The Royal Bethlehem Hotel
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"The manager of the Hotel offers free rooms to guests of particular note or interest. He irritably denies the suggestion that he might be 'collecting' them."
The Royal Bethlehem Hotel, formerly the hospital of the same name, is an elite hotel run by a very mysterious manager.
A Hotel for the Mad
It is located across the Stolen River from Ladybones Road. Fallen Londoners may purchase a room there for a quite exorbitant price (no, this is NOT a free room like in the quote, unless you're "interesting", see below), then upgrade it for one that is simply ridiculous for all but the most famous and bizarre among them.
The manager likes to collect "guests of particular note" (and by that he means the mentally ill or nightmare-plagued), prowling the streets of London at night[1] and visiting bedrooms through mirrors.[2] If anyone starts showing symptoms of insanity, he will be by their side, ready to take them in when they finally snap. The higher the room he provides them with, the more interesting he finds their malady. As long as they stay there, he harvests their most eerie dreams for his Garden.[3]
The Manager
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He also chucks you under the chin, which is a little over-familar, but, well. His buttons are so very shiny. It's difficult to quarrel with a man of such shiny buttons. 'Thank you,' he says. 'I do hope you'll continue to enjoy your stay.'
The priest-king wears white linen, and many layers of shining copper and brass jewellery. He is unmistakably the Manager of the Royal Bethlehem Hotel.
The Manager of the Royal Beth, also known as the Merry Gentleman, is the former Priest-King of the First City; his lover is the King with a Hundred Hearts.[4] Their story may be a reference to Gilgamesh and Enkidu, though this has been cast into doubt. He is responsible for the First City's Fall, as he sacrificed it in return for the King with a Hundred Heart's life when the latter was dying of "fits".[5]
As of now, he also acts as May of the Calendar Council.
He is also certainly a player of the Marvellous, and his desire is to share his lover's fate by becoming a second living city. It may be a reason why he collects diamonds, since all he needs is a diamond from the Mountain of Light to replace his heart.[6] Besides them, he has quite an appetite for mysteries and ancient lore.[7][8]
In Parabola, he keeps the Garden of Nightmares.[9]
He is described as having eight fingers[10] (though unclear if in total or on each hand) and a penchant for the dandyish side of the Fifth City's fashion, trying to blend in with his eccentric stovepipe hat, brass-buttoned frock coat and silver-capped cane.
His uncle is the Capering Relicker, the man who brewed the first Hesperidean Cider.[11]
- ↑ Ask where you can locate the players, Fallen London "The Manager: often perambulates London at night, searching for those afflicted, to collect for his hotel."
- ↑ Follow the Merry Gentleman, Fallen London "The Merry Gentleman keeps going, out again through the other side of the mirror. You try to follow, but this time you lose him. You are alone, in the second-storey bedroom of an ordinary rooming house."
- ↑ Arm Yourself Against the Garden of Nightmares, Fallen London
- ↑ Looking in the garden, Fallen London
- ↑ Looking in the garden, Fallen London
- ↑ Ask about the Manager's heart's desire, Fallen London
- ↑ Buy a permanent reservation at the Royal Bethlehem Hotel, Fallen London
- ↑ Convince the Manager of the Royal Bethlehem to train you, Fallen London
- ↑ Arm Yourself Against the Garden of Nightmares, Fallen London
- ↑ A merry gentleman, Fallen London
- ↑ Hand over a roomful of scraps for a Coruscating Soul, Fallen London
