White London

**White London** is the capital of Makt. It is one of the four Londons along with Grey, Red, and Black London; specifically White London sits between Red and Black London.

White London has little magic and its inhabitants believe magic has to be conquered and controlled.

## Overview

White London is a ruthless place and especially dangerous at night. People constantly fight for magic and their survival. The worst part of White London is called the Kosik.

### Geography

The city is oriented around the Sijlt, a river, because it is still a source of magic despite its half-frozen state. Because of the magic's bitterness and withdrawal, everything in White London looks faded and colorless. Regardless of the season and the time of the day, everything is coated in snow, or ash.

However, after Holland Vosijk became king and brought Osaron with him to White London, the city is slowly reviving: The sky is true blue, the Sijlt is thawing, and the temperature is rising.

## History

When Black London fell almost three hundred years ago, Red London closed their doors between White and Grey London because White London was stronger than Red London at that time, and they believed it could withstand the corruption coming from Black London. Instead, White London's magic was forever changed and the city and world fell into chaos:

Whereas Black London allowed magic to consume everything, White London decided to dominate magic. Magic resisted though and retracted into the earth. Since then, magic in the White world has been sparse, and people try to hold onto it with talismans and binding runes carved into their bodies. The little power that still exists is not elemental anymore. It is a "bastard of fire and something darker, corrupted" and predominantly takes the form of a "unnatural" kind of lightning, or electricity.

When Maxim Maresh ascended the throne in Red London, he installed his adoptive son Kell, an *Antari*, as ambassador between the worlds to "make up" for Red London's past actions. The rulers of White London were not willing to cooperate until Astrid Dane and Athos Dane took the throne. Since then, the three remaining Londons write to one another regularly.

## Known locations

* **Blood Square:** It is located in the heart of White London. The square used to be a blood-stained execution site full of cracks, fallen columns, and ruined buildings. There was also an abandoned well basin and a fountain. Holland transforms the square during his reign, mending the cracks and turning the stone archways into glass, part of the ground into soil, the pavers into marble, the ruins into sand, and the pillars into apple trees with marble trunks. Amber-colored wine now runs in the fountain.
* **The Scorched Bone:** White London's version of the fixed tavern.
* **White Castle:** The main residence of the monarch.

## Trivia

* White London smells of blood and "has the arctic air of the far north" because the city was inspired by Germanic and Scandinavian aesthetics. The city's design was chosen to represent the place's relationship to magic.
* Cigars are not made of tobacco in White London. Char is used instead.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 *A Darker Shade of Magic*, VIII: An Arrangement, I
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 *A Darker Shade of Magic*, IV: White Throne, II
3. ↑ *A Darker Shade of Magic*, XII: Sanctuary & Sacrifice, IV
4. ↑ *A Darker Shade of Magic*, XII: Sanctuary & Sacrifice, VI
5. ↑ *A Gathering of Shadows*, II: Prince at Large, V
6. ↑ *A Gathering of Shadows*, II: Prince at Large, V
7. ↑ *A Darker Shade of Magic*, IV: White Throne, I-II
8. ↑ *A Darker Shade of Magic*, IV: White Throne, IV
9. ↑ *A Darker Shade of Magic*, IV: White Throne, I
10. ↑ *A Gathering of Shadows*, VI: Impostors, I
11. ↑ *A Darker Shade of Magic*, I: The Traveler, I
12. ↑ "A Spectrum of Worlds" — Tor/Forge Blog
13. ↑ "New Release Interview: V.E. Schwab talks A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC" — Science-Fiction & Fantasy Suvudu (archived)
14. ↑ *A Gathering of Shadows*, II: Prince at Large, III