alder24 Posted October 28, 2023 Report Share Posted October 28, 2023 7 hours ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: Straff Venture was a Tineye. We know he slept with many non-Misting mistresses, and through his efforts was able to produce one Mistborn Yes, but Straff had 18 Misting kids (and an unknown number of non-Allomancer children). Mistborn even back then were quite rare. 7 hours ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: But even after being the post-apocalyptic Genghis Khan, he doesn’t have any Mistborn descendants. The answer was provided in this WoB before AoL release, if you want: Spoiler [...] Brandon Sanderson [...] In a future book series, Mistborn will also have become things of legend. The bloodlines will have become diluted to the point that there are no Mistborn, only Mistings—however, the latter are far more common. In this environment, a nicrosil Misting could be invaluable both as an enhancer to your own team or a weapon to use against unsuspecting other Mistings. Douglas I take it either Spook did not have children or Sazed made him a reduced-strength Mistborn rather than giving him the full potency of the 9 originals and Elend? Brandon Sanderson Spook is a reduced power Mistborn. [...] Hero of Ages Q&A - Time Waster's Guide (Oct. 15, 2008) And this WoB from 2015, saying the same as the above one but leaving a little room for uncertainty: Spoiler Questioner So, did Sazed change that no more Mistborn are born? Because I noticed that--I know he made Spook one-- in Alloy they talk about Mistborn... Brandon Sanderson The idea is-- I won't say absolutely no to Sazed's manipulation. But, there weren't any Mistborn other than him that survived. The Allomantic lines were very diluted. So, his direct descendants-- you might be able to even find one potentially now. Someone might be born, or one might have been born that didn't tell people about it. But in the general public and population, it's just, there's not as much Allomancy around... He did also change Snapping, which had an effect on it. Firefight Miami signing (Jan. 8, 2015) 7 hours ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: I think Allomancy isn't granted by genetics, but by the soul. If you want to know: Spoiler Yes, you're correct. But it's in the genes, not physical one, but spiritual DNA: Spoiler Questioner Your magic systems are very structured, and specific rules that dominate them. But are there any universal laws that apply to all of the magic systems in the cosmere together? Brandon Sanderson Yes, there's several of them. Basically, the most important one and relevant to people who enjoy real physics is that I consider something called Investiture to be a third state of matter and energy. So, instead of e=mc^2, we have a third thing, Investiture, in there. And you can change Investiture to matter or to energy. And so, because of that, that law that you can do this, is where we see a lot of the cosmere magics living. We also have a kind of rule that beings all exist, everything exists on three different levels. The Physical, the Spiritual, and the Cognitive. And, like we have DNA for our Physical self, we also have Mental DNA and Spiritual DNA, and all three influence one another. For instance, you couldn't test an Allomancer's blood and find the Allomancy gene, because it is in a different set of their DNA. You just have three sets. You could compose a test that could test it on the Spiritual Realm, but you're gonna have to use a different branch of physics to do that and determine who was an Allomancer. And so they all work on this kind of fundamental rules of: your Identity, your Connection, and being part of your soul, and the magics working through those things. So there's some fundamental rules about this, about changing forms from energy to matter, and you having this Identity, Investiture, and Connection stored in your Spiritual DNA that are really relevant to everything. ICon 2019 (Oct. 15, 2019) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treamayne Posted October 28, 2023 Report Share Posted October 28, 2023 (edited) 11 hours ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: But I have no idea why he would do this... I wonder if there was a similar alteration for Feruchemy. That the mechanism is similar to what @alder24 mentioned in his post. If you want more info: Spoiler Quote JediofChrist In Alloy, there are those who use both Allomancy and Feruchemy. However, I recall Sazed in The Hero of Ages stating that he believed he was the last surviving Feruchemist (I think he may have said "Keeper"?). Was he incorrect in his assumption of being the last Feruchemist (based on the fact that people use Feruchemy in Alloy) or could Feruchemy have been recessive in some Terris people? Brandon Sanderson It was most certainly recessive. But the specific way Sazed speaks there is important. Quote Questioner One thing when I was reading The Alloy of Law, in Mistborn, all the [Feruchemists] were the Mistborn version of [Feruchemy], and then it changed to the Misting version of [Feruchemy]. Is there... Brandon Sanderson Yeah, there's a reason for that, and I'll delve into it a bunch more later, but basically, there's two things going on. Number one, the bloodlines have thinned, and that's the reason they're talking about [here]. Also, full-blooded Feruchemists mixing, like the populations mixed, is really dangerous, and Sazed knew this. So, I'll just leave it at that. Edited October 28, 2023 by Treamayne SPAG 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrPhysics Posted October 31, 2023 Report Share Posted October 31, 2023 On 10/26/2023 at 5:20 AM, alder24 said: F-iron follows conservation of momentum, but when taking into account different reference frames it doesn't work well. It does if you give the added/stored mass a velocity that puts it at rest with respect to whatever the feruchemist views as "at rest". 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ale the Metallic Conjurer Posted November 9, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2023 Hi everyone! I’ve been busy with assignments and trying to get a starting date at a new job. Reading and my reactions will start again soon. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trusk'our Posted November 9, 2023 Report Share Posted November 9, 2023 16 hours ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: Hi everyone! I’ve been busy with assignments and trying to get a starting date at a new job. Reading and my reactions will start again soon. Nice! I'm excited to hear them Now if I can just get my little sister to finish Hero of Ages, I'll be all set. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ale the Metallic Conjurer Posted December 20, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2023 (edited) The semester is over! I’m back to reading! Chapter 10 Wax and Marasi’s heart-to-heart was beautiful. It’s been a while since I read a full Sanderson novel, last one I read was Elantris. This was the kind of depth I loved in Shai from TES, and I think Wax and Wayne will have some depth too. Wayne’s comedic moments were great too, but that’s expected lol. Especially like the scene where they radiate Lego Batman energy: Wayne: “Wax, it’s been 5 years. You still owe me 16 notes.” Wax and Marasi: “Rust off.” We get some of the new world’s terminology, with this Field of Rebirth. It’s enough to make a grown man cry Looks like Spook made tombs dedicated to Vin and Elend I love and miss those three so much Marewill flowers... Nooo wayyyy, dedicated to Mare??? Another reference to the Originators, but this time we get a clear definition. The people cradled by Harmony in the caverns. Earlier chapter said 1/5th of the numbers were Terris. The World of Ash sounds like a Soulsborne DLC It was mentioned the Words of Founding had drawings and plans for Elendel. I’m probably looking too deep into this, but it sounds like Harmony could already gaze into the future (future, future). Unless it’s Spider-Man related I haven’t heard the name Miles in awhile. Miles Dagouter… I remember his name from the earlier chapters! With an epithet like Hundredlives, I have to wonder what Twinborn combo he’s got. Edited December 20, 2023 by Ale the Metallic Conjurer 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treamayne Posted December 20, 2023 Report Share Posted December 20, 2023 (edited) 5 hours ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: Miles Dagouter… I remember his name from the earlier chapters! With an epithet like Hundredlives, I have to wonder what Twinborn combo he’s got. It will be explained, but is also readily apparent as soon as you see him on-screen. 5 hours ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: Another reference to the Originators, but this time we get a clear definition. The people cradled by Harmony in the caverns. Earlier chapter said 1/5th of the numbers were Terris. How closely did you read the The City and Basin Maps? Glad you seem to be enjoying the story. Edited December 20, 2023 by Treamayne SPAG 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ale the Metallic Conjurer Posted December 22, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2023 (edited) Chapter 11 Rust and Ruin, Miles is a regenerator!! Coming from a Hellsing fan those are one of the worst powers to fight! Our Big Bad is a regenerator and his second in command is a koloss blooded Pewterarm - the ultimate healer and tank builds lol. I finally learned what Compounding is!! So this is what Sazed meant w/ his theory on burning metalminds. This is terrifying! This mf rumored to have healed from a point-blank shotgun blast to the face So uhm, gold Compounding this is what the Lord Ruler used to do insanity like heal from a skeleton????? Speaking of which he’s called the Sliver now. Love these nods to FE’s important people. I love the new world seeing them as myths, religious figures and legends I learned that Marasi is an Allomancer - Pulser. Slow down time around herself. Uhm sorry to further deflate your balloon Marasi, but your power sucks. I appreciate your effort to be a confident girlboss, but you need a better power. Quote “He fingered the earring in his pocket. He’d felt that Harmony wanted him to do this, to investigate. But what was Harmony but an impression in Waxillium’s mind?” “I wish I could feel the mists, he thought. It’s been weeks since I’ve been able to go out in them. He always felt stronger in the mists. He felt like someone was watching, when he was out in them.” Green Goblin voice: “Anyone else getting deja vu?” On 12/20/2023 at 6:11 AM, Treamayne said: How closely did you read the The City and Basin Maps? Closer than I should have. Absolutely love they included names of the crew and the Empire’s major figures. Though a city named after Rashek is… yeah… Edited December 22, 2023 by Ale the Metallic Conjurer Added quote box 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alder24 Posted December 22, 2023 Report Share Posted December 22, 2023 6 hours ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: So uhm, gold Compounding this is what the Lord Ruler used to do insanity like heal from a skeleton????? Yes, but some of those things were exaggerations. Spoiler Arabas The question is about the Lord Ruler's death. He is basically killed because Vin was able to remove his Feruchemy storage bracelets thus depriving him of his stored youth and strength correct? Once he didn't have access to these she could simply kill him like a normal man.Now on page 627 about the 3rd paragraph down the Lord Ruler states " I've survived burning and beheadings. I've been stabbed and sliced, crushed and dismembered." (I also think this is also reference somewhere else in the book that I could not locate)If all it took to drain the Lord Ruler of his power was to remove access to his Feruchemy items wouldn't he have died if he was dismembered? Remove the storage devices from the trunk of the body and he would die? Peter Ahlstrom I asked Brandon about this once, and I'm pretty sure he said the beheading survival part was a lie/exaggeration. I'd have to go back and check my notes. The Lord Ruler would have reason to want people to believe he had survived beheadings and being burned to ash. TWG Posts (April 9, 2008) 6 hours ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: Speaking of which he’s called the Sliver now. Love these nods to FE’s important people. He was called a Sliver even in the Final Empire (in the book). People just didn't know what it meant. Spoiler Questioner Who gave the Lord Ruler the name "Sliver of Infinity?" Because he's kind of secretive about his past, and that seems like a very descriptive nickname. Brandon Sanderson "Sliver" is a cosmere term used by Arcanists, and it would've come from there. They knew what he was, even if a lot of people on the world did not. Questioner So they sort of spread the...? Brandon Sanderson Yes, it just entered the... people talking about it and it eventually spread, and things like that. Tel Aviv Signing (Oct. 18, 2019) 6 hours ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: I learned that Marasi is an Allomancer - Pulser. Slow down time around herself. Uhm sorry to further deflate your balloon Marasi, but your power sucks. I appreciate your effort to be a confident girlboss, but you need a better power. Hey, it's great when you have to wait for your appointment with a doctor! 6 hours ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: Though a city named after Rashek is… yeah… Well, Sazed in the Words of Founding did paint him in a slightly better light, during WoA or HoA there were still people worshiping him and waiting for his return. Yes, he was a terrible oppressor, but he still cared about his people survival, devised a plan to deceive Ruin, hid Atium from him and prepared Kandra to be his double agents. Not to mention storage caves for people to hide. His plans saved the world. 7 hours ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: I finally learned what Compounding is!! So this is what Sazed meant w/ his theory on burning metalminds. This is terrifying! This mf rumored to have healed from a point-blank shotgun blast to the face Glad to hear that. If you want to read some WoBs where Brandon explains Compounding: Spoiler Lyndsey Luther Ok, last question. It was really difficult coming up with three questions that haven’t been asked already... Brandon Sanderson OK... you’re not going to ask me the “what would you ask me” question? Lyndsey Luther Not quite... Brandon Sanderson OK good, because I hate that one! (laughs) Lyndsey Luther My question is if there’s anything that you’ve never been asked that you would like to talk about? Brandon Sanderson Oooooh, ok. Hm. That one is so hard! Every time people ask me something like this... What have I never been asked that people should be asking, is basically what the question is? Something that the fans have just missed... They pick up on so much, that it’s hard... I do wonder if, you know… all the magic systems [in my books] are connected and work on some basic fundamental principles, and a lot of people haven’t been asking questions about this. One thing I did get a question on today, and I’ll just talk about this one... they didn’t ask the right question, but I nudged them the right way, is understanding that tie between AonDor [the magic system from Elantris] and Allomancy [Mistborn’s magic system]. People ask about getting the power from metals and things, but that’s not actually how it works. The power’s not coming from metal. I talked a little about this before, but you are drawing power from some source, and the metal is actually just a gateway. It’s actually the molecular structure of the metal… what’s going on there, the pattern, the resonance of that metal works in the same way as an Aon does in Elantris. It filters the power. So it is just a sign of “this is what power this energy is going to be shaped into and give you.” When you understand that, Compounding [in Alloy of Law] makes much more sense. Compounding is where you are able to kind of draw in more power than you should with Feruchemy. What’s going on there is you’re actually charging a piece of metal, and then you are burning that metal as a Feruchemical charge. What is happening is that the Feruchemical charge overwrites the Allomantic charge, and so you actually fuel Feruchemy with Allomancy, is what you are doing. Then if you just get out another piece of metal and store it in, since you’re not drawing the power from yourself, you’re cheating the system, you’re short-circuiting the system a little bit. So you can actually use the power that usually fuels Allomancy, to fuel Feruchemy, which you can then store in a metalmind, and basically build up these huge reservoirs of it. So what’s going on there is… imagine there’s like, an imprint, a wavelength, so to speak. A beat for an Allomantic thing, that when you burn a metal, it says “ok, this is what power we give.” When it’s got that charge, it changes that beat and says, “now we get this power.” And you access a set of Feruchemical power. That’s why Compounding is so powerful. Open The Fridge Interview (Nov. 16, 2011) Spoiler Andrew The Great (paraphrased) What would happen if a person were to burn a metal that was Feruchemically charged using Allomancy? Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased) The metal used in Allomancy is like a key or a doorway to the power that Allomancy actually uses. The metal acts as a filter, much as the Aons in Elantris do, to determine what the power actually does. However, if the metal is Feruchemically charged, then it will basically become a super-burst of Feruchemical power with no Allomantic effect. The Feruchemical charge acts as a filter as well as the metal, and changes what the power does. in this case, say you were burning steel, you would just be massively speedy for a second, and wouldn't actually have the ability to push on anything Allomantically. Hope that answered the question. I get the concept, so if you need me to explain it differently, let me know and I'll try. Oh, the other thing I forgot is that this concept only works if it's a metal that you charged yourself. If it's a metal someone else charged, it would just work like regular Allomancy, and the Feruchemical charge would just cease to exist. Andrew The Great (paraphrased) If someone aluminum or duralumin burned the Feruchemically charged metals, what would happen? Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased) Basically the same thing as above, except with aluminum. Aluminum, they would just go away. Idaho Falls Signing (June 20, 2009) Spoiler Questioner When either Rashek or a Twinborn like Miles, how does he fuel his metalminds? Does he have to actually burn the gold in order to fuel them? Because, I feel like there's a paragraph in here where you kind of explained it, but I feel like you didn't actually say that you had to burn more gold in order to fill a metalmind. Is that how that works? Brandon Sanderson Yes. You can cross the streams and use one to power the other. But you are using the metal to power your Feruchemy instead of your own-- You're using, basically, the power that's coming through the metal... Questioner So you do have to be burning one the whole time? Sounds good, good to know. So you could just infinitely fill it, basically? As you burn, you just use it to fill it and it just gets-- and that's where that comes from? Brandon Sanderson Yep. You are burning a metalmind that you've already filled, right? That's the key there. You fill a metalmind, then you burn that, and what that does is it keys the metalmind to the Feruchemy instead. Which normally no one can do because you could- Questioner You can't do both. Brandon Sanderson Yeah. But if you can do both, you fill a metalmind, you burn that metalmind. What comes out of it is Feruchemical power instead, and you then are filling the metalmind with more. So Allomancy is fueled by the power of the Shard. So what you're doing is you're powering your Feruchemy with the power of the Shard, instead of your own body. Using their Investiture instead of yours. Which is very dangerous. Idaho Falls signing (Dec. 29, 2018) Spoiler Questioner (paraphrased) How does compounding work in Mistborn? Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased) I can explain this better in person because I know things that the characters in the book don’t. So, they haven’t worked a lot of this out. All the magic systems in my work are linked because the books all take place in the same universe. In Elantris, magic works by drawing symbols in the air. What actually happens is that when they draw a symbol, energy passes through it from another place (which is my get-out for the laws of thermodynamics) and the effect of that energy is moderated by the symbol. In one case it may become light, in another it may become fire. In Mistborn, the metals have a similar effect. The magic is not coming from the metal (even if some characters think it is). It is being drawn from the same place and moderated by the metal. In the case of Feruchemy, no energy is being drawn from this other place. So, you spend a week sick and store up the ability to heal. It’s a balanced system, basically obeying the laws of thermodynamics. So, while it’s not real, it’s still rational. In compounding, when you have the power of both Allomancy and Feruchemy, you draw power from the other place through the metal and it recognizes the power that is already stored—"Oh, this is healing, I know how to do that”—and so you get the power of Feruchemy but boosted by energy from the other place. This is how the Lord Ruler achieved immortality. Alloy of Law Milton Keynes signing (Nov. 21, 2011) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ale the Metallic Conjurer Posted December 26, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2023 I learned offscreen Haki and made it to Chapter 16. Almost done! Chapters 12-15 This book is so much fun!!! I love how Sanderson has developed the Metallic Arts - aluminum, Twinborns and Compounding, guns interacting with Allomancy, Ranette’s Ironpulling affecting tech etc. As for the characters, Wax and Wayne are a lot of fun but have a surprising amount of character insight!! Marasi is also fun and I feel like she’ll grow a lot. The antagonist Miles Hundredlives is surprisingly deep, and his power is lowkey body horror. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treamayne Posted December 26, 2023 Report Share Posted December 26, 2023 43 minutes ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: This book is so much fun!!! I love how Sanderson has developed the Metallic Arts - aluminum, Twinborns and Compounding, guns interacting with Allomancy, Ranette’s Ironpulling affecting tech etc. As for the characters, Wax and Wayne are a lot of fun but have a surprising amount of character insight!! Marasi is also fun and I feel like she’ll grow a lot. The antagonist Miles Hundredlives is surprisingly deep, and his power is lowkey body horror. Glad you are enjoying the story, 43 minutes ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: offscreen Haki ? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ale the Metallic Conjurer Posted December 27, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2023 7 hours ago, Treamayne said: ? One Piece meme reference On 12/22/2023 at 6:38 AM, alder24 said: Yes, but some of those things were exaggerations. They aren’t. Miles can heal from shooting himself in the face point-blank with a shotgun. The Lord Ruler was storing health for far longer, has far greater understanding and experience in Feruchemy, and has far stronger Allomancy so presumably his gold Compounding alone would be miles stronger than Miles. Healing from decapitation or burnings would be casual for the Lord Ruler. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treamayne Posted December 27, 2023 Report Share Posted December 27, 2023 (edited) 16 minutes ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: They aren’t. Miles can heal from shooting himself in the face point-blank with a shotgun. The Lord Ruler was storing health for far longer, has far greater understanding and experience in Feruchemy, and has far stronger Allomancy so presumably his gold Compounding alone would be miles stronger than Miles. Healing from decapitation or burnings would be casual for the Lord Ruler. Pun intended? Did you read the WoB that @alder24 posted with that comment? WoB Redux: Spoiler On 12/22/2023 at 6:38 AM, alder24 said: Peter Ahlstrom I asked Brandon about this once, and I'm pretty sure he said the beheading survival part was a lie/exaggeration. I'd have to go back and check my notes. The Lord Ruler would have reason to want people to believe he had survived beheadings and being burned to ash. Yes, TLR could survive a lot. Personally, I think the implication is that there are some things that can only be healed (before death) if you are constantly tapping Health (like Miles does - and Rashek may have done, but we have no data either way) and, being judicious, TLR just spread the rumors to imply he had already survived the things that he didn't want to actually try to survive - just so people didn't try those things. . . 16 minutes ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: One Piece meme reference Still ? Edited December 27, 2023 by Treamayne Note 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ale the Metallic Conjurer Posted December 27, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2023 3 minutes ago, Treamayne said: Yes, TLR could survive a lot. Personally, I think the implication is that there are some things that can only be healed (before death) if you are constantly tapping Health (like Miles does - and Rashek may have done, but we have no data either way) and, being judicious, TLR just spread the rumors to imply he had already survived the things that he didn't want to actually try to survive - just so people didn't try those things. . . That WoB was made in 2008, before Brandon likely brainstormed the potency of things like gold Compounding. This one hasn’t aged well. Alloy of Law Chapter 11 admittedly acknowledges feats like this could be rumors: Quote “Near-infinite healing ability,” Waxillium said. “The man’s virtually immortal. I heard he once took a shotgun blast to the face point-blank and walked away from it.” Alloy of Law Chapter 15 confirms these rumors are fact: Quote Miles couldn’t be killed, and his men knew it. He’d once put a shotgun to his own head in front of them to prove it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alder24 Posted December 27, 2023 Report Share Posted December 27, 2023 10 hours ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: They aren’t. Miles can heal from shooting himself in the face point-blank with a shotgun. The Lord Ruler was storing health for far longer, has far greater understanding and experience in Feruchemy, and has far stronger Allomancy so presumably his gold Compounding alone would be miles stronger than Miles. Healing from decapitation or burnings would be casual for the Lord Ruler. 10 hours ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: That WoB was made in 2008, before Brandon likely brainstormed the potency of things like gold Compounding. This one hasn’t aged well. Alloy of Law Chapter 11 admittedly acknowledges feats like this could be rumors: Shotgun blast to the head is miles away from literal decapitation. Feruchemy requires input from your mind. Your mind needs to start the process of tapping metalminds (conscious or unconscious). If your mind is gone, you can't tap your metalminds. There are some limits to F-gold and this is one of them. Information directly from books is biased as people don't fully understand the mechanics of it and some consider those abilities to be almost mythical. Rashek being burnt to ashes/skeleton is definitely an exaggeration. First, there is no body left, he is dead. Secondly he had F-brass, he could just tap it and walk among fires unfazed, as his Brassminds would be taking all of that temperature away from his body (WoB). Dismembering is a tricky one, because as long as his metalminds are connected to his body and head, he can regrow any severed limb. Being flayed or crushed would be fine for Rashek to survive. Decapitation? I think it depends on the circumstances. If done by a sword and if Rashek was tapping gold when the blade was passing through his neck, his wound would close just behind the blade. If it was done by a guillotine French-style, then his head is permanently separated from his body by a solid piece of metal and he can't heal. Unless he started tapping before the blade dropped, his body would regrow the entire head - if there was a space for that, but there wasn't, the blade would be in the way of healing. But it's fair to say that this is up to debate. The WoB is old and Peter isn't 100% sure if what he said was true without checking his notes. Also, as you pointed out, things might have changed when Brandon developed Miles. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ale the Metallic Conjurer Posted December 31, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2023 I actually finished reading a third book before the year ended The Alloy of Law was so much fun!!! I never knew magic could combine so well with tech. All the main characters had a great combination of charm and depth, especially Miles and Wayne. Loved Wax and Marasi too. The comedy was very good imo. I’m pretty sure Harmony has a plan in motion. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ale the Metallic Conjurer Posted January 23 Author Report Share Posted January 23 During my brief hiatus, I read 8 chapters of Shadows of Self. Already loving this book!!! Prologue - Sanderson’s always been great with his prologues. Lessie bounced off Wax and it was so entertaining. Loved seeing baby Wax with a more easygoing personality and less skill, and a more quiet baby Wayne. I always love when stories show off characters in their younger years. I have the same question as Wax, though. Where had Lessie keep the crossbow? Chapter 1 - Damn. They’re all dead. And nothing of value was lost! Is anyone else frustrated nobles and their petty bullcrap still exist on Scadrial? Chapter 2 - Love the chase sequence. Coinshot vs Coinshot fights are always fantastic. Loved the glimpses of Marasi's increased confidence. The lack of love between Wax and Steris is kinda depressing, or am I misreading it? Chapter 3 - Wayne talking to his hat is going in my favorite Mistborn moments. And you gotta love his accent impersonations On Marasi's side I wasn't expecting crude humor, or the channeling of the Ascendant Warrior's energy to explode a man's head. The humor was tame, but I'm surprised to see it in a Sanderson novel. I loved that this chapter was the glimpse into Elendel’s common folk and disenfranchised. Something I noticed is that Wayne has scars. Wouldn’t his Bloodmaking mend the skin of the scars? Chapter 4- The crime scene and the possibility of a Steelrunner killer was absolutely bloodcurdling. The tongue being removed gave me shivers. This book might be a recognition arc for Marasi. Chapter 5 Welp, Steelrunners are insane. You're telling me a Steelrunner is so fast they make four gunshots sound like a single gunshot? Even worse that this is a smart Steelrunner. Anyway, this was a long and really fun chapter. I appreciate that each of the different POVs have a different tone. Wayne's POV starts off comedic (well done btw) but ends off kinda depressing. Wax's POV is insightful. Feels like there's an identity crisis going on with Wax. Marasi's POV is... enlightening? Gave us a peek of even Elendel's citizens being frustrated by the police and government, which I loved. I found out some worldbuilding bits about the Terris: 1) the Terris language was dead but Harmony included it in the Words, and 2) the Terris people no longer live in the North. #1 is interesting cuz there are so many ways this could've done. Harmony analyzing the history of the world, its people and texts. He could've analyzed the inherited information of a Terris linguistics Keeper. He could've analyzed Ruin's manipulation of the Keeper and Worldbringer copperminds, which I guess happened over the course of at least 2000 years. It's also interesting because... what language were Sazed, Tindwyl and stewards speaking in the trilogy? #2 makes me sad. From a worldbuilding perspective, I honestly don’t know whether to see this as a positive or negative. Though I think I see the intent behind this change, and respect it. It's interesting the broadsheet story and now Idashwy’s disappearance are mentioning spirits of dead loved ones. Very interesting. I think these are either kandra or Harmony reviving people (or using Shard level Forgery to give the illusion of revival). Chapter 6 The constable needs a drink for acknowledging that the protestors shouldn't be blamed much, and that something needs to change. I understand Wax's rebuttal, but for once I think he needs to rust himself. But the star of this chapter is that Idashwy's killer knows Hemalurgy!!! They must've used a pewter spike. The stakes bumped up so quickly omg. This is bad. But good news, seems like Ironeyes and Harmony foresaw something like this was going to come. For Harmony, I already suspected something was up once he revealed he sent Wax and conveniently recovered Wax’s trunk. So my guess with this case is that Harmony foresaw a Hemalurgic killer would, could, might appear within a year. So he sent Marsh to give Spook’s book to Marasi and Wax, in preparation for when the event happens. I know it's claimed Marsh gave the book out of his own free will, and I'm sure his free will's there. But I'd be surprised if Harmony wasn't giving some kind of direction. For Marsh, I wonder whether he’s using conventional prediction and knowledge, or magical foresight. I bet he’s still alive because of atium Compounding, and we know he had a duralumin spike in book 3. Maybe he burned atium + duralumin to see a future vision? Then again if he's being guided, or nudged, or instructed by Harmony he'd be puppeteered by far superior futuresight anyway. I'm very surprised Spook experimented with Hemalurgy. Also, apparently coating spikes in blood prevents Hemalurgic Decay. Chapter 7 Hoid spotted. His job today is a coachman. Why is he a coachman lmao. At least he was doing important things in Sel. This was the doozy. Wax and Harmony were talking. Lots of implications about lots of things. So first, we got the confirmation Wax's Pathian earring is a Hemalurgic spike given to him by a kandra. I am shocked! Shocked! Well not that shocked. Then we got a funny moment of Wax almost shooting the coach. Then we get a passage about the effects of firing the gun, the cost, the compatibility of the new wood paneling, and when Miss Grimes would bring it to the shop. This must be a glimpse of Harmony's futuresight. No surprise he has it, but if it’s a combination of Preservation and Ruin’s futuresight (did he ever use it?) capabilities, then there are a lot of implications. Harmony calls himself the Hero of Ages. As always, that gives me chills. I'm sure he discovered a virtually infinite amount of plans connected to Alendi, Rashek, Vin, and the true Hero. So I'm happy to see him confidently pronouncing himself as the Hero. And I'm hoping Sanderson someday takes off the veil on the previous Heroes and the original prophecies. Turns out Harmony can control a person pierced by too much Hemalurgy. Koloss with their four spikes, and Inquisitors with their minimum of 9 spikes certainly count. But I'm wondering why kandra with their two spikes fall under this threshold. Maybe it has to do with their original structure as mistwraiths? I'm guessing one spike (and possibly the resulting insanity?) pierces the soul enough they can speak to or influence the kandra's mind, but not completely control them. I wonder if they can speak to a mistwraith. And I wonder what Harmony meant when he said Bleeder disobeyed a Contract with him. Speaking of, turns out Preservation hears people's thoughts while Ruin speaks to minds. Each only had one-half of telepathy, and supposedly it's only when a person is pierced by a spike. So uhm, to me this sounds too fishy. Just before this sequence and during Wax's final battle with the Vanishers, Harmony heard Wax’s thoughts when he didn’t wear the earring. Sounds like Harmony is lying about his mind reading being limited to spike bearers. And I remember a certain epigraph said if a person doesn’t wear a Hemalurgic spike, but is unstable, it makes them more susceptible to Ruin’s influence. I'm probably overthinking but I always read this as Ruin naturally having the ability to speak to the minds of stable people without spikes. What if Harmony is, to some extent, pretending to be impotent? However, Bleeder can hide from Harmony's divine sight and learned to take powers. This is terrifying and seems like a genuine sign of impotence. But at the same time, Harmony doesn't sound completely blind to her devices. He can speak to Bleeder, hear her thoughts, and spot her obvious actions. And he knows how she's switching out spikes. After all this, Harmony gives Wax a vision of his being. And we get juicy stuff on how he's handling being God. He's not doing a good job. I think there’s conflict between Sazed the host and the Shards (or Shard?) he holds. I theorize this is occurring because Harmony is the embodiment of balance and neutrality. Or it could stem from Harmony being an expression of Ruin and Preservation’s combination... that leaves him unable to act. They must be in perfect balance between the need for life (and protection) and the need for death (and destruction and chaos). Sazed wants to act, but Harmony can only act if both life or death are present in Sazed's actions. Or perhaps it can only act if balance and neutrality are present in Sazed's actions? But Discord from the Terris Prophecies could act Harmony mentions that the radio should've been introduced a century ago, and "other people." This is juicy af. Finally he reveals he has other human agents. He said he maneuvered Marasi into a position that would help the city. That’s a small quote, but has lots of implications going forward. What is Harmony’s plan for Marasi? BTW, Harmony using Marasi - a statistics focused person - as a pawn has me wondering how Shards would understand statistics. I just gotta gush about Marasi calling out the corrupt constables. She's grown so much and anyone who exposes pigs deserves my love Here we go! Harmony's agents off to save the city! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treamayne Posted January 23 Report Share Posted January 23 3 hours ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: Something I noticed is that Wayne has scars. Wouldn’t his Bloodmaking mend the skin of the scars? This is also covered in Stormlight Archive, and is a feature of how healing in the Cosmere works across all worlds. It's only a Minor Spoiler, but I'll still tag it in case you want to RAFO: Spoiler Quote DrogaKrolow We have this one bizarre question, that actually was really, really weird but we have to know it. There was a question about Siamese twins. If they were born gold Feruchemists, and they they were split apart, would they like, form together again? Brandon Sanderson Uhhhnn... It depends on how they view themselves DrogaKrolow That's the answer to every question like that! Brandon Sanderson Right! But that's the whole point of the cosmere is that-- Spiritual Realm is filtered through the Cognitive Realm to the Physical Realm, right? And this lens is going to filter how things work. Perception is really important in the cosmere. That's where most of these things come from, and so-- Yeah that is the answer to everything. But that's the point of the answer to everything, is that there aren't a lot of hard and fast rules when it comes to a lot of these things, with Identity and whatnot is going be filtered through perception. DrogaKrolow.pl interview (March 17, 2017) So, basically, the scars are old enough that Wayne sees them as a part of himself, which is why they will not heal until his Cognitive Identity no longer consider's them a part of "what Wayne is." 3 hours ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: I'm very surprised Spook experimented with Hemalurgy. You will get a reason why. . . Minor Spoilers Spoiler In Mistborn: Secret History (which contains spoilers for, and should not be read before, Bands of Mourning) 3 hours ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: So first, we got the confirmation Wax's Pathian earring is a Hemalurgic spike given to him by a kandra. I am shocked! Shocked! Well not that shocked. Very Minor Spoilers, and I don't recall if the answer ever came up in the story, it was answered in a WoB only: Spoiler Quote CrazyRioter The earring that Wax has. What is it made of? Brandon Sanderson That is an excellent question. That is a really good question. You've been reading very closely. How about this: it is made of... what you're trying to figure out is, if it has a Hemalurgic charge? It does have a slight Hemalurgic charge to it. So I'll give you that. It does have a slight Hemalurgic charge. Brandon Sanderson [Inquisitor spikes] got melted down and turned into earrings. Alloy of Law Vancouver signing (Nov. 12, 2011) Well, Vin did snuff a dozen Inquisitors or so near the end of HoA, so there were quite a few spikes just lying around. . . 3 hours ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: But I'm wondering why kandra with their two spikes fall under this threshold. What makes you say this? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trusk'our Posted January 23 Report Share Posted January 23 5 hours ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: Chapter 5 Welp, Steelrunners are insane. You're telling me a Steelrunner is so fast they make four gunshots sound like a single gunshot? Even worse that this is a smart Steelrunner. Oh yeah, Feruchemical steel is super-duper busted as we understand it right now. I mean, realistically all superspeed would be, it's just portrayed very inaccurately in most superhero films in order to balance things out. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alder24 Posted January 23 Report Share Posted January 23 5 hours ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: I found out some worldbuilding bits about the Terris: 1) the Terris language was dead but Harmony included it in the Words, and 2) the Terris people no longer live in the North. #1 is interesting cuz there are so many ways this could've done. Harmony analyzing the history of the world, its people and texts. He could've analyzed the inherited information of a Terris linguistics Keeper. He could've analyzed Ruin's manipulation of the Keeper and Worldbringer copperminds, which I guess happened over the course of at least 2000 years. It's also interesting because... what language were Sazed, Tindwyl and stewards speaking in the trilogy? They were speaking the same language as anybody else in the Final Empire was speaking. The Terris language was dead, but the Keepers had it memorized in their Copperminds, Sazed used this to translate texts of Alendi's journal and Kwaan's metal plate. It was more like Latin, nobody is speaking it but there are people who learnt it. 5 hours ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: Turns out Harmony can control a person pierced by too much Hemalurgy. Koloss with their four spikes, and Inquisitors with their minimum of 9 spikes certainly count. But I'm wondering why kandra with their two spikes fall under this threshold. Maybe it has to do with their original structure as mistwraiths? I'm guessing one spike (and possibly the resulting insanity?) pierces the soul enough they can speak to or influence the kandra's mind, but not completely control them. I wonder if they can speak to a mistwraith. And I wonder what Harmony meant when he said Bleeder disobeyed a Contract with him. Kandra/mistwraiths are a different species and don't count as humans, they can be controlled if they have only 2 spikes because of that. However this isn't as strong a control as with Koloss or Inquisitors. It takes longer to establish full control and during that time Kandra can resist - that's what happened during HoA when almost all Kandra reacted and pulled out their spike when Ruin tried to take control over them. HoA Annotations: Spoiler Brandon Sanderson The Resolution TenSoon and the other kandra resist Ruin and are able to pull the spikes from their shoulders. There are a couple of reasons why they can do this. The power that Allomancers have to take control of them is the same power Ruin has. That control is exerted in the form of mental pressure through emotional Allomancy. As can be seen from Marsh's viewpoint, it is more than simply forcing the body to act as Ruin wishes. The extreme pressure on emotions changes the very way the mind thinks, tricking it into doing exactly what Ruin wants. The flaw in Hemalurgists leaves them open to this kind of manipulation. Kandra, who only have two spikes, are far more difficult to control than koloss or Inquisitors. Vin is able to control TenSoon with ease in book two, but that's partially because he wanted her to do so. He would have been able to resist her. If she'd continued to push, she could have broken him, but it would have taken time. Even Ruin's pressure wasn't enough to take control immediately. The kandra had a few moments during which they could overcome him and maintain their free will. Beyond that, they were in a cavern surrounded by metal ore in the walls, making it very difficult for Ruin to see what was going on and interfering with his ability to control them. The Hero of Ages Annotations (May 13, 2010) 5 hours ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: Speaking of, turns out Preservation hears people's thoughts while Ruin speaks to minds. Each only had one-half of telepathy, and supposedly it's only when a person is pierced by a spike. So uhm, to me this sounds too fishy. Just before this sequence and during Wax's final battle with the Vanishers, Harmony heard Wax’s thoughts when he didn’t wear the earring. Sounds like Harmony is lying about his mind reading being limited to spike bearers. And I remember a certain epigraph said if a person doesn’t wear a Hemalurgic spike, but is unstable, it makes them more susceptible to Ruin’s influence. I'm probably overthinking but I always read this as Ruin naturally having the ability to speak to the minds of stable people without spikes. Mentally ill people are more susceptible to Ruin's influence even without spikes - that was the case with Vin's mother who spiked Vin's sister all because of Ruin's influence and she didn't have any spike. Ruin can't speak to people who don't have spikes or are mentally sane. HoA ch 51: Quote Once Ruin was free from his prison, he was able to influence people more strongly—but impaling someone with a Hemalurgic spike was difficult no matter what the circumstances. To achieve such things, he apparently began with people who already had a tenuous grip on reality. Their insanity made them more open to his touch, and he could use them to spike more stable people. Either way, it's impressive how many important people Ruin managed to spike. King Penrod, ruling Luthadel at the time, is a very good example of this. Wax was wearing his earring in the AoL climax, AoL ch 15: Quote He raised his hand and slipped his earring into his ear. He was supposed to wear it when praying, or when doing something of great import. He figured that tonight, he’d be doing a lot of both. Ch 17: Quote He still had his earring in. You wanted me to do this, he thought toward Harmony. Did an accusation count as a prayer? Well, here I am. I’ll expect a little help, if that’s acceptable to your immortal plan, and all that I think Preservation can hear any living Scadrian without any spike. That's why he was able to "speak" to Elend in HoA for example. Now I wonder if Harmony lied here to Wax or he purposefully restricts himself and doesn't listen to people with no earrings, to respect their privacy or something like that. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ale the Metallic Conjurer Posted February 2 Author Report Share Posted February 2 I’ve made it to chapter 20 of Shadows of Self. Honestly, making chapter reactions to Era 2 is really hard. The chapters are very short and there isn’t much meat to the books, even though they’re very fun. I’m really liking the political and religious themes of Shadows of Self. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treamayne Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 4 hours ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: I’ve made it to chapter 20 of Shadows of Self. Honestly, making chapter reactions to Era 2 is really hard. The chapters are very short and there isn’t much meat to the books, even though they’re very fun. I’m really liking the political and religious themes of Shadows of Self. Glad you are enjoying it. By "Ch 20" do you mean that you are about to start Ch 20, or you just finished Ch 20? (minor Spoilers) Spoiler Cause that's when we get to see everybody's favorite wolfhound again 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ale the Metallic Conjurer Posted February 13 Author Report Share Posted February 13 (edited) Well this is awkward. I finished the book and forgot to give updates Shadows Chapter 19 - Epilogue Soooo Wax flew to the Field of Rebirth. We get peeks at the information and holy books created by or related to Harmony, as well as the new world's founders. AT LEAST EIGHTY VOLUMES FROM HARMONY?! Poor Dockson allegedly had his document ignored lmao. Plenty of things dedicated to the Survivor, as expected. Though apparitions caused by Kelsier during the old world's final days were mentioned, which I found very mysterious. But considering I learned the bombshell that Kelsier was a host of Preservation, this may not be too mysterious. It's interesting there are Originator quotes written in metal. And replicas of the Bands of Mourning were mentioned, which I found very sus. Nothing like that was indicated in the Final Empire’s days or the rewriting of the world. Then we see everyone's favorite wolfhound again!!! I missed Mr. Snippy Wolfhound so much!!! Small note, I can never tell if steelsight and ironsight lines are attached to piercing metal or not. Anyway, we learn kandra subtly impersonate positions like priests. This has me thinking it could be a route Harmony uses to maneuver people like Marasi. Or on a more obvious level, this could be a route to give his desired agents Pathian earrings. Like how MeLaan gave Wax his earring. We get a good bit of worldbuilding on Kredik Shaw's basement. Bet those people crapped their pants when Vin destroyed Kredik Shaw. Though now I have the hardest rusting time knowing whether or not the Shards can influence and hear the people in caverns or not TenSoon mentioned Vin and it got me crying omfg. And we learn many things about the kandra. I love the kandra’s role in this story. We get a new Hemalurgic construct which is more sus than the Bands of Mourning. I imagine them as giant mutant dogs with human hands and faces. She made them with just one spike… which is sus. The Lord Ruler had direct tutelage from the God of Hemalurgy, gained godlike knowledge from a piece of the God of Allomancy, and later became the most experienced and knowledgeable and powerful Metalborn on the planet. Even with all these attributes, the Lord Ruler couldn’t create more than three races of Hemalurgic constructs. And his constructs were created with anywhere from 2 - 9 spikes. The 2 spiked ones needing to be born from blobs created from a Shard’s power. So how is a mere kandra making all these advancements in Hemalurgy??? I think Bleeder, and possibly the Set, are working for a foreign Shard of Adonalsium. The way I see it, only a Shard’s divine intervention can teach mortals of Hemalurgy. Or at least teach them how to make advancements. Now that I said that I may or may not think Harmony played a role in Spook experimenting with Hemalurgy. Too much happens I can't describe because I got Paalm brainrot. Sorry for the disappointing summary but QWHEUBVSIFSVDHVDWBFGTBPEJWDLCAS. RIP PAAAAAALM!!! storm you Sazed. I'm disappointed in Sazed. Poor Wax. Steris is great for comforting him. Paalm was so tragic and so competent, I already miss her. Trell is terrifying. I might like Era 2's antagonists more than Era 1's. And I started Bands! I am the worst at giving updates! These books go by so quickly! Bands Prologue - Chapter 10 This entry is shaping up to be absolute PEAK! Sanderson didn’t sideline the situation with Lessie, so I’m actually starting to get into Wax as a character. Steris jumped from meh to “I will sacrifice my life to protect her.” Marasi is still “I will sacrifice my life so she doesn’t have to protect me.” Wayne finally stop being a douche with women, and his relationship with MeLaan is so refreshing!!! The comedy is top-notch as usual!!! Always great to see more of the kandra. The hints of the true potential of the Metallic Arts are absolutely terrifying. Identity manipulation and Investiture manipulation to make Feruchemy widespread. Wiping metal reserves with a touch. Whatever the rust that Leeching cube was?! I got a theory on how Blessings are different from koloss or Inquisitor spikes. I think Harmony is personally behind the Bands of Mourning and kalkis. Unless the Lord Ruler had a redemption arc as a ghost after death, there’s no way he had the selflessness to create them. At best, he might’ve made it as a contingency plan for Ruin’s release. But he definitely wouldn’t have had enough aluminum or nicrosil to make the Bands. The supposed >340 year history of the Bands is a red flag as well. I think the Bands and their history might be a long con/plan orchestrated by Harmony. I’m sure the kalkis won’t be mentioned again, but it’s fun to dream. Edited February 13 by Ale the Metallic Conjurer 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alder24 Posted February 13 Report Share Posted February 13 4 hours ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: I can never tell if steelsight and ironsight lines are attached to piercing metal or not. It depends on the strength of an Allomancer. Full steelsight like in inquisitors would show lines to those metals - and this can be learnt by any Coinshot/Lurcher. But just because they see those lines, doesn't mean they can push on them - that's strength depended. WoA WoB: Spoiler Brandon Sanderson By the way, you probably remember form book one the way that Inquisitors see. They have such a subtle touch with Steel and Iron, and their lines, that they can see via the trace metals in everyone's bodies and in the objects around them. The thing is, any Allomancer with access to iron or steel could learn to do this. Some have figured it out, in the past, but in current times, nobody–at least, nobody the heroes know–is aware of this. Except, of course, for Marsh. And he chose not to share it. The Well of Ascension Annotations (Nov. 11, 2007) 4 hours ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: Though now I have the hardest rusting time knowing whether or not the Shards can influence and hear the people in caverns or not They can. You see Ruin showing himself and talking to VIn in Fadrex cave, him talking to and taking control over Kandra in the Homeland, then Vin as Preservation seeing Sazed and guiding Elend to him, then Ruin pushing Human the Koloss to the Atium pit, then Sazed protecting the caverns when he was reshaping the world and lastly he healed Spook. It's just very hard for them to see through all that metal, but they still can talk, hear and influence people in those places. Metal just blinds them. 4 hours ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: These books go by so quickly! Yes. Yes they do. 4 hours ago, Ale the Metallic Conjurer said: But he definitely wouldn’t have had enough aluminum or nicrosil to make the Bands. Why not? He held the power of the Well, he moved the planet around and reshaped its surface - he could have just made those metals for himself when he held the power. Aluminum was already gathered from Ashmounts and used by Inquisitors. That's just food for thoughts. Spoiler Chaos (paraphrased) We asked some questions about the Lord Ruler, like if he knew about chromium and nicrosil. Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased) Brandon said he knew about those metals, and then also said "The Lord Ruler knew a lot of things that no one knows." Alloy of Law 17th Shard Q&A (Nov. 5, 2011) It's really fun to read. I'm waiting for more! I suggest reading Secret History after you finish BoM. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colors Posted February 19 Report Share Posted February 19 On 10/21/2023 at 8:15 PM, Trusk'our said: Excellent. I always love it when a new person joins the community in a more expansive way . By the way, how far are you in Wax and Wayne yet (personally, it's my favorite series of books)? That is interesting...I don't feel like you hear that much. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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