Lerasium in the Well of Ascension

[Cosmosis he/him]

For the following questions, we are assuming that in the Well of Ascension Vin had a way to cut or divide the Lerasium nugget into two or more pieces. Otherwise these questions are irrelevant. 

When Vin found found the nugget of Lerasium in the Well of Ascension and gave it to Elend, why didn't she break it in half to have to pieces of Lerasium?

Does the size of the Lerasium nugget determine the power of the Mistborn?

We know that hereditary Mistborn abilities are less powerful than those that have actually burned Lerasium, so if Vin burned Lerasium would the power she already had be added to the new strength she got from the Lerasium, or would she just be brought up to the level of power that Elend has? 

I don't spend a whole ton of time reading theories, so if I asked any questions that are already answered or if I've accidentally taken taken someone else's I'm sorry about that.

[Shqueeves he/him]

1 hour ago, etatkaboom said:

When Vin found found the nugget of Lerasium in the Well of Ascension and gave it to Elend, why didn't she break it in half to have to pieces of Lerasium?

Does the size of the Lerasium nugget determine the power of the Mistborn?

We know that hereditary Mistborn abilities are less powerful than those that have actually burned Lerasium, so if Vin burned Lerasium would the power she already had be added to the new strength she got from the Lerasium, or would she just be brought up to the level of power that Elend has? 

In order:

She didn't know what it would do and had no reason to think that she might want some. 

Yes. 

The power would be added to her own, making her stronger than Elend.

[Dunkum he/him]

for number 1 Vin had no idea what giving Elend the lerasium would do, and no way to guess that it would be somethign she would want to hold on to.   also she was sort of desperate at that point, and probably not thinking too logically.

[Cosmosis he/him]

4 minutes ago, Dunkum said:

she was sort of desperate at that point, and probably not thinking too logically.

Yes, but the Lord Ruler had access to the Lerasium too for hundreds of years, so he could've made a lot more people into Mistborns if he had split the Lerasium beads. Did just just not think of it, or did he think reducing the size of the bead would also reduce the amount of power it would give to the new Mistborn?

[King Cole he/him]

1 hour ago, etatkaboom said:

Yes, but the Lord Ruler had access to the Lerasium too for hundreds of years, so he could've made a lot more people into Mistborns if he had split the Lerasium beads. Did just just not think of it, or did he think reducing the size of the bead would also reduce the amount of power it would give to the new Mistborn?

Yes, it would reduce the power

[The One Who Connects he/him]

1 hour ago, etatkaboom said:

Yes, but the Lord Ruler had access to the Lerasium too for hundreds of years, so he could've made a lot more people into Mistborns if he had split the Lerasium beads. Did just just not think of it, or did he think reducing the size of the bead would also reduce the amount of power it would give to the new Mistborn?

There are multiple reasons why he only made 9 Mistborn.

Worthy Recipients: He gave 9 of the beads to the Foreign Kings that supported him when he conquered the world. He had more than 9 beads, but he only had 9 kings that supported him. He gave them power as a gift, not as a right.

Loyalty: Some of those people he gifted power to betrayed him("I was even flayed once.. near the beginning"). Remember his fury at Marsh's betrayal, his anger that someone would dare use the powers he gave them against him? After the flaying fiasco, I imagine there were quite a few executions and a crackdown on the Mistborn community. Any inclinations he might have for wanting more Mistborn went out the window real fast.

Control: Having them be rare makes them more afraid of risking death, especially in the wake of the failed coup against TLR. Realizing just how quickly your Great House's Legacy can be wiped out if you are the only Allomancer in it will do a number on people, especially former (prideful)Kings.

Only having 9 of them also makes it much easier for TLR to clean house and start over if he chose to.

[kmosiman]

I believe I also read something about a potential insurance policy. The Lord Ruler may have kept a bead or 2 in case his powers ever began to fade.

[Weltall]

We have Word of Peter that there's at least one bead unaccounted for and Brandon has also implied there could be more of them.

Quote

Q: Is there a reason why Rashek left a nugget of Lerasium at the Well of Ascension?
 
A: He left several. It was, in his opinion, one of the best kept secrets and best protected locations in his empire.
 
Q: Were there originally 16 of them?
 
A: An excellent guess.

 

Edited October 9, 2017 by Weltall