If Kandra cannot use one another's spikes, then how did TenSoon use OreSeur's blessing of potency?

[earthrester]

When VenDell addressed the crew about the job, he talked about how ReLuur lost his spike. How it must be collected because the Kandra cannot just use a spike from a some other Kandra. He claims that doing so can cause a violent adverse reaction. However, this goes completely against events in Book 3 HoA. There it talks about how TenSoon took OreSeur's Blessing of Potency after killing him and used it on a number of occasions.

 

Is this a continuity error, or did I miss something?

[Voidus]

I think it's more that they need one complete Blessing, they can't have half of one and half of another.

[natc]

Basically that.

TenSoon had his own blessings intact, adding two more. This case is half ReLuur and half TenSoon. Hemalurgic decay apparently affects their memories, so I'd imagine the spiritwebs in the spikes are somehow necessary to their cognitive or memory functions. Trying to Frankenstein yourself two unpaired halves into one guy will probably cause issues.

[Sarge he/him]

i thought it was more of a don't than a can't. The idea of sharing seams to make them uncomfortable, like the spikes are intensely private and not shared.

[Argent he/him]

i thought it was more of a don't than a can't. The idea of sharing seams to make them uncomfortable, like the spikes are intensely private and not shared.

 

They also can't, not unless they have their own Blessing. ReLuur was apparently in great pain when TenSoon donated one of his in an attempt to restore his mind at least temporarily.

[Senor Feesh]

VenDell actually does stipulate that they have a problem using another's spike IF they don't have both of their own already. I'll dig out the quote later.

 

EDIT: Kindle location 969, p.73

 

"Trying to use someone else's spikes when you don't have your own already can provoke radical changes in personality, memory, and temperament."

Edited February 5, 2016 by Senor Feesh