The '''Great Hellbound Railway''' is a massive project by [[London]] to construct a railway to [[Hell]] through the [[Hinterlands]].
The '''Great Hellbound Railway''' is a massive project by [[London]] to construct a railway to [[Hell]] through the [[Hinterlands]].
You can view a fan-made map of the GHR [[Map:Map of the Hinterlands|here]].
You can view a fan-made map of the GHR [[Map:Map of the GHR|here]].
== An Enormous Undertaking ==
== An Enormous Undertaking ==
Revision as of 15:37, 17 June 2023
"The line will run west, following the Stolen River to the edge of Hell. Your advisor unrolls a map, showing the stations to be built. Ealing Gardens. Jericho Locks. The Magistracy of the Evenlode. B—. S—— VIII. Burrow-Infra-Mump... The names grow less familiar."[2]
The Great Hellbound Railway is a massive project by London to construct a railway to Hell through the Hinterlands.
During her term as Lord Mayor of London, Virginia brokered a deal with Hell to allow London to begin developing the Hinterlands. She also founded the Ministry of Upper River Development, which distributed Hinterland Scrip as the region's new currency.[4]His Amused Lordship used this opportunity to found the Great Hellbound Railway Company alongside friends and investors.[5][6] He envisioned a railway[7] that would run from Moloch Street in London to Marigold Station in the Hinterlands, upon which it would merge with the Moloch Line to cover the remaining distance to Hell.[8][9]
The Brass Embassy tried to block His Lordship's plans, as they saw the GHR as competition to their Moloch Line,[10] only reneging on the condition that Virginia serve on the company's new board.[11] The Church also demanded representation, as the railway would run through consecrated ground.[12] Finally, the Bazaar placed the Efficient Commissioner on the board of the GHR to oversee the project and prevent any mishaps.[13] After the board was set up, the Tracklayer's Union, led by Furnace Ancona, were commissioned for their services.[14]
As the line continued west, its presence brought many changes to the Hinterlands. Some places, like Station VIII, welcomed the GHR,[15] while others, like Jericho Locks, saw it as a threat.[16] The new oversight from London also impacted other existing communities, such as Ealing Gardens[17] and Moulin.[18]
Main Stations
"Your train now serves points west of London. Where would you like to visit?"[19]
"There are some things we were not meant to know, they say. But you wouldn't be down here if you took that seriously."
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"You should know: you've been driving your railway over the faces of old powers, and hoping that they do not mind. The Justificandes offer a kind of apology. You learned that from my recipe for the steel, when I allowed it to come into your hands."[20]
Railway steel.
The Great Hellbound Railway's tracks were manufactured using a recipe developed by Mr Fires: an alloy of steel and Justificande coins.[21][22] The coins were supposedly added to "teach the tracks the shape of things-to-come;"[22] consequently, the martensite crystals in the steel always point west.[23]
A very long time ago, the Echo Bazaar incurred an enormous debt to the Creditor, the entity that rules the Hinterlands. Justificande coins mandate forgiveness from those who receive them, and the Creditor is a being of earth. Accordingly, by laying tracks infused with Justificandes across the Creditor's "face," Fires hoped to settle, or suppress, the issue.[24][25]
↑Advertisements of a New Venture, Fallen London"[...] Virginia became Lord Mayor. [...] she announced [...] a deal brokered with Hell, a whole stretch of land opened to London development. She founded the Ministry of Upper River Development, [...] Constables and other worthies started handing out Hinterland scrip in place of Echoes."
↑Ask a present investor about the benefits, Fallen London"The line will run west, [...] to the edge of Hell. [...] the stations to be built. Ealing Gardens. Jericho Locks. The Magistracy of the Evenlode. B—. S—— VIII. Burrow-Infra-Mump... The names grow less familiar. [...] "We hope to take the track to... places of value to the Empress and the Masters."
↑Disagreements at Moloch Street, Fallen London"The Brass Embassy has applied for an injunction [...] against the Great Hellbound Railway Company. There is already a railway service running from Moloch Street to Hell!"
↑Place a bribe in the right hands, Fallen London"They have just one other requirement: a Deviless on your Board of Directors. "You'll have heard of her," [...] Virginia has become a member of your board. "
↑Settle this Issue of Representation, Fallen London"Then the Church [...] remind you that part of any route out of London will take you through consecrated ground, [...] you must accept representation from one of their candidates [...]"
↑Meet your fellow board members, Fallen London"The second board member is the Efficient Commissioner. One of the investors explains [...] "The Bazaar wouldn't let us lay [...] track in a Westward direction without her. Something about a bad incident a few centuries ago. Not To Be Repeated." She will scrutinise the Board's [...] to make sure it is unlikely to cause any further mishaps.""
↑Submit forms in triplicate , Fallen London"[...] "I'm 'Furnace' Ancona, I run the Tracklayers' Union, and if you want to put down any rail out of London, it's me you need to be dealing with. [...]"
↑Ministry Enforcement, Fallen London"[...] 'Property of the Ministry of the Upper River – Severest Penalties for Squatters.' [...] a tentacle draws a curtain at the window, then flicks it back into place."
↑ 22.022.1Make tracks, Fallen London"Steel, hot fire, and a tiny alloy of the metal of Irem, to teach the tracks the shape of things-to-come."
↑Rely on her knowledge of chemistry, Fallen London""Steel is fascinating. [...] this iron has such exotic impurities." [...] the martensite crystals are all in rows, pointing in the same direction?" She gently rotates the slide. The crystals shift in place. "See how they always point towards Hell?""
↑Ask it about the Hillchanger Tower (Furnace Abandoned), Fallen London"Fires' eyes gleam. "The Bazaar owes a debt to its Creditor in the west, a debt that has not come due but that we would find very difficult to repay. [...] it is an earth power, and I hoped that laying [...] tracks made of Justificandes across its face would either constitute either repayment or the means to silence.""
