SDNA, Hemalurgy and Reproduction

[DoctaDajman]

So we have physical DNA and spiritual DNA. That SDNA gets grafted into a person's natural SDNA when they get a hemalurgic spike. 

When reproducing can the SDNA from a spike be passed down to the child?

For instance, while Kelsier claims he has no powers at the moment would his SDNA still be wired to him having been a mistborn?  If the body he is currently stapled onto were to procreate would the child have the benefits of having a natural born mistborn as part of the paternal SDNA that is passed on?  

What about a Returned divine gift. If it was stolen and stapled onto someone could the children of that person be born with the Royal Locks or more?  

[NameIess]

Here’s some WoB’s on the topic:

Spoiler

Questioner

I wondered if an Inquisitor had children, if they would inherit stronger Inquisitor abilities, or if they would just inherit the lesser lines from being a Seeker, for example?

Brandon Sanderson

Excellent question. I don't think I've ever been asked this before... The way Hemalurgy works, if you're not aware, you are taking someone else's soul, and you are basically nailing it to your soul... That won't affect the children. So you will have the weaker lines.

They have tried that. Unfortunately.

Berlin signing (May 14, 2019)

 

Questioner

You’ve spoken before how DNA exists on multiple different levels in your magic systems. I was curious about something else that I think I read that that the Hemalurgy system actually splices something into the DNA - so what does that imply for heritability of those?

Brandon Sanderson

So, it is not inheritable when it's Hemalurgic because it's splicing. It's basically ripping off a piece of the soul and spiking it on someone else's. So, it would not transfer.

Shadows of Self San Jose signing (Oct. 9, 2015)

It seems that hemalurgy would not transfer. I would assume Kelsier still has the proper SDNA, and would likely be able to pass it on if he can have children. Actually, considering how invested he is with Preservation’s power, Kelsier’s children might have similar effects to the children of Heralds, being more suited for the powers.

[Trusk'our he/him]

27 minutes ago, DoctaDajman said:

So we have physical DNA and spiritual DNA. That SDNA gets grafted into a person's natural SDNA when they get a hemalurgic spike. 

When reproducing can the SDNA from a spike be passed down to the child?

For instance, while Kelsier claims he has no powers at the moment would his SDNA still be wired to him having been a mistborn?  If the body he is currently stapled onto were to procreate would the child have the benefits of having a natural born mistborn as part of the paternal SDNA that is passed on?  

What about a Returned divine gift. If it was stolen and stapled onto someone could the children of that person be born with the Royal Locks or more?  

As @NameIess said, you won't see a lot of Hemalurgically stolen sDNA pass down to decendants.

However, we do know that some things get passed down. Koloss-blooded people are a direct result of true Koloss breeding true, and while they're mostly human they do have some distinct changes made that are reminiscent of what their parents got from their spikes (continual growth, extra potent physique, skin tone).

So some things must pass down, but it seems like Allomantic and Feruchemical potential does not. Personally, I'm assuming Invested Arts don't pass down to a Hemalurgist's offspring because the Investiture systems being hacked into aren't actually tied to Ruin, so Ruin can't easily grant access to the vanilla system- only the pieces ripped off and held within the spikes. Changes to basic attributes are probably more viable because they're something Ruin's Investiture can mimic in future offspring's Spiritwebs, or maybe if the "base" Spiritweb in a Hemalurgic construct is altered and it's not just the stappled pieces of Spiritweb that are being factored into the new Spiritweb it would explain why some things pass down and others don't.

 

In short, some things do get passed down, but other things don't. We don't exactly know why yet.

Edited January 26 by Trusk'our

[Qianweilian He/him]

28 minutes ago, Trusk'our said:

In short, some things do get passed down, but other things don't. We don't exactly know why yet.

Harmony specifically intervened to allowed koloss to breed. I suspect the way it works is that all the “koloss” are a race of “koloss-blooded,” whether or not they have spikes or not. What I mean is that “koloss” genes don’t exist and Harmony made it so that the koloss blooded traits are just regular. I’d be like if some inquisitors reproduced and then passed down their spikes to their child. The child didn’t “inherit” the hemalurgy, even if they did end up the same as their parent.

[Trusk'our he/him]

27 minutes ago, Qianweilian said:

Harmony specifically intervened to allowed koloss to breed. I suspect the way it works is that all the “koloss” are a race of “koloss-blooded,” whether or not they have spikes or not. What I mean is that “koloss” genes don’t exist and Harmony made it so that the koloss blooded traits are just regular. I’d be like if some inquisitors reproduced and then passed down their spikes to their child. The child didn’t “inherit” the hemalurgy, even if they did end up the same as their parent.

That's a fair point. Harmony tweaked some things to make them true breeding and intelligent.

However, Inquisitors also can breed true and their offspring could have "complications". I'm imagining as of right now it's because their anatomy has been rearranged to accommodate their spikes, which reflects on their sDNA and such changes could be passed down as well.

Spoiler

https://wob.coppermind.net/events/192-rfantasy_bookclub-alloy-of-law-qa/#e4148

zas678

You've said that Inquisitors could have children. Would those children have a better chance at being Allomancers compared to if they had the kids before they were Inquisitors?

Brandon Sanderson

Yes, but there also could be...complications.

 

(Note from Trusk'our: he says that Inquisitor's children are more likely to be Allomancers, but it's only because of the Inquisitor's natural Misting/Mistborn lineage. Spikes providing extra Allomantic power to one's offspring is debunked in other WoBs- the ones provided by @NameIess.

As of right now, I'm leaning in the direction that if you can manage to get a construct that can breed, it will pass some things down in a more diluted form. Not Invested Arts, but other things attached to the Spiritweb.

Edited January 26 by Trusk'our

[Oranjejuicemonki He/Him]

4 hours ago, DoctaDajman said:

So we have physical DNA and spiritual DNA. That SDNA gets grafted into a person's natural SDNA when they get a hemalurgic spike. 

When reproducing can the SDNA from a spike be passed down to the child?

For instance, while Kelsier claims he has no powers at the moment would his SDNA still be wired to him having been a mistborn?  If the body he is currently stapled onto were to procreate would the child have the benefits of having a natural born mistborn as part of the paternal SDNA that is passed on?  

What about a Returned divine gift. If it was stolen and stapled onto someone could the children of that person be born with the Royal Locks or more?  

On Koloss Head Munching Day, Brandon answered a similar question on the youtube spoiler stream.

Quote

Questioner

If Wax has another child, could it be a mistborn?

Brandon Sanderson

Yes, much more likely to be mistborn than anyone else born.

Questioner

Did Wax have another child?

Brandon Sanderson

RAFO.

YouTube Spoiler Stream 7 (Dec. 19, 2025)

So the SDNA from the hemalurgic spikes can definitely get passed down at least a little.

[Frustration]

1 minute ago, Oranjejuicemonki said:

On Koloss Head Munching Day, Brandon answered a similar question on the youtube spoiler stream.

So the SDNA from the hemalurgic spikes can definitely get passed down at least a little.

Wax had a small bit of lerasium, that's what increases the chances, not his spikes.

[Oranjejuicemonki He/Him]

2 minutes ago, Frustration said:

Wax had a small bit of lerasium, that's what increases the chances, not his spikes.

Oh yeah, that does make more sense. Thanks!

[Aliroz-The-Confused]

I refuse to accept that SDNA is a thing.  It's too silly.

[Frustration]

46 minutes ago, Aliroz-The-Confused said:

I refuse to accept that SDNA is a thing.  It's too silly.

It's based on doctrine.

Your Physical and Spiritual DNA

 

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/new-era/2019/08/your-physical-and-spiritual-dna?lang=eng

[Aliroz-The-Confused]

Oh.

Reality is silly, I guess.

I retract my earlier statement.

[Qianweilian He/him]

7 hours ago, Frustration said:

It's based on doctrine.

Your Physical and Spiritual DNA

 

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/new-era/2019/08/your-physical-and-spiritual-dna?lang=eng

And I considered myself more knowledgeable than most about the church for knowing what Kolob is.

[Frustration]

4 hours ago, Qianweilian said:

And I considered myself more knowledgeable than most about the church for knowing what Kolob is.

I had a companion on my mission who got sick and couldn't leave the apartment.

Let's just say that there are some very interesting rabbit holes you can go down on Gospel Library if you're bored enough.

[Trusk'our he/him]

4 hours ago, Qianweilian said:

And I considered myself more knowledgeable than most about the church for knowing what Kolob is.

Isn't that the planet Heavenly Father currently resides on?

[Frustration]

1 minute ago, Trusk'our said:

Isn't that the planet Heavenly Father currently resides on?

It is "Nearest unto the throne of God," and governs the celestial bodies "Of the same order as [earth]."

Whether that makes it a star, or a planet, or only a symbol of Jesus Christ is all up in the air.

Edited January 28 by Frustration

[Qianweilian He/him]

1 minute ago, Frustration said:

Whether that makes it a star, or a planet, or only a symbol of Jesus Christ is all up in the air.

It’s a star.

[Frustration]

1 minute ago, Qianweilian said:

It’s a star.

I don't necessarily consider the guide to the scriptures as doctrine, just a study guide.

While I personally do believe it to be a star, or a star-like body that's not necessarily the only interpretation.

 

Anyway I think we're getting slightly off topic, so I'll ask another question.

We know that hemalurgy does not on it's own allow sDNA given by hemalurgy to be passed on, what if we used allomancy to splice the sDNA with our own.

Spoiler

Maru Nui

What happens when you burn a Hemalurgic spike?

Brandon Sanderson

Burning a Hemalurgic spike would have the effect of splicing your spiritual DNA to that of the person's that is in the spike, which would have some very strange consequences.

Tor.com Q&A with Brandon Sanderson (Jan. 10, 2011)

 

[Qianweilian He/him]

26 minutes ago, Frustration said:

what if we used allomancy to splice the sDNA with our own.

What does “splicing your sDNA” even mean? Are they like combined?

[Frustration]

1 minute ago, Qianweilian said:

What does “splicing your sDNA” even mean? Are they like combined?

That's how I read it anyway, depends on if Brandon is saying splicing just as a word or if he means the actual process of DNA splicing

[DoctaDajman]

3 hours ago, Frustration said:

I don't necessarily consider the guide to the scriptures as doctrine, just a study guide.

While I personally do believe it to be a star, or a star-like body that's not necessarily the only interpretation.

 

Anyway I think we're getting slightly off topic, so I'll ask another question.

We know that hemalurgy does not on it's own allow sDNA given by hemalurgy to be passed on, what if we used allomancy to splice the sDNA with our own.

  Reveal hidden contents

Maru Nui

What happens when you burn a Hemalurgic spike?

Brandon Sanderson

Burning a Hemalurgic spike would have the effect of splicing your spiritual DNA to that of the person's that is in the spike, which would have some very strange consequences.

Tor.com Q&A with Brandon Sanderson (Jan. 10, 2011)

 

 

3 hours ago, Trusk'our said:

Isn't that the planet Heavenly Father currently resides on?

One of the rabbit holes I had some fun time going down on my mission as well. It is no shock to me that there are 7 stars in the big dipper, that it is on the west side of the Salt Lake City Temple. Lots of symbolism to have there. 7 dispensations and each one revolves around the fact that prophets are on or were on the earth and they each point to Christ. If there were a place in the sky I could point to and speculate on it would be that same star Polaris. 

It is through that star, as it is through Christ, that we may make it back to the Father. 

Of course who knows if that is exactly where His throne resides or if it is simply the symbolism with which he taught ancient prophets who didnt have access to screens and spent their nights wondering and pondering the secrets of the universe from a faith filled perspective. 

 

Back to splicing SDNA, perhaps stealing an ability strips the SDNA in a different manner. Who knows what will come of the innate investiture that is stolen with Nicrosil. It obviously functions differently than other, older forms of hemalurgy as it doesnt kill the person outright.