Difference between revisions of "Kandra"

Kandra were made third and last, as the Lord Ruler's power waned but his knowledge had increased. Accordingly, kandra are different, more subtle creations than the others created using Hemalurgy. They have more independence of will than koloss or Inquisitors, who are more affected by Ruin and driven powerfully to kill. The Hemalurgic metal spikes distort the humanity in the recipient, but kandra are spiked when they are mistwraiths, not humans, and the spikes actually ''grant'' some measure of humanity to them. The additional benefits that the Blessings grant are also different than those granted to Inquisitors. Instead of granting Feruchemical or Allomantic powers that grant temporary and sometimes spectacular bursts of strength, the Blessings given to kandra grant increased abilities that are consistent and stable.

 

Physically, the kandra resemble a [[Mistwraith]] in their natural form, however, they are [[wikipedia: Shapeshifting|shapeshifters]].

 

When kandra are in their Homeland, all subsequent Generations prefer the form of a [[True Body]], which is a set of false, generally human-shaped bones that are crafted by a kandra artisan. Some True Body forms are quartz, and kandra show off their True Bodies by creating translucent skin that allows the stone to sparkle faintly in the light.{{annotation ref|mb3|page=140}} Kandra have spent ten centuries enslaved to humankind, serving the Contracts in an effort to keep themselves safe. Most of the kandra hate humans for their situation, but ironically, most kandra True Bodies are human-shaped, two arms, two legs, faces, even while they curse humankind for keeping them enslaved.{{annotation ref|mb3|page=144}}

 

The kandra are known to be secretive, keeping to themselves and mistrusting of all others including each other. Kandra keep religiously to a social mandate they call the "[[Contract]]", which is the system by which they offer their services to humans. In order to hire a kandra, they are to be paid in [[atium]].

 

Most kandra have an intense loathing for the human race as they are afraid of being controlled by allomancy, as is their most deep secret. Bound by the Contract a kandra will do its masters bidding without question. Kandra are however treated badly in general, intensifying their deeply rooted disaffection. Doing contracts is their way of 'paying for their freedom' to prevent humans from seeking ways to enslave them in other ways and finding out about formerly mentioned secret.

 

{{quote|They were of Preservation all along.|[[Harmony]] on the Kandra}}

The kandra believed that they were Preservation, while the koloss, humans and Inquisitors were of Ruin. This was true despite the fact that, like other Hemalurgically-created races, they were possessed of Hemalurgic spikes. The Lord Ruler created the kandra to be his spies, and the noble class believed they were spies for the new government. They often used the kandra in the way they thought they were meant to be used, but ultimately Rashek's plan was for them to be double agents against Ruin. According to the plan, Ruin would believe that he could take control of the Kandra whenever he wanted, as they were planted with Hemalurgic spikes. However, due to a clause in the First Contract, as well as the Trust and the Resolution, instead of being used by Ruin, they would pull their spikes free when and if Ruin were to try and seize control of them. During the events of ''[[The Hero of Ages]]'', this plan came to fruition exactly as the Lord Ruler had planned, and this disrupted Ruin's efforts and ultimately led to his demise, demonstrating the kandra's true allegiance had always lain with Preservation.

== Notes ==

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{{Mistborn|metals}}