Bannock Club

The Bannock Club is an exclusive, Kithain literary club in San Francisco.

Overview

Deriving its name from the Welsh word bannog, Club Bannock is a home away from home for all sorts of Kithian with a literary bent. To gain admittance past Hugo, the Troll doorman, one must tell a fantastic story about how one actually became aware of the club, and the members inside vote on whether or not the story is good enough. If they vote in favor, the aspirant is admitted as a member for life. If not, they are pitched into the streets with a copy of Strunk & White's Elements of Style.

Behind the leather-wrapped doors is a club every bit the image of a turn-of-the-century gentleman's club: thick, overstuffed chairs, green shaded lamps, tables of darkly polished oak. Arcadia Winery's finest vintages are served in crystal goblets by the chimerical butler, Jeeves, who makes no sound. Only members are allowed to speak and if a guest even coughs, they are tossed out by Jeeves, who has never spoken a word for the century he has been there.

The second level of the club is limited to the Inner Circle and holds a series of richly appointed chambers with thick carpet and ancient volumes. The club's library is here as well, but gives only limited access, and contains common and rare titles written by the club member's favorite authors like Guy Gavriel Kay, Harlan Ellison, and Ambrose Bierce (who was a member). Other favorites include Yeats, Shaw, and Armistead Maupin. A balconey sprouts from a wall whenever one of the inner circle wishes to look over the members below, but it doesn't happen often these days.

References

8 CTD: Immortal Eyes: The Toybox, p. 56