The Themes of Preservation, Ruin, and Harmony

[Trusk'our]

Not much of a massive idea, but I just realized how well the Metallic Arts fit their Shard's respective Intents in regard to their effects; 

Preservation's Investiture doesn't change a person at their core (unless the fundamental nature of Investiture as a whole overrides it, such as with Savantism), instead adding power to them. Pewter Allomancy, for example, makes you stronger and faster, but your actual physique is preserved.

Hemalurgy ruins the practitioner a little bit, changing and warping them with the more spikes they bear. Steel Inquisitors are physiologically distinct from humans after the number of spikes they have, and their Spiritwebs begin to fray despite their power.

Feruchemy is more like Harmony. It changes the practitioner, such as when a Brute Taps strength (or possibly altering a Windwisperer's sensory organs?) they actually change their muscle mass, though what they are at their core is untouched; they can only Store what they've already got.

I don't think that this necessarily fits every magic system, but for these three in particular, it's so neat to still pick up on the occasional connection. 

[Treamayne]

7 hours ago, Trusk'our said:

I don't think that this necessarily fits every magic system, but for these three in particular, it's so neat to still pick up on the occasional connection.

Also:

• Allomancy Preserves the Allomancer's strength by granting access to power from the SR
• Feruchemy requires you to Ruin yourself (Store) before you can Preserve yourself (Tap)
• Hemalurgy Ruins all things it steals (Hemalurgic Decay)

[Eternal Khol]

Good catch!

The way the magic is initiated is supposed to reflect the Intent of the Shard(s) as Brandon's said he doesnt want a Shards magic to be limited to its Intent, in what it can do, otherwise the magic itself would be rather limited.

 

Edited May 10 by Eternal Khol

[Treamayne]

51 minutes ago, Eternal Khol said:

Good catch!

The way the magic is initiated is supposed to reflect the Intent of the Shard(s) as Brandon's said he doesnt want a Shards magic to be limited to its Intent, in what it can do, otherwise the magic itself would be rather limited.

Stormlight Archive Spoilers:

Spoiler

Some others could be, that to be Radiant you have to show Honor and Growth(Cultivation) 

Warbreaker Spoilers

Spoiler

Due to the nature of Endowment, the Nalthians dont have to do anything, they are all already Endowed and can Awaken whenever if they wanted.

 

Please make sure to spoiler tag your non-Mistborn content while in the Mistborn forum. 

Warbreaker Spoilers:

Spoiler

Yes, all Nalthians are Endowed with Breath on birth but . . 

• to have enough Breath to awaken, you must be Endowed with additional breath from other people.
• To Return, a being must be Endowed with a Divine Breath, and
• A Lifelss must be Endowed with breath permanently to simulate life. 

 

[Eternal Khol]

6 hours ago, Treamayne said:

Please make sure to spoiler tag your non-Mistborn content while in the Mistborn forum.

Yes sir

 

Spoiler

edit: you can awaken with one Breath... there are plenty of Commands for it

 

Edited May 10 by Eternal Khol

[UltimateArchivist]

White Sand Spoilers:

Spoiler

The only other themes from Shards I can see are the various ways Autonomy fuels her magics from afar; she does so autonomously. For instance, In White Sand, the sand must be in the presence of sunlight to recharge; a completely autonomous reaction. (Or, as we would say in Chemistry, favorable at equilibrium.)