Editing Mr Fires

{{major spoiler}}
{{Character
|title1 = 
|image1 = MrFires.png
|caption1 = Warm yourself.
|location = [[Fallen London]]
|alias =Khan of Fire<br>
Saint on the Pyre 
|relationships = |allegiance=[[The Masters of the Bazaar]]<br>[[The Echo Bazaar]]}}<blockquote>''"'Coal, gas, candles. Warm yourself.'"''<ref name="mr fires">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Mr_Fires|Mr Fires|Fallen London}}</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''"Not bad, my little one. I’ll be keeping an eye on you."''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Fight_for_the_neddies|Fight for the neddies|Fallen London}}</ref></blockquote>'''Mr Fires''' is a charming but ruthless [[The Masters of the Bazaar|Master of the Bazaar]].

== The Boss ==
Ember-eyed and honey-voiced,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Day_7:_Mr_Sacks,_in_embered_red|Day 7: Mr Sacks, in embered red|Fallen London}}</ref><ref name="silk and spiders">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ambition:_Bag_a_Legend!_%E2%80%93_A_Road_of_Silk_and_Spiders_(2)|Ambition: Bag a Legend! - A Road of Silk and Spiders (2)|Fallen London}}</ref> this Master governs trade in coal, gas, and candles,<ref name="mr fires" /> along with the Neath's unique form of railway steel.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Fire_at_the_proper_temperature|Fire at the proper temperature|Fallen London}}</ref> It also presides over several of the factories in [[Fallen London]], and many of the workers at [[Wolfstack Docks]], with an unwavering grip. It can usually be found near its office in Wolfstack,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Wolfstack_Docks|Wolfstack Docks|Fallen London}}</ref> and it is also in command of London's dirigible system, a position that apparently required quite a lot of effort on its part to acquire.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Steer_the_conversation_to_Mr_Fires|Steer the conversation to Mr Fires|Fallen London}}</ref> Mr Fires also dabbles in weapon and engine manufacturing, under the company Caminus Yards.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.miraheze.org/wiki/Caminus_Yards|Shop Description|Sunless Sea}}''"The dangerously jovial Mr Fires manufactures the most intimidating, least carefully tested devices."''</ref>

Fires is known to deny its laborers many basic necessities, like safe working conditions and fair pay. It often uses the Masters' enforcers, the '''neddy men''', to quell and dissipate any protests, unions, or [[Revolutionaries|revolutionary]] activity it deems troublesome.<ref name="sidebar">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Sidebar_Snippets|Sidebar Snippets|Fallen London}}</ref> Furthermore, its factories are heavy polluters, spewing several pounds of noxious waste into the air and waters of London and beyond.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Call_Mr_Fires_a_scourge_on_London's_working_class|Call Mr Fires a scourge on London's working class|Fallen London}} ''"Its factories work people to death. It fills the river with filth, the air with filth, children's lungs with filth."''</ref> All these factors make Mr Fires notorious, especially among those of a revolutionary bent, as one of the most antipathetic and poor-tempered Masters.

Every seven years, Mr Fires is obligated to write a letter to the [[Bazaar]]; this letter is usually a love story, as would be expected, but sometimes Fires likes to change it up a little and submit an editorial on Fallen London based on the opinion of one of London's intrepid citizens.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Season_of_Embers|The Season of Embers|Fallen London}} ''"If you don't mind taking a little time out of your fascinating life," [...] "My employer needs help with a letter. Every seven years it has to send one. It usually finds a love story, but this time it wants to try something else."''</ref> By writing the letter in this manner, Mr Fires wishes to change the course of London's fate by influencing the Bazaar's opinion on some unspecified issue. Does this place Fires in the same boat as the [[revolutionaries]] it seeks to destroy? Probably not.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Season_of_Embers|The Season of Embers|Fallen London}} ''"We must write a letter. This time, it shall be about London. The fate of the city may well be changed, if we are successful. [...] "We shall await the outcome of our little enterprise with interest. Perhaps our efforts shall be rejected. Perhaps it will make a difference. Perhaps this time it will change its mind."''</ref>

Oh, and it considers London escaping to [[The High Wilderness|the skies]] a [[New London|''spectacularly'' bad idea]].<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Season_of_Embers|The Season of Embers|Fallen London}} ''"You'd take it to the stars; Away from its prison below the earth. [...] "No!" Mr Fires moves abruptly towards you, rocking the gondola alarmingly. "That is a terrible idea!""''</ref>

Mr Fires resides in several apartments that blaze in various hues of light so bright they recall the [[Surface]]: gas, candles, dazzling stones, and strange light bulbs.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Incarnadine_Fur_Robe|Incarnadine Fur Robe|Fallen London}} ''"The apartments of Mr Fires blaze with light: gas, candle, scintillant stone, peculiar incandescent arc-bulbs of glass. You blink. It's like the Surface in here."''</ref>

Mr Fires was known as the '''Khan of Fire''' in the time of the [[Fourth City]].<ref name="khans">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Dubious_attribution|Dubious attribution|Fallen London}}</ref> In the ''Sunless Skies'' timeline, it is called the '''Saint on the Pyre''' by the [[Cult of the Sanctified]] at [[Avid Horizon]].<ref name="provide feast">{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/The_Jolly_Anchorite|Provide for a Feast|Sunless Skies}}''""Here, throw another skewer on the flame." His cabin is smoky from the smouldering meat. "There! The Saint on the Pyre, and the Saint of Flesh.""''</ref>
== A Payment in False Coin==
<blockquote>''"ONE DAY YOU WILL FORGIVE is stamped on the back. It is a commandment as much as a promise."''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Justificande_Coin|Justificande Coin|Fallen London}}</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''"It looks much like a real Justificande, but it doesn't have the same effect on nearby clocks."''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Forged_Justificande_Coin|Forged Justificande Coin|Fallen London}}</ref></blockquote>[[File:Currency1_copper.png|thumb|Forged Justificande Coins]]Mr Fires is known to conduct several independent schemes that often come into conflict with its colleagues, like [[Mr Wines]], [[Mr Spices]], and [[Mr Stones]]. It commissioned the '''Dean of Supernumerary Fellows''' at the [[University]] to investigate the [[The Masters of the Bazaar#Mr Spices' Private Stash|private stash]] of mysterious sedatives that Mr Spices (possibly) consumes but does not sell,<ref name="take the appointment">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Take_the_appointment|Take the appointment|Fallen London}}</ref> and it paid the Dean in several forged '''Justificande Coins''', the mysterious currency of [[Irem]].<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Demand_to_know_what_is_going_on|Demand to know what is going on|Fallen London}}</ref>

To produce these coins, Mr Fires made an arrangement of sorts with [[Mr Veils]] to take over one of its neglected workshops from [[the Fourth City]].<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Enter_as_though_you_had_a_key|Enter as though you had a key|Fallen London}}</ref> Fires converted this workshop into a coin fabrication factory, while Veils retained ownership but would not visit.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Forget_April|Forget April|Fallen London}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Steal_one_of_the_coins|Steal one of the coins|Fallen London}}</ref> Within this workshop lies an automaton imitation of Mr Veils (yes, seriously) to fill in its position in its silk shops should the real Mr Veils ever meet its end or go missing.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Stop_and_look_through_a_distracting_mirror_1|Stop and look through a distracting mirror 1|Fallen London}}</ref> Given its [[The Vake|activities]], Veils' demise seems inevitable...<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Demand_an_explanation_for_the_replica_Mr_Veils|Demand an explanation for the replica Mr Veils|Fallen London}}</ref>
== A Moon of Misery==
<blockquote>''""Once a suitable love story is found, it’ll be the end of London. Can you imagine?" The lamp trembles in its hand. Its voice rises an octave. "The end of London! I couldn't bear it! I love this city. It's my sole comfort, the greatest joy I have discovered in all my centuries. I'd do anything to preserve it.""''<ref name="ultimatum">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Light_Fingers%3A_Mr_Fires'_Ultimatum_2|Light Fingers - Mr Fires' Ultimatum 2|Fallen London}}</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''"Since the very beginning, I have had the best interests of London at heart. In the longer term, the Hybrid's milk is the only thing that can save the city. Once seeded across the populace, all love stories will be rendered suspect. Any love, no matter how pure or moving, could simply be the symptoms of an aberration's venom. Love will be robbed of its allure. The Bazaar will not know which stories it can truly believe in."''<ref name="scourge">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Call_Mr_Fires_a_scourge_on_London's_working_class|Call Mr Fires a scourge on London's working class|Fallen London}}</ref></blockquote>[[File:shard.png|thumb|A shard of glim, sheddings from a moon-miser.]]Deep within Mr Fires' soot-blackened heart lies a surprisingly genuine love for [[London]] as a city; this puts it at odds with its colleagues, many of whom seek to end their service to the [[Bazaar]] as soon as possible. As a result, Mr Fires regularly sabotages the love stories procured by Mr Wines and Mr Spices, and it is responsible for interfering in Mr Stones' plan to sell [[Moon-Misers|moon-milk]] to an exiled captain from [[Hell]]; this would have persuaded the captain to destroy London in an apocalyptic war.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Fires%27_next_move|Fires' next move|Fallen London}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/A_tiny_gift|A tiny gift|Fallen London}}</ref>

But Mr Stones isn't the only Master interested in using moon-milk for its own ends; Mr Fires itself has conducted several experiments on moon-misers and their milk within the walls of the [[Orphanage]], a laboratory that uses political prisoners and other unfortunate victims as guinea pigs. Its inhumane investigations revealed that unaltered moon-milk caused only shallow obsession, not true love - so it was worthless for forging love-stories, and the obsession faded after a few years anyway, to say nothing of the awful side effects it had on its imbibers.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Draw_out_as_many_answers_as_you_can|Draw out as many answers as you can|Fallen London}} ''""You visited my Orphanage, you saw my moon-milk research." [...] "I was hoping to use the milk to bankrupt London of love stories. [...] It is not a convincing forgery; it creates only a shallow obsession that fades after a few years.""''</ref>

Fires always has a backup plan, however, and this one is ghastly: what if it crossbred a moon-miser ''with a human?'' The resultant hybrid might secrete a special strain of moon-milk that induces true love, or at least a form of love that the Bazaar cannot distinguish from true love. Fires theorizes that adding this new moon-milk to London's water supply would render all future love stories worthless, frustrating the Bazaar's mission to collect them.<ref name="scourge" />

==References==
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[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Nonhuman]]
[[Category:The Masters]]
[[Category:Curators]]