The Candlelight Scholar
Posts: 1
3/29/2017
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Hi,
I have been playing FL, lurking these forums, reading I'm A Candle, and so on for well over 2 years at this point; I have become rather fascinated with the philosophy behind the game (and entire setting, for that matter).
Problem is, I have not been able to find any sort of analysis or deconstruction going beyond the obvious anywhere online; I thought this was a good reason to dip my toes in the community and stop being a random anon. Has anyone stumbled upon such scribblings on the web?
Sorry if I'm being overcautious with the spoiler tag, btw, I'm not really sure when to apply it yet.
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Vexpont
Posts: 137
4/13/2017
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The entire FL plot universe in handy .jpg form:
Longpost ahead. The most informative articles I’ve read, both getting a bit vintage:
Alexis Kennedy on ‘love and desire, and what price you’re prepared to pay for them’ in FL:
http://outermode.com/interview-alexis-kennedy-fallen-london-sunless-sea-part-one
First half mechanics and history, second half influences:
http://www.indieorama.com/failbetter-games-interview-alexis-kennedy-hanna-flynn/
(The lore links on this one are all interesting but I’m going to pick out ‘why the unterzee eats ships?’as especially worthy of a read.)
As the second article mentions, FL is not what you’d predict to evolve from something envisaged as a competitive word-predicting game based around Twitter, mostly because it’s not buttock-clenchingly awful in every conceivable way.
At times I get the odd sense that FL must be referencing most of the weird fiction authors I’ve ever read, from Aickman to Zelazny. But some things (like the pursued Mysterious Box of unknown content, or not reading the small print on immortality deals) have been generic for millennia. Two writers we can be pretty sure about:
Jack Vance, who died in 2013 and has an in-game memorial card, A Disgraceful Spectacle. Nods to his Dying Earth litter the Neath, from the strangely chill attitude of Londoners to their current predicament, to the rotten things that happen to peoples’ eyeballs. In early content, the PC definitely comes across as a Vance-type antihero who swindles, steals, seduces, and comes a cropper frequently – this is less prominent as play progresses.
Jorge Luis Borges, licensed dealer in Dreamtigers, mirrors, labyrinth plans, memberships of cryptic clubs, and Hidden Names of God (names may be hidden in the fur of big cats, no refunds for the allergic). Seekers of the Name may like The Zahir, a story about a terrifying obsession. If the last thing on the list of forms the Zahir has taken is a coincidence, it’s a very neat one.
Anne Auclair wrote:
While I'm pretty sure any resemblance to a specific philosopher is accidental, the astral piety of Platonic cosmology seems a definite influence ("descent and ascent of the soul," "return to the source," "as above, so below").
edited by Anne Auclair on 4/11/2017
There’s one philosophical tie-in that's very probably coincidental, but made me smile: there was a philosopher called Meinong, active around the turn of last century, who insisted that things that can be referred to must have some existence, even if they're not real. The place inhabited by all these is-not entities got nicknamed Meinong’s Jungle. But I have a feeling that its true name is Parabola.
edited by Vexpont on 4/13/2017
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Dangerous to my enemies; loyal to my friends. Not too handy at telling the difference.
http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Vexpont
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Waterpls
Posts: 323
4/14/2017
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I'm just going to leave this here...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_over_the_Sun
If you ever wonder what Correspondence music sounds like just watch it on youtube.
edited by Waterpls on 4/14/2017
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Long grinds: Heptagoat 100/180; Cider Done; Correspondence 21/21; Paramount 4/4.
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The Lord Breakfast
Posts: 70
4/13/2017
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Vexpont wrote:
There’s one philosophical tie-in that's very probably coincidental, but made me smile: there was a philosopher called Meinong, active around the turn of last century, who insisted that things that can be referred to must have some existence, even if they're not real. The place inhabited by all these is-not entities got nicknamed Meinong’s Jungle. But I have a feeling that its true name is Parabola.
This is almost certainly just a meaningless coincidence, but it does strike me that Meinong's first name is "Alexius".
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The Lord Breakfast, Captain Bacon, The Ageless Pirate, Bane of Salad, The Thrice-Mad, Eater of Pelicans
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ProfessorDetective
Posts: 50
4/10/2017
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This is about the only major spotlight I've seen for FL (not counting Sunless Sea/Skies). This game is surprisingly underground. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QJVGtKPjNc)
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Contact: The Academic Investigator. Call ahead. Lodgings disorderly.
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Sam Stephens
Posts: 73
4/11/2017
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I don't know very much about philosophy, but I think it's fair to say there's a large Lovecraftian influence on the Fallen London universe. A lot of unfathomable monstrosities and mysteries beyond human comprehension are in both settings. The Correspondence, for example. Perhaps, like Lovecraft's work, Fallen London speaks to the insignificance of humanity in the greater cosmos? I don't know.
I also see some things Fallen London has in common with Fallout. They both take a well-known historical setting (Victorian London, Space-Age America) and wring it through a cataclysmic event (the Fall, nuclear winter) to create a sort of darkly comedic post-apocalyptic setting. So, to some extent, any videos you find about the philosophy of Fallout could possibly be obliquely related to the philosophy of Fallen London? Hey, they even have similar names! I just noticed that. I know the YouTube channel Wisecrack did a video about the philosophy of Fallout, maybe you could find something there?
That's about all I can think of. Sorry I couldn't point you to any articles. I hope my own musings weren't too silly. XD
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Hello, delicious friends! I can be found here: http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Sam%20Stephens
I'm open to all non-menacing social actions. I particularly enjoy a good mystery. I'm also a Corespondent who can teach at your Orphanage.
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Anne Auclair
Posts: 2215
4/11/2017
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Quite a few of Fallen London's metaphysics remind me of the cosmology of Iamblichus, only with a Lovecraftian coloring (which wouldn't be hard to add, as Iamblichus has a crowded cosmos full of gods, demons, angels, archons, astral influences, karmic reincarnations, and greater mysteries that mankind is literally incapable of comprehending in a rational way). While I'm pretty sure any resemblance to a specific philosopher is accidental, the astral piety of Platonic cosmology seems a definite influence ("descent and ascent of the soul," "return to the source," "as above, so below").
edited by Anne Auclair on 4/11/2017
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http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Anne%20Auclair
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Optimatum
Posts: 3666
4/11/2017
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There's a couple interviews out there with Alexis Kennedy et. al., some about Sunless Sea but some discuss (or focus on) Fallen London as well.
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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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Anne Auclair
Posts: 2215
4/14/2017
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Waterpls wrote:
I'm just going to leave this here...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_over_the_Sun
If you ever wonder what Correspondence music sounds like just watch it on youtube.
edited by Waterpls on 4/14/2017
I'm sort of reminded of The Seventh Letter.
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http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Anne%20Auclair
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Sam Stephens
Posts: 73
4/13/2017
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ProfessorDetective wrote:
This game is surprisingly underground.
Wait a minute - is that pun intended? If so, good job!
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Hello, delicious friends! I can be found here: http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Sam%20Stephens
I'm open to all non-menacing social actions. I particularly enjoy a good mystery. I'm also a Corespondent who can teach at your Orphanage.
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