Author Topic: [Spoilers] Just finished Mistborn... confused  (Read 11041 times)

Peter Ahlstrom

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Re: [Spoilers] Just finished Mistborn... confused
« Reply #30 on: August 12, 2010, 01:39:16 AM »
I believe it is NOT confirmed. But it is a popular theory that has not been denied.
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Re: [Spoilers] Just finished Mistborn... confused
« Reply #31 on: August 12, 2010, 03:26:09 AM »
I believe it is NOT confirmed. But it is a popular theory that has not been denied.

Okay, maybe I do need to find my quote  :P

Aha! There we go, found it. It was on the Barnes and Noble Q&A. And hey, the reason I remember it was because I asked the question.

Quote
Hemalurgically, atium steals Allomantic Temporal Powers. But, that seems unlikely, since atium is a god metal. It wouldn't fit in with the rest of the magic system. Did Preservation, in addition to switching Cadmium and Bendalloy for Atium and Malatium, also switch atium's Feruchemical and Hemalurgic powers with Cadmium? Because it seems to me there's not a lot of atium Marsh can use to live for hundreds of years into the next Mistborn trilogy. :P

Preservation wanted Atium and Malatium to be of use to the people, as he recognized that it would be a very powerful tool--and that using it up could help defeat Ruin.  But he also recognized that sixteen was a mythological important number, and felt it would make the best sign for his followers.  So he took out the most unlikely (difficult to make and use) metals for his sign to his followers.  But that doesn't have much to do with Hemalurgy's use here.
 
Remember that the tables--and the ars Arcanum--are 'in world' creations.  (Or, at least, in-universe.)  The knowledge represented in them is as people understand it, and can always have flaws.  That was the case with having atium on the table in the first place, and that was the case with people (specifically the Inquisitors) trying to figure out what atium did Hemalurgically.
 
Their experiments (very expensive ones) are what determined that atium (which they thought was just one of the sixteen metals) granted the Allomantic Temporal powers.  What they didn't realize is that atium (used correctly) could steal ANY of the powers.  Think of it as a wild card.  With the right knowledge, you could use it to mimic any other spike.  It works far better than other spikes as well.

As for Marsh, he's got a whole bag of atium (taken off of the Kandra who was going to try to sell it.)  So he's all right for quite a while.  A small bead used right can reverse age someone back to their childhood.
 
But this was a little beyond their magical understanding at the time.

Emphasis mine for the specific piece of interest.

All of Brandon's answers from that specific Q&A have been reposted here: http://www.timewastersguide.com/forum/index.php?topic=6953 This one was midway down on the second page.
« Last Edit: August 12, 2010, 03:49:44 AM by Chaos2651 »
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Re: [Spoilers] Just finished Mistborn... confused
« Reply #32 on: August 12, 2010, 06:05:26 AM »
I like how you say that as if I'm some kind of authority on the subject.  Which I'm really not.

;D Well, your explanation sounded plausible enough to me, mainly since it didn't involve Preservation making any overhauls on his magic system, just him changing the way the mistsickness worked to try to send a message to Elend.

And since I just copy+pasted your text, I wanted to give you credit and let other people see where I grabbed it from, but I didn't bother to get the Quote-link that the site can provide.
Well, thank you.
Quote
I actually brought up the atium burning issue in another topic.  I have the same problem with it you do.

Oh really? Did you get any satisfactory answers?
No, not really.
Quote
Well, didn't some of the soldiers die from the mistsickness?  I'm assuming that those might have been the mistborn.  A shame they died, but it's not like Preservation could fine tune the mists for them.

I guess they could have been Mistborn, but I don't think so, personally. More likely people who were unable to bear the attempted Snapping for some other reason. Things like heart or lung defects, the old and the young, people who were already sick with some other normal disease, or whatever else. They just couldn't handle the stress of the mistsickness.
That would make sense.
I believe it is NOT confirmed. But it is a popular theory that has not been denied.

Okay, maybe I do need to find my quote  :P

Aha! There we go, found it. It was on the Barnes and Noble Q&A. And hey, the reason I remember it was because I asked the question.

Quote
Hemalurgically, atium steals Allomantic Temporal Powers. But, that seems unlikely, since atium is a god metal. It wouldn't fit in with the rest of the magic system. Did Preservation, in addition to switching Cadmium and Bendalloy for Atium and Malatium, also switch atium's Feruchemical and Hemalurgic powers with Cadmium? Because it seems to me there's not a lot of atium Marsh can use to live for hundreds of years into the next Mistborn trilogy. :P

Preservation wanted Atium and Malatium to be of use to the people, as he recognized that it would be a very powerful tool--and that using it up could help defeat Ruin.  But he also recognized that sixteen was a mythological important number, and felt it would make the best sign for his followers.  So he took out the most unlikely (difficult to make and use) metals for his sign to his followers.  But that doesn't have much to do with Hemalurgy's use here.
 
Remember that the tables--and the ars Arcanum--are 'in world' creations.  (Or, at least, in-universe.)  The knowledge represented in them is as people understand it, and can always have flaws.  That was the case with having atium on the table in the first place, and that was the case with people (specifically the Inquisitors) trying to figure out what atium did Hemalurgically.
 
Their experiments (very expensive ones) are what determined that atium (which they thought was just one of the sixteen metals) granted the Allomantic Temporal powers.  What they didn't realize is that atium (used correctly) could steal ANY of the powers.  Think of it as a wild card.  With the right knowledge, you could use it to mimic any other spike.  It works far better than other spikes as well.

As for Marsh, he's got a whole bag of atium (taken off of the Kandra who was going to try to sell it.)  So he's all right for quite a while.  A small bead used right can reverse age someone back to their childhood.
 
But this was a little beyond their magical understanding at the time.

Emphasis mine for the specific piece of interest.

All of Brandon's answers from that specific Q&A have been reposted here: http://www.timewastersguide.com/forum/index.php?topic=6953 This one was midway down on the second page.
Guess not, Peter.
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Peter Ahlstrom

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Re: [Spoilers] Just finished Mistborn... confused
« Reply #33 on: August 12, 2010, 08:16:30 AM »
ASSISTANT FAIL
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Re: [Spoilers] Just finished Mistborn... confused
« Reply #34 on: August 12, 2010, 08:22:43 AM »
ASSISTANT FAIL

That's okay, we forgive you! You're an awesome assistant.

Besides, you practically have to keep up the mystery for subsequent books! You make us work that much harder, and that's why you're awesome. :P
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Re: [Spoilers] Just finished Mistborn... confused
« Reply #35 on: August 12, 2010, 06:00:10 PM »
ASSISTANT FAIL

That's okay, we forgive you! You're an awesome assistant.

Besides, you practically have to keep up the mystery for subsequent books! You make us work that much harder, and that's why you're awesome. :P

He's not talking for all of us, I prefer spoilers. Send 'em all my way.. email easiest or would you like to use carrier pigeon?
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Re: [Spoilers] Just finished Mistborn... confused
« Reply #36 on: August 13, 2010, 03:01:15 PM »
The thing tha weakens leaching is that you have to touch the guy, an touching your oponent in a fight isn't actually that easy....

It really depends what constitutes "touching".

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Re: [Spoilers] Just finished Mistborn... confused
« Reply #37 on: August 13, 2010, 03:10:12 PM »
The thing tha weakens leaching is that you have to touch the guy, an touching your oponent in a fight isn't actually that easy....

It really depends what constitutes "touching".

It seems like touching skin to skin would count as touching. This would mean that all allomancers are clothed heavily, which means that Leechers would probably be trained to battle with obsidian knives so that they could cut through the clothing....

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Re: [Spoilers] Just finished Mistborn... confused
« Reply #38 on: August 13, 2010, 05:53:26 PM »
Don't forget we won't see Leechers til the second trilogy in a more advanced society. Maybe they will have chemists that came up with a liquid that will dissolve clothing! Ha. :splashes you and watches clothes dessolve, then touches your shoulder: I win.
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Re: [Spoilers] Just finished Mistborn... confused
« Reply #39 on: August 13, 2010, 07:42:48 PM »
Oh. That's right. That might mean plastics. That would revolutionize the allomantic industry.

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Re: [Spoilers] Just finished Mistborn... confused
« Reply #40 on: August 13, 2010, 09:20:51 PM »
Oh. That's right. That might mean plastics. That would revolutionize the allomantic industry.

Ceramic blades are much more reliable then glass I would imagine. Or even plexiglass armor! O_O :writes fanfic:
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Re: [Spoilers] Just finished Mistborn... confused
« Reply #41 on: August 14, 2010, 02:37:21 AM »
I'm not sure where you guys assumed you have to be touching skin in order to Leech.
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Re: [Spoilers] Just finished Mistborn... confused
« Reply #42 on: August 14, 2010, 10:28:57 PM »
Skin seems like it would make sense. Or are you talking about including hair and nails? If it's only skin, it would be funny, but at least you could have an air hole for better breathing through the mouth since it wouldn't be a threat. ;D
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Re: [Spoilers] Just finished Mistborn... confused
« Reply #43 on: August 15, 2010, 05:40:54 AM »
I'm not sure where you guys assumed you have to be touching skin in order to Leech.

That's what my post was questioning. "Touching" doesn't necessarily mean skin-on-skin.