Ghostblood's Goal

[Primeival Chaos]

Ok, hear me out.

We know that Kelsier became a Cognitive shadow after his death because of Preservation. At the end of Mistborn: Secret History we see Kelsier wants to get back to life.

We also know that the Ghostbloods want power. According to Mraize, they want Stormlight because it is easily transportable Investiture, and they will get rich off of it. That seems weak to me, because even though it would make them insanely rich, they already seem to be rich and there seem to be better ways than that.

This is where my theory comes in. They want the Investiture so that they can turn themselves into cognitive shadows. We know that having a lot of Investiture can extend the time between dying and going to the Beyond.

Any thoughts?

[Green Hoodie Mistborn]

Well, we know that one of K's goals is escaping Scadrial. That's why the Ghostbloods were/are trying to capture Kalak and bring him for questioning. 

The transportation of investiture just seems pragmatic. If you have easily transportable, consistently renewing Investiture you can source and you're then only one, then you can viably power magics of different types in places that they might not be able to be used and so have a power that is unknown to locals which always will give you an edge.

What K's ultimate goal is... ?? He's got too much of Ruin in him to really be fighting to "Preserve" the Cosmere, which is why he couldn't hold Preservation for very long/effectively. Plus, Sanderson has said that, K is a psychopath. In Era 1 we see him.. .mostly put that psychopathy to "good' use. But as a Cognitive Shadow... Vasher has said that when a CS lives too long, they can become hyperfocused to an Intent. So whatever K's Intent is at this point and how he's using the GB to achieve that? 

[cometaryorbit]

24 minutes ago, Green Hoodie Mistborn said:

 So whatever K's Intent is at this point and how he's using the GB to achieve that? 

Well, at the end of Secret History, Kelsier seems (besides working on regaining a physical body) to be setting up to learn as much as possible about the Cosmere, to avoid the kind of problems-out-of-ignorance Kelsier and Vin caused by killing TLR and releasing Ruin.

But I don't think its a Khriss style scholarly approach. More like learning to access and use different powers, and learning what potential dangers are out there and how to deal with them.

Which could easily be corrupted into amassing power for its own sake, or by Era 4 into a kind of imperialism, taking over the cosmere to prevent external threats from arising.

 

[AerionBFII]

I’m completely baffled about what the goal of the Ghostbloods is. K seems to want to explore the Cosmere and leave Scadrial, the transfer of investiture off/between worlds. I think getting rich is not their primary concern but getting power and influence is something they’d be interested in. 

We’ve seen a few organisations who span the Cosmere, but I do not think we’ve seen them as of yet. Perhaps there is a behind the scenes arms race going on and they want to position themselves to influence it. 
 

The Ghostbloods seemed very cutthroat to me and I get the impression that the rather bloodthirsty Rosharan sect is operating without K’s direct oversight and that he wouldn’t particularly approve of some of their methods. 
 

I think K became a Cognative shadow because he died, he wanted to regain physical form to act directly. I don’t think all the Ghostbloods want to become cognative shadows but being immortal (as is possible In the cosmere) would be one hell of a recruiting point. 

[Kallor]

Kelsier always struck me as a psychopath, also that he was honestly too afraid to pass on. He wanted a project to remain important, relevant and maybe becoming a cognative shadow somehow enhanced his desire to survive.

I think he’s paranoid and power hungry and the GB strike me as having a relaxed structure. Like his old thieving crew of mutual benefit and gain amongst its members.  
 

I think other posters have elaborated on what we know of his and the GB goals 

Edited March 22, 2022 by Kallor

[AerionBFII]

10 minutes ago, Kallor said:

 He wanted a project to remain important, relevant and maybe becoming a cognative shadow somehow enhanced his desire to survive.
 

1 hour ago, Green Hoodie Mistborn said:

What K's ultimate goal is... ?? He's got too much of Ruin in him to really be fighting to "Preserve" the Cosmere, which is why he couldn't hold Preservation for very long/effectively. Plus, Sanderson has said that, K is a psychopath. In Era 1 we see him.. .mostly put that psychopathy to "good' use. But as a Cognitive Shadow... Vasher has said that when a CS lives too long, they can become hyperfocused to an Intent. So whatever K's Intent is at this point and how he's using the GB to achieve that? 

This is amazing stuff guys. I’ve always thought Kelsier was a a psychopath too. It is such a great topic for Brandon to take on, how him being so psychopathic served Mistborn era 1 so well but when it’s not channeled for a ‘benign’ purpose how dangerous it is for other characters and worlds. 

I’ve always thought becoming a Cognative shadow and how that would affect their psyche. Kelsier’s main purpose in life is to ‘survive’. I think passing on is something he is simply unable to do now so he clings to life.  

Using investiture to fuel other magic systems is something or even transferring it from planet to planet is something highly sought after. Simply becoming rich is not something that could motivate characters like Mraize, K or other Cosmere high rollers. But being able to move pure investiture from Roshar to other systems would make them very important in the wider Cosmere. 
 

I’ll say it again: COSMERE ARMS RACE

[cometaryorbit]

Kelsier became a cognitive shadow due to being infused with power from the Well - Preservation's Investiture- so I think it's super likely that this did increase his desire to Survive.

Especially as when he's exploring the Ire fortress Dor power is affecting how he thinks - he mentions that the green plants started to look natural to him...

[+Invocation]

Kelsier's sole goal is to escape Scadrial in order to punch every living Shard in the face.

[Primeival Chaos]

1 hour ago, Invocation said:

Kelsier's sole goal is to escape Scadrial in order to punch every living Shard in the face.

You're thinking too small. There's only 16 shards, but there are millions of Rosharans!

2 hours ago, AerionBFII said:

I’ll say it again: COSMERE ARMS RACE

That does seem more likely. I have seen some theories about a Roshar vs Scadrial war near the end of the cosmere.

[+Invocation]

1 minute ago, Primeval Chaos said:

You're thinking too small. There's only 16 shards, but there are millions of Rosharans!

Yeah but why would he care about punching Random Rosharan 1,050,109 when he can continue his streak of punching incredibly powerful beings?

[Primeival Chaos]

8 minutes ago, Invocation said:

Yeah but why would he care about punching Random Rosharan 1,050,109 when he can continue his streak of punching incredibly powerful beings?

Well maybe not all of the Rosharans. . .

At least the Surgebinders and some highprinces

[ReinyxGrey]

So, I'm still a baby in the realm of Cosmere knowledge, but hear me out - 

We know that there are gems that capture the unmade and hold them ...  On Roshar - the Fused are cognitive shadows that assume other bodies to be 'reborn' ... are the Ghostbloods trying to find a way to trap Kelsier in one of those gems and transport him across Shadesmar, eventually pulling him through the Everstorm and give him a body to inhabit, basically enabling him to be 'alive' again?

 

Does this make any sense, or am I way off base? 

Sorry if so, first post here.

[SwordNimiForPresident]

Kelsier wants to escape Scadrial so Hoid can beat the brakes off him again. He's a glutton for punishment.

[Thaidakar the Ghostblood]

why would people want to know my goal? 

[ReinyxGrey]

I think your goal is just to 'survive'....  but, you know, like....  ~ s u r v i v e ~

[DiePie]

I don't know how likely it is, but Kel might be trying to act in Sazed's interests, i.e. Sazed wants to make sure there's some level of Scadrian Influence throughout the Cosmere so that whenever something inevitably threatens him he'll have some additional resources to draw upon... Or at least Kelsier thinks he is