Magic System Components - Catalyst

[Confused]

I suggest you read Magic System Components – General Theory before reading this post.

Introduction

I theorize “Catalysts” are substances Users consume to Invest themselves with Shard “power.” IMO “power” is Spiritual Realm Investiture that’s not part of a Spiritweb – the cosmere’s Spiritual energy. I believe Catalysts cause the User himself to become an Invested object capable of directing the power that infuses him.

I believe cosmere Catalysts add energy to the magical process. This energy breaks down the Realmic barriers or otherwise creates a conduit between Realms. Catalysts are a form of lower case “fuel” in their systems.

Catalysts are the least common magical component, and IMO give mortals access to the cosmere’s most powerful magic. Allomancy, AonDor, Awakening, and Surgebinding are examples of Catalytic systems. I believe only these systems rely on Shard power as Fuel.  For that reason, I think only Catalytic systems allow mortals to change Spiritwebs other than their own souls.

What Is a Catalyst

Here’s what Khriss says about Allomancy’s metal Catalyst (BoM Ars Arcanum – “On the Three Metallic Arts – Allomancy”) (emphasis added):

Quote

The key to drawing this power comes in the form of various types of metals with specific compositions being required. Though the metal is consumed in the process, the power itself doesn’t actually come from the metal. The metal is a catalyst, you might say, that begins an Investiture and keeps it running.

In truth, this isn’t much different from the form-based Investitures one finds on Sel, where specific shape is the key…[Allomancy] is instinctive and intuitive for the practitioner, as opposed to requiring a great deal of study and exactness, as one finds in the form-based Investitures of Sel.

Khriss uses the word “catalyst” to distinguish the “consumed metal” from the “power itself” that doesn’t come from the metal. She then compares metal with the Selish “form-based Investitures.” This comparison suggests Khriss views metal as a Focus, like Sel’s forms, despite calling metal a “catalyst.”

Focus and Catalyst do coincide in metals, but these components don’t seem to coincide in the other magic systems. As I detail below, I think each non-metal Catalyst is a form of its Shardworld’s local Investiture – Stormlight, Invested body water, Invested electromagnetic radiation (EMR), and Invested ground. None of these Investitures are their planet’s Focus.

Metals and these local Investitures share a common source – each is the “essence” of a Shard’s power – a “pathway to power” in Marasi’s words (BoM, Chapter 28, Kindle p. 359). IMO Users consume each substance, each Shard’s “essence,” to build this “pathway to power” in every Catalytic magic system.

Why Catalysts Work

I believe this WoB helps explain the idea of Catalyst:

Quote

Condensed 'essence' of these godly powers can act as super-fuel for Allomancy, Feruchemy, or really any of the powers.... [¶] So when a person is burning metals, they aren't using Preservation's body as a fuel so to speak—though they are tapping into the powers of creation just slightly. When Vin burns the mists, however, she'd doing just that—she's using the essence of Preservation, the Shard of Adonalsium itself—to fuel Allomancy.

Here’s what I find interesting about this often-quoted statement:

1. I think Vin substitutes the mists for metals. “Vin burns the mists…to fuel Allomancy.” This “super-fuel” causes so much power to Invest her that her body vaporizes. That’s one function of a Focus – to limit the power flow a Catalyst summons.

2. Brandon equates the mists with “the essence of Preservation.” I interpret this to mean that Physical Realm Investiture like the mists is a Shard’s magical “essence.”

3. Brandon says a Shard’s essence “can act as super-fuel for…any of the powers.” IOW, consuming Physical Realm Investiture itself can “fuel” any magic anywhere (subject to the User’s Identity).

4. Scadrial is the only planet without Adonalsium Investiture. It is also the only planet that uses a non-Investiture substance, metals, as its Catalyst. Marasi describes metals as Preservation’s “Concentrated essence.” (BoM, Chapter 28, Kindle p. 359.) IMO, this is because Scadrial, unlike every other planet, is made entirely from Shard essence, including the metals. I believe, based on this WoB, that Adonalsium’s essence dominates the other Major Shardworlds. (I also think the reference to Preservation’s “Concentrated essence” – as opposed to the above quote’s “condensed” essence – means metals don’t contain any Ruin essence. Some metals may rust, but the non-oxidizing, non-radioactive ones don’t “decay.”)

5. We know Adonalsium left “inherent Investiture” on each planet other than Scadrial. IMO, Shards later Invested the same substance on each planet that already held Adonalsium’s inherent Investiture. I think these are Roshar’s highstorms, Taldain’s irradiated oceans, Nalthis’ EMR, and Sel’s ground. I think that’s what Brandon means when he says the “interaction between Shards and Shardworlds” creates the unique magic systems of the Major Shardworlds. The Shards adapted to their Shardworld and the magic that already existed there, the “inherent” magic built into each planet’s soul.

6. I believe the Investiture in Roshar’s highstorms, Taldain’s irradiated oceans, Nalthis’ EMR, and Sel’s ground are those planets’ Catalysts – the “condensed essence” of Shard power that can “super-fuel” any magic. IMO, these substances mingle Adonalsium’s inherent Investiture and Shard Investiture.

Major Shardworld Catalysts

The following discussion is based on my (now much edited) post, “Pre-Shattering Magic.” For additional information on this topic, please look at that post.

Roshar’s Invested Highstorms. Surgebinders consume Stormlight to perform Surgebinding, but I believe Stormlight doesn’t make the magic. Rather, like metals, I believe Stormlight is a Catalyst that causes Honor/Cultivation’s power to Invest Surgebinders. Surgebinders then direct the power (Focused through their Radiantspren IMO) to Windrun, Regrow, or Lightweave how and when they choose.

I believe Honor Invested Roshar’s highstorms, but highstorms already held Adonalsium’s Investiture. The main evidence is the listeners’ pre-Shattering Rider of Storms. Highstorms are “natural” on Roshar, meaning Adonalsium created them. Pre-Shattering spren types still exist on Roshar, showing Adonalsium’s ongoing magical influence.

Taldain’s Invested Oceans. Khriss says Sand Masters use “water from their own bodies to forge a brief Cognitive bond. They can draw Investiture…directly from the Spiritual Realm, and use that to control the sand.” (AU, Taldain Essay, Kindle p. 369.) IOW, a Sand Master’s body water is the Catalyst for drawing Autonomy’s power from the Spiritual Realm.

I theorize Taldain’s oceans hold Adonalsium’s inherent Investiture. Taldain’s natural Water Cycle (Evaporation-Condensation-Precipitation, etc.) circulates that Investiture throughout the ecosystem and into human lungs and stomachs. Autonomy’s Investiture, held in the larger sun, begins the Water Cycle by irradiating and evaporating Taldain’s oceans. IMO, that mingles the two Investitures. Sand Masters dehydrate as they consume that Invested body water to summon power and “control the sand” (or rather, the lichen in the sand).

Nalthis’ Invested EMR. I think Awakening’s Catalyst is the EMR colored objects absorb. IMO, Nalthis’ EMR holds both Adonalsium’s and Endowment’s Investiture. “Draining color” withdraws the absorbed Investiture from the colored object. Awakeners can easily “drain” black (fully absorbed EMR), but cannot drain white (fully reflected EMR). This Investiture withdrawal causes colored objects to turn gray, just like a Shardblade-severed limb that’s lost its connection to the soul.

I believe Endowment Invested the Tears of Edgli to restrict reflected EMR (color) to a narrow spectrum. The vivid, saturated color marks dyed objects as portable repositories of Investiture. The broader remaining spectrum holds most of the colored object’s absorbed EMR for “draining.”

Sel’s Invested Ground. I believe Devotion and Dominion created their landscape-based magical language because Adonalsium placed Sel’s inherent Investiture in its ground. I think Sel’s Catalyst is this ground Investiture.

IMO, the ground Investiture leaches into the surrounding ecosystem and its lifeforms, like what happens at Patji’s Eye. Shai uses squid ink for her soulstamps. The Bloodsealer uses Shai’s blood. Dakhor monks transform their bones. Each Selish User IMO consumes some substance imbued with Sel’s ground Investiture to Catalyze the Dor’s Investiture of them.

I think Sel’s ground Investiture Catalyzes Raoden’s completion of Aon Rao. As a Reod Elantrian, Raoden couldn’t draw any other lasting Aons. Yet he drew this one with a stick. I think it’s because the ground he drew on held the Investiture that Catalyzed the Dor’s infusion of Elantris and Elantrians. As long as Aon Rao retains its shape as a Focus, the Dor will continue to infuse Elantris. The “mostly Spiritual” Elantrians can then draw their own Aons to use the Dor as needed.

One counter is that Elantris doesn’t work unless Aon Rao is complete. Thus, Elantrians couldn’t draw Aons until Aon Rao Focused the Dor into Elantris. That’s true. But Raoden could have drawn a perfectly shaped Aon Rao in the air, and I believe nothing permanent would have happened. Otherwise, he would have simply done so. I think Raoden had to draw Aon Rao on the ground for the Dor to Invest Elantris because ground Investiture is needed to Catalyze the Dor’s Investiture of the city. (I predict we’ll discover a Fjordell form drawn on the ground that amplifies Dakhor power at the monastery.)

Speculation About Adonalsium’s Investiture

I wonder whether non-metal Catalysts must use both Adonalsium and Shard Investiture to work properly or whether it matters? The non-Scadrial Major Shardworlds are mostly comprised of Adonalsium, who created them. The Shards later Investitures conformed to the constraints Adonalsium’s magic imposed. I think the Shards could modify his existing systems, but couldn’t supplant those systems.

Each non-metal Catalyst mingles Adonalsium and Shard Investiture. That may be coincidental, a natural outgrowth of the “Shard-Shardworld interactions,” but maybe not. The Shards already Fueled systems with their power; perhaps they wanted Adonalsium to contribute the bulk of the Catalyst? Maybe it’s unimportant, but who knows.

Conclusion

A “Catalyst” this substance Khriss calls,
For Shard power a Catalyst installs.
Composed of Shard essence,
Its heated tumescence
Adds energy to break through Realm walls.

(Inspired by W.B. Yeats’ sonnet, “Leda and the Swan,” particularly lines 9-10.) That’s the last limerick, @Calderis. Great respect! You’re a terrific wordsmith with a terrific ear. Thanks for bringing limericks to the Shard!

You can read the other magic component posts at General Theory, Fuel, User, and Focus. Regards!

[King Cole]

Why don't you combine all of them into one post with each one as a comment?

[FiveLate]

Ok, I like the theory in general, but I am going to nitpick your terminology bc I think it is highly misleading.

I had a problem with Khriss's use of the word Catalyst from the moment I read it, so this is not on you.

A Catalyst is an agent that increases the rate/speed/efficincy/desired outcome of a reaction, that is NOT consumed by the reaction.  An everyday example of this is the catalytic converter in your car. The platinum coating provides a boost the the breakdown of nitrogen oxide to N2 and O2 gasses....it is not consumed.  

Scadrial:

Metals are consumed by Allomancy.  If anything is the Catalyst, it is the sDNA of the Allomancer.  

I'm going to fall back on circuit theory for my explanation, but I can make a mechanical anthology as well.

Electrical theory example.

The metals are gating the Investure path through the Allomancer for a specific result.  It is like the metals are a charged capacitor on the gate of an IGBT or MOSFET.  as long as there is still a large enough charge there, the Investiture flows through the Allomancer giving the desired output.  When the metals are depleted...The charge is depleted, and the gating stops...The stopping the Investiture flow.

Mechanical example.

Imagine a pressurized water system.  It has a self actualized pressure relief valve.  Now the amount of metals consumed equals the pressure above the triggering of the relief valve applied to it.  So when you burn a metal, you trigger the relief valve to bleed off pressure and Investiture flows out as designated by the relief system.  Turning on and off burning your metal is isolating and returning the valve to the system.  As your metal burns, the dp is lowering until you run out and it self isolates again.

Actually that is a pretty poor example, Ill refine it later.

Roshar:

It suffers not only from the above definition of catalyst, but also bc stormlight and water there seem to have some sort of relationship.  Uses of stormlight, which was contained in some way, always seem to result in condensation or frost.  State changes, don't necessarily rule out a catalytic effect though.

Taldain:

Sand masters once again expend body water to invoke an Investiture flow...

Nalthis:

I assume by EMR....your referring to electromagnetic radiation?  If so, I think there is a couple things you haven't considered.

Sel:

I have to think on Sel a bit.

 

Now, I like a lot of the idea, I just think you have errors in how it functions mainly bc Khriss used the word Catalyst, which I think is incorrect.

[Confused]

Thanks, @FiveLate, for your comments. I agree with everything you say. Here's my response to a similar comment by @Calderis in the "General Theory" thread:

Quote

Ironically, I edited out the following language from the “Catalysts” post:

Quote

A cosmere Catalyst does not act like a true chemical catalyst. Chemical catalysts accelerate chemical reactions, but they are not consumed in that process. Cosmere Catalysts, OTOH, are consumed…. If Khriss or Brandon used a different word to describe this “fuel,” I would use that word, but they don’t. Brandon says the ideas and words in his books are canon. Chemically appropriate or not, for now I’ll stick with the word “Catalyst” as the name for this magical component.

You and @FiveLate think this is important. To me, we’re back to Juliet’s lament from the balcony: “What’s in a name?” Regardless of whether Catalysts behave like chemical “catalysts,” Khriss/Brandon gave that name to the substance that fulfills the power-summoning function. That’s good enough for me.

You also say I haven't considered some things about Nalthis and its EMR Catalyst. I'd like to hear your thoughts on that. Do check out the Nalthis discussion in my Pre-Shattering Magic post. Thanks!

Edited August 29, 2017 by Confused

[FiveLate]

On 8/29/2017 at 3:46 PM, Confused said:

Thanks, @FiveLate, for your comments. I agree with everything you say. Here's my response to a similar comment by @Calderis in the "General Theory" thread:

You also say I haven't considered some things about Nalthis and its EMR Catalyst. I'd like to hear your thoughts on that. Do check out the Nalthis discussion in my Pre-Shattering Magic post. Thanks!

By your definition (which I don't agree with, but you know that) a catalyst is used up in the reaction.  On Nalthis this would be the pigments, not the EMR.