Spiking a Lifeless

[The Grumpy Elantrian]

So, the lifeless in warbreaker are obviously very effective soldiers, but could you enhance them with hemalurgy?

Since hemalurgy essentially uses the spike to staple a patch of soul onto another, would the same be able to happen to a lifeless since their soul is seemingly so temporary (being simply another's breath)? 

Further, could you spike a lifeless for their ability to not need food or sustenance? 

Thanks in advance.

[Rossamund]

I don't think so their missing their original soul, and breath isn't enough to fully restore them and doesn't match the body like the soul does. That being said a new organismish thing might be formed, that heamalurgy could work but I think if that would work it would take more breath.
As for the ability to not need food, you couldn't spike that. This is because it's not an ability providing sustenance but a lack of need since it's a dead body you'd have just as much luck spiking the alibility from an animated broom.

[+Extesian]

That's a pretty interesting first question, I actually don't think I've seen that asked. My guess would be that it would work because I think awakening literally creates a simple programmable soul, and it spoils be possible then you graft something onto that soul with a spike. There's a physical body and a corresponding spirit web, even if that spiritweb is made of Breath. 

There may however be a problem with mixing ruionous investiture with the pure investiture of another shard. It would probably corrupt it, to who knows what effect. 

To the second question 

Quote

Pechvarry (paraphrased)

Could you make a spike from a Lifeless?

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

"Oooo interesting!" He said their soul is so drained there wouldn't be much left, so you could only get the barest hint.

Pechvarry (paraphrased)

But you COULD technically get a charge?

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

Yes, but it would be very weak.

source

Edit - this wob asks the question but i personally think Brandon was answering about a dead thing, not about a lifeless

Quote

Wyrmhero (paraphrased)

Can you could Hemalurgically spike a dead thing, similar to how Breath goes into dead things? Could you spike a Lifeless?

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

Yes, if there was enough of the soul left for the spike to take.

source

 

Edited October 29, 2018 by Extesian

[Quantus]

To add to what @Extesian said, they dont have enough energy left in their Spiritweb to get much of a charge from them, but it's a matter of quantity not quality, all the needed pieces of the process are there.  You'd have better luck spiking traits back into a Lifeless than getting them out I think. 

Either way though, I dont think you can spike out a Lifeless's lack of need for food and water.  That's not a spiritweb trait, that's a base function of being animated by a Breath rather than Food and Life, and you cannot spike out non-Divine Breath.