The Void The Binding Of Isaac
Sharolyn Uriegas
Can we talk about the Voidbinding chart now that Brandon has confirmed that theory? Seems like there's been a push lately that it's related to fabrials and all kinds of other stuff. Now that we have some direction, seems like a good time to take a step back and reevaluate in light of this news. I'm including the chart below (with the Shadesmar map, since they go together). Also going to list some of the key observations that I can remember. Then I've got a theory of my own to add.
3. The void-Truthwatcher symbol is also horizontally and vertically symmetrical. It is also incredibly similar to the glyph that shows up on maps of Roshar (around compass roses, behind the R's of 'Roshar', and around the borders - see "Glyphs" link in my signature)
5. Lines connect all of the void-orders and void-surges just like they do on the KR chart, except (strangely) for the two in the center, which aren't connected to a void-surge. Just an artistic thing, or something more?
9. Border: Flames, especially in the corner? Woman with safehand covered implies she is Vorin. Perhaps this helps to date the image? (after the advent of safehand covering) Alternatively, it could be dated to some point in the future, beyond what we have read so far.
10. Shadesmar map: This is clearly meant to accompany the map of Shadesmar, implied by the visual similarity and the fact that the border around the two is rotationally symmetrical. The somewhat detailed information on Shadesmar implies the person who created this voidbinding chart had a greater understanding of Shadesmar than most people in Roshar currently do.
The preceding list is an imperfect gathering of traditional Vorin symbolism associated with the Ten Essences. Bound together, these form the Double Eye of the Almighty, an eye with two pupils representing the creation of plants and creatures. This is also the basis for the hourglass shape that was often associated with the Knights Radiant.
I'm not certain yet how the ten levels of Voidbinding or its cousin the Old Magic fit into this paradigm, if indeed they can. My research suggests that, indeed, there should be another series of abilities that is even more esoteric than the Voidbindings. Perhaps the Old Magic fits into those, though I am beginning to suspect that it is something entirely different.
What IS voidbinding? Is a listener bonded to a voidspren a voidbinder? Or is bonding to voidspren just like bonding to any other spren, and voidbinding is more like surgebinder, but with specific voidspren? Can a human be a voidbinder? Or is this completely off... Is voidbinding more related to the ten deaths, Thunderclasts, the Unmade, or other things like this? Is it voidbinding to create these things, or is voidbinding what they do?
Some musing of my own... It strikes me that voidspren might be "corrupted" versions of normal spren. This is based on the Dalinar vision where they are searching for a spren that "doesn't act right." If something like this is correct... what does that mean for void-Bondsmiths? Are there any viable "great voidspren" that can make voidbinders of that type? I've got a little baby theory stirring around in my mind. What if the reason void-Bondsmiths and void-Truthwatchers are cut off here is because they don't exist at the time of this chart?
You know, we learned recently that we've seen hints of another end-negative magic system. I always suspected it was Voidbinding. Maybe Voidbinding actually consumes a spren? Maybe Kaladin started Voidbinding on accident when he was consuming Syl to power his Surges when he fell into the chasm in WoR?
It's possible there are more Hemalurgy parallels, that it uses the same powers (the Surges) but accesses them in a different way, through capturing and consuming spren. That would be why they share the same symbols, which we know are the names of Surges and the names of Orders. But it's actually a different magic system, one that destroys spren in order to function.
Lastly, an observation on the chart itself. It's three-dimensional; look at how the Windrunner/Edgedancer line crosses over and under various other lines. This is also present on the Surgebinding chart, but not as noticeable.
That is very odd that the void-dustbringer symbol would be attached to a map, unless the symbols still exist in Vorin lands they have just lost true meaning and now are used as pieces of art or decoration? Kind of like how people have shirts or posters or vases, etc with Egyptian Hieroglyphics on them. There is meaning there, but no one now (for the most part) knows what it is, and they are just used as decorative art.
If Listener Forms are related to these symbols, then surely we've seen the void-windrunners in Stormform? Or maybe Stormform is more closely related to void-elsecallers as they called a storm to being and can sling lightning (like Jasnah, though not as accurate)?
I distinctly remember people being shot down in the past by Brandon's WoB that we have not seen Voidbinding yet, so I'm inclined to disagree on this point. Granted, this chart also meant nothing at the time that was said, so... if we follow the logic that the "surges" on this chart are in fact void-surges, what pairing would make the most sense for creating a storm and/or lightning?
The way I see it, the Listeners ability to bond with spren is an entirely natural thing, right? They were doing it before the Shards ever showed up, if I'm not mistaken. I think them bonding to a voidspren is no different from bonding to any other spren, in a sense. A "voidform" is just like any other form. The seemingly terrifying powers that these forms grant aren't voidbinding. It's just part of what that form can do. We've only seen them form bonds with fairly mundane spren so far... So it's not surprising that bonds with voidspren would grant forms that are more terrifying and unnatural than "normal". I wouldn't be surprised to learn that a Listener could technically bond with an honorspren as well (a listener bond, not a nahel bond) and get something more interesting than normal.
From a glyph analysis, it appears they all share the same pieces (which we think are derived from consonants in the Alethi word), so they should all be the same words. That would mean Voidbinding has Windrunners, it has Adhesion, it has Illumination, etc, but they are different in some ways of actual implementation. That's why I think it's very closely connected to Surgebinding, for now at least.
The preceding list is an imperfect gathering of traditional Vorin symbolism associated with the Ten Essences. Bound together, these form the Double Eye of the Almighty, an eye with two pupils representing the creation of plants and creatures. This is also the basis for the hourglass shape that was often associated with the Knights Radiant.
Ancient scholars also placed the ten orders of Knights Radiant on this list, alongside the Heralds themselves, who each had a classical association with one of the numbers and Essences.
I'm not certain yet how the ten levels of Voidbinding or its cousin the Old Magic fit into this paradigm, if indeed they can. My research suggests that, indeed, there should be another series of abilities that is even more esoteric than the Voidbindings. Perhaps the Old Magic fits into those, though I am beginning to suspect that it is something entirely different.
If Stormspren are identified by Pattern as Voidspren, and if their taking Void based forms is similar mechanisms to them forming a Nahel bond with a KR spren, wouldn't they then be Voidbinding by taking a voidspren?
As Blightsong said, the two are not stated as being on the same level.
And, merely bonding with a KR Spren does not count as Surgebinding, nor should merely taking in Stormlight. Surgebinding should refer to the active use of Stormlight to use one of the 10 Surges, while having a Nahel Bond and being Invested should be the passive terms for having a KR Spren Bond and holding in Stormlight, respectively.
My argument is that (1) the "listener bond" and the "Nahel bond" are not the same thing, and that (2) the Nahel bond is associated with surgebinding/voidbinding while the listener forms are something separate.
The first point is based on (a) the fact that humans can do one and not the other and (b) the fact that Brandon has said Parshendi don't (historically) form nahel bonds. So I feel good about the first point.
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