The Isle of Cats: Difference between revisions
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[[Zaira]]<br> | [[Zaira]]<br> | ||
[[Isery]] | [[Isery]] | ||
|music = [https://failbettergames.bandcamp.com/track/oceana-lonissima Oceana Lonissima]|port=Port Cavendish}}<blockquote>''"A scatter of yellow-lit honey-dens and brightly painted alehouses. To the south-east rises the stone tower of Cavendish Abbey, its ramparts hung with crimson-and-gold banners. There are zailors from all across the Neath hauling cargo, dicing and brawling good-naturedly on the docks. The air carries the sound of zee-shanties sung with more enthusiasm than skill, and the smell of roses edged with brimstone."''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/Isle_of_Cats|Isle of Cats|Sunless Sea|}}</ref></blockquote>The '''Isle of Cats''' is the foremost smuggling port in all the Zee. Here, in the gardens of the [[Pirate King]], is the primary source of one of the Neath's most potent drugs: [[ | |music = [https://failbettergames.bandcamp.com/track/oceana-lonissima Oceana Lonissima]|port=Port Cavendish}}<blockquote>''"A scatter of yellow-lit honey-dens and brightly painted alehouses. To the south-east rises the stone tower of Cavendish Abbey, its ramparts hung with crimson-and-gold banners. There are zailors from all across the Neath hauling cargo, dicing and brawling good-naturedly on the docks. The air carries the sound of zee-shanties sung with more enthusiasm than skill, and the smell of roses edged with brimstone."''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/Isle_of_Cats|Isle of Cats|Sunless Sea|}}</ref></blockquote>The '''Isle of Cats''' is the foremost smuggling port in all the Zee. Here, in the gardens of the [[Pirate King]], is the primary source of one of the Neath's most potent drugs: [[Gaoler's Honey|gaoler's honey]]. | ||
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==A Honey-Den of Thieves== | ==A Honey-Den of Thieves== | ||
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== A Garden of Memories== | == A Garden of Memories== | ||
<blockquote>''"Before you is a garden dipped in blood. A sea of petalled crimson. Winding paths lead to irregular rows of cages, each covered in tangles of thorn and vine. Some of the prisoners inside the cages call out to you; others mutter to themselves, or weep. A few simply stare, hopeless and silent."''</blockquote>Behind a locked gate, accessible only to those with the Pirate King's favor,<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/A_Key_to_the_Cage-Gardens|A Key to the Cage-Gardens|Sunless Sea|}} ''"A sign of the trust of the Pirate-King of the Isle of Cats."''</ref> are the gardens of crossbred [[Exile's Rose|Exile's Roses]]<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/Tending_the_Rose_Garden|Tending the Rose Garden|Sunless Sea|}} ''"They say these particular exile's roses are of a variety cross-bred with a flower from Hell. That would explain the stench of brimstone, underneath the sweetness."''</ref> that provide fuel for the production of [[ | <blockquote>''"Before you is a garden dipped in blood. A sea of petalled crimson. Winding paths lead to irregular rows of cages, each covered in tangles of thorn and vine. Some of the prisoners inside the cages call out to you; others mutter to themselves, or weep. A few simply stare, hopeless and silent."''</blockquote>Behind a locked gate, accessible only to those with the Pirate King's favor,<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/A_Key_to_the_Cage-Gardens|A Key to the Cage-Gardens|Sunless Sea|}} ''"A sign of the trust of the Pirate-King of the Isle of Cats."''</ref> are the gardens of crossbred [[Exile's Rose|Exile's Roses]]<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/Tending_the_Rose_Garden|Tending the Rose Garden|Sunless Sea|}} ''"They say these particular exile's roses are of a variety cross-bred with a flower from Hell. That would explain the stench of brimstone, underneath the sweetness."''</ref> that provide fuel for the production of [[Gaoler's Honey|gaoler's honey]]. And amongst the flowers are the prisoners: held in cages and slowly tortured as their memories are drunk up by honey-sippers.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/The_Garden_of_Roses_and_Cages|The Garden of Roses and Cages|Sunless Sea|}} ''"Winding paths lead to irregular rows of cages, each covered in tangles of thorn and vine. Some of the prisoners inside the cages call out to you, others mutter to themselves, or weep. A few simply stare, hopeless and silent."''</ref> It is unclear precisely who is sent to the gardens, other than that they are used as a substitute for debtor's prison.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/Which_is_the_cat%27s_chiefest_claw%3F|Which is the cat's chiefest claw?|Sunless Sea|}} ''"She was a smuggler of our honey, this zee-captain: and also a gambler, and a frequent visitor to the Tongue. Her debts became so onerous that I had to take her in keeping. [...] I sold her to Zaira, for the Garden of Cages. [...] The bees have been into her - who knows how many times? There is nothing left now. She won't remember her name [...]"''</ref> Gaining the Pirate King's attention may also require providing a human tribute.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/Tending_the_Rose_Garden|Tending the Rose Garden|Sunless Sea|}} ''""Good. You're here." Zaira snips a rose-head with her shears. "I'd like a new addition to the Garden. Could I borrow one of your crew? Well. Have one, really. I doubt you'd want them back, after.""''</ref> | ||
==Historical and Cultural Inspirations== | ==Historical and Cultural Inspirations== | ||
Revision as of 08:48, 1 October 2024
"A scatter of yellow-lit honey-dens and brightly painted alehouses. To the south-east rises the stone tower of Cavendish Abbey, its ramparts hung with crimson-and-gold banners. There are zailors from all across the Neath hauling cargo, dicing and brawling good-naturedly on the docks. The air carries the sound of zee-shanties sung with more enthusiasm than skill, and the smell of roses edged with brimstone."[1]
The Isle of Cats is the foremost smuggling port in all the Zee. Here, in the gardens of the Pirate King, is the primary source of one of the Neath's most potent drugs: gaoler's honey.
A Honey-Den of Thieves
"The Catties talk ceaselessly and carelessly about smuggling and piracy, but even the most hardened zailors lower their voices when they mention 'the King'. They go even quieter when they talk about the Rose Garden."
Ships from all over the zee come to the Isle of Cats to smuggle goods, including dangerous cargo like sunlight.[2] Talk of piracy is plentiful here - but when the subject of the Pirate King comes up, or the Rose Garden, the Catties go quiet.[3]
Not many of the Isle's inhabitants know Leopold, the Pirate King, personally. While his name is known, rumors swirl around him and his powers,[4] and it is local custom to wear a pair of cat's-eye stones[5] as a reminder that he is always watching.[6]
Directly beneath the Pirate King are his two disciples.[7] Isery, the King's Claw, serves as Leopold's enforcer of the peace[8][9] and manages a lavishly decorated brothel[10] called the Honeyed Tongue.[11] Zaira, Lady of the Cages, oversees the Cage-Gardens, where the Isle's red honey is produced.[12] Isery and Zaira both handle prisoners kept on the island, and are allowed a personal audience with Leopold, so gaining favor with either of them is the easiest route to the Pirate King.[13]
Zaira works alongside the Melliferous Sisters, whose living quarters are located in Cavendish Abbey.[14] This order of nuns was established after Leopold defeated the Mother Superior in a duel, winning the right to take some of the nuns of Abbey Rock to the Isle of Cats; at least one of the original nuns, now the Abbess, is still alive.[15] The Sisters tend to the lamplighter bees that pollinate the rose gardens, and use the bees to harvest honey from prisoners.[16][14] They treat their duties with religious fervor,[17] and there are some indications that their practice has been developed into a cult of mystery.[18]
The Isle has several alehouses, as well as honey dens,[19] but the only bar shown is the Rose and Tiger.[20]
A Garden of Memories
"Before you is a garden dipped in blood. A sea of petalled crimson. Winding paths lead to irregular rows of cages, each covered in tangles of thorn and vine. Some of the prisoners inside the cages call out to you; others mutter to themselves, or weep. A few simply stare, hopeless and silent."
Behind a locked gate, accessible only to those with the Pirate King's favor,[21] are the gardens of crossbred Exile's Roses[22] that provide fuel for the production of gaoler's honey. And amongst the flowers are the prisoners: held in cages and slowly tortured as their memories are drunk up by honey-sippers.[23] It is unclear precisely who is sent to the gardens, other than that they are used as a substitute for debtor's prison.[24] Gaining the Pirate King's attention may also require providing a human tribute.[25]
Historical and Cultural Inspirations
The Isle of Cats is similar in concept to the famous pirate haven of Tortuga, which was run and governed by pirate captains in the heyday of their practice. It also takes some aesthetic inspiration from Singapore, for multiple reasons. Prior to British colonization, Singapore was its own haven for pirates operating in Malacca - but more importantly, Leopold is the son of Sir Stamford Raffles, who founded the British colony of Singapore. Leopold spent his very early years in what is now Malaysia and Indonesia. In our world, he spent his entire brief life there before dying in an epidemic of dysentery.
Fort Cavendish and Cavendish Abbey are likely references to Sir Thomas Cavendish. Cavendish was an English explorer and privateer who circumnavigated the globe, explored East and Southeast Asia en route, and while he was at it, captured (among other ships) an enormous Spanish trading galleon loaded with gold and a wealth of other valuables.
References
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