Theory about Adonalsium

[SwordNimiForPresident Soulcaster]

I was considering Adonalsium's name today and it occurred to me that it shares its suffix with all of the god metals (Lerasium, Atium, Rayseium). This made me wonder if possibly Adonalsium is the name of a metal who's namesake was the precursor to the Shards. Thinking of it brought a few more things to my attention. Adonalsium is often said to have been "shattered". Now I always assumed that this was a reference to the fact that the power was broken into pieces, but now that I'm thinking of it as a metal, it might have been literal. Even the fact that the pieces of Adonalsium are called Shards hints at it being a metal, as a shattered metal object would be broken into shards.

My theory then is this: Adonalsium is the name of a metal that was a manifestation of the power of a being known as Ado, Adonal, Adona or Adonai. The Shattering was achieved by figuring out how to break Adonalsium down into smaller components resulting in the aforementioned entities death, and the creation of the Shards, which were literal shards of the metal.

A few interesting points about the names that I've posited, Adoda in Alethi means "light" which ,as we have seen, is a pretty common way to refer to Investiture (Stormlight, Lifelight, Voidlight, etc.). Another interesting point which I saw on the coppermind is that Adonai is apparently a Hebrew name for God, and was possibly an inspiration for Adonalsium's name.

Another possibility that I considered is that Adonalsium might literally be "Light metal", and there is no entity associated with it.

It's a fresh idea to me, so it's entirely possible that there's a WoB floating around out there that totally eviscerates it, but I thought it was interesting enough to share.

Also, sorry if this theory already exists, I didn't see it in my admittedly brief search of the forums.

edit: grammar

Edited September 30, 2022 by SwordNimiForPresident

[StormingTexan Dawnsinger]

Interesting kind of like Adonalsium was an alloy of 16 metals that they split to the base metals. I kind of always pictured it more like crystals in my head. 

[LiftisaDragon Spearman]

Yeah- there is also something to “nal” in the cosmere. Nale, Nalthis, Nalt, Nahel (I’m stretching it with that one), & of course AdoNALsium.

 

Questioner

In the ancient religion with Trell, the god, he had a brother Nalt.  Is Nalt in any relation to Nalthis, the planet?

Brandon Sanderson

Hehe, that’s a good question.  Hmmm.  I’m going to RAFO that for now.

WOB: Calamity Chicago signing (Feb. 22, 2016)

[SwordNimiForPresident Soulcaster]

1 hour ago, StormingTexan said:

Interesting kind of like Adonalsium was an alloy of 16 metals that they split to the base metals. I kind of always pictured it more like crystals in my head. 

I could see that as being a possibility, or maybe 16 just happened to be the number if pieces that it broke into. I actually always pictured it as a crystal as well.

edit: technically most metals are crystals, at least on a molecular level.

Edited September 30, 2022 by SwordNimiForPresident

[Returned Envisager]

This is probably something that will end up being tangential (at best), but we've also heard interesting things about using alloys of godmetals to be able to create other original things at the magic system level (such as metals usable in the Metallic Arts, and their effects). That really reminds me of the WoBs that describe the Shards of Adonalsium not being fixed-- you could have created sixteen totally different ones, or any other number. And the significance of metals to all of the Shards definitely supports a relationship like the one you suggest.

[Rg2045 Gyorn]

Could it be the metal was like the physical representation of ado. Kinda like how perpendicularties (most are liquid they learned from ados mistake) are where shards “are”

[Lunu’anaki Misting]

I think it's about time someone asked Brandon "Is Adonalsium a name for a metal?" or something along those lines.

[Rg2045 Gyorn]

Could it be that they tore apart the metal and ado just straight up said “ok that won’t kill me but I’ll divide and kill myself anyways, maybe this will be interesting”

[bmcclure7 Misting]

14 hours ago, SwordNimiForPresident said:

I was considering Adonalsium's name today and it occurred to me that it shares its suffix with all of the god metals (Lerasium, Atium, Rayseium). This made me wonder if possibly Adonalsium is the name of a metal who's namesake was the precursor to the Shards. Thinking of it brought a few more things to my attention. Adonalsium is often said to have been "shattered". Now I always assumed that this was a reference to the fact that the power was broken into pieces, but now that I'm thinking of it as a metal, it might have been literal. Even the fact that the pieces of Adonalsium are called Shards hints at it being a metal, as a shattered metal object would be broken into shards.

My theory then is this: Adonalsium is the name of a metal that was a manifestation of the power of a being known as Ado, Adonal, Adona or Adonai. The Shattering was achieved by figuring out how to break Adonalsium down into smaller components resulting in the aforementioned entities death, and the creation of the Shards, which were literal shards of the metal.

A few interesting points about the names that I've posited, Adoda in Alethi means "light" which ,as we have seen, is a pretty common way to refer to Investiture (Stormlight, Lifelight, Voidlight, etc.). Another interesting point which I saw on the coppermind is that Adonai is apparently a Hebrew name for God, and was possibly an inspiration for Adonalsium's name.

Another possibility that I considered is that Adonalsium might literally be "Light metal", and there is no entity associated with it.

It's a fresh idea to me, so it's entirely possible that there's a WoB floating around out there that totally eviscerates it, but I thought it was interesting enough to share.

Also, sorry if this theory already exists, I didn't see it in my admittedly brief search of the forums.

edit: grammar

 Do you think this metal could be Aluminum?

[SirFlapFla Darkeyes]

On 10/1/2022 at 3:24 AM, bmcclure7 said:

 Do you think this metal could be Aluminum?

Now that is an interesting idea

[Frustration Sliver]

On 10/1/2022 at 3:24 AM, bmcclure7 said:

 Do you think this metal could be Aluminum?

No, it could not be.

Aluminum is an existing metal, if a particular metal held the power of Adonalsium the Investiture would warp it to the point it would become a shardmetal.

[teknopathetic Dawnsinger]

I have seen that some people think Silver or Aluminum has something to do with Adonalsium. 

[bmcclure7 Misting]

5 hours ago, Frustration said:

No, it could not be.

Aluminum is an existing metal, if a particular metal held the power of Adonalsium the Investiture would warp it to the point it would become a shardmetal.

 What makes you think it's not? It behaves almost every way like a shard metal.  It interacts with investiture like we've only seen shard metals do.  Yes it is a preexisting metal in our world but we shouldn't assume that it would be the same for the Cosmere.

[SwordNimiForPresident Soulcaster]

Just to address the thoughts on aluminum, we have seen it burned by an Allomancer and it’s effects are fairly mundane compared to Shard metals. Larasium modifies you spirit web granting you substantial new abilities and Atium connects you to the spirit realm so powerfully that you can see the future. We haven’t seen Rayseium burned yet but we have seen it used as a sort of Investiture superconductor. Compared to aluminum those are some fairly extreme effects.

Additionally, aluminum is one of the base 16 metals in the metallic arts. Given that the Shard metals all stand outside of the normal hierarchy, it stands to reason that Adonalsium would as well.

edit: grammar

Edited October 3, 2022 by SwordNimiForPresident

[bmcclure7 Misting]

12 hours ago, SwordNimiForPresident said:

Just to address the thoughts on aluminum, we have seen it burned by an Allomancer and it’s effects are fairly mundane compared to Shard metals. Larasium modifies you spirit web granting you substantial new abilities and Atium connects you to the spirit realm so powerfully that you can see the future. We haven’t seen Rayseium burned yet but we have seen it used as a sort of Investiture superconductor. Compared to aluminum those are some fairly extreme effects.

Additionally, aluminum is one of the base 16 metals in the metallic arts. Given that the Shard metals all stand outside of the normal hierarchy, it stands to reason that Adonalsium would as well.

edit: grammar

 

1.  Are you kidding me the ability to completely Nullify investiture ( The literal power of God)  is a mandain effect?  This effect is surely as extreme as Rayseium.

 

2. Larasium,  Only grants powers in  alomancy  Because of that particular invested arts connection to preservation. Is the other God medals our  far less powerful in  alomancy.  We know this from looking at Atium.

 

Edited October 4, 2022 by bmcclure7

[Frustration Sliver]

On 10/2/2022 at 5:47 PM, bmcclure7 said:

 What makes you think it's not? It behaves almost every way like a shard metal.  It interacts with investiture like we've only seen shard metals do.  Yes it is a preexisting metal in our world but we shouldn't assume that it would be the same for the Cosmere.

Because all shardmetals are regular metals that have become suffused with Investiture to the point that they can't be considered the same material anymore.

Quote

Viper (paraphrased)

So in cosmere, does physics work the same way in the Physical Realm as it does in our world? Specifically, particle physics; and are atoms made up of protons and neutrons and electrons, and is light photons, etc?

 

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

Yes.

 

Viper (paraphrased)

So what's at the core of an atom of atium? Ate-teum? Also how do you pronounce it? At-teum?

 

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

Yes. And the matter is just normal matter, but it's wrapped in the Spiritual. The Spiritual DNA [or something] is what makes it magical.

 

A Memory of Light Milford Signing (Feb. 16, 2013)

 

[SwordNimiForPresident Soulcaster]

1 hour ago, bmcclure7 said:

 

1.  Are you kidding me the ability to completely Nullify investiture ( The literal power of God)  is a mandain effect?  This effect is surely as extreme as Rayseium.

 

2. Larasium,  Only grants powers in  alomancy  Because of that particular invested arts connection to preservation. Is the other God medals our  far less powerful in  alomancy.  We know this from looking at Atium.

 

We don't know the full extent of the uses of Rayseium, as we have only seen it used on Roshar.

Lerasium is also a universal Hemalurgic metal. Presumably it had other uses such as Feruchemy, but we have not seen them. Atium is extremely powerful in Allomancy. When Elend consumed the last of it in HoA he saw far enough into the future to know that it didn't matter that he died, because they won.

[Hoids Imaginary Friend Babsk]

Wait.. I though God metals can be burned by anyone? 

Wasn't that the point of Atiums retcon?

I think there's still connection issues preventing burning God metals from other Shards outside of Scadrial but aluminium is tried and true.

Silver maybe, it's currently known as an inert Allomanctic metal. Though if I'm correct about the connection problem, maybe you need to have a spiritual connection to all 16 Shards to burn it..

[SwordNimiForPresident Soulcaster]

I had another thought today about how the shattering of Adonalsium may have been achieved.

As I understand it, Hoid was in possession of a Dawnshard in the past, and was at least present for the shattering. Given that he was an OG Lightweaver, it may be possible that he used Lightweaving turned up to 11 by his Dawnshard to generate an anti-rhythm to Adonalsium, causing it to shatter.

[bmcclure7 Misting]

On 10/3/2022 at 9:18 PM, SwordNimiForPresident said:

We don't know the full extent of the uses of Rayseium, as we have only seen it used on Roshar.

Lerasium is also a universal Hemalurgic metal. Presumably it had other uses such as Feruchemy, but we have not seen them. Atium is extremely powerful in Allomancy. When Elend consumed the last of it in HoA he saw far enough into the future to know that it didn't matter that he died, because they won.

 And aluminum is the most useful metal in existence Is within the cosmere  Because of its amazing ability to completely Nullify investiture.   What's your point?

 

[SwordNimiForPresident Soulcaster]

3 hours ago, bmcclure7 said:

 And aluminum is the most useful metal in existence Is within the cosmere  Because of its amazing ability to completely Nullify investiture.   What's your point?

 

Thank you for sharing your opinion.

On a different note. I wonder if this hypothetical metal might be known by another name that we’ve heard, Dragonsteel.

Edited October 5, 2022 by SwordNimiForPresident

[bmcclure7 Misting]

6 hours ago, SwordNimiForPresident said:

Thank you for sharing your opinion.

On a different note. I wonder if this hypothetical metal might be known by another name that we’ve heard, Dragonsteel.

Another good possibility what do we know about dragonsteel I haven't read wok prime?

[bmcclure7 Misting]

20 hours ago, SwordNimiForPresident said:

I had another thought today about how the shattering of Adonalsium may have been achieved.

As I understand it, Hoid was in possession of a Dawnshard in the past, and was at least present for the shattering. Given that he was an OG Lightweaver, it may be possible that he used Lightweaving turned up to 11 by his Dawnshard to generate an anti-rhythm to Adonalsium, causing it to shatter.

 Probably something like that but  I suspect all 4 done charges were involved somehow.   The question I have was is was it intentional or were they trying to do something else and accidentally killed God?

[Returned Envisager]

1 hour ago, bmcclure7 said:

The question I have was is was it intentional or were they trying to do something else and accidentally killed God?

From what little description we've had it seems that the 16 intended to shatter Adonalsium and ascend to divinity, though the reasons differed among the individual members. If I remember correctly Hoid wasn't so into the idea, but everything about the event is pretty murky and will likely remain so for some time.

As for aluminum potentially being of Adonalsium, Sanderson has RAFO-ed several questions along those lines. That might be to preserve mystery around why aluminum is such an oddity in the Cosmere and have nothing to do with Adonalsium at all, but the metal's strangeness would still be there if we were directly told that aluminum isn't Adonalsium's godmetal. I personally don't think that it is, but it seems overly strong (given what we know currently) to say that it definitively isn't.

Quote

Questioner

Is Adonalsium's God Metal aluminum?

Brandon Sanderson

RAFO.

FanX 2021 (Sept. 18, 2021)

 

[bmcclure7 Misting]

5 hours ago, Returned said:

From what little description we've had it seems that the 16 intended to shatter Adonalsium and ascend to divinity, though the reasons differed among the individual members. If I remember correctly Hoid wasn't so into the idea, but everything about the event is pretty murky and will likely remain so for some time.

As for aluminum potentially being of Adonalsium, Sanderson has RAFO-ed several questions along those lines. That might be to preserve mystery around why aluminum is such an oddity in the Cosmere and have nothing to do with Adonalsium at all, but the metal's strangeness would still be there if we were directly told that aluminum isn't Adonalsium's godmetal. I personally don't think that it is, but it seems overly strong (given what we know currently) to say that it definitively isn't.

 

 Being enabled to stop shard blades,  Stop magic based mind control,   And  Generally nullify investiture  Doesn't seem overpowered for enough you?  I find that confusing honestly, I consider to be so far the most overpowered metal.  I can't wait  Until people find out how to make it So it's not so expensive.

Imagine Bullets that couldn't be pushed, Armor that could block sharp blades (or shard guns)  Materials that caint be soulcast,  Honestly Magic is gonna be a lot less powerful in the cosmere once people figure out  How easy it is to make aluminum.