Elendel

Elendel, also called Elendel City, is the largest city in the Elendel Basin on Scadrial and in the cosmere at large. Named by Spook, the Lord Mistborn, after Elend Venture, it is located at the mouth of the Irongate river where it flows into Hammondar Bay. People from Elendel are called Elenders. Although no accurate census exists for the size of its population, Wax estimates there are millions, maybe as many as five million residents of the city as of .
Elendel is also the central power in the Basin, and largely in the whole of Northern Scadrial as well. The city is also the home of many high noble houses, such as House Ladrian, Tekiel, Yomen, and Cett, amongst others.
== Structure ==
=== Surroundings and Geography ===
Elendel lies on the Irongate River where it meets Hammondar Bay in the western part of the city. The water near Elendel’s docks is relatively calm, with placid waves. The outer regions of Elendel are called the Outer Estates, mostly consisting of orchards, fields and pastures. Elendel lies on the place where the Originators climbed up onto the surface after the Catacendre, which is why there are many caverns in Elendel that were located all over the planet before the Catacendre. These caverns include the Pits of Hathsin, the caverns of Urteau and Fadrex and many more. However, some of these caves were lost to memory and by , the government was still rediscovering caves. Elendel also experiences seaborne wind on occasion, due to the city's proximity to the Sea of Yomend.
=== The City ===
Elendel is divided into eight octants, each functioning as an administrative district of the city with its own dedicated constabulary, and most seeming to have their own financial and industrial districts. In the center of the city between all the octants is the Hub, a ring of canals surrounding the Field of Rebirth, a large public park where the Originators climbed out of the caverns after the Catacendre. The park has a hot spring located underneath, which warms up the air above it. The Field of Rebirth also has many statues of people important to the city's history like Vin and Elend, amongst others. Bordering each octant is a canal that flows from the Basin into the center of the city through the Hub. These canals are used as roads to transport people around the city by barge. By , tensions with the Malwish were so high that the government installed artillery on the city perimeter in case of an attack. These guns had a range of a little over two thousand feet straight upwards.
Elendel also has a lot of railways, with forty-four railway stations throughout the city, traditionally owned and managed by a member of the house that owns the land. The city, lying on the Hammondar Bay, has large docks, allowing for trade with other Basin cities and later the Malwish Consortium. The docks are considered to be pretty dangerous. The docks connect to the canals via Irongate River, which are used by boats carrying goods and people to and from the city. For most of the city's history, roads were made of smooth paving stones. However, with the advent of the motorcar, roads started being made of asphalt. The city saw a lot of planning in its early history, with the creation of large wide streets, far wider than anyone would have assumed necessary. By , many streets had electrical street lamps. Elendel also has multiple large parks, such as the Field of Rebirth and a large park in the 5th octant. Elendel also has large food storages. The prominence of some of the Originators led to many buildings or streets being named in honor of them.
Elendel sees a stark difference between the rich and poor neighborhoods. It has many slums, filled with low wage workers who are often deep into debt. The slums are often located near coal plants and factories likely due to the quality of living and the cost of living being lower in these areas. The slums also have soup kitchens. The richer neighbors are more spacious, with separate houses or even mansions. These rich neighborhoods also contain larger and newer buildings like skyscrapers. Elendel is always changing, with prime neighborhoods slowly falling into disrepair, while everyone who can afford to moves away to newer neighborhoods.
=== Notable Locations ===
== Culture ==
=== People ===
==== Ethnicity and Propriety ====
While in the Final Empire, there were distinct ethnicities in the skaa, the Nobles and the Terris, Harmony changed their genetics back to what they had been before the Lord Ruler ascended, but keeping the Terris as a separate ethnicity. A fifth of the Originators were Terris, which led to greater diversity in skin color and height among the population post-Catacendre. The people of Elendel typically associate the Terris with darker skin. Elendel also has a population of people with Koloss blood, referred to as the Koloss-blooded, with skin ranging from mottled granite to various shades of blue. Like full koloss, they continue growing taller throughout their life, which causes may to be taller than regular humans. The people living in Elendel are taller than in other parts of the Basin.
By , many older noblemen feel that they can say whatever they wish, especially to and about subordinates. It is considered proper to remove your hat when indoors. City people, especially politicians, are intimidated by small arms. The people of the Basin aren't explorers. By the third century, noblemen and even Allomancers were no longer able to subdue people by their presence just off of reputation alone. Ladies are often addressed as your Lady or Ladyship. While Lords are addressed as my Lord. It is considered important that when one becomes a man, he can and must make his own decisions.
==== Cuisine, Sports, Music and Art====
The people of Elend enjoy a wide variety of foods and drinks. One popular drink is called Vif Sparkle Tonic. They also drink coffee. The Malwish cuisine had a large impact on Elendel cuisine, and by Elendel enjoyed hot chocolate from the Malwish. Popular snacks include Pectin-Ade. They also eat Malwish pastries, such as cinnamon puffs. Another common dish is noodles. Some people in the city also enjoy Roughs food, like stew and beans. They also eat chocolate. Hotel food is generally considered to be bad. Elendel is considered by many to have good alcoholic drinks. Elendel's alcohol is often strongly flavoured, smoky and complex. A famous brand of wine, advised by the celebrity Jak, is called Chamblis Montreau.
The people of Elendel enjoy a wide variety of songs and types of music. A well known song is called the Last Breath. Street musicians are also common in Elendel. Brass music isn't really a thing in Elendel. The harp is a common instrument. The people also use graffiti. A common sport played in Elendel is called Noseball. There are also rifle and shooting clubs around the city. Additionally, after the invention and spread of the automobile, young lords and ladies began racing each other in the streets. They also bet on the outcomes of these races, and while the constabulary tries fining them, the young aristocracy often finds ways to dodge the constables, like paying street urchins to lead the constables away from a certain area at a predetermined time. The first official street racing circuit was established in at the old fairgrounds abutting the Irongate River. There are a number of stories about travelling to Death's domain.
==== Languages and Accents ====
Most people speak a language called skaa. This language is likely the same, or related to, the language spoken by the people in the Final Empire. Some Terris people also speak the Terris language, which was revived due to considerable efforts from the Terris Originators. Besides these two spoken languages, another language is used to write important legal documents. This language is called High Imperial, and it is used as a scholarly and formal language. People from the different octants have their own accents. 
=== Fashion ===
==== Men ====
The men of Elendel have a sophisticated sense of fashion. The aristocracy generally wears fine white shirts and suits. They also wear finely made cravats, which are sometimes colored silver or other colorful colors, such as lavender. They also wear cuff links on the sleeves of their shirts. These cuff links are commonly made from wood, and may be set with gemstones. The men of Elendel als wear lots of hats, such as bowler hats. Vests worn by the aristocracy wear satin vest, often colored green. At parties they tend to wear dark suits, with tailcoats. Between the years to formal waistcoats grew stouter. It is also common to fold a pocket square in your breast pocket. Rich people also wear aluminum lined hats, to keep Allomancy from affecting their emotions. When out in cold weather, men may wear fur parkas. Common men may wear suspenders, trousers and T-shirts. Salesmen in Elendel often wear bowties. Some people also wear a garment named after the ancient Mistcloak, these being Mistcoats.
==== Women ====
Like the men, the women of Elendel also wear intricate and well-designed clothing. Many aristocratic women wear dresses or skirts. These dresses generally have narrow waists, are colored with deep colors, and sometimes have decorations on them, like flowers. They also wear skirts, that often touch the ground, which have lots of folds through long pleated skirts. Many women also wear tight vest-like coats over their dresses. Many progressive ladies wear pleated skirts with tight buttoned jackets. Both skirts and dresses are often made of thin materials. The year saw dresses with short overcoats and long skirts with a slight bustle. saw fashion favor skirts without pockets. Necklines dropped in the years to , with mere bits of gauze draping across the neck and over the shoulders. Simultaneously, hemlines rose to midcalf. The necklines are used to put emphasis on the face and delicate drooping chains. 
Many women also wear hats. Their hair is often braided, or worn in a bun. Some women also use bright red lipstick. Women often have long eyelashes. In , ghostly pale skin is considered fashionable, and because of this people use face powders. House Elariel makes some of its wealth by designing and selling clothing, and their flagship store is located in Elendel. Besides this house, the company Gilles & Gilles is famous for designing tasteful clothing for the aristocracy.
=== Marriage ===
The Elenders also marry with each other. The aristocracy often do this because of political or economic reasons. But the common people do this for love. Weddings are generally organised by the woman, and a man is, by protocol, only required to send a formal invitation to a priest to conduct the wedding ceremony. It is also common for the couple to make wedding portraits before the wedding. People are generally engaged for about eight months before they get married. The ceremony is often performed in a church of the couple's religion. It is customary for both the groom and the bride to wear white. After the ceremony, there is often a feast to celebrate the union. It is also customary for the woman to take the man's surname. Despite vows, many men take mistresses, and some women as well, although women usually choose the coachman. A particular way of holding hands symbolises courtship, with the man's arm above the woman's, taking her hand lightly with his fingers wrapping down under her palm.
=== Architecture ===
==== Mansions and Skyscrapers ====
Elendel is home to many powerful and rich people, and as is custom, many of them live in mansions or skyscrapers. These buildings are large and imposing. Due to the difficulty of building a skyscraper, they are relatively new, and didn't really exist before the third century. Before the invention and wide spread use of the motorcar, mansions often had a coachyard attached to them. Mansions generally have an entrance hall, a sitting room, a study and much more. By , some of Elendel's highest skyscrapers had reached seventy to eighty stories high. It is common for skyscrapers to use actual stone for the first few floors only, with most others being made or something lighter, like ceramics. Both mansions and skyscrapers are usually made of stone or bricks, and contain carved stonework. The insides of these buildings are sometimes made of hardwood and marble. The windows often contain stained glass. And the grounds around them are kept well manicured. Classical mansions often have rugs with intricate patterns in dark shades, and the picture frames are often carved an ornate gold. Modern tastes, in , meant that many buildings were full of paintings and portraits.
Elendel mansions and skyscrapers often have a large household staff, with maids, errand boys, cooks and more. This household staff is most often run by a butler, who is trained after ancient Terris ideals. Additionally, rich people often hire governesses to look after their children. Sometimes these buildings are split between multiple buildings and locations. In this manner, many houses maintain a large ballroom located a few streets away from the mansion.
==== Regular Tenements and Slums ====
But not every building in Elendel is a mansion or a skyscraper, most buildings are regular houses. Many buildings are made of bricks, and they generally have very few windows. These houses are arrayed in vibrant neighborhoods, which often have streets lined with large trees, due to the fertility of the Basin. By , most neighborhoods had cobbled streets. At the same time, many houses already had electricity, even though it was relatively new.
Elendel also has many slums. The walls of the slum tenements are often grey and ashen, due to the presence of nearby coal plants that cause ashfalls. The slums often have narrow streets, similar to alleys. In contrast with this, wealthy neighborhoods are clean. The houses in rich neighborhoods are often white, and apartment buildings sometimes have spiky iron decorations around their upper window. These neighborhoods also have less ‘character', for example, it's much quieter then in other neighborhoods and there's no laundry airing in front of buildings. 
==== Innovation ====
Elendel's architectural styles and manners of construction have changed much over the centuries, in part because of innovation. It is likely that immediately after the Catacendre, Elendel's architecture was very similar to that of the Final Empire. Over a long time, buildings in the city grew taller, and by the third century there were many skyscrapers. These tall buildings were only possible due to the innovation of concrete and better construction techniques. Additionally, the invention of trains completely changed the city. The government built railways and train stations, and materials became cheaper, thus leading to more construction. Similarly the invention of the motor car also changed the city. Some roads were constructed of the newly discovered asphalt, and Elendel needed larger roads. The advent of electricity might have brought the biggest change in the city's architecture however. A short while after it's discovery, Elendel saw rapid construction of many electrical devices, such as electrical lamps. Electricity only became more and more important to the city as time continued.
== Economy ==
=== Companies and Jobs ===
Elendel is a capitalist society. This means that there are great reasons to start a company and make money. Most companies are owned by already wealthy people or houses however, and it is relatively rare for a common man or woman to start a successful business and become wealthy. Despite this, there are some common people who have managed to begin large and profitable companies. Due to the Basin's excellent climate, water is free of charge in Elendel, although some people have wondered why nobody has found a way to charge the collection of rainwater yet. Most common people have low wages and work long hours. They also tend to work the same jobs as their parents or even grandparents. Many people are part of Trade Unions, which aim to increase their wage and living conditions. The City is also home to the largest and most prestigious committee of bankers and other financial leaders, the Argien-Ohr Financial Circle. Elendel also has a thriving stock market, with stocks such as EBSE. 
==== Houses ====
Most companies are owned or semi owned by noble houses. Noble houses deal in all sorts of business, such as banking, security, the producing of materials like steel and more. Additionally, many people depend on the houses for work and wages, and the noble houses indirectly decide their quality of life. These people are generally considered full members of the house after a generation or two, after which they earn more then new members. Many Noble houses are part of an organisation known as the Noble Houses Collective. The houses also own a large part of the land in the city.
=== Trade ===
==== The Basin and the Roughs ====
Most of Elendel's trade is done with the rest of the Basin. The goods are generally transported by way of railway or canal. Elendel uses clipper ships to trade by way of the sea. By , many ships still lacked radios. Elendel is largely reliant on the food, such as grain, produced in the east of the Basin to feed it's population, and although they have warehouses, interruptions in this trade often causes riots and unrest. Additionally, Elendel imports ice from the mountains along the Basin's edges. By , this ice had become cheaper then ever before. A loaf of bread in Elendel costs about five clips.
Elendel also engages in trade with the Roughs. Elendel exports food to the Roughs. In turn, the Roughs export metals back to Elendel. The two nations also exchange people, largely by railway. 
==== The South ====
Starting with the discovery of the Southern Scadrians in , Elendel began trading with the South. The Malwish gifted the Elenders three skimmers and a handful of meddallions, while Elendel granted them access to a few Allomancers. In , the Malwish Consortium forbade the trade of most types of goods, including harmonium, to the North. Beside the exchange of goods, the two regions also exchanged culture. The Malwish cuisine had a large impact on Elendel cuisine, and by Elenders enjoyed hot chocolate from the Malwish. They also imported Malwish pastries, such as cinnamon puffs.
=== Currency and Banking ===
The people of Elendel use two types of coins, Boxings and Clips. Boxings, sometimes called notes, are the more valuable coins, and boxings are used as the most common form of payment. A boxing is worth one hundred clips. Most of the existing boxings and clips are made by the First Central Bank. These coins show the Lord Mistborn on the front side, with his left hand outspread toward the Elendel Basin, and on the back a picture of the first central bank. In , a defective type of coin was minted, these coins saw the right pillars on the back side of the coin spaced to closely. This coin was worth as much as a small house. In the year , there were four people who had a hundred twenty million boxings or more, Wayne Terrisborn, and after his passing Allriandre Durkel, were the fourth richest people in the city, with roughly a hundred twenty million boxings.
Elendel also has multiple banks, like the First Central Bank and the First Union Bank. These banks, or at least some of them, have a threshold for how much money in the accountability reports can be wrong. Many of these banks are also cooperations.
== Government and Politics ==
Elendel's government is separated into three different branches, the Legislative branch, the Executive branch and the judicial branch. 
=== Legislative Branch ===
The legislative branch focuses on drafting and revising new laws. This is done by way of a senate. People generally rely on either their House or trade Union to vote for them on new laws. The noble house leaders represent everyone working for their house. The Elendel government also has multiple institutions, likely named after the same ones in the Final Empire, called cantons, like the canton of cartography. During the government of , House Cett was amongst the most powerful faction leaders. The government also uses subsidies to help the economy and fix large problems. Schools are government run.
==== The Senate ====
The legislative branch of Elendel is bicameral in nature. Both houses, however, are comprised of politicians called Senators. There are mixed methods of appointment, some hereditary and some elected. One house is comprised entirely of Noble Houses. Whoever inherits any given High Noble title also inherits their vote in the Senate, although they can assign a proxy to do the actual voting. The other house is elected by the people, divided by profession via guilds (i.e., there is a seat for Orchard Growers, and one for Seamstresses, etc). Among these elected senators, instead of representing professions, a few seats represent specific historical groups. It is unknown how long the term limits and years of service are. It is also unknown if the guild seats are weighted in some way to reflect number of constituents or importance towards the city, or what allows a group of workers to get a seat in the senate. The senate can also vote on appointing a Select Council to deal with a certain issue or problem. A Select Council is a council of a few senate members, meant to improve the speed and efficiency with which the problem is handled. It is usually used for handling small matters and affairs, such as traffic in the city hub, but can also be used to handle emergencies. A select council is usually formed with a time limit. 
Generally however, the nobles are a little less corrupt then the elected senators. This is because the elected senators often do everything in their power not to lose their seat, compared to the nobles who do not have such a problem, but can vote for whatever they think best. This problem leads the elected senators to not always vote on what they believe is best. There is an orchard-growers seat on the Senate. There are 243 senators as of . 
==== Senate Members ====
* Darlin Cett
* Dupon Melstrom
* Inis Julien
* Lady Faula
* Lady Gardre
* Maraya
* Mari Hammondess
* Mi'chelle Yomen
* Senator Vindel
* Waxillium Ladrian
* Winsting Innate
* Yancey Yaceczko
==== Known Laws ====
Elendel has a lot of laws. Most of Elendel's laws date from a time when Elendel was the center of the Basin, but by more people lived in the outer cities then in Elendel, which lead to some of these laws being considered outdated. Among these laws are the criminal codes, of which article eighty nine states a criminal's rights. The Elendel criminal code also allows for the death sentence, and it is used on occasion. The Elendel law also allow for the constabulary to give someone a city-wide deputized forbearance. This gives the person in question the right to act as a lawman, investigating crimes and making arrests. The decision to give someone this is made by the Constabulary, but must be approved or ratified by the Senate, though whether this goes before the full Senate or is handled by a sub-committee is currently unclear. This deputized state needs to be renewed once in a while. Furthermore, Elendel is the creator of the United justice act, a law meant to strengthen Elendel's constabulary. Code seventeen of this law states that Elendel has jurisdiction throughout the Basin. Many Outer Cities aren't happy about this law however, and Bilming even repealed it completely.
In accordance with the Allomantic Agreement of '94, the use of Allomancy in certain circumstances is forbidden. The full text is unknown, but one provision criminalizes the use of rioters for commercial gain. This does not include hiring a Soother or Rioter for their services, thus being affected with express consent. There are entire departments dedicated to watching for violations of this agreement, thus, significant government resources are expended on the enforcement of this law. This law, or a different one about the same topic, also states that Rioter/Soother parlors are supposed to have aluminum sheets in the walls to contain the effects of their Allomancy. This rule isn't uniformly enforced however. With the spread of motorcars, the Senate approved a new law about the parking of motorcars, stating that they need to be parked orderly. Breaking this law is punishable by a fine. There is also a law about killing lions, as they are considered a national treasure. Elendel has numerous anti corruption laws, although the effectiveness of these laws is debatable, as a large number of politicians have been found guilty of corruption. 
Due to the threat of Malwish and Outer Cities invasions, by , it was made illegal to ship military supplies out of Elendel. Each of the octants keeps records of the date that somebody in their octant is born, although if the date is unsure, the records may contain a question mark. There is also bill 775, which is commonly called the worker's-rights manifesto. The law also contains a number of rules for the Elendel University. Some of these were made by Harmony himself, such as one rule that dictates a broad education. A title, like Lord or Lady, can be given to someone if the governer and the council, with a quorum of the major house seats in the city, ratify. In the years between and , there was at least one vote on the authority of the constabulary, and as a result, constables' authority was reduced.
==== Taxation ====
Elendel's government makes most of its money through taxation. They heavily tax the trading of Aluminum, ensuring that prices stay high. Elendel taxes the outer cities a little on traded goods, in order to maintain Basin infrastructure and pay constables to police docks. But the Elendel government also taxes the Outer Cities on goods entering and leaving Elendel by railway or canal. Outer Cities have lobbied for years to get some direct lines running around the Basin, but they have always been denied. Because of this, Elendel tariffs essentially set prices around the Basin, they can ensure that any goods produced in Elendel are never undercut and can provide incentives for anything not produced in the city to be sold at a discount. The Senate and governer use these tariffs to push the outer cities to accept centralised rule. Railway taxes were exceptionally high in Vinuarch of because the eighteenth railway line was out of service.
=== Executive Branch ===
==== The Governor ====
The executive branch of the Elendel government is headed by the governor of Elendel. The governor is formally addressed as His Honor the governor, Your Honor and more names along the same lines. The governor is appointed by the senate, and while he does not need to be a part of the senate, if he is, then he must revoke his seat. If, for some reason, the governor is left incapable of carrying out his duty, an Interim governor will be appointed. By , there had only been a single non-noble governor in the history of Elendel. The governor is aided in his daily tasks by a vice-governor. The governor's job is also remarked by some as chewing up the good man, while letting the bad man float along blissfully. The governor also has his own guards, appropriately named the governor's guards.
As head of the executive branch, the governor is in charge of the entire Elendel Constabulary, with the several Constable-generals directly below him. This means, among other things, that he needs to sign any changes or improvements to the constabulary, like new training programs, before they can be implemented. The constabulary also needs approval from the governor to institute martial law. In addition, the Governor has the ability to veto senate bills.
==== Ministers ====
The governer is assisted in his duty as head of the executive branch by a an executive staff. This staff contains a wide range of professions include the sanitation director, minister of trade, secretary of education, minister of public affairs, and minister of science and technology. After , it also had the new position of Disaster Preparations Officer.
=== Constabulary and Law Enforcement ===
Elendel has a large constabulary, also called the guard. This constabulary is divided into eight precincts, with one located in each of the city's octants. Each of these precincts employs roughly six hundred constables. While the constabulary offers good work, and steady promotions, there is not much prestige and wealth going around, except for the rank of Constable-General. Many of Elendel's poor citizens distrust the constables. There are also proportionally few women in the constabulary. The year saw reforms by special detective Marasi Colms about how to police slums and the proper training of constables. 
==== Ranks ====
Each of the precincts are headed by a Constable-general. These Constable-generals are among the most powerful people in the city, and their work involves more bureaucracy then field-work. Despite this, the position is highly coveted, and people have been known to get out of retirement to accept the position. Most constables either start as lieutenants, later becoming captains, or corporals, later becoming sergeants. It is unclear what divides these ranks, other then lieutenants being higher ranked then sergeants, but most lieutenants are noble-blooded. It usually takes ten to fifteen years to get promoted from corporal to sergeant. It is possible for a sergeant to work his way up to the rank lieutenant, but it doesn't happen often. Before becoming a corporal, and perhaps a lieutenant as well, one becomes a so called junior corporal. These men often run messages. 
There is also a rank called special detective, members of this rank or job don't have to wear uniforms, although some still choose to do so. The Governor also has the authority to appoint a Constable-General as "lord high constable", a position. The lord high constable holds authority over the other seven Constable-Generals, and remains Constable-General of his own octant. There also seems to be a dearth of Metalborn amongst the constabulary. Many metalborn are "contractors", which implies that such people are either paid a lot for their services, or are somehow loaned by a Noble House. Some constables are also part of a firing squad.
==== Equipment ====
Constables also make use of a wide range of equipment, from uniforms to weapons. Members of the Elendel constabulary wear brown uniforms. They also wear steel domed helmets. The fourth octant constabulary owns a dozen aluminum lined helmets, all of which were donated to the constabulary by Waxillium Ladrian. Constabulary officers bear blue plumes on their helmets. Additionally, constabulary captains bear two plumes. Credentials are either engraved on a small steel sheet, or written down on paper. Credentials also include a year's date on them, so constables get new credentials every year. The constabulary also owns a lot of firearms. In , the constabulary switched to new Bastion rifles.
==== Crime and Gangs ====
Despite Elendel's large and effective constabulary, crime still thrives in the city. Most of the octants have their own gangs, such as the Cobblers. Additionally, Elendel has a number of crime syndicates. A number of nobles also deal in illegal trades, and while the constabulary attempts to find evidence for this, and will arrest them once they have it, they often lack proper proof.
=== Judicial Branch ===
Elendel also has an intricate judicial system. Judges are appointed by the Governor, although it's unknown if the decision needs to be ratified by any body. Additionally, and likely because of this very reason, most judges are noble. Judges have the ability to assign capital punishment. There is an office of prosecutors who try criminals. There may or may not also be a group of public defenders. One insider noted the flagrant corruption in the prosecutor's office. A case is assigned to the best solicitors if a wealthy patron promises monetary and political rewards for the right verdict, and cases which might be important to the city but lack a patron are ignored. The people in the prosecutor's offices work all hours. Senior solicitors generally use junior solicitors as assistants. The chances for wealth and prestige are bountiful here, but cases that can actually make a difference are often languished.
=== Military ===
==== History ====
For most of it's history, Elendel lacked a proper military. There were no large conflicts, and crime was handled by the constabulary. However, with the rising threat of both the Outer Cities and the Southern peoples, Elendel established a military between the years and . During this time, most of Elendel's navy was located in the south, protecting the trade and cargo ships from potential attack. During the year , Elendel's military was on high alert, and the Elendel senate made conscription plans, in case if an attack, and installed various guns on the outskirts of the city. With the defeat of an organisation known as the Set, Elendel's military gained access to valuable new technology. It is unclear what happened to Elendel's military after the city united with the rest of the Basin, but it can be assumed that the Outer Cities' militaries and Elendel's military merged.
==== Weapons, Equipment and Men ====
Elendel's military has access to high quality weapons and equipment. It is also a large manufacturer of arms, and multiple of Elendel's noble houses deal in the arms trade and innovation. The government authorised the research and creation of new and deadly weapons, such as machine guns, in case of a Malwish invasion. The military typically uses lead or copper-jacketed lead bullets as ammunition, but if they need stronger bullets they might use steel. The aftermath of Bilming's, and by an extension the Set's, attempt to destroy Elendel led to Elendel gaining valuable technology, such as self propelled rocketry and Trellium bombs, and with a little bit of refining, Elendel received a huge boost in military might.
The military has barely ten thousand troops. These troops are spread out over two main branches, the navy and the ground forces. Elendel also has a large amount of intelligence operatives, mostly located in the Outer Cities.{book ref|mb7|67}} The Elendel military also has numerous medals, which can be given to soldiers for distinguished service. 
=== Foreign Policy ===
==== Outer Cities ====
For most of it's early history, Elendel had a fine relationship with the Outer Cities. Relations gradually decreased however, as the Outer Cities grew in population and became more independent. Since most laws stemmed from a time that the Outer Cities were mere villages, and most people lived in Elendel, this demographic and economic increase led to the Outer Cities wishing for more representation and say in Basin politics, which Elendel declined time and time again. This is in part due to the fact that the Elenders believed that they've let the Outer Cities' inhabitants grow to independent. The politicians in Elendel were also afraid of a change in their culture due to influence from the Outer Cities, furthering this divide.
Elendel also taxes the Outer Cities heavily in the form of tariffs on the trading of goods. Most trade in the Basin is done by way of canal or railway, and the canals lead exclusively to and from Elendel, so all trade by water must be either to or through Elendel and to one of the few cities along a single canal. Additionally, the railroads have historically followed canals, so most train freight must also go through the capital city. The tariffs established by the Elendel senate result in the Houses and businesses in Elendel being the only ones with the funds to maintain and build railroads, which in turn means they get to keep all goods flowing through them. These tariffs and taxation policies also played a very large role in Elendel becoming very unpopular amongst the wider basin.
Elendel often claimed jurisdiction on certain topics throughout the entire Basin, but well into the third century cities started to repeal and challenge this, such as Bilming repealing the United justice act. The people also feel like Elendel is setting their governer up as a sort of emperor of the Basin. In , the Elendel senate approved the Elendel Supremacy Bill, which gave Elendel authority over the other cities. This caused relations to decrease to such levels that both sides were preparing for all out war. War was prevented, mostly due to the revelation of the Set, but tensions remained high. Two years later however, in , the Elendel senate passed a vote regarding the creation of a National Assembly, which aimed to represent every city in the Basin. This caused the Outer Cities and Elendel to become one nation, and improved relations between the two.
==== Roughs ====
Elendel hasn't always had a good relationship with the Roughs. For most of it's history, the two had a fine relationship, although the Roughs don't have a centralised government. Throughout its history, Elendel has controlled and exerted pressure on the Roughs by way of it's taxes on the trading of goods, which is the Roughs' lifeblood. This has at times led to the Roughs' inhabitants disliking the Elendel government. Elendel is also the source of many transients, people who make their way to the Roughs to exploit resources and people here, furthering the dislike. By , many people in the Roughs disliked Elendel and it's people, and some called for the creation of a completely independent Roughs nation. In , Elendel attempted to make the Roughs part of it's new National assembly, but it is unknown if this attempt succeeded.
==== The South ====
Elendel's relationship with the Southern nations has never been great, and since the discovery of the South, it has only ever decreased. This is mostly due to the way that the North and South first met. The crew of a crashed Malwish Airship, the Brunstell, was taken captive and tortured for information by a criminal organisation called the Set. While they were freed not long after, the remaining crewmembers of the Brunstell took this experience back home. Additionally, the South also felt that they were robbed of the Bands of Mourning, which was given to the Kandra, who despite being neutral, were viewed as Northern spies and servants by the South.
The next couple years saw relations between the two nation sour even further, although the nations also began trading together. The South, feeling threatened by Elendel, united under the Malwish banner. Meanwhile Elendel attempted to do the same thing, and Basin opinion of the South decreased heavily. Both nations, feeling threatened by the other, also began to increase their military funding and strength. The Basin's unification and Elendel's possession of the newly invented Trellium bombs lead to further decreases in relations, as the Malwish Consortium saw them become more and more threatening and powerful.
== History ==
=== Creation and Early History ===
The location that would become Elendel was created during the Catacendre by Harmony. He also moved the caverns full of people to this location. These people, called Originators, a fifth of which were Terris, founded Elendel. They crowned Spook king, and built him a two story log house. Multiple of the great noble houses during later centuries were founded during this time as well, such as House Hammondess and House Demoux. Other houses suddenly saw a rise to prominence, such as House Ladrian.
Spook would later become known as the Lord Mistborn, and he would rule Elendel for a full century. The Lord Mistborn's laws would shape Elendel for centuries to come. Some version of a Senate was initiated during his rule, and official records state that after a century of leadership, one day he simply disappeared. First century philosopher Galabris Menthon was the first to question whether or not Harmony had a metal, a question which would keep people wondering until the discovery of Harmonium. Early into the city's history, Spook had a statue of Elend and Vin built. Vin's statue took a time to get right. He also thought it greatly important to bring as much equality to the people of Elendel as possible. Spook worked hard to prevent slums in his city, building nice, long-lasting buildings for the poor to live in. Lady Allrianne Ladrian also worked to teach the women of Elendel that they could do nearly anything the men could do, but that they also were expected to be the model of ladylike behavior, which has been viewed by some as a heavy double standard.
=== The Third Century ===
Since then, the current system of three-branch government settled into its current state. Although the days of the violent House wars during the Final Empire were over, houses still skirmished now and then. In the third century, Tim Vashin made motorcars affordable. Gum was also invented around this time. Statistician and psychologist Mirabell also wrote her book about why some people work harder then others during the early third century. These years also saw a rise in workers' wages. In the first 6 months of the year 311, the stakeholders of the first central bank made a plan together and started loaning to poor and common people, which would make them very wealthy. The incandescent light bulb was also invented during this time, although some claim Remmingtel Tarcsel as the inventor and some claim Professor Hanlanaze as the inventor. 
==== The Vanishers (341) ====
In Doxil of the year , the leader of the United Tradeworkers Union, Elors Durnsed, made it known that he would set aside any objection to the closure of wage negotiations with the Noble Houses Collective, which led to outrage amongst the Line Riveters and Shovelmen he represented. This ensured that the contract, as originally written, will stay active to the end of the financial quarter. This revelation caused stocks to rise significantly. At the same time, the favoured candidate for the Canalworker's second seat was proven to be a Rioter. The same year, on the 14th of vinuarch, , a train from House Tekiel was robbed by the Vanishers. These Vanishers would rob a number of trains, and later the Coolerim Playhouse, before robbing the Yomen-Ostlin wedding dinner. During this wedding dinner, the Vanishers fought, and were beaten by, Lawman Waxillium Ladrian and his deputy Wayne. Afterwards, in another engagement, the Vanishers gang was captured and prosecuted by the Elendel constabulary, with notable help from Waxillium Ladrian. 
==== Riots and Unrest (341-342) ====
In the year the constabulary was experimenting with the use of motorcars, testing if they could be a replacement for horse-drawn carriages. Some people in the constabulary are also trying to find out to what extent petty crimes in a region foretell greater ones. In , the Lekals were gaining more popularity, aiming for the position of governor at the next election. In the years and , there were two votes about maintaining trade tariff and one about raising them. At the same time, Evanotypes, Evanoscopes and telegrams were invented. A company called Tarcsel Electric invented sound amplification devices, and this, among many other notable electrical inventions, led to it rising quickly to become an exceptionally large and wealthy company. The modernisation of the city during this time, with new technologies like motorcars and electricity, lead to large amounts of unemployment, much to the people's dismay. 
That same year, the Senate voted on bill 775, the so called worker's-rights manifesto. This bill was vetoed by the governer however. This, among many other things such as the high unemployment rates due to new technologies, led to labour disputes and riots across the city. Governer Innate's brother, Winsting Innate, was also found dead during an auction, with a large part of the city's criminal elite lying around him. Seeing this scandal, and the riots, governer Innate made promises to the public, such as the construction of more coach lines to compete with the rail lines, going places the railroad couldn't, and higher tariffs on imports from Bilming. The people weren't happy with this however, and governor Innate had no choice but to declare martial law and appoint a Lord High Constable, Claude Aradel, who was one of the chief constables. At the culmination of the riots, during a political speech by the Governor that was completely failing to defuse the situation, Aradel used his authority to arrest Governor Innate on charges of corruption, and deputized the angry mob to help him go around the city arresting suspected co-conspirators. Though Innate hanged himself in his cell before he could face charges for his alleged crimes, many powerful nobles were found guilty. The population appeared to accept this as proof that the government was changing, and a couple months later, the Senate elected Aradel to be the new Governor, notably the first one ever without any noble lineage.
==== New Seran and New Peoples (342) ====
A couple months after this the Senate approved a new law about the parking of motorcars, stating that they need to be parked orderly. Breaking this law is punishable by a fine. Lord Ladrian also proposed a worker's rights' act to the Senate. Tensions with the Outer Cities had been growing for decades, but these last few years, tensions with the Outer Cities were at an all-time high. Senator Inis Julien and other members of a delegation from Elendel that were invited to the unveiling of the Pewternaut class ships publicly mocked them as unnecessary. This likely contributed to the growing anti-Elendel sentiment in some cities. Governer Aradel sent a representative, Waxillium Ladrian, to a gathering of the Outer cities' political elite in New Seran. Ladrian caused a scandal however, and the Outer Cities blamed him, and by extension the Elendel Senate, for the death of hostess Kelesina Shores. This led to outrage on both sides' political elite, and Elendel and the Outer cities were closer to war then ever before. Governer Aradel managed to contain the situation somewhat however. 
A couple of days after this, news arrived of new peoples, with technologies unknown to the Basin and it's peoples. A day later, Senator Waxillium Ladrian flew above Elendel on a Malwish Airship, and landed on the roof of Ahlstrom Tower. The Ladrian senator revealed that he had negotiated a trade deal between the two nations, granting Elendel six medallions, and the governer established formal contact with the Southerners.
==== Tension with the Malwish and the Outer Cities (342-348) ====
In the next six years, a lot happened. Elendel established more contact with the Malwish people, and new trade routes between the Basin and the South were discovered. The Malwish also sent an ambassador, Jonnes to Elendel. Relations with them soon soured however, and both nations began seeing the other as a threat to their security. These years also saw extensive militarisation by both countries. Between and , the Elendel military was formed, although by they hadn't had any engagements yet. Governer Claude Aradel stepped down in , and, due to tensions with the Malwish people, during the next elections, the senate voted governer Varlance into office, he served as a sort of hedge against the constant noise from the Malwish about how weak the basin was. Despite this, Varlance was not considered a great governer, he essentially acted as a puppet for some other politicians, and during his first few years he rededicated seventeen parks in the city. The past decade, aluminum dropped in price, going from extravagant to merely expensive.
At some point between the years 342 and 348 a group of sewer builders found an unexplored cavern below Elendel, and they reported it to the government, but due to bureaucratic nonsense it was never properly investigated. In the government started construction on a citywide underground train system. At some point a demolitions man filed a report stating that seismic readings indicated a new, unmapped, cavern was near. At the same time, a local group of gang enforcers were also active in Elendel. This group was employed by a mix of Outer Cities interests and an organisation known as the Set. These gangsters were actually smuggling military supplies out of Elendel to the Outer Cities. The year had an intercity constabulary training event. According to the latest census in , more people lived in the Outer Cities then in Elendel. In the same year, the Senate drew up a plan to unite the Basin, wanting to appear strong before the Malwish. This plan was called the Elendel Supremacy Bill. It gave Elendel authority over the Outer Cities, and places the Elendel governer as supreme leader of the Basin. This bill was also made because many politicians were afraid of letting power escape the capital, afraid of a change in their culture because of Outer Cities politics. The Senate was divided on this bill, with 122 voting for, and 118 voting against. Additionally, senator Melstrom was discovered as being corrupt during the voting on this bill. Shortly after the vote, a new ambassador, Daal, from the newly formed Malwish Consortium arrived in Elendel.
Tensions with the Outer Cities were higher then ever before, and with the vote on the Elendel Supremacy Bill, war seemed inevitable. The Senate made conscription plans, in case if an attack, and installed various guns on the outskirts of the city. When news arrived by telegram of an incident regarding Elendel and Bilming constables, the Senate agreed to let a small council of senators deal with it. When another telegram arrived, confirming the existence of a bomb with city levelling capabilities located in Bilming, the council also took up the responsibility of dealing with this. They discussed multiple possibilities of defending themselves, concluding that they needed to use the Bands of Mourning. They struck a deal with the Malwish ambassador Daal, promising to return the bands to the South in exchange for letting them use it this once. The Bands were empty however, but Daal took them anyways and left Elendel on his airship, taking willing senators with him. The remaining Senators and constables, along with the governer, immediately began an evacuation of the city. The evacuation was, due to fear of panic amongst the civilians, explained to be because of mysterious gas leaks. Many civilians used the trains to escape the city, but many people also fled by car. The government also employed all officially known Allomancers. After the politicians realised that the bomb would arrive by way of ship, the evacuation effort focused on getting people out from the westernmost octants, and the governer approved the mass sinking of private boats to slow a potential tsunami, promising recompensation for all the damages. Although Elendel constables, Waxillium Ladrian and Wayne, managed to stop the bomb from exploding at full power, therefore saving the city of Elendel, a tsunami caused the dockside buildings to become a disaster zone for weeks after.
==== Improvement of Relations (348-350) ====
In the following two years Elendel repealed the Elendel Supremacy Bill, and a National Assembly for all the cities in the Basin was created. As a result of this, relations between Elendel and the Outer Cities improved dramatically. These years also saw tensions with the Malwish consortium grow even more hostile, and the consortium closed it's borders and forbade most forms of trade. The Basin also continued the development of the new trellium bombs, called Investiture bombs, and while the consortium forbade the trading of harmonium to the North, the Basin had enough of it and trellium to be dangerous. During , Senators also called for the addition of the Roughs as a province, and Senator Ladrian went on a tour of the Roughs to drum up support for this. In the same year, the Basin sent Marasi Colms to the South as an ambassador, hoping to calm the tensions.
== Notable Residents ==
== Notes ==
 
es:Elendel