The Wax and Wayne Era Begins

Lore & Background

In this era, the world has recovered from the devastation of the Final Empire. The Lord Ruler is dead, and his Inquisitors were destroyed alongside him, leaving no active hunters of Allomancers in this age. Instead, society has industrialized, featuring steam-powered trains and early forms of communication technology. Magic remains a part of daily life, but there is no formal regulatory body for Allomancy in Elendel. The political landscape has shifted as well. The noble houses still hold power, but the common people have gained more freedom compared to the rigid caste system of the past. However, new threats emerge from criminal organizations that exploit the gap between old magical laws and new technological advancements. This tension creates a unique environment where detectives must use both wits and metal-pushing abilities to solve crimes. Waxillium Ladrian represents the bridge between these worlds. Born in Elendel to a noble house, he moved to the Roughs as a young man, bringing a rugged sensibility to the polished streets of Elendel. His Terris ancestry is not distant—his grandmother was a Terriswoman, and the family acknowledges it. His partnership with Wayne, a street-smart Allomancer, highlights the class differences within this new society while demonstrating how cooperation can overcome systemic corruption and ancient conspiracies.

In Their Own Story

The steam engine hissed as Wax stepped onto the platform, the scent of coal smoke mingling with the familiar metallic tang of the city. Elendel had changed since he last walked these streets; brass spires pierced the copper sky, and trains rattled over iron tracks where horses once trod. He adjusted his vest, feeling the weight of his revolvers against his hips. Wayne leaned against a lamppost nearby, grinning with that familiar mix of charm and trouble. The streetlights flickered to life as the mist began to roll in from the harbor, casting long shadows across their faces. They didn't need words to understand what came next. Another case, another mystery, another chance to keep this fragile peace alive.

Reader's Guide

The narrative arc commences when Waxillium Ladrian returns from the frontier territories known as the Roughs to his ancestral home in Elendel. He finds a city transformed by industrial progress, where steam engines and railguns coexist with magical abilities. Initially seeking a quiet life, he is drawn into a criminal investigation involving illegal Allomancers operating outside the law. During this inquiry, Wax crosses paths with Wayne Hershel, a charismatic street-level Allomancer with a questionable past. Despite their differing backgrounds, they form an effective partnership that blends Wax's disciplined combat skills with Wayne's improvisational tactics. Together, they uncover a conspiracy threatening to destabilize the fragile peace established since the fall of the Lord Ruler. This era marks a shift from high fantasy survival to urban mystery and western-style justice. The teaming up of these two characters sets the stage for future conflicts involving Feruchemy and ancient secrets. Their success in curbing Allomantic crime establishes them as key figures in Scadrial's new society, bridging the gap between the magical past and a technological future.

Did You Know?

• The Wax and Wayne series takes place approximately 341 years after the Catacendre, not specifically after Kelsier's rebellion.
• Waxillium was born in Elendel to a noble house and moved to the Roughs as a young man; his grandmother was a Terriswoman, and the family acknowledges this heritage.
• Technology in this era includes steam trains and early communication devices, but not railguns.
• Allomancy is no longer hunted by Inquisitors, as that order was destroyed with the Lord Ruler; however, there is no formal regulatory body for Allomancy in Elendel.