Glossary of Important Cosmere Terms and The Mechanics of Every Magic System (Alphabetically by Planet). In the Beginning – The Cosmere’s Origin I believe “power” is the “one substance” that predates and forms the cosmere. Brandon calls power "the godly powers," the "powers of creation," a "Shard's energy," the "energy of a Shard's being," and "true Investiture." I think power is “Spiritual energy,” the capacity to create – to form or change any Spiritweb. IMO, it’s the source of all cosmere substances and can convert into any other substance. Brandon tells us power needs a mind to direct it or it may become self-directing. I believe Adonalsium (or some unknown predecessor) becomes the self-directing mind of the original chaotic power. Adonalsium then grows himself a body by converting his power (his soul) into the cosmere. Adonalsium is an anagram for “A mind, a soul.” Basic Realmic Theory Adonalsium’s cosmere has three Realms: Spiritual, Cognitive and Physical. Everything created has aspects in all three Realms. The Spiritual Realm IMO has two components: Spiritual matter (souls and their Connections - "Spiritwebs") and Spiritual energy (power). The Cognitive Realm is the Realm of the mind – of ideas and perception, of the conscious and unconscious. The Physical Realm consists of mundane matter and energy, plus magical matter and energy (what I call “manifestations of Investiture,” though many limit that term to magic systems). Pre-Shattering Magic Adonalsium leaves inherent Investiture on “every world created” other than Scadrial. I believe he Invests Roshar’s highstorms, Nalthis’ electromagnetic radiation, Sel’s ground, and Taldain’s oceans. Adonalsium's inherent Investiture creates “interaction with nature” magic systems that lend “magical aspects to the setting,” “ambient magic.” Mortals can expose themselves to that magic, but they cannot direct the magic’s effect. Notes: The Shattering To me, the Shattering’s mystery is how the Vessels could divide Adonalsium’s power into sixteen equal pieces. My answer: Adonalsium creates the cosmere and leaves a single “Godpool” at the place he chooses to reside: Yolen. Because Adonalsium is the mind that directs his power, the Vessels “kill” him by destroying his mind. I speculate they drop an “aluminum bomb” into the Cognitive Realm through his Godpool. Aluminum neutralizes Adonalsium’s brain function. His power becomes undirected. The Vessels then sluice his Godpool into sixteen equal Shardpools of liquid Investiture, the “most potent” form of Physical Realm Investiture. The Vessels enter their Shardpools and Ascend with one-sixteenth of Adonalsium’s power. Shard Mandates I believe Shard Mandates (intents) are Cognitive Realm filters on their power. Mandates IMO are not built into Spiritual Realm power as some posters theorize. Brandon says the powers are "not themselves of [any] Shard. They are simply tools.” Mandates have magical meaning and I believe should not be interpreted by their dictionary meaning. Shards are not good or evil. Honor and Preservation are not good, and Odium and Ruin are not evil. I think Mandates arise because mortals do not hold or direct pre-Shattering power. When power rushes into the Vessels, it permanently adapts to each Vessel’s Cognitive DNA. (Perhaps it’s coincidental there are sixteen Jung/Briggs-Meyers personality types?) Each Vessel’s 1/16th power portion becomes attuned to the mind that wields it. Successors must share similar Cognitive DNA. Notes: Classification of Magic Systems I believe Shards create magic systems by mutating their Shardworld’s Spiritual DNA to change Adonalsium’s inherent Investiture. (“Goofy” Shard-made Scadrial is the exception.) IMO, Brandon’s phrase “Shard-Shardworld” interactions refers to this Shard mutation of Adonalsium’s inherent Investiture. I think there are two types of magic systems. Adonalsium leaves “interaction with nature” systems, where mortals interact with the magic. Shards create “people with magic” systems, where mortals direct the magic. “People with magic” systems appear only on Major Shardworlds. I observe two kinds of “people with magic” systems: Catalytic and Non-Catalytic. In the Catalytic systems, magic users use Catalysts to Invest themselves or other objects with power. They then direct that power for magical effect. In Non-Catalytic systems, mortals can direct local Shardworld Investiture, but not power. Magic System Components I think there are four magic system components. Fuel is the Investiture that causes a magical effect. All magic systems use Fuel and have some means to Focus power. Magic Users are the “people with magic” in their systems. In Catalytic systems, Magic Users use a Catalyst to summon the power their Focus selects. The Magic User then directs the Focused power to make magic. IMO, every Catalyst is a form of Shard “essence” – either metals (Preservation’s “concentrated essence”) or the Investiture Shards mutated Adonalsium’s inherent Investiture into. I think Shard essence appears in Roshar’s highstorms (Stormlight), Nalthis’ electromagnetic radiation (the absorbed spectrum, not the reflected color spectrum), Sel’s ground (Raoden draws Aon Rao on the ground), and Taldain’s solar-irradiated oceans (Sand Masters consume their body water). Part 3 of this Cosmere Magic Theory, The Mechanics of Every Magic System (Alphabetically by Planet), describes each known magic system by type and component.

Some pre-publication observations and predictions: Spren Wars I think Syl and the yellow-white spren Yixli both personify the “protection” ideal. Yixli shepherds the listeners to Revolar, warns them of Kaladin, and then recommends Kaladin (Mr. Protection himself) to other listeners. Yixli’s spren type overflies the crowds and inspects buildings, like a police force. But Yixli appears to be a stone spren. I interpret this to mean listeners personify stone as “protection,” not the wind like humans do. This represents a different cultural perspective and relationship with their environment. Just as humans enslaved the listeners, I think human ideas (personified as spren) banished listener ideas (also personified as spren) from Roshar’s subastral (its place in the Cognitive Realm) to Braize’s. Brandon’s message: Colonization eradicates native cultures. Brandon says Braize is “like a prison.” Odium’s Invested and “captive” there. I think Braize is also a prison for the listener spren. IMO, the Oathpact bars the Cognitive Realm bridge between Roshar and Braize. When the Herald’s “break,” listener spren pour across the bridge; then into Roshar’s Physical Realm as listeners (and other lifeforms) assume their symbiotic forms. I bet Braize’s subastral holds gemstones instead of glass beads. IMO, that’s how listeners perceive ideas. Re-Shephir and Taln This reminds me of Taln left behind in Damnation while the other Heralds escaped. (I may have missed someone else first suggesting this.) It parallels the WoK Chapter 54 Epigraph’s death rattle: Posters think this epigraph refers to Taln (and it may). But what if it refers to Re-Shephir? It says the burdens of nine, not ten. Taln bears the burdens of ten, since he’s part of the Oathpact. Maybe Re-Shephir says, “Almighty, release me,” because she was glued to Urithiru’s Stormlightning Rod by massive amounts of Stormlight? Other questions: What were the Unmade doing in Urithiru’s basement when Desolation ended? Could this be the same moment as the Heralds’ Aharietiam “triumph?” Why weren’t the Heralds and Unmade fighting each other? Was Re-Shephir abandoned because Taln was abandoned? The Fused I’ve said for a long time that Odium’s magic can’t form bonds. Instead, Odium severs Connections. I think the Fused prove this. IMO, voidspren act like viruses and change the Spiritual DNA of a target spren. The “infused” voidspren mutates the “natural” spren, giving Odium control of the natural spren’s bonded host. The voidspren itself doesn’t bond the host. I think Syl hissed at the Fused-Spren because she sensed the corrupted natural spren that’s part of it. If the Fused can direct Odium’s power without a bond, then bonds can’t be Roshar’s Focus. (Sorry, @Calderis.) “Fusion” may turn out to be a form of bond, but the word implies a full joining, a union, not merely a symbiotic Connection. Gavilar’s Sphere @Pagerunner and others view Chapter 31 as proving Gavilar’s Sphere holds only Voidlight and not an Unmade. I think the Sphere holds both. Fabrial gemstones hold both Stormlight and a spren. I think this type of parallelism is important and intentional. I continue to believe there must be an “Everstormfather.” Just as the Stormfather personifies the highstorms and distributes Stormlight, the Everstormfather is a giant Odium spren that personifies the Everstorm and distributes Voidlight. (I agree the Everstorm is Odium’s Rosharan perpendicularity.) The Fused infuse themselves with (IMO) bond-breaking Voidlight. The Fused use the energy from their internal broken bonds to summon the Surges. I think the Urithiru Fused looks wasted and incomplete because his body breaks down to make his magic. The Origin As a total guess, I think the Origin may be the entrance to the Cognitive Realm bridge between Roshar and Yolen. Yolen is the “origin.” I’m unsure how this squares with our knowledge of perpendicularities, but I’ll throw this possibility out there…

@Yata, I think the Adonalsium predecessors to these spren are the Dawnshards, not these spren themselves. Honor and Cultivation’s Investiture mutated Adonalsium’s inherent Investiture when they Invested Roshar, and human personification of the Storms and the Earth changed these spren from how the listeners personified them. IMO, these spren no longer are Dawnshards or hold Adonalsium’s Investiture. They are not “fine and ready to fight” or capable of binding both mortal and Voidish. I do think the Water God was and is the third Dawnshard and remains Adonalsium’s Investiture. Perhaps it can still bind anything? A future participant in the fight? Thanks (and an upvote) for previously mentioning this idea. I do not mean to claim novelty. I recall this idea kicking around for several years. Just thought it deserved a shout-out here.

I think the three major mural spren are the Dawnshards – large splinters of Adonalsium’s power. The clouds and lightning are the Rider of Storms. The tree is the Nightwatcher’s pre-Shattering predecessor. The third figure encircling the blue disk is Cusicesh or another pre-Shattering predecessor. Shallan considers them pagan influences. IMO these are the pre-Shattering Gods of the Earth, Sky and Water.

I theorize the Heralds are humankind’s personification of the Divine Attributes. Those Ideals – the Heralds in Shadesmar spren form – IMO fend off Odium at the place Roshar’s and Braize’s subastrals meet. Judging by the Shadesmar map, I think Roshar is a major Shadesmar crossroads. I suspect Braize, the farthest planet of Greater Roshar, has only one Shadesmar passage back into the main channels – the planet Roshar. Somehow Odium is boxed in on Braize. The Oathpact binds the Heralds to stand at Roshar’s gates and keep Odium out. Like the Returned, which Brandon says is the same magic system, I think Honorblades are splinters bound to the Heraldic Ideals. On Roshar, alignment with an Ideal determines the strength of the bond that gives power. I think this must be true of Heralds, since spren modeled the KR on the Heralds. IMO, as humankind’s belief in the Heraldic Ideals strengthens, the bond between the Honorblades and Heralds also strengthens, increasing Heraldic power. As belief fades, the bond – and the Heralds’ power – weakens. This may explain the Sons of Honor’s actions (with reverse causation). I believe Odium attacks the Heralds’ strength in two ways. First, he seeks to undermine human belief in the Heraldic ideals. Second, he directly assaults those Ideals in their spren form. IMO, Odium’s power severs bonds. That what hate does – it generates power but consumes you. Odium’s power tries to sever the weakened Ideals from their bond with Honor. IMO, the Heralds’ torture is Odium’s bond-severing power melting through their bonds. Over time, Odium’s power breaks the Herald’s bonds. Desolation spills into Roshar. The Heralds cry havoc, and war comes to the Physical Realm.

I mention this idea on another thread and flesh it out here. Many theories highlight the difference between Surgebinders and Knights Radiant. These theories look at these two quotes, the first from in-world Words of Radiance, the second from Dalinar’s Nohadon vision: Theorists conclude the original Surgebinders are not bound by the Knight Radiant oaths. I agree. Here’s my take on what Ishar and Nohadon do and what IMO the Herald's Oathpact's oath is. Ishar’s “was the most important part at their inception.” I think he imposes his “precepts and laws” when spren first grant Surges to men. He organizes the Orders, and I think he imposes the first oath: “Life Before Death. Strength Before Weakness. Journey Before Destination.” IMO, that oath creates the Nahel bond. Since Ishar requires no other oaths, oath makers instantly become full-powered Surgebinders. Nohadon later laments that Surgebinder Alkavish “brought us to war before the Desolation,” weakening humanity. (WoK, Chapter 60, Kindle p, 850.) The problem is the spren less discerning than honorspren; if they choose a bad bond-buddy, there’s no way to ratchet back the full power granted. I agree with posters who think Nohadon is a Bondsmith. I believe he founds the Knights Radiant and creates the Order oaths as a safety valve of phased-in bonding. Unlike “Ishar’s Knights,” as Taln calls them, Knights Radiant gain power as they align with their spren’s ideal. Now the fun and maybe (?) even novel part…Where does the first oath come from? I think it’s the oath the Heralds give to Honor when they join the Oathpact. The spren copy the Honorblades. Ishar organizes the Orders like the Heralds and substitutes the Nahel bond for an Honorblade. I think human Surgebinding requires the same oath the Heralds give. The first oath reads differently from a Herald’s perspective: “Life Before Death.” You will live and die over and over again. “Strength Before Weakness.” Your strength will weaken under torture. “Journey Before Destination.” Your torture will never end.

@Pagerunner, while reading @Blightsong's interesting thread, I followed your link to this topic. I think your OP here is among the best analyses I’ve seen – insightful, thought-provoking, and convincing. Some questions and comments: Can’t “normal” people serve as the ideals of their callings or at least as a KR squire? In your “devotaries” quote, the spearman (thunder with his shield, lightning with his spear) reminds me of a Windrunner or Releaser squire. Maybe a farmer who idealizes farmer virtues merges into a lifespren? I think Khriss means the Nine Unmade. As you note, Rlain identifies them as listeners who so hated humans they sold their souls to Odium. As Odium splinters directed by the minds of dead listeners, I think they qualify as Cognitive Shadows on Braize. We don't need to seek KR there. I’ve not seen this debate, so I may be missing something. Unlike other forms of Invested consciousness, a Cognitive Shadow’s mind once Connected to a dead person’s body. Maybe the mechanics depend on the Shardworld and/or the circumstances, but must it happen only one way? IMO, any Physical Realm-severed consciousness merged with/imprinted on/anchored by Investiture is a Cognitive Shadow. I agree the mind of a fully oathed KR merges with its spren, reflecting union with the spren’s ideal. Upon a KR’s physical death, the spren survives with its merged mind. Doesn’t the Fleet story confirm this? (I like your thought Fleet becomes the Stormfather, but your post’s logic suggests he would have to be a Bondsmith to do so. You know I think Fleet instead foreshadows SLA’s ending, the Duel of Champions between Kaladin and the Rider of Storms.) Ironically, I think Honor’s and Odium’s magic both lead to a dead mortal’s mind directing a splinter whose ideal he embodies. Honor’s bond causes a KR to grow into his spren’s personified ideal. Odium’s magic IMO causes the Unmade to break his bonds, reducing him to his spren’s personified ideal. I agree Surgebinders were not originally KR, although I don’t think they existed before Ishar’s threat. That threat came “at their inception.” That suggests Ishar organized “them” – either men, spren or both – when spren first granted Surges to men. I speculate this gave rise to the first oath. Keeping with spren’s “copy-the-Honorblades” approach, maybe the first KR oath matches what the Heralds swore when they joined the Oathpact. Spren chose their targets then as they do now, but IMO lacked the safety valve of phased-in bonding through the oaths. Some spren, less discerning than honorspren, may have chosen poorly. Along comes Nohadon, who perhaps is a Bondsmith. He laments that Surgebinder Alkavish “brought us to war before the Desolation,” weakening humanity. (WoK, Chapter 60, Kindle p, 850.) I believe Nohadon founds the Knights Radiant and creates the oaths to ensure that only deserving Surgebinders become full KR. All Orders say the first (Heralds?) oath, but each Order has its own oaths for advancing in the bond. Where are the Tranquiline Halls? I don’t know, but I think “heaven’s battlefield” is the Cognitive Realm bridge between Roshar’s and Braize’s subastrals. The Heralds’ goal is to keep Odium from invading Roshar. The bridge between the subastrals is the “Unmade Forces’” natural route into Roshar. I would expect the Heraldic Forces to meet them there. I posted a topic asserting the KR abandoned their oaths when they discovered Odium can corrupt Radiantspren. That explains Nale’s concern about the absence of Honor’s “regulation” of the oaths’ “greater power.” It also explains why nine of the Orders acted immediately in unison. Your excellent analysis doesn’t persuade me fear of eternal war is the “wicked thing of eminence” that caused the Recreance.

Isn't Brandon just describing a perpendicularity? Also, I may be the only one here who believes the cosmere violates its own thermodynamic laws. Everything Brandon says suggests Spiritual Realm Investiture that's not part of a Spiritweb (Shard power) is infinitely renewable. But that would make the cosmere a perpetual motion machine, contrary to thermodynamics' second law. It's certainly possible in a magical universe, but Brandon so often emphasizes thermodynamics that I can't convince myself he intends a perpetually renewable cosmere. Which makes me think the Adonalsium-related "4th law" goes something like this: All Investiture is renewable EXCEPT Shard power. Matter, energy and other forms of Investiture remain mutually inter-convertible, but they cannot convert back into power. Reason: Shard power is actually Adonalsium's Spiritual Realm corpse. Once power converts into something else, that's it - those things can change back-and-forth into one another, but you can't resurrect Adonalsium. With this wrinkle, all the WoBs still work, but the cosmere will eventually reach entropic equilibrium. Otherwise it won't. I want to say again, I have no evidence for my view other than logic. Even that logic is defeated by hand-waving that "it's magic." So don't bother to disagree - I already know you all do, and I have nothing to rebut your contrary view. This particular issue is just a simmering irritation to my OCD nature...

I think the Everstorm brings Voidlight to Roshar. Just as Stormlight enables bonds and “makes things grow,” Voidlight IMO breaks bonds. Voidlight frees the Parshmen, but only Stormlight enables them to bond again. IIRC, @Calderis theorizes Melishi stripped out part of the Parshmen Spiritwebs, putting them into slaveform. He suggests the Everstorm causes the stripped-out part to regrow. I think the opposite is true, that Bondsmiths can make bonds but not break them. I think Melishi bonded Parshmen with a blank pseudo-spren to turn them into slaves. The Everstorm’s Voidlight breaks the bond with the pseudo-spren, rather than regrowing Parshmen Spiritwebs. I think Parshmen exposed to the Everstorm return to their natural sapient state. Parshmen still need Stormlight to bond with spren. Kaladin’s companions may not yet have been exposed to Stormlight and may be unbonded. I think Voidbringing changes the Spiritual DNA of the spren Parshmen (and other lifeforms/objects) bond with. We’ll see how Kaladin’s companions act when exposed to Stormlight. Some of them may bond corrupted spren; some of them may not bond at all; and some may bond uncorrupted spren. The yellow spren IMO is a Voidbinding spren, Odium’s version of a Radiantspren. Such spren are not necessarily evil, since the Shards themselves are not evil. Some Voidbinding spren may be cruel, just as some Radiantspren are. The difference between spren is magical – how they perform magic – not moral. This yellow spren does not appear evil (so far). I believe Voidbinders use the same Surges as Surgebinders, but Voidbinders access the Surges by breaking the internal bonds that make them who they are. I think the Unmade are “unmade” because using Odium’s magic over time reduces Voidbinders and their Spiritwebs. Voidbinders IMO catalyze their magic by consuming Voidlight to break their bonds. Hate gives you power, but you pay a price. Becoming “unmade” – having hate consume you – is Odium’s price for his power. The yellow spren sees Kaladin as a Voidbinding candidate. I suspect it notices Kaladin’s “protecting” character. The yellow spren itself first warned of Kaladin’s presence, a form of protection, and seems to be marshalling the Parshmen towards their rendezvous. I think the yellow spren is Odium’s version of honorspren – “protecting spren” - even if it does turn out to be a Shinovar stone spren. That may explain Syl’s ambivalence towards it. Just some thoughts before tomorrow’s chapters blow them apart…

Khriss refers to current Rosharan magic as an “expansion” of its pre-Shattering magic. I believe humans couldn’t bond pre-Shattering spren – because “Listeners are more aware of the Cognitive Realm than humans.” I think the Chapter 32 Epigraph refers to Radiantspren when it says, “the smartest spren.” IMO, Cultivation’s power combines two pre-Shattering spren to make human-bondable Radiantspren. "Cultivation" to me connotes changing something for human use. Honor supplies the Nahel bond – formed by human promises (the oaths) to uphold ideals. I suspect listeners don’t bond Radiantspren because of the oaths. Listener forms are communal, shared. Radiantspren seek individuals with specific temperaments. Eshonai the Explorer is unique among the listeners (AFAIK). She fits Willshaper temperament – “love of adventure, novelty, or oddity.” “Why now?” is an interesting question. Since Surgebinding is based on Honorblades, maybe Radiantspren can sense a new Desolation like Heralds can? They live in the Cognitive Realm - maybe Radiantspren can see Desolation coming before humans can? Maybe they come to warn humans? Or maybe Cultivation foresees a new Desolation and stirs Radiantspren to action? An interesting question…

Brandon says Roshar has three magic systems, plus the “weird” Old Magic. I think Voidbringing is a fifth Rosharan magic system. This post explores how I believe each magic system works. Quick background: Forum consensus agrees there are at least three magic system components: “Fuel” (Investiture that causes the magic), “Focus” (a component that determines the power available for magic), and “Magic User” (the person who directs the magic). I think there’s a fourth component, “Catalyst,” which Khriss describes as a substance Magic Users consume to cause Shard power to Invest them. (BoM Ars Arcanum - Allomancy.) Catalysts, IMO, make the Magic User an Invested object capable of directing the Invested power. I believe there are three types of magic systems, all of which are found on Roshar. “Interaction with nature” systems use Fuel and a means to Focus power. In “people with magic” systems, Magic Users can direct the magic. Some“people with magic” systems use a Catalyst to access power, and some don’t. IMO, these are the Rosharan Shards’ Mandates (intents): Honor makes bonds, Cultivation makes change, and Odium breaks bonds. I think every Rosharan Magic User, mortal or voidish, uses the same powers, what Rosharans call Surges. Shard Mandates determine how Magic Users use the powers. Background done. Here are the systems, starting with the ones we know best. Surgebinding (Catalytic system) The Magic User is the Surgebinder. I agree with those who think spren are Roshar’s Focus. (Some posters think Roshar’s bonds are its Focus.) I believe Radiantspren’s mixed Investitures make them dual Focuses. IMO, Honor and/or Cultivation’s power is Surgebinding’s Fuel. Surgebinders consume Stormlight as their Catalyst to cause power to Invest them. The Radiantspren as Focus determine which power Invests the Surgebinder. I think the Surgebinder “binds” the Surges by directing the Invested power to create the magical effect – choosing gravity’s vector or drawing a new persona. Fabrials (Catalytic “people with magic” system) The fabrial user turns the fabrial on and off, and IMO is the Magic User. I think the gem-captured spren is the Focus. IMO, the gemstone filters Stormlight to replicate the symbiotic conditions of a gemheart. Spren consume the Stormlight and Focus their power on the machine they think is a lifeform. The spren-Focused power animates the machine for the desired magical effect. Shard power is the Fuel, and Stormlight is the Catalyst. Voidbinding (Catalytic “people with magic” system) I theorize Voidbinding is Odium’s form of Surgebinding. Because Surgebinding needs the Nahel bond to bind Surges, I speculate Voidbinding breaks bonds to bind the Surges. I think Voidbinding binds the same Surges as Surgebinding, except the Bondsmith Surges (or maybe just the Bondsmith’s “perks”). I think Voidbinding is a Catalytic system. I speculate the Nine Unmade combine two Voidbinding abilities like Heralds (other than the Bondsmith). “Void Knights” (if they exist) would have their patron Unmade’s abilities, like KR. The Unmade and any Void Knights would be Magic Users, voidspren would be the Focus, “Voidlight” the Catalyst, and Odium’s power the Fuel. If Odium’s power breaks bonds, then Voidlight IMO destroys matter. Only bondless bits remain – a Void of unreflected light. I think Voidlight’s Spiritual energy shows in Gavilar’s sphere, but nothing else, not even the spren it contains. I suggest an “Ever-Stormfather” Focuses Odium’s power into Voidlight, like the Stormfather Focuses Honor’s power (IMO) into Stormlight. Voidbringing (Non-Catalytic “people with magic” system) I believe Odium Investiture in voidspren form invades other spren like a virus. The “virus” voidspren replaces the target spren’s Spiritual DNA. Odium can then change and control the target spren’s host. I think Voidbringing most resembles Hemalurgy. Hemalurgy’s power to transfer innate Investiture Invests the metal spike. Voidspren, to me, equate to Hemalurgical spikes. Odium Invests each voidspren with the power to replace the target spren’s Investiture with its own. That power IMO is Voidbringing’s Fuel. Like spren in Roshar’s other magic systems, voidspren are Voidbringing’s Focus. I believe Hemalurgy and Voidbringing are non-Catalytic systems because power Invests the spike/voidspren, not the Magic User. Until stormspren summon the Ever-Stormfather, IMO Odium’s power can’t be Focused into Voidlight. Hence, Voidbringing can work without a Catalyst. Sja-anat (mentioned in Dalinar’s Purelake vision) seems able to direct Voidbringing. If so, Sja-anat is a Magic User. We don’t know if a Void Knight Order supports Sja-Anat or if other Unmade can Voidbring. It’s possible Odium alone Voidbrings. Without Magic Users, Voidbringing would be an “interaction with nature” system, mirroring Roshar’s pre-Shattering ecosystem with corrupted spren. The “Old Magic” (“Interaction with nature” system) I think the Old Magic is an Adonalsium-created “interaction with nature” system that Shard Investiture changed. I speculate the Nightwatcher (by some other name) began as a large splinter that native Rosharans personified into a sapient spren. We don’t know its original magic. I think Cultivation’s Investiture and human personification of Cultivation morphed that spren into the Nightwatcher. IMO, as an “interaction with nature” system, the Old Magic has two components. The Old Magic’s Fuel is Cultivation’s power. Its Focus is the Nightwatcher herself. The Old Magic remains an “interaction with nature” system, though Shard Invested, because mortals don’t direct its magic. They can ask the Nightwatcher for a boon; but she determines both the boon and the curse. Av tells Baxil, the Nightwatcher “gives [the boon] she feels you deserve, then gives you a curse to go along with it.” (WoK, Interlude I-7, Kindle p. 709.)

The name Rial is an anagram for "liar." Brandon's done this before with Sebarial, an anagram for "base liar." To me, that's a big tip-off. He might even be Sebarial because I think Rial is a Dysian Aimian. At first I thought he was Zahel/Vasher's newest incarnation, but Zahel appears later in the scene, when Rial is also present. But when Rial says, "I’m a new man. Reborn in the bridge crews,” I see a Dysian rearranging itself into a "new man." It also seems to me a Dysian is uniquely qualified to be the organizational genius Sebarial is. And his "lazy expression" sounds like Sebarial. Of course, that raises questions about Palona. Is she something besides a two-armed Herdazian? Does that explain the couple's calm during the Narak battle? Sebarial might have reasons to tail Dalinar as a guard and learn things he might not learn as the Highprince of Commerce. Just some speculation to add to the mix.

My goodness, @The One Who Connects! I begin by saying this is all “raw speculation” based on “it feels right.” That’s an unpromising beginning for a serious theory. The post is what it is – some educated guesses about SLA’s structure and ending. Several posters have opined Nightblood is the Sword of Retribution, not me. My post takes no position on it, other than to point out Nightblood consumes Investiture like Honorblades do. That sentence, I think, expresses a “what if?” Of course, Nightblood could be an Awakened Honorblade (lol…sorta). Maybe you’re right. Again, the post is raw speculation. I can think of two reasons why the speculation is not unfounded: First, you know I believe Odium’s Investiture doesn’t bond, but is injected into other spren through a “hole.” Voidspren are like an implanted electrode. IOW, the magic swords don’t have to sever the listener-spren bond. They can just remove the implanted electrode from the bonded spren. Your WoB doesn’t address that, only the listener-spren bond itself. Second, certain cosmere magic consumes Investiture – Nightblood, larkins, and Honorblades to name three. I think you’d agree Nightblood, for example, could consume all listeners’ combined Investiture if allowed to. I suggest it may be possible to selectively consume different types of Investiture. Maybe, for example, if the Heralds unite their Honorblades, they only consume Odium’s Investiture? Just a thought. Also, I suspect (without evidence) it’s easier to sever a bond than to form one. You’re right again about Nergaoul’s movements. I said the Thrill is “peculiarly Alethi” because the KR “warrior class” killers congregate in Alethela. As KR, they may not feel the Thrill, but there must be some reason they’re all there. Maybe it doesn’t mean anything. Me, a “pedant”? Nooooo…not me! (Touche.) I do think a close focus on logic and detail is important, and my sense is everyone here agrees, including you. The truth is in the details. That’s one reason I value folks like you who point out the inconsistencies a close reading reveals. I give you an upvote for your perspicacity (ha!) despite your different view. I’m not sure my wife (or me) would agree with that last sentence. But you’re right that “someone recognizable” is not necessarily the same as something “terribly familiar” in another's eyes. IMO, either could be Sadeas, though. FWIW, I consider “familiar” a higher level of knowledge of another than is “recognizable.” Again, I raise questions, not answers, but this is an extremely important question that IMO goes directly to plot development. Here’s the full “Edgedancer" quote for reference: Ishar tells Nale unregulated oaths could “cause a Desolation.” As you know, I believe Odium has a way to corrupt Radiantspren. I think this is Ishar’s concern. IMO, Ishar implicitly tells Nale that the Stormfather – unlike Honor – can’t be trusted with oaths. IOW, even false oaths could strengthen the Nahel bond under the Stormfather. I think the Stormfather’s acceptance of all oaths without question shows Ishar may be right. If so, Dalinar could be someone the Stormfather corrupts. I’m reminded by stuff on the Spoiler Board that Dalinar is unlikely to be the “betrayer.” I do think he will face some bad consequence because of his bond to the Stormfather. Once Nale sees the Desolation, he’s done killing Surgebinders. He’s on Dalinar’s side for now. But it would be an interesting scene. Fair enough. Glad I could make you feel passion again. You and TR may be right. As I said, this just feels like it should be the ending. I’m curious what you think is the ending foreshadowed in the first two books. I don’t see many candidates. It’s one reason I agreed with Zandi when he first posted. Never be sorry for rambling. I do. The Allman Brothers do. I think you’re in good company! Regards!

Brandon’s never said all planets are Shardworlds. The questioner in the WoB you and @The One Who Connects quote asks Brandon the difference between Major and Minor Shardworlds. The WoB doesn’t address the difference between Shardworlds and other planets. Why would a planet created by Adonalsium, that holds only his inherent Investiture, that no Shard ever visited or Invested, be called a Shardworld? Maybe an “Adonalsium-world…” The Shards divvied up Adonalsium’s power in the Shattering, the Spiritual Realm’s “true Investiture.” But pre-existing local planetary Investiture – Adonalsium’s inherent Investiture – stayed as it was, except to the extent Shards changed it. They did change the Investiture of Shardworlds. That’s why I think only those worlds are called “Shardworlds.” But Shards didn’t do anything on most cosmere planets. Khriss says many lack perpendicularities, despite their inherent Investiture. I rely on the quoted WoB for the distinction between “interaction with magic” systems and “people with magic” systems and for the notion that “every world created” (except Scadrial) holds Adonalsium’s inherent Investiture. I think this is an extremely important, foundational WoB for understanding the cosmere and its magic. But the WoB doesn’t say “every world created is now a Shardworld,” and I don’t believe such a WoB exists (though maybe you guys can find one). P.S. Hey, I just realized this is my "pi" post!

First of the Sun does hold Adonalsium's inherent Investiture, but the Patji Shardpool Investiture must come from a Shard that no longer resides there. Otherwise, it would not be a "Shardworld," minor or major. There are many planets Shards never visited, but each of those planets IMO still holds the inherent Investiture Adonalsium left on them. Those are planets, not Shardworlds. First of the Sun is a Minor Shardworld. Hence, its Investiture must come in part from a Shard. I agree with most of the comments here, with unnamed exceptions. @StormblessDave, if you haven't yet read it, you might look at my post entitled "Pre-Shattering Magic." It presents my theory on the "baseline" magic of four Major Shardworlds. I discuss Roshar first and in depth.

Raw speculation: The first five books are about gathering Roshar’s humans in Urithiru (“uniting” them). The gap between the arcs is the “Night of Sorrows,” when the Everstorm rises to submerge Urithiru in darkness. The last five books are about humans fighting back, causing Odium to question whether he can win. The culmination is the Duel between Honor’s and Odium’s Champions. My basis for this speculation? It just feels right…. There is one item of evidence – the image of the ten Shardblades held aloft against the Voidbringer hordes. I suggest these are the Honorblades, not KR Shardblades. Honorblades, we know, consume Stormlight. I think they consume any Investiture, especially if Nale’s “Sword of Retribution” turns out to be Nightblood. I speculate these Blades will be used to remove voidspren from the Voidbringers, returning them to their normal state. With his army gone, Odium chooses to Duel. I have more confidence projecing the saga’s ending. Brandon says he foreshadows that ending somewhere in the first two books. @zandi opined the story of Fleet (WoR, Chapter 59) tells that ending. I agree. I reconstruct that story to fill in what I think happens during the race. It goes without saying this is complete speculation and guesswork. Preliminary Thought: If @Zandi is correct, the race is the Duel of Champions. How then to explain the person Dalinar thinks is Odium’s Champion? I suggest (again with no evidence) that the ten former Silver Kingdoms each fall to a different Voidbringer army led by an opposing Champion. Each Kingdom has an Oathgate That’s why I think the first five books chronicle the human retreat to Urithiru. Dalinar sees someone recognizable who embodies the Thrill. I think he sees Nergaoul in possession of the “unmade” soul of the recently murdered Sadeas. The Thrill is peculiarly Alethi. KR in Dalinar’s "Starfall" vision (IIRC) say their warrior class congregates in “Alethela.” I speculate each Odium Champion is a listener “god” in a mortal's form who has ties to that Kingdom. When Odium fears he may lose, he calls upon his true Champion, the “God of Storms,” IMO a corrupted version of the Stormfather. Let’s begin the final Duel of Champions: The storm begins in the east, so it’s not the Everstorm. But the chapter never identifies the storm as a highstorm. The reference to the “God of Storms” could mean the Stormfather or the listener’s Rider of Storms. Again, I speculate Odium has injected his Investiture into the Stormfather, giving Odium control over the storms. If Odium controls the Stormfather, does that mean Dalinar is the “one who betrays us” from the WoK back cover? Nale mentions the danger of making the Nahel bond oaths without Honor. Maybe this is what he means? Through the corrupt Stormfather, who makes a corrupt Nahel bond, the Bondsmith himself is unknowingly corrupt? Fleet’s description matches Kaladin. Fleet runs, he doesn’t Windrun. That suggests the storm doesn’t hold Stormlight. I think this confirms the storm is not a highstorm. Fleet’s soul is a “sun.” On Roshar, spren are “souls,” and Syl is Kaladin’s “soul.” I think Kaladin must hold Stormlight to glow. By then he’s a full Windrunner and can store and use Stormlight with peak efficiency. He must saturate himself with Stormlight. I have only guesses why he doesn’t fly. Maybe running conserves Stormlight better. Maybe Odium set the Duel rules. Or worse, maybe an unknowingly corrupt Dalinar set the rules, thinking he was acting Honorably. Could that be Dalinar's betrayal? Kaladin runs out of Stormlight, but still makes it into Shinovar: I think the storm “wilts” because it loses its Investiture – Odium’s Investiture – when the storm hits the mountains east of Shinovar. Highstorms likewise lose Stormlight there. IMO, that’s why there are no spren in Shinovar. As with the Voidbringers, pulling Odium’s Investiture from the storm leaves it in its natural state. The Stormfather, the personification of Honor, recognizes Kaladin’s sacrifice to protect Roshar. Is there anything more “Honorable”? Kaladin fully merges with Syl. His body is dead, but their fully-mingled soul remains, “forever free to race the wind.” And that’s how humans defeat Odium. What their prize is – Odium leaving Greater Roshar with reduced power? – is unclear. A final thought: I think Cultivation is more prescient than Odium. I think she knew the terms of the Duel he would someday want to fight. She prepared for that day by making Shinovar a sinkhole for Investiture. She won and reaped her revenge on him for killing Honor. Highly speculative, but what do you think?

Doesn’t Brandon say (somewhere) the Returned and the Heralds are essentially the same magic system? I interpret him to mean the Honorblades are each an Honor/Cultivation splinter bound to an ideal. They're like the Returned’s Divine Breath, another splinter bound to an ideal. IMO, unlike the Divine Breath, the Honor/Cultivation splinter periodically possesses a different body when the Herald returns to the Physical Realm. Thus, I think Honor/Cultivation chose their ideals. Later, these ideals became Vorinized into the Divine Attributes. IOW, the ideals that became the Divine Attributes are “inherent aspects” of the Shards. I think Honor/Cultivation presented these ideals to humans in the form of the Heralds. Humans personified the Vorinized Heraldic ideals - the Divine Attributes - into the Radiantspren. I think this passage foreshadows what we’ll discover about the Heralds. They were “evil men made immortal” by the Oathpact. They agreed to become Cognitive Shadows infused with Honor/Cultivation’s Investiture and stand at the bridge between Braize and Roshar to fend off the voidspren. (I’ve used the “Horatius at the Bridge” comparison before and still think it’s apt. If you’ve read Jim Butcher’s excellent Codex Alera series, you’ll recognize that scene.) If the Heralds stay too long after a Desolation, a new one begins because there’s no one manning the bridge. IMO, that’s why Kalak is surprised one Herald going back is enough. Apparently, a single Oathkeeper maintains the Oathpact. This does suggest Odium didn’t try to cause a new Desolation after Aharietam. He wasn't bound by the Oathpact. It would have been easy for him to break through. Might Chana be the Reshi “king” whose Tai-na respects boldness above all else? There are issues with this, if she’s really Talik’s mother. But otherwise, it’s a possibility.

KR Orders are the combination of “a concept or an ideal mixed with an essence…with two magics attached to it.” Radiantspren Primary Attributes form only the “ideal” part, what they personify. Brandon says all “Honor” spren are “bothered by lies,” regardless of their Order. The ideal and the Mandated Investiture that comprises the Radiantspren are separate parts of that combination. IOW, lies bother Syl because she’s made from Honor - the Shard of “oaths, promises and nobility” – not because she is a “protecting spren.” First, I agree Hoid is the Lightweaver Kal met before Shallan (in the “Wandersail” chapter). Brandon says he uses the Yolen variant of Lightweaving. Second, I wasn’t limiting Cryptics to the visual arts. Brandon says Cryptics are the spren that seek artists of all kinds. One would hope “self-awareness” is a trait everyone shares, not just artists. (Oh, if only it were so!) But IMO artists can’t achieve their full potential without total self-knowledge at some level. You and @Yata agree on this. I understand the conclusion derives from this WoB: IMO, this WoB suggests Inkspren approve Socrates’ idea (reported in Plato’s Apology) that “the unexamined life is not worth living.” I think “learnedness” requires more than mere knowledge or mere analysis, but some combination of the two. You can’t analyze something you don’t know, and thoughtless knowledge – rote memorization – doesn’t get you very far either. Jasnah is the perfect host for Ivory because she knows tons, but also thinks about the meaning of what she knows (and doesn’t know). Brandon’s example of the “thoughtful soldier who doesn’t just rush into battle” surprises me a bit. By that definition, Kal’s old squad leader Hav might qualify, as might Kal himself. IMO, that seems too low a bar to attract an Inkspren. Like your suggestion of “self-awareness” for Cryptics, I think mere “thoughtfulness” captures too many candidates. Also, logic is only one form of analysis. I think of “insight” as the intersection of analysis and imagination. Pure logic without imagination doesn’t necessarily provide insight (IMO). You and Yata may disagree with me, but “logicspren” just seems an inadequate descriptor. I also find it interesting that “Inkspren don't like how variable humans are, it's a thing out of Honor.” To me, this confirms that Honor is a conservative force, seeking to place humans into predictable ruts. That must have storyline implications somewhere. This was @Calderis.

This is a longer post than I intended. I foolishly read the thread about Taravangian after writing the first part of this post. That thread in turn led to the discussion of oath interpretation and Knight Radiant behavior. Advance apologies for lumping all that together here, but I think they are related issues. Radiantspren “True” Names I theorize each Radiantspren is the personification of the human ideal represented by their KR Order’s “Primary Attribute.” IMO, these ideals are the spren’s true names, reflecting what they are. The names in the novels are the names Radiantspren call themselves. These self-identifying names may reflect spren self-perception, but not the human perception each Radiantspren personifies. Examples: I describe the Radiantspren we know the most about in these terms. I don’t address all Radiantspren because we haven’t met them all. Honorspren IMO are “Protectingspren.” Syl protects Kaladin during the highstorm, holding back winds that would tear him apart. When Kaladin tumbles into the chasm, Syl’s last act before the bond breaks (Rock-a-bye Baby?) forces Stormlight into Kaladin, protecting him from the fall. She denies the Stormfather to help Kaladin reinstate his oaths. Protection is Syl’s purpose, what she is. Cryptics IMO are “Creativespren,” to be distinguished from creationspren. The essence of artistic creativity is pattern-recognition, seeing what others do not see. Pattern aids Shallan’s creativity by pushing her to more self-discovery and self-understanding, seeing the patterns within herself. That is necessary for her art to grow. He gives her creative advice throughout. When Shallan cannot see the “pattern” of the Oathgate, Pattern tells Shallan she should back up for perspective. Wyndle, whatever he and his fellow Ring members call themselves, IMO is a “Lovingspren.” He “mothers” Lift and frets about her health and safety. He scolds her to eat more (as every mother does), so that her Surgebinding won’t make her too skinny. Wyndle’s purpose is to love Lift, to care for her, so that she can love and care for others. Inkspren IMO are “Learnedspren.” Ivory seems willing to let Jasnah die in the WoR Prologue if she cannot learn how to use the Shadesmar beads properly. He acts like an exam proctor, testing her “learnedness” before he “passes” her into KR status. I think the following WoB (the third quote from @Calderis's “oath interpretation” post) supports the distinction between human perception and spren self-perception. Spren “self-identity” IMO doesn’t change their human-personified behavior. Rather, highspren think “honorspren will let their people break their oaths if they think it’s for a good cause.” IMO, an honorspren’s “good cause” is protecting people, which appears to supersede the oaths. I think the WoB’s last part addresses whether oaths are objective or subjective, not the human-personified nature of the spren itself – “how they work,” not what they are: KR Oaths @Calderis makes excellent points in his thread on KR behavior. (Upvotes not only for him but also for @Extesian, who supplied the quotations.) KR are not good or evil and may act “cruelly,” as Brandon says. Agreed, but I think a bit overstated. The Radiantspren won’t begin to bond unless the KR candidate has the same “temperament” – Primary Attribute – as the Radiantspren: protecting, creative, loving, etc. I think Attribute alignment places intrinsic limits on KR variance within the same Order. IMO, each KR Order’s Primary Attribute solely determines a KR candidate’s placement in that Order. Thus, I’d expect KR personalities to differ. I think many personality types can be protecting, or creative, or loving. It makes sense to me that the precise oath statement would differ from KR to KR within an Order. It’s also possible same-type spren themselves show personality differences. Radiantspren are “people” too. But IMO these differences don’t affect their nature, their Primary Attribute. I’m unconvinced all same-type spren personality variations “come from the person they are bonded to,” as @Calderis states (emphasis in original). FWIW, I think Radiantspren resemble Shards and their Mandates (intents). IMO both are power imbued with cognitive limitations. Both exercise their power subject to those limitations, even though (as Brandon says of Vessels) their personalities also affect their power exercise. KR Behavior So…to say KRs can act “dishonorably” seems obvious. Each Order is bound only by its common Primary Attribute. Oaths strengthen that bond, but again, only to more closely align a KR with its Order’s Primary Attribute. Attributes like Protection and Creativity don’t necessarily bear any relationship to one another. Windrunners and Lightweavers can have different goals and different means of obtaining them. Such differences can easily lead to conflict among Orders. @Calderis suggests Taravangian could be an Elsecaller like Jasnah. If I’m correct that Inkspren are “learned” spren, Taravangian clearly qualifies and could well attract an Inkspren. More so, because Brandon says in one of @Calderis’ WoBs that, until bonded, spren don’t fully comprehend the person they bond with. (That’s a fascinating comment!) I wonder how long Taravangian’s Nahel bond would survive, though. The Elsecaller Secondary Attribute is “giving.” Taravangian IMO deliberately misleads others. He does not share information, he shares misinformation. Maybe that counts as giving, but…. Posters discuss whether Taravangian is misguided or “evil” in a moral sense on the “Mr. T” thread. I won’t add to that discussion here. I do note the extent to which the Diagram seems to support Nale’s notion about the KR’s danger. Jiminy Cricket to the KR’s Pinocchio?

I measure Investiture in "gob" units, as in "gobs of Investiture." They come in small, medium and large sizes... You only measure what you imagine.

Actually, I do agree with this and the cosmere-wide applicability of Hemalurgy. I said the same thing in the OP (before edits): I believe, however, every Shard can use every power. It may be harder for some Shards to use certain powers, but they can all do it. Here’s what my OP edit added to it: IMO, Hemalurgy, Voidbringing, and non-Awakening Breath transfers share this ability to transfer innate Investiture. Windrunners and Coinshots also seem to share abilities (to change gravitational pull), as do Lightweavers and Soul Forgers (to transform souls). NP if you disagree. The OP's main point is that Voidbringing is Odium’s “possession” magic and is the reason for the Recreance. There is text and WoB support for the first conclusion: In-world characters can be wrong, and these passages (from Shallan and Dalinar) seem based on superstition. These passages don’t address the “spren possession” idea. But they do fit with Brandon’s statement about how Odium controls spren. If Odium can inject voidspren into pre-Shattering spren, which Brandon confirms, then IMO Odium can also control Radiantspren the same way. As I say in the OP, I believe Radiantspren are the combination of "lesser" spren (Brandon's word). Odium's ability to control Radiantspren seems ample cause for the Recreance. Once again you make a good argument. But I’ve not suggested all Heralds are possessed, only Jezrien and maybe Ishar. Aside from the Prelude, the WoK Prologue (maybe), or some other cameo, we’ve not seen either Herald appear on-screen. We can’t know what they remember or how they behave or whether they would say something about it. Jezrien’s current “drooling” state (if that’s really him) suggests something ruined him. Pattern says almost no Radiantspren survived the Recreance. Syl states the Stormfather is “broken.” I’m not suggesting that “brokenness” comes from the Stormfather’s possession. It’s probably because of Honor’s death and the Stormfather absorbing Tanavast’s Cognitive Shadow. But I do think such “brokenness” might be a predicate to possession, just like a broken soul enables Radiantspren to bond with their KR. I also believe the Lost Legion’s memories and their Songs support the notion that voidspren possessed listeners through their spren. Hmmmm… What if your friend’s dog runs with your dog and becomes rabid? Assume there are no rabies tests or vaccines and the first sign of your dog’s rabies is when he becomes a mass killer. (Cujo anyone?) You wouldn’t put him down before that happens? The OP is speculative. It tries to explain why mass concurrent bond-breaking may have been necessary. Perhaps a poster previously suggested Odium’s control over Radiantspren to explain this, but I didn’t see such a post. Among the explanations I have seen, this one seems to me the most likely.

I think the KR abandoned their oaths in the Recreance because they discovered that Odium had the ability to control their Radiantspren. I believe Voidbringing is Odium’s form of Hemalurgy. I speculate Odium used Voidbringing to inject voidspren into Radiantspren. I believe this is the Diagram’s “secret” that destroyed the KR. Here’s my logic: 1. I think Hemalurgy is the ability to transfer innate Investiture from one entity to another. @Cowmanthethirdreminds me that, technically, “Hemalurgy” is Ruin’s magic system, since it relies on blood to effectuate the transfer. But I think the power to transfer innate Investiture (by whatever name) is available to every Shard, subject to their Mandate (intent). Even non-Awakening Breath transfers IMO are Endowment’s form of Hemalurgy, since Breaths are innate Investiture. This WoB states Spiritual Realm powers are "not themselves of [any] Shard. They are simply tools." That includes the power to transfer innate Investiture (by whatever name). 2. I think Voidbringing (not Voidbinding) is Odium’s “possession” magic. He gains control of a soul by changing the soul’s innate Investiture. I believe Roshar’s innate Investiture always manifests as spren. Rosharans call spren a “soul.” The Rider of Storms is the “soul” of the storm. When Fleet dies, his “soul” rises into the storm “forever to race the wind” – a windspren. A Tai-na’s spren is its “soul.” 3. Voidspren IMO are Odium’s Hemalurgical “spikes” – Odium Investiture (voidspren) injected into a soul’s innate Investiture (the host spren). I think this WoB confirms that (emphasis added): Listeners bond with pre-Shattering spren. I think the only listener forms that rely on “hole-less” spren are the Lost Legion’s five basic forms. IMO, stormspren are a pre-Shattering spren Odium controls through a voidspren. In Dalinar’s Purelake vision, a voidspren-injected “host” spren becomes a Thunderclast. 4. In this post, I theorize Radiantspren combine two pre-Shattering spren. Those are the spren that give Radiantspren their ability to Focus two powers. I believe it’s possible for Odium to control the Radiantspren by injecting a voidspren into one or both of those spren or the Radiantspren itself, perhaps through the “hole” created by the combination. 5. Odium might have corrupted earlier KR generations this way. The Surgebinder War that preceded Nohadon’s Desolation may be an example. Vorin contempt for the KR may stem from their Odium-corrupted behavior as much as the Recreance. I think the Recreance KR discovered their exposure to Odium. The KR had to abandon their oaths in unison. 6. I think Odium has gained control of other spren. I’ve long believed the Heralds are spren – each a Horatius guarding the bridge between Braize’s and Roshar’s subastrals. Here’s Kalak’s description of Jezrien in the SLA Prelude: Some posters believe Odium corrupted Ishar as well as Jezrien. IMO, Odium now controls the Stormfather. 7. I think Voidbringing is reversible. My Odium mantra: Hate corrodes and divides. It spoils relationships. I think Odium’s Mandate (intent) severs Connections. His Investiture cannot form its own bonds and instead “unmakes” souls. IMO, voidspren are like electrodes inserted into the host spren. They can be removed without damage to the host. The Nahel bond, in contrast, mingles souls. That’s my speculation, anyway. Enjoy yourselves!