Allomancy of the Final Empire (No Spoilers) - "Letters From the Cosmere" Part 9

[TheBlueShifting]

Hello my fellow theorist!

So this letter is a little different. From the start I have wanted to make this series something that newer fans of the Cosmere can access so they can learn about the Cosmere without being overwhelmed or drenched in Spoilers. However most my videos still need a warning for those who watch so they don't accidentally learn too much. This video is the first of my in-debts examination of Allomancy, and I wanted it to be set about the ground work. Although there is some information about Elsric in here, most this information is very basic. However I hope you see this as a resource to share with your friends and family who have questions or are just starting out in the Mistborn series. I hope you enjoy:

 

Here is the transcript for this episode. I apologies for the capitalization errors:

It has been a long time since I have written one of these letters. I feel that I have slowed in my… old age and found less time to report my findings. As I stated last time we spoke, I have found myself drawn to continue my studies as an Archanist with an emphasis on Shards and Intents. This is the Abstract of my first essay submission to the Universities here. I wish to send you this summary until I can deliver a physical copy for your safekeeping.

Title Page: Allomancy of the Final Empire

As part of my application to the Universities and Establishments of Silverlight, I, Elsric Demorous humbly submit this analytical essay. This essay is the first in a series that will outline the interaction of the Investitures found on Scadrial through the ages, as well as conceptualization of the powers, intents, and consequences of the abilities native to Scarial. The documentation of the Scadrian system has been sporadic in nearly all cases. As far as I know, the publications of Khrissala are the only comprehensive examination of the early Scadrian system that exists in the library. The following essays will define the various investitures as well as document theorized physical, cognitive, and spiritual effects of native Scadrian powers.

This first essay will primarily be a historical examination of Alloymancy, the backbone of the Final Empire and the World of Ash. The political, economic, and military bearing of allomancy will be brought to light. I will also explore the physical limitations and capabilities of the 8 basic metals and 2 high metals as they were known at the time. My original transcripts will also contain diagrams and physical calculations as I can best determine.

It is said that the Mists of Sacadrial gave birth to the first of the Mistborn, hence the name. It is oddly fitting, even if the majority of these claims are apocryphal at best. The history of Allomancy in the Final Empire is brutal and succinct. The Lord Ruler, the Immortal God of the world of Ash stepped out of the mountains and granted unto his chosen servants the power of Allomancy. These founders then passed their gifts to their children and their children’s children through the ages. These family lines would form the backbone of the Empire and the nobility. Because of the heavy legal emphasis on breeding, the lines of succession remained relatively stable, although time eventually saw a steady blending between the nobility and the enslaved Skaa peasant populations. This duel cast system pervaded the Empire completely with the only effective middle class being an anomaly made up of lawless con men and thieves. This social structure and the iron fist of the Lord Ruler ensured that this political structure remained stable and mostly unchanged for a millennium.

Allomancers came in two forms. The Mistings were the majority of Investiture users in the Final Empire, each person having access to just one allomantic ability. These individuals were highly desired and were greedily sought by the noble houses. Mistborn were the far rarer manifestation. With the ability to use any of the allomantic metals these individuals were nearly priceless for their utility as spies and assassins. Mistborn were far from invincible, but one Mistborn was often more effective than a small army.

During the final empire there were 10 metals that were used by those gifted as allomancers. The basic 8 were grouped into two separate categories, physical and mental allomancy. In turn each classification had two allomantic pairs, a pure element and a companion alloy. The pairings often reflected each other in effect or cause. A continuation of classifications includes external and internal metals, external having an effect beyond the allomancer, while internal cause the allomancer to be altered in some way. This distinction is much clearer than the pushing and pulling classifications. I feel the terms of push and pull became part of the diction of the people of scadrial based on the effects of iron pulls and steel pushes which perform dramatic visual effects of pushing and pulling on physical metals. However, I feel this distinction begins to break down when applied to the other metals but that may be a personal idiosyncrasy. As far as the specific details of the metals and how they fall into these sub catagories will be continued in future essays. For now I wish to outline the elements and alloys that make up the core 10.

Of the eight basic metals we will look at the distinction between physical metals and mental metals. The four physical metals are Iron, Steel, Tin, and Pewter. Iron and Steel exert a physical force on sources of metal that are outside of a physical body and that are within range of the allomancers reach. The distance where a metal can be affected is determined by physical size of the manipulated object as well as the distance between the allomancer and the object being pushed or pulled. Steel pushes outward while Iron pulls inward. Large metal objects are more accessible from farther away. The allomancer can see his or her connection to the metals around them via blue lines which connect them from their center of gravity to the metals themselves.

Pewter and Tin are internal metals that change the physical body of the alomancer. Pewter grants greater physical strength and endurance. This additional strength does not come for an increase in muscle mass or bone density. Instead it seems to be strength lent by the actual burning process. Upon closer study I became very excited by the implications of this as you will see in my following essays.

Tin is the other physical enhancement metal which increases the senses of the allomancer. Allomancers who burn tin receive a burst of sensory information all at once. Everything is noticed in a heightened state. Tin burners or Tin-eyes are susceptible to sudden changes in the environment such as bright lights and loud noises. These changes cause a sensory overload that can stun the allomancer in question. On the other hand, this over-stimulation can be used to clear one’s mind when it becomes clouded or disoriented. I believe that this is an enhancement of the mind. Tin enhances the senses that already exist, and there is no change in the outer organs of the allomancer. Therefore, it seems that it’s the minds ability to comprehend what it senses rather than a change in sensory data.

Iron and Steel are the outward physical metals. These metals determine a physical distance relationship between sources of metal and the alomancer.

While this has been a simplified look at the physical metals I wish to impress the reader with an understanding that these metals are not simple in the slightest. The changes that these physical metals make are curious and perhaps are unique as a form of investiture. But for the purposes of this opening essay I will move on. My theores and descriptions of these metals will be explained in much greater detail in the following essays which are dedicated to them.

This also goes for the mental alomantic powers. The first pairing, Copper and Bronze are understandably complementary. Bronze allows the user to detect when an individual in range is using alomancy. This was often used by members of the policing and religious organizations of the Final Empire to find Skaa mistings who were performing illegal activities with their powers. They were also used in the inner dealings of the Great Noble houses to learn about the abilities and actions of their rivals. Copper is the alternative, which when burned creates a cloud of alomantic interference. The Copper misting or smoker created a field that blocked Bronze alomancers or Seekers from being able to detect alomantic pulses. Smokers were essential in the underworld in order for these skaa mistings to work without as great a fear of discovery. Smokers were also immune to emotional manipulation while burning their metal.

The final pairing in the core 8 metals are Zinc and Brass. These are fascination in that they sway the existing emotions of people outside of the allomancer. The allomancer could target a single individual or a small group or congregation. These metals do not allow mind control or even emotional control.* Instead they act as a catalyst or a dilution of emotion, depending on the metal. Zinc allomancers are called rioters because they inflame emotion. Much like how music in a performance can heighten the emotional experience of the audience, rioters provide shortcuts for emotion, causing them to swell powerfully and encouraging emotional responses. Predictable Brass does the opposite. Brass Allomancers or Soothers smother emotions gently, calming and stabilizing the emotions of others. If overdone these soothers tend to make people dull of feeling and potentially lethargic. These two are not as simple as their counterparts. Emotions are complex in sentient beings and thus these abilities are much less effective unless the allomancer can grasp the emotions a person is feeling. Then they can encourage or suppress as they feel is best.

Next we will look at the temporal effects of Gold and Atium. Gold is perhaps the most unusual of the metals. When burned, the allomancer has a strange perception switch where they seem to split into two. It is still unclear as to the nature of this splitting, however it is safe to assume that the duplicate is a shadow of who the allomancer could have become had different choices been made. However, this is strangely subjective, for there are limitless possibilities in a person’s past. Yet Gold only shows one alternative. I explore these implications later but I am still very much at a loss as to what this metal really does. My conclusions are more like concepts and will need further investigation.

And finally Atium, the literal backbone of Imperial society and economy. Atium was by far the most valuable metal in the final empire. When burned the metal allows the allomancer to see a little into the future. Not only is this an extension of the senses into the future, but an expansion of the mind so that the allomancer can process the information almost by instinct. The metal was incredibly rare and burned very quickly. As long as the allomancer burned this metal they were invincible for all intents and purposes. There are only two confirmed dangers to an allomancer who is burning Atium. Either they need to be maneuvered into a position where there is no possible escape, or they must be confronted with an opponent who could also burn atium. While the powers of Atium are incredible, the effect on the Imperial markets and noble houses might have been even more significant. Despite the alluring power of this metal, it is these additional consequences that created the greatest changes and effects in the Final Empire.

This archaic look into the past reminds me of just how far we have come in our understanding of the Cosmere. Like many cultures I’ve stumbled upon, the people of scadrial wield these powers without understanding what they are doing with these Investitures. Thus it is important that we study these and understand where this information started. Although this essay is simplistic in its diction, remember that this is a foundation for the more advanced information to be found in the essays that follow. However I feel that context is imperative for the reader, so I highly encourage that you do not seek out my other publications on the people of Scadrial until you have made yourself familiar with the legend of the Hero of Ages.

 

I will follow up shortly with a continuation of these essays.

Until the next time,

Elsric

[Landis963]

I note that Elsric doesn't appear to have access to atium-compounding, or else his complaints about his old age would be vastly different.  Indeed, I would hazard that Elsric has very little practical experience with burning atium, given that each of the "legends of the Hero of Ages" (clever, that) go out of their way to highlight a different weakness of atium - namely, atium users can be caught off-guard by an opponent's more strategic use of it, that atium use relies on the opponent moving first, and that atium use does not provide the physical boost of, say, pewter.  Which, in turn, suggests "not Mistborn."  However, this flies in the face of his known ability to traverse the Cognitive Realm - he's been to Silverlight and Roshar, after all - by ascribing to him a level of inherent Investiture commensurate to a normal Scadrian human.  The ones whose souls poof away to the Beyond within seconds after death.  

Perhaps the example of Khriss is a better comparison, given that she appears not to have any magic at her personal disposal, unlike, say, a Knight Radiant, or a Mistborn.  (Or the example of Nazh, for similar reasons)  But those two are veteran travelers of Shadesmar, and know where exactly all the Silverlight-constructed infrastructure is, two things that Elsric (assuming my conjecture of his first worldhop is correct) would not have at his disposal.  So I admit to a bit of confusion.