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Difference between revisions of "Hemalurgy"
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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}}
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 outside of a person for as little time as possible. 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}}
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 reducing 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}} Even outside of blood, a spike will never completely lose its charge.{{wob ref|9534}}
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}} There is a maximum number of spikes a person can have before causing issues of mental 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 to 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}} however it can't be used on plants.{{wob ref|8173}}
For some reason, Hemalurgic spikes don't cause infections.{{wob ref|8273}}
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}}
== Side Effects of Hemalurgy ==
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