As the title suggests, I am of the mind that the Bazaar is in need of new merchandise. There hasn’t been an introduction of new items in close to a year and what with all the new icons and artwork floating around I am puzzled as to why the current stocks seem incomplete and haphazard. For instance I would love to buy a clothing item to increase my Dangerous but the highest tier for such is a +2 while Persuasive clothing can go as high as +10. The higher tier purchases are simply bereft of certain skill categories, and to date there is no shoe on the Bazaar that increases Watchful - which makes it all the more frustrating that I had picked the Brass Knuckles in the beginning of the game and not the Mirror Polished Shoes. I mean heck, why not just reuse the old icons from the aforementioned items, or is there a person around who would not buy a sturdy Bowlerhat? Also, there is the Corseted Red Dress that has a +2 to Dangerous and Persuasive but no opposing manly attire with similar stats - which would no doubt look dapper.
There may be a symmetry to the inclusion of items and their bonuses, but with the max skill range being 150 I do not see the harm in adding new apparels. It may be transitory but having items that we can save up and buy (save for those ridiculously overpriced like the Overgoat) would surely tide the community over until the arrival of new content. What do you guys think, are the current Bazaar stocks threadbare or sufficient for your appetites?
I would never say no to more options, but I’m far from owning the best of what’s already out there, honestly. I’m not the average, to be sure, but for me there’s still a lot to buy.
Forgive me for not wanting an up-jumped demonic horned-sheep with the stench of sulfur hanging about it. I do not consort with the agents of Hell when it can be helped.
I’m a certified Rat Catcher, I can face down Hell’s Furious Walking Talking Mutton!
Also I did not get the cardboard boot reference, but you know what would be cool for a dangerous character? The leather flight suit of a dirigible pilot. What other ideas can you think of? edited by Owen Wulf on 4/21/2013
ALL FEAR THE OVERGOAT! DO NOT IMAGINE THAT YOU CAN ESCAPE IT! Cough Er, sorry. That was literally the line that inspired me to join Echo Bazaar so long ago.
I’m fine with the lack of high Dangerous suits and Watchful footwear. It’s hard to think of items that sensibly increase certain attributes. Iron, leather and cotton can only take you so far. The Mirror-polished Shoes are already a stretch. They’re gaudy attire for glorified Peeping Toms. Imagine the secrets Mirror-polished Shoes would reveal: the amount of dust under one’s furniture and the color of another’s undergarments. There are some secrets I simply do not desire to read or hear, much less see! Fortunately, my FL character is of sufficient perversity to appreciate the peepers. (…Déjà vu? Have I said this before?)
If clothing is crafted from fanciful fabric like Parabola linen or Night-Whispers, it’s a different situation. They can have any and all attributes reasonably attached if the context fits.
Historically, some bullet resistant vests were made from silk in the 19th century and earlier. Silk bulletproof vests are even employed and researched today. They were/are able to stop low velocity ballistics like early and basic forms of bullets. This is the gentleman’s solution. I don’t want a steel suit of armor. I mean, I do want one, but not on the streets of Fallen London.
I suppose the more skilled silk weavers of Spite could produce an elegant and sturdy piece made from sorrow spider silk. For added protection, a Correspondence sigil of the nastier variety could be embroidered into the vest. If someone pulls a knife on you, just throw back your cloak to flash your sigil at them. At worst, it’ll make their eyes water. At best, they’ll fall screaming into a flaming heap. For those of you who say the Correspondence can’t be woven into silk, think back to a certain Inspired storylet at the Empress’ Court. The devils at the Brass Embassy will show you it can be done; they have a knitting club or something similarly silly. I dare say they’d want a Coruscating Soul for such knitware.
I feel the moment is appropriate to trot out my pet idea for Dangerous clothing: Sturdy Tweeds! The Country-Squire’s Cuirass! Layers upon layers of wool and leather, providing ample protection from brambles, scattershot, and Rattus Faber ammunition. Deep pockets for shells, traps, notebooks, bags, and the other impedimenta of the fierce individual.
Sheep are not goats, Sir! As an owner of flesh and blood goats, your ignorance pains me. Sheep are simple-minded and easily led. Goats are strong-willed and clever. Also, while the meat of a sheep is indeed mutton, the meat of a goat is chevron.
The Overgoat offers no forgiveness![/quote]
I’m a certified Rat Catcher, I can face down Hell’s Furious Walking Talking Mutton!
Also I did not get the cardboard boot reference, but you know what would be cool for a dangerous character? The leather flight suit of a dirigible pilot. What other ideas can you think of? edited by Owen Wulf on 4/21/2013[/quote]
Oh my! there are people who do not know of Sam Vimes of the cardboard soled boots. Duke of Ankh-Morpok, head of the Night Watch, a copper of integrity and character. A man I would gratefully have on my side if necessary and a man I would fear if I was guilty of any wrong doing.
[quote=Eric Schwenke]Sheep are not goats, Sir! As an owner of flesh and blood goats, your ignorance pains me. Sheep are simple-minded and easily led. Goats are strong-willed and clever. Also, while the meat of a sheep is indeed mutton, the meat of a goat is chevron.
[/quote]
I certainly knew of such differences, and said incorrect words were meant as insults as goats no doubt resent being compared to their softer cousins. edited by Owen Wulf on 4/21/2013
of course if you know your Pratchett, sheep aren’t always so docile. :)
I would like to see more novel types. Menace related, Respectable, Dreaded and Bizarre.
It seems like it was originally designed with each area having a highest item focus. Persuasive-Clothes, Watchful-Hats, Shadowy-Shoes, doesn’t exactly hold for Dangerous though. edited by Endy on 4/21/2013
Sam Vimes is a copper in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books, in the city of Ankh-Morpork (which is kind of faux London just at the point of industrialization with dwarves and trolls and so forth). He used to be very poor but he misses having lousy boots because he could feel the different types of cobblestones through the cardboard soles and so know exactly where he was in the city.
I’m not thrilled with later Vimes books in the Discworld series but he is very, very Watchful.
Watchful in an unscientific, instinctive way - an observer of human nature. He’s often nominated as a favourite character in the series, and, though he gets a lot of scenes that are clearly referencing Clint Eastwood, he was based (if memory serves) on Pete Postlethwaite.
(Do you know, personally, I don’t mind the Mirror-polished Shoes. The lower-level items seem to draw their benefit in no small part from the social as much as if not more so than their practical uses. How would a morning-suit aid in Watchfulness, for instance, except that it’s the uniform of the professional class? Likewise, while mirrors are always handy - I’m always losing things under other things (it’s as if there’s a society dedicated to putting them there!) - a pair of nice shiny shoes are exactly what a promising young clerk should be seen wearing if they want to be entrusted with London’s knowledge.)
All that said, I do know of genuine and verifiable cases from history of scholars having outfits commissioned precisely to help in their studies - I’m thinking of Thoreau, for instance, who had his suits cut to fit books and pens and such for naturalistic excursions. The niche I’d expect such an item to fill is fairly well held by the academic gown, but it goes to show that there’s always some way to match an item to a requirement. edited by Sir Frederick Tanah-Chook on 4/21/2013
I’m glad you all seem to find my father to be so wonderful! I too share your admiration,
In fact, Discworld was what led me to get hooked upon the Bazaar. After reading almost every Terry Pratchett book, I discovered the Fifth City and gave it a try. Though the ways Fallen London and Discworld warp aspects of the ‘real’ world are very different at times, I see resonance between the two and am curious whether Alexis Kennedy and the team were in fact inspired by Ankh-Morpork