Mistborn
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The Mistborn, or allomancers, are a fictional group of people from Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy. They have the ability to "burn" (or use) ingested metals, thereby enhancing various physical and mental capacities. A person with only one of the abilities listed below is known as a Misting. If someone has more than one of the abilities below, they have all of them, though their capabilities with each may vary.
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There are 12 known metals or alloys, linked to 12 different abilities, which are used by allomancers as listed below. The metals and alloys must be pure when ingested, or the allomancer could become very ill or possibly die.
[edit] Types of Misting
The metals and alloys below are the 8 basic allomantic metals
[edit] Coinshot
Coinshots have the ability to burn steel, which allows them to "push" on nearby metals. This can allow them to make metallic objects that weigh less than they do to fly through the air away from them (using coins, for instance, as weapons). For metallic objects which weigh more than they do, this can cause them to be pushed away from the object. It was generally assumed that a Mistborn/Coinshot could not push on metals that pierce or are otherwise contained in the body of another Allomancer (e.g., ingested metals), however it can be achieved by an exceedingly powerful Allomancer (Vin/Lord Ruler have a stand-off in this manner).
[edit] Lurcher
Lurchers have the ability to burn iron, which allows them to "pull" on nearby metals. This can allow them to make metallic objects that weigh less than they do to fly through the air toward them. For metallic objects which weigh more than they do, this can cause them to be pulled toward the object. It was generally assumed that a Mistborn/Lurcher could not pull on metals that pierce or are otherwise contained in the body of another Allomancer (e.g., ingested metals), however it can be achieved by an exceedingly powerful Allomancer (Vin/Lord Ruler have a stand-off in this manner).
[edit] Rioter
Rioters burn brass in order to inflame the emotions of those nearby. This can be used to set off a riot (hence the name) or to enhance any emotion of the target. Cannot affect those burning copper, save by an exceedingly powerful allomancer.
[edit] Seeker
Seekers can determine if someone is using allomancy in the immediate area by burning bronze. With practice, some of them can even determine the type of allomancy being used. An extremely powerful seeker (such as Vin) can penetrate the copper clouds of other allomancers.
[edit] Smoker
Smokers burn copper in order to mask the active use of any allomancy in a specific area. Groups of them can effectively mask an entire building. This ability is not omnipotent, however- a copper cloud can be penetrated by an extremely powerful Mistborn/Seeker.
[edit] Soother
A Soother burns zinc, giving the ability to soothe or guide emotions in a particular direction. A group of soothers can affect all the individuals in a particular area. Cannot affect those burning copper, save by an exceedingly powerful allomancer.
[edit] Thug
Thugs, or Pewterarms, receive greatly enhanced strength and endurance by burning pewter. This can allow them to fight or run for hours without collapsing, even if they receive wounds that might normally kill a person. The danger being that if a thug runs out of pewter before receiving the proper medical attention, their suddenly weakened bodies may not be able to handle acquired wounds.
[edit] Tineye
Tineyes burn tin in order to enhance all of their senses. This can be overwhelming in the case of bright light, strong odors, and loud noises. The sense of touch is also enhanced. This allows the allomancers to see through the nightly mists with greater clarity.
[edit] Additional metals
These metals are known as the higher allomatic metals.
[edit] Atium
Atium is the most valuable metal in the world, and is only produced (slowly) in the "Pits of Hathsin". The metal is mined by prisoners of the Lord Ruler, as using Allomancy near the atium-producing crystals shatters them. This metal allows the Mistborn to see a few seconds into the future, thereby allowing them to anticipate the moves of an opponent. It also enhances the mind to cope with/understand these new insights, effectively turning a Mistborn invincible for a short time (it burns incredibly quickly). The only known counter to atium is to burn it yourself, showing you what the other person will do (as said above). However, this in turn changes what you will do, which changes what the other person will do, creating a confusing "vortex" of atium shadows.
[edit] Gold
Gold allows a Mistborn to see what they might have been if they had made different choices in the past; rarely used due to possible severe emotional trauma.
[edit] The eleventh and twelfth metals
The eleventh metal allows a Mistborn to see what another person could have been if they had made different choices in the past (proposed as a possible alloy of atium or gold, more likely atium, due to it's appearance). The twelfth drains all other metal reserves of the mistborn, leaving them powerless. The names of the last two metals have not yet been named in the books .
[edit] See also
- Mistborn: The Final Empire (2006)
- Mistborn: The Well of Ascension (2007)
- Mistborn: The Hero of Ages (2008)
