Mistborn 3 Annotations Discussion *Spoilers*

[Czanos]

Not always. It's entirely possible to make an Inquisitor out of a normal person, it's just that if they're made of Allomancers beforehand they have greatly increased Allomantic strength in those areas.

[Patriotic Kaz]

And they are most commonly seekers like Marsh

[Chaos]

What Inquisitors are previous to becoming Inquisitors has nothing to do with the questions at hand: rather, if Inquisitors had children, would they be more likely to be Allomancers? This is an interesting question, because Hemalurgy--in effect--splices the power into the person.

Perhaps more interestingly, if someone has a hemalurgic spike in them (and normal humans can breed true, of course), will their children more likely be Allomancers?

[happyman]

What Inquisitors are previous to becoming Inquisitors has nothing to do with the questions at hand: rather, if Inquisitors had children, would they be more likely to be Allomancers? This is an interesting question, because Hemalurgy--in effect--splices the power into the person.

Perhaps more interestingly, if someone has a hemalurgic spike in them (and normal humans can breed true, of course), will their children more likely be Allomancers?

If I had to guess, I'd say "No."  Brandon called Hemalurgy a "hack," and I don't see the spikes being driven through the body as being any more heritable than, say, losing a limb.  It probably depends mostly, though, on how new souls and bodies get the touch of preservation in them needed to give them the power.  It can be inherited physically, obviously.

[Eerongal]

... I don't see the spikes being driven through the body as being any more heritable than, say, losing a limb....

the idea of this makes me laugh.

[Chaos]

What Inquisitors are previous to becoming Inquisitors has nothing to do with the questions at hand: rather, if Inquisitors had children, would they be more likely to be Allomancers? This is an interesting question, because Hemalurgy--in effect--splices the power into the person.

Perhaps more interestingly, if someone has a hemalurgic spike in them (and normal humans can breed true, of course), will their children more likely be Allomancers?

If I had to guess, I'd say "No."  Brandon called Hemalurgy a "hack," and I don't see the spikes being driven through the body as being any more heritable than, say, losing a limb.  It probably depends mostly, though, on how new souls and bodies get the touch of preservation in them needed to give them the power.  It can be inherited physically, obviously.

Yeah, my gut says no as well. Interesting to think about, though.

[darxbane]

I agree.  Not just for allomancy, as that possibility would exist anyway, but this would allow Feruchemy to be spread via Inquisitor offspring as well.

[zas678]

Or the Lerasium spike as well

[Patriotic Kaz]

This is wild speculation that will never be answered.....

[Chaos]

This is wild speculation that will never be answered.....

"Never" is a rather harsh word

[Eerongal]

...And then Brandon started work on a series of books titled:

--Intercourse, Hemalurgy, and you, an interactive manual.

--Where do baby allomancers come from? The popup book.

--The reproductive cycle of the feurchemists and the Koloss.

[Andrew the Great]

Sounds fun! We'll have to ask him to write them after he finishes his 36 book arc (or however many it is, these days).

As to the "Can inquisitors pass on allomancy to their children?" Thing, my gut feeling was initially yes, but as I thought about it more, I decided they probably couldn't. Especially when we consider that the Allomantic powers leave when the spike does.

[Patriotic Kaz]

You could argue that it acts in the same way foriegn DNA used in gene splicing does and if that is the case then it is indeed heritable.... however if it is smiply a hack then it isn't

[happyman]

You could argue that it acts in the same way foriegn DNA used in gene splicing does and if that is the case then it is indeed heritable.... however if it is smiply a hack then it isn't

If I understood it correctly, the hemalurgic spike literally takes part of someone else's soul and binds it to yours in order to give you access to the power.  So depending on how Allomancy is inherited, this may or may not make a difference.  I would tend to think "No," but it's not a foregone conclusion.

[Argent]

I don't see how Inquisitors - or anyone given Allomantic powers through Hemalurgy - will be able to pass their powers on. Spook lost his pewter-burning abilities when the spike was removed from his body, so it was the spike that was doing the Allomancy, not Spook. At least that's what I think.