Posted November 7, 2022 before I start I have only read Stormlight and mistborn so does aluminum work on Roshar The same way it works on Scadrial I think there’s reference to it in the books I don’t remember where but would a aluminum knife or weapon completely negate the powers of a radian is aluminum like a universal thing in the cosmere or is it only a mistborn thing I still don't understand investiture that much but does it have to do with that ? 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 7, 2022 Aluminum is very important across the greater cosmere, that much we know for sure. As far as its actual importance goes, we're still left wondering. No doubt it's an important metal no matter which world you're looking at, and it certainly effects multiple if not all Investiture in a significant way. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 7, 2022 (edited) 8 hours ago, Blue-phoenix186 said: before I start I have only read Stormlight and mistborn so does aluminum work on Roshar The same way it works on Scadrial I think there’s reference to it in the books I don’t remember where but would a aluminum knife or weapon completely negate the powers of a radian is aluminum like a universal thing in the cosmere or is it only a mistborn thing I still don't understand investiture that much but does it have to do with that ? 7 hours ago, Ninth of the Night said: Aluminum is very important across the greater cosmere, that much we know for sure. As far as its actual importance goes, we're still left wondering. No doubt it's an important metal no matter which world you're looking at, and it certainly effects multiple if not all Investiture in a significant way. Aluminum, sometimes called Ralkalest*, is investiture innert and can have some weird properties interacting with the investiture of different worlds. If you have read Stormlight Archive and Mistborn Eras 1 and 2; then you have seen it: Mistborn Allomantic properties are to wipe an Allomancer's metal reserves Used as a lining in hats to block uses of Brass and Zinc Used/allowed to make metal items that cannot be pushed or pulled with Iron and Steel Stormlight Archive Used in Sword-nimi's sheath to contain his effects when sheathed Said sheath was used to block a Shardblade Used to line the chamber where Azure was using the Soulcaster to make food (so the Secretspren can't sense the Fabrial) Discussed in RoW between Navani and Raboniel Brandon decided to use Aluminum in this role because, when you look at it IRL, Aluminum was more rare and more expensive than Gold and Platinum until electrolysis was invented and it made extracting/processing Aluminum much easier and cheaper. This meant that in the Cosmere, he could play with how it's effects were rare and misunderstood when Aluminum was hard to find, but as technology developed it would become more common and easier to manipulate, study and learn. WoB Spoiler Questioner In Mistborn Era 1, they don't...aluminum in real life can only really be refined through the use of electricity. Brandon Sanderson You can actually get it before that. For instance, Napoleon had a set of aluminum dinnerware that he gave to the really fancy guests. If you weren't fancy enough, you got the gold. So they could get it in elemental form without electrolysis or whatever the process is. You could get it, but you couldn't make it. It was extremely rare till the modern era. They have started to figure out that process in Mistborn, and it soon is going to become really common. Questioner Once aluminum is dirt cheap like it is-- Brandon Sanderson That changes the world a whole bunch! When you read Emperor's Soul (which you really should - it's awesome and though it takes place on the same world as Elantris (Sel), you do not need to read Elantris first as they are quite separate) you will learn more about Ralkalest Spoiler Pagerunner The specific word "ralkalest," it appears on multiple worlds. Why did you use that instead of just saying "aluminum"? Brandon Sanderson Oh, which language does ralkalest come from? I think ralkalest is probably original Yolish, but I haven't actually sat down and written that down. (Note: Yolen is the world where Dragonsteel will take place, and where Adonalsium was Shattered) Edited November 7, 2022 by Treamayne SPAGF 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
