Editing Silver

{{metal
|properties= Disrupts [[Investiture]]
|'world=[[Threnody]], [[Lumar]]
|books=[[Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell]], [[Stormlight Archive]], [[Tress of the Emerald Sea]]
}}

The metal '''silver''' has some notable properties in the [[cosmere]].{{wob ref|1633}} The effects of silver are still not fully understood, but it somehow is able to disrupt various forms of [[Investiture]].{{wob ref|16183}}{{book ref|sfs}}{{book ref|tress|10}}{{book ref|tress|31}}{{wob ref|15726}} Whereas [[aluminum]] is able to block Investiture, silver's effects can be more destructive.{{wob ref|16183}}{{wob ref|16177}} Aluminum can be used to reduce or negate silver's effects.{{book ref|tress|38}}{{book ref|tress|23}}

== Uses ==
=== Threnody ===
Silver is a significant substance and a valuable currency in the [[Forests of Hell]], as it is known to repel [[shade]]s. Shades that touch it are thrown backward, though the touch of the spirits blacken and ruin the metal. A ring of silver is installed around every house to ward off the shades, and the ring needs to be maintained regularly.{{book ref|sfs}}

Silver can also heal the effects of a shade attack. Silver dust is applied immediately to areas of the body that are affected, reversing the necrotic effects of the shade's touch. Applying silver too late would have no effect on the wound.{{book ref|sfs}}

==== Threnodite Chains ====
Silvery chains that originate on [[Threnody]]{{wob ref|12843}} somehow allow a user to "anchor" themselves through a [[Cognitive anomaly]].{{book ref|sa4|64}} The implications of anchoring are unknown, but the chains are incredibly rare and valuable on other planets.{{book ref|sa3|102}}{{book ref|sa4|60}} They are used by the scholars of [[Silverlight]].{{wob ref|12843}} 

The chains are described as "silver" or "silvery", but their exact composition is unclear. [[Raboniel]] was immediately shocked at the sight of a Threnodite chain on [[Roshar]]{{book ref|sa4|60}} while [[Kaladin]] failed to notice anything unusual about a chain that he saw in [[Shadesmar]],{{book ref|sa3|102}} implying that the chains have distinguishing characteristics that are not obvious to every observer.

===Lumar===
On [[Lumar]], silver renders [[aether spores]] and materials inert.{{book ref|tress|1}} Upon coming close to silver, spores turn a dull grey and die, losing their reactivity with water.{{book ref|tress|8}}{{book ref|tress|10}} A silver knife can also sever a [[Luhel bond]].{{book ref|tress|31}}

Due to the aether-resistant properties of silver, ships on Lumar are partially coated in it on the deck and railings, with lines of silver often running between wooden planks.{{book ref|tress|8}}{{book ref|tress|16}} They are also used in spore cannonballs in order to more accurately control when they release their spores and water.{{book ref|tress|41}} Ships also have silver-edged axes on board, which crewmates can use to break away Verdant vines holding the ship in place.{{book ref|tress|48}}

Silver's effect on spores is not instantaneous. Spores may take a few seconds to be fully neutralized by silver, especially in large quantities.{{book ref|tress|17}}{{book ref|tress|43}} Roseite is known to resist the effects of silver, particularly if it has been hardened.{{book ref|tress|26}}{{book ref|tress|17}} Unlike spores, [[Midnight Essence]] must touch silver to be affected by it, rather than simply being in its proximity.{{book ref|tress|59}}

Much like how Shades blacken and damage silver upon interacting with it,{{book ref|sfs}} aether spores slowly tarnish and break down silver.{{wob ref|16181}} Silver has a finite capacity for neutralization; if a silver-reinforced ship were to sink in a spore ocean, the silver would kill many spores but eventually become inert.{{wob ref|16181}} Due to this effect, the silver used in ship construction likely requires periodic replacement.{{book ref|tress|1}}

==== Sorceress ====
The [[Sorceress's tower]] is fully coated in a layer of silver, offering protection from spores and enemy [[sprouter]]s.{{book ref|tress|59}} However, the tower did not originate on Lumar,{{book ref|tress|64}} and it is unknown if the silver exterior also serves other purposes.

=== Other Planets ===
On planets where silver is not known to exhibit special properties (such as [[Scadrial]], Roshar, and [[Sel]]), it is typically used as jewelry or decoration.{{book ref|mb3|8}}{{book ref|sa2.5|prologue}}{{book ref|elantris|8}}

====Scadrial====
Silver is [[Allomancy|Allomantically]] inert{{wob ref|7983}}{{wob ref|16183}} and is not known to play a role in [[Feruchemy]] or [[Hemalurgy]].{{wob ref|1633}} If a [[Mistborn]] attempts to burn silver, nothing happens.{{wob ref|11892}} Although silver alone does not have Allomantic properties, [[electrum]] is an alloy of forty-five percent [[gold]] and fifty-five percent silver.{{book ref|mb3|31}} Like all metals other than [[aluminum]] (and certain aluminum alloys), silver can be used as an anchor by [[Coinshot]]s and [[Lurcher]]s.{{book ref|mb5|2}}{{wob ref|11239}}

Silver has interesting properties that are undiscovered on Scadrial.{{wob ref|1633}}{{wob ref|11892}} It is unclear if these properties would directly affect the [[Metallic Arts]].

====Roshar====
On Roshar, silver could potentially be used to permanently kill [[spren]], unlike aluminum.{{wob ref|15671}} A silver-nickel alloy houses the [[polestone]] on the pommel of at least one [[Raysium]] dagger used by the [[Fused]], but the metal does not affect the dagger's function.{{file ref|Navani's Notebook - Dagger.jpg|Navani's Notebook - Raboniel's Soul-Harvesting Dagger}}

== Trivia ==
*Brandon originally envisioned the Allomantic partner of [[pewter]] as silver instead of [[tin]], changing his mind after learning that he was under the false impression that pewter had a high quantity of silver.{{wob ref|2391}} Even years later, he sometimes forgets that silver was replaced with tin.{{wob ref|13565}}
*Because silver is such a well-known metal in real life, Brandon still wanted to include it in the Allomantic table. He considered swapping it in for aluminum as the metal that wipes out other metal reserves in chapter 36 of ''The Final Empire'', when [[Vin]] is captured in [[Kredik Shaw]]. However, he decided that silver was too abundant to have this effect.{{wob ref|7983}} He has some regrets about leaving silver out of Allomancy, but the fact that aluminum goes from very rare to very common after a society becomes industrialized lends itself well to the long-term arc of ''Mistborn''.{{wob ref|9281}}
*After replacing silver with tin, Brandon was concerned that the description of [[Vin]]'s earring might be confusing, so it became 'silver coated'.{{wob ref|7957}}
*[[Nightblood]]'s sheath is described as "silver" in ''[[Warbreaker]]'', but it is actually made of [[aluminum]].{{wob ref|8162}}
*[[Xisisrefliel]] has metallic silver spikes, horns, and claws, but they are composed of [[dragonsteel (metal)|dragonsteel]].{{book ref|tress|52}}

== Notes ==
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