The Final Empire is in the year 736. Five years ago the Massacre of Tougier effectively crushed the latest rebellion, but rebels are beginning to spring up again, using the ongoing war between Noble Houses as cover. Meanwhile, Inquisitors are hard at work suppressing knowledge of strange new metals.
-The Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson -Creation of the website by Emere and Wolf Tears -All characters and threads belong to their creators
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Ars Arcanum This board houses all the site's official information: rules, announcements, and background information regarding the world of Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn series. Please be aware that while direct spoilers are avoided, there may be information herein that reveals a few things about the books, so tread carefully in the background threads if you haven't finished the series. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
General OOC This is for general chat about whatever you feel like talking about. It can be about the site or Mistborn, or have nothing to do with anything. As always, be sure to follow the rules. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
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Canton of Mist Here, the gods Ruin and Preservation will determine the future of the site. Be afraid... be very afraid. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
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Staff Offices In these boards you can get to know Preservation (Wolf Tears) and Ruin (Emere), as well as post questions, suggestions, requests, and anything else. We welcome suggestions and comments about our site since we are always striving to make it better. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
Post Museum All incidents, however prolonged, must eventually run their course. Just as surely as the characters seen within must someday die, all threads will come to ruin in their time. Luckily, the memory of these events can be found here, preserved so that all may look back on the past, whether to learn from it or simply reminisce. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
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Character Applications Before you can RP, you need a character. Makes sense, right? After reading the rules and any information you need to know, come here and post using the form inside. Accepted biographies will be moved to the appropriate subboard, at which point you’re free to get started! Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
Character Info This board is for any character-related information other than biographies. All official lists can be found here, including a character directory and face claim. This is also where you can post character info threads, plot requests, and anything else revolving around your characters. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
Ruined If you thought this world would be easy to live in, you should have turned aside at the start. Many are the perils of the Final Empire, and one of them- be it poverty, war, ailing health, or even old age for the very lucky- has claimed every person whose biography can be found here. May they rest in more peace than they were offered in life. Anyone who wishes to claim a character from this board need simply PM an Admin with why you want the character back. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
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Pits of Hathsin Considered inescapable- and rightly so, for no one has ever been sent to work in the Pits and lived to tell the tale- this jail is reserved for the empire’s worst criminals. Once here, prisoners are forced to crawl through narrow tunnels and extract geodes from sharp crystal formations, slicing their arms in the process. These geodes contain atium, and any prisoner who doesn’t manage to offer up one bead of atium each week is immediately and savagely beaten to death. Because House Venture controls all atium trade, the Pits are considered to be under their authority, and all overseers here are on the Venture payroll. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
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Canals Useful for transportation of not just people but also supplies, reports, and commercial goods, the canals are a pivotal piece of the Final Empire’s infrastructure. Without them, trade and administration would not be impossible, but they would be severely slowed. Evidently, this makes the canal system popular among quite a number of groups, from atium shippers to skaa who pull boats- and even some rebels, who brave sometimes-heavy guard in attempts to disrupt the Empire’s business. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
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Plantations Much of the Central Dominance is covered by vast stretches of farmland, which, during the day, are worked by legions of skaa. Sadly, most of these workers will never see the fruits of their labour, for field hands are treated worse than poorly. Frequently whipped, barely fed, and never rested, they are- quite literally- worked to death. For the overseers who watch them and the nobles who own the plantations, however, it is an easy life; the former need only make sure the skaa keep working (which they always do- what other choice is there?), and the only thing the latter need to worry about is their finances. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
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Kredik Shaw Aside from the soldiers who guard it and the Lord Ruler himself, only Inquisitors and the highest Obligators frequent the halls of this elaborate palace, and most of Luthadel prefers it that way. As formidable as it is breathtaking, Kredik Shaw both enthralls and warns with the sharp, high towers that gave it its name (“Kredik Shaw” is Terris for “Hill of a Thousand Spires”). There is no doubt that it is the most beautiful building in the city, and yet there is something horrifying about it. Whether they know someone who was held prisoner and tortured within its walls or simply fear the man who dwells within, most people- skaa and noble alike- find reasons to not stay long. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
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Noble Keeps With the exception of Kredik Shaw itself, the dwelling places of the Final Empire’s nobles are the best in the land, and no keeps are more impressive than those in the capital city. Nestled in the center of the urban regions, the manors of the ten highest-ranking noble families are the best of the best, architectural masterpieces that make up for their general lack of color with impressive swoops, spires, and other feats of stone. The others can be found scattered throughout the city, never too far from the center but not directly beside the major keeps. Though not nearly so grand, these smaller mansions still make striking figures against the backdrop of dull homes and businesses. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
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The Ministry Just as the Lord Ruler is seen as the god of the Final Empire, his government bureaucracy- the Steel Ministry- is seen as his church. However, rather than acting as clergy, officials from the Ministry handle business, legal affairs, policing, and other administrative matters. Considered direct representatives of the Lord Ruler, the officials (known as obligators) are chosen from the nobles and must witness any legal transaction between noble houses for it to be considered legitimate. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
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Gates and Walls A city such as Luthadel would be a prime target for attack, if anyone was stupid enough to take on the Lord Ruler himself. Almost no one is, of course, and those who are tend to learn their place quickly, but even so, a huge wall surrounds the city’s perimeter. Perhaps it’s just for show, or a vestige of less stable times, but it still has its uses- primarily controlling trade and travel. Only eight entry points exist: the Gates of Luthadel, which represent the eight basic metals. Anyone who wants to enter or exit the city had best have a good reason, not to mention all their paperwork in order. The wall is defended by the Luthadel Garrison, a well-equipped and better-trained force of twenty thousand soldiers, and they don’t take well to trespassers.... Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
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Canal and Docks Seeing as Luthadel is the hub of all the Final Empire’s economic and legal activity, it only makes sense that the most major canal in the land, the River Channerel, should cut through it. Lined with docks, this important channel enters Luthadel between the Steel and Tin Gates in the north, then meanders down to exit between the southeastern Copper and Brass gates. Each day, boats sail through, bringing with them a flurry of activity: skaa loading and unloading goods, nobles arguing about prices, obligators checking suspicious-looking crates, and so forth. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
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Fountain Square Four large and beautiful fountains grace the center of this forbidding place. Under normal circumstances this could be a relaxing place (insofar as anywhere in this broken world can be relaxing), almost akin to a park, but its usual use belies that. Whatever the deed or rank of the offender may happen to be, all official executions take place here, and everyone in Luthadel- noble and skaa alike- is required to attend. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
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Hotel District Most of the bodies within Luthadel at any given time are permanent residents; travel through the Final Empire is slow and costly, even with canals. Business does not pause for convenience, however, and as such there are always a fair number of visitors in town to deliver reports or sell their goods. This area of town houses almost all the places where these people can stay, ranging from classy hotels to passable inns to less-than-reputable but (usually!) survivable hostels. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
Industrial District While not a high-tech nation by the standards of the twenty-first century, the Final Empire does manage a decent amount of manufacturing. Such industrialization is concentrated in this area of the city, where forges and refineries make the air difficult to breath but produce many needed weapons, tools, and other goods. Even factories can be found here, although they are quite uncommon- not to mention very simple, no more complex than textile factories. Some food is also sent here to be refined in mills, which are all located near the edges of the region. Everything done here is supervised by representatives of the Noble Houses, which fund and control enterprises that fall under their jurisdiction in a similar manner to House Venture’s control of the Pits of Hathsin. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
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Commercial District From shovels to dresses to meat, anything you could possibly want or need can be found in Luthadel’s shops. Less visually impressive than most of the rest of the city, this district nonetheless boasts the most astonishing array of goods in the entire empire. Whether made within the city or imported from the edges of the known world, almost any object imaginable can be located in one shop or another. Presuming you have the money for it, shopping here is a real treat. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
Skaa Market Poverty is a harsh and unyielding reality for non-nobles in Luthadel, and as such, not all skaa can afford to open legitimate shops in the Commercial District- or even purchase from them, for that matter. For this reason, a secondary “market” is set up daily along the wall, between the gates of Copper and Bronze. Most of the wares are food, but people will sell whatever they can, and there’s always a demand for supplies. The origin and quality of the goods found here can’t always be verified, but when the options are trading for a loaf of bread or risking execution to steal it, most people tend to stop caring. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
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Slums Life underground is tough anywhere, but in Luthadel, making a living in the slums is a veritable nightmare. As if living on the edge of death wasn’t hard enough, soothing stations are scattered throughout the slums to keep the skaa under control. Along with the ever-present threat of noble wrath, the skaa who live in Luthadel’s poorest sectors are in constant danger from cutthroat thieves and gangs. Starvation and illness threaten those who manage to avoid the prevalent violence, for many who call the slums home are too poor to avoid food, let alone medicine for the diseases that breed in the filth and pests that cover the streets. Every coin is a treasure here- and, as often as not, a trap. Watch your back if you want to survive. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
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Underground Passages Thanks to the wall with its eight Gates, nobody enters or leaves Luthadel if they aren’t wanted... at least, almost nobody. A few know about the underground passages that run from seemingly-arbitrary points inside the city to the outside world. Some of these are carefully watched, but others are completely unnoticed, providing safe travel into, through, and out of Luthadel for those who happen to discover their existence. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
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Synod Headquarters For the headquarters of an ancient and (relatively) venerable society, the building that houses the Synod is remarkably unostentatious. It has to be; if Feruchemists aren't supposed to exist, Keepers certainly aren't, so the last thing they want to do is draw attention to themselves. Only Keepers and privileged Terrispeople know that all decisions regarding the order come from this place. Appearing as a simple if large house, the Synod Headquarters accomodates meetings regarding reports from other cities, acceptance of new Keepers, and any other Keeper-specific business. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
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Breeding Centers Strictly overseen by Obligators, this set of connected buildings serves one purpose: providing the Empire with new Stewards while controlling the spread of Feruchemy. Young, healthy women are forced to live in one section for breeding- essentially prostitution, but intended for pregnancy rather than money. Once pregnant, they move to a separate section of the complex, where they are exempt from all but the most basic of duties until birth. Newborns stay with their mothers, but older children are housed in a connected wing, where they stay until ready to live on their own or begin steward training. Elderly women, as well as the infertile or otherwise unbreedable, are housed separately and tend to take care of domestic tasks around the complex. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
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Living Areas Very few of Terris' citizens are allowed to live outside of the Breeding Centers. Those who do- typically Stewards waiting for assignments and infertile women who wish to take up some career other than domestic labor- are housed throughout the city. Simple though they are, the buildings are well-made and the streets easy to navigate, which makes them a vast improvement over the living conditions of most skaa. The more upscale houses are reserved for Obligators and other officials, and are concentrated in a single section of the city that is slightly offset from the Terrispeople's dwellings. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
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Library The greatest repository of knowledge in the Final Empire, the Library of Terris is housed in one of the region’s largest and most ornate buildings. Visitors will find books on almost any subject they care to research, and most likely will tire of their studies- or die- long before they exhaust their resources. Few from outside of Terris are allowed to peruse the shelves, though- and even fewer see the back rooms, where Keepers store knowledge forbidden to citizens of the Final Empire. So go the rumors, at least... Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
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City Square Travelers from Luthadel (and, indeed, most of the Final Empire) are often unnerved by the polished efficiency of Terris cities. Such people can find comfort in the main square of Tathingdwen, where the economical setup is hidden by constant activity and noise. This "square" actually extends over several blocks and houses all of the city's most important structures and businesses, from postal services and steward request buildings to most of the city's inns and shops. Small versions of some Steel Ministry branches are set up here as well, although the Obligators generally live elsewhere, in their own residential areas. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
Council Room Technically two connected caverns, the Council Room is easily the largest open space in the Homeland. The smaller section, which can be closed off, is the private meeting room where the First and Second Generations discuss events, decide courses of action, and give kandra assignments. In the attached chamber, which is much larger, hearings and other major events take place. The upper generations have specified positions; hollows carved into the walls accommodate the Firsts, while Seconds stand behind stone lecterns. This is also the location of the Trust: all the atium collected over the years from contract payment. Blue glass lamps, the only oil lights in the Homeland, light both caves. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
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True Body Market Not all kandra are patient enough, or skilled enough, to craft their own bones. Those who are sometimes market their abilities, either for fun or simply to keep themselves busy while in the Homeland. Pre-made skeletons are on display in this small market, but many are also willing to fashion custom bones according to requests. Payment varies, with some asking for human currency (to use when they go out on contract) and others preferring atium or even objects. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
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Bone Storage Having been around since the inception of the Final Empire, the kandra have had a long, long time to collect bodies. There are only so many kandra, of course, so a maximum number of bodies are in use at any given time. However, sometimes having spare bones around can be useful, especially at the start of a contract, so quite a few are stored in the Homeland in case a need for them arises. Numerous and diverse, the bodies in this room can be used to fit almost any situation. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
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Prison Cells Rare is the kandra who is actually willing to defy the laws of the First and Second Generations. Still, it does happen, and offenders are held in these cells until a time can be scheduled for their hearing and punishment. Before being imprisoned, criminals are stripped of both true and borrowed bodies. Practiced kandra can craft their own organs with or without bones, but even this does them little good, as the cells are designed with such abilities in mind and are all but impossible to escape without outside help. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
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Tunnels All of the kandra Homeland is located underground. Therefore, instead of streets they have a tunnel network that makes the Pits of Hathsin look almost simple. Ranging from plain dirt channels to elaborately decorated roads, the tunnels are both a means of transit and a defense system, for invaders tend to become lost before they make it anywhere important. Moderators: Preservation, Ruin
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