I have no one to blame but myself. On the surface I had a life that was charmed, if perhaps not gilded. I was a man of science, of letters, with a tenured post at a fine university; I had a comfortable home, opportunities to travel, and people who cared about me. There was no sane reason to turn away from that life, and yet I did. The implication there seems obvious.
And yet, there seemed at the time – and still seems today – that there was truly no other option for me. The very forces that drove me into academia – a thirst for knowledge, a need to know, to truly understand our place in the universe – drove me out of it as well, and here, to the Neath. I cannot turn away, and will not, so long as my heart beats and my mind sustains thought.
But I have come to recognize the dangers of being here, too, and I am not too proud to admit that I may be in over my head. Please, you who read this, consider taking me as a protégé – I need all forms of guidance, but I am most of all compelled to attempt to better my mind.
I am here. My eyes are open. I will not turn away.
Some call me Doctor, but you may call me whatever you wish. What I seek is not a name, after all, but something rather more… tangible. And while the Neath offers many sinful pockets to explore and gather from, some of them are deeper than I can manage. Subtlety can carry one only so far.
Thus, I petition you, good people of London. To all you esteemed and talented folk, won’t you spare an evening to help elevate this frugal, honest gentleman? I promise, should you be so exceptionally kind, no Londoner shall be ignorant of your good name.
"What do you call a doctor, an aspirant of the Imposter Church, and a petty thief?"
Edit: The kind gentleman Desmond Jordan has offered his most Watchful patronage. May the luck of the Flit forever grace him.
Edit 2: I have now come under the tutelage of a second patron: the Dangerous and newly Paramount Sam Norrey. A toast to his eternal health!
I am no longer in need of additional patronage!
A special thanks to Desmond, who has proven himself time and time again to be noble and generous far beyond the call of mentorship, and a gentleman deserving of all the kindness the Neath has to offer. edited by BrokenLeg on 2/9/2019
My name is Elizabeth Fairweather. Today I come to you to petition for acceptance by a member of your esteemed ranks. As a very recent immigrant to the city of Fallen London, this grand city is satiating my desire for mystery far more greatly than any Surface area ever could. Regretfully, many of these mysteries are far beyond even my talents - in fact, a level of Watchfulness considered significant on the Surface is nearly worthless down here.
While I would normally "tough it out", as the folks say, my attempts to do so have been plagued with nightmares that I dare say are rather supernatural in their intensity. I fear they may consume me before I can embark on a journey to uncover the answers to the greatest mysteries of all. After this last sleepless night, I’ve become rather tired of it (pun not intended). And thus, I petition you all, fine People of Some Importance, for your assistance in honing my intellectual skills beyond what I ever could have hoped for on the Surface. Preferably before the nightmares consume me. I speculate that there may be a threshold to what my mind can handle, and I fear the territory that lies beyond it.
If you wish to accept my plea, you may contact me here: Fallen London
As for a riddle, I have none of my own, but I offer up one that I have heard in my time - and dare I say, it’s rather pertinent to London’s current situation! I can only live where there is light, but I die if the light shines on me. What am I?
EDIT: Since this plea was sent out, I have come under the tutelage of Laura Cress in matters of Persuasion, and Sam Norrey has sent me an offer to teach me the ways of the Dangerous. In addition, I have updated my statistics appropriately. Thank you for your assistance! edited by LAJ-47FC9 on 1/27/2019
Seeking, yes, I am seeking… Patrons, not names, no delicious names… TheKolega is mine. Name, not patron. No patrons. Yet. Don’t give names, please, I am fasting…
I have persuaded 103 moths to step away from the nightlight, seen 93 bats hanging from a single perch, broke 80 wine glasses in my disreputable moments, but my shadow can only hide 54 rats from the moonlight. No foreign names here. They taste unaquired… I seek your eminence, Your Eminence. For now. Until we meet.
Don’t like riddles. They don’t have names. Blasphemous…
Hello, all. I am Vic Moore, an artist who enjoys causing scandal. I am new to the Neath and would very much appreciate help improving my skills. Especially shadowy and watchful. I also wouldn’t mind a few more contacts.[li]
Hello!
I’m a weirdo who seeks to see the Bazaar burn. I am currently seeking to plot against the masters and as such require a great deal of shadowy training.
I’m a late-game character with early game stats. Also, if said potential protege got into contact with me about how to get bloody Favors: Society without waiting 10 million years for an opportunity card that will never come I would be VERY grateful. Thank you I suppose.
Artemis Wretch is an unsavory, hedonistic, and selfish creature, however he acknowledges that the help of someone learn’d in the arts of persuasion or stealth would help on his journey through the Neath’s back-alleys and tables of high society.
The mysterious person or personages known as Heighington seeks a patron most kind to share their vast experience. Any and all qualities most relished. Current stats are;
Stratak is a mysterious and refined gentleman. Also a (self-proclaimed) Lord. He vehemently hoards all the dangerous secrets, scandalous whispers, flesh-bound books and forbidden relics he can find find. He might use them to solve the mysteries of the universe… or sell them to the highest bidder… or exchange them for the most depraved of pleasures… Currently looking for Shadowy and Dangerous patrons, to help him train in these… more mundane qualities.
Greetings my good men, women, and other such gentlefolk! I, Dungeon, a shrewd, sly gentleman Doctor seeks patronage in some arts not of my current skill. I seek almost any patron, however I feel my watchfulness is progressing swiftly enough for my liking. Any assistance one may be able to provide in any other matters is gladly welcomed, however my most desired patron would be able to tutor me in such skills as keeping myself safe from other, more dangerous folks about town, and the manner in which to conduct myself around others, to be most persuasive with my words.
My current skill set is as follows :
Watchful : 49
Shadowy : 15
Dangerous : 8
Persuasive : 8
My kind and most humble regards.
P.S. : I remember this riddle, one I needed assistance to complete, perhaps you might get some enjoyment out of it?
"You can give me but you cannot take me,
It takes one to give me, but two to make me.
The biggest circle I begin,
And it is I that lies within.
To all living things I give breath,
But I am not God nor Life nor Death.
And like the Phoenix from an Urn,
Through me, from ashes it returns."
Humble as my talents may be, it is admittedly with some pride that I should note such an increasingly respectable measure of formidability in one such as myself. I should never have imagined it possible, as I have always been inclined to to rely upon a more delicate approach to self-preservation. Some time ago, however, I found myself in a position of considerable vulnerability with which I was unsuitably prepared to handle. The week that followed was spent in bed, nursing all manner of bumps, bruises, and Tinctures of Vigour. A common enough lamentation in the Neath, to be sure, but as I found myself burdened with a curious assortment of mouths to feed, I endeavored to develop a quality of reasonable ferocity. I have, until now, been very much satisfied with the results of this pursuit, but at the present I once again find myself unpleasantly wounded, and quite unqualified to continue any further without proper tutelage. I should be immeasurably grateful to whomever will agree to provide such instruction and will no doubt be in his or her debt.
As to the matter of the riddle, I have always liked this one:
You can easily touch me, but not see me. You can throw me out, but not away. What am I?
Greetings, delicious friends! Prudence May is a rat-catcher with dreams of taking down the Vake, but she’s trying to become better at interacting with people so she can hunt the beast better. If any Legendary Charisma would be willing to help improve her persuasive, I would greatly appreciate it!
My Name is Nikodemos van Grey.
Collector of moonlight and blessed with a talent of finding things.
My buisness had recently bring me from the Iron Repulic to Fallen London.
Im searching a gentelmen who can study me in the fine arts of stealth and cunning other proffesions like being more dangerous or persuasive are fine too.
My portfolio
Dangerous 39
Persuasive 25
Shadowy 48
watchful 52
A little riddle for your amusement
My magic circle has seven lit foxfire candles. When you blow out one candle in the circle, the two adjacent candles are extinguished as well. If you blow on a candle that has already been extinguished, it will relight. And if there is an extinguished candle next to the one you blow on, it also will relight.
Extingish all lights. Reign from the shadows.
I will be found here Fallen London edited by Vincent van Grey on 2/9/2019 edited by Vincent van Grey on 2/17/2019 edited by Vincent van Grey on 2/21/2019 edited by Vincent van Grey on 2/24/2019 edited by Vincent van Grey on 2/24/2019
I am Melchior Cavendish. I’m new to this place. Well, maybe not any more - I think I’m making the Neath my home, now and hereafter. I’m looking for a patron - any sort of patron, this place is terribly confusing. Mushroom wine? Masters? That language that sets your hair on fire? Too strange.
Watchful 56
Shadowy 46
Dangerous 72
Persuasive 38
(Melchior is my second character, so I’m able to bounce some social actions around. You might also get some social actions from my main.)
A Neathy riddle: My life lasts hours as I am devoured. I am tall when young and short when old. You are eating me, for some reason. Stop looking for seven of me, for God’s sake what are you doing for yourself? All this for a Name?
I’m pajinka (meaning liquor, spirit in an Eastern-European language), a newcomer to the neath, trying to solve its myteries. Being new, I seek a patron to help me becoming an extraordinary mind someday.
Watchful 92
Shadowy 59
Dangerous 67
Persuasive 55
Ambition: Nemesis
What do you call someone who rises early, wears a white apron, bakes bread but is not the baker?
Good morning, afternoon, or evening, delicious friends. Though in the Neath, does the time of day even matter anymore?
This particular specimen goes by Lord Misfortune (not the most assuring of names, I know) and has come down to the Neath for… well, it’s been some months, I can hardly remember the reason at this point.
Currently, I seek a patron preferably of a Legendary Charisma, though as I am not quite sure how a relationship between a protege and patron would go about, any patron would do (Legendary Charisma would take first priority when considering a decision, of course); it would certainly help for an ambition such as Heart’s Desire.
(Edit: Stats as of 3/19/19)
Watchful: 57
Shadowy: 53
Dangerous: 18
Persuasive: 67
I’m in no rush to be a Person of Significant Interest or anything like that, though assistance in raising my stats would be much appreciated. As someone free of any ties to the surface, I have all the time in the world to wait for a reply (though, of course, the sooner I hear a response, the better).
As for a riddle… hmm…
Those who make it don’t want it, those who buy it don’t need it, and those who use it can’t appreciate it. What is it?
(Edit: a patron has been found) edited by Misfortune on 3/26/2019