Ghostbloods

Ghostbloods symbol
Fan art by skaa[1]

The Ghostbloods are a secret society searching for the secrets of the Parshendi. They are identified by a tattoo on the inside of their forearms (although it can be placed anywhere on the body) in the shape of three interlocking diamonds. This symbol was worn by Luesh, who was the steward of Lin Davar (i.e., Shallan's father). This was also the symbol worn by the men who had come to her home and had pressured her family to return her father's Soulcaster to them. These were the men who had been financing Shallan's father in his bid to become a highprince.

As a group, they appear to be somehow related to the Herald Ishar (Pious/Guiding), whose face appears in the chapter heading of chapters in which Kabsal appears or Ghostbloods are mentioned. Members of the Ghostbloods are an association that is influencing a number of events behind the scenes on Roshar. They've also been supporting the near destitute Davar household for unknown reasons. As well, they were the group that King Gavilar Kholin first suspected when Szeth tried to assassinate him.

To date, they have tried and failed to assassinate Jasnah.

Based on the information Shallan receives from Tyn's spanreed (after Tyn meets her ultimate demise), Shallan learns that the Ghostbloods are also seeking Urithiru, though to what purpose remains unknown. By the end of Words of Radiance, the goal of reaching the Oathgate, transporting the population on the Shattered Plains to Urithiru, the Ghostbloods are aware of Shallan's role in finding the lost city.

Characteristics

The Ghostbloods are accounted for in the Diagram.

They have had interactions with Autonomy.

The Ghostbloods are interested in being able to provide Stormlight to other worlds in the cosmere as a cheap, renewable, and valuable version of magical energy. Although Mraize is aware of Lift and is very curious about her, she isn't able to produce on the scale he wants.

Wit tells Jasnah that the Ghostbloods are not a Rosharan organization and that they present a danger.

Motives

The motive of the Ghostbloods is later revealed in Mistborn: The Lost Metal. Said motive is protecting Scadrial from other Shards and people from other planets. For this reason there was an interaction with Autonomy in an attempt to stop her from destroying/conquering Scadrial.

It is hinted that the Ghostbloods might want to stop the Everstorm for some unknown reason and have done what they can to do so.^{[citation needed]}

When Shallan accused them of killing Jasnah, Mraize objected that Jasnah had killed several of their members.^{[citation needed]} It is unknown if their assassination attempt was to protect their organization's members or if Mraize was simply defending the morality of the organization.

They appear to have been an enemy of Gavilar since he indicated to Szeth that Thaidakar was too late.

They are known enemies of Amaram and the group, the Sons of Honor.

Members

Welcome to the Ghostbloods! (Again!)
Fan art by botanicaxu[2]

• Lin Davar - Shallan's father.
• Brightness Davar - Shallan's mother.
• Luesh - Lin Davar's House Steward and advisor.
• Brother Kabsal - An ardent of the Devotary of Insight.
• Thaidakar - A leader of the Ghostbloods and a mysterious man who has been mentioned in conjunction with several important events that the Alethi highprinces believe may have been orchestrated by the organization. He has also been identified as Kelsier from the Mistborn series of novels, revealed as the Lord of Scars (as Wit calls him).*
• Mraize - His real identity remains unknown.
• Iyatil - A woman who dresses like a man and wears a red-orange carapace mask.

Associates

• Tyn - A con-artist.
• Shallan - As Veil or Little Knife, as Mraize calls her.

Symbol

Members bore a tattoo of three interlocking diamonds on the underside of their forearms, although Mraize informs Shallan that she can place it anywhere on her body.

Notes

The Ghostbloods and the Seventeenth Shard are not working together.

According to Brandon, the Ghostbloods would not trust a Sleepless. Further, that they would expect a Sleepless to take over their organization or try to do so. They try to stay far away from the Sleepless as a result.

Also according to Brandon, readers have seen proto-Ghostbloods outside of Roshar, but not those after their actual initiation.

“	"The whole philosophy of the Ghostbloods was suppose to dove-tail with Survivorism. Survival of the fittest type stuff very much."	”
–Brandon Sanderson

*Additionally according to Brandon, if one has an organization of people who are drawn to the way Kelsier works, one needs some really strong rules. When he is just with his crew, his force of personality, and the people he individually picks, one is not going to have the problem of said individuals trying to backstab one another.

Further, in an immediate organization of Kelsier's, one is going to find a well bonded crew of people hand picked who are going to work together as a team. But if his structure is outside of his direct manipulation, the type of people who would be attracted to the organization he makes ... one is going to have problems.

In Brandon's mind, the Ghostbloods are neither good nor bad.

Theory

According to one reader, a lot of people have guessed that "ghost" might refer to Cognitive Shadows, but that seems tenuous to her/him. The term "Ghostbloods" might be a Rosharan translation of a Scadrian word. The most famous one - Mistborn.

As far as s/he remembers, mist or fog is never mentioned as occurring in the majority of Roshar, or at least Alethkar. If describing mist to someone who has never encountered it, it might come off sounding a bit ghosty. "Born" and "Blood" have similar connotations as word-forming elements.

S/he is not sure if this is accurate, if this has already been discussed, or what, but that's her/his two bits.

Edit: Looking at their symbol, it could be that the three diamonds represent each of the metallic arts. Doesn't really support the Mistborn theory, but might strengthen the case for a Scadrian-based organization.

According to another reader, one does not know whether Kelsier founded the Ghostbloods, but that “Ghostblood” sounds to her/him like a double reference for Kelsier (i.e., ghost = Cognitive Shadow, blood = Hemalurgy).