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{{quote|There weren't any other cities like Luthadel.|LuthadelKelsier{{book ref|11m}} }}
 
'''Luthadel''' was the capital city of the [[Final Empire]] on [[Scadrial]]. It was governed by the [[Lord Ruler]] for over a thousand years. After the [[Collapse]], Luthadel became the capital city of the [[New Empire]].
 
== To do ==
*Write topography section
*Write layout section
*Extend Kredik Shaw section to include storage cavern and well of ascension
*Finis battle of Luthadel section
*Write balls section
*Go through skaa notes, see if any notes should go to another section before deleting
*Write church of the survivor section
*Write Lord Ruler section
*Write Luthadel Assembly section
*Write New Empire section
*Process minor notes
*Move most trivia in main article
*Early history, skaa rebellion, collapse, siege of Luthadel history sections
 
Done:
*Geography -> climate
*Geography -> landscape
*Geography -> architecture
*Landmarks -> Kredik Shaw (partially)
*Landmarks -> keeps
*Landmarks -> squares
*History -> capital of the New Empire
*Culture -> underground
*Politics -> Final Empire -> Steel Ministry
*Politics -> Final Empire -> Nobility
*Economy
*Organization
*Military
 
== Geography ==
[[File: Final Empire{{image|Final_Empire_Map.png|thumbjpg|side=right|<center><small>by [[Isaac Stewart]]</small></center>width=400px|Map of the Final Empire]]}}
{{for|Luthadel/Gallery|more images}}
=== Topography ===
//central dominance <br>
 
=== Climate ===
The weather around Luthadel generally is rather warm and dry. Heavy rainfalls can occur occasionally,{{book ref|mb1|15}} but they are not very common. Likewise, Luthadel rarely sees any snow,{{book ref|mb1|20}} or else it is just an icy slush.{{book ref|mb1|29}} Because the city is located quite far inland, strong winds or storms are unlikely.{{map ref|Final Empire}}
Luthadel is located relatively close to most of the [[Ashmounts]].{{map ref|Final Empire}} Luthadel's soil contains lots of minerals and metal traces that can be burned when ingested via ground water.{{book ref|mb1|2}}({{book ref|mb1|7}}) <br>
Normal plants were brown.{{book ref|mb1|5}} <br>
Landscape around Luthadel: barren save for scrub and weeds, reasonably flat with small hills. Mistwraiths outside the city, are relatively harmless, just scavengers.{{book ref|mb1|8}} <br>
Poisonous red (afternoon) sun.{{book ref|mb1|10}} <br>
Luthadel could have heavy rainfalls.{{book ref|mb1|15}} <br>
Flora in Central Dominance: usually brown or white, but when cultivated also red, orange and yellow. Wilderness outside the city. "The dry plants, the angry sun, the smoky-black sky".{{book ref|mb1|17}} <br>
Landscape: brown hills, scraggly trees and rug of weedy underbrush.{{book ref|mb1|19}} <br>
Snow fell some winters, but not each year.{{book ref|mb1|20}} <br>
Birch forests could grow in the Central Dominance. Ground below consisted (partly) of granite.{{book ref|mb1|21}} <br>
Mist-grown lichen on stones.{{book ref|mb1|24}} <br>
"Outside, the sun was setting in a fiery blaze of frustration."{{book ref|mb1|27}} <br>
Snow wasn't common around Luthadel before the Deepness, or else it was just an icy slush.{{book ref|mb1|29}} <br>
 
{{sidequote
==== Mist ====
|... careless flakes floated down from the sky, like leaves dropped from some unseen tree.
Even noblemen and thieves reluctant about entering Mists. Ambient starlight diffused by Mists was enough to see most times.{{book ref|mb1|5}} <br>
|Description of an ashfall
Mist.({{expand}}with{{book ref|mb1|7}}) <br>
|side=right|size=300px
At night, soft rain made no difference because of mist, as mist is wet.{{book ref|mb1|13}} <br>
}}
Rain makes the mist pull away.{{book ref|mb1|14}} <br>
"The sun sank beneath the horizon, and while its light was still a flare in the west, the mists began to appear. They didn’t come from one specific place, they just sort of… grew. They extended like translucent, twisting vines in the sky—curling back and forth, lengthening, dancing, melding."{{book ref|mb1|17}} <br>
Contradictory to earlier: noblemen considered fear of mist to be a foolish skaa superstition.{{book ref|mb1|23}} <br>
"Outside, the sunlight was nearly gone, and diaphanous patches of mist were beginning to form in the air. They hung like ghosts, slowly growing larger, extending their influence as night approached."{{book ref|mb1|27}} <br>
 
The frequent ashfalls have a big impact on Scadrial's climate. To compensate for the planet being placed very close to the sun, seven Ashmounts fill the air with thick clouds of ash. These clouds block sunlight and so prevent the planet from becoming too warm to live. Most of the Ashmounts are located relatively close to Luthadel,{{map ref|Final Empire}} but as a side effect the fallen ash has to be carted and piled out of the city{{book ref|mb1|8}} or thrown in the River Channerel,{{book ref|mb1|2}} lest the city would get buried.{{book ref|mb1|2}} The ashfalls are not constant, they happen occasionally in a pattern that is similar to rainfalls. It is remarkably easy to wash ash out of clothes.{{book ref|mb1|20}}
==== Ash ====
 
To prevent the city being buried, skaa workers gather the ash and throw it in the River Channerel.{{book ref|mb1|2}} <br>
Another unique weather phenomenon is Scadrial's mist. It is not present during daytime, but as soon as the sun sets the mist starts to appear out of nothing like ghosts, slowly growing larger and extending their influence.{{book ref|mb1|17}}{{book ref|mb1|27}} This mist shows some unnatural behavior, which is why there is a lot of superstition and fear surrounding the mist among skaa and nobles alike.{{book ref|mb1|5}} It looks like twisting vines in the sky curling back and forth, seeming to be somehow alive.{{book ref|mb1|17}} Ambient starlight diffused by mist was enough to see most nights.{{book ref|mb1|5}} As might be expected the mist is wet, even moist enough to let lichen to grow on stones,{{book ref|mb1|24}} and soft rain at night makes no difference compared to the all-present mist.{{book ref|mb1|13}}
Sometimes ash from the city was carted and piled out of the city, instead of thrown in the river.{{book ref|mb1|8}} <br>
 
Aftermath of ash rain was visible by small drifts and flurries of black blowing across the streets. Ash was surprisingly easy to wash out of clothes.{{book ref|mb1|20}} <br>
=== Landscape ===
"A light ashfall had begun, and careless flakes floated down from the sky, like leaves dropped from some unseen tree."{{book ref|mb1|26}} <br>
{{quote
"Ash fell from the sky, floating in lazily flakes."{{book ref|mb1|33}} <br>
|The dry plants, the angry sun, the smoky-black sky.
|Kelsier{{book ref|mb1|17}}
}}
The landscape around Luthadel is barren save for scrub and weeds, and the grounds are reasonably flat with small hills.{{book ref|mb1|8}} The soil below contains lots of minerals and metal traces that can be burned when ingested via ground water.{{book ref|mb1|2}}{{book ref|mb1|7}} In some places in the Central Dominance the underground consists of granite.{{book ref|mb1|21}} Outside of the cities there is only wilderness:{{book ref|mb1|17}} brown hills, scraggly trees and rug of weedy underbrush.{{book ref|mb1|19}} Wild animals are rare, although mistwraiths can be found outside the city, but they are mostly scavengers and thus relatively harmless.{{book ref|mb1|8}} Due to the climate and particularly the ashfalls it is difficult for plants to survive, most species are brown or white, but when cultivated it is also possible for plants to become red, orange and yellow,{{book ref|mb1|17}} yet the normal plant is considered to be brown.{{book ref|mb1|5}} However, the climate is good enough for a birch forest to grow.{{book ref|mb1|21}} The sun always casts a poisonous red light over the land.{{book ref|mb1|10}}
 
[[File: Luthadel-color.jpg|thumb|right|<center><small>by [[Isaac Stewart]]</small></center>Map of Luthadel]]
=== Layout ===
Luthadel is built on both sides of the River Channerel. Along the river several docks are located, some of which outside the city walls.{{book ref|mb1|24}} Eight gates allow people to enter or leave the city, each of which is named after one of the eight basic Allomantic metals. The Steel Gate in the northwest is considered to be the main gate of Luthadel.{{book ref|mb1|24}} The Luthadel Garrison headquarters is located next to this gate. All eight city gates are connected by a nearly direct main road to Kredik Shaw, the imperial palace.{{map ref|Luthadel}} Most Steel Ministry canton headquarters are located near Kredik Shaw on the east side of the River Channerel, with the exception of the Canton of Finance headquarters on the west side of the River Channerel near 15th Crossroads.{{map ref|Luthadel}} The Fountain Square, located on the main road between the Steel Gate and Kredik Shaw, is one of the largest squares in the city and is where the Lord Ruler commonly performs public executions.{{book ref|mb1|26}} North of the Fountain Square is the large market on Kenton Street where many nobles go to shop.{{map ref|Luthadel}}{{book ref|mb1|17}}
The River Channerel runs straight through Luthadel.{{map ref|Luthadel}} <br>
 
Fellise acted as a small suburb-style city an hour outside of Luthadel.{{book ref|mb1|6}} <br>
Throughout the years Luthadel has expanded significantly. The presumable original city outline is still recognisable by several landmarks such as the Old Wall Bridge and the Old Wall Street.{{map ref|Luthadel}} Expansions happen every few decades and are generally cheap due to skaa labor and because stone can be imported via canal.{{book ref|mb1|19}}
Luthadel had a city wall (was the only city in the Final Empire{{cite}}). Even more suburb-style cities than only Fellise.{{book ref|mb1|8}} <br>
 
Several outskirt cities function as suburbs to Luthadel.{{book ref|mb1|6}} One of these cities is Fellise, which is about an hour's drive by carriage from Luthadel.{{book ref|mb1|6}} As they are less crowded, cleaner and less strict in its observance of imperial laws, many noble families based in Luthadel also maintain a manor or villa in one of these outskirt cities.{{book ref|mb1|6}}{{book ref|mb1|8}}
 
 
 
Luthadel is the only city in the Final Empire that was allowed to have a city wall{{book ref|mb3|25}}).<br>
The Cracks: one of many skaa slums.{{book ref|mb1|10}} <br>
Commercial district was for fortunate skaa and less fortunate nobles, tried to ignore each other. Luthadel had a lot of squares, and the larger ones often had fountains.{{book ref|mb1|11}} <br>
A lot of shops at Kenton Street, also/especially for Nobles.{{book ref|mb1|17}} <br>
Sootwarrens slum. Every few decades or so, new sections were added, and the city wall expanded due to the effort of skaa labor, thanks to canals stone was cheap.{{book ref|mb1|19}} <br>
Steel gate is main city gate (actually multiple gates).{{book ref|mb1|24}} <br>
The Twists is one of the most impoverished skaa slums. A certain part of it was almost completely deserted.{{book ref|mb1|27}}) <br>
Separate sections for industry and living, even in slums.{{book ref|mb1|35}}
 
=== Architecture ===
Most buildings are constructed of stone blocks, with peaked wooden roofs or tile roofs for the rich, and are packed closely together, generally being three stories high.{{book ref|mb1|2}} Only a few buildings have a flat roof, because this means needing to shovel ash off occasionally.{{book ref|mb1|10}} Large basements are uncommon.{{book ref|mb3|43}}
Many skaa live in large packed tenements, in exceptional cases these could get six stories high.{{book ref|mb1|32}} Contradictory to noblemen's stone houses with a lot of small rooms, wooden skaa tenements consist of large rooms with a central hearth because this is the most efficient way to look after a large population with limited resources.{{book ref|mb2|42}}
From the outside houses and shops lookedlook the same.{{book ref|mb1|2}}
 
The grounds of Luthadel are reasonably flat with small hills.,{{book ref|mb1|34}} Theand the streets are paved.{{book ref|mb1|1}} Notably, Luthadel has some kind of sewer system (probably leading sewage to the river), indicated by sewer grates in the streets,{{book ref|mb1|13}} and buildings have rain gutters{{book ref|mb1|33}} and metal chimneys.{{book ref|mb1|5}} In some places city clocks can be found.{{book ref|mb3|77}} It is a dark city, covered and stained by ash, all buildings are darkest at the top but rainfall carries stains down.{{book ref|mb1|1}} During the day it looks scorched by soot and oppressive by red sunlight, but at night the mist makes everything obscure.{{book ref|mb1|5}}
 
== Landmarks ==
=== Kredik Shaw ===
{{image|Luthadel by Caio Santos.jpg|width=350px|side=right|Kredik Shaw in the center of Luthadel}}
{{for|Kredik Shaw}}
Central in Luthadel lies Kredik Shaw, the Lord Ruler's palace. Being several times the size of any nobleman's keep, it is by far the largest building in the city. Befitting its name, being Terris for "The Hill of a Thousand Spires", the entire palace is an asymmetric collection of wings, towers and enormous black spires, straight or twisted, needle-like or wide, tall or taller. The variety gives the building a twisted, off-center symmetry, almost in balance, but not quite.{{book ref|mb1|2}}{{book ref|mb1|10}}{{book ref|mb1|14}}
By far the largest building in Luthadel, near the center, looms like a massive, multi-spined insect.{{book ref|mb1|2}} <br>
Is Lord Ruler's palace.{{book ref|mb1|10}} <br>
"The name was Terris; it meant “The Hill of a Thousand Spires.” Appropriate, since the imperial palace resembled a patch of enormous black spears thrust into the ground. Some of the spires twisted, others were straight. Some were thick towers, other were thin and needle-like. They varied in height, but each one was tall. And each one ended in a point."{{book ref|mb1|10}} <br>
 
Around Kredik Shaw the grounds are wide and open, nothing but a flat space paved with cobblestones surrounds it. There is no outer wall around the complex, neither tree or foliage nor any building close to distract one's eyes from the disturbing architecture.{{book ref|mb1|14}}
"Kredik Shaw lay before them. The peaked spires and sheer towers rose like dark talons in the night. They varied greatly in thickness—some were wide enough to house stairwells and large rooms, but others were simply thin rods of steel jutting up into the sky. The variety gave the mass a twisted, off-center symmetry—an almost-balance.
The spikes and towers had a foreboding cast in the damp, misty night—like the ash-blackened bones of a long-weathered carcass. Looking at them, Vin thought she felt something…a depression, as if simply being close to the building was enough to suck away her hope."{{book ref|mb1|14}} <br>
 
Notably, the entire palace represent the city of Luthadel being spiked by massive metal spears.{{wob ref|4222}}
"Oddly, the grounds had no outer wall. Of course they don’t. Who would dare attack the Lord Ruler?
Flat space, covered in cobblestones, was all that surrounded the Hill of a Thousand Spires. No tree, foliage, or structure stood to distract one’s eye from the disturbing, asymmetric collection of wings, towers, and spires that was Kredik Shaw."{{book ref|mb1|14}} <br>
 
 
( Kelsier and Vin infiltrated Kredik Shaw via an ornate, gatelike door to a squat, bunkerlike section of the palace. The Lord Ruler's soothing inside pierced even through copperclouds.{{book ref|mb1|14}} RELEVANT ...? ) <br>
// also include storage cavern and well of ascension in this section? Yes
 
{{quote
|Kredik Shaw isn’t simply a palace, but a capstone. Built to hide something. This.
|[[Vin]] upon discovering Luthadel's cache{{book ref|mb2|57}}
}}
 
=== Keeps ===
Spread throughout Luthadel are about a dozen monolithic keeps, built with spearlike spires and deep archways, and most open grounds in the city belongedbelong to these keeps. A noble family that couldcan afford to own a keep in Luthadel wasis considered a Great House.{{book ref|mb1|2}}
 
Keeps look like ghostly, looming silhouettes at night with bronze or copper sheetings on their roofs, and have a defensive wall with normal armed guards around them, but this is often more artistic than actual fortification.{{book ref|mb1|5}} Prominent in especially the ballrooms are intricate stained-glass windows, often showing mythology dedicated to the Lord Ruler and the Deepness pluswith a [[Ruin's Perpendicularity|dark lake]], portraits of famous noblemen, or depictions of exotic animals and distant landscapes. Each of these wasis an extravagant, detailed marvel of resplendent color, sparkling light across the floor.{{book ref|mb1|28}}
During balls some keeps wereare illuminated from the outside, using limelights (quicklime stones that can be heated to brilliance without melting them) and mirrors to deflect their radiated light toward the building.{{book ref|mb1|12}}
Without doubt, [[Keep Venture]] wasis the finest of all keeps in Luthadel.{{book ref|mb1|30}} However, Keep Elariel hadhas a ballroom separate from the main hall with a ceiling of stained-glass windows,{{book ref|mb1|18}} or Keep Lekal wasis shaped like a pyramid from the inside with four tiers of balconies and its stained-glass windows wereare smaller but by far more intricate.{{book ref|mb1|28}}
Keep Hasting consists of a tall round central keep, surrounded by six auxiliary towers, each set off from the main building a short distance and connected to it by walltop walkways, and the ballroom at the top of the central tower couldcan be reached by a skaa-powered pulley platform system.{{book ref|mb1|23}}
 
=== Squares ===
Luthadel is home to many squares and open crossroads. One of the most prominent of these is the [[Fountain Square]], being large enough for tens of thousands of people. It has a central patio raised five feet above the ground that contains four bowl-like fountains. The square is located in central Luthadel, on the road from the Steel Gate to Kredik Shaw. Every time the Lord Ruler decided to perform executions, these would be held at the fountain square. The prisoners were forced on their knees beside a fountain each, where they got beheaded by an Inquisitor, and their blood streamed in the fountains coloring them red.{{book ref|mb1|26}} Later this general area became known as the [[Square of the Survivor]].{{book ref|mb1|36}}
//[[Fourwell Crossroads]], [[Ahlstrom Square]]
'''Square of the Survivor:'''
{{for|Square of the Survivor}}
Massive square, large enough for tens of thousands of people. Had a platform and four bowl-like fountains{{expand}}. Executions took place here.{{book ref|mb1|26}}
 
Another large square is the [[Fourwell Crossroads]], located in Luthadel's commercial district in the southwest, where more fortunate skaa and less fortunate nobles mix on the streets. In each corner a well can be found, and the square's center is dominated by a fountain with a massive copper statue depicting the Lord Ruler, standing dramatically in cloak and armor, the defeated Deepness represented by the water at his feet.{{book ref|mb1|11}}
=== Storage cavern and the Well of Ascension ===
{{for|Storage cavern}}
{{for|Well of Ascension}}
 
== History ==
=== Creation and Early History (0-1022 FE) ===
{{for|Ascension of the Lord Ruler}}
 
Every few decades or so, new sections were added, and the city wall expanded due to the effort of skaa labor, thanks to canals stone was cheap.{{book ref|mb1|19}}
 
A major house war happens every couple of centuries, hadn't been one for a long time before the Collapse.{{book ref|mb1|6}} <br>
"hasn’t been an all-out war among the Great Houses for over a century, but the last one was devastating."{{book ref|mb1|12}} <br>
From time to time, the Lord Ruler just let house wars happen.{{book ref|mb1|26}}
 
=== Skaa rebellion (1022 FE) ===
{{for|Battle of Luthadel}}
 
// Intro, lead-up<br>
=== Capital of the New Empire (1024-1026 FE) ===
Vin and Elend (and company) left Luthadel towards Terris.
Straff's army withdraws{{book ref|mb2|50}}
Koloss start fighting even more than usual, and get enraged and attack Luthadel. Jastes Lekal abandoned them, allowing them to enrage. Clubs orders messengers away, archers to the wall, securing river grates, battalions to form positions. Once attack had started, Straff's army headed back towards Luthadel. Vin turned around back to Luthadel.{{book ref|mb2|51}}
 
// Positioning, should also go to intro <br>
Straff's army was at the north of Luthadel, koloss army at the northeast.{{book ref|mb2|51}}
Cett's army at the west.{{book ref|mb2|53}}
 
// Battle strategy for defense, should probably go to intro <br>
Twenty thousand troops defending Luthadel. Five out of eight gates within quick reach of koloss. This means only a couple thousand guards at each gate. Divided into twenty battalions, Penrod assigned noblemen to be in charge of them but they were not necessarily capable. Clubs in charge of city defenses. One of the 'crewmembers' at each gate. Keep Venture was the main command post of the defenses. Divisiveness between Dockson leading the 'crew', and nobles in charge.{{book ref|mb2|50}}
Breeze has Soothers in nine battalions to keep their spirits up. A lot of men fighting were not older than 16.{{book ref|mb2|51}}
 
// Battle at the gates <br>
The battle started when the entirety of the koloss army charged for the Pewter Gate in the northeast, closest to their camp. The koloss had no access to real siege equipment, but some of them carried small uprooted trees to batter the gates of Luthadel, other than that their only weapons were large blades. The men defending the city met the koloss with arrows and rocks, but only the smallest koloss seemed vulnerable to them, most of them just continued to charge. In fact, the koloss picked up the thrown rocks and threw them back at the defenders.{{book ref|mb2|51}}
After a while the koloss realized that there were enough of them to attack multiple gates at the same time, so they split up to target the Zinc Gate in the east and the Tin Gate in the north as well, and not much later they also crossed the River Channerel to target the Steel Gate in the northwest.{{book ref|mb2|51}}
 
The Steel Gate was guarded by only a thousand men as it was the furthest of the gates the koloss would reach, with the addition of Sazed.{{book ref|mb2|50}} These thousand men formed battalion sixteen and were led by lord Culee, yet when the battle started Culee left with six companies of one hundred men to reinforce the Pewter Gate at King Penrod's orders. This left Captain Bedes in charge of the remaining four hundred men, of which one hundred were positioned on the wall and the other three hundred in the courtyard. The defense went well until the koloss corpses started piling up outside the wall, allowing the largest koloss to jump onto the wall, killing many including Captain Bedes. This is when Sazed stepped forward and kept the soldiers together. The gate soon fell, but the remaining soldiers still managed to hold the square at the gate. Around this square a group of skaa had gathered to watch the fighting, believing that the Lady Heir (Vin) would show up soon near the Holy First Witness (Sazed) and put an end to the fighting, but they also helped by pulling wounded to safety. Then, in a brief moment while the koloss were rebuffed, Sazed noticed that only one of the door gates had actually given in, so by tapping an enormous amount of strength and weight from his Feruchemical metalminds he managed to charge the door, close it, and reinforce the gate. The soldiers then formed up with their backs to the gate and killed all remaining koloss in the courtyard.{{book ref|mb2|51}}{{book ref|mb2|52}}
 
In the meantime the first the Zinc Gate and then the Pewter Gate had already fallen.
Zinc Gate first to break. Some civilians, skaa, starting to gather around the gates to watch the fighting, waiting for the Lady Heir to show up and stop the koloss, or else Holy First Witness. Koloss corpses piling up outside the walls, which allowed largest koloss to jump onto the wall.{{book ref|mb2|52}}
 
// Battles at each gate <br>
Steel Gate: thousand men, Sazed in charge, furthest of the five within reach of koloss.{{book ref|mb2|50}} Battalion 16, led by lord Culee. Six companies (600 men, of 1000) ordered to reinforce the Pewter Gate by Penrod's orders. Of 400 left, 100 at wall and 300 at courtyard.{{book ref|mb2|51}} Captain Bedes took over from Culee once the latter went off to reinforce Pewter Gate. Bedes killed by a koloss, Sazed took command, tapping enormous amounts of strength from his metalminds.{{book ref|mb2|52}} Gate had fallen, but they still held the square. Faithfuls had started pulling wounded to safety. Only one of the door gates had actually broken, so in a brief moment of koloss being rebuffed, Sazed stormed up to the gate and managed to close it again, using weight from his metalminds. Soldier formed up around the gate, killing all remaining koloss on the courtyard, and then reinforced the gate again. Barely fifty men remained at this point. Gate was giving in now. Bystanders motivated the soldiers to keep fighting, for them. However, eventually all of them fell, and just when Sazed's metalminds ran out, Vin came to the rescue.{{book ref|mb2|53}}
Tin Gate: Tindwyl.{{book ref|mb2|51}} When gate was lost, they retreated towards Keep Venture, but the soldiers including Tindwyl were killed before the could arrive there.{{book ref|mb2|54}}
Pewter Gate: Ham, would hit first, Clubs would send reinforcements{{book ref|mb2|51}}
Zinc Gate: Breeze{{book ref|mb2|52}}
 
// Retreat <br>
After the Zinc Gate, the Pewter Gate, Steel Gate, Tin Gate broke, in this order. So 4 in total. Main breach at the Tin Gate. Once the gates were lost, the defenders fell back to other positions. Clubs ordered soldiers at Zinc Gate to retreat to Keep Lekal where Ham was preparing and leading the defenses, or to come with Clubs to Keep Hasting. However at that moment the koloss who had come in from the north took them by surprise and killed Clubs. Koloss also attacked Keep Venture, and killed Dockson. Keep Lekal fell.{{book ref|mb2|53}}
Penrod stayed sheltered in Keep Hasting. Penrod denied access to the keep to Sazed and refugees.{{book ref|mb2|54}}
 
// Vin ends the battle <br>
Vin discovers how to control koloss and saves the day.{{book ref|mb2|54}}
 
=== Capital of the New Empire (1024-1026 FE) ===
As soon as Elend Venture was crowned emperor of the New Empire, he appointed Ferson Penrod as king of the Central Dominance and thereby regional ruler of the empire's capital, Luthadel. The Luthadel Assembly was left in place, with the addition that Emperor Venture had imperial veto.{{book ref|mb3|5}}
 
Elend took the bulk of his army and set off to unify all the Inner Dominances under the New Empire. As the Deepness was most dense near the Outer Dominances and slowly got stronger towards the Central Dominance, Elend sent all residents of the remote cities where he took control to Luthadel, where they would work the fields in a desperate attempt to grow food.{{book ref|mb3|8}} This was done because only the area closest to Luthadel still got enough daylight to grow food due to the increasing amounts of mist and ash, and as a result growing food became a very laborious effort as well.{{book ref|mb3|5}} The resources found at the secured storage caches in Statlin City and Vetitan were sent to Luthadel, via the canals that ran throughout the entire Inner Dominances and provided the most viable option of transport by use of barges.{{book ref|mb3|8}}
 
Meanwhile the lack of food in the capital resulted in a lot of riots, and this only got worse when food stores were being pillaged.{{book ref|mb3|40}} Growing food was clearly a priority above maintaining any order, indicated by the many heaps of trash and mounts of ash within the city.{{book ref|mb3|42}} King Penrod failed to keep the city under control, and sent lieutenant Conrad as a messenger to Elend's main army, with the request for more troops to restore order.{{book ref|mb3|40}} Elend answered this request by sending General Demoux and his three hundred mistfallen soldiers back to the capital, to prevent further friction in the main army as these men weren't very well liked among the soldiers; this way two problems were solved at once.{{book ref|mb3|47}}
 
{{quote
|Luthadel was to have been their rock in all of this—their secure position. If it was falling apart, what did they have?
|Vin after hearing about the riots in Luthadel{{book ref|mb3|40}}
}}
 
However, the worst had yet to come. Before the reinforcements could arrive Marsh/an Inquisitor infiltrated Keep Venture, the seat of Elend's government, and attacked King Penrod who resided there. Penrod was not killed, but a Hemalurgic spike was driven through his heart, and the surgeons realized that Penrod would not survive removing the shard of metal. The spike through his heart was left in place, which brought Penrod under Ruin's influence.{{book ref|mb3|42}} <br>
After this event the king started talking to the air and giving strange orders, like forcing skaa to fight each other for food, or killing those who disagree with him.{{book ref|mb3|52}} He went mad, finding traitors within the nobility and his own army, dividing the city.{{book ref|mb3|80}} Because of this terrible leadership the dangers that Kelsier rioted up and nearly loosed on the city four years ago finally snapped and were allowed to run free,{{wob ref|8045}} resulting in a house war that got half of the city burned down and nearly all of the soldiers killed.{{book ref|mb3|80}}
 
Shortly before it came this far TenSoon arrived in Luthadel. Since he had been away from Luthadel for months, the kandra retrieved Kelsier's bones that were left behind by TenSoon's [[OreSeur|generation brother]] in a warehouse turned into a church, so he could imitate the Survivor and question a couple of guards about recent events. The [[Rittle|first guard]] was too awed by this appearance, but the [[Wellen|second guard]] told TenSoon much about the situation. Upon learning about Penrod's madness, TenSoon ordered the guards to gather as many people as possible and immediately find shelter underground, after which he made another appearance to followers of the Church of the Survivor and announced the same message.{{book ref|mb3|52}} <br>
A large part of the population listened, they would leave Luthadel to hide in or near the Arguios Caverns.{{book ref|mb3|52}} There they would join the camp of Terris refugees at the Pits of Hathsin,{{book ref|mb3|77}} who had kept a good communication with Penrod when the king was still sane.{{book ref|mb3|22}} This camp now counted several hundred thousand people, but because of the organizational skills of the Terris and Demoux's soldiers to police the mass of refugees there was order in the camp.{{book ref|mb3|80}} Yet, an equal amount of people never left Luthadel but hid underneath Kredik Shaw.{{wob ref|8045}}
 
Not long after the city was abandoned Vin led all Inquisitors to Luthadel and fought with them at Kredik Shaw. Lending power from the mists she killed them all except Marsh, but Kredik Shaw was completely destroyed in the process.{{book ref|mb3|72}}{{book ref|mb3|73}} It is after this event that Vin took up the power of Preservation and Ascended.{{book ref|mb3|76}}
 
Luthadel was left ruined beyond salvation, and was wiped out of existence during the Catacendre. Its position as capital got taken over by Elendel in a new era.
 
== Culture ==
=== Nobility -- To be changed into Balls ===
Legend: Lord Ruler was believed to be the creator, protector and punisher of mankind. He'd saved humanity from the Deepness, and brought ash and mist as punishment for lack of faith.{{book ref|mb1|6}} <br>
Skaa are shorter than nobles. Nobles could get allomantic powers, skaa only if they had a noble ancestor somewhere in the last five generations.{{book ref|mb1|21}} <br>
"Technically, the Lord Ruler owns the skaa, but the noblemen rent them, and are allowed to kill as many as they want." Skaa aren't people to nobles.{{book ref|mb1|22}}
=== Nobility ===
{{for|Noble}}
Each family that could afford a keep in Luthadel was considered a Great House.{{book ref|mb1|2}} <br>
High Nobles, contradictory to everyone else, could afford candles and lamp oil, therefore stay up late at night. Most Great Houses held hazekillers. Some nobles cultivated plants indoors, those were white or ruddy or even slightly yellow instead of usual brown.{{book ref|mb1|5}} <br>
A major house war happens every couple of centuries, hadn't been one for a long time before the Collapse. Nobles have an unspoken rule: won't use Mistborn to assassinate each other.{{book ref|mb1|6}} <br>
Mistborn were so rare that nobles couldn't afford gender prejudices to them.{{book ref|mb1|7}} <br>
Great Houses often had another residence, besides keep in Luthadel, in a suburb-style city like Fellise, having a keep to count as great house doesn't mean having to live there constantly.{{book ref|mb1|8}}
During the last days of the Final Empire there were ten Great Houses in Luthadel, in order of importance{{book ref|mb1|9}}:
# [[House Venture]]
# [[House Hasting]]
# [[House Elariel]]
# [[House Tekiel]]
# [[House Lekal]]
# [[House Erikeller]]
# [[House Erikell]]
# [[House Haught]]
# [[House Urbain]]
# [[House Buvidas]]
 
Terris stewards/servants.{{book ref|mb1|10}}({{book ref|mb1|16}}){{expand}} <br>
Noblemen considered it an insult to use (emotional) Allomancy in formal settings.{{book ref|mb1|11}} <br>
"hasn’t been an all-out war among the Great Houses for over a century, but the last one was devastating."{{book ref|mb1|12}} <br>
When Great Houses grew nervous, more Allomancers held watch, but noblemen Mistings wouldn't like being forced to guard duty. Many nobility blatantly wore metal, a foolish form of bravado. High taxes for Great Houses. Lord Ruler sees nobles as "the children of his long-dead friends and allies, the men who supposedly helped him defeat the Deepness".{{book ref|mb1|19}} <br>
Major noble families generally never had more than three children because they had trouble reproducing. When two noblemen had a dispute, they'd settle it with a duel, not clear if that was a duel to the death though.{{book ref|mb1|21}} <br>
When a young nobleman seriously wishes to court a certain lady, he gives her a handkerchief. Nobles wear metal as a symbol of power and pride, but because that makes them vulnerable to Allomancy they often wear wood painted like metal instead. Plantation lords often spent their winters in Luthadel, during the time in between the planting seasons. The Steel Ministry allows nobles to bed any skaa woman they want, but they have to kill her shortly afterwards to prevent the birth of half-breeds, according to Dox this isn't considered as cheating.{{book ref|mb1|22}} <br>
Shan Elariel was considered to be the perfect noblewoman. Young nobles often started forming alliances before they succeeded their fathers.{{book ref|mb1|23}} <br>
House wars are mainly political, and balls are the political battlefields.{{book ref|mb1|24}} <br>
From time to time, the Lord Ruler just let house wars happen.{{book ref|mb1|26}} <br>
The aristocracy is primarily a financial institution, and lack of funds will bring any house down.{{book ref|mb1|27}} <br>
Straff Venture was considered to be the perfect imperial nobleman, being tall, firm-shouldered and always dressed in a tailored vest and suit. House Hasting was a strong mercantile house, but also dependent upon their contracts; having one main source of income makes a house vulnerable too. House Tekiel left Luthadel and was killed in their canal boats, likely by other nobles. Nobles are willing to kill rivals when it benefits them. "Kind of like thieving crews, she thought. The nobility really aren’t that different from the people I grew up around." Nobility mimicked the Lord Ruler; they wear metal rings because he does, even though it makes them vulnerable to Allomancers and Inquisitors.{{book ref|mb1|28}} <br>
Open execution of a nobleman could happen as punishment for reading forbidden books for example, but was infrequent.{{book ref|mb1|30}} <br>
Noblemen weren't supposed to be afraid of the mist, but it still makes them feel uncomfortable.{{book ref|mb1|31}} <br>
 
//middle class, lesser nobles <br>
Most nobles weren't rich enough to be considered part of a Great House. Being noble is about lineage, not money.{{book ref|mb1|2}} <br>
Lesser nobles could be guard at a noble keep.{{book ref|mb1|5}} <br>
Some brothels use women of very poor — but noble — birth.{{book ref|mb1|22}} <br>
Straff Venture wasn't allowed to execute his lesser noble guards, but he still punished them with brutal disciplinary forms.{{book ref|mb1|31}} <br>
 
'''Balls:'''
Great Houses hosted a ball roughly once a month. Balls were hosted by different houses in turns. Some nobles acted as informants on balls.{{book ref|mb1|30}} <br>
 
=== Skaa -- To be removed===
{{for|Skaa}}
Urban skaa seemed to work less hard than plantation skaa.{{book ref|mb1|prologue}} <br>
Tobacco was an expensive luxury.{{book ref|mb1|19}} <br>
Skaa could work as ash cleaners.{{book ref|mb1|20}} <br>
Skaa are shorter than nobles. Many skaa had heard of Allomancy, but only a few knew what it could do, because noble Mistings rarely showed their powers, and skaa halfbreed had to be even more careful.{{book ref|mb1|21}} <br>
Most skaa lived in packed tenements.{{book ref|mb1|24}} <br>
 
| You don’t have any friends in the underworld. You’ll never have any friends in the underworld!
| Vin's memory of Reen{{book ref|mb1|3}}
|side=left|size=300px|
}}
As the place closest to the Lord Ruler, and thus the most riches, Luthadel has more corruption among the skaa population than any other city in the Final Empire.{{book ref|mb1|18}} The larger portion of the underground consists of thieves, crews, whores and beggars, but fewer in number are the [[skaa rebellion|skaa rebels]] whose goal wasis not personal gain but to resist the Final Empire.{{book ref|mb1|4}} However, life is hard for these people. Most brothels kill their skaa whores periodically to keep the Inquisitors placated.{{book ref|mb1|22}} Scavenging is difficult in Luthadel,{{book ref|mb1|3}} and only skaa with severe disfigurements are allowed to beg.{{book ref|mb1|11}} Men in the underground often spentspend months without their family to protect them,{{book ref|mb1|22}} as they would be safe and hidden whenif the man gotgets caught, especially if he was a Misting because then the Inquisitors would wipe out his entire bloodline at all costs.{{book ref|mb1|24}}
 
There are two types of crews in Luthadel, the regular ones like [[Camon's crew]] and the special crews that useduse Allomancers, the former often called "crumbs" by the latter.{{book ref|mb1|4}} Life in regular crews is harsh, as thieves have to get back to work when they get wounded or else are abandoned for dead by their crew leader.{{book ref|mb1|16}} On the other hand, a successful crewleader gains wealth for the entire crew, but sometimes itthieves gotget temptingtempted to kill thetheir crewleader and take his money nonetheless.{{book ref|mb1|3}} StealingOnly desperate crews steal from the Steel Ministry was only done when desperate.{{book ref|mb1|2}} Their lairs werenaren't supposed to exist, often being situated in a secret basement beneath the cover of a shop or warehouse.{{book ref|mb1|1}}
 
The other type, known as Misting crews, are smaller and more specialized with crewmembers who trust each other, they are said to be extremely skillful, foolhardy and talented.{{book ref|mb1|4}} Their rewards are great, but so are the risks, so it pays for them to be very discerning in the jobs they take.{{book ref|mb1|33}} On average, one in ten thousand mixed-breed skaa are Mistings, depending on ancestry.{{book ref|mb1|3}} Nearly all Mistborn are members of Great Houses, or else minor nobles, but only very few half-skaa.{{book ref|mb1|7}} In general, skaa can only get Allomantic powers if they have a noble ancestor somewhere in their last five generations.{{book ref|mb1|21}} Most Mistborn wear a Mistcloak as warning so city guards and other Allomancers won't bother them,{{book ref|mb1|5}} and practically all of them have atium but are reluctant to actually use it because it's incredibly expensive.{{book ref|mb1|13}} <br>
Occasionally a Misting crew hiredhires regular crews for more mundane work.{{book ref|mb1|4}}
 
One of the most dangerous professions in the underground wasis that of informant, as even members of Great Houses metmeet them personally to find out more about their rivals.{{book ref|mb1|19}} However, it's better to not use them too much, as every question asked will be sold as information to other clients.{{book ref|mb1|12}} Their other and main sources of news are servants.{{book ref|mb1|12}} <br>
Hoid spent some time in Luthadel, where he acted as an informant. He had been around for a long time, and was considered one of the best, but most informants didn't live as long.{{book ref|mb1|19}}
 
Skaa in the Final Empire aren't allowed to travel on their own,{{book ref|mb1|6}} and even a lot of thieves never leftleave their plantation or town.{{book ref|mb1|8}} However, there are illegal ways for skaa to travel in the Central Dominance. There is an underground movement network to help runaways travel the canals from plantation to plantation, which isn't noticed because noblemen don't pay attention to skaa faces.{{book ref|mb1|23}} <br>
Getting in and out of Luthadel is more difficult, as all city gates are guarded and both skaa and nobles need permission to pass through them{{book ref|mb1|24}} after interview and interrogation.{{book ref|mb2|42}} Ways to get around this wereare the so called passwalls, most of which wereare in the form of tunnels with fakehidden wallsentrances or ropes that werebeing thrown over the city walls.{{book ref|mb2|42}}
 
'''Notes''' <br>
Designated place where one leaves a message to hire a kandra.{{wob ref|7979}}
 
=== Church of the Survivor ===
{{for|Church of the Survivor}}
 
== Politics ==
==== The Lord Ruler ====
{{for|Lord Ruler}}
Legend: Lord Ruler was believed to be the creator, protector and punisher of mankind. He'd saved humanity from the Deepness, and brought ash and mist as punishment for lack of faith.{{book ref|mb1|6}} <br>
Attended executions in black carriage drawn by a pair of massive white stallions.{{book ref|mb1|26}} <br>
His Soothing is strong enough to influence someone burning copper.{{book ref|mb1|27}} <br>
"Then it hit. Like a cloud moving before the sun, like a sudden storm on a quiet night, like a pair of fingers snuffing a candle. An oppressive hand stifled the budding skaa emotions." Description of Lord Ruler in public.{{book ref|mb1|34}}
 
{{quote
|He knew, Vin ... The Lord Ruler. He suspected that this day would come - a day when the mists returned and food would be scarce. So, he prepared these supply depots.
|Elend on the storage caverns{{book ref|mb3|5}}
}}
 
==== Steel Ministry ====
{{for|Steel Ministry}}
The Steel Ministry is the civic framework of the Final Empire, as well as a religious organization. It is divided into four sub-offices, these are the Canton of Orthodoxy, Canton of Finance, Canton of Resource and Canton of Orthodoxy. All Cantons have their headquarters in Luthadel,{{book ref|mb1|6}}{{map ref|Luthadel}} but there also are regional headquarters spread throughout the Inner Dominances. Nobles who work for the Steel Ministry are called obligators, prelans are higher ranked, followed by high prelans, and the lord prelan is leader of the Ministry.{{book ref|mb1|26}}
//soothing stations, Cantons <br>
Canton of inquisition has the most threatening reputation, followed by Canton of Orthodoxy, then Canton of Finance and Canton of Resource. Acolytes trained in the north, and got final instructions in Luthadel, secretly taking atium with them{{expand}}{{cite}}. Obligators are trained to recognize emotional allomancy.{{book ref|mb1|2}} <br>
Cantons have their headquarters in Luthadel.{{book ref|mb1|6}}/{{map ref|Luthadel}} <br>
Usually when the Ministry discovered a thieving crew, obligators with their troops went to capture the thieves and made a good show of them on an execution day, only in special cases (often involving Allomancy) Inquisitors went to kill the entire crew direct and left the massacre to be discovered. There were about 20 inquisitors in the Final Empire, half of them in Luthadel. Hanging people with a hook through the head was a ritual killing "reserved for the most reprehensible of sinners: people who misuse Allomancy".{{book ref|mb1|11}} <br>
"The Garrison watches the skaa, Vin thought. Apparently, the obligators perform a similar function for the nobility." Obligators, even the lord prelan Tevidian, visited forges to inspect them and their workers.{{book ref|mb1|12}} <br>
Obligators seem to be only nobles.{{book ref|mb1|20}} <br>
The Canton of Orthodoxy formed the main bureaucratic arm of the Misitry. (Sidenote: obligators had tattoos around their eyes, the higher their rank the more intricate their tattoos) Obligators had to witness every event, written document or agreement, otherwise it wouldn't have happened formally. This was a smart way for the Ministry to know everything about the nobility.{{book ref|mb1|23}} <br>
When the Inquisitors kill a Misting, they make certain to wipe out his children too.{{book ref|mb1|24}} <br>
Obligators were robed in gray, Inquisitors in black. The higher an obligator's position, the finer their robes. The Lord Prelan was higher ranked than the Inquisitors.{{book ref|mb1|26}} <br>
Acolytes trained for five years before finishing their training in Luthadel, and most were younger than Marsh at that time. Particularly the Canton of Inquisition recruits nobleman Seekers diligently. The Ministry was far more competent than they showed the world. There are political tensions between Inquisitors and obligators, the lord prelan leads the church but Inquisitors think that should be their responsibility. Obligators lead a busy life, and most higher-ranked ones are Mistings. ''Canton of Inquisition tattoos''.{{book ref|mb1|27}} <br>
Inquisitors are far more loyal to the Lord Ruler than regular obligators, and that's were there is tension between these groups.{{book ref|mb1|32}} <br>
When Tevidian's half-breed child was discovered, organizational dominance was granted to the Canton of Inquisition instead of the Canton of Orthodoxy.{{book ref|mb1|38}}
 
The '''Canton of Orthodoxy''' is the primary bureaucratic arm of the Ministry{{book ref|mb1|23}}, they administer the Lord Ruler's empire.{{book ref|mb3|29}} Any official events or documents have to be authorized by an obligator, typically from the Canton of Orthodoxy, or else it formally had never happened or been written. This can be about weddings, land purchases, inheritance of titles or business deals.{{book ref|mb1|prologue}}{{book ref|mb1|23}} It is a clever way for the Steel Ministry to know everything about the nobility.
‘Sit down to dine with evil, and you will ingest it with your meal.’{{book ref|mb3|32}} <br>
“You make a mistake, young Venture,” the obligator said, tapping the table idly with his fork. “The sixth-century stewardship program was not even devised by the Lord Ruler. The newly formed Canton of Inquisition proposed it as a means of population control for the Terris, and the Lord Ruler agreed to it provisionally.”
“That provision turned into a means of subjugating an entire race of people,” Elend said.
“That subjugation started far earlier,” Yomen said. “Everyone knows the history of this, Venture. The Terris were a people who absolutely refused to submit to imperial rule, and they had to be strictly reined in. However, can you honestly say that Terris stewards were treated poorly? They’re the most honored servants in all of the empire!”{{book ref|mb3|44}} <br>
Canton of Resources also had information like maps showing mineral deposits.{{book ref|mb3|63}}
 
The '''Canton of Resource''' is in charge of matters like feeding the people, maintaining the canals, and transportation and storage across the Final Empire.{{book ref|mb3|44}} It is the best place for men with an analytical mind.{{wob ref|7766}} They keep record of many things, including maps of mineral deposits.{{book ref|mb3|63}} Most engineers who work on Luthadel's city plans are obligators.{{wob ref|3045}} Besides being the force of bureaucracy and legal authority in the Final Empire, the Steel Ministry also is like a noble house on itself; the more wealth it has, the more leverage it has with the noble houses.
'''Soothing stations:''' The Ministry has dozens of soothing stations spread throughout Luthadel. Each one contains a couple of skilled Ministry Soothers who's only task is to depress the emotions of everyone near, to prevent rebellious thoughts. Each team also has a Smoker to keep them hidden and a Seeker to watch for passing Allomancers. They do personnel changes at night.{{book ref|mb1|27}} <br>
 
There were thirty-four soothing stations spread throughout Luthadel. Most were in the slums, and none close to Clubs's shop. At least three Soothers per post.{{book ref|mb1|29}}
The '''Canton of Finance''' provides the Ministry with the funds they need for their operations, and can be seen as its bank, trading and negotiating with noble houses to close lucrative contracts.{{book ref|mb1|1}}
 
The '''Canton of Inquisition''' acts as law enforcement, and a large part consist of hunting down skaa half-breeds; when the Inquisitors discover one they kill not only them but their children as well to wipe out the entire bloodline.{{book ref|mb1|24}} Because of this the Canton of Inquisition recruits noblemen Seekers diligently,{{book ref|mb1|27}} and in addition all obligators are trained to recognize emotional Allomancy.{{book ref|mb1|2}} It was founded in the sixth century of the Final Empire,{{book ref|mb3|44}} and they also initiated the Terris stewardship and breeding program.{{book ref|mb3|44}}
 
Furthermore, the Steel Ministry has about three dozens{{book ref|mb1|29}} of Soothing stations spread throughout Luthadel, most of which are located in the slums. Every station is manned by at least three{{book ref|mb1|29}} Soothers, a Seeker, and a a Smoker to keep them hidden.{{book ref|mb1|27}} The only duty of these Soothers is to extend a depressing influence around them, preventing rebellious thoughts among the population, and because they're not trying to get the people to do anything specific their influence is very hard to notice. It is likely that the Inquisitors get most of their leads on skaa Allomancers from the Seekers in these stations, as they are able to detect Allomancers when they least expect it. Their existence is a closely guarded secret, which makes the Soothing stations very effective, and to ensure this personnel changes are only done at night.{{book ref|mb1|27}}
 
==== Nobility ====
Besides the Lord Ruler and the Steel Ministry, the high nobility is also influential in the capital of the Final Empire. These families are called Great Houses, those who can afford to own a keep in Luthadel,{{book ref|mb1|2}} and the high taxes that come with it.{{book ref|mb1|19}} However, most Great Houses also have a secondary residence in one of the suburb-like cities like Fellise around Luthadel.{{book ref|mb1|2}} All noble houses are mainly financial institutions, with a high income they can exert influence, but a lack of funds will also bring them down.{{book ref|mb1|27}} This means that houses with a good mercantile contract can quickly rise in power, but if they depend on it that makes them vulnerable too. For example, House Venture was responsible for mining the Lord Ruler's atium, but if they would fail to meet his quotas their income would be cut off and as a result they would lose their position as most influential Great House.{{book ref|mb1|28}}
//Controlling the skaa <br>
 
House Venture was responsible for mining the Lord Ruler's atium. This made them the richest noble house, but they were vulnerable too in case they couldn't meet the Lord Ruler's quotas.{{book ref|mb1|28}} <br>
Noble houses might work together when it benefits them, but if killing a rival further secures their own social standing they are not afraid to do so.{{book ref|mb1|28}} In fact, every couple of centuries a house war is fought.{{book ref|mb1|6}} These are no wars with big battles, but rather a long series of assassinations, so that the houses involved can keep pretending they are not responsible.{{book ref|mb1|28}} Sometimes the Lord Ruler orders a stop to the fighting, but often he would just step back and let powerful noble families kill each other so that less established houses can take their place, lest the nobility should get too powerful to be a threat to him.{{book ref|mb1|26}}
 
The nobles are who actually force the skaa to work. In principle the Lord Ruler owns all skaa, but noblemen rent skaa from him to do with as they want.{{book ref|mb1|prologue}} They are then set to work in one of their many mines, fields, forges or mills. While they do not pay the skaa much if at all,{{book ref|mb1|6}} the nobility is responsible for feeding their skaa,{{book ref|mb1|32}} yet in the end most nobles treat skaa little better than slaves.{{book ref|mb1|22}} This political structure effectively means that the Lord Ruler and his Steel Ministry only need to keep the nobility in check, because in turn the nobility keeps the skaa under control. Only in case of a rebellion the Luthadel Garrison is sent out to intervene.
 
Luthadel counted ten Great Houses during the last days of the Final Empire, in order of importance these are:{{book ref|mb1|9}}
{{columns|count=2|
# [[House Venture]]
# [[House Hasting]]
# [[House Elariel]]
# [[House Tekiel]]
# [[House Lekal]]
# [[House Erikeller]]
# [[House Erikell]]
# [[House Haught]]
# [[House Urbain]]
# [[House Buvidas]]
}}
 
However, most nobles are not rich enough to be considered part of a Great House. Being noble is about lineage, not money, so the group of lesser nobles in Luthadel effectively forms a middle class.{{book ref|mb1|2}} Lesser noblemen could work as guard at noble keeps.{{book ref|mb1|5}}
 
=== Luthadel Assembly ===
 
== Economy ==
The presence of rich mineral deposits near Luthadel{{book ref|mb3|63}} allows for a large mining industry. The mined metal ore is then brought to the hundreds of forges and refineries in Luthadel, where it is turned into useful metals.{{book ref|mb1|2}} As a result, metal is Luthadel's main export product.{{book ref|mb1|2}}
Trade and transport to and from Luthadel often happened using canal boats.{{book ref|mb1|1}} <br>
MainLuthadel's exportsecond productnatural advantage is metal,the hundredspresence of forgesthe andRiver refineries in LuthadelChannerel, evenwhose thoughflow through the [[River Channerel]]city provides excellent opportunity tofor mills, used for both grinding grains and making textiles.{{book Bellsref|mb1|2}} chimeBesides whenallowing skaafor mustmills, getthe toriver workis inalso an effective mode of transport and trade, as it is connected to the morningFinal Empire's wide canal network.{{book ref|mb1|21}}{{book <br>ref|mb1|8}}
 
Money currency: boxings{{book ref|mb1|3}} (, clip smallest coin{{book ref|mb1|7}}.) <br>
The empire's monetary currency is called a boxing, a coin made of gold.{{book ref|mb1|27}} The smallest denomination of coin is a clip,{{book ref|mb1|7}} made of bronze.{{book ref|mb1|30}} Golden ten-boxing coins are also used.{{book ref|mb1|6}}{{book ref|mb2|6}} The coins have a picture of Kredik Shaw on their back, colloquially referred to as the "box", leading to the coin's name.{{book ref|mb2|part=ars}} For reference, during the Siege of Luthadel a bin of aging apples was sold for five boxings, but this was considered to be at a premium.{{book ref|mb2|25}}
Lord Ruler is dependent upon atium sale for keeping up his army.{{book ref|mb1|4}} <br>
 
Many canal routes in the Final Empire. Narrowboats and barges that needed to get pulled were used. Most noblemen used skaa workers instead of horses for this.{{book ref|mb1|8}} <br>
However, the foundation of the imperial economy is atium. The invaluable Allomantic metal is essential for noble houses to defend themselves against other Mistborn, so by controlling the market the Lord Ruler maintains his hold over the nobility.{{book ref|mb1|28}}{{book ref|mb1|33}} One small bead of atium can already be worth more than three thousand boxings,{{book ref|mb1|13}} whereas a big one can be worth over twenty thousand boxings.{{book ref|mb2|40}} The Pits of Hathsin is the only place were atium can be mined,{{book ref|mb1|33}} but none except a few ever knew about its origin. Only about one tenth of all the mined atium is sold to the nobility,{{book ref|mb1|10}} which keeps the price high so that the Lord Ruler can fund his armies.{{book ref|mb1|4}}{{book ref|mb1|28}}
1/10th of all atium mined at Pits of Hathsin was sold to nobles, at exorbitant prices.{{book ref|mb1|10}} <br>
 
One bead of atium is worth more than three thousand boxings.{{book ref|mb1|13}} <br>
'''Notes'''
These canals had towpaths besides them.{{book ref|mb1|21}} <br>
 
Boxings are made of gold. In each city, including Luthadel, is a small group of merchants who provide powdered metals to Allomancers, these metals can be considered pure because these merchants have a vested interest in keeping their (dangerous) customers satisfied.{{book ref|mb1|27}} <br>
There are fields around Luthadel,{{book ref|mb3|18}} but a lot of the food was also imported from plantations. (needs citation)
"The Lord Ruler depends on that atium, Valette—it’s one of the prime ways he controls the nobility. A house without atium is a house that can’t defend itself from Mistborn. By keeping a large reserve, the Lord Ruler controls the market, making himself extremely wealthy. He funds his armies by making atium scarce, then selling extra bits for lavish amounts."{{book ref|mb1|28}} <br>
 
Pits of Hathsin is the only place in the Final Empire where atium was mined, so the Lord Ruler depended on it. "Atium is the foundation of the imperial economy—controlling it is one of the main ways that the Lord Ruler maintains his hold over the nobility."{{book ref|mb1|33}} <br>
Docks outside of the city. Also outer mills at the lake (Lake Luthadel).{{book ref|mb1|24}}
 
In each city, including Luthadel, is a small group of merchants who provide powdered metals to Allomancers, these metals can be considered pure because these merchants have a vested interest in keeping their (dangerous) customers satisfied.{{book ref|mb1|27}} <br>
 
Kenton street used to be for nobles and housed exclusive tailoring shops, but Elend abolished resrictions on skaa merchants and the thoroughfare had blossomed into a wild bazaar of shops, pushcarts and tents.{{book ref|mb2|5}} (include here or in organisation section?)
 
== Organization ==
With there being about one million skaa workers in and around Luthadel,{{book ref|mb1|6}} good organization of a city this big is essential. The majority of these skaa works in forges or mills,{{book ref|mb1|2}} but they could also work in the mines{{book ref|mb1|10}} or fields{{book ref|mb3|18}} around Luthadel. Bells chime in the mornings to announce when skaa are required to get to work,{{book ref|mb1|2}} marking the start of their typically twelve-hour working days.{{book ref|mb1|10}} Only a few most talented skaa were allowed to practice a profession, like [[Clubs]] running a [[clubs' shop|carpentry workshop]].{{book ref|mb1|6}} <br>
In Luthadel, especially in the slums, there were many soup kitchens. Local skaa earned meal tokens for the time they worked, and in their short break at midday they could spend these tokens for a meal. Local lords/nobles, owners of a local forge or mill, paid these kitchens to avoid the costs of providing on-site meals. The kitchen owners was paid directly, so he saved as much as possible on ingredients, resulting in food as tasty as ashwater.{{book ref|mb1|10}} <br>
 
Luthadel had skaa corpse crews that took care of the disposal of dead bodies.{{book ref|mb1|11}} <br>
In Luthadel, and especially in the slums, there are many central soup kitchens. These soup kitchens usually are funded by local lords or nobles who own a forge or mill, to avoid the costs of having to provide meals on site for their workers. Skaa earn meal tokens for the time they work, and in their short break at midday they can spend these tokens for a meal. However, because the kitchen owners are paid directly, they save as much as possible on ingredients and cleaning, resulting in food about as tasty as ashwater.{{book ref|mb1|10}} Clean drinking water is retrieved from wells all around the city.{{book ref|mb2|42}} In the brief times while skaa are free from labor most of them live in overly packed tenements.{{book ref|mb1|24}}
//ash cleaning should probably be moved here <br>
 
A lot of effort is required to keep Luthadel clean and orderly. To prevent the city from being buried by ash, a lot of skaa work as ash cleaners to gather the ash to dispose of it,{{book ref|mb1|20}} most of it gets thrown in the River Channerel{{book ref|mb1|2}} but sometimes it was carted and piled out of the city.{{book ref|mb1|8}} The Luthadel Garrison does patrols on the streets, and guards the city walls and gates. All skaa and lesser noblemen need permission from the Garrison to pass the city gates, only those who have good reasons like work are allowed to go out of the city.{{book ref|mb1|24}} With the harsh living conditions for people in the slums, there is need for skaa corpse crews that take care of the disposal of dead bodies,{{book ref|mb1|11}} the corpses are then buried outside of city.{{book ref|mb2|57}}
 
Occasionally executions take place at the Fountain Square. Most often a recently caught thieving crew gets executed, but sometimes innocent skaa as well, as examples that entire population is subject to the whims of the Lord Ruler. When the bells ring all men in the city are required to attend the executions or else the punishment is death. Bleachers are set up for the noblemen, but most skaa need to stand in the surrounding streets because the Fountain Square is not large enough for this huge amount of people. The executions can go on for hours, and afterwards the corpses are just left at the fountains.{{book ref|mb1|26}}{{book ref|mb1|27}}
 
'''Notes''' <br>
Condemned men (and women) were sent to the Pits of Hathsin, not clear what the criteria were though.{{book ref|mb1|21}} <br>
 
People, both skaa and nobles, needed permission to pass through Luthadel's gates.{{book ref|mb1|24}} <br>
Food tokens{{book ref|mb1|24}}
Occasionally, executions took place, often when a thieving crew was captured, or just random skaa (even just women and children) as examples for the entire population. The ringing of bells announced this, and all men in the city, both skaa and noble, were required to attend them, or else the punishment would be death. These took place at the Square of the Survivor, but a lot of skaa stood further away in other streets. Bleachers were set up for the nobility.{{book ref|mb1|26}}
Executions could go on for hours. Normally there would be any kind of denunciations or explanations, but not always. The Ministry just left the corpses and bloodied water in fountains right there.{{book ref|mb1|27}} <br>
 
== Military ==
=== City Defenses ===
{{sidequote
"The Lord Ruler and the Steel Ministry could marshal literally millions of troops if the need arose."{{book ref|mb1|19}} <br>
No|Luthadel onemight hasbe exposed, but no one ever attackedattacks Luthadel.{{book ref|mb1|26}}No one ever has.
Ministry had hazekillers.|Kelsier{{book ref|mb1|3326}}
|side=left|size=250px
Ministry had archers in their armies, on special occasions even with obsidian-tipped arrows.{{book ref|mb1|34}}
}}
Luthadel had a massive wall, but that was unnecessary since the Lord Ruler controlled everything and no army would attack during his reign.{{book ref|mb1|19}} It was the only city in the Final Empire that was allowed to have a city wall.{{book ref|mb3|25}} Luthadel's gates weren't meant to withhold a large scale attack.{{cite}}
Luthadel is the only city in the Final Empire that was allowed to have a city wall.{{book ref|mb3|25}} This stone wall is massive — only the largest koloss are barely able to mount it{{book ref|mb2|53}} — but during the entire reign of the Lord Ruler no army has ever marched on Luthadel.{{book ref|mb1|19}}{{book ref|mb1|26}} Battlements are built on top,{{book ref|mb1|8}} with the occasional watchtower{{book ref|mb2|52}} in which presumably the stairwells are located.{{book ref|mb2|51}} <br>
Only eight gates give entrance to Luthadel, all more or less equally spread over Luthadel's perimeter.{{map ref|Luthadel}} They are large wooden gates that open with hinges.{{book ref|mb2|52}} However, these gates mostly have a practical purpose to control the flow of people getting in and out the city,{{book ref|mb1|24}} and while they are able to resist some forces they weren't meant to withstand a large scale attack.{{book ref|mb2|50}}
 
Grates are installed in the River Channerel where it crosses Luthadel's wall, above and under the water, both as defense in case of an attack and to prevent people from secretly getting in and out of the city.{{book ref|mb2|42}}
 
Besides the regular troops and archers of the Luthadel Garrison, the Steel Ministry has hazekillers in their service,{{book ref|mb1|33}} and archers who use obsidian-tipped arrows,{{book ref|mb1|34}} to fight rebellious Allomancers. On top of the forces in Luthadel, the Lord Ruler and the Steel Ministry could marshal literally millions of troops from all throughout the Final Empire if the need ever arose.{{book ref|mb1|19}}
 
=== Luthadel Garrison ===
=== Inquisitors ===
{{for|Steel Inquisitor}}
The Inquisitors are the Lord Ruler's most dedicated and powerful servants, and are in charge of the Canton of Inquisition.{{book ref|mb1|32}} TheyTheir aremain Hemalurgicduty creaturesis withto spikesfind driveshalf-breeds throughand kill them,{{book ref|mb1|7}} tracking down their eyeschildren andas body,well{{book grantingref|mb1|24}} themto theprevent powersskaa getting access to Allomancy because of atheir Mistbornnoble ancestry. Nine of them used toare bepresent in Luthadel before the Collapse,{{book ref|mb1|36}} (though at this time there wereare around twenty Inquisitors in the entire Final Empire,{{book ref|mb1|epilogue}}). andAt theythis wereevent inall chargeother ofInquisitors thein CantonLuthadel ofare Inquisition.killed Their main dutyby is to find half-breeds and kill them,Marsh.{{book ref|mb1|738}} and tracking down their children as wellHowever,{{book ref|mb1|24}}Marsh tohimself preventremains skaahiding gettingin accessLuthadel tofor Allomancymonths becauseafter ofthe theirCollapse.{{wob noble ancestry.ref|5451}}
 
Most Inquisitors haveare accessHemalurgic tocreatures allwith knownspikes Allomanticdriven metalsthrough their eyes and body granting them most of the powers of a Mistborn,{{book ref|mb1|27}} butand thissome dependseven onhave theFeruchemical Hemalurgichealing spikesabilities theydue areto given,an and some also had a Feruchemical healingextra spike.{{wob ref|10123}}. Preferably, Inquisitors were made from Seekers or Mistborn, giving them the ability to pierce through copperclouds,{{book ref|mb1|31}} which is useful to discover and hunt down skaa MistingsAllomancers.{{book ref|mb1|7}} When they foundfind a thieving band, one of them couldcan single-handedly kill an entire crew in a matter of seconds, but they only diddo this when a skaa Allomancer wasis involved.{{book ref|mb1|11}} They were believed to be immortal until [[Bendal|one]] was decapitated by Kelsier and died.{{book ref|mb1|34}}
 
Every citizen of Luthadel was afraid of the Inquisitors, because of their intimidating posture and eerie nature.{{book ref|mb1|26}} They where believed to be immortal, until one was decapitated and died.{{book ref|mb1|34}} Inquisitors eventually die of old age as well.{{book ref|mb1|27}}
 
=== Koloss army ===
{{sidequote
|If [the Lord Ruler] marches those creatures on his own capital city, the destruction it would cause could be even more dangerous than financial instability.
|Kelsier about koloss{{book ref|mb1|4}}
|side=right|size=300px
}}
{{for|Koloss}}
Stationed at a moderate distance from Luthadel. Lord Ruler could send for them, but have to be kept away from cities.{{book ref|mb1|6}}
 
The Lord Ruler was in full control of all koloss — ferocious creatures reminiscent of large humans with blue skin — in the Final Empire. He created them and it was his prerogative to determine how they were used.{{book ref|mb3|43}} Koloss were useful grunts, but had to be kept away from cities because of their destructive nature, which is why they were stationed at a moderate distance from Luthadel.{{book ref|mb1|6}} As a result, koloss were mostly used to quell rebellions, often far from major cities where the Lord Ruler's reign was less influential.{{wob ref|7707}}
“Yes, the Lord Ruler created the koloss,” he said. “It was his prerogative to determine how they were used. Besides, he kept them far away from civilized cities—yet you march them right up to our doorstep.”{{book ref|mb3|43}}
 
However, after the Lord Ruler fell, Jastes Lekal bribed an army of koloss with fake coins and led them to siege Luthadel,{{book ref|mb2|19}} but when he lost control they destroyed a large part of the city and killed a lot of its population in the Battle of Luthadel.{{book ref|mb2|53}}
== Notable Citizens ==
 
== Notable Residents ==
{{for|:Category:Residents of Luthadel|a full list|here}}
* [[The Lord Ruler]]
* [[Elend Venture]]
 
== Quotes ==
// quotes section is only temporary, to save potentially useful quotes for the rest of the article, will be removed in the final version <br>
{{quote
|Luthadel is the dirtiest, most crowded city in the Final Empire.
 
{{quote
|During the days of the Lord Ruler , Luthadel had been the most crowded city in the world. Filled with three- and four-story tenements, it had been packed with the skaa who’d worked its numerous furnaces and forges, with the noble merchants who’d sold its goods, and with the high nobility who’d simply wanted to be near the imperial court.
|Luthadel might be exposed, but no one ever attacks Luthadel. No one ever has.
|Kelsier{{book ref|mb1mb3|26}} 52}}
}}
 
== Trivia ==
{!{partial}}
{!{Mistborn|Era 1}}
[![category: notable articles]]
[![category: list articles]]
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