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Remove sentence about *not* knowing how Hemalurgy interacts with the Cognitive Realm.
(→Mechanics: Added that people found a method to avoid post-creation Hemalurgic decay entirely.) |
(Remove sentence about *not* knowing how Hemalurgy interacts with the Cognitive Realm.) |
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Hemalurgy is the transfer of attributes, such as [[Allomancy]], [[Feruchemy]], or innate human strength via [[spiritweb]] theft and splicing. Hemalurgy can transfer almost any type of [[Investiture]].{{wob ref|3088}} In the [[Physical Realm]], a metallic spike is inserted into a bind point, such as the heart, in order to Hemalurgically charge it. The spike, now containing a fragment of stolen spiritweb, is then ripped out and embedded in the recipient, stapling the ability directly into their spiritual DNA (sDNA).{{wob ref|5552}} This causes wear and tear on the spiritweb, creating "holes" through which [[Shard]]s or a sufficiently powerful [[zinc|Rioter]] or [[brass|Soother]] can whisper to or even control a Hemalurgical subject.{{book ref|mb2|54}}{{wob ref|4961}}
Hemalurgy is named for a quirk in bind point placement: due to the interaction between the [[Spiritual Realm|Spiritual]] and Physical Realms, the spike must come in contact with moving blood in order to remove or add an attribute.{{book ref|mb3|42}}{{wob ref|1265}}{{wob ref|2801}} A spike can be charged if the Hemalurgist stabs the donor with the spike or if it is thrown at them, as long as there is [[Intention|Intent]] and it hits the right bind point.
Hemalurgy can be used anywhere in the [[cosmere]],{{au ref|Scadrian}}{{wob ref|12018}}{{wob ref|5537}} as long as there is an Intent to create a Hemalurgic spike,{{wob ref|6312}} and it has indeed shown up at least once on a different planet, though in a subtle way.{{wob ref|1716}} Hemalurgy can also steal attributes from other forms of Investiture.{{wob ref|1190}} Hemalurgy can be used on animals{{wob ref|6095}} but not on plants.{{wob ref|8173}}▼
For some reason, Hemalurgic spikes don't cause infections.{{wob ref|8273}}▼
=== Stealing of Attributes ===
Since Hemalurgy involves the transfer of Investiture from one person to another, if the donor is killed, they will enter the Cognitive Realm in a damaged state and be pulled to the [[Beyond]] faster. Likewise, if a recipient dies, they will take longer to leave, since they are more Invested.{{wob ref|1528}}
Creating a Hemalurgic charge requires physical injury, and generally results in the death of the victim.{{epigraph ref|mb3|13}} It is possible, however, to charge a spike without killing the target,{{wob ref|10048}}{{book ref|mb7|47}} in which case they would be left in a similar spiritual condition to a [[Drab]], but in a worse condition.{{wob ref|4084}}{{wob ref|12097}} In order to charge a spike without killing the victim, one must have the proper Intent, a very thin spike, and to speak a [[Command]] (although this step is not strictly necessary). It apparently requires the needle be threaded carefully through the flesh, as to not strike organs. Doing this leaves the victim with a small portion of their spiritweb torn off, but leaves them alive. This also allows one to collect Investiture from non-Allomancers.{{book ref|mb7|47}}
It is not thought to be possible for multiple attributes to be stolen from the same person.{{wob ref|9463}} However, a single spike can take the same attribute from multiple people.{{book ref|mb7|47}}
=== Receiving of Attributes ===
There is a maximum number of spikes a person can have before causing issues of mental and/or physical limitations.{{book ref|mb7|part=ars}}{{wob ref|11327}} The number of spikes a person can take has been reduced since Ruin was merged with Preservation. If too many spikes are added, the soul stops gaining powers. [[Compounding]] is also inaccessible, under normal methods, to any Hemalurgist made after the Shards merged.{{book ref|mb7|28}}{{book ref|mb7|part=ars}} There are ways to bypass this limitation, but said ways are currently unknown. This relates to the nature of Ruin's subservience to Preservation in the current dual vessel of Harmony and something known as "Identity contamination".{{book ref|mb7|28}}{{book ref|mb7|part=ars}}
This was likely done without a conscious decision by Harmony, and more of a byproduct of Ruin no longer pushing on the fabric of Scadrial.{{book ref|mb7|part=ars}}
▲Hemalurgy can be used anywhere in the [[cosmere]],{{wob ref|12018}}{{wob ref|5537}} as long as there is an Intent to create a Hemalurgic spike,{{wob ref|6312}} and it has indeed shown up at least once on a different planet, though in a subtle way.{{wob ref|1716}} Hemalurgy can also steal attributes from other forms of Investiture.{{wob ref|1190}} Hemalurgy can be used on animals{{wob ref|6095}} but not on plants.{{wob ref|8173}}
▲For some reason, Hemalurgic spikes don't cause infections.{{wob ref|8273}}
=== Law of Hemalurgic Decay ===
After the spike pierces through the initial person and is Hemalurgically charged, the '''Law of Hemalurgic Decay''' states that the spike loses some of its potency.{{epigraph ref|mb3|36}} The longer a spike is outside a body, the weaker it becomes, and a spike will lose most of the power it can lose on the first day outside of a body.{{book ref|mb3|34}}{{wob ref|16299}} Thus, when the [[Steel Ministry]] created an [[Inquisitor]], the spikes were driven directly through a victim into the bindpoint of the Inquisitor below to minimize the spike's time spent outside of a person.{{book ref|mb3|prologue}} Additionally, spikes which are physically broken into several pieces will split the charge into the broken pieces, and more Hemalurgic power will be lost when spikes are split.{{wob ref|4618}}▼
Despite the decay, a spike will never completely lose its charge.{{wob ref|9534}}{{wob ref|16299}} As a spike loses its charge, the stolen soul will move on to the Beyond.{{wob ref|16198}}
▲After the spike pierces through the initial person and is Hemalurgically charged, the '''Law of Hemalurgic Decay''' states that the spike loses some of its potency.{{epigraph ref|mb3|36}} The longer a spike is outside a body, the weaker it becomes.{{book ref|mb3|34}} Thus, when the [[Steel Ministry]] created an [[Inquisitor]], the spikes were driven directly through a victim into the bindpoint of the Inquisitor below to minimize the spike's time spent outside of a person.{{book ref|mb3|prologue}} Additionally, spikes which are physically broken into several pieces will split the charge into the broken pieces, and more Hemalurgic power will be lost when spikes are split.{{wob ref|4618}}
==== Reduction of Hemalurgic Decay ====
Coating a spike with blood can reduce the Hemalurgic decay significantly. It is unknown how much blood is necessary to make that effect happen;{{book ref|mb5|6}} however, the blood does not need to be fresh nor separated from a body, with cuts of meat large enough to contain the spike also sufficing to reduce decay. This works by 'tricking' the spike into believing that it is buried in a body.{{wob ref|14902}} It is possible that encasing spikes in [[aluminum]] may prevent decay.{{wob ref|5060
Eventually, Arcanists discovered a way to completely avoid Hemalurgic decay outside of the body.{{book ref|mb7|part=ars}}{{wob ref|16192}} However, there is still an amount of Investiture lost during the creation of the spike.{{wob ref|16192}} The exact method behind this is unknown.
Damage done to a person's spiritweb by Hemalurgy will have implications for said person during the transition period between physical death and passing into the Beyond. These effects are lessened after they pass to the Beyond.{{wob ref|7232}}
Some binding oaths and vows will be stolen as well.{{wob ref|16291}}
=== Hemalurgic Control ===
The level of control can range from whispers to full control.{{book ref|mb2|54}}{{wob ref|4961}} The control is exerted in the form of mental pressure, which changes the way the mind thinks, tricking the creature into doing exactly what they want.{{wob ref|8050}} Those in control are able to sense where the creature is, and must concentrate for direct orders. Otherwise, they will follow general orders.{{book ref|mb3|15}} Multiple Hemalurgic creatures can be controlled at once.{{book ref|mb3|37}}
The more spikes a creature has, the easier it is to take control.{{epigraph ref|mb3|67}} At least four spikes are needed before [[Harmony]] can take control of humans, but there are ways around this.{{book ref|mb7|25}} A kandra with one spike cannot be controlled by Ruin or Harmony.{{book ref|mb5|7}} Harmony can theoretically influence off-planet Hemalurgists, but Shards on those planets and other forms of interference can muddy this.{{wob ref|16371}}
Hemalurgic creatures can fight the control with mental fortitude.{{book ref|mb3|8}}{{book ref|mb3|72}}{{wob ref|5441}}{{wob ref|5597}} They are easier to subdue when they are feeling strong emotions.{{epigraph ref|mb3|67}} [[Sliver]]s are more resistant to being controlled.{{wob ref|15356}} The control of Hemalurgic creatures can be stolen by others, particularly if they are stronger.{{book ref|mb3|65}} When stolen, those in control will feel a powerful ripping sensation.
{{/table}}
{| width=80% class=infobox style='text-align:center!;' align=center
! class=title colspan=3 style='background-color:#bbf;' | God Metals{{file ref|Hemalurgy_table.jpg|Table of Hemalurgic Metals}}
|-
!Metal
!Shard
!Effect
|-
| '''[[Atium]]'''
| [[Ruin]]
| Steals any power. Must be refined.
|-
| '''[[Malatium]]'''
| [[Ruin]]
| Unknown
|-
| '''[[Lerasium]]'''
| [[Preservation]]
| Steals all abilities
|-
| '''[[Harmonium]]'''
| [[Harmony]]
| Unknown
|-
| '''[[Trellium]]'''
| [[Autonomy]]
| Unknown
|-
| '''[[Raysium]]'''
| [[Odium]]
| Unknown
|-
|}
== Bind Points ==
The points which can be used for Hemalurgy are known as "bind points" and there are between 200 and 300 in the human body with different points being useful for distinct sets of effects.{{book ref|mb3|42}} Seeing into the Spiritual Realm, perhaps by burning atium, helps with placing spikes.{{wob ref|545}}
Another important aspect of Hemalurgy is spike location. The spike must be placed in certain locations on the human body in order to steal a power or attribute, and then placed in another point on the recipient to tap into their spiritweb. Most common attributes are stolen through the heart. If a spike is placed in the wrong location it can have unforeseen effects, such as killing the recipient, granting the wrong power, or possibly not granting any power at all.{{wob ref|12283}} Beyond that, bind points may function differently if the victim has a sufficiently altered spiritweb.{{wob ref|16322}}
There are other ways to use spikes than to place them in bind points.{{wob ref|3529}}
When a Feruchemical ability is stolen, the spike's recipient is able to access any metalminds created by the donor.{{wob ref|872}} If that spike was split into two pieces and given to two different people, they would both be able to access their donor's metalminds but not those made by the other person, due to the recipients' own identities "muddying" the metalminds' keying.{{wob ref|872}}
=== Cognitive Shadows ===
Hemalurgy is able to hold a [[Cognitive Shadow]] to a body in the [[Physical Realm]] by spiking them through the right eye socket.{{book ref|mb7|epilogue|4}} This also grants iron/steel sight for the spiked eye.{{book ref|mb6|epilogue}}
=== Elantrians ===
=== Awakening ===
It is possible for a spike to be [[Awakening|Awakened]], but it would be more difficult than Awakening metal without a Hemalurgic charge.{{wob ref|1803}} It is theoretically possible to spike a [[Lifeless]], if "there was enough of the soul left for the spike to take".{{wob ref|2863}} Hemalurgy can also be used to spike a [[Divine Breath]] from a [[Returned]],{{wob ref|11389}} and the recipient would not need to consume a Breath a week.{{wob ref|14149}}
=== Surgebinding ===
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