The magicians of the Glass are holding their annual masque, and you are invited. Don a mask, attend the ball, and uncover the secrets that plague the society’s most promising magician.
The Magician’s Dream is the second story in the Season of Celebrations, and was written by Mary Goodden. This Season invites you to attend three new festivals within London. You can begin each from the Season of Celebrations card.
In addition to a new, substantial, stand-alone story every month, Exceptional Friends enjoy:
Access to the House of Chimes: an exclusive private members’ club on the Stolen River, packed with content[/li][li]An expanded opportunity deck: of ten cards instead of six![/li][li]A second candle: Twice the actions! 40 at once!
Finishing all three stories in the Season of Celebrations will make you eligible for an additional opportunity, to follow.
If you want to keep an Exceptional Story beyond the month it’s for, you must complete the related storylet in the current Season’s card throughout London. This will save it for you to return to another time.[/color]
Beautiful so far. I am not yet spoiling where it’s taking us, but I am glad Failbetter followed up last month’s grandiose story with yet another much talked-about place. I love small narratives too, but in terms of pacing it fits nicely.
I really enjoyed this one. I feel like exceptional stories have been getting better lately.
The answer to [spoiler]"what do the finger kings want" being "you wouldn’t comprehend" was a little disappointing but expected.
I was surprised to receive yet another judgement’s egg, these have been getting weirdly common lately
[/spoiler]
P.S. Did anyone refuse to help? I would like to find out what happens in that case.
I ended up doing the unwise thing, it would be interesting if some time in the future this will have real consequences, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s never mentioned again either.
Edit: had to put everything into a single spoiler tag. edited by Monara on 9/27/2018
A pretty good story overall. I’m a stickler for doing the right thing, (even if by Fallen London’s very nature that leads to alot of grey areas) so I made sure to uh…‘try’ to do things properly. But the cost to do so will gnaw at me. Even so, I don’t regret what I did. Just worried how this will play in the future…
This is eaxctly the feeling I had - and ‘gnawing’ is the most fitting term.
The thing is that the hard decision was easy, but now I am awkwardly standing in the Magician’s dressing room wondering if I should ask for the promised reward or if I should not be so crash. Ugh.
Interesting. My character has, by chance, a higher "Fingerkings" quality than any of the others of its category. It is useful to learn more about them and about their domain. edited by cathyr19355 on 5/18/2019
No stat decrease, but according to my stats (lefthand side of the beta showing watchful, shadowy, etc.) you now get a…permanent menace quality. Can’t say its a good thing, but to get it the story does warn you advance.
Does anyone have an echo of the “daring” choice near the end? I took the “subtle” route and I’m curious as to what happens and whether it affects your options.
For an individual who’s currently at a crossroads in the Wars of Illusion main storyline (particularly, whether to serve as a double agent for the Glass or the Shroud), would it be better to play this story or conclude the ‘Embroiled in the wars of Illusion’ one first?
(Optional more-than-one questions: Or should one continue the latter up to a certain point and then play The Magician’s Dream? If the answer depends on, say, whether one’s top priority is knowing best which decisions to make vs. dramatic/narrative/thematic cohesion, could anyone who’s played both break it down by the specifics? Spoilers optimally avoided, especially major ones, but I’m not averse to reading spoilers if it’s key to making the decision. Much obliged!) edited by Paradox Locke on 9/27/2018
I got the random event where I fulfilled the fingerking’s bargain, but I still have the pursued by serpents quality/menace. Is that normal? Or is my game bugged?
I don’t know how I feel about Exceptional Stories being so blatant about some of Fallen London’s greater mysteries. They are very up front about some big time spoiler stuff that is normally hidden behind the high level Shadowy stuff at Mahogany Hall. I appreciate giving extra story for those of us who have completed the Wars of Illusion story, but I can imagine this whole plot will be ‘‘exceptionally’’ confusing to new players.
The whole game is a balancing act between too confusing/too revealing. Usually it is confusing enough you need the Wiki to make sense of what you played so I am not sure I am unhappy they threw us an easy one for once. I admit I was also surprised by the Magician’s revelations, given what you usually go through to catch a glimpse of the Shroud/Glass metastory, but at least I finally understood that the whole thing was about.
On another note, I think the quality it unlocks is common for both endings and will come back… perhaps when we are close to a Parabolan Camp, or perhaps when the player is lost in the Mirror-Marches the usual way. I will indulge in some Nightmares and try to find out. edited by Jolanda Swan on 9/27/2018
For an individual who’s currently at a crossroads in the Wars of Illusion main storyline (particularly, whether to serve as a double agent for the Glass or the Shroud), would it be better to play this story or conclude the ‘Embroiled in the wars of Illusion’ one first?
(Optional more-than-one questions: Or should one continue the latter up to a certain point and then play The Magician’s Dream? If the answer depends on, say, whether one’s top priority is knowing best which decisions to make vs. dramatic/narrative/thematic cohesion, could anyone who’s played both break it down by the specifics? Spoilers optimally avoided, especially major ones, but I’m not averse to reading spoilers if it’s key to making the decision. Much obliged!)[/quote]I don’t know whether still being active in both factions will have any material effect on the story, but I can say that if one is unsure which side to support or betray due to a confusion about what is really going on, this story will provide insight that may aid that decision.
Yes, I’ve echoed it. Doesn’t look like kicking and screaming makes a narrative difference. I did get some Tales of Terror in exchange for some wounds and a lot of nightmares, does going softly evade that penalty/reward?
Ok, so I got a forced event while drawing cards to fulfull the bargain I made and I got some nightmares and a tale of terror. Pretty underwhelming I would say…
It seems the pursued quality sticking around was a bug, and if you still have it you will now be forced into an action that removes it. edited by Monara on 9/27/2018
Yes, I’ve echoed it. Doesn’t look like kicking and screaming makes a narrative difference. I did get some Tales of Terror in exchange for some wounds and a lot of nightmares, does going softly evade that penalty/reward?[/quote]I don’t see it on your profile; I’m talking about:
When you have the option to address the Fingerking (subtle) or try to grab it (daring)
