theory Ettmetal Bonding

[Innovation]

Warning: spoilers for BoM. 

 

So, how does Ettmetal/Harmonium work? I was thinking on this, and I remembered how the Primer Cube somehow stored an entire ship’s weight. The entire ship, not just the Cube of Ettmetal. This got me thinking: what if Ettmetal bonds with the object it is attached to? As in, if someone with the proper Intent “attaches” Ettmetal to an object, and the Ettmetal bonds to it’s cognitive self. As long as the Ettmetal is touching the object (perhaps it needs to be pierced?), the Ettmetal’s effects also effect the object’s. Once the Ettmetal is no longer physically touching the object, the bond breaks. This would explain how the primer cube effects the entire ship instead of itself. 

Consider that Allomantic Primer cubes probably need to be switched often, as they burn themselves away. “Refueling” Ettmetal devices would be considerably faster if you don’t have to think about the new Cube as part of the ship. This “quick refuel” would make Ettmetal devices much more efficient, thereby making Allomantic Primer Cubes a more viable option, and not just a waste of a valuable material. 

Intent would likely be required, similar to how Hemalurgy can only be done by a person who knows and means to preform Hemalurgy. It could be likely that you would need to use a special technique to bond the Ettmetal, or it could be as simple as touching it to the object. 

I have no evidence or WoBs for this theory. This is pure speculation.

What do you all think?

Edited July 12, 2020 by Innovation

[Negative_Null]

Hey, that makes as much sense as any other explanation. I rather like it as an theory though!

[Innovation]

This theory could explain how something like Feruchemical gold would work on the object. It would be similar to other Cosmere methods of healing, only working if the person thinks of the injury to be not part of their Identity. F-gold Ettmetal would, instead, heal based on what other people think of the object to be. This would tie in to how the cognitive aspects of objects perceive themselves as what others perceive themselves to be. 

Edited July 12, 2020 by Innovation
Clarity

[Halyo_Alex he/him]

5 hours ago, Innovation said:

This theory could explain how something like Feruchemical gold would work on the object. It would be similar to other Cosmere methods of healing, only working if the person thinks of the injury to be not part of their Identity. F-gold Ettmetal would, instead, heal based on what other people think of the object to be. This would tie in to how the cognitive aspects of objects perceive themselves as what others perceive themselves to be. 

Okay, that's convinced me. I've struggled to explain that sort of thing for a while, and this just makes a bunch of sense.

Also, do you think that this reinforces the possibility of using Ettmetal to create a Scadrian Shardblade? Perhaps with a mix of A-Pewter and F-Iron, to make it super durable and lightweight for its size. We know the F-Iron would work (see: southern airships), but the A-Pewter seems more possible to me now, as a way of making the sword more durable.

Plus if you make the cutting edge out of allomantic-grade Steel, you can pack it full of Physical Speed with feruchemy to make it immune to Pushes and Pulls (and other Invested things that could break it).

[Innovation]

1 hour ago, Halyo_Alex said:

Also, do you think that this reinforces the possibility of using Ettmetal to create a Scadrian Shardblade? Perhaps with a mix of A-Pewter and F-Iron, to make it super durable and lightweight for its size. We know the F-Iron would work (see: southern airships), but the A-Pewter seems more possible to me now, as a way of making the sword more durable.

You could add A-chromium for a Leecher sword, or maybe a Nicroburst sword to fight Coinshots , Lurchers, or Tineyes. A Shardblade on Scadrial would be one dangerous toy  

Another gadget would be to wrap the Primer Cube in Aluminum on all sides but one. Since it Pushes out on all directions, but the Aluminum blocks it. With this, you could have a Steelpush gun.

I am curious as to how f-Pewter works. Does it increase engine strength? Durability? Lift/carry strength? Durability seems the most likely to me. 

Edited July 12, 2020 by Innovation

[Halyo_Alex he/him]

Just now, Innovation said:

You could add A-chromium for a Leecher sword, or maybe a Nicroburst sword to fight Coinshots. A Shardblade on Scadrial would be one dangerous toy

Oh shoot, yeah, you could do that. I guess I tunnel visioned a bit too hard on replicating the basics. Maybe A-Steel/Iron would be a fun power for it. ...Hey wait, a sword that can Push or Pull metal objects, and (with the F-Iron) has mass shifting, I've heard of this before! Skallagrim's youtube video on sword enchantments (the very same video where he mentions allomancy and is the reason I know about the cosmere)!

Just now, Innovation said:

Another gadget would be to wrap the Primer Cube in Aluminum on all sides but one. since it Pushed out on all directions, but the Aluminum blocks it. With this, you could have a Steelpush gun.

Portable Waxilium; Just add Steel!

Just now, Innovation said:

I am curious as to how f-Pewter works. Does it increase engine strength? Durability? Lift/carry strength? Durability seems the most likely to me. 

It stores "physical strength" as in, the physical size of musculature in the human body. That's really tough to translate to machinery/nonliving stuff, actually. Would it just make the sword expand when tapping it?

[Innovation]

9 minutes ago, Halyo_Alex said:

It stores "physical strength" as in, the physical size of musculature in the human body. That's really tough to translate to machinery/nonliving stuff, actually. Would it just make the sword expand when tapping it?

I don’t want to put down “cognitive idea” as my answer to everything involving Ettmetal, but perhaps it is again what people view it as. If it is a car with f-Pewter, perhaps then it is engine strength, as people view it as a car. If it is a crane, perhaps it is lift strength, as people view it as a crane. 

And this isn’t even getting into the cognitive/temporal stuff...

[Halyo_Alex he/him]

Just now, Innovation said:

I don’t want to put down “cognitive idea” as my answer to everything involving Ettmetal, but perhaps it is again what people view it as. If it is a car with f-Pewter, perhaps then it is engine strength, as people view it as a car. If it is a crane, perhaps it is lift strength, as people view it as a crane. 

And this isn’t even getting into the cognitive/temporal stuff...

Oh I guess that would make sense. In that case, F-Pewter on a sword might make it cut supernaturally well, like a standard Shardblade.

[Innovation]

Perhaps Intent is involved. Using the car as a car would tap engine strength, but if you (somehow) use it as a crane it taps lift strength. 

Edited July 12, 2020 by Innovation

[Frustration he/him]

You could make a sword using F-gold and drain a target dry. Or F-brass and make either a fire/ice sword or F-Atium and hyper age your opponent. Or A-brass and make them hyper depressed. Or F-zinc and make them stupid. Or F-bronze and make them sleep. Or or or.....

[Innovation]

1 hour ago, Frustration said:

or.....

F-Copper to steal memories. 

Of course, this is assuming Ettmetal can bond with humans. 

Edited July 12, 2020 by Innovation

[Halyo_Alex he/him]

1 minute ago, Innovation said:

F-Copper to steal memories. 

Of course, this is assuming Ettmetal can bond with humans. 

I think Identity might be an issue BUT then again if Ettmetal can do this, then just set up F-Aluminum too.

[Innovation]

So, I was thinking about the Feruchemical Cognitive and Hybrid metals in conjunction with Ettmetal. I came to the realization that while many wouldn’t work on the Cube of Ettmetal, attaching the Cube to a computer could have effects. Here is the list I came up with:

• Zinc: mental speed could become processing speed. 
• Copper: extra memory on a computer or other device
• Bronze: Allowing the computer to be on for longer would be my guess. 
• Brass: Storing this could cool down the computer. Heating could make a hotplate or something similar. 
• Cadmium: Assuming the “breath” it stores is oxygen, this could be used not for a computer, but for providing oxygen in low oxygen environments. 
• Bendalloy: Energy. A much more likely possibly than Bronze storing energy. 
• Gold: Heals based on cognitive viewpoint of others. 
• Electrum: Determination could be used for an AI, since standard computers probably can’t be determined. 
• Atium: Attaching this to something alive (assuming this is possible) could make it younger/older. Quickly aging food comes to mind as well as making food less rotten. A non-living object could possibly function better if it Taps Youth. 

The Mental and Temporal Allomantic effects:

• Zinc&Brass: Area Soothing/Rioting respectively. 
• Copper: hides Allomantic pulses. 
• Bronze: Does the Cube emit pulses/vibrations when it detects Allomancy? If so, you could rig a machine to it that picks up the smaller, and most specific, vibrations, and then have it emit reading onto a computer or other device. 
• Cadmium&Bendalloy: Slowes down and Speeds up time respectively. 
• Gold&Electrum: in conjunction with an AI, this could have some weird ramifications. 
• Atium&Malatium: I know these don’t fit in this category, but I decided to add them. If you make a computer designed to react to the atrium shadows it sees, you could have a powerful weapon. Malatium would be less useful. 

 

Edited July 13, 2020 by Innovation
Clarity

[Frustration he/him]

3 hours ago, Innovation said:

 

• Bendalloy: Energy. A much more likely possibly than Bronze storing energy.

Bendalloy  technically stores calories or chemical energy.

[Innovation]

9 hours ago, Frustration said:

Bendalloy  technically stores calories or chemical energy.

Correct. However, perception is key. Most of the f-Cognitive and a-Mental metals don’t seem to fit very well with other objects, and I suppose a computers nutrition could be considered as energy level. 

[+Bzhydack he/him]

14 hours ago, Frustration said:

Bendalloy  technically stores calories or chemical energy.

For humans. But what if we have something what needs to function other type of energy? Maybe on electrical device Bendaloy will be able to store electric charge?

[Halyo_Alex he/him]

5 hours ago, Bzhydack said:

For humans. But what if we have something what needs to function other type of energy? Maybe on electrical device Bendaloy will be able to store electric charge?

It would also be really interesting to discover that humans could store electrical energy in Bendalloy if they released themselves from prior expectation. Intent may play a big part in Feruchemy and we just don't know yet.

[Innovation]

 

18 hours ago, Halyo_Alex said:

It would also be really interesting to discover that humans could store electrical energy in Bendalloy if they released themselves from prior expectation. Intent may play a big part in Feruchemy and we just don't know yet.

Yeah...intent is key. Vin couldn't burn brass until Kelsier told her how to, while she could burn zinc because she thought of it as “luck.” I assume it is similar in Feruchemy. 

Edited July 14, 2020 by Innovation

[Halyo_Alex he/him]

2 hours ago, Innovation said:

 

Yeah...intent is key. Vin couldn't burn brass until Kelsier told her how to, where’s she could burn zinc because she thought of it as “luck.” I assume it is similar in Feruchemy. 

That's a good point! But then Brass stores thermal energy (though that was meant to be Electrum, which is in the same category as Bendalloy, so...)

[Innovation]

 

On 7/12/2020 at 4:34 PM, Frustration said:

You could make a sword using F-gold and drain a target dry. Or F-brass and make either a fire/ice sword or F-Atium and hyper age your opponent. Or A-brass and make them hyper depressed. Or F-zinc and make them stupid. Or F-bronze and make them sleep. Or or or.....

I suppose Ettmetal could be used as a Feruchemic also weapon, but then it is quite similar to Medallions. If this was a thing, I think the Southern Scadrians would have discovered it by now. From a reader perspective, I doubt that Brandon would add another way to get around the genetic limits of the Metallic Arts. I believe this bonding is limited to objects. I am curious as to what the bond looks like in the Cognitive Realm. 

Edited July 15, 2020 by Innovation