Alloy of Law Reactions *spoilers*

[happyman he/him]

As how common Mistborn are, I think there are a few things that happened:

(1) Many of the barriers to intermarriage were removed after the rebirth of the world. This would have accelerated the dilution that was already canon by the end of HoA.

(2) People now know that they can get Allomancy without being nobility. It is unclear how it happens, but it is public knowledge, and apparently the common folk snap into Mistings regularly. This would make Allomancers, specifically Mistings, much more common, thereby making Mistborn seem even more mystical, even if it is just the ratio that has shifted. (Remember, by most standards they were pretty rare even in the original trilogy.)

(3) There was probably a certain amount of culling over the first trilogy. Ruin certainly culled the world of all the Allomancers he could find, especially Mistborn, in order to fuel his Inquisitors. Also, with all the fighting and whatnot that happened, especially in the areas that managed to survive at all, Mistings of all stripes, and Mistborn especially, would have been on the front lines in many cases. This would have served to further dilute the infusion of Allomancy from Lerasium.

[Observer]

Best parts:

It's said so often, but it's so true. High Imperial was by far the best of all moments. The idea of Spook's dialect being our equivilent of Latin is ROLF material. (I wonder how he managed to pull that off anyways...)

Wax's bad knife throwing made me chuckle.

Wayne's talisman against logic had me cracking up

And the Harmony, Marsh, Breeze, and Kelsier references made me absurdly happy. Marsh and Harmony are win.

I spent forever contemplating how to kill Miles. I honestly assumed he had some more explosives on him when they started tying him up. On a side note, he probably did what I would: Slice off each limb and hide a goldmind inside before regrowing it.

For those who didn't like Alloy, please remember that it was more of a filler than anything. On top of that, we got the wonderful world of Twinborns to screw around with until th enext book arrives.

As for there being no Mistborn, it's inbook, and therefore untrustworthy. They'd be so rare it'd be hard to find one, and I seriously doubt that any family would let out a secret like a Mistborn. I'm all for them existing, albeit much more rarely.

[Arcanist Lupus he/him]

With regards to their being no Mistborn, it's possible that Sazed tweaked the rules of Allomancy a bit to make full Mistborns less frequent than before (which was already really rare). We know that he has some control over how Allomancy works - Preservation switched Atium and Larasium for Cadmium and Bendalloy, and Sazed switched them back. Also, I'm pretty sure that Brandon said that Sazed changed Snapping so that it no longer required strong emotions. And I definitely got the impression that Ferrings didn't exist during the Final Empire, if only because they're never mentioned. So it seems possible that Sazed decided that there wouldn't be full Mistborn anymore.

[happyman he/him]

With regards to their being no Mistborn, it's possible that Sazed tweaked the rules of Allomancy a bit to make full Mistborns less frequent than before (which was already really rare). We know that he has some control over how Allomancy works - Preservation switched Atium and Larasium for Cadmium and Bendalloy, and Sazed switched them back. Also, I'm pretty sure that Brandon said that Sazed changed Snapping so that it no longer required strong emotions. And I definitely got the impression that Ferrings didn't exist during the Final Empire, if only because they're never mentioned. So it seems possible that Sazed decided that there wouldn't be full Mistborn anymore.

Possible, but I'm guessing that the "natural" causes are as good an explanation as any and seem to fit better with Sazed's hands-off approach. The direct Lerasium infusion that made Mistborn remotely likely (even as rare as they already were) has been diluted to the point that most people are pre-ascension style Allomancers (e.g. weak mistings). The Terris legacy which made full Feruchemy the norm has also been weakened by strictly "natural" causes, with TLR's culling and then Ruin's creation of fully powered Inquisitors removing the strongest manifestations.

Combine this with the mixing of the Terris genes with the broader, Allomantically enabled population, and statistically, having Ferrings and Mistings is much more common than having all of either power.

They are probably wrong about this being a natural law. I suspect that Ferrings existed prior to the Ascension, but were underpowered compared to their peers and generally not important. I'm also quite certain that Mistborn can still come into existence; they are just very difficult to come by "naturally." It's probably a social understanding rather than a law of nature.

[Windrunner he/him]

I totally agree with Happyman, I don't think Sazed's changed Allomancy so there can't be Mistborn. Also Ferrings did exist in the past.

CHAOS

Since the dawn of Scadrial, why was Feruchemy isolated in a single distinct population in the world, namely the Terrismen? Allomancy, while rare within the population of Scadrial, at least was not isolated to one population, it was spread evenly, it seems. What is special about the Terrismen that only they get the power of Feruchemy? Does it have something to do with the previous Ascensions before Rashek, with the guardian keeping the power for a time?

BRANDON SANDERSON

It's all in the spiritual DNA, which is passed on like normal DNA. However, they are a separate people. They've kept themselves isolated, similar to the jews in our world. When I asked he said there have been some Feruchemical-mistings in the past, but they are very rare.

Source

It's also not 100% due to diffusion of power that Feruchemy has split. Brandon once mentioned that in addition to the lines of Feruchemists becoming more diluted, now that Feruchemists are marrying outside of their own race, their Feruchemical sDNA is interacting with the Allomancy sDNA which has resulted in this fracturing.

WETLANDERNW

Why do the Twinborn in Alloy of Law have only one feruchemical power, when all previous feruchemists, in spite of breeding programs, could use all the metals? (from travyl) Or were Ferrings always part of the system and we just didn't meet them in Mistborn? (my addition)

BRANDON SANDERSON

The Ferrings are a new development since Mistborn, as the Feruchemists have been interbreeding with the Allomancers. Basically, the Allomancy genes interfere with the Feruchemistry genes, breaking it down and creating the limitations we see in Alloy of Law. (His response to this was really fun—he found it a very perceptive question, and enjoyed talking about it. I wish I'd had my recorder handy so I could give you the full transcript instead of the boiled-down version.)

Source

While this may seem to counter the quote that there have been Ferrings in the past, I think he just means a new development in general, as Ferrings obviously weren't a big part of Scadrial before the Final Ascension. But anyway, no hint of Sazed messing with full Feruchemists, so I doubt he messed with Mistborn either. Brandon's explanation is suitable enough, for me at least.

[Observer]

Isn't there a quote on how there's still a piece of Lerasium floating around somewhere? Because that's the only was I see allomancy lasting long enough to be noticeable in the future.

[happyman he/him]

Isn't there a quote on how there's still a piece of Lerasium floating around somewhere? Because that's the only was I see allomancy lasting long enough to be noticeable in the future.

This would be more true if Hero of Ages hadn't made it abundantly clear that the potential for Allomancy existed in the base population pre-ascension, even if at a lower level. Scadrial didn't need the infusion of Lerasium to get relatively weak Mistings of all sorts; it just needed the hint of preservations own soul in all humans, which is almost certainly as strong as ever post-HoA.

[Windrunner he/him]

Isn't there a quote on how there's still a piece of Lerasium floating around somewhere? Because that's the only was I see allomancy lasting long enough to be noticeable in the future.

There is one more bead, according to Peter.

And at least one more.

Source

(I realize I just posted this same link for you in another topic, but I figure this will be good for anyone else who's curious and wasn't following our discussion there.)

[Observer]

This would be more true if Hero of Ages hadn't made it abundantly clear that the potential for Allomancy existed in the base population pre-ascension, even if at a lower level. Scadrial didn't need the infusion of Lerasium to get relatively weak Mistings of all sorts; it just needed the hint of preservations own soul in all humans, which is almost certainly as strong as ever post-HoA.

I think you didn't get what I was saying. Rephrase:

At this rate, Allomancy will fade from the populace to the point that its rediculously weak and barely useful at all. Hence the need for Lerasium to boost it back up.

[happyman he/him]

I think you didn't get what I was saying. Rephrase:

At this rate, Allomancy will fade from the populace to the point that its rediculously weak and barely useful at all. Hence the need for Lerasium to boost it back up.

No, I understood. I just suspect that the "base" no-Lerasium power level is high enough that it will always remain useful. Allomancy at the pre-ascension misting level is a completely natural part of Scandrial as it exists in Alloy of Law. Lerasium puts it, as it were, on steroids, but there is a level it never falls beneath no matter how long you wait. I simply feel that this level is still a useful one.

[Observer]

I always assumed there was no level at whcih it bottomed out. That it just continued to fade until it died out. I guess this works better though, all things considered.

[Tachyon14K]

Recently becoming a huge fan of Brandon Sanderson (little over a week ago?) I have read the Trilogy and just finished Alloy of Law and sooo I have stumbled upon this vast website of information.

I read the first couple pages of this thread so I don't know what was all discussed and would be gretful if someone responded to my post:P Anywho... my opinions

I thought The Alloy of Law was amazing!

The fight scenes I thought were awesome (specially the train scene) and didn't seem to require much imagination as those from the first 3 books.

I love Wax's dilemma, so much like his ancestor Breeze's... She's to young! hahah

High Imperial was hilarious, but I wouldn't have thought Spook (Lord Mistborn right?) would use it much, but then maybe Beldre encouraged him sorta like in Hero of Ages.

So I wonder if any metal that pierces works for communication with Harmony (Sazed of course?)and so every Pathian can communicate or the faceless immortals (Kandra?) give specific earring that have hermalurgic power to certain important people like Wax.

Which makes me wonder... if hermalurgy require metal to pierce through the heart to steal their power what would happen if it pierces through Miles while he was regenerating (would it take any power from him?)

Aluminium hats gave me a giggle

Would there be vast underground caverns underneath Elendel?

I have this vibe that Ranette is a lesbian

So it seems there are no fossil fuels on Scadrial so I suppose the world is going to be very electricity driven and perhaps very green. Something I'm sure Harmony would want.

I wonder if time is even relevant to Harmony since he apparently knows of electricity and planes, but then again the Lord Ruler essentially forced The Final Empire back into the Dark Ages from whatever technology they had (Gunpowder and??)

Apparently Hermalurgy is driven to the dark again?

I also loved all the Great house names. I wonder is Cett and Ladrian are closely knit.

Man my thoughts are so jumbled together...Wish I found this site sooner. D:

Edit in some more thoughts:

Pulser have an amazing ability! Every medical unit needs one great for a spy to infiltrate enemies and set up a bubble for an ambush. Like AHHH the possibilies for this ability are endless and most of all extremely helpful

Edited October 23, 2012 by Tachyon14K

[Windrunner he/him]

The caverns under Elendel have supposedly been turned into a museum for "The World of Ash". Ranette is almost certainly a lesbian. Where did you get the indication that Scadrial doesn't have fossil fuels?

[Tachyon14K]

Something they said about the cars made be think they were using bio-diesel although that is what our own first engines for cars were based off of. I am no expert of fossil fuels though, but wouldn't they need dinosaurs for that?

Either way I would imagine Harmony definitely wanting a future world that would lead more towards preservation of the planet so if there are fossil fuels I'd doubt they'd be used as much

[Windrunner he/him]

Well Harmony isn't inherently predisposed towards Preservation. I think Sazed says it best, "Harmony, creating a way for as many as possible to make their own choices". So Sazed may not like fossil fuels, and he may try to nudge the world a bit. When it comes down to it, as Shardholders are increasingly driven to follow the intent of their Shard(s), he's being increasingly driven to let the world get by on its own.

[Tachyon14K]

That's why I said wanting

Thanks for answering my question about the caverns by the way.

[Ironeyes he/him]

When Marasi and Wayne were talking about their powers cancelling each other out, I though of this cool idea.

A cadmium bubble is bigger than a bendalloy bubble, so if you made a bendalloy bubble inside a cadmium bubble, wouldn't you get a dome of slow time around another dome of regular time (the area where the bubbles cancel each other out)? Sounds like a force field to me. Bullets go in and get frozen in time, but you can move and react normally inside the inner dome.

[happyman he/him]

When Marasi and Wayne were talking about their powers cancelling each other out, I though of this cool idea.

A cadmium bubble is bigger than a bendalloy bubble, so if you made a bendalloy bubble inside a cadmium bubble, wouldn't you get a dome of slow time around another dome of regular time (the area where the bubbles cancel each other out)? Sounds like a force field to me. Bullets go in and get frozen in time, but you can move and react normally inside the inner dome.

Pity they weren't able to make this work somehow to trap Miles. Wax might've taken less of a beating.

[kroen]

Just finished it, and I'm a bit disappointed. Don't get me wrong, the story was interesting, but the glossary talked about those cool new Allomancers and Ferrings while in the book there were no Leechers, Nicrobursts, Gnats, Oracles, and barely any Ferrings. 

 

Also, I've read in another thread before finishing the book about Miles surviving a beheading and I thought I read a spoiler, but no such scene was in the book. So where is it from?

[Senor Feesh]

I'm not sure... I don't recall this actually being a scene in the book, but perhaps it's mentioned somewhere in a discussion about Miles? Otherwise the only thing I can think of is maybe someone was confused with TLR stating that he'd survived beheading :S

 

I seem to remember this discussion too though.

[skaa he/him]

Also, I've read in another thread before finishing the book about Miles surviving a beheading and I thought I read a spoiler, but no such scene was in the book. So where is it from?

 

Well, he did put a shotgun to his head once. I'm not very familiar w/ firearms, but I think (depending on the type of ammunition), a direct shotgun blast to the head would leave a person with not much head left...

Edited May 14, 2013 by skaa

[Windrunner he/him]

I think there was a legend of the Lord Ruler surviving a beheading, but that was mostly exaggeration. If his head had been completely removed, he would have died.

[Phantom Monstrosity]

I think there was a legend of the Lord Ruler surviving a beheading, but that was mostly exaggeration. If his head had been completely removed, he would have died.

Though, I think if TLR had some gold teeth he might have survived.

I assume the issue there is mostly one of metalmind access - the part with the brain can't contact the metalminds to start healing.

Normally the soul jumps to the bigger half

http://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/18u4tg/i_got_a_chance_to_chat_with_my_favorite_author/c8inben

Q: About Miles from Alloy of Law and his regenerative powers. If he was bisected down the middle and the halves were separated immediately before the healing process could begin, would the two halves each regrow into a whole Miles?

A: Good question. In all of the cosmere's Shard-based magics, the greater portion of a bisected body regrows the lesser portion. If it were done EXACTLY halfway, the soul wold jump to one or the other randomly and that would regrow.

Amusingly, this first came up in 1999, six years before I got published. (I see someone else already mentioned the situation where I had to consider it.)

Edited May 14, 2013 by Phantom Monstrosity

[guikoden he/him]

Does anyone think it is possible since Marsai left that Miles could have escaped? 

 

Either way, I am looking forward to the sequel so we can see more of Wax's Uncle. I am intrigued about Set. So they want a return of Mistborn and Twinborn.

Also it would be nice to see how Harmony change the Snapping system. 

 

The little newspaper inserts were nice too.

[CrazyRioter she/her]

I think it would be cheap to have Miles survive at this point. Besides they made pretty darn sure and probably burned the body (that's what I'D do).