On Investiture

[Ness]

One of the most interesting things to me in Alloy of Law was in the Ars Arcanum (The list of metals and describtions at the end of the book).

I know alot of people are wondering about what exactly Investiture does, and I think I have come up with a fairly solid theory. (Note, this is all basically guesswork, as we will not know until Brandon tells us).

Things we KNOW about Investiture:

1. It is stored via Nicrosil.

2. Few people understand what it does, even amoung its users

3. The Three Metalic Arts are "prime manifestations" of Investiture.

4. Finally, Investiture exists in a different form on Sel, and is "form based"

From point 3 and 4, we can conclude that Investiture is related to the various forms of "magic" or ablitities present in the Cosmere. From point 2 we can conclude that its use is not always clear to its users, but also from point 2, we can see that SOME users do see what it is capable of. We have seen this before, Duralumin mistings would not recognize their power because it requires burning other metals. Now the average "Soulbearer" only has access to storing Investiture, so he would not see what it does. However, a Twinborn, which are very rare, may explain the few who understand what it does.

Now, we know Investiture is related to the forms of "magic" and it is plausible for the reasons shown about that Twinborns may be the ones recognizing it, which leads us to believe that it affects their other power somehow. I believe that Investiture when being stored decreases your "strength" in your allomantic ablilities, and while you tab it increase these same ablilities. (There is also the potential that they could increase power in other forms of Investiture in the Cosmere, but even if that is the case it will not be relevent for some time).

This could explain TLR massive difference in power compared to Vin and Kelsier, he could be compounding Investiture and applying it to any of his metals. Note, this would not be to overpowered in the current age, as to compound Investiture would be nearly useless, due to what its allomantic pair does.

As far as I can see, there are no gaping holes in this theory (aside from the incredabily low amount of information we have) but if anyone has anything to add, or sees something I missed that discounts my theory I would be interested to hear it.

[DariusJenai]

Sel is Elantris, right?

So the form-based Invesiture are probably AonDor and its Dahkor equivalent.

I don't think TLR would need to compound his Investiture however. He would be the strongest Allomancer around just by virtue of:

1. Being an original generation Mistborn, without the dilution of years.

2. The ability to compound any of his metals, and to (possibly) enhance the compounding with Duralumin.

[Aiken Frost]

Sel is Elantris, right?

So the form-based Invesiture are probably AonDor and its Dahkor equivalent.

I don't think TLR would need to compound his Investiture however. He would be the strongest Allomancer around just by virtue of:

1. Being an original generation Mistborn, without the dilution of years.

2. The ability to compound any of his metals, and to (possibly) enhance the compounding with Duralumin.

Hey. You can never kick TOO MUCH chull!

[Silus - Shard of Flame]

I came to the same conclusion on what storing Investiture means. However, I'm not sure why you put quotes around the word magic (because the abilties in the cosmere are...y'know...magic).

I would say that this is how TLR does his mass soothings, but nobody knew about nicrosil during the Final Empire, including TLR, despite his knowledge of other metals. I'd say that duralumin wouldn't work because that uses up your power really fast, too fast for TLR's extended soothings.

Thinking of a Nicrosil Compounder, I asked Brandon whether increased skill in Nicrosil had any actual effect (phrasing it as a hemalurgy question), and he said that there was, that someone more powerful with a metal would get more out of it, no matter what metal you're using. Thus, Compounding Investiture would create a super powerful Nicrosil Misting.

[Ness]

Thinking of a Nicrosil Compounder, I asked Brandon whether increased skill in Nicrosil had any actual effect (phrasing it as a hemalurgy question), and he said that there was, that someone more powerful with a metal would get more out of it, no matter what metal you're using. Thus, Compounding Investiture would create a super powerful Nicrosil Misting.

Yeah, I got that it would ceate a very powerful Nicrosil misting, just pointing out that that would not be that useful, at most it would allow the one they are touching to have momentatiarly increadibly great power

[Eri]

AFAIR In one of the interviews Sanderson said that the official (and, I think, used in-world by some very magic-savvy characters like Hoid) term for infusing things with Stormlight / Awakening objects etc. is "invest". I think it's both about people making objects magical (including Feruchemical storage) and Shards making people magical.

So Investiture = more or less "ability to use magic". Or at least spiritual component of it.Being invested spiritual (as in realmatic theory) energy. Sorry if my grammar is a bit messy here.

Edited November 13, 2011 by eri