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"You might call it a contract or a treaty or an oath, whatever best suits you. But this Power will not suffer you to go further into the Neath, nor to change it more from what it was, unless some limit is attached to your actions, and some price paid for the imposition."[3]
The Creditor is a power that presides over the Hinterlands.
When brought to the Creditor's throne room,[11] interlopers would have to agree to leave the Hinterlands unblemished. In addition to a verbal agreement, they were also required to pay a gage: collateral only returned if the deal was upheld.[12][7] This practice was standard[13] until after the Second City, as the Creditor abandoned its court[14] and left only ruins behind.[15]
History[]
"Service to a fierce and brilliant star. A cleaving birth – better not dwell on this. It was painful to lose your sister-self."
"Then: the Neath. Time passing, small creatures slipping past, minor affairs that are not worth looking into; and then a sudden, awful shock. You had responsibilities. You oversaw disputes and kept peace between the Sun's experiments. You thought these little animals couldn't possibly be of any concern."[16]
The Creditor was once an entity of the High Wilderness that served a "fierce and brilliant" Judgement,[17][18] likely the Sun itself. During the Cataclysm of Silver,[19] it was violently split in twain, and its "sister-self" became the Moon.[20][21] The other half found itself in the Neath with instructions from the Sun:[22] to oversee and protect the Shames[23] who were hidden from the Judgements' sight.[24] The Creditor focused its attention on the most powerful beings, ignoring any smaller creatures; it worked as a mediator and a peacekeeper,[25] resolving disputes between powers through the rule of honor and word.[26][27]
When Hell first arrived in the Neath, its leadership petitioned the Creditor for a safe route to the Unterzee. In return, the Creditor hired them for their legal services. The Solicitor-Baroness was chosen as the Creditor's solicitor, and she still acts in this role to this day.[28]
Biology[]
"It takes from the folds of its robe a mirrorcatch box, and without explanation or ceremony, shines pure sunlight on the Creditorial stone. What comes back is not sunlight. For the briefest moment, everyone in the room appears other than human, their bodies boulders and trees and false-stars, and then the image fades."[29]
The Creditor is a being of living earth,[30] whose "face" is the topsoil of the Hinterlands.[31] It can move entire mountains to communicate gestures such as greetings,[32] and can also unleash powerful earthquakes.[33] Its presence is not solely confined to the Hinterlands; in fact, no part of the Neath is truly beyond its reach.[34] The Creditor has a multifaceted identity; Hillchanger Tower is just one extension of itself.[35] The Creditor can view the world using Hillchanger as a proxy,[36] though Hillchanger also shows some limited autonomy from its host.[37]
The Creditor's "internal" flesh resembles the surface of its sibling, the Moon.[38] This material reacts with moon-pearls[39] and can be consumed by others to communicate messages.[40] It can also reflect sunlight to induce visions of a strange and shapeful world;[41] this property is analogous to moonlight.[42]
The Creditor is a firm believer in the value of oaths and personal honor.[44] It prefers to treat counterparties as equals,[45] respects those who commit to their word,[46] and loathes being disrespected[47] or ignored.[48] It prefers resoluteness over belligerence,[49] but is still willing to use force if necessary.[50][51]
The Creditor cares deeply about the Hinterlands and does not want it damaged or changed.[52][53] It is a nostalgic being, and it feels that as time has passed, honor has lost its value among the Neath's modern denizens.[54] The Creditor would like the Neath to retain its strangeness and monstrosity,[55] and it also wishes for the Shames to move freely again undisturbed by the Judgements.[56] Being such a singular and unique entity, it is also implied to be lonely.[57]
A Fateful Deal[]
"A payment was offered long ago, in the Bazaar's name. The Creditor still lives. Between London and Hell. It must not be reminded, the terms of its patience must not be strained. Above all, no new promises can be made."
"In the first of all cities, the Cedar was witness of oaths."[58]
During the era of the First City,[59] the Sleeping Merchant led a caravan to the Hinterlands in search of fortune. He carried with him the seal of the Echo Bazaar itself.[60] The Creditor noticed the intrusion, and brought him to Evenlode for judgement.[61] The Creditor feared that the Bazaar and its citizens would damage the Hinterlands, so it demanded insurance to prevent this.[62] However, the gage was inexplicably measured against every soul in the Neath.[63] The Merchant did not know the Neath's true population,[64] so he promised this enormous payment on the Bazaar's behalf.[65][66]
Unfortunately for the Merchant, the Masters quickly realized the Bazaar would not be able to pay without causing a cataclysm.[67][68] Furthermore, the Bazaar cannot risk defaulting, as the Creditor might spread word of its perfidy.[69] Thus, the Masters did not report the situation to the Bazaar,[70] and they sealed the Merchant in an endless slumber[71] to freeze the debt for as long as the Merchant stayed asleep.[72]
When London expanded its business ventures into the Hinterlands, it failed to secure proper permission from the Creditor before proceeding, and the Great Hellbound Railway was considered a trespass into its domain.[31] In an attempt to avert catastrophe, Mr Fires came up with the idea of infusing the tracks of the Great Hellbound Railway with Justificande coins, which mandate forgiveness from those who receive them.[73][74] However, its actions only agitated the Creditor.[75] Now, the Creditor's patience is wearing thin,[76] and the Railway's further intrusions may shatter this delicate stalemate.[77]
Scientific Inspirations[]
While there may be other potential explanations, the Cataclysm of Silver fits into the giant-impact hypothesis. This hypothesis, which is currently the most thoroughly evidenced theory for the formation of the Moon, poses that an ancient planet called Theia collided with Earth, and the debris accumulated to form the Moon. A more recent investigation indicates that the remains of Theia are present on both Earth and the Moon.[78]
↑ 7.07.1In Credit, Fallen London"[...] this Power will not [...] you to go further into the Neath, nor to change it more [...] unless some limit is attached [...] and some price paid for the imposition."
↑Breathe an ancient air, Fallen London"[...] defendant [...] came before this Judge – summoned here if they tried to pass through these lands without leave."
↑Meaning what, precisely?, Fallen London""A gage is a pledge of good faith," [...] to be returned safe [...] if all ends well. [...] it was meant to represent the promise [...] prevent [...] from causing too much damage."
↑The Deeps of the Magistracy, Fallen London"The Creditor used to live above," [...] "The Magistracy belonged to him; [...] But his court vanished, sometime after the Second City.""
↑Point out the obvious, Fallen London""We know where she has been," [...] "Few corners of the Neath are entirely beyond our reach. [...] in the roof. My client has close relatives there."
↑Beg her pardon, Fallen London"And Hillchanger, [...] is part of the Creditor's substance." [...] she explains [...] questions of identity and divisible bodies, [...]"
↑Read it in an ancient language, Fallen London"We have stood on Aescwine and measured [...] the number of your statues [...] Hanging from the Neath-roof we have looked down into... [...] Veilgarden?"
↑Search it for letters of fire, Fallen London""Something [...] in the core of one's being and [...] far from the surface." This could mean [...] flesh cut from one's own organs, [...] "Substance shared with a [...] sibling." [...] surface of the stone is mottled and silver as [...] the moon."
↑Discover its age and its kinship to stars, Fallen London"[...] shines pure sunlight on the Creditorial stone. [...] For the [...] moment, everyone in the room appears other than human, their bodies boulders and trees and false-stars, [...]"
↑Walk in moonlight, Fallen London"The floor is silvered with spilling moonlight. It makes a ghost of your flesh and your eyes a lens to elsewhere."
↑Study the evidence, Fallen London"FROM EACH HER OWN LAW [...] AND NONE SHALL ESCAPE THE LAW SHE HAS MADE. [...] it is a poetic verse, [...] only at the end of an epic."
↑Open fire, Fallen London"Trouble comes after that [...] when the Hillchanger Tower rears up from the ground like a startled snake [...] when the earth warps like a garment around the Tower's base; when the tracks buckle."
↑In Credit, Fallen London"[...] this Power will not suffer you change it more from what it was [...]"
↑Breathe an ancient air, Fallen London"One defendant at a time [...] before this Judge – summoned here if they tried to pass through these lands without leave. [...] The Merchant [...] He could barely look [...] at the being that sat in Judgement."
↑Meaning what, precisely?, Fallen London""A gage is a pledge of good faith," [...] it was meant to represent the promise that the Bazaar would prevent its people from causing too much damage."
↑The Nature of the Debt, Fallen London"A price charged for crossing [...] calculated on the number of souls in the whole Neath – [...] IT TRICKED A FIRST CITY MERCHANT [...] The [...] records call it a gage."
↑The Debt, Fallen London"A payment for every soul in the Neath," [...] "The Merchant only knew his [...] city; [...] miscounted the cost.""
↑Breathe an ancient air, Fallen London"The Merchant, [...] To escape [...] he promised [...] on behalf of himself, and on behalf of the Bazaar. He pressed his seal [...]"
↑The Sleeper, Fallen London"[...] A caravan [...] A man who carried the [...] seal [...] to pledge the faith of the Bazaar [...] for an impossible ransom."
↑Ask about the Bazaar's ignorance, Fallen London"When the debt was incurred [...] We ourselves found a [...] resolution," says Mr Spices [...] I was the one who thought of putting the Merchant to sleep."
↑The Sleeper, Fallen London"The Debtor cannot be woken [...] When he wakes, his debt will be due, [...] the loophole [...] that sent the Debtor to sleep instead."
