Aluminum
Aluminum | |||||||||
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Properties | Investiture-inert | ||||||||
Universe | Cosmere |
Aluminum is the internal enhancement pulling metal. An Allomancer burning aluminum will make all of their metal reserves vanish.[1] Feruchemists can use aluminum to store Identity, and when used as a Hemalurgic spike, aluminum removes all powers. It is known as Ralkalest or the unForgeable metal in the Rose Empire on Sel.[2]
Aluminum metal (and some of its alloys) are "Allomantically inert" -- they cannot be Pushed or Pulled, and can shield people from emotional Allomancy.[3] Aluminum generates no atium shadows[4] and can create dead zones within cadmium and bendalloy bubbles, where the shielded area is not included within the time bubble.[5] It also interferes with Feruchemical healing, by making it impossible for wounds to heal around the aluminum until it is removed from the body. There is a similar effect on pewter Allomancy.[6]
Aluminum has been confirmed to have strange effects to all magic systems, is magically inert, and will act as an Investiture sink.[7]
Allomantic Use
An aluminum Misting is known as an Aluminum Gnat. Burning aluminum causes the body to instantly metabolize its metal reserves without any other effect.[8] As such, an Aluminum Gnat serves no purpose and gains nothing from their powers.[3] When burning metals, non-Invested metals go before the Invested ones.[9] Only Allomantically relevant metals can be burned away.[10] Allomancy does not affect aluminum even though the metal itself is Allomantically viable.[11]
Since aluminum can shield against emotional Allomancy, those who can afford to, often wear hats with aluminum lining.[12] An Aluminum Gnat would be able to heal from the withering inflicted by a Shade by burning aluminum.[13]
Savantism
If someone were able to burn the amount of aluminum needed to become an Allomantic savant with the metal, it may be possible to cleanse their spirit of unwanted effects of Investiture.[14]
Feruchemical Use
An aluminum Ferring is known as a Trueself. Aluminum is used to store "spiritual sense of Identity." This ability is not fully understood, and is rarely discussed outside of Terris communities.[3] A Trueself who fills an aluminummind to the point where they have no Identity and then fills another metalmind is able to produce a metalmind that any Feruchemist with the relevant power can tap. In a similar manner, a Feruchemist may be able to tap another person's metalminds by filling their own aluminummind completely.[15] Trueselfs can heal damage done to them in the Cognitive Realm by storing Identity, but it takes a "roundabout method".[16]
It is unclear why Identity can be stored in and withdrawn from an aluminummind when other Invested Arts cannot affect aluminum.
Hemalurgic Use
When used as a Hemalurgic spike, aluminum removes all powers.[17]
It is possible that encasing Hemalurgic spikes in aluminum may prevent Hemalurgic decay.[18]
Weaponry
Guns and bullets made from aluminum are highly effective (albeit expensive) because they cannot be Pushed, Pulled, or even detected using the sight granted by steel or iron Allomancy. Aluminum bullets are actually composed of an Allomantically inert alloy of aluminum since the ballistics of a pure aluminum bullet would not work.[19]
Around the Cosmere
While aluminum doesn't always directly negate all magic systems, it does have very weird, interesting effects in all places.[20] A person having aluminum in their body would interfere with many magic systems in some way.[21]
Perpendicularities
Aluminum can be used to take liquid from a Perpendicularity, and it will stay Invested.[22]
Final Empire
The Lord Ruler kept aluminum and its alloy duralumin from public knowledge to give the Inquisitors an advantage.[23] During his rule, aluminum was harvested from the Ashmounts.[15]
Forgery
Known as Ralkalest in the Rose Empire, aluminum cannot be altered at all via Forgery.[24]
The cells for Forgers in the Rose Palace have Ralkalest grates in their ceilings for entrance and a thin plate of Ralkalest behind the stone walls.[24]
Nalthis
Aluminum cannot be Awakened. It is possible for aluminum to prevent someone from Returning, but not simply by stabbing the body: aluminum is inert and blocks Investiture, but does not actively absorb it.[2]
Nightblood's sheath is made of aluminum.[25] On Roshar, a Fused uses Nightblood's sheath to block an attack from Szeth, who was wielding Nightblood.
Roshar
“There are legends of metal that can block a Shardblade. A metal that falls from the sky. Silver, but somehow lighter. ”
—Taravangian on aluminum[26]
Items can be Soulcast into aluminum.[7] However, aluminum resists attempts to Soulcast it into other Essences.[27] Shardblades are unable to cut aluminum through magical means but would be able to cut it physically, like a conventional blade, if the aluminum were thin enough.[28] Aluminum can block spanreed communication, and can prevent Soulcasting from being detected by others.[29] Aluminum cannot be affected by the Surges Adhesion or Gravitation.[30] It likely cannot be affected by any Surge.
Trivia
- Brandon thought of having Vin burn silver rather than aluminum when captured in Kredik Shaw but decided that aluminum would be less abundant.[31]
- Brandon chose aluminum for the role it serves because it is rare pre-industrial age, then becomes incredibly common, providing a way for technology to counter Allomancy.[32]
Notes
- ↑ The Well of Ascension chapter 5#
- ↑ a b Shadows of Self Chicago signing
— Arcanum - 2015-10-12# - ↑ a b c The Alloy of Law Ars Arcanum#
- ↑ Words of Radiance San Francisco signing
— Arcanum - 2014-03-06# - ↑ Shadows of Self San Francisco signing
— Arcanum - 2015-10-09# - ↑ Words of Radiance signing Philadelphia
— Arcanum - 2014-03-21# - ↑ a b Words of Radiance signing Philadelphia
— Arcanum - 2014-03-21# - ↑ Mistborn: The Final Empire Annotations
— Arcanum - 2007-05-04# - ↑ ConQuest 46
— Arcanum - 2015-05-22# - ↑ Orem Signing
— Arcanum - 2019-03-16# - ↑ The Final Empire chapter 36#
- ↑ Shadows of Self chapter 1#
- ↑ Shadows of Self signing Chicago
— Arcanum - 2015-10-12# - ↑ 17th Shard Forum Q&A
— Arcanum - 2012-09-27# - ↑ a b The Bands of Mourning chapter 3#
- ↑ Words of Radiance Philadelphia signing
— Arcanum - 2014-03-21# - ↑ Hemalurgy Table
- ↑ Kraków signing
— Arcanum - 2017-03-21# - ↑ The Alloy of Law chapter 7#
- ↑ Skyward Seattle signing
— Arcanum - 2018-11-10# - ↑ Skyward Denver signing
— Arcanum - 2018-11-15# - ↑ General Signed Books 2018
— Arcanum - 2018-02-22# - ↑ The Hero of Ages Annotations
— Arcanum - 2010-04-15# - ↑ a b The Emperor's Soul - Day 2#
- ↑ Oathbringer release party
— Arcanum - 2017-11-13# - ↑ Oathbringer chapter 100#
- ↑ Oathbringer release party
— Arcanum - 2017-11-13# - ↑ Twitter
— Arcanum - 2017-02-03# - ↑ Oathbringer chapter 81#
- ↑ Oathbringer signing Houston
— Arcanum - 2017-11-18# - ↑ The Hero of Ages Annotations
— Arcanum - 2010-02-11# - ↑ Emerald City Comic Con 2018
— Arcanum - 2018-03-01#