Why Not Fully Embedded Hemalurgic Spikes?

[Trusk'our he/him]

When Steel Inquisitors were given spikes, there was always a portion of them sticking outside of the body, which makes it far easier to remove than if it were completely embedded under the skin. Why did they do this (aside from the eye spikes, of course, since that was for intimidation)?

[Anomander Rake he/him]

(I think!) At least in some cases with Inquisitors, the spikes stick out of the body because they benefit from using longer spikes when creating Inquisitors

I don't recall where in the story, but we learn that on the operating tables, in order to steal the most power / make the strongest spike, Inquisitors will drive a spike through a living misting and into the nascent Inquisitor, whos laying beneath the body on the table.  For that to go well I certainly picture them using spikes long enough to stick out some end even when dug fully in.  Messy work lol.

Edited August 31, 2022 by Anomander Rake
Added *benefit from* to be more clear

[That1Cellist he/him]

I don't know necessarily, but it probably messes with the bind points if you embed the spike fully. 

[Stormblessed0421 he/him]

Well, Sandra spikes are fully imbedded, so I don't think it has to do with bind points. Maybe TLR just wanted it to be easier to decommission his minions.

[Walkingman he/him]

On 31/08/2022 at 4:36 PM, Anomander Rake said:

(I think!) At least in some cases with Inquisitors, the spikes stick out of the body because they benefit from using longer spikes when creating Inquisitors

I don't recall where in the story, but we learn that on the operating tables, in order to steal the most power / make the strongest spike, Inquisitors will drive a spike through a living misting and into the nascent Inquisitor, whos laying beneath the body on the table.  For that to go well I certainly picture them using spikes long enough to stick out some end even when dug fully in.  Messy work lol.

I think it is as Anomander says. The Spikes on the Inquisitors have their head sticking out, because they are to long to imbed them in their body. Hemalurgical spikes don't need to stick out of the receivers body. I am pretty certain and correct me if I am wrong, the "spike" that made Spook a pewterarm was fully embedded in his body.

[Returned he/him]

On 9/5/2022 at 11:26 AM, Walkingman said:

I am pretty certain and correct me if I am wrong, the "spike" that made Spook a pewterarm was fully embedded in his body.

That was my first thought as well, but I went back and checked and it's very slightly protruding from his skin:

Quote

"With his extreme tin senses, it was easy to see the bit of metal sticking from the skin in his shoulder, even though it only protruded a fraction of an inch." (Hero of Ages, page 175)

I'd also thought that maybe the spike Penrod was stabbed with was fully embedded, but it's not explicitly stated. The way the surgeons describe it and their attempts to remove it suggest to me that it protruded from his skin as well.

[TheSurvivorofDeath]

Part of it is size of spike and the process used to make the spikes being directly related, and part of it is TLR wanting an easy way to kill the Inquisitors. Kandra and Koloss both have embedded spikes, if memory serves, but they are made through the use of normal human souls, not metallic arts abilities in the Hemalurgy, so maybe that has something to do with it. Bigger spikes hold a stronger charge, and might be needed for better Allomantic or Feruchemical stealing, though Spook worked with a small spike. But I think the main reason for protruding spikes was TLR needing an easy kill switch.