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When Kelsier picked up Preservation, he was unable to fully control its power because Ruin was holding him in check, but also because he had his Connection to the physical realm severed when he died. When Taravangian killed Rayse and took up Odium, why did he have full access to the Shards power? Szeth had just killed his body with Nightblood, which severed his Connection. He was in the same boat as Kelsier, but he got full power? Theories, support, discussion, or criticism are all welcome.

I am not fully acquainted with all the available information about the Cosmere from the related books, so I would like to have something cleared up. From what I understand, most or all of the Cosmere has been created at least partially by Adonalsium, as were humans. Since these Shards of Adonalsium are natural forces with Intent in the Cosmere, I would assume that these Shards are the only (or the main) driving forces for all events associated with them. For example, all processes that are tied to life, development, decay and death in the entire Cosmere would be influenced by Shards such as Preservation, Cultivation and Ruin. A world like Roshar has life forms that undergo the cycles which are conceptually related to Ruin/Preservation (Harmony) despite the location of the vessel(s) of these Shards. How is it that these processes can proceed on other worlds like Roshar, while facing fundamental changes on the world hosting the Shard's vessels (Scadrial) during the events of the first Mistborn trilogy? Doesn't that imply that Shards are only secondary factors to reality in all the Realms, and that this reality could exist without the Shards? Thanks

I've read Mistborn era 1 twice, as well as the rest of the Cosmere, and have visited Coppermind.net, numerous times. But I can't quite get a grasp on how exactly the shard magic on Scadrial works. Regarding the physical form of the Shards: Solid=metal, liquid=shardpool, gas=mist? But... Where is Ruin's mist? How come there are only two beads of Lerasium and lots more of Atium? Where is Atium's liquid? What is the phase change process? Once burned, how does it recycle? If the solid/liquid/gas are the physical aspects of the shards, why are the cognitive aspects of the vessels so detached? Or are they? Why can Ati not sense his own body through metal? Once Harmony is in charge, how do all those aspects transfer to him consistently?

I'm pretty new to the 17th Shard--and forums in general, really--but I've been an avid reader of Brandon's works since I first read Elantris about five years ago, and I've been aware of the greater Cosmere since I noticed Hoid world-hopping in Warbreaker. As such, I figured I might as well join the discussion, but please bear with any forthcoming ineptitude on my part. All that aside, I figure that with Mistborn: Secret History out we know more than enough about Realmatic Theory to be able to start to analyze and classify the magic in the Cosmere. Moreover, perhaps we might be able to explain exactly what is occurring in the Cognitive Realm when certain things happen. (EX: What happens to someone's Cognitive Shadow if they're killed or maimed by a shardblade?) I also thought it might be fun to speculate about how different powers would interact. Like what would happen if a Mistborn tried to burn a gem filled with stormlight, or if a Surgebinder tried to draw investiture from a filled metalmind. I apologize if somebody's already made a similar post to this one.

I get the feeling that Yolen was the "first" planet and the place where Aldonasium were shattered. All the original shardholders were yolish and the humans were originally from there. This feeling comes this: 1 - On the Ars Arcanun its is made some paralels using Yolish magic system as base. And it is called original system, if my memory serves me right. 2 - The original shardholders weer acquainted to each other. So there had to be a prior civilization where they could interact. 3 - The humans on all planets are a lot alike. It is granted that every shard that invested on their creation did so based on their preferences. But the end result looks like thare was some template to refer to. 4 - All the magic systems have the same underlying 'spiritual physics' that are somewhat customized by each shard influence. Your thoughts?

The first part is not really a theory but a recollection of what is the source and what the focus of a power is, most of the work is done here. (http://www.17thshard.com/forum/topic/7207-investiture-and-the-metallic-arts/) The second part is basically saying that each Investiture is based in each realm on something that acts as an "anchor" for the power. E.g while Surgebinding is quite obviously powered by stormlight, I pose that the element on the Cognitive plane that allows this to happen is the Words. The basic idea is layman's explanation vs. realmatics'. It's VERY rough, and I'm kind of new to the Cosmere, so I'm hoping for either help or a debunking. Or that it suggests people something. Investiture AonDor Surgebinding Allomancy Feruchemy Hemalurgy Awakening Power Dor3 Stormlight Mists(??) Bodily Functions Corpse's Breath Attributes Focus Aon Nahel Bond1 Metal Metal Metal + Command Location2 Physical Geographical One's actions5 Genealogy Genealogy Spike's Awk.ned Position (??) Location Object Cognitive Aon Words Metal's Metal's Spike's Command "Signature"4 "Signature"4 Metal Spiritual Dor3 Stormlight (??) (??) (??) Corpse's Breath Soul (??) 1 Wasn't sure how to refer to this, I meant the surges a binder has access to, but rethinking it, it seems that Nahel Bond is representative of that 2 The spike's, obviously 3 I'm not really sure of the Dor as the spiritual side, while I am as a source. I'm just not clear on what it is, probably 4 See the same topic 5 What I mean here, is how you act in relation to the Words. Wiki docet. And WoR.

I've been unsatisfied with the definitions and explanations of investiture floating around here, and it's been causing me headaches, so I decided to gather up all the info I could, and make a theory. It's still under investigation, so I'd love it if people could contribute or poke holes in it. Hypothesis: Investiture is a form of Spiritual Radiation that follows the laws of Wave/Particle duality. Qualities of Investiture: • It has a pulse length • It has a frequency • It can infuse or suffuse an object • It can be removed from an object • Objects have a maximum capacity or tolerance for investiture • It can be transmitted • It forms systems • It is conserved within a given system • It leaves behind traces when an object has previously been infused with high concentrations • It is entropic • It is subdivisible • It can have a pressure, or more precisely, a directional force • It is constantly emitted from an invested object • One frequency of investiture interferes with another Given these qualities of investiture, we can notice a few things. Investiture is either a wave, or a wave/particle duality with very low mass. Investiture exists primarily in the spiritual realm (it affects emotions). Investiture behaves in many ways similar to a thermodynamic system, and obeys many laws similar to thermodynamic laws. Investiture behaves similar to radiant energy, such as light or electromagnetic radiation, and in other ways it is more similar to particle radiation. Conclusion: The conclusion I draw from listing these characteristics is as follows: Investiture is a form of radiation native to the Spiritual Realm of Realmatic theory. Shards emit a high quantity of this radiation, over a spectrum of frequencies determined by the intent of a shard. Any spiritual entity may become infused over time with this radiation, and invested spiritual entities also emit small quantities of radiation themselves (similar to being radioactive). Infusing a spiritual object with high amounts of radiant investiture will likewise mutate that spiritual object. A focus allows an individual with access to this radiation to convert raw radiant investiture to either a specific frequency of investiture, or to convert the energy of investiture to a physical force. An example of the former is feruchemy. An example of the latter would be Allomancy. The nature of the effect is determined by the frequency of the investiture, and the form of the effect is determined by the intent of the user. A selection of sources: (with all the organization of a dead duck) I say a selection because it is SO DARNED HARD to gather information for these things. Anyway, please discuss, refute, rephrase, or offer additions to the above definition of investiture. I have not spent the time yet to completely categorize and organize my thoughts on this into a formal theory, and would like to refine it before I do.