Difference between revisions of "Surgebinding"

'''Surgebinding''' is a prime manifestation of [[Investiture]] on [[Roshar]]. The Surgebinder can manipulate ten fundamental forces locally known as [[Surge]]s, with each Surgebinder having access to two of the Surges with overlap between them, by infusing objects or beings with [[Stormlight]].{{qa ref|428|21|BarnesandNoble.com Book Club Q&A, |date=Jul, 2009}}{{qa ref|585|5|Stormblessed.com Interview, |date=Dec 25th, 2010}}

the '''Nahel bond''' is a symbiotic relationship between humans and spren, with which the human gains Surgebinding powers and the spren gains sapience in the [[Physical Realm]].{{book ref|sa2|17}} The spren choose the people they bond with by the actions and the personalities of the people.{{17s ref|7058|post|116818|text=Chicago Signing, |date=Mar 22, 2014}} There are ten types of spren that bond with humans—each granting access to two of the ten Surges, with overlap between them—and each of these types are attracted to different attributes in their bondmates.{{book ref|sa2|1}}

If the Surgebinder acts in a manner conflicting with their oaths, the bond grows weaker until, eventually, the spren "breaks" and is trapped in an agony cycle after having a significant portion of its consciousness ripped out of it,{{17s ref|6605|text=Seattle, WA Signing, |date=Mar 08, 2014}} and the bondmate loses their Surgebinding powers.{{book ref|sa2|69}} If the spren "breaks" while in Shardblade form, it reverts to its basic sword form,{{17s ref|6743|post|110173|text=Houston Signing, |date=Mar 11, 2014}} and can be temporarily revived by being linked to the heartbeat of a person to be used. The spren do not "unbreak" on their own,{{book ref|sa2|17}} but can be brought back to life if their bondmates takes up their oaths again.{{book ref|sa2|84}} It is technically possible, but extremely difficult, for a spren to be healed without their bondmate.{{17s ref|6605|text=Seattle, WA Signing, Mar 08, 2014}} The Surgebinder dying without betraying his oaths is a very traumatic event for the spren, but it does not cause them to be broken.{{17s ref|7058|post|116818|text=Chicago Signing, Mar 22, 2014}}

Aside from being a fuel source, Stormlight also increases the physical capabilities of the Surgebinder's body to far beyond regular human levels. The Surgebinder gains superhuman strength, speed, endurance, stamina, and healing of both body and soul. They can survive falls hundreds of feet, and stand up right away, the damage immediately being healed by Stormlight. Almost any kind of injury can be healed, including bad eyesight, scar tissues, or Spiritual damage done by a Shardblade.{{book ref|sa2|33}} This healing is based upon the Cognitive identity of the Surgebinder, as such if a soldier sees the scars on his body, for example, as a part of his self, Stormlight does not heal those scars.{{17s ref|6605|text=Seattle, WA Signing, Mar 08, 2014}}

* '''Soulcasting''': This ability transforms any material into one of the Surgebinder's choice. To Soulcast, the Surgebinder shifts his perception to see into the Cognitive Realm, and communicates with the Cognitive aspect of the object he wants to transform. Not every object is inclined to change, depending on how the object is seen by the sentient species and how it sees itself, so the Surgebinder may need to negotiate with it. Once the object is convinced into changing, the Surgebinder infuses it with Stormlight, and the transformation process takes place instantaneously.{{book ref|sa2|7}} It is technically possible for the Surgebinder to transform anything into anything else, but transforming something into the pure form of an [[Ten Essences|Essence]] is the easiest to accomplish, while transforming the object into something unfamiliar is a lot harder.{{book ref|sa1|72}} Soulcasting requires the corresponding gemstone for the Essence the Surgebinder is trying to transform into, so Soulcasting something into blood, for example, requires an infused garnet.{{qa ref|985|4|Rithmatist Book Tour, Albuquerque, NM|date=2013-05-22}} Draining the Stormlight from the gemstone can sometimes shatter the gemstone; the larger the gemstone the less likely it is for that to happen.{{book ref|sa1|15}} The object's mass is conserved through the Soulcasting process.{{book ref|sa1|5}} It may not be possible to create gemstones with Soulcasting.{{book ref|sa1|33}}

Cohesion Surge can be manipulated by the Surgebinder alter objects at a molecular level; for example, a Surgebinder can push his hand into a table and leave a permanent handprint.{{17s ref|6584|text=Seattle WoR signing report|date=2014-03-09}}