AbsentKeeper

In addition to the WoB Calderis posted, we also have Miles as an example. We get to see fairly clearly that compounding gold had some strange negative effects on him by itself. Even Wax says "being nearly unkillable can do strange things to a man's sense of self preservation" about Wayne, at one point. If feruchemical gold isn't even able to negate it's own negative effects, I don't think it would help with any other kind of mental health problem either.

That's exactly what I did, but before I knew what was happening I was knee deep in theories. Don't get sucked in! Unless you like spending all day here, of course

I read over the whole page, I guess I missed that though, thanks! Edit: Just noticed its actually in the original post of this thread as well... Oops?

These look amazing and they already have my money, I do want to know one thing though: Has anyone bothered to translate the steel alphabet characters yet?

Here's one that says that they are cognitive shadows, by some people's definition, and also directly answers your original question: http://www.theoryland.com/intvmain.php?i=1182#52 Edit: @FiveLate got it for ya

Brandon talks about it in the chapter 8 annotations. Here you go. https://brandonsanderson.com/annotation-the-alloy-of-law-chapter-eight/

That is... Absoultely terrifying and completely plausible.

With a degree in biochemistry, maybe this makes a lot more sense than it does to me They can't just be incapable of making all protiens, then they would have to constantly consume human beings to keep their muscles moving, brain chemistry in balance, and other important functions, right? This means, to me, that there is something specific about keratin, since its the only confirmed substance so far that they can't make.

I agree that Harmony would be against making new spikes, but Meelan mentions that the kandra can die if they wish, and implies that some of the older kandra have already done so. This would mean that there are at least a few pairs of spikes out there (from older kandra) that Harmony would probably be willing to use. I suppose its possible that they aren't reusable the way Koloss spikes are, but I don't see why not.

These are really good points, I didn't even consider that hair is also made of protiens. However, other types of protiens are necessary for muscle function in humans though, so either the kandra can produce those ones (which would mean its something specific about hair, nails, and bone other than physical makeup) or they have a completely unique internal body chemistry. Perhaps it's as simple as the fact that bones, nails and hair aren't dissolved by their body, so they can't 'learn' the structure. Great points for a first post, you should go post a topic in the inroduction forums, people will offer you cookies and upvotes just for being new

I couldn't find the exact scene on short notice, but I think you're right about the wording. Either way though, we know that its a similar concept/mechanic.

As far as I know, we aren't sure yet exactly how they work. The general idea though, I think, is that you tap nicrosil to give you the abilities, and then store 100% in aluminium (or maybe tap someone else's identity?) to match the correct identity, and the two pieces together allow it to work. I have seen the theory that Hoid uses a medallion, but that doesn't make a lot of sense to me, because of how it's described as 'not actually Feruchemy' a few times in WoBs. If he was storing fortune in a medallion, chromium would be directly involved, and there's also the problem of his powers predating the medallions. Edit: Same problem with the Ire mentioning 'tapping fortune,' the medallions didn't exist yet.

I think the problem is that we've only seen them imitate mammals. Gill fillaments in fish are a completely different type of organic structure than either flesh (which they make, of course) or bones and hair (which they can't). Same thing with my previous question about whether they are capable of producing toxins, they are a completely different type of organic liquid than something like blood. (Depending on the type, toxins are more similar to either proteins, or nervous system inhibitors.)

The Ire also mention tapping fortune at one point, and, as @ForcesOfNoodles pointed out, Hoid's abilities have been described as 'the same mechanic as Feurchemy.' I don't think its unreasonable to consider that Elantrians could figure out how to emulate most of the abilities of Feurchemy, not just manipulating connection. Perhaps by studying native Scadrians from the Cognitive realm? It might not be accurate to actually call it 'Feurchemy,' but we have pretty good proof that there are other people who can do pretty much the same thing.

Youre not the only one that wants to know. I added something very similar to the 'Ultimate list of questions for Brandon' not too long ago, specifically asking about gills and venom glands, but no one has asked him yet. Here's the other thread I've seen about what kandra are capable of making:

Dalinar and Navani are implied to have done the deed by Pattern, and they arent married. Though they are still older and would be married if not for social custom. I'm not totally sure, but I think there was also an implication that Vin and Elend 'spent the night together' before they were married, which you can read how you like. I just assumed it was awkward for him to write about directly, because of his beliefs. That doesnt mean there aren't hints though. Edit: Oh and also, mistresses seem to be fairly common on Roshar, Sabarial is definitely sleeping with Palona, for example.

I actually used this for a while, believe it or not.

Perhaps a better way to phrase it would have been that I think there are significant differences between the two physical quadrents. I'm not proposing that the second one should be called something else, just that they seem to work by a slightly different mechanism, in a Realmatic sense. Edit: Forgot half of what I wanted to say... I think, personally, that 'based Realmatically' just means the obvious implication that the quadrents are based on the realm that is most associated with that trait. Remember that the charts are all in world constructs, and I think that we actually know more about the Metallic Arts than most people in world

This is true, but while life threatening danger might be worse in the long run, nothing is more Storming irritating than bad traffic when you're in a hurry!

When you freak out for a second because you just saw someone streaming mist from their body, and then you realize they just have a vape.

The part of it that's strange to me is that Sel's systems are definitely one, and Roshar's and Scadrial's are definitely more than one, no matter how you classify them.Though, I suppose we can just chalk this up to the fact that Sel's Shards are mashed together in the CR, until we are told otherwise. This point is fairly important for my theory, because if the foci form as a result of the Shards power interacting with the planet (as I believe) rather than only from the planet itself, then I think it is very plausible for Dishardic worlds to have a focus for each Shard that resides there (or at least ones that were there when the magic system formed, as per our discussion about trellium earlier.) The only real problem that I have with this theory is that it still doesn't address the wierdness with the groupings, because the metal focused Hemalurgic spikes would still give the ability to transfer innate Investiture of different types in the same strange groupings, independent of whether its based on the Allomantic and Feurchemical properties or not. (Probably more related comments below when I get to @The One Who Connects' posts) On the point of other Shards using Hemalurgy, I read that WoB more like: "The god-like powers that all Shards have access to are the same, but the different magic systems express different aspects of them." Meaning that while other Shards have some ability to transfer innate Investiture, it's only called 'Hemalurgy' when it's Ruin's expression of that power. I can see how it could be interpreted either way though, and this is really an unimportant nitpick. Thank you! This is exactly what I was trying to get at when I said 'natural' Stormlight, and I just couldn't find the words. I actually agree with both of these, with only minor alteration. I believe that the integral roles that the Stormfather and the Nightwatcher fill were created by Adonalsium, but that they were originally filled by completely non-sentient Splinters, and only later became personified into huge spren (inevitably, as @Confused said). I didn't count Atium on purpose, because I'm pretty convinced that either any god metal can steal any attribute, or Atium steals every attribute specifically because it's the god metal of Ruin. Either way, Atium is outside the 'normal' rules. I actually really do like the chart, like I said, it's the best explaination of Hemalurgy I've seen so far. The problem, however, is that I'm not completely convinced that there actually are two 'physical' quadrants for Feruchemy. The powers in the second one are vaguely physical, but they definitely seem distinct to me. Body heat production, energy/fluid consumption, healing, and breathing are all processes that Feurchemy can speed up or slow down, where as the other ones, such as strength, seem to be more like directly drawing on a reservoir to weaken or strengthen. For example, tapping strength increases the size of your muscles, not the rate of muscular growth. Your explaination could still be accurate, but the distinction between how the two physical quadrants work is big enough, in my opinion, to warrant thinking about. All of this is pretty much exactly why I think that there was a Splinter of Adonalsium doing the Stormlight thing since the beginning, but it wasn't a sentient spren until people were around to personify it. ------- I left out all the stuff about forum etiquette because I was already quoting so much stuff, and because I've realized that most of the problem was just me reading things too harshly. Just don't expect me to stop arguing the unpopular view as long as I see good evidence. Afterall, my avatar is a Terris scholar

Don't listen to anyone who says to avoid the cookies, they're high in iron.

Well, I suppose I have to eat my words here, at least on the point of it being paraphrased. I have been following that thread, but I didn't notice that those two posts were the same person. I think the other points are still valid though. Edit: I just went back and checked, and I don't know what you're talking about. The post in the GenCon thread was by @Landis963, who said that he was remembering it after quite a while, and the quote in this thread was by @john203.

This WoB is helpful, but far from definitive since its paraphrased, and the wording isn't completely clear in the first place. Just because Sel only has one focus, that doesn't mean that a different world couldn't have more than one, seeing as Sel also only has one magic system. (I feel the need to state again that I'm arguing this theory for scholarship related reasons, not because I actually believe it. However, I am very skeptical of the fact that every world only has one focus, if only because most everyone accepts it but Brandon seems to not want to confirm it outright.) Slightly unrelated comments: 1) Does anyone think that they have insight into what consitutes a 'different system' to Brandon? We know from WoBs that Sel's magics are all considered one system but Roshar's and Scadrial's are not, which is strange to me, as Sel's systems seem to be just as varied in effects as Scadrial's. 2)On the topic of foci, do we have any idea why the different ones are what they are? Metal is the easy one to explain away, since Ruin and Preservation created the planet with lots of metals, but why commands for Nalthis, for example? Almost every human being across the cosmere gives commands to other people or animals, so why are the ones given on Nathis special? Just something Adonalsium did way back when? Edit: Not even on Nathis, just by people from there.