Uh-oh.
It’s the first month of my Exceptional Friendship ever, and I am not disappointed in any way. The story is tender and beautiful. I only wish I could recruit the Nurse on my own crew. My vessel is nothing to boast of, but she’s sturdy and will probably serve another few years, and I would like to look over the Nurse. Her sister is doing well for herself, both her lovers are selfish boars not worth thinking of, but the Nurse… I am worried for her. It’s a great change of pace, and her dream is a dangerous one.
Like many others on this thread, I wish to see the Garrulous Devil again. I would become a regular in his ginnery. Not for the beverages, though these are great, but for the Devil’s company. I want to have long discussions with him, talking about the life of every soul in his collection. And no, I would never ever sell him my soul. Devils are like that, you know: once you have no soul, you are of no interest to them.
I would also love to see the Sister again. She is sure to grow into an interesting person. No, she is an interesting person already, and there’s more ahead of her.
edited by Aronia on 4/6/2017
edited by Aronia on 4/6/2017
Vexpont is also a chemist (of sorts), and took a dim view of gods, even when he thought there weren’t any. His opinion of those that have the temerity to exist is unfit for print.
With misgivings, he secured the girl’s tuition by helping the tepid Admirer to win the hand of the compulsively dutiful Nurse. Assuming that the Masters don’t take a new city for a few years yet, we’ll need scientists to tackle whatever is in store for us – and you need a formal education to attend University.
I was half-expecting that the Garrulous Devil would offer to fund the girl’s education if the player could persuade the Poet to surrender his soul, thus freeing the Nurse to make her own choices independent of the player’s further meddling. That would be a tough call, and I’m unsure whether or not I’m glad it didn’t appear.
But the thing that bothered me most, was: what happens to Urchin shamans like Slivvy when they’re too old for the gangs? Do they go to zee as navigators? Because I’ve not knowingly met any retired Urchin shamans in London. Both IRL and in fantasy, the lot of a former Sacred Child is rarely an enviable one – the very best outcome is that they’re released from their duty, abruptly shorn of power and position.
Perhaps someone like Madame Shoshana (still a seer of sorts) or the Marred Mercer (scarred, like a former Fisher-King might be) has a long-faded birthmark, and can hot-foot it over the rooftops when the mood strikes. Let’s hope so.
My first month of playing and first Exceptional Story as well. Loved it. The story is relatable, the characters are simple, but not dull. Liked the mechanics too: I really wasn’t sure what final choice to make, but looking at the problem from different angles and narrowing choices helped a lot. Yes, I, too, sent the Nurse to the Zee, because "YOLO, follow your dreams, who the Hell do you think you are?"… ahem. But it was a hard decision; I didn’t want to sadden the Admirer and was worried about the Urchin (because of that shaman stuff, yes). Still, their reactions to my advices were reassuring. I know I wouldn’t likely be able to bring my dreams to life (not that I have any for now), so I really wish the main heroine and all other characters the future they deserve.
Also the Devil was my favourite; an absolutely charismatic fellow who summed up the story perfectly. I liked his predictions of characters’ destinies; may these be right. I hope it’s permitted to save non-really-spoiling bits of exceptional stories to the journal because the ending was just beautiful, I couldn’t resist. Thanks for this work.
edited by motherofpigeons on 4/10/2017
did the dream bugged for me, or were there really only two options? I found it incredibly dull. the game told me I would only be able to leave after finding the poet, and then I clicked both options, got the same two options, and just clicked another one randomly.
and that was it.
the chase after the urchin was a little longer, but it still felt a bit dull. all in all, this might be my least favorite ES so far. also, I have no idea how this relates to the people’s uprising theme.
There were four options in the dream, but they appeared by RNG only.
I was much amused by the snippet about the Temperance Campaigner, intrigued as I am by those aspects of FL that bear resemblances to, ahem, more historical events. Would consider buying this if there is much upbraiding of devils for the invention of gin (extra points for explanation of gin in a place with no trees.)
Does that happen, or is it mostly just fun and games and doom?
[quote=Teaspoon]I was much amused by the snippet about the Temperance Campaigner, intrigued as I am by those aspects of FL that bear resemblances to, ahem, more historical events. Would consider buying this if there is much upbraiding of devils for the invention of gin (extra points for explanation of gin in a place with no trees.)
Does that happen, or is it mostly just fun and games and doom?[/quote]
No, you don’t really see these again. That snippet serves mainly as itroduction to "Blind Tiger", which becomes a hub of sorts during the story.
[quote=BlabberingMat][quote=Teaspoon]I was much amused by the snippet about the Temperance Campaigner, intrigued as I am by those aspects of FL that bear resemblances to, ahem, more historical events. Would consider buying this if there is much upbraiding of devils for the invention of gin (extra points for explanation of gin in a place with no trees.)
Does that happen, or is it mostly just fun and games and doom?[/quote]
No, you don’t really see these again. That snippet serves mainly as itroduction to "Blind Tiger", which becomes a hub of sorts during the story.[/quote]
If the Neath can have cherries, and peaches, I don’t see why it cannot have juniper trees, and thus juniper berries for flavoring gin.
By the way, I wonder if the Empress detests peaches because she associates them with the Widow’s contribution to obtaining immortality. She may well resent "being stretched out on this tough rack [i.e., life] any longer."
I’m pretty sure the peach brandy doesn’t really grant immortality. It seems far more likely to me that the Widow just has generic Garden-brand immortality, like the Duchess and Manager.
I’m pretty sure the peach brandy doesn’t really grant immortality. It seems far more likely to me that the Widow just has generic Garden-brand immortality, like the Duchess and Manager.[/quote]
The peach brandy may not grant immortality, but that doesn’t mean that the Empress doesn’t think that it does. If we knew whether the Empress likes apples or not, that might clinch it.
Doesn’t the Empress already have immortality though as part of the bargain for selling London?
Pretty sure that it’s not her but Prince Albert who has the immortality.
Not that it’s doing him much good, poor thing.
The peach thing has always puzzled me as there are references in young Victoria’s diaries about how much she dotes on peaches. A post-Fall explanation for that would certainly make some sense.
I also went and looked up the contemporary manufacture of gin and found out that the cheap nasty adulterated versions involved a lot of "oil of vitriol". Which turns out to be sulphuric acid. (Info courtesy of the Magazine Formerly Known As the London Magazine. Back, er, when it was the London Magazine. The London Magazine - Google Books)
So. I withdraw any question of plausibility; of course the Iron Republic can export an endless quantity of brimstone-flavoured water…
edited by Teaspoon on 4/12/2017
I thought both spouses got immortality. The Manager and the Hundred both do, though it’s a little unorthodox in the latter case. The Duchess and Cantigaster both do. No spouses in the Third City, of course. The Widow does and I’m pretty sure her husband was immortal in some form before she killed him. Both Victoria and Albert having immortality would fit the pattern.
[quote=Optimatum]
I’m pretty sure the peach brandy doesn’t really grant immortality. It seems far more likely to me that the Widow just has generic Garden-brand immortality, like the Duchess and Manager.[/quote]
Why? The Silver Tree is quite clear that even a lesser version of her brandy has rejuvenating properties, and we know that the special peaches she uses comes from the far east of the Unterzee, maybe even beyond the area we can visit, so it would not surprise me in the least if they had unnatural properties on par with the apples grown from the Hesperidian trees from The Garden of Stone.
edited by Akernis on 4/13/2017
The real question is: Why are the space bats so incompetent at saving people on their deathbed? Every single one seems to have been turned into a monster of some sort. You’d think they’d of developed a better method after two thousand years or so.
Are we sure that they want to do a better job at it?
I’d think it’d be advantageous to them for their client to not have buyer’s remorse.
If we’re being fair, they are improving. Their knowledge of human biology was probably horrible when the First City fell, and so it only makes sense that the Hundred would be changed so much. I’d imagine the Cantigaster’s current state relates to their hatred of the Second City once it fell. If they’re going to be stuck there, why not make those who betrayed them suffer too? By the time we’re at the Fifth City, Albert is rather worse for wear, but much more human than his counterparts through the years.
[quote=Akernis]
Why? The Silver Tree is quite clear that even a lesser version of her brandy has rejuvenating properties, …[/quote]
“Rejuvenating” is not nearly the same as “immortal”. One is “won’t look/feel bad” and the other is “won’t die”. Neither implies the other.
Because they are not getting paid enough, and aren’t being contracted to do a better job. They get what they need, and the next job is so many generations away that any remaining warnings will be disbelieved, disregarded, or ignored.