The Season of Skies: Item Trade-In

Fallen London
21

This is a hard decision. I greatly admire the Polymath’s work, and would love to preserve it for my own purposes. I do love to see the night skies. London would be saved by the new Law (hadn’t realized Hell could do that. They’re much more powerful than I’d thought!)

But what of the rest of the Neath? True, it’s a terrible place, full of horrible things. Yet there are wonders as well, and what of its other denizens, like the Presbyrate and the Cousins, or the Daughter? And of what monsters there may be, do they not themselves have a natural right to be? The Judgements would not see itvas so, imposing their own order from their seats of privilege in the Great Chain. But what is just or natural in an existence scraping and groveling for the greater glory of a celestial oligarchy?

Also, where does this place allegiances in the Neath? Why would Hell want the Judgements influencing the Neath? Is deathlessness such an impediment to them, and is that why they wanted the Wind so badly (to choose who could survive and who wouldn’t?) Is that why the Great Game (surface powers) seem influentially linked to Hell in the resolution of the Nadir, while the Revolutionaries link to the Bazaar (both opposed in some aims, but united byba desire to free themselves from the Judgements?) Yet haven’t the Revolutionaries altered the very power structure of Hell (the Season of Revolutions, the Iron Republic)?

And what of the Widow? Bitter enough to end it all? Playing her own games? Or just lonely for a kindred soul who too gad lost more than she could bear?

It’s like a choice between crushing a butterfly for daring to dream of the sky, and killing the last of some strange and endangered species… what a value judgement, andvwhat a sacrifice either way!

22

[quote=Pnakotic]This is a hard decision. I greatly admire the Polymath’s work, and would love to preserve it for my own purposes. I do love to see the night skies. London would be saved by the new Law (hadn’t realized Hell could do that. They’re much more powerful than I’d thought!)

But what of the rest of the Neath? True, it’s a terrible place, full of horrible things. Yet there are wonders as well, and what of its other denizens, like the Presbyrate and the Cousins, or the Daughter? And of what monsters there may be, do they not themselves have a natural right to be? The Judgements would not see itvas so, imposing their own order from their seats of privilege in the Great Chain. But what is just or natural in an existence scraping and groveling for the greater glory of a celestial oligarchy?

Also, where does this place allegiances in the Neath? Why would Hell want the Judgements influencing the Neath? Is deathlessness such an impediment to them, and is that why they wanted the Wind so badly (to choose who could survive and who wouldn’t?) Is that why the Great Game (surface powers) seem influentially linked to Hell in the resolution of the Nadir, while the Revolutionaries link to the Bazaar (both opposed in some aims, but united byba desire to free themselves from the Judgements?) Yet haven’t the Revolutionaries altered the very power structure of Hell (the Season of Revolutions, the Iron Republic)?

And what of the Widow? Bitter enough to end it all? Playing her own games? Or just lonely for a kindred soul who too gad lost more than she could bear?

It’s like a choice between crushing a butterfly for daring to dream of the sky, and killing the last of some strange and endangered species… what a value judgement, andvwhat a sacrifice either way![/quote]

Immunity to sunlight means immunity to the Judgements’ influence. Remember, it is harmful because those who have been in the Neath too long are effectively illegal.

Besides, Aestival already has a hole in the roof above it. Its effects seem to be pretty isolated.

Hell wanted the Wind of Ages because they thought it might allow them to improve souls. Age clearly impacts value: contrast the price of a Silent Soul with a normal one.

As for Hell being able to do this, it is child’s play compared to the Iron Republic. They aren’t even the only ones who can manufacture a law to protect against sunlight: the Dawn Machine can do the very same.

23

Anyone know if PoSI specialization influences the Lighthearted Polymath’s assessment?

By the way, I think that is one of the coolest things ever. Please continue experimenting with pulling semi-obscure Qualities into the writing, Failbetter.

Have a devil remark on my work for the Bishop, make a Surface spy note my terms as Governor, and so on. It makes everything that much more engrossing and meaningful, particularly when done behind the scenes.

24

This was a beautiful conclusion. I really enjoyed it, as others have said, and loved how those random qualities have been worked into the final moments. I chose to hand it off to the Gracious Widow.

25

With this touching on our school of thought, and the clay man’s arm using a case, I think we’re finally seeing Failbetter going back to those early game things that were sort of just dropped!

26

I very much liked the conclusion.

However, can anyone explain how the smell of honey and the scattered ashes fit into this?

(To remind you: Originally you were able to conclude that all three crimes had been orchestrated by the same person because scattered ashes were found at every crime scene although there had been no fire. And there was a lingering smell of honey.)
edited by rahv7 on 2/28/2017

27

They explain it somewhere in there.

The self-destructing caprine vellum used by Benthic scholars like the Polymath smells like honey when burned.

28

I love how the visions were accompanied by lines from the Book of Job.

1 Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?
2 Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?
3 Will he make many supplications unto thee? will he speak soft words unto thee?

“Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea
or walked in the recesses of the deep?
17 Have the gates of death been shown to you?
Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?
18 Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?
Tell me, if you know all this.
19 “What is the way to the abode of light?
And where does darkness reside?
20 Can you take them to their places?
Do you know the paths to their dwellings?
21 Surely you know, for you were already born!
You have lived so many years!

This Passage later includes these gems:

31 “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades?
Can you loosen Orion’s belt?
32 Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons[c]
or lead out the Bear[d] with its cubs?
33 Do you know the laws of the heavens?
Can you set up God’s[e] dominion over the earth?
edited by Dean Lee on 2/28/2017

29

Yes, it is available to me also, except that the &quotPutting the pieces together&quot storylet available once one is &quotinside&quot the study is now grayed out. I suspect it will eventually be removed, but understandably our friends at FBG have a lot on their minds at the moment.

30

Thank you. I had totally forgotten that this had been mentioned before.

@Dean Lee: Thank you, too. I totally missed that. Did you see that level 4 of &quotVisions of the Blue Kingdom&quot has the additional description: &quotYou are the first human witness&quot? Sent shivers down my spine…

31

Thank you. I had totally forgotten that this had been mentioned before.

@Dean Lee: Thank you, too. I totally missed that. Did you see that level 4 of &quotVisions of the Blue Kingdom&quot has the additional description: &quotYou are the first human witness&quot? Sent shivers down my spine…[/quote]
I did not see that!! Very cool :D

32

[quote=Pnakotic]This is a hard decision. I greatly admire the Polymath’s work, and would love to preserve it for my own purposes. I do love to see the night skies. London would be saved by the new Law (hadn’t realized Hell could do that. They’re much more powerful than I’d thought!)

But what of the rest of the Neath? True, it’s a terrible place, full of horrible things. Yet there are wonders as well, and what of its other denizens, like the Presbyrate and the Cousins, or the Daughter? And of what monsters there may be, do they not themselves have a natural right to be? The Judgements would not see itvas so, imposing their own order from their seats of privilege in the Great Chain. But what is just or natural in an existence scraping and groveling for the greater glory of a celestial oligarchy?

Also, where does this place allegiances in the Neath? Why would Hell want the Judgements influencing the Neath? Is deathlessness such an impediment to them, and is that why they wanted the Wind so badly (to choose who could survive and who wouldn’t?) Is that why the Great Game (surface powers) seem influentially linked to Hell in the resolution of the Nadir, while the Revolutionaries link to the Bazaar (both opposed in some aims, but united byba desire to free themselves from the Judgements?) Yet haven’t the Revolutionaries altered the very power structure of Hell (the Season of Revolutions, the Iron Republic)?

And what of the Widow? Bitter enough to end it all? Playing her own games? Or just lonely for a kindred soul who too gad lost more than she could bear?

It’s like a choice between crushing a butterfly for daring to dream of the sky, and killing the last of some strange and endangered species… what a value judgement, and what a sacrifice either way![/quote]

I couldn’t agree with you more!

In addition, it would have been hard for my main to have seen passing on the work as something entirely beneficial. Arguably it benefits the whole Neath, but what of the Surface? Not really.

I very desperately wanted to have my main character pass the work on, but it wouldn’t work–she’s far too lawful a character (not necessarily virtuous, but lawful). So she went to the police, and my alt, who enjoys cocking a snook at the Establishment, did the passing.

As for your thoughts on the Widow, I think your last guess comes closest. She is not without compassion, but she must be very, very lonely (remember the storylet of her attempt to take in a girl Urchin), and she and the Polymath do seem to have been kindred spirits.

33

Let’s see, she wants to destroy an entire city full of people for a purely selfish and sentimental goal…

enjoy your barbecue, lady…

34

I really enjoyed that as well. Hopefully the Art Schools will get some limelight at some point.

35

Regarding the throne, I had some initial thoughts about what it could be, but it wasn’t until the suspect said she couldn’t go there any longer that I think I figured it out. She gave away her soul to the Devils and said she can’t get into the kingdom anymore. The kingdom is called the Blue Kingdom and lies far beyond what we know as the High Wilderness. Countless figures wearing death masks now down before a blinding light sitting upon a great throne. My theory is that we have viewed Fallen London’s version of Heaven and saw God sitting on its throne and the description we got is the closest thing our mortal minds could come to witnessing it.

36

Well, sure, we knew that. She’s done it four times already, and we’re next…

Or were you thinking of someone else?

[quote=Kukapetal]Let’s see, she wants to destroy an entire city full of people for a purely selfish and sentimental goal…
[/quote]

37

How true. And yet…with a different perspective, might not the choice change with it?

Naples had nearly half a million souls within it in 1884…and then cholera ripped it apart. Thousands dying daily, the dead left to rot in the street while no one dared to disturb the sewers lest things become worse. Corrupt officials making feeble attempts to improve public works without succeeding. The poor fleeing the corruption, the death, the hopelessness, heading for other cities, other countries. Even London.

And soon, in 1906…Vesuvius will cripple it.

Perhaps that would be the moment when the city would Fall. Maybe Hell might speed up the process, give the volcano a nudge, and make the world think it fitting: Let the suffering of Naples end. Let it be claimed by the Neath. And look, London has returned! Back from the darkness and hopelessness and able to see the sky again! Might other cities do the same? Would the Widow show the ruling houses of Khan’s Glory just how easy it can be to return?

As a final note, Naples would Fall but not because of the Bazaar. Might that give it greater hope than London, not to be burdened under the bargain of its monarch and the demands of new Masters?

So much potential.

38

From a revolutionary perspective (or rather, from Hotshot’s revolutionary perspective), a very difficult choice. The character is probably still not sure, in the end, whether it was a good choice to make. Does one pass on information that would doom a city for sentimental reasons to a criminal mastermind because of the potential for starwards ascension? Does one kill what is now a helpless individual in cold blood and burn her works, destroying valuable knowledge? Does one pass all this into the hands of the established constabulary and authority? No one answer was really satisfactory.

In the end, Hotshot could not burn the culprit and their works, nor could he simply turn them over to the constables. He handed the package off to the contact…

[spoiler]And, personally, will be doing his best to get involved so he can manipulate it from the inside. London doesn’t need to see the stars again. The stars have no place in a just and free universe. What the people need is a Revolution that can spy on their greatest enemies without being seen. And the Bazaar’s and the Revolution’s desires need not always be in opposition.

Also maybe if it worked he could finally get the Gilded Crustacean.[/spoiler]
edited by Hotshot Blackburn on 3/1/2017

39

[quote=Crater]

Perhaps that would be the moment when the city would Fall. Maybe Hell might speed up the process, give the volcano a nudge, and make the world think it fitting: Let the suffering of Naples end. Let it be claimed by the Neath. [/quote]

Pretty sure the actual people who live in Naples and would be the ones &quotput out of their suffering&quot without their consent would have a very different opinion.

No amount of mental gymnastics will change the fact that what you’d be doing to the people of Naples is monstrously evil. Now, if that’s the kind of character you’re playing, then go for it. But it’s still evil.

40

Very much enjoyed the ending, it gave this sense of hugeness, of being very small in a big picture. All the pieces came together - in the room of a broken madwoman who lost herself trying to give humanity the stars - while committing horrible crimes and setting up a worse one.

I also liked how it was a true role-playing choice - with a true sense of burden. I truly felt the weight, and thus it was a great chance to play my character.

And for Mister Cockatiel, writer and adventurer, a Correspondent who never let the burden of knowledge get in the way of a good joke or a seductive wink . . . he felt broken. It was all too much.

In the end, he turned the work over to the Widow. He felt like giant wheels were turning that were bigger than he. There was something here he couldn’t stop. He could just let it continue and see where the path led. He was silent, and for him, that was all too rare.