Windrunner

That looks insanely similar to the cover of the Way of Kings. Great find!

But it probably does have to be involved. Every other single magic system we've seen so far involves some sort of genetic component. Allomancers and Feruchemists are obvious and Brandon has hinted that Hemalurgy wouldn't work on just anyone either, without the proper genetics. AonDor is definitely genetic. All mentions of people using Dakhor or ChayShan have been of Fjordell and Jindoeese people respectively. Here, Brandon's implied that the ability to Awaken is a trait distinct to the people of Nalthis. Not anyone who was simply endowed with Breath could use it. I'd say it's a pretty safe bet that using Surgebinding requires, at the very least, sDNA from Roshar. Surgebinding has a connection to Honor and possibly Cultivation. If Shallan had Preservation and Ruin inside her all sorts of crazy crap should be happening when she's bonding part of Honor and/or Cultivation to herself. Look at what a few human attributes did to a person. And they were only containing parts of Shards that the people who became koloss already had within themselves. Also, House Davar is said to be an ancient one. They've been around for a while. But unless they've been bringing people from Scadrial with them to breed with, then the Allomancy sDNA would have been diluted long ago. Also Roshar has such wildly crazy genetics that it may be that someone from Scadrial couldn't have a child with someone from Roshar. Also, trace metals could have ended up in her system as well. (Although not necessarily, if she's a misting of a rare alloy) I think you have nowhere near enough evidence to believe this theory to be true, all you've got is an abusive father, which as Shivertongue pointed out, proves nothing.

The count actually is slightly different. For one, while I do believe that the Lord Ruler burned lerasium to recieve his powers, I personally doubt that he is counted among the Original Nine Allomancers. He's supposed to be a deity, that illusion could be undone if people began to realize that he had some of the same powers as regular Allomancers. Makes him seem less divine to me. Also, no one ever mentioned that the Lord Ruler was an Allomancer while the crew is planning the job. I'm pretty sure they compare him to one, but if I'm remembering right no one ever says that he is one. If he was counted among the Original Nine, then I think this would have been common knowledge. So far, by this count, we have ten beads already (not to say that I'm right for sure). Elend burns an eleventh and then Peter told us that there is at least one more bead of lerasium out there. So we have at least 12 beads accounted for now. Also, welcome to 17th Shard! We're glad to have you

The mistsickness that snapped the Seers was the same as the one that snapped everyone else. They just needed to a little more juice then everyone else, maybe because of the fact that atium doesn't draw power from Preservation. But anyway, about the whole "more powerful the more it took to snap them" thing. Brandon has hinted that is also true. I'm not sure why. This is how I've always visualized this strange relationship. (Sorry that it's a download, the image hosting thing was being finicky)

Do you have a quote on that? Because if not, I seriously doubt that they were anywhere near the Lord Ruler's power. Alendi was snapped by the mists. If he was that powerful, I think his epic conquest of the entire world would have snapped him. The Mists typically only snap those that are too weak to be snapped in any other method. Also, there were so few Allomancers before the Ascension that people thought that they only came into being with the Ascension. The newfound Mistborn would have been exciting, but people would have remembered the Mistings that had the same powers. Weak Mistings, men who could hardly move metal or barely exert their will on another's emotions wouldn't have been remembered. The attributes were too deep. If he'd been powerful, a simple beating should have brought his powers out, along with everyone elses. They were too weak. There are mentions of stronger Mistings in the past, but it makes more sense for those Mistings to have been the first ones that emerged during the time of the Final Empire, when the Original Nine Allomancers's bloodlines had diminished enough for an Allomancer to be born who was not a Mistborn.

Every Shard has limited power. They are neither all-powerful or omnipotent. Not sure what you're referring to by "physical piece of preservation". Lerasium? Harmony makes Spook an Allomancer without the use of lerasium. Also, we know nothing about the origins of Feruchemy, so I don't know what you're referring to in saying that it was created "by exposure to the shards power". He gave them the entirety of the knowledge in his Copperminds. He also gave them words of guidance and other hints in the Words of Founding. He can't hand them knowledge. He gives them hints to motivate them but the people need to learn how to advance on their own. Sazed can't just coddle them forever. They need to learn how to develop technology and persevere. Also, some knowledge isn't safe. If they knew bindpoints and how Hemalurgy worked wouldn't that be dangerous? We don't know anything about the southern continent. Brandon may eventually write a story about them. I'm seriously confused about what you're saying here. Are you talking about investiture storing? No one can use the stored attributes but the person who stored them. So they can't burn this nicrosilmind or access the power stored within. Lerasium alloyed with each of the 16 metals can create Misting out of those who try to burn those metals. There's probably another way to create Ferrings. But what do you mean by "ruin magic" Atium? Atium isn't burnable by anyone, so nothing would happen. Atium alloyed with other metals have various affects, maybe involving temporal and mental powers.

It might not be though. It's possible that Vin's double bronze Allomancy allowed her to start hearing it earlier then everyone else, but by the time it had finished refilling any Seeker could have heard it. I think the Well would have been quiet when it first started to refill, but gradually gained volume. I wish we knew what attribute Alendi had been spiked with. Then we could tell if he had enhanced bronze as well, or if he heard it as a normal Seeker. It also would help if another of the crew had been a Seeker, but Marsh was in full on Ruin mode and probably busy slaughtering the Synod. I can't remember right now if there were any other Seekers in Luthadel. They wouldn't have been able to get at the Well anyway.

I'm really sure that it's a coincidence. The Davar children aren't from Scadrial. They don't have the right sDNA to access Allomancy, they have no fragment of Preservation within them. If Shallan was genetically from Scadrial, I seriously doubt that she'd be Surgebinding either.

The way that I interpret this, is that every Shard may be one of a pair, but that their partner isn't necessarily their opposite.

It says, "[Allomancy] is end-positive according to my terminology." No mention of having sources. Although, the map signed by Nahz implies the author may have some sort of network for gathering intelligence. This makes sense too. We've got ten Shardworlds out there all of which probably have at least one magic system. Then there are the Shardless worlds that have only Splinters, which could maybe have their own magic as well. Just from the four Shardworlds we know of, there are around eleven systems. We know the Ars Arcanum is all written by one guy, so it seems likely that he'd probably receive intelligence and firsthand reports about the magics and then interpret what they're seeing. I'm not saying that he never goes out to study the Investitures, but there's so many that having agents is probably more efficient. Especially in the case of having someone who is familiar with the Shardworld he's on. Then again, there's a lot of time to be studying these things. Right now, I'm leaning towards a member of the Seventeenth Shard as the author. Hoid so far has been portrayed as all alone, but the associate Nahz implies a bit more of a network. Right now, the Seventeenth Shard just seems more likely to me.

Well the difference between the Stormlight and the metals, Commands, and Aons is that those are the foci but the Stormlight seems to just be the fuel. It doesn't appear to determine anything. At least in fabrials, gems appear to serve the job as focus.

I don't really find it odd that he looks towards the sky. There are a couple of reasons for why I feel this way. One is, like Observer said, I think Shallan was merely poking fun at him rather then being truly surprised by this behavior. She twists plenty of commonplace actions and words around over the course of the rest of the book. Another comes with the prayers. They burn them, sending their souls to the Almighty. We don't know much of the theology behind this burning, but smoke does travel upwards, so that is a potential connection there. (although not by any means a definitive one) The last reason I don't find this odd is because Kabsal is Herdazian. He's the only character of any importance from this country. We know next to nothing about their culture and religious traditions. It seems likely to me that this could be a simple Herdazian habit when talking about the Almighty. I don't have anything that can for sure prove this wrong but the evidence really seems circumstantial at best to me.

Well, from the way I interpret the quote, the power of creation causes the ripples when utilized. My gut says it probably does something on all three realms.

While I think that these pulses and wavelengths could be something intrinsic to Investitures, I think it's going a little to far to call them some sort of magic system. I think that the pulses are related to the spiritual energy that is being utilized here, and not some sort of magic system. The pulses may show exactly how this spiritual energy is being constrained. I also really don't think that Seeking existed as a magic system independent of Allomancy before the Shattering. Why would it be incorporated into a new system that it predated and existed without? It seems odd to me.

Really really great catch Cones For Eyes. The pulse length and frequency sound so similar to Allomantic pulses that I find it hard to believe that it's a coincidence. This actually provides some of the best evidence I've seen so far that a Seeker might be able to Seek other Investitures aside from the Allomancy and Feruchemy. I'm not exactly sure what you mean by this. From what I'm reading, it sounds like you're saying bronzepulses cause Allomancy? Do you perhaps mean that bronzepulses assign different beats to different powers? Sorry if I'm misunderstanding you. Psh, we've already got one of those. We call it 17th Shard

I strongly disagree that Pulls and Pushes manipulate objects in a similar way to the basic lashing. A lashing changes down for an object. It falls that way, unaffected by gravity. Wheareas we see that both pushes and pulls are affected by Scadrial's gravity, like when Kel drops while Pulling towards Keep Venture. Pushing and Pulling create forces, but a basic lashing just alters one that's already there. They can do similar things but they aren't done in the same way at all.

It's working just fine for me.

Hey Geoffray! I'm glad you decided to join us here. I keep an eye on the theory boards, so I hope to see you there soon.

We know a little bit about Elantris 2.

Hmm, what do you mean by "magic equalizer"? As in a power that levels an otherwise unfair playing field between Elantrians and Dakhor monks? Your point about Allomancers is a fair one. You're referring to increased abilities like when someone burning bronze is able to access more information? I'd think that was more along the lines of being familiar with the power, and thus more able to notice nuances in the information they're receiving. I don't think we'll get anywhere arguing about whether the Aon canceling ability is skill related or a power in and of itself since we know so little about Dakhor.

That's a very good question. His resistance to attacks from the Dor was what cost the lives of 50 men. That may be tied to his Aon canceling ability or it may not be. I don't think it's something any monk could do though. If they could cancel Aons it could have been possible to cancel all the Aons that were being used on the monks at the end of the book. You could make the argument though that they weren't close enough, but Dilaf disabled Raoden's Aon from a distance. Regardless, I don't think "learning" is involved. If they have the right bone twists, I think that they'll be able to use that ability. Just like an Allomancer with the right sDNA will be able to burn a certain metal. Does that make sense?

Remember when Raoden was at his coronation, with the illusion of his face before the Shaod? Dilaf manipulates the Dor and cancels that Aon, revealing Raoden's true appearance. It seems likely that he could do the same to the Rao that makes up the city as well.

Well Raoden noticed the bone twists looked like ancient Fjordell characters. So I imagine they just started going through them and experimenting with what they did. As for how the Fjordell characters were discovered, I have no idea. Perhaps the one of the Shards had to tell them directly. Anyway, I think one Dakhor monk with the Aon cancelling ability would be better then 50 soldiers. Just one, though. All they need is one Dakhor monk to sneak into Arelon and cancel the giant Rao that makes up Elantris. Then the Fjordell forces could attack before the Elantrians had a chance to restore it. They'd be nearly powerless and would fall quickly.

Hmm... Precalculus. You probably shouldn't have mentioned that, muahahaha. Prepare for some panicked "I don't know what I'm doing!" questions the night before my precalculus tests