X-ray Steelsight

[Trusk'our he/him]

Steelsight can potentially be used to let an Allomancer see into other rooms through the walls (Wax used this trick when pursuing the Marksman in SoS), but for individuals (such as Steel Inquisitors) that use it to fully outline the world around them they can only see as far as an eye could normally (Vin was able to temporarily blind a Steel Inquisitor with pewter dust to the face in TFE). But does it have to be that way?

We've seen that Spook was able to ignore his eye bandage in order to see the world around him. Perhaps if a someone with Steelsight were very, very skilled (or a Savant) they could use a similar trick to have an x-ray like vision of the world around them.

[NameIess]

1 hour ago, Trusk'our said:

Steelsight can potentially be used to let an Allomancer see into other rooms through the walls (Wax used this trick when pursuing the Marksman in SoS), but for individuals (such as Steel Inquisitors) that use it to fully outline the world around them they can only see as far as an eye could normally (Vin was able to temporarily blind a Steel Inquisitor with pewter dust to the face in TFE). But does it have to be that way?

We've seen that Spook was able to ignore his eye bandage in order to see the world around him. Perhaps if a someone with Steelsight were very, very skilled (or a Savant) they could use a similar trick to have an x-ray like vision of the world around them.

Wax’s seeing through wall trick worked because most of the metal lines weren’t moving. The pewter dust trick makes a whole ton of moving lines, making it impossible to discern which ones are your target.

[Trusk'our he/him]

13 hours ago, Nameless* said:

Wax’s seeing through wall trick worked because most of the metal lines weren’t moving. The pewter dust trick makes a whole ton of moving lines, making it impossible to discern which ones are your target.

I thought that Wax could use his see-through-the-wall trick because his powers were, ironically, too weak to target the non-metal walls and only got to peek at the metal on the other side. Under normal circumstances, someone like Marsh or Kel wouldn't be able to see through the wall because their Steelsight is too complete and therefore blocks their vision of the other side of the wall.

Edited September 8, 2023 by Trusk'our

[NameIess]

7 hours ago, Trusk'our said:

I thought that Wax could use his see-through-the-wall trick because his powers were, ironically, too weak to target the non-metal walls and only got to peek at the metal on the other side. Under normal circumstances, someone like Marsh or Kel wouldn't be able to see through the wall because their Steelsight is too complete and therefore blocks their vision of the other side of the wall.

An inquisitor could still notice moving lines through a wall though, unless their steelsight just doesn’t work through walls at all.

[Tamriel Wolfsbaine]

On 9/7/2023 at 8:58 AM, Trusk'our said:

Steelsight can potentially be used to let an Allomancer see into other rooms through the walls (Wax used this trick when pursuing the Marksman in SoS), but for individuals (such as Steel Inquisitors) that use it to fully outline the world around them they can only see as far as an eye could normally (Vin was able to temporarily blind a Steel Inquisitor with pewter dust to the face in TFE). But does it have to be that way?

We've seen that Spook was able to ignore his eye bandage in order to see the world around him. Perhaps if a someone with Steelsight were very, very skilled (or a Savant) they could use a similar trick to have an x-ray like vision of the world around them.

I have a ton of questions about the steel sight that inquisitors have vs normal steel sight. 

I dont think that the most powerful tools of TLR would be hamstrung on purpose by not allowing them to see through walls. If their enemies can see and push on metal through walls I am sure they can as well. 

When Kelsier talks about his spikes sight he doesnt make it seem like it is steel sight. He speaks about noticing the very axi. I believe with the bands they see something very similar in that they see the very foundations of the world. It doesnt mean you can push on all of those things. I think that what they can push on would come back as a far darker thing. 

Perhaps it is the density of the metals that makes them show up brighter and allows people to "see" through them. As was pointed out about Spooks vision through his blindfold. I think that a lot of walls would not be as dense as metal even on the other side. I imagine the sight is more tied to the density of objects. I cant say I have even half of the chemistry knowledge to back that up though. Hense some very powerful allomancers could push on metals inside of the bodies. 

Something else that is a bit inconsistent to me is Wax pushing on Wayne's metalminds. It says that the more full metalminds are more dim and harder to push on, meanwhile I think that Axi is a combination of the atomic make up of the world plus investiture. So if investiture is part of what is glowing for the spike sight but a highly invested item (even waxes own metalminds) are dimmer than when they arent invested how does this all line up? 

My curiosity is seeing and pushing things that you are not looking at. I dont picture mistborn being required to stare at the item they want to push and pull on but the spike sight seems beyond op if it is showing the whole world 360 degrees around the user. However I believe Marsh looks at the obligators, not because he needs to have them in his field of vision to see, but because of the mental games he can play with them by staring directly at them with his spiked eyes.

I think that inquisitors definitely see more of the world than their typical field of vision. 

I also definitely think that there is a difference between steel sight showing you what you can push on and the spike sight that gives you the ability to see beyond what you would have been able to before. 

And the whole use of "sight" is just to describe it to us. If you ask a blind man what the world looks like to him how do you think he will answer. If you have ever had to describe a color to a person who has never seen anything before how would you do it? Describing steel sight, or life sense, or bronze sense or any of the atium shadows is nearly impossible. All Brandon can do is try to describe a sense to people that dont have that sense. I imagine that people with that sense who use it every day would know instinctively what they can and can't push on based on just knowing. In the same way we know not to run straight into a tree because we can see it. 

I imagine that a handful of metal dust to the face would distract any steel or iron user capable of pushing on particles that size. Since it appears that proximity to a metal increases the ability to shove against it I think Vin would likely have a difficult time with that as well. I dont think that an inquisitor would be more prone to being blinded by anything that they cant push through than anyone else. 

It is also totally possible that there are no lines and no sense of what can be pushed or pulled unless the inquisitor is burning steel or iron to begin with. What if that spike sight doesnt send out lines at all. I dont remember Marsh describing it very well off of the top of my head, but I dont think he described lines going to everything... otherwise he would be blinded by anything.