Editing Nahel bond

{{magic
|image=Stormlight Decal Swords.svg
|related=[[Surgebinding]], [[Honor]], [[Cultivation]]
|world=Roshar
|universe=[[Cosmere]]
|books=[[The Stormlight Archive]]
}}
{{update|sa4|tress}}
{{spoilers|tress}}

{{quote
| The Nahel bond is far more intimate a relationship. The linking of spirits. This is not a thing that should be done lightly, unsupervised.
| [[Notum]]{{book ref|sa3|108}}
}}

The '''Nahel bond''' is a connection between a sentient [[spren]] and a human or [[singer]]. It's a symbiotic relationship, granting a person the power of [[Surgebinding]], and the spren the ability to manifest into the [[Physical Realm]] without losing their mind.

Originally, the Nahel bond granted power to individuals with no affiliation with one another. Eventually, the [[Knights Radiant]] were formed and the Surgebinders were gathered into ten different Orders of Knights, each Order's members bonded to the same type of spren. 

== Mechanics of the Bond ==
{{image|Shallan and Cryptic.jpg|side=right|width=300px|[[Cryptic]]s observing [[Shallan]] prior to her bond}}
{{quote
|The responsibility of what we've been given &mdash; whether it be the crown or the Nahel bond &mdash; needs to make ''us'' better.
|[[Nohadon]]{{book ref|sa1|60}}
}}

=== Formation ===
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}} 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}}

=== Progression ===
{{for|Immortal Words}}
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}}

=== Breaking ===
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}}

A Nahel bond can also be passed from one person to another, similar to a [[seon]] bond. This has happened a few times in the past,{{wob ref|885}} though the mechanics behind it are unknown.

== Powers Granted by the Bond ==
{{image|Edgedancer by Paul Canavan.jpg|side=right|width=300px|An [[Order of Edgedancers|Edgedancer]] using her powers}}
{{quote
|[[Alakavish]] was a [[Surgebinder]] and yet the Nahel bond gave him no more wisdom than a regular man.
|[[Nohadon]]{{book ref|sa1|60}}
}}

=== Surgebinding ===
{{for|Surgebinding}}

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}}

=== Resonances ===
Some Orders have additional, unique abilities known as resonances that occur due to the combination of their Surges. Examples of such resonances are the Windrunners' increased number of squires, and the Lightweavers' mnemonic abilities.{{wob ref|6740}}{{wob ref|4889}} Rather than being directly caused by the Nahel bond, this is a result of the two Surges interacting to produce an effect together. While some [[Herald]]s benefit from the same resonances, others do not - for example, [[Jezrien]] will not have a large number of squires, because Heralds do not get squires.{{wob ref|3958}} 

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.

=== Shardblade ===
When the Nahel bond is at a sufficient strength, the bonded spren can instantly manifest itself as a [[Shardblade]], which, unlike dead Blades, is capable of shapeshifting. Known forms range from strictly militant, such as a shield or a spear,{{book ref|sa3|86}} to utilitarian, like forks,{{book ref|sa2.5|20}} or plain rods.{{book ref|sa2.5|19}} Moreover, while a human using a dead Shardblade must wait ten heartbeats before the summoning occurs, a living Blade will manifest instantenously.{{book ref|sa2|86}}

While in Shardblade form, a spren can communicate with its partner telepathically.{{book ref|sa2|86}} The exception to that is the [[Stormfather]], who, while refusing to become a Blade, can communicate with his Surgebinder regardless of the physical distance, directly in their mind.{{book ref|sa2|89}}{{book ref|sa3|4}}

=== Benefits for the spren ===
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 in consciousness and anchoring to the Physical Realm.{{book ref|tress|31}}

== Notable Surgebinders and Spren ==
{{for|:Category:Surgebinders|a full list of Surgebinders}}

{| class='infobox sortable' width=100%
! Surgebinder !! Order !! Spren type !! Spren
|-
| [[Kaladin]] || [[Windrunner]]    || [[Honorspren]] || [[Syl]]
|-
| [[Shallan]] || [[Order of Lightweavers|Lightweaver]]   || [[Cryptic]]    || [[Pattern]]
|-
| [[Jasnah]]  || [[Elsecaller]]   || [[Inkspren]]    || [[Ivory]]
|-
| [[Renarin]] || [[Truthwatcher]] || [[Mistspren]]    || [[Glys]]
|-
| [[Dalinar]] || [[Bondsmith]]    || ''unique''    || [[Stormfather]]
|-
| [[Lift]]    || [[Order of Edgedancers|Edgedancer]]   || [[Cultivationspren]]    ||  [[Wyndle]]
|-
| [[Lopen]]    || [[Windrunner]]   || [[Honorspren]]    ||  [[Rua]]
|-
| [[Huio]]    || [[Windrunner]]   || [[Honorspren]]    ||  [[Caelinora]]
|-
| [[Teft]]    || [[Windrunner]]   || [[Honorspren]]    ||  [[Phendorana]]
|-
| [[Szeth]]    || [[Skybreaker]]   || [[Highspren]]    ||  ''[[Szeth's highspren|unknown]]''
|-
| [[Hoid]]    || [[Order of Lightweavers|Lightweaver]]   || [[Cryptic]]    ||  [[Design]]
|-
| [[Venli]]    || [[Willshaper]]   || [[Lightspren]]    ||  [[Timbre]]
|-
| [[Rlain]]    || [[Truthwatcher]]   || [[Mistspren]]    ||  [[Tumi]]
|-
| [[Navani]]    || [[Bondsmith]]   || ''unique''    ||  The [[Sibling]]
|}
<!-- This page is slated to be merged elsewhere and this table will disappear. Please do not add anyone further to it.-->

== Trivia ==
* 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.

== Notes ==
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