Difference between revisions of "Harmonium"

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{{metal

|type=[[God Metal]] ([[Harmony]])

'''Ettmetal''', also known as harmonium, is the [[God Metal]] of [[Harmony]]. It is used in some of the [[Southern Scadrial|Southern Scadrians']] [[Metallic Arts]] technologies.{{wob ref|3539}}{{wob ref|2544}}

 

Harmonium is the condensed elemental form of [[Harmony]]'s power. Alloying [[atium]] and [[lerasium]] will not give harmonium. Additionally, splitting harmonium through distillation will give something different from atium and lerasium. While difficult, it is possible to obtain atium and lerasium from ettmetal through some other means.{{wob ref|12145}}

 

Due to the merging of [[Ruin]] and [[Preservation]]'s [[Shard|intent]]s into Harmony, ettmetal's [[Spiritual Realm|Spiritual aspect]] is in opposition with itself, leading to effects on the metal's [[Physical Realm|Physical aspect]], which makes it extremely reactive.{{wob ref|1663}}{{wob ref|2548}} It reacts violently with water, similar to [[wikipedia:Alkali_metal|alkali metals]]. After reacting with water, residual ettmetal hydroxide is left behind, though the substance's properties are unknown.{{wob ref|12680}} The [[Southern Scadrian]]s use ettmetal to create powerful bombs,{{book ref|mb6|22}} which the [[Set]] have been trying to replicate with limited success.{{book ref|mb6|epilogue}}

 

The [[Allomancy|Allomantic]], [[Feruchemy|Feruchemical]], and [[Hemalurgy|Hemalurgic]] properties of ettmetal are unknown.{{wob ref|6082}} Because of its volatile nature near water, ingesting ettmetal is likely to be fatal for Allomancers, though a full [[Allomancy|Mistborn]], with access to [[gold]] [[Compounding]], could burn it for some effect.{{wob ref|9321}} Hemalurgic spikes would also likely be difficult to create, due to the metals reactivity, however, it is not impossible.{{wob ref|9275}}

 

In conjunction with Southern [[Scadrian]] technology, ettmetal can reproduce Allomantic or Feruchemical powers within its vicinity.{{book ref|mb6|17}}{{book ref|mb6|29}} The Southern Scadrians have also used the metal in '''primer cubes''' which can somehow regulate ettmetal's effects with the flip of a switch.{{book ref|mb6|17}} When used Allomantically, the metal is said to burn "with a pure whiteness" and will slowly be consumed,{{book ref|mb6|22}} in the same way it would be by a Misting or Mistborn. It is used to fuel Southern Scadrian Allomantic technology, including their airships that run via [[steel]]pushing.{{book ref|mb6|22}}

 

* 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]]{{wob ref|1033}} and has afterwards confirmed that it is another term for ettmetal.{{wob ref|2544}} [[Marasi]] probably did not know the term harmonium when [[Allik]] described ettmetal to her, as otherwise the word would have translated.{{book ref|mb6|22}}

* If harmonium followed the naming conventions of the other god metals it would have been named ''Sazedium''. However, [[Sazed]] didn't like the sound of it.{{wob ref|3539}}

*[[Brandon Sanderson]] has described harmonium as "super-cesium" in reference to its violent chemical reaction with water.{{wob ref|2544}} [[Wikipedia:Cesium|Cesium]], like other real-life [[wikipedia:Alkali_metal|alkali metals]], is extremely reactive and will cause an explosion with water even at sub-zero temperatures. He later clarified that cesium was not intended as a direct analogue; ettmetal would theoretically be classified as an alkali metal, although it has a different melting point.{{wob ref|10577}}

 

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