cosmere - What is the fate of the Koloss?

At the end of the third book in the Mistborn series, there is no definitive statement about the fate of the koloss. The author's own commentary/annotation notes:

Oh, and as bonus aside, let me point something out to you. Human and his group of koloss were inside the Homeland when the sun came out, destroying everything on the surface. They were still there when Sazed rearranged the world and fixed things. TenSoon and the kandra were also inside, though they had been turned into mistwraiths. Hum... Wonder what happened to them...

One hint from The Alloy of Law is that Harmony may have saved them and given the koloss their humanity back. One character is even noted as having koloss blood.

Is there anything more definitive regarding their fate than the inference from The Alloy of Law?

Answer

There is a short story titled Allomancer Jak and the Pits of Eltania that reveals what they're like now. The story was originally published in one of the Mistborn Adventure Game supplements, but is also now included in the recently released Arcanum Unbounded. The information is a bit sketchy (Jak has an inflated ego and his stories are just as puffed up), but appears to be accurate with regards to the koloss. Apparently Harmony did save them and allow them to exist on their own, but their humanity was not restored. The bullet points:

They have gender and can have children now. Those children are fully human, though they pick up koloss traits like bluish skin, strength, etc.

Their original violent nature is toned down enough for them to keep a basic tribal life together, although they're still considered savages by the other races, probably for good reasons.

Full true koloss are still made via Hemalurgy, and they keep recycling their spikes. They only take volunteers now, seemingly.

Most of their children on growing choose to join the tribe and take the spikes, but those that don't are sent away to rejoin human society.

They'll accept outsiders and grant them spikes as well if they prove their worth.

Comments

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