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Slatrification oddity


Wyndlerunner

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So, in reading White Sand,  I noticed a slight oddity with the nature of Sand Mastery. Sand mastery, draws on water to work, and Slatrification, creates water from sand. But since sand mastery drains water, wouldn't Slatrification be useless if it just maintains the status quo of the body's hydration?

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1 hour ago, Wyndlerunner said:

So, in reading White Sand,  I noticed a slight oddity with the nature of Sand Mastery. Sand mastery, draws on water to work, and Slatrification, creates water from sand. But since sand mastery drains water, wouldn't Slatrification be useless if it just maintains the status quo of the body's hydration?

Slatrification is one power that Brandon has specifically pointed out as something he might change.

MILD SPOILERS FOR COSMERE STUFF IN LINK:

I cannot find the reference off-hand but I remember reading (take with a grain of salt) Brandon saying that Slatrification is a great example to him of how he used to be more willing to take risks with his writing. Remember, White Sands was written before Brandon was ever published. He admits that the power does not make a ton of sense; it would almost be like a Mistborn being able to generate metals at will; it removes one of the "weaknesses" of the powers. 

So, as far as I know, you are correct - Slatrification is odd in that it creates new water (presumably converting investiture and sand into water).

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  • 1 month later...

Well, it does kind of fit in with "Autonomy" as an Intent - it's not exactly "cost free", as it does require white (Invested) sand to work, plus someone with the ability to do that level of Sand Mastery, to do.

And don't forget, water is more than just a necessary fuel for Sand Mastery, it's actually a necessary fuel for human life, period. It's not so much a loophole to gain "end-positive" results with the magic system as "you can use this magic to help you and others to survive in a desert environment", coupled with "one of the costs of the magic system is to expose you to a major hazard of a desert environment: dying of thirst".

Even if the water gained from slatrification is more than the water lost in making it, Investiture was still expended (turning the white sand black), plus the physical exhaustion it puts onto the Sand Master. It's not like a Sand Master could turn into a human oasis by constantly slatrifying.

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  • 3 months later...

I kinda took it as an end positive manifestation of sand Mastery. Similar to compounding, a way to "get more" from the system. And like Robardin mentioned, it still requires the use (or "burn") of invested sand, like compounding still burns the metal. 

 

It is definitely an odd power though!

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