The Swan Bride

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### Related

The Gonfaloniere
The Poisoned Priestess

> *"A woman haunts the quayside of Jericho Locks, her long black gown damp from the miasma of Hell's waterways. She wears a mask depicting a golden swan, which enhances rather than disguises the sickly emerald hue of her skin."*
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The **Swan Bride** is a mysterious woman who wanders Jericho Locks.

## The Ghost of the Canals

> *"Yet she lingers in Jericho, black gown trailing in the water."*
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The Swan Bride is an ethereal woman who haunts the canals of Jericho Locks. She seeks knowledge of her past, with her only lead being mysterious dreams of the Sere Palace.

All contact with the Bride is forbidden per the orders of the Gonfaloniere of the Guild of Gondoliers: no discussions about her are allowed, nor will any gondolier ferry her. She is barred from the local establishments, yet cannot leave Jericho. Guildmembers drop coins in the canals as offerings to her, but she is unaware of this practice and has no use for the money anyway.

## Appearance and Personality

> *"In the water, you see the pale green of her skin, so like jaundice. The red of her eyes and the gills that open like wounds in her throat. Tumbled auburn hair contrasts with the hue of her flesh."*
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> *"I wish I knew why I was here. I have seen ceremonies – marriages, even – conducted by the Guild. I gathered a tossed bouquet from the canals, but the bridesmaids screamed and ran when I tried to return it."*
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The Swan Bride is a woman with pale green skin, red eyes, auburn hair, and gills in her neck. She wears a black wedding gown, along with a golden swan mask given to her by the Guild.

The Bride's mannerisms are old-fashioned and formal, and she is not up to date on current technology. To those who make her acquaintance, however, the Swan Bride is a patient, sincere, loyal, pragmatic, and eager woman who is fond of learning. However, she is troubled by her dreams, and her inability to remember what befell her.

## The Bride Betrayed

> *"I did not wear black then. I was in white. There were viols. Boats on the water."*
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> *"I remember the sea. Green and the long streets running down towards it like a race. And then dark stairs, a spiral. We walked together, he and I. And nothing more. But he did not marry me. The pool did, or something in it. We must go back: the truth lies there, not here."*
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Around fifty years ago, the Swan Bride lived on the Surface and was betrothed to a senior Gondolier. This Gondolier was the future Gonfaloniere of the Guild and desperate to secure his title: if he lost a boat race across the Hinterlands' waters, he would be condemned to Hell. To this end, he made a bargain with the Poisoned Priestess, and brought the Swan Bride to the Sere Palace to meet her.

The Priestess married the couple and replaced the Swan Bride's blood with the waters of the canals, leaving her transfigured and tied to the waterways. Then, the Gonfaloniere received an infusion of his wife's ichor, sparing him from ever losing a race. Sadly, the Swan Bride was left behind to roam Jericho Locks as a pariah, with little memory of what had happened to her, and nothing but her dreams and a drive for the truth as company.

## References

2. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"A woman wearing the mask of a [...] swan haunts the canals of Jericho."*
3. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"[...] It's clear to me that whatever happened to make me —" [...] "As I am, is connected to the dream I have."*
4. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"[...] a place I go in my dreams. A palace, [...] surrounded by poison waters, [...] I have heard rumours among the Gondoliers of a Palace of that exact description, [...] one and the same.""*
5. ↑ Our Lady of the Canals, *Fallen London* *"The Gonfaloniere of the Guild of Gondoliers forbids contact with her; [...]"*
6. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"Not allowed to talk about the Swan Bride."*
7. ↑ Our Lady of the Canals, *Fallen London* *"[...] no bargeman will carry her."*
8. ↑ Our Lady of the Canals, *Fallen London* *"[...] she is barred from the Arborist's Hands [...]"*
9. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"[...] Why they despise me, yet will not allow me to leave."*
10. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"A [...] tome [...] reveals a tradition of leaving coins in the river for the Swan Bride, in the hopes of paying a debt. [...] the Swan Bride entirely unaware of the custom. "[...] no one will sell a thing to me [...]"*
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London*
12. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"[...] the pale green of her skin, [...] red of her eyes [...] gills [...] in her throat. Tumbled auburn hair [...]"*
13. ↑ Our Lady of the Canals, *Fallen London* *"A woman haunts [...] Jericho Locks, her long black gown [...] she lingers [...] black gown trailing in the water."*
14. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"I did not wear black then. I was in white."*
15. ↑ Our Lady of the Canals, *Fallen London* *"She wears a mask depicting a golden swan [...]"*
16. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *""They gave me this mask to wear," she says, of her acceptance into Jericho."*
17. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"She gives you a curtsy, [...] old-fashioned [...] Her speech is formal and halting [...]"*
18. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"I saw him leave your machine," [...] "The rattling, [...] moving one that comes and goes."*
19. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"The Swan Bride removes the corks from her [...] ears. "Very good with the, ah, gesticulating," [...] encouragingly. [...]"*
20. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"'I know the feeling. To want to be safe, [...]' She whirls, [...] 'I really do enjoy this mirror.'"*
21. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"An expert [...] denounces your publications, your person [...] The Swan Bride begins a lengthy [...] character assassination in response."*
22. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"The Swan Bride frowns [...] I imagine Hell would have invaded [...] cast salt into the canals [...] She shrugs. "That's what I'd do." [...]"*
23. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"[...] the Swan Bride asks you to teach her to dance, until she is confident enough to lead you, [...]"*
24. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"The Swan Bride devotes much time to drawing a map of your findings [...] the network [...] fill most of your library [...]"*
25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"It's clear to me that whatever happened to make me —" [...] "As I am, is connected to the dream I have."*
26. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *""A face is kinder than a mirror," [...] She shivers. "I wish I knew why I was here. [...]"*
27. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"The Gonfaloniere [...] He has captained these waterways for fifty years [...]"*
28. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"The Swan Bride was indeed a bride, destined to be married to a senior ranking Gondolier. [...] the Swan Bride says. [...] I remember the sea. Green and the [...] streets running down [...]"*
29. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"The Swan Bride [...] facing the man who had once sought to marry her. [...] The Gonfaloniere is silent."*
30. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"[...] a doubtful husband-to-be, [...] The husband was the most skilled bargeman on the waters: [...] he knew the cost of the title and the price owed to Hell when it was lost. [...] challenged [...] for his crown. So he searched, [...]"*
31. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"Challenge the Gonfaloniere [...] Should he lose, his very person will be forfeit to Hell. [...] Should you win, my title is yours."*
32. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *""He spoke to the Lotus Pool, and the Pool answered. [...] The Poisoned Priestess. [...]"*
33. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"And then dark stairs, a spiral. [...] he did not marry me. The pool did, or something in it. [...]"*
34. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"The Swan Bride participated in a bridal ceremony at the Palace. Someone [...] in the Lotus Pool served as officiant."*
35. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"The Swan Bride steps closer, [...] "You married me to him," [...] The Priestess nods [...]"*
36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"[...] Blood for water. If the canals flow through you, how can you lose a race [...] I allowed a substitution.""*
37. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *""He bound me to the canals," the Swan Bride says. [...] The Poisoned Priestess nods. "Both of us were transfigured to trick another's bargain. [...]"*
38. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"The Swan Bride steps closer, [...] In his blood, poison runs: a poison drawn from you. [...]"*
39. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"There was no provision in the arrangement to prevent my prodigy from returning, [...]"*
40. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"[...] I remember him, my almost husband, but I can't remember her face."*
41. ↑ The Poisoner's Library, *Fallen London* *"We ought to get to the books. [...] might cast light on my role here. [...]"*