The Dilmun Club

From The Fifth City Wiki

"You have heard of a secret society that overlaps somewhat with academia. It sometimes sponsors expeditions across the Unterzee. They do occasionally publish..."[1]

The Dilmun Club is a secret academic society dedicated to the pursuit of immortality.

If You Know, You Know[edit | edit source]

"Imagine it! ... not just deferred death, but eternal youth! And all the secrets untouched by time and hate... we can't allow fear or even conscience to keep us from our duty. If the Snuffers can assist us, they may be a suitable tool. The Garden's been closed for too long. You understand, don't you? You'll help me – help us?"[2]

The Dilmun Club occasionally publishes monographs concerning death in the Neath, but otherwise remains private.[3] Their meetings are held in various exclusive venues, but they are headquartered at a townhouse (Orchard House) near Jekyll Gardens in Ladybones Road.[4] They do not solicit membership; those who wish to join must first discover the Club's existence independently, then secure sponsorship from an existing member.[5] Candidates must also find and enter the Museum of Mistakes as an initiatory task, though this is not particularly difficult because the Club hides subtle hints in their publications.[6][7] Upon success, the sponsor formally introduces the new member, and they are awarded a lapel badge denoting full membership.[8]

The Club’s primary concern is the study of immortality, particularly the mysteries surrounding the Garden at the heart of the Mountain of Light.[9] To this end, they organize expeditions, map regions of the Elder Continent, and conduct extensive fieldwork.[10][11] At its core, the Club functions as a geographical society.[12] However, their ultimate goal often pits them against the powers that be who preserve the secret of immortality, notably including the Presbyterate College of Mortality;[13] to mitigate risk and avoid the divulging of deeper secrets, the Club's newest member - informally titled as the "Newest" - is sent on sensitive errands.[14] There also certain paths of inquiry the Club avoids altogether, deeming them too perilous to pursue.[15]

When a member proposes a promising line of inquiry, it is submitted to the group for a vote[16] to determine whether it would be valuable to pursue.[17] If the project is approved by majority,[18] the Club provides seed funding.[19] Regardless of success or failure, the findings are archived[20][21] in the Club’s secret collection, housed behind a concealed entrance in the library at Orchard House.[22]

Members[edit | edit source]

"You've been summoned to a meeting at Orchard House! Other members nod to you as you enter the solar. The Bishop of St Fiacre's; his Amused Lordship; the Implacable Detective; an Unlikely Florist; a Discreet Sybarite; a Woman in Green... and others. Some rich. Some learned. Some neither."[23]

The Club draws from a wide and eclectic pool: scholars, aristocrats, adventurers, mystics, and the wealthy.[24] Some members hold prominent positions and perform essential roles within the organization. Expulsion is rare but possible, as in the case of the Youthful Naturalist.[25]

Outer Circle[edit | edit source]

"All the other members want to shake your hand. There are speeches and congratulations. There is also some discussion about finding a newer Newest. Now that you know what you know, you're unfit to conduct certain business for the Club, for which a less vulnerable mind is required."[26]

These are prominent members with clearly defined responsibilities. They are usually present at meetings and are actively involved in Club operations:

  • The Unlikely Florist: A botanist and biologist. She conducts many of the Club’s experiments.[27]
  • The Discreet Sybarite: A hedonist who acts as the Club's spymaster.[28][29]
  • The Woman in Green: A chain-smoking chronicler who records meeting minutes[30][31] and documents the Club’s broader activities.[32]
  • Feducci: A "tomb-colonist" and expert duelist who acts as a liaison in matters concerning the Elder Continent.[33][34][35] He is also a Presbyterate agent who feeds information to the Prester.[36]
  • The Superannuated Explorer: A weathered adventurer with firsthand knowledge of the Elder Continent. He guards the Club’s secret archives.[37]

Inner Circle[edit | edit source]

"Even within the Dilmun Club, secrets have been withheld from some members."[38]

Not all members are entrusted with the Club’s most dangerous or sensitive undertakings.[39] Some may simply be liabilities; others, like a certain bandaged duelist, may be spies.[40] For this reason, the more shrewd and loyal members have formed an inner circle that operates in secret:

  • The Bishop of St Fiacre's: A clergyman (though not entirely human) who seeks entry to the Garden not just for himself, but for his kin. He possesses deep esoteric knowledge[41] and an extensive network of contacts throughout the Neath.[42]
  • His Amused Lordship: A jovial, wealthy nobleman who funds a significant portion of the Club’s research and expeditions.[43]
  • The Implacable Detective: An aging investigator in search of youth.[44] She is the main cartographer of the Club.[45][46]
  • The Thirsty Croupier: A peerless tarot reader and mystic.[47] He functions as the Club’s accountant and risk assessor,[48] when the club gambles — on anything — they consult him.[49]

Historical & Cultural Inspirations[edit | edit source]

Dilmun, or Telmun, was a prominent Bronze Age civilization located in the region of present-day Bahrain, as well as parts of eastern Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Flourishing from around 3200 BCE to 1200 BCE, Dilmun occupied a crucial position along ancient trade routes, acting as a commercial nexus between Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, and the Persian Gulf.

In Mesopotamian mythology, Dilmun is revered as a sacred, radiant "Land of the Living" - a paradise untouched by disease, death, or suffering. In one myth, the goddess Ninhursag pleads with Enki, god of water and wisdom, to bring fresh water to Dilmun, transforming it from a barren place into a lush garden. In the Sumerian creation myth (called the Eridu Genesis by modern scholars), as well as some versions of the Epic of Gilgamesh, Dilmun is the place where Utnapishtim is granted immortality by the gods after surviving a great flood.

Thanks to these mythological associations, 20th-century archaeologist William F. Albright proposed that Dilmun was a possible prototype or precursor of the biblical Garden of Eden; his theory has garnered some support in the century since its publication, but remains controversial. Both Dilmun and Eden share recurring symbolic motifs: a pristine garden in the East, sacred rivers or springs, divine encounters, the granting (and sometimes withholding) of immortality, and the theme of a lost paradise. The Dilmun Club, which searches for the Garden, is thus aptly named.

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Finding the Dilmun Club, Fallen London
  2. ↑ A word with the Detective, Fallen London
  3. ↑ Finding the Dilmun Club, Fallen London "[...] The monograph is rather wry. It may be contaminated with jokes. However, you do pick up some interesting points. The Dilmun Club is concerned with some sort of... location? principle? person? Their theories diverge, but it's definitely something down here that has to do with the rarity of death. [...]"
  4. ↑ Find the Dilmun Club headquarters, Fallen London "Finding the club's headquarters is complicated by the fact that they sometimes hold soirées in exclusive venues, but eventually, your quarry leads you to a tall, imposing townhouse on Varlet's Walk, near Jekyll Gardens."
  5. ↑ Ask His Amused Lordship to sponsor you, Fallen London "He's been chivvying you to get involved for a while now."
  6. ↑ Ask His Amused Lordship to sponsor you, Fallen London "You found it! Marvellous!" says His Amused Lordship. "And you passed the test. You entered the Museum. Let's get on with it!" He eagerly leads you inside."
  7. ↑ A visit to the Museum of Mistakes, Fallen London "[...] The centrepiece of the Museum is a single half-eaten fig. It is unlabelled: but this must be the 'demi-consumed fruit' of the Dilmun Club's monograph."
  8. ↑ Ask His Amused Lordship to sponsor you, Fallen London "His Lordship announces you. "This fine [gendertitle] will be our newest recruit. I believe some of you may already have been introduced, in fact..." You are subjected to a flurry of handshakes, and receive a shiny new pin for your lapel. "We will be in touch soon," says His Lordship. "How very fine to have you with us at last." It has all happened so quickly that you have scarcely had time to contemplate the haste with which they accepted you..."
  9. ↑ Search the secret archives for the file, Fallen London "Take the file. Learn for yourself why we focus on the Garden. You will waste your time, but you won't waste our funding. If you pursue this research, you'll have to do it with your own money."
  10. ↑ A word with His Amused Lordship, Fallen London "We still don't know the exact location of the Garden, [...] We don't even know if it is a Garden, really. But we're getting closer. [...] I want you on the expedition, when it leaves. You'll ensure the place is treated gently. Won't you?"
  11. ↑ A word with His Amused Lordship, Fallen London "The rest of the meeting is a blur of esoteric and geographic debate. You don't follow all of it; but you learn a great deal about the Elder Continent. Enough to fear the place as it should be feared. Enough to know that your patron, and the Dilmun Club, hold the key to deep secrets indeed."
  12. ↑ Speak with the Implacable Detective, Fallen London "But I did promise a map. At heart, the Dilmun Club is a geographic society. Our expeditions depend upon learning the land. And these? See for yourself."
  13. ↑ Ask about the College of Mortality, Fallen London ""We're all potential targets now," the Implacable Detective tells you."
  14. ↑ The Noble Process of Peer Review, Fallen London "[...] There is also some discussion about finding a newer Newest. Now that you know what you know, you're unfit to conduct certain business for the Club, for which a less vulnerable mind is required. [...]"
  15. ↑ Listen to the Naturalist's proposition, Fallen London "[...] And the Dilmun Club keeps records. There's one file I'd love to re-open. It's from an old experiment. They deemed it 'too unlawful' to pursue. Too unlawful! Can you imagine? If you dig it up, I guarantee you'll find it educational."
  16. ↑ The Noble Process of Peer Review, Fallen London "All eyes are on you as the Dilmun Club anticipates your report. Your sponsor's gaze, however, occasionally roves around the room, watching the other members. How might they react? How much do they already know? The candlelight is uncommonly hot. A space has been cleared for you to stand beside the black box. You have your research ready."
  17. ↑ Listen to the Implacable Detective, Fallen London "[...] Our Newest has made promising discoveries. The research may bear reevaluation, and perhaps even merit funding – if the Newest can convince the Club."
  18. ↑ Accept funding for your research, Fallen London "I didn't want to burden you," whispers the Superannuated Explorer when he shakes your hand. "Neither did the Bishop. But she argued persuasively—" He nods toward the Detective, who is chatting with Feducci. "—and we were outvoted. All I can say is be careful, my friend."
  19. ↑ Accept funding for your research, Fallen London "Nice bit of pocket change, eh? Just enough for a test! See how far this gets you, return with another report, and we'll see what else we can do. I eagerly await our next meeting."
  20. ↑ Search the secret archives for the file, Fallen London "Cabinets line the archives, filled with studies conducted by different club members over the years. Some are successes, but most are failures."
  21. ↑ Another File for the Archives, Fallen London "All things considered, your final report is fairly slim. A great deal is written in code, naturally. And should future scholars follow the myriad footnotes back to their sources, they'll need mountaineering gear to scale the academic heights. [...]"
  22. ↑ Report to His Amused Lordship, Fallen London "His Amused Lordship searches your face with a serious expression on his own. [...] "I'm glad that you trusted me enough to tell me this. I won't abuse your trust by feigning ignorance. Our archives hold research that's rather ugly. But I don't have the same scruples as some other members. Do you want to see for yourself? Come with me." In the library, he pulls a book from a shelf. "Classic, isn't it? My own design," he says, with not a little pride, as the bookcase swings open to reveal a hidden stairwell."
  23. ↑ Return to the Dilmun Club, Fallen London
  24. ↑ Return to the Dilmun Club, Fallen London "[...] Other members nod to you as you enter the solar. The Bishop of St Fiacre's; his Amused Lordship; the Implacable Detective; an Unlikely Florist; a Discreet Sybarite; a Woman in Green... and others. Some rich. Some learned. Some neither. [...]"
  25. ↑ Tell them about the Youthful Naturalist, Fallen London "Before you joined us, that young man belonged to our club. [...] We revoked his membership,"
  26. ↑ The Noble Process of Peer Review, Fallen London
  27. ↑ Tell them about your trip to Cline, Fallen London "To be frank, I thought it would be bigger, [...] I designed everything at a larger scale. I hope this doesn't compromise the experiment."
  28. ↑ Speak with the Discreet Sybarite, Fallen London "I know you wish to consult the Bishop. I know many things. I will arrange a meeting. Until then, not a whisper. Orchard House listens."
  29. ↑ Consider the news from Vesture, Fallen London "No word for months, [...] We thought our informant was lost. Now the channels are open again. Pieces move on the board. What say the cards?"
  30. ↑ A Meeting with Radical Academics, Fallen London "[...] The Implacable Detective watches you with a fixed gaze while a Woman in Green records the minutes."
  31. ↑ The Noble Process of Peer Review, Fallen London "[...] The Woman in Green still has a cigar clenched between her teeth, but now she's scribbling rapidly to record the minutes as everyone talks."
  32. ↑ The Noble Process of Peer Review, Fallen London "[...] the Woman in Green is documenting the financials, [...]"
  33. ↑ Attend the meeting at Orchard House, Fallen London "Not quite," interrupts Feducci. "[…] I've arranged for you to meet their London representative: […] in the Fifth Coil of the Labyrinth […]"
  34. ↑ Let the Implacable Detective finish speaking, Fallen London "And yet," rasps Feducci, "progress remains […] lethargic. Every kingdom of the Presbyterate contains only fragments of knowledge, and each boasts its own […] impediment […]"
  35. ↑ Inspect the model with Feducci, Fallen London "Since you last looked inside, the landscape has changed. [...] Around the Presbyterate territory, where a half-dozen silver needles once marked the border, now there must be two dozen. [...] "I can smell blood," says Feducci. "Nidah is baring her fangs.""
  36. ↑ A matter of dictation, Fallen London "33856 is […] firmly tied to her […] bed […]. She talks […] Latin, Arabic, Hebrew […] She's from the Elder Country […] She has died […] a hundred times in the service of the Presbyter. […] She used to work with Feducci. He is the Presbyter's agent in London."
  37. ↑ Sneak into the secret archives, Fallen London "A Superannuated Explorer, who appears to be dozing by the fireplace, is more alert than his snores indicate. As you're sneaking through the library, he opens one eye. "Might be getting frail in my old age. Might be that my adventuring days are behind me. But you learn to listen – even when you're asleep – if you want to survive in the Bleeding Forest." His other eye, the one that isn't staring at you, is a scar in his skull."
  38. ↑ Receive certain privileged information, Fallen London
  39. ↑ Receive certain privileged information, Fallen London "Even within the Dilmun Club, secrets have been withheld from some members."
  40. ↑ Upstairs at the Bridge Without (Evolution), Fallen London "[…] here […] the […] Club is more reserved. His […] Lordship dismisses his valet with an uncharacteristically gruff monosyllable. The […] Detective watches the street […] The Thirsty Croupier is dealing cards to the Bishop […] but nobody else is present. Not even Feducci […]"
  41. ↑ Speak with the Youthful Naturalist, Fallen London "The Bishop of St Fiacre's. He's the only one. I wish I had another choice, but nobody else knows this research like him. He still keeps secrets about it. Please, get him to talk."
  42. ↑ Ask about the Bishop's alliances, Fallen London "Not only mine. They could also be yours. They could tip the balance."
  43. ↑ Gatecrash a party, Fallen London ""What do you reckon, eh? I suspect her basic theories are unsound, but one can't fault the thoroughness of her research. We've got to find out more about these places. I'm thinking of sponsoring an expedition out there in a few months. Might you be interested?"
  44. ↑ A word with the Detective, Fallen London "[...] Her age-spotted hand trembles on your shoulder. "Imagine it! ... not just deferred death, but eternal youth! [...] The Garden's been closed for too long. You understand, don't you? You'll help me – help us?""
  45. ↑ Sell the right-hand side to certain parties, Fallen London "The Implacable Detective's chart cabinet is rather impressive. You wonder that she has time for matters geographical when she's usually after some Flit-villain."
  46. ↑ Pay a private visit to the library, Fallen London "Down the corridors, their conversation carries, and Orchard House listens. Voices sink into the carpets, the wood panelling, until you reach the library. The Implacable Detective is studying maps spread across a table."
  47. ↑ Arcana, Fallen London "Amongst the Fifth City's discerning mystics, only one gentleman has a reputation for 'getting it right' with anything resembling consistency, and that gentleman doesn't entertain the public."
  48. ↑ Upstairs at the Bridge Without (Evolution), Fallen London "[…] here […] the […] Club is more reserved. His […] Lordship dismisses his valet with an uncharacteristically gruff monosyllable. The […] Detective watches the street […] The Thirsty Croupier is dealing cards to the Bishop […] but nobody else is present. Not even Feducci […]"
  49. ↑ Arcana, Fallen London "[...] I prefer to sit back and watch. Leave the grand plan to other members. But if they want help, I provide. Ledgers, for example? Liabilities. I keep the club's accounts right here." He taps his skull with a finger. "I'm good with numbers. Statistics. Odds. [...] The Dilmun Club likes to gamble. Someone needs to weigh the risk," the Croupier replies. "If the stakes are high, they consult me – and I consult the cards."
Retrieved from "https://thefifthcity.wiki/w/index.php?title=The_Dilmun_Club&oldid=20426"