Red Ferring

When Allik straps on his Connection medallion to speak their language, I wonder if the aspect of Connection we already knew about, which is to form trusted relationships more quickly, was also being tapped. He mentions the medallions benefit as allowing him to speak the language, but we know it does more than that, and I wonder if you don't get to choose whether or not the "trusted relationship" part comes into play with that language perk. He was this foreign native that everyone was wary about and a little anxious around (and granted, that could have just been caused because here's a stranger speaking apparent nonsense and wearing a mask) but after strapping on the medallion and speaking their language, he was quickly gaining their trust and soon after he and Marasi were talking like good friends. And Wax was trusting him when Wax's trust is hard to come by. Granted, he was also saving their lives and had a lot of interesting information about this amazing technology so why wouldn't they start trusting him, but it definitely stood out to me what Connection supposedly does when tapped and how quickly he and Marasi were forming a relationship, which very quickly turned into him making a very strong gesture of affection by giving his mask. As a side thought, perhaps the "forming trusting relationships" aspect of Connection works both ways. Not just them trusting him, but also him trusting them. Which could explain why his affections for Marasi grew so quickly. I'm thinking about this and what a terrible conflict point in The Lost Metal it would be if she starts doubting the source of her feelings for Allik because she learns the medallion was probably in play. A lot like when you learn a soother or rioter was around when you're feeling strong emotions. What's yours alls thoughts ons this?

My problem with this theory is that you can't store allomancy. Unless I misunderstand the theory, but just because bronze let's you "hear" pulses in a way, it's a completely different kind of hearing from the physical sense you feruchemically store in a tin mind.

I felt that way too. Although, it is very Brandon. Felt really similar to Wit's mockery in WoK and Lightsong's conversations with Blushweaver in Warbreaker. The kind of humor that manifests when a writer has too much time to think about it. Aside from it being relevant to fill in Wax's background with Lessie, did anyone else feel like spending time with Lessie is wasted time? Since we know she dies and we don't want to fall in love with her character. Or is that just me?

I think Edwarn Ladrian is a Spinner Ferring. A Spinner stores furtune (luck) to tap later. At the end of AoL, Edwarn's villainous monologue got me thinking. I don't have a strong train of logic, but there are clues throughout AoL that back up this theory. Edwarn was a known gambler. I believe horse races were his stated fancy. The butler told Wax that he was actually quite good and always came out with a great profit. Pretty lucky huh? Possibly tapping luck there to build up his funds for the Set's operations. Before "dieing" himself, his son actually died from disease, leaving him without an heir. Apart from being his only son, he may also have been part of Edwarn's initial schemes to manage the Ladrian house in his stead. How unfortunate. Possibly was storing too much luck in preparation for his future endeavors. And depending on how luck storage works, that may have been a ton of luck stored for Edwarn, but of course at the unintended cost of a loved one. Weaker clue/theory: We don't know much of Wax's parents but we can assume they died, due to the fact Wax and his sister were in Edwarn's care. Perhaps they died from Edwarn's luck manipulation. Perhaps Edwarn was second in line to run the Ladrian house (Wax's father being first) and Edwarn's tapping of luck led to the death of Wax's parents and his bump up to House Lord. I know, weak theory. But very characteristic and would go quite well with the rest of the theory and just go great with Evil Uncle Plot. Side theory that's not mine: Wax's sister was a Connector Ferring (stores spiritual connectedness). (someone please find the WoB where someone asks Brandon this and he answers the question with another question) During Wax's absence, he hardly thought of her even though they had a solid relationship to start. From what we know of Connectors (which isn't much) she was probably storing a lot. (Maybe she's part of Edwarn's plan and will use the power to form trust relationships quickly. perhas that's not part of the plot). And when Wax found out she was alive, he was surprised that he felt a powerful and unusual sense of relief considering his prior coldness towards her, indicating (by this theory's logic) that she was no longer storing their spiritual connection by that time.

Rereading AoL, and getting refreshed on the basics of Bendalloy, it occurred to me that 2 Sliders, working together, could travel a considerable distance while never leaving the effects of a bubble. When at the edge of your companion's bubble, travel the distance to the opposite edge and put up your bubble. It's said in-story that it takes a moment for a Slider in-between dropping and putting up a bubble, so after however long that is, the first Slider has dropped his original bubble (now in the effects of the second bubble) and travels the distance to the other side of the second Slider's bubble. Then repeat, repeat, repeat. How efficient this is in Bendalloy consumption, I'm not sure. But it cancels the negative of not being able to move your bubble with you. And if they repeat this, 2 Sliders and whoever they brought along for the ride (imagine the compounded effects of 3 or more working together and bubbles overlapping in effect!) would seemingly teleport between 2 points and could quite possibly rival Steelrunners in speed!

Ha! But could you imagine a "suicide lurcher" going in doing that trick on everything in all directions?! Decimate whole cities! But for survival, if you quickly stored weight and pulled on something at the side to pull yourself out of harm's way!

That seems logical as an opposite to Lerasium's granting Allomancy, but it doesn't seem grand enough imo. My own hunch is that it does something pertaining to Ruin's nature but not Hemalurgy in the way we've seen.

Concerning the 2nd quote from above, I think Brandon's answer and "ominous look" are implying that Atium has resumed its post as a god metal with much greater repercussions than "see into the future briefly". Before, it was Preservation's involvement that integrated Atium into Allomancy and gave it a simple (albeit extremely useful) allomantic power. Now that the plan to stop Ruin was fulfilled, I bet Harmony placed Atium's effect on people back where it was, something akin but opposite in nature to Lerasium. And since anyone can burn Lerasium and be a "Lerasium Misting" I bet that's what he means by them not being in the world in the same way anymore.

Bronze is often cited in-world as one of the least useful metals to burn, worse than copper. It senses the use of Allomancy and is able to detect which metals are being burned by a skilled Seeker. However, during my reread/listen to HoA, it goes over again that Vin can sense Ruin's presence with bronze, in a similar (if not identical) fashion as sensing the Mist Spirit (i.e. Preservation). Since we know Allomancy is of Preservation, yet bronze can sense Ruin as well, I'd like to propose than Bronze actually senses Investiture (or Shardic presence) in general. And as it applies to the Cosmere more fully, Hoid is an Allomancer from the bead of Lerasium he stole from the Well and he can now seek out Shards/Investiture throughout the Cosmere with enough practice. Thoughts, WoBs, Contradictions?

the poor ignorant fool

There he is men! Cuff him.

How did this discussion turn to dragon hemalurgy? Are there dragons in the cosmere that we've seen? I haven't read all the cosmere books so I couldn't be sure.

I'm pretty sure they reuse it because why else is their skin disconnected from their body and so oversized to the younger/smaller koloss.

He supplied people and spikes but no mention of skins.

That's true of the AoL era when they became a legit race. But during the FE, they were made from people using hemalurgy

We learn in HoA that koloss skin is flayed from their dead and applied to new koloss, which they then grow into and out of, causing the infamous tears and stretching. So that's where the skin comes from for new ones, from the old ones. But where did the first skin come from? When the first generation of koloss was made, the skin had to have come from somewhere as we're led to believe the human's skin isn't what turns blue when made into a koloss?

I think there's a lot of merit to this theory. But I would raise then, wouldn't ingesting Atium in preparation to burn put you under his power as well? Since it's in your body and connected to Ruin by default in a way?

This answers my main question quite well. Thanks Kurkistan. I was real curious why he'd do that to himself knowing the cost. But it's likely he didn't know.

I'm not so convinced of the "reverse compounding" for enhanced Allomancy through Feruchemy. The one quote is a paraphrase stating that he thinks that's what he was implying and the other is just Brandon's phrasing as "compounding any Allomancy". Remember that Brandon has similarly talked about compounding but in a strictly feruchemical sense. (tapping a multiplier of power from a metalmind for a severely reduced amount of time) This may be the case too. Perhaps TLR, having granted himself Allomancy from the Well and not from a bead, had greater access to power just by nature of the origin of his connection to it spiritually. I would like to hear thoughts,however, on what people think is the process of reversed compounding. With normal compounding, a stored attribute is burned allomantically and becomes the power released. How would it work in reverse to get an Allomantic output instead?

Reverse compounding? Has that been confirmed at all? Increasing Allomantic output when combined with Feruchemy? I personally think the "most spectacular abilities" talked about were surviving beheadings and the like with compounded gold. The things that really stood as "proof" to the people that this man was a god and couldn't be killed.

So it was hemalurgically charged and he did it himself. Why? He did know it was letting Ruin influence him (even if it wasn't right away) because he understood the risk of the kandra being taken over by Ruin so he placed the Resolution in the First Contract. I'm also curious now what power was stolen and imbued into TLR with those bracers. Maybe he stole a Seer's/Mistborn's Atium burning abilities to enhance his ability to get more bang for his buck when compounding youth, if that's what happens with a stronger Allomantic ability applied to compounding.

We know from HoA epigraphs and WoB's that the Atium bracer piercing his skin was what gave Ruin access to influence TLR. Why the heck did he do that? He knew how hemalurgy worked and knew Ruin's power over it. Was it just to keep the bracer safe from pushes/pulls since they were basically his life support? And side question, don't they have to be hemalurgically charged for them to be a connection to Ruin? Otherwise any person with pierced ears (like even Sazed!) would be under his influence.

That sounds like a great plot point. Someone write a fanfic! And the twist is that the "good guys" simultaneously put up Cadmium bubbles by the bomb and the guy receiving the signals in order to fool him and buy time.

That's true. In AoL, Wax and Wayne call Miles a "double gold" which I think carries enough weight on its own, not needing more of a distinction. Btw, a double iron is still a skimmer. Just also a lurcher. and yes, compounded, the access to near infinite weight is not so useful unless you wanted to cause some great gravity-induced damage

Ok get this... A scene for that future Misting squad during a bomb situation... The Pulser squad has arrived and has done all they could but find the bomb is encased in aluminum and is immune to the effects of Allomantic time influence. They call in one of their Thugs (a vital component to law enforcement) and a support Nicroburst. It's a risky maneuver but the Thug offers to make himself a human shield when the bomb goes off, relying on the Nicroburst to enhance and burst his pewter at the very last second to absorb the explosion with the Thug's ultra-enhanced body, hopefully impervious to the impact. The clock reaches 0 and BOOM! Nicroburst burns nicrosil and the Thug withstands a massive explosion with the help of all his pewter being burned in a flash. He survives with some 2nd degree burns. Just another day in the life of an Allomancer squad.