Shards Being Blind to Metal

[_Tempus_]

Its known that Ruin (and probably Preservation) couldn't see metal, in which when they attempt to do so it wold be a shining bright light. But is it only a Scadrian thing (as metals appear to be the same brightness as souls, which might mean they have some link with the spiritual realm or investiture?), or are all other shards blind to metal? If it's a yes, that could create a whole lot of interesting theories in other cosmere works.

Edited October 26, 2018 by _Tempus_

[Quantus he/him]

That's an RAFO so far.  We know that Sazed is still blind to metal, but we dont know if all shards are innately, or if other shards would be on Scadrial.

 

 

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Josh

If Odium went to Scadrial, would he be blind to metal there? Because I think you mentioned more than once that focuses are actually determined by planet.

Brandon Sanderson

I'm going to RAFO that. But that's one of those excellent questions. I'm amused people have figured out enough to be asking questions like that.

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Questioner

Do the Shards know each others' weaknesses? Like the metal blindness or anything?

Brandon Sanderson

They are not aware of every specific, but they know generalities.

Questioner

So they know that they do have weaknesses.

Brandon Sanderson

Yeah.

Questioner

So would Odium have taken advantage of Honor's weakness to Splinter him?

Brandon Sanderson

You could say that, yeah.

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[Themasterhunter]

I think that a theme for a lot of the shardic investiture in the cosmere has to do with a form of Light or light blindness, but I'm pretty sure that the Scadrian Shards are unique in that they can't see their metals, and by extension shardpools. It is interesting that they can then use that metal to then communicate.

I think that its less a thing of blindness and more that there is an actual "hole" to the cognitive realm that is more visible to more highly invested beings that they can then use to give certain traits or communicate.  

In Aether of Night;

Spoiler

The Investiture works similarly to A Nahel Bond and if I remember correctly There is a shardic communication using that bond.

 I know that AoN isnt nessicarily canon, but Its interesting that a lot of the shards do have a way to create a link that maybe even they don't understand fully, and use almost instinctually. 

Not really an answer, But some things to think about.

[Calderis he/him]

Personally, I think this is a product of Scadrial's Cognitive Realm. Metal is the focus of the magic on Scadrial, and as such it acts as a gate that allows the power to flow in from the Spiritual Realm. 

I think if harmony were on another world, they'd see metal no differently than any other entity. 

Mainly because we've seen Shadesmar on Roshar, and none of the beads glows differently than the others. In Scadrial, metal (in the physical, seen from the Cognitive) was glowing brightly even to the eyes of non-shards. 

Edited October 26, 2018 by Calderis