Editing Kelsier

Soon afterwards, Wax accessed a [[coppermind]] contained in a coin-like Southern Scadrian medallion that Hoid had given him and saw a vision of what appeared to be Kelsier's memory of discovering the Southern Scadrians hundreds of years prior. The vision, seen from Kelsier's point of view, showed that his spiked right eye viewed the world through Allomantic lines, similar to [[Steel Inquisitors]], while his left eye saw things normally.{{book ref|mb6|epilogue}}

<div data-nosnippet>

=== Resistance against Trell ===

At some point, Kelsier had the Ghostbloods on Scadrial work in order to resist the oncoming threat of [[Trell (Trellism)|Trell]]. He worked out of a safehouse in [[Bilming]], alongside [[Wan ShaiLu|Moonlight]], [[Prasanva|TwinSoul]], [[Codenames|Kaise]], and [[Dao]].{{book ref|mb7|39}} He was hours away near Southern Scadrian when [[Telsin]] planned to send a bomb on Elendel, and tasked Moonlight, TwinSoul, and [[Marasi]] to take care of it.{{book ref|mb7|40}} He also had Codenames send messages to [[Steris]] and the Ghostblood agents in the Elendel Basin, telling them to prepare for an evacuation of Elendel.

After Elendel was saved, Kelsier talked with Harmony, asking him to lead Scadrial into a new technological and Metalborn age so they may be better prepared for future threats and [[Autonomy]]'s return.{{book ref|mb7|epilogue|4}}

== History ==

{{image|Kelsier by Caio Santos.jpg|side=left|width=250|Scarred from his time in the [[Pits of Hathsin|Pits]]}}

=== Early Life ===

Born to a [[noble]] father and skaa mother,{{book ref|mb1|8}} his mother kept both Kelsier and Marsh alive by pretending that she was noble to their father so that their children would be considered merely illegitimate noblemen instead of half-breeds; however, their father eventually found out. Thus Kelsier's mother was killed, and because of this, the brothers have a deep hatred of noblemen. Kelsier then made his living as a thief, becoming famous throughout [[Luthadel]].

He teamed up with the escaped Plantation skaa [[Dockson]] and the [[Tineye]] [[Mare]], whom he married. They were extremely successful. Kelsier later said that "he had more Money than he could Spend" however, after a failed attempt at stealing from the Lord Ruler in his secret room inside [[Kredik Shaw]], he was sent to the [[atium]] mines in the [[Pits of Hathsin]].{{book ref|mb1|4}} There he spent his time believing that his wife Mare had betrayed him to the Lord Ruler until he witnessed his wife being beaten to death by guards after she gifted her Atium bead to him. He then "Snapped", becoming a [[Allomancy|Mistborn]].{{book ref|mb1|17}} Using Allomancy he was able to escape the Pits. Kelsier was then trained by a Mistborn named [[Gemmel]]{{book ref|11m}} and they traveled to the far north of the [[Western Dominance]] to a city called [[Mantiz]] where Kelsier fought and killed the Mistborn [[Antillius Shezler]]. From the skaa in [[Keep Shezler]] he heard rumors of the [[malatium|Eleventh metal]]. Kelsier sought and eventually found the Eleventh metal as he believed it would help him to defeat the Lord Ruler.{{book ref|11m}}

=== Recruiting his Crew ===

{{quote

|Ah, but being an annoyance is something that I am very good at. In fact, I’m far more than just a mild annoyance. People tell me I can be downright frustrating! Might as well use that talent for the cause of good eh?

|Kelsier to Marsh{{book ref|mb1|7}}

}}

{{image|Final Empire Opening Scene.jpg|side=right|height=250px|At [[Tresting plantation]]}}

After discovering the [[malatium|Eleventh Metal]] Kelsier started to prepare his plan by hiring the [[Kandra]] [[OreSeur]]. Then he killed the noble Lord [[Renoux]] and let [[OreSeur]] impersonate him. He met with [[Yeden]] the leader of the skaa rebellion and made Yeden hire him to bring down the Final Empire. On Kelsier's way back to Luthadel, he made a stop at the farm of Lord [[Themos Tresting]] to talk with the farm skaa. When Lord Tresting attempted to rape a skaa girl, Kelsier saved her, killing Tresting and all his servants and soldiers in the process. He burned down the manor and purposely departed in a way that forced the skaa to join the rebellion. When he arrived in Luthadel, he first reunited with his old partner and best friend [[Dockson]].{{book ref|mb1|2}}

Dockson told Kelsier about a young Allomancer [[Vin|girl]] [[Marsh]] had discovered whom he suspected was a Mistborn. Kelsier and Dockson went to see her first hand; they watched Vin Soothe an obligator during [[Camon]]'s scheme, confirming that she was at least a [[Soother]]. After Camon and Vin left, Kelsier realized that the ministry had already discovered that Camon was a thief and only played along to find the crew's hideout. A Steel Inquisitor had been present, discovering Vin's Allomancy. The Inquisitor and some soliders followed Camon to find his hideout to wipe out his crew, but Kelsier lured the Inquisitor away by using his own Allomancy while Dockson took out the soldiers. They went to the hideout themselves just in time to save Vin from Camon. Kelsier knocked out Camon with Steelpushes and gave control over the [[Camon's crew|crew]] to [[Milev]]. He forced the rest of the crew to leave, only leaving Vin. Kelsier's suspicions that Vin was a Mistborn were confirmed when he saw that she was able to burn zinc. Kelsier offered to let her to join his crew. Vin didn't trust him but agreed in order to learn how to use Allomancy. Later, Kelsier invited a team of the best thieves in the city to a gathering in Camon's safe house. He introduced them and Vin to Yeden and explained his plan to destroy the [[Final Empire]] and kill the [[Lord Ruler]]. [[Breeze]], [[Ham]], [[Clubs]], and Clubs' nephew [[Spook]] joined his crew. While initially hostile, in the end Kelsier's brother Marsh joined, and together the crew developed a plan to defeat the Final Empire.{{book ref|mb1|6}}

The plan was to secretly build up an army of twenty thousand trained skaa soldiers in the [[Arguois caverns]] while at the same time causing confusion and distrust in the nobility to cause a house war. Once their army was trained and the houses grew unstable enough, they would send a part of their army to attack the Pits of Hathsin, forcing the garrison of Luthadel to go and defend the Pits. With the garrison gone and the nobility weakened by the war, the rest of the army then could take over Luthadel. Then Yeden would gain control of the city and the crew would receive the Lord Ruler's [[atium]] stash as payment. Breeze would recruit men for the rebellion, Ham would train them in the Arguois caverns, Dockson would direct the operation's finances, Clubs would hide the group's Allomancy with copperclouds, OreSeur in the role of Lord Renoux would buy the necessary equipment, Marsh would infiltrate the Steel Ministry posing as an obligator, Kelsier would use his Mistborn power to make attacks on the nobility to create tension between the houses, and Vin would gather information in the noble court posing as Renoux's niece Valette. Kelsier also wanted to try kill the Lord Ruler with the Eleventh Metal as a "voluntary bonus".{{cite}}

{{image|Yeden's Army by Kelly Mai.jpg|side=left|height=250px|Kelsier overlooking [[Yeden]]'s rebel army}}

=== The Skaa Rebellion ===

To put the plan in motion, Kelsier first targeted [[Keep Venture]], as House Venture was the currently most powerful house in Luthadel and an attack on it would have the greatest impact. Kelsier killed eight [[Hazekiller]]s, stole a bag of [[atium]], and made sure that it became known that a Mistborn had attacked a Great House, something forbidden by an unspoken agreement between the houses.{{book ref|mb1|5}} He gifted Vin a [[mistcloak]] and started to teach her Allomancy. Vin expected that Kelsier would use his knowledge to control her, but to her surprise, he openly explained her the eight basic metals. Kelsier let Vin jump over the city walls as an exercise for [[steel]] and [[iron]] and was surprised how voluntarily she did it, remembering his own training.{{book ref|mb1|7}} Outside the city, they saw a [[Mistwraith]]. Back at the city gates Kelsier introduced Vin to [[Sazed]]. Realizing Vin didn't trust him, he told her that in his crew they trust each other. He offered to teach her about [[gold]] and atium, gave her the money he took from Camon, and allowed her to leave, as he didn't want to force anybody into his crew. Vin decided to stay in order to see if he told the truth about trusting others.{{book ref|mb1|8}}

In the following months, Kelsier himself took on many roles to further the plan, acting as a beacon to the repressed skaa, assisting in recruitment,{{book ref|mb1|10}} attacking many noblemen to increase the tensions between the Great Houses,{{book ref|mb1|5}}, collecting information by purchasing it from informants, and even posing as an informant in order to provide misinformation to noblemen.{{book ref|mb1|19}} He continued training Vin and was surprised by her quick progress. Though they suffered many setbacks, Kelsier's leadership allowed the rebellion to attain an army of sufficient size to hold Luthadel.

{{image|To Kill an Inquisitor by Rafael Sousa.jpg|side=right|width=300px|Fighting Inquisitors}}

=== Death ===

{{quote

|But you can't kill me, Lord Tyrant. I represent that one thing you've never been able to kill, no matter how hard you try. I am hope.

|Kelsier to the Lord Ruler, last words before death{{book ref|mb1|34}}

}}

When several skaa from the rebellion were about to be executed, Kelsier attempts to save them. He is confronted by a Steel Inquisitor, which he eventually manages to defeat by beheading him with the Inquisitor's own obsidian axe. However, Kelsier is then confronted by the Lord Ruler, who backhands him across the face and then stabs him in the chest with a spear, killing him.{{book ref|mb1|34}} Kelsier later reveals in his letter to Vin that he had intended to use the Eleventh Metal to destroy the Lord Ruler but could not discover how to use it in his fight.{{book ref|mb1|35}} After his death, [[OreSeur]] takes his bones and appears before several groups of skaa, making them believe that Kelsier survived somehow.{{book ref|mb1|35}} This results in the skaa considering him a god, leading to the founding of the Church of the Survivor, which refers to Kelsier as "Lord of the Mists". Vin also became a major religious figure in the wake of his death, as the Survivorists consider her Kelsier's heir. [[TenSoon]] learned the location of his bones from OreSeur, and used them to convince the people of Luthadel to hide in the caverns after King [[Ferson Penrod|Penrod]] was corrupted by Ruin.{{book ref|mb3|52}}

=== Time in the Cognitive Realm ===

Immediately after his death, Kelsier arrived in the [[Cognitive Realm]] and met [[Preservation]]. He then asked Preservation if they are God, and after being told yes he promptly punched Preservation in the face.{{msh ref|1|1}} Then he found the power at the [[Well of Ascension]] and became trapped there with [[Ruin]], though merging with the power of the Well allowed him to become a [[Cognitive Shadow]] and resist the pull of the [[Beyond]].{{msh ref|1|1}} While he was in the Well, Hoid passed by and Kelsier essentially challenges him to a fight that Kelsier ultimately loses.{{msh ref|2|1}} He feels Ruin's presence during his time in the Well.

{{image|Drifter.png|side=left|width=400px|Kelsier meeting [[Hoid]]}}

Once he is freed from the Well along with Ruin, he initially travels around through the Cognitive version of Luthadel, seeking out his friends. He finds Vin and Ham near the steps of Keep Venture and also learned that Dockson had died in the Battle of Luthadel.{{msh ref|3|1}} He walks past Luthadel towards the lake of the same name, near which he finds [[Khrissalla|Khriss]] and [[Nazrilof|Nazh]].{{msh ref|3|2}} They question him on Preservation's appearance after learning he has spoken directly with the Shard, and then continue their discussion onto other topics. Khriss mentions the [[Ire]] which sets Kelsier onto his next quest of finding their base of operation.{{msh ref|3|3}}

During his journey to find the Ire, he runs into Ruin and has a discussion about Ruin's intent.{{msh ref|4|4}} After that, he left the area of the Cognitive Realm surrounding Scadrial and moved closer to finding the Ire. When he reaches their base, he moved past their guards and passed the wall into their chambers.{{msh ref|5|2}} He ultimately only took a glass orb from them after thwarting their plan to take over become the Vessel of Preservation after [[Leras]]' death.{{msh ref|5|3}}

When he returned to Scadrial he found that Preservation's power was significantly weakened. He also ran into Vin and was shocked to see how far she had come in the time he was away.{{msh ref|6|1}} He stayed with her for a while after that but ultimately had to leave.{{msh ref|6|3}}

{{sidequote

|From the Well of Ascension, of course. It's the same power, after all. Solid in the metal you fed to Elend. The liquid in the pool you burned. And vapor in the air, confined to night. Hiding you. Protecting you.<br />Giving you power!

|Kelsier speaks to [[Vin]] before she Ascends.{{book ref|mb3|72}}{{msh ref|6|7}}

|side=right|size=325px

}}

When Leras died and Ruin began to [[Splinter]] the Shard of Preservation, Kelsier used the [[Ire's orb]] to Connect with Preservation and Ascend, allowing him to protect the power and hold it until Vin could take it.{{msh ref|6|4}} Despite Preservation not usually being able to speak into the minds of other, due to some combination of [[Spook]] being near death, having a broken soul, and believing Kelsier was a god, he was able to talk to Spook.{{wob ref|8010}}{{msh ref|6|6}} He used this opportunity to tell Spook to send a message to Vin, warning her that any spiked person could potentially be under Ruin's control.{{msh ref|6|6}} Secretly, however, he knew that Ruin would send Marsh to intercept the message, and was hoping that reading the message would give Marsh the information he needed to remove [[Vin's earring]], which was also a Hemalurgic spike that was keeping her from taking up Preservation's power. When Marsh caught Vin in [[Luthadel]], he attacked Ruin with Preservation's power, weakening Ruin's control over Marsh just enough for Marsh to rip out Vin's earring. With the spike removed, Kelsier encouraged her to take up the power, relinquishing it so that she can do so.{{msh ref|6|7}} After she and Elend are killed, Kelsier spoke with them before they moved on to the Beyond.{{msh ref|6|8}}

After Sazed's Ascension and Spook's rise to political power, Kelsier began to speak with Spook about finding a way to bring himself back to the Physical Realm.{{msh ref|epilogue}} As a Cognitive Shadow tied to Scadrial, it is difficult for him to travel to other planets via Shadesmar.{{wob ref|4843}} He does not yet know the secret to overcome this limitation.{{wob ref|10799}} His bones survived the Ascension of [[Harmony]],{{wob ref|5951}} and may have helped him regain physical form.{{wob ref|14946}}

=== Continued Worship Post-Catacendre ===

{{image|The Sovereign by Diego López.JPG|side=left|width=200px|The Sovereign}}Many years after the [[Catacendre]], the cult which started after Kelsier's deception with [[OreSeur]] directly following his death has become a fully-formed religion. The [[Church of the Survivor]], or Survivorism, is possibly the most organized of Scadrial's religions in this period, as well as being the clear favorite among the social elite and downtrodden alike.

[[Steris]] and [[Marasi]] are both members of this religion, though Marasi admits that it is more because she was raised in it. Its central tenet is simply to survive, by any means, until you cannot survive any longer. Priests in this religion wear robes with stitching up the arms to emulate Kelsier's scars from the [[Pits of Hathsin]].

The "Survivor's Statemark" is one of the symbols of the faith. When [[Bleeder]] killed [[Father Bin]] by nailing him to a wall, it is described as a parody of the Survivor's Statemark,{{book ref|mb5|12}} implying that the Statemark depicts the way Kelsier died, impaled by a spear.

Aside from the Survivorists, there was also a whole civilization of people that worshiped Kelsier far to to the south of Elendel, calling him the '''Sovereign'''. Kelsier had traveled there several years after the [[Catacendre]], inhabiting a physical body that was spiked in the right eye, and found the [[Southern Scadrian]]s slowly dying of an unexplained coldness. He helped the people there survive using his knowledge of the Metallic Arts, showing them how to make [[Feruchemy#Unsealed_Metalminds|unsealed metalminds]] to store attributes like heat in a way that could be shared with anyone. As the Sovereign, Kelsier ruled the Southern Scadrians for a time and formed another religion that deified [[Metalborn]], and then he left.{{book ref|mb6|21}}

Before leaving them, he created the [[Bands of Mourning]], a collection of unsealed metalminds forged together and containing all kinds of attributes in extremely large quantities. He hid the artifact away somewhere in the north and then disappeared.{{book ref|mb6|21}}

{{image|Kelsier the Sovereign by cola-san.jpg|side=right|height=250px|Kelsier, as the Sovereign}}

=== Cosmere-wide Activity ===

Kelsier is known as [[Thaidakar]]{{book ref|sa4|115}} to the [[Ghostbloods]], a secret society that operates on several planets, including [[Roshar]]. Kelsier is the leader and presumed founder of the organization, which [[Mraize]] calls "the most powerful organization in all the cosmere."{{book ref|sa4|115}} He is referred to by [[Hoid]] as "the Lord of Scars."{{book ref|sa4|115}} Kelsier is [[Iyatil]]'s master. While he is incapable of leaving Scadrial in person, he uses an "avatar" to visit the Ghostbloods on Roshar.{{book ref|sa4|115}} He appears to be using the Ghostbloods to find a way for him to leave Scadrial and is very interested in learning from the [[Heralds]], particularly [[Kalak]], as they are subject to a similar restriction.{{book ref|sa4|13}}{{book ref|sa4|82}}{{book ref|sa4|115}} When assassinated by [[Szeth]], [[Gavilar]] suspects Thaidakar of ordering his death.{{book ref|sa1|prologue}} He has also worked together with Khriss.{{wob ref|14891}} The Ghostbloods believe Kelsier to still have his Allomantic abilities,{{wob ref|16002}} and he appears to be playing into this lie.{{book ref|mb7|40}}

=== Kelsier and Wax ===

[[Waxillium Ladrian]] was a direct descendant of a close associate of Kelsier, [[Edgard Ladrian]].{{book ref|mb5|19}} As a [[Pathian]], Wax did not worship Kelsier, but his life has nonetheless been drastically affected by the Survivor.

[[Marsh]] decided to give Wax a book explaining Hemalurgy because he believed Wax was doing Kelsier's work.{{book ref|mb4|epilogue}} This book proved vital in solving the case of [[Bleeder]]. While conversing with Harmony regarding the case, Harmony said that Wax's casual way of talking to him reminded him of Kelsier.{{book ref|mb5|7}} Harmony also made vague allusions to the [[Southern Scadrian]]s that Kelsier once ruled as the Sovereign.

Later on, a group of Southern Scadrians traveled north in search of the Sovereign's Bands of Mourning, but were captured by the [[Set]], who decided to seek the Bands as well. Wax and his friends became embroiled in this incident in opposition to the Set, and Wax was almost killed in an encounter with them.{{book ref|mb6|27}} After [[Marasi]] solved the riddle of the Bands and wielded it to escape the Set, she gave it to Wax, who wielded it and became incredibly powerful.{{book ref|mb6|28}} Wax then used the artifact to defeat the Set and save the Southern Scadrian prisoners, using up a lot of the Investiture stored in the Bands.{{book ref|mb6|29}}