The Gracious Widow

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

The Gracious Widow is a survivor of the fall of the Fourth City, also known as Karakorum, the Mongol capital. She is the daughter of Mongke Khan - I have concluded that her real name is Shirin, after some historical research - and she orchestrated the fall of Karakorum to save the life of her lover, the Once-Dashing Smuggler. (More Persuasive players of Fallen London may actually have an affair with the Smuggler, who is now a tomb-colonist after falling out of favor with the Masters.)

The Widow, as she is commonly called, is now the leader of a smuggling ring, probably taking after her true love. She has been known to smuggle jewels and Clay Men into and out of London. She is immortal because she drinks peach brandy, her attempt to recreate Hesperidian Cider. It is powerful, but not as powerful as the Cider. She needs to continue to drink in order to stay immortal. One notable fact about the peach brandy, is that she started developing it while on the surface, and did not have access to the neath's strangeness. Her son is likely known as "Yesterday's king".

If one wants to gain her favors, the best way would be to obtain a copy of O'Boyle's Practical Primer in the Various Languages of Nippon, Tartary, Cathay and the Princedoms of the Raj.