Feruchemical

Feruchemical is an adjective relating to Feruchemy, a metal-based magical system in Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere. It is a distinct discipline, primarily associated with the Terris people, though it appears in broader Cosmere contexts as well. Feruchemy stands alongside Allomancy and Hemalurgy as one of the major magic systems tied to metals.

The core concept of Feruchemy is storing personal attributes in metalminds. A feruchemist can store or withdraw a specific attribute by touching an appropriate metalmind. When storing, the current value of that attribute decreases; when withdrawing, the attribute is restored to the user, typically up to the individual’s natural maximum. The metalmind acts as a reservoir for the stored property, preserving it for later use. The system is flexible in that many different attributes can be stored, and multiple metalminds can be used, allowing a feruchemist to tailor their abilities to the situation.

Metalminds are physical objects, often crafted into rings or other forms, and each known metal is linked to a particular attribute. The exact mappings are defined in the lore, providing a structured but diverse toolkit for Feruchemy. The practice requires careful timing and discipline, since the stored attribute is temporarily unavailable to the user until withdrawal.

In the wider Cosmere, Feruchemy interacts with Allomancy and Hemalurgy. Some individuals can be both Feruchemists and Allomancers, and Hemalurgy can transfer or steal powers, creating cross-system dynamics. The Terris culture and its history are central to the development and use of Feruchemy in the narrative.