The House of Chimes

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"I've heard tell that there's a fancy club for exceptional sorts. It's on the river, in the shell of some old clock tower. The things that go on there! They'd curl your hair and clench your toes."[1]

The House of Chimes is an exceptional club run by the Masters, which is housed in the clock tower formerly known as Big Ben.[2]

The Most Exclusive of Clubs[edit | edit source]

"Here is London's most exclusive private members' club – inside the leaning clock-tower, half-sunk in the Stolen River. Its members linger beneath the vast bell that used to ring the hour across the city."[3]

The House of Chimes is London’s most prestigious private establishment, presided over by Mr Chimes. It is headquartered at a clock tower, now half-submerged in the Stolen River, whose great bell once tolled across the city.[4][5] Its members trade stories, confidences, and gossip[6] - and that, in truth, is the entire point of the club.[7] The Masters observe their guests' tales, their interactions, and the consequences that unfold.[8]

The exact criteria for membership are unknown. Those admitted come from every walk of life, bound only by one shared trait: they are exceptional enough to have caught the attention of Mr Chimes itself.[9] Non-members cannot even find the doorkeeper, let alone gain access by any other means.[10] In a rare gesture of apparent democracy, the Masters have decreed that House members may act as an advisory council, occasionally voting on matters the Masters submit for their consideration;[11][12] however, the issues on which they vote are typically of little true consequence.[13] Furthermore, this duty is strictly voluntary: no salaries, no stipends, no expenses covered.[14]

The House of Chimes itself contains many chambers devoted to leisure and indulgence.[citation needed] The only rooms specifically named are the Augustus Suite,[15] which requires Mr Chimes' permission to enter for even a brief moment;[16] and the Nobbled Spire, where members meet for the most private of conversations.[17]

The Very Biggest of Bens[edit | edit source]

"The Tower of Chimes drifts in the darkness, wracked by winds, sparkling with frost."[18]

During the move to the High Wilderness, Big Ben was moved together with Parliament, leaving most of the Masters of the Bazaar behind in the Neath. Both buildings were set adrift together in the skies of Albion, away from London. Big Ben has been renamed The Tower of Chimes, and no longer houses the club. There is something in there, however...[19]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ House of Chimes, Fallen London
  2. ↑ Sidebar Snippet: What is the House of Chimes?, Fallen London "The House of Chimes is an exceptional place for Exceptional people. Mr Chimes guards the door closely. He has particular standards. (Why is Big Ben in the river?)"
  3. ↑ The Entrance to the House of Chimes, Fallen London
  4. ↑ The House of Chimes, Fallen London "Those favoured by Mr Chimes meet here, beneath a great and nameless Bell in a leaning clock-tower, the lights of London glittering at their feet like stolen souls."
  5. ↑ The Entrance to the House of Chimes, Fallen London "Here is London's most exclusive private members' club – inside the leaning clock-tower, half-sunk in the Stolen River. Its members linger beneath the vast bell that used to ring the hour across the city."
  6. ↑ Caught Up in a Soldier's Heartbreaking Tale, Fallen London "The Regretful Soldier proffers a pipe of aromatic lichen and offers to tell you a tale that would melt a Vake's heart."
  7. ↑ The House of Chimes, Fallen London "Dear friend, [...] We have often read the surveillance reports on your speeches. We have commended your texts to the Ministry of Public Decency. We look forward to hearing more of your thoughts."
  8. ↑ Caught Up in a Soldier's Heartbreaking Tale, Fallen London "Agnes bustles into the room with coal for the fire. You do something complicated with your watch and a spare soul jar that you have about your person. Agnes' eyes fill with light and she embraces her brave old husband. You see a shadow moving across the window. A hooded eavesdropper! Was it a Master? And if so, was it pleased or displeased with your meddling?"
  9. ↑ The House of Chimes, Fallen London "The House of Chimes doesn't admit just anyone. The guest list is esoteric to the point of perversity – Spirifers rub shoulders with Russian royalty, journalists swap fireside tales with mushroom farmers. Everyone here was chosen by Mr Chimes for their singular qualities. So who are you, thus to catch the Master's eye?"
  10. ↑ The Entrance to the House of Chimes, Fallen London "The door is closed to you. You stand outside, unable even to access the doorkeeper, to persuade them to let you in."
  11. ↑ The House of Chimes, Fallen London "The populizens of London have made it known that they wish for representation. The Masters of the Bazaar, in their munificence, have thus incorporated a new voting body to take up that voice. The illustrious members of the House of Chimes will be ensuffraged in a strictly advisory capacity on highly select matters."
  12. ↑ The House of Chimes, Fallen London "The Masters will, from time to time, bring matters before a vote. They promise to observe the outcome of the vote when making their determinations. ('Observe', here, as one might observe a pinned frog during a vivisection.)"
  13. ↑ The House of Chimes, Fallen London "Eye narrow in Chimes' hood. It glowers at its notes, then discards them with a flick of its glove. "You are here because you have opinions." Pronounced like 'carbuncles'. "Opinions which need to be excised. Which is to say: given an outlet. It is high time you had a say on matters of–" a throaty chuckle "–sufficient importance.""
  14. ↑ The House of Chimes, Fallen London "Mr Chimes rattles through the details. This is a voluntary position. You will receive neither salary, nor stipend, nor expenses. You are responsible for your own bribes. If you wish to don a robe, you must provide one."
  15. ↑ Cut with Moonlight, Fallen London "As they leave, you notice a small box on the ground. The man must have dropped it. One side is stamped with a sun, and the interior is lined with mirrors: smugglers use these to carry sunlight from the surface. Inside is a folded square of paper: House of Chimes stationery, unsigned. 'Augustus Suite,' it reads, '9 'o'clock.'"
  16. ↑ Cut with Moonlight, Fallen London "You convince Mr Chimes to allow you inside. "You have five minutes," it says."
  17. ↑ Flint, Fallen London "The stump of a spire remains atop the House of Chimes. Mr Chimes has added railings, and an enigmatic plaque. The Bishop waits in black, still as a standing stone. "What shall we speak of now?" he asks."
  18. ↑ Ambition: The Martyr-King’s Cup – Stealing Time from the Tower of Chimes, Sunless Skies
  19. ↑ Heave-ho!, Sunless Skies "Something hunched and tattered crawls from the broken hole, its limbs unpleasantly long, its movements erratic. Shaking powdered glass from its leathery wings, it hooks one claw around your chain. It raises its head. Its screech is the sound of death in the dark."
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