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{{lifeform
The '''koloss''' are a bestial race of creatures on [[Scadrial]], featured in the [[Mistborn trilogy]]. Koloss were created by the [[Lord Ruler]] through the use of [[Hemalurgy]]. During the time of the Lord Ruler, koloss served as a powerful, fiercly loyal army to him, thanks in no small part to the fact that they can be controlled through the use of [[Allomancy]] by any powerful allomancer or group of allomancers who can burn brass ([[Allomancy#Brass_.28External.29|Soothers]]).
|image=Human Koloss.jpg
|type={{tag+|Hemalurgic construct}}
|sapient=Yes
|world=Scadrial
|universe=[[Cosmere]]
|books=[[Mistborn (series)|Mistborn]]
}}
The '''koloss''' are a bestial race of creatures on [[Scadrial]], featured in the [[Mistborn trilogy]]. Koloss were created by the [[Lord Ruler]] through the use of [[Hemalurgy]].{{book ref|mb3|37}}{{book ref|mb3|40}} During the time of the [[Lord Ruler]], koloss servedserve as a powerful, fierclyfiercely loyal army to him, thanks in no small part to the fact that they can be controlled through the use of [[Allomancy]] by any powerful allomancer[[Allomancy|Mistborn]] or group of allomancers[[Soother]]s whoand/or can burn brass ([[Allomancy#Brass_.28External.29|SoothersRioter]])s.{{book ref|mb2|54}}{{book ref|mb3|3}}{{epigraph ref|mb3|21}}
 
== Physiology ==
When a koloss reaches about 12 Feet, their hearts can no longer sustain their bodies, and they will shortly after die.
=== Appearance ===
{{image|Koloss by cyangorilla.jpg|side=right|width=300px}}
{{for|/Gallery|more images}}
 
==== Koloss ====
When a fellow koloss dies, other koloss in the vicinity will attempt to collect and reuse the spikes from the dead one. This results in the koloss being to reproduce in a manner of speaking, provided they have someone to stick the spikes into.
The koloss are physically very large and very powerful. Koloss have blue skin and red eyes.{{book ref|mb2|19}} A full-sized koloss could grow to be as tall as twelve feet. The transformation process corrupts the ability of their skin to grow and heal. Therefore Koloss are said to only have a fixed amount of skin that does not change over their lifetime. Because of this, the younger a koloss is, the fatter it may appear, due to having much baggy skin covering itself. The skin itself doesn't hold terribly well to the koloss' body.{{book ref|mb2|19}} As the koloss grow taller, their skin tears and fits tightly to them. An ancient koloss is a hideous sight indeed, having little remaining original skin. Being covered instead in scars, half-healed wounds, and innumerable newly formed tears. Older koloss protect their mutilated skin with leather wrappings.{{book ref|eltania}} A koloss continuously grows until its death. When it reaches roughly twelve feet, despite its hemalugically enhanced strength and fortitude, its heart and lungs can no longer sustain its disproportionate weight. Heart failure begins to set in. It dies shortly thereafter, or in a weakened state is killed by younger koloss seeking to take its blade.
 
==== Koloss-blooded ====
Because of this, after the Lord Ruler's control over the koloss ended, many of the koloss would attack nearby human inhabitants.
Koloss-blooded resemble normal humans with skin ranging from mottled granite to various shades of blue.{{book ref|mb4|5}}{{book ref|eltania}}{{book ref|mb5|prolouge}} Like koloss, they continue growing taller throughout their life.{{book ref|mb4|19}}
 
=== Creation and reproduction ===
The koloss are physically very large and very powerful. A full sized koloss can grow to be as tall as 12 feet. A young koloss has as much skin as it will come to have in its later life. Because of this, the younger a koloss is, the fatter they look due to having too much baggy skin covering themselves. The skin itself doesn't hold terribly firmly to the koloss' body.
Similar to [[Steel InquisitorsInquisitor]]s, the creation of a koloss is very brutal. To create a koloss, 4four [[human]]shumans are stabbed with individual metaliron spikes through their heart, and these metal spikes are then placed strategically on to a 5thfifth person. Once placed, causingthe themspikes toturn becomesthe recipient into a koloss "very quickly".{{wob Theseref|8075}} spikesIt canis bepossible reused,to however,create theHemalurgic powerconstructs similar to koloss using animals instead of thehumans spikesas decreasesa withbase.{{wob ref|3590}} It is possible to create sapient creatures similar to koloss from other re-useprimates.{{wob ref|12581}}
 
The addition of four spikes containing the strength and a portion of the [[spiritweb]] of four other people causes them to grow in physical strength far beyond human limits as well as making it possible for them to continue growing in size until they can no longer physically support their own bodies and their hearts give out. The four spikes also have the effect of damaging their cognitive and emotional capacity, making them more animalistic and poorly sentient. These spikes can be reused, however they are subject to Hemalurgic decay, meaning that the power in the spikes diminishes with each re-use, which allows for more of the humanity to remain in subsequent creations.{{epigraph ref|mb3|40}}Such koloss may retain more of the skills and language they possessed prior to being transformed.
== Creation ==
 
The spiking, however, only affects them in the [[Physical Realm]]. When they appear in the [[Cognitive Realm]] after death, they look exactly like the humans they were before being spiked.{{msh ref|6|2}}
Similar to [[Steel Inquisitors]], the creation of a koloss is very brutal. To create a koloss, 4 [[human]]s are stabbed with individual metal spikes through their heart, and these metal spikes are then placed strategically on to a 5th person, causing them to becomes a koloss. These spikes can be reused, however, the power of the spikes decreases with re-use.
 
When a fellow koloss dies, other koloss in the vicinity will attempt to collect and reuse the spikes from the dead one. This results in the koloss being able to reproduce in a manner of speaking, provided that they have someone to stickreceive the spikes. intoThe koloss are periodically supplied with fresh spikes and skaa captives to produce more koloss, but after the death of the Lord Ruler, they learned how to reproduce on their own; by harvesting the spikes from their dead brethren and re-using them, likely under Ruin's influence.{{epigraph ref|mb3|42}}
 
Because of this, after the Lord Ruler's control over the koloss ends, many of the koloss attack nearby human inhabitants in an attempt to make more koloss. When [[Vin]] visits a koloss camp, they request for her to give them more koloss. She does not know how, but they expect a human to be able to provide them with more koloss, since that is what they have experienced in the past.
 
In the post-Catacendre era, koloss became a self-reproducing species. When two koloss reproduce, the offspring are born koloss-blooded. They can also breed with humans and produce koloss-blooded hybrids. They become a full koloss once they choose to accept spikes.{{book ref|eltania}}{{wob ref|1417}}
 
== Powers ==
{{image|Koloss by Gar leyva.jpeg|side=right|width=250px|Large Koloss attacking [[Sazed]]}}
=== Koloss ===
Koloss have four [[Hemalurgy|Hemalurgically]] charged [[iron#Hemalurgic Use|iron]] spikes, which grant them increased strength and stamina. This allows them to wield enormous blades, which are about the same size they are. The blades are relatively blunt and not well made. The edges are jagged and full of nicks and dents. Koloss tend to rely on brute strength and the great inertia of their weapons to smash and hack their opponents, rather than any great technique or finesse. They should not be underestimated, however. Larger koloss are more experienced killers. The Hemalurgic spikes, however, come with a price. In addition to twisting their bodies, the spikes also diminish a koloss' mental and emotional capacity. Moreover it dulls their sense, including reduced sensitivity to pain. However, they still retain some ability to reason, remember, perform certain tasks, and the ability to communicate. The re-use of spikes from dead koloss to create more resulted in koloss that retained more of their former humanity and mental capacity.{{epigraph ref|mb3|42}}
 
Koloss can subsist off of nearly any substance and can eat almost anything, including dirt and ash.{{book ref|mb2|19}}{{book ref|mb3|13}} They are not bothered by the cold.{{book ref|mb2|41}}
 
Allomancers who are transformed into koloss will retain their Allomantic abilities, though they may not necessarily retain the knowledge to use those abilities.{{wob ref|10117}}
 
=== Koloss-blooded ===
Koloss-blooded are stronger than an average human.{{book ref|mb4|11}}{{book ref|eltania}} Koloss-blooded can also withstand more damage, able to survive gunshots and heal faster than a human can.{{book ref|mb4|18}}{{book ref|mb6|5}} Koloss-blooded are not nearly as fast as full-blooded koloss.{{book ref|mb4|18}}
 
While it is believed that koloss-blooded are less intelligent than humans, studies have shown that they are just as intelligent.{{book ref|eltania}}
 
== CultureHistory ==
{{image|HoA Weber.jpg|side=right|width=250px|[[Vin]] standing on a koloss}}
=== The Final Empire ===
During the Final Empire the koloss serve as the Lord Ruler's army.{{book ref|mb2|54}} After the Lord Ruler's control over the koloss ends, many of the koloss attack nearby human inhabitants in an attempt to make more koloss. They were used as a driving force of their armies for both [[Vin]] and [[Ruin]].{{book ref|mb3|2}}{{book ref|mb3|82}}
 
=== After the Ascension ===
After [[Harmony]]'s [[Final Ascension|Ascension]] the koloss were transformed into a tribal race that could breed, which lived in the [[Roughs]].{{wob ref|1381}} As a true breeding race, koloss raise koloss-blooded children. Those who chose can turn into full koloss at the age of twelve in a coming-of-age ritual where they choose to accept the requisite spikes or not. Those who do not accept the spikes leave, and live outside the tribe. Additionally, outsiders can choose to become koloss through this ritual.{{wob ref|1417}} The koloss as a people have made a vow not to harm the [[Terris]] people, which entitles Terrismen to safety and a degree of respect amongst the koloss.{{book ref|eltania}}
 
The changes in the koloss and their breeding subsequently allowed some koloss-blooded to become Allomancers.{{book ref|mb4|6}} How this is achieved is unknown, but koloss with the powers of Allomancy appear to be known in the [[Roughs]] enough to be recognized.{{book ref|mb4|11}}
 
Since the koloss are no longer required to fight for anybody, they are able to live longer lives. This allows for the development of koloss ancients, who have little to no skin at all. They are enormous, have no noses or lips, and their eyes appear to bulge. They survive only by wrapping themselves in leather to keep in their blood. While their intelligence is still at the level of the average koloss, they are looked after by the tribe and given respect similar to that of a tribal elder.{{book ref|eltania}}
 
== Culture==
Because of their diminished intelligence, the Final Empire-era koloss live in barbaric tribes. Usually, social standing is determined by age, because as the koloss agesage, they get larger and more powerful.
 
Koloss are said to have two emotional states: boredom and rage. Because of this, their day to day lives are filled with milling about and fighting. When there is nothing else to fight near them, the koloss turn to in-fighting. Their blades can be used as a means of population control, as well as weaponry. If a koloss doesn't have a sword it feels is of adequate size, it will have to kill another koloss and take its sword. If there are extra swords, the koloss will expect their handlers to make more koloss to take up those swords, and if there are not enough swords, the koloss will kill each other for them until there are.
 
Most of the killing within a tribe is done solely on a whim, usually to get something the other koloss ownedowns, or because some random glance or act hadhas enraged one of the koloss.{{book ref|mb2|19}}
 
After the [[Lord Ruler]]'s death, [[Jastes Lekal]] created some fake wooden coins and by "paying" with the coins, he recruited an army of koloss. The koloss carry the coins in a small sack and would kill each other for them.{{book ref|mb2|19}} This is probably caused by the reusing of the spikes which increases their intelligence to the point that they can understand economy values.
 
After the Catacendre, some Koloss clans have vowed to not harm [[Terris]].{{book ref|eltania}}
The only real powers in a koloss' arsenal are superhuman strength, and increased size. However, this comes at a price. Koloss are nowhere near as intelligent as they were as a human. However, they still retain the faint ability to reason, and the ability to communicate.
 
A semi-offensive term for koloss-blodded is "'''kig'''".{{book ref|mb6|9}}
== Culture ==
 
== Notable Koloss ==
Because of their diminished intelligence, the koloss live in barbaric tribes. Usually, social standing is determined by age, because as the koloss ages, they get larger and more powerful.
{{for|:Category:Koloss|a complete list of Koloss|Category:Koloss}}
{{columns|
* [[Elizandra Dramali]]
* [[Granite Joe]]
* [[Human]]
* [[Tarson]]
}}
 
== Trivia ==
Koloss are said to have two emotional states: boredom and rage. Because of this, their day to day lives are filled with milling about and fighting. When there is nothing else to fight near them, the koloss will turn to in-fighting.
 
* The very first time Koloss appeared in anything [[Brandon Sanderson]] made was during a high school DnD campaign, though this interpetation had them be much more demonic in nature than later iterations.{{wob ref|9017}}
Most of the killing within a tribe is done solely on a whim, usually to get something the other koloss owned, or because some random glance or act had enraged one of the koloss.
 
== Notes ==
[[Category:Races and Creatures]][[Category:Mistborn]][[Category:Hemalurgy]]
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{{Mistborn|metals}}
[[category: weapons]]
[[category: Koloss| ]]
[[es:Koloss]]