Absintheuse
Posts: 348
10/26/2017
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Delicious friends, the Exceptional Story for November is here!
A new diocese has been proposed for London! Journey to Bugsby's Marsh where you'll quarrel with vicars, sermonise at deacons and frustrate nuns as you decide who'll be the new Bishop of Watchmaker's Hill.
The Sinking Synod is the third and final story in the Season of Sceptres, and was written by Gavin Inglis. This season, experience three stories that involve the use and abuse of power in an array of London professions. You can begin each from the Season of Sceptres card.
At the end of the season, players who have completed all three will go a step farther, unlocking bonus content involving the exiled Injurious Princess, and her plan to reclaim the throne of Vesture.
Editing and QA: James Chew and Caolain Porter.
Art by Paul Arendt.
EXCEPTIONAL FRIENDSHIP
In addition to a new, substantial, stand-alone story every month, Exceptional Friends enjoy:
- Access to the House of Chimes: an exclusive private member's club on the Stolen River, packed with content
- An expanded opportunity deck: of ten cards instead of six!
- A second candle: Twice the actions! 40 at once!
Finishing all three stories in the Season of Sceptres will make you eligible for an additional opportunity, to follow.
If you want to keep an Exceptional Story beyond the month it’s for, you must complete the related storylet in the current Season’s card throughout London. This will save it for you to return to another time.
edited by Absintheuse on 10/26/2017
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Passionario
Posts: 777
10/28/2017
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Jules Asimov wrote:
Is there any benefit to becoming a bishop gameplay-wise other than the fact you can call yourself one?
You can move diagonally in the Great Game.
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Passionario: Profile, Story, Ending
Passion: Profile, Appearance
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Plynkes
Posts: 631
10/27/2017
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Yes, Southwark is south of the river. One of the spires of the Bazaar is still there today, even though we have brought London back to the surface. Folks generally call it the Shard nowadays, and have forgotten its original nature and purpose.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shard
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"Then tell Wind and Fire where to stop, but don't tell me."
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Diptych
Administrator
Posts: 3493
10/28/2017
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"Okay, Devious - don't move!"
"The Bishop!"
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Sir Frederick, the Libertarian Esotericist. Lord Hubris, the Bloody Baron.
Juniper Brown, the Ill-Fated Orphan. Esther Ellis-Hall, the Fashionable Fabian.
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BillyCosmos!
Posts: 30
10/27/2017
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Exceptional friendship?
About $7.06 a month.
Dosing an ecclesiastical synod with psychedelics?
Priceless.
--
Overjoyed to finally have a decent secretary to take dictation. Even if it is a somewhat more mushroomy sort of secretary than one might be used to.
Dictated, thuroughly read.
William, "Billy" Cosmos, the !
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Absintheuse
Posts: 348
10/30/2017
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Just popping in to say that it's possible to swap back to your bishop title via the The Roof-Tops: Urchin card
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Anchovies
Posts: 421
10/28/2017
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When you just want to enjoy a peaceful stroll through the bog, but a crowd of clergy are making a mess of the place so you have to lurk behind their tents
Cthonius wrote:
Also I feel it fitting and comical to refer to this mysterious figure as Bugsby That drunk we talked to at the Medusa's Head was telling the truth! Bugsby is real! It's a swamp-mas miracle!
On a more serious note, this ES is beautiful. I'm strongly reminded of The Century Exhibition and All Things Must End. I'm quite fond of stories which focus on worldbuilding, and which make good use of Storynexus's capacity for nonlinear or branching story paths.
I also enjoyed being able to flesh out my own character's attitudes towards and interactions with the church. As an agent of the New Sequence, Anchovies isn't an enemy of the church, but they do think it could use a little redirection... Speaking of the New Sequence, I love the passing reference to "the Royal Navy and their “engines powered by colours”" in the result text for engaging in fungal shenanigans.
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Perhaps our role on this planet is not to worship God — but to create Him.
—Sir Arthur C Clarke
Lionel Anchovies. Character on indefinite hiatus.
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Adam
Posts: 12
10/30/2017
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I've only just unlocked this story, but I'm a little baffled by the introduction: it features the Fisher Kings mugging a cartographer, including one of them tripping her up, but I'm sure I remember the Fisher Kings having a serious superstition about never going down to ground level.
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meanderer
All non-dupe social actions gladly received, and patronage available to those that want it.
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Diptych
Administrator
Posts: 3493
10/26/2017
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Lamia Lawless wrote:
I didn't know Fiacre's was in Spite or Southwark's was in Ladybones until this ES.
Southwark Cathedral is actually a real place - it would be right by the Bazaar Sidestreets - but, because only POSI have access to that area, I imagine the Bishop was in residence at a West End boxing gym to make him more accessible. St Fiacre's is very likely a renamed St Paul's, which more or less marks the boundary between Veilgarden and Spite.
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Sir Frederick, the Libertarian Esotericist. Lord Hubris, the Bloody Baron.
Juniper Brown, the Ill-Fated Orphan. Esther Ellis-Hall, the Fashionable Fabian.
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Diptych
Administrator
Posts: 3493
10/26/2017
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A thoroughly interesting story! Not, I'll admit, thrilling, or deeply revelatory about the cosmos - just a fascinating extended discussion about the practical role of religion in contemporary society, with tea and finger-sandwiches. Being a mild old pagan, I didn't have a deeply personal stake in the debate, but in the end, I thought a Hospital for the Unusual was a worthy endeavour. London's bishops remain a fascinating pair... well, trio, now.
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Sir Frederick, the Libertarian Esotericist. Lord Hubris, the Bloody Baron.
Juniper Brown, the Ill-Fated Orphan. Esther Ellis-Hall, the Fashionable Fabian.
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Urthdigger
Posts: 939
10/28/2017
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I really hope people start calling me "The bish"
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Looking for second chances to maximize your loot output from those troublesome storylets? Check out our handy gang of volunteers in this thread, or even volunteer yourself!
@Urthdigger on twitter
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dov
Posts: 2580
11/12/2017
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Finally got around to playing this one.
Overall, I liked it very much. It's always fun to spend some time with the two Bishops. They have both grown as characters over of the years, and it's interesting to get a glimpse as to how they feel towards each other.
The concept was well chosen - as others have mentioned, the game has rarely explored the Church's position in Fallen London, not to mention inter-Church intrigue. I also really liked that this was kicked off by a clerical mistake at the Mayor's office and everyone just going along with it to avoid looking ridiculous. It also fits how the player character gets dragged into this - as a randomly chosen Civic Observer sent by the Mayor's Office (as long as they never have to hear about the whole affair again).
The new characters (Matron, Archdeacon, Marsh Man) were mildly interesting, though I would have much preferred for them to be more developed. There was so much room to expand on their characters (either in backstory, motivation, hidden agendas, etc.)
I liked the mechanics. It gave a sense of lots of things happening at once as options locked and unlocked in the two camps, though in really the number of choices wasn't that great. It was fun seeing how different options swayed the crowd towards each of the two candidates. I also liked that the final choice was dependent on a combination of our own Influence quality and which candidate had the crowd's favour.
Two things I didn't like:
1. Such a missed opportunity to not have something in the story depend on the player's Renown: The Church level. It didn't have to influence the final outcome - perhaps just have some option to gain Influence only for those with very high Renown, or have an option depend on a Renown challenge.
2. The text for choosing yourself as Bishop was a bit... anticlimactic. It was very little beyond (paraphrasing of course): "You propose yourself. They are exhausted so they agree. Done.". It really felt like a few more lines are needed here - e.g. perhaps there's an argument, and eventually the two candidates jointly endorse you (each for their own reasons) to calm the crowds.... (I can't comment on whether the other two ends also feel anticlimactic.)
To conclude: A very good story. I felt engaged throughout, liked the characters, the setting, and the mechanics.
Subjective ranked list of all Exceptional Stories:
[spoiler]
Excellent:
- Lost in Reflections
- Cut with Moonlight
- Hojotoho!
- The Frequently Deceased
- The Waltz that Moved the World
- Flint
- All Things Must End
- The Century Exhibition
- The Twelve-Fifteen From Moloch Street
- The Persona Engine
- Where You and I Must Go
- The Sinking Synod
- The Attendants
Good:
- The Web of the Motherlings
- The Pentecost Predicament
- The Calendar Code
- The Art of Murder
- The Chimney Pot Wars
- The Final Curtain
- The Heart, the Devil and the Zee
- Our Lady of Pyres
- The Clay Man's Arm
- Five Minutes to Midday
- Discernment
- The Haunting at the Marsh House
Meh:
- Trial and Error
- The Last Dog Society
- The Seven-Day Reign
- The Court of Cats
Bad:
[/spoiler]
edited by dov on 11/12/2017
--
 Want a sip of Hesperidean Cider? Send me a request in-game. Here's an_ocelot's guide how.
(Most social actions are welcome. Please no requests to Loiter Suspiciously and no investigations of the Affluent Photographer)
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Lamia Lawless
Posts: 604
10/27/2017
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Sir Frederick Tanah-Chook wrote:
Lamia Lawless wrote:
I didn't know Fiacre's was in Spite or Southwark's was in Ladybones until this ES.
Southwark Cathedral is actually a real place - it would be right by the Bazaar Sidestreets - but, because only POSI have access to that area, I imagine the Bishop was in residence at a West End boxing gym to make him more accessible. St Fiacre's is very likely a renamed St Paul's, which more or less marks the boundary between Veilgarden and Spite.
Ah! Thank you for sharing this. Now I know. 
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The Harmonic Hellfarer
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Edward Warren
Posts: 120
10/29/2017
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I admit, I too have a soft spot for these roleplaying-centric stories, where the focus isn't in unraveling a big mystery or some grand adventure, just interacting with people and getting to explore who our character is as a person. I liked that we finally got to explore a bit more about the workings of the Church, as I feel they're one of the more interesting factions in the Neath. Seeing how they've somehow sunk into somewhat obscurity nowadays, it's nice to see them fleshed out a bit and see a faction that's not preoccupied with just "smashing those bloody devils grrr". I enjoyed the synod and was amused by the outcome (being me being appointed bishop), but had a few real peeves with the whole thing.
- Needless Action Point costs- It really shouldn't be necessary for the character to have to spend so many AP to find out about the Synod. We've had events in the past where talking is a free action. Unless there's a good reason as to why talking should cost AP (such as sparring with the bishop of southwark) this point it really feels like adding filler to an otherwise quick story.
- Open-Ended Abrupt Ending- I actually agonized quite a bit over my choice at the end, and was surprised how little it felt like my choice meant anything. The whole Synod built up how these two factions of the Church were at each others throats and then.... everyone just kind of went home? After Five Minutes to Midday and Hojotoho! established ES can have effects on our London, I'm disappointed I won't be able to later head over and see how St.Fiacre's hospital is doing, or an opportunity card illustrating Church bullyboys harassing the drunk and soulless with the Sourthwark Candidate in charge.
- The overall straightforward course of the Synod as a whole.- As a ES that focused on the political intrigues of the Church, I was somewhat disappointed how little seemed to occur at the Synod itself. Unless I'm mistaken there doesn't seem to be much affect to influencing the assembly towards one side or the other as long as one has enough influence at the end.
- The focus seemed to be very much all over the place near the end.- Looking back it doesn't seem like the ES didn't seem to know what it was trying to be, which really shined through by the end. We start out running around town trying to find out about this Synod deal, find out there's two factions trying to claim a new diocese to further their own agendas... but when we get there we get bogged down *rimshot* with Shrek and his gripe with all these guys suddenly chilling in his swamp. I wouldn't have minded that as much if it had been done well, but without a proper conclusion to his subplot it feels as if Shrek served no real point, and time spent hanging out with him could have been better spent fleshing out other characters attending the Synod.
I know this makes it sound like I didn't like the ES, but I really did. It's just looking back, it seems like the whole thing was an interesting idea that was lacking in the actual execution. I will certainly enjoy being able to call myself The Bishop as I shamelessly get wasted at my local honey den and dabble in the soul trade, yet find myself yearning for more. The abrupt ending has me hoping that there could be a sequel sometime in the future that has us managing a Church project in the Marsh while at the same time fighting off the encroaching supernatural weirdness.
Whatever the case, it's all ogre now.
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WHAT IS BELOW CANNOT ESCAPE WHAT IS ABOVE
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John Moose
Posts: 276
10/28/2017
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Will being a bishop and an unbishop cancel each other out?
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BillyCosmos!
Posts: 30
10/27/2017
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Plynkes wrote:
Yes, Southwark is south of the river. One of the spires of the Bazaar is still there today, even though we have brought London back to the surface. Folks generally call it the Shard nowadays, and have forgotten its original nature and purpose.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shard
Okay. First of all, that was awesome. I want to get that right out of the way because I don't want to forget to say it. I almost did, and it was because when I opened the link (I've only seen it on TV, as I live on the other side of the Atlantic. That's right, the underside. It's quite damp at the bottom.) I saw something hilariously perverse. The architectural style - neo-futurism. Neo-futurism? Is that redundant, oxymoron, or both?
It's certainly a very modern building, except of course that we're well past post-modern now which may be why we need a new future. Probably because even though what's modern is now and what comes after now is the future, the future was before the modern and thus well before after modern, which is like the future, except that it wasn't.
This modern future we live in now is vastly different from the future a hundred years ago, that much is certain. The future's modern, (that is, the futurist's future, which was modern) was likewise very different from our modern modernism, which is that new future, so expecting now to be like now begins to seem foolhardy. Or it certainly was, now that I'm looking back at now from now.
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Overjoyed to finally have a decent secretary to take dictation. Even if it is a somewhat more mushroomy sort of secretary than one might be used to.
Dictated, thuroughly read.
William, "Billy" Cosmos, the !
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Cthonius
Posts: 362
10/26/2017
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Also I feel it fitting and comical to refer to this mysterious figure as Bugsby
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Cthonius, gone North. Gone.
Oneiropompus, a Scarlet Saint, eager to help make your dreams realities. Accepting all social requests for now.
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Akernis
Posts: 255
10/26/2017
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As has been the case in the last several stories, the art is just gorgeous! Makes me all the more excited to play 
--
Vena's profile - http://fallenlondon.com/Profile/Akernis
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Barse
Posts: 706
10/26/2017
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I haven't quite finished yet (RIP my actions) but it's been really cool to see how the Church as a whole functions in London - we often see Southwark and Fiacre out and about doing their own things, and God's Editors exist separately to those two again. It's interesting to get an overview of their work together and that of the wider Church, and a fun to way to give these important characters some depth & shared context.
While I'm not personally invested in the Church as a faction, I'm glad they've finally got a story focussed on them - plus, that artwork is gorgeous, and some of the conversation text made me laugh out loud!
--
 The Scorched Sailor, up for most social actions and RP. Not as scary as he looks.
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Barse
Posts: 706
10/26/2017
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Re. Marsh Man's wishes at the end:
[spoiler] He tells you that he wants the Church to leave him in peace, that he has no wish for a Church presence. While not explicitly mentioning him, the option "Let the new Diocese fail" seems to line up with his wishes best - I didn't choose it, but the text suggests that you bury the Church in enough bureaucracy that the Bugsby's Marsh project never goes ahead.[/spoiler]
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The Scorched Sailor, up for most social actions and RP. Not as scary as he looks.
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Lamia Lawless
Posts: 604
10/26/2017
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I appreciated the opportunity to finally learn what the two Bishops think of each other. One is subtle, the other is forceful... I always got the impression the Bishop of St. Fiacre thought the Bishop of Southwark was faintly ridiculous, but it seems like they have some amount of respect for each other.
Also, I got to spar the Bishop of Southwark again. : D
Choosing one of the two options, a hospital or a place to study the soulless, was actually more difficult than choosing not to sabotage the project. I can't say with any certainty what Hell would have wanted my character to do. After all, the last two times I assumed I knew, I was wrong. (Five Minutes to Midday and the first election season, for instance.)
L.L. is personally interested in both helping nonhuman people and learning more about soullessness, even if, officially, she's not supposed to be.
[spoiler]I eventually sided with the Archdeacon, although I wish I had collected enough Synod for L.L. to elect herself. I'm pretty sure it would have put her in an advantageous position to guide churchly affairs in a more infernal direction. But L.L. herself is interested in why soullessness affects different people in different ways, so I'll just have to imagine that her job did not extend beyond spying on proceedings and making a report.[/spoiler]
A list of other things I liked, in no particular order:
-The slow, ominous sinking of the tents into marsh water as a way of measuring time.
-The guy who just plain disappeared, and his friends having to search for him with a stick.
-The introduction of two new interesting characters, the Matron and the Archdeacon. I particularly liked the Archdeacon's backstory.
I'm hoping that this story results in some game-wide changes, like perhaps the new building will actually appear at Watchmaker's Hill?
Edit: Oh! It was also good to have confirmation as to where the Bishops' respective churches actually are in London. I'm sure it's probably mentioned elsewhere in different stories, but I didn't know Fiacre's was in Spite or Southwark's was in Ladybones until this ES.
edited by Lamia Lawless on 10/26/2017
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The Harmonic Hellfarer
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Diptych
Administrator
Posts: 3493
10/28/2017
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Hubris isn't sure but he intends to find out.
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Sir Frederick, the Libertarian Esotericist. Lord Hubris, the Bloody Baron.
Juniper Brown, the Ill-Fated Orphan. Esther Ellis-Hall, the Fashionable Fabian.
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Dudebro Pyro
Posts: 757
10/28/2017
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Jules Asimov wrote:
Is there any benefit to becoming a bishop gameplay-wise other than the fact you can call yourself one?
I would like to know this...
ExceptionallyDelicious wrote:
Can you change your preferred form of address to Bishop again if you decide to switch back to what it was before?
..and this myself, too. This is yet another case of "choose more 'exclusive' choice in the hopes of better rewards, or play in-character" which I seem to get stuck on almost every ES.
Jolanda Swan wrote:
nothing beats a nun in chainmail
I don't know, maybe the good Southwark might.
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Dudebro Pyro, eccentric scholar
Spare Starveling Kitties always welcome. I collect them.
For that matter, send me your unwanted cat boxes too.
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xKiv
Posts: 846
10/28/2017
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John Moose wrote:
Will being a bishop and an unbishop cancel each other out?
That leads to being both. You will be bibishop.
edited by xKiv on 10/28/2017
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https://www.fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/xKiv - a witchful, percussive, dangermous and shadowry scholar of coexplodence, hopsidirean, and walker of fallen kitties.
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Skinnyman
Posts: 2133
11/29/2017
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A reminder for those didn't unlock the story yet: do remember to do so by tomorrow!
--
ESs items and quality requirements sheet. Please check if there are errors or if something is missing
Achievement list if you're feeling bored!
I am accepting Plant battles, Neath's Mysteries card, Starveling Cats and boxed cats.
No suppers, no second chances gain and no need to cure my menaces!
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Reused NPC
Posts: 259
11/7/2017
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--Now that I'm finally done with Hallowmas, I've gotten started on this story. I haven't gotten far, but one of the Ecclesiastical AffAIRS values for the debate is "Enterprising urchins have constructed a raft and are running ferry service to the site." This satisfies me.
(Later, the same ES...)
I'm curious what's up with the marsh dweller. Is he a denizen of the Iron Republic? The phrase "laws and tyrants" is a little to close for there to be no relation.
(Slightly later, the same ES...)
Nominated the Militant Matron for bishop of the new diocese. I do not need another Diary of the Dead, but eh, I won't complain. Now that I'm finally done, I'll look into echoes for the other options, I suppose.
(Edit: Smiley faces parsed in those "later the same ES"-es. How... off-mood.)
edited by ReusedNPC on 11/7/2017
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ReusedNPC, a d__ned lunatic.
Edmund Viric, a rather dreamy sort.
"I won't stay long, I shan't stay long! Tell me a secret."
--the Baldomerian
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Estelle Knoht
Posts: 1751
11/7/2017
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I am very glad that there isn't some sort of silly climax along the lines of "tents sink, everyone drown" despite how the passage of time was measured. Or glowy cultists with no social manners.
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Estelle Knoht, a juvenile, unreliable and respectable lady.
I currently do not accept any catbox, cider, suppers, calling cards or proteges.
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suinicide
Posts: 2409
11/5/2017
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Trilby wrote:
So whats the rewards for each ending this time round?
also, does making our swamp man happy have any long term, not_simply_story_related benefits for us?
It's obvious that favoring one of the two candidates would give access to some new option on the church card, but who would our swamp friend associate with?
Each ending gives church renown, but the only special thing thing is if you declare yourself bishop, in which case you can change your pronouns to bishop or something similar.
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http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/profile/sunnytime
A gentleman seeking the liberation of knowledge, with a penchant for violence.
RIP suinicide, stuck in a well. Still has it under control.
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John Moose
Posts: 276
10/29/2017
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I'm honestly pretty disappointed. The story was nice enough and it was really refreshing to get some insight into the Church, but [spoiler]my mistake of chasing the shiny thing and wanting to get myself elected seems to have rather... Ruined the whole thing. I get a title I'll lose if I ever want to change what I'm addressed as, no material reward - not that that's so important, but still - and apparently sabotaged the whole thing by doing so? I think my main problem is that, while there's an option to screw over others to help yourself like in Marsh House, this time the result for doing so is so... Meh. "You're not a bishop, but we'll let you get away with calling yourself one, for some time. Also, the project is ruined, and no thanks from Bugsby even though you ruined it like he wanted." I guess this all just came as a bit of a surprise since this ending needing the highest amount of influence gave me the impression of being the "best" ending - since usually difficulty translates into higher material/personal rewards. [/spoiler]
edit:// I think another problem I had, was that the story didn't quite give me enough material about the candidates to really feed my confirmation bias about them - I liked Fiacre's candidate more than Southwark's, but whereas, say, Court of Cats taught me enough about both candidates to properly hate one and ignore bad things about the other, I remained rather... Lukewarm about both, this time.
edited by John Moose on 10/29/2017
edit2:/// Well don't I have a foot in my mouth now. Thanks Absintheuse
edited by John Moose on 10/30/2017
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Jermaine Vendredi
Posts: 588
1/31/2018
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Another late player of this story here.
I found it unexpectedly hilarious and extremely detailed and wide-ranging. It took me three and a half EF sessions to explore all the discussion options, tag-lines, influence and tendency threads, including extending sessions twice. Such a labour of love with the asides, with people clandestinely fishing, urchins setting up a raft service, quiet scuttlings in the background and tents sinking. I loved the frequent twists in the subtext at the very end of a passage, which often undermined the surface statement. Ditto the not-so-subtle hints that this was a very bad idea on a wholly unsuitable site and nobody really wanted it anyway. Nice insights into the work of God's Editors -- maybe one should quit?
From the point of arrival at the tent site, there is a hint at the eponymous "owner" (?) of the place, and I was delighted to find three chances to pursue that option, interact with the marsh dweller, discover his origins and motivation. [spoiler] I suspect it was possible to lock oneself out of this whole branch if the other choice was made during the first break.[/spoiler]
Great story. I left the marsh to the marsh denizens.
edited by Jermaine Vendredi on 1/31/2018
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No plant battles, please.
https://www.fallenlondon.com/profile/Jermion
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trajing
Posts: 24
10/27/2017
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I found the story rather intriguing -- this was one of the ones I found more enjoyable, and I'm rather curious if we unlock any permanent effects from our choices -- I sided with St. Fiacre's.
I also wonder if one could use this story to raise one's Church renown a considerable amount above what is possible with the normal route (i.e. the tiny jewelled reliquary).
edited by trajing on 10/27/2017
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Adam Sanzelwicky - http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Adam%20Sanzelwicky
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Cthonius
Posts: 362
10/28/2017
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Snowskeeper wrote:
BillyCosmos! wrote:
-snip-
It's neither redundant nor an oxymoron. Neo-futurism just means "futurism that is new." There is an older style of futurism which is not the same as neo-futurism. They could have called it something different, but because stylistic names are frequently descriptive, and because the older school of futurism is still in use, they decided not to.
The difference between the futurism of architecture that looks like Apple designed it, and a vision of the future looking like a 50's raygun, to give some supporting examples. Modernism, Futurism, etc aren't vague terms referring to the modern or the futuristic, but all specific artistic movements with relatively strict definitions.
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Cthonius, gone North. Gone.
Oneiropompus, a Scarlet Saint, eager to help make your dreams realities. Accepting all social requests for now.
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Passionario
Posts: 777
10/26/2017
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The text for supporting St. Fiacre's can be found here.
(The material reward is a Diary of the Dead).
edited by Passionario on 10/26/2017
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Passionario: Profile, Story, Ending
Passion: Profile, Appearance
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Hattington
Posts: 210
10/26/2017
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Robin Alexander wrote:
The ending made no sense to me?
I was given an option of what to do, but none were to side with the mysterious man . . . I thus chose to rule myself, in hopes that I could get rid of them from Watchmaker's Hill, thus sating said mysterious man, but still no mention of him or nothing to do with him? It said "this is almost certainly the end", but sign of an opportunity card?
What happened to him? :-S
Same here and...same reaction, honestly. Out of all the ESes I've played this year, this one ended the most anticlimatically.
I just sort of, became Bishop? Except apparently I...probably won't? One little level of Renown: The Church hardly seems appropriate for a prospective Bishop. Is there a card enroute that will show Swamp Guy's reaction to the whole fiasco?
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The Dawnburnt Vake-Rider: https://www.fallenlondon.com/Profile/Hattington
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Cthonius
Posts: 362
10/26/2017
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I wonder if becoming bishop unlocks a new term of address.
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Cthonius, gone North. Gone.
Oneiropompus, a Scarlet Saint, eager to help make your dreams realities. Accepting all social requests for now.
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Ludwig Von Wolfgang
Posts: 7
10/26/2017
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Cthonius wrote:
I wonder if becoming bishop unlocks a new term of address.
Yes it does.
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http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Dan~Nerouch
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Tay1or
Posts: 163
10/26/2017
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Yes, the first option with his picture is how you make that choice. I guess that it could be confusing since it doesn't actually mention him.
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Mr Sables
Posts: 597
10/26/2017
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Just waiting on new action points to finish.
I'm a bit indifferent to this story; I love the art, and the writing is a very fine quality, but I'm totally disinterested in the Church and these characters. I think - were this an interest of mine - it'd be one of the best stories to date; the mechanics are fun and quirky, it feels like your choice has a real impact, and the characters are given some depth and personality and reasons.
Personally? I'm more invested in this mysterious figure, and I can't wait to question him. Maybe the ending will change my opinion a bit more, but - so far - I'm skim-reading a lot, as I feel a bit 'meh'.
Excellent quality, but perhaps not for me.
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Cthonius
Posts: 362
10/26/2017
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Already I love the bits with Southwark and Fiacre's, though while they add more depth to Fiacre's they don't much to Southwark. Either way I love any new content with Fiacre's and I can't believe people used to see him as sinister in his mystery. The interactions with the locals of the Hill were too amusing and characterizing. Pushing off the Synod proper till I've some more actions but this is shaping quickly into a great story.
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Cthonius, gone North. Gone.
Oneiropompus, a Scarlet Saint, eager to help make your dreams realities. Accepting all social requests for now.
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Tay1or
Posts: 163
10/26/2017
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Awesome--best story in many months! Interesting characters and story, good mechanics, I choose the man from the marsh in the end.
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Catherine Raymond
Posts: 2518
10/26/2017
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By the way, is it just me or does the art for this ES look uncannily like a fetus?
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Cathy Raymond
http://fallenlondon.com/Profile/cathyr19355
Catherine Raymond aka Mrs. Rykar Malkus http://fallenlondon.com/Profile/Catherine%20Raymond (Gone NORTH)
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Catherine Raymond
Posts: 2518
10/26/2017
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I have completed the ES. I chose delay, in accordance with my perception that it's stupid to build a diocese, or medical facilities, in a marsh. The text of the final outcome can be seen on the profile of cathyr19355.
The rewards are in the spoiler box below:
[spoiler]The synod is over!
Your 'Synod Influence' Quality has gone!
Your 'Ecclesiastical Affairs' Quality has gone!
An occurrence! Your 'Proceedings of a Synod' Quality is now 1!
You've gained 1 x Primaeval Hint (new total 12).
Renown: The Church is increasing...
For what it's worth, I suspect that the letter in the "archaic script" referred to in the finale is that of the Marsh Man. I was already at 50 Renown for Church, It looks as though I got a 3-point increase in Renown: Church. "Proceedings" is an actual item in inventory--you'll see it on cathyr19355's Mantelpiece. [/spoiler]
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Cathy Raymond
http://fallenlondon.com/Profile/cathyr19355
Catherine Raymond aka Mrs. Rykar Malkus http://fallenlondon.com/Profile/Catherine%20Raymond (Gone NORTH)
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Arden Saint-Just
Posts: 15
10/26/2017
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Ludwig Von Wolfgang wrote:
Cthonius wrote:
I wonder if becoming bishop unlocks a new term of address.
Yes it does.
Could you possibly link to some indication of this? I completed the ES by becoming Bishop and am presently staring at the Urchins change of address storylet; no new options appear to be present.
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Deacon and Decretist of Lebbaeus, Moondrunk and Plutonic
 North and back again.
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Barse
Posts: 706
10/26/2017
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You get three sessions of seven time slots - more than enough time to max out your influence! So if you've just come to the end of the first gathering, don't worry.
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The Scorched Sailor, up for most social actions and RP. Not as scary as he looks.
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Ludwig Von Wolfgang
Posts: 7
10/26/2017
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Arden Saint-Just wrote:
Ludwig Von Wolfgang wrote:
Cthonius wrote:
I wonder if becoming bishop unlocks a new term of address.
Yes it does.
Could you possibly link to some indication of this? I completed the ES by becoming Bishop and am presently staring at the Urchins change of address storylet; no new options appear to be present.
You need to wait for a card from your deck where they will ask you if you want to stay with whatever name you have or become a bishop, I will post a update when I find a storylet which call your name.
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http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Dan~Nerouch
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Jolanda Swan
Posts: 1789
10/27/2017
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I loved the story. We got to see well known characters in depth and the setting was atmospheric. Though I had enough progress to make myself Bishop, I found the St Fiacre mission quite worthwile. I also liked Southwark's agenda, but nothing beats a nun in chainmail.
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Lover of all things beautiful, secret admirer of ugly truths, fond of the Parabola Sun... and always delighted to role play.
http://fallenlondon.com/profile/Jolanda%20Swan
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Lady Karnstein
Posts: 278
10/27/2017
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I enjoyed this one.
As a player with some fascination, at a polite distance, for the ecclesiastic, it made for a fascinating read. I had a lot of questions in my mind about rank and protocol, but still found it easy to follow and very interesting. Mildly disappointed my characters renown never came up, it is pretty high.
But I had a good time, Caroline sort of drifted whispering here, nudging there. She got enough pull to become a Bishop but that involved a level of...scrutiny...she did not find desirable. So she backed St. Ficars nun, feeling a sort of kinship, as someone not "normal" on more than one level.
edited by Lady Karnstein on 10/27/2017
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Lady Caroline Karnstein, The Moral Hedonist (Description)
Infamous writer, artist, and courtesan. Unrepentant Invert. Hesperidean.
Paramount Presence, Correspondent, Nocturnal. Poet Laureate of the Neath, Ambassador to Arbor
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Jules Asimov
Posts: 95
10/28/2017
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Is there any benefit to becoming a bishop gameplay-wise other than the fact you can call yourself one?
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https://www.fallenlondon.com/profile/Jules%20Asimov
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Lord Alexander Alderman
Posts: 62
10/28/2017
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I know this is a bit off topic, but the art definitely looks like something that would show up in Skies. Just had to say.
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suinicide
Posts: 2409
10/27/2017
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It does not seem to have a cap, so yes.
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http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/profile/sunnytime
A gentleman seeking the liberation of knowledge, with a penchant for violence.
RIP suinicide, stuck in a well. Still has it under control.
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ExceptionallyDelicious
Posts: 188
10/27/2017
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Can you change your preferred form of address to Bishop again if you decide to switch it back to what it was before?
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Any and all social actions are appreciated, and most will be reciprocated.
DavidJ, a self reflection (main): http://fallenlondon.com/Profile/DavidJ
Damien Erebus, a broken man and aspiring spymaster: http://fallenlondon.com/Profile/Damien%20Erebus
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Snowskeeper
Posts: 575
10/28/2017
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BillyCosmos! wrote:
-snip-
It's neither redundant nor an oxymoron. Neo-futurism just means "futurism that is new." There is an older style of futurism which is not the same as neo-futurism. They could have called it something different, but because stylistic names are frequently descriptive, and because the older school of futurism is still in use, they decided not to.
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S.F., a midnight midnighter and invisible eminence. Impossible to locate them, personally, but there are dead drops and agents.
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Anchovies
Posts: 421
10/29/2017
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If the synod is influenced to elect the player character as bishop, does the player then get to choose between the plans put forward by Southwark and St Fiacre's?
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Perhaps our role on this planet is not to worship God — but to create Him.
—Sir Arthur C Clarke
Lionel Anchovies. Character on indefinite hiatus.
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Kloxe
Posts: 48
11/9/2017
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So I'll admit: after seeing that the subject was the Church, I didn't really think I'd enjoy this month's ES. Despite finding him amusing, I've never really been fond of the Bishop of Southwark. And while the Bishop of St. Fiacre's is one of my favorite characters, I find his other connections to be more interesting. But I've just finished playing through, and I was completely wrong. This has turned out to be my favorite ES of this season. I adored the Matron, and loved that Fiacre's camp was trying to reach out to the less traditionally-shapen denizens of London. By the end I was torn on whether to support the hospital or help Swamp Thing protect his home. In the end, though, I had to side with the man who just wanted to be left alone in his corner of the Neath. Also, building a hospital in the middle of a marsh rife with dangerous beasts seems like a spectacularly bad idea.
Kudos to Gavin Inglis and the wonderful Failbetter team for this spectacular story, and for sparking my interest in a faction of London that I'd previously cast off.
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http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Kloxe
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Lallinka
Posts: 138
12/29/2017
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I finally got around to play this story, and I liked it a lot. I have never felt biased towards either of the Bishops, but as soon as I heard the proposition to set up a hospital for the 'peculiar', I was sold. Caring for soulless is nice, but Hospital for Rubberies was a no brainer.
However, I do wish we could interact with the proposed candidates more directly and see more of their character, and see if they're just as devout to their cause in private.
Oh and the Marsh entity. I do wish I could explore that sub plot a bit more.
But alas, it was a very good story, thank you
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Lallinka is accepting any social interactions as soon as my actions allow it. No Loitering and no Photographer, please. Available for interviews about Nemesis and a Midnighter for Orphanages.
Ragish is accepting everything, including Loitering and Photographer. Available for interviews about Heart's Desire and a Crooked-cross for Salons.
Pienkava is freshly out of prison and will need charity to survive in the harsh streets of London. Have pity, she is only fifteen.
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