Exceptional Story for June The Dilettante’s Debut The great and noble house of Fairfax has fallen into decay. Its last heir idles away his fortune on dark dreams. Will you restore them to glory? Or help bring about their final collapse?
In addition to a new, substantial, stand-alone story every month, Exceptional Friends enjoy:
[/color][ul][li][color=#0066ff]Access to the House of Chimes: an exclusive private member’s club on the Stolen River, packed with content[/color][/li][li][color=#0066ff]Access to Mr Chimes’ Lost & Found, a shop in the Bazaar where you can exchange currency earned through playing Exceptional Stories for exclusive companions and items[/color][/li][li][color=#0066ff]An expanded opportunity deck: of ten cards instead of six![/color][/li][li][color=#0066ff]A second candle: Twice the actions! 40 at once![/color][/li][/ul][color=#0066ff]
You no longer need to log in to claim your Exceptional Stories! If you have an active subscription when one is available, you’ll receive it automatically.[/color] edited by h4nchan on 5/28/2020
Well, there actually is a House of Fairfax and the Wiki points this too:
Viscount Fairfax died in 1772 and his title became extinct. Subsequent occupants […] and Mrs Ann Mary Pemberton (1840–65). At some point after this, Fairfax House, renamed St. George’s Hall, became neglected and fell into disrepair […]
Enjoy and do remember to ping me if this story uses any unusual qualities or items!
In my eternal quest to betray, humiliate and degrade characters who ask me to do things for reasons they’re unable or unwilling to explain, I took only a mild interest in the Dilettante. He was just a poor boy down on his luck, so I hedged my bets with his would-be saboteur since the only reward she could offer was implications of money.
The Footman then immediately gained ALL my targetted malice by asking me to mutate and subvert her for no reward whatsoever. So I pushed him in his own amber instead and threw open the doors to his lair. Boy am I lucky to have aced that 30% luck check.
Addendum: Also I just realised, I clicked "A coffee-shop debate" BEFORE the storylet titled "An Exceptional Story" so uh…it appears my character accidentaly broke causality and somehow gave the Footman money AFTER he left for the zee. The Treachery of Clocks strikes again. edited by Hattington on 5/28/2020
I just finished reading the Screaming Staircase this morning, where a iron baron by the name of Fairfax recruits the protagonists to deal with a haunted mansion in his possession, but actually it’s a set up to murder them because of their last case . I’m certainly heading into this story with some preconceived notions, but good thing the Spidery Marchioness is all about making sure as many powerful (and worthy) people owe their station to her.
Also the Season of Endeavors was the first season I was subscribed the entire time. What’s the general estimate for when we should expect the season ending story?
… huh. I accidentally ‘Perhaps Not’-ed out of the ES storylet, and now can’t find it anywhere. I don’t quite remember where I was up to-- towards the end, I believe, just after refusing to assist the Footman with his trick. The storylet options were about dancing, or not dancing and listening to the music instead. (Not sure what quality to look for on the Myself tab to indicate how far into the story that is.) I’ve checked most of the locations (incl. lodgings), but can’t find a storylet to reenter. Did I not look in the right place? Or have I mucked things up for myself and need support to, er, support?
I helped the Salon become a success and convinced Fairfax to help me save the Socialite. A pretty happy ending, all things considered. I received a Nodule of Pulsating Amber in compensation. edited by The Curious Watcher on 5/29/2020
Gul ended up going through with the Footman’s plan, if only because if there’s an option to turn someone into a monster they kind of have to take it, regardless of context or consequences. Rest assured they are planning a rescue of the now-extraordinary debutante as we speak! The freedom of the zee perhaps! Or safety in the winding salt-soaked corridors of Flute Street? Or perhaps the Astronomer might help? So many possibilities…
I did the same, but I feel like the concluding text lost track of what happened. In particular the text you echoed here, the quality update description read:
The salon went well, and the Dilettante is none the wiser about the Footman’s activities.
And the concluding text when asking about the Socialite doesn’t seem to acknowledge what they went through together at all. Also unclear on the Footman’s fate, but I don’t expect FL to spell everything (or even most things) out. edited by Wlerin on 5/28/2020
Lovely little yarn, although it’s odd that I told Fairfax about the Footman’s plan, he asked me to save the socialite, and then it was never mentioned again. edited by NotaWalrus on 5/28/2020
This Exceptional Story felt markedly tamer in comparison to some of the stuff we’ve had in recent months. Maybe it’s because I decided to be an "upstanding" citizen and save as many parties as possible from unfortunate fates.
Not to say that it wasn’t enjoyable. But I don’t think I’ll remember this one all too well in a few months time. edited by Blaine Davidson on 5/28/2020
I did the same thing! Haven’t found a way back in yet… I’d just failed the check to warn the Socialite, and wanted to ‘Perhaps Not’ my way back to try warn her again, but found myself right back at my Lodgings.
[quote=Blaine Davidson]This Exceptional Story felt markedly tamer in comparison to some of the stuff we’ve had in recent months. Maybe it’s because I decided to be an "upstanding" citizen and save as many parties as possible from unfortunate fates.
Not to say that it wasn’t enjoyable. But I don’t think I’ll remember this one all too well in a few months time.[/quote]
If you go through with the plan it’s… very memorable. Even I had to take a few minutes to sit down and breathe. The description caries a kind of lonely, pitiful misery, and the betrayal is so matter-of-fact, so perfect as to be totally absent of struggle or fear… it’s supremely creepy.
It really did rather fall flat at the end. After rescuing the socialite, it grinds to a screeching halt and none of the events are really mentioned again, making them seem inconsequential.
I recently renewed, but I can’t find the storylet to start this anywhere. I played the introductory storylet about the wine, but nothing else appeared. Is there a certain place I need to look?
You may need to send a support ticket. They have just changed the unlock system for Exceptional Stories and it has a few little quirks that need to be worked out. The same thing happened to me, more or less, but they fixed it very quickly.
[spoiler]In FL, I usually like the intrigues in high-society parties and salons (one of the best examples would be Garden Embassy), and revealing the secrets of the old Fairfax family has been interesting.
The exact details of what happened to Lady Fairfax and her crew in the zee are somewhat ambiguous, I think? But I don’t see this as a flaw because it helps maintain the mystery and suggestive charm of the Unterzee.[/spoiler]
