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{{group
|image=Inquisitor red.jpg
|world=Scadrial
|books=[[Mistborn Era 1]]
}}
The '''Steel Ministry''' was the religion of the [[Final Empire]], made up of various divisions, named Cantons, that also served as the government's bureaucracy. Obligator is the title for those who are part of the Ministry. It also contains the Inquisitors.
One of the main purposes of the Ministry was to witness a myriad of contracts and agreements, even something as simple as promise to come to a game of shelldry.
== Organization ==
The Cantons were the subsections of the Steel Ministry.
[[File:Steel_Ministry.png|right|thumb|Obligators visiting Lord [[Tresting]]'s plantation]]
==== Canton of Orthodoxy ====
Organized the Steel Ministry and looked after the religious side of things.
==== Canton of Finance ====
The bank of the Final Empire. It was in charged of the financial operations of the Final Empire. Their work included the transport of funds.
The Canton's headquarters was an imposing building. It was tall and blocky with a massive rose window in the front, with two red banners hanging down beside the window, proclaiming praises to the [[Lord Ruler]]. Upon entering the building, one would find a desk at the end of an extended entryway, with an obligator manning the desk. Decorations within the building were sparse and lacking. It was often described as austere, bearing only the most necessary furniture and simple grey carpeting, the walls also lacking adornments. An exception to that rule was the waiting room. With plush chairs and lavish décor, the room clearly catered to the tastes of visiting noblemen.{{book ref|mb1|2}}
==== Canton of Resource ====
There are many philosophers in the Steel Ministry and most end up in the Canton of Resource, the best place for those with analytical minds.
==== [[Canton of Inquisition]] ====
During the [[Final Empire]] the Canton of Inquisition was run by the Steel Inquisitors, and acted as law enforcement, especially over the allomantic community. Obligators of the Canton of Inquisition had tattoos that rimmed the eyes, spreading outward like cracks of lightning, with the addition of a stark red line on the side of their face.
=== Obligator Ranks ===
*Prelan
*High Prelan
*[[Steel Inquisitor]]: Outside the regular chain of command, but technically ranked lower than the Lord Prelan
*Lord Prelan
== History ==
=== Year 1022 ===
In the year 1022, the Ministry is presided over by Lord Prelan [[Tevidian]]. The Canton of Orthodoxy was the currently leading Canton. After members of the Canton of Inquisition capture Vin and prove that she is the Lord Prelan's half-breed daughter, they gain control of the Ministry.
=== Post-
The Steel Ministry doesn't exist in it's former state following [[Sazed]]'s Ascension. There are echoes of the organization left, but most of the Steel Ministry is gone because at that time, the leaders are the members of [[Kelsier]]'s crew. There were a few notable Obligators who made it through the Catacendre and they left their own marks. Some cities have more of an influence from the Ministry than others.
There is a Canton of Cartography in Elendel.
== Culture ==
The Steel Ministry was notorious for taking bribes. It functioned similar to being its own noble house, with contracts and agreements to gain wealth and leverage. Corruption was commonplace during the Final Empire.
Noblemen would address Inquisitors, and presumably obligators, as "Your Grace".
== Doctrine ==
Daily prayer was a facet of the religion.
Skaa and nobles alike were required to fulfil their roles in the Empire and obey the Lord Ruler, but neither devotion nor faith was requested. Weddings were characterized only by the presence of an obligator to witness the fact. Sometimes additional ceremony would be added, but there wasn't a standard; the obligator's presence was the only requirement.
== Obligators ==
The obligators would have to be called in to witness or approve of anything significant going on in the Final Empire. They were required to practice their religion and maintain a religious air with devotion that was unnecessary for nobles. Part of those requirements were daily prayers and ceremonies to the Lord Ruler.
In addition to their bureaucratic functions the obligators served as the [[Lord Ruler]]'s religious leaders. They would teach the [[Lord Ruler]]'s religion to [[skaa]] and noblemen alike. They were required to witness any wedding, even that of skaa.
Obligators were distinguished by intricate tattoos around their eyes to signify to their rank and Canton membership.
=== Known Obligators ===
*High Prelan [[Arriev]]: Canton of Finance
*[[Noorden]]
*Prelan [[Aradan Yomen]]: Canton of Resource
*[[Marsh]]
== Trivia ==
Obligators were originally just called priests and the Steel Ministry was called the Steel Priesthood, but when Brandon decided they would be bureaucrats, he wanted a new name for them. A member of his writing group, Nate Hatfield came up with the term "obligator" from a thesaurus.
== Notes ==
<references/>
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[[Category:Groups]][[Category:Religion and Culture]][[Category:Mistborn]][[Category:Steel Ministry| ]]
[[Category:Hemalurgy|*]]
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