Path Earrings

[Spaceferring he/him]

So we know that the Pathian earrings are basically molten down Inquisitor spikes. But what abilities do they give? Wax doesn't seem to win anything when he puts his in, other than mentioning that he feels stronger in the mists (which probably doesn't have any link to this). 

Is it just because they aren't in the right spot? Did they just assume that they weren't Allomancers and never tried it out? Did they lose their charge in the recasting process?

I'd go with the second or third hypothesis: even if the 1st one were true, you should be getting at least a few bronze Ferrings the same way as Vin.

 

Thoughts?

[Karger he/him]

Just now, Spaceferring said:

So we know that the Pathian earrings are basically molten down Inquisitor spikes. But what abilities do they give? Wax doesn't seem to win anything when he puts his in, other than mentioning that he feels stronger in the mists (which probably doesn't have any link to this). 

I don't think they have much of a charge left.  They are old and spent a considerable amount of time not touching blood.  All they really have to do is provide a small break in the soul for Harmony to communicate through. 

[Halyo_Alex he/him]

As said, they're likely almost entirely decayed, although i personally attribute Wax's "feeling stronger in the mists" to being that his earring spike grants a very very tiny amount of Pewter allomancy, and Harmony allows him to consume the mists just enough to power it without any side effects. I'm probably wrong, but it's all I've got for an explanation so far.

[Koloss17 She/They]

1 hour ago, Halyo_Alex said:

As said, they're likely almost entirely decayed, although i personally attribute Wax's "feeling stronger in the mists" to being that his earring spike grants a very very tiny amount of Pewter allomancy, and Harmony allows him to consume the mists just enough to power it without any side effects. I'm probably wrong, but it's all I've got for an explanation so far.

Huh. I never thought of that.

[Karger he/him]

8 hours ago, Halyo_Alex said:

feeling stronger in the mists" to being that his earring spike grants a very very tiny amount of Pewter allomancy, and Harmony allows him to consume the mists just enough to power it without any side effects. I'm probably wrong, but it's all I've got for an explanation so far.

It could just be the surrounding preservation investiture

SA spoilers

Spoiler

People on Roshar are healthier because of the highstorms

 

Edited January 6, 2020 by Ookla the Prolific

[Halyo_Alex he/him]

3 hours ago, Ookla the Prolific said:

It could just be the surrounding preservation investiture

SA spoilers

  Hide contents

People on Roshar are healthier because of the highstorms

 

That's true, however as far as I remember Wax's condition seems to be either unique or very rare, and the only good explanation that easily comes to mind is an A-Pewter earring powered by a sprinkling of the mists' power.

[Quantus he/him]

3 hours ago, Halyo_Alex said:

That's true, however as far as I remember Wax's condition seems to be either unique or very rare, and the only good explanation that easily comes to mind is an A-Pewter earring powered by a sprinkling of the mists' power.

Does he describe it as literal physical strength?  I read that as him feeling allomantically stronger, and attributed it to him clearly having the direct Favor of Harmony/Preservation the way Vin did, where the mists could be directed to supplement her a bit.  Though the idea that there is a literal if minor effect from a nearly spent spike is interesting, though I'd have to look close at the scenes in question, I thought Wax didnt wear the earring most of the time.  

 

To the OP, we know per WOB that spikes never loose 100% of their charge, and that the decay is like half-life, so the loss is extremely dramatic in the first few seconds but slows down more and more and the power is lost.  It was dramatic enough that inquisitors didnt let the spike sit out of blood or a host for whole seconds if they could avoid it, and givent hat Wax's spike has quite possiblly been passed around for decades or centuries, I doubt it has enough charge left to grant any tangible effects (other than Harmony's contact/access).

 

 

[garlick]

I guess it would depend on what the earrings are made of. Inquisitors had lots of spikes that granted lots of abilities. 

 Do peirced ears count as contact with blood? I agree with they decay wob states it. But at what rate. Vin wore hers most of the time but there were times she didn't have it in for a while. So I'm sure she got alot less from it then an inquisitors spike but it was enough to pierce copper clouds by boosting her bronze. If being in a peirced ear counts after they were made if people wore them and passed them down like holy relics it some could possibly have a enough of a charge to grant something, Assuming there was enough to start with after melting down the spike. I guess it would be like the coins or bands of mourning. You have to have the intent to use it. If you don't know this earing will allow you to burn bronze why try. 

Edited January 11, 2020 by garlick

[--delete--]

I've wanted Pathian earrings to interfere with twinborn resonances, but I haven't gotten to re-read era 2 and search for evidence.