Difference between revisions of "Feruchemy"

|books=[[Mistborn (series)]], [[The Stormlight Archive]], [[The Sunlit Man]]

Feruchemy is an end-neutral manifestation of Investiture that allows the user to convert certain attributes into Investiture and store them in metal that they are in physical contact with, and to later retrieve them from the metal. Although it is generally inherited or obtained through Hemalurgy, there are other ways to become a Feruchemist,{{wob ref|12776}} involving the Scadrian [[God Metal]]s, [[atium]] and [[lerasium]].{{wob ref|14146}} As an end-neutral art, Investiture is not gained from an outside source (as it is in end-positive arts) and Investiture is not permanently lost (as it is in end-negative arts).{{book ref|mb4|part=ars}} Ordinarily, when a Feruchemist is tapping an attribute at the same rate it was stored, they are able to get out exactly what they put in, for example, if they store 50% of their strength for one hour they can tap that and be at 150% of their strength for one hour. However, if the Feruchemist taps at a greater rate, then some of the attribute is lost, to facilitate the compression of the Investiture. This means that a Feruchemist who stores 50% of their strength for one hour might only be able to stay at 200% for 25 minutes, rather than a full half- hour. The more a Feruchemist compresses the attribute, the more is lost.{{wob ref|6126}} While a Feruchemist can only store attributes at a reasonable rate, there isn't an upper limit of how much they are able to tap at any given time.

The type of metal determines what attribute can be stored within it. Pieces of metal that have been charged by Feruchemists are referred to as '''metalminds''' in general, or more specifically as the type of metal with an added "-mind" suffix. The act of charging, or Investing, a metalmind is referred to as '''storing''' and the act of retrieving the stored attribute is referred to as '''tapping'''.{{book ref|mb4|part=ars}} Feruchemists are capable of innately knowing how much of an attribute is stored within a metalmind at any time, as long as they are physically touching the metal mind, in the same way an individual can know how tired they are.{{wob ref|15868}}

Ordinarily, a Feruchemist's stores are keyed to their [[Identity]] and are inaccessible to another Feruchemist. However, other Feruchemists can sense the presence of the original Feruchemist's stores.{{book ref|mb1|epilogue}}

An '''unkeyed metalmind''' is a special kind of metalmind that anyone with the relevant Feruchemical ability can access. They are created through manipulation of Identity, such as through aluminum Feruchemy. Whereas a conventional metalmind is keyed to the Identity of the Feruchemist who created it, unkeyed metalminds are not attuned to any specific individual's Identity.{{book ref|mb6|3}} Due to the nature of [[Intention]] in the cosmere, an individual must be aware of an unkeyed metalmind's nature before they can use it.{{book ref|mb6|17}}

An '''unsealed metalmind''' is a special kind of metalmind that anyone can access.{{wob ref|2112}}{{ref|group=fn|text=The [[Mistborn Adventure Game]] refers to these as "universal metalminds". Due to the potentially confusing nature of that term, and the fact that "unsealed metalmind" is a term from Brandon himself, the Coppermind uses the latter.}} The exact method of their creation is unknown, but it involves Feruchemical [[nicrosil]] and [[duralumin]]{{wob ref|3345}} and something referred to as an [[Excisor]]. Unsealed metalminds are formed of nicrosil and one or more other metals. The nicrosil grants the user the ability to use the other metals.{{book ref|mb6|20}} Unsealed metalminds see widespread use among the [[Southern Peoples of Scadrial]], but perhaps the most famous example are the fabled [[Bands of Mourning]].{{book ref|mb6|3}}{{book ref|mb6|21}} Hemalurgy makes it easier to create medallions, even if one is already a full Feruchemist and Mistborn.{{wob ref|15152}} Unsealed metalminds have more of an Identity than normal metalminds, which may allow people to fill them while sleeping.{{wob ref|15930}}

It is possible to use gold Feruchemy in order to heal the damage caused by Hemalurgy, effectively replacing the piece of the [[Spiritwebspiritweb]] that was stolen.{{wob ref|983}}

It is possible to use gold Feruchemy in order to heal the damage caused by a Shardblade, restoring function to a "soul-severed" limb.{{wob ref|4111}}

An early version of Feruchemy, then referred to as "Hemalurgy," appeared in [[Final Empire Prime|''Final Empire'' Prime]]. During the development of ''[[Mistborn: The Final Empire]]'', Brandon realized that Feruchemy would work very well as the magic system for Sazed and the Keepers, so he imported it into that novel and added the restriction of storing attributes in metal.{{wob ref|2377}}{{wob ref|7815}} In an early draft of Mistborn: The Final Empire, it was named 'Hemalurgy', but this was changed because the connotation with blood fit better with the magic system now named 'hemalurgy'.

The attributes stored in brass (warmth) and electrum (determination) were originally supposed to be reversed. By the time Brandon realized his mistake, brass storing warmth had already been canonized in released books. Brandon decided not to retcon this, citing the fact that Feruchemy operates on different principles than Allomancy.{{wob ref|5508}} Brandon also notes that the organization of the metals in the Feruchemical chart is of human invention.{{wob ref|1090}} Isaac Stewart also confirmed that the Feruchemical symbols for chromium and nicrosil were mistakenly swapped on the Feruchemical table (i.e. the symbols are in the correct position on the table itself, but the wrong metals were assigned to them). This may be corrected in the future.{{wob ref|11030}}