Author Topic: Problem: Smokers.  (Read 5352 times)

Valkynphyre

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Problem: Smokers.
« on: June 28, 2010, 09:05:46 PM »
How could they possibly be detected? You couldn't burn bronze to see if they were burning metals. They wouldn't even know they were using copper,  so how could you possibly find out if you are a coppercloud?
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Red, White, and Joker

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Re: Problem: Smokers.
« Reply #1 on: June 28, 2010, 09:11:10 PM »
My guess would be that they have someone burning a metal next to them when they are tested.  If the person's metal vibrations vanish, then you'd know.
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Valkynphyre

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Re: Problem: Smokers.
« Reply #2 on: June 28, 2010, 09:18:01 PM »
guess that would be the ONLY way.
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Chaos

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Re: Problem: Smokers.
« Reply #3 on: June 28, 2010, 10:18:59 PM »
Someone who could pierce copperclouds could do it, I'd assume.
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Re: Problem: Smokers.
« Reply #4 on: June 28, 2010, 10:58:58 PM »
theirs really 3 ways to "Detect" a Smoker

1: a person eats a litte bit of pure "Allomantic" Copper, and trys to sense if they have a "Heat Source" in their Belly

2: you feed a person copper in the presance of two Seekers.  if neither Seeker can Sense the Other, the Third person must Logicly be a Smoker, or Mistborn.  give them a Second Metal to see.

3: not publicly known, but Inquestitors with Seeker, or Mistborn basis will be able to Pierce Copperclouds, and be able to hunt Smokers.  this is also an Added Reason why Marsh was so quickly "Recruited" into their Ranks.



oh, and befor i forget, hiya! long time bradon fan, first time poster. :D

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Re: Problem: Smokers.
« Reply #5 on: June 29, 2010, 12:44:30 AM »
Excellent first post I must say. You sir have lurked with the best of us! Welcome out of your lurker hole, it's an honor.
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Morderkaine

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Re: Problem: Smokers.
« Reply #6 on: June 29, 2010, 01:12:02 AM »
There is one other way to determine if someone is burning Copper. Emotional Allomancy. Burning Copper protects the burner from all but the strongest of emotional Allomancy (ie. TLR). Therefor, if you were to say flare Zinc and riot fear the sudden shock would stun anybody else in the area not burning Copper. All you'd have to do then is look for the people without shocked expressions and you've found your Smokers(s) and/or Mistborn(s) currently burning Copper, which, if you'll recall, burns away very slowly and so most Allomancers capable of burning it just leave on all the time.
« Last Edit: June 29, 2010, 07:22:15 AM by Morderkaine »

Comatose

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Re: Problem: Smokers.
« Reply #7 on: June 29, 2010, 02:10:50 AM »
Quote
There is one other way to determine if someone is burning bronze. Emotional Allomancy. Burning bronze protects the burner from all but the strongest of emotional Allomancy (ie. TLR). Therefor, if you were to say flare Zinc and riot fear the sudden shock would stun anybody else in the area not burning bronze. All you'd have to do then is look for the people without shocked expressions and you've found your Smokers(s) and/or Mistborn(s) currently burning Bronze, which, if you'll recall, burns away very slowly and so most Allomancers capable of burning it just leave on all the time.

I completely agree, except you mean copper.  Bronze is for seeking.
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Morderkaine

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Re: Problem: Smokers.
« Reply #8 on: June 29, 2010, 07:23:35 AM »
Quote
There is one other way to determine if someone is burning bronze. Emotional Allomancy. Burning bronze protects the burner from all but the strongest of emotional Allomancy (ie. TLR). Therefor, if you were to say flare Zinc and riot fear the sudden shock would stun anybody else in the area not burning bronze. All you'd have to do then is look for the people without shocked expressions and you've found your Smokers(s) and/or Mistborn(s) currently burning Bronze, which, if you'll recall, burns away very slowly and so most Allomancers capable of burning it just leave on all the time.

I completely agree, except you mean copper.  Bronze is for seeking.

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Obsessiforge

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Re: Problem: Smokers.
« Reply #9 on: June 29, 2010, 08:12:15 AM »
I suppose that the real question is in what context these smokers are being sought. If its the ministry trying to find them, then I'm sure they have methods of testing for copper burners (for which some very clever tricks have been proposed).

Consider, though, that you're a skaa smoker, like Clubs. Immediately you'd know something was up (call it "Luck", call it that tingly feeling I get when we use the nice, copper tankards) and would probably burn copper without knowing it, much like Vin did. Also much like Vin, you'd probably have to tell the right people about that feeling, who might direct you towards someone knowledgable (a Kelsier, if you will) to test you for various metals.

Another thing to consider though is people like Duralumin and Aluminum gnats who can only burn enhancement metals. they never get found out because there's nothing they can really do with their abilities. It may well be that there are a lot of smokers who just don't get discovered, along with all the other Mistings with metals that just don't stand alone.


Ari54

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Re: Problem: Smokers.
« Reply #10 on: July 01, 2010, 06:13:09 AM »
I imagine for nobles they'd do something similar to what they do with Atium- that is, put copper in some sort of food or drink and attempt to soothe or riot everyone, hoping that the smokers would end up burning the copper.

Obsessiforge

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Re: Problem: Smokers.
« Reply #11 on: July 01, 2010, 06:56:38 AM »
I imagine for nobles they'd do something similar to what they do with Atium- that is, put copper in some sort of food or drink and attempt to soothe or riot everyone, hoping that the smokers would end up burning the copper.

Is that what they do with Atium? I'd imagine its so rare/valuable that they'd only really give it to Mistborn. I imagine that finding a "Seer" would be a rare find, since testing someone for Mistborn...ness is cheaper with two simpler metals than even a single bead of Atium. The only Seer we meet in the books also happens to be an Obligator, which probably explains his ability to experiment with Atium and discover his own ability.


Ari54

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Re: Problem: Smokers.
« Reply #12 on: July 01, 2010, 07:25:20 AM »
Oh, I was misremembering. That's their general strategy for finding noble Mistings.

Morderkaine

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Re: Problem: Smokers.
« Reply #13 on: July 01, 2010, 07:41:02 AM »
Actually that is exactly what they do. The Ministry would spike the drinks at a ball with minute amounts of Atium and then scare the people present, usually by simply having an Inquisitor or two show up, causing them to instinctively burn their metals. The Inquisitor(s) would then burn Bronze and see who burned what metals.

Obligators, especially high-ranking ones, were also often specifically tested for the ability to burn Atium. Those who tested positive tended to rise through the ranks very quickly.

Also, Yomen isn't the only seer we meet, the others, Demoux and the Mistfallen,  just don't know they're seers until the last few chapters of Mistborn 3.

Obsessiforge

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Re: Problem: Smokers.
« Reply #14 on: July 01, 2010, 07:44:58 AM »
ah, that makes more sense. If they've got the resources, I'm sure they'd figure out a way to find them.

Thing is, I think we're neglecting the concept of snapping. Even for mistings, they've got to snap somewhow. houses like the House Venture would beat their children to make them snap, then test them with all sorts of metals. Allomancers were so valuable that they'd go to great lengths to find them.