There are elaborate books of protocol that describe how one should correctly interact with London’s titled peers. They do not, however, contain any material on this.
The Earl of Awry’s Bridge Club has received an unusual challenge: a tournament aboard an airship, held against the sons and daughters of empire. It is the perfect opportunity to network, and to raise one’s station in society – provided, of course, that nobody cheats. Keep a sharp eye on the card tables, and a sharper eye on the competitors.
My takeaway from this event was “well, that happened”, which is to say it was vaguely disappointing.
The actual experience of running the gambling den was fun and frenetic. It’s everything else that missed. I was asked to feel emotionally invested in a character I just met in a text dump. I felt next to no agency when dealing with the Earl. The Emperor apparently being dethroned and replaced by an Empress feels like a tale worthy of an entire ES instead of something that’s just kind of abruptly announced-and I’m never a fan of NPCs being able to skedaddle consequence-free in a story where you are SPECIFICALLY investigating, say, their propensity to cheat.
For what it’s worth, playing ref for various silly primates was fun while it lasted. It just would’ve been nice to feel like my actions actually had consequences. Especially in a critical moment near the end of the story where the game does NOT let you shake down an Earl who’s been nothing but dismissive to you for your payment.
I’ve noticed a recurring trend in stories like this where I opt to help someone not out of genuine benevolence, but out of spite and to prevent two other parties from having any sort of victory. Whether intentionally designed or incidental to the ES, if it wasn’t for that factor I wouldn’t have bothered fetching back the butler’s soul.
Also I just got the epilogue (there’s effectively two), and it just confirmed all the reasons I’ve come away from this disappointment. No payment. No political consequences. The whole thing might as well have taken place in Parabola for the impact it had.
It might have been more fun if it had happened in Parabola. I still remember a snippet of non-ES storylet where the player is seduced into spending time as a dumpling in hot soup.
Award was Mortification of a Great Power (awarding the tournament to the apes because the Londoners cheated)
I found this one quite amusing in a snarky, ironic way and had more than one giggle as it progressed. The results of pickpocketing and upending the players were nicely bathetic – hardly worth the effort!
Of the two parties, the London aristos were rather less appealing than the soul-stealing apes, and the London side really needed better reasons for the tournament in the first place. In a version of London that includes sundry palaces as well as Veilgarden, do we really believe the baby nobles can’t find partners?
However, there were two points at which the mechanics went awry during my playthrough.
One, in the game with the Empress, where the required Against the Empress 5 did not win the game – I had to go to 6 before getting the relevant screen. I’ll be sending the screenshots to FB, so they can fix it.
Two, in the resolution at the end. After going through several options any being an absolute wimp at Forceful, I snagged the parachute. And again, the next screen just offered up the old options of talk to the duke, look for the empress, etc. So that needs fixing as well.
Not one of the greats, and quite short. But amusing nonetheless. I did wonder whether there was an outcome where the Empress wins and the apes are admitted to London society. Maybe not, since there is no winning condition for her, and that would be a big change.
Not necessarily dethroned. I would assume that this is the result of the Sunless Sea storyline where the Emperor Crispin IV and his court leave.
Which leaves a power vacuum in the Empire of Hands, which it makes sense that Empress Barbara II took up the mantle to fill afterwards.
FB have been in touch, and it turns out there is an additional quality that needs to reach a particular value before the relevant screen comes up. The text will be changed to reflect that.
NB I forgot to mention I enjoyed the opportunity to play Spite Dr Blemmigan. Yay, Urchins.
Hey all, would I be able to ask for some assistance please? I may have closed the final text during the introduction encounter before reading it all, and know am at a bit a loss of where to go to continue/really start the story. Even hint would be greatly appreciated, before a break down and start searching everywhere…
