Two McMillion he/him Posted October 2, 2013 Posted October 2, 2013 We know that Invested objects are more difficult to affect by other Investiture. This is why Allomancers cannot normally push or pull on the metals in people's bodies, and why Szeth has trouble lashing people in Shardplate. However, we do have several instances when people have managed to affect Invested objects. The Lord Ruler, for example, was easily able to control the metals in Vin's stomach. And Vin herself, using the power of Preservation, was later able to do the same. Why did these two events happen? What was special about Vin and TLR? In Vin's case, she was able to draw on the power of the mists. I believe this would have given her access to a larger pool of Investiture, far beyond what she normally had. Previously, Vin could not pull on the metals in a person's body because people on Scadrial have been Invested by Preservation. This Investiture made a wall, of sorts, that Vin had to overcome with more Investiture before she could affect those metals. Once the mists gave her that extra Investiture, the rest is history. The Lord Ruler, on the other hand, probably had more Investiture at his disposal (compounded Nicrosil and such), and so was easily able to overcome what Investiture she had and use his powers on the metals inside her. To try and put it more clearly, I suspect that you cannot affect and Invested object unless you devote at least an equal amount of Investiture to what has already been Invested in that object. In other words, Szeth has a limited amount of Investiture he can draw on, and the more he uses the bigger effects he can pull off. If Szeth wishes to affect an uninvested object, all of his Investiture can be devoted to the effect. However, if he wishes to affect an Invested one, he must first devote an equal amount of Investiture to what the object already has simply to gain the ability to effect it, and then can affect it out of what Investiture he has left. I hope that's understandable. Thoughts? 1
Windrunner he/him Posted October 2, 2013 Posted October 2, 2013 I think you're probably along the right track. I think that this interview would interest you. 3
Two McMillion he/him Posted October 2, 2013 Author Posted October 2, 2013 I think you're probably along the right track. I think that this interview would interest you. It blows my mind that Scadrial has a low amount of Investiture. It seems like TLR is still one of the most powerful non-shards we've seen in the Cosmere- it's not hard for me to imagine him taking apart Szeth, or Raoden, or Susebron, or anyone else, really. But I suppose that's another thread. Also, apparently the amount of Investiture on a world isn't dependent on if the Shard(s) there are whole or not- Devotion and Dominion are splintered, but Sel is still a high Investiture word. Same for Honor on Roshar. Hmm... I wonder if it's the other way around? Maybe splintering a Shard releases more of their power, so to speak, so more Investiture is available for use. There weren't any shattered Shards on Scadrial. Manythanks (and an upvote) for the link!
Kadrok she/her Posted October 3, 2013 Posted October 3, 2013 (edited) Also, apparently the amount of Investiture on a world isn't dependent on if the Shard(s) there are whole or not- Devotion and Dominion are splintered, but Sel is still a high Investiture word. Same for Honor on Roshar. Hmm... I wonder if it's the other way around? Maybe splintering a Shard releases more of their power, so to speak, so more Investiture is available for use. There weren't any shattered Shards on Scadrial. BRAINWAVE! That is actually a really interesting idea, and it ties in with my comment on your other topic. If only limited systems of investiture arose while Adonalsium was whole (which I claim in that post with, I think, pretty good evidence) and planets with unbroken shards only have low investiture... then that means that systems like Allomancy or whatever only came about because Adonalsium shattered! All the systems in the Cosmere (except those limited ones mentioned in my post's quotes) depend on the shattering. Tying in with the quotes about invested shards having to withdraw their investiture to planet-hop, that means that reforming Adonalsium would destroy all magic (except the limited pre-shattering ones) because it would require the complete withdrawal of investiture. If Hoid is truly trying to reform Adonalsium, it means he is going to kill magic. It also makes Odium slightly more forgivable in my books, since breaking down the shards would put more power in the hands of the people (though he will have to be dealt with eventually). Let's break all the shards! Edited October 3, 2013 by Kadrok 1
Pechvarry Posted October 3, 2013 Posted October 3, 2013 Except I thought Breath was considered pretty dang high on Investiture citation needed. And Endowment's alive and well (though, feasibly, slowly shattering itself through rampant Endowment). 1
Kadrok she/her Posted October 3, 2013 Posted October 3, 2013 (edited) Except I thought Breath was considered pretty dang high on Investiture citation needed. And Endowment's alive and well (though, feasibly, slowly shattering itself through rampant Endowment). We should totally peel off a bunch of divine breath! (Wiping out the shards just becomes more and more appealing!) Which reminds me, would a living body harboring a divine breath (I'm going to go ahead and assume that is possible) need an additional breath each day like a "dead" one does? Edited October 3, 2013 by Kadrok
PallonianFire he/him Posted October 3, 2013 Posted October 3, 2013 That interview on theoryland was really interesting. If I'm reading that right, Roshar is WAAAY higher in Investiture than Scadrial if something as (relatively) common as Shardplate or a Shardblade can't be Pushed unless the Mistborn is using the full power of the Well. We're talking power to literally move planets, here.
Shardlet he/him Posted October 3, 2013 Posted October 3, 2013 (edited) Cough*Splinter*Cough, Cough Edited October 3, 2013 by Shardlet
PallonianFire he/him Posted October 3, 2013 Posted October 3, 2013 @Shardlet: I've always been pretty taken with that theory of yours. There is definitely something going on with Shardblades/plate on another level from simple fabrials; I think that it is very likely that there is some sort of corruption or interference from Odium going on with the shards (non-deific) in their current state—maybe this is why they don't have the same effects and appearances as those in Dalinar's visions did. Perhaps they are only 100% functional when Splinters of Honor are operating by themselves, and Odium has been doing something to taint them?
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