Fallen London rings in another year (yes, that year is 1899, again). Christmastide – and the customary covering of ‘snow’ – is set to fall upon the city once more.
What’s New?
Christmas comes with a host of seasonal treats and novelties. Here’s what we’ve cooked up this year, most of which will arrive on the 2nd of December from ‘Explore the Festive Season,’ available throughout London.
Mr Treats Ratwork Emporium
The Fifth City’s foremost purveyor of seasonal delights opens up its exclusive establishment during the Christmas season, offering intricate wonders and custom-made marvels. A new commission is available this year, alongside last year’s.
Mr Treats Ratwork Emporium will open on the 13th December and close on the 25th, and is available anywhere in London. Commissioning an item from Mr Treats will begin a short story that will progress throughout the Christmas season, ending on Christmas Day.
The Undercrofts Ancillary
Penstock himself – owner of the Neath’s foremost land agency – is out in force this festive season, offering that most rare of gifts: treasures from the Bazaar’s very own vaults. From the 2nd of December, purchase a Frosted Debenture and claim a brand new piece of equipment, or, if you’re feeling especially magnanimous, send the Debenture to a friend for them to use.
Purchase a Debenture for 30 Fate in ‘Explore the Festive Season’. Once purchased, they can be freely gifted to a friend on your contact list. There are two new items available this year, with more to come in future years.
New Options for Profile Page Customisation
We’ve added some seasonal new options for profile page customisation! A new cameo frame – ‘Yuletide Cheer’ – will be available for purchase in ‘Explore the Festive Season’, for those who wish to decorate their profile in the trappings of the season. We’ve also added a few new headers – some of which have never been seen before! You’ll see them, soon enough…
A Seasonal Miscellany
In addition to new treats, Fallen London will be full to the brim with the hustle and bustle of Christmas, all the way into the New Year.
The Fallen London Advent Calendar
From the 1st until the 25th of December we’ll be handing out advent treats via the Fallen London Advent Calendar! Each will give you a snippet of Yuley narrative, and something besides: trinkets, magpie-treasures, and occasionally something rare.
Look for the storylet ‘Advent: A Calendar of Encounters’, available anywhere in London. You’ll be able to ‘catch up’ and claim any and all rewards until the end of the year – however, opening the doors on the days when they become available will give you a little extra.
As ever, rewards for Advent shift year to year, though there are some fixed points. Old doors are retired, new doors are added. Remember always that some doors cannot be unopened.
Christmas Cards
Tell your friends you are thinking of them this festive season. (Don’t tell them what you are thinking of them.) Neathy Christmas cards return: four designs, with room for your own message!
Your stock of cards will be replenished weekly by Time, the Healer, starting from noon on the 2nd of December. You can send cards, and engage in other festive jollity, in the storylet ‘Explore the Festive Season’, anywhere in London.
You need to be acquaintances with another player before you can send them a Christmas card. To become acquainted with somebody, ‘Attend to Matters of Society’ in your Lodgings, where you can send a calling card to a contact.
Find friends to exchange cards with on our forums, the Fallen London subreddit, or the Official Failbetter Discord.
Snowfall!
Every week during the Christmas season, when Time the Healer visits, clear your doorstep of Neath-snow (or fob the task off on others). They say the stuff is called ‘lacre’. They say you shouldn’t throw it away. What is it? Where does it fall from? And why do the Masters prize it so highly?
The Twelve Days of Mr Sacks
After Christmas, field off visits from the Crimson Beast of Winter. Every day from the 25th December to the 5th January, encounter Mr Sacks and satiate him with gifts. What lies beneath its robe? Investigate on your own behalf, or join forces with a range of possible allies. HO. HO. HO.
Visit Penstock’s Wicket
Penstock’s shop is right on the flank of the Bazaar, and is much larger than it looks. From the 5th January, descend into the depths around the Bazaar and spend your knowledge of the season’s mysteries to claim special rewards. This is a chance to acquire various rewards, including unusual lodgings and perhaps, briefly, even your own noman.
The festive season in Fallen London will wrap up in the last week of January. You’ll notice that there is no premium story listed here: we were going to release one in January, but all things considered, we’ve instead opted to focus our efforts elsewhere.
We hope you have a happy – or at least interesting – festive season in the Fifth City.
And one more piece of business
From the 27th of January, Fate will cost slightly more. This is an inflationary adjustment, as it’s been almost two years since the last change to Fate prices (though we’re still behind the rate of inflation since the game started in 2009).
10 Fate will be $3.50, and 100 Fate $28. The best value price for a single point of Fate will be $0.25; a small increase over about $0.23 today.
Prices in other currencies will reflect these increases, as determined by the current exchange rates, which we update regularly. The price of subscriptions won’t change.
