Spikes through eyes

[Oversleep]

Why did Inquisitors have spikes driven through their eyes in the first place?

I mean, there are so many bindpoints that those spikes could surely be inserted somewhere else, so what's the point in depraving them of one of the most basic senses? Did TLR made this deliberately so they'd have another weak point?

[Landis963]

On Wednesday, July 27, 2016 at 9:57 PM, InsurrectionistFungus said:

I think that something to keep in mind is that not all Inquisitors started out as Mistborn, like Marsh. They needed iron/steel Allomancy to do their jobs, plus the various other metals. It just so happens that the Hemalurgic bindpoints for iron and steel Allomancy are, presumably, the eyes, and they effectively replace normal sight, so they can afford to lose them. As far as we know, there's no other bindpoints for those two metals, so they had to put them in the eyes to even give many Inquisitors the abilities.

There's more than one bind point for Allomantic steel, to wit: Suit's spike contained Allomantic steel, Allomantic chromium, and one other boon (presumably Feruchemical gold), and was located between two of his ribs.  I believe Ruin attempted to get Spook to put Beldre's Allomantic steel somewhere other than his eye, but I'd have to reread that section to be certain. 

[Spoolofwhool]

42 minutes ago, Landis963 said:

There's more than one bind point for Allomantic steel, to wit: Suit's spike contained Allomantic steel, Allomantic chromium, and one other boon (presumably Feruchemical gold), and was located between two of his ribs.  I believe Ruin attempted to get Spook to put Beldre's Allomantic steel somewhere other than his eye, but I'd have to reread that section to be certain. 

Zane's spike gave him steel and it was through his sternum. There are definitely more than one site for allomantic steel. I theorize that it has to do with specifically creating inquisitors as a hemalurgic construct. Interactions between spikes possibly limit which bindpoints you can use.

[djammmer]

On ‎7‎/‎22‎/‎2016 at 3:46 AM, Magestar said:

Just a note...  In BoM, we DO see a guy with a spike in only one eye.  But he can also see through the other eye.  I have always thought that that would be really cool, and have a whole host of advantages.  The best of both worlds, if you will.  I think it would look sort of like when a computer overlays a camera with a targeting system.   The only problem I could think of is that your head would be a bit lopsided. 

This was the exact example I was thinking of too.  I haven't finished SH (half way through, so not sure if it gives more light later.)  But this was clearly after TLR was dead (or moved on to the beyond), and K still put a spike through his eye.  Initially I was thinking spiking the eye was done by TLR so he could have more control over Inquisitors.  But that doesn't make any sense for the example at the end of BoM.

[Yata]

1 hour ago, Argel said:

Isn't it three spikes before TLR/Ruin/Harmony could gain control/access?

Yes the fourth Spike allow to Harmony to develop a direct control on someone (of more spikes=more control) and the Set know it. Mister Suit and Wax's Sister had both three Spikes and they can't gain a new Power without fall into Harmony's hands

[Landis963]

7 hours ago, Yata said:

Yes the fourth Spike allow to Harmony to develop a direct control on someone (of more spikes=more control) and the Set know it. Mister Suit and Wax's Sister had both three Spikes and they can't gain a new Power without fall into Harmony's hands

I thought it was four boons that open you up to the Flaw, not four spikes per se.  Suit mentions that they can put multiple boons into one spike, that they are limited to 3 boons, and doesn't seem to have more than the one spike.  

[Oversleep]

35 minutes ago, Landis963 said:

I thought it was four boons that open you up to the Flaw, not four spikes per se.  Suit mentions that they can put multiple boons into one spike, that they are limited to 3 boons, and doesn't seem to have more than the one spike.  

The only quote I found on this does not mention multiple boons in one spike. Here it is for reference:

Quote

“The trouble with Hemalurgy is in its limitations,” he said. “If you kill a man and steal his Metallic abilities, the resulting gift to you is weakened. Did you know that? What’s more, if you spike yourself too much, you become subject to Harmony’s … interference. Indeed, by the stories, you might open yourself to the interference of any idiot Soother or Rioter with enough talent.” He shook his head. “I am limited to three boons, even if we have discovered how to make someone else be weak, while we gain the benefit.”

I don't think we actually know what "we have discovered how to make someone else be weak, while we gain the benefit" means. However, I take that "boon" means "spike" in this context. Also, it's a less far-fetched conclusion than the thought that Set discovered how to charge one spike multiple times.

[Landis963]

21 hours ago, Oversleep said:

The only quote I found on this does not mention multiple boons in one spike. Here it is for reference:

I don't think we actually know what "we have discovered how to make someone else be weak, while we gain the benefit" means. However, I take that "boon" means "spike" in this context. Also, it's a less far-fetched conclusion than the thought that Set discovered how to charge one spike multiple times.

I was assuming that they'd figured out how to shape 3 different spikes such that they could be fitted together like a puzzle ring, so that they only took up one bind point.  However, It appears that you are correct and Set had a non-zero, non-one number of spikes ("He still had his spikes [plural], as they weren't sure how to remove them without killing him" - Marasi, p. 379 of the kindle version), presumably one spike for each boon.  And Suit's bragging earlier about "making someone else be weak" might not have a Hemalurgic explanation yet, but definitely has a visible example (Templeton Fig's wife, the emaciated looking one who urges him to come back to bed before Marsh!Wayne shows up, coupled with an unkeyed goldmind that is suspiciously full-to-brimming, in the clutches of another member of the Set).  

Edited August 9, 2016 by Landis963

[CaptainRyan]

On 8/7/2016 at 7:47 AM, RYANHOME said:

I'm thinking they act as a antenna from the TLR/RUIN

Not to be a debby-downer but have we ever seen evidence of Inquisitors having some sort of special "the Lord Ruler sense" that could be enhanced by "antenna"? That seems like a bit of a left field theory. That is not to say I am against left field theories but I was wondering if you had any reason for guessing that?

[Yata]

7 hours ago, Landis963 said:

I was assuming that they'd figured out how to shape 3 different spikes such that they could be fitted together like a puzzle ring, so that they only took up one bind point. 

Maybe it's possible Gift more Spirit-Web in the same bindpoint. Of course I talk about the theory not the actual ability to pierce the point with more than a Spike.

But I find very unlikely they find a Bindpoint who is compatible with Allomantic steel,Allomantic chromium and Feruchemical gold 

[Kingsdaughter613]

The inquisitor at the end of The Final Empire had Iron spikes in his eyes, not steel. Do we know of any other iron bind points?

And we don't know what metal is being used by the Sovereign, or even what it does. We know that the boon is 'nothing important' but that isn't Hemalurgy's greatest power; it's the ability to alter the spirit web. And eyes are the windows to the Soul...

[happyman]

I've always assumed that being a Steel Inquisitor involved more than just having the Hemalurgic gifts.  The annotations in HoA suggest that strongly.  This apparently requires spikes through the eyes, rather than elsewhere.

I personally feel that it's because Ruin (Brandon) "wants" Hemalurgy to be awesome and creepy at the same time, more than anything.

[Argel]

Yeah, it seems we keep coming back to it being part of being a hemalurgic construct. I think that's the best answer we can give right now. As to why that is necessary to make an Inquisitor -- we would have to ask Brandon, but I'm leaning towards the "badass" factor.

Edit: Isn't it time to mark this question answered? It's not like we expect to have any new information anytime soon and we seem to just be rehashing the same answers.

Edited August 17, 2016 by Argel

[Eccentric Hero]

On 7/22/2016 at 5:46 AM, Magestar said:

Just a note...  In BoM, we DO see a guy with a spike in only one eye.  But he can also see through the other eye.  I have always thought that that would be really cool, and have a whole host of advantages.  The best of both worlds, if you will.  I think it would look sort of like when a computer overlays a camera with a targeting system.   The only problem I could think of is that your head would be a bit lopsided. 

Yes. I am considering getting a spike in my lazy eye.

If you scroll down the Hemalurgy Coppermind page, you can find a table that shows the importance of bindpoints. http://coppermind.net/wiki/Hemalurgy

Sternum	Steel	Allomantic Steel
Eyesocket	Steel	Unconfirmed, likely Allomantic Steel and Iron

[Argel]

Isn't it three spikes before TLR/Ruin/Harmony could gain control/access?