User:Skaa/Voids
| The Ten Voids | |
|---|---|
| Author | skaa |
| Status | Unproven |
| Espousers | skaa |
(This was initially in my main User Page. Please check its history for a clearer picture of this theory's development.)
The Ten Voids[edit]
This is based on my theory about the Divine Attributes and the Surges. I posit that the imbalance of an Attribute pair causes the creation of a Void.
Because of how nature abhors a vacuum (or in this case, how Roshar abhors Voids), there will be a natural pressure to remove the imbalance and return to a state of equilibrium. Each act of Voidbinding ends with a return of equilibrium, often in a violent fashion, in a way that somehow emulates the Surge that was imbalanced by the Void. Therefore, Voidbinding can be seen as a corruption of the Surges.
Boundary without Desire: Isolation[edit]
When you create a boundary around yourself, desiring nothing from the outside, you isolate yourself from the world.
Isolation Voidbringers can form a large, isolated region in the atmosphere. Given enough time and enough amount of Voidbinding, the difference between the isolated region and its surroundings in terms of atmospheric pressure and electric potential can create an "illuminating storm" of rain and lightning, a thunderstorm or highstorm.
They can also use Isolation to create electricity without having to form a thundercloud.
“Above silence, the illuminating storms—dying storms— illuminate the silence above.”
—the death rattle of an illiterate, dying Herdazian
Law without Truth: Coercion[edit]
When you have to coerce someone to behave in a certain way, it probably means he doesn't see you as a true authority, and he'll most likely gravitate to his former behavior as soon as the opportunity arises.
Coercion Voidbringers are similar to Soulcasters in that they can transform objects, except the transformation is never permanent because the target will gravitate back to what it believes is its true form. This allows a Coercion Voidbringer to, for example, transform himself into smoke to avoid an attack, because the smoke will automatically revert back to the Voidbringer's original form moments later, completely unharmed. Elsecallers and Lightweavers cannot do this because their transformations are more permanent.
“They changed, even as we fought them. Like shadows they were, that can transform as the flame dances. Never underestimate them because of what you first see.”
—Talatin, Order of Stonewards
Choice without Direction: Randomness? Chance?[edit]
Affinity without Trust: ?[edit]
Improvement without Contentment: Abscission[edit]
When you are not content with something, the only improvement possible is by cutting it away. Some plants benefit from this process called abscission (when it happens naturally) or pruning (when it is done artificially), and it can even lead to improvements in growth.
By removing a specific part of the target's Spiritweb, an Abscission Voidbringer allows Investiture to seep into and grow from the void that was left, with various effects depending on what part was removed.
“She gives curses in exchange for granting small desires. Always one curse and one desire.”
—Renarin Kholin
I believe the Nightwatcher, whether she is Cultivation or some other creature or spren, is using the Void of Abscission to perform the Old Magic.
Desire without Boundary: Consumption[edit]
When something is eaten, its boundaries (both physical and cognitive) are destroyed. Its whole self is laid bare to and absorbed by the one eating it.
When a Consumption Voidbringer targets a person, the person's body is sucked into and is absorbed by the Voidbringer as if by osmotic pressure. The Voidbringer digests him and obtains his Cognitive Identity, gaining his knowledge and experiences in the process. It is possible that Consumption Voidbringers can disguise themselves as one of their victims.
This is a corrupted form of Cognitive Illumination, the ability to know everything that a person knows. In this case, such illumination happens only by consuming the target.
“Yelignar, called Blightwind, was one that could speak like a man, though often his voice was accompanied by the wails of those he consumed.”
—Traxil
Truth without Law: Chaos?[edit]
Direction without Choice: Divination[edit]
Your fate is the direction you are destined to go in the future. If you divine the fate that will occur no matter what you do, you are basically making a prophecy.
Divination Voidbringers have the ability to see the future.
“The priests began to claim visions and prophecies, though such things had been denounced by the Heralds themselves. Voidbinding is a dark and evil thing, and the soul of it was to try to divine the future.”
—Kadash, Ardent
