Senor Feesh Posted September 9, 2012 Report Share Posted September 9, 2012 Ok, so here's an image I imagine we all know by now. I've been studying this for a little while, trying to see if there's an internal logic to the construction of the symbols themselves. Sadly, I'm not very good at things like this. Thankfully, my girlfriend is better. She noticed immediately that the Pushing metals all have the dot on the inside of the symbols, whilst the Pulling metals are all outside. Can anyone see any common traits shared by other groupings? Specifically I guess I'm trying to see if all Internal/External metals share a common trait, and each grouping of 4 (Physical, Mental etc.) Would be really cool to be able to look at a symbol (without having to memorise them all first) and be able to say 'That's the Internal Mental Pulling metal' (which is of course copper). So if any of you guys have a better eye got this than me, what can you see? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurkistan Posted September 9, 2012 Report Share Posted September 9, 2012 I haven't noticed anything besides that, although Peter hints fairly strongly that there are more Allomantic reasons behind the symbols than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted September 9, 2012 Report Share Posted September 9, 2012 A lot of the Pushing metals seem to be facing downwards, while a lot of the pulling metals face upwards. There are a few discrepancies sure, but there may be something to it. Maybe the placements/directions of the spikes compared to the arcs has something to do w/ the pulses of each metal or some physical representation of how it interacts w/ the body. I do see now that Tin/Pewter and Nicrosil/Chromium are the only ones that have a double arc ring thingy. Tin, Pewter and Nicrosil all have something to do w/ enhancing (Or "doubling up") attributes, while Chromium is kind of the odd ball taking away metal reserves. Again a little flawed, but it may be something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aminar Posted September 9, 2012 Report Share Posted September 9, 2012 It's honestly easier to just memorize them I got my Dice from crafty memorized in about 10 minutes. I just always forget which one Zinc is because it looks so generic, like it's the prototype symbol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senor Feesh Posted September 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2012 Maybe the placements/directions of the spikes compared to the arcs has ... I do see now that Tin/Pewter and Nicrosil/Chromium are the only ones that have a double arc ring thingy. Tin, Pewter and Nicrosil all have something to do w/ enhancing (Or "doubling up") attributes, while Chromium is kind of the odd ball taking away metal reserves. Again a little flawed, but it may be something. Maybe actually. Tin, pewter and nicrosil all have the spike piercing from the outside in, perhaps to signify a compounding (not twinborn Compounding) of attributes, whereas the chromium spike is from the centre out, perhaps to signify the power flowing from a body out. Granted that may be a stretch, especially as aluminum and chromium aren't hugely similar. Whilst writing this I had something else occur actually. Aluminum and duralumin both have spikes going from inside to out in several directions, which may signify that both metals will draw out your other metal reserves, but duralumin has twin spikes, which may be to signify the amplification of the power. Chromium and nicrosil - perhaps the twin arcs pierced by the spikes represent the physical contact between the burner and the affected person, with the spike out to in (nicrosil) representing an infusion of power, and the spike inside to out (chromium) representing a power drain. This may be just me clutching at straws (and a good example of how people can read meanings into things). Whilst I can at least use these interpretations to remember things, I'm still going to keep looking, as these don't have the cohesive logic I was hoping to find, so I'd still be glad for a better answer if anyone has one. Plus there's still plenty of other metals I've not managed to interpret Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Observer Posted September 9, 2012 Report Share Posted September 9, 2012 Atium has spikes coming outside and inside, which may signify that it is affecting both you and others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cones For Eyes Posted September 9, 2012 Report Share Posted September 9, 2012 Haven't spotted any patterns in it yet but I wonder what would happen if an Elantrian were to draw any of these symbols on Sel... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Observer Posted September 10, 2012 Report Share Posted September 10, 2012 Haven't spotted any patterns in it yet but I wonder what would happen if an Elantrian were to draw any of these symbols on Sel... Hoid would eat a pancake. I think we're on to something with the spikes. Atium is my only real proof though. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windrunner Posted September 10, 2012 Report Share Posted September 10, 2012 Haven't spotted any patterns in it yet but I wonder what would happen if an Elantrian were to draw any of these symbols on Sel... Nothing, I think. These aren't Aons, they have no connection to the landscape of Sel, nor do they contain the base Aon Aon. Also, as far as we know, the Steel Alphabet symbols really don't have any connection with the metals that they represent. The only reason that the symbol for pewter means pewter is because people say it does. Also, the Steel Alphabet is in a constant state of evolution, with angles changing and even spikes and dots vanishing over time. If they ever were tied in any way to Allomancy, they've long been altered too far from their original form. It was a pretty good question nonetheless. It does make me wonder about an Elantrian trying to draw Dakhor symbols... (That's probably nothing too, and now that I think of it, not really relevant to this topic.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millennium Posted September 11, 2012 Report Share Posted September 11, 2012 Not really a "common grouping," per se, but perhaps worth noting is that on the Lerasium symbol, and only the Lerasium symbol, one of the spikes is bent. A bit of a jab at Hemalurgy (or its master), perhaps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Observer Posted September 11, 2012 Report Share Posted September 11, 2012 It's worth noting that only Lerasium has an external piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velimirius Posted October 1, 2012 Report Share Posted October 1, 2012 To me it looks like Ruin designed them, with touch of hemalurgy(metal spikes) all over them. Since Ruin whispered to Rashek all the time i guess it probably had some influence how things will look. I guess thats why Brandon made them this way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Observer Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 Lerasium has a bent spike, signifying Allomancy being able to use Ruin. Atium has a dot, representing how Ruin manipulates Allomancy (A bit of a stretch). They probably mean nothing now that they've been changed, but the fact they used to mean something could be important. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheChronicFeruchemist Posted February 23, 2013 Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 I've always looked at the spikes in the symbols themselves. There are several different spikes used in the series. I think there is meaning behind that but I'm not sure what. There are also two or three(I can't remember off hand) symbols we have but we don't know the meaning of. They are found in the original mistborn series, and I think there is one or possibly two in alloy that we don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Monstrosity Posted February 23, 2013 Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 (edited) I've always looked at the spikes in the symbols themselves. There are several different spikes used in the series. I think there is meaning behind that but I'm not sure what. There are also two or three(I can't remember off hand) symbols we have but we don't know the meaning of. They are found in the original mistborn series, and I think there is one or possibly two in alloy that we don't know. There's also a couple of symbols on brandonsanderson.com which aren't explained yet. I mean, you'd THINK that they were just there to look cool, but... Here's the art (from isaac stewart's website) And here are the extra ones from the site Note that Isaac also has the symbols from WoA and HoA up on sheets as well. Those are the versions of the symbols progressively further into the past - the oldest ones are supposed to look like mists, and were from pre-ascension scandrial. Edited March 6, 2013 by Phantom Monstrosity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senor Feesh Posted February 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 I've just realised, the symbol for Lerasium is also the only symbol to have a spike-like element NOT piercing the whole. Any suggestions on what this could mean (if anything)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abevan Posted February 23, 2013 Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 Given that Malatium has a symbol, I'd suggest that the other unknown symbols are probably other Atium/Lerasium alloys. In addition, Malatium is only the second symbol aside from Lerasium to have a disconnected element. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WardAgainstLogic Posted February 23, 2013 Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 All the pairs look like they're made of the same kind of parts that have been moved about (with the addition of some spikes). Except for alumimium with its wierd short, fat spikes (something to do with its resistance to Allomancy, maybe?) Also I only realised a couple of days ago that not only is it pronounces 'aluminum' in America, it's also spelled that way. This wouldn't be bad if my Mistborn books didn't have American spellings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheChronicFeruchemist Posted February 23, 2013 Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 All the pairs look like they're made of the same kind of parts that have been moved about (with the addition of some spikes). Except for alumimium with its wierd short, fat spikes (something to do with its resistance to Allomancy, maybe?) Also I only realised a couple of days ago that not only is it pronounces 'aluminum' in America, it's also spelled that way. This wouldn't be bad if my Mistborn books didn't have American spellings. Actually the weird fat ones in aluminum are also in gold, and malatium, or at least very similar spikes in that they have a straight edge on one side and a partially straight edge on the other, and then taper to a point from there. The reason they look so different in aluminum is because the heads of the spikes are touching the circle part so they look shorter and fatter. (Am I making sense? I hope I'm making sense.) Phantom Monstrosity thank you for posting the bit with the symbols I was talking about. I also wanted to point out that the epilogues and prologues of each book have different spikes, the original trilogy all have a version of the same spike if I remember but Alloy has a different one in either the epilogue or prologue. On that note have we ever wondered what was up with the symbol for kredik shaw on the maps? Is isn't any of the other un-known symbols, but it is also possible that it isn't part of the alphabet at all. Side note, has anyone had any ideas why there is a random iron right in between kredik shaw and the canton of orthodoxy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewbSombrero Posted February 23, 2013 Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 Side note, has anyone had any ideas why there is a random iron right in between kredik shaw and the canton of orthodoxy? I always thought that iron was the Canton of Orthodoxy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheChronicFeruchemist Posted February 23, 2013 Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 I always thought that iron was the Canton of Orthodoxy. Then why don't the rest of the canton's have a symbol? I checked the other maps and the cantons there don't have a symbol either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewbSombrero Posted February 23, 2013 Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 Yeah, I don't know. I actually never really thought about it and don't have reference material handy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurkistan Posted February 23, 2013 Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 I don't have any material handy either, but could the iron symbol mark the location of the Luthadel storage cache? There was a bit of a corridor to get to it, IIRC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Monstrosity Posted February 24, 2013 Report Share Posted February 24, 2013 I believe the symbol on Kredick Shaw is the symbol for north, but don't quote me on that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheChronicFeruchemist Posted February 24, 2013 Report Share Posted February 24, 2013 I believe the symbol on Kredick Shaw is the symbol for north, but don't quote me on that. I seem to remember something about kredik shaw and north, but I don't believe it is the sybmol for north because according to this image(or at least how my brain is reading it.) tin is north. But I could be wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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