Summary:The Well of Ascension
This page contains a chapter by chapter summary of Mistborn: The Well of Ascension. We hope this summary will make it easier to find specific areas of the book, as well as providing a quick plot refresher for anyone who doesn't want to take the time to reread the entire book. Each section will include epigraph quote, chapter summary and annotation summary.
Editing Note from Dean: Feel free to help me edit this page, if I miss something important. I am starting from chapter 13 (it's were I'm up to in the book). I will then come back and fill in the rest at the end. If anyone wants to upload any chapter header pictures to, this would be greatly appreciated.
Part One: Heir of the Survivor
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
My brethren ignore the other facts. They cannot connect the other strange things that are happening. They are deaf to my objections and blind to my discoveries.
Chapter 4
Perhaps they are right. Perhaps I am mad, or jealous, or simply daft. My name is Kwaan. Philosopher, scholar, traitor. I am the one who discovered Alendi, and I am the one who first proclaimed him to be the Hero of Ages. I am the one who started this all.
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Part Two: Ghosts in the Mist
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Vin notices that the mists are coming earlier. OreSeur does not notice, nor think it strange, but will do so if Vin commands it: she does not. Vin then proceeds to question OreSeur about Kandra society. OreSeur replies that the infiltrating kandra will be fulfilling his Contract. He scoffs at the idea of the kandra being a rogue, saying that no kandra is allowed to enter human society without a Contract. OreSeur states that Kandra cannot be affected by mental Allomancy, nor can they use Allomancy. However, he refrains from commenting on why a Kandra should be kept away from Inquisitors and the Lord Ruler. Vin tries to learn more about OreSeur personally, but he does not answer her questions, and she does not command him.
Vin burns bronze. She feels the same odd pulsing that she felt in Chapter 3. She decides to face her fear of the mist spirit. She finds the spirit on the third floor of an apartment block, with prime vantage point to overlook Vin and OreSeur's prior conversation. Vin yells at the mist spirit, but it merely steps forwards and dissipates. She feels cold grab her arm and a pain pierces Vin, running from her ear (presumably the one with the earring) to her mind, causing her to fall from the window. She flares tin and pewter to ease her fall. Vin begins to fear the mists.
Elend organises a meeting with the 'old crew'. The crew have come up with a solution to form an alliance with one of the two armies surrounding Luthadel. Elend does not like the idea, especially considering that he would be left with a guilty conscious. Instead he recommends sabotaging the food supplies, then set the two armies against each other, liking the three-way stalemate to politics. The crew decide to go ahead with Elend's 'foolhardy' plan.
A Terriswoman is ushered into the room, caught eavesdropping. She wishes to speak to Elend alone. She is a Keeper and Feruchemist.
Chapter 14
The Terriswoman's name is Tindwyl, an acquaintance of Sazed. Her coppermind specialty is biographies - the has studied the lives of great men. She has come to (forcibly) tutor Elend in the arts of being regal. Vin immediately distrusts her.
Chapter 15
Eight days after leaving the Conventical, Sazed finds himself alone. At the village of Urbene, Sazed finds the bodies of the skaa villagers. They had died from starvation and dehydration. Sazed finds a man still alive, though close to the brink of death. The man is too scared to go outside as there is mist appearing during the day. Some who tried to leave ended up dead from violent shakes (almost like an epileptic fit). Others survived, either untouched by the mists, or had a seizure, but were still alive. The man walks over to a corpse and starts eating it. Sazed uses a pewtermind to pick up the man and take him outside. Once outside the man runs away. Sazed retrieves his bag, pulling out a steelmind, using the stored speed to get to Luthadel faster.
Chapter 16
Vin pulls apart Alendi's logbook, looking for references to the mist spirit and The Deepness. She realises that the mist spirit watching her was the same one the followed Alendi around. However, Alendi's logbook gives little information regarding the creature, and The Deepness.
Elend stands atop the city's walls, looking down at the invading armies 'digging in'. He is met by Clubs on the wall, where they discuss Elend's ability to lead. Clubs was sent by Tindwyl to tell Elend to meet her.
Tindwyl tries to fix up Elend's appearance. She gives him a uniform, and despite his objections, cuts his hair so he looks like a military man and warrior. He is to wear nothing else but this uniform until the end of the war. He is also given a crown to wear, a symbol of authority. Captain Demoux arrives bearing news from Ham that a messenger has arrived from King Straff Venture.