Raphaborn

Sporkify This is more towards the whole physics stuff, but is Feruchemy really balanced? If it gives diminishing returns, wouldn't this end up as a net loss of power? Brandon Sanderson It doesn't diminish. Or, well, it does—but only if you compound it. You get 1 for 1 back, but compounding the power requires an expenditure of the power itself. For instance, if you are weak for one hour, you can gain the lost strength for one hour. But that's not really that much strength. After all, you probably weren't as weak as zero people during that time. So if you want to be as strong as two men, you couldn't do it for a full hour. You'd have to spend some energy to compound, then spend the compounded energy itself. In more mathematical terms, let's say you spend one hour at 50% strength. You could then spend one hour at 150% strength, or perhaps 25 min at 200% strength, or maybe 10min at 250% strength. Each increment is harder, and therefore 'strains' you more and burns your energy more quickly. And since most Feruchemists don't store at 50% strength, but instead at something like 80% strength (it feels like much more when they do it, but you can't really push the body to that much forced weakness without risking death) you can burn through a few day's strength in a very short time if you aren't careful. Footnote: This question was asked when fueling Feruchemy with Allomancy had only been seen in Rashek. As such, the term compounding is used purely to reference tapping at a higher rate than can be stored. Hero of Ages Q&A - Time Waster's Guide (Oct. 15, 2008)

You are ignoring that Metal Minds have a waste of energy as you increase the amount of the attribute you use at one time. In addition to that, Composition would require you to burn more and more metal and faster. I don't see this happening with a human, you would probably need a mechanical form of Compouding and a source of Alomatic Investiture that does not need to be consumed internally. Something like White Mists in abundance. And I doubt that this is nerfed. It is something really interesting to allow mini black holes to be created technologically for some applications as a weapon or source of energy.

Even without Harmony's direct intervention, the Set and the Terrismen are doing breeding work so that any bloodline (s) most likely to acquire Alomancy and Ferukemia respectively. Eventually this dilution will reach its peak, but it will still be possible to find some metalborn, which will be complemented by the medallions. And probably until Era 4 we will follow a return from Lerasium, even if it is with the Scadrians discovering a way to distill them from the White Mists. So I doubt this is a problem.

I wouldn't doubt that this is one of the Set's research focuses. After all, they just need a Nicroburst to make this work. The general society, except Kandras and Terrismen, are very apathetic in the development of Invested Science. After The Lost Metal I doubt it will continue.

About Aluminum: Questioner 1 Does aluminum actually make the metals disappear, like, be metabolized? Or does it just cut the Spiritual connection? Brandon Sanderson So... I haven't actually canonized that... I've gone back and forth. For a while, I said it got rid of them. And there may even be... But the more I thought about that, the more it doesn't make much sense. Questioner 1 It doesn't. Especially the way that duralumin works, it doesn't really make sense. Brandon Sanderson And so, I've been kind of pushing the other way. Since I haven't said it in-world, it's not truly canon, but I believe I've answered other fans saying that it burns them all away in a flash, and we might need it to do that, for future things. So, I'm undecided. Questioner 2 It needs to get rid of them, but a path to sever the connection at the same time. Brandon Sanderson One of the big problems is, if it only severs the connection and leaves the metals, than you have heavy metal poisoning from some of the metals. Questioner 1 But if it makes them burn away, that doesn't work the same way as duralumin. Duralumin only burns the ones you're burning. Brandon Sanderson Yeah. I kinda have to err back on the side of "it gets rid of them," just we don't have to deal with metal poisoning, but I've kind of been wavering a little bit, thinking, "Is there a better way to explain this." LTUE 2020 (Feb. 15, 2020) https://wob.coppermind.net/events/412/#e13599

The problem with replacing spheres with a representative money is that magic systems make money counterfeiting a lot easier. Spheres are reliable, if they shine it is because they are real. But I agree that eventually an alternative will be needed, as in the future they will find a way to produce synthetic polestone and even perfect gemstone.. Perhaps the level of Stormlight itself will become the priority and set the money value, just like for the Sprens currency. So I bet my chips on perfect synthetic gemstone and a Stormlight measurement system.

I am quite sure that it will not be so, or the powers would be omnipresent. I doubt Brandon plans to allow that, it would totally break any economy. Besides, the Southern Scadrian would already know if that is possible.

I doubt that this is possible (or at least currently). Or the Southern Scadrian would not be limited to medallions with 3 powers.

This does not prevent Rashek from having kept one. Feruchemy use, a guarantee if he lost his powers, if he needed to restart the Final Empire...

Well, I find it really very difficult. What helped Elend was to be a Mistborn of Lerasium, which made his flared really intense, the reduced strength of hemalurgy, Marsh's inexperience with Compouding and that Marsh probably hadn't been able to replace his metalminds very well after the fight with Vin. Even with Ruin fueled Marsh's Atium, Elend was much better with Atium naturally than Marsh and could still flared the power to even more stratospheric levels (after all, being an L-Mistborn makes you be amazing with all metals, even those from Ruin). Then we had Ruin fueled all the metals of Marsh, and Vin fueled all the metals of Elend. Still, he himself recognizes that this is not a fight that can be won with the sword and burns Atium + Duralumin.

Let's separate the two special types of metalmind first: - There are Unkeyed Metalminds, which are metalminds without Identity. Identity is what allows the metalmind to recognize its user, and is the reason why only its user can normally make use of it. But one without Identity makes it possible for any user of that power to use it. So a Gold Metalmind allows any other Bloodmaker to make use of it. - There are Unsealed Metalminds, which are metalminds that storing Investiture of a type and are also without Identity. Investiture in that context is used as the ability of Nicrosil allows the user to store the raw ability to make use of a power. Normally just that doesn’t give anyone the ability to make use of it (which means that we don’t know exactly what Nicrosil’s base power is for) but when it’s also Unkeyed, it makes anyone able to make use of the metalmind like if I had the power. The Bands would basically be an Unsealed Metalmind optimized version with all (as far as we know) Allomantic and Feruchemical powers. There is still a lot that we do not know like Nicrosil Compounding, if the user needs to deprive himself of his powers or part of them, or how it is possible to get rid of all his Identity to make medallions. Brandon is being very evasive about not spoiling the surprise (and also not ending up giving information that ends up changing in the final product). But on a general basis, this is it. Quotes: Your Investiture is keyed to your soul—indeed, it might be a part of your soul, much as your blood is a part of your body.” “So if a person could store their Identity,” Marasi said, “as Waxillium does with his weight…” “They’d be without it for a time,” VenDell said. “A blank slate, so to speak.” “So they could use anyone’s metalmind?” Marasi asked. “Possibly,” VenDell said. - “Some have been experimenting with your idea,” VenDell said, “and early results are promising. However, having a Feruchemist who can use anyone’s metalminds is intriguing, but not particularly life-changing. Our society is strewn with individuals who have extraordinary abilities—this would simply be one more variety. No, what interests me is the opposite, Miss Colms. What if a Feruchemist were to divest himself of all Identity, then fill another metalmind with an attribute. Say, strength. What would it do?” “Create an unkeyed metalmind?” Marasi asked. “One that another Feruchemist could access?” “Possibly,” VenDell said. “Or is there another possibility? Most people living right now have at least some Feruchemist blood in them. Could it be that such a metalmind as I describe, one that is keyed to no single individual, might be usable by anyone?” - “Investiture—the innate ability to burn metals or tap metalminds—is also one of the things Feruchemy can store. Lord Waxillium … these are arts we are only beginning to comprehend. But the secrets they contain could change the world. “In the ancient days, the Last Emperor discovered a metal that transformed him into a Mistborn. A metal anyone could burn, it is said. This whispers of a hidden possibility, something lesser, but still incredible. What if one could somehow manipulate Identity and Investiture to create a set of bracers which imparted Feruchemical or Allomantic ability upon the person wearing them? One could make any person a Mistborn, or a Feruchemist, or both at once.”

Sazed's Ascension really made me cry. Thinking about this Order that dedicated its life to seeking knowledge, understanding the world and respecting the traditions and beliefs of people in the past, was really beautiful. Although I am not religious, it touched me because it made me think about how people have always tried to see the truth of the universe and how it was shaped by their Gods. I think it was one of the biggest demonstrations of the beneficial side of religion that I have ever been able to read anywhere. It is also a testament to the love of knowledge, and how to learn is never useless or irrelevant. Heroes, powers, secret organizations, hidden creatures and gods may have played a big role, but what saved Scadrial in the end was human dedication. "The Hero will bear the future of the world on his arms."

After that scene I couldn't even cry, Elend simply had one of the greatest "Moment of Awesome" in fiction.

Unsurprisingly, Elend.

“You just told me you liked me how I am.” “I do,” Elend said. “But I’d like you however you were, Vin. I love you. The question is, how do you like yourself?” - “We assumed we could do a better job than the noblemen, but once we had the power, we put them back in charge. If we’d killed the whole lot, perhaps then we could have started fresh. Of course, that would have meant invading the other dominances—which would have meant sending Vin to take care of the most important, most problematic, noblemen. There would have been a slaughter like the Final Empire had never seen. And, if we’d done that…” If we’d done that,” Dockson said quietly, “we’d have been no better than beasts.” - “Atium,” Elend whispered, tasting blood. “Where is the atium, Marsh? Where do you think we got the power to fight? You came for that atium? Well it’s gone. Tell your master that! You think my men and I expected to kill all of these koloss? There are tens of thousands of them! That wasn’t the point at all.” Elend’s smile widened. “Ruin’s body is gone, Marsh. We burned it all away, the others and I. You might be able to kill me, but you’ll never get what you came for. And that is why we win.”

You can take advantage of Cadmium's conditions to use the Time Bubble popping to accelerate a vehicle out of it. Of course, this would require a lot of preparation and testing, as the object is usually thrown out wildly. Other types of experiments to try to shorten travel time with bendalloy would also be interesting. Maybe create a bubble not too big for the airship to popping for acceleration, and then create a bendalloy bubble big enough to cover the entire airship and accompany it to reduce travel time. It is always good to test what size a Bubble needs to be to accompany a large or fast vehicle, eventually they will allow FTL after all.

You have to think about Savantism, Resonances and Compounding too.

I particularly find it very interesting. Of course it would be more useful if you had both types of Compounding (being N-end, Feruchemy would be very inefficient for Allomancy alone), but if you can use the normal Compounding to store the excess and then convert to Allomancy it would be incredible . One advantage I can think of is that probably Chromium and Nicrosil would probably not affect Allomancy when being fueled by Metalminds. Even if Double Compouding is not available, it should at least allow continuous use with less chance of being taken to Savantism. In addition to making it much easier to use of dangerous (or poison) metals, it does not need to be consumed and replaced. This is very useful for expensive or lost metals (like atium and malatium). Obviously this assumptions were based on interpretation of mechanics not be necessary for the metal to be burned at any point to make it work. In the case of the Double Compounding interpretation, the great advantage is that you do not need to carry metal flasks (only Allomantic metalminds) and be able to store them all in advance. And I also have a theory that this is necessary to detect Feruchemy with A-Bronze.

Wow, whoever asked him that question is very smart. It is probably possible to become Savant in a single day with the help of Duralumin. With Nicrosil you could sell Savantism to someone else.

Savantism requires that the metal be flared for a long time.

Well, the confusion you made is that you don't have to be out of combat to tap 10+ charges to heal quickly. In fact, if there is a metal that makes Feruchemists very powerful in combat, it is Gold.

Nobles always claimed to be superior (taller, stronger, less fertile, and more intelligent) although this has more to do with Balance.

Not necessarily. We know that the alloys of base metals will also make a person a Misting, but we have no idea of the main effect of the alloy. Only it will be of the Physical and Enhacement type.

Feruchemy powers do not need to be related to the Allomantic power. Ferucchemy is always Internal and even the quadrants have a different name (Temporal are Hybrid, Enhancements are Spiritual). Being a Universal Metalmind makes sense precisely because of the scope that the Allomantic and Hemalurgical powers have. Using Atium for comparison doesn't make a lot of sense because of how weak it is when thinking about how invested Lerasium is.

Well, we're not sure if anyone used a spike from Lerasium. There has always been a strong theory that there were originally 16 Lerasium beads in Well (which means we don't know the location of many).