Effect of Burning Lerasium

[WeiryWriter]

So this is a fairly basic theory. We know that making mistborn is a side effect of consuming lerasium and that actually burning it has a different, unknown effect. A little while ago I was looking at the Three Metallic Arts and noticed that in Hemalurgy, Ruin's magic system, Ruin's metal can mimic the effects of any of the other metals. So what if lerasium, Preservation's metal, did the same in Preservation's magic system. It would add a bit of parallelism.

[spacemonkey]

This sounds plausible. We know that the mist can fuel Allomancy, and it's just Lerasium in a gaseous form. The question then becomes what alloys of Lerasium would do for someone who already had the type of Allomancy it granted.

[Windrunner]

17th Shard: If a Mistborn burns lerasium, as in, not just ingests it, what effect would it grant Allomantically?

Brandon: That is a RAFO. It would do something, but the thing you've gotta remember is that, when ingesting lerasium for the first time and gaining the powers, your body is actually burning it. Think of lerasium as a metal anyone can burn. Does that make sense?

17th Shard: It does.

Brandon: By burning it you gain access to those powers. It rewrites your spiritual DNA, and there are ways to do really cool things with lerasium that I don't see how anyone would know. Were most Mistborn to just burn it, it would rewrite their genetic code to increase their power as an Allomancer.

The effect of lerasium is to increase the burner's connection to Preservation. Coincidentally a closer connection with Preservation is what makes you a Misborn. If you read the quote above there are some other things that it can do, but lerasium's primary function is a connection to Preservation.

[name_here]

I suspect it would give the burner the "phantom" metals Vin and Elend got from burning the mists.

[conjurawr]

It is known that burning Lerasium gives you very strong Allomantic powers, it works instantly like duralumin. Burning an alloy of Lerasium with one of the 16 other metals gives you the Misting ability of that metal.

[the95th]

Probably a similar effect to compounding... being a mistborn and burning larasium will make you mega powerful in all metals were as duralumin only works with the one

[Eric]

You can use Duralumin on multiple metals at once. Vin does it, I believe in the fight against the Inquisitors before Marsh pulls her earring. Lerasium probably acts as the wildcard for Allomancy in the same way that Atium does in Hemalurgy when not making a Misting or Mistborn.

[WeiryWriter]

It is known that burning Lerasium gives you very strong Allomantic powers, it works instantly like duralumin. Burning an alloy of Lerasium with one of the 16 other metals gives you the Misting ability of that metal.

The increased allomantic power is just a side-effect of consuming the concentrated essence of Preservation. Actually burning the lerasium has a different effect.

You can use Duralumin on multiple metals at once. Vin does it, I believe in the fight against the Inquisitors before Marsh pulls her earring. Lerasium probably acts as the wildcard for Allomancy in the same way that Atium does in Hemalurgy when not making a Misting or Mistborn.

Thank you this is what I was trying to say in the first post.

Edited January 21, 2012 by WeiryWriter

[Dahak]

So what if lerasium, Preservation's metal, did the same in Preservation's magic system. It would add a bit of parallelism.

I was thinking since it is essence of preservation, what if the second effect is to stop the user ageing while it burns. Obviously it would have to be in this mode the slowest burning of the metals which would contrast nicely with atium's fastest burn.

[the95th]

what i meant was Duralinium uses all the metals reserves in one almost uncontrollable boost. I feel burning Larasium while being a Mistborn will multiply your allomantic strength to that of an original Allomancer like Elend.

Due to Genetic decay Mistborns like Kelsier are weaker then the original Mistborns. So I feel like it just tops up your allomantic strength.

However For original Mistborns like Elend and Spook I feel larasium will work like Duralinium which still gave them a massive kick, but with out the reserves emptying only Larasium. I feel it has to be a Physical enhancement power as Atium is a Mental enhancement power which Boosts your mental abilities were as Larasium must boost your physical abilities.

For instance:

Force of Push = 1 Normally with a cost of 1/5 metal

Force of Push = 10 Duralinium With a Cost of 5/5 metal

Force of Push = 10 Larasium with a cost of 1/5 metal

It acts like Duralinium without the emptying of reserves in my opinion.

This would be incredibly interesting when mixed with Atium.

Burning Both would presumably allow you to focus on seeing into the future unlike Elend who saw everything at once.

[Eric]

For original Mistborns like Elend and Spook

Brandon said that Spook was a reduced-power Mistborn like Kelsier.

[KChan]

Keep in mind, here, that it represents the physical embodiment of a Shard of Adonalsium. It doesn't make sense that something so incredible would just provide a limited amount of fuel, considering the effects we already know it has - mainly, that of, you know, rewriting spiritual DNA. Somewhat applicable to this is a discussion the 17th Sharders had with Brandon at the Alloy release (emphasis mine):

17th Shard: If someone from Roshar were to burn lerasium, would it turn them into a Mistborn?

Brandon: If they didn't know what they were doing, yes, they would become a Mistborn.

This implies to me that there other are ways of rewriting your spiritual DNA using lerasium besides gaining Allomancy. So basically, in my opinion, we have two options:

• You ingest/burn lerasium - doing nothing else - and it increases your Allomantic potential (either granting it to you if you had none, or increasing it if you did)
  OR:
  
• You ingest/burn lerasium - and do some other unknown thing(s) - and other cool stuff happens.

Make sense?

[Scattered]

Wow, I haven't seen that quote before. I wonder what happens when you burn Lerasium and you DO know what you're doing? I bet Hoid knows.

I've been thinking about this and thinking about this, and I don't have any solid ideas, but I did have a stray thought that since burning Lerasium basically increases your link to Preservation, a shard that exists in the Cognitive realm (right? not Spiritual?), maybe if you know what you're doing you'd be able to chuck yourself into the Cognitive realm and travel through Shadesmar? Or converse with the existing Shards? See the world from their perspective? I don't know how viable any of that is. Turning into a Mistborn is a permanent thing, and those suggestions would all be for a limited time (unless it gives you a permanent bridge into Shadesmar?), so maybe the effect is something more permanent. Anyway, those were my random thoughts.

Anyone else have some pet theories about this?

[Thought]

Kchan seems to be on an interesting track. To my understanding, Sanderson's various magic systems are mechanistically related. That is, each needs a focus (metal for allomancy, aons for AonDor, etc). Furthermore, each shard seems like it can fuel at least one, possibly more, magic systems. We might extrapolate from this, then, that the use of any magic requires, to an extent, a specific spiritual/genetic code. Spook might not have been able to use AonDor, but his DNA could have been changed to allow for that.

As such, it seems likely that if someone knew what they were doing when they burned lerasium, they could then change their spiritual DNA to gain access to different magic systems. At the least, I'd expect that it could turn someone into a feurochemist as well (since Preservation had a hand in it). Probably, it has no limits in that regard.

Of course, this then raises the question of why, when Elend or Rashek burned it, did it grant them the use of allomancy rather than AonDor? There could be a variety of factors explaining this, but I suspect that, given the science-y nature of Sanderson's magic systems, it is simplely the path of least resistance. One is using allomancy to burn it in the first place, so it seems like a smaller step for it to just grant allomantic powers rather than AonDor ones.

[KChan]

As such, it seems likely that if someone knew what they were doing when they burned lerasium, they could then change their spiritual DNA to gain access to different magic systems. At the least, I'd expect that it could turn someone into a feurochemist as well (since Preservation had a hand in it). Probably, it has no limits in that regard.

My thoughts exactly, though we don't have enough evidence for me to be comfortable saying I absolutely believe that's what it does. I do think it's possible, though.

Of course, this then raises the question of why, when Elend or Rashek burned it, did it grant them the use of allomancy rather than AonDor? There could be a variety of factors explaining this, but I suspect that, given the science-y nature of Sanderson's magic systems, it is simplely the path of least resistance. One is using allomancy to burn it in the first place, so it seems like a smaller step for it to just grant allomantic powers rather than AonDor ones.

As Brandon explained it, the "Default" setting for what happens when someone burns lerasium - no matter what planet they're from - is for that person to become Mistborn. I'm thinking this is because of lerasium's nature - being a physical embodiment of Preservation - but either way, you would actually need to know what you're doing and deliberately take the steps needed for these mysterious other effects to happen. If you don't consciously go through the right process, you'll become Mistborn (or, if you already are, your Allomantic potential will increase).

[Thor]

My thoughts exactly, though we don't have enough evidence for me to be comfortable saying I absolutely believe that's what it does. I do think it's possible, though.

As Brandon explained it, the "Default" setting for what happens when someone burns lerasium - no matter what planet they're from - is for that person to become Mistborn. I'm thinking this is because of lerasium's nature - being a physical embodiment of Preservation - but either way, you would actually need to know what you're doing and deliberately take the steps needed for these mysterious other effects to happen. If you don't consciously go through the right process, you'll become Mistborn (or, if you already are, your Allomantic potential will increase).

It may also be that burning Lerasium in a different way allows someone to use the power in the bead as if it were a reduced form of the Well's power. So, you could do almost anything, just on a smaller scale.

[Cheese Ninja]

It doesn't seem to me that Lerasium could allow access to magic systems besides Allomancy though. Crystallized Preservation shouldn't give AonDor or Awakener status, but I could believe it making anyone into a Mistborn if used the typical way.

Also, Rashek never ingested Lerasium, did he? I thought his Mistborn powers came about just because he was a Sliver who had briefly held Preservation's power and used it at the Well.

[Sunblesser]

It doesn't seem to me that Lerasium could allow access to magic systems besides Allomancy though. Crystallized Preservation shouldn't give AonDor or Awakener status, but I could believe it making anyone into a Mistborn if used the typical way.

Also, Rashek never ingested Lerasium, did he? I thought his Mistborn powers came about just because he was a Sliver who had briefly held Preservation's power and used it at the Well.

iirc, the epigraphs of HoA imply that rashek concentrated the power at the well into lerasium himself, took a bead, gave nine to his allies, and left one behind, in case he ever lost his allomantic powers (though that last is speculation by sazed)

[Thought]

iirc, the epigraphs of HoA imply that rashek concentrated the power at the well into lerasium himself, took a bead, gave nine to his allies, and left one behind, in case he ever lost his allomantic powers (though that last is speculation by sazed)

Well...

I think it was stated (or perhaps just implied?) that Hoid was actually the one who ate the lerasium beads. How many he ate, why he left one, if Rashek used any, etc are unknwon.

[Zas678]

Err... Not exactly. Hoid MAY have a bead. Most of the beads that were at the well were burned by The Lord Ruler, and the rest were given (probably as bribes) to those Kings who submitted to The Lord Ruler's Rule.

However, Peter mentioned (A LONG time ago) that there is one bead that is missing. We don't know where this is, or who has it. Many have assumed that it's Hoid, because he seems sneaky like that, and there is an element that is spoken of in a letter that is probably written by Hoid.

[Thought]

Ah, sorry about that. I was positive Hoid had been confirmed as being the one who had the beads, but I can't find where I had read it, so I must have misremembered speculation for Sandersonation.

[Cheese Ninja]

I don't think the "element" from the letter is the Lerasium, but I don't actually have any good guess for the element's nature, so it's definitely possible. There are a some minor hints that Hoid has Lerasium, but none are in the books. First is the Peter quote. Second is the the alternate ending to Well of Ascension mentioned in an Annotation, where Vin actually sees Hoid's bootprint next to the Lerasium.

So, Brandon. Hoid. I remember you saying at the I.F. signing last year that he was in WoA. We, your dedicated fans who like scouring books searching for obscure characters who have any possibility of being the mysterious Hoid, have yet to find him. Peter sent us on a hunt for him (Hoid, not Peter...) in the deleted scenes, and we found his boot-print.

Now, I think he broke the pottery there too--the one holding the larasium--and since there's broken pottery in the actual version, I think he may have snuck into the cavern and broken it as well. If so, is this Hoid's part in WoA? This trace of him? I commend you if it is. It is clever, making us think it was a person, when in fact it's just something he did.

You are on the right track, but wrong on one point. Hoid does appear in the book.

I had originally toyed with making his touch on the novel more obscure, but decided that I wanted to be consistent with the other novels by actually having him appear. Once I realized I’d probably cut the scene with the footprint, I decided I needed this actual appearance even more badly.

Fortunately, I knew what Hoid had been up to all this time, and had placed him in a position where several characters could run into him. In WoA, Hoid believed (as Vin did) that the Well was in the North, even though it was not. He spent much of the book pursuing this idea.

Through events, however, he discovered he was wrong. He made the realization after Vin did, but only because of a chance meeting. (This is recorded in the books. Let’s just say he was listening in when someone implied that the Well was in Luthadel.)

He hurried to Luthadel, and was in the town, skulking about in the last parts of the novel. He isn’t seen here, though he does still infiltrate the Well. (Hoid is quite proficient at manipulating Shadesmar for his own ends.)

Third, the last Cosmere hint that Brandon said he was going to give out to non-specific Cosmere inquiries:

"Hoid has metal he isn't supposed to have."

Combine them, and you've got a strong argument for Hoid carrying Lerasium, and it's possible that he has Atium as well, because as long as you're heading to the store to get milk, you might as well get bread and eggs too.

One other thing to keep in mind from Brandon's hint. Hoid hasn't ingested the Lerasium. His plans probably involve either giving Shardstuff to someone else, or using Shardstuff as ingredients for something bigger.

Edited February 15, 2012 by Cheese Ninja

[ReaderAt2046]

I still think hoid is trying to reassemble Adonalsium from the pure forms of each Shard.

[Cheese Ninja]

I think quite a few of us are thinking that at this point. I don't know whether it would destroy all the magic systems or whether they'd keep operating pretty much as normal. Ruin and Preservation being held by one person instead of two does not seem to have affected how Allomancy or Feruchemy work. At this point I'm wondering if a critical mass of stored Investiture of a shard in Nicrosil would allow usurpation of the Shard, which seems like it would be way too easy, so probably not. Still, if you have pieces of the all the Shards, who knows what is possible. Depending on Adonsalium's nature (if it requires someone to hold it the same as a Shard), Hoid might also be looking for one person perfectly suited to hold all 16 Shards first, and then build on that person from there.

Did I read somewhere that any major Hoid books (not counting Hoid's origins in Dragonsteel) would occur much later than everything else?

[ReaderAt2046]

I think quite a few of us are thinking that at this point. I don't know whether it would destroy all the magic systems or whether they'd keep operating pretty much as normal. Ruin and Preservation being held by one person instead of two does not seem to have affected how Allomancy or Feruchemy work. At this point I'm wondering if a critical mass of stored Investiture of a shard in Nicrosil would allow usurpation of the Shard, which seems like it would be way too easy, so probably not. Still, if you have pieces of the all the Shards, who knows what is possible. Depending on Adonsalium's nature (if it requires someone to hold it the same as a Shard), Hoid might also be looking for one person perfectly suited to hold all 16 Shards first, and then build on that person from there.

Did I read somewhere that any major Hoid books (not counting Hoid's origins in Dragonsteel) would occur much later than everything else?

I don't think it would destroy the magic systems because i don't think Hoid is reassembling all of Adonalsium. He doesn't have all of Ruin or Preservation or any other shard (as far as we know) so he wouldn't get all of Adonalsium. Instead, he'd get the Adonic equivalent of lerasium (a small quantity of pure Adonalsium). What that would do we can only guess.