Armand D'Alterac
Posts: 37
3/10/2014
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Writing the Correspondence; A Contest of Pen and Prose - Sponsored by Mssrs. D'Alterac and Winters.
A writing contest! It is a fairly simple premise, but humour me an explanation. One thing most greatly to be admired of Fallen London is the quality, depth, and dry, sarcastic wit of its writing, which ultimately forms the very backbone of not just the game, but of our own experiences within the Stolen City.
Of late, that writing has inspired me to take up my keyboard and word processor (metaphorically) and compose shorts of my own. When trying to find places to put these writings, however, my initial search came up somewhat short. Mr Pages Fabularities is, of course, one worthy home, but it is but one. Another home for prose based on Fallen London I was directed to was 'Archive of our Own', but even between these two, I notice a curious dearth of material. I am unsure why there is comparitively little fanficition based on Fallen London, when measured against other fandoms, and perhaps it is down to the stellar quality of the game's own writing. Some would, understandably, find it off-putting to try and add their penny's worth to such a bulk of delicious literary morsels!
However, I would like to encourage those authors hiding in the labyrinthine streets of our fair city, both budding and experienced, to put their pen to paper and tell the stories the Bazaar so longs to hear!
But I Can't Write! Not as Well as Some of These Other Fellows Seem to.
Pish-posh! Poppycock! Balderdash! I care not for your grammar or syntax (wonderful tools as they are), nor for your originality (for 'there can be nothing new, nothing unthought, beneath the gaze of the Judgement'). Like the Bazaar, I care for your passion. A story told a thousand times with characters familiar to even the youngest children can still inspire!
The Theme:
The theme myself and my co-host have decided upon is an open one: The Correspondence. Eligible entries must, in some way, contain a mention of, or revolve around, the Correspondence. It may be the driving force of your tale, or a token that sits in the background, unnoticed and unseen. You may wish to pen a tale of a lover who is inspired by a morning glance at the burning vanes of the Bazaar, or the drudgeries of a man from the Ministry of Public Decency as he burns yet another treatise on the script. Perhaps your lead is an actress, chosen to play the part of the Phoenix in the Seventh Letter. Maybe they are a zailor who saw something written on the waves that no amount of Bottled Oblivion will ever erase.
The details, of course, are your own.
The Constraints:
All entrants will have thirty days from the time of this topic's posting to complete their entries. That is: the contest is open until 9/04/14.
If you wish to enter, please post your entry below, in this topic, using the following format:
<Title of your Entry>
<Your Name>
<Word Length of your Entry>
<A short synopsis of your story, or a suitable quotation. No more than a paragraph long.>
<A URL to the full story. Please host your entries on either GoogleDocs, Archive of our Own, or DeviantArt. If using GoogleDocs, don't forget to set the page visible to outsiders!>
I debated whether or not there should be a word limit, but for the sake of a guideline I have decided to impose a minimum length of 2,000 words, with no upper limit. Entries of under 2,000 words will still be accepted, but will not be considered for prizes.
Prizes!?
Yes, prizes! You may (or may not) have seen this topic. There was method in my textile madness. You, yes, you, may well be the lucky (or perhaps unlucky, depending on how flammable your hair and/or furniture is) new owner of these fine items!
1st Place - The 1st place entrant will receive my 'Sampler of the Correspondence', and a Box of a Hundred Wonders, sponsored by Mr. Winters.
2nd Place - The 2nd place entrant will receive a 'Correspondence "Plaque"' of their own choice, sewn by me. They may choose to receive any one of the eight Correspondence Sigils that feature in the official Fallen London merchandise. They will also receive a Box of a Hundred Wonders, sponsored by Mr. Winters.
3rd Place - The 3rd place entrant will also receive a 'Correspondence "Plaque"' with the same stipulations.
My Mind is Aflame with the Possibilities! And Possibly the Script!
That's the spirit! This is the burning passion (or just plain burning) I wanted to see. Write! Write until you are forced to daub yourself with the Cessation of Hands!
edited by Armand D'Alterac on 3/10/2014
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Excerpts from a Frenchman's journal
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Armand D'Alterac
Posts: 37
4/9/2014
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... So I did say I would leave it open until midnight today, but now I have had time to sit down and read all of the entries I feel that I should like to declare the victors sooner rather than later!
The Results:
1st Place - "The Sermon and How it Raises from the Ashes" by HinterDemGlas
An excellent piece that focuses on the nameless, faceless urchins of Fallen London, specifically the gang known as 'the Sermon', arsonists and fire-makers extraordinaire. The protagonist's creative use of the Correspondence was inspired, and the means by which he enacts his revenge almost poetic. The story reads, in fact, almost in a Dickensian manner, although that might just be because I always associate orphans with Dickens. Thoroughly enjoyable, with some well-placed humour, and a solid closure. It'll be a pity if this urchin-gang doesn't end up with a cameo somewhere in the game proper! It certainly deserves a spot on the Bazaar's skin.
~~~
2nd Place - "There is No Happy Ending for Fools and Ghosts" by Melena Tempest (Helen Demeter)
A beautifully haunting piece about the Great Game and the dangers it brings, in which the Correspondence is the backdrop (and perhaps the motivation) for the tale. Some small issues of grammar and spelling aside, the story flows well, and the cutting back and forth between different times is done skilfully, without confusing the reader or breaking the flow of the narrative. I especially liked the scene at the funeral, when the man's thoughts begin to run away with him and the writing echoes that, and also the time he spends before the Bazaar, searching in vain (vane?) for a meaning or an answer in those black spires. The only thread introduced which I did not notice confirmed was the presence of the tattoos on the man's arms, but other than this, the story was well written, wonderfully self-contained, and well worth reading.
~~~
3rd Place - "The Forgotten Quarter" by Wes Jones (hwango)
This is the sort of story the Bazaar longs for. The tale is of an archaeologist and a devil, and their endeavours to out-do one another in The Forgotten Quarter while researching the Correspondence. Archaeologically-inclined players may feel some sympathy with the protagonist, especially if, like myself and a Smouldering Academic, you lost your Correspondence Stones to Virginia. I enjoyed the chemistry between the two main characters and would wish to see more of them, especially together, but it is the nature of these stories that such desires tend to be confounded. A worthy addition to the obsidian skin, I think.
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Congratulations to the victors! I wish to strongly emphasize that I greatly enjoyed all the entrants, and was surprised that so many bothered! To you I give a consolation prize: words!
"Stolen Correspondence" by Sam Powick
The subject matter, as I understood it, is the tale of a scholar of the University in his unusual and novel uses of Correspondence Stones, and the immediate fallout from those uses. I found the short story highly amusing, especially appreciating the clever use of game mechanics in the narrative. The mis-matched Lenguals were a stroke of creative genius, I feel! However, in the latter half of the tale I felt the author lost track of their thread, I became confused as to what was meant to have occurred, and although I was able to piece together the outcome, I failed to understand why it had happened that way. All in all, a very amusing piece that would benefit well from a little editing and clarification, because it's a shame to let a clever idea go to waste!
"Fire" by Lucinda Diaz
In which a scholar of the Correspondence reaches the logical end of her study. The 'voice' of the observer, with its many adjectives and descriptors, leant an almost Master-like air to the piece, as if it were one of the enigmatic space-bats themselves providing the narration. Although clearly not Mr Pages, since I didn't need a dictionary for any of the words! A very strong descriptive piece that may be slightly disturbing to some readers. The description of the Correspondence itself, on its smouldering lead plaques, I especially liked.
"Unfinished" by Teresa (dismallyOriented)
Another haunting piece that examines the reality of a story when it is told again and again, with only the characters changing. By the end I could almost imagine the Bazaar smiling as it penned another ending to this tale it had collected, one it had seen before, in another place and in another guise, but every time it was new. It highlights the nature of Londoners as pieces in a greater game (both literal and metaphorical), and questions the nature of death and time. When next I see the Comtessa in nightmares or memories, I may think of her a little differently, and perhaps wish something could have been different. The Correspondence is a background, a waiting presence that drives the tale. The 'emet' to the golem. A chilling piece that will remain with the reader.
"Noman's Friend" by Laburnum
A sombre piece that examines the nature of life and death through an icy lens that smells of rotting fish. I myself didn't invest in a Noman at Christmas, so much of the content of the tale (which mostly serves to add narrative to the Noman content) was new to me. The Correspondence does not feature much, only briefly mentioned in passing during an examination of the nature of lacre. It is a sorrowful story, but as in life, it's better to focus on what we have, and not what will be.
"A Smouldering Academic" by Alzar
Short and direct, this piece illustrates most players' experience with the Correspondence, right up to the eventual unintentional journey to a place that Is Not. There does seem to be an innate problem with attempting to understand the language of the universe, although it is odd that it generally manifests in attempting to set your hair on fire.
"Boundaries, and Their Acquisition" by Cochimetl (Curious Foreigner)
The protagonist here is a gentleperson to whom all of Fallen London may aspire. It is quite summed up in the simple phrase: “Archibald! Fetch my halberd, will you? I’m going out!”. Spirifage and exotically named clothes colonies populate this tale of unorthodox research, with an ending of the sort I greatly appreciate. An enjoyable and rather more light-hearted story than the other entries.
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Well done to you all! I think some real authorial talent was uncovered, or perhaps brought back into the light, through this. I shall certainly seek to host another contest at some point in the future.
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Excerpts from a Frenchman's journal
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HinterDemGlas
Posts: 57
5/21/2014
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Oh, it seems I got something in the mail. Something suspiciously unlike an invoice...
Please don't tell me its rats come on they don't make rats that flat
Oh, looks kind of serious. Is the Empire -the British one- in need of my services? Again?
it's rats isn't it
MY EYES THE FIRE FEELS SO GOOD
The stitchwork rats seem benign (the bats less so, look at that shank). This may or may not be the best thing I ever pulled out of an envelope (IT IS).
And here it is, mounted in the best place(sneaky advertisement for Fallen London included, when do I get Fate for that?)
That package actually arrived yesterday, but I had some software problems when trying to post this. I solved parts of these problems by resizing the images and lowering the quality... which resulted in the strange oil-painting-filter-like effect noticable everywhere. Damn witchcraft.
Thanks to Armand D'Alterac for this awe-inspiring prize!
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A mildmannered gentleman, back with a vengeance.
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HinterDemGlas
Posts: 57
4/9/2014
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Now I feel that warm and fuzzy feeling around my solarplexus that comes with somebody appreciating the things crawling out of my skull's hollows, down my arms and into my laptop's well-greased keyboard.
Thank you, M. Armand D'Alterac, for elaborating on what you liked, and thank you for doing the same for the other stories, thereby significantly increasing the probability somebody stumbling over this thread will read them.
They deserve it.
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A mildmannered gentleman, back with a vengeance.
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HinterDemGlas
Posts: 57
3/28/2014
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I do hope this contest gets the dozens of entries it deserves. Actually, given how deadlines and writers work, there certainly will be at least a few during the very last days.
The Sermon and How it Raises from the Ashes
by HinterDemGlas
Words: 5383
The Misadventures of a gang of Orphans in Fallen London. There is fire involved, revenge, and, prominently, the Correspondence. Children die. Children live. A number of canon claymen makes their appearance. People are brained with bricks, repeatedly. There is at least one Spite mob happening in the streets. Drownies ahoy. Everybody involved learns a valuable lesson, except for the reader, and the author who may have forgotten several valuable lessons from the past. There are very few spoilers for the game involved, maybe none at all. There is a whole lot of adjectives involved, and a horde of presumably orphaned hyphens.
A link, again.
Author's notes:
[spoiler]I hope nothing in here contradicts canon in a painful way. The Correspondence probably does... I know this story lacks a lot stuff, but writing in English is slow and hard and I have no desire to spend more time on it for now. Please report any grammatical errors so I can fix them. And any other glaring oversights, if you're so inclined. Thank you!
edited by HinterDemGlas on 3/28/2014
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A mildmannered gentleman, back with a vengeance.
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Curious Foreigner
Posts: 210
4/8/2014
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Boundaries, And Their Acquisition
Cochimetl
3238 Words sans title
A tale of experimentation, explosions, commerce, frustration, distrust and honored deals; Also included are several fatalities and an embarassing mishap, though not necessarily in that order.
Writing this was a fun experience. There's truly nothing that gets my muse to kiss me like a deadline.
It did get a bit long, but I had to fit in the whole story somehow.
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Cochimetl went North, and beyond. No poems, only candlelight now. (Well, maybe one poem.)
The Gun-Toting Gallivanter, after an extended absence, is back in London again.
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Armand D'Alterac
Posts: 37
4/8/2014
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Contest closes at midnight tonight! Any further entrants wishing to become exactly that have just over half a day left!
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Excerpts from a Frenchman's journal
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hwango
Posts: 101
4/8/2014
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The Forgotten Quarter
Wes Jones
2,437 words
...Why, in all likelihood the day would feature all manner of astonishing discoveries. True, many of those discoveries would probably be new varieties of scorpion rather than those of an archaeological nature. And of course discoveries of either kind would almost certainly be accompanied by more screaming than one might normally expect from archaeology. And any discoveries they did make might be stolen by devils. Well, maybe not the newly-discovered scorpions. Probably....
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DokeJBoYmKkSnO5QDtPb5a50cFMJZm0UFSL_GlXhKaE/edit?usp=sharing
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Mantelpiece || Art Gallery of Doom
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TheThirdPolice
Posts: 609
3/28/2014
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Writing the unreadable, wonderful. I'm discovering this rather late but I will try to put something down, even if it be a poor and... oh, rot the authorial self-deprecation, I'll stand out by saying MINE will be FANTASTIC.
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Excessive Corpse & Tender to Irreal Ravens
Lover of Flawed Souls
And with especial pride, Worst Screwup of the Decade!
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dismallyOriented
Posts: 215
4/1/2014
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Unfinished
Teresa
2652 words
Pressure on her skin, enough to leave a dent. Something takes shape, takes flame on her back.
Or: The Comtessa, and what happens after the story ends.
I feel like I should say something about this, but there's really not much to say. I may have used up all my words in the fic. Although I doubt that there'll ever be canon confirmation of this, I sincerely hope that what happens here isn't true. There's quite a bit of headcanon involved, and a lot of suffering (which leads to death, so do avoid if that's not your cup of tea). It's a Correspondence fic, that somehow manages to avoid mentioning it by name for the duration. To explain further would ruin the story. I tried to make it accessible to non-players while keeping FL's sense of place, but I doubt how successful I was in that endeavor. Hopefully, it's a good story anyway.
Also, watch for the moment of meta. May the hatkitty forgive me for that.
(And now, to finally read everyone else's entries. It's been very, very tempting to do so.)
edited by dismallyOriented on 4/2/2014
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TheThirdPolice
Posts: 609
4/5/2014
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Curses, I'm not nearly finished and I will be busy with (real) archaeological endeavors until after the deadline. I look forward to reading the entries after my return & may post mine after the fact just for fun & feedback.
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Excessive Corpse & Tender to Irreal Ravens
Lover of Flawed Souls
And with especial pride, Worst Screwup of the Decade!
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Laburnum
Posts: 4
4/6/2014
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Noman's Friend
Laburnum
Word Count: 3,131
You made something, beneath the Bazaar. It followed you home. It won't last.
The Correspondence is not the subject of the story, but its relationship to lacre (which is) is important. I could say more, but the story should stand for itself, I guess. A blanket apology to canon, because I had to make stuff up, and also because this story doesn't do nearly enough justice to the lore.
Any and all feedback is always appreciated. Edited to add: The summary is a quote from canon.
edited by Laburnum on 4/6/2014
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http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/anserine
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Sam Powick
Posts: 28
3/26/2014
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Hello, delicious friends and fellow writers.
Here is my humble entry.
"Stolen Correspondence"
by one Sam Powick
of 2145 words.
A small insight into spherical shortages, Summerset scholars, and the problems that occur when you mix the Correspondence with a deviless, the University, and Lenguals of dubious origin. Oh, and of course, no story is complete without a dark alleyway on a dark...night?
If anyone wishes to avail themselves of my attempt, your reasons are your own, as is the risk. You may do so here.
Warning: Contains no small number of in-game references.
EXCLAIMER: I have done a reasonable amount of research to ensure that my references and depictions are accurate as much as possible, however it is inevitable that I will have written something that conflicts with the game, or another person's writing, simply because I haven't completed the game yet, will have missed or forgotten storylets, and what I have covered is difficult to re-access. I tried 
While writing this, it was extremely obvious to me why there has been so little fan-fiction written set in Fallen London. The writing is stellar, yes, and the plot still hasn't been completed, it's very hard to find things again once you have played them, and if, like me, you haven't reached the game's content boundary yet, it's hard not to mutilate some character's storyline. I tried to keep away from major characters for that reason.
Thank you!
A humble penman.
edited by Xamadot on 3/26/2014
edited by Xamadot on 3/26/2014
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Sides with them at any opportunity. Studies them. Waits for the opportune time.
http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Sam~Powick
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Lucky Cinnamon
Posts: 17
3/27/2014
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Oh goodness me, reading the previous entry makes me think I have misunderstood the... No matter. If we all wrote the same, it'd be a dull place, right? I present my entry (with hearty thanks to Sam Powick up there for making me not the first to do so, alleviating my nerves a little).
Fire
Penned by Lucinda Diaz
Count of 2123 words.
An illuminating window into studying the language of flames. Inspired by both the failure and success outcomes for Understanding the Correspondence through risky methods, a foolhardy scholar does some very unwise things while a disapproving observer of unknown origins (and a penchant for fire) comments on the folly.
NOTE FROM THE SO-CALLED AUTHOR: It's... of shoddy quality, with far too many descriptors and commas, but my mind was alight with words reading the prompt, so I had to put it out here. It mostly wrote itself, and at least shouldn't burn your eyes out through sheer terribleness. If aren't the sort who likes reading about fire and people meeting, you might want to skip this one, and... maybe about eye stuff? I'm not too sure about content warnings, but it's better to be safe than sorry. I'd edit it more, improve it and get a dedicated beta maybe, but I'm on the verge of consigning it to the flames itself if I try. Any critique, issues and conflicts with lore, or misplaced words would be highly appreciated via comment, though I will not edit further since it's a contest and because I'd probably just delete the whole thing.
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LC's Mobile Clinic: Weakening Wounds, Suturing Stabs, and Alleviating Aches since 1892!
Non-profit wound healing available at most hours. Repeat customers welcomed and encouraged. Now also accepting problems of the mind for no charge!
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Helen Demeter
Posts: 100
3/27/2014
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there is no happy ending for fools and ghosts.
Melena Tempest
Count of 3529 words.
“Mum told him to never ever ever look at the signs but she’s dead now.” Or how the Polysemous Painter loses his mother to the water and how he tries to cope, told in snippets of days and backwards time.
( Day -1461 )
You have no idea how happy I was to see that I misread it and saw there is no maximum word requirements for this. I hope people enjoy the work! I decided to make the Correspondence part of the story and not the story but plays an important part of the story still. I also decided to try and make this stand-alone as possible with some mentions of Fallen London flavour here and there since, as a lot of people have pointed out in the past and now, getting into the canon can be difficult so there was that to tackle. Hope this works out and is enjoyable to people who take the time to read it. Also to make it clear: The days that have negative numbers are when the main character is a child and the days with positive numbers are when he's older but not any wiser.
edited by ArtRulesAll on 3/30/2014
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Helen Demeter, the Bohemian Beauty
Has finally returned after an unexpected hiatus. Please mind the dust but do know that I'm now open to all social actions and invitations.
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Armand D'Alterac
Posts: 37
3/27/2014
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Just to allay any fears, there is no real "theme" to the contest, the only real stipulation is that your story must involve the Correspondence in some way (and as more than merely a passing reference).
Three entries so far! ... Technically speaking that means you're all currently guaranteed a prize!
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Excerpts from a Frenchman's journal
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dismallyOriented
Posts: 215
4/10/2014
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Thanks for the review, Armand. Glad you liked it! And congratulations to the winners--I seriously enjoyed the entries. That goes to everybody else too. You all write really well~
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Scarlet Fenwick
Posts: 56
4/24/2014
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Ah, I missed this. Unfortunate Real Life taking all my time. Armand - if you did not happen upon this set of Fallen London based fiction, you might be interested! http://fallen-london.livejournal.com/
Additionally, check out the tag !ebzwrites, where people post little stories with Fallen London content.
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Scarlet O. Fenwick, The Crimson Coquette and Scarlet Saint of London
https://twitter.com/#!/OScarletO<---Twitter
http://crimsoncoquette.wordpress.com----The Gallery of the Bazaarine
http://folkfusionista.wordpress.com----The Crimson Ring
Community
http://fallen-london.livejournal.com----LJ Community for RPers (Scenes, Logs of Twitter and AIM scenes, etc)
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Laburnum
Posts: 4
4/10/2014
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Congratulations to the winners! Thank you to the organisers for making this happen, and to the other writers, all of whose pieces I very much enjoyed. Mr D'Alterac, the feedback is much appreciated - thank you for taking the time.
edited by Laburnum on 4/10/2014
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http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/anserine
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æsc
Posts: 73
3/22/2014
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Oh. OH. I want to do this, very much--travelling and frantically busy, so will do my best, but really, what a splendid idea.
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Dr Cecily Morgan
an inescapable, sagacious, irresistible and breathtaking lady.
Devoted Scholar of the Correspondance, Author, and Excellent Dancer.
No photographers please. Most pleasant socials, invitations and calling cards welcome. Happy to accept Guest of Honour invites to salons looking for Authors.
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dismallyOriented
Posts: 215
3/22/2014
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Completely forgot about the deadline. Ergh. I'm definitely in.
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Helen Demeter
Posts: 100
3/22/2014
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Ahhh I didn't see this before. Definitely consider me signed in for this. I'll most likely have a story for this done within the week!
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Helen Demeter, the Bohemian Beauty
Has finally returned after an unexpected hiatus. Please mind the dust but do know that I'm now open to all social actions and invitations.
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Kade Carrion (an_ocelot)
Posts: 1372
3/23/2014
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I'm not surprised there's relatively little fic on the Archive of Our Own for FL; the canon is large and difficult to access, and the narrative voice is very distinct. The two of those together are fairly large barriers to entry when it comes to fic.
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Social Actions: send them to Kade Carrion (she/her; no Tournament of Lilies, please). an_ocelot has gone NORTH and cannot benefit from social actions!
Possibly-Useful Things: Spreadsheets and hints and link collections, oh my.
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arashi_neko
Posts: 17
3/24/2014
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I think I'll be trying this. Inbetween many other commitments, its' true, but I'll definitely be trying it.
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Alzar
Posts: 20
4/7/2014
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A Smouldering Academic
2082 words
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zWLeUgwKBM7I_mDtRmjoimDg3LuEv2erNjDvrIDbxl4/edit?usp=sharing
I don't even care anymore. Here's to screwing with canon and messing everything up because this was written late at night and with only a picture of Correspondence rocks for inspiration. I don't even care if i got the prompt wrong. I am utterly unrepentant.
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A persona.
Velocipede count: 570
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Professor Nym
Posts: 13
4/7/2014
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Seriously, good for you! Writing anything at all is the hard bit, and putting it up for others to see takes guts. Everything else is just quality, and that only comes from practice. You've done something to be proud of.
There's still a chance I'll get an entry of my own done. 20%, maybe 25% chance. I'll look to you for inspiration.
edited by Professor Nym on 4/7/2014
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Armand D'Alterac
Posts: 37
4/9/2014
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Contest is now closed, but in the interests of being fair I will accept any additional entries until midnight GMT today!
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