October's Exceptional Story: The Stone Guest

Fallen London
1

[color=#cc0099]Delicious friends, the Exceptional Story for October is here!

500×650 381 KB

Don Juan: de Molina created him in poetry, Moliere brought him to the stage, Mozart immortalised him in music. And now, if you can revive fallen spirits, broker a deal with devils, fend off rude cabbies, etc., you shall join a collection of the Neath’s greatest artists to capture his life and after-life in moving pictures.

The Stone Guest is the second story in the Season of Sceptres, and was written by Cash DeCuir. This season, experience three stories that involve the use and abuse of power in an array of London professions. You can begin each from the Season of Sceptres card.

At the end of the season, players who have completed all three will go a step farther, unlocking bonus content involving the exiled Injurious Princess, and her plan to reclaim the throne of Vesture.

Editing and QA: Olivia Wood, Chris Gardner and Caolain Porter.

Art by Tobias Cook.

EXCEPTIONAL FRIENDSHIP

In addition to a new, substantial, stand-alone story every month, Exceptional Friends enjoy:

  • Access to the House of Chimes: an exclusive private member’s club on the Stolen River, packed with content[/li][li]An expanded opportunity deck: of ten cards instead of six![/li][li]A second candle: Twice the actions! 40 at once!

Finishing all three stories in the Season of Sceptres will make you eligible for an additional opportunity, to follow.

If you want to keep an Exceptional Story beyond the month it’s for, you must complete the related storylet in the current Season’s card throughout London. This will save it for you to return to another time.[/color]
edited by Absintheuse on 9/28/2017

2

I can’t seem to echo anything from this story, anybody else having this trouble?

Edit: refreshing fixed the problem.
edited by suinicide on 9/28/2017

3

I wondered why my action pool seemed smaller - I’d forgotten to update my details and my subscription lapsed! I was about to come here and ask where in the Neath the new story was hiding.

4

So evidently I missed something… I’m currently filming in the Forgotten Quarter, and I currently have two options: reload the camera or fire. Why would I want to fire exactly? It seems like a bad idea in all its forms.

5

It pushes the devils away from you, which is a good thing.

6

Ah, yeah. I guess that’s dependant on whether you’re staging a fake Hunt or doing a real one.

(Personally, I’m far too nervous to go with a real hunt. Just think of all the risk! Even if death is only temporary, it’s still a d__nable inconvenience to the staff.)

7

&quotTold You So&quot wins my personal award of the year for Best Quality Description and Best Quality Change Description.
edited by Passionario on 9/28/2017

8

Noticed possibly my favorite typo since I started playing. When getting a demonstration from the Idealistic Magician I saw this:

I simply love the image of him pulling his little string on a box and a small violin popping out. He sounds so proud as well.

9

Found a different typo, in the storylet where you’re collecting payment. It’s at the end of the first paragraph: “He cuts you off as you politely your name.” There needs to be a verb between “politely” and “your”. Possibly “spell”? “repeat”?

10

Thoughts on this ES:
I feel like some of the options other than watching the moving picture should be free during the final section. I missed some of the parts because I wanted to… well, to tell the person behind me to shut up, then ask him about the patrons five seconds later.
I’m thoroughly satisfied with the existence of the &quotI told you so&quot quality, even though actually using it was a little (suitably) disappointing.
And I’m also glad that you get to put your hard-earned Echoes towards a good cause. The composer’s happiness (and those few points of Renown: Bohemians and Society) are worth infinitely more than three or four rounds of AotB’s worth of echoes. …Although the composer’s happiness is ALSO worth more to me than the echoes AND the renown.

And a question: After the viewing, is Feducci always annoyed, and the Veteran Privy Counselor always satisfied? Or does that change based on things like whether you did a real or fake hunt, or how you dealt with the appearing act?

Edit: The description of the &quotI told you so&quot quality was a little spoiling, though…
edited by ReusedNPC on 9/28/2017

11

I really haven’t liked this season’s stories so far because the story simply feels boring and mundane to me. There just hasn’t been anything bizarre and otherworldly enough to get my interest, especially coming off the back of the excellent Season of Ruins and the Light Fingers update. Yeah, the last story had a reality bending device and this story had some minor Parabola fluff and a devil Grand Hunt, but the backdrop of these moments have felt so down to earth. Being a lawyer and helping with a movie just didn’t excite me compared to other aspects of the Fallen London setting.

12

I really enjoyed this story. It was really fun dealing with the many challenges of shooting a film in the Neath. It really makes me wonder how the film industry would function in Fallen London.

My favorite part was shooting the finale. I’ve always wanted to partake in one of those hunts. :3

My only critique was that the ending was a bit mellow. I was, however, expecting for some ‘Don Juan’ shenanigans with the Impresario the end. In a setting with devils, Hell, and other Neathy madness, that could reasonably happen. Ah well, c’est la vie. Watching the film was a blast at the end.

In the end, great job. Much better work than last month’s lawyer story.

13

Does anyone happen to have Echoes of watching the full film, particularly anyone who also happened to use the Rubbery option earlier on?

The rest of the story seemed fine, but I’m a little disgruntled that you miss the ability to see the movie if you choose other options during that time. Especially since there is no notification other than a small part of the title changing on one specific storylet. Damnit, I was hoping to see what picking the Rubbery option actually did

14

[quote=Hotshot Blackburn]Does anyone happen to have Echoes of watching the full film, particularly anyone who also happened to use the Rubbery option earlier on?

The rest of the story seemed fine, but I’m a little disgruntled that you miss the ability to see the movie if you choose other options during that time. Especially since there is no notification other than a small part of the title changing on one specific storylet. Damnit, I was hoping to see what picking the Rubbery option actually did[/quote]

I agree about watching the film. I chose to omit the elements I thought would be the least interesting, but I still would like to know what it’s like.

15

I’ve just finished doing the Story. I’m a bit disappointed. I’m sure that “The Stone Giant” was a great film, but I’m not all that interested in a story of filming in the Neath. It seemed a bit longer than “Trial and Error” but since I enjoyed it less, that’s not an advantage. :-(

16

[quote=Reused NPC]

And a question: After the viewing, is Feducci always annoyed, and the Veteran Privy Counselor always satisfied? Or does that change based on things like whether you did a real or fake hunt, or how you dealt with the appearing act?

edited by ReusedNPC on 9/28/2017[/quote]

Oh. interesting. I had exactly the opposite result-- Feducci very satisfied with the movie, and the Privy Councilor unimpressed. I wonder which choices change that…

17

Honestly, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I actually tend to like when London shows it’s more ‘domestic’ as opposed to its more fantastical side. It really shows what life is like for NPC’s, just trying to live like normal Englishmen and Women while at the edges of their lives, otherworldly things creep in.

My favorite part was just the subtle ways in which one’s decisions affected the results, not in general, but in detail. Again, to go back to my point about preferring realism; we’re not the star of the show, but our actions made a noticeable difference come the final result. Thematically appropriate for the movie-making plot.

Again, I’ll echo that the main downside is that the conversations surrounding the movie felt… hm, the one I picked had an interesting tidbit, sure, but I ultimately regret not actually seeing the results of my work. It’s a bit like Millicent’s conversation, I suppose, only a limited number of things you can read. Still, there’s a distinct assymetry in how satisfying each option is to take, as opposed to the dream in Lost in Reflections. While you can only see so many branches, you never feel as if you picked the worst option.

That’s really my only complaint, though.

18

I chose the Scandalous third option for the debauch, the True Hunt for the damnation, and Pleat’s Method for the effect. Feducci adored it, the Councilor was unimpressed. Presumably more exciting and realistic choices strike Feducci’s fancy, while more reserved ones interest the Councilor.[li]

Speaking of which, this was a wonderful story! I really enjoyed all the different little aspects of it. Stories about small things and all the intricate ways they work themselves out are always fun! It’s important to have stories that emphasize fine detail and human life as well as wondrous events and strange creatures, and I think in the right hands they can be even more captivating. Cash definitely has the right hands, and he has yet to disappoint. A very strong story from beginning to end. ^_^[/li][li]
edited by Gul al-Ahlaam on 9/28/2017

19

Could someone explain the “I Told You So” quality to me? Are there multiple opportunities to inject your opinion in the story, but you can only choose one?

20

Could someone explain the “I Told You So” quality to me? Are there multiple opportunities to inject your opinion in the story, but you can only choose one?