Missing Atium?

[Armadillo]

In Shadows of Self, Wax passes an empty pedestal that supposedly used to display Atium, but it's empty. Do we know what's up with that? Did someone actually get their hands on some Atium just to display it? And if so, did someone nick it? (Probably Hoid, haha)

[Treamayne]

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19 hours ago, Armadillo said:

In Shadows of Self, Wax passes an empty pedestal that supposedly used to display Atium, but it's empty. Do we know what's up with that? Did someone actually get their hands on some Atium just to display it? And if so, did someone nick it? (Probably Hoid, haha)

You mean this passage? SoS Ch 9:

Spoiler

The party attendees moved around several bars and numerous small displays set up on the red-carpeted floor. Wax and Steris passed one, a stand with a glass box enclosing a raw copper nugget as big as a man’s head. Light glimmered on its surface.

Allomantic metals, Wax thought as they passed another display. Dozens of specimens, with plaques talking about where the nugget or vein had been mined. They provoked conversations around the room, clusters of people chatting as light played off the colorful drinks in their fingers.

<snip>

Drinks in hand, Wax stepped down from the bar and turned on his steel bubble.

<snip>

They moved through the room, passing under a chandelier. The separate bits of crystal—which had wires suspending them—moved subtly away from Wax, like the needle of a compass confronted by a magnet’s matching pole. He accidentally knocked a nugget off a pedestal as they passed. Rusts. Against his better judgment, he dampened his steel bubble.

<snip>

“Let me handle it next time,” Steris said, guiding them around a pedestal displaying—oddly—nothing at all. The plaque read: ATIUM, THE LOST METAL.

As they neared the governor—who stood holding court near the windows on the north side—a man in a bright yellow bow tie noticed Wax. Great.

There was never meant to be any Atium in there. the only known atium to survive the Catecendre was in Marsh's possession - the ZoBell penthouse just used displays of Metals as conversation gambits - and the Atium pedestal was honorary (likely because Atium has become legendary in the centuries since the Final Empire ended).

WoB:

Spoiler

Kirrin

Marsh? The book doesn't mention him after he fights with Elend.

Brandon Sanderson

Marsh is alive. I changed this from when I talked to [Peter]. I realized some things about his use of Allomancy that would allow him to survive. Actually, he is immortal. He can pull off the same Allomancy/Feruchemy trick that the Lord Ruler did. (And he knows it too, since he was there when Sazed explained how it was done in Book One.) He's actually the only living person who actually knows this trick for certain. (Though there's a chance that Spook, Ham and Breeze heard about it from Vin and the others.) So yes, if there were another series, Marsh would make an appearance.

Douglas

I thought that trick required atium and involved burning the atium. With all the atium gone and Sazed not making any more, it would therefore not be possible even for a full mistborn/feruchemist. Am I wrong, is Sazed providing atium specifically for Marsh to allow a friend and valuable servant to survive, or what?

Brandon Sanderson

Marsh has the bag of atium that KanPaar sent to be sold, as well as several nuggets in his stomach. So, I guess 'immortal' is the wrong phrase. He's got the only remaining atium in the world and can keep himself around for a long, long while—but he WILL eventually run out. Unless Sazed does something.

Footnote: Brandon had earlier told Peter that in his mind, Marsh was dead having been "burned out by the sun"
Hero of Ages Q&A - Time Waster's Guide (Oct. 15, 2008)

Hope that helps.

Edited April 3, 2025 by Treamayne
SPAG

[Armadillo]

Oh that's super helpful, thank you! I didn't realize that it was part of the collection.

Edited April 3, 2025 by Armadillo