Rithmatist Questions

[KiNg626]

I just finished my second reread of the rithmatist, and thought I would post a list of questions I had. If anyone can answer them, please feel free, these are just things I thought of while reading.

1. How do Lines of Vigor(LOV) interact with Lines of Forbiddance(LOF)? In the book, Joel states that LOV can be used to break through LOF, but in one of the diagrams(I think it was before Chapter 22) it states that they bounce instead of damaging them, so which is it?
2. When are bind points determined? If I draw a circle, then attach chalklings on opposite ends(as if it was a 2-point circle), can I add a circle on the side(as if it was 4-pointed) later?
3. Can LOV bounce forever? If I draw a LOV and trap it with a bunch of LOF will it bounce endlessly, or will it run out of energy after a while?
4. Can a LOV damage my own circles/lines/chalklings? If someone reflects a LOV back at me, will it damage my other creations? Could a very skilled rithmatist win by only reflecting LOV?
5. How do Rithmatic lines deal with corners? For example, if I draw a LOV at a wall, will it bounce off of the wall or will it travel up the wall and down the other side?
6. Can LOV trick-shots please be something Rithmatist's do for fun? How cool would it be to have a Dude Perfect type group in the sequel.
7. How would a large scale Mark's cross work? Would it be weaker at the intersection? Could you cross 4 LOF to make a stronger square as it wouldn't have any corners?
8. If you knew your circle was about to be moved(because you didn't anchor it properly, it got damaged, etc.) could you jump/move with it to prevent being disqualified?
9. How much could a Rithmatist do with intent? Could you make a LOF that switched from being active to inactive? A Line of Warding that spins in place?
10. How long do lines other than LOF take to dismiss? Is it instant, or does it just take less time than a LOF?
11. Is Melody's ability with chalklings a learn-able skill, or is it something unique to Melody?
12. At Nebrask, do the Rithmatist's defend from inside or outside the circle? Why can't they just redirect a river/make a moat?
13. Are Rithmatists something that is limited to the American Isles, or are there Rithmatists all over? If they are all over, do they all go to defend Nebrask? Are there other Nebrask-like locations in the world?
14. When fighting Harding, Fitch uses 2 chalk pieces to draw. Is this allowed in dueling, or is it just too hard to be regulated?
15. How is a Line of Revocation(LOR) drawn? Is it drawn straight piece first, or squiggly piece first? Joel initially mistakes it for a LOV, but those are drawn out to in, which doesn't fit with the LOR.
16. Does the amount of chalk/thickness of the lines have anything to do with the power of the lines? If I draw a LOW with chalk that is 2 times as thick, is it 2 times as strong?
17. How do LOV move? Do they leave a trail of chalk as they move from where they start, or do they erase themselves, leaving only 2 periods at all times?
18. When a LOV hits a LOW, does the LOV just dissipate/get erased, or does it break apart/fall apart?
19. How much strength would you lose on a LOW if you missed bind points? Could you bind more than 9 circles/chalkings and have them cover the weak-spot they create?

OK, wow that was more questions than I anticipated. If anyone has answers to any of these questions, please leave them down below. If not, I guess I'll just have to wait for a sequel.

Edited March 11, 2019 by KiNg626

[Scion of the Mists]

Hi @KiNg626 - welcome to the Shard!  

Have you checked out the Coppermind (the Cosmere Wiki) or Arcanum (a repository of everything Brandon's said)?  They're really great resources for these kinds of questions, although they're more focused on the Cosmere than The Rithmatist.  

 

For most of the Line of Vigor questions, it's helpful to think of them as light waves (which is what Brandon based them on).  So, for instance, they refract when changing medium (e.g. concrete to asphalt) and you have constructive/destructive interference when they collide.  

When waves hit an object, some portion of their energy is absorbed, and some is reflected (this applies to questions 1 and 3).  The ratio is dependent on a whole host of things, including frequency.  

 

2. I believe you could transition from a 2 point circle to a 4 or 6 point circle without issue (although I guess you could make an argument for intent being important).  

4. I don't see why your drawings would be immune from your Lines of Vigor.  A reflect-only Rithmatist would get overwhelmed by Chalklings.  

6. This is how Adelle Choi won the 1888 Melee.  

7. Not sure I understand your question

8. I don't see why not

11. It seems to be something unique to Melody (Brandon refers to it as "her magic")

12. Two reasons moats wouldn't work: the Tower moves and they could cross with boats.  

13. Pretty sure Rithmatics is limited to North America, as it wasn't discovered until the Brits came over (after all the indigenous people had fled south)

16. The strength of a Line of Warding is determined by its straightness; the thickness determines height (see the Coppermind page).  

 

Good questions I don't have the answer to: #5, #9, #15

Not addressed by the book or WoBs: #10, #14

[KiNg626]

I have checked out the Coppermind briefly before, but I wasn't sure how up to date/accurate it was. I hadn't seen the Arcanum before, so I'll be sure to check it out.

1/3. Ok, I'll look more into light wave and interference.

7. I was thinking since LOF are weakest at the corners, if you cross multiple LOF, you could create a square-ish structure with no corners. I also didn't know if LOF were always weakest at the ends, or only when they were formed into corners.

16. I was wondering if the thickness of lines other than the LOF would affect them, like LOV being able to bounce more, LOW being able to take more hits, etc.

Thanks for taking the time to answer!

[Scion of the Mists]

11 hours ago, KiNg626 said:

7. I was thinking since LOF are weakest at the corners, if you cross multiple LOF, you could create a square-ish structure with no corners. I also didn't know if LOF were always weakest at the ends, or only when they were formed into corners.

Are you talking about the strength of the internal Lines of Forbiddance inside of the Mark's Cross?  I'm not sure why that matters - generally the cross is going to be attacked on the outside.  

I would imagine you could add extra internal Lines for increased stability/bindpoints.  The Mark's Crosses are basically mini 4-point defensive circles.  

 

11 hours ago, KiNg626 said:

Thanks for taking the time to answer!

No problem!  Always happy to see Rithmatist questions - there isn't enough activity in this forum.  I got around to reading it a few months ago (it was my first non-Cosmere book) and loved it!

[Lisa, Reading Spren]

Hi
Maybe it's a stupid question but do we know why it's so hard to invent new Lines? (it's been a while since i read the book)

They say you have to know what a Lines does as a Rithmatist for it to work, but can't I just draw a new line with the intend for it do, for example amplify sounds or increases speed,...?

Thanks in advance

[RShara]

20 hours ago, Lisa, Reading Spren said:

Hi
Maybe it's a stupid question but do we know why it's so hard to invent new Lines? (it's been a while since i read the book)

They say you have to know what a Lines does as a Rithmatist for it to work, but can't I just draw a new line with the intend for it do, for example amplify sounds or increases speed,...?

Thanks in advance

It's because there doesn't really seem to be a pattern to the few lines that they know, so a line could be pretty much any shape. So you have to get the shape and the intent right at the same time. With an almost infinite number of shapes and an almost infinite number of intents, striking the right one is...well, almost infinitely hard

[Lisa, Reading Spren]

Thank you for taking the time to answer me

My error was that i forgot that they don't "invent" Lines but more re-discover Lines that already exist. Silly me

[Ammonakin]

On 3/7/2019 at 3:44 PM, KiNg626 said:

9. How much could a Rithmatist do with intent? Could you make a LOF that switched from being active to inactive? A Line of Warding that spins in place?

 

My Thoughts:

I don't think you could do any of those things, but that is interesting to consider. 

In the book, Fitch says:

Quote

"the Rithmatist's desires affect what he draws. Not in a quantifiable way for instance, a Rithmatist can't simply wish his Lines of Forbiddance to be stronger. However, if a Rithmatist doesn't intend to draw a Line of Forbiddance, the line simply won't work.”

Here are some other thoughts about that:

Spoiler

 

Because of how many books Joel sees about theories about new lines, it has obviously been studied intensely. To me, it seems that in addition to having the right intent, the line you make has to be correct, such as you couldn't draw a LoV and will it to be a LoW.

But because you are asking how much could be done... I really don't know. I think 3 of the 4 basic lines are almost completely determined by mathematic measurements, but it seems lines of making are much more versatile. The book says: 

Quote

Joel Frowned. He’d always seen Rithmatics as… well, something scientific and measurable. 
A Line of Warding's strength was proportionate to the degree of its curve. The height of a Line of Forbiddance’s blocking power was proportional to its width. The lines all made direct, measurable sense.
“There's got to be some number involved," he said.
“I told you," Melody said. "It has to do with how well they are drawn. If you draw a unicorn that looks like a unicorn, it will last longer than one with bad proportions, or one that has one leg too short, or one that can't tell if it's supposed to be a unicorn or a lion."
But how does it know? What determines a 'good' drawing or 'bad' drawing?”
...
"They make perfect sense to me," she said. “The prettier the drawing is, the stronger it is and the better it's able to do what you tell it to. What's confusing about that?"

I think most lines need the right intent to work, but are very limited in flexibility.

Quote

"I wouldn't say that," Melody said. "Chalklings ... they're not quite like the other lines, Joel. A Line of Forbiddance only does one thing. You draw it, and it sits there. Chalklings, though ... they're versatile. They have a life of their own."

 Lines of making are probably much more influenced by intent, especially by Melody, as she seems to be able to "whisper to them" or even understand them. I am not sure how unique this is to her.

 

 

 

Edit: When I was reading the Rithmatist today I think I found the answer to #5.

Yes, at least lines of making, and probably the other rithmatic lines, can move without regard to walls, angles, or materials. (Though a LoV refracts when they cross a new material.)

Here are the details:

Spoiler

 

When Joel and Fitch are studying the crime scene where Charles made a ton of defenses and lasted a long time in his room, Fitch said:

Quote

“Notice how he outlined the entire room in chalk to keep the chalklings from crawling around his lines by going on the walls?"

And when Joel is chasing Melody's chalkling across the grass, then the book describes:

Quote

Joel pointed at the chalkling, which was much easier to see now that it moved across grass, its lines conforming to the shape and contours of the blades much as a shadow would look when it fell on an uneven surface.

...

The chalkling moved over to a large oak tree with thick branches, then--oddly--moved up the side of the trunk.

 

So we know at least that chalklings can completely disregard what material they are on, moving with blades of grass or up trees or on walls, so I wouldn't be surprised if the other rithmatic lines followed the same rules.

 

 

Edited April 2, 2019 by Ammon Kunzler