Just checking to see how many delicious friends has never died once so far - I mean death by Wounds only.
I am beginning to worry that avoiding the boatman entirely might not be of any consequence in the long run, but I think I am going to stick to it no matter what. Even if you offer me an Overgoat just to meet the Boatman for small talk. Or the Cider.
Really? I love the occasional chess game with the Boatman. It’s the closest thing my character has to a “hobby” (besides killing Feducci once a month). I’m sure there’s someone out there who died more often than me, and I haven’t been counting, but I’d guess it must’ve been 20 times or more already. I never bother taking much care of my wounds. I equip the Horsehead Amulet when they hit 7, finish whatever important things I’m doing, and take off the amulet. By that time wounds are usually at 8 or 9, and I’m off to another relaxing boat trip on the Slow River. Really, I’ve come to like that place…
The first time I died was when I was Seeking the Name and it was honestly one of the most difficult decisions I’ve had to make in the game. It meant that my character could no longer go back to the Surface. Once he died, life in the Neath was final. Visiting relatives or starting over atop was no longer in the cards once you take that boat ride. I’ve honestly thought for a while that there should be some marker, like an Accomplishment or something, which denotes that you have died and are stuck here forever.
But if you’ve already died once, what’s the harm in a few dozen more times. I’m saving up my Wounds for now in the hopes that one day I might be A Chequerboard Warrior!
yeah, the chess is definitely fun and pretty decent in terms of CP/AP spent.
I just get bugged there are no wounds increasing items. Place has the most CP to work off :/
edited by Endy on 6/14/2012
Returning Above being one of the chief goals of my character, I always tried to avoid the Boatman, and for now I succeeded. Nigel, is death while seeking the Name mandatory, or was there another option? I’m not currently looking for the Name, but I could once I’ll have run out of other content.
I’ve avoided the Boatman also. crosses fingers Parthenia hasn’t given up hope of returning to the Surface, if only to visit friends and to promote her gothic supernatural scientific romances.
I used to avoid the Boatman (and other menaces) until one day I realized I’d spent all of my actions that day (under the old action cap) reducing menaces rather than doing anything else. That had been the only thing I did and it left me very unsatisfied. I had no role playing reason to avoid the areas of menace so I decided to stop worrying about it. The worst that happens is I spend 20 or so actions getting out a place, which is far less than the upwards of 80 actions I can spend avoiding it.
I would be interested in knowing just how far into the game people have managed to get without going to the various menace places.
streedfelineblue: Dying is mandatory if you want to progress. There is no option around it.
I use to avoid the boatman and other places of menace, mostly because I was hanging on to two or more cards that I was trying to accumulate goods to pursue certain options on (The final Lapidary card and a final tier lodging, I believe The Bazaar.). Now that I have concluded the Lapidary storyline (until Failbetter decides to continue it at least) and have all but one of the end game lodgings that is much less of an issue.
Now I do not worry about any of my menaces as the places of menace tend to have very efficient menace reducers. The exception is Nightmares as loosing any dreams is undesirable. Though I realize one day that inevitably I will slip back into a state of some confusion despite myself. When I do I will take the opportunity to see if there is a way to avoid loosing my dreams.
EDIT: “Now I do not worry about any of my menaces as the places of menace tend to have very efficient menace reducers.” I believe this may be the most menacing sentence I have ever written.
edited by Abraham Bounty on 6/14/2012
As far as how far you can get, Parthenia is a Person of Some Importance with maxed stats, has never met the Boatman, and manages the others pretty well without worrying much about occasionally getting too much Scandal or Suspicion. I’m avoiding Nightmares at the moment, since she’s started pursuing dreams, though I really enjoy the Mirror Marches and miss going there. Do you lose dream progress if you go there instead of to a state of some confusion?
edited by Maddyanne on 6/14/2012
edited by Maddyanne on 6/14/2012
I am yet to drop dead. It’s always seemed the sort of thing that should be treated quite seriously.
I’ve gone mad a few times, been imprisioned a couple, and banished possibly a dozen times, but never died.
I’ve died deliberately a few times for content. Lately, for instance, playing chess seems to be the only way to raise Approaching the Gates of the Garden for me.
Interesting. I never would’ve thought so many of my fellow Fallen Londoners were pining for the Surface, when it’s so nice down here. Backward-thinking nostalgics, pfah!
:)
I died way back when. I forget my first death. To be honest a lot of options tend to be instant death for me. T^T
I’ve “died” only once, and I don’t think I had the opportunity to challenge the Boatman to chess before I managed to return to the land of the more-or-less living. ;-)
By the way, in answer to amaresu’s question, I’m Dangerous 138, Watchful 139, Shadowy 130, Persuasive 130 and have been a POSI for some time. In addition to meeting the Boatman once, I have been back to New Newgate 2 or 3 times (and I’m trying to get back in because I accidentally ended my acquaintance with the Repentant Forger), and have been sent to the Tomb Colonies for Scandal about as many (once for delightful antics with the Acclaimed Beauty and the Barbed Wit). I’ve “popped” the Weasel/s once. I haven’t gone mad yet, though.
[quote=Maddyanne]As far as how far you can get, Parthenia is a Person of Some Importance with maxed stats, has never met the Boatman, and manages the others pretty well without worrying much about occasionally getting too much Scandal or Suspicion. I’m avoiding Nightmares at the moment, since she’s started pursuing dreams, though I really enjoy the Mirror Marches and miss going there. Do you lose dream progress if you go there instead of to a state of some confusion?
edited by Maddyanne on 6/14/2012
edited by Maddyanne on 6/14/2012[/quote]
I’ve never noticed a loss of dream progress while in the Mirror Marches. In fact, I go there to visit when my Nightmares range too high, as many of the storylets and most of the Opportunities reduce Nightmares splendidly.
You lose a little bit of Is Someone There? progress i think
I don’t bother to manage my Wounds at all, since playing chess with Death is the most efficient means of reducing it. I’ve probably visited the boat quite a lot of times by now.
[quote=Catherine Raymond][quote=Maddyanne]As far as how far you can get, Parthenia is a Person of Some Importance with maxed stats, has never met the Boatman, and manages the others pretty well without worrying much about occasionally getting too much Scandal or Suspicion. I’m avoiding Nightmares at the moment, since she’s started pursuing dreams, though I really enjoy the Mirror Marches and miss going there. Do you lose dream progress if you go there instead of to a state of some confusion?
edited by Maddyanne on 6/14/2012
edited by Maddyanne on 6/14/2012[/quote]
I’ve never noticed a loss of dream progress while in the Mirror Marches. In fact, I go there to visit when my Nightmares range too high, as many of the storylets and most of the Opportunities reduce Nightmares splendidly.[/quote]
Doesn’t escaping the Marches remove some of the Is someone there?.. progress?
Speaking to the Man in the Fez while recruiting at the University in the Foreign Quarter is quite an efficient way to raise this as well.