Theory: Origins of Feruchemy

[killersquirrel59]

I have personally always theorized that it has something to do with Lerasium. Here's how I see things:

 

1. Feruchemy may be end-neutral on Investiture, but its feel is far more of Preservation than Ruin. Nothing is lost, just converted. It matches the Shardic Intent far more for one than the other. Therefore, it would logically follow that its origin is from the shard whose intent it best matches.

 

2. The appearance of the Lerasium bead that Elend got. It was encased in ceramic. Ceramic does not occur naturally, so it was not in its natural form as is the case with the Atium geodes in the Pits of Hathsin. Someone decided to encase this bead in ceramic, but not completely, leaving the metal exposed. Why would they do this? If Lerasium only has a purpose in Allomancy, this would never be done as its only purpose is gained by ingesting it. 

 

So what magic form would use a bit of metal, encased in ceramic? Clearly not Allomancy for the reasons mentioned above. Clearly not Hemalurgy, since the bead was not sharpened to be used as a spike. This only leaves Feruchemy. Though the ceramic does not enhance its use in Feruchemy, it is at least neutral to it, whereas it would actually impede the metal's use in both Allomancy and Hemalurgy. 

 

Next, and this is pure speculation, encasing the metal in a ceramic disc feels more ritualistic than functional. Ceramic is not a particularly useful material for safeguarding something valuable, but it does have a feel of preservation about it. No material is lost in its creation, and its primary purpose (sealed jars first made of ceramic) were used to preserve other things. The Terris people worshipped and followed Preservation. I could easily see them looking at ceramic as a holy representation of the ideals thereof for ritual purposes. Encasing the beads (there were clearly others there before, as evidenced by the shattered ceramic around in that scene and the fact that the Lord Ruler passed on allomancy to his friends somehow, most likely by taking these Lerasium beads and passing them out) in ceramic would make sense from a ritual standpoint. Couple this with the fact that the Well of Ascension was some sort of holy site in Terris pre-Ascension, and it makes sense that they would keep these holy artifacts (literally the body of their god) there for ritual purposes.

 

3. Each god-metal can be used to originate its own form of magic. We know that Lerasium can initiate Allomancy. An Atium spike can initiate Hemalurgy by taking anything at all, inspiring great desire for more. If we assume I am correct that Feruchemy comes from Preservation primarily rather than Ruin for the purposes of this argument, it would make sense that the initiation of this magic comes directly from Lerasium in some way appropriate to the magic.

 

4. Allomancy was very different pre-Ascension, and notably much weaker. Specifics are not known, but I believe it was confirmed there were no Mistborn, and it might be that no one even knew really what they were doing when they were burning trace metals. Certainly Alendi (who most believe was a Seeker) did not know what he was doing when he sensed the Well of Ascension, believing this to be part of his destiny as the Hero of Ages. It would reason that if Allomancy were common knowledge at the time, that someone during his rise to power would have managed to tell him he was one. I believe that this was due to the fact that Pre-Ascension, Preservation was overconfident in his dealings with Ruin, not needing to use flashy methods (directly adding Investiture to the world by means of Allomancy), rather encouraging his own ideals through something that wouldn't drain him as much (Feruchemy). He also believed that Ruin's power was safely trapped in the Well and he had much more time to work. It was only through Rashek that this changed. Rashek, once he held Preservation's power and saw what was really going on (thinking in the far more limited human scale) wanted power to be more dramatic and obvious, thus using the power he held, redefined Allomancy, making it be far more powerful and creating the idea of Mistborn. I think that before the Ascension, no one had ever thought of the idea of Allomancy consciously, those few who were Allomancers in those days, subconsciously using trace metals as a catalyst to tap the innate bit of Preservation's power in all humans. Rashek realized the potential of the Lerasium beads at his feet when he held the Power, and thus perverted their intended use (which I will get to in just a minute), breaking their ceramic housings and eating one to become the unholy compounder he was, then giving others to his favoured followers.

 

5. Feruchemy was much more common pre-Ascension. In Alendi's journal, he remarks that "The Terris people" have this strange ability to store their strength for later use. This is further evidenced by the fact that Rashek and the others with Alendi, a group of common packmen, were all Feruchemists. Certainly a large percentage of the Terris people, if not all of them at the time were Feruchemists. 

 

 

Given these points of evidence, I surmise that the old Terris Worldbringers (assuming the Worldbringers had a role similar to priests in Terris society) were the keepers of the secrets of Feruchemy. Given Feruchemy's neutral position in the spectrum, the Lerasium should not be consumed in this process. So what activity makes sense with Feruchemy and would be suited by having a bit of the metal poking out from a ceramic housing, and could be seen as part of a religious ceremony? Just as all Feruchemy, the answer would be to touch the metal and try to tap the innate power imbued in a God Metal.

 

I believe that should an ordinary, uninvested person try to tap the power of Lerasium as a Feruchemist taps metal minds, he will take a portion of that power into himself, catalyzing the additional power of Preservation in humanity to become a Feruchemist. Now, this would take some training to do. It makes sense that only the Terrismen, who actively worshipped Preservation, would be the ones to understand and figure this out. Elsewhere in the world, many other faiths abounded, thus clouding the truth kept by the Terrismen, whose theology was actually correct. I'm picturing a religious ceremony, likely done as a coming of age for a Terris youth, where he spends several years in mental training to learn how to tap a metal, then taking a pilgrimage to the Well of Ascension, where the leaders of the Worldbringers conduct a ceremony in which they hold out the ceramic-encased Lerasium bead for the pilgrim to tap and thus become a Feruchemist. Perhaps the ceramic even has more of a religious purpose as well. If this is the case, I could see an ideology where no one should be permitted to directly touch the Lerasium more than once, so having the Priests hold the sides of the ceramic disc would make sense there. 

 

 

Well, that's my theory. Questions? Comments? Snide remarks?

[Yata]

I am sorry but I don't like this theory.

 

I very like your possibly Analysis of the Terris culture. But the method of "Feruchemy-unlock" don't convinces me.

 

There are two major point in this Theory that can't (probably) be.

 

1) In the books seems that the Terrisman don't know how the Well is (if not there isn't the need of a Seeker).

 

2) Your "tap in the Lerasium" is actually (with a lesser effect) what happen when somebody eat the Lerasium. Adding Preservation's Power to your own. This is actually how the Allomancy spreed across the Final Empire.

there is a third point but is meaningless to the Theory.

3) It's not sure that Rashek ate a bead of Lerasium, the status of Sliver of Preservation took with its more Preservation's Investiture than a Lerasium-Mistborn (but the LM come quite near in level of power).

 

I had an alternate theory but I don't want to go OT in your topic.

Edited September 15, 2015 by Yata

[Moogle]

A few objections:
 
1. I disagree; I think Feruchemy is very clearly of both Shards. You are ruined in the process of using Feruchemy (albeit briefly). When Sazed stores a serious amount of strength, he basically becomes a sack of bones. After, in the same manner as Allomancy, you use that power (which was preserved).
 
2. Atium comes from the center of crystals, so we have prior reason to believe that lerasium should come from the center of some other material. I don't see a problem with it being ceramic, though your idea of it being a ritualistic sort of thing is interesting. Still, it is important to note that we don't know what material it was, exactly. Vin describes it as a "a disklike piece of fired clay with a single bead of some metal at the center."

 

3. Hoid found a way to become a Feruchemist at some point. The reason he's involved with important things seems to be because of a Feruchemical metal. He was clearly involved with important things in the first Mistborn (arriving and meeting with Kelsier, just as the Well was finishing refilling). How would he become a Feruchemist if lerasium is the way you do it? He clearly had not found the Well before. (However, see WoB below. This does not disprove the theory: there are multiple ways of getting Feruchemy.)
 

---

You might be on to something, though. Feruchemy did come from Preservation, though it's not clear how he gifted it (direct sDNA manipulation is my guess, since that's what happened with atium Mistings):

Q. For Feruchemy, can you only inherit that? Or is there another way to get it?
A. You could obviously get it through a Hemalurgic spike.
Q. Yeah, but that’s kind of a different thing.
A. It is hereditary, but it came from somewhere. [...] Which is a RAFO, but it’s not a big RAFO. There’s not something you missed in the books, or anything like that. It originally came from Preservation long ago. And there are other ways to get it, but you have not missed any major plot points regarding that. Good question.
(source)

 

Kadrok had a somewhat similar theory here with more discussion.

 

My main objection is that something wholly of Preservation should not be able to grant a magic system involving Ruin without some serious Shardic tinkering. Particularly considering lerasium occurs naturally.

[Yata]

You might be on to something, though. Feruchemy did come from Preservation, though it's not clear how he gifted it (direct sDNA manipulation?):

 

I had a possible explanation but is based (and work) on another theory and I don't think is the right topic to discuss.

 

PS: With so much topic with theory for "Feruchemy's Origins" I could create another or just write under another Theory?

[Moogle]

I had a possible explanation but is based (and work) on another theory and I don't think is the right topic to discuss.

 

PS: With so much topic with theory for "Feruchemy's Origins" I could create another or just write under another Theory?

 

Doing another thread would be a great idea. We can always use more theories.

[killersquirrel59]

A few objections:

 

1. I disagree; I think Feruchemy is very clearly of both Shards. You are ruined in the process of using Feruchemy (albeit briefly). When Sazed stores a serious amount of strength, he basically becomes a sack of bones. After, in the same manner as Allomancy, you use that power (which was preserved).

 

2. Atium comes from the center of crystals, so we have prior reason to believe that lerasium should come from the center of some other material. I don't see a problem with it being ceramic, though your idea of it being a ritualistic sort of thing is interesting. Still, it is important to note that we don't know what material it was, exactly. Vin describes it as a "a disklike piece of fired clay with a single bead of some metal at the center."

 

3. Hoid found a way to become a Feruchemist at some point. The reason he's involved with important things seems to be because of a Feruchemical metal. He was clearly involved with important things in the first Mistborn (arriving and meeting with Kelsier, just as the Well was finishing refilling). How would he become a Feruchemist if lerasium is the way you do it? He clearly had not found the Well before. (However, see WoB below. This does not disprove the theory: there are multiple ways of getting Feruchemy.)

 

---

You might be on to something, though. Feruchemy did come from Preservation, though it's not clear how he gifted it (direct sDNA manipulation is my guess, since that's what happened with atium Mistings):

 

Kadrok had a somewhat similar theory here with more discussion.

 

My main objection is that something wholly of Preservation should not be able to grant a magic system involving Ruin without some serious Shardic tinkering. Particularly considering lerasium occurs naturally.

Just to counter one of your points on Hoid being a Feruchemist, we don't know how many beads were left by Rashek at the Well. There were also mysterious footprints there when Vin got there. There could well have been an additional bead of Lerasium there that Hoid snatched before Vin ever got there. We have no idea what his tracking powers might consist of.

 

Also, on your point of Lerasium coming from inside something else like Atium comes from inside a crystal, that's still entirely possible with this theory. I never posited anything on the origins of the Lerasium itself, just on the use the Terris people put it to once they had it. I doubt it was "fire-hardened clay" though, at least not naturally.

 

And with the WoB confirming that Feruchemy came from Preservation, I'm not sure why there is still the insistence that Ruin was involved. Feruchemy does not Ruin, at all. The same energy that would be spent in daily life is stored LONGER (thus preserved) then used to enhance or replace (thus preserving) energy of the body. If Feruchemy is of Ruin, then the very idea of physical activity of any kind is of Ruin. Preservation is not addition or creation. The fact that no outside energy is added is not an argument for Preservation or Ruin, as the addition of new energy is not within either of their Shardic Natures. Feruchemy has just as much (in many ways more) justification to be of Preservation than does Ruin. 

[Yata]

And with the WoB confirming that Feruchemy came from Preservation, I'm not sure why there is still the insistence that Ruin was involved. Feruchemy does not Ruin, at all. The same energy that would be spent in daily life is stored LONGER (thus preserved) then used to enhance or replace (thus preserving) energy of the body. If Feruchemy is of Ruin, then the very idea of physical activity of any kind is of Ruin. Preservation is not addition or creation. The fact that no outside energy is added is not an argument for Preservation or Ruin, as the addition of new energy is not within either of their Shardic Natures. Feruchemy has just as much (in many ways more) justification to be of Preservation than does Ruin. 

The WoB stated that the originally the Feruchemy came from Preservation. It's a strange choice of world.

 

It could be that Preservation made something to trigger the Feruchemy also He isn't the only source of this Metallic art.

 

For example here I posted another theory with "Feruchemy originally came from Preservation, but the Feruchemy are the Art of Ruin and Preservation".

[DreamEternal]

Funny thing is, if Ruin was unwilling to give his power to create feruchemy, but Preservation stole it, then Leras was practicing what amounts to a hemalurgy analogue.

Edited September 17, 2015 by CognitivePulsePattern

[Yata]

Funny thing is, if Ruin was unwilling to give his power to create feruchemy, but Preservation stole it, then Leras was practicing what amounts to a hemalurgy analogue.

It's quite my point.

Preservation could be the "one who gifted the Feruchemy to the Terrisman, he didn't pay the present alone XD ".

Edited September 17, 2015 by Yata

[Moogle]

And with the WoB confirming that Feruchemy came from Preservation, I'm not sure why there is still the insistence that Ruin was involved. Feruchemy does not Ruin, at all. The same energy that would be spent in daily life is stored LONGER (thus preserved) then used to enhance or replace (thus preserving) energy of the body. If Feruchemy is of Ruin, then the very idea of physical activity of any kind is of Ruin. Preservation is not addition or creation. The fact that no outside energy is added is not an argument for Preservation or Ruin, as the addition of new energy is not within either of their Shardic Natures. Feruchemy has just as much (in many ways more) justification to be of Preservation than does Ruin.

 

Stormlight spoilers:

Honorblades seem to have come from Honor, but Surgebinding is by WoB of both Honor and Cultivation. So, it is clear that if one Shard is part of a magic system composing multiple Shards, then they still have power over it and can grant the ability to use it. Preservation is partially of Feruchemy, so it should come as no surprise that he was able to grant people the ability to use Feruchemy in some regards, whether or not it was composed of Ruin.

 

As to the rest... nothing you posted here is at all counter to my idea that temporarily harming yourself to you use Feruchemy shows the influence of Ruin. Feruchemy looks like it's of Preservation because it is partially of Preservation. It also should look like it's partially of Ruin because it is. Feruchemy is of both Shards by WoB. Here's a number of WoBs which should explain things more clearly:

Question

Feruchemy is the "balance" between Ruin and Preservation. Would any combination of Shards create a "balance" magic, so to speak, or are only certain Shards compatible?

Brandon Sanderson

Feruchemy ended up being a balance system, because of how polar Ruin and Preservation were. Any world with at least two Shards will result in a similar phenomenon.

Question

Like Roshar?

Brandon Sanderson

Like Roshar. There is something like that going on there.

(source)

 

Eric Lake ()

Allomancy provides many very dramatic effects, which some have noted is not very much like Preservation. Could you walk me through how Allomancy is of Preservation, though it does dramatic, dynamic things?

Brandon Sanderson

One of the 'basics' of the magic in all of the worlds is that the energy of Shards can fuel all kinds of interactions, not just interactions based on their personality/role. I did this because otherwise, the Magics would all be extremely limited.

The 'role' of the Shard has to do with the WAY the magic is obtained, not what it can do. So, in Preservation's case, the magic is a gift—allowing a person to preserve their own strength, and rely upon the strength granted by the magic. While Hemalurgy has a huge cost, ending in net entropy.

(source)

 

 

Czanos (17 October 2008)

Preservation can fuel Allomancy, (Minus Atium.) but can Ruin fuel Hemalurgy? (Or Atium?) And could Sazed fuel all three Metallic Arts?

Brandon Sanderson (17 October 2008)

Both gods could, if they wanted, fuel all of the metallic arts. Preservation is stronger at fueling Allomancy, Ruin stronger at fueling Allomancy or Feruchemy when it has been given via a spike. Both are balanced when it comes to Feruchemy. But this rarely comes up in the books, as it required expending power in a way that the gods were hesitant to do.

(source)

 

And then we have Sazed:

Allomancy, obviously, is of Preservation. The rational mind will see this. For, in the case of Allomancy, net power is gained. It is provided by an external source—Preservation's own body.

Hemalurgy is of Ruin. It destroys. By taking abilities from one person and giving them to another—in reduced amounts—power is actually lost. In line with Ruin's own appointed purpose—breaking down the universe into smaller and smaller pieces—Hemalurgy gives great gifts, but at a high cost.

Feruchemy, it should be noted, is the power of balance. Of the three powers, only it was known to men before the conflict between Preservation and Ruin came to a head. In Feruchemy, power is stored up, then later drawn upon. There is no loss of energy—just a changing of the time and rate of its use.

[Jondesu]

Yep, that all just continues to emphasize that the nature of the magic, and it's capabilities has more to do with the planet than the Shards (the Shards control the method of accessing it, while the abilities/powers it grants and the physical manifestation or key, depending on the magic system, come from the planet's natural magic system).  I'd be curious if the natural magic systems that are the key to that on each planet are something inherent in the Cosmere, or if Adolnasium or something else was involved in those arising.

 

jW

[killersquirrel59]

 

Stormlight spoilers:

Honorblades seem to have come from Honor, but Surgebinding is by WoB of both Honor and Cultivation. So, it is clear that if one Shard is part of a magic system composing multiple Shards, then they still have power over it and can grant the ability to use it. Preservation is partially of Feruchemy, so it should come as no surprise that he was able to grant people the ability to use Feruchemy in some regards, whether or not it was composed of Ruin.

 

As to the rest... nothing you posted here is at all counter to my idea that temporarily harming yourself to you use Feruchemy shows the influence of Ruin. Feruchemy looks like it's of Preservation because it is partially of Preservation. It also should look like it's partially of Ruin because it is. Feruchemy is of both Shards by WoB. Here's a number of WoBs which should explain things more clearly:

 

 

 

And then we have Sazed:

Allomancy, obviously, is of Preservation. The rational mind will see this. For, in the case of Allomancy, net power is gained. It is provided by an external source—Preservation's own body.

Hemalurgy is of Ruin. It destroys. By taking abilities from one person and giving them to another—in reduced amounts—power is actually lost. In line with Ruin's own appointed purpose—breaking down the universe into smaller and smaller pieces—Hemalurgy gives great gifts, but at a high cost.

Feruchemy, it should be noted, is the power of balance. Of the three powers, only it was known to men before the conflict between Preservation and Ruin came to a head. In Feruchemy, power is stored up, then later drawn upon. There is no loss of energy—just a changing of the time and rate of its use.

I'm not contradicting the idea that Feruchemy is of balance, containing aspects of both Ruin and Preservation. Your first point from Stormlight is exactly on point. Just as Honourblades came from Honour but have aspects of both Honour and Cultivation, Feruchemy came from Preservation but has aspects of both Preservation and Ruin to it. I'm guessing the Ruin component came from the inherent part of humanity that is Ruin's. None of this invalidates my theory.

[Moogle]

I'm not contradicting the idea that Feruchemy is of balance, containing aspects of both Ruin and Preservation. Your first point from Stormlight is exactly on point. Just as Honourblades came from Honour but have aspects of both Honour and Cultivation, Feruchemy came from Preservation but has aspects of both Preservation and Ruin to it. I'm guessing the Ruin component came from the inherent part of humanity that is Ruin's. None of this invalidates my theory.

 

Okay... I think I was horribly misinterpreting you here. If you're not arguing that Feruchemy isn't of both Ruin and Preservation, then I have no problem. The way you were talking about Feruchemy "coming" from a Shard confused me.

[killersquirrel59]

Nope, not saying it isn't of Balance, just that it's origin lies with Preservation.