Theory: The Origin of Feruchemy (And by theory I mean hunch)

[Kadrok]

I'm back! I know I've been absent for a while (and I think I was midway through a conversation on another thread when I left; awkward!). I'm just here to post a theory in the vain hope no one else has thought of it before me (like what happened last time...)

 

Onto the Theory/Hunch: relatively recently I encountered a WoB that blew my mind:

 

 

Q. For Feruchemy, can you only inherit that? Or is there another way to get it?

A. You could obviously get it through a Hemalurgic spike.

Q. Yeah, but that’s kind of a different thing.

A. It is hereditary, but it came from somewhere. [...] Which is a RAFO, but it’s not a big RAFO. There’s not something you missed in the books, or anything like that. It originally came from Preservation long ago. And there are other ways to get it, but you have not missed any major plot points regarding that. Good question.

Source

 

Now you may recall me theorizing back in 2013 that, just as one acquires Allomancy through burning (Lerasium), one would acquire Feruchemy through tapping. You also may recall that the Well of Ascension (and its cache of Lerasium beads, encased in their weird pottery) was formerly in Terris.

 

My theory is this... Feruchemy came from the ancestors of the Terris, to whom the prophecies were given, tapping the beads of Lerasium at the Well of Ascension to gain Feruchemy. Once each bead's charge was tapped, they were left at the Well; either no one told them the beads could be burned (and why would you stick something sacred in your mouth?), or else the beads didn't have the Allomancy charge at that stage. If the latter, it is possible that being left at the well gave them the ability to make Allomancers, though that is just idle speculation, and not directly relevant to my totally iron clad speculation that the beads were the source of Feruchemy.

 

Thoughts? Further evidence? We-thought-of-this-ages-ago-Kadrok-go-back-to-the-rock-you've-been-hiding-under?

Edited August 12, 2014 by Kadrok

[Cstryon]

I like this theory, and it would fit with burning Larasium to gain allomancy, tapping it to gain feruchemy. And the WoB you quoted says it came from Preservation. Larasium is of Preservation, so this would make sense. I think you are on to something here. You may stay out of that rock you've been hiding in.

[Kadrok]

It was quite a nice rock...

[Kurkistan]

Just got around to reading this. It makes a certain amount of sense, and is elegant, at the very least. It also makes answering the "how did Hoid get Feruchemy?" question easier, since by this model we don't need Hoid to have wrangled some dispensation from Preservation or do anything else we haven't seen before: he just needed to be at the Well and tap some Lerasium at the right time.

So far as why he wouldn't take it then (besides obvious "someone/something would try and stop him"), we might be able to wave away Hoid doubling back for more Lerasium during the main trilogy because he thought the metal was already "spent". What idiot would swallow a hunk of metal, after all?

[Kadrok]

What idiot would swallow a hunk of metal, after all?

Exactly my thinking! You don't find Lerasium and go... "I should swallow this strange metal because it might give me magic powers" unless Allomancy is already a recognized thing (or you learn about burning through the Well of Ascension, like the Lord Ruler).

[Pathfinder]

My only issue with this theory, and it is purely from a mechanical level, is that would make Lersarium ridiculously powerful. Yes I know it is a god metal, but hypothetically if any joe schmo from any planet ever found out about this, all they would have to do is first tap it to become a feruchemist, then swallow it and burn it to become an allomancer. Then bing bang boom you have a fullborn with all the compounding insane powers of the lord ruler. 

[killersquirrel59]

But that would basically never happen anymore. That's what was being said. In the days before Allomancy was prevalent, whose reaction to a lump of metal is going to be, "let's swallow it"? No one is thinking that way. And in the latter days, Lerasium doesn't exist anymore. The bead at the Well was the last bit.

[Pathfinder]

Actually something that just popped into my head, due to holding a shard briefly the Lord Ruler knew A LOT. If this was true, I couldn't see him not knowing that lersarium could produce feruchemy especially when he had enough knowledge to know about swallowing and burning it making you become a mistborn. Now one could argue that he was cocky and thought by keeping the well hidden right under his own palace, no one would be able to gain access to them but based on what we know about the Lord Ruler (attempting to wipe out HIS OWN PEOPLE just on the chance one of them could become a compounder), I don't see him leaving the beads where they were. Mistborn only, sure, hence why he gave them out at the beginning, but a compounder? Too close to his power and able to challenge him. So if you could get both abilities from the same bead and become a compounder, I couldn't see the Lord Ruler just leaving them where he found them, which resulted in Vin finding them for Elend all those centuries later. 

 

edit: Oh! and another thought. Leras inspired Vin to give the bead to Elend to burn to save his life. If you could get both abilities from the same bead, from Leras's perspective why not have your avatar, who is working for you become a twinborn to adequately fight off Ruin's Inquisitors? They began wiping out feruchemists in order to become more powerful, it would only help your chances as Leras to have your champion on equal footing. Or conversely, Ruin would try to get one of his lackeys to find/grab it so they could challenge the Lord Ruler and get rid of him that much sooner. In fact isn't that why the Lord Ruler wiped out the terrismen? So non of them who were already feruchemists, could consume the bead and challenge him possibly at Ruin's behest? Ruin could then tap anyone and have a compounder capable of going toe to toe with the LR himself.

Edited August 27, 2014 by Pathfinder

[killersquirrel59]

Actually something that just popped into my head, due to holding a shard briefly the Lord Ruler knew A LOT. If this was true, I couldn't see him not knowing that lersarium could produce feruchemy especially when he had enough knowledge to know about swallowing and burning it making you become a mistborn. Now one could argue that he was cocky and thought by keeping the well hidden right under his own palace, no one would be able to gain access to them but based on what we know about the Lord Ruler (attempting to wipe out HIS OWN PEOPLE just on the chance one of them could become a compounder), I don't see him leaving the beads where they were. Mistborn only, sure, hence why he gave them out at the beginning, but a compounder? Too close to his power and able to challenge him. So if you could get both abilities from the same bead and become a compounder, I couldn't see the Lord Ruler just leaving them where he found them, which resulted in Vin finding them for Elend all those centuries later. 

 

edit: Oh! and another thought. Leras inspired Vin to give the bead to Elend to burn to save his life. If you could get both abilities from the same bead, from Leras's perspective why not have your avatar, who is working for you become a twinborn to adequately fight off Ruin's Inquisitors? They began wiping out feruchemists in order to become more powerful, it would only help your chances as Leras to have your champion on equal footing. Or conversely, Ruin would try to get one of his lackeys to find/grab it so they could challenge the Lord Ruler and get rid of him that much sooner. In fact isn't that why the Lord Ruler wiped out the terrismen? So non of them who were already feruchemists, could consume the bead and challenge him possibly at Ruin's behest? Ruin could then tap anyone and have a compounder capable of going toe to toe with the LR himself.

Perhaps only the Terris people had the potential to use Lerasium that way due to some other influence. Perhaps some previous investment from Leras. Vin and Elend, without Terris blood therefore could not have tapped Lerasium to gain Feruchemical potential.

 

Also, if we accept that Feruchemy is a power of balance and not of Preservation, perhaps Leras did not want the influence of other power on his Avatar. Perhaps it would have tainted Vin in a way, less extreme than her hemalurgic earring, but enough that she would be unable to take the Shard as she did.

[Pathfinder]

Perhaps only the Terris people had the potential to use Lerasium that way due to some other influence. Perhaps some previous investment from Leras. Vin and Elend, without Terris blood therefore could not have tapped Lerasium to gain Feruchemical potential.

 

Also, if we accept that Feruchemy is a power of balance and not of Preservation, perhaps Leras did not want the influence of other power on his Avatar. Perhaps it would have tainted Vin in a way, less extreme than her hemalurgic earring, but enough that she would be unable to take the Shard as she did.

Those are all good points, but with no evidence to back them. I will admit it is a possibility though.

 

How would feruchemy "taint" Vin while the earring was ok? If anything one could argue that by giving her feruchemy it would balance out the hemalurgy. Feruchemy corrupting her I think is a stretch. 

[killersquirrel59]

Not taint in the same way as Hemalurgy, as it isn't aligned to Ruin. But perhaps the Avatar of Preservation cannot have a power that is not of Preservation.

[Pathfinder]

Not taint in the same way as Hemalurgy, as it isn't aligned to Ruin. But perhaps the Avatar of Preservation cannot have a power that is not of Preservation.

Well here is the thing, I read the theory you posted in another thread, and you clearly have a lot of real world knowledge that is very impressive, but what you are stating regarding taint and "being aligned" is all you, and not explicitly stated in the books nor Words of Brandon. Could he later expand and reveal this is the case? Totally. But at this time it is clearly stated in the books and in Words of Brandon that Hemalurgy is of Ruin, Allomancy is of Preservation, and Feruchemy is of both balanced. Hemalurgy you lose, Allomancy you gain, and Feruchemy nothing is truly lost, nothing is truly gained. 

[killersquirrel59]

Well here is the thing, I read the theory you posted in another thread, and you clearly have a lot of real world knowledge that is very impressive, but what you are stating regarding taint and "being aligned" is all you, and not explicitly stated in the books nor Words of Brandon. Could he later expand and reveal this is the case? Totally. But at this time it is clearly stated in the books and in Words of Brandon that Hemalurgy is of Ruin, Allomancy is of Preservation, and Feruchemy is of both balanced. Hemalurgy you lose, Allomancy you gain, and Feruchemy nothing is truly lost, nothing is truly gained. 

Oh this one is all me, no argument there. It's a wild stab in the dark that might be a possible reason Vin wasn't given Feruchemy. I'm well aware it has absolutely no supporting evidence yet. 

[Kadrok]

Actually something that just popped into my head, due to holding a shard briefly the Lord Ruler knew A LOT. If this was true, I couldn't see him not knowing that lersarium could produce feruchemy especially when he had enough knowledge to know about swallowing and burning it making you become a mistborn. Now one could argue that he was cocky and thought by keeping the well hidden right under his own palace, no one would be able to gain access to them but based on what we know about the Lord Ruler (attempting to wipe out HIS OWN PEOPLE just on the chance one of them could become a compounder), I don't see him leaving the beads where they were. Mistborn only, sure, hence why he gave them out at the beginning, but a compounder? Too close to his power and able to challenge him. So if you could get both abilities from the same bead and become a compounder, I couldn't see the Lord Ruler just leaving them where he found them, which resulted in Vin finding them for Elend all those centuries later. 

My theory was that Lerasium once held a Feruchemical charge, and that those very beads left at the well were drained of that charge by the first Terris Feruchemists. If this is in fact the case, the depleted beads would only grant Allomancy, and not be a threat to the Lord Ruler in the way that concerns you. Still, all this raises the question of how the beads got the charge in the first place, and how they would be so charged again... which is why this is a hunch and not a proper theory.

[killersquirrel59]

My theory was that Lerasium once held a Feruchemical charge, and that those very beads left at the well were drained of that charge by the first Terris Feruchemists. If this is in fact the case, the depleted beads would only grant Allomancy, and not be a threat to the Lord Ruler in the way that concerns you. Still, all this raises the question of how the beads got the charge in the first place, and how they would be so charged again... which is why this is a hunch and not a proper theory.

Ooh. I like that. Lerasium basically entered the world with 2 charges in it: one Feruchemical, one Allomantic able to grant both powers. The first Terris Worldbringers discovered the Lerasium and in examining it learned to tap metalminds. However the idea of eating the metal is far less intuitive and no one understood that this was even possible until Rashek took the power of Preservation and understood what the Lerasium was.

[Voidus]

I'd still say it's on equal balance with Atium, Atium is what actually enabled TLR to have immortality, and while Lerasium can give you two magic system by this theory, Atium could theoretically give you EVERY magic system, it's just a bit harder.

[killersquirrel59]

It's like I said, each God Metal has its truly divine effect within its own Arcana. 

[Curiosity]

Sazedium is somehow the key to Feruchemy's origins. I say how or when, but it can't come from just more Preservation. It's the balance system. 

 

Lerasium is pure Investiture from Preservation, and it cannot grant Feruchemy just by having the Investiture tapped out of it. More Preservation in the soul means Allomancy, not Feruchemy. On the other hand, more Ruin doesn't mean more Hemalurgic talent (Hmmm... Or does it?) so my point may not be valid. 

[Shadowspren]

On the Coppermind it says that Hoid is a Feruchemist... and he took one of the beads leaving the last one that Elend used. Is that how he would have gained his Feruchemy? or would he have been there before and just returned at that point to take the bead. If he was there previously that may have been how he knew of the Well's new location. Also he posed as a terris leader in the Hero of Ages so he was probably used to living with them if he had done so prior to the LR's ascension 

[Andrew C]

I would not be surprised if this is the case, but that 'charging' the Lerasium is extremely difficult.

[Voidus]

On the Coppermind it says that Hoid is a Feruchemist... and he took one of the beads leaving the last one that Elend used. Is that how he would have gained his Feruchemy? or would he have been there before and just returned at that point to take the bead. If he was there previously that may have been how he knew of the Well's new location. Also he posed as a terris leader in the Hero of Ages so he was probably used to living with them if he had done so prior to the LR's ascension 

For most of WoA he assumed it was in Terris like Vin did, and he would have needed Feruchemy before hand so I doubt that was when he acquired it.

[Oudeis]

For most of WoA he assumed it was in Terris like Vin did, and he would have needed Feruchemy before hand so I doubt that was when he acquired it.

 

This.

 

There's a WoB somewhere saying that feruchemy is how Hoid knows where he needs to go, which presumably he had before he found the Bead.

[Dellexe]

Maybe Hoid got Feruchemy from Ruin/Preservation in person? It's assumed he was around when the Shards were taken up, so maybe he got a little gift from his now-omni friends.

-

Warning: I like to speculate and propose random theories. I should really put this in my signature.

[Cstryon]

Maybe Hoid got Feruchemy from Ruin/Preservation in person? It's assumed he was around when the Shards were taken up, so maybe he got a little gift from his now-omni friends.

-

Warning: I like to speculate and propose random theories. I should really put this in my signature.

That random theory makes me really excited for Dragonsteel. It would be interesting to see if there are Yolish versions of more magic systems than light weaving. We might have to start saying yLightweaving and yferuchemy.

[Dellexe]

That random theory makes me really excited for Dragonsteel. It would be interesting to see if there are Yolish versions of more magic systems than light weaving. We might have to start saying yLightweaving and yferuchemy.

-

Huh. That's something I'd never considered before, that there could be more than just Lightweaving on Yolen. I suppose it makes some sense that that would be the case. I mean, none of the other Shardworlds are limited to just a single manifestation of magic. I suppose a good question would be how many manifestations of magic appear on Yolen, but it might be RAFO'd.