By the same token, being an unrepentant monster in real life usually ends up costing a person a lot in the long run, even if the short-term rewards are plentiful.

Can you make a journal or blog about this character's life? Sounds interesting.

Here's hoping I get some say in the new name, as I already have a few alternatives in mind

I don't know, I've never found being a Shepherd all that rewarding. Other than one person, you don't really get to help out anybody personally or see tangible proof of the good you're supposedly doing (if any), and there doesn't seem to be much in the way of in-game rewards for collecting souls and contracts and turning them in. If you're really dedicated, you'll be locked out of some Hell-related content that requires souls as payment (since if you're serious about your shepherdly duties, you wouldn't use souls in such a way) and limited in terms of items you can use (I can't even do anything with all my cool special souls I got from the advent calander, because the soul guy won't take them). Even selling them for cash seems in violation of the spirit of being a Sheperd.

Meanwhile Spirifers make lots of money performing their craft and don't seem to be locked out of anything or handicapped by the game in any way.

So, unless you're roleplaying someone who is very, VERY against taking people's souls (like me), I'd go with Spirifer.

Of course, I'm a fairly new player and might not have encountered all the supposed benefits of being a Shepherd or heard of all the drawbacks of being a Spirifer, so it's likely someone who's been here longer might have a different perspective. But this has been my experience so far.

i bought A trade in souls, because i'm interested in the whole topic. But the idea of actually having to participate in it has put me a little at odds I can't seem to make a roleplaying decision one way or ther other, on the subject. I'm rather fond of hell, and i'd like to continue good relations with them, so on that note the spirifier path seems like the best option

But on the other hand, tricking the weak and dying out of their souls just seems so underhanded, i'm not sure if i want to do that. And being able to help out the regretful soldier is an interesting motivator for picking shepard

But on the other other hand, i am acrtively pursuing a room at the brass embassy, and one of the reasons i wanted the soul trade was to investigate better methods of aquiring souls

I have three hands, i'm odd, i know. But lore and roleplay wise, i seem to be at an impasse here. I can't make a decision based upon that. I think my interest is more as a neutral observer, than a participant.
This is the point where i'd normally investigate the material and mechanical benefits of each path, and make my choice based on practicality.
But being a fatelocked story, that's not so easy to do. The wiki has no information at all.

I'm not sure how much information i'm allowed to ask of you lovely people, but i would appreciate any possible guidance in this matter, for right now chronic indecisiveness has gotten the better of me.
edited by Nanako on 1/23/2016

Honestly, trying to be a good person in this game is SUCH a thankless task. I know Fallen London is set in a nasty world and that most people want to play as a "magnificent bastard" type of character, so Failbetter is just giving them what they want, but man, sometimes it really rankles in me being punished over and over for not wanting to play as a jerk while the amoral and immoral characters get ALL the rewards. I wish it was more balanced sometimes.

But lore and roleplay wise, i seem to be at an impasse here. I can't make a decision based upon that.

That's actually the exact reason why a lot of people have criticized Bioshock's morality system as not feeling particularly moral at all, and only self-serving. Knights of the Old Republic has some better examples -- if you want to "be good," you can't prioritize rewards for your self. Being good, in theory (one theory at least) is its own reward.

(there are lots of menace reducing cards in the deck as it is) and my connections to those particular factions are already quite high (if you play as a moral character, that tends to happen anyway).

yetanotherone wrote:

Optimatum wrote:

One other note about the Shepherd path is that it's one of few ways that lets you raise Magnanimous up to 15.

And Spirifiers will never be far from 15 Heartless, which makes perfect sense.

Oddly enough, Fallen London is the only game I have ever played where I have wanted to be an absolute bastard character. Normally it pains me to replay something as a selfish jerk (looking at you, Baldur's Gate series) but not here. Probably 'cause it's actually rewarding. And occasionally funny...

[spoiler]Perfect sense? really? If and when i'm a spirifer, I'm trying to get parasitic spores away from people so they can truly be themselves, rather than a link in a chain that prisons us all. They may not realize it, but they're all the better for the "loss". Sure, they don't agree, but more fool them. if you take away a bad- like, lethal bad- batch of prisoner's honey they will cheer, and if you destroy red honey they'll do the same, but if you take away the parasitic star-foods, they call you a monster. there is no justice.[/spoiler]
edited by Grenem on 1/29/2016

One other note about the Shepherd path is that it's one of few ways that lets you raise Magnanimous up to 15.

Robin Mask wrote:

Ah, well, Mr Wines shall have fun: http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Mr~Wines

Don't be surprised if that name gets changed at some point - I've seen at least one other person claim a Master's name and they were renamed after a little while.

To be fair, that's kinda the point. There can't be a moral dilemma if there isn't some actual weight to the choice.


edited by Infrasound on 1/23/2016

What I mean is you have, as you say, been awesome. Not because you got a reward for doing so but because you made a real(ish) sacrifice to do the moral thing. You don't pray on the innocent and destitute pulling their souls out violently with a fork and sell them off to vain selfish devils for a few pennies.

wraith wrote:

did you ever entered in the house of chimes? there you'll find a story that will be "rewarding" (for the good that you're doing not for items IIRC) for sheperds

Yes. It's the only major reward for being a Shepherd. Other than that, I rarely have trouble with menaces (other than nightmares) and my connections to the Church are already so high I'm half-expecting Christ Himself to invite me over for tea one of these days :P

There is practically NO reward for being a Shepherd. Like I said, don't do it unless you're roleplaying as someone who couldn't look at himself in the mirror if he became a Spirifer.

Honestly, trying to be a good person in this game is SUCH a thankless task. I know Fallen London is set in a nasty world and that most people want to play as a "magnificent bastard" type of character, so Failbetter is just giving them what they want, but man, sometimes it really rankles in me being punished over and over for not wanting to play as a jerk while the amoral and immoral characters get ALL the rewards. I wish it was more balanced sometimes.

edited by Kukapetal on 1/23/2016