Vanishers
Vanishers | |
---|---|
Type | Criminals |
World of Origin | Scadrial |
Universe | Cosmere |
The Vanishers are a criminal gang on Scadrial.
They were employed by the Set to defraud House Tekiel[1] and to kidnap women with Allomantic heritage.[2][3]
They were lead by Miles Dagouter.[4] Tarson is second in command.[citation needed]
They carried out a series of seemingly impossible train robberies, stealing cargo and kidnapping women. They also robbed a couple of high society gatherings, taking valuables and hostages.
History
They began train robberies on the 14th of Vinuarch 341 PC (early summer)[3]. They first stole a shipment of aluminum from House Tekiel before going to ground for four months, presumably to smelt the aluminum into bullets and guns.[3][citation needed] Afterwards, they robbed six more trains, including two from House Ladrian.[5] The first and second shipments stolen after resurfacing were steel. Next they stole food, followed by more metals, including pewter, iron, zinc, brass, bendalloy, and tin.[3] The first three were only cargo robberies, but they quickly progressed to also robbing a passenger car for valuables and one or two of their Allomancy-blooded targets. Four women were kidnapped in this manner.[5][3] However, as the high-class Allomancy-blooded targets the Set laid out for them stopped riding trains due to safety concerns,[6] they were forced to rob the Coolerim Playhouse to get their next target.[5]
The next target was the Yomen ball, with Steris and Marasi to be taken as the Allomancy-blooded captives.[citation needed]
Methods
The Vanishers would first stop the target train by obstructing its tracks.[3] This always occurred at a position where the rail line came close to the canal it was built next to.[citation needed] Earlier robberies accomplished this with a fallen tree, later they employed a ghostly train coming the opposite direction.[3] That particular illusion relied on a hand-powered train carriage with a false front and a powerful light attached to appear as the headlight. This light may have been battery powered. Once the train was stopped, they would use a barge-mounted crane in the neighboring canal to swap the target car for an empty replica.[7] In this way, they were able to steal the cargo without leaving forced locks or dead guards on the train once it arrived at its destination.[5]
Media Coverage
The Vanishers were extensively covered in Elendel's broadsheets[3], and Miles considered the resulting publicity essential to ensuring the incompetence of the constabulary.[citation needed] Some sheets speculated that the phantom railcar used by the Vanishers was truly supernatural in origin.[8] Some put forward theories on the method of robbery involving Sliders or Brutes. Many papers interviewed eyewitnesses and experts, however, they still lacked solid information.[3][8]
Known Members