The Gracious Widow

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"The Widow: half London's contraband bears her mark. Call her the Gracious Widow. She likes that."[1]

The Grcious Widow, as she is commonly called, is one of the most infamous crimelords in London and the mastermind behind an expansive smuggling ring stretching across the Neath.

The Business

The Gracious Widow is known for her ruthlessness and her readiness to enforce her will through violence.[2] She rarely meets with others in person, and when she does, she is often cloaked in shadow[3] or veiled in silk, concealing her face. Though she has access to a brandy that grants youthful immortality,[4] she appears quite aged: her hands are wrinkled and withered,[5] her frame little more than skin and bones.[6] Portraits in her residence depict her as eternally youthful,[7] but perhaps the brandy has lost its effectiveness after so many years. Regardless, the Widow must still consume it regularly.[8] Her hair is always tied in a tight bun.[9]

Immortality has left the Widow lonely. In her yearning for companionship, she has taken to adopting urchins,[10][11] raising them as her own,[12] and integrating them into her vast operations.[13] These children work in her winery,[14] serve as messengers,[15] and even act as enforcers.[16]

Officially, the Khanate denies any connection to the Widow. Unofficially, their dealings with her are extensive[17] and her smuggling network extends to their shores. During the era of the Fourth City, she forged a pact with the Leopard Khan[18] to create a superior immortality elixir—one even more potent than her peach brandy.[19] The process would take centuries, but once complete, the Widow would receive a share of this brew.[20]

She operates a smuggling network along the river near Spite,[21] trafficking in jewels,[22] tea,[23] Clay Men,[24] and dilluted peach brandy[25] in and out of London. She is the founder and secret owner of the Greyfields Winery.[26]Her fireworks, too, are popular—sold at prices far below those offered by Mr Fires.[27] Naturally, her brandy operation has attracted dangerous attention from those seeking the secrets of immortality: the Duchess,[28] the Bazaar's Exisemen, Khanate elite,[29] ambitious octogenarians,[30] etc. Though the Duchess is her longtime rival, the Widow respects her deeply—despite the Duchess’s frequent attempts to sabotage her vital brandy shipments.[31]

In the days of the Fourth City, the Widow stood against the Rosers,[32] blaming them for the city’s tragic downfall.[33] Her son, or at least a friend of hers, is Yesterday's King, the city’s final ruler. She persuaded him to rise against the Masters, a rebellion that ended in bitter failure.[34]

The Khan's Daughter

"'The Princess. A Favoured Daughter, a Troubled Soul...'"[35]

The Gracious Widow is a survivor of the fall of the Fourth City, also known as Karakorum, the former Mongol capital. Cheren was far more than a passive royal. She was an accomplished hunter, often seen riding with her beloved sparrowhawk: Bayar.[36] She would continually feed the bird her brandy to keep him alive and healthy for centuries to come.[37]

She was the favourite daughter of Mongke Khan (and if it's accurate to history, his adoptive daughter), Princess Cheren (or Shirin). The Princess was a notable beauty and many people desired a portrait of her.[38] The Khan was protective of his daughter and perhaps overconcerned for her safety,[39] but showered her with gifts;[40] he took pride in her beauty and often presented her to visiting traders (much to her annoyance).[41] He kept a close eye on her personal life,[42] and deeply disapproved of her growing bond with William of Paris.[43] Though his extended family posed threats of rebellion, it was the Princess's strong personality that caused him more anguish,[44] and they frequently argued over her autonomy.[45] Though they had an affectionate relationship, neither of them truly understood each other.[46]

She and a captive European artist named William of Paris (Guillaume Boucher) had a love affair,[47] one that would have grave consequence for William were they to be found out.[48] As such, they kept the affair secret, unfortunately, they didn't do this well enough as everyone: servants,[49] interpreters,[48] foreign ambassadors, Cheren's father[50]... all had suspicions. The couple taught each other their people's customs and languages.[51] The Khan would never allow them to marry.[52] It was William and Cheren's love that brought Mr Wines to Karakorum, and thus brought its fall to the Neath as the Fourth City.

She was a metallurgist[53] and visionary, the true mind behind the famed Silver Tree[54] that now stands in the Forgotten Quarter and not William.[55] She stole from her father's treasury[56] and secretly bought[57] metal from passing merchants to maintain the Silver Tree.[58] She designed the Silver Tree to show her father that their empire didn't need to expand anymore and to make peace with the rest of the family, but it unfortunately had the opposite effect.[59] She gave credit for the Silver Tree to William to ingratiate him to the Khan in hopes that he would become ameniable to their relationship.[60]

Bound by the expectations of her station, Cheren sought freedom where she could.[61] She turned to a traditional role for noble Mongol women: alcohol brewing.[62] But she did not brew for feasts. She brewed for time.[63] She began experimenting with fruits from the East[64] and peaches from Cathay[65] smuggled by a web of smuggler-merchants.[66] Cheren, under the tutelage of a wise shaman,[67][68] pursued the secrets of immortality.[69] Her orchard, imported in full from distant Cathay, was her sanctuary, guarded and secret.[70] The Silver Tree also funtioned as her concealed distillery.[71][72] Anyone that looks into her criminal connections were silenced with bribes or death.[73]

When Karakorum was invaded, her father sold the city to the Bazaar in order to both save it and her,[74] sacrificing himself in the process. After Karakorum became the Fourth City, she lost not only her father but her lover as well, as William too passed away.[75]

Historical and Cultural Inspirations

Peaches are a Chinese symbol of longevity; birthday desserts are commonly decorated with or designed to look like peaches. In many of the folkloric and religious traditions that comprise Chinese mythology, the xian (humans who have ascended to godly status) consume Peaches of Immortality to extend their lives. The peach trees that bear this fruit are said to only do so every several thousand years (the exact number depends on the source).

The Gracious Widow is inspired by Shirin, the daughter of Möngke Khan—the fourth Great Khan of the Mongol Empire—and his wife, Oghul Qaimish. Oghul Qaimish, a noblewoman of the Oirat tribe, became Möngke's consort following the death of her husband, Tolui, who was Möngke’s father. This made Shirin biologically the daughter of Tolui, though she was raised under Möngke’s household. Möngke held deep affection for Oghul Qaimish, an affection that extended to her daughter, Shirin. She held the title of Grand Princess of Chang State (失邻昌国大长公主) and was married to Chochimtai Küregen, the son of Taiju Küregen of the Olkhunut tribe. Shirin had a younger sister named Bichige (also known as Bichqa or Kö'ünen), who also married Chochimtai Küregen.

Little is known about the specific details of Shirin’s life, including her personal undertakings and the date of her death, as historical records remain limited. The affair depicted in fiction between Shirin and the French artisan Guillaume Boucher is purely artistic license as no historical evidence supports such a relationship, and Boucher is known to have had a wife and children in his homeland.

References

  1. ↑ Connected: The Widow, Fallen London
  2. ↑ My Kingdom for a Pig, Fallen London "You still can't see her face, but you can hear emotion in her voice. The Gracious Widow isn't known to express emotion. The Gracious Widow isn't known to say "please". The Gracious Widow has hired knives in every neighbourhood, and doesn't enjoy rejection."
  3. ↑ Attend an audience with the Gracious Widow, Fallen London "The Widow holds her meetings in darkness [...]"
  4. ↑ Older, Not Wiser, Fallen London "You protected one of my urchins – without question. You gave up the little brandy you'd bought to heal him." There is a soft exhalation – a laugh? "So I'm offering you enough to do more than just ease your weariness. It won't just give you life – you will be young again. I'm offering you exactly what you wanted to steal from me."
  5. ↑ My Kingdom for a Pig, Fallen London "You can't see her face in the dark, but you can see her hand as she pours. Gnarled, splotched with old liver-spots. [...]"
  6. ↑ "She adjusts a veil, pins it over her eyes. Dragons coil across its fabric. She stands at your side, takes your arm. She must weigh less than a child. You can feel her bones."
  7. ↑ Investigate the Widow herself, Fallen London "[…] portraits hang on the wall. In the first stand a stern man, a young girl, and a woman. […] You look at the second. The man is gone, the girl is grown, but the woman looks exactly the same."
  8. ↑ Aid the Duchess, Fallen London "[…] a group of neddy men descend upon the ship […]. The crew is overwhelmed, the cargo taken. The Widow's suppliers refuse to send more […] without it, the Widow begins a terrible decline."
  9. ↑ The warehouses of the Peaceable & Godly Trading Company, Fallen London "[…] Inside, rough-looking but exceptionally polite men pack […] entirely legal goods into crates. One […] comes up to you. "Oi. You with the, you know..." she makes a comically severe face, and puts her hand behind her head to suggest a hair bun."
  10. ↑ A familiar face by the school railings, Fallen London "You last saw this girl […] with an urchin-gang. […] 'I got caught robbin' the Gracious Widow, didn't I? […] She took a shine to me. […] the Widow's lookin' for a daughter, but I've already got a mum […] Don't know what to do.'"
  11. ↑ Older, Not Wiser, Fallen London "To pass the time, she's collected children – like it's a hobby. That can't be right, can it?"
  12. ↑ Older, Not Wiser, Fallen London "The Jaded Sister examines the pictures on the wall – they are of ragtag groups of children: brushed-up urchins. There are series of pictures, charting children growing up. In photos showing the children encroaching on adulthood, they stand with a veiled woman. The Gracious Widow?"
  13. ↑ Older, Not Wiser, Fallen London "The stacked pictures tell a similar story, although older ones are paintings. Over and over, a group of children have been gathered, nurtured to adulthood, to be eventually replaced. The contents of the filing cabinets supports this. Handwritten files track education, health, qualifications, marriages, births, deaths. The interest taken in all these lives is deep and personal."
  14. ↑ My Kingdom for a Pig, Fallen London "The Gracious Widow is waiting. So are her urchins. Now you see them in the shadows, crouching, hungry-eyed. They are the workers who bottle her wine, crush the mushrooms beneath stomping feet in her giant presses. How many surround you? Too many."
  15. ↑ Alert the Gracious Widow to these complaints, Fallen London "[…] an Urchin has brought her reply by note: she will see to the matter. [...]"
  16. ↑ My Kingdom for a Pig, Fallen London "Knives. Switchblades. Pistols. Her urchins are armed to the teeth. They creep closer, weapons shining. Some crawl on all fours. Some whistle. [...]"
  17. ↑ My Kingdom for a Pig, Fallen London "The Khaganian Ambassador was intended to win. He owes me a great deal, and auctions are useful for moving money. Nobody questions the price when the items are priceless. Paintings. Sculptures. Terribly rare wines. Of course, they don't need to be real." She sips her airag. "This is real. What you purchased is not. But you did purchase it, which leaves me in an awkward situation. My money didn't come from the Khanate. My relationship with them is compromised. But I do have my money. I'm in a forgiving mood."
  18. ↑ Arcana, Fallen London "But her bargain with the Leopard Khan dates from an ancient pact: her knowledge; his garden; their airag. As an investment, it might have soured. It didn't. Year after year, the Sacristan has toiled; and year after year, the garden has grown. So has its value. It's worth a fortune. The Stone Pigs can stir. The Sixth City can fall. Locked away like money in a vault, this garden is the Leopard Clan's insurance policy – and the Widow's leverage."
  19. ↑ Arcana, Fallen London "Ages ago, when the trees were saplings, the True Khan himself sat in this garden. His astrologers and advisers surrounded him. His loyal dachshunds lay at his feet. His predecessor's daughter knelt, and took his hand, and begged a boon. The gardener, shackled and staked to the ground, would provide every resource for her greatest recipe."
  20. ↑ Arcana, Fallen London "The Gracious Widow won't be pleased," says the Thirsty Croupier. "But as long as the gardener stays shackled, she'll get her 'airag'. The first batch took centuries to digest; so will the second, but it's almost done already. The Sacristan has been eating fruit this whole time. Even if it stops eating, the Khanate will still have a steady supply. All that milk will keep trickling out, batch after batch, year after year: Serpent, Stallion, Scorpion..."
  21. ↑ Working for the Widow, Fallen London "Smuggling operations along the river near Spite are the business of the woman they call the Gracious Widow. It might be profitable to earn her attention."
  22. ↑ Avoid an Unfair Tax on Jewels, Fallen London "Lamentably, Mr Stones imposes ever higher taxes on the import of jewels. You can help the Gracious Widow's people in their pursuit of free trade."
  23. ↑ Help Bring in Smuggled Tea Under Cover of Darkness, Fallen London "You muffle the oars of your rowboat and slip out to the barge where your accomplices wait. They hand down crates of tea one by one. There's no sign of the Bazaar's Excisemen, and you're paid well at the end of the night."
  24. ↑ Run interference for the coffins – and take a peek, Fallen London "You rob a greengrocer, shout THIEF! in a crowded street, […] and generally ensure the law is kept busy. […] you take advantage of the driver's distraction […] A Clay Man? Why are they smuggling Clay Men out of the city?"
  25. ↑ Sneak a sip of the brandy, Fallen London "You wait until the night-watchmen are occupied with tea and gin […] and slip out with an armful of walking-sticks. You twist the handle off one and take a cautious swig of brandy. It hasn't made you any younger […] Perhaps it's watered down?"
  26. ↑ My Kingdom for a Pig, Fallen London "[...] Greyfields was founded on mushrooms that came from that source. I know, because I founded it when the Fifth City fell."
  27. ↑ Ambition: Bag a Legend! 40 – Talk to the Gracious Widow, Fallen London "Jervaise's wife, whoever she may be, wants a reliable source of cheap fireworks. He has sent you to negotiate with the Widow on his behalf. Apparently, she's the best person to talk to if you don't want to pay Mr Fires' prices..."
  28. ↑ The shipment arrives tomorrow!, Fallen London "You are certain the Duchess will make her move on the brandy. No one else can help her so well; no one else is as prepared to stop her. You stare at the shipping papers and mull your options."
  29. ↑ Deal with Peach Brandy pirates, Fallen London "Your agent […] confirms that these 'pirates' never strike anything except the Widow's shipments. […] […] One of her own people substituted bottles of cold tea for the […] shipments […]. The piracy was […] cover. The […] brandy probably ended up with the Khanate elite. […]"
  30. ↑ Older, Not Wiser, Fallen London
  31. ↑ Betray the Duchess, Fallen London "Begrudging respect" "[...] I'm pleased she can still keep up after all these years."
  32. ↑ Why is the Gracious Widow interested in the Rosers?, Fallen London "You do not get to sit where I do, at my age, if you let your enemies get away from you."
  33. ↑ Speak with the Roseate Queen, Fallen London "The Queen glowers at the Widow, who you note, has been bound and cowled. "Whatever calamity you blame my subjects for, you will not seek vengeance for while I rule." She softens, though only a little. "We might speak of justice together, however.""
  34. ↑ Tracking down the monarch of the past, Fallen London "[…] Did the Khan's daughter send you? That woman ruined me. Promised me the thrones of the world. All I had to do was bring down the Masters of the Bazaar. […]"
  35. ↑ The Khan's Daughter, The Silver Tree
  36. ↑ 'The Royal family like to use birds of prey for hunting...', The Silver Tree "'The Princess is exceptionally fond of her own sparrowhawk, named Bayar. The Interpreter translated this name for me as 'joy'. This is fitting...'"
  37. ↑ Bitter Saker Falcon, Fallen London "After a while the Widow asks you to excuse them. "We are old friends," she says, as if that explains it. Servants show you to a comfortable waiting-room, and provide a bowl of oddly invigorating sherbet. When your falcon returns to you, he seems cheerier. And does he smell faintly of brandy? As a token of gratitude, the Widow gifts you with a wrapped bundle of Fourth City relics. "For your companion," she says, "as a reminder of home.""
  38. ↑ An appeal to vanity, The Silver Tree "'The Khan's daughter was a notable beauty. I'm sure I'm not the first to ask her to sit for a sketched portrait...'"
  39. ↑ 'My status made me a suitable choice for chaperone...', The Silver Tree "'He taught me to ride when I was a child; he knows I am a better hunter than any of his horsemen. Yet he insists on sending a foreigner to chaperone me in our own territory!'"
  40. ↑ The etiquette of gifts, The Silver Tree 'He is sure to shower her with presents this evening. Everything that the town has to offer and anything traders have brought through the gates. There is something so sad about this, isn't there? But she does love him, and she will take pity on him. At least for a while longer.'
  41. ↑ Royal silks, The Silver Tree "'My father likes me to look beautiful. I am a credit to him, he says. He drives a hard bargain, when he deals with the traders. But he never asks if this is what I want, to be caparisoned like a prized horse...'"
  42. ↑ The Khan's eyes, The Silver Tree "'Khan watches Princess closely, especially when near William. [...] They forget I'm there, now. Khan saw her watching W. and his eyes narrowed. Angry with her, though, or him? Assume obvious - that there is suspicion of a love affair, or an unrequited passion on W's side? But then again Khan must be very used to his daughter being admired...'"
  43. ↑ The Khan's eyes, The Silver Tree "[...] I remember, even now, the way the Khan's knuckles whitened as he gripped his goblet of airag and the way the Princess's cheeks dimpled as she glanced at the Sculptor. [...]"
  44. ↑ Quiet conversation with the Emperor, The Silver Tree "He sighed. 'My family is large and troublesome; my brothers' sons, with their armies spread all over the world, are all keen to challenge me for leadership of the Empire. And yet my daughter causes me more sleepless nights than any of them.'"
  45. ↑ A disagreement, The Silver Tree "A disagreement about the best way to set traps for wolves led to the Khan striding off in a temper. 'Little does he know,' said the Princess to me. 'I have a strength that more than matches his. All the more so for being forced to stay silent so long.' She glared after him, but then her face softened. 'Sometimes, I think he does know,' she added. 'And that's the part he can't understand.'"
  46. ↑ The ending for the Khan and his daughter, The Silver Tree "'Cheren is wilful, but I do love her above all else,' said the Khan. 'My father is flawed, but I do love him very dearly,' said the Princess. If their troubled relationship hadn't been endangering the city, it wouldn't matter. But it was."
  47. ↑ The Interpreter and the Sculptor, The Silver Tree "The Interpreter wasn't given to gossip, but she said a many things about William of Paris. That he was a Cathar heretic, that he'd been further east than Karakorum, that he was engaged in an affair with the Princess. [...]"
  48. ↑ 48.0 48.1 The Interpreter and the Sculptor, The Silver Tree "She said, 'William of Paris must learn to be more careful. If I could learn of his affair, then so could the Khan. And then he would be staked out for the wolves and the vultures.'"
  49. ↑ '..but if her father found out...', The Silver Tree "'Observed two servants discussing the Princess' affairs. Decided to advise her to prudence...'"
  50. ↑ The Khan's eyes, The Silver Tree "'Khan watches Princess closely, especially when near William. Fascinating interaction tonight...'"
  51. ↑ A change of interpreter, The Silver Tree "She had learned my language from William the sculptor. She told me that they had a pact, to exchange knowledge of each other's languages and customs; 'You never know,' she said, 'when you will find yourself in a foreign land. William's own experience proves that.' "
  52. ↑ The Story of the Fountain, The Silver Tree "[...] She and the Sculptor were in love. The Khan would never allow them to marry. [...]"
  53. ↑ A collision of interest, The Silver Tree "'The Princess knows a great deal about weaponry, and proved a fine help in conversing with the armourer, who only took a small token from me for the privilege...'"
  54. ↑ The Story of the Fountain, The Silver Tree ’’The Princess had designed the Silver Tree. [...]’’
  55. ↑ The Princess's admirers, The Silver Tree "'He is a fraud. We have heard of him, you know. The King of Denmark will not have him at his court ever again.'"
  56. ↑ A bag of pearls, The Silver Tree "Nobody wanted to trade. The Alan caravan master told me that the pearls were stolen. Khan's men looking for them. Wasn't the first time Pr. had done that. Buried the pearls...'"
  57. ↑ A bag of pearls, The Silver Tree "'Traded the pearls on as asked. Didn't ask questions. Why does she need silver? Saw her take it to the forge. Think she was having them melted down...'"
  58. ↑ Repair work, The Silver Tree "'Easy enough transaction in the end. Turkish trader willing to keep quiet. Pr. grateful. Said her father wouldn't understand any need for adjustments to fountain...'"
  59. ↑ The life of a Princess, The Silver Tree "'It is not the wine, but what it represents. My past and my future, do you see? I wanted the Silver Tree to show my father that our empire was already magnificent; that it was not worth expanding at the expense of family. I designed the serpents to represent unity, but I fear he sees them as a spur to ambition...'"
  60. ↑ I asked the Shaman's to convince the Princess to abandon her affair, The Silver Tree "'I made it for love of William,' she told me, 'and for my father. I wanted him to love William too, and to have a wonder unlike any other - one that would glorify the Empire as he had dreamed.'"
  61. ↑ The Princess's ambition, The Silver Tree "'Do you know what it is like, being a Princess of the Golden Horde?' she asked me. 'The Princess is highly important, and utterly unvalued. She is prized for her beauty and resented for her intellect. She is free to inherit the world, and more securely imprisoned that the wretches in the Khan's dungeons. What would you do, if you were her?'"
  62. ↑ Tending to the airag, The Silver Tree "I remember when I wrote this note; I didn't elaborate further in my official record, but it was the evening I met the Princess on the outskirts of town, at the huts where the airag was left to ferment. I asked why she was there. 'I only take the traditional interest expected of me, as a woman,' she said. 'There are simply a few tasks that must be done under the moon. 'She did not appear nervous. I remember that she could lie well."
  63. ↑ Companionship, The Silver Tree "'Have you never felt simply that there is no hope for the future?' she asked me. 'Surely this is not an unusual emotion? I am sick of my father telling me that I will be happy if I simply do as I am told. I will not be happy, even if I do as I want. What I need is time. Would you not pay any price for time, if it were offered to you?'"
  64. ↑ The four serpents, The Silver Tree "The Princess handed me a bowl of something clear and oily. I sipped and coughed. 'It's not rice wine, but it is from the East,' she said. 'They have fiery plums, there, and I am experimenting with them."
  65. ↑ A favour for the Princess, The Silver Tree "He was cheerful, that day. 'Of course. My daughter must have anything she desires. Even if it is a cart full of Cathay peaches packed into barrels and nestling in straw.'"
  66. ↑ What's she doing?, The Silver Tree "'Merchants more than they seem. Why in God's name does a princess of Tartary need smugglers in her employ? I had no idea. But she liked that I knew, and that I was surprised...'"
  67. ↑ The four serpents, The Silver Tree "The drink tasted like all the spices in the market - as if a camel had got loose and kicked over a few stalls. Seeing my face, the Princess grew defensive. 'I have just begun this line of enquiry,' she said. 'But it's fine. I have a teacher. He is knowledgeable. More so than anyone.'"
  68. ↑ Significance, The Silver Tree "'The Princess has seen something hidden in plain sight,' he told us. 'The ones your people describe as idol-worshippers, though they be followers of many faiths and not at all the same [...] many of them know of the potency of intoxication. But we shamans understand that the spirit can step out of the body, and sometimes, the essence of something else can enter.' [...] Waiting for us on a thin wooden chair was an impossibly ancient man. 'This is my great-grandfather, [...] Perhaps now you see that the things the Princess is learning have consequences?'"
  69. ↑ The Significance of Peaches, The Silver Tree "He told me of the trees at the end of the world, whose fruit granted longevity to those that ate it. I asked how long one could expect to live. 'Long, very long,' was the answer. I did not ask what would happen if the fruit was distilled..."
  70. ↑ The little peach orchard, The Silver Tree "Nobody was allowed in the Princess' little orchard. I chatted to a guard while we waited for her to emerge. He said that she'd had the trees carried from far Cathay at huge expense to her father."
  71. ↑ The Silver Lions, The Silver Tree "I looked. There was nothing there. Just four lead-lined tunnels leading, I knew, to the chamber the airag was pumped from. 'No, no!' It was the Princess's voice, but she was not in the courtyard. It was coming from the lion's mouth!"
  72. ↑ The Hidden Chamber, The Silver Tree "I remembered visiting the chamber beneath the Silver Tree, and seeing the strange metal containers that were concealed there..."
  73. ↑ What's she doing?, The Silver Tree "'Looked into Pr. business dealings. Given purse of silver and told to look elsewhere. Also told next time, would be staked out for vultures...'"
  74. ↑ I ran to the Princess, The Silver Tree "'My father has made his choice. Rather than let Karakorum be burned by members of our own family, he has struck a deal with the Cloaked Emissary. For love of the city, he has sold it! But I do not have to stay here, even though I'm part of the bargain.'"
  75. ↑ I chose to trust the Princess, The Silver Tree "Autumn and winter pass, although they are hardly recognisable as such, down in this cavern. A year. Ten. Five hundred winters. Time is not the same, here in the roots of the earth. They call the Princess the Widow now, since William's death. They call her less kind things besides."
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