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The Ardent Regulator's father was part of the Bishop's squad in the Hell invasion.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Laws_of_the_Game The Laws of the Game, ''Fallen London''] ''"He didn't make it back from the campaign. One day a letter arrived – his whole unit, barring a single survivor, had gone missing while out on patrol. There were no more details, no body."''</ref> After returning to London from that doomed patrol that claimed the lives of his comrades, the Bishop of Southwark made a solemn vow to the Lord: he would dedicate his life to protecting those left behind<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Laws_of_the_Game The Laws of the Game, ''Fallen London''] ''"The Bishop's eyes lock on yours. They burn with zeal. "When I arrived back in London, I vowed to the Lord that I would devote my life to protecting those whom my comrades had left behind.""''</ref>—including the Ardent Regulator, much to the latter’s irritation.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Laws_of_the_Game The Laws of the Game, ''Fallen London''] ''"The single survivor of my father's squad I told you about? This is him," explains the Regulator. "For whatever sense of misplaced guilt he's carried back from there, he's interfered in my life ever since. Thanks to him I've been interred in beastly schools, forced into dreary jobs, and saddled with acquaintances and courtships I never asked for."''</ref> Unbeknownst to the Regulator, his mysterious benefactor is none other than the Bishop himself. Knowing the Regulator would reject his aid if his true identity were revealed, the Bishop keeps his involvement carefully concealed.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Laws_of_the_Game The Laws of the Game, ''Fallen London''] ''"I know," the Bishop replies, "and I meant to keep that promise, truly. I know you won't believe me, but I didn't put you forward for the role just to help you. We wanted the same thing: I wanted football taken seriously, and so did you." You can see from the Regulator's face that they don't believe a word. "I also knew that if you had any idea that it came from me, you'd turn it down. So I kept my involvement hidden."''</ref>
The Ardent Regulator's father was part of the Bishop's squad in the Hell invasion.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Laws_of_the_Game The Laws of the Game, ''Fallen London''] ''"He didn't make it back from the campaign. One day a letter arrived – his whole unit, barring a single survivor, had gone missing while out on patrol. There were no more details, no body."''</ref> After returning to London from that doomed patrol that claimed the lives of his comrades, the Bishop of Southwark made a solemn vow to the Lord: he would dedicate his life to protecting those left behind<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Laws_of_the_Game The Laws of the Game, ''Fallen London''] ''"The Bishop's eyes lock on yours. They burn with zeal. "When I arrived back in London, I vowed to the Lord that I would devote my life to protecting those whom my comrades had left behind.""''</ref>—including the Ardent Regulator, much to the latter’s irritation.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Laws_of_the_Game The Laws of the Game, ''Fallen London''] ''"The single survivor of my father's squad I told you about? This is him," explains the Regulator. "For whatever sense of misplaced guilt he's carried back from there, he's interfered in my life ever since. Thanks to him I've been interred in beastly schools, forced into dreary jobs, and saddled with acquaintances and courtships I never asked for."''</ref> Unbeknownst to the Regulator, his mysterious benefactor is none other than the Bishop himself. Knowing the Regulator would reject his aid if his true identity were revealed, the Bishop keeps his involvement carefully concealed.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Laws_of_the_Game The Laws of the Game, ''Fallen London''] ''"I know," the Bishop replies, "and I meant to keep that promise, truly. I know you won't believe me, but I didn't put you forward for the role just to help you. We wanted the same thing: I wanted football taken seriously, and so did you." You can see from the Regulator's face that they don't believe a word. "I also knew that if you had any idea that it came from me, you'd turn it down. So I kept my involvement hidden."''</ref>
== Historical & Cultural Inspirations ==
The Bishop of Southwark is inspired by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Reed Oliver Reed], known for his "upper-middle class, macho image and his heavy-drinking, hellraiser lifestyle" (how ironic).<ref name=":02">Paul Arendt - Art Director, [https://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/lfhknn/comment/gmlvgoz/ on a Reddit AMA]: "Brian is very much the inspiration for his Amused Lordship, yes. The Bishop of Southwark I see more as Oliver Reed"</ref>
The Bishop's propensity to wrestle has its basis in something called the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscular_Christianity Muscular Christianity] movement, which advocated for the integration of physical strength, athleticism, and vigorous masculinity with Christian moral and spiritual development. The term gained prominence in the 1850s, notably through the works of authors Charles Kingsley and Thomas Hughes. Their literature promoted the idea that physical fitness and sports were not only compatible with Christian life but were vital to cultivating moral character. Hughes's novel ''Tom Brown's'' ''School Days'' (1857) is a seminal example, portraying how sports and physical challenges in English public schools served as crucibles for developing virtues like courage, discipline, and teamwork.
Central to Muscular Christianity was the belief that the body is a divine gift entrusted to individuals for training and discipline. This perspective encouraged the use of physical prowess to protect the weak, advance righteous causes, and fulfill one's duties to society and God. Such ideals were seen as antidotes to the perceived moral and physical softness emerging in urbanized and industrialized Victorian society. The Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), established in 1844, began promoting physical activities alongside spiritual development, constructing gymnasiums and organizing sports events to foster holistic growth. Novels, essays, and sermons of the time propagated the virtues of combining physical strength with Christian ethics.


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 19:32, 23 February 2025

"He hammers on your door. "Hurry up in there! It's all pagans and turnips out here! And it's cold.""[1]

The Bishop of Southwark - or Reginald, to his friends - is a powerful figure within London's Anglican Church. He is known for his boisterous character, his short temper, and his love of wrestling.

The Battle-Bishop

"Show me your worth, sinner!"[2]

Reginald Birtwhistle was not born into privilege. The youngest of seven children and the only surviving son, he grew up in the crowded, dim-lit tenements of London. Life was harsh. His mother, a woman of deep faith, clung to the Church for solace, and it was through her devotion that Reginald found his own calling. When he declared his intent to become a priest, she was ecstatic.[3] His father, however, disapproved of this choice.[4]

He is known to have attended university, though not which one,[5] and was once a member of the Young Stags[6] before devoting himself to a religious career. He was a combative presence in seminary, where he had little patience for passive-aggression and preferred to settle disputes with his fists.[7] Despite these challenges, he excelled, earning a rare appointment as a Canon of St. Alban’s before moving on to Southwark Cathedral.[8] At the time of the Fall, he was a priest working for the St Albans Protomartyr church as a canon.[9]

When London launched the Campaign of 1868 and invaded Hell, Reginald decided to become a chaplain for the regiment in which his father had once served.[4] In 1870,[10] he accompanied a scouting patrol near the front,[11] and stopped to pick an infernal rose - which suddenly burned up, permanently leaving a scar on his forearm. Reginald's screams of pain alerted the Devils, and they captured the whole troop.[12] To add insult to injury, a goat-demon pulled Reginald's horse from under him and ate it.[13] After being captured, all of his comrades lost their souls, but he instead was sent to row a Brass Trireme.[14][13] While captured, he went on a hunger strike, refusing to eat the food of Hell to keep his soul intact. In a state of hunger an delirium, he signed a contract that allowed him to keep his soul, and go back to London.[15] Though this spared his life and immortal soul, he is ashamed of this decision, calling himself a craven for it.

Mayoral Campaign

In 1894, London held its inaugural election for Mayor of London. The Bishop of Southwark was one of the candidates; he ran under the slogan "For God's sake!"[16] His campaign was marked by a zealous commitment to purging demonic elements from London, appealing to citizens concerned about the moral and spiritual fabric of their society. [17] He also collected and intended to publish an index of all those who had sold their souls, aiming to spread awareness of infernal corruption.[18]

However, controversy soon arose when it was discovered that part of his campaign was financed by some devils—possibly the Brimstone Convention, a faction opposed to Hell’s current rule.[19] The Bishop’s campaign, upon learning of these infernal donations, was aghast. Further complicating matters, a poet arrived, demanding that the Bishop return the verses of a poem he had written to commemorate a man—likely Michael Flannery[20]—whom both had loved.[21]

Despite his passionate efforts, the Bishop was soundly defeated by Sinning Jenny. The Bishop took his defeat hard but remained an active figure in London's ecclesiastical and social spheres.[22]

A Tamer of Beasts

When not busy sorting the affairs of the church, invoking his martial prowess to disrupt the machinations of Hell, or debating the Bishop of St Fiacre’s,[23] Reginald spends his time in the fourth coil of the Labyrinth. Here he feeds all sort of animals to a winged bat in a barn, producing strange new creatures in the process; the Bishop is trying to breed a Hound of Heaven, which could be used to detect devils.[24] Ultimately, he would like to invade Hell once again, to take back what was lost the first time.[25]

Personal Affairs

The Bishop has had two significant relationships with men in the past. The first was an Irishman[26][27] called Michael[28] Flannery,[29] Reginald’s closest friend from his time in the seminary at Southwark. Michael had "eyes like flames"[27][30] and was everything Reginald admired—charming, brilliant, and devastatingly skilled in both academia and sport. He could outmatch his peers in debate and outpace them on the rugby field.[31] Reginald admired him, perhaps more than he was willing to admit.[32] The two studied together, fought together, and for a time, were inseparable.

After the Fall, Michael had wanted to join an army regiment to fight back against the devils. Reginald, however, disagreed, skeptical of London’s weak army and committed to his vows as a clergyman.[33] Their conflicts had always been settled through wrestling—a physical expression of their debates—but their final argument took a different turn. Michael kissed Reginald. Reginald, caught off guard, reacted violently and hurt Michael.[34] Michael confessed his feelings, but Reginald, unable to process his emotions, pushed him away.[35] Harsh words were exchanged, and Michael left without a word,[36] enlisting in the army soon after.[37] Ironically, Reginald would later follow his lead and serve in the invasion himself, though under very different circumstances.[12]

The second was called James; the relationship ended on bad terms, and the Bishop surmises he is now a revolutionary.[28]

The Bishop and Virginia, as might be expected given their respective histories, rather dislike each other.[38].

The Ardent Regulator's father was part of the Bishop's squad in the Hell invasion.[39] After returning to London from that doomed patrol that claimed the lives of his comrades, the Bishop of Southwark made a solemn vow to the Lord: he would dedicate his life to protecting those left behind[40]—including the Ardent Regulator, much to the latter’s irritation.[41] Unbeknownst to the Regulator, his mysterious benefactor is none other than the Bishop himself. Knowing the Regulator would reject his aid if his true identity were revealed, the Bishop keeps his involvement carefully concealed.[42]

Historical & Cultural Inspirations

The Bishop of Southwark is inspired by Oliver Reed, known for his "upper-middle class, macho image and his heavy-drinking, hellraiser lifestyle" (how ironic).[43]

The Bishop's propensity to wrestle has its basis in something called the Muscular Christianity movement, which advocated for the integration of physical strength, athleticism, and vigorous masculinity with Christian moral and spiritual development. The term gained prominence in the 1850s, notably through the works of authors Charles Kingsley and Thomas Hughes. Their literature promoted the idea that physical fitness and sports were not only compatible with Christian life but were vital to cultivating moral character. Hughes's novel Tom Brown's School Days (1857) is a seminal example, portraying how sports and physical challenges in English public schools served as crucibles for developing virtues like courage, discipline, and teamwork.

Central to Muscular Christianity was the belief that the body is a divine gift entrusted to individuals for training and discipline. This perspective encouraged the use of physical prowess to protect the weak, advance righteous causes, and fulfill one's duties to society and God. Such ideals were seen as antidotes to the perceived moral and physical softness emerging in urbanized and industrialized Victorian society. The Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), established in 1844, began promoting physical activities alongside spiritual development, constructing gymnasiums and organizing sports events to foster holistic growth. Novels, essays, and sermons of the time propagated the virtues of combining physical strength with Christian ethics.

References

  1. ↑ The Bishop of Southwark 1, Fallen London
  2. ↑ You did hear that right, Fallen London
  3. ↑ Reginald: The Census, Mask of the Rose "I grew up in a tenement. If you must know. I was the youngest of seven. The only boy. That lived, that is. The Church provided my mother's comfort and solace. She was overjoyed when I said I wanted to be a priest."
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 The Brass Grail (Story), Fallen London "I was newly ordained back then. The army was in dire need of chaplains for the campaign and so I accepted a commission. My father had never wanted his eldest in cloth, but he was pleased with me ministering to his old regiment."
  5. ↑ The Brass Grail (Story), Fallen London The Bishop grows sentimental. He speaks of the holiday feasts of his youth, the banquets at his college. When you leave into the dim drizzle, such times seem impossibly far away.
  6. ↑ The Brass Grail (Story), Fallen London "I don't mind embarrassing myself. Put on a funny hat and wave a thing on a stick around and sing? I got up to worse in the Stags. […]"
  7. ↑ Reginald: The Census, Mask of the Rose "Got into fights at seminary. Not one for sneering behind backs. If you've something to say, you can say it to me in the yard."
  8. ↑ Reginald: The Census, Mask of the Rose "Bit crowded. Lots of posh lads. But I was one of only three offered Southwark at the end of it."
  9. ↑ Dear Reggie, failbettergames.com
  10. ↑ A remembrance in the garden, Fallen London "[…] "It was 1870. We were in Hell. The Heavy Brigade had just been routed - five of us hid in a field, among burning roses. […] We could have escaped. Should have escaped. But I plucked one of the roses , and - my scars evidence the rest. […]"
  11. ↑ The Brass Grail (Story), Fallen London "Few made it into Hell at all. I was in the vanguard. New orders that scouting patrols had to have a priest."
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 The Brass Grail (Story), Fallen London "I saw a rose that I thought Mi... it doesn't matter why, but I picked it. The d_____ thing burst into flames and seared my arm! If only I'd kept quiet! But I was weak and I cried out and gave us away. The whole troop was captured."
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Breed the Plated Seal 5, Fallen London
  14. ↑ The Brass Grail (Story), Fallen London "The rest of the men had their souls pulled out, but not me. They sent me to row in the galleys. And they made me sign a contract! What a fool! What a weakling!"
  15. ↑ The Brass Grail (Story), Fallen London "I was starved and half-mad when I signed their contract. I would not eat the food of Hell. All I knew at the time was that it would allow me to leave with my soul. That such a craven should rise to the mitre..."
  16. ↑ The Bishop of Southwark 4, Fallen London
  17. ↑ Learn more about the Bishop's platform, Fallen London
  18. ↑ The Bishop of Southwark's Campaign 1, Fallen London "The Bishop's records have fallen into disarray. It appears the church has taken back its accountants – or perhaps the campaign funds no longer stretch to their salaries. Certainly, a substantial source of funding has dried up – the noticeable decline in the quality of the paper is only one of many signs. In one area, however, the Bishop's documentation has dramatically improved. Letters have been swept off a desk to accommodate a new, neatly stacked pile. Folders, files, and ledgers – all bearing the insignia of St Dunstan's – have recently been delivered. Inside, there are records of soulless individuals – suspected and confirmed. The documents are written in a variety of handwriting, some detailed, some frantic, all attested. On the top of the pile is a plain white piece of paper, held down by an ivory paperweight. It contains one word: 'Publish'."
  19. ↑ The Bishop of Southwark's Campaign 1, Fallen London "A whiff of Brimstone" "The Bishop's records are assiduously kept, although they're written in language more tortured than the dreams of an Inquisition. Diocese money evidently stretches to the most traditional accountants. Every penny is accounted for and matched by a donation to the Doubter's Hospice. But there are oddities hidden in the St Dunstan's contribution – deacons where none exist in the Diocese record. Donations from non-existent parishioners. Several names recur employing the same combinations of letters. Rearranged, they match the names of regulars at Dante's. It seems several devils are funding the Bishop's campaign under false identities. Is this some kind of infernal joke?"
  20. ↑ Choosing a Target: The Bishop of Southwark's Campaign, Fallen London "You find a Reformist Devil at the meeting place. He is holding a small portrait framed in bronze, depicting a handsome moustached captain of London's Army on horseback. A poem is engraved onto the frame. It is dedicated to the sitter, and compensates for quality with passion. "This is what he left behind. Why do you think he hates us so much?" the Devil asks. "Where is that poet now?""
  21. ↑ Choosing a Target: The Bishop of Southwark's Campaign, Fallen London "Southwark Cathedral is alight with frantic activity – the entire sacristy has been commandeered by the Clematis League. They are frantically digging through piles of accounts, checking and rechecking document after document. They are aghast at the rumoured infernal interference. In all the excitement it takes the angry shout of a particularly florid Deacon to draw your attention to the Cathedral entrance. A dissolute poet, often found deep in his cups in the Singing Mandrake, is clinging to the Deacon's sleeve. Seeing your interest, he swaps targets immediately: "Just listen!" the poet pleads. "They think I want money – and I do! But I want my verses back more. He's too haughty to see me now, but he and I both loved– Oh god! It's no use." Overcome, he scurries away."
  22. ↑ Speak to the Bishop of Southwark, Fallen London "Jenny's thunderous rival for the Mayorship. He took defeat hard, but he is here now, drinking port and shouting convivially."
  23. ↑ Broker peace between Bishops, Fallen London
  24. ↑ "Remind me, your Grace...", Fallen London
  25. ↑ Theological Husbandry, Fallen London "We have a plan. Pious sons of the Empire all, but I won't tell you any names. We're going to win where we lost back in '68. We're going to show them our mettle, once and for all. We're going to storm Hell, and I intend to be in the first rank."
  26. ↑ Breed the Somnolent Hyaena 6, Fallen London
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Breed the Rubbery Hound 2, Fallen London "You ever been to Ireland? Savage place, of course, but beautiful. I met someone there once. He had eyes like fires…"
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 The Brass Grail (Story), Fallen London "I never married. I've loved two... I've loved two men. […] Michael is probably still in Ireland, I think, or Rome. James... James is down here. Hell of a brain on the man, but he's given to extremes. Probably a bomb-thrower by now. We didn't part as friends."
  29. ↑ Reginald: The Census, Mask of the Rose "A shame my dear friend Michael Flannery is not here."
  30. ↑ The Brass Grail (Story), Fallen London A hiss of steam escapes from Michael's eye as you and the Bishop turn away.
  31. ↑ Reginald: The Request, Mask of the Rose "The terror of old Bermondsey. Hellion of the seminary. Could shoot a conker out of a nun's hand – and recite the Gospels, chapter and verse. He is better read than most ministers, despite his humble origins. His wit is sharp as a cheeseknife but he hasn't an ounce of cruelty in him. And unlike most bookworms, he's a devil on the pitch too."
  32. ↑ Reginald: The Census, Mask of the Rose "My friend Michael, now he has to beat the ladies off with a stick. Metaphorically, of course. Too handsome for his own good. I'm glad he hasn't married though. A shame for a man to be tied down too early. There's pubs we've not visited in the city still. Adventures not yet had!"
  33. ↑ Reginald: The Census, Mask of the Rose "Michael had a foolish notion about joining a regiment in the early days. But of course that went down the drain when everything went to Hell in a handcart. My calling remains the church. I can't go running off to the army. Living in fear is no life. It was an idle notion. If we'd had more troops when London fell - Or they'd held up worth a damn... I'd have put more stock in the notion. Alas they didn't, and neither of us said any more about it."
  34. ↑ Reginald: The Request, Mask of the Rose "As it happens, we used to wrestle. Horseplay, really. But it is easy to get soft in the seminary. And Michael knew a lad down his way who knew the appropriate techniques and so forth. Often if the theology got a bit tricky in a dispute – Well, we knew other methods of conflict resolution. But this time, I think I hurt him a little. I'm not a small man. I forget the impact I can have."
  35. ↑ Reginald: The Letter, Mask of the Rose "I am a man of the cloth. Unlike some, I take my vows with the utmost seriousness. Even if – Even if he were not male, though he was still Michael... It was not marriage. There was no sacrament. How could I take the communion in my mouth after him? God forgive me. It was not so simple as to say no."
  36. ↑ Reginald: The Letter, Mask of the Rose "He is a handsome man. I can admit that. But, to accept such an offer — I was blunter than perhaps I ought to have been. I resolved not to tell a soul. It did not seem worth losing a career over. Besides, he was still my friend. But in the morning, his bed was empty. No one knew where he'd gone."
  37. ↑ Mr Pages: Reginald's Letter, Mask of the Rose "'I have gone to join the Queen's men. There are brave souls there, willing to defend London still. Hell is to our west. We talked often of its power, how when the time came we would do battle for it after ordination. We could never have imagined this. I'm sorry for what came between us. I did not wish to hurt you. I wish I could eat the words I spoke. I wish my lips had never pressed against yours. I wish I could not see your expression again every time that I close my eyes before sleep. I will do my penance here. Do not look for me, Reginald. I sit at His right hand now.'"
  38. ↑ Persuade the Bishop of Southwark, Fallen London "[…] Virginia remarks on the perennial obstructiveness of the Church. Southwark offers to resolve their disagreements by wrestling match. Virginia accepts, on condition Southwark will sign over his soul should he lose. […] debate has to be briefly postponed […]"
  39. ↑ The Laws of the Game, Fallen London "He didn't make it back from the campaign. One day a letter arrived – his whole unit, barring a single survivor, had gone missing while out on patrol. There were no more details, no body."
  40. ↑ The Laws of the Game, Fallen London "The Bishop's eyes lock on yours. They burn with zeal. "When I arrived back in London, I vowed to the Lord that I would devote my life to protecting those whom my comrades had left behind.""
  41. ↑ The Laws of the Game, Fallen London "The single survivor of my father's squad I told you about? This is him," explains the Regulator. "For whatever sense of misplaced guilt he's carried back from there, he's interfered in my life ever since. Thanks to him I've been interred in beastly schools, forced into dreary jobs, and saddled with acquaintances and courtships I never asked for."
  42. ↑ The Laws of the Game, Fallen London "I know," the Bishop replies, "and I meant to keep that promise, truly. I know you won't believe me, but I didn't put you forward for the role just to help you. We wanted the same thing: I wanted football taken seriously, and so did you." You can see from the Regulator's face that they don't believe a word. "I also knew that if you had any idea that it came from me, you'd turn it down. So I kept my involvement hidden."
  43. ↑ Paul Arendt - Art Director, on a Reddit AMA: "Brian is very much the inspiration for his Amused Lordship, yes. The Bishop of Southwark I see more as Oliver Reed"
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