The Tears Of Edgli

[teknopathetic]

1 hour ago, Spoolofwhool said:

What do you mean the royal locks need a connection to the First Returned? Are you referring to the fact that all those who possess are descended from him, or do you mean something more realmatic? In any case, yes, we haven't learned much about the mechanics of Returned or the Royal Locks, though I think it was said that Vo was the only Returned known to have born a child.

I guess my point is that The Royal Locks can't be a genetic inheritance, though they function very like genetics. I think that THE DISTINCTION of being born from a religious figure is endowing the Royal Family with abilities. The culture believes Royal Children can change appearance, therefor the Royal Family is Endowed with grace and ability in some way or another.  

I don't know if the people choose (unconciously) who is Endowned with the ability, or if the ability chooses who should be endowed among heirs, but something VERY WEIRD is happening with the Royal Locks. 

 

The First Returned may have made this Endowment possible, and i have no idea if other Returned-progeny would be able to manipulate locks as well. The idea that Siri is 'connected' to the First King (who happens to be a returned of prominence) seems to grant her the ability to change her hair. Classic genetics can't be involved here. 

 

Why do i think this:

Only children of the crown express the Royal Locks. Siri says her children (if begot from some random noble) wouldn't have the Royal Locks. This sentiment seems to mean that the non-royal kids wouldn't be able to change their hair. If half-princes were expressing Royal Locks, you'd think it would be a less valuable physical trait.  There is no evidence that other people can have the Royal Locks. Only direct children of the King or Queen. 

Also, all of the Royal Children have the Royal Locks. This is odd. If the trait was genetic, then you'd think some potential direct heirs wouldn't be able to express the lock. Yet, all of the children of the previous Kings have the ability to manipulate their appearance.  Think of Allomancy - it is genetic, but you can't assume a child will have the ability just because the parents did. For the Royal Family, YOU CAN ASSUME and child of the King will manifest the ability. Yet, we know that isn't how genetics work in the Cosmere.

So, if the Royal Locks aren't strictly genetic, then what are they? I see two options.

1) The Royal Lock's Function like Forgery. Siri is more plausibly related to Vo (a famed King and Returned) and therefor it is more plausible that she have traits likes Vo's. Having a kingdom propping up this belief may be beneficial as well to plausibility. 

2) The Royal Locks are a sentient Endowment. They function much like a Charitable Endowment in the real world. The Endowment seeks out candidates set out by some sort of mandate. Vo Endowed his heirs in some way, and the Endowment is following Vo's (or someone's) instructions. 

Edited January 20, 2017 by teknopathetic

[Yata]

On 20/1/2017 at 1:59 AM, teknopathetic said:

Hmmm, i read it the exact opposite way. I read it as one needs a connection to the First Returned.  I'll need to go looking for that quote in the book soon. I wish i had a PDF copy ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

I talked about the member of the Royal family:

- who didn't show Royal Locks because they aren't in the Direct line.

- develop them when they become of the Direct line

- lost them when they are no longer in the Direct line.

Almost all this cases may be explained with "your manifestation of Royal Locks is based by your Mental Image of yourself and the Royal Locks as proof of your role"

I think every other Returned's baby will have this kind of ability if not educated to prevent this (or the opposite, where every Returned's babdy may develop Royal Locks with the right education)

Edited January 24, 2017 by Yata

[Blightsong]

Yeah, based on how the royal locks function, it would make sense that someone who thinks that they cannot use them would not be able to. I like the idea that everyone in the royal line has the locks, but because of the theoretical myth that they don't prevents them from manifesting it.

[teknopathetic]

I still think children brought up outside of the Royal Line would think that maybe they were royal enough, too. Look at how messy claims to the throne get? You'd get some extremely complicated chains of inheritance. 

[cometaryorbit]

While it's very likely Awakening comes from the Returned, I can see it being discovered-by-accident by normal humans. Someone could have been very sick, near death, and a spouse, parent, etc. intensely willing them to get better... thinking "if I could only give my own life to him/her" ... and mutters something close enough to the right Command...

Being a Drab is noticeable enough that people would realize something happened.