ExcArc
Posts: 44
6/26/2016
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So, granted that my current understanding of the lore isn't quite perfect, but I am given to believe that the new SMEN content discusses the Seven Treacheries a lot: Clocks, Breath, Maps, Glass, and three others. Its theorized that the seven Treacheries are the reason for the Neath, a sort of series of impossibilities that protect it from the view of the Judgements, and thus also protect the Bazaar.
Seven is the number, and seven is also the number of the colors of the Neathbow: Pelligin, the color of the deepest zee, Gant, the color that remains when all other colors have been eaten, Irrigo, the forgotten color, Cosmogone, the color of remembered sunlight, Viric, the color of shallow sleep and the color behind the mirrors, Apocyan, the blue of memory, and Violant, the color of troublesome but necessary connections.
In total, we have seven of both. Not unlikely, considering just how many things dance around seven (probably a reference to the seven letter in a Correspondence name).
But what if we can look for links between the two? What if the colors of the Neathbow can be linked to the Treacheries. One causes the other, or maybe both cause both. This is the Neath, after all.
The treachery of Clocks possibly represents how time flows funny in the Neath, especially near the edges. This could directly link it to Cosmogone, which appears to have links not only to the past, but also possible futures with its reflections showing "harsh truths" and "pleasing fancies".
The treachery of Glass possibly represents how you can access Parabola through mirrors in the Neath, which would link it to Viric, a heavily Parabolan color that is said to exist behind the mirrors.
The treachery of Maps might have to do with how locations in the Zee and the Neath tend to be impermanent and shifting, with space itself working strange in general. This would link it to pelligin, since the Zee is the particularly strange place with regards to movement and its tendency to shift around.
The treachery of Breath is possibly how people can die and yet live, which would link it to Gant, since Gant has heavy links with death, dying, and that which was. The Gant Pole, for example, is where Zee beasts go to die.
As for the other three? We're not quite certain, but we can make conjecture based upon this suggestion. We have three colors left: irrigo, violant, and apocyan. What do these all have to do with each other? All of them have to do with memory. Irrigo is forgetting. Violant is remembering when you shouldn't. Apocyan is memory in general. We are told that the Neath is where the Earth hides the memories which shame her. Irrigo in particular may refer to the Nadir, which is a particularly fucky place where all the laws of reality seem to go out the window. Its implied that this is responsible for the Neath being shielded in total. It is possible that the Nadir is the fifth treachery, as a result.
Now for violant, as far as I am aware we don't have a direct link to any particular "thing" like we do with the five previously listed. We know that it "tastes like tears mixed with pitch". We know that it is used to write messages which are hard to forget, and that it adorns the Bazaar. I am not quite sure what it is, but Violant appears to be linked with Love. Could Love be one of the treacheries? Hard to say. We seem to get that it is dangerous for the Judgements to dabble in love (if the Sun's current predicament and the Bazaar's attempts to deal with it are anything to go by). It could be that without a certain medium, they do not look at love at all. Further information is not available here.
Apocyan is a bit more confusing than violant, even. We don't know what a lot of it does. We know that from Sunless Sea Apocyan is heavily associated with the Principles, a largely sentient mass of coral that is trying not to be. It is possible for a number of things to be true. First, its possible that Apocyan is literally memory. After all, Blue Scintillack is said to come with it, and the Apocyan chess piece brings to mind the "Memento of a Struggle" that Agents use primarily. I would guess that Apocyan is intended to be what happens when you reduce memories themselves to a color. The memory of the betrayal being what lacquers the Crooked-Cross' Crooked Cross and gives it it's power, for example. The seventh treachery, if I were to make a guess (and this is the most conjecture-based one of all) might be Memory. The very Memories that the Earth is trying to hide with the Neath.
Again, all of this is conjecture, and I appreciate any corrections, additions, thoughts, or ideas on the matter.
edited by ExcArc on 6/26/2016
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Arensen
Posts: 69
6/29/2016
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I believe the links actually tie in to a certain work by Italo Calvino, titled Invisible Cities. Although there are seven Treacheries and eleven categories of city, the four Treacheries that have already been mentioned also feature in Invisible cities. In addition to this, the Treachery of Names links directly to Cities and Names. Furthermore, I would theorise that the Treachery of Memory would be the sixth--largely tying in to the work that Midnighters do, and the fact that ideas are a currency in the Neath--and also has a matching category in Invisible Cities, Cities and Memory. The thing that ties this largely nutty theory together comes in a certain Ambition that should not be named, in which Alexis (and Fallen London by extension) makes extensive reference to Invisible Cities.
Any thoughts?
edited by Arensen on 6/29/2016
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Mysteries are fire. Truth burns.
http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Arensen
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ExcArc
Posts: 44
6/26/2016
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Vavakx Nonexus wrote:
This is an extremely interesting read, but I can't help but note that you spell viric with double-r (and you shouldn't do that).
Freedom from all laws means freedom from the laws of grammar! For the Liberation!
...I'll change it, but virric looks much nicer than viric.
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Optimatum
Posts: 3666
6/27/2016
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The Nadir is almost certainly not a Treachery. I'd guess it's instead the Wound in the World, the scar in Time from the Red Science as mentioned in Frostfound.
(Also isn't Violant the one of unpleasant reminders and harsh truths, not Cosmogone?)
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Optimatum, a ruthless and merciful gentleman. No plant battles, Affluent Photographer requests, or healing offers; all other social actions welcome.
 Want a sip of Cider? Just say hi!
PM me for information enigmatic or Fated. Though the forum please, not FL itself.
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maricolous
Posts: 56
6/27/2016
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Ooh that was most certainly an interesting read. I'll be interested in seeing how this plays out.
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http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Maricolousa
(Finished)
http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Kraine
Mystic on the way to becoming a Glassworker, on occasional hiatus.
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Wiwo
Posts: 365
6/28/2016
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I've been entertaining the idea that one of the treacheries is a Treachery of Names. Everybody in the Neath (apart from a few individuals like Clarence...) is known by some kind of epithet.
I'm not sure that's an entirely stylistic choice. It seems to be something enforced, at least partially, by the Bazaar and the Masters, which certainly makes it suspect.
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Wiwo. Almost certainly not a squid in a cunningly tailored suit. Surely.
 Care for some cider? Here's how to ask me for some. Strange pranks strongly preferred.
Care to pet a Heptagoat? Too bad. It doesn't do anything (probably).
I'm a Correspondent and would be delighted to lecture at your orphanage.
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Gonen
Posts: 817
6/29/2016
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Arensen wrote:
. Furthermore, I would theorise that the Treachery of Memory would be the sixth--largely tying in to the work that Midnighters do, and the fact that ideas are a currency in the Neath--and also has a matching category in Invisible Cities, Cities and Memory.
edited by Arensen on 6/29/2016
"Perhaps she was happiest before
Time and memory are strange in the Neath. Is the Big Rat really defeated? Has another taken his place? Has the Albino Rat returned to the children she loved, or did she ever truly leave them?"
(Fate locked option on Albino Rat card). Memory IS strange in the Neath.
Really like your theory, Arensen.
edited by Gonen on 6/29/2016
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 The Ashen Anesthesiologist - Paramount Londoner
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness.
The long journey to eccentricity:
On March 10th, 2018, reached 15 on all quirks, simultaneously. The Quirky Anesthesiologist
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ExcArc
Posts: 44
6/29/2016
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Wiwo wrote:
I've been entertaining the idea that one of the treacheries is a Treachery of Names. Everybody in the Neath (apart from a few individuals like Clarence...) is known by some kind of epithet.
I'm not sure that's an entirely stylistic choice. It seems to be something enforced, at least partially, by the Bazaar and the Masters, which certainly makes it suspect.
There is a visible trend that we can see, which is that every time a character runs a business, we seem to get their name. Penstock appears in Sunless Sea because he works in/at Penstock's Land Agency. Clathermont's has a tattoo business. Shoshana, Sinnin Jenny, Gebrandt, they all have their names visible, so they get referred to by name. I'm not saying that the Treachery of Names isn't a possibility (certainly Salt's Name is an abberation, as well as the ability to find Mr. Eaten's Correspondence name) but perhaps it has to do more with Correspondence than how they are referred to in text. It's worth looking into.
Arensen wrote:
I believe the links actually tie in to a certain work by Italo Calvino, titled Invisible Cities. Although there are seven Treacheries and eleven categories of city, the four Treacheries that have already been mentioned also feature in Invisible cities. In addition to this, the Treachery of Names links directly to Cities and Names. Furthermore, I would theorise that the Treachery of Memory would be the sixth--largely tying in to the work that Midnighters do, and the fact that ideas are a currency in the Neath--and also has a matching category in Invisible Cities, Cities and Memory. The thing that ties this largely nutty theory together comes in a certain Ambition that should not be named, in which Alexis (and Fallen London by extension) makes extensive reference to Invisible Cities.
Any thoughts?
I will look into this book series immediately! If it has any palpable connection I may amend or add onto my theory to accomodate it. Thank you!
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Vavakx Nonexus
Posts: 892
6/26/2016
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This is an extremely interesting read, but I can't help but note that you spell viric with double-r (and you shouldn't do that).
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Amets Estibariz, the Moulting Eidolon: Cradled by a sun all their own.
Blabbing, the Hobo Everyone Knows: The One Who Pulls The Strings. A Clarity In The Darkness.
Charlotte and the Caretaker: A family?
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