The Iron Republic

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"Factory-engines roar like false lions. Blood thunders in the dock-pipes. Crimson lightning skitters across the deck, leaps to the rail, coils there like a cat. The city is reflected in glassy-calm harbour water: the citizens there have the heads of dogs and serpents.

Hell has brought freedom to the Iron Republic: freedom from all laws, even those of nature."[1]

The Iron Republic is a city-state sponsored by Hell, located south of London. The laws here from the societal to the physical change daily, so the region is in a constant state of chaos.

Political[edit | edit source]

"Oh... what a place. They say that there's no law there that lasts a week. No ruler that lasts a day. They say that not even Hell tries to govern it. Paradise. I know one bloke says he's been there. Mad as you like, but if you believe him, sometimes rain falls up and time runs backwards. Not even the tyranny of nature rules in the Iron Republic. Imagine that! True freedom for all!"[2]

Despite the name, the Iron Republic possesses no true central government.[3] It does, however, maintain a strange and inconsistent bureaucracy:[4][5] customs officials patrol its borders to prevent forbidden materials from leaving and to ensure visitors do not carry away too much of the Republic's malign influence.[6][7]

The politics of the Republic are appropriately incomprehensible, but the throughline is that it is in a permament mode of revolution.[8] The "conventional" is discouraged, or even illegal in the Republic,[9][10] and reactionaries are actively suppressed.[11] Political discussion takes place not in chambers or courts but in pubs and basements.[12] Protests erupt frequently in the streets, although no one is ever quite sure who is being protested.[13][14] Rival groups clash, sometimes with multiple versions of the same faction appearing at once.[15] Violence is part of the daily rhythm.[16]

Every citizen or visitor has a chance to become the Republic's ruler for the day. Leadership is assigned by lottery:[17] the chosen individual is forced into the Tyrant's rod and gown, placed before a devilish court,[18] and permitted to declare whatever decrees they wish, fully aware that their reign will be brief.[19] At the end, the Tyrant is hunted and mobbed.[20]

Most visitors depart before the Feast of Chain, the Republic's grand celebration of freedom,[21] as attendance is expected.[22] During the festivities, revellers are bound in manacles. At the feast's conclusion, revolutionaries free the crowd, though not everyone is unshackled; oversight and political symbolism are difficult to distinguish.[23] Those who refuse to participate may wait out the event inside a clock-tower whose bells ring at irregular intervals.[24]

Legal[edit | edit source]

"The Iron Republic was founded on the eradication of privilege. Laws are meant to be broken. All laws, even those of nature. Fascinating place. I miss it."[25]

The Law-Furnaces of the Iron Republic burn constantly, unleashing daily "law-storms" that sweep across the city.[26][27] New laws fall from the sky like rain; citizens take shelter to avoid the worst effects.[28] Some manage to resist these changes, either through steadfast devotion or through flagrantly criminal dispositions.[29][30][31] The devils that live here endure the storms more easily than the human inhabitants.[32]

The surrounding waters are thick with pirates,[33] but the main maritime danger come from another kind of outlaw entirely: old laws which have been pushed away out into the Unterzee by the constant flux of the Republic. These discarded laws warp anything they touch, transforming matter and summoning violent winds.[34][35]

The justice system, if it can be called that, is presided over by a chief judge, chosen randomly off the streets, who serves in the position for an afternoon.[36] The unlucky judge is then forced to interpret the Republic current laws, which is made significantly difficult by them shifting mid-sentence,[37] and dispense punishments as they see fit.[38] The court's staff includes a trio of devils in fur hats, acting as both clerks and executioners, and a toad-demon bailiff.[39]

Despite the Republic's horrors, its promise of absolute freedom draws newcomers each year, steadily expanding the city.[40] Long-term inhabitants survive by avoiding the roaming mobs, the confounding laws, and learning to put up with the Republic's more abstract horrors.[41] Those who understand its logic, if it can be called that, may even thrive.[42][43]

Locational[edit | edit source]

"The city behind you could almost be any of a dozen European capitals. But the elegant ladies of Paris have faces. And the merchants of Vienna don't sob over the mathematics of the Gulden."[44]

At first glance, the Iron Republic resembles a European metropolis. Look longer and the illusion dissolves into flux and anarchy.[45] Still, pockets of relative stability exist.[46]

The Republic's prison, when it exists,[47] changes its name daily,[48] always according to themes of confinement: Palace of Definition, Eyrie of Contemplation,[49] Eternal Love,[50] Garden of Rightful Quietude,[51] etc. A squat iron fortress crusted with rust, it is considered the most dangerous place in the Republic.[50][52] Visitors must satisfy bizarre, shifting visitation requirements and pay a fee in souls.[53][54]

The second most dangerous landmark is a big, pockmarked wall that towers over the city.[55] Unlike the rest of the Republic, it never changes. The weeping devils at its base are its most immediate threat.[56] It is possibly a segment torn away from the Very Walls of Hell in the Season of Revolutions.[57][58]

The Market of Hungers, where the commercial activities of the Republic occur, with its iron spires and sigils, is made in mockery of the Bazaar.[59][46] Each day brings a different form of the Market: the Parliment of Flies ("Flies. Listen."),[60] in which the Market is flooded with flies;[59] the Calvary Doctrine ("Sacrifice what is needful, and gain that which is desirable."),[61] in which the the Market is filled with crucified dragons and laws-in-waiting;[62] The Gesundheit Conspiracy ("You will be happy, and healthy. Nothing else remains.");[63] the Expulsus ("GIVE BONE TAKE SPIRIT"),[64] wherein bone is taken and spirit is given in return.[65] The closing of the Market is signalled by gunshot.[66]

The Forest of Traitors is a library which migrates from building to building.[49] Despite the citizenry of the Republic being literate and politically conscious, the library is a testament to their hatred of books, for the books there have not been read in almost a decade. The Librarian in charge hold the philosiphy that ideas should remain unfixed, never trapped in text.[67] Many banned or revolutionary books from London are buried beneath the city itself.[68]

The Obloquy Fountain, which is usually located in a prominent position in some civic square,[69] is apparently a desirable tourist destination.[70] The Fountain holds a kind of liquid of vivid purple that spits out back-handed compliments whenever they spill over.[71]

Historical[edit | edit source]

"' - insisted that the Republic was more a human institution than an infernal one, inspired as it was by the Surface revolutions of fifty and a hundred years ago. For if a law of men could be torn down by a mob, why not a law of nature?'"[72]

"'[...] We meandered on to the subject of why Hell would want a colony in the first place. He took a long draw on his pipe and said "The Bazaar won't be here forever. We must make our experiments while we may."'"[73]

Hell founded the Iron Republic as an experiment, drawing inspiration from the great Surface revolutions of the previous century.[74][75] They collaborated with anarchists to establish a place where the chains of earth and Heaven no longer applied.[76] The Neath itself reportedly let out a breath when the Republic was created.[77] Hell itself does not demand tribute from the Republic, but there are arrangements with individual devils. Apparently, the city is an attractive spot for devils who often travel abroad.[78] Not all devils approves of the experiment however, as the lawlessness can even be too much for some of them.[79][80]

Its lawlessness quickly attracted pirates, who made it a port of call.[33] Iron Republic corsairs sail under whatever flags suit their moods, confounding the Admiralty, whose hands are tied by the Masters' prohibitions against simply destroying every single Republic vessels on sight.[81] Some years ago, these corsairs attempted to invade Polythreme.[82] The island repelled them, and the Republic continues to commemorate this failed conquest.[83]

Today in the Iron Republic...[edit | edit source]

The following writing is not canon. Reload to possibly view another day!

– the elephants have arrived! Good lord, the elephants are here. They are huge, ferocious, and they are utterly without mercy. And they hunger. In my desperation to escape, I rushed back to the docks, only to find that the bastards are amphibious. And they murdered a boat. Risking a glance at the streets, I noticed a rather bohemian lady chopping up unfortunate bystanders with an ax. While on fire. Jack-of-Smiles would be proud.

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Location description, Sunless Sea
  2. ↑ Call in favours with anarchists, Fallen London
  3. ↑ Sell the Memento Mori to a purchaser in the Iron Republic, Sunless Sea "The Iron Republic has no government, no representatives. But it has plenty of citizens eager to purchase an engine of destruction."
  4. ↑ A Day for Reading, Fallen London "The two devils in high collars and gold epaulettes examine your papers. They pay particular interest to your journal."
  5. ↑ Still after Scathewick, Fallen London "Look, it's none of my business, but whatever you're up to, could you do it in private? Violence in the streets don't half rack up the paperwork."
  6. ↑ Looking at your writing, Fallen London "Well, there's nothing in here that the Consulate will object to. And the bit with the swan is hilarious, to boot. Here's your journal back, now be off with you."
  7. ↑ "Oh dear, oh dear", Fallen London "My, you have suffered from our little exuberances, haven't you? Never mind, just sign here and we can put it all right. Best sort it out now. Wouldn't do to get back to London and have your giblets drop out on the quayside."
  8. ↑ Arguments in the street, Fallen London "'- and besides her talking nonsense, I was weary of the barrage of obtuse revolution, constantly present but ever-changing, like the sky we'd all half-forgotten.'"
  9. ↑ Remaining safe, Fallen London "' – and revellers were being castigated for their lack of vision by four different cadres of radicals, two of them devils. But the music was tuneful and the poetry usually rhymed.'"
  10. ↑ Remaining safe, Fallen London "' – although "conventional" is relative here. The poetry coiled around us like friendly smoke. The songs were from a land we'd never see. Naturally, we were arrested the following morning.'"
  11. ↑ One must also consider the nature of the speaker, Fallen London "' – and the devil, who was a pianist in an unusual meandering style, went on to tell me that my politics were vile, a relic of the old order. He went on that I may as well resign myself to the flames, and enjoy whatever base pleasures remain to me. We had to leave when the pub was raided for reactionary elements. My companion pointed me out, and I was forced to flee with the dogs of revolution snapping at my ankles...'"
  12. ↑ Day 15, Sinking into Freedom, Fallen London "' - those who stride over the politics of the Iron Republic as giants. They even prefer to meet in cellars and bohemian pubs, spurning the lofty halls that are theirs for the taking...'"
  13. ↑ Day 17, Burning the Ashes, Fallen London "'[…] the din of a street protest - this time against the Face Tax. This is hardly notable in the Iron Republic, but the problems started when exactly the same protest marched up from behind us, and we were stuck between the shouting doubles.'"
  14. ↑ Taking a look, carefully, Fallen London "' – the protest was about the savagery and mortality of the recent weather, although I wasn't sure who they were protesting to. Nevertheless, the bloodied glass shards melted away into mist as the mob passed, which raised a few questions about how this place really operates.'"
  15. ↑ Run for it, Fallen London "''-the shouts of the mob behind me became screams. I heard the thud of fists and bricks. Then, silence and a sickly yellow light, but I didn't stop to see what had happened. I didn't see anyone from that fracas alive again, in single or double.'"
  16. ↑ Set to pounding faces, Fallen London "' - and savage beatings are common in the streets here. The violence is usually some tiny political sect attacking another, but sometimes it's crime, or protest, or art. Or revenge.'"
  17. ↑ Day 30, The Golden Interval, Fallen London "' - the fashion or law, the two are often the same here, for selecting a ruler by drawn lot. Of course, these unfortunates never last long.'"
  18. ↑ A lucky number, Fallen London "' – had it occurred that I could use my brief reign for personal gain when I acquired a ready-made court of flattering devils. 'Enjoy yourself,' they said, suddenly lacking in revolutionary ardour, 'when will you ever get to do this again? Don't worry about the mob – we'll deal with them'. Seldom have I felt so much like the contents of a butcher's window.'"
  19. ↑ A lucky number, Fallen London "'As many had done before me, I formed decrees that would cushion my inevitable fall from grace and authority. […] My deposement was sufficiently half-hearted that I could walk the streets again in less than a week.'"
  20. ↑ Taking a look, carefully, Fallen London "'- smell of blood only added to the performance. The participants were chasing down the week's Tyrant, but more out of enjoyment of the chase than any political conviction. Perhaps one can become tired of revolution, even in a place such as this.'"
  21. ↑ Day 51, Eternity of Clarity, Fallen London "' - although many visitors to the Republic plan to leave before the Feast of Chains, the date was moved suddenly. Whether by some obscure council or a whim of natural law is immaterial.'"
  22. ↑ Off to the party, Fallen London "' - was expected to attend. The nature of the symbolic tribute to freedom was a closely-guarded secret, and the devils were always in a foul temper if the wind or a statue had whispered about it beforehand.'"
  23. ↑ Off to the party, Fallen London "' – didn't enjoy being roughly manacled by goat-demons, but it wasn't long before the parade of revolutionaries came to unlock them all. A solid minority of the crowd were overlooked, and still had their manacles the following day. Talk in the coffee-houses dwelled for days on whether this was due to inattention or a deliberate point of satire.'"
  24. ↑ Off to the party, Fallen London "' - the Feast of Chains was sparsely attended this year, as the venomous ground-mist killed many of the prospective revellers. I waited it out in a clock-tower that struck and sang at irregular intervals, as demanded by the Feast's customs.'"
  25. ↑ Call in favours at the Embassy, Fallen London
  26. ↑ Ask about the Annulment, Fallen London "I commissioned a watertight contract from one of the furnaces in the Iron Republic. They're used to making statements out there. I think they found crafting something to unmake a truth an exciting challenge."
  27. ↑ Day 1, Hurled from High Places, Fallen London "' – I had only been ashore minutes when the burning sky opened and disgorged a mass of new laws for the Republic. '"
  28. ↑ Looking backwards, Fallen London "'Even the devils hurried to cower in whichever buildings were sturdiest today. Were my thoughts entirely of myself?'"
  29. ↑ Looking backwards, Fallen London "'- I leapt for an empty archway full of people […] I was doused in a new canon, which is usually fatal. The incubae twins […] told me that the storm respects firm bonds […] They were equally impressed and disgusted […]'"
  30. ↑ Looking backwards, Fallen London "' – I dashed to a lively trattoria where devils and vagabonds were discussing the price of kidneys. The deluge left me with half a malformed constitution on my boots, but I shook it off […] contempt of the law worked in my favour for once...'"
  31. ↑ The forbidding of subtraction, a sudden rain of unbecoming thoughts..., Fallen London "' - later, while I was counting a great many copper coins, a devil told me that my inconstancy had spared me the worst of it. D__nable cheek! Although who is to say that she wasn't right?'"
  32. ↑ Back to it, Fallen London "You hear coughing. The air smells of rust and almonds. The devils walking past in their great-coats and golden epaulettes don't seem perturbed. But the humans of this city are choking. Carriage drivers and street hawkers turn grey and twitch. Two small children, apparently unaffected, play in a gutter amidst the bodies. The Dreaming Scholar turns to you and shrugs. 'Poisoned air and money with no value. A calm day, for the Iron Republic.'"
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 A Corsair Galley, Fallen London "The lawless Iron Republic is a port of call for pirates of all stripes – the desperate, the mad, the recreationally larcenous. They lurk in the dangerous waters around Hell's colony."
  34. ↑ Fight back!, Fallen London "Pirates are not the chiefest danger of the Iron Republic's shores. Law itself is mutable here. The laws of society; of time; of weather. When the storm hits, materialising from the air like a flowering bruise, neither you nor the galley are prepared. You are forced apart, battling impossible winds, your business unfinished."
  35. ↑ Fight back!, Fallen London "There – a scoria-storm, rolling off from the Republic's shores. A bank of repealed, misbegotten and self-violating laws, temporarily reshaping everything in its path. You are safely out of its way. The galley is not. The prow is even transmuted into gold! What luck."
  36. ↑ Day 34, Crowns Without Number, Fallen London "' – strolling through the fog, which was something of an effort, as it had the consistency of thin porridge and stuck to one's hair. A passing devil pushed a noose into my hand and told me I was the Republic's chief judge for the afternoon.'"
  37. ↑ A firm hand, Fallen London "' – was a task that would have made Sisyphus drop his stone and run away screaming. The laws changed faster than I could read them. As the fog lifted and the lamps were lit, a trio of devils in fur hats relieved me of my post. They told me that the malefactors were queueing up and I should have just sent the lot for Abstraction.'"
  38. ↑ A firm hand, Fallen London "' - the only thing to do was to attempt to learn the day's laws and dispense the local brand of judgement as I saw fit.'"
  39. ↑ The hand of mercy, Fallen London "' – but the trio of devils in queer fur hats, who served the court as clerks and executioners, soon smoked out my intention. After I let the second defendant go (the charge was "possession of insufficiently metered dogma"), the nearest devil signalled the end of my judicial career by snapping off half of the dock and flinging it at my head. I indicted him for contempt as I ran, and the toad-demon bailiff grabbed him firmly enough to allow my escape.'"
  40. ↑ Day 64, Clasped in Thunder, Fallen London "' – despite all this death and suffering, the Iron Republic grows larger every year. Do people really value this sort of freedom?'"
  41. ↑ Packed in, Fallen London "' – been here long enough to know that the danger is mainly to the slow-witted and the politically unsophisticated. He was right, of course. The tales of this place are horrific, but stay clear of the mob and the committees and it's bearable. The more abstract horrors have to be endured, but they usually pass quickly. [...]'"
  42. ↑ Look closer, Fallen London "' – knew she was Ambitious, of course, but to come to this? Still, she said that she would be back in London before long, and none the worse for wear. One has to wonder at the sort of mind that can keep on top of the Republic's legal machinery.'"
  43. ↑ Day 40, Talons Marking Solitude, Fallen London "' – was introduced to Miss Baggers, who was at one time the star barrister of Baseborn & Fowlingpiece in London. Years in the Republic sat lightly on her, and she claimed to have found her true home here.'"
  44. ↑ Back to it, Fallen London
  45. ↑ Back to it, Fallen London "The city behind you could almost be any of a dozen European capitals. But the elegant ladies of Paris have faces. And the merchants of Vienna don't sob over the mathematics of the Gulden."
  46. ↑ 46.0 46.1 Day 48, Above Eagles, Fallen London "' – the great Market of Hungers, under its iron spires cast in mockery of the Bazaar, is one of the more stable areas of the Republic. One could almost think that the citizens enjoy the joke enough to ensure the place is spared the worst inconstancies.'"
  47. ↑ Arguments in the street, Fallen London "' – but the People's Disorder Committee were waiting for me. I couldn't even understand the charge, but it was a week in prison for me. The Republic didn't have any prisons that week, which left us all embarrassed, until a toad-demon with a half-brick decided to dispense some quick justice at my person.'"
  48. ↑ Set to pounding faces, Fallen London "' – burning bridges, and more literally than I'd have liked. But that wasn't important. The Snag-Toothed Radical knew about Scathewick. Called him a "vile puppet" too, but the important thing is that he knew where Scathewick was. The Iron Republic's prison. The place changed names daily, but Scathewick was there. My pursuit was nearly over.'"
  49. ↑ 49.0 49.1 Day 71, Hurtling to the Uncaring, Fallen London "' - had no recollection of the events, but that might have been the sherry. The following day […] we visit the Forest of Traitors, which had moved away from the prison - today the Eyrie of Contemplation - and was therefore safer than usual.'"
  50. ↑ 50.0 50.1 Ambition: Nemesis – The Prison, Fallen London "'– that the prison was called Eternal Love today. The name ill suited the squat, rust-studded iron fortress. I hurried to the gate. Lethally sharp rain slept in the clouds.'"
  51. ↑ Ambition: Nemesis – Yellow Blood Day, Fallen London "' – back at the prison, today named the Garden of Rightful Quietude. I had an appointment I did not plan to miss.'"
  52. ↑ Day 38, Hope Failing, Fallen London "' - and apart from the prison - this week called the Palace of Definition - the most dangerous landmark in the Republic is a wall.'"
  53. ↑ The front desk, Fallen London "' – clearly bored, intoned a list of circumstances under which I could visit Scathewick. "holding a piece of his liver no less than two ounces in weight. Having proof of an aunt's demise. Holding a soul V.S.A.H. or better in grade. That key in your pocket."'"
  54. ↑ The front desk, Fallen London "'I slammed down the key on the counter, chipping off part of a tine. The clerk didn't seem to mind. He wrote me out a receipt, which took most of an hour, and told me to come back on Yellow Blood Day and bring a few souls with me. I could have half an hour with Scathewick. Unsupervised. That would be enough.'"
  55. ↑ Day 38, Hope Failing, Fallen London "' - and apart from the prison - this week called the Palace of Definition - the most dangerous landmark in the Republic is a wall.'"
  56. ↑ The wall, Fallen London "' - the wall towers over the city, smooth and perfect but for the holes punched through the brickwork. Unlike the rest of the city, the wall remains constant. The devils weeping at its base are the danger.'"
  57. ↑ A Brick from the Very Walls of Hell, Fallen London "A chunk broken off in a long-ago siege. It should not be here."
  58. ↑ The wall, Fallen London "' - I can't remember. There is a tiny scar on my knee, hoof-print shaped. It aches if I have dreamed of fire or rebellion. But I can't remember.'"
  59. ↑ 59.0 59.1 Iron Republic, Sunless Sea "The Market of Hungers, with its spires and sigils. Is it a parody of the Bazaar? Today, flies fill its arcades. Buzz, buzz."
  60. ↑ House of Pleasures, Sunless Sea "The Parliament of Flies: "Flies. Listen." House of Pleasures: "The flies will caress you with their wings. Hurry up and purchase something.""
  61. ↑ House of Milks, Sunless Sea "The Calvary Doctrine: "Sacrifice what is needful, and gain that which is desirable." House of Milks: "Coffee and fuel drip from dragon-teats. ""
  62. ↑ Iron Republic, Sunless Sea "On days such as this, the Market is filled with crucified dragons and laws-in-waiting. They whistle a welcome."
  63. ↑ House of Harvests, Sunless Sea "The Gesundheit Conspiracy: "You will be happy, and healthy. Nothing else remains." House of Harms: "Today, the law is suffering.""
  64. ↑ House of Harms, Sunless Sea "Expulsus: "GIVE BONE TAKE SPIRIT" House of Harms: "Today, the law is suffering.""
  65. ↑ Iron Republic, Sunless Sea "Today the Republic inhales bone, exhales souls. Are you here to gather the souls?"
  66. ↑ A killing in trade, Fallen London "' – and we haggled for nearly an hour as the mustard wind blew around us and blind crabs bumped through the market. I'm not even sure what I bought, but the price was predictable enough. A gunshot marked the end of negotiations for the afternoon. The official gunman was dressed in an elaborate black cloak, and he carried off the man he'd shot. I never found out what happened to them.'"
  67. ↑ The Forest, Fallen London "' – although the people here are literate and politically aware (as a precaution of safety, if nothing else), their disdain for books is palpable. The Librarian boasted that not a single book in the Forest had been read in more than eight years. And even then, it was the building itself that had formed the requisite eyes and fingers. She then set forth on a much-practised lecture about the evils of ossified thought and hand-me-down wisdom. She was still hard at it when we left. She may be still.'"
  68. ↑ Opening a hole, Fallen London "' – and even the women of the work crew, who surely must have uncovered worse, were surprised to find a great many books […] Much of it was revolutionary literature from London, although who felt the need to bury it in a city devoid of censorship...'"
  69. ↑ Day 27, Nobler Hunger, Fallen London "' – Republic almost always has an Obloquy Fountain, usually in a prominent position in some civic square.'"
  70. ↑ Municipal amenities, Fallen London "This week, the Obloquy Fountain was said to be both particularly spectacular and easily accessible, so I determined to visit it."
  71. ↑ Municipal amenities, Fallen London "' – and nothing that resembled water, despite the vivid purple colour. Wherever it struck the grey flagstones, I heard snide compliments. "Oh that hat most certainly suits you", "No, you've no concern about your weight", "Yes, you've certainly achieved all you possibly could in your life so far". My rats found the place charming, but I had difficulty in agreeing with them.'"
  72. ↑ Debate the Republic's law, Fallen London
  73. ↑ Packed in, Fallen London
  74. ↑ Debate the Republic's law, Fallen London "' - insisted that the Republic was more a human institution than an infernal one, inspired as it was by the Surface revolutions of fifty and a hundred years ago. For if a law of men could be torn down by a mob, why not a law of nature?'"
  75. ↑ Packed in, Fallen London "'[...] We meandered on to the subject of why Hell would want a colony in the first place. He took a long draw on his pipe and said "The Bazaar won't be here forever. We must make our experiments while we may."'"
  76. ↑ Attend, Fallen London "[...] The woman at the lectern begins to speak of the wonders of the Iron Republic, the city of anarchists: their freedom from restraint and tradition, their successful overthrow of the laws of nature, the riches and glory to be found in the embrace of freedom... She takes some time to thank the infernal patrons of the Republic for assisting them in "shattering the chains of earth and Heaven." [...]"
  77. ↑ Trade it to the Infernal Sommelier, Fallen London "There's a secret compartment in one of those rings. I couldn't vouch for this, but I've heard that it contains the noise that the Neath itself made when the Iron Republic was established. Perhaps there's more to this old cave than we think."
  78. ↑ Looking back, Fallen London "' – told me that although Hell extracts no burden of tribute, several of the more prominent devils had their own pacts and arrangements to live up to. And of course, there were many appetites to sate; not just the Republic's citizens, but visitors from Hell. Devils have many duties, but for those that can travel, the Republic is apparently an attractive spot for a rest.'"
  79. ↑ Dealing with the deviless, Fallen London "...oh, you're talking about the Iron Republic. Terrible oiks, the lot of them. How are you meant to tally souls when they keep changing the nature of mathematics every Thursday? It's barbaric, that's what it is."
  80. ↑ Obtain an Iron Republic Safe-Conduct, Fallen London "You want to head to the Iron Republic? Why? Really – what can be worth that? Even my kind don't relish a visit. Well, it's your money. And don't think that this will save you. Oh, the corsairs will leave you alone, probably. But don't think you'll be safe. Don't think you'll be protected."
  81. ↑ A Disgruntled Naval Officer, Fallen London "The problem, he says, isn't the Brass Embassy and Hell. They, at least, pay fang service to diplomacy and treaties. It's the Iron Republic. Their ships fly their own flag on the first day, no flag on the second and the Union Jack on the third. They're privateers, merchantmen and pirates depending on how the mood takes them. The Navy can't attack every one, because the Masters say that's bad for business. "What we need," he claims, "is a line of shore batteries all along the Prickfinger coast.""
  82. ↑ Find out who's here, Fallen London "Did you know that the Iron Republic's fleet of infernal corsairs landed here a few years ago to pillage the place? It went badly for them. Let's just say that the land rose up in its own defence."
  83. ↑ Stuck in, Fallen London "' – the display of moving pictures was so sophisticated, one could hardly see the spinning of the machine. I particularly enjoyed the strangled choir, […] most eyes were turned to the fireworks that sang a re-enactment of the […] conquest of Polythreme.'"
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