Editing Nahel bond

|books=[[The Stormlight Archive]], [[Yumi and the Nightmare Painter]], [[The Sunlit Man]]

{{update|sa4|tress}}

The '''Nahel bond''' is a bond between a [[spren]] and a being from the Physical Realm.{{wob ref|14509}} It's a symbiotic relationship, granting the spren the ability to manifest into the [[Physical Realm]] without losing their mind. In the case of a sapient individual in the Physical Realm, it grants the person the power of [[Surgebinding]] as well. It's also a bond formed by, for example, greatshells and Ryshadium.{{wob ref|14509}}

== Mechanics of the Surgebinding Bond ==

{{image|Shallan and Cryptic.jpg|side=right|width=300px|[[Cryptic]]s observing [[Shallan]] prior to her bond}}

Spren seem to bond with people who share their perspective or personality; however, they also seem to seek partners that would complement them.{{wob ref|5183}} The bonded spren is more likely to be of the opposite gender to their bond-mate, but this is by no means a hard rule,{{wob ref|349}} and there are numerous Surgebinders with same-gender spren, such as [[Malata]] with [[Spark]], or [[Renarin]] with [[Glys]]. Surgebinders are able to instinctively tell their spren apart from others.{{book ref|sa4|10}}{{wob ref|2771}} A person is able to bond with two different spren, though most spren aren't going to like it.{{wob ref|3082}} A person can also bond with two spren of the same order, though this will not increase their powers or strength.{{wob ref|14591}} Spren can theoretically bond with another spren.{{wob ref|14737}}

How exactly the bond is decided on varies, though it requires volition.{{book ref|sa4|115}} Some spren are highly discerning, while others do not pay much attention to the morality of their prospective partner.{{book ref|sa1|60}} Some spren choose the people they bond with individually, while others are more organized and make the decision by committee, then send one of their number to bond.{{wob ref|1384}}

Forming a bond utilizes the [[cosmere]]-wide properties of [[Connection]] and [[Identity]] in some manner; lessening those attributes, such as by storing them in a [[metalmind]], would affect the bond.{{wob ref|9407}} It is also harder to form a bond with a heavily Invested being, such as a [[Returned]], due to Investiture resisting Investiture.{{wob ref|288}}{{book ref|sa4|part=ars}} Spren are also less likely to bond with a person using a [[Hemalurgy|Hemalurgic]] spike.{{wob ref|4961}} This can be contrasted with the [[Luhel Bond]], which primarily utilizes physical matter.{{book ref|tress|31}}

The Nahel bond is forged and progressed by the partner stating [[Immortal Words]], also known as Oaths or Ideals, which align with their Order's general outlook and attitude. The first Ideal is identical for all Orders; the latter ones are Order-specific, with [[Order of Lightweavers|Lightweavers]] in particular stating deep, intimate Truths about themselves rather than Ideals.{{book ref|sa2|87}}

As the Radiant states further Oaths, they are brought closer to the spren they're bonded to. The spren's mental capacity in the Physical Realm increases, while the bondholder gains the ability to use [[Surgebinding]] more effectively. At some point, the bond also grants the use of [[Shardblade]] and [[Shardplate]]. However, saying the words - at the very least, in one's mind, though out loud is preferred - is necessary to progress it.{{book ref|sa2.5|19}}

There are some ways to break a Nahel bond. The best-known is when the Surgebinder acts in a manner contrary to the Oaths that they have sworn. This initially manifests by limiting the spren's intelligence and the Surgebinder's capacity to draw in Stormlight.{{book ref|sa2|15}}{{book ref|sa2|68}} Eventually, it can kill the spren, sending it back to the [[Cognitive Realm]].{{book ref|sa2|74}} Revival is possible, albeit difficult, and typically requires the Surgebinder who broke the Oaths to re-swear them, possibly along with progressing to a new Ideal of the Oaths.{{book ref|sa2|84}}{{wob ref|293}} If a spren is permanently killed by the use of a [[raysium]] dagger embedded with a gem of anti-Stormlight, the bond will break, leaving the Radiant traumatized.{{book ref|sa4|104}}

Another way to break the Nahel bond is to deliberately forswear the First Ideal; this, too, will kill the spren.{{wob ref|11533}} If the spren is at a point where it can become a [[Shardblade]], breaking the bond will turn it into a [[deadeye]].{{book ref|sa3|101}}

There are some ways to break the bond without killing the spren. Dying while upholding the Oaths -- for example, of old age, or in battle -- will send the spren back to [[Shadesmar]], and severely traumatize it, but the spren will survive and can bond again.{{book ref|sa3|95}} A Radiant revived as a [[Returned]] would not have their Nahel Bond.{{wob ref|15061}} Spren are able to retain their sapience in the Physical Realm for a time after the death of their Radiant, but will need to bond again in order to keep it.{{book ref|sa4|10}} The spren can also safely break the bond on their own, though this requires a great deal of caution.{{book ref|sa4|87}}{{wob ref|9298}} This will cause the Radiant pain, but will not be destructive to them like it would be a spren.{{wob ref|15167}}

=== Interactions with Dawnshards ===

Individuals who have already formed a Nahel bond are also able to become a [[Dawnshard]], however, this does pose risks for the Surgebinder's spren, as the Dawnshard can use the spren's substance to fuel the Radiant's abilities.{{book ref|tsm|20}}{{book ref|tsm|21}} This can cause the spren to lose their body in the Cognitive Realm, leaving them as a fragment of themselves.{{book ref|tsm|28}}{{book ref|tsm|epilogue}} After this, they mainly exist in their Surgebinder's mind and must use the Radiant's body to sense the world around them.{{book ref|tsm|29}}{{book ref|tsm|34}}{{book ref|tsm|37}} They are also stripped of most vocal expression, giving them a monotoned voice.{{book ref|tsm|12}}

The pair also loses many of their abilities, including Surgebinding and the Radiant being able to communicate with their mind.{{book ref|tsm|30}} They are still able to send feelings and emotions to their spren.{{book ref|tsm|28}} Even after the Radiant has given up the Dawnshard, they can still further burn away the mind and personality of their spren for a short burst of Surgebinding.{{book ref|tsm|45}}

If the Nahel bond has progressed to the point of being able to summon Shardplate and Shardblade, the Shardblade and Shardplate remain unaffected, even if the spren is completely consumed.{{book ref|tsm|47}}{{book ref|tsm|48}}

== Powers Granted by the Surgebinding Bond ==

The Nahel bond makes a person a [[Surgebinder]]. This allows them to breathe in [[Stormlight]], which grants numerous benefits, such as increased reflexes and agility, as well as incredible healing abilities. Moreover, Surgebinders can use Stormlight to fuel their usage of [[Surge]]s. Each type of Radiant spren grants its Surgebinder two different Surges, with each Surge shared between two Orders of Surgebinders.{{book ref|sa2|3}}

It's possible that the bond also perfects innate skills of the user, without granting additional skills; for example, an expert spearman would become a spearman without equal, but wouldn't become a master swordsman.{{book ref|sa2|52}} While this effect has been observed with [[Kaladin]], it's uncertain whether it holds true for other Surgebinders or orders.

While a spren can cross over into the [[Physical Realm]] without forming a Nahel bond, the transition leaves them only semi-sapient, with loss of self-awareness, memory and intelligence. There are precautions spren can take to try and minimize the loss of self, but they are not very effective.{{book ref|sa2|i|9}} By forming a Nahel bond, spren are capable of regaining all those things, growing more like themselves the stronger the bond is. However, with a few exceptions (such as the [[Stormfather]]), the spren must remain in close physical proximity to their partner to retain their mind. The distance can vary, but some can go upwards of a few miles.{{book ref|sa4|i|1}} If a spren is somehow pushed back into the Cognitive Realm, their Radiant may be able to pull them back into the Physical Realm.{{book ref|sa4|39}}{{book ref|sa4|102}}

Spren can also anchor themselves to a Radiant while looking for a squire to bond, granting them some level of stability in the Physical Realm.{{book ref|sa4|67}} Therefore, unlike the [[Luhel bond]] which trades in physical matter, the Nahel bond trades in consciousness and anchoring to the Physical Realm.{{book ref|tress|31}}

| [[Venli]] || [[Willshaper]] || [[Reacher]] || [[Timbre]]

* The word "Nahel" is a Rosharan word that means "the bond to divinity", while the word "bond" was added to the term to avoid confusing readers.{{wob ref|12014}} Assuming the Luhel bond comes from the same root, it can be assumed that the root ''-hel'' indicates a bond to something, and ''na-'' relates to divinity.

[[es:Vínculo Nahel]]