Pan

"The sound of far-off pipes. You near Pan, the unruly heart of Eleutheria."

"You approach Pan. Pan of the crimson mysteries. Pan of the pipe-haunted groves. Pan: the dusky, delirious, divided heart of Eleutheria."

Pan is a settlement at the center of Eleutheria, built on top of a ruin of a cathedral. It's a bastion of criminals and outcasts, where the thieves, smugglers, murderers, cults, and rebels of the High Wilderness reside.

A Ruler Without

Pan is first and foremost disputed territory, but the center dock is considered neutral ground. The various factions of Eleutheria gather here for business and conquest; as such Pan is full of turmoil and intrigue, and many of the settlers here push the boundaries of what can be considered "civilized". 

The "ruler" of Pan is the Cypress King, whose only purpose is to break up disagreements between factions during the Hour of Argument. The position of the Cypress King can be challenged during the Hour of Thorns. Because of this, the occupant of the position changes constantly. January, of London's Calendar Council, held this position at one point.

Since the Halved imposed a strict ban on storytelling, exchanges of information must always be done in secret. 

The Factions of Pan

Below are some details regarding the various factions residing in Pan. Many of these factions inhabit a platform near the main dock.

The Brazen Brigade

"The Brigade dislikes anything that smacks of republicanism, in the same way that someone who once experienced bad prawns has no desire to do so again." "As for the Brigade, they are unique among devils I've known. Their saints are the grand devils who once served in the Heavens, but rebelled and were cast down or imprisoned or fled. The stories are inconsistent on the point." The Brazen Brigade is a group of devils and non-devils that venerate the saints of Hell. Led by the Scarlet Condotierre, they aspire to replace the Judgements as the rulers of the heavens. During the Hour of Trumpets, the Brigade hunts down those that are branded with Calf-signs, but their bloodlust may get a little out of control... They also act as the interpreters of the Adamant Idol, the effigy of the Piper-Saints of Hell. The piping of the Adamant Idol determines the activity of Pan.

The Calendar Council

Three of the revolutionaries' governing Calendar Council live here: February, January, and ineffable December. "Your Council thinks I can be of use. Makes a bl___y change. I owe it to my neighbours to try, anyway. I'll meet the contact now." After the gateway to space was opened, the Calendar Council founded their new base of operations here, known as Winter's Reside.  Amusingly, they also began recruiting individuals through Christmas cards. Currently, they are extracting grievances from individuals, intending to use them as weapons against the stars. Only three members of the Council, January, February, and December, are known to be at this location. August is off by himself at the wreck of the Berrenger, debating arguments that he doesn't himself even believe in. As to be expected. See also: Revolutionaries

The Heart-Catchers

A grizzled coterie of gardeners care for this unusual orchard. The plants that grow here are Heart-Catchers, whose fruit looks - and speaks - like human heads. "We've advised kings and Curators and Measurers. If our advice was bad, why did they return?" Heart-Catchers are plants whose fruits look like human heads. They can apparently capture deaths; this strange phenomenom is a means of averting one's own manner of death and pushing it on someone else's poor unfortunate soul. Their gardeners act as their representatives in Pan's forum. The very first Heart-Catcher was the Second Storyteller, someone who, against all odds, convinced the Halved to abandon law. The Halved rewarded him by making him immortal in the form of a plant. It is said that those who drink his tears will witness the darkening of the Halved... but as a plant perhaps?

The Gentlemen

"Here, in the lawless galleries of Pan, the Gentlemen have no need to hide their activities. Smugglers boast of their schemes and their murders. Wild laughter rings out. Knives glint." "A sign has been hammered onto the pillar. 'If you've done something that can't be forgiven – if there is no place left to run – if you would seek refuge with the Gentlemen, record your name and crime.' It is barely legible under a thick coat of frost." The Gentlemen is a coalition of experienced smugglers. They mainly smuggle Starshine, water combed from the pools of Eleutheria by star-rakers. The water is laced with starlight and induces nostalgia for Earth. Aside from contraband, they also trade in secrets. They built a confessional booth for skyfarers to confess their secrets in exchange for money. They also recruit criminals from the Avid Horizon in exchange for their confessions.

The Neonocturnals

"...a proud poet of the Neonocturnal school, who wrote works condemning society's hypocrites. His tongue is barbed, his pen venomous, and his temper as thin as cheesewire." The Neonocturnals are a new artistic movement spearheaded by the Masked Citizen. While the old Nocturnals appreciated the darkness of the Neath, the modern Neonocturnals venerate the darkness of Eleutheria and the freedom that it grants. Their works are often revolutionary in nature and they moderate the forum of Pan during the Hour of Argument.

The Word-Eaters

"Twice, Eleutheria has been turned upside-down by storytellers. Now, the profession is prohibited in Pan. During the Hour of Veracity the Word-Eaters bare their feet, cover their faces with ash, and roam the city, confiscating stories." The Word-Eaters are the servants of the Halved. Normally, they're just ordinary citizens of Pan, but during the Hour of Veracity, they cover their faces with ash and extract stories from unlucky roaming citizens. Skyfarers are common targets of the Word-Eaters, since they have many stories to tell.