Urteau

Urteau
by Isaac Stewart
Dominance	Northern Dominance
Nation	Final Empire
World	Scadrial
Universe	Cosmere

Urteau is the capital city of the Northern Dominance in the Final Empire.

Geography

Located northeast of Luthadel near the Kalling Ashmount, Urteau was the largest city in the Northern Dominance and was the hereditary home of House Venture.

Among the most defining features of the city were the “streetslots”: wide canals that had been empty of water for a hundred years leaving the city crossed with ash-filled troughs to act as roads. The canals had been emptied in order to store water in a hidden underground lake in the Lord Ruler's supply cache . The Marketpit was the widest of these canals acting as a central boulevard occupied largely by tradesmen and beggars. Most buildings were constructed of wood, rather than stone. Urteau lacked a city wall due to the Lord Ruler’s order and had Koloss garrisons stationed a few days march away.

Beneath the Ministry Canton of Inquisition laid the third storage cavern containing an underground lake.

History

During Straff Venture's siege of Luthadel, skaa rebels revolted and took control of Urteau with Quellion, also known as the Citizen, at their head. Under his advisement, noblemen were hunted and executed. Skaa rebels burned down noblemen houses, painted over murals, shattered stained-glass windows, and dug up ornamental gardens. The extreme actions against the nobility were committed in the name of Kelsier, whom they called "Lord of the Mists". They believed Urteau was the only city that successfully achieved what the Survivor fought and died for, a skaa-ruled nation.

Spook was sent by Elend and Vin to subtly investigate the new government of Urteau. Via steel-inscribed message, he informed the emperor of the skaa takeover and harsh treatment of noblemen. Unable to spare the troops to march on the city, Elend instructed Sazed and Breeze to travel to Urteau with a few hundred soldiers to subdue the rebellion and secure the northern cache. Riots broke out the night Spook enacted his plan to expose the Citizen and fires spread throughout the city. It was discovered that Quellion was finding Allomancers to blackmail and work for him using his Seeker ability granted by a bronze Hemalurgic spike. Spook fights through the Citizen's guards with brutality urged by the voice of Kelsier and is stopped by Beldre, Quellion's sister, who reveals herself to be a Coinshot. Despite hearing Kelsier's voice commanding him to kill, Spook spares the siblings and rips out the Citizen's spike. The voice screams and Spook becomes suddenly aware of the sword tip buried in his own body which had granted him the Allomantic strength of pewter. He rips the spike free nearly collapsing from weakness. No longer under the influence of Ruin, Spook runs for the Ministry building pushing through the fires all the way to the mechanism Sazed built and releases the reservoir's water to flood the canals. Quellion, also released from Ruin's control, organizes fire brigades with the help of Goradel. A third of the city had burned down and refugees arrived from nearby towns; what remained were abandoned noble houses, overcrowded skaa buildings, and canals running with water once more.

Culture

Under the leadership of the Citizen, Urteau denizens were forced to follow strict mandates regarding trade, clothing, and even begging. Approved colors for attire consisted of gray for the skaa majority, brown for soldiers, and red for government officials. Public executions and an increase in guards and patrols led to quieter crimes and a general downtrodden populace. Though there were six or seven hours during the day where the mists weren’t pervading the streets, Urteau maintained something of a night life with the belief and trust that the “Lord of the Mists” would watch over them.

Notable Residents

For a full list see, see :Category:Residents of Urteau.

• Quellion
• Beldre
• Durn

Trivia

• VenDell has the skull of a metal merchant from Urteau.

Notes

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