Harmonium

The symbol for ettmetal/harmonium

Ettmetal is a kind of metal known to the Southern Scadrians. It is also called harmonium by Harmony. A piece of ettmetal can reproduce a particular power of Allomancy or Feruchemy when it is in the vicinity of that power. When an Allomantic effect is produced, it slowly uses up the ettmetal, similar to how metals are burned up by an Allomancer. Unlike most other metals except aluminum, ettmetal's Allomantic property works without being ingested. It appears to have the opposite effect to aluminum when interacting with Allomancy, as aluminum negates Allomancy while ettmetal mimics it.

Ettmetal explodes when in contact with water and burns "with a pure whiteness" when releasing Allomantic energy. It is used to fuel Southern Scadrian Allomantic technology, including their airships that run via Steelpushing. They also have a device called the primer cube that can somehow regulate ettmetal's effects with the flip of a switch. The Southern Scadrians also use ettmetal to create powerful bombs, which the Set have been trying to replicate with limited success.

Because of its explosive interaction with water, ingesting ettmetal is likely fatal even for Allomancers. It is also likely impossible to make ettmetal Hemalurgic spikes for the same reason. Whether or not a Feruchemical attribute can be stored or tapped from it is currently unknown.

Harmonium as a God Metal

This page or section deals with theories or speculation.

Please read carefully and note that this is not necessarily canonical.

Whereas atium contains the condensed power of Ruin and lerasium the condensed power of Preservation, ettmetal is the combination of both powers in condensed form. This combination of opposite Intents somehow affects the Physical aspect of the metal, particularly its chemical properties, making it extremely reactive.

Harmony is another manifestation of Ruin and Preservation combined on a grander and more complete sense. This makes "harmonium" a fitting name for ettmetal, as it reflects Harmony's combined nature. It is known that harmonium is a term Sazed (as Harmony) chose for the metal, but whether or not the metal existed in Southern Scadrial prior to Sazed's Ascension is currently unknown. Combinations of the two Shard's powers have been known to exist even from the beginning (e.g. the Metallic Art of Feruchemy), so it might be possible that ettmetal reserves existed before Sazed took up the Shards.

Trivia

• The term "harmonium" has never been used in the stories published so far, but Brandon Sanderson introduced the term in one of his talks even before the release of Shadows of Self and has afterwards confirmed that it is another term for ettmetal. Marasi probably did not know the term harmonium when Allik described ettmetal to her, as otherwise the word would have translated.

• Brandon Sanderson has described ettmetal as "super-cesium" in reference to its violent chemical reaction with water. Cesium, like other alkali metals, is an extremely reactive real life metal, and will cause an explosion with water even at sub-zero temperatures.

Notes

This page is probably complete!

This page contains most of the knowledge we have on the subject at this time.
It has yet to be reviewed.