How do they test for cadmium mistings, anyway?

[Necessary Eagle]

Because if you're not a Pulser, swallowing cadmium is just going to murder your kidneys. And society at large thinks Pulsers are useless, anyway. So why would someone try burning it in the first place? Is there some stupidly obvious way to tell an allomancer from the outside that I'm forgetting? Because if not, who goes,"Hey, I should eat this horrible poison on the off chance that I have one of the lamest superpowers on Scadrial!"

(I suppose you could ask that about a lot of Allomatic metals, but cadmium is the nastiest one on the chart, right? And with a lot less payoff).

[StanLemon]

Cadmium is significantly less dangerous ingested than breathed in due to the digestive system absorbing far less efficiently than the lungs. I would imagine very small doses for testing for Cadmium. However I think the real answer is, if someone has snapped, test every metal except Cadmium first and if they don't exhibit any other powers then Cadmium would be their ability by default

[Necessary Eagle]

17 minutes ago, StanLemon said:

Cadmium is significantly less dangerous ingested than breathed in due to the digestive system absorbing far less efficiently than the lungs. I would imagine very small doses for testing for Cadmium.

Okay, good to know!

Is there a way to tell someone has Snapped, though, if they haven't had access to their metal? Again, this might be some stupid obvious thing I'm forgetting.

[StanLemon]

2 minutes ago, Necessary Eagle said:

Okay, good to know!

Is there a way to tell someone has Snapped, though, if they haven't had access to their metal? Again, this might be some stupid obvious thing I'm forgetting.

Honestly we don't really know much about Snapping in general. Kelsier implied that he could feel when he Snapped though. 

[Kingsdaughter613]

36 minutes ago, StanLemon said:

Honestly we don't really know much about Snapping in general. Kelsier implied that he could feel when he Snapped though. 

Kelsier may have been Snapped directly by Preservation. It certainly wasn’t a normal snapping, so really isn’t something we can use as proof.

[Raphaborn]

6 hours ago, Necessary Eagle said:

Because if you're not a Pulser, swallowing cadmium is just going to murder your kidneys. And society at large thinks Pulsers are useless, anyway. So why would someone try burning it in the first place? Is there some stupidly obvious way to tell an allomancer from the outside that I'm forgetting? Because if not, who goes,"Hey, I should eat this horrible poison on the off chance that I have one of the lamest superpowers on Scadrial!"

(I suppose you could ask that about a lot of Allomatic metals, but cadmium is the nastiest one on the chart, right? And with a lot less payoff).

What makes you think you were first discovered by an Allomancer? Perhaps it was noticed by some Feruchemist, which would be much safer.

[Necessary Eagle]

On 1/3/2021 at 10:35 PM, Raphaborn said:

What makes you think you were first discovered by an Allomancer? Perhaps it was noticed by some Feruchemist, which would be much safer.

I think you misunderstood me. What I meant is, if someone Snaps a) can that person tell without burning metals, and 2) if there isn't a way to tell from the inside, is there some test that can show they're an allomancer?

EDIT: Wait, are you referring to the initial discovery that cadmium was one of the missing metals? Because that's a good question, but I'm talking about an individual person in a society where cadmium is a known thing. You're right, it was probably discovered feruchemically. I wonder who they roped in to test what it did Allomantically. Maybe Lord Mistborn volunteered?

Edited January 6, 2021 by Necessary Eagle

[Raphaborn]

1 hour ago, Necessary Eagle said:

I think you misunderstood me. What I meant is, if someone Snaps a) can that person tell without burning metals, and 2) if there isn't a way to tell from the inside, is there some test that can show they're an allomancer?

EDIT: Wait, are you referring to the initial discovery that cadmium was one of the missing metals? Because that's a good question, but I'm talking about an individual person in a society where cadmium is a known thing. You're right, it was probably discovered feruchemically. I wonder who they roped in to test what it did Allomantically. Maybe Lord Mistborn volunteered?

Oh, your questions are good. Since Spooky was still there, I imagine he tested the Cadmium's Allomantic effect, yes.
But your question about testing Allomancers is a good one. I imagine that people at some age, unfortunately we don't know the change that Snap has had, receive a weak one with some metal powder from each available option, and then find out if they can burn any of them. And yes, it looks dangerous with Cadmium, and some others with heavy metals (like pewter that has lead). So far, it is the only way to find out.

Edited January 6, 2021 by Raphaborn

[Kingsdaughter613]

7 hours ago, Necessary Eagle said:

I think you misunderstood me. What I meant is, if someone Snaps a) can that person tell without burning metals, and 2) if there isn't a way to tell from the inside, is there some test that can show they're an allomancer?

EDIT: Wait, are you referring to the initial discovery that cadmium was one of the missing metals? Because that's a good question, but I'm talking about an individual person in a society where cadmium is a known thing. You're right, it was probably discovered feruchemically. I wonder who they roped in to test what it did Allomantically. Maybe Lord Mistborn volunteered?

I wonder if Kelsier didn’t just tell him and Spook claimed to figure it out by accident? Kell held Preservation, so he probably knew about the different metals. And they were in contact and studying the metallic arts. It makes sense that this would come up.

[StanLemon]

1 hour ago, Kingsdaughter613 said:

I wonder if Kelsier didn’t just tell him and Spook claimed to figure it out by accident? Kell held Preservation, so he probably knew about the different metals. And they were in contact and studying the metallic arts. It makes sense that this would come up.

This is very much possible. He learned enough about Hemalurgy to have a functional base knowledge to experiment effectively despite not at all focusing on it so he probably gained plenty of knowledge on Allomancy and Feruchemy too. It's probably why he was able to make the Bands.

[+robardin]

On 1/3/2021 at 6:18 PM, Necessary Eagle said:

Is there a way to tell someone has Snapped, though, if they haven't had access to their metal? Again, this might be some stupid obvious thing I'm forgetting.

Not in Era 1 - we see that people who had been "mistsnapped" didn't realize they were Allomancers now at all, much less cognizant of what kind of Misting, until they were provided with metal vials to test with.

But in Era 2, not only has Harmony changed how Snapping works to be less brutal (with a possible side effect of making Allomancy less strong, though dilution over time distance from a lerasium ingesting ancestor also has that effect), but apparently has changed it so a Metalborn "knows" their affinity. This is because Wayne describes his history to Marasi as having come out to the Roughs when he was 16 years old (hmmm.... Sixteen?) "kinda" because he knew he was an Allomancer, and that he had "had an idea" about his Feruchemy because he father was also a Feruchemist (not known of what type), but that "bismuth and cadmium aren't the kind of metals you find in your corner store" and "storing health, it takes gold".

The implication being that neither had been accessible to him where he'd come from, and he'd come out to the Roughs to try to gain access to them (stealing them directly, or enough money to gain access to them)... Yet he'd been aware of his ability to make use of them, if not practiced in the art.

[LordFlea]

Preservation/The Lord Ruler/Harmony might have been generous enough to give the humans of their time resistance to metal poisonings overall. We know that TLR did this for a bunch of things with the Skaa and Nobility so it might be possible here as well

[Aspiring Writer]

I would like to point out that if they found out about bendalloy's use before cadmium and found that was allomantically viable, they would then know that one of Bendalloy's alloys would be allomantically viable and then find out it was cadmium.

[+Bzhydack]

On 18.01.2021 at 4:19 AM, LordFlea said:

Preservation/The Lord Ruler/Harmony might have been generous enough to give the humans of their time resistance to metal poisonings overall. We know that TLR did this for a bunch of things with the Skaa and Nobility so it might be possible here as well

I cannot find it, but I remember read that Preservation intentionaly changed human metabolism to prevent being poisoned with metals.

[Aspiring Writer]

35 minutes ago, Bzhydack said:

I cannot find it, but I remember read that Preservation intentionaly changed human metabolism to prevent being poisoned with metals.

That would be very useful. Does this include lead? and are harmful metals that can be burned still potentially harmful to them before he did that?

[+Bzhydack]

5 minutes ago, Aspiring Writer said:

That would be very useful. Does this include lead? and are harmful metals that can be burned still potentially harmful to them before he did that?

Probably this include Lead, due to fact Lead is part of Pewter alloy, and Pewter is allomanticly active.

[StanLemon]

I couldn't find anything about Scadrian's being more resistant to metal poisoning, but there are a number of WoB on the risks of metal poisoning for Allomancers. It is possible that simple natural selection over centuries for Scadrians to have built up a natural resistance though mitigating the risks. Zane for example always slept with metals in his system which should have had him suffering from metal poisoning after prolonged period of him doing that but he never exhibited any signs or symptoms.

[BenduLuke]

14 hours ago, StanLemon said:

I couldn't find anything about Scadrian's being more resistant to metal poisoning, but there are a number of WoB on the risks of metal poisoning for Allomancers. It is possible that simple natural selection over centuries for Scadrians to have built up a natural resistance though mitigating the risks. Zane for example always slept with metals in his system which should have had him suffering from metal poisoning after prolonged period of him doing that but he never exhibited any signs or symptoms.

The metals were poisonous which is why Kel told Vin to burn excess metal before sleeping. Insanity is an effect of metal poisoning so that helps to explain Zane. The fact that Scadrians can even ingest metal indicates a resistance to metal poisoning.

[Hoidolasium]

On 1/22/2021 at 3:27 PM, BenduLuke said:

The metals were poisonous which is why Kel told Vin to burn excess metal before sleeping. Insanity is an effect of metal poisoning so that helps to explain Zane. The fact that Scadrians can even ingest metal indicates a resistance to metal poisoning.

Zane is insane because he has a spike in him. It seems like he's been sort of driven insane by this over time, in addition to Ruin and his father telling him that he is.

[Echa]

On 1/24/2021 at 10:08 AM, Hoidolasium said:

Zane is insane because he has a spike in him. It seems like he's been sort of driven insane by this over time, in addition to Ruin and his father telling him that he is.

Seeing as he has a metal spike in him, I would think this still counts as metal poisoning. Sure, he also hears voices, and it's definitely Ruin, but he still has metal in him.

[The Titan God]

On 1/18/2021 at 5:33 PM, Aspiring Writer said:

I would like to point out that if they found out about bendalloy's use before cadmium and found that was allomantically viable, they would then know that one of Bendalloy's alloys would be allomantically viable and then find out it was cadmium.

Bendalloy is the alloy of cadmium, not the other way around. If they did discover bendalloy first, then they would have to find which of the base metals were also allomantically viable, cadmium or bismuth.

[AquaRegia]

On 1/8/2021 at 2:51 PM, robardin said:

Not in Era 1 - we see that people who had been "mistsnapped" didn't realize they were Allomancers now at all, much less cognizant of what kind of Misting, until they were provided with metal vials to test with.

But in Era 2, not only has Harmony changed how Snapping works to be less brutal, but apparently has changed it so a Metalborn "knows" their affinity.

Agreed.  Rereading MB Era 2 now, and nowhere is 'snapping" mentioned.  The implication is that Allomancers either know instinctively, or have discovered safe and gentle means by which to find out.  Note this advertisement in the New Seran New Ascendancy broadsheet:

"Potential Allomancers Needed to Test New Metal Alloys - latest scientific breakthrough has created an ENTIRELY SAFE method of discovering new Allomantic abilities."

The metals only need to be inside your body; Brandon has confirmed that there is no digestion involved.  Cadmium or other toxic metals could be encased in wax, and pass harmlessly through the subject if not burned.

On 1/17/2021 at 11:33 PM, Aspiring Writer said:

I would like to point out that if they found out about bendalloy's use before cadmium and found that was allomantically viable, they would then know that one of Bendalloy's alloys would be allomantically viable and then find out it was cadmium.

2 hours ago, The Titan God said:

Bendalloy is the alloy of cadmium, not the other way around. If they did discover bendalloy first, then they would have to find which of the base metals were also allomantically viable, cadmium or bismuth.

Roger this.  Bendalloy can't possibly occur naturally (at least, not on Earth) - it's a weird mixture of mostly bismuth and lead, with tin and cadmium added.  It's also quite toxic, even through skin contact.  I wouldn't swallow any unless my life literally depended on it.

On 1/6/2021 at 10:06 PM, Kingsdaughter613 said:

I wonder if Kelsier didn’t just tell him and Spook claimed to figure it out by accident? Kell held Preservation, so he probably knew about the different metals. And they were in contact and studying the metallic arts. It makes sense that this would come up.

I find it very reasonable that Spook would have known (either through Harmony or Kelsier) about all 16 metals, even the ones that hadn't been "discovered" yet.

[Kingsdaughter613]

3 minutes ago, AquaRegia said:

Agreed.  Rereading MB Era 2 now, and nowhere is 'snapping" mentioned.  The implication is that Allomancers either know instinctively, or have discovered safe and gentle means by which to find out.  Note this advertisement in the New Seran New Ascendancy broadsheet:

"Potential Allomancers Needed to Test New Metal Alloys - latest scientific breakthrough has created an ENTIRELY SAFE method of discovering new Allomantic abilities."

The metals only need to be inside your body; Brandon has confirmed that there is no digestion involved.  Cadmium or other toxic metals could be encased in wax, and pass harmlessly through the subject if not burned.

Roger this.  Bendalloy can't possibly occur naturally (at least, not on Earth) - it's a weird mixture of mostly bismuth and lead, with tin and cadmium added.  It's also quite toxic, even through skin contact.  I wouldn't swallow any unless my life literally depended on it.

I find it very reasonable that Spook would have known (either through Harmony or Kelsier) about all 16 metals, even the ones that hadn't been "discovered" yet.

Saze specifically teases that there are two more  to be discovered. So I suspect it was Kell who told him which ones they were.

[AquaRegia]

Another clue that Allomancy works differently in Era2:  when Marasi accidentally jolts the moving coach with a stationary speed bubble, she says "I should have known better.  I haven't done that since I was kid."  This implies she both knew of and used her Allomancy as a child.

[The Titan God]

On 2/2/2021 at 11:16 AM, Kingsdaughter613 said:

Saze specifically teases that there are two more  to be discovered. So I suspect it was Kell who told him which ones they were.

Spook likely would've assumed he was talking about the external enhancement metals (Chromium and Nicrosil), so those would be what they were looking for, because, unless Sazed stated otherwise, they still believed Atium and Malatium to be the external temporal metals. It is possible that in the search for chromium and nicrosil they discovered cadmium and bendalloy, but it would not have been what they were looking for.