Election 1896: Mr Slowcake

Fallen London
41

[quote=Netos Korlan](In-character answer):

No, this will not do. Notability is a selfish and dangerous measure of one’s worth. It is inherently self-centered! And the man himself has created this silly race! Clever, but clearly shady. I do not trust him.

We need to build a fairer City. It will be a long and hard road, an interesting and harrowing voyage, but we can do it. However, we will not do it if we pursue the selfish meter of Notability, trapped like rats in a race created by Slowcake!

Vote for the Jovial Contrarian![/quote]

…loud and rousing applause was generally off the table in radical salons, even nestled deep in Veilgarden where the Constables seldom went. Instead, the room erupted in a mumble, as the Contrarian’s supporters were emboldened by mr. Stelios’ impassioned argument for their candidate. In the back of the room, the Antidisciplinary Scientist got to his feet. Gaining the room’s attention with a sevenfold knock of his cane, he spoke:

&quotIt would only seem selfish and dangerous to those whose worth happens to be measured high on the current yardstick: The moneyed classes, the rent-seekers, the nobility, all parasites upon our social organism, growing fat off the toils and labours of our hardworking citizens - whether labourers of the hand, or labourers of the mind. Indeed, witness how the Masters could bend the current order to their own ends within mere days of the Fall.

Mr. Slowcake’s platform is the only one that stands for true democratization. A people’s forum for the free exchange of ideas; the mayoral Residence staffed by the people, regardless of wealth or class. The promise of Mr. Slowcake is true justice; not the sham meted out by a corrupt constabulary; a constabulary that the Contrarian himself admits is in the pocket of the Ministry - a Ministry that is, in turn, in the pocket of Mr Pages and the Masters.

I say: To every soul its station, to every station its worth.&quot

42

The Scientist was evidently an experienced and notable denizen of the City, his rhetoric powerful and direct. The Flit-Wandering Journalist remained pensive, shook his head, and promptly responded:
"I recognize your good intentions and values, and I respect them. However, you have overlooked a glaring fault.
The ideal of democracy is founded on accountability and transparency. Notability, good Professor, is not transparent nor fair. It is not a helping hand for the humble. It is instead a steep ladder of prestige, often influenced by a person’s means, riches, and ruthlessness. More importantly: notability is a ladder crafted in the shadows, by a man that does not even show his own face, and his unspecified associates. Mr.Slowcake talks a good game, presenting a brilliant dream, but he is the very opposite of transparency!

It is time to do away with the mindless races to the top, and to turn our attention to help those left behind. Instead of rushing to increase our personal Notability, we should help each other. This can be best achieved in a safe community, under the rule of the law.

For indeed, the Constabulary is corrupt, but it is not corrupt because of the law. it is corrupt because the powerful override and overrun the law daily!
The only way to achieve accountability and transparency is if we are under an authority that is openly established, whose rules are clear for all to see.

43

[quote=Netos Korlan]
The ideal of democracy is founded on accountability and transparency. [/quote]
Well, one thing democracy is certainly not founded upon is competence.

Snide jabs at the common populace aside, Mr. Slowcake claims to be interested in a meritocracy - that is the rule of the capable, and those of merit - but in actuality what he seems to want established is a kleotocracy* - the rule of the famous.
For all intents and purposes Slowcake’s Exceptionals is a popularity contest, albeit one of extraordinary achievements. But we have many proud Londoners amongst us here who has also achieved very extraordinary things without bothering with their notability. So clearly fame or even notoriety is not the sole indicator of a person’s merit.

*Yes, I made that word up - from Ancient Greek ‘kleos’ meaning fame or glory, and ‘kratos’ meaning power or rule.

44

The Devils and the Masters most definitely agree on the notability system, as they both profit for it - the same thing that gives souls interesting flavour is that from which stories are made - experience.

45

What really gets me, and which may have been remarked upon already, is how Notability already affects voting. In essence, the fact that your vote counts the more notable you are means Slowcake’s agenda is half-done already. A promise of higher status in his book would be enough to sway many a vote, and add to the total number of votes he could win at once.

How can we be sure he hasn’t rigged this election beforehand by setting the rules of it?

46

this guy seems a loose cannon but a loose cannon is better than the other two restrained and sophisticated candidates. i must say i will truly miss Fedduci.

47

Yes, it might seem surprising, even impossible, that someone could forget that they have never met someone as truly exceptional as Mr. Slowcake. But we must remember that the Princess has lived a much more rarefied life then us common folk. While incredibly cunning in her element, outside the Shuttered Palace ordinary things - like the Mayor can’t ban journalism or that people need passable doors to enter their homes - regularly slip her mind. The default general title, Ships in the Night, seems to suggest that her remarks are indeed genuine, as ‘two ships passing in the night’ is parlance for two people passing each other by without noticing.

The most important thing to take away from the Captivating Princess’s account is that Mr. Slowcake does not have a secret policy of meeting with the city’s greats. His private evaluations and judgments happen unbeknownst and uninfluenced by the highest persons. Mr. Slowcake is truly the most impartial arbiter of national influence that London could ever hope to achieve. His administration will presumably be no different, completely anonymous and impartial.
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edited by Anne Auclair on 6/21/2018

48

I took her admition of not see Mr. Slowcake as her almost being surprised she had never met him before. In the sentence before that she talks of speaking with Embassy Devils, the Bishop of Southwark and how she sends copies of Slowcake’s book from the Devils to the Church. Those aren’t easy people to get access to and yet she has it. So how can it be that with all her influence that she hasn’t met him?

The irony is that if she’s talking to the Embassy Devils, she’s probably talked more to the people behind Slowcake’s Exceptionals then most people ever get to.

49

Reddit seems to have a few more Slowcake supporters than the Forums. One of them, a certain blackdeslagoon, has argued the case for him far better than I could!

[quote=blackdeslagoon]The birth of Notability has brought exponential growth and goodwill to London: POSIs create orphanages for Notability, host salons for Notability, create works of art for Notability, and delve in the unspeakable for Notability. Even within the depths of the Bazaar, they speak of Notability, of the glory that shines despite the darkness of the Neath. We will lead a new age, a meritocracy to revolutionize the entirety of the Neath, bigger than any individual, BETTER than any individual, until Hell itself takes notice. It is only a matter of time…

…

[F]or change to be made, one must be Notable, and to be taken seriously, one must be listed on Slowcake’s Exceptionals. I stated that people do goodwill for Notability, but the opposite is also true: the Notable create the goodwill that affect London herself.

You can be as kind as you want, but to create meaningful, lasting change for London, one must understand and work with the standards of Mr Slowcake. Would you rather deal with an insincere dullard? A woman who aspires to waste a fortune on frivolous art? If not, then take matters into your own hands. Be notable. And take a page and be as fantastically exceptional as Mr Slowcake.[/quote]

[quote=blackdeslagoon]You do not seem to have an appreciation for the benefits of Notability, so let me remind you that it is more than ripening souls. It is an accurate measure of the skills and fame of an upcoming member of society, and it is only because of Slowcake’s Exceptionals that both you and I have gained widespread renown throughout London.

Even if Mr Slowcake were to lose this year’s election, his influence permeates through the rest of London like a field of burning roses. Everyone, from the royalty to the revolutionaries are a part of the names made up in Slowcake’s Exceptionals, and whether they win the election or not, Mr Slowcake is the one bringing up to the future.[/quote]
edited by Anne Auclair on 6/21/2018

50

Do we have any information on which devils, exactly, are “Slowcake”? If not, do we have warrantless speculation and gossip on them?

If the statuesque Brass Ambassador is involved, I would be sorely tempted to abandon my write-in campaign.

51

Sir Greg! You are about to be wed! Should that not steel your mind against temptation?

52

[quote=0bsidian Fire]I took her admition of not see Mr. Slowcake as her almost being surprised she had never met him before. In the sentence before that she talks of speaking with Embassy Devils, the Bishop of Southwark and how she sends copies of Slowcake’s book from the Devils to the Church. Those aren’t easy people to get access to and yet she has it. So how can it be that with all her influence that she hasn’t met him?

The irony is that if she’s talking to the Embassy Devils, she’s probably talked more to the people behind Slowcake’s Exceptionals then most people ever get to.[/quote]

I am not going to lie. When I first read about her thoughts on Slowcake, I thought she was making a jest at the fact that he does not exist at all. After all, she mentioned in the same conversation that she sends his books from the Brass Embassy to the Bishop of Southwark’s church, presumably to annoy him, so it is implied that she knows of Slowcake’s connection to Hell.

53

I’ve been thinking a bit about the Amanuensis’s long relationship with Mr. Slowcake. And, based on our interactions with him, I’ve come to suspect that the Amanuensis wants to be Mr. Slowcake. The Amanuensis views Mr. Slowcake as a more respected, intelligent, handsome, visionary, and notable version of himself. Hence his deliberate, albeit clumsy, mirroring of Mr. Slowcakes opinions and personality. But then, honestly, who wouldn’t want to be like Mr. Slowcake, who is so unbelievably exceptional in every possible way? After all, to properly judge the exceptionality of every single person in a city, one must be very exceptional indeed.

btw, the Amanensis looking down on showboating behavior, talking about the attitudes of the Surface powers (royalty in government? ridiculous!), and drinking coffee…all seems faintly Great Game to me. Almost like the attitudes you’d expect from a spy who has subsumed himself into a role… But of course that’s utterly ridiculous, Mr. Slowcake would only ever employ the most reliable people in his organization.

54

I agree with your opinion. The man is surely to be trusted; I mean he was the person who awarded me no candle out of pity after I ate my own page from Slowcake’s Exceptionals. He is definitely the best in the business, no doubt about it.

55

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from Seeking, it’s that you can never fully trust anyone who enables such destructive behavior. If they’re willing to help one destroy their very being, there’s no telling what they’ll allow. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to mail a particular calling card to a fellow Seeker.

My heart goes out to the Amanuensis, because I suspect he may truly believe in Mr Slowcake’s platform and what he symbolizes. It’s a shame he’s only the campaign manager and not the candidate. All Slowcake’s done for me is make Notability a difficult ladder to climb. The Amanuensis, meanwhile, helped me learn the ropes of the system and acted cute when I flirted with him for MW. I’ll say this: I most likely won’t be voting for Slowcake, for multiple reasons. However, would I consider voting for the Amanuensis himself, should he take a more independent role with a similar platform? Well, he would be considered, to say the least.

56

Been thinking about this platform promise a bit more.

(Disingenuous) promises of equality and democracy and such are the Devil’s hat. But, are the Devils normally the group we think of when we hear the words &quotintelligence gathering&quot?

We know the Masters make use of Slowcake’s Exceptionals for their own schemes. Why wouldn’t the agents of the Great Game do the same? It’s an extremely handy reference guide to all the most notable Londoners. And Mr. Slowcake favors the establishment of new mechanisms for gathering intelligence on Londoners. Hmmmm.

If it’s revealed tomorrow that Mr. Slowcake has the firm backing of the Game, I’ll probably be supporting him. In the Game a piece doesn’t argue about the square they are assigned to take.
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edited by Anne Auclair on 6/24/2018

57

So Slowcake, in addition to not existing, would allow the following groups, in order, to better monitor the populace:

The Masters
Hell
FOREIGNERS

I am failing to see the appeal of this phantom’s platform.
edited by Cooper on 6/24/2018

58

So Slowcake, in addition to not existing, would allow the following groups, in order, to better monitor the populace:

The Masters
Hell
FOREIGNERS

I am failing to see the appeal of this phantom’s platform.
edited by Cooper on 6/24/2018[/quote][/quote]
I guess it’s all a matter of personal preference. For the last few years, Miss Auclair has been working tirelessly to fight Hell’s influence in London. It would be exhilarating, in a way, to do a complete 180 and back the opposite position because the needs of the Great Game and the Surface Powers required it. Such movements are an essential component of being a piece in a much larger design, extending all the way up to the Stars. Saint Joshua would certainly approve.
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edited by Anne Auclair on 6/24/2018

59

If you want London to be ruled by an inhuman force that doesn’t care about class, creed, gender or race, and that judges people solely by the arbitrary value assigned to them in its ledger of stories, then the Masters are right there.

(If anything, they are even more egalitarian than Slowcake. It takes wealth and importance to get into Exceptionals, but anyone with a stick can be a neddy man.)

60

A new option on Slowcake’s card allows you to meet the mysterious man &quothimself&quot - and, super interestingly, the text changes depending on whether or not it’s your first visit! I will update if there’s a third different option as I can.

Edit: So, uh, he’s not so happy on the third visit. Colour me extremely interested…

Edit #2: Noooo, Chester!

Edit #3: I am 3000% invested and enthralled by the Chester Saga. (And getting very lucky with card draws!)

Edit #4: The plot thickens! I am a moron and didn’t echo this one in my excitement. The prelimary text is the same, followed by: &quotA large figure sits in the shadows of the waiting room. They pour you a generous amount of wine and chuckle heartily. The figure leans forward; she is female, and Chester’s mask sits awkwardly on her face. &quotYup. It’s me. Mr Slowcake. More tipple?&quot The interview is irreverent and uproarious. You don’t remember getting back on the train.&quot How deep does this go??

Final edit, #5: Finally, the truth is out! See, all you had to do was tell us the truth, you silly devils. I’m more likely to vote for you than ever, now!

Thus ends the Chester Saga… perhaps.
edited by Barse on 6/25/2018