Unkeyed Forgery?

[TwinStorm He/Him]

What happens if someone stores their Identity using their metalminds, and then creates an Essence Mark using Forgery? Could they possibly  unkey it similar to unkeyed metalminds?

[Duxredux he/him]

The way that I understand Soul Stamps and Essence Marks is a substantially different take than what you're describing. I think Shai's Identity had barely anything at all to do with the Essence Mark she designed for Ashravan or the dozens if not hundreds she tested on Gaotona. Make Shai a Feruchemist and have her Blank her Identity, and she probably would just get worse at her job, not let her make a stamp detailing the soul of the Emperor of the Rose Empire that will work on anyone. I don't think Stamps are quite "keyed" in the same way that other Investitures are Identity locked. What you are asking is more like... asking a programmer to blank their Identity and then write code that works as-is on any software or progamming language. It's the code and carving that is matched to the target, not the programmer or Forger.

I assume the question is: "can you make Essence Marks that work on a general population?" Let's look at what we know. In TES, Shai already knew that a male Grand familiar with Ashravan would temporarily be modified by stamps designed for Ashravan. Familiarity allowed the Stamps to briefly change Gaotona's soul. By TLM, Shai had progressed to "universal" stamps for use on specific applications. These were for things like restoring damaged objects or creating a temporary door. Non-living objects, which are much easier to modify than a living being. Essence Marks would be a logical next step, one we have not yet seen. 

To a certain extent, the stamps that Shai used on Gaotona were Essence Marks, just limited in scope. Making a universal Essence Mark would probably have to capture aspects of the mortal existence that either everyone has experienced or is closely connected to someone who has. Drawing it in with greater specificity, perhaps making "universal" Essence Marks for specific planets, peoples, professions, etc. might work but they will never be as effective or long lasting as one custom made.

I do wonder if Resealers (Flesh Forgers) have some more generalized stamps, since I can't see it being useful if they have to carve out in precise detail every single injury. that seems like it would be practically useless as emergency treatment. Not first aid, but secondary care.

 

I have had one other idea for "universal" stamps, but it's hypothetical and it involves actively doing something to the target that would create an immediate history that the Stamp can utilize. It's a thread from a couple years ago. It's less useful if you want a universal stamp that transforms anyone into a soldier or a carpenter.

 

[Dunkum he/him]

I doubt its possible to HAVE an unkeyed essence mark. it is far too specific to a single person's history. it would be like asking about an unkeyed biography - its almost definitionally impossible. the best info I could get from the WoBs (which I forgot to copy the source for before I closed it) was that someone with blank identity would probably not be able to use someone else's essence marks.

at best i'd guess that if you made one while your identity was blanked, it might be usable by someone else with blank identity (though you'd probably need to fiddle with Connection too). also if you were somehow able to mimic someone else's identity and connection you could possibly use their essence marks.