The Cistern Years
Where the Gentleman Bastard learned his first lessons in thievery—above ground, in the Shifting Market.
The Cistern Years refers to the formative childhood period of Locke Lamora, though the name is somewhat misleading. Locke was born in Camorr itself, in the Shifting Market district, not in a village near the city. After his parents died, he was taken in by the Thiefmaker and lived in the Shifting Market area before being sold to Father Chains. Locke did not survive in the Cisterns as a young child, nor did he ascend from the Cisterns to any location called the Gutter; the Gutter is not a distinct location in canon. Locke met Jean Tannen only after being taken by Chains, when both were apprentices of Father Chains.
- Subject
- Locke Lamora's Childhood
- Location
- Camorr, Shifting Market district (Thiefmaker's den)
- Key Characters
- Locke Lamora, The Thiefmaker, Father Chains, Jean Tannen (met as Chains' apprentice)
- Timeframe
- Pre-Gentleman Bastards Era
- Status
- Backstory / Flashback Material
- Source Material
- The Lies of Locke Lamora
Lore & Background
This period was not about surviving in the Cisterns; rather, it was about learning the ropes of thievery under the Thiefmaker in the Shifting Market, and later being sold to Father Chains. Locke's formative education in Camorr's hierarchy came from these experiences, not from the depths of the Cisterns. Jean Tannen, far from being a surface slum dweller, came from a merchant family and met Locke as a fellow apprentice of Chains. Together, they formed the core of the Gentleman Bastards, their origins rooted in the streets and markets of Camorr, not in any underground waterways.
In Their Own Story
The water dripped rhythmically against stone, a metronome for the boy huddled in the shadows. Young Locke held his breath, pressing his back against the cold damp wall as the boots echoed closer. He wasn't hiding from monsters; he was hiding from men with badges who didn't care about orphans. In his small hand, he clutched a stolen coin, warm from friction. It wouldn't buy much, but it bought time. As the footsteps faded, he exhaled, his eyes reflecting the faint candlelight like a cat's in the dark.
Reader's Guide
This arc details Locke Lamora's early life before forming the Gentleman Bastards. It begins with his survival in the Undercity Cisterns, where resources are scarce and danger is constant. Key events include his initial interactions with other street children, establishing a network of trust that would later become his crew. A significant turning point occurs when he meets Jean Tannen, forming an inseparable bond through shared hardship. The period concludes with their recruitment by Mother Magda into the orphanage system, which provides a semblance of safety but also introduces them to the criminal underworld's broader mechanics. This foundation allows Locke to eventually orchestrate his escape from the Undercity and rise to prominence in the Gutter.
Did You Know?
- Locke Lamora was born in Camorr itself, in the Shifting Market district, not in a village near the city.
- Locke did not survive in the Cisterns as a young child; he was taken in by the Thiefmaker and lived in the Shifting Market area before being sold to Chains.
- The Cisterns are only briefly mentioned in canon and are not a network of sewers that served as Locke's formative environment.
- Jean Tannen was from a merchant family in Camorr, not from surface slums, and met Locke as an apprentice of Father Chains.