From the cat introduction. But there is no card, it’s a storylet.
Nope, it’s a regular storylet.[/quote]
Thanks! (I was just wondering if there was more to the story than I’d seen.)
Ok, I haven’t actually played it, but I love how to feed the bats it’s two pence like in the Mary Poppins “Feed the Birds” song. Knowing Failbetter, this is definitely intentional.
I think this is my favorite Exceptional Story in a long time. It had choices I was actually invested in, challenged my character (what’s a strongly Magnanimous and Steadfast revolutionary to do?) and had some fascinating lore behind it. I’m super curious as to how the Vandal discovered the Judgements. Does it imply that even if it’s not common knowledge, it’s written down in Saint Cyriac’s somewhere?
I did have one complaint however.
If you take the Scoundrel to meet the Vandal with you and they get into a fight, the choices are a bit vague as to what the consequences will be. My character naturally took the option to Side With the Vandal, which was described as "defending" her. I pictured my character jumping in between the two, fighting the Scoundrel to a halt, and perhaps threatening him with the Ministry of Public Decency if he didn’t go away. Instead, my choice to defend/side with the daughter resulted in me stabbing a living being in the back, which isn’t really in line with my character. I would have appreciated clearer signposting of the lethal consequences of that choice.
Just thought I’d add that this is yet another fantastic ES but like other people have said the options at the end are a little vague. Perhaps I rushed into it but I felt like it wasn’t clear that going to the docks meant neglecting the option to bring an ally, I am not sure that I would have but I didn’t think I even had to consider it.
The last note from the Vandal is… disconcerting. Also… once again the Neath reinforces my belief that it has the innate property to separate and alienate fathers from their daughters.
I feel betrayed
[spoiler]1 flawed diamond? ONE??? I may as well just put on a dunce cap and sell my soul for a corn chip while im at it.
Anyways, that aside, I liked this story. I especially liked how it started carefree and lighthearted, but then took on a much darker tone, especially if you acquiesce to certain…requests… and do them at very affordable prices, apparently. (1 FLAWED DIAMOND!? RRR-)
But I digress, the only real problem I have with this story is that the deeper plot seemed to have revealed itself too easily. Voluntarily, even. 3 strangers with dangerous secrets that could get them harmed or killed rubbing elbows regularly in the same club? Better tell the new guy! With the Scoundrel it was somewhat understandable, but the other two feel very careless to me.
But I’m most curious about the Collector herself. She seemed to have had this situation on lockdown from the moment I walked in the door. It seemed she knew what was going on in the story at all times. A very well-connected lady indeed. Who is she? I’m kind of sad I didn’t get that answer.[/spoiler]
I feel like I went quite a bit out of character on this one, but I was too curious about everything to not try to get the bits of lore (To which I think they added a few substantial additions this time around) that I wanted. This is a very good sign to me that the story was interesting. A very strong start to this season! Lots of choices, all of which seem to meaningfully change the outcome of the story. Seems they really listened to the feedback on the previous exceptional story!
edited by Addis Rook on 2/22/2018
[quote=Griccus]I think this is my favorite Exceptional Story in a long time. It had choices I was actually invested in, challenged my character (what’s a strongly Magnanimous and Steadfast revolutionary to do?) and had some fascinating lore behind it. I’m super curious as to how the Vandal discovered the Judgements. Does it imply that even if it’s not common knowledge, it’s written down in Saint Cyriac’s somewhere?
I did have one complaint however.
If you take the Scoundrel to meet the Vandal with you and they get into a fight, the choices are a bit vague as to what the consequences will be. My character naturally took the option to Side With the Vandal, which was described as "defending" her. I pictured my character jumping in between the two, fighting the Scoundrel to a halt, and perhaps threatening him with the Ministry of Public Decency if he didn’t go away. Instead, my choice to defend/side with the daughter resulted in me stabbing a living being in the back, which isn’t really in line with my character. I would have appreciated clearer signposting of the lethal consequences of that choice.
[/quote]
[li]
I’m in the same boat as a lot of other people who thought the options were awfully vague, and it was precisely because I suspected something like what you encountered would happen that I didn’t even tip off the Society before going to run off with the Vandal into the sun. I’m also disappointed I didn’t have the option to help her simply out of respect as another celestial celebrant, after helping her paint the last set of Correspondence-graffiti too.
In light of the epilogue, the most peaceable option being extorting her life’s work from her does seem like railroading.
The server ate the text for my very last action, I would be most appreciative if someone could hook me up. There were also two options I didn’t play because I thought they wouldn’t lock until later. Details in spoiler tags.
Locked myself early from reporting to the Society my results of speaking with the Topsy King, and investigating the smoking crater.
The server ate the result of searching the coat pockets. I had brought the Snuffer, stood back while he died, and stowed away with the Artist, if that makes any difference. I would like to know both the text, as well as the material rewards.
That aside, I will repeat what many others have said: Pretty dang good story. Very evocative, and does an excellent job of mixing the personal with the deeper, impersonal mysteries of the Neath. I mean seriously, what would you do if you found out you were a meaningless and unwanted abomination in a universe ruled by Lovecraftian-scale beings? The Artist’s choice of how to react is, to me, very honest and very human. This is one of maybe three ES’s I would consider replaying.
[quote=loredeluxe]It was a great story, but the epilogue where you see the Vandal’s journal has terrifying implications.
The Vandal was worshiping the Judgments and wanted to embrace their light. In her journal, she was keeping track of the stars and discovered they "were not aligned" and further wrote out a message: "Blaze upon Blaze: War in Procinct." I had to look up what procinct meant because Failbetter loves their obsolete words, and it means ready or prepared. My interpretation of that statement as with everything else in the journal is that the stars are prepared for war, but with who and what? That is a terrifying question.
[/quote]
[li]
I have a good idea. In a nutshell: Each other. In the Museum of Mistakes, February refers to a gigantic eye as the Liberation of Night’s ally in the High Wilderness. [/li][li]
[/li][li]And in the Zubmariner DLC for Sunless Sea, if you go undersea to where the giant eye is you can pass through to meet a black, hissing sun and it’s mishapen servant in their domain. The sun wants you to carry an eye on an unobtrusive part of your body-apparently a symbol of the Liberation of Night.[/li][li]
[/li][li]
edited by Hattington on 2/22/2018[/li][li]
edited by Hattington on 2/22/2018
[quote=Griccus]I think this is my favorite Exceptional Story in a long time. It had choices I was actually invested in, challenged my character (what’s a strongly Magnanimous and Steadfast revolutionary to do?) and had some fascinating lore behind it. I’m super curious as to how the Vandal discovered the Judgements. Does it imply that even if it’s not common knowledge, it’s written down in Saint Cyriac’s somewhere?
[/quote]
Answer in echo here: http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/amalgamate?fromEchoId=13689513
Anyone have the echos for what happens if you allow the Vandal to complete her last graffiti? Being an anarchist to the core I tried to tackle her as soon as I realized she was worshipping the Judgements, but I’m curious as to what she was planning on drawing.
I sided with the anarchists and killed her, echoes on my profile. Curious as to the other endings.
edited by Amalgamate on 2/22/2018
edited by Amalgamate on 2/22/2018
The Masters’ interference with the course of beings’ lives where love of any kind is concerned shows an indifference to human suffering and a bent toward causing tragedy–in part because they don’t understand humans very well. I suspect the Bazaar does not either, and all those lacre tears she cries at Christmas are largely for herself and her own troubles.
[quote=Amalgamate][quote=Griccus]I think this is my favorite Exceptional Story in a long time. It had choices I was actually invested in, challenged my character (what’s a strongly Magnanimous and Steadfast revolutionary to do?) and had some fascinating lore behind it. I’m super curious as to how the Vandal discovered the Judgements. Does it imply that even if it’s not common knowledge, it’s written down in Saint Cyriac’s somewhere?
[/quote]
Answer in echo here: http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/amalgamate?fromEchoId=13689513
Anyone have the echos for what happens if you allow the Vandal to complete her last graffiti? Being an anarchist to the core I tried to tackle her as soon as I realized she was worshipping the Judgements, but I’m curious as to what she was planning on drawing.
I sided with the anarchists and killed her, echoes on my profile. Curious as to the other endings.
edited by Amalgamate on 2/22/2018
edited by Amalgamate on 2/22/2018[/quote]
I think this may be the one you’re looking for? http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Griccus?fromEchoId=13686080 It’s what you get when you encounter her for the first time, and choose to stand by instead of helping or halting her.
And thanks for your echo, that makes me wonder just how high ranking the Cognoscente was if he’s aware of the Judgements as well.
Also, this little exchange is making me realize how much choices in this story actually matter! My biggest complaint about past stories is that there’s always an objectively best way to play them (the little subareas with raisable qualities always seem to encourage just spending actions til you unlock the storylet with the highest requirement, and best outcomes) until the very last choice, whereas two people can have totally different experiences with this one. It’s nice that you couldn’t keep everyone alive and happy just by pumping enough actions into it.
Edit: While I’m here, does anyone have the echo/a summary of what happens if you don’t demand the frostmoth coat from her? I’ve seen some people mention it’s the story’s item and mention feeling railroaded, so I’m curious what the other options do. My character, being pretty strongly sympathetic to the Tomb-Colonists, wasn’t willing to let them burn along with her.
edited by Griccus on 2/22/2018
[quote=Amalgamate]
Anyone have the echos for what happens if you allow the Vandal to complete her last graffiti? Being an anarchist to the core I tried to tackle her as soon as I realized she was worshipping the Judgements, but I’m curious as to what she was planning on drawing.[/quote]
It’s nothing that different from the other ones, sadly. Not even much detail is gone into. I kind of wish these illustrations were detailed a little better. Or if some willing artist would attempt an illustration of a scene.
I’m reading the echo from taking the Conspiracist with you and this bit…
[spoiler]"You fall upon her like a sunbeam, your knife a glittering star. She dies fitfully, hidden from the light.
‘Stellar work,’ says the Conspiracist."[/spoiler]
I swear these puns are going to be the death of me.
I thoroughly enjoyed this month’s ES, from the very premise - chasing down the Neath’s equivalent to Banksy - through the interesting and likable characters to the rather emotional conclusion. Unlike Factory of Favours, I felt extremely involved from the get-go and agonised over every decision, trying to give those characters the best ending possible. Another thing I was really happy about was just how relevant some of the plot was to my own character - I truly felt like the resolution would haunt doctor Elvira for a long time.
I went with the Mackintoshed Scoundrel.
The scene where he reveals himself to be a Snuffer by trying to share a candle with you was absolutely adorable! I loved your character’s reaction to him too, noting that instead of a dangerous monster he looks just kind of awkward. This is definitely the way I enjoy seeing Snuffers like - just waxen creatures trying to live their life somehow.
It was super interesting to learn that snuffer/human hybrids are indeed possible, and appear to be much more successful than full-blooded snuffers - the Vandal was able to mold her face the same way that regular snuffers can only mold their bodies. It was sad to see how she saw her heritage as blasphemy and something that should not exist. (I think she might’ve enjoyed a talk with the Bishop of Fiacre’s, as he has much of the same views!) All of this definitely has some serious implications for Elvira, given that her husband is also of the more… waxen sort. She tried so hard to make the Vandal accept her heritage and reconcile with her father, but sadly things are rarely this easy, and Elvira’s attempts ended in the Vandal dying from her hand… and even worse, being displayed as a disgusting taxidermy exhibit by the aptly-named Artist Collector. Oh yes, Elvira is not forgetting that sight (and the guilt) anytime soon.
One thing that I have to complain about is the vagueness of the choices during the confrontation between Scoundrel and Vandal - I did not expect that trying to aid one side would mean gleefully jumping to stab the other party. Had I known, I’d probably have chosen not to intervene.
Where do I go to do anything besides feed bats?
Watchmaker’s Hill is a good bet. The Society is there. There are encounters in Veilgarden, The Flit and the Docks.
Also there’s something I’m curious about. If you learn of the Conoscente’s secret before you learn of the Constabulary spy, do you have the option of betraying him to her?
Yes, you do. Apparently she suspected he was one before. However, their ending is more on the humorous side.
edited by 0bsidian Fire on 2/23/2018