Hypotheticals with Keyed/Unkeyed Breaths

[Knight of Iron]

This probably has been talked about before, sorry.

BioChromatic Breath, I think, clearly utilizes the Cosmere mechanic of Identity. Your Breaths can be retrieved only by yourself. In other words, those Breaths are "keyed" to someone. Through certain words and intent, they can be keyed to other people (aka giving Breaths away). If you die without giving away any of your Breaths, I theorize that they become unkeyed and therefore rejoin Endowment's pool of Investiture to be essentially recycled. I think I'm on the right track with this, right?

My question/theory/hypothetical is with storing Identity. Let's just say that some random Feruchemist named Sazed is storing Identity. Some girl named Vivenna with an amount of Breaths places a hand on his shoulder and says, "My life to yours my breath become yours." Her Breaths, which were keyed to her, would try and be keyed to Sazed. But Sazed has no Identity, so I think that they'd become unkeyed and just dissipate. Is this a reasonable assumption?

Similarly, let's say Sazed wasn't storing Identity and received the Breaths. He invests a clock, he retrieves the breath. So far, so good. Now... he stores Identity. Does all Breath he holds become unkeyed and dissipate? Or, wait... would he still hold the Breath but not be able to use it?? Now I'm confused.

Now if this Sazed invests a clock with most/all his Breaths, then stores all Identity, does all the Breath dissipate or simply cannot be retrieved?

And, hypothetically, if some random dude called—I don't know, Kelsier—ran Sazed the Awakener through with a sword, with no Identity-shenanigans, but he had invested the clock... would the Breaths be trapped in the clock, unable to be used, or would they dissipate?

As you can see, I am confused. Discuss, please?

[ScadrianTank he/him]

Quote

Mojonero

If someone without Identity Awakened an object, would anyone be able to recall the Breath? Would they need to have any breath to recall it, or could it be done by anyone at all?

Brandon Sanderson

If you could blank Identity + Awaken, yes, anyone could get it back.

(Requires intent)

RoW Release Party (Nov. 17, 2020)

The way I see it, there are two relevant sources of Identity: Breath and Awakener. If an Awakener blanks their Identity and puts them into something without wanting to make it retrievable by anyone, the Breaths themselves will still be keyed to their regular Identity. If they intend for anyone else to take them, the Breaths will instead key to their Blank identity, and anyone who finds them would be able to take them.

1 hour ago, Knight of Iron said:

And, hypothetically, if some random dude called—I don't know, Kelsier—ran Sazed the Awakener through with a sword, with no Identity-shenanigans, but he had invested the clock... would the Breaths be trapped in the clock, unable to be used, or would they dissipate?

They shouldn't dissipate if the clock is still in one piece, like Breaths in Vivenna's shawl were. And if it breaks:

Quote

little_wilson

Mi'chelle is wanting to know for a fanfic she's wanting to write if when you cut/break an object that has been Awakened if the object then "dies", or if the pieces will try to carry out the command. Also, either way, can the breaths be recovered from it?

Brandon Sanderson

The object does not die, and will try to continue its purpose. The level of damage will determine just how well it can continue. The Breaths are recoverable. (Though there could be some loss of Breaths, depending on how the item is destroyed.) There's a scene near the end where Vasher Awakens some clothing, then it gets cut down and he recovers the Breath.

Barnes and Noble Book Club Q&A (July 8, 2009)

 

1 hour ago, Knight of Iron said:

Her Breaths, which were keyed to her, would try and be keyed to Sazed. But Sazed has no Identity, so I think that they'd become unkeyed and just dissipate. Is this a reasonable assumption?

Why would they dissipate? A door without a lock is still a door.

 

 

Edited August 29, 2021 by ScadrianTank
Put th WoBs in spolier boxes istead of quotes by accident.

[Knight of Iron]

8 hours ago, ScadrianTank said:

The way I see it, there are two relevant sources of Identity: Breath and Awakener. If an Awakener blanks their Identity and puts them into something without wanting to make it retrievable by anyone, the Breaths themselves will still be keyed to their regular Identity. If they intend for anyone else to take them, the Breaths will instead key to their Blank identity, and anyone who finds them would be able to take them.

They shouldn't dissipate if the clock is still in one piece, like Breaths in Vivenna's shawl were. And if it breaks:

Why would they dissipate? A door without a lock is still a door.

Alright, fair enough, thanks for the answer. Now I just don't understand exactly a sto why Breaths do dissipate when people die.