"There are some things we were not meant to know, they say. But you wouldn't be down here if you took that seriously."
Beyond this point lie spoilers for Fallen London, Sunless Sea, or Sunless Skies. This may include midgame or minor Fate-locked content. Proceed with caution.
You can find out more about our spoiler policy here.
"Writers, actors, musicians, painters and other reprobates. There is a certain glamour in attic and gutter, but surely there are better ways to make a living."[1]
Bohemians are all manner of artists in London and the Neath, and in the Sunless Skies timeline, the High Wilderness.
The people described as bohemians include writers,[3] painters,[4] musicians,[5] actors,[6] sculptors,[7] models,[8] and other artists and performers.[9] They typically live modestly; after all, making a living as an artist can be difficult, even if the "starving artist" archetype carries its own romance.[10] They are also often pigeonholed as eccentric,[11] and while some do live up to this reputation, many others simply want wine and payment for their time and trouble.[12] The bohemians of London typically congregate at Veilgarden,[13] while the more famous perform at Mahogany Hall.[14] The most accomplished artists may be invited to present at the Shuttered Palace itself:[15] staging a play for the Empress is the apex of many artists' careers,[16] though they dare not displease her lest they earn a free a trip to the Tomb-Colonies.[17][18] The artists of the Neath are not restricted to London: they also form communities in places like Helicon House[19] and the town of Crathie near Balmoral.[20]
Bleed for art.
The Neath opens up all sorts of avenues for artistic expression and innovation. Many artists pursue responsible projects, such as incorporating the Neathbow in one's art,[21] painting Neathy subjects,[22] or engaging with the Neath's flora and fauna.[23][24] However, some artists pursue riskier endeavors, like wielding the Correspondence through their music,[25] or using the fact that death is impermanent to achieve visceral realism for their plays.[26] Other artists take matters even further and may be considered dangerous; one such group are the Set, who pilot the deadly zubmarine known as the Irrepressible near the Gant Pole.[27]
Bohemians and Parabola[]
"Prisoner's Honey might help with your ideas, but not reliably. And it doesn't encourage you to be productive."[28]
"Without fail, each of these bores credit a muse: a friend who pulled them out of dreams, and thrust them into the limelight. You, of course, have no need of such assistance. But what could such a friend do with your already prodigious talents?"[29]
The Bohemian Sculptress
In addition to more familiar substances like laudanum and alcohol,[30][11] London's bohemians are infamous for their use of Prisoner's Honey, as honey-dreams are an excellent source of inspiration.[31][32] Some select artists delve deeper into the world's mysteries and draw inspiration from Parabola itself. These include the Bohemian Sculptress, who uses the dream-energies of the Viric Jungle to find inspiration for her work,[33] and the performers of the Mirrored Salon at Helicon House.[34] Artists sometimes cross paths with the Fingerkings, and may end up possessed either inadvertently[35] or for seeking knowledge and status.[36] Notably, many artists credit the Ophidian Gentleman for their success.[37][38] Members of the Glass at Mahogany Hall work with the Fingerkings regularly, relying on their power for their performances,[39] all while warring with the Shroud in a perpetual conflict of magic and illusion.[40]
Sunless Skies[]
"In Old London, they wrote nostalgically of the Surface and the Sun. Now, they write of the Stars, and the Treasures of Heaven. The Celestials revere the complexities of the natural order. All things have a place – from highest to high, from lower to least. They favour the intricate; the tranquil; the reflective."[41]
"A new tradition, born in the Empress' Court. Their works are patriotic, bombastic, and occupied with the iconography of time: clocks and seasons and sand and so forth. Members of the Sovereign School can find wealthy patrons. The dream is to catch the attention of the Empress herself. Some of her own children are luminaries of the school."[42]
In the Sunless Skies timeline, artists have continued to form communities in places like Titania[43] and Caduceus.[44] Artistic tastes have shifted to account for the new environment of the High Wilderness,[45] and the Sovereign School was recently founded in the courts of Her Renewed Majesty. This school of art is patriotic and draws inspiration from the passage of time, such as clocks, hourglasses, and seasons. Its artists have wealthy sponsors and hope to impress the Empress herself; some of her issue are "luminaries" of this school themselves.[46]
Schools of Art in the Neath[]
"Fallen London has its own artistic movements. Perhaps you ignore them, but they don't ignore you."[47]
A Blemmigan Hat.
The Nocturnals, who prefer shades of midnight and the freedom of the dark
The bohemians of the Fallen London universe draw inspiration from the social movement of the 19th century known as bohemianism. The name "bohemian" does not refer to the region of Bohemia in what is now the Czech Republic. Rather, the nomadic Romani people were called bohémiens in French due to a misconception about where they came from, and the name stuck across languages.
↑The Demi-Monde: Bohemians, Fallen London"Writers, actors, musicians, painters and other reprobates. There is a certain glamour in attic and gutter, but surely there are better ways to make a living."
↑Arrange a particularly Neathy tableau, Fallen London"The Indecisive Painter wishes to sketch London life at its eeriest. He has an infamous reputation for being difficult to work with however; you'll need to bribe the models."
↑Mahogany Hall (Gaining Access), Fallen London"The mesmeric marvels of Mahogany Hall are famed throughout Fallen London. [...] Boasting one of the most prestigious stages in all the city, Mahogany Hall is home to seances, illusions, acrobatics and even, on occasion, vaudeville."
↑A heavyweight epic mocking the Empress, Fallen London"[...] A cannibalistic fiend, who sold her divine lands and now feasts on her children. [...] All eyes turn to the Empress. Offended? [...] She is in a beetroot-tinted, pop-eyed apoplexy. [...] the mob bays for your blood."
↑Crathie, Fallen London"[...] the distillery, now converted into a centre for crafts and the arts."
↑Déjà Vu, Fallen London""Perhaps I have neglected the Neathbow," [...] "In certain salons, people do talk about it. Anything new on the palette would be refreshing. I understand it's possible, with the right contacts, to obtain violant ink or viric dyes. [...]"
↑Upper River Artistry, Fallen London"The more Nocturnalist Bohemians have taken a liking to Ealing Gardens. [...] some indulge in lifelike portraiture of Rubbery subjects; some simply paint landscapes of the vista from Aescwine Hill."
↑Somewhat challenging music, Fallen London"The Correspondence is not meant for human voices. Neither is it meant for musical instruments, but that's not going to stop you."
↑Find volunteers willing to suffer for art, Fallen London"A Morbid Playwright has founded a movement to examine realism in theatre by staging actual deaths. The players recover after, of course; but most don't make it through rehearsals."
↑A Zubmarine surfaces!#Story description, Sunless Sea"The Irrepressible! The legendary vessel of the Pianolist! [...] a musical voice echoes in the dark [...] You have betrayers on board, of a Set untimely scattered. We would witness our betrayers taste betrayal. [...] Will you yield them to us?" The breezy musical voice shifts to the minor key. "Your immediate response is politely demanded.""
↑Your Salon: invite Silas the Showman as a guest of honour, Fallen London"Silas is a surprise. He arrives gravely sober, in immaculate evening-dress. He conducts an hour-long lecture on the wars of the Fourth City [...] The next day, he calls on you to apologise for missing the Salon. You are confused. He is confused."
↑The Serpent Muralist (10 FATE), Fallen London"This person must have sought Parabolan insight, hoping for some way to distinguish themselves in a scene already crowded by would-be Cartographers. They came back with a Fingerking behind their eyes."
↑Gifts from your Friends, Fallen London"Without fail, each of these bores credit a muse [...] You, of course, have no need of such assistance. But what could such a friend do with your already prodigious talents?"
↑Join the Cats in support of the Shroud, Fallen London"Mahogany Hall has long been the heart of a battle between the Glass and the Shroud. Accompany the cats in their business, and see how they battle back the influence of the Fingerkings."
↑Valentine Square, Sunless Skies"An enclave of Bohemians have made it their home, seeking inspiration in the wildness of the Reach."
↑Write a Port Report, Sunless Skies"Poets and musicians write rhapsodies on roses that never appear. [...] Poets whisper to you of rites performed by the Thorn Maiden, of sunlight somehow brought into Eleutheria, of revels done when the roses fall."
↑The Celestials, Sunless Skies"In Old London, they wrote nostalgically of the Surface and the Sun. Now, they write of the Stars, and the Treasures of Heaven."
↑The Sovereign School, Sunless Skies"A new tradition, born in the Empress' Court. Their works are patriotic, bombastic, and occupied with the iconography of time: clocks and seasons and sand and so forth. Members of the Sovereign School can find wealthy patrons. The dream is to catch the attention of the Empress herself. Some of her own children are luminaries of the school."
