"You have caught the interest of the Pirate-King, and therefore my interest as well," they say, fixing you with an amber-eyed gaze. "You seem capable enough. And I have need of a capable... friend."[1]
Isery, the King's Claw, is the primary enforcer on the Isle of Cats.
Smooth As Silk
"I do so dislike having to make examples of people. It's so messy."[2]
Androgynously attractive, impeccably dressed, and armed with ivory-inlaid claw rings,[3] Isery is the head enforcer of the Pirate King's will.[4][5] They also manage a luxurious brothel called the Honeyed Tongue,[6] and have an office in the building.[7]
Isery will stop at nothing to achieve a goal, even if it means betraying their compatriot Zaira,[8] torturing their own business partner,[9] or experimenting on their own patrons and employees at the Honeyed Tongue.[10][11] They are cunning and manipulative,[12] frequently condescending,[13][14] and yet still plenty charming,[15] even if they knowingly make it clear that their "friends" are means to an end.[16][17] If spurned, however, they will absolutely hold a grudge and take any excuse to ruin the other party[18] - despite earlier statements otherwise.[19] In a truly catlike fashion, they prefer to toy with their prey and leave them alive, although said prey's companions may not be so lucky.[20] They may even do this just to make someone in their custody suffer more, as money is not enough to convince them to sway them from wanton cruelty.[21]
While Isery does partake of gaoler's honey, they do so wisely and with intent.[22] They are more interested in experimenting with tailoring its effects,[23] and have an entire laboratory set up for this purpose.[24]
Isery in the Skies
"The crew have already complained about your new passenger. Apparently Isery repeatedly beats them at chess, at cards, and if they take issue, up."[25]
In the Sunless Skies timeline, Isery followed the Neathy exodus into the High Wilderness. They live in a small apartment in New London, making a living through dubiously legal means.[26] After apparently losing everything they had,[27] they have embarked on the search for the Martyr-King's Cup, an artifact of the King of Hours that grants immortality; they are just as fearsome, ruthless,[28] and willing to betray as ever.[29] Paradoxically, if it comes to it, they are even willing to die to succeed in even seeing the Cup.[30] Under moonlight, they appear as an armored knight.[31]
↑An Offer of Patronage, Sunless Sea"The King's Claw tells you to call them Isery. They are dressed in azure silk, and wearing clawed rings of enamelled metal and ivory on the fingers of their right hand. They are very beautiful, if you like them sharp and glittering and ambiguously gendered."
↑A change of Patron, Sunless Sea"Isery strokes a jewelled hand down your cheek. "You shall be mine now, all traces of the Lady of the Cages wiped clean. How lovely, mmm?" They do not seem to require a response. You slip away, suppressing a little shiver."
↑Hear Isery's proposal, Sunless Sea""Allow me to taste your memories," Isery says. "I've been conducting experiments in selective harvesting. We will use a single, specially-bred bee. Once I have tasted your memories, we will kill it [...] That will ensure your remaining memories are safe. I respect you too much to lie to you: the process will be blisteringly unpleasant. But it shouldn't be fatal. As long as you are resilient.""
↑Isery's Experiment: A purposeful assignation, Sunless Sea"It is not easy to create an amorous mood between a nectar-maddened bee and a chanting Melliferous Sister. Luckily, the courtesan you selected takes the situation as something of a professional challenge."
↑Accept a new commission, Sunless Sea"Isery slides the casket over to you, and very pointedly does not enumerate the consequences of returning without the notes. Instead: they smile, too wide, and you shiver."
↑Isery's disappointment, Sunless Sea""I hoped, I really did, that you wouldn't place me in this awkward predicament." Isery clasps their claw-jewelled hands to their delicately featured face. "I do so dislike having to make examples of people. It's so messy.""
↑A Smuggler's Reward, Sunless Sea""Don't keep me waiting!" Isery pouts prettily, and rustles their silks. "Do you have a little present for me?""
↑Accept their offer, Sunless Sea""Wonderful! Utterly delightful!" Isery is all smiles and genial bonhomie. "I shall start thinking of a task fit for your talents. Something special." They wave a jewelled hand. "Run along now, there's a good captain.""
↑Isery's disappointment, Sunless Sea""It was never about the Echoes, you know," they say, as you hand over the vast sum. "You cannot simply repay yourself back into my favour. I'm done with you, dear captain. For good.""
↑Fight your way out, Sunless Sea"The courtesans are corded with muscle under their gauzy silks, and slit the throats of two of your crew as an opening gambit. The rest of the crew - quite wisely - cowers back. You drag your eyes from the corpses just in time to see Isery very calmly claw you across the face. You dream shivering dreams of claws of enamel and bone for several nights after, and count yourself lucky."
↑Pay for an answer, Sunless Sea"Her family paid the ransom to redeem her, but - oh dear, let me be honest with you - I was a little short of operating funds that month. So I sold her to Zaira, for the Garden of Cages."
↑A Deal with Isery, Sunless Sea"I see someone's been talking. I'm reluctant: the notary only has a taste or two left in him. I was saving them for myself - this Nidah business... fascinating."
↑Experiments in Red Honey, Sunless Sea""It is possible to encourage lamplighter bees to seek out one kind of memory over another," they announce, without any preamble. "It's all about what you expose the bee to, once it has drunk the maddening nectar of the crimson roses. But it is an uncertain process. Full of guesswork. The Alarming Scholar and I have been trying to... apply the scientific method, you could say.""
↑Experiments in Red Honey, Sunless Sea"The next time you are summoned to see your Patron, it is not in their offices at the Honeyed Tongue. Instead you find yourself in a well-lit laboratory of book-lined walls and delicate equipment."
↑Track down Isery, Sunless Skies"The Unseen Queen knows exactly where her second-greatest knight can be found. She gives you directions; Isery lives above a shoe-shop, supporting their quest habit with various dubiously-legal odd-jobs and the occasional lucrative assassination. When Isery sees you at their doorstep, they welcome you into their cramped home and starts making you a cup of tea."
↑Visions in Silver, Sunless Skies"Even outside the moonlit realm, Isery strikes an impressive figure. They are tall, lithe, wearing practical clothes. Is that a set of clawed brass rings on their hand? They've dropped their earlier camaraderie – perhaps it was always a facade, or perhaps it has simply been muscled out by a desire to win."
↑Isery's Betrayal, Sunless Skies"Isery turns, pulls a knife from their boot, and hurls it at you with startling speed and accuracy. It sinks to the hilt in your shoulder. While you're still processing this unfortunate event, Isery flips open a secret compartment in their wall and withdraws a military sabre. "I never thought you'd actually find it!" they snarl. "Give it to me. I must have it.""
