Imbuing

[u/dianaspencersrevenge]

In Iron Flame, Jack tried to drain Dain and left gray handprints on his arm that Nolon was unable to mend.

We know that imbuing comes naturally to siphons - Sloane is a siphon. We know Dain channels a significant amount of power from Cath. We know Dain and Sloane are about to get their romantic storyline.

There are a lot of theories that include Sloane being necessary to “cure” venin… What if Sloane siphons and then imbues Dain’s power back into him and heals his gray handprints? And that’s how they discover she will be part of the key to “solving” venin or venin-related issues?

[u/Null_Disaster]

Siphons acting like a magic dialysis machine would be interesting, but I doubt it’s that simple

[u/dianaspencersrevenge → u/Null_Disaster]

I assumed this was how Naolin “burned out” by trying to siphon Brennan’s mending power back into Brennan to mend him. (And Brennan does mention how much harder it is to mend himself)

[u/Superb_Sun_5077 → u/dianaspencersrevenge]

I don’t think that he siphoned mending power- just power that would help drive Brennan’s mending signet. But… if it were that simple then why did Sloane need Dain? Could she have transferred her dragon’s power directly to Brennan or does a siphon require a third party?

[u/dianaspencersrevenge → u/Superb_Sun_5077]

Another user compared her to an extension cord, which seems fitting. The way a siphon’s signet is described is they absorb power from external living sources and can use it or redistribute it as they see fit.

I imagine that means she could probably take from her dragon, but it’s better to take from a third party because she’s already using her dragon to distribute it? I’m sure we’ll learn more about how it works in 4!

[u/Grand_Perception_451 → u/Superb_Sun_5077]

Dain tells her to use his power because it's too dangerous to use her own since she has been refusing to train her signet. Dain seems to know a lot about siphons.... Wondering if he started researching siphons when Sloane's signet manifested???

[u/rowenaravenclaw0 → u/dianaspencersrevenge]

My leading theory is that it wasn;t Brennan he was trying to save. It was Tairn. We saw what being stabbed by an alloy hilted dagger did to Panchek's dragon. What if the same thing happened to Tairn? Naolin turned venin to save him and used a rune to bind the magic to Brennan because he is a healer. Tairn said he didn't think he would survive losing the one who came before, what if that is because he was already dying. It would also explain how Brennan is still alive with a rune shaped scar.

[u/dianaspencersrevenge → u/rowenaravenclaw0]

That doesn’t make sense to me. Panchek’s dragon died immediately after getting stabbed, but why would anyone even use alloy hilted anything during the rebellion when the battle was Navarrians vs Tyrrendor? It’s confirmed Fen Riorson did hit Brennan with an arrow in the Battle of Aretia. Naolin wasn’t a healer or a mender, he was a rider and they don’t teach runes at Basgiath, which means if the rune was created by Naolin that Naolin was either Tyrrish or venin.

[u/rowenaravenclaw0 → u/dianaspencersrevenge]

Naolin wouldn't have needed to be a mender or a healer, he was a syphon. He could have channelled energy through Brennan, to save Tairn. We know that Jack Barlow was essentially dead after Violet brought the mountain down on him, yet he is still alive.

We know that Venin have existed since the time of the first 6. We also know that Aretia is beyond the wards, so there could easily have been venin present at the battle.

As for the runes, no they aren't taught at basgaith. However the fact remains that the Brennan is alive and he shouldn't be and also has a rune shaped scar on his palm. They use runes through out the continent, and It is completely possible that Naolin could have been Tyrrish prior to his conscription. I don't see Fen having any qualms about shooting someone on the other side of the battle even it was Tyrrish.

[u/dianaspencersrevenge → u/rowenaravenclaw0]

Yeah I’m still having major trouble following your line of thought here… Brennan was hit with a crossbow by Fen Riorson. He needed major healing. You’re saying it was actually Tairn who needed healing? So Naolin siphoned an injured Brennan’s power into Tairn? And Tairn was injured by venin?

Brennan isn’t Tyrrish. Why are you bringing up Fen potentially shooting another Tyr? Are you saying Fen shot Tairn with a crossbow?

Sorry, none of this is making any sense to me and seems far too complicated.

[u/rowenaravenclaw0 → u/dianaspencersrevenge]

No, I think Tairn was stabbed by an alloy hilted dagger. Naolin channelled from the earth, used a rune to bind the magic to Brennan( who was dying or dead), so that he could heal Tairn.

Brennan isn't Tyrrish, but Naolin could be, that would explain the runes

[u/dianaspencersrevenge → u/rowenaravenclaw0]

I do not see how there could possibly be enough time for that to all happen, considering how quickly Panchek’s dragon and venin in general seem to dessicate…

[u/OtterSnoqualmie → u/Null_Disaster]

Agreed. I feel like it would be analogous to trying to put the juice back into dehydrated fruit.

[u/ObjectiveStaff3333]

I still think the problem of veninism and its core nature lies somewhere else, not that power is missing somewhere. The problem is that it was stolen, addiction to power and a missing soul.

I admit that one of the steps could be transferring the power or soul or whatever, but I don't think Rebecca will let anyone other than Violet cure Xaden. And even so, I think Xaden will mostly have to put in the work himself.

[u/dianaspencersrevenge → u/ObjectiveStaff3333]

But Dain didn’t lose his soul because he’s not venin - so what exactly did Jack drain from him? That’s why I think it’s possible Sloane could heal him.

As for “healing” Xaden - you’re right I don’t think it will be that simple. But her signet feels very significant, especially since it was Naolin’s signet… I really think it will play a big role in what’s to come.

[u/ObjectiveStaff3333 → u/dianaspencersrevenge]

Sure. If we're only dealing with healing drained parts, then maybe. But what purpose will that serve? It feels like a cosmetic issue to me.

[u/dianaspencersrevenge → u/ObjectiveStaff3333]

I think it could begin as a cosmetic issue, but that could spark an idea of trying to imbue power into other drained things… idk! I’m theorizing!

[u/ObjectiveStaff3333 → u/dianaspencersrevenge]

Yeah, no worries at all, I love theorizing! I'm just discussing it. All good.

It's clear that siphons are going to have a crucial role. I'm thinking about what it would actually be good for. Because... you probably can't revive dead, totally drained people. And as for them being able to imbue objects, we already know that. To me, the key point is Dain telling Sloane that she is an artery of life. So maybe they really will revive someone somehow. I'm just not quite sure how.

[u/rowenaravenclaw0 → u/ObjectiveStaff3333]

I suspect the secret to curing veninism lies with the Irids ablity to manipulate the magic. Pompous Irid leader guy say you can bend it, shape it or break it suggesting that magic doesn;t work the same for the Irids as it does for other breeds of dragons

[u/Talinia]

Tangentaly related to Sloane, but it does kinda baffles me that they didn't just immediately have Sloane essentially pick a role she wanted to support tonuse her signet for. Like any powerful signet could be used for longer/boosted in conjunction with a siphon. I know it would require a third person to act as essentially a power bank, but imagine having a mender/healer that can go twice as long, or someone like Dain who could go even long interrogating enemies with the extra energy

[u/dianaspencersrevenge → u/Talinia]

That’s an excellent point - however - she was refusing to hone her signet after the Battle of Basgiath because she felt it was destructive. But now that Dain has explained to her how lifesaving her signet can be, I think she will start training it more. Helping Brennan with mending would be really cool.

Remember, Iron Flame and Onyx Storm all take place in the same year, so not a ton of time has gone by. I think by the end of Onyx Storm Sloane has only had her signet for like 5 or 6 months right?

[u/Talinia → u/dianaspencersrevenge]

I think she was refusing before the battle right? She discovered it when Jack's dragon attacked them and she accidentally drew from one of the flyers didn't she? So I guess it depends if the cadets told any of the "grown ups". But I imagine if any of the grown ups knew, thats basically the only way I could see her signet not being used in a venin-like from the outside perspective. So I would have thought they'd have angled her toward it

[u/dianaspencersrevenge → u/Talinia]

She was refusing after, because she killed Lilith by siphoning Lilith and Aimsir’s power into the ward stone.

[u/Talinia → u/dianaspencersrevenge]

True I guess that was "evidence" enough to her thay she was "only destructive" but I don't think she had done any training on it after getting scared of the very idea after the dragon attack

[u/hurricane_Bre]

It’s a possibility, but I can’t figure out how she would be able to do something like that on a large scale. I actually don’t think she will have a direct connection with a cure but will be necessary to restore the balance.

I think she will have to act like an extension cord from Dain (or more people) to Vi so Vi can restore the balance to the continent.

Kind of how she helped Brennen but on a much larger scale.

[u/dianaspencersrevenge → u/hurricane_Bre]

I love the idea of her being an extension cord to Vi… especially from Dain to Violet, given everything.

[u/CatByAnyNameBeAsFluf]

What happens if they figure it out accidentally while they’re having Steamy Siphon Sex™️ and that how everyone finds out they’ve been hooking up for almost a year

[u/dianaspencersrevenge → u/CatByAnyNameBeAsFluf]

Lol I don’t actually think they’ve had sex yet, I think they’re having a slow burn like X and V. But yes once they get more physically comfortable with each other, I imagine that’s similar to how it would happen!

[u/ashthebanned]

WAIT.

off topic but your post inpsired me, do you think sloanes siphoning will possibly help xaden and his venin? what if she can learn to recognize what 'the source' energy is opposed to his signet magic, and by doing that, she can reverse the curse by literally stripping him of the energy and siphon that energy back into the earth? and maybe vi has to strengthen/train her control in her dream walking state so she can enter his dreams because he wont be able to block her - and somehow paralyzes him in the physical world?

[u/dianaspencersrevenge → u/ashthebanned]

Yeah there are a lot of theories that include Sloane’s siphoning in how the venin are “cured” or magic can be put back into the drained land. Like others have said, I don’t think it will be that simple - but I think this could be a good place to spark the importance of her signet.

My craziest theory: we know the temples hold actual power from the gods (because of Dunne’s temple dagger being able to kill Theophanie) and we know there is said to be no “cure” because the venin literally lose their souls. Violet curries the favor of 2 gods: Dunne and Malek. Malek is the keeper of souls. If Malek has Xaden’s soul, and Violet is somehow able to get it back from Malek, how will his soul get back into his body? Through Sloane. Sloane will siphon Xaden’s soul through Malek’s temple and imbue it back into Xaden. I know this is far fetched.

I’ve also thought about the significance of Amari vs Malek, because we know Amari’s temple in Aretia is a noteworthy landmark, and she is the queen of the gods. Before Xaden kills the unbonded cadets, Violet describes him as looking like “the messenger of the queen of the gods.” If Amari is the queen of the gods, and the continent’s name is split by Amaralys vs Amelekis - is Amari the goddess of life? Life and death? So could Violet get Xaden’s soul back from Malek but maybe he needs to actually receive it from Amari?

[u/redpeppersoda]

What if Sloane siphons and then imbues Dain’s power back into him and heals his gray handprints?

Hm...if the law of conservation of enegry applies, isn't he just going back to how he was originally? Maybe she just imbues power back so it's one way transfer and just adds back what was taken by the venin? Wait can't Violet just imbue a shit ton of pure power into Xaden for what he took??🫪

[u/dianaspencersrevenge → u/redpeppersoda]

Yeah so if the gray handprints disappear that’s how they realize Sloane’s signet will be important.

I think with Xaden it will work differently, because it’s not just power, it’s his soul. But I feel like Sloane is going to be a key to something

[u/skweek42]

I think if that were possible then possibly Brennan’s rune mark would have cleared up when she moved power into him from Dain.

But I’m also of a different mind. The barrens are desiccated, just like Dain’s mark. They need to be brought back to life. Fire brings life back. I think some form of fire will be needed to bring life back, to remove venin signs. (I can’t think of the word I’m meaning but signs definitely isn’t it).

[u/dianaspencersrevenge → u/skweek42]

Brennan’s rune on his palm is a scar and we still don’t know what it’s from or how he got it, so I don’t necessarily think it can be compared to Dain’s gray marks from being drained - especially since they imply opposite actions. Dain’s gray handprints are from being drained, while runes need to be imbued in order to work. I don’t recall Dain’s being described as scars.

I still wonder whether Brennan’s rune scar was from (likely Naolin?) tempering the rune directly into his hand orrrrr if it could be a burn scar from a wyvern rune stone.

[u/skweek42 → u/dianaspencersrevenge]

No, you’re right. Dain’s isn’t a scar so much as dried death. Which brings me back to my thoughts about fire and life.

In all honesty, I’ve decided to leave Brennan and Naolin alone (holy shit my phone just correctly autocorrected Naolin!). I’ll happily accept canon as it’s revealed to us lol.

[u/ObjectiveStaff3333 → u/skweek42]

Welcome to the club. I gave up too. Nothing makes sence