Exceptional Story: The Waltz that Moved the World

Fallen London
101

[quote=Passionario]OK, I’m freaking out a bit here.

See, Passionario is an avid player of the Great Game (and was one before he descended to the Neath), an enthusiastic fan of Sinning Jenny, a regular visitor at Clathermont’s and an old acquaintance of his Amused Lordship. He also spent an entire year in the Cave of the Nadir once (because I took a break from the game and logged off there).

A few days ago, I created a character who is meant to represent his daughter, descending into the Neath to find him.

Then, just this morning, I changed his destiny to the one in which he ends up essentially sightless.

And now that I’ve met the Waltzing Duke, I know exactly what a Dread Surmise feels like.

…

It’s me. It was me all along. And now it’s too late.[/quote]
While I was reading this, a certain song came to mind. It doesn’t fit perfectly by any stretch of the imagination, but there are some similarities.

[spoiler] ♫ [i]There was a girl I used to know
She dealt my love a savage blow
I was so young, too blind to see
But anyway that’s history

[/i]‘History never repeats’
I tell myself, before I go to sleep ♫

(or a bit later in the song…)

♫[i] Deep in the night, it’s all so clear
I lie awake with great ideas
Lurking about in no-man’s land
I think at last I understand

[/i]‘History never repeats’
I tell myself, before I go to sleep ♫ [/spoiler]
Edit: turns out if you double-spoilertag (rather than including a / to close the spoiler tag), you can hide your own forum signature. :-p
edited by Kittenpox on 2/25/2016

102

On the topic of this one, did nobody let her get revenge?
At the moment I’ve an idea of what happens if you go for the eye(s), and I think I’m inclined to let them have a peaceful resolution. But I’m curious about what happens if you let her use the knife she brought down here.

103

I know I’ve seen an echo of allowing her the pleasure of the deed, although it’s not what I chose, so I cannot help directly.

104

This is has probably been asked somewhere else, admittedly, but not sure what to search for. I missed this story due to a rather difficult and time-consuming February. Is there anyway to start an expired Exceptional Friends’ story?

105

Yes, but only after 3 months (so June for this one) and for 45 Fate

106

[color=#ff0099]The Waltz that Moved the World is now available for Fate!

The writer behind the tale has also hinted there may be something left uncovered: https://twitter.com/CashDecuir/status/730020138129444864[/color]
edited by Absintheuse on 5/10/2016

107

No idea, but re-reading my journal, I see the Waltz provided an early glimpse of the Stags’ hotel of choice.

108

Hm. I do wonder what Cash meant… I thought I had explored it pretty exhaustively… He could mean that there is a branch that they know noone at all had played. Or he could mean that there is a branch that some people had played but not many and its significance wasn’t raised on the discussion threads. Or he could mean that it’s not so much that there is an unplayed branch but rather that there is an implication that can be pieced together from otherwise easily available branches

109

[spoiler]
One thing that still bothers me is that this whole story was started because the ghost of the wife appeared to his daughter. When have we ever seen a ghost before? (Maybe that was the thief of faces, and this story was it using us to hunt down that piece of the tragedian procedures. In which case, stealing them is the only correct option)

Edit: Also, ghosts on the surface? That is pretty weird.
[/spoiler]

edited by suinicide on 5/10/2016

110

I was wondering about that… but there is the Ghostly Presence of the Feast of the Rose. Ghost status: uncertain??

111

There’s also the fail for pretending to be the Phantom of the Opera . . . I mean the Antimacassar. If I recall correctly you fail because the actual phantom terrifies you into spoiling your timing. Been a bit though, so I’m not certain of the words, but I recall going &quotHuh, I guess ghosts might be real in the Neath.&quot

{edit: because the presence, or lack thereof, of the word ‘not’ kind of effects the meaning of a sentence.}
edited by absimiliard on 5/10/2016

112

I think that’s a bit different. The Ghostly Presence is only a presence, after demi-god tried to possess it. (If I’m interpreting that right). Point is, the author died under strange circumstances that could have allowed that.
The wife had a full appearance at night (Also, coincidentally when the light is weakest). Completely appearing is different than a vague presence. And if it took a demi-god possession to make the vague presence, what would it take for the full appearance to occur? Especially on the surface.

Thinking on it more, I think this might be it. Something neathly occurred on the surface, in violation of the judgements. Humans can’t do that without quite a bit of help (in the form of the liberation) And I doubt that would be helping her much. (Unless I’m missing something) (And by it I mean the thief of faces impersonating her mother so it can hunt down the secret.

edited by suinicide on 5/10/2016

113

An occurrence! Your ‘Putting the Pieces Together: The ghosts of London’ Quality is now 1!

114

So perhaps the ‘ghost’ that appeared to the daughter on the Surface was the Thief-of-Faces? That would mean the Thief can survive topside (albeit only in the dark).

The sidebar quote about Hesperidean Cider (and also the visions from Lost in Reflections) implies that drinking Cider allows you to survive on the Surface, even after long-term exposure to the Neath. Is the Cider strong enough to allow a Snuffer – forgive me, a Cousin – to do the same?

And then there’s ‘Beware your beginnings’. But beginnings of what, or for whom? For the daughter? The Duke? The player?

115

For the beware your beginnings, I was interpreting it as the motivation, or beginning, of the story. Why she came down here and all that. The ghost of her mom appearing.

116

Beware our beginnings? Were WE the Thief all along!?

117

[quote=suinicide][spoiler]
One thing that still bothers me is that this whole story was started because the ghost of the wife appeared to his daughter. When have we ever seen a ghost before? (Maybe that was the thief of faces, and this story was it using us to hunt down that piece of the tragedian procedures. In which case, stealing them is the only correct option)

Edit: Also, ghosts on the surface? That is pretty weird.
[/spoiler]

edited by suinicide on 5/10/2016[/quote]

That isn’t weird at all. There’s (was) a whole social action for it! You can appear as a ghost to someone on the Surface if you are dead.

http://fallenlondon.wikia.com/wiki/Haunt_someone_on_the_Surface_instead

118

Dang, really thought I was on to something.

119

[quote=Optimatum]Beware our beginnings? Were WE the Thief all along!?[/quote]I already read theories about the player character being the Thief-Of-Faces, but I don’t exactly remember the details. Can someone enlighten me?

120

Or the snuffer in new newgate.