User:Ladymxdnight/Vin

History

Birth and Early Life

Vin was born to Tevidian Tekiel, lord prelan of the Steel Ministry, and a skaa prostitute. Her birth was extremely difficult, and she Snapped while her mother was in labor. She had an older half-brother on their mother's side, Reen, and a younger unnamed sister. Vin and her sister inherited Allomantic powers from their father, the latter being born a Seeker.

Tevidien later allegedly tried to have Vin’s mother, Vin, and possibly her sister assassinated. However, this attempt on their lives was unsuccessful. Vin's mother was insane, and was driven by Ruin to kill Vin's infant sister with a bronze pin, thereby creating a Hemalurgic spike. She then used this to pierce the young Vin's ear, taking her into her lap and declaring her a queen. Reen took Vin from their mother, who then fled. She was later killed by Obligators.^{[citation needed]}

Growing up with Reen

After that, Vin was raised by Reen on the streets. They were constantly on the move, travelling all over the Central Dominance(?). At times, she had lived like a beggar, sleeping in exposed alleys.Reen's lessons and attempts to strengthen her -- like taking her on burglaries to teach her to steal and teaching her to survive the skaa underground -- were abusive. He beat her for things such as being too friendly with other crewmembers or making foolish comments which drew unwanted negative attention. This abuse had a profound effect on Vin's ability to trust, but was successful in instilling the lessons he believed she needed to learn to survive. They eventually returned to Luthadel and joined Camon’s thieving crew. However, Reen then went missing. Vin assumed that Reen had abandoned her, as he had often promised he would. She was left alone in Camon’s crew, and exploited for her fledgling Allomantic abilities. Unbeknownst to her, he had been captured by the Steel Ministry and tortured to death for information about her.

• Vin later discovered that Reen never betrayed her, but was in fact captured by Inquisitors and tortured for her whereabouts. Despite the torture, he never gave her up, claiming until his death that Vin had died.

Camon's Crew

After Reen’s betrayal, Vin was forced to work in Camon’s crew, ostensibly to pay off debts left by her brother. It’s unclear whether Camon was aware of her Allomantic abilities (could he have suspected?). Camon obviously found her useful, considering her to be good luck, though he threatened to sell her off to the whoremasters. Vin would often accompany Camon on jobs and use Soothing (?) to make them go well for him. Having no name for this ability, she simply called it “luck”. She often suffered abuse at the hands of Camon, such as beatings and whippings. He also retained her wages in order to pay debts left by Reen.

• Marsh took notice of her when she once tried to Soothe him

• Vin would often accompany Camon on jobs and use Soothing (?) to make them go well
• Having no name for it, she called this ability "luck"
• She often suffered abuse at the hands of Camon
• Marsh took notice of her when she once tried to Soothe him

Chapter 1 - Chapter 3

• 1: Summoned by Camon; soothes Obligator
• 2: Ministry; Steel Inquisitor
• 3: Kelsier; subconsciously burns pewter

Kelsier's Job

Chapter 4 - Chapter 8

• 4: Speculation on Kelsier's job; first crew meeting
• 5: Post-meeting
• 6: Clubs' shop; second crew meeting; Marsh arrives
• 7: Eavesdropping on Kell and Marsh; Mistcloak; first Allomancy lesson
• 8: Luthadel wall; Sazed; Fellise; Renoux

Fellise

Chapter 9 - Chapter 11 Timejump: a few months later; late autumn

• 9: Vin and Kelsier train; Cosahn; Sazed quizzes her
• 10: Training with Breeze; conversation with Spook; crew meeting (third?); news of Steel Ministry raiding Camon's lair
• 11: Investigating the lair; finding Camon's corpse

Vin continued her training with Kelsier over the next few months, as the rest of his plan began setting into motion. She often spent her nights Allomantically sparring with Kelsier on the streets of Fellise. By late autumn Kelsier thought she had made great progress over the past few months. Vin herself also felt fairly confident in her Allomantic abilities, and the mists and Allomancy felt right to her. (annotations, C9). However, she was not yet skilled enough to accompany Kelsier on his nightly raids of various noble houses’ properties.

However despite this progress, she still had plenty to learn and the sparring matches with Kelsier provided ample training opportunity for her. In one such sparring match, Vin used a trick to try and gain the upper hand on Kelsier by throwing her coin pouch in an attempt to mislead him as to where she was. As it was night, they relied on their steelsight(??). However the advantage she gained was short-lived as he still managed to gain the upper hand on her. They got into a Pushing match with a coin between them, flattening it in the process. At the end, after defeating Vin, Kelsier gave her the coin as a “souvenir”.

Despite her time with Kelsier, Vin’s old instincts were still strong. She retrieved her coins after sparring, not wanting to waste the clips it contained even though it was a trivial amount. She also still disliked using coins to Push off of or Pull on when travelling back to Mansion Renoux, uncomfortable with the wastage, and instead used metal fixtures around her.

The few months of training had also allowed her bruises, courtesy of Camon, to heal, and her hair to grow out. Her training also extended to lessons with Sazed regarding noble culture, history and etiquettes -- all necessary for her role in Kelsier’s job.

Despite her success with learning Allomancy, Vin was quite apprehensive about the role she would have to take in impersonating a noblewoman. Aware of her lack of self-confidence, Vin felt much more at ease in shadows and corners -- she didn’t like the idea of being out in the open at balls, pretending to be a noble. As she made her way back to Mansion Renoux, she mulled over these things. Upon returning to the grounds, she stowed her mistcloak outside and entered the manor in search of Sazed.

She found him in the servant’s quarters of the mansion, in the kitchens. He was accompanied by Cosahn, one of Mansion Renoux’s skaa staff members, and as Vin entered he commended her on her excellent timing as Cosahn was to give her a haircut. Vin felt uncomfortable to have someone working with shears so close to her, but reluctantly allowed for it to happen. Cosahn studied Vin’s hair, admiring how beautiful it was and remarking on how it was a shame to see it treated so poorly as she began to cut.

As Cosahn worked on Vin’s hair, Vin and Sazed began to talk. Sazed had been telling Vin of ancient, forgotten, religions, trying to find one that would fit her, and as they sat together he brought this subject up, telling her that he had another “proposal” for her. As Vin had nothing else she could do, she somewhat grudgingly accepted this and let him explain it to her. He tried converting her to Trelagism, with little success. Vin was, however, surprised to learn how many religions Sazed had memorised. He obliquely mentioned Feruchemy as one of his “methods”, but didn’t share much with her. Vin also didn’t see the point of memorising long-dead religions, incredulous that he had been trying to convert her to religions that had long since died out. Sazed somewhat explained the Keepers, saying that when the Final Empire eventually came to an end people would want back the beliefs of their ancestors. When pressed, he told Vin that there are “not many” other Keepers -- “enough to pass the truths on to the next generation”. Vin pondered over this.

Cosahn did Vin’s hair a lot more carefully than Reen used to, taking her time. The discussion on religion concluded, or perhaps because Sazed didn’t want to continue discussing Keepers, he began to run over her knowledge of Luthadel’s nobility with her -- knowledge essential for her eventual infiltration of noble society, as Valette. Vin, being unable to leave due to Cosahn’s ministrations, obliged. Sazed questioned her on the Great Houses of Luthadel, before then going over her fabricated backstory for her Valette persona. They revised her persona’s history, her relation to Lord Teven Renoux, before going over the role Valette was to take and how Vin would need to act while impersonating her -- naive, quiet, and unobtrusive.

Sazed commended her memorization abilities, for she recalled his teachings quite well, and gently chastised her for avoiding their lessons and highlighting the need for her to act the part of a rural noblewoman. Vin voices her concerns about not wanting to stand out, but Sazed tells her that she will certainly be noticed as a newcomer from far away -- they just had to make sure she was noticed, and then dismissed.

Kelsier arrived then, putting an end to their discussion. He complimented Cosahn’s work with Vin’s hair, prompting Vin to ask for a mirror and take a look herself. To her surprise, she noted that she looked like a girl -- something Reen had always tried to prevent. As Cosahn continued with her work, Kelsier whisked Sazed away for a private conversation out of Vin’s earshot.

Some days later, Vin revisited Luthadel after a period of time spent in Fellise. She had been asked to come by Kelsier, in order to have an Allomancy lesson with Breeze on Soothing. As she navigated the Cracks, she was reminded of the contrast between the two cities, and the dejected air of the skaa in the city. Dodging a patrolling squad of Garrisoners, she arrived at her destination -- a drab, run-down soup kitchen which catered to skaa workers.

Forgoing the dining room, Vin was directed to a wooden door that lead to a small room set aside from the main area, guarded by a man seated nearby. Within, she found Breeze and four other men, only one of whom she recognized from Clubs’s shop. Two were guards, and one, though dressed as a skaa worker, seemed to be one of Yeden’s rebels.

As he began his “lesson”, it became apparent that Vin was not pleased by being “handed off” to Breeze. However she soon realised there was much she could learn from Breeze, and began taking his words more seriously. While she found his opinions cruel -- that understanding people, and then using that understanding to your advantage, is what made a good Soother -- her training from Reen encouraged her to understand her Allomancy, lest anyone take advantage of her ignorance.

Ham then arrived, after having ensured the security of the surrounding area and placed Tineyes on watch. He ensured that Clubs’ apprentice, Cobble, was Smoking, thus finishing their preparations. As they waited for Kelsier to arrive and begin his speech, Ham began trying to engage Breeze in a debate. When Breeze refused to respond, he turned to Vin, engaging her in a debate about the morality of overthrowing the Final Empire, given that the Lord Ruler was considered God -- or rather, the Sliver of Infinity, as Breeze noted. Their discussion continued, Ham’s ideas confusing Vin, until Yeden’s rebel announced that Kelsier had arrived.

Ham excused himself to guard the perimeter, and Breeze called Vin to him by the wall, where there were peepholes, asking her to bring him a chair. She hesitated, but as her copper was on she knew he wasn’t Soothing her, and eventually complied, bringing over two chairs.

As the pair of them were seated before the wall, Breeze opened a slat in the wall, revealing the dining room. Beaten down skaa workers sat at the tables, and Vin noticed Yeden seated near the front of the room. Kelsier then arrived from the kitchens, exchanging a quiet word with Yeden before beginning to address the gathered skaa. His entrance slightly surprised Vin, as she had been expecting something more grand. She also noticed his clothing was much more understated than usual, a brown coat and tan trousers, similar to the workers attire, though it was free of ash and any damage. As Vin considered the change, she decided it was good enough, as a suit would have been too much.

As Kelsier stood before the men, Vin marvelled at his ability to quieten a room with his mere presence. As the talking ceased, Kelsier began his speech. Breeze too began to talk to Vin, explaining how Soothing and Rioting could produce very similar effects. As Kelsier spoke, Breeze and his Soothers worked their Allomancy on the crowd. Breeze used a code based on the colour of the serving girls’ dresses to instruct his Soothers on which emotions they were to Soothe. At the same time, his Rioters would focus on the emotions Breeze wanted the crowd to feel.

Out of curiosity Vin extinguished her copper and burned bronze to try and feel Breeze’s Allomancy, but this didn’t work as the Smoker present was still burning his coppercloud. As Kelsier’s speech continued, she noticed he wasn’t mentioning the army or in what way those who decided to join him would be contributing to the rebellion -- a good decision, in her estimation, as it meant they had no solid information about Kelsier’s plans.

As Kelsier’s speech drew to a close, one of the listening skaa spoke up, calling Kelsier a fool and telling him that he would be killed by the Lord Ruler. Kelsier seemed to consider this, and finally responded that the Lord Ruler had already tried and failed to kill him, revealing his scars. With that, he left the room via the kitchens.

Breeze remarked on his dramatics, and continued with his Soothing. The room was silent for a moment, before Yeden stood up to speak further to the men. Breeze carried on with his Soothing, encouraging the worker’s sense of loyalty to prevent anything being reported to authorities, and then went on to Soothe away Yeden’s worries.

As Vin observed, she dropped her coppercloud and let herself be affected by Breeze’s soothing. She began to feel the exact emotions Breeze intended, and was impressed by his subtle touch as opposed to Kelsier’s blunt emotional Allomancy. She continued to study her feelings as Breeze continued, noticing her emotions being Rioted as well by his Rioters, though their touch was not as subtle. As she continued observing Breeze’s skill, she found herself understanding why Kelsier had sent her to Breeze -- since he only had one Allomantic power, he had mastered it in a way Kelsier couldn’t with his focus split between all the Allomantic skills. She resolved to make sure Kelsier sent her to learn from the others in the crew too.

Once the meeting drew to a close, Breeze ensured the skaa workers left with a feeling of passion within them. When Vin questioned what would happen when the emotions faded, Breeze explained that strong emotions tend to help in remembering an event better and so the speeches would stay on their mind longer.

Ham soon reentered, letting them know that the event appeared successful and that he expected they would have some volunteers for their army. However Breeze did not seem as pleased by this, for he feared at the rate they were going they wouldn’t be able to recruit their target amount of ten thousand men.

Later that evening, a crew meeting was held by Kelsier in Clubs’s shop. As Vin sat with the others in the conference room waiting for Kelsier’s arrival, she found herself studying Marsh, internally noting his stern demeanor. Waving Spook over, she asked him whether Marsh was a nickname. He responded, but in his (street slang???) which took her a moment to comprehend. She learned that Marsh was indeed his real name, though he had once had the nickname “Ironeyes” for his steely grey eyes. According to Spook, people had stopped using it as it was too reminiscent of Steel Inquisitors.

Kelsier then arrived, putting an end to their conversation. One by one he began getting updates from the crew on the different areas being focused on. Their recruitment wasn’t picking up as well as was needed, as in twelve weeks they had amassed less than two thousand men. The idea of increasing recruitment in Luthadel was discussed, but written off as too much of a risk. Kelsier decided to start recruiting in the surrounding towns instead, asking Breeze to divide his Allomancers into two groups so that one might work in Luthadel while the other could work outside the city. Marsh was also asked for an update regarding his infiltration of the Steel Ministry, which was proving to be more challenging than anticipated. As the crew seemed unsure how to proceed, Vin suggested an idea of her own. On the job Camon had been working on with Theron, Theron had been bribing a minor Obligator for their plan. She suggested that this Obligator could be used to get Marsh into the Ministry, passing him off as an acolyte. Kelsier found this to have potential, and Dockson made a note to contact Theron. The crew meeting goes on, discussing the weapons dealings Renoux was partaking in.

Breeze then brought to their notice that rumours of the Eleventh Metal were circulating on the streets, and his concern about the Lord Ruler hearing them. Kelsier, however, was unperturbed by this. He mentioned he intended on paying the Lord Ruler a “visit” soon. Before further conversation could occur, however, one of Ham’s guards interrupted, bearing the news that the Steel Ministry had hit Milev’s lair.

Vin went with the crew to see the aftermath of the attack. Kelsier initially tried to prevent her from entering the remnants of what had once been Camon’s lair, thinking it might be too gruesome a sight for her, but she refused to be excluded. Finally Kelsier allowed her to see the lair.

Vin had mixed feelings, seeing what had been done to her old crew. While she was no stranger to death, there was an intentional air to the death in the room. The slaughter had been messy, and as the attack had occurred only that morning the room still smelled of blood. She felt numb, recognizing that while these men had been horrible to her they had also provided her with shelter and a living. She felt sad, though Reen would have disapproved of such an emotion, and thought of it as a weakness. As Vin noted to herself how extreme the slaughter had been for the Ministry, Dockson confirmed to Kelsier that it had been an Inquisitor’s work.

Sazed then arrived, to Vin’s surprise. She, Kelsier, Dockson, Ham and his men had come, but the other crew members were at Clubs’s shop for fear of danger. Kelsier had been hesitant even about bringing Vin, despite her being Mistborn. It made her curious why he had no qualms about Sazed’s presence. She was distracted from these thoughts by the sight of a corpse bearing a familiar face -- Ulef. His death was gruesome, and his face was pained even in death.

An Inquisitor taking care of a group of petty thieves in such a violent manner was unusual, and Kelsier suspected it was the same Inquisitor that had been on Vin’s trail months ago. Vin realised this meant that the creature still had her scent, and had traced her to her old lair. She felt remorseful, about Ulef’s death, as she had brought this upon them inadvertently. When she expressed that this was her fault, though, Kelsier disagreed, saying it was Camon’s fault for trying to scam an obligator. He asked if she was alright, and, trying to be strong, Vin claimed none of them had been her friends and feigned indifference, knowing it was cold-hearted to do so.

Vin wasn’t able to believe only one Inquisitor could have killed the entire crew so quickly, sure that he must have had help. By counting the bodies s knew that it was unlikely anyone had even been able to escape. She recalled Kelsier telling her that there were many things not known about Inquisitors, and shivered.

Ham arrived, after having secured the perimeter with his men and confirming that there were no obligators or Garrisoners in the vicinity. The dead were being left as they were, as a message for others to discover, according to Kelsier. As silence fell, Vin noticed that Sazed was murmuring something to himself -- a Cazzi prayer, he explained to her when she asked him. He gave her a brief explanation of their faith, though it was not the religion he followed. When she asked why he picked this prayer, he told her it was what felt right.

Their conversation was put to a stop by Dockson calling for Kelsier. Vin followed Kelsier to see what he had found, into the crew’s sleeping quarters. She expected to find a gory scene, but instead there was only one body, which had been tied to a chair and had its eyes gouged out -- Milev, the man Kelsier had put in charge of the crew after ousting Camon. As Kelsier and Dockson studied the corpse, they concluded that he had been tortured and suffered a slow death. However, they decided they didn’t have to move their base of operations as despite the torture, Milev and his crew would not have been able to give the Inquisitor information on Kelsier’s crew and their whereabouts. It was still concerning, though, as the Inquisitor should not have been able to find Milev’s crew either.

Kelsier and Dockson returned to the main room, stepping to the side to speak privately. When Vin tried to get closer, Sazed stopped her and chastised her for eavesdropping when Kelsier wanted privacy. Annoyed, Vin burned tin in order to listen in to the conversation. The sudden heightening of her senses made the smell of blood overwhelming, the dimly lit room now so bright that her eyes watered. She heard Dockson telling Kelsier Camon’s location (three streets west of the Fourwell Crossroads) as Dockson had checked on him a few times at Kelsier’s request. Milev and his crew had made the former crew leader a beggar as Kelsier had ordered.

Kelsier called for Ham, and the loudness of his voice amplified by her tin made her startle. Sazed looked at her with disapproval, which meant he knew enough about Allomancy to know what she was doing. Kelsier ordered Ham to take the others back to the shop, though he did not accompany them.

However, Vin went after Kelsier instead of going back, following him to where he was going to check on Camon. She caught up with him in a dark alley near the north corner of the intersection he had been expecting to find Camon at. While she had been following him discreetly, he heard her and, mistaking her for an enemy, sent a bunch of coins her way which she deflected. Kelsier was angry at Vin for following him into a potentially dangerous situation, leading her old instincts kick in -- she cowered back, trying to seem harmless, and unconsciously began Soothing him. He realised what she was doing, gently berating her, his anger cooled.

Vin’s attention then turned to the corpse of Camon, which is what Kelsier had found in the alley. He had been hanged, though not in the usual way. Instead the rope used to hang him had been tied to a hook, which was then jammed down his throat, protruding from beneath his chin -- a ritual killing used for those who misused Allomancy, according to Kelsier. He also confirmed that he had been tortured before being killed. Vin appeared grim but satisfied at the sight of Camon.

However, the manner of Camon’s death troubled Vin in what it would mean for her -- Kelsier thought he had been killed in this manner because he had admitted to using Vin’s Allomancy for his own gain while being tortured. She worried this meant the Ministry knew she was Mistborn, but Kelsier reminded her that Camon may have assumed she was only a Misting, telling her the plan would go ahead. They left the scene before attracting further attention from the beggars outside.

Luthadel + Kredik Shaw

Chapter 12 - 15

• 12: Ball at Keep Venture; seeing Tevidien; meeting Elend
• 13: Discussion w Sazed, Kelsier and Renoux; Following Kell back to Luthadel
• 14: Kredik Shaw; Alendi's logbook; Inquisitors; injury; rescued by Sazed
• 15: Taken back to Clubs' shop by Sazed + patched up

/

Chapter 16 - 19 Timejump: 2 weeks (according to Spook)

• 16: Wakes up in Clubs' shop; Talks w Dox; talks w Kell; travels back to Fellise 3 days later; talks w Renoux then Sazed
• 17: Tea with Renoux; crew meeting; talking with Kelsier about Mare later in the evening
• 18: Ball at Keep Elariel (inc Elend + dancing); Shan
• 19: Kelsier returns to Mansion Renoux and talks to Vin about Elend (same night)

/

Chapter 20 - 25 Timejump: a "few" weeks

• 20: Vin returns to Fellise from Luthadel; meets Kell + trains w Marsh
• 21: [kelsier chapter]
• 22: Vin reads the logbook; talks to Sazed then Dockson
• 23: Ball at Keep Hasting; conversation with Shan then Elend
• 24: (same night) crew meets at Clubs' shop; (next day) Ham and Vin visit the Luthadel garrison; news abt rebellion
• 25: Kelsier + Vin pewter drag to the caves + get all the remaining people out

(end of part 3)

/

Chapter 26 - 34 Timejump: 15 days

• 26: Vin wakes up in Clubs' shop; fountain square; new plan
• 27: (same evening) crew meeting at Clubs' shop; Vin + Kelsier meet Marsh
• 28: Ball at Keep Hasting; Vin talks to Kliss then Elend
• 29: Vin finishes reading the logbook; talks to Sazed about her fears;
• 30: Ball at Keep Venture; news re the house war; Elend breaks up w Vin; talk w Kliss; fight w Shan
• 31: Vin returns to the shop and has an outburst; Kelsier talks to her; they talk about Elend and Mare
• 32: Vin joins Spook in spying from a tenement near Clubs' shop; she and Kelsier visit skaa; finding Marsh's "corpse"
• 33: Vin is with the crew in the backup lair when Kel returns; news about fountain square; they go there
• 34: Vin watches the crowds w Dockson as Kel fights the Inquisitor; TLR arrives; Kel

(end of part 4)

/

Chapter 35 - Epilogue

• 35: Vin grieves and is joined by Sazed; skaa rise up; the crew goes to the warehouse and are joined by OreSeur; Vin reads her letter then goes to kill TLR
• 36: Speaks to guards (inc Goradel) at Kredik Shaw; fight w Inquisitors; meeting TLR; knocked unconscious and imprisoned; Tevidien
• 37: Sazed comes after her; they break out; Elend arrives; Elend and Sazed leave while she goes to kill TLR
• 38: Fight in the throne room; Marsh; drawing upon the mists to rip off TLR's bands; rams spear into his heart, killing him
• Epilogue: Vin and Marsh talk to Sazed about TLR + kandra; Vin goes to Elend at last

Attributes and Abilities

Allomancy

• Allomantic Prowess

“But Vin . . . she seems to know all these things instinctively. True, she can only use the first four metals with any skill, but the progress she’s made is amazing.” -- Kelsier

• Hemalurgy?
• Kandra + Koloss

Spying/Reconnaissance/Thieving

• In thieving crews
• As Valette
• Various recon (Eg. Urteau, Fadrex)

Relationships

Sazed

Possible other

• Tindwyl
• the crew
• TenSoon
• Zane
• Reen