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"The Relickers do without the encumbrance of names, but their pets (or bodyguards or watchers, depending what you believe) enjoy the grander sort of name. Dulcibella. Charlemagne. Cordimost. Never laugh."[1]
"Relickers are the rag-and-bone men of Mr Cups. They salvage junk and occasionally pay for it."[2]
One man's trash is another man's treasure. In this case, the "other man" is Mr Cups (who probably isn't even male). And the "treasure" is collected by its Relickers, who push their carts throughout the city to collect the odds and ends of Londoners. Each is accompanied by a Rattus Faber. Of course, the four below are not the only ones in London.[1]
They say that the foxes once asked the Masters for dominion over waste and refuse. Mr Cups denied them, and gave the domain to the rats instead - which is why each Relicker has a rat. The foxes then left for the Elder Continent, and now there are none in London.[3]
The Capering Relicker[]
"The Capering Relicker is too busy playing his penny whistle and jigging to see you. Gulliver looks your scraps over. The harried rat tucks his thumbs into his waistcoat and squeaks, 'Right enough, guv. Take the box at the back.'"[4] "'Why don't they have my cider? They never have my cider. I made it and I drank it and it gave me such lovely visions. And I followed the visions and... and why don't they have my cider?' He almost forgets to pass you the scrap of paper with an address on it."[5]
The Capering Relicker is the most mysterious of the four relickers, dealing in infernal goods from an unknown supplier.[6] He's constantly either drunk,[7] dancing,[8] playing his penny whistle,[4] or any of the three, forcing his rat to often conduct business in his stead. Occasionally, he may arrive to give gifts to certain Londoners, but no one really knows why.[9]
The Capering Relicker was actually an inhabitant of the The First City, and is the Manager of the Royal Bethlehem Hotel's uncle.[10] He was the first to brew Hesperidean Cider, which he used to escape the First City's destruction, and he is the only one to follow its visions and obtain true immortality. The Masters are currently after him for his cider, so he has to stay incognito for now.[11] He wears a green wooden mask.[12]
There is a theory that he is actually Utnapishtim, based on the theory that the Manager is Gilgamesh.
Gulliver[]
"Well, I used to 'ave a burrow in the building wot eventually became the Brass Embassy. Afore they set the demons into our nests, I heard a few juicy things. I saw which way the cat was turnin' so I legged it. I reckons it's safest to hang around with him these days. Those devils don't half hold a grudge."
His rat, Gulliver, lived in the Brass Embassy before the devils did, and came across their secrets when they moved in.[7] He sticks close to the Capering Relicker for protection, as devils avoid the Capering Relicker quite fervently.[13]
The Curt Relicker[]
"Bleedin' Calendar Council. In my day, the radicals showed a bit of respect. They'll blow anyone up these days. It's a disgrace. Monty! Go and get the spare cart."[14] "Once, the Curt Relicker did more than just collect conspiracies. Your sources tell you he used to be an avid revolutionary. 'And not just any old bomb-lobber, neither,' a Veteran Anarchist reveals. 'He was on the Calendar Council. But he fell in love with December, didn't he? Silly s_d. And December told him to b____r off.'"[15]
The Curt Relicker is by far the most professional and uptight of the four relickers, so his rat, Montgomery, plays spoon-tunes to keep his mood up. It rarely works.[16] He primarily trades in rumors and intrigues.[17]
The Curt Relicker was a former member of the Calendar Council; he may have been expelled because he fell in love with December.[15] He also claims to have been a dirigible pilot.[18]
The Shivering Relicker[]
"Good Lord! That's a revolutionary tune! Is that how she ended up on the rag-and-bone cart with these wares hazardous to life and sanity? The jars of screams rattle along to accompany her as Pinnock unloads them."[19] "The Shivering Relicker hasn't shown up in person: she's just given Pinnock a note for you. It reads 'This is the sound of an invocation made by the Pharaoh to the Bazaar. Don't let it out.'"[20]
The Shivering Relicker trades in wild words.[21] She was an accomplished scholar (and maybe a revolutionary[19]) who decided to study the Correspondence and the deepest mysteries of the Neath.[22] It did not go well, and she's constantly rattled and possibly insane as a result.[23]
Her rat is called Pinnock, and his job is to make sure she does her job properly and doesn't run away. He keeps her drugged with laudanum. Pinnock is the largest of the Relickers' rats - he has been compared to a badger![24]
The Coquettish Relicker[]
"You did wot? Hoo-eeee. I wouldn't worry about it dearie. I hears things, so I does, and let me tell you, there's a storm of scandal coming. And you ain't in it, for a change."[25] "Well that's all loaded. Luvverly. Now. Don't let on that you have this. Nobody's supposed to have this. You didn't get it from me, and I don't know yer. And where did I get it? Well, I'm Game if you are..."[26]
The Coquettish Relicker trades in fabrics; her much-neglected rat's name is Mathilde.[27] She seems to know quite a bit about the mysteries of the Neath, as well as the secrets of its denizens.[28][29] She also seems to have connections to the Great Game.[26]