The Set

[RonaldinhoReagan he/him]

Do we have any idea if the set could have existed prior to Mistborn Era 2? They are obviously extremely technologically advanced, wealthy and well connected (both on Scadrial and with their overseers Suit refers to as their own Faceless Immortals). It is also feasible that if they did exist prior to the Catacendre, some or all of their members could have survived in the storage caches. I'm just wondering if anyone can reference anything that points to the Set's (or their Faceless Immortals) existence during the original trilogy.

[Weltall]

@Kinnsayyy The interplanetary trade thing doesn't need to have involved the head of the Ventures. And we do have mention of gemstones throughout Era 1. Vin is mentioned for example as having gemstone jewelry as part of her Valette disguise. There's no reason for Scadrial not to have gemstones of its own (it's the Earth-analogue of the cosmere after all, after Yolen) or for the people who can afford them to want to use them for decorative purposes.

Edited April 19, 2017 by Weltall

[The One Who Connects he/him]

53 minutes ago, Kinnsayyy said:

1 hour ago, Weltall said:

@Kinnsayyy The interplanetary trade thing doesn't need to have involved the head of the Ventures. And we do have mention of gemstones throughout Era 1. Vin is mentioned for example as having gemstone jewelry as part of her Valette disguise. There's no reason for Scadrial not to have gemstones of its own (it's the Earth-analogue of the Cosmere after all, after Yolen) or for the people who can afford them to want to use them for decorative purposes.

Dang, there goes that theory. Guess I'm just thinking of Stormlight too much since I'm waiting on November lol

While it is more than likely that the gems originated on Scadrial in a mine somewhere, that doesn't mean that gems aren't what is being traded across worlds. It's the crystal structure that lets them hold Stormlight, not the planet of origin.

I don't really have a reason for why they would trade gems to Roshar, but its possible.

 

[Weltall]

@RonaldinhoReagan As I mentioned above, we do have mentions of gems in Mistborn during Era 1. One reference I was able to find pretty quickly is that Vin-as-Valette bribed Kliss for information she had on the assassination attempt against Elend, with a sapphire necklace that she was wearing as part of her disguise. Gemstones are hardly unknown on Scadrial so there's no reason to assume that just because Straff Venture had a cache of them, they come from Roshar. They clearly have independent value in the Final Empire's economy for the same reasons they do on our world: They're pretty and make obvious status symbols.

[Weltall]

9 minutes ago, Kinnsayyy said:

Straff doesn't seem like the type of person to me to have something like gems (if they're meant to show status) locked in a big safe hidden behind a mechanism in the wall

You're missing the point. They're locked in a big safe because they're valuable, otherwise there would be no point in Vin using sapphires as a bribe later in the story. Just because one reason for their value is as a status symbol isn't a good reason to leave them lying out where anyone can see (and possibly try to steal) them. The atium that Kelsier was aiming to steal in the first place is an even bigger status symbol and if it doesn't surprise you that Straff would lock it away, the fact that he locked up gemstones that he wasn't actively doing anything with shouldn't be suspicious either.

[Kinnsayyy]

Also, the jewelry is worn by most noble women, even minor ones, and Vin even had some herself. It doesn't seem like those types of gems are valuable enough to be put in with atium or thousands of boxings. 

[Dragon314 he/him]

I doubt it, if only because of the extremely low survival rates on scadrial. Add that they were wealthy, and well, Skaa were killing nobles. So my vote is no. Have an up vote on me tho

[The Sovereign]

There are actually a couple of WoBs that suggest you may be on to something here:
 

 

Quote

 

INTERVIEW: Dec 6th, 2016

Herald Washington Library Center-AU Tour (Paraphrased)

QUESTION

In Secret History, Hoid says something to Kelsier about him destroying the Pits and destroying an entire mercantile system. Is he talking about literal inter-Realmic trade?

BRANDON SANDERSON

Yes. Interplanetary trade, yes.

QUESTION

Is House Venture involved?

BRANDON SANDERSON

House Venture is not involved. People in House Venture might be.

TAGS

Hoid, Kelsier, Pits of Hathsin, inter-realmic trade, House Venture,

 

 

Quote

 

INTERVIEW: Sep, 2012

Cosmere Q&A - 17th Shard (Verbatim)

DOUGLAS

In Alloy of Law, evidence is uncovered that the bad guys are attempting to breed a Mistborn. The time span of the gap between this and the original Mistborn trilogy, perhaps with the interval I vaguely remember being stated for between Alloy and the next main trilogy added, is suspiciously close to 300 years. Does the organization Wax's father is part of know the location of the Pits of Hathsin, or otherwise have access to Atium, either now (as of Alloy) or in the time period of the planned second trilogy?

BRANDON SANDERSON

You are on the right track

TAGS

alloy of law, atium, mistborn, pits of hathsin,

 

 

[Dragon314 he/him]

That makes me curious as to who might be involved in House Venture... a good excuse for a re-read

[The One Who Connects he/him]

Felt the Worldhopper is a big suspect for that involvement now that we know "people in Venture" might've been involved.

[The Sovereign]

1 minute ago, The One Who Connects said:

Felt the Worldhopper is a big suspect for that involvement now that we know "people in Venture" might've been involved.

Beat me to it. Well played, I was literally typing a response. 

[Kinnsayyy]

I don't have the quote for it but I know whenever Kel first robbed Venture in the final empire there were "gemstones" in the safe with the atium. Those could be gemstones from Roshar...

[RonaldinhoReagan he/him]

17 hours ago, Kinnsayyy said:

I don't have the quote for it but I know whenever Kel first robbed Venture in the final empire there were "gemstones" in the safe with the atium. Those could be gemstones from Roshar...

Interesting. If you get a chance to find the quote please share.

[+Extesian he/him]

18 hours ago, Kinnsayyy said:

I don't have the quote for it but I know whenever Kel first robbed Venture in the final empire there were "gemstones" in the safe with the atium. Those could be gemstones from Roshar...

Quote

Kelsier pried open its mangled front, tin-enhanced ears listening to calls of alarm from the building above. Inside the safe, he found a small pouch of gemstones and a couple of ten-thousand boxing letters of credit, all of which he pocketed.

Final Empire, ch 5

Nothing indicating it would be other than normal gemstones but why not I guess.

[Kinnsayyy]

Reasons why I think the gemstones are from Roshar :

1. They are in a safe with other currency (boxings, atium) 

2. They are in a house where we know had dealings with other planets 

3. I don't remember any mentions of gems through the entire Mistborn series, they don't seem like something nobles would use in a place where metal is seen as valuable, not rocks. 

 

And the gemstones wouldn't be glowing, bc the stormlight would've drained out overtime. 

[Kinnsayyy]

32 minutes ago, Weltall said:

@Kinnsayyy The interplanetary trade thing doesn't need to have involved the head of the Ventures. And we do have mention of gemstones throughout Era 1. Vin is mentioned for example as having gemstone jewelry as part of her Valette disguise. There's no reason for Scadrial not to have gemstones of its own (it's the Earth-analogue of the cosmere after all, after Yolen) or for the people who can afford them to want to use them for decorative purposes.

Dang, there goes that theory. Guess I'm just thinking of stormlight too much since I'm waiting on November lol

[RonaldinhoReagan he/him]

2 hours ago, Kinnsayyy said:

Reasons why I think the gemstones are from Roshar :

1. They are in a safe with other currency (boxings, atium) 

2. They are in a house where we know had dealings with other planets 

3. I don't remember any mentions of gems through the entire Mistborn series, they don't seem like something nobles would use in a place where metal is seen as valuable, not rocks. 

 

And the gemstones wouldn't be glowing, bc the stormlight would've drained out overtime. 

Your last 2 points are very thought provoking. I can't recall gems of any kind ever being mentioned in Mistborn, even amongst the nobility. Metal was always the focus of value and of fashion. Nobles wore metals to balls as a gesture of confidence (and arrogance).

 

And though we have no way of knowing how long the potential spheres were in the safe, I think it's safe to say Brandon would not leave as overt a hint as infused spheres.

 

Good catch, it's definitely plausible based of the little we know. I'm just curious what value dun spheres would have to anyone in House Venture, or Scadrial in general.

[Kinnsayyy]

25 minutes ago, Weltall said:

@RonaldinhoReaganThey're pretty and make obvious status symbols.

Straff doesn't seem like the type of person to me to have something like gems (if they're meant to show status) locked in a big safe hidden behind a mechanism in the wall

Edited April 19, 2017 by Kinnsayyy

[RonaldinhoReagan he/him]

On ‎4‎/‎19‎/‎2017 at 3:27 PM, Weltall said:

@RonaldinhoReagan As I mentioned above, we do have mentions of gems in Mistborn during Era 1. One reference I was able to find pretty quickly is that Vin-as-Valette bribed Kliss for information she had on the assassination attempt against Elend, with a sapphire necklace that she was wearing as part of her disguise. Gemstones are hardly unknown on Scadrial so there's no reason to assume that just because Straff Venture had a cache of them, they come from Roshar. They clearly have independent value in the Final Empire's economy for the same reasons they do on our world: They're pretty and make obvious status symbols.

I hear where you are coming from but allow me to play devil's advocate. You mention how they are seen in jewelry, but never do you hear of individual gems being used in exchange for goods or services. It is always metal. So even if they exist and have obvious value, it is still at least slightly out of place in Straff's safe with atium and boxings. I'm not trying to say "Oh it's definitely spheres", but this is a forum for theories and I believe it's worth acknowledging the possibility.