Editing Nahel bond

|books=[[The Stormlight Archive]]

{{spoilers|book=sa3}}

The '''Nahel bond''' is a connection between a sentient [[spren]] and a human or [[singer]]. This bond is a symbiotic relationship, granting the human participant the power of [[Surgebinding]] and the spren participant the ability to manifest into the [[Physical Realm]] and retain their mind. At least part of the bond is dependent on the use of Connection and Identity, since storing those attributes into a [[metalmind]] will affect the bond.{{wob ref|9407}}

A Nahel bond can theoretically be passed from one person to another, similar to that of a [[seon]]. In fact, this has happened a few times in the past.{{wob ref|885}}

== Formation of the Bond ==

Spren seem to bond with people who share in their perspective or personality. However, some types of spren are more discerning than others when choosing their human partners.{{book ref|sa1|60}} Additionally, some types of spren are more free-spirited and choose the humans that they bond with individually. Others are more organized and will choose a human to bond with by committee, then send one of their members to the chosen human.{{wob ref|1384}}

== Limitations of the Bond ==

Spren bond with people that share beliefs similar to the spren's own concept. As the bond progresses, the holder of the bond will move along a path bringing the holder's thinking more in line with the spren they are bonded to.

Each Ideal said by the Radiant progresses the bond. Only the first Ideal is said by all Radiants, as the later ideals are Order specific. [[Lightweaver]]s say Truths rather than Ideals. Without saying the words, the Radiant's ability to use Stormlight will not increase. If the Radiant stops acting according to their oaths, they will weaken or completely destroy the bond, which can result in killing the spren.

== Powers Granted by the Bond ==

The Nahel bond grants the human the ability to [[Surgebind]]. Surgebinding allows one to use Stormlight, which grants superhuman abilities to the user, such as increased strength, agility, and healing abilities. It also perfects innate skills of the user but does not grant additional skills; for example, an expert spearman will become a spearman without equal, but will not become a master swordsman.{{cite}} In addition, Stormlight fuels the primary magic of Surgebinding: the usage of [[Surge]]s.

Each type of spren will grant its human Surgebinder two different Surges. Which two is decided by the type of spren to which they are bonded, and thus, which Order of Knights they belong to. There are ten different types of surges, and ten different Orders of Knights, so each Surge is used by exactly two different Orders. The people who bond spren share a Cognitive connection with their bond partners, which allows them to recognize each other and communicate telepathically.{{cite|Has this been explicitly stated by WOB or in the books?}}. Some Orders of the Knights Radiants have additional, unique abilities. For example, [[Lightweaver]]s are known for their mnemonic abilities (which manifests differently in each person){{cite}} and [[Skybreaker]]s can divide the innocent from the guilty{{disputed}}. This is a result of the two Surges overlapping, producing an effect like mixed chemicals.{{disputed}}

When the Nahel bond is at a sufficient strength, the bonded spren can instantly manifest itself as a Shardblade, in any number of forms. For example, when [[Kaladin]] and [[Syl]] are in battle, Syl is able to manifest herself as a sword, a spear, and a shield. [[Lift]] proved during [[Edgedancer]] that spren can manifest as non-weapons, when [[Wyndle]] manifested as a fork. A human using a Shardblade without a Nahel bond (these Shardblades are dead spren) must wait ten heartbeats before the summoning will take place, and are limited to using the Shardblade in the form of a large sword, as Shardblades were patterned after the original Honorblades.

The Nahel Bond also grants the ability for spren to manifest themselves into the [[Physical Realm]], outside of the form of a Shardblade. Additionally, the spren gains greater self-awareness, intelligence, and access to their memories the stronger their bond is with their human.

== Severing the Bond ==

The only known way to sever a Nahel bond is for a Surgebinder to act in a manner contrary to the limitations of the bond.{{disputed}}{{cite}} This can kill the spren, sending them back to the [[Cognitive Realm]]. Revival is possible, but difficult{{wob ref|293}}. It is even more difficult for the spren to bond with a different person after severing the bond, and they will only do this if the person they originally bonded with is dead.{{cite}} While difficult, it is possible for a spren to safely break the bond on their own.{{wob ref|9298}}

| [[Shallan]] || [[Lightweaver]] || [[Cryptic]] || [[Pattern]]

| [[Jasnah]] || [[Elsecallers]] || [[Inkspren]] || [[Ivory]]

| [[Renarin]] || [[Truthwatcher]] || ''unknown'' || [[Glys]]

| [[Lift]] || [[Edgedancer]] || [[Cultivationspren]] || [[Wyndle]]

|-

| [[Stump]] || [[Truthwatcher]] || ''unknown'' || ''unknown''

|-

| [[Malata]] || [[Dustbringer]] || [[Ashspren]] || [[Spark]]

| [[Teft]] || [[Windrunner]] || [[Honorspren]] || ''unknown''

| [[Drehy]] || [[Windrunner]] || [[Honorspren]] || ''unknown''

| [[Szeth]] || [[Skybreaker]] || [[Highspren]] || ''unknown''

| [[Hoid]] || [[Lightweaver]] || [[Cryptic]] || ''unknown''

| [[Venli]] || [[Willshaper]] || [[Lightspren]] || [[Timbre]]

| [[Tien]] || [[Lightweaver]] || [[Cryptic]] || ''unknown''

|-

| [[Ki]] || [[Skybreaker]] || [[Highspren]] || [[Winnow]]

|-

| [[Warren]] || [[Skybreaker]] || [[Highspren]] || ''unknown''

|-

| [[Nale]] || [[Skybreaker]] || [[Highspren]] || ''unknown''

== Quotes ==

{{quote|[[Alakavish]] was a [[Surgebinder]] and yet the Nahel bond gave him no more wisdom than a regular man|[[Nohadon]] on the bond{{book ref|sa1|60}}|}}

{{quote|The responsibility of what we've been given — whether it be the crown or the Nahel bond — needs to make ''us'' better|[[Nohadon]] on the bond{{book ref|sa1|60}}|}}

* 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}}