I encountered an opportunity to learn Loamsprach, the language of the Clay Men, today. All well and good. But the title on the card I recieved that led me to seek my tutor was rather odd. ‘SUB’, in all capitals- below or beneath, when used as a prefix. But in all capitals? An acronym? An error at the typesetters? The card made reference to Fingerwork, whatever that might entail. Friends, have you recieved such an invitation yourself? Have the cards delivered to your abode had such an error?
Those have appeared before when story title wasn’t cleaned up prior to release to the active site. You can submit it as a typo if you like, but the folks at FBG tend to find them and fix them pretty quickly most of the time.
I also received a SUB card – a different one! It said it couldn’t be used unless I had a key of dreams. From what I’ve read, supposedly no one has a key of dreams.
Only Staff of Failbetter games have the key of Dreams. Did you echo the card? it would be interesting to see what it said.
Loamsprach is a bit of an odd duck, though, considering all the clay men in Polythreme speak English. Even the newborns.
I’m getting that for An Afternoon of Good Deeds and A Restorative…and, alas, I can’t echo them since I can’t play them without a key of dreams.
think I remember seeing SUB once on one of the game of chess dream cards, but it’s been forever since that particular dream has appeared in my deck
Just got and played the SUB Mirrors and Clay card myself. Could SUB stand for something, like LB does?
Here is what’s in the caption text for the card:
SUB The law’s long arm
Are those Constables following you?
It’s very reminiscent of the Suspicion card “The vigilant gentlemen in blue - The Constables are closing in!” so perhaps FBG decided not to release both cards? — edit — But hold! I see the person depicted on the card is the same person depicted when “Someone is coming”! Perhaps in a short while a Key of Dreams opportunity will arrive … ?
edited by Genny on 3/22/2012
The errant SUB heading has been scourged away with flails and scorpions.
As to the other stuff - we’re taking a few op cards in for a buff and polish. You might be able to see them if you had them in your hand when we did that, but you won’t be able to play them.
All will be well.
Oddly, I’m not getting the Loamsprach option on that card at all, and my Fingerwork quality is at 11. Was there some other property required to play that storyline?
You need “A Visitor to the Clay Quarters” at 0. It’s reset to 0 once you find the comtessa, which is one of the requirements to get the card in the first place, but goes back up to 2 once you play the card once.
I’d found the Comtessa long ago, but had my Visitor to the Clay Quarters quality reset to 2 after writing a neutral travel guide in Polythreme. So I think I’ve inadvertently cut myself off from this content. I… guess you’d call this a bug? I don’t know what to report it as.
edited by Patrick Reding on 3/24/2012
I should note that taking that storylet also puts your “mired in clay” quality to 2.
Ah, I was wrong. It was indeed Mired in Clay. And it’s at 3. I still can’t play the Fingerwork storyline.
I just learned loam starch but now i am “feared” by the Claymen. Why?
It looks like the Fingerwork storyline continues on the “Mirrors and Clay” card- at Visiting the Clay Quarters 2 and 3, the card had new options which advanced Visiting the Clay Quarters. (And changed Mired in Clay to reflect your choices)
But unfortunately, some of us still don’t have access to these unless we return to Polythreme and write a non-balanced travelogue. I’ve had the card a few times now and there’s only the one basic option, despite a high Fingerwork.
Polythreme - you’d better love it or hate, because if you’re indifferent, so are they.
[quote=travellersside]But unfortunately, some of us still don’t have access to these unless we return to Polythreme and write a non-balanced travelogue. I’ve had the card a few times now and there’s only the one basic option, despite a high Fingerwork.
Polythreme - you’d better love it or hate, because if you’re indifferent, so are they.[/quote]
That’s… annoying.
How… unfortunate. It looks like I’ll have to go back some day. Maybe I’ll book a passage on a steamer this time.