Connection and Bonds in the Cosmere

[@trafulgerlaw3332]

Brother, how the hell are you in whole ass different biomes every video, and you even have a well written, well spoken script. Easily my favorite bit of cosmere content, maybe my favorite piece of content period.

[@trafulgerlaw3332]

One thing that I would appreciate tho would be like a citation in the corner of the screen to see which book you got this information, just so i can see if I missed it from a book i know well.

[@jasonioan]

I really like this suggestion. I try to cite sources for things like WoBs and big claims, but I could add annotation numbers with citations in the description.

[@jasonioan]

In universe explanation: worldhopping takes time, so that’s why I only put out a video a month. Real explanation: Utah geography is absolutely busted for biome variety and scenic locations. And it takes a long time to research, write, and animate these videos. :)

[@luckyowl6432]

As someone who's only read The Reckoners series by Sanderson this was confusing but fun. I see so much love for whatever the cosmere is I should probably just start reading them.

[@jasonioan]

Wow! Im glad you thought the video was fun! As a content creator I’m happy to hear you enjoyed it and weren’t completely lost without having the prerequisite reading. If you enjoyed it, you’ll probably like the cosmere books where all this stuff is more in the background. 😅 Thanks for the comment!

[@alakaiwarford2275]

I've seen two cosmere videos come out of your channel with ACTUAL quality.. haven't opened your page and started looking to binge but seems I have to now

[@jasonioan]

Let’s gooo! These are the comments I strive for. I’ve got cosmere videos stretching back 8 videos or so for your viewing pleasure.

[@casthelion416]

Just comenting to please the KZbin algorithm. You deserve every few!

[@jasonioan]

It takes a village! Thanks!

[@Oxegyn]

Wake up babe, there’s a new Jasonioan post

[@daleyd00d]

I was going to make this comment, but someone beat me to it.

[@eddieford9373]

I hate this comment so much.

[@inigocilveti3287]

your videos are straight up the best I've seen on cosmere lore. Well written, well performed, well edited, changing locations... you deserve so many more views!

[@dorianguaragna2737]

As a fellow Bondsmith I have to say I love this video. it has a very good Intention. Speaking of which, will you do others about Intention, fortune? It would be very interesting

[@jasonioan]

Thank you! I’ll add that to the list of potential topics!

[@jessehughes8274]

YES thank you for the Rosharan linguistics vid shout out, it's an underappreciated gem!

[@jasonioan]

Thanks for showing it to me!

[@Omnicrola]

Great video as usual, well done 👏 Really beautiful location. Also my kudos on how clean that audio came out despite it clearly being fairly windy out there.

[@jasonioan]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you! I was pretty surprised by the audio as well. It required minimal cleanup!

[@aidanpocock]

What a stellar video as usual dude! Staying in that shady motel to get those early morning dune shots was worth it! Interested to see what place you’ll film next 😂 be sure to hit me up when you decide 🔥

[@jasonioan]

I’ll let you know. Thanks!

[@Theangryhermit]

What a perfect way to kick off the weekend!

[@nwnate659]

I appreciated the bit about seons! It makes sense that bonds can form throughout the Cosmere, similar to how metals behave similarly across the Cosmere. So like Nahel bonds are a Rosharan word to describe bonds observed on Roshar, but similar bonds still occur elsewhere.

[@pmanattack7363]

Great video! I wonder if the bond between the Aviar and the worms they eat would be an example of the physical symbiotic bond that you speculated. They injest the worms from Patji's fingers, who then live symbiotically inside of the birds, granting them powers (and potentially some extra intelligence, like Ryshadium). The Aviars powers can then be shared with a human owner through a bond that's sort of similar to a Nahel bond, but is also between two physical entities... idk, just some thoughts.

[@jasonioan]

The bond between the Aviar and the person is the part that confused me. I also wonder if Aviar can use their talents without sharing them with a person. I'm pretty sure they can.

[@benbrady8675]

I like the idea of the ability to use sand mastery being atributed to the luehel bond. The sand masters are always at risk of dehydration and grow in power as they over master being able to strengthen their bond.

[@nwnate659]

Thanks for making a distinction between Nahel and Luhel bonds. I wasn’t sure what made them different before

[@AuthorJacksonDickert]

Hey man, I just wanted to say your content is awesome. Keep up the great work!

[@jasonioan]

Hey, thanks! That's very kind of you! I quite enjoy your content as well!

[@dominicpizano887]

I think because of the nature of the Dor and all magic systems on Sel depending on geography, it could MAYBE change the nature of that bond with the Seons based on geography, i don’t think it would but there is a possibility

[@spextemp]

Definitely worth giving thought to

[@KonpeitoKoil]

I just discovered this channel! great production quality and very entertaining!

[@jasonioan]

Thanks! I’m glad you found me!

[@nathengantt4970]

You make such amazing content about the cosmere and I love that you travel to “in world” locations

[@jasonioan]

Thank you! I'm very glad you like my videos!

[@corrineturner8625]

Excellent as always!

[@jasonioan]

Thank you!

[@actuallyjustanapple]

The sheer terror of someone just taking your connection to a god AND YOUR SPREN is crazy

[@XRae95er]

Just found your page through TikTok! Love the content, it’s fun getting to hear the connections I was curious about. Plus I avoided WoB for awhile as I went through the cosmere out of fear of getting spoiled. But now that I am caught up it’s good to find these!! But huge shout out for the spoiler heads up for those who maybe didn’t get to certain books yet

[@jasonioan]

Welcome! I’m glad you found me!

[@AceHalberjt]

Any plans to do one on Resonance? I can't find anyone talking about it even though, imo, it's arguably the most interesting cosmerological concept. I think you could do it justice, even if we don't know a *ton* about it yet.

[@jasonioan]

That's a fun idea! I'll add it to the list (that list is getting a bit long though haha).

[@UncleMikeDrop]

I could see a third bond being one between people and physical objects manifesting as a form of technomancy. I could see this being an invested art present on a Shatdworld of Invention. The initiation would be inventing the object with which one forms an Artihel bone.

[@artcatdraws4203]

i think if there would be a third type of bond, it would be the same sort of bond that allomancy/feruchemy uses, where you form a bond to a form of investiture and channel it through you buy providing a physical "fuel" source to channel/power that ability. it was said that lerasium rewrote your spirit web to be an allomancer and was meantioned that some alloy of atium and lerasium could make feruchemists (making them in the same boat). so some sort of direct connection that links your soul to a source of power and needs a physical fuel as a trade to channeling that power would be a third form of connect perhaps?

[@ianeggleston9991]

There are more connection types we haven’t seen then physical-physical. There is no theoretical reason for not having a cognitive-spiritual bond, or cognitive-cognitive/ spiritual-spiritual. No clue what those would look like but it’s interesting to consider

[@LoveliestHeart]

Rusts and Ruins man, how did you travel to Taldain??? I am at their Subastral but I cannot locate their Perpendicularity. Please teach me your ways

[@jasonioan]

My friend Edosha has a few connections to the Taldain scholarly community. Next time you're at Silverlight you should see if she can hook you up with a connection at the embassy. The perpendicularity is really weird, I can't say much, but on the border between Nightside and Dayside there's a little fort and rest stop (do not eat the Chouta at Maron's Inn, its got too much sandling). The guards there should be able to point you in the right direction. I hope this helps!

[@akmalsy159]

I think the 3rd type of bond that you mention, is the type that even exist on Earth, symbiosis between 2 (or more) organism for each others mutual benefit, like between a whale and a remora, the mycorrhizal network, and the human microbiome. Also, I hypothesize just like there are commensal (both organism benefit), there are also parasitic (one benefits at the expense of the other) Connection in the Cosmere, I believe Nightblood is one such parasitic Bond.

[@trafulgerlaw3332]

You said that the only time connection has been forced by mechanical means was the Ire. Does Nomad's torment not count? He can literally just straight spend investiture to be connected to the world and alter his entire history. Kinda wild the more I think about it. Kinda like a less permanent and less difficult soulstamp.

[@jasonioan]

The Dawnshard does connect Nomad to the cosmere in a weird way. I didn’t think of the Dawnshard as a device when I was writing this video, but the Dawnshard a were forged into a weapon, so maybe. I do think a lot of the deliberate connection manipulation from Sunlit is just something Aux/Spren can do with proper knowledge and access to investiture.

[@trafulgerlaw3332]

That makes me think of radiants as pioneers in the space age of the cosmere, if that is true. Who would be more equipped to explore worlds than somebody who can immediately learn the language. I suppose maybe duralumin hemelurgy would function the same, and likely requires less training.

[@parkermm]

I’m very interested if the spiritual damage done to Roshar by the locking away of Ba Ado Mishram would effect a Seon bond or even make forging weirder. And yes, I am so ready for the White Sand prose edition. It’s the last Cosmere entry that I haven’t gotten around to yet.

[@CharlesZane_]

I would think “El” is the part about divinity, as it’s used that way in our real world history.

[@jasonioan]

That's true. It's also a suffix in the ancient singer language. This WoB is actually fascinating with the context of "Nahel", "Luhel" and "Raboniel" teknopathetic (paraphrased) I had asked if the Nahel bond was named after "El". Brandon Sanderson El's name comes from the same root, but is not the originator of the term. wob.coppermind.net/events/456/#e14968

[@StickToTheWallGuy]

I think the third bind will be called a Morhel bond. Reason: Rock, aka Lunamor. Lu-Na-Mor. Lu-hel. Na-hel. Mor-hel. And rock and his people are heavily close and tied to the three realms, so it might make sense that his name is descriptive of all 3 realms.

[@jasonioan]

Wait. This is kind of blowing my mind right now 🤯

[@StickToTheWallGuy]

Also an example of this 3rd bond may be Sixth of the Dusk

[@1forge2rulethemall88]

My thought on the differences in bonds is that location alone probably isnt enough to change the fundimental nature of a bond or ability. Hoid had to attune to the local magic system in tress and the emerald sea before he could access it. And we see on canticle how someones bond could be changed if only aesthetically by attuning to canticles magic system. We also see how in elantris their magic system got changed by simple geography changes. I suspect a seon moving to roshar would have little effect, unless some connection was changed. Like if a seon was invested with stormlight the exact nature of their bond could change, and become more sprenlike. Or if sja anat got ahold of a seon she could probably jumble things up in unexpected ways.

[@Xanderqwerty123]

I wonder if the aon that a seon has changes the bond in a way. We know Shallan's seon, Ala, means beauty. Perhaps there is a resonance between lightweavers and the beauty aon in some way. It might be close enough to not be diluted. That may be why brandon chose his words carefully because he knew an exception would be coming up soon in stormlight.

[@Betadel]

Could the third type of bond be something similar to the bond of a person with an Aviar? They're both physical entities, one Invested and one not.

[@jasonioan]

I think so! This is what I had in mind when I thought of it.

[@Betadel]

​@@jasonioan actually now that I think about it, it doesn't quite work because the person bonded to an Aviar seems to get a cognitive kind of ability. Perhaps the third type of bond would be similar to Warging in Game of Thrones: two physical entities, one getting a physical ability from the other

[@krystlspoonz]

It appears Aether requires the physical "bud" to be in the person's body. Though it's currently semi ambiguous at this point. I would think this to be more physical than cognitive.

[@OdenGender]

Oh yeah. It’s 2 am, but idc I’m not missing this

[@jasonioan]

Sleep can wait 🫡

[@arenkai]

13:58 Wait, isn't that what the magic system on Ashyn is ? Physical bond between an invested physical entity (bacteria/viruses inside a host) and a non-invested physical entity (human) that trades in physical resources (the host's nutrients) for power.

[@jasonioan]

I think so. I was thinking that system, and Aviar, are pretty similar

[@MrNunoFranco]

Is Nightblood bond with its user some kind of physical bond like the one you are talking about? In this case, investiture for power.

[@dpowemsj]

I would be surprised if Sanderson ended up canonizing a Seon bond acting differently on Roshar. I am more interested to see if a Radiants powers are diminished and potentially a sprens (for lack of a better term) tangibility are lessened if they leave Roshar

[@jasonioan]

I think this is reasonable! That WoB is pretty odd.

[@Bzhydack]

It is just RAFO now, Shallan have Seon 😉

[@arenkai]

"This video won't be spoiler heavy, it will just take spoilers from those books which are either the end of their respective saga (to date), or some of the most spoiler intensive books for the entire Cosmere" Just realised that while rewatching hahahaha I wanted to send it to a friend who has been going through the Cosmere for the first time, but I can't since they have just finished Oathbringer and have no read Mistborn Era 2 or most of the side novellas. This video might not spoil much in terms of individual books, but I feel its spoiler level is very high for the entire universe. Maybe we need to rethink how we categorise spoilers for the Cosmere in general. Level 1 Spoiler : something that happens in text linked to a single book Level 2 Spoiler : something that happens in text linked to the same series Level 3 Spoiler : something that happens in text linked to other series Level 4 Spoiler : something that happens in text linked to the entire Cosmere Level 5 Spoiler : something that happens out of text (WoB mostly) and gives information that isn't in text

[@djbslectures]

Seon bonds might be location dependent because Selish investiture is more geographically sensitive than most investiture

[@7nage]

My man, you in Arrakis this time?

[@jasonioan]

I’m on the cosmere equivalent that was HEAVILY inspired by Arrakis lol. Or maybe it’s Tatooine, it’s hard to keep all the sand planets straight.

[@7nage]

@@jasonioan Careful not to spread diseases to the local population on the planets you're hopping to! Amazing video as always, my friend!

[@yonatanyonatano1192]

8:20 I personally think you have the two root words mixed around. “El” is a common biblical reference to God (divinity), hence the names Michael, Gabriel, Samuel, etc. having it within the name and each meaning referring to God either doing or receiving something. We also need to remember that both Spren and Aethers are seen as divine actors in both of their societies. The difference comes in how they interact with their societies. Spren and rosharans form voluntary partnerships and work together. In Hebrew the sound “nah” is used in tandem with most root words to say “we will”. Meanwhile, Aethers reportedly bond others forcefully and require offerings such as water. I don’t count Stormlight as an offering since rosharans can generally use their abilities even when Spren don’t want them to on occasion, so it seems to act as more of a power source than an offering.

[@jasonioan]

I could certainly see this being the case especially because Alethi and other Rosharan languages take inspiration from Hebrew, Arabic, and Sanskrit. Another Wrinkle is that Singers also use “El” as a suffix. Think “Raboniel” and “El”

[@kristoffer2250]

This channel confuses the fuck out of me. Different places, brilliant editing, great research, and an eloquent script. I've been unconsciously binging your videos for no reason I realized

[@summerstevenshughes1860]

Okay, but CHOUTA COOKING VIDEO WHEN?!?!

[@jasonioan]

Eventually! I have ideas. I just need a location and a month where I’m not moving or starting a new job.

[@spextemp]

Great video! Loved it! Is there a way to tag a comment for Lost Metal spoilers? The video made me think of someone REALLY wanting to do her own thing, and I'd love to get your thoughts... But I don't want to be a spoiler-sport.

[@jasonioan]

I think if you reply to your own comment with the spoiler the only way people will see it is if they look at replies. Just do something like: [Lost metal spoilers] then hit enter like 5 times.

[@spextemp]

Got it! Thank you! [Lost Metal Spoilers] Do you think Autonomy making Telsin an Avatar would have been a different type of bond, or would that fall under one of the two? Or would you consider it something completely different?

[@jasonioan]

I think it's something different. I think it is a major strengthening of connection and direct investment from the Shard into an individual. Definitely a manipulation of connection though.

[@spextemp]

I think that makes sense. To make sure I'm understanding what you're saying, though... Would you sum it up by saying it's a sort of one-way / one-sided thing, or am I misunderstanding? Kind of less of a bond, and more like a dog on an invested leash?

[@matthiasdvorsakhillebrand2393]

Could you create a device, like the Father Machine in Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, that could cut the Connection between a Vessel and a Shard, or transfer that Connection to someone else, or in other words to force the Shard onto a new Vessel?

[@Bzhydack]

@@matthiasdvorsakhillebrand2393 proper hemalurgic spike should be able to do this.

[@matthiasdvorsakhillebrand2393]

No, it would take a ridiculously well infused atium spike to even remotely steal a great spirit web power, let alone contain that much investiture at once. Not even Nightblood could take on all of Odium’s investiture when Raize was killed.

[@ianwarhover5390]

Would a Feruchemist storing connection be immune to the powers of a bondsmith?

[@robbiemaher6618]

Giving power can make a bond. Like Shallon using Stormlight to Manifest in the Cognitive realm. Reverse of Nahel bond, Physical entity giving power to a Cognitive entity and recieving Physical matter.

[@myself2noone]

Spiritual and cognitive bond? Could it be like the conversation we saw between Kaladan and his "brother" in ROW? Like a "spiritual shadow" telling a loved one something they need to know? I don't know. I don't keep up on the lore.

[@st_ols203]

This needs more eyes on it

[@ChefTinman]

I have no doubt that White Sand lichen is an aether, specifically the one mentioned as being lost in Tress

[@SnakeAndTurtleQigong]

😁

[@jasonioan]

😁👍

[@Bzhydack]

2:09 Southern Scadrian translating Medalions are forging Connection to the Land. Also why no mention Connector Ferrings? 14:10 this sounds basicly as Aviar bond 😉

[@jasonioan]

HOW THE HECK DID I FORGET ABOUT THE RUSTING MEDALIONS?!? NOOOOOOO. I remember the Ire preservation orb but not the connection medalions. brruuuuuhhhhh

[@Bzhydack]

@@jasonioan Thats what we are for 😉

[@arsanehackenau]

I have idea for Seon powers. Maybe you could write Aon of your Seon to have acces to basic Elantrian magic (even if not being an Elantrian) of that one particular Aon. You could not modify Aon to do specific thing, because it would require other Aons. And if you would be an Elantrian then effects of your spells using that Aon would be much stronger. Eg. You are normal person bonded to Seon with Aon Ehe (fire) in the center, so maybe you would be allowed to draw that Aon and you would have acces to basic fire spell. Then you become an Elantrian, and you can create much stronger fire easily, when at the same time your Elantiran friends without that seon would need many modifying Aons to reach the same level of power of spell.

[@trobatron1]

Aviar might be the third bond. A variety of powers for seeds and pets.

[@davidsabotta6528]

Hey, wait a minute. So we have a bond between Physical and Spiritual, a bond between Physical and Cognitive, so wouldn't the third type be a bond between Cognitive and Spiritual?

[@holywaterbottle3175]

One physical being giving physical matter to another physical being to spring forth a physical miracle. Is this just Brandons plan to have the birds and the bees talk with his audience?

[@jasonioan]

Perhaps

[@adamharris306]

How in the HECK did you get on Taldain!?

[@jasonioan]

The visa process wasn't easy. Edosha has been working on this for a while, I'm just glad everything finally lined up.

[@007Rincewind]

Next decade or so, he is writting it now 😂

[@jasonioan]

Which is pretty cool! At the time of writing it wasn’t on the immediate docket 😅

[@treefrogkid1172]

Lessss goo!!

[@jasonioan]

It’s a big day!

[@Narrative_Ink]

Dude are you in Idaho!?!? Looks like a certain sand dune I know.

[@jasonioan]

I’m not. These are some sand dunes in Utah. I have thought about filming near Craters of the Moon though!

[@Narrative_Ink]

@@jasonioan it's a fantastic place!

[@jalmodbox]

👀

[@b3n835]

You need to listen to graphic audio white Sands its wayyy more in-depth than tbe graphic novel and like no one else has listened to it.

[@jasonioan]

I hadn’t heard that it contained additional content! I’ll certainly look into it!

[@ctom42]

I don't really see where you are getting the idea that Luhel bonds are more cognitive than Nahel bonds. The Nahel ones are the ones we frequently see cognitive ability being part of the trade for. Not just with spren gaining cognition in radient bonds, but it's also heavily hinted that greatshells gain intelligence from their bonds with luckspren/mandra. Your logic seems to be that Spiritual Bonds are stronger than Cognitive bonds, and I just don't think that's true. Both Luhel and Nahel bonds likely have both a spiritual and cognitive component, and dividing them the way you have IMO isn't a good classification at all. You don't really provide any justification for this distinction either, you just present it as a fact and then say you are basing a theory on that fact, but said theory doesn't even require the fact to begin with, and the fact is entirely unsupported. In fact, sand mastery is a good counter example to the idea that a Luhel bond is less spiritual and doesn't have an affect on your spirit web. In Sand Mastery you can grow more powerful by overmastering. Overmastering is a process in which you push yourself beyond your limits and temporarily burn out your powers. After recovering for a few days your powers are stronger. Now one could make an argument that this was a physical process like building muscle, but that doesn't really follow with how the cosmere works. Instead it's mostly likely a spiritual process very similar to how muscle is built. By overusing your power you stretch and warp your spirit web, widening the cracks and allowing more power through. This is similar to how snapping is needed to create allomaners and how overusing your allomancy turns you into a savant by the same stretching and warping process. By this we can see that powers of sand mastery clearly have a strong spiritual component and thus could not be explained by a cognitive bond as you suggest.

[@jasonioan]

Great comment! There's a lot of really good stuff here, especially over mastery compared to snapping. That comparison didn't even cross my mind. The section where I talk about the spiritual nature of the Nahel bond, speculate on the cognitive nature of the Luhel bond, and theorize about a potential third bond is very speculative. So speculative in fact that I put a disclaimer on the bottom right of that graphic at 13:50. Another interpretation of the linqusitcs I had thought of would have been something as simple as the type of entity being bonded. Instead of a bond to divinity, a bond to specifically [blank] and not so much a signifier of the wider classification of entity. I could just as easily see all these bonds being spiritual bonds of differing levels of connection. Different extents to which the souls are being bound and mixed. We'll just have to see when more info comes out. I hope that, aside from this section on classification of bonds, you enjoyed the video and had a good time watching it. Thanks!

[@ctom42]

@@jasonioan Ah my bad on missing the disclaimer in the graphic. I agree that the entity that the bond is with likely plays a part, and also what is being traded. It's interesting that you classify the midnight essence as a physical entity, and it is clear that they have more substance to them than a spren typically does, but I had always considered them to be largely made of investiture. I guess we don't know a lot about Aethers in general. They claim to be outside of even Adolnasium's creation which could explain why they form different bonds. Sand Mastery being Automomy's imitation of this bond could explain why unlike what we see with Midnight essence in Tress and with the rosite Aether bond in TLM, the bond sand masters have doesn't come with any connection to a sentient entity. The microbes are essentially filling in for the role that would normally require a being with a higher degree of sapience/sentience. And when thinking of Automony magic systems, Aviar also come to mind. Both because there is clearly a bond between the birds and their owners, though we don't know what is being traded. But also because of the symbiotic relationship of the Aviar and the worms they gain their power from. This seems a step more complex than sand mastery where Humans gain powers from microbes. Instead there is two stages where birds gain power from worms and then humans in turn gain the powers from the birds. If Nahel bonds are between sapient mortals and sapient cognitive investiture entities and Luhel bonds are between sapient mortals and sapient invested physical entities, Automony seems to be creating bonds between sapient mortals and non-sapient invested physical entities.

[@Gropylol]

All this effort... Just for it all to be explained in 6 months anyway..

[@jasonioan]

At least I get to practice my craft. 😎👍

[@spextemp]

This reminds me of an astrophysicist talking about how they almost hope the James Webb space telescope proves some of their hypotheses wrong. It would mean that they learned something new and really cool, and they could then make better hypotheses. Being proven definitively wrong with WaT will mean that we got some really tasty lore morcels (hopefully big feast?). That should let us make new, and better, predictions about how the Cosmere works.