You’re learning hints of the melancholy history of the Fourth City: the Fall, the Final Khan, the war with the Rosers. [Your Archaeologist skill is now 5.]
Well, that’s enough of the ruins for now.
Time to swing round to other locations a while.
70 watchful now.
Probably time enough to do this before the next event, so I’m on my way…
The tomb-colony of Venderbight
checking the wiki after
Okay, I didn’t see
http://fallenlondon.wikia.com/wiki/A_Game_of_Chess_-_Venderbight
So, I do hope that I can return once I find…
http://fallenlondon.wikia.com/wiki/A_dream_about_a_clock
Though, it looks like brute force and the cave could have started me on that dream…
Well, I’ll have a chance, I failed horribly at getting IN, running battle never reached so much as 3 before I had to leave on a ship for home so I could get my wounds down. Not being able to use tonics to remove wounds was not something I was prepared for. Not being able to buy new ones, that I was ready for but…
edited by ICountFrom0 on 11/14/2014
I’ve hit an interesting part of progression.
At the docks I’ve got to build running battle, and then cash it in … for pretty much everything I can do there.
At the flit I’ve got to build casing, and then it’s what I have to cash in… for pretty much everything I can do there.
Forgotten quarter, I’m short an eyeless skull, though I could grind more expeditions, or investigations of the stones. Nither seem effective.
The university is still locked even with the rout open, so that’s not next for me.
The mahogany hall and labyrinth of tigers, still closed. Not sure it’s time to open them.
Mr Clathermont’s case is still out of reach.
My nemesis is safely in sanctuary in a sanitarium.
The box, is safe for now, but there is nothing I can do with it.
Maybe it’s time to spend some time at the shuttered palace and then maybe a brief trip to court, you see there’s a seduction that I’ve not completed.
Course, at court what you do is build up inspiration to make novels, plays, and symphonies.
… I think I’ve hit a major change in mechanics.
edited by ICountFrom0 on 11/20/2014
I worked myself to 80 dangerous, and returned to the battle in Vanderbright… a horrific battle, many hard fought lessons and painfully won.
Once I gained access, I discovered that this test was the least of the challenges here, I could not quite grasp the words of the broken.
So I’ve returned home again.
I will chase my inspirations, fight my battles on the run, and otherwise progress. Looks like I’ll be of some importance before i return there again.
I passed my challenges for POSI with +30 mood and about +10 in equipment.other then the mood card.
My stats otherwise are around 80.
I just happened to draw the card that only required me to have housing to get my credit and status, and “why” was answered by my bringer of death status (and fine piece in the game, both from the same source)…
So, now I could just open her briefcase, and do a little more, and be POSI, with stats well below 100.
This used to be the midpoint in the game, didn’t it?
While having more sources for stats is useful in some challenges, and might help me pass through more things (but won’t help me grind stats) I don’t see much of an advantage in the extra slots.
On the other hand, I seem to remember there’s a few disadvantages.
Should I wait until I authentically have 100 stats?
Should I finish this trouble with the rats, investigate this plaster face, fail to help clairthmont a few more times (nowhere near enough dangerous to brute for him yet)… perhaps even go so far as to go to court for a while?
I’ve got the oddest idea that maybe I want to wait until /every/ condition that would mark me as ‘of worth’ to be important was actually filled.
Dual everybody I can.
Hunt every beast.
Write every song, play, and opera.
Why not do it all, and really be somebody to notice.
Now, I’ve captured fierce beasts, fought frustratingly closer to mynemisis, and dualed to the death.
I’ve just escorted one of my competitors to the other side.
I’ve been looking at a mirror, and at my wounds.
I’ve tasted Cider, not enough to keep me forever beyond the reach of the boatman, but enough that I am not afraid.
Into the mirror, a taste of death. I will walk with the pirate and go just a little further.
There’s not been a lot of advice lately.
Time has done some strange things to me, or perhaps just being here has done strange things to how I see time. I’m only aware of it now when the healer visits. Such care…
I find myself seeking a ray drenched cinder, who would have guessed that I’d need one of those, when I was helping those two find eachother. This surely is the revolutionary edge though.
I’m tempted to seek a fated encounter to get it, having heard rumors that this one can be generous in the rewards.
I’ve grown strong again, skilled, watchful and sly, while I hesitated before, it’s starting to feel like the right time.
Yes, I’ve been lax in my memoirs of late, but I’ve good explanation for this. One cannot be assured of any measure of privacy when one cannot get home. While my trust in the Empress is unwavering, that trust does not extend to every member of the staff in her palace, no matter how well kept the rooms I was given where. Yes, I spent some time at court. Though I notice that there’s a small gap to fill in before that, though the explanation is similar.
Let us see, yes, I’d been on an expedition with the firebrand and consort, and just as we where in need of a cinder I encountered a pony, with a cinder wrapped in robes of deepest red. At the time I did not know what it was, but the arrival of the cinder, with a note demanding the return of the pony, addressed to me, it unnerved me. I do admit I left them standing near the cave, who’s location I will not discuss even in my own memoirs. I fled.
I did indeed discover what the robe was when I saw the Mr Sackes wearing them. I was generous to Mr Sacks, however many of them there where, even the one fake, I fed him. I fed them all. Though I did join with the university to make investigation, and discovered there was a link with the norman. Norman. Indeed.
You might see why I’d not updated? I could not be sure that the hiding place would be secure with visitors every day, and when my investigation lead to the sunken, sundered sea, that great pool of sorrow and tears… A Norman of my own, and if you are going to distrust anybody, the person you must distrust most is yourself.
I gave to him. Oddly I can’t remember much of what I gave, I taught him lessons and I felt something leave me as he grew. Never more then a waxy shadow, but he grew wise with secrets, and as he passed imparted one last to me, though as he was me I am sure such a secret is writ on my own heart. Writ on my heart, but no easy way to read it.
Now that I am alone again, well I am sure he read it, either way nither of us wrote any notes here. Of him and this time I will say only one more thing, I put on the robe and joined the silent Sackes on the very last day. Deep into the Bazaar, I found my empty sack filled with just one more item. Another Cinder, this one carved, half way, with the runes of the correspondence. I think that this Mr. <illegible> may have been the one to send the cinder before, but even here in my own rooms I dare not say more.
So yes, I fled. I did not dare to return home where this sat. I went so far as to find a new home, well, not a new home but another residence to hide in, as have I need. A fine temple on the edge of that sea, a remnant from the third city. It was from there that I did depart for the palace, and then from the palace I charmed my way into the court.
I made quite an attempt at the position of artist in residence. Poems, books, quiet songs, even a scandalous symphony to please the consort, and it did. Though none of it charmed them enough. Likewise charming was the company of, well I admit, both that of a witty lady and a beauty of a man. They seemed to have such followings and I knew I had to sample the delights of that company myself. Yet, as I got to know him, I found his heart was still hers, it was only the memory of scars that caused him to turn from her. Likewise the lady, while she is known for her wit, and the sharpness of her tongue, it is in defense, and to worry that she would always be compared to his good looks when they where together, she could not stand it. In the end I played up to them both, caught them by surprise and well, I’ve a memento of it. I will say only that I brought them together, that I hope it lasts, and nothing more.
It was in the flush of triumph after this that I let the sour words slip into my ear, that no matter how well I could do this, and no matter how much I could write that the Empress would never be satisfied with my work enough to make me artist in residence, not if I followed the rules. Breaking the rules worked better with the two lovers, and thus was I talked into writing an opera. Nither quiet nor proper where the actions of the saints in this show. I dare say that if I’d known the ending would never be shown, I would not have bothered to write that third act.
I should also say that the tomb colonies are not as bad as people say, though perhaps it is because I was able to return. If I’d lived there and been as wrapped as them, never to return, yes, perhaps.
On my return though, flush with new experiance, I did dive into the back streets and finished the final paperwork with Falworths, and the word slowly went out. I am not much of somebody, but I am a somebody of some importance, and that will only grow.
Now I am going out again, and it might be some time before I write. I’ve supplies to pack, and expeditions, to the cave, to the sanctuary, and to polythreme, perhaps even with my own ship.
Turns out the next lead was from the cats I once knew. I should have known that the gossip that I overheard from them was only the gossip that they wanted me to know. Once I’d gained the trust of a few more felines they let on that they had their claws into a plot at the theater.
Frank and Jasper had been hinting that I should be there, and of course I don’t mean gently.
Now, one does take oaths, so I can’t tell everything, but soon I was privy to the behind the scenes intrigue… okay, I was doing petty labor and theft for the movers and shakers, but still I was involved.
In time they even let me put on a show myself, it was much more minor of an activity then the audience thought they saw, but that’s the point isn’t it?
Also, truth is, those not so gentle hints bothered me more then I let on, I ended up siding against Frank & Jasper. It’s my box, why shouldn’t I get the key any way I want?
While I was here I did acquire some resources through some rare opportunities outside the stage, dinner parties and the like, and there was a knocking at my door. This strange nameless man, who thought I was somebody notable. If spreading a little gossip is all it takes to get somebody as faceless as me to make face, then I don’t think the notable to be noteworthy. On the other hand I will use this, as I’ve used every other thing I’ve gotten my hands on, and every person too.
With the attention from the minions of Mr. Stones I’ve not felt safe to write anything down, but out here on a tramp steamer this seems like the time. Once I am back I can only hope that my agreement with Mr. Fires will help keep this book out of the wrong hands.
Yes, I opened the box, in retrospect it seems a little foolish, that creature would have been more valuable had I been able to entrap it myself, but I was not prepared and it escaped.
To make what reperations I could, I let the university’s little problem go unreported. This means I am finished there for now, but not unkindly on my arse at least. As they will still talk to me I’ve a few things that I can take care of there, even if I might never have my own department.
In the meantime one of the promises that I thought was falsely given has turned out to be true, I’m to be given a chance to govern one of the other colonies… But that’s not why I’m at zea…
Zeams, SEAMS, that these knives that think for themselves have something in common with the clay men, and that is where my investigation must continue if I am to have any respect of those men in blue in the constibals office.
It’s funny to think of the mighty land here under the neith as being so small, and yet there’s little to do that still seems much of a challenge here.