Gaider's Mourn: Difference between revisions
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Gaider's Mourn has those who come and go, but it is also home to a large population of locals who were born and raised on the Mourn's culture and values. They live in the Mourn's higher elevations where visitors usually do not tread,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Traverse_the_beast-paths_and_urchin-roads|Traverse the beast-paths and urchin-roads|Fallen London|}} ''"Further up the taper of the Mourn, where visitors tread less often, is the domain of the Mourn-born."''</ref> and unlike others who must watch their step, they traverse the stalagmite's infrastructure with ease and grace.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Traverse_the_beast-paths_and_urchin-roads|Traverse the beast-paths and urchin-roads|Fallen London|}} ''"It is easy to differentiate visitors from locals. The former [...] testing their every footstep with exaggerated care, lest they tumble off [...] Natives, however, are graceful, and fearless."''</ref> The Mourn has a population of [[urchins]], who like their [[London]] counterparts form communities and perform certain jobs.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/We_Absolutely_Meant_to_Go_to_Zee|We Absolutely Meant to Go to Zee|Fallen London|}} ''"I quite like being on Gaider's Mourn. There are lots of other children, but I don't have to look after any of them."''</ref><ref name="acrobat">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Traverse_the_beast-paths_and_urchin-roads|Traverse the beast-paths and urchin-roads|Fallen London|}} ''"A bustling industry of acrobatic urchins exists for the sole purpose of scraping the excrement from rock, [...] for distribution to the munitions manufacturers of the dock-winches."''</ref> | Gaider's Mourn has those who come and go, but it is also home to a large population of locals who were born and raised on the Mourn's culture and values. They live in the Mourn's higher elevations where visitors usually do not tread,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Traverse_the_beast-paths_and_urchin-roads|Traverse the beast-paths and urchin-roads|Fallen London|}} ''"Further up the taper of the Mourn, where visitors tread less often, is the domain of the Mourn-born."''</ref> and unlike others who must watch their step, they traverse the stalagmite's infrastructure with ease and grace.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Traverse_the_beast-paths_and_urchin-roads|Traverse the beast-paths and urchin-roads|Fallen London|}} ''"It is easy to differentiate visitors from locals. The former [...] testing their every footstep with exaggerated care, lest they tumble off [...] Natives, however, are graceful, and fearless."''</ref> The Mourn has a population of [[urchins]], who like their [[London]] counterparts form communities and perform certain jobs.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/We_Absolutely_Meant_to_Go_to_Zee|We Absolutely Meant to Go to Zee|Fallen London|}} ''"I quite like being on Gaider's Mourn. There are lots of other children, but I don't have to look after any of them."''</ref><ref name="acrobat">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Traverse_the_beast-paths_and_urchin-roads|Traverse the beast-paths and urchin-roads|Fallen London|}} ''"A bustling industry of acrobatic urchins exists for the sole purpose of scraping the excrement from rock, [...] for distribution to the munitions manufacturers of the dock-winches."''</ref> | ||
Gaider's Mourn is by no means an entirely lawless place; its people follow unspoken rules and at least try to maintain a degree of "honor among thieves."<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Exchange_some_plunder_for_a_Cave-Aged_Code_of_Honour|Exchange some plunder for a Cave-Aged Code of Honour|Fallen London|}} ''"The corsairs know the value of the unspoken rule. Even here, there are laws that the lawless silently consent to follow. [...] The black codes of mercy and revenge between thieves."''</ref> Most are also willing to parlay with friendly corsairs, though the pass-signs are constantly changing and may not be reliable.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Flash_a_pass-sign_of_the_Mourn|Flash a pass-sign of the Mourn|Fallen London|}} ''"The corsairs of Gaider's Mourn have a complicated system of signs and passphrases, used to identify friend from foe. The codes change often, and are just as often ignored. [...] "Stand down lads, they's one of us!" [...] Codes are dispensed with, and chatter flows freely."''</ref> Some rites are a result of the environment: as the Mourn has no room for graves, corsairs instead light Mourning Candles for the dead, including their own targets.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Exchange_some_plunder_for_five_Mourning_Candles|Exchange some plunder for five Mourning Candles|Fallen London|}} ''"It is common practice among the corsairs to light candles in memory of successful encounters. Many here are solemn; some even cry in front of personal memorials for the lost and sunken. [...] "Pay your respects to the souls you've helped along.""''</ref> In general, life and [[death]] are viewed as cyclical and necessary counterparts at Gaider's Mourn,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Join_the_congregation|Join the congregation|Fallen London|}} ''""Our brother has come home!" [...] "As all things do, in time." [...] "We deliver him now to the zee, as he delivered so many others before him." [...] an utterance repeated so often as to become song. "From death, life. From life, death.""''</ref> as opposed to the view that death is | Gaider's Mourn is by no means an entirely lawless place; its people follow unspoken rules and at least try to maintain a degree of "honor among thieves."<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Exchange_some_plunder_for_a_Cave-Aged_Code_of_Honour|Exchange some plunder for a Cave-Aged Code of Honour|Fallen London|}} ''"The corsairs know the value of the unspoken rule. Even here, there are laws that the lawless silently consent to follow. [...] The black codes of mercy and revenge between thieves."''</ref> Most are also willing to parlay with friendly corsairs, though the pass-signs are constantly changing and may not be reliable.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Flash_a_pass-sign_of_the_Mourn|Flash a pass-sign of the Mourn|Fallen London|}} ''"The corsairs of Gaider's Mourn have a complicated system of signs and passphrases, used to identify friend from foe. The codes change often, and are just as often ignored. [...] "Stand down lads, they's one of us!" [...] Codes are dispensed with, and chatter flows freely."''</ref> Some rites are a result of the environment: as the Mourn has no room for graves, corsairs instead light Mourning Candles for the dead, including their own targets.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Exchange_some_plunder_for_five_Mourning_Candles|Exchange some plunder for five Mourning Candles|Fallen London|}} ''"It is common practice among the corsairs to light candles in memory of successful encounters. Many here are solemn; some even cry in front of personal memorials for the lost and sunken. [...] "Pay your respects to the souls you've helped along.""''</ref> In general, life and [[death]] are viewed as cyclical and necessary counterparts at Gaider's Mourn,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Join_the_congregation|Join the congregation|Fallen London|}} ''""Our brother has come home!" [...] "As all things do, in time." [...] "We deliver him now to the zee, as he delivered so many others before him." [...] an utterance repeated so often as to become song. "From death, life. From life, death.""''</ref> as opposed to the view that death is a source of fear. Corsairs also have other practices and superstitions besides those centered around death, such as giving treasure to the Unterzee to calm troubled waters.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Offer_some_riches_to_the_zee_below|Offer some riches to the zee below|Fallen London|}} ''"The corsairs have many superstitions. One such belief is that an offering of gold can soothe an angry zee."''</ref> | ||
The inhabitants of Gaider's Mourn | The inhabitants of Gaider's Mourn wear '''Mournclimber's Wraps''' to scale the stalagmite's steep cliffs,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Mournclimber%27s_Wraps|Mournclimber's Wraps|Fallen London|}} ''"Used by Corsairs to scale the slick stone of their stalagmite home."''</ref> and make '''Mourning Lockets''' out of valuable materials to symbolize loss and grief.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/A_Mourning_Locket_(20_FATE)|A Mourning Locket (20 FATE)|Fallen London|}} ''"A length of golden chain; a pendant, inlaid with jet and topaz. A symbol of loss and mourning."''</ref> These lockets also conceal trinkets like miniature compasses, diamonds, gunpowder, and bullets.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Mourning_Locket|Mourning Locket|Fallen London|}} ''"They'll never look in here. Large enough to hold a ratwork compass, a modest diamond, and a bullet."''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Offer_the_King_your_Spinebound_Oddity|Offer the King your Spinebound Oddity|Fallen London|}} ''"He passes it over to you – inside, there is a miniature compass, and a packet of sodden gunpowder. "They make these in the Corsair's Forest. [...]"''</ref> | ||
<gallery> | <gallery> | ||
File:Glovescorsair.png|Mournclimber's Wraps | File:Glovescorsair.png|Mournclimber's Wraps | ||
File:Mourninglocket.png|Mourning Locket | File:Mourninglocket.png|A Mourning Locket. | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
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Gaider's Mourn has an unusually high population of [[Blue Prophets]],<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ask_about_the_Mourn%27s_significance|Ask about the Mourn's significance|Fallen London|}} ''" Blue Prophets are a rare sight on the waters. Why do so many of them roost here [...]"''</ref> vicious blue birds who menace the [[Unterzee]]. Many zailors claim the birds speak the names of those about to die, and fear them greatly. However, the locals of the Mourn treat Blue Prophets with utmost respect, allowing them to roost and act however they please.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Observe_the_Blue_Prophets|Observe the Blue Prophets|Fallen London|}} ''"It is ancient zailor superstition that Blue Prophets shriek the names of those doomed to die, and so even grizzled old salts make a great show of staying out of earshot. But native Corsairs exhibit an entirely different flavour of superstition. They treat the Prophets with what, [...] counts as reverence, allowing them to roost where they may, and touching finger to forelock whenever passing close by."''</ref> The birds also play a role in the corsairs' funerals: a wrecked ship is raised high into the air and its captain's bones buried at zee,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Grave-Winches|The Grave-Winches|Fallen London|}} ''"When the winches finally haul their burden into view, [...] It is not a ship, but a wreck [...]"''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Join_the_congregation|Join the congregation|Fallen London|}} ''"Bone by yellowed bone, the deceased captain is delivered from the grave-winch and into the waters below."''</ref> after which the Prophets swarm the wreck before flying off to conclude the ceremony.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Grave-Winches|The Grave-Winches|Fallen London|}} ''"As the final fragment of bone is loosed from the corsair's hand, the flock overhead [...] comes to rest upon the wreckage. The whole warped mess becomes a [...] befeathered crowd [...] Their scratched cries join the corsairs' own – a joyous, grieving ululation. [...] And then all the birds take flight as one, [...] With their departure, whatever ritual was occurring here is over; [...]"''</ref> | Gaider's Mourn has an unusually high population of [[Blue Prophets]],<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ask_about_the_Mourn%27s_significance|Ask about the Mourn's significance|Fallen London|}} ''" Blue Prophets are a rare sight on the waters. Why do so many of them roost here [...]"''</ref> vicious blue birds who menace the [[Unterzee]]. Many zailors claim the birds speak the names of those about to die, and fear them greatly. However, the locals of the Mourn treat Blue Prophets with utmost respect, allowing them to roost and act however they please.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Observe_the_Blue_Prophets|Observe the Blue Prophets|Fallen London|}} ''"It is ancient zailor superstition that Blue Prophets shriek the names of those doomed to die, and so even grizzled old salts make a great show of staying out of earshot. But native Corsairs exhibit an entirely different flavour of superstition. They treat the Prophets with what, [...] counts as reverence, allowing them to roost where they may, and touching finger to forelock whenever passing close by."''</ref> The birds also play a role in the corsairs' funerals: a wrecked ship is raised high into the air and its captain's bones buried at zee,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Grave-Winches|The Grave-Winches|Fallen London|}} ''"When the winches finally haul their burden into view, [...] It is not a ship, but a wreck [...]"''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Join_the_congregation|Join the congregation|Fallen London|}} ''"Bone by yellowed bone, the deceased captain is delivered from the grave-winch and into the waters below."''</ref> after which the Prophets swarm the wreck before flying off to conclude the ceremony.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Grave-Winches|The Grave-Winches|Fallen London|}} ''"As the final fragment of bone is loosed from the corsair's hand, the flock overhead [...] comes to rest upon the wreckage. The whole warped mess becomes a [...] befeathered crowd [...] Their scratched cries join the corsairs' own – a joyous, grieving ululation. [...] And then all the birds take flight as one, [...] With their departure, whatever ritual was occurring here is over; [...]"''</ref> | ||
[[File:Ribbonblue.png|alt=A blue ribbon.|thumb|Corsair's Colors]] | [[File:Ribbonblue.png|alt=A blue ribbon.|thumb|Corsair's Colors]] | ||
The reason for the corsairs' reverence for Blue Prophets is twofold: firstly, the birds' guano makes for powerful gunpowder and is harvested by the Mourn's urchins.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Procure_some_weaponry_from_one_of_the_Mourn%27s_%27shipyards%27|Procure some weaponry from one of the Mourn's 'shipyards'|Fallen London|}} ''"The black gunpowder of the Mourn, painstakingly refined from the saltpetre-rich guano of the Blue Prophets, is especially potent. [...] the Mourn powder's what sets us apart.""''</ref><ref name="acrobat" /> Secondly, the corsairs and birds have a symbiotic pact: the Prophets speak the name of passing ships,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Hear_the_name_of_(Admiralty_vessel)|Hear the name of (Admiralty vessel)|Fallen London|}} ''"Your Prophet lands on your shoulder [...] Its cries are quieter now, and less varied. [Admiralty vessel] ka-kaw, it creaks like an antique wardrobe. Ka-kaw!"''</ref> and the corsairs hunt and plunder the ship to ensure its destruction.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Indulge_her_%E2%80%93_ask_what_she_means|Indulge her – ask what she means|Fallen London|}} ''"So some of us corsairs, when we 'ear the Prophets call a name, we goes out to zee and makes sure that they sink. [...] And if they 'appens to 'ave any treasure when we sink 'em, well. Payment for a job well done, I say."''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Prophet%27s_Call|The Prophet's Call|Fallen London|}} ''"Your compact with your Blue Prophet obliges you to act upon its cries."''</ref> The corsairs view this tradition as the highest form of piracy,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Approach_the_corsair-officiant|Approach the corsair-officiant|Fallen London|}} ''"Maybe you've got what it takes. To be something more than a pirate." [...] There is more here than drinking and fighting, stranger. If you want to know what that is – if you're ready – then climb.""''</ref> and identify these rarefied raiders with sky-blue ribbons.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Receive_your_corsair%27s_colours|Receive your corsair's colours|Fallen London|}} ''"The little urchin [...] with great ceremony, produces a bolt of startlingly-blue cloth. [...] the colour of the feathers on your Prophet's wing. It is, of course, a flag."''</ref> The corsairs' morbid work also incidentally benefits the [[Fathomking]], as those who perish at zee end up bound for his court | The reason for the corsairs' reverence for Blue Prophets is twofold: firstly, the birds' guano makes for powerful gunpowder and is harvested by the Mourn's urchins.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Procure_some_weaponry_from_one_of_the_Mourn%27s_%27shipyards%27|Procure some weaponry from one of the Mourn's 'shipyards'|Fallen London|}} ''"The black gunpowder of the Mourn, painstakingly refined from the saltpetre-rich guano of the Blue Prophets, is especially potent. [...] the Mourn powder's what sets us apart.""''</ref><ref name="acrobat" /> Secondly, the corsairs and birds have a symbiotic pact: the Prophets speak the name of passing ships,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Hear_the_name_of_(Admiralty_vessel)|Hear the name of (Admiralty vessel)|Fallen London|}} ''"Your Prophet lands on your shoulder [...] Its cries are quieter now, and less varied. [Admiralty vessel] ka-kaw, it creaks like an antique wardrobe. Ka-kaw!"''</ref> and the corsairs hunt and plunder the ship to ensure its destruction.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Indulge_her_%E2%80%93_ask_what_she_means|Indulge her – ask what she means|Fallen London|}} ''"So some of us corsairs, when we 'ear the Prophets call a name, we goes out to zee and makes sure that they sink. [...] And if they 'appens to 'ave any treasure when we sink 'em, well. Payment for a job well done, I say."''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Prophet%27s_Call|The Prophet's Call|Fallen London|}} ''"Your compact with your Blue Prophet obliges you to act upon its cries."''</ref> The corsairs view this tradition as the highest form of piracy,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Approach_the_corsair-officiant|Approach the corsair-officiant|Fallen London|}} ''"Maybe you've got what it takes. To be something more than a pirate." [...] There is more here than drinking and fighting, stranger. If you want to know what that is – if you're ready – then climb.""''</ref> and identify these rarefied raiders with sky-blue ribbons.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Receive_your_corsair%27s_colours|Receive your corsair's colours|Fallen London|}} ''"The little urchin [...] with great ceremony, produces a bolt of startlingly-blue cloth. [...] the colour of the feathers on your Prophet's wing. It is, of course, a flag."''</ref> The corsairs' morbid work also incidentally benefits the [[Fathomking]], as those who perish at zee, whether corsair or target, end up bound for his court.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Offer_the_King_your_Grasping_Coral|Offer the King your Grasping Coral|Fallen London|}} ''""We owe much to Gaider's Mourn," says the King-in-Coral. "Like Wrack, the corsairs perform unwittingly our work. And sometimes, too, the corsairs themselves are fated to join us below.""''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/...it_is_not_a_gentle_thing_to_die_at_Zee|...it is not a gentle thing to die at Zee|Fallen London|}} ''"We have consigned Our Beloved Captain's body to the waves, where we can only hope a zailor will find mercy in the court of the Fathomking. [...] Redirects to: In the Court of the Fathomking"''</ref> | ||
[[File:Blueprophet.png|alt=A blue parrot.|thumb|A [[Blue Prophets|Blue Prophet]].]] | [[File:Blueprophet.png|alt=A blue parrot.|thumb|A [[Blue Prophets|Blue Prophet]].]] | ||
At the very top of Gaider's Mourn, a huge flock of Blue Prophets circles the stalagmite. The Mourn rests at the very center of the Unterzee, and the birds fly counter to the zee's rotating currents.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Stand_atop_the_Mourn_and_reach_out_to_the_Prophets|Stand atop the Mourn and reach out to the Prophets|Fallen London|}} ''"The flock wheels overhead, a sapphire gyre circling the stalagmite. Far below and far away, the zee circles the Mourn. The two motions are equal and opposite; the birds above, and the current beneath."''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ask_about_the_Mourn%27s_significance|Ask about the Mourn's significance|Fallen London|}} ''"The 'ole Neath converges 'ere, in the waters around the Mourn."''</ref> An urchin known as the '''Guano-Splattered Hierophant''' is the summit's sole resident.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Speak_with_the_Guano-Splattered_Hierophant|Speak with the Guano-Splattered Hierophant|Fallen London|}} ''"A small urchin is the only other presence here, standing fearless and alone, looking out across the zee."''</ref> She has a unique ability to commune with the birds,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Inquire_about_her_identity|Inquire about her identity|Fallen London|}} ''"Now, I ain't in charge of nuffink," [...] "but I does listen to the birds better'n anyone else."''</ref> and claims they are the true authority of Gaider's Mourn.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Inquire_about_her_identity|Inquire about her identity|Fallen London|}} ''""We's got 'undreds of pirate kings and captains. None of 'em are in charge [...] "If yer a true Corsair of the Mourn then you holds the birds in high regard. Now, I ain't in charge of nuffink," [...] "but I does listen to the birds better'n anyone else. And the birds, they is in charge.""''</ref> She also claims all the superstitions about Blue Prophets are true,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Indulge_her_%E2%80%93_ask_what_she_means|Indulge her – ask what she means|Fallen London|}} ''""You've 'eard the superstitions, I bet. About how Blue Prophets shriek the names of those doomed to die?" She is suddenly showmanlike. "Well, it's true.""''</ref> and views the corsairs' work as enforcing the cycle of life and death on the birds' behalf.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Indulge_her_%E2%80%93_ask_what_she_means|Indulge her – ask what she means|Fallen London|}} ''"Sacred cycle. If nothin' properly dies, eventually we'll run out o' life, right? So some of us corsairs, when we 'ear the Prophets call a name, we goes out to zee and makes sure that they sink."''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Guano-Splattered_Hierophant|The Guano-Splattered Hierophant|Fallen London|}} ''"And we tend to the Prophets. We listen to their call, and we makes their futures 'appen." [...] "You could be one of us, if you wanted. You could be a hand of prophecy."''</ref> Her explanation for why the Prophets' favor Gaider's Mourn is simple: the zee's lives and deaths circle the Mourn like a wheel, but here at the center is where the zee mourns.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ask_about_the_Mourn%27s_significance|Ask about the Mourn's significance|Fallen London|}} ''""We's at the centre of it all, y'see." [...] "The 'ole Neath converges 'ere, in the waters around the Mourn. So many lives, and so many deaths, all circlin' the spire. [...] "Right 'ere in the middle – this is where the zee mourns.""''</ref> | At the very top of Gaider's Mourn, a huge flock of Blue Prophets circles the stalagmite. The Mourn rests at the very center of the Unterzee, and the birds fly counter to the zee's rotating currents.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Stand_atop_the_Mourn_and_reach_out_to_the_Prophets|Stand atop the Mourn and reach out to the Prophets|Fallen London|}} ''"The flock wheels overhead, a sapphire gyre circling the stalagmite. Far below and far away, the zee circles the Mourn. The two motions are equal and opposite; the birds above, and the current beneath."''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ask_about_the_Mourn%27s_significance|Ask about the Mourn's significance|Fallen London|}} ''"The 'ole Neath converges 'ere, in the waters around the Mourn."''</ref> An urchin known as the '''Guano-Splattered Hierophant''' is the summit's sole resident.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Speak_with_the_Guano-Splattered_Hierophant|Speak with the Guano-Splattered Hierophant|Fallen London|}} ''"A small urchin is the only other presence here, standing fearless and alone, looking out across the zee."''</ref> She has a unique ability to commune with the birds,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Inquire_about_her_identity|Inquire about her identity|Fallen London|}} ''"Now, I ain't in charge of nuffink," [...] "but I does listen to the birds better'n anyone else."''</ref> and claims they are the true authority of Gaider's Mourn.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Inquire_about_her_identity|Inquire about her identity|Fallen London|}} ''""We's got 'undreds of pirate kings and captains. None of 'em are in charge [...] "If yer a true Corsair of the Mourn then you holds the birds in high regard. Now, I ain't in charge of nuffink," [...] "but I does listen to the birds better'n anyone else. And the birds, they is in charge.""''</ref> She also claims all the superstitions about Blue Prophets are true,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Indulge_her_%E2%80%93_ask_what_she_means|Indulge her – ask what she means|Fallen London|}} ''""You've 'eard the superstitions, I bet. About how Blue Prophets shriek the names of those doomed to die?" She is suddenly showmanlike. "Well, it's true.""''</ref> and views the corsairs' work as enforcing the cycle of life and death on the birds' behalf.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Indulge_her_%E2%80%93_ask_what_she_means|Indulge her – ask what she means|Fallen London|}} ''"Sacred cycle. If nothin' properly dies, eventually we'll run out o' life, right? So some of us corsairs, when we 'ear the Prophets call a name, we goes out to zee and makes sure that they sink."''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Guano-Splattered_Hierophant|The Guano-Splattered Hierophant|Fallen London|}} ''"And we tend to the Prophets. We listen to their call, and we makes their futures 'appen." [...] "You could be one of us, if you wanted. You could be a hand of prophecy."''</ref> Her explanation for why the Prophets' favor Gaider's Mourn is simple: the zee's lives and deaths circle the Mourn like a wheel, but here at the center is where the zee mourns.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ask_about_the_Mourn%27s_significance|Ask about the Mourn's significance|Fallen London|}} ''""We's at the centre of it all, y'see." [...] "The 'ole Neath converges 'ere, in the waters around the Mourn. So many lives, and so many deaths, all circlin' the spire. [...] "Right 'ere in the middle – this is where the zee mourns.""''</ref> | ||
Revision as of 19:51, 7 December 2024
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Beyond this point lie spoilers for Fallen London, Sunless Sea, Sunless Skies, or Mask of the Rose. This may include midgame or minor Fate-locked content. Proceed with caution. You can find out more about our spoiler policy here. |
"The Mourn is a stalagmite vast as a crag, and its foot has no safe harbours. The corsair's citadel nestles halfway up. An intricate system of winches takes the strain... and your ship rises slowly from the zee. Her hull creaks in protest. Grizzled zailors groan and cling to stanchions."[2]
Gaider's Mourn is a pirate citadel, located at the center of the Snares and the Unterzee as a whole.
Pirate's Paradise
"The pirate haven of the Snares. Step carefully."[3]
Build atop a gigantic stalagmite,[4] Gaider's Mourn teems with all sorts of pirates, smugglers, and other individuals of dubious reputation.[5] Reaching the Mourn is a challenge in of itself: the Snares are teeming with pirates and are deadly to navigate,[6][7] and the Mourn's vantage points make it impossible for authorities like the Admiralty to stage a surprise attack.[8] The Mourn's unique location also means it has no safe harbors for ships, so vessels are instead "docked" by raising them far above zee-level through a system of winches before securing them in cradles.[9] The infrastructure here is functional and cleverly engineered,[10] but visitors must nonetheless watch their step lest they plummet into the zee below.[11]
The central establishment here is a raucous tavern called the Arrant Limpet,[12] which serves a hard drink called Red Ruin.[13] Shady figures from all around the Unterzee gather for drinks and revelry, whether they be from London, the Khanate, or even places as far as Whither or the Chelonate.[14] However, spies are despised and often met with violence when discovered.[15] The Mourn has other businesses besides taverns, such as fighting rings and fish-markets.[16][17] Hijacked and stolen vessels are also sent here in exchange for payment.[18] Regardless of all these amusements, the Mourn's real trade occurs in the Prophet's Call, a grotto hidden near the summit of the stalagmite. Here, corsairs trade their plunder for various treasures, and visitors are forbidden entry.[19]
Gaider's Mourn was apparently named after the Pirate-King Gaider, a legendary figure whose plunder is said to have overflowed with diamonds.[20] In the timeline of the Neon Future, Gaider's Mourn became a tourist attraction by the time of the Seventh City.[21]
Culture
"The corsairs know the value of the unspoken rule. Even here, there are laws that the lawless silently consent to follow."
"These edicts have blossomed in the darkness of the Neath, and their knowledge grows like moss in the minds of the corsairs. You trade a little treasure for a fragment of this knowledge. The black codes of mercy and revenge between thieves. The hidden rules of a soul's voyage beneath the zee. The proper manner of obeisance before a Prophet."[22]
Gaider's Mourn has those who come and go, but it is also home to a large population of locals who were born and raised on the Mourn's culture and values. They live in the Mourn's higher elevations where visitors usually do not tread,[23] and unlike others who must watch their step, they traverse the stalagmite's infrastructure with ease and grace.[24] The Mourn has a population of urchins, who like their London counterparts form communities and perform certain jobs.[25][26]
Gaider's Mourn is by no means an entirely lawless place; its people follow unspoken rules and at least try to maintain a degree of "honor among thieves."[27] Most are also willing to parlay with friendly corsairs, though the pass-signs are constantly changing and may not be reliable.[28] Some rites are a result of the environment: as the Mourn has no room for graves, corsairs instead light Mourning Candles for the dead, including their own targets.[29] In general, life and death are viewed as cyclical and necessary counterparts at Gaider's Mourn,[30] as opposed to the view that death is a source of fear. Corsairs also have other practices and superstitions besides those centered around death, such as giving treasure to the Unterzee to calm troubled waters.[31]
The inhabitants of Gaider's Mourn wear Mournclimber's Wraps to scale the stalagmite's steep cliffs,[32] and make Mourning Lockets out of valuable materials to symbolize loss and grief.[33] These lockets also conceal trinkets like miniature compasses, diamonds, gunpowder, and bullets.[34][35]
-
Mournclimber's Wraps -
A Mourning Locket.
The Blue Birds
"We's got 'undreds of pirate kings and captains. None of 'em are in charge – although some of 'em are less in charge than others, if you catch my drift. However. If yer a true Corsair of the Mourn then you holds the birds in high regard. Now, I ain't in charge of nuffink, but I does listen to the birds better'n anyone else. And the birds, they is in charge."[36]
"We's at the centre of it all, y'see. The 'ole Neath converges 'ere, in the waters around the Mourn. So many lives, and so many deaths, all circlin' the spire. This ain't just a tall spike o' rock; it's the omphalos. Right 'ere in the middle – this is where the zee mourns."[37]
Gaider's Mourn has an unusually high population of Blue Prophets,[38] vicious blue birds who menace the Unterzee. Many zailors claim the birds speak the names of those about to die, and fear them greatly. However, the locals of the Mourn treat Blue Prophets with utmost respect, allowing them to roost and act however they please.[39] The birds also play a role in the corsairs' funerals: a wrecked ship is raised high into the air and its captain's bones buried at zee,[40][41] after which the Prophets swarm the wreck before flying off to conclude the ceremony.[42]
The reason for the corsairs' reverence for Blue Prophets is twofold: firstly, the birds' guano makes for powerful gunpowder and is harvested by the Mourn's urchins.[43][26] Secondly, the corsairs and birds have a symbiotic pact: the Prophets speak the name of passing ships,[44] and the corsairs hunt and plunder the ship to ensure its destruction.[45][46] The corsairs view this tradition as the highest form of piracy,[47] and identify these rarefied raiders with sky-blue ribbons.[48] The corsairs' morbid work also incidentally benefits the Fathomking, as those who perish at zee, whether corsair or target, end up bound for his court.[49][50]
At the very top of Gaider's Mourn, a huge flock of Blue Prophets circles the stalagmite. The Mourn rests at the very center of the Unterzee, and the birds fly counter to the zee's rotating currents.[51][52] An urchin known as the Guano-Splattered Hierophant is the summit's sole resident.[53] She has a unique ability to commune with the birds,[54] and claims they are the true authority of Gaider's Mourn.[55] She also claims all the superstitions about Blue Prophets are true,[56] and views the corsairs' work as enforcing the cycle of life and death on the birds' behalf.[57][58] Her explanation for why the Prophets' favor Gaider's Mourn is simple: the zee's lives and deaths circle the Mourn like a wheel, but here at the center is where the zee mourns.[59]
References
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