Editing Real-Life Parallels

{{Uncited}}
{{spoiler}}[[File:Schlomo.png|thumb|Dr. Schlomo, better known as Freud.]]
More so than any of the other games in this setting, ''Fallen London'' features an array of characters whom the astute player might recognize from somewhere else...__forcetoc__

==Historical Figures==
*As we all can tell quite easily, '''the [[Empress]]''' and her Consort are [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Victoria Queen Victoria] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert,_Prince_Consort Prince Albert].
*[[The Gracious Widow|'''The Widow''']] is Shirin (or Cheren), daughter of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%B6ngke_Khan Mongke Khan].
*The exact identity of '''[[the Duchess]]''' is disputed, as there are conflicts between different segments of ''Fallen London'', but she is one of the daughters of the pharaoh [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akhenaten Akhenaten]. His other surviving daughters are now known as the [[Poisoned Priestess]], the [[Obstinate Adoratrice]], the Mother Superior of [[Abbey Rock]], and the [[Roseate Queen]] of [[Arbor]].
*'''Mr. Huffam''', of [[Spite|Doubt Street]] fame, is none other than [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Dickens Charles John ''Huffam'' Dickens].
*'''The Epigrammatic Irishman''', the deceased lover of '''the Wilted Dandy''', is [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Wilde Oscar Wilde]. The Dandy himself may be [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robbie_Ross Robbie Ross], Wilde's [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literary_estate#Literary_executor literary executor].
*'''Dr. Schlomo''', '''the Interpreter of Dreams''', is [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigmund_Freud Sigmund ''Schlomo'' Freud], founder of the practice of psychoanalysis. Freud in real life had a great interest in dreams, believing them to be a path to the knowledge of the unconscious. In fact, he published a book on the subject, called [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Interpretation_of_Dreams The Interpretation of Dreams].
*The painter [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Holman_Hunt William Holman Hunt] appears in the game as '''the Ginger-Haired Painter'''.
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stamford_Raffles Sir Stamford Raffles], mentioned in reference to [[the Labyrinth of Tigers]] and the Correspondence, was indeed the founder of the British colony of Singapore, the Zoological Society of London, and the London Zoo. His son, '''Leopold''', also survived and is now Pirate-King of the [[Isle of Cats]].
*'''March''' of [[the Calendar Council]] - until he was murdered by [[the Haunted Doctor]], at least - was temperance campaigner and author [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Cassell John Cassell], who also sold coffee.
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_Couthon Georges ''August''e Couthon] was guillotined in the French Revolution in real life, but the similarities between Couthon and [[the Jovial Contrarian|'''the Jovial Contrarian''']] seem to be no coincidence. For instance, Couthon's legs were paralyzed due to what was believed to be meningitis, and he was eventually compelled to rely on a wheelchair; the Contrarian, likewise, is a wheelchair user.
*'''The Dusty Ornithologist''' is most likely [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Darwin Charles Darwin], who based his theory of evolution on finches from the Galapagos islands.
*'''The Dashing Debunker,''' featured in the Exceptional Story ''Noises from Upstairs,'' has much in common with legendary magician [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Houdini Harry Houdini].
*'''The Illuminating Futurist''', featured in the Exceptional Story ''A Bright Future'', has much less (but still a bit) in common with inventor [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Tesla Nikola Tesla].
*'''The [[Great Game]]''' used to be a power struggle in Central Asia but now [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Game spans the world].
*'''The Carpenter's Granddaughter''' is related to paleontologist [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Anning Mary Anning], as evidenced by the name of her shop, Anning & Daughters.
*'''Gillibrand & Searle''', writers of comic operas, are an on-the-nose reference to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_and_Sullivan Gilbert and Sullivan].
*'''Henry Peppercorn,''' performer at [[Mahogany Hall]], is ostensibly [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Henry_Pepper John Henry Pepper], the scientist and entertainer best known for an illusion technique called [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepper%27s_ghost "Pepper's ghost."]
*'''The Genre Painter''', the illustrator for the Naga Advertising Agency, is [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simeon_Solomon Simeon Solomon], a Jewish artist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite movement.<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/728292783584051220/928794350337523842 Emily Short via Discord],"I can I think safely share a couple dev thoughts on the most recent thing I had an active hand in, though: the Genre Painter at the Naga Agency came about because in our research for Mask, we ran across this guy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simeon_Solomon and wondered if he could have had a (mostly) happier life in the Neath"</ref> Solomon was homosexual; in the real world, the exposure of his affairs resulted in his arrest and prosecution and the end of his career.
*The Theosophist '''Madame Petrovsky''' is a likely reference to the real life founder of Theosophy, [https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helena_Blavatsky Madame Helena Petrovna Blavatsky].
*'''His Amused Lordship''' is based on [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Blessed Brian Blessed], known for his "distinctive bushy beard, booming voice, and exuberant personality and performances".<ref name=":0">Paul Arendt - Art Director, [https://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/lfhknn/comment/gmlvgoz/ on a Reddit AMA]: "Brian is very much the inspiration for his Amused Lordship, yes. The Bishop of Southwark I see more as Oliver Reed"</ref>
*'''The Bishop of Southwark''' is based on [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Reed Oliver Reed], known for his "upper-middle class, macho image and his heavy-drinking, hellraiser lifestyle" (how ironic).<ref name=":0" />

==References to Fiction==
*The [[Calendar Council]] is a reference to the Council of Days from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Who_Was_Thursday ''The Man Who Was Thursday''], by G. K. Chesterton.
*[[The Constables|The Honey-Addled Detective]] is a reference to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherlock_Holmes Sherlock Holmes].
*Assuming the First City is Uruk, then [[the Manager of the Royal Bethlehem Hotel]] is [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilgamesh Gilgamesh], the [[King with a Hundred Hearts]] is [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enkidu Enkidu], and the Capering Relicker is [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utnapishtim Utnapishtim].
*The [[Captivating Princess]] may be a reference to Helen from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_God_Pan ''The Great God Pan''] by Arthur Machen.
*The [[Red-Handed Queen]] is a reference to Lady [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macbeth Macbeth].

==References==
[[Category:Places]]
[[Category:Characters]]

<references />