User:Skaa

Hi! I'm skaa. I intend to use my Coppermind user page as a repository of my theories that are too unsubstantiated, controversial, or incomplete to post on the forums. This page's history tab should allow me to prove that I came up with a theory before a certain date, just in case one of my theories are confirmed. --Skaa (talk) 04:00, 23 February 2014 (UTC)

The Ten Voids

This is based on my theory about the Attributes and the Surges. I posit that the imbalance of the Attribute pairs 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 Openness: Isolation

When you create a closed boundary around something, you isolate it.

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 probably use Isolation to create electricity without having to form a thundercloud.

“Above silence, the illuminating storms—dying storms— illuminate the silence above.”

—an illiterate, dying Herdazian

Law without Truth: Coercion

When you coerce someone to behave in a certain way, he won't see your authority as truthful, and he'll 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, and then revert back to his original form moments later, completely unharmed.

“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

Improvement without Contentment: Abscission

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.

Openness without Boundary: Consumption

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 touches a person while Voidbinding, the person's body is absorbed into 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 Consumer 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

Direction without Motion: Fate

Your fate is the direction you are destined to go in the future. If you tell someone his eventual fate even before events leading up to it can be set into motion, you are basically making a prophecy.

Fate Voidbringers have a certain control of the future that allows them to, for example, dictate how their opponents will die. The universe will then set events into motion to fulfill that prophecy. This is like an evil version of Chromium Feruchemy.

“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