Harmonium & Discordium

[Kiriv Velonall]

In Era 1, we had Atium and Lerasium and Era 2, we got Harmonium. Is it likely that we will get Discordium in Era 3?

[The Sovereign]

22 minutes ago, Kiriv Velonall said:

I mean he will add Discordium to Harmonium. Like we had Atium and Lerasium, now we will have Harmonium and Discordium.

Something to consider here; During Era 1 Ruin and Preservation were separate Shards, hence the two metals. Harmony/Discord isn't Ruin and Preservation, he is Harmony/Discord. The two shards have become a single Shard. The scale tipping towards the Discord end would likely effect Harmonium/Ettmetal, but it would change future Ettmetal, not make a second Metal. It is possible if Sazed goes full Discord, then future Harmonium would be "Discordium" instead.
 

@alder24 explained it well a few seconds before me.

Edited August 19 by The Sovereign
Alder24 beat me to it.

[alder24]

1 hour ago, Kiriv Velonall said:

In Era 1, we had Atium and Lerasium and Era 2, we got Harmonium. Is it likely that we will get Discordium in Era 3?

Possible, but hard to say. It does depend on a Vessel, but it doesn't have to change.

Personally I don't think so.. Harmonium is so unstable because its Spiritual nature, which is made of Ruin and Preservation's investiture, is in conflict with itself and those two parts don't merge well together. This won't change with Discord. Moreover I highly doubt Brandon would just introduce us to Harmonium and switch to something new without exploring Harmonium at all. 

Spoiler

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

If Kelsier created a metal while holding Preservation that it would have acted the same as lerasium, though over time the properties of it might shift.

Footnote: Unspecified question by Ted Herman
Arcanum Unbounded Hoboken signing (Dec. 3, 2016)

 

Spoiler

Ironeyes

So harmonium, we have a working theory that the reason it's so volatile is because some of the subatomic particles are associated with Ruin and some of them are [of?] Preservation. Is that true?

Brandon Sanderson

Yeah, that's basically what's going on is that it's creating a very unstable metal. Now, it is in the nature of the Cosmere not a compound but an element. But, you could call it a subatomic particle sure. It's very volatile because it is in nature spiritually in contrast with itself. And so though it is a single element rather than a compound, the spiritual nature is not happy as it is, and you can set up in the physical realm, through reactivity things that would just rip it apart and really your energy is not, your energy in that is actually pulling from the Spiritual realm, and so that's why it can be so much more explosive than even the chemistry would account for.

[...]

Boskone 54 (Feb. 19, 2017)

 

Spoiler

Mason Wheeler

Harmonium is ettmetal... Its chemicals properties are sort of analogous to cesium. It explodes in contact with water. People are made out of water. You try to spike someone, you try to swallow it, you try to wear it as jewelry, it will not end well. Why in the world would he pick something so inharmonious?

Brandon Sanderson

He didn't pick it. It's unstable because of the two halves of him not meshing well.

Oathbringer release party (Nov. 13, 2017)

 

[alder24]

2 minutes ago, Kiriv Velonall said:

I mean he will add Discordium to Harmonium. Like we had Atium and Lerasium, now we will have Harmonium and Discordium.

That's a no. It's either Harmonium or Discordium, not and. Atium and Lerasium came from two separate Shards, Harmonium comes from one Shard - Harmony - and Discordium will come from the same Shard. That's why Atium and Lerasium can coexist, while Harmonium and Discordium can't. Moreover it's not something Sazed has control over, god metals properties are natural manifestations of their Shards. Sazed didn't choose Harmonium to be like that, it's naturally manifested this way (see the 3rd WoB in my previous post). Discordium would naturally manifest as well.

However, if Harmony were to change into Discord and create Discordium, any Harmonium that already exists on Scadrial would likely remain unchanged. Only newly created god metal would become Discordium. Any process of making Harmonium would be turned to make Discordium. You won't have Harmonium and Discodrium being made at the same time, you will have Discodrium and leftovers of Harmonium (just like Marsh had leftovers of Atium and has been using it for over 350 years).

Spoiler

Volratho

What happens to god metals when a Shard is Splintered?

Brandon Sanderson

God metals are unaffected.

Volratho

And atium and lerasium stayed unaffected when they merged?

Brandon Sanderson

Lerasium and atium that existed before were unaffected.

Skyward Chicago signing (Nov. 16, 2018)

 

[Treamayne]

1 hour ago, alder24 said:

However, if Harmony were to change into Discord and create Discordium, any Harmonium that already exists on Scadrial would likely remain unchanged. Only newly created god metal would become Discordium. Any process of making Harmonium would be turned to make Discordium. You won't have Harmonium and Discodrium being made at the same time, you will have Discodrium and leftovers of Harmonium (just like Marsh had leftovers of Atium and has been using it for over 350 years).

 

1 hour ago, The Sovereign said:

Something to consider here; During Era 1 Ruin and Preservation were separate Shards, hence the two metals. Harmony/Discord isn't Ruin and Preservation, he is Harmony/Discord. The two shards have become a single Shard. The scale tipping towards the Discord end would likely effect Harmonium/Ettmetal, but it would change future Ettmetal, not make a second Metal. It is possible if Sazed goes full Discord, then future Harmonium would be "Discordium" instead.

I doubt there would be any differences between Harmonium and Discordium (it's possible of course, but unlikely I think). WoB:

Spoiler

youshallnotpass

Will there be a metal called harmonium in the mistborn world?

Brandon Sanderson

RAFO. But good question.

WeiryWriter

Just an fyi but you have confirmed the existence of harmonium before. (And this is probably a RAFO, but is there a reason you didn't follow the convention of the other "god metals" and call it something like sazedium? "Harmonium" just seems out of place.)

Brandon Sanderson

Sazed didn't like the sound of Sazedium.

/r/books AMA 2015 (July 6, 2015)

So if:

• Harmonium = Sazedium
  • and
• Discordium = Sazedium
  • Then
• Harmonium = Discordium

If "Discordium" becomes a thing, it will simply be a new name for the same godmetal (EttMetal) to better reflect it's current true nature - not a change to the metal itself (until and unless the vessel changes or some other massive Realmatic shift, such as truly combining Preservation and Ruin into a single Shard with a Single intent - rather than two opposed intents "working together" as Sazed formed when taking up the Shards). HoA Ch 82:

Spoiler

The Hero will have the power to save the world. But he will also have the power to destroy it

We never understood. He wouldn’t simply bear the power of Preservation. He needed the power of Ruin as well.

The powers were opposites. As he drew them in, they threatened to annihilate each other. And yet, because he was of one mind on how to use them, he could keep them separate. They could touch without destroying each other, if he willed it. For these two powers had been used to create all things. If they fought, they destroyed. If they were used together, they created.

 

Edited August 19 by Treamayne
SPAG

[Treamayne]

2 hours ago, alder24 said:

This won't change with Discord. Moreover I highly doubt Brandon would just introduce us to Harmonium and switch to something new without exploring Harmonium at all. 

Note that the SoScads use the term Ett Metal, and most of these names are "in universe" terms; so it is possible for Harmonium to come to be known as Discordium even if none of it's properties change at all (though likely still Ett Metal in the South)

[Kiriv Velonall]

On 8/15/2024 at 6:55 PM, alder24 said:

Possible, but hard to say. It does depend on a Vessel, but it doesn't have to change.

Personally I don't think so.. Harmonium is so unstable because its Spiritual nature, which is made of Ruin and Preservation's investiture, is in conflict with itself and those two parts don't merge well together. This won't change with Discord. Moreover I highly doubt Brandon would just introduce us to Harmonium and switch to something new without exploring Harmonium at all. 

I mean he will add Discordium to Harmonium. Like we had Atium and Lerasium, now we will have Harmonium and Discordium.

[alder24]

41 minutes ago, Treamayne said:

I doubt there would be any differences between Harmonium and Discordium (it's possible of course, but unlikely I think).

I do agree, I expressed my reasoning for this in my first post here. I was just speculating what would happen if Discordium were to appear.