Bas-Lag

Bas-Lag is the fictional world in which the novels of China Miéville are set. Bas-Lag has both magic and primitive technology (for instance, the city of New Crobuzon has an electrical railway system), and is home to multiple intelligent species which coexist in an uneasy peace. It is influenced by the themes and tropes of multiple genres of science fiction, fantasy, and horror.

Partial list of locations on Bas-Lag

• New Crobuzon
• Myrshock: The main port city for New Crobuzon.
• Cobsea: Trading partner with New Crobuzon; once part of the ill-fated rail programme.
• Armada
• Tesh

Partial list of intelligent species on Bas-Lag

Humans 

Seem to be in most respects identical to Terrans, except that many have the ability to use magic.

Khepri 

A species of pseudo-arthropod people, the females being intelligent humanoids having art and culture expressed through biological resin sculptures and an oral history. Female khepri differ from humans in that their skin is crimson in color, and each has a giant scarab for a head. Male Khepri are lobster-sized, non-sentient scarabs without the depending humanoid body. The secondary protagonist of Perdido Street Station is Khepri.

Garuda 

Humanoid vultures. The majority of Garuda are nomadic, with a complex tribal structure.

Vodyanoi 

Short, blue-skinned, froglike humanoids with the ability to form water into semisolids.

Handlingers 

Sentient parasitic disembodied hands which control the mind of their host.

Cactacae 

humanoid cacti.

Weavers 

Gigantic multidimensional spider-like beings who consider life on Bas-Lag as an ongoing work of art. They use their considerable powers to interfere with events according to their individual sense of esthetics, and seem to appear primarily before major events.

Anophelii 

Mosquito-like beings. The females are very dangerous, and will drain any living being of its blood. Anophelii have been confined to a single island. (First seen in The Scar).

llogris

Stiltspear 

Driven to extinction after the railroad destroys their indigenous swamp lands, the Stiltspear were a race of tree-like creatures who are able to create golems through somaturgy. It is the Stiltspear who teach golemetry to Judah Low.

Hotchi 

Described as hedgehogs who ride roosters.

Scabmettler

Cray

Partial List of Sigificant Characters in the Bas-Lag Novels

Cutter

Judah Low

Pomeroy

Elsie

Ori (later Toro)

Weather Wrightby

Drogon

Ann-Hari

Uzman

Toro

Spiral Jacobs

Bertold Sulion

Jack Half-a-prayer

Thick Shanks

Old Shoulder

Qurabin

Mayor Stem-Fulcher

Oil Bill

Place How

Baron