What would happen if Ruin and Preservation had been Splintered?

[Witty Username he/him]

I'm going to be running the Mistborn RPG soon, and I wanted an interesting twist for the part of the party that has read the novels. So I've decided to run with the "Kelsier hires the PCs rather than the heroes of the Mistborn Trilogy" conceit for the first part of the campaign, and then in a fit of sleep-deprivation-induced creativity, hit upon the reveal in the title.

Ruin and Preservation have been Splintered.

I've got a few basics that should logically be in place to support the campaign - first of all, the setting needs to be essentially the same on the surface. Lord Ruler still rules, ash still falls, mists still at night, so on and so forth. These likely wouldn't be true if Ruin and Preservation had both been splintered, sure, but the game will be better with those things in place. The fact that the Final Empire and the Lord Ruler are both around means that the Splintering would have happened post-Ascension. The culprit, for simplicity's sake, is the only person we know to have Splintered a Shard.

Other than that, I'd like some suggestions for possible implications of this - what form would the Splinters of the two Shards take? Would the culprit have left his mark? (Actually, that's a damnation good question - does a new Shard coming to a place change the magic systems there? Temporarily? Permanently? Food for thought.)

[Dahak he/him]

The Lord Ruler is a lot less bonkers. Since Ruin hasn't spent a thousand years whispering in his ear.

 

There is some Spren/Seon equivalent around. TLR is probably collecting them with the intent of making himself a new shard. Which means Odium and quite possibly the Unmade and the Voidbringers will be coming.

 

Access to Shadesmar is more difficult/dangerous, but TLR has no reason not to send Kandra and Steel Inquistors to other worlds.

 

Hoid is probably more sarcastic than usual since for Odium to have Splintered Ruin and Preservation, he'd have to have escaped Roshar. Which means the Final Desolation has to have been at least two hundred and more likely a thousand years early. Several of the factions on Roshar have had worldhopping capabilities in the past [c.f. the Irali long Trail and Shinovar not being part of the Julia set.] and could have fled.

 

Which means some of the  Inquisitors may have Shardblades. One or two might have surgebinding spikes.

[Witty Username he/him]

In my mind, Odium's already been before going to Roshar - I'm thinking a similar situation to Sel, were Odium came, he saw, he Splintered. Your point about TLR is great though - he'd be considerably saner, if no more lenient. I'll make sure I keep that in mind. As to the Spren/Seon, I had an idea about the skaa urban legends about Mistwraiths. I'd have to reread, but making the things they were scared existed real would be a good start on Splinters of Ruin. No idea for Preservation yet though.

[Haradion Drogon]

Perhapes, the Splinters of Ruin, could take the form of some kind of Steel Inquistor/Kandra/Koloss hybrid - with a hell of a lot more power... Since they'd be perfectly sentient, they could be the chiefs of the Ministry?

Alternatively, if you wanted to depart from the story somewhat, they could be the real power manipulating the Lord Ruler,

 

Or you can provide the Steel Inquisitors with Weapons of new power...

"Savant Scepters" massivly boosting their powers, without the need of hemelurgy? Therefore, the Steel Ministry has a much more human face.

Its also possible that the Koloss and Kandra have their own civilizations now - since the splintering would have granted them said Sceptres - and therfore, allomancy - meaning the LR would be unable to mentally control them - due to the decrease in hemelurgy?

[Haradion Drogon]

Perhapes, there would be multiple classes of Kandra now?

Mistwraith's and Kandra would not be of the same species - but opposites? One spliters of Preservation - and the other of Ruin.

[Witty Username he/him]

Another idea for the Splinters of Ruin I've been mulling over is a sort of 'sentient idea' that comes with having hemalurgy used on you. Kind of like a miniature version of the voice or Ruin in the main series - hemalurgic spikes put a Splinter of Ruin in you, which warps your personality closer to that of Ruin. I still have no clue as to what Preservation Splinters might be - perhaps similar to the Mist Spirit of the books, but with an ability close to the Nahel bond?

[Edgedancer he/him]

There´s a good chance that without Preservation around to siphon Ruin´s power Atium either wouldn´t exsist at all or randomly appear all over the place same for Lerasium. Even if Atium is around like before there would be no reason for tLR to hoard it per Kandra, so it wouldn´t be as rare and valuable anyway.

 

The Kandra might also not feel the need to obey the lord ruler and the first contract without Preservation around.

 

Kelsier´s teacher was spiked, it´s hard to judge what consequences that would have on Kelsier but judging from the short story he would be a bit less kill happy.

 

Spiked people wouldn´t pop up at random at all, so if you plan on a Vin equivalent there´s no reasonable way to get them spiked.

 

The mist wouldn´t have the intelect to snap people selectively... or if the Dor is anything to go by they might act way more aggresive making Allomancy a lot more common. Not sure if they would strenghten Allomancers as well.

Edited December 29, 2014 by Edgedancer

[Witty Username he/him]

There´s a good chance that without Preservation around to siphon Ruin´s power Atium either wouldn´t exsist at all or randomly appear all over the place same for Lerasium. Even if Atium is around like before there would be no reason for tLR to hoard it per Kandra, so it wouldn´t be as rare and valuable anyway.

I was thinking on that - Atium and Lerasium would be Splinters now, so they work somewhat differently. I was thinking that Atium would have the same value simply because of it's utility, and Lerasium would be completely suppressed for obvious reasons. I like the idea of them appearing more like natural metals though - I'll keep the Pits for the purposes of Kelsier's backstory.

 

The Kandra might also not feel the need to obey the lord ruler and the first contract without Preservation around.

Wow, now THIS is a hook. I'm still not 100% if anyone knows about the Splintering specifically yet, but one way or another the Kandra will find out.

[Haradion Drogon]

I would suggest that the Kandra were a thriving civilization now - without the fear of Allomancy, they need not have a Contract at all, since they have no motive to gather Atium.

I would suggest that in this universe, Kandra owe their sentience not to Hemalurgy - but to their being splinters of Preervation. As a result, they would be unfamiliar with Blessings, and the like.

 

On the other hand, Mistwraiths might owe their existence to Ruin Splinters. This would grant them the size increasing and strength increase capabilities of a Mistwraith - absrbing bones and bones to become stronger - and yet grant them the sentience that makes Kandra dangerous. Mistwraith would become a viable threat. 

I would suggest that the Homeland was known of - if not specifically by the characters. Rumors and legends of the Kandra Homeland might be abound, forcing the characters to go the Homeland at some point? They could even be the ones responsible for the gathering of Lerasium (which would have the effect of weakening the overall population in regards to Allomancy). Since this is a game - it could result in a Mistborn character burning a piece of Lerasium in order to become powerful  enough to challenge the Lord Ruler - since in this version of the Universe, random Spikings are unlikley to occur.

This could be your gateway to hero characters. Kelsier, Vin, Marsh etc, have obtained (knowingly or not) Lerasium at some point, and have used to make themselves stronger. THIS Is what grants them the ability to puncture Copperclouds etc.


I have a suggestion.
Mistwraiths would be much more powerful, now that Ruin's power is free to manifest... 
Mistitans - Titanic mistwraiths, of huge proportions could appear. One could even attack Luthandel, forcing the emergence of the Lord Ruler (Who uses his powers to defeat it?) would be one form of a Mistwraith, infused with Ruin's Power. Perhaps, since Mistwraiths and Kandra could become the splinters of Ruin and Preservation, they would seek to devour splinters - devouring Kandra, humans and other mist wraiths to consume their investiture.

The Deepness would not be the mists, out of control, but a Mistwraith of Apocalyptic proportions. A Leviathan Splinter, with enough invesiture to swallow the world.

[Lindel he/him]

Didn't the OP say that the Splintering happened post-Ascension? So Mistwraiths, Kandra, and Steel Inquisitors would be basically the same. And since we're assuming Allomancy and Feruchemy still work basically the same, why not assume Hemalurgy does? Minus Ruin's whispering into your mind, of course. 

 

As I see it, the Koloss, Kandra, and Mistwraiths would all be basically the same. "Mistwraiths" as Splinters of Ruin or Preservation would be different from the un-Blessed Kandra known as Mistwraiths, and would need a new name to avoid confusion. The Lord Ruler's three Construct races were created at the time of the Ascension, which was before the Splintering, so they would remain basically untouched. The question is, what form would Splinters of Preservation and Ruin take? Seons are very different from Spren on Roshar, so I'm guessing Splinters on Scadrial would be different from both. 

 

I'll post some more concrete suggestions later, hopefully. 

[Witty Username he/him]

Didn't the OP say that the Splintering happened post-Ascension? So Mistwraiths, Kandra, and Steel Inquisitors would be basically the same. And since we're assuming Allomancy and Feruchemy still work basically the same, why not assume Hemalurgy does? Minus Ruin's whispering into your mind, of course. 

 

As I see it, the Koloss, Kandra, and Mistwraiths would all be basically the same. "Mistwraiths" as Splinters of Ruin or Preservation would be different from the un-Blessed Kandra known as Mistwraiths, and would need a new name to avoid confusion. The Lord Ruler's three Construct races were created at the time of the Ascension, which was before the Splintering, so they would remain basically untouched. The question is, what form would Splinters of Preservation and Ruin take? Seons are very different from Spren on Roshar, so I'm guessing Splinters on Scadrial would be different from both. 

 

I'll post some more concrete suggestions later, hopefully. 

I did indeed say it happened post-Ascension, because I want the setting to seem at least surface similar at first. If there were any major changes like some of the ones suggested - although, I might say, you guys are on fire and under other circumstances I'd go right for a lot of these - then the reveal would be blown early.

[Fallen Rope he/him]

Maybe the shattering could happen at the Ascension, after the lord ruler has done all the normal stuff he uses the well of ascension to attack ruin. Since the attack happens from the well the attack is more cognitive (or something) which breaks ruins connection to Ati and preservations to the well. So the power splits up and forms splinters.

I like the idea about Kandra being splinters, maybe the splinters can "Nahel" bond to the first generation since they are near preservation when it breaks, and Kandra are of Preservation so the splinters should stick to them. This would mean that Kandra have a mistspirit that follows them, maybe them can speak to anyone, or just them. Ruins splinters could also bonds to some of the mistwraiths in a voidbringer type way. The Kandra and the "Anti" Kandra might be mistlings.

Kelsiers oddly late powers could be because he attracted a splinter of a shard of Preservation because he was trying to survive, or for a darker Kelsier he could of bonded a splinter of ruin because of his like of killing, or for something odd he could of bonded a splinter of Harmony.

[Edgedancer he/him]

Maybe the shattering could happen at the Ascension, after the lord ruler has done all the normal stuff he uses the well of ascension to attack ruin. Since the attack happens from the well the attack is more cognitive (or something) which breaks ruins connection to Ati and preservations to the well. So the power splits up and forms splinters.

I like the idea about Kandra being splinters, maybe the splinters can "Nahel" bond to the first generation since they are near preservation when it breaks, and Kandra are of Preservation so the splinters should stick to them. This would mean that Kandra have a mistspirit that follows them, maybe them can speak to anyone, or just them. Ruins splinters could also bonds to some of the mistwraiths in a voidbringer type way. The Kandra and the "Anti" Kandra might be mistlings.

Kelsiers oddly late powers could be because he attracted a splinter of a shard of Preservation because he was trying to survive, or for a darker Kelsier he could of bonded a splinter of ruin because of his like of killing, or for something odd he could of bonded a splinter of Harmony.

Kandras aren´t really of Preservation in a strictly spiritual sense. What that statement means is that they honor the first contract. However, if they still are created by Hemalurgy a Splinter of Preservation might refuse to bond with them simply because of that.

 

Rusts, my post was posted twice. Can someone delete this

There is a hide option next to the Quote buttons.

[Witty Username he/him]

A quick update on the game itself.

Pending permission from all the players involved, I might write up session reports (in various degrees of detail) of what goes down in this campaign.

As to the Splintering - well, how's this; since both Ruin and Preservation are largely at the Well of Ascension, it's only after someone tries to claim the millennial power that the Splinters are released? That would allow a massive, Sanderson-style reveal for those who are familiar with the Cosmere, and a regular drama bomb for the rest.

[ostrichofevil he/him]

PreservationSpren could form a bond with Scadrians, making them a Mistborn (or a Misting in the form of a lesser PreservationSpren, like a BronzeSpren or an IronSpren), while RuinSpren could form a bond with a person, giving them knowledge of all Hemalurgic bind points and making their Hemalurgy stronger.  If someone forms a bond with both a PreservationSpren and a RuinSpren, then they become a Feruchemist (or Ferring), and the Spren merge into a HarmonySpren.  Also, people could completely fuse with a PreservationSpren or RuinSpren, making them a sliver similar to the Lord Ruler (but less powerful).  Lerasium beads are the bodies of PreservationSpren, while Atium beads are the body of RuinSpren.  The bodies of lesser PreservationSpren or RuinSpren are alloys of Lerasium or Atium, respectively.  Ingesting Lerasium or Atium forms a bond with the bead's Spren.  To form a bond for a Twinborn, two PreservationSpren and one RuinSpren are needed.  When people with these bonds have children, their child may be born bonded to a new Scadrial Spren.  A bead of Sazedium (possibly an alloy of Atium and Lerasium) makes a bond with a HarmonySpren.

 

Some possible Scadrial Spren:

 

Preservation:

IronSpren

SteelSpren

Other VialSpren

MistSpren

PureSpren (not Allomantic, instead tries to keep anything from changing)

LerasSpren (makes Mistborn)

 

Ruin:

SpikeSpren (Ruinous equivalents of MetalSpren)

AshSpren

DestructionSpren (not Hemalurgic, instead tries to destroy everything around it)

AtiSpren (Ruinous equivalent of LerasSpren)

 

Harmony:

SazeSpren = LerasSpren + AtiSpren (makes full Feruchemist)

GrowthSpren = MistSpren + AshSpren

FerrSpren = VialSpren + SpikeSpren (makes Ferrings)

CreationSpren = PureSpren + DestructionSpren

 

Because of their power, both Atium and Lerasium are extremely expensive.

[Lord Tavash Shar]

The only Problem with this is that the magic system is influenced by the shardworld its on as much as the shards present. I personally think you would see New/Stronger Metals.

Metals Invested with ruin would be better for Hemalurgy, Metal Invested with Preservation would give stronger Alomancy. Both would do something cool and or strange to feruchemical charges stored in them.

You're not going to have seons, Spren, or any of the other effects from a splintered because the Shardwords makes Metal the focuse.

[Witty Username he/him]

You're not going to have seons, Spren, or any of the other effects from a splintered because the Shardwords makes Metal the focuse.

Hang on. Forms are the focus on Sel, and Seons are sentient forms. It's not clear what the focus on Roshar for Surgebinding is, but the Honorspren are Splinters of Honor. So is it possible that the result of a Splintering is the creation of sentient foci?

[dvoraen]

I would think there'd be a lot more atium and lerasium on Scadrial as a result of this Splintering.

[Oudeis he/him]

Wouldn't there prolly be no atium? Atium exists because it's draining power from Ruin. If Ruin has been Splintered... it's like if you're filling a cup from a pitcher. If you shatter the pitcher, you can't fill up the cup anymore.

[Witty Username he/him]

Wouldn't there prolly be no atium? Atium exists because it's draining power from Ruin. If Ruin has been Splintered... it's like if you're filling a cup from a pitcher. If you shatter the pitcher, you can't fill up the cup anymore.

That's a good point, actually. The Atium in the Pits wouldn't be growing back like it normally does. Although it is possible that now Atium and Lerasium are true Splinters rather than... well, whatever you would call what they are in canon.

[thecatinthehat]

Hang on. Forms are the focus on Sel, and Seons are sentient forms. It's not clear what the focus on Roshar for Surgebinding is, but the Honorspren are Splinters of Honor. So is it possible that the result of a Splintering is the creation of sentient foci?

So what then? A lot of Nightblood workalikes?

[ostrichofevil he/him]

I think that each Atium bead would be the body of a Splinter of Ruin.

[Edgedancer he/him]

Hang on. Forms are the focus on Sel, and Seons are sentient forms. It's not clear what the focus on Roshar for Surgebinding is, but the Honorspren are Splinters of Honor. So is it possible that the result of a Splintering is the creation of sentient foci?

Every Splinter large enough and not held by someone will develop sentience, if we assume that Splinters on Scardriel would default into metal form then yes that metal would probably gain awareness, similar to Nightblood, but withouth his own magic. Maybe something like metal golems?

[Lindel he/him]

Any mega-Splinters like the Stormfather running around? 

[Witty Username he/him]

Any mega-Splinters like the Stormfather running around? 

Not until the Splinters are released from the Well - I've envisioned that the powers of Ruin and Preservation, broken as they are, are still keeping each other trapped there. That is, until the PCs get at them.