coppermind Malatium footnote confused with the mists?

[agentarm]

There's a footnote on the Malatium page that says,
"Given the only circumstance in which this effect is seen, it may be a result of flaring malatium at the moment of death and transition to the Cognitive Realm, rather than a result of simply flaring the metal in and of itself."

The problem with that being the book contradicts it. There's 3 circumstances where it's used, not 1, and the effects are seen each time. The first being when Vin went to Kredik Shaw after Kelsier's death, and found the Lord Ruler is his little hut as an old man. She wasn't near death or being attacked or injured, just being held by 2 inquisitors. Yet burning it let her see the past versions of both inquisitors and the Lord Ruler without a near death situation. The second being in the throne room, burning it to see his past self then trying to attack it, clearly not near death. The third when she burned it and realized who he really was, injured, but not near death.

I'm wondering if whoever wrote it got it mixed up with when Vin embraced the mists to kill the Lord Ruler. The only moment she was at the brink of death was after revealing him to be Rashek and he began to actually kill her. The moment it said she was dying, when she actually was "at the moment of death and transition to the Cognitive Realm" was when she was able to embrace the mists. No where in the book is she anywhere near death whenever she burns malatium, just when she embraces the mists.

[Starwatcher]

I think there's some confusion here--the intention of the sentence that accompanies that footnote is to contrast the malatium shadows that Vin and Kelsier see when they simply burn the metal with the more expansive vision that Kelsier has by flaring the metal as he dies (hence the citation to Secret History part 1, chapter 1):

Quote

The Lord Ruler backhanded him. Agony hit Kelsier like a stroke of lightning. In that moment, Kelsier flared the Eleventh Metal, and caught a glimpse of something new.

The Lord Ruler standing in a room—no, a cavern! The Lord Ruler stepped into a glowing pool and the world shifted around him, rocks crumbling, the room twisting, everything changing.

The vision vanished.

Kelsier died.

 

[agentarm]

Ah, I see. I stand corrected. I haven't read that one for awhile and had completely forgotten about how far back it had showed him. Thanks!

[Firesong she/her]

11 hours ago, agentarm said:

Ah, I see. I stand corrected. I haven't read that one for awhile and had completely forgotten about how far back it had showed him. Thanks!

As the person who reverted your edit, yes, the footnote meant to show the difference between mere shadows, and a complete vision where we saw the entire environment as well. Which was strange, and the exact situation implies that it might have to do with him doing it as he transitioned between Realms. We just don't say it as a fact as it isn't confirmed that that was the reason, it was just pertinent that we mention the possibility. 

Because you are right otherwise, we do see Malatium used multiple times, it is just those other times we just see Shadows. 

I am happy that Stargazer was able to resolve that for you. 

[The Stormfather He/Him]

When I read initially me thought was that Vin was much more powerful than kelsier, but the problem was solved.

Also, since allomancy is preservation's art, it could be Preservation unconsciously showing you what you need to see.

Shards are weird.

Does anyone else think that malatium would be more of a pairing to gold rather than atium? It would make more sense if electrum and malatium's effects were switched.

[Starwatcher]

Brandon talked about why those four metals had to be paired the way they were some in the TFE annotations and also suggested it's intentional that the pairings don't quite line up with what you'd expect, as a result of the proper external temporal metals actually being bendalloy and cadmium.

Further general discussion about the intricacies of the Allomantic Table should probably go in the Mistborn or Cosmere subforums though