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Difference between revisions of "Steel Ministry"
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==== Canton of Orthodoxy ====
Organized the Steel Ministry and looked after the religious side of things. This Canton was the main bureaucratic division of the Ministry.{{book ref|mb1|23}}
==== Canton of Finance ====
==== [[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.{{book ref|mb1|27}} In addition to dealing with anyone that went against Ministry protocol, the Canton of Inquisition also had bases all around the city of [[Luthadel]], called Soothing stations. These were to dampen the emotions of everyone in the area, calming and depressing them. In addition,
=== 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.{{annotation ref|mb3|chapter=34}} Obligators were allowed to marry.{{wob ref|1077}}
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
Each year, new Ministry acolytes are transported from a training facility in the northern part of the Empire to Luthadel. This was also when they would transfer large amounts of funds to Luthadel.{{book ref|mb1|2}}
Obligators were distinguished by intricate tattoos around their eyes to signify to their rank and Canton membership.{{book ref|mb1|1}}{{book ref|mb1|27}} There were also assassins in the Steel Ministry.{{book ref|mb1|23}} Any "legal" assassination in the Empire would have required the Ministry's approval through bribery.{{wob ref|5498}} The Ministry has its own assassins who kill any who are outspoken or too successful. {{book ref|mb1|23}}
==== Obligator Ranks ====
== 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.{{wob ref|5498}} Rising through the ranks of the Ministry was very influenced by Allomantic abilities. Those with abilities, especially with metals judged to be valuable, rose quickly and were placed in positions of power.{{annotation ref|hoa|chapter=74}} [[Atium]] mistings were one of the most valuable. In order to search them out and recruit them, Inquisitors would put trace amounts of the godmetal into the nobility's drinks at balls periodically. They would then cause a disturbance while burning bronze to seek out those who began to burn the metals instinctively. When someone joined the Ministry who was not already a Misting, they would unknowingly be given a larger amount of atium and forced through a series of rituals designed to drain the recruit physically so his body would snap and reactively burn the metal.{{wob ref|6119}} Both men and women could be part of the Steel Ministry and some women even became Inquisitors.{{wob ref|5533}}
Seekers are sought out diligently by the recruiting Obligators.{{book ref|mb1|27}}
Noblemen would address Inquisitors, and presumably obligators, as "Your Grace".{{wob ref|7764}} There was a long standing rivalry between the various Cantons for control of the Ministry.
== Doctrine ==
Daily prayer was a facet of the religion.{{annotation ref|mb3|chapter=34}} There is a ritual that involves an altar made of gold. It is centered in a room with four candelabra at the corners. Near the altar, [[Alendi's journal]], written in Khlenni, was kept. Near the doorway, a bowl of small, triangular knives was kept on a pillar to be used in the ritual.{{book ref|mb1|14}} The knives were occasionally used for the worshipper to slice their own body.{{annotation ref|mb3|chapter=34}} Marsh later uses these triangle knives as a weapon of choice. The Ministry teaches the basic doctrine that the nobility has prestige and allomancy because of their ancestor's loyalty to the Lord Ruler, while the skaa were punished for the sins of their own ancestors. The Mistborn are taught to be descendents of the only men who supported the Lord Ruler before his Ascension.{{book ref|mb1|3}}{{book ref|mb1|7}} The Lord Ruler is revered as the creator and savior of the world, the Sliver of Infinity.{{book ref|mb1|8}} His status in the religion is as a piece of God, not omnipresent or omniscient. He's a physical, independent section of a consciousness.{{book ref|mb1|10}} Before his Ascension, he was only a mortal man.{{book ref|mb1|17}} He is taught to have saved the people from the Deepness and punished their lack of faith with the ash and mists.{{book ref|mb1|6}}
The Ministry's position on sexuality was dependent on how much they were paid.{{wob ref|8203}}
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. Skaa aren't taught much of the Ministry's doctrine.{{book ref|mb1|7}} 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.{{annotation ref|mb2|chapter=48}} Worship of any other god was forbidden. {{book ref|mb1|9}}
== Trivia ==
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