Nudraxon
Posts: 22
10/28/2018
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This one had a bit of a slow start. Now that I think about it, I think that's because what would normally be the hook for a story like this, the mystery of what's going on with these masked revelers and what they're planning, isn't introduced until a considerable way into the story. At first, it seems like the stakes for the story are only whether some unauthorized fireworks are going to be set off, and whether an unauthorized effigy will be burned, which isn't exactly super engaging. However, as the mystery is slowly introduced, there's a real sense of anticipation that builds. And when things get going, they really get going. In the end, I enjoyed this story far more than I thought I would after playing the first little bit.
I'm still not entirely clear on why those masked revelers did what they did. Why the effigies, why the masks, bells and horns, and why that box? There's a clear connection to the Liberation (side note: why no Advancing the LoN for helping the revolutionaries?), but I'm still not clear on why. I did feel the stirrings of an ancient hunger when one of the revelers mentioned a "reckoning", but that seems to have been a coincidence. I was kind of hoping to get some clearer answers by the end, but this wouldn't be Fallen London if all of our questions were answered.
Also, the Ministry must be even more incompetent than I thought if they believed that I would be a trustworthy unofficial agent for them, given my clear allegiances.
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phryne
Posts: 1347
10/28/2018
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I love everything to do with the Calendar Council, so this one was for me.  Very atmospheric story in general, I enjoyed imagining myself surrounded by bonfires while playing this on such a gloomy Sunday. 
Two issues I have to mention: first, the typos. People have brought it up already, both here and in the Hallowmas thread: recently, FL's new content seems to fairly seethe with them. Especially punctuation, spacing, and case distinction are sorely lacking. Is everyone so caught up with SSkies that nobody proofreads for FL anymore? Surely not.
Secondly, I was really missing an option to laugh into the minister's face at the end of the Spectacle, telling him how I never intended to stop any revolutionary goings-on in the first place. The way the story was written, it seemed as if my char made the decision not to interfere on the spur of a moment; and to the Minister it seemed as if they were just totally incapable. I would have loved to make things entirely clear to him :P
[spoiler]As to Lilac being November: it's possible. I was struck when her portrait suddenly appeared (exactly once in the whole story) as I had absolutely not been thinking of her until then. She would've left the Council when she fell in love with the Bazaar. As a tattooist, her keeping a sketchbook wouldn't be out of the ordinary, and the sketchbook seems important since she used this roundabout way of explaining her connection to the masked revellers. I agree that her mannerisms seemed different, but we've only ever seen Lilac at FotER, when she's on official Bazaar business. Here she was just privately enjoying herself.
Has Lilac's portrait ever been used for anyone but her up to now?[/spoiler]
Something that's still nagging at me is that awful dog. To whom did it belong now?
Oh, I almost forgot: absolutely loved the Solitary Sceptic! My kind of person and now probably my fav NPC in the whole game. :P
edited by phryne on 10/28/2018
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Accounts: Bag a Legend • Light Fingers • Heart's Desire • Nemesis • no ambition
Exceptional Stories, sorted by Season and by writer ― Favours & Renown Guide
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Barse
Posts: 706
10/28/2018
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Sir Frederick wrote:
I only ever had the generic bohemian portrait appear for the Revolutionary, and am a little baffled as to what everyone's talking about.
Lilac's portrait did show up at least once, although possibly not depending on which path you took:
[spoiler] [/spoiler]
I do agree though, I rather think they are someone entirely new.
edited by Barse on 10/28/2018
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 The Scorched Sailor, up for most social actions and RP. Not as scary as he looks.
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Guest
10/28/2018
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It's almost certainly the case that they are. Watch me come up with a theory that makes exactly as much sense with exactly the same amount of evidence:
"I submit to you that my aunt is the Numismatrix. They're both eccentric and implacable women and they share a portrait, so clearly it must be the case."
(One last thing: Lilac having her origins tied up with the revolutionaries doesn't make sense either because her origins were already tied up in the Great Game and there's almost zero overlap between the two.)
edited by Isaac Gates on 10/28/2018
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Diptych
Administrator
Posts: 3493
10/28/2018
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Begging your collective pardon; I tried to edit my earlier post and it got all messed up, so I've removed it.
phryne wrote:
Something that's still nagging at me is that awful dog. To whom did it belong now?
I assumed that the artistic lady who claimed it during the early stages of the night later slipped away to join the parade - as did representatives of the other bonfires.
Barse wrote:
Lilac's portrait did show up at least once, although possibly not depending on which path you took:
I'm fairly certain that when I reached that part of the story, I saw the generic portrait, not the Lilac one. I'm guessing this was some sort of glitch, and the generic portrait was the intended one.
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Sir Frederick, the Libertarian Esotericist. Lord Hubris, the Bloody Baron.
Juniper Brown, the Ill-Fated Orphan. Esther Ellis-Hall, the Fashionable Fabian.
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The Curious Watcher
Posts: 263
10/28/2018
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Lilac shouldn't be November, despite both of them favoring purple. Any and all resentment she has towards the Bazaar should have been left at the Cave of the Nadir, leading Seekers onwards towards the Reckoning, not the Liberation of Night.
--
The Thirteenth Master of the Bazaar:
https://www.fallenlondon.com/profile/The%20Thirteenth%20Master%20of%20the%20Bazaar
The Silent Vake Hunter: GONE NORTH
The Ravenous Wanderer:
https://www.fallenlondon.com/profile/The%20Ravenous%20Wanderer
The Melancholic End-Bringer:
https://www.fallenlondon.com/profile/The%20Melancholic%20End-Bringer
The Lethal Nightmare:
https://www.fallenlondon.com/profile/The%20Lethal%20Nightmare
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Raihan
Posts: 41
10/29/2018
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phryne wrote:
Secondly, I was really missing an option to laugh into the minister's face at the end of the Spectacle, telling him how I never intended to stop any revolutionary goings-on in the first place. The way the story was written, it seemed as if my char made the decision not to interfere on the spur of a moment; and to the Minister it seemed as if they were just totally incapable. I would have loved to make things entirely clear to him :P
My thoughts exactly! Whoever told him I was a likely reliable agent for the Ministry must have been having a laugh at the Minister's expense. I really wish there was an option to make it absolutely clear to him that everything I did, I did because I was a Revolutionary myself.
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silurica
Posts: 210
10/29/2018
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phryne wrote:
snip
[spoiler]Yes, Lilac's portrait has been used here as well. It's one of the rarely used portraits, but the filename is rather generic too on hindsight...
As for your proposed timeline, I can't help but doubt it since the November we see here seems to be a revolutionary thorough and thorough, that even when she's merely enjoying herself and has trouble remembering what she did in the past, she still bears the title of Revolutionary, expresses her distrust in the Ministry, and shows connection with the lost cell. It's even implied that after the event of this story, she's willing to go back in action. That kind of clashes with the Lilac we know who is Bazaar Lover #1 and even went as far as ditching the part of her that couldn't love the Bazaar in the Nadir.
The various quirks November has, like her fondness of fruits and her nail decoration, also makes me inclined to believe that she's a new character entirely.[/spoiler]
--
 Meika Osborne, the Reckless Researcher
 Leonard West, the Scarlet Informant
 Chizuru Nishiooji, the Rueful Ex-Diplomat
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Barse
Posts: 706
10/29/2018
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Sir Frederick wrote:
I'm fairly certain that when I reached that part of the story, I saw the generic portrait, not the Lilac one. I'm guessing this was some sort of glitch, and the generic portrait was the intended one.
That makes a whole lot of sense - I must say it was a pretty large surprise to run into that image there! If the normal Accomplice/Artist's Model image is in that place now, then I guess that settles that.
edited by Barse on 10/29/2018
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The Scorched Sailor, up for most social actions and RP. Not as scary as he looks.
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Optimatum
Posts: 3666
10/29/2018
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Re: November and Lilac, the sketchbook is a metaphor.
[spoiler]Remember, her description of this sketchbook is answering why these Revolutionaries know her. November isn't an artist; she doesn't have sketches framed in a gallery. She's explaining that she sketched out plots to pass the time, and now she's discovered that these Revolutionaries took this plan seriously, figured out the details, and are executing it in front of you.[/spoiler]
Also, while I quite liked the latter portion of this story, the beginning was disappointingly linear. I would have loved options to explore my own character's motives in working with the minister, even if it wasn't mechanically relevant. Instead of just accepting his assignment without reason, why not options to accept with intent to sabotage, or with a personal vendetta against the Revolutionaries?
--
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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Ed Rolison
Posts: 57
10/29/2018
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phryne wrote:
Secondly, I was really missing an option to laugh into the minister's face at the end of the Spectacle, telling him how I never intended to stop any revolutionary goings-on in the first place. The way the story was written, it seemed as if my char made the decision not to interfere on the spur of a moment; and to the Minister it seemed as if they were just totally incapable. I would have loved to make things entirely clear to him :P
By the same token - I'd have liked to have been able to at least _try_ to convince the Minister that this whole event was actually a roaring success. For all the unexpected happened, there's an argument that letting everyone 'blow off steam' with a pageant and effigy, is actually a good way to _improve_ Decency across the city.
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Ixc
Posts: 365
10/29/2018
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[spoiler]
Lilac gave up the part of her that couldn’t love the Bazaar to better serve it. What remains of her is loyal to the Bazaar; the part that isn’t is immaterial.
Unless... what makes a better double agent than one you can’t remember?
[/spoiler]
--
Pleased to meet you. Ixc, spy and detective. Inventor of the Correspondence Cannon.
Are you a Paramount Presence? Record your name here. For posterity, of course.
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
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Guest
10/29/2018
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First off, if that was the case, then the only part of her capable of sedition would be trapped in a cave that the rest of her never visits. Secondly, that part of her deals with seekers, not revolutionaries. Third, it's already been established that this isn't the first time that portrait has been recycled- and there's a pretty good chance that it was a glitch this time around anyways.
This isn't even grasping at straws at this point, it's more like poking at them from 10 feet away with a stick.
edited by Isaac Gates on 10/29/2018
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Diptych
Administrator
Posts: 3493
10/29/2018
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The sketchbook is a metaphor, sure, but we're talking about someone who dresses all in purple and paints little pictures on their fingernails. There's no way she's not some sort of artist.
--
Sir Frederick, the Libertarian Esotericist. Lord Hubris, the Bloody Baron.
Juniper Brown, the Ill-Fated Orphan. Esther Ellis-Hall, the Fashionable Fabian.
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Guest
10/29/2018
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How many women do you know who paint their nails & dress in bold colors?
And how many are artists?
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Diptych
Administrator
Posts: 3493
10/29/2018
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Yeah, you're not going to catch me out that way. I know so many artists. Also, nail art in 1896? Modern coloured nail polish hadn't been invented then. She is committed to her art.
--
Sir Frederick, the Libertarian Esotericist. Lord Hubris, the Bloody Baron.
Juniper Brown, the Ill-Fated Orphan. Esther Ellis-Hall, the Fashionable Fabian.
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Guest
10/29/2018
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Yeahhh the neath features all kinds of esoteric anachronistic technology that has no business existing in the 1890's, and culture is definitely gonna go in weird directions when daily life involves things like sputtering squid people, sapient talking rats and actual devils. Nail art barely even registers as odd at that point.
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Desirée
Posts: 64
10/29/2018
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I just finished the Epilogue where it said that I got two deliveries-- a thin envelope and a package. The package was from November. The thin envelope, however, was a nearly written letter thanking me for helping revolutionaries (although I did not really help them *at all* during the Main Event), out of which slips a folded note, written in the same hand. That note is from the Minister, telling me more about what he found about the lost cell. This made no sense to me-- it left the impression that the Minister was *with* the revolutionaries? Is this a bug or had anyone else the same thing? Unfortunately I did not echo any of the messages.
edited by Desirée on 10/29/2018
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Optimatum
Posts: 3666
10/30/2018
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Desirée wrote:
I just finished the Epilogue where it said that I got two deliveries-- a thin envelope and a package. The package was from November. The thin envelope, however, was a nearly written letter thanking me for helping revolutionaries (although I did not really help them *at all* during the Main Event), out of which slips a folded note, written in the same hand. That note is from the Minister, telling me more about what he found about the lost cell. This made no sense to me-- it left the impression that the Minister was *with* the revolutionaries? Is this a bug or had anyone else the same thing? Unfortunately I did not echo any of the messages.
edited by Desirée on 10/29/2018
It's a bug. Looking at people's echoes, it seems the first option is determined by whether you supported the Revolutionaries with the fireworks or effigy, while the second checks who you supported during the parade, which leads to some interesting mixed messages.
--
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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Desirée
Posts: 64
10/30/2018
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Thank you! Will send in a report, then!
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