Editing Summary:The Bands of Mourning

As Wax and Wayne go to an awaiting carriage, a man in a brown suit asks Wax for a moment of his time, so he decides to forgo the slow carriage and Push his way to his marriage, enjoying his flight across [[Elendel]]. He lands on a water tower next to a [[Survivorist]] church, where [[Steris]] is waiting. He and Steris talk while his valet [[Drewton]] helps him shave and change. Steris plans for disturbances and delays, knowing they will come anyway with a man like Wax, and prepares accordingly. Wax is feeling fond of Steris, especially for the way she has helped him heal the last six months. The man in the brown suit shows up again and reveals that he is a [[kandra]]. Wax is still mad at [[Harmony]] and curtly pushes past the kandra. He is still struggling with killing Lessie. Steris cries tears of joy. As the ceremony begins, Wax starts feeling sick; going through with this means giving up Lessie. He feels he's not quite ready, but he refuses to shirk his duty. The water tower outside tips over and crashes into the glass dome. Wax grabs Steris and Pushes away.

As Wax and Wayne go to an awaiting carriage, a man in a brown suit asks Wax for a moment of his time, so he decides to forgo the slow carriage and Push his way to his marriage, enjoying his flight across [[Elendel]]. He lands on a water tower next to a [[Survivorist]] church, where [[Steris]] is waiting. He and Steris talk while his valet [[Drewton]] helps him shave and change. Steris plans for disturbances and delays, knowing they will come anyway with a man like Wax, and prepares accordingly. Wax is feeling fond of Steris, especially for the way she has helped him heal the last six months. The man in the brown suit shows up again and reveals that he is a [[kandra]]. Wax is still mad at [[Harmony]] and curtly pushes past the kandra. He is still struggling with killing Lessie. Steris cries tears of joy. As the ceremony begins, Wax starts feeling sick; going through with this means giving up Lessie. He feels he's not quite ready, but he refuses to shirk his duty. The water tower outside tips over and crashes into the glass dome. Wax grabs Steris and Pushes away.

=== Chapter 2 ===

=== Chapter 2 ===

Marasi looks for Wayne and finally finds him in a kitchen across from the church, masquerading as a chef and terrifying the kitchen staff. Marasi shares her evidence that someone deliberately tipped the water tower. Wayne admits to arranging an accident at the wedding, although he didn't expect something quite so dramatic. Wayne encourages Marasi to go after Wax, but she tells him she's not interested any more. Wayne asks if he should give up on [[Ranette]], who has had a [[Misra|girlfriend]] for fifteen years, and they drink a toast to moving on. The kandra shows up again and asks Marasi for help since his first choice has rejected him. He asks her what she knows of [[Investiture]] and [[Identity]].

Marasi looks for Wayne and finally finds him in a kitchen across from the church, masquerading as a chef and terrifying the kitchen staff. Marasi shares her evidence that someone deliberately tipped the water tower. Wayne admits to arranging an accident at the wedding, although he didn't expect something quite so dramatic. Wayne encourages Marasi to go after Wax, but she tells him she's not interested any more. Wayne asks if he should give up on [[Ranette]], who has had a [[Misra|girlfriend]] for fifteen years, and they drink a toast to moving on. The kandra shows up again and asks Marasi for help since his first choice has rejected him. He asks her what she knows of [[Investiture]] and [[Identity]].

=== Chapter 3 ===

=== Chapter 3 ===

Wax returns home and sees signs of uninvited guests. He finds the kandra, [[VenDell]], upstairs in his study with Wayne, Marasi, and [[MeLaan]]. VenDell has asked Marasi for assistance, since Wax refused. He sets up an [[evanoscope]] and, at their questioning regarding Harmony's slip of the tongue about moving pictures, says that Harmony wants to allow mankind to struggle in order to "survive what is coming." Marasi suspects this refers to [[Trell (Trellism)|Trell]], but VenDell has no further information beyond that they are worried about the presence of another god. A chart of the [[Feruchemy|Feruchemical]] powers is displayed on the wall, and they discuss the lesser-known spiritual properties. VenDell explains the intricacies of Identity and the possible ways one might be able to use someone else's Investiture. One possibility would be to store Identity in some way, making oneself a "blank slate" to be able to use another's [[metalmind]]. A more intriguing possibility is to store Identity and fill another metalmind with some other attribute, creating an "unkeyed" metalmind that anyone could use. Other possibilities exist, used in combination with [[Hemalurgy]]. They discuss the [[Bands of Mourning]], objects of mythology that could supposedly grant someone the [[Rashek|Lord Ruler's]] powers. Another kandra, [[ReLuur]], took some photographs of murals depicting the bracers on a pedestal, a statue resembling the Lord Ruler, and other items bearing script of an unknown language. ReLuur returned from his expedition with a spike missing, so he was unable to communicate what he saw and what happened. The proposed quest is to find ReLuur's missing spike and maybe to find the Bands of Mourning while they're at it. Wax initially refuses to go with Marasi until he sees another picture of his [[Telsin|sister]] being held prisoner in [[New Seran]].

Wax returns home and sees signs of uninvited guests. He finds the kandra, [[VenDell]], upstairs in his study with Wayne, Marasi, and [[MeLaan]]. VenDell has asked Marasi for assistance, since Wax refused. He sets up an [[evanoscope]] and, at their questioning regarding Harmony's slip of the tongue about moving pictures, says that Harmony wants to allow mankind to struggle in order to "survive what is coming." Marasi suspects this refers to [[Trell (Trellism)|Trell]], but VenDell has no further information beyond that they are worried about the presence of another god. A chart of the [[Feruchemy|Feruchemical]] powers is displayed on the wall, and they discuss the lesser-known spiritual properties. VenDell explains the intricacies of Identity and the possible ways one might be able to use someone else's Investiture. One possibility would be to store Identity in some way, making oneself a "blank slate" to be able to use another's [[metalmind]]. A more intriguing possibility is to store Identity and fill another metalmind with some other attribute, creating an "unkeyed" metalmind that anyone could use. Other possibilities exist, used in combination with [[Hemalurgy]]. They discuss the [[Bands of Mourning]], objects of mythology that could supposedly grant someone the [[Rashek|Lord Ruler's]] powers. Another kandra, [[ReLuur]], took some photographs of murals depicting the bracers on a pedestal, a statue resembling the Lord Ruler, and other items bearing script of an unknown language. ReLuur returned from his expedition with a spike missing, so he was unable to communicate what he saw and what happened. The proposed quest is to find ReLuur's missing spike and maybe to find the Bands of Mourning while they're at it. Wax initially refuses to go with Marasi until he sees another picture of his [[Telsin|sister]] being held prisoner in [[New Seran]].

=== Chapter 4 ===

=== Chapter 4 ===

Two hours later, Wax decides that he must go for his sister. He can go to New Seran under the pretext of attending a political event and look for his uncle while Marasi finds the spike. Steris invites herself along because it would look odd not to bring the fiancée along, but Wax is hesitant because of the danger. VenDell comes back with tickets and information and asks Wayne for his bones after he's dead, since [[Bloodmaker]]'s bones are interesting. Wax invites VenDell along, but the prospect of going into the field alarms him, and he refuses. He offers Wax a new earring, but Wax is still angry at Harmony. Wayne heads off on a quest of his own. Using various disguises and trickery, he acquires a notebook for Ranette and gets to her house. He lets her know that he's done chasing her, and they shake hands. He makes a last-ditch effort by suggesting a romantic interlude with Ranette and her girlfriend, which Ranette sternly turns down. He hitches a ride to the train station and joins Wax and company. They head to New Seran.

Two hours later, Wax decides that he must go for his sister. He can go to New Seran under the pretext of attending a political event and look for his uncle while Marasi finds the spike. Steris invites herself along because it would look odd not to bring the fiancée along, but Wax is hesitant because of the danger. VenDell comes back with tickets and information and asks Wayne for his bones after he's dead, since [[Bloodmaker]]'s bones are interesting. Wax invites VenDell along, but the prospect of going into the field alarms him, and he refuses. He offers Wax a new earring, but Wax is still angry at Harmony. Wayne heads off on a quest of his own. Using various disguises and trickery, he acquires a notebook for Ranette and gets to her house. He lets her know that he's done chasing her, and they shake hands. He makes a last-ditch effort by suggesting a romantic interlude with Ranette and her girlfriend, which Ranette sternly turns down. He hitches a ride to the train station and joins Wax and company. They head to New Seran.

== Part 2 ==

== Part 2 ==

As Wax travels through the southern cities, he's surprised by the level of civilization. He opens a package from Ranette that contains three sphere-and-cord contraptions and a shotgun with huge ammunition meant to take down Thugs or [[koloss]]. He witnesses a protest against Elendel oppression at one station, and he interrupts Steris reading to discuss the political situation in the outer cities. Elendel routes the main infrastructure through the city in order to impose tariffs on all trade. Wax discovers that Steris had been reading a book about sex. She's extremely embarrassed, but she's also frustrated that no one will answer her questions, so she is researching it herself. Steris invites Wax to help her balance some books that are off by three [[clip]]s, and he resignedly starts to look through a stack of ledgers.

As Wax travels through the southern cities, he's surprised by the level of civilization. He opens a package from Ranette that contains three sphere-and-cord contraptions and a shotgun with huge ammunition meant to take down Thugs or [[koloss]]. He witnesses a protest against Elendel oppression at one station, and he interrupts Steris reading to discuss the political situation in the outer cities. Elendel routes the main infrastructure through the city in order to impose tariffs on all trade. Wax discovers that Steris had been reading a book about sex. She's extremely embarrassed, but she's also frustrated that no one will answer her questions, so she is researching it herself. Steris invites Wax to help her balance some books that are off by three [[clip]]s, and he resignedly starts to look through a stack of ledgers.

=== Chapter 6 ===

=== Chapter 6 ===

Marasi reviews the notes that VenDell has given them. ReLuur describes some sort of beast with red skin and strange eyes. She reads a little from [[Spook]]'s book regarding Hemalurgy. He warns against experimentation because spike placement can cause unpredictable results. Wayne is nearby, chatting with people and learning new accents. He stops by and they talk about how Marasi feels like she is in Wax's shadow. She turns back to the papers and finds a pouch with an earring meant for Wax. She walks back to Wax and Steris's room and finds Wax exulting in finding the last lost clip in the house finances. She gives him the papers and pouch and heads to her room to sleep, when she realizes the rest of the train is heading off down the tracks ahead of their car. A man shoots at her from the other end of the train car.

Marasi reviews the notes that VenDell has given them. ReLuur describes some sort of beast with red skin and strange eyes. She reads a little from [[Spook]]'s book regarding Hemalurgy. He warns against experimentation because spike placement can cause unpredictable results. Wayne is nearby, chatting with people and learning new accents. He stops by and they talk about how Marasi feels like she is in Wax's shadow. She turns back to the papers and finds a pouch with an earring meant for Wax. She walks back to Wax and Steris's room and finds Wax exulting in finding the last lost clip in the house finances. She gives him the papers and pouch and heads to her room to sleep, when she realizes the rest of the train is heading off down the tracks ahead of their car. A man shoots at her from the other end of the train car.

=== Chapter 7 ===

=== Chapter 7 ===