Others' Island (spoilers all books incl RWC)

[Farseer]

I like the idea of skill falsies. Although, wonder if the Skill is as dangerous, on contact, for an Elderling as it is for a human? After all, drinking even a small amount is deadly for a human, whereas it is unly dangerously intoxicating for an Elderling. (I still assume that larger amounts are deadly.) So, perhaps topically it is also less deadly?

Have been thinking on this a little (in the car today!)...possibly Elderlings etc didn't require a visit to the Skill River to assist with their crafting of the simulacra etc as they already may have had as much Skill-ability as they needed after having been correctly moulded by their dragons? Seeing as all was in 'order' back then? They also would have had enough helpers eg other Elderlings to assist them in their work...possibly Verity and Kettle only visited the Skill River as they had no other choice due to a lack of an available coterie, and also due to Verity having already used most of his strength/memories?

Still, if the fingernails were used as my Skill theory suggested, and Elderlings DID have need of a visit to the Skill River, the use of fingernails to store Skill would explain why they never appeared with silver on their hands or left traces of Skill silver everywhere they went. Even if the silver touch of the Skill itself (applied topically) was not as harmful to the Elderlings, if they used it as Verity and Kettle did (just put their hands and arms into the Skill River and off they went), shouldn't there have been silver left on their skin thereafter and then transferred (such as what happened with Verity and Fool, and also pecksies)?

Am changing this thread to *spoilers all books*, seeing as we sort of need to add in what we know about Elderlings etc post-RWC?