Sightseeing
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Albion Mills

At the southern end of Blackfriars Bridge, in Southwark, is a blackened ruin. Under that runs the Albion Mills, spitting smoke and steam constantly, which supplies selected parts of London Under with power.

All Hallows Barking

The church of All Hallows by the Tower, a chapel of Barking Abbey, sits on Tower Hill behind a shopping precinct. The heart of Richard the Lionheart is said to be buried somewhere in its churchyard. Its undercroft, floored by 2nd century Roman mosaics, holds boxes filled with ashes of the dead and an altar from the Templar church of Athlit in Israel which was brought back from the Crusades. It's said that, if anyone from London Under truly wished to rejoin London Above, they should go to the All Hallows Barking undercroft, confess their sins to the dead and receive communion at the Athlit altar. Then they may be able to change sides.

Babylon on Thames

Known in London Above as Vauxhall Gardens, Babylon on Thames is a dangerous place to go on your own. Full of lights and music and shadows, this is where the denizens of London Under go to have fun with an edge. Sometimes a terminal edge.

Centre Point

The Centre Point at Tottenham Court Road is neutral and null. No guardian covers it, no gang preys in it, no gentle lays claim to it. Centre Point is where discussions can still take place when the situation has gone past the point of talking. The last time someone tried to take advantage of this neutrality to effect violence using the element of surprise, their body was found split between the twenty-five wards of the Square Mile. All evidence suggested that they had not died slowly. That was more than eight hundred years ago.

Cornhill Basilica

At the highest point in the city stands a massive basilica, the largest in the Roman Empire. This is used for formal duels, the occasional gladiatorial-style show, and an evacuation point during times of severe flooding.

The Eight Gates

Aldersgate, Aldgate, Bishopsgate, Cripplegate, Ludgate, Moorgate, Newgate and Temple Bar. These mark the limits of the Silver Dragon's protection and the Aldermen's authority. In London Above only one still stands - in London Under, they're all doing just fine and are part of the impressive system of defences for the Square Mile.

Farringdon Without

The ward of Farringdon Without is remarkable for two things. The first is the twin building of Inner and Middle Temple - a place where anyone can claim sanctuary, no matter what their crime, for a period of twenty-four hours. The friars of the Temple have no power except to bar their doors against any force during a period of sanctuary. The downside is that they must always offer it.

The second feature of Farringdon Without is St. Bartholomew's Hospital, the oldest hospital in Europe and the only one that caters to those of a less traditionally human persuasion. Ask for Anketill de Auvergne at the ruins of the Queen Mary wing.

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Ludgate

Lud or Llydd was an ancient celtic king who enlarged and improved a pre-existing settlement that came to be renamed after himself - Llyndain. The myth claims that he built the first city walls. Ludgate is supposedly the site of his tomb. There's a statue of him in the vestry porch of St. Dunstan-in-the-West on Fleet Street.

The Lutine Bell

At No.1 Lime Street, in the basement of Lloyd's, hangs an 18th century bell from the French frigate La Lutine (The Sprite). It is only rung for exceptional disasters, such as the Twin Towers attack in 2001. There are those who claim it is not rung on those occasions, but rather rings itself before the news has even arrived.

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Necropolis Station

Under Waterloo there's a cocktail bar, cemetery, and station heading south that has separate platforms for the living and the dead. London Above stopped using this after the 1854 cholera epidemic was over and London Under took control. It's a popular hang-out for the Ekstasis, and the connecting line for Brighton Below.

Night's Bridge

The longest and most dangerous bridge in London Under. Unfortunately it's the only way to get across Hyde Park. A narrow rope bridge, missing some wooden slats, stretches across a black pit. Despite the illumination at both ends, the centre is so dark that you can't see your feet. And there's… something… moving in the night. Something hungry.

The Palladium Stone

Set behind a metal grill in the wall of 111 Cannon Street is a block of limestone known as the London Stone, or the Palladium Stone. This sat at the heart of the Roman settlement, and was where all distances in Roman Britain were measured from and all proclamations made. It's also an anchor for many of the leylines that run through London Under, serving as a stabiliser and exchange for them. There's a legend that says this is the stone King Arthur drew Excalibur from. It's also said - and the Aldermen confirm this - that the fate of London rests upon its safe-keeping.

Prime Meridian

Located at Greenwich is the physical manifestation of the most powerful ley line in the world, and the point from which international time is measured. Mind the Gap.

The Purity Font

Halfway up Ludgate Hill, on the north side, is a 17th century font in a chapel to St. Martin-within-Ludgate. It's carved with a Greek palindrome - Niyon anomha mh monan oyin - which means 'cleanse my sin and not only my face'. This is where the druids of London Under go to get purifying water.

River Fleet

The 'lost' river of London Above. It isn't lost, of course, just firmly under the control of London Under. It runs from Hampstead Heath to Blackfriars, where it emerges into the Thames. It's actually quite a nice trip and you can have tea or beer with the Black Friars before coming back. Just don't touch the water. It's not healthy. By which we mean, it's fatally poisonous unless you can get to St. Bartholomew's within fifteen minutes.

St. Ghastly Grim

Also known as St. Olave's church on Seething Lane, this is where Mary Ramsay - believed to be the original Plague bearer - is buried along with thousands of her victims. A set of skulls are carved above the churchyard gateway to mark the spot. A good place for germ-shopping, perhaps.

Starting Charlie

The mounted statue of Charles I which stands in Trafalgar Square is the starting point for all distances measured in London. For the denizens of London Under, it's used as an anchor point for any magics involving distance, searching, travel, etc.

Temple Bar

The only surviving City gate, Temple Bar has been frequently moved but now stands at the entrance to Paternoster Square. The monarch of London Above traditionally stop to ask permission to enter the City and be given the pearl-encrusted Sword of State as a symbol of the City's loyalty. It's said that the monarch - alone of all London Above - knows of the existence of London Under and could enter it via Temple Bar if they wished.

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PHOTO CREDITS
1. Using the Tube map to ritually find someone, photo by Tom Garnett, www.tgarnett.com
2. Mr. Secretary of the Court of Arches, photo by Tom Garnett, www.tgarnett.com
3. The entrance to the 2015 Floating Market, photo by Tom Garnett, www.tgarnett.com

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