Spiked: Hemalurgy in Mistborn

I'm not gonna say stabbing someone to get what you want is a good idea, but at least in the Cosmere I will admit that it's startlingly effective.
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Stories referenced: Mistborn Era 1 (Final Empire, Well of Ascension, Hero of Ages), Mistborn Era 2 (Alloy of Law, Shadows of Self, Bands of Mourning), Warbreaker, Way of Kings
If you want to see the expanded Hemalurgy chart from the video, it's available here: drive.google.com/file/d/1fefT...
Hemalurgy endpaper, Mistwraith, and Chimera artwork from the incredible Ben McSweeny. His website is here! www.inkthinker.net/
The Hemalurgy, Allomancy, Feruchemy, and Scadrial starchart by Isaac Stewart: www.isaacstewart.com/
The spren watercolor by the Watercolor Naturalist: www.hollydoenchart.com/
The side-by-side inquisitors, red inquisitor, and Human the Koloss are by Jasper Sandner. Check out his Artstation! www.artstation.com/jaspersandner
That dope image of different sized koloss is by Shuravf: / shuravf
The kandra images, army of koloss, the awesome inquisitor sketch, and the inquisitor head in the thumbnail are all by Lydia Futral. More of her art can be seen heres: www.lydiafutral.com , / lydiafutral

[@tonyoliver4920]

In with an opening joke: nailed it!

[@TheCosmerenaut]

On point, as usual.

[@tonyoliver4920]

@@TheCosmerenaut now you get the point

[@giftmkoji1282]

Western Union 😅😅😅- Western Dominance

[@TheCosmerenaut]

I'm pretty proud of that one too!

[@tonyoliver4920]

@@TheCosmerenaut now you need to look the the comments and ‘pin’ the best joke or pun

[@maxfisch1769]

Ok, hear me out: What if you spiked enough people to get spikes for all allomantic/feruchemical powers, gave someone those powers, and then took the powers from them using a lerasium spike. This could be a way to "condense" different spikes together. It is also possible you could make a more potent spike by giving someone many of the same kind, and then spiking them to condense all of those different sections of spiritweb into one spike. This could be a way to get around being controlled by a shard, and also how Paalm managed to create the Chimeras with only one spike (Trellium likely can steal all attributes in the same way lerasium steals all abilities). I have more theories: The "linchpin" spike of the Inquisitors is actually a spike that steals stability (similar to the Kandra blessing), stabilizing their spiritweb (hence why no one had figured out how to control inquisitors despite their number of spikes seeming to make so any Soother or Roiter would be able to). Other theories: When ingested, lerasium grants all allomantic powers. When alloyed with another metal, it grants that specific metal's allomantic power (but you can get more power from it because you are increasing the volume of metal you have when alloying). What would happen if you used an alloyed lerasium spike hemalurgically? I think that it could grant hemalurgic knowledge of that particular metal (though that is a bit of a wild guess). Last theory: What would happen if you took two spikes and alloyed them together? (This cannot happen with the base metals, so it must be with at least one god metal) Would it just be like having both spikes, or would it merge them into something special? I personally think that they would merge, as it has been repeated multiple times as a theme that alloys are more than the sum of their parts, but I do not know how they would merge.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Interesting theories! That first one would be a pretty inefficient way to get all the Metallic Arts, because with each spike you'd lose a little bit of the ability through Hemalurgic Decay. We also haven't really gotten confirmation on how effective stealing an ability previously stolen by a spike would be. That sounds like a solid possibility of what the linchpin spike does. I think it would make most sense if a lerasium alloy stole all possible things of the alloyed metal, making it able to get all four metals from an allomantic or feruchemical quadrant in a single metal. Brandon has actually said that alloying two invested metals together would probably make the investiture inaccessible: wob.coppermind.net/events/331/#e9403

[@maxfisch1769]

@@TheCosmerenaut Cool! Thanks for responding to my comment!

[@TheCosmerenaut]

You're welcome!

[@johnhogue9402]

What if a spike was made out of multiple metals in the same way the bands of mourning were? Would you steal multiple abilities?

[@TheCosmerenaut]

I want to say... Probably?

[@johnlienhart2717]

10:31 Radiants: I'll take your entire stock!

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Seriously. If anyone could benefit from some mental fortitude!

[@laurentbercot3465]

@@TheCosmerenaut Somehow I think Kaladin would object to receiving a Hemalurgic spike. Can't possibly imagine why.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

I think Syl would probably object more.

[@johnlienhart2717]

14:35 Does anyone remember that 17th shard thread about creating a beaver with the abilities of the Lord Ruler?

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Ah, the infamous Hemalurgic Beaver thread. Yeah, that one got weird.

[@duskshard2446]

As someone who joined the fandom in 2019, I have heard it spoken of with mythological reverence

[@lonsunokrogan]

Spoilers... Also the hemalergic thing that interests me the most is the thought that you could take someone's identity. But that is because we have characters like Shallan who have separate identitys could a spike take a single one? Could you use a spike to take Vale and put her into someone else?

[@TheCosmerenaut]

That's super intriguing! They're totally different identities, so it would make sense that you could spike one out!

[@somekidwithaphone3345]

It’s veil lol

[@lonsunokrogan]

@@somekidwithaphone3345 Darn that auto correct... LoL

[@somekidwithaphone3345]

@@lonsunokrogan ikr

[@noderstsut9096]

Thats a very good question dude. I think we need to know if Shallan, Veil and Radiant, share the same spiritual web, or each of theme has a different one, i think know that is a key to answer your question

[@duskshard2446]

Me: if Hoid used a bendslloy spike to steal some feruchemical powers, made a connection/duralumin mind with Design, un-keyed the metallmind and made a sword, would that effectively make it a makeshift honorblade? Employee: sir, this is a Wendy’s Edit: he sort of mentioned it at the end, but I think it’s very plausible that this is something similar to what honor did to make the HBs, but maybe from himself somehow

[@TheCosmerenaut]

I can very easily imagine this interaction and it's incredible.

[@duskshard2446]

@@TheCosmerenaut imagine someone just finds like a sword in the ground, and it’s just Design’s snarky voice. Would we even hear the spren? I guess we just need to read and find out

[@TheRedWizard]

Your videos are by far the best explanations for the magic systems that I've seen. Thanks for taking the time to research and make these. It would be cool to see hemalurgy explored in the future, like with stealing aviar powers or sand mastery. Maybe making almost an ultimate invested being that could wield all manner of powers.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Apparently there may be someone collecting magic systems via Hemalurgy... wob.coppermind.net/events/120/#e1831

[@TheRedWizard]

@@TheCosmerenaut Nice.

[@bwbell100]

DUUUUUUDE!!!!!!! Any ideas who? Kelsier? Chiri chiri?

[@tanyam928]

Hemalugy is a very interesting magic. I am looking forward to the compounding video, I need a refresher on it before the next book Mistborn comes out!

[@TheCosmerenaut]

It will DEFINITELY be out before then!

[@Fetecheney]

You know, I've been on a huge Sanderson binge lately and started listening to a lot of different content creators about the cosmere. You are by far my favorite. Love your personality and your well-researched presentation of information.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Thank you! It means a lot to hear people say that!

[@FallenFromGlory]

agreed

[@frogobot1513]

Those steel inquisitors are the scariest things in the cosmere, other than maybe ruin or odium. I remember reading mistborn and those things are both creepy and powerful.

[@ethanellefson1467]

Yeah, when I read Mistborn, I knew that I had found the ultimate monster type for my D&d campaign. It was glorious.

[@elzed2667]

The whole planet of Threnody is scarier if you ask me.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

The image of someone walking around with literal nails through their eyes definitely sticks with you. The Threnody shades are certainly scary, but less visceral in my opinion.

[@frogobot1513]

I haven't read the shadows for silence yet

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Ooh, it's good!

[@RelicOfTheClassics]

Great video, but im really just leaving a comment to boost your algorithm, more people need to see this

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Doing the Lord Ruler's work!

[@Fetecheney]

Second that. All hail the Lord Ruler

[@katokhaelan4881]

Ain’t that the truth

[@mikahkilgore4972]

Hemalurgy is f*cking terrifying! The fact that it can steel investiture, connection, identity, and someone’s very ability to use investiture is quite concerning. We all know that Brandon will take advantage of this at some point, and I can’t decide if I’m looking forward to reading about it, or if I dread it!

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Both. Definitely both.

[@mikahkilgore4972]

@@TheCosmerenaut you’re not wrong lol

[@dawidwojacki5049]

2:03 Yeah, that makes sense since allomantic symbols look like sickles or unclosed circles, pierced with spikes, with addiction of a dot, what would respectively represent: body, spike and bind point.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

I always figured it was representative of feruchemical bands, hemalurgic spikes, and beads of lerasium, but considering their origin I like your idea!

[@underthethunder]

My personal theory is that all god metals have the same hemalurgic application, they just connect you to different gods Atium connects you to Ruin but in a stronger way than the 16 base metals Lerasium connects you to Preservation (imagine if it was Leras in your head instead of Ati) Trellium connects you to Autonomy And so on

[@TheCosmerenaut]

With what we saw in The Lost Metal, that theory definitely has validity.

[@artem2675]

Oh, yeah! I've been waiting eagerly for this one. Great video! PS: 17th Shard should definitely have you on their podcast, that would be sick!

[@TheCosmerenaut]

I'd love it! I'm probably just not active enough on the forums to merit an invitation.

[@sherylkilby9721]

Yes they should!!!

[@duskshard2446]

@@TheCosmerenaut I think Ian mentioned you once on the podcast so they definitely know about you

[@TheCosmerenaut]

He WHAT?!? Which one?

[@masonmonnie]

@@duskshard2446 You can't leave him hanging! We have to know which podcast!

[@jobobminer8843]

I want to know how Hemalurgy can reattach a cognitive shadow to a new body.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

So say we all.

[@luxintenebris1776]

@@TheCosmerenaut Knowing Kelsier...he cheated somehow

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Almost definitely.

[@camerongrow6426]

I never noticed that thing with the allamantic symbols owing their origin to the hemolurgic symbols, that's so cool!

[@TheCosmerenaut]

That's why they've all got spikes!

[@camerongrow6426]

@@TheCosmerenaut I Know!! I kept thinking they were supposed to resemble their atomic symbol or number somehow

[@TheCosmerenaut]

I doubt there's any relation to the periodic table. The alloys wouldn't be on it anyway.

[@k-majik]

That Inquisitor thumbnail is going to give me nightmares.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

I do what I can!

[@vandreitt]

Thanks! Now I can infodump my friends who don't read (?

[@TheCosmerenaut]

That's EXACTLY why I make these!

[@ivanfiodorov6429]

God, you've just explained hemalurgy in 5 seconds with that stapler... Brilliant! Also thank you for putting an order for all the things i do know about hemalurgy, great video.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Thanks! I honestly make these because it helps me overcome my own confusion. And Hemalurgy held a lot of confusion for me.

[@Elijah_Gillard]

im somehow more confused, but good video

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Effectively, stab someone to steal their stuff. Stab them different to steal more different stuff.

[@Purrplegal98]

Thinking about hemalurgy too much always makes me regret my 5 piercings, although they’re titanium so I should be good? It’s odd that titanium and platinum aren’t used in the magic system, but whatevs. Also it’s odd that nobody reacts to the spikes physically (I can’t wear cheap steel earrings due to a nickle allergy) so the magic inherent in the hemalurgy must prevent tetanus and allergic reactions. They can shift organs so why not Anyway I think stealing identity is the most interesting use of hemalurgy. It’s what made Emperor’s Soul such a compelling story. Although the idea that transferring spikes from person to person to person takes pieces of who are is fascinating and not something I’d considered before. It’s got interesting implications for koloss and koloss blooded people in era 2

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Yeah, I always figured the investiture in the spike naturally prevents reaction or disease.

[@ethanellefson1467]

One more theory about hemalurgy: since hemalurgic chromium may steal destiny, and feruchemic chromium stores fortune, I bet that "destiny" is a cosmereic trait that has to do with fortune somehow. Therefore, if you could spike Hoid with chromium, could you maybe take his place as a world hopping adventurer, and use his fortune related abilities to go where he would go?

[@TheCosmerenaut]

It's *probably* related to Fortune, but if that's the case why didn't they just say Fortune?!?

[@ethanellefson1467]

@@TheCosmerenaut my guess is that they are somewhat related, but that they are still distinct, like with how Connection and Identity are related, and how they can be use together to make some interesting affects.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Yet another thing I'm excited to eventually learn more about.

[@bwbell100]

“This drink is spiked” made me spit out my coffee all over my car. This might be my favorite video yet!!! ^_^ I wanna see a villain who goes around collecting all the powers and Creating sentient cats. Also! If someone were to spike you could they steal all your knowledge of the Cosmere? Or can you not steal memories? What about memories stored in breaths? O_o See!!? What a cool rabbit hole. Thanks man!

[@TheCosmerenaut]

According to Brandon, there may actually BE someone who is collecting powers via Hemalurgy. wob.coppermind.net/events/120/#e1831 And not that I encourage it, but you could totally spike out someone's knowledge or memories. That's what copper's for!

[@mihirx27]

Damn you Timezones, why's the premiere so late in the night? Rest in Piece Sleep Schedule I guess 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@joshphillips5238]

Oh I’m leaving a zoom call halfway through for a “break” to watch this video

[@TheCosmerenaut]

I appreciate y'all's dedication, but the video will still be up after the premiere I promise!

[@mihirx27]

@@TheCosmerenaut I know that lol, but a Premiere means you get to interact with a live chat. Also, I just wanna learn more about getting spiked in Scadrial, and I don't just mean Hemalurgically ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[@joshphillips5238]

@@TheCosmerenaut oh definitely! I just love your videos a lot!!! I need to get the first watching before I can do my 4 mandatory rewatches

[@TheCosmerenaut]

You guys are the best!

[@jonathanstott3957]

if one can steal identity could one move their Consciousness into a cat or other living thing by simply spiking them

[@laurentbercot3465]

You will likely die if you get your Identity spiked out. But then your friendly Hemalurgist will be able to have a cat who thinks just like you!

[@TheCosmerenaut]

You'd have the argument of whether or not it's actually you, just like if you were able to upload your brain into a computer.

[@jonathanstott3957]

@@TheCosmerenaut true but the difference is negligible, either way it's the same outcome, or at least indistinguishable

[@laurentbercot3465]

@@jonathanstott3957 From the outside, it's indistinguishable. If it happens to you, I'm sure you'll notice a difference, even if you-after-the-transfer will swear up and down that there is none.

[@camerongrow6426]

The idea that Aluminum spikes remove a blockage from the donor is pretty fascinating. Does that mean there might be non-lethal ways to grant artificial investiture abilities?

[@TheCosmerenaut]

We've got the Era 2 Medallions and Ettmetal Primer Cubes, as well as fabrials on Roshar, but we'll see what else happens!

[@quantumshenanigans]

Wait, we've seen hemalurgy on Roshar? I'm probably missing something obvious - I assume this is something besides when Nale stapled SzethSoul back to himself? P.S. fully retweet that Shardcast should have you on

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Nope, not missing anything obvious. Brandon has said that hemalurgy has appeared on screen in the Stormlight Archive, but in a subtle way. We're still not sure exactly where.

[@lonsunokrogan]

Imagining that paper man is Moash. Staple "so satisfying" staple staple staple...

[@TheCosmerenaut]

I mean, he's not really using his eyes anymore...

[@laurentbercot3465]

@@TheCosmerenaut Spiking Odium's boon out of Moash to get insensitivity to pain without being controlled by Odium. Hey, we found an actual use for Moash!

[@lonsunokrogan]

@@laurentbercot3465 or Moash could spike Kals bond with Syl... (Dun dun duuuuun)

[@Hadrian1616]

Someone needs to staple some extra human onto Moash.

[@Supaawesomeification]

ITS HERE! And that opening was great

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Thank you!

[@The_Natalist]

Im imagining aluminum spike bullets as the ultimate Hazekiller round rn

[@TheCosmerenaut]

That would definitely do it!

[@maayanlaufer821]

This is like my number 1 cosmere channel

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Mine too!

[@tonyoliver4920]

What’s a supreme inquisitors favourite food? Donor kebab

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Oh man, now I want a döner.

[@tonyoliver4920]

Favourite fish?

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Pike?

[@karlwilker579]

What's an Inquisitor's favorite film maker? Spike Lee.

[@vision7media36]

If an Inquisitor had a dog, what would its name be?

[@Conduit23]

As a fellow Cosmere fanatic with a new child, bless your heart for these!

[@TheCosmerenaut]

It takes a lot, but it's fun!

[@mahmodwattar8169]

it's on days like this i see just how good Sanderson it at this

[@TheCosmerenaut]

There's always another secret.

[@TulipQ]

The most interesting thing Hemalurgy does in my mind is enabled when combined with the Medallions, specifically those made of Gold and charged with Ferruchemic healing. This potential to mass produce spikes would enable more people to participate in the process of finding ways to make Invested Arts helpful, rather than having the intense hierarchies we see around the Cosmere so far.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

I think it'd be really difficult to mass produce spikes even with gold medallions. While we know that feruchemical gold is able to heal spiritual damage, I don't think the amount of healing stored in a medallion would be enough to replace what would be lost to a spike, or at least not repeatedly.

[@tonyoliver4920]

I was under the impression that a spike always killed the donor. I could be wrong, especially considering it turns all metal spikes into a shard blade when mixed with intent. Would also have made the lord ruler ease to kill.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

We've got conflicting info on if death is for sure or not. Brandon or Harmony, who do you want to believe?

[@ElimenoPee]

"We've apparently seen Hemalurgy on Roshar already." Way to make me go back and read the entire series yet again with part of one sentence.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

*I have the POWER!*

[@ethanellefson1467]

@@TheCosmerenaut don't worry, I'll just spike it off you ;)

[@franciscoruiz8928]

Hemalurgy is my favorite of the three metalic arts, and even from The Cosmere in general (I don't know what it said about me jaja), so I really apreciate this video, thanks. Also, your Alumin theory blow op my head. Sorry if there are any mistakes, english is'nt my first lenguage.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

You're english is great! I'm glad you enjoyed the video!

[@neodigremo]

I now have in my head a sort of arms race where an Aluminium Gnat stores all of their identity, and then a Hemalurgist tries to spike that identity out of them. No idea if it would work that way but still makes one thinks. Also I believe it is Canon that while ascended Rashek had an instinctive understanding of basic Hemalurgy despite it being the metallic art most opposed to Preservations nature. It makes me wonder if that is why he only figured out a couple of ways to use it himself? Which suggests Harmony knows a lot more tricks already and adds to the explanation of why other shards would be scared of him. MY other genuine theory is that in some way Nightblood is in fact a Hemalurgical construct. It is always devouring energy and seems so much more alive than other awakened constructs. But I can easily see the combining of Breath and Hemalurgy to create a type 4 awakened entity being possible.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Aluminum gnat vs duralumin spike would be an interesting matchup. Rashek had a comparatively miniscule time with the power, so while he learned a lot about Hemalurgy he only was able to implement the little bit we saw. I guess you could consider Nightblood as a hemalurgic construct, but only insomuch as it's an invested piece of metal. He's not charged with a specific attribute and he doesn't experience hemalurgic decay.

[@neodigremo]

@@TheCosmerenaut My thought is that the combination of both Breath and Hemalurgic charge interact to prevent the decay as such. We do know that investiture is somewhat transferable like how stormlight can sub for breaths for Awakened. And 1000 breaths is a lot of investiture

[@TheCosmerenaut]

While it's true that hemalurgy can be used anywhere, Brandon has said it wouldn't be discovered by accident on another Shardworld. The Five Scholars did go worldhopping, but it would have been incredibly difficult to observe and learn about Hemalurgy in the middle of the Lord Ruler's reign. I like your thoughts, but I don't think it would be possible.

[@neodigremo]

@@TheCosmerenaut You are probably right there. Maybe something for the future then.

[@TimRG]

Damn. That was in-depth. Awesome. Keep it up. Can't wait for the next video.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Should be here soon-ish! Ish.

[@cfoscoop]

I’m working on a homebrew D&D campaign where the big bad uses Hemalurgy to steal magic, thanks for the breakdown!

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Happy to help! Good luck!

[@PommyDragon2525]

I always like how Preservation requires you to burn something up, and Ruin give the people a way to keep powers around. Feels like they were trying to mimic their other half with each of their magic systems.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

The comparison is fun, but also incredibly confusing to some people.

[@The_Natalist]

Speaking each magic system is a response to the other, it kinda makes sense, like theyre trying to make up for their weaknesses

[@IamMullet]

I would be disraught if I still knew how to tap but couldnt...tap that knowledge Nevermind the rusting spike of metal that is now stuffed in me.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

It's fine. Once you go crazy, you forget all about it!

[@deevee5327]

3:32 - I'm prety sure you literally became Ruin for a second there, hahah!

[@TheCosmerenaut]

I am become death, destroyer of cardboard.

[@starkazing7817]

Great video! That was a super in-depth summary and I definitely learned something new here. You always explain cosmere-related stuff so well.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Thank you! I do try.

[@ethanellefson1467]

YES! I've been waiting for this video for awhile! Thank you for making it.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

You're welcome Ethan! Thanks for your patience!

[@TheMojoTribe]

Once again amazing video! Always waiting for the next one!

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Thank you! I'll get back to working on it!

[@SaintJimmy36]

Excellent work as always! Love your visualizations and comparisons! The ability to steal the use of invested arts and identity has some fascinating implications! I agree the this will be very important going forward in the Cosmere.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Thank you! Yeah, seeing spiritual hemalurgy on screen is going to be crazy.

[@tonyoliver4920]

You would think supreme inquisitors don’t have a lot of sex. Apparently they get nailed all the time!

[@TheCosmerenaut]

It's because all their drinks are spiked!

[@tonyoliver4920]

@@TheCosmerenaut that’s you they get so hammered at the pub 🧐

[@SugarTheBee]

If it's possible to yank someone's determination out of them and staple it to someone else, I could EASILY write a Cosmere/UnderTale crossover.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

If it can be stored, it can be stolen, right?

[@04tmoodyscratch24]

Great video! This really helped me wrap my mind around one of the most confusing cosmere elements!

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Thanks! I'm glad it helped!

[@JZETH_]

Holy heck. I thought I had a good grasp of how this worked until you explained it. Well done. Now it makes even more sense than before. Perfect.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Yay! I'm glad it helped!

[@alanberry4373]

omg I decided to check out another vid and I am rewarded with this greatness. So good! Keep it coming man

[@TheCosmerenaut]

I strive for consistency!

[@PommyDragon2525]

That paper cutout was so spiked it was under Harmony’s control by 3:31

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Any halfway decent soother could have done it by then!

[@carlsmith4568]

You are fantastic at these informational types of videos. I feel like you would be a great teacher.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Thanks Carl!

[@thefastmagician]

Finally! Thank you Steve. Great stuff.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Took me a minute, but we got there in the end.

[@rinthewolf]

Hoodoo BOY! Have I been waiting for this one. Hemalurgy is my favorite metallic art to theorize about. You actually touched on something I was wondering about a bit. Namely, could a spike be used to steal talents such as drawing, singing, or marksmanship? Imagine if, in the second Era of mistborn, there was a guy who went around stealing people's marksmanship skill. Like maybe he has a single spike that he has gotten really good at using repeatedly. He takes it out, spikes his target, then drives it right back into himself. If a woman, this could possibly be done through seducing them until she can go in for a hug and spiking them in the back. If done quickly enough, it might result in a net-gain of ability. And if that person happens to be a ferochemist who can use tin for sight, they could conceivably become able to hit a target from hundreds or even thousands of yards. And they would have a perfect alibi because "nobody can kill a man half a mile away with just a handgun".

[@TheCosmerenaut]

If it's possible to spike a cat to make it smarter, I'm SURE it would be possible to steal conventional talents. As for what metal to use or where to place it, that I have no idea.

[@The_Natalist]

Tineye snipers equipped with hemalergic spikes is terrifying. You could hit enemy magic users with aluminum, removing there abilitys from them (the ulimate haze killer round), or worse, hit them with duralumin and implant them with someone elses identity. Aluminum as a metal isnt a bad choice at range either, its light and soft, a bad sniper round for sure, but unlikely to just fly right through them. I guess you could with other metals, makes me wonder what shape the spike has to be in on impact, would a hollow point still count?

[@lionheartstanza]

This was such a great watch. You're like an excellent professor.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Wow, thank you!

[@darenihill]

Well summarized and great theories!

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Thanks Daren!

[@hisho2255]

Excellent video as always.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Thanks!

[@hausofbounous2499]

LOVE. And thanks for the call out! 😂😂😂💀

[@TheCosmerenaut]

THANK YOU!!!

[@quietcairn2351]

Awesome work!

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Thanks!

[@quietcairn2351]

@@TheCosmerenaut No, thank you!

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Well, you're welcome!

[@pacomartinez9336]

Un vídeo increíble. Espero con ganas el siguiente!!!!

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Muchas gracias!

[@Hadrian1616]

I hadn't even considered what would happen if a Mistwraith ate a Koloss. Interesting. Have you thought of everything Steve?

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Everything? Not quite. Many things? Yeah, maybe. Most of this just comes through research.

[@dennycote6339]

The best explanation ever!!!

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Thanks!

[@SkyDiving_StormTrooper]

Speaking of aluminum could it be wrapped around a sphere to stop or slow Stormlight leakage? Could Kelsier jump into an aluminum box and be carried away from Scandrial? Would that "hide" him from the anchor effect? If it did work and he climbed out of the box in say Roshar Shadesmar, would he snap back to Scadrial instantly? Or would he Connect to Roshar? If a spirit of a just deceased person that appears in the Cognitive Realm were placed in such a box, would they be stopped from being pulled to the Beyond? Damn the implications are deep.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Yeah, there are huge implications of what aluminum can do. And I really like the questions you posed.

[@lukealcala8538]

Steve! I love your videos man, great job! Always fun and engaging, and Wit-ty :) This one was really helpful in regards to Mistborn lore. I was wondering if you could make a video explaining all of the cross-investiture uses among the Cosmere? For example, where in the Stormlight Archives did we see Hemalurgy, and on other planets, where did we see uses of non-native investiture? Thanks for your hard work and research! P.S. A video on Nightblood would be awesome ;)

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Thanks! I'm planning a worldhopper video that will go deep into all of that!

[@jkessler96]

Great video, love the breakdown, but the headroom is throwing me off, I keep wanting to scroll up to center the shot. Oh well.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Yeah, I usually have someone else check to make sure I'm framed correctly before I record, but I snuck the filming of this in between baby naps so I was a bit in a hurry. Once I started editing I figured it was close enough, and I didn't want to reshoot the whole thing.

[@marklane6965]

My god, fair play to ya. You put some effort into making this video. Keep up the good work ❤️

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Thank you!

[@speetnut]

I believe it's sapience, not sentience. A small, but very important distinction.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Indeed. I always mix those up.

[@physe8052]

Great content as always! To the point, but sprinkled through with comedy!

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Thank you!

[@potionseller2083]

Got i love this channel. Never stop

[@TheCosmerenaut]

To the moon! 🚀

[@Niveden1]

Interesting... Hemalurgy was always the magic system I had the most trouble grasping, so this video helped a lot. It certainly has a lot of interesting implications that I can't wait to see expanded upon in future Mistborn books. I'd also forgotten all about the Hemalurgic chimeras, but according to the wiki they only appeared briefly in one of the books. They certainly show the scary untapped potential of Hemalurgy.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Yeah, Chimeras are seen so little we don't technically have an official name for them. Chimera was just decided on by the fandom.

[@ethanburkhart3751]

When you're only Scadriel (pardon if it's spelled wrong) into the Cosmere making several things blow your mind or confuse you

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Everything's connected!

[@ethanburkhart3751]

@@TheCosmerenaut So I've read both mistborn eras, as well as secret history following Kelsier, where should I go next? I have a copy of Elantris and Way of Kings. Also where do you find all these art works and charts?

[@TheCosmerenaut]

If you already have Elantris but haven't read it, that should definitely be your next step. I'm working on a reading order video right now, in which I will recline further for you.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Oh, and the Hemalurgy chart was released in the leatherbound of Hero of Ages. Most of the art I use is fan art by the various artists I list in the description. Some is official art, specifically for this, that I pulled from the Mistborn Adventure Game manuals.

[@sebastiancoe4708]

I think it would be cool for an Awakener to use an altered cloak like wings, while storing physical weight in an ironmind to actually be able to get off the ground

[@TheCosmerenaut]

I'm really excited to see powers used in conjunction like that!

[@michaelanthonyryan9392]

Great video

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Thank you!

[@ethanellefson1467]

3:35 Ruin: Ahhhoooo. . . So satisfying.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

I sorta get where he's coming from now.

[@ethanellefson1467]

One application of hemalurgy that I was wondering about: if you can steal innate attributes from people, such as strength or intelligence, would you get more of a hemalurgic charge in your spikes if you stole the attributes from someone who was buff and muscular or highly intelligent? For instance, if you were to spike Jasnah for her intelligence, would you get more of an attribute from her than some random person off the street?

[@TheCosmerenaut]

As long as it's in their spiritweb, I think it's fair game! We know you'd get less from a Drab and more from an Elantrian, so it would make sense that individual variation of basic attributes would impact the strength of the hemalurgic charge.

[@steel_inquisitor6652]

I want a cat that has human intelligence... I wouldn't want to spike it though

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Says the guy whose picture is literally a steel inquisitor.

[@williamferreter9327]

The team allergy table they also be from before the Lord roller's time.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Unlikely, because they didn't have the technology necessary to be able to purify many of the metals listed. It was at least Brandon's intent for it to be from Era 2, though Isaac may have adjusted that. wob.coppermind.net/events/331/#e9430

[@Dawker]

13:32 Maybe Hoid could use that to remove his inability to harm people I havent read SA 2-4 so idk if that use had been explored

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Interesting... I'm not sure how Hoid's spiritweb would take to a spike. Definitely worth considering!

[@macpalin4099]

DESTINY is by far the most interesting.... What the hell would that look like. I hope that happens at some point in the cosmere

[@lonsunokrogan]

It's really interesting to think you could steal someone's destiny and use it yourself or give it to another. But does that mean the person who lost their destiny could make a new destiny or are they more stagnant in what they accomplish?

[@TheCosmerenaut]

I'm sure we'll see it sometime, or what why would Brandon include it? The person who lost their destiny would probably be dead...

[@lonsunokrogan]

@@TheCosmerenaut you are absolutely correct about them being dead. I was just having a brain fart thinking that it was more like the medallions and not the spikes.

[@macpalin4099]

@@TheCosmerenaut I struggle with this question because we have seen MULTIPLE people glimpse destinies and possible destinies... Lightsong using breaths seem to see what he was meant to do and what he was reborn to accomplish. But this offers a bunch of questions... If I hemalergically spiked Lightsong and stole his destiny... What really would I gain? Maybe it would affect my luck slightly? Maybe I would be more likely to accomplish something someone else was likely to do. But for instance, what if I stole Lightsongs destiny but didn't also hemalergically steal his breath (or already have one)? Would that destiny be void? To what extent does destiny play in the cosmere as a spiritual force...? I am very excited to see what Brandon does with this.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Another weird thing is the choice of saying destiny, rather than Fortune. Because we have at least somewhat of an inkling as to what that means. Destiny is really amorphous.

[@johanliebert8544]

1. What would be the possible effects if a mistborn Burns a hemalurgic spike? 2. When creating a hemalurgic spike, should the process itself kill the victim? What I mean to say is, a spike in the leg may not kill a person, but hemalurgic points does exist there. So how exactly should the victim die? 3. Further, we have seen cases where some hemalurgic spikes were created "accidentally" (Spook getting his pewter allomancy). So is it possible to accidentally create hemalurgic spike? Or is there a specific process to create one other than sticking a metal spike in a person? 4. Totally unrelated to hemalurgy, what would happen to Spren of an object when that object is broken? For ex, when a stick is broken and " becomes" two sticks.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Nice questions! 1. Brandon's said burning a spike would splice your spiritual DNA with the spiritual DNA contained in the spike, so weird things could occur. 2. We have conflicting info on whether or not hemalurgy always results in death. Harmony says yes, but Brandon says no. 3. It is impossible to accidentally spike a person. Intent is required, and without it it's just a stab wound. In the case with Spook, Ruin itself was providing the intent. 4. The Stormfather actually talks about this in Oathbringer. When am object breaks - "dies" - in the physical realm, it's cognitive representation still exists as whole for as long as it is remembered as whole. Once that object is only thought of as its pieces, he imagines it dissolving. In world, it would probably be argued that the spren of the object is also broken up into smaller spren for each piece.

[@danielmarhuenda]

You got a new subscriber

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Thanks!

[@Hadrian1616]

A video so nice I've seen it thrice.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Nice nice nice!

[@solahifuefos9301]

this was in reccomended, i have no clue what almost any of these words mean at all or what series? this is about but im interested now

[@TheCosmerenaut]

This is an exploration of part of the magic system from the Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson. They're great! You should totally read them!

[@joshcash5768]

Man I love your videos. I've been through the books so many times but you still tell me so much taht i hadn't though of or noticed. Where do you get all your cool memorabilia?

[@joshcash5768]

Oh and the new setup is dope!

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Most of the art I've gotten as gifts, same with the Whitespine sculpture and the blocks on my desk. It's nice having an artist friend who is equally as enthusiastic about Sanderson as I am!

[@joshcash5768]

@@TheCosmerenaut well that setup is goals!

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Thanks!

[@makanievans4983]

The best magic system

[@laurentbercot3465]

This message right here, Detective.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Stabby stabby.

[@SkyShaman57]

This is incredible! Thank you for the insight. I'm setting up a Mistborn campaign finally! (I didn't want to start until I got through Hero of Ages) This video really helps develop storylines that I have been thinking about. I wanted to make a character who was a blind lurcher, who was tortured as a child by his master Nobleman who oversaw farmlands. The child caught the sadistic Nobleman in the act of overtaking his mother and as punishment blinded by two needles that were also used to kill his mother. Which granted him the access to not only see people as metal lines, but also heightened senses working in tandem. Kinda like a Misting Dare-Devil character. This character also suffers from severe nightmares of a dark, gravelly voice chanting to him to 'kill'. What do you think? Any wholes in the operation of spikes? Have you thought of running your own Mistborn campaign with your followers?

[@TheCosmerenaut]

That sounds really cool! I like the image of a lurcher who can basically web-swing on iron lines. I assume he'd still have needles in his eyes then? Which would have to be tin, in order to steal senses. I'm not sure if that would necessarily work canonically - the needles might be too small to grant allomantic sight - but it could totally work in the RPG! I just recently got copies of all of the expansion rulebooks, so I'll be starting up a campaign soon!

[@SkyShaman57]

Thank you for replying! It's fun to nerd out with not only a small friend group who love Sanderson, but also a content creator like yourself. Your enthusiasm and indepth explanations are very enjoyable 😁

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Thank you! Good luck with your campaign!

[@truefanforum3273]

A guy walks up to an Inquisitor and say, "Excuse me, but there's something in your eye." The Inquisitor beats the guy to death. The guy should have known Inquisitors only like knock knock jokes.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Well when you see with nails, every problem looks like a hammer.

[@truefanforum3273]

@@TheCosmerenaut Talk about a pounding headache!

[@merai4024]

I need an intelligence spike to process all this information... how do you do it?? also thank you again, every video in your channel was a pleasure to watch, and i would definitely recommend them to anyone who wants to know more about the cosmere.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Thank you! I really appreciate people sharing my videos!

[@crazy137788]

I have watched this video soooooo may fucking times and it still hurts my head

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Not as bad as a steel spike though, right?

[@brunogeise5398]

Awesome video!!! Why weren't the Inquisitors super fast all the time while fighting using compounding?

[@TheCosmerenaut]

It's my understanding that not all inquisitors had feruchemical abilities, and even those that did were intentionally kept in the dark about compounding even being a possibility. The Lord Ruler kept a very tight leash on his servants.

[@noelhann5262]

Spoilers for stormlight archive My guess for where we saw it on roshar is the knife used to kill Jezrien, where you stab him with a knife and his investiture goes into the gem, and then dissipates. It seems very much like hemalurgy, where a metal spike is used to extract investiture, and then it dissipates. The gem may have been used to speed up the dissipation process, though I’m not sure why it wasn’t just used to give some ability to a singer or Moash. Or maybe it was used exactly like that and that’s why Moash’s emotions seem suppressed by Odium.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Vyre's knife in Stormlight is just a stabby stabby with a god-metal core; no intent was there for it to be a spike. But you're right, the effect was pretty similar.

[@androtaz2621]

its even more disturbing when you hear about it

[@TheCosmerenaut]

The fact that being in contact with flowing blood is required is just icky.

[@ethanellefson1467]

Do you think that hemalurgy could permanently kill a fused? For example, if you stole their power to use investiture, they would need tons of power to regain it, but the fused are worse at healing than the radiants. Maybe stealing their connection to Odium would prove more effective? Or since that's more an attribute and less a power, it would be easier to heal? What are your thoughts on this?

[@TheCosmerenaut]

I don't think you could straight up kill a Fused with hemalurgy, but you'd probably mess them up quite a bit.

[@TheLeopardBrightsky]

I always want to spell it hemallurgy. Oh well. Great vid!!!!

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Thanks! I always have trouble with the pronunciations, so I feel your pain.

[@TheLeopardBrightsky]

@@TheCosmerenaut i listen to the audiobooks, so no problems for pronunciations! Personally I think the Sanderson missed a great opportunity to spell feruchemy as ferrochemy (iron-chemistry), since that's how it sounds anyways!

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Actually, ferrochemy was what he was originally leaning towards! wob.coppermind.net/events/291/#e7815

[@definitelynotobama6851]

Interested to hear what Zellion could do with his torment if he had an aluminum spike

[@TheCosmerenaut]

I'd definitely like to see how a Dawnshard would interact with that.

[@Adam-sh8vf]

I wonder if an alluminum spike can "seal" the spiritweb from outside control, like how an alluminum lined hat can protect you from emotional allomancy.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

Sounds plausible. It just blocks any investiture other than the soul?

[@Adam-sh8vf]

@@TheCosmerenaut Somthing like that, I was thinking that if an inquisitor had an alluminum spike, theycould not be controlled be ruin or harmony, perhaps in a like manner, an alluminum spike could stop a singer from hearing the rhythms.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

An aluminum spike probably would cut a singer off from the rhythms, but it would probably have a weird effect on an Inquisitor.

[@johnhogue9402]

Someone has probably mentioned this already, but chakras have nothing to do with acupuncture. The concept of the chakra comes from India, and acupuncture from China.

[@TheCosmerenaut]

It's true that they originated in different regions, but the underlying principle - interacting with and modifying the body's natural energy - I would argue is the same. In fact, the major chakras are actually in the same location as some of the main acupuncture points.