Are Chulls classified as "GreatShells"

[Bryce Carmony he/him]

After doing a search through Kings and Radiance for "Gemheart" and "Greatshell" and concluded the texts supports all Great shells having gem hearts but does not state a chull as a greatshell. Any WoB stating that chulls have gemhearts? 

[Stormgate he/him]

I think they do. After all, other shell beasts have them. Theirs are probably smaller, like maybe a broam or two per beast.

Also, isn't it awesome that most of Sanderson's in-book currency is useful for the resident Invested? (Invested is the term for anyone who can use a magic system. Please, make it a thing.)

[ecohansen]

From Syl's first convesation with Kaladin, iirc:  "The heart of a beetle, so tiny yet so powerful".

[Titan Arum]

ecohansen gives a good quote there. Most (if not all) of the shelled/crustacean beasts probably have some form of gemheart, but that doesn't make them Greatshells. If chulls were actually Greatshells, it would make more sense to domesticate them to slaughter them for their gemhearts. But it is quite apparent that they are more valuable as domestic beasts of burden, and in fact more valuable than many slaves: From The Way of Kings:

 

Parshmen might cost more than most slaves, but so did a chull

Thus, their gemhearts (assuming they have them) probably are not worth harvesting relative to their other uses.

 

If I were a Rosharian biologist, I'd classify crustaceans as "Greatshells" based upon their overall size, their ability to attract special spren (which is probably why they can grow so large), and the economic viability of their gemhearts if harvested (for example, a Tai-na's gemheart may be worth a fortune, but the difficulty of procuring it may be too burdensome given their gigantic size). For example, we know that Chasmfiends gemhearts are very valuable and thus worth the effort to go after: From The Way of Kings

 

a single gemheart could cover a highprince's expenses for a month.

 

According to the coppermind, the following creatures on Roshar are Greatshells:

 

1) Chasmfiend

2) Tai-na

3) Yu-nerig

4) Lanceryn (possibly extinct)

 

I'd argue that Santhid are probably Greatshells too (and they have special spren around them as well!), but since they are rarely seen and revered by sailors, they probably are not hunted even if they have large gemhearts. 

Edited March 7, 2016 by Titan Arum

[Bryce Carmony he/him]

I think they do. After all, other shell beasts have them. Theirs are probably smaller, like maybe a broam or two per beast.

Also, isn't it awesome that most of Sanderson's in-book currency is useful for the resident Invested? (Invested is the term for anyone who can use a magic system. Please, make it a thing.)

 

I actually wrote a cross cosmere currency page on the coppermind comparing all of the currencies and was actually a little let down. Scadrian coins are of course metal which was easy and gemstone spheres are of course amazingly integrated. But Warbreaker had a pretty bland currency just golden coins. I think it would have been cool if the money in warbreaker could have been some sort of colorful paper money or coin since the system there was driven by money. It was cool that investiture was traded as a commodity there though. 

[Bryce Carmony he/him]

The reason I would be curious is that if chulls and rockhounds had small gem hearts in them i would assume all native roshar life has gemhearts down to cremlings having tiny microscopic amounts of gem dust. 

 

Brandon has said there is a major ecological disaster on the horizon from the hunting of chasm fiends so it might be all life has gemhearts in some capacity.