Canton

Canton is where Lovell saves Robin from the plague. It is also where he convinces Robin to commit to studying linguistics in England as Lovell’s ward. As a port town, Canton becomes an extremely important location for British merchants, even though the Chinese government is wary of their presence on the mainland. In the end, when Robin returns during his fourth year at Oxford, he is devastated to learn that the opium trade has destroyed the Canton he knew, replacing it with foreign stores, opium dens, and only increased the substantial poverty he experienced as a child. This ultimately convinces Robin to join Hermes, as the state of Canton reveals the cruelty of the British Empire.

Lovell’s Estate

Lovell’s Hampstead estate is where Robin spent the years between his early childhood at Canton and his enrollment in Babel. Here, he learns numerous old languages such...