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Machinistes (Les). A description of MYLOS' GWENDOLINE Quarter, by F. SCHUITEN and C. RENARD (CBD). See J.-L. FROMENTAL.
| Maeterlinck, Maurice. French-speaking Belgian writer, born in Gand [Ghent] (1862-1949 AD). His inspiration unites symbolism and mysticism in such drama as (LA PRINCESSE MALEINE, 1889 AD; Pelléas et Mélisande, 1892 AD; l'Oiseau bleu, 1908 AD) as well as in essays (la Vie des abeilles, 1901 AD). [Nobel Prize, 1911 AD.] (PLI). See STREETS OF BRUSSELS |
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Mafeo, Nicolo. A traveller mentioned in OBSCURAE CIVITATES as having covered the CONTINENT "much beyond its boundaries", which might indicate that he may have found a PASSAGE (LT). See POLO.
Magasinet. A KØBENHAVN company that used to sell the COMOS hair-growing balm (EC).
| Magritte, René. [1898-1967 AD] Belgian painter, from the province of Hainaut. He played a very important role in the surrealist movement of the first half of the 20th Century AD (LP) and he may have been influenced by DESOMBRES (MAD). Some of his paintings are very suggestive of processes connected with PASSAGE to the Obscure World. See STREETS OF BRUSSELS. |
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| Mahler, Gustav. [1860-1911
AD] Composer and conductor born in Kaliste, Bohemia. He held important positions in
Budapest, Hamburg, New York and Vienna. Although his official biography does not
mention it, there are rumors that he may have encountered Mary
VON RATHEN and that his career was much influenced by this (INT). See also Richard WAGNER. Mainguet, Florence. Secretary of the A.S.B.L. URBICANDE. A charming person, who takes her responsabilites very seriously. Participant to the First and Second OBSCURE CONVENTION. See FLORENCE.
Florence Mainguet
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Maintainers. They originally numbered 500, and were in charge of keeping the TOWER in good order. They lived alone and celibate, each isolated in his own sector and communicating with their superiors through one-way mail tubes. Forgotten by the PIONEERS and the BASE, they eventually vanished one by one, leaving the building to crumble. Giovanni BATTISTA stayed at his post the longest (LT, GC). See also HORATIO and The INSPECTOR.
Maison Autrique [Autrique House]. One of the first buildings of Victor HORTA, located in SCHAERBEEK (LSLC). See MAISON IMAGINAIRE.
Maison imaginaire [Imaginary House]. A remarkable restoration project for the MAISON AUTRIQUE, elaborated by SCHUITEN and PEETERS, and very nicely described in a book by the same authors. It seems that the process has open a PASSAGE to the Obscure World in the attic of the building, where an exhibit on the work of Axel WAPPENDORF can be found. See also GIRODYN, LIBRARY and LUMIÈRE SUR LES CITÉS.
Maison du Peuple [House of the People]. A superb building in BRUSSELS, designed by Victor HORTA. Built in 1895-99 AD and demolished in 1965-66, it was most probably a point of PASSAGE. Its internal structure, which resisted for a long time to the efforts of the wrecking crew, was similar to that of ALTA-PLANA (EC).
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Maisonneuve, Adrien. Prefect of PÂHRY, under whose impulsion the city started its regularisation in 671 AT (GC). His family name means "Newhouse".
| Man With the Birds (The). A mysterious character who appeared one day in the sky above the Obscure Cities, in a rickety flying machine. Followed by a flock of birds, he kept saying cryptic things that were perhaps prophecies regarding the coming of the NETWORK (A). The people of XHYSTOS, who had first welcomed him with open arms, eventually killed his birds and destroyed his airship (A2). He may have been Honorius ZOSER (EC). |
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Manet, Edouard. French painter, born in Paris (1832-1883 AD). He often found his inspiration amongst the classical masters, especially the Spaniards of the Golden Century, and he himself inspired some of the precursors of impressionism (le Déjeuner sur l'herbe, Olympia, le Balcon, le Fifre, l'Exécution de Maximilien) (PLI). A PASSEUR (A).
Marahuaca (Desert of). Separated from the DESERT OF SOMONITES by a mountain chain, located south-west of the former (EC).
Marahuaca (Pit of). An antique mastaba located in the desert of the same name. In 750 AT, objects discovered there suggested that the constructors of their hiding place had some knowledge of the future. From this location, it is possible to reach a kind of "antechamber", from which access can be gained to other worlds, including ours. ARDAN and LODERER attempted the journey, but found themselves in GALATOGRAD, after having met Jules VERNE and missed WAPPENDORF and Mary VON RATHEN by a matter of minutes. The Pit then closed, blocking the PASSAGE (EC, EP, GC). See FOREST OF MÉGARA, LÖNNROT, SPHERES, WRONSKI and YLIASTER.
Marahuaca (Plateau of). We know that part of the NETWORK stayed above this region. This locale has an acid season (FU2, MU).
Maranje, Gustav B. A former student of ROBICK who took upon himself to reconstruct URBICANDE from the original plans (GC). See NEW URBICANDE.
Marburg (Rectorate of). In the world of the Obscure Cities, a philosophical movement that opposed all scrutiny of the SPITFIRE (EC).
Marburg (School of). In our world, a neo-kantian philosophical movement (1871-1933 AD). Its greatest thinkers were H.Cohen, P.Natorp and E.Cassirer (PLI).
Marché-au-charbon. A small street in BRUSSELS, opening on the Grand Place. A suspected point of PASSAGE to the Obscure World (GC). See MURALS.
Marieville. An Obscure City of uncertain location, possibly near the old border of TAXANDRIA. As on the CONTINENT, French is the main language, but a slightly older form of English is also spoken. Therein can be found the TOWER OF THE SUN. See MONTREAL.
Marinum. A deserted port city of the country of TAXANDRIA, where AIMÉ found his father and TIME started again (SEP).
Maritime Tramway. Mode of transportation invented by Axel WAPPENDORF. It runs exclusively in BRÜSEL and allows a superb view on the city's skyline (ETPV, GC).
| Mark. A resident
of XHYSTOS who left for SAMARIS with CLARA, and never came back (MS). However, Franz BAUER discovered a trompe-l'oeil to his image in the latter city
(MS2). Maroles (Quartier des). An old quaint neighbourhood of BRÜSEL, close to the PALACE OF THE THREE POWERS (A). There is a virtually identical version of it in our world's BRUSSELS. Martha. Friend of Victor JONES (MAD, MDO). Mary. See Mary VON RATHEN. MARY LA PENCHÉE. [Leaning Mary] Ninth volume of the CHRONICLES, published as a book for children in 1995 AD. See below. Mary la Penchée. A tale for children in the Obscure Cities, based on the real-life adventures of Mary VON RATHEN. Also published in our world. See AXEL, BIBO, BOBBY, EFFI, LINA and SUZANNE. |
Martha |
| Mary's Song. A folk's
song that became very popular after the democratic experiments of Mary VON RATHEN in MYLOS (GC).
It was known in the deepest parts of the KAMOUR BLHYR
(INT). Masereel. A street of URBICANDE, named after a famous engraver of our world (GC). Spelled Maserel on a street plate (FU). |
No City
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| Masereel, Frans. (1889-1972
AD) One of the greatest woodcut artists of our time. The alienating city was
one of his recurring themes. Judging from his art, it is probable that he has either
visited the Obscure World, had an influence on it, or both. Right: Part of the series Die Stadt (The City) |
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Mascon. An animal mentionned in some guides to the Obscure FAUNA, but there does not seem to be any tangible proof that it truly exists (PGC).
Masters of Trade. In ALAXIS, one of the associations that truly rules the city (GC).
Megafathom. [In Obscure French: Mégabrasse] Unit of measure for distances used in the Obscure World (EC). "Mega" may mean "thousand" rather than "million" for Obscure people. If the "brasse" is the old measure of 5 French feet, then a thousand of them would be equivalent to 1.624 kilometers. The English fathom is somewhat longer (1.83 meter) (EC, ETPV).
Mégara. See FOREST OF MÉGARA.
Mélange. Journal of the Academy of Sciences of BRÜSEL. Its 60th Anniversary issue was devoted to Professor LOMS and his study of the NETWORK (FU2).
Menta, Henri. According to Christophe COMPÈRE, this is the name of an Obscure citizen who regularly commutes between the two worlds. However, he remains in shadows and did not honour his appointment at the Second OBSCURE CONVENTION (CC).
Mercantis. One of the associations that truly rule ALAXIS (GC).
| Mercator. (Gerhard Kremer, a.k.a. Gerard), flemish mathematician et geographer, born in RUPELMONDE (1512-1594 AD). One of the founders of modern mathematical geography. He gave his name to a projection system where longitudes are rendered as equidistant parallel straight lines, et degrees of latitude by parallel straight lines perpendicular to the meridian (PLI). See DE CREMER. |
Methylen Sea. Vast marine expanse north of the CONTINENT, between the KØBENHAVN peninsula and the CHULAE VISTA ISLANDS (GC). See BLEU MÉTHYLÈNE.
Métro. Short for métropolitain, a French term that describes the transportation mode known as Subway or Underground in English. Some métro stations in certain cities appear to be PASSAGE points. See ARTS ET MÉTIERS, LOUISE, NAMUR and PORTE DE HAL.
Metzleux. An architect from BRÜSEL. Mrs. René HAMMELIN was "desperately" looking for him, and his partner DEGUER, in April 719 AT (EC).
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OBSCURE DICTIONARY |
