Author Topic: Are the Mothers immune to iron?  (Read 18344 times)

Offline Drikonn

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Are the Mothers immune to iron?
« on: June 14, 2017, 10:00:27 AM »
The topic of Mother Winter's cleaver got me thinking about something that always bugged me. Mother Winter has iron teeth and they have a lot of knives made of iron in their cottage. Previously it was shown to be incredibly irresponsible to have any iron in Faerie at all, let alone having it be part of a fae's anatomy. Im curious if they're so absurdly powerful that the Bane doesn't have any effect on them, because that would lead to some very scary implications.

Offline Quantus

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Re: Are the Mothers immune to iron?
« Reply #1 on: June 14, 2017, 12:08:36 PM »
I think it has to do with the fact that they have multiple Names, some of which are directly related to Iron.  For example, Mother Winter is (per WOJ) also Baba Ygga (aka old Iron Tooth).  Vadderung works in a steel office, but sometimes is a fae that is harmed by it. 

Another theory is that Mother Winter specifically might predate that Fae vulnerability.  She is the only Mother Winter to serve, so logically she should have been there when the current Summer/Winter dichotomy was set up (specifically and intentionally per WOJ), and that maybe whatever being she was prior didnt have that Iron issue as maintains that.

Also worth noting that it might not extend to Mother Summer, simply because we've only seen it of Winter so far, and Mother Summer is of a newer generation. 


It's all speculation at this point though, there's been no official clarification.
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Offline Mira

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Re: Are the Mothers immune to iron?
« Reply #2 on: June 14, 2017, 02:55:31 PM »


Aren't Mother Winter's false teeth described as made of iron?   Also the shears that she used to cut the unraveling were described as "rusty," iron as far as I know is the only iron does that..

Offline Quantus

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Re: Are the Mothers immune to iron?
« Reply #3 on: June 14, 2017, 03:03:00 PM »

Aren't Mother Winter's false teeth described as made of iron?   Also the shears that she used to cut the unraveling were described as "rusty," iron as far as I know is the only iron does that..
In SK she has several sets of teeth, but the metal one "was made out of some kind of silvery metal, shining like a sword", so it wasnt specified as Iron.  The shears are described as "rusty shears", though since it's not "rust-colored" it remains possible that the oxidation was non-specific; silver can be rusty but it's black, or green for copper-based alloys. Many of my old "rusty" tools appear to have black rust, rather than the stereotype red-rust of iron.

But a WOJ makes a strong implication that those shears are the mythic shears of Atropos, used to Cut the strings of Fate and end lives; I tend to question whether such a cosmically significant artifact would be made of common materials. 
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Offline RobReece

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Re: Are the Mothers immune to iron?
« Reply #4 on: June 14, 2017, 03:34:00 PM »
In SK she has several sets of teeth, but the metal one "was made out of some kind of silvery metal, shining like a sword", so it wasnt specified as Iron.  The shears are described as "rusty shears", though since it's not "rust-colored" it remains possible that the oxidation was non-specific; silver can be rusty but it's black, or green for copper-based alloys. Many of my old "rusty" tools appear to have black rust, rather than the stereotype red-rust of iron.

But a WOJ makes a strong implication that those shears are the mythic shears of Atropos, used to Cut the strings of Fate and end lives; I tend to question whether such a cosmically significant artifact would be made of common materials.
Not necessarily relevant to the story, but the post....

Red Rust

Hydrated oxide Fe2O3•H2O
 (high oxygen/water exposure)

Rust from Iron (III) oxides forms due to high oxygen and water exposure resulting in red rust.
•Red rust is the result of heavy exposure to air and moisture, combined many times with a contaminate (salt).
•This type of rust is most likely atmospheric because typically there are no signs of rust runs or streaks on the metal parts/equipment where the rust has formed.
•With red rust, there is uniform corrosion, most often from a very corrosive environment.


Yellow Rust

Iron oxide-hydroxide FeO(OH)H2O
 (high moisture)

Rust from Iron (III) oxides that is a very soluble iron oxide results in yellow rust.
•Yellow rust is distinguishable in recessed areas of the metal parts/equipment where the rust “runs and drips” (solvated rust).
•Yellow rust forms as a result of very high moisture content. It frequently found in settings where puddled/standing water has most likely been present.


Brown Rust

Oxide Fe2O3
 (high oxygen/low moisture)

Rust from Iron (III) oxides with high oxygen and low moisture results in brown rust.
•Brown rust is a drier rust than those mentioned above.
•It is most likely atmospheric – having formed as a result of water and oxygen in the atmosphere and presenting as a reddish-brown crust on the metal’s surface.
•Brown rust is sometimes localized rust which appears as non-uniform spots or only in certain areas rather than over the whole surface. It can be the result of a contaminate on the metal’s surface often originating from the manufacturing process.


Black Rust

Iron (II)oxide – Fe3O4
 (limited oxygen)

Rust from Iron (III) oxides with limited oxygen and low moisture results in black rust.
•Black rust can be visually identified as a thin, black film which is the result of oxidation in a low oxygen environment.
•Black rust has an appearance of almost a black stain. Most likely the areas exhibiting the black rust had something covering them, which prevented oxygen from reaching the surface.
•This type of rust is a more stable rust layer that does not propagate as rapidly as other rust forms.

Offline groinkick

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Re: Are the Mothers immune to iron?
« Reply #5 on: June 14, 2017, 06:03:14 PM »
I think that they are.  The Iron teeth that Harry saw may have been his interpretation of what they were similar to seeing the Outer Gates.  Her teeth may have been his mind perceiving her nature.  She did threaten to eat him, and take the Mantle back.  So she may literally consume other supernatural creatures to absorb their power.
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Offline Quantus

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Re: Are the Mothers immune to iron?
« Reply #6 on: June 14, 2017, 07:13:47 PM »
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Nice!  Thanks
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Offline Cozarkian

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Re: Are the Mothers immune to iron?
« Reply #7 on: June 14, 2017, 08:45:53 PM »
I would guess just highly resistant.

In SK, the Lord Marshall drops his human glamour but is about to hold his ogre glamour when Harry his him with iron. The gate in Arctis Tor is barely brought down by an iron hammer and destroys it in the process. In CD, Maeve uses a gun (which I believe is steel).

I bet Mother Winter's tingle a bit at worst, but you would still want iron if you wanted to die a horrible death (e.g., attack her).

Offline Quantus

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Re: Are the Mothers immune to iron?
« Reply #8 on: June 14, 2017, 08:51:26 PM »
I dunno, Mab was willing to break her cover to avoid even /touching/ a simple nail.  The gun was (I think?) brought by her retinue, and the fae seem to have a lot of things made of some Iron-free Steel-ish alloy. 
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Offline Drikonn

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Re: Are the Mothers immune to iron?
« Reply #9 on: June 14, 2017, 09:28:36 PM »
It's also possible she was using a ceramic gun. And as far as Winter's teeth I thought in Cold Days they were specifically described as iron.

Offline Cozarkian

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Re: Are the Mothers immune to iron?
« Reply #10 on: June 14, 2017, 09:39:38 PM »
I dunno, Mab was willing to break her cover to avoid even /touching/ a simple nail.

Mab was acting a specific role to test Harry. Assuming she would react like that in a situation where she wanted to keep her identity a secret could be a fatal mistake in the DV.

Offline forumghost

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Re: Are the Mothers immune to iron?
« Reply #11 on: June 14, 2017, 10:58:28 PM »
I like to think that Mother Winter is just so badass/powerful that despite being just as vulnerable to Iron as any other Faerie, she keeps some in her mouth as a statement. "I use my own personal Kryptonite as Dentures, you want some of this?"

Offline RobReece

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Re: Are the Mothers immune to iron?
« Reply #12 on: June 14, 2017, 11:40:00 PM »
I like to think that Mother Winter is just so badass/powerful that despite being just as vulnerable to Iron as any other Faerie, she keeps some in her mouth as a statement. "I use my own personal Kryptonite as Dentures, you want some of this?"
:D

Offline ClintACK

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Re: Are the Mothers immune to iron?
« Reply #13 on: June 15, 2017, 01:03:00 AM »
I like to think that Mother Winter is just so badass/powerful that despite being just as vulnerable to Iron as any other Faerie, she keeps some in her mouth as a statement. "I use my own personal Kryptonite as Dentures, you want some of this?"

This.

A bit like Hades' crown of Mordite.


Can you imagine the physical incarnation of decay and destruction being vulnerable to a random metal?

MW is far more than just a faerie queen.

Offline Mira

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Re: Are the Mothers immune to iron?
« Reply #14 on: June 15, 2017, 05:28:02 AM »
This.

A bit like Hades' crown of Mordite.


Can you imagine the physical incarnation of decay and destruction being vulnerable to a random metal?

MW is far more than just a faerie queen.

Agreed..