#sunless sea spoilers

[ashetheshade]

I love this game

[capn-twitchery]

not a day goes by where i don't think about the sigil ridden navigator's storyline from sunless sea

the poor guy. his correspondence tattoo makes him forget his past, he has no idea who he is or what he's done & it Tortures him

until you take him to uncover it, only to find that in the past he fucked up at navigating. the ship was lost at zee for so long they had to resort to cannibalism--he had to eat his own brother

the knowledge torments him even more, and he begs you to drop him off on a remote island, so he can die alone

then the game hits you with the fucking option to uno reverse card him and offer to perform a cannibal ritual instead because "it would be a release for him"

so you do! you take all of his organs out. you carve more correspondence into him so he forgets again. it's horrifying

and then you take his undead shambling corpse back on the ship. and it has the best navigation stats in the entire goddamn game

[miamicommune]

doesn't look so deconstructed to me

[c-schroed]

One thing I especially loved about the new Fallen London substantial story "A Dream of a Thousand Tails" is a huge reference to Nuncio, my all-time favourite place in Sunless Sea:

I'm still so much in love with this island where strange currents bring all undelivered mail to shore. Thanks to @failbettergames for reminding me why.

[leyside]

not to flex but

[nerdyadoptee]

Mask of the Rose: The NerdyAdoptee Review

PUBLISH DATE: June 8, 2023 PLATFORMS: Windows, macOS, SteamOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch (launch); PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S (unspecified later, post-launch)

This is the game I've been waiting for.

Mask of the Rose is a visual novel from UK-based Failbetter Games, developers of Sunless Skies, Sunless Sea, and Fallen London. I've long followed Failbetter's work because of their commitment to worldbuilding. All of their games share a common universe, an alternate Victorian vision of the 19th century world, with generous helpings of the unexplained, the supernatural, and even dashes of Cthulhu-esque cosmic horror. London has sunk underground, and the residents of London have lost contact with the surface. In this dark world (nicknamed "the Neath"), we encounter things that are familiar (the Queen is still around, although she's become curiously reclusive) along with the less familiar (what exactly are the "Clay Men?").

This world has been built by Failbetter over three games and thirteen years, but Mask of the Rose doesn’t require any previous knowledge or experience with their games. A character creator allows you to choose your character's background, silhouetted portrait, and how others address your character, from "Captain" to "My Lady" to "Citizen." In addition to the gender inclusivity of the character creator, it's wonderful to see Failbetter give the player the option to specify the kind of romance they're looking for in this visual novel. You can pursue friendships only, seek romantic relationships, physical relationships, or both--and choosing any of those options doesn't prevent you from seeing certain endings or lore, it just gives the player agency in this quite personal choice.

From there, we're introduced to the world and its wide and diverse cast of characters. Going into almost any detail risks ruining the discovery that is such a beautiful part of Mask of the Rose, but I'll at least say that the characters in Mask of the Rose feel complex and unique, each with their own voice and desires. The gameplay loop revolves around choosing how to spend your time--like with other time-management-style games, you can't have conversations with everyone. In each conversation, you're making dialogue choices that have an impact on the people you speak with and on the character you're building over time. The choices are well-written, and show an insight into the complexity of conversation and tone that is often missing from less thoughtful visual novels.

Each day in Mask of the Rose is split up into a Morning and Afternoon time, adding weight and stakes to each playthrough: do I try to get the exhausted pastor to spend more time with a mutual friend, or do I cozy up to the streetwise merchant who seems to know what's going on behind the scenes? More importantly, WHOM DO I WANT TO SMOOCH?

Ahem. Excuse me.

Mask of the Rose has so much story to uncover that one playthrough isn't sufficient. You're trying to solve a mystery, you're trying to uncover more about London's peculiar new surroundings, and you're trying to matchmake your friends, and you might be looking for romance for yourself. A playthrough generally takes me about 3-4 hours, and although I've done multiple playthroughs, there's still more to discover. I'm excited to learn more about each one of the fascinating characters, and I'm further drawn in because Mask of the Rose weaves a tale that touches upon so many elements of 19th century English society, from British global imperialism and colonialism to class struggles and privilege.

While I love the writing and Mask of the Rose's visual novel gameplay (and unique "storycrafting" mechanic/minigame, which is another gameplay pillar), I did run into a few frustrations. I would've appreciated an option to fast-forward text I've already seen. Mask of the Rose helpfully provides a fast-forward option, but it's too easy to accidentally skip past new dialogue and lore. In a game that demands multiple playthroughs, a smarter fast-forwarding option is a really unfortunate omission. I also felt like the time management aspect felt very constraining; it could be my own lack of intuition and understanding, but I sometimes found progression dense or unforgiving. The subtlety of Mask of the Rose is a strength, so I’d love if hints or some kind of help could be an option that players choose to turn on. More days and levels of signposting to clues would go a long way to making me even more excited about future playthroughs.

Overall, I'm smitten by Mask of the Rose. It's the game I've been waiting for because I've wanted to explore this world for a long time, but have struggled with the gameplay and difficulty of Sunless Sea and Sunless Skies. If you share a love for evocative writing and thoughtful worldbuilding, you've got to get Mask of the Rose.

Be sure to tell me whom you smooch!

[ladylupae]

THE SUN!

THE SUN!

THE SUN!

THE SUN!

[a-moth-to-eastern-folly]

Not sure how I feel about the direction the writing went with the mystique of the East after the Zailing rework, but it's still nice to think and dream of distant shores where the air is something like pine, and the sea turns from slate grey to emerald green...

This paired with the new East destiny from Irem it's becoming increasingly suggested that East functions akin to the event horizon of a black hole (last horizon and all that). I worry/wonder if it's perhaps leaning too far into the metaphor though. Maybe that's just me?

[st-just]

y'know, I don't know if you'd like the game bits of the fallen london games, but parts of the lore (not sure how specific to be - the bit I'm thinking of is a pretty major spoiler I'm pretty sure?) feel like they'd be right up your alley lol

I have a friend who was very into Sunless Sea, which I think is the same company/basic gameplay? But my general impression trying ot get into it was fun writing but gameplay was very much Not For Me I'm afraid.

But also I'm now very curious! so spoil away.

[squeaky-warrior]

Hey, Fallon London Fans

...which is probably very few of my followers but hey that's how it goes. Anyway, I made a picrew for making custom Curators and I'm very excited about it! :0

I do intend to add more stuff to it later but it took so much effort to just do this much, I just wanted to get it done XP

Feel free to send me suggestions for it though, even if they'll take a while! (Also if there's any art errors, let me know about that also please.)

Here's my own Curator OC I made using this, Mr. Keys (who's based on a Townsend's Big Eared Bat):

So yeah! Reblog this or tag me with the Curators you make, I wanna see 'em! :3

Curators are a species made by @failbettergames and featured in their browser game Fallen London, (which I highly recommend,) as well as two of their other games in the same universe, Sunless Seas and Sunless Skies. They are kind of hidden and secret though so if you don't know them this is technically kind of a spoiler, sorry XP

[ladyduellist]

Epistles of Saints & Sinners

Chapter Summary:

The group meets Lady Esther and Astarion notices something new about Tav.

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Story Summary:

When Astarion meets the humble bard, Tav, he soon finds out he's the only one between them that knows they are bound as soulmates through their marks. Deciding it's more trouble than its worth, he refuses to tell her along the course of their journey across Faerûn.

But, unbeknownst to him and their companions, Tav is harboring a gruesome secret that she only thought was nothing more than a traumatized period in her life.

As they both come to face to face with their pasts and presents, will they choose to move forward or let it consume them?

Healing isn’t linear—after all.

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Chapter 17: Poison

Ao3

Next Chapter

Previous Chapter

Main Page & Chapter List

Word count: 1.5k

Pairing: Astarion x female bard Tav

CW: Language, Violence, Act 1 Spoilers

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♫ Traveling under the sunless sea, We were both trying to breathe, Tied with an invisible thread.

When colors seem less monochrome, And the soul doesn’t want to roam, Emotions felt with everything unsaid.

Little by little it starts, Devotion of a once vacant heart, The dawn’s shard’s bringing light.

Moments of sweetness and inner strife, Holding on to each other like a knife, So that our tale will be worth the fight. ♫

— Tavelle Swiftchoir, a song entitled ‘Genesis’

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Astarion decided within moments of their encounter with Lady Esther, that she was a cretinous woman that should probably be thrown defenseless into the githyanki crèche she had been chased away from.

Undaunted. Bossy. A voice like the matted ass end of a bugbear, Esther was the epitome of a pestiferous adventurer. Her padded armor smelled faintly of dried saltwater and mineral from uncooked oysters, reminding Astarion too intimately of his nightly stalks on the streets of Baldur’s Gate—which she just so happened to hail from.

“I should dispose of you for even suggesting such an atrocity,” Lae’zel indignantly replied, wrapping her steady fingers around the grip of her sword.

“And I would suggest you back off of that blade,” Lady Esther snarled, instinctively reaching for her own weapon at her hip. “‘The Society of Brilliance’ is an upstanding order in Baldur’s Gate. What we mean to do with our research is answer the long age question of ‘nature versus nurture.’ And, an unhatched githyanki egg is the perfect specimen for this undertaking. Your people could be a part of history!”

As the women’s argument surged, Astarion and Tav retreated to stand behind their gith comrade as if they were knights awaiting a command. When Lae’zel bared her teeth to Esther, he grinned, hoping the githyanki would soon plunge her sword through the older woman’s chest cavity so their group could carry on with their contemptible mission into the monastery.

Judging by the steadily growing sighs exhaling from Tav’s lungs, she felt similarly. “We really don’t have time for this,” she muffled.

Astarion pulled out a jackknife from his pocket to twirl mindlessly in his hand, an attempt to quell his boredom. “I don’t see what all the fuss is about over these gith eggs. I doubt the taste is comparable to anything that is red and leaking out of a wound.”

The bard lifted her brow, turning her neck to glare at him. “You know there are children inside those eggs, right?”

“Children?! Does that mean they lay them like some sort of amphibian?” he spouted a tad too loud in which Lae’zel audibly called him k’chakhi under her breath. “Well darling, you know I only half listen when any of you speak.”

“That explains a lot,” Tav replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

He canted his head to offer the elven woman at his side a jape, the balm of fresh lavender on her pulse points filling his senses, only to be temporarily obstructed by a diversion on her face. Two freckles, almond in color, were bound to her skin below her left eye: sacred gifts permanently bestowed from the sunlight.

Perplexed, he narrowed his eyes at the offending dots. Were those there before? Surely, he wouldn’t have missed them during the visitation of his lips resentfully kissing her near the delicate area. Committing the minute details of Tav’s appearance to memory, came as just another habitual action to secure his deceptions. Details with no need for reflection, only adding to the prickling numbness that burned throughout his body.

During those very tiresome centuries under Cazador’s thumb, Astarion would view such semblances on former liaisons with malcontent while he feigned his enthusiasm. A brush of his dark lashes against scars. Pecks upon port-wine stain birthmarks. Murmurs along the ghosts of amputated limbs. Any action to elicit the final shudder leading them to their fore ordainment. Because when it came to gaining someone’s trust, who didn’t like to be seen?

But, why was he so damned rattled at neglecting to notice her meaningless freckles of all things? Was he finally losing his touch? He wanted to chase the sun, lambasting the glowing medallion as his blade tried to cut its rays in twayne for Tav’s sunspots afflicting his sight. For abruptly capturing his attention. For being objects that looked so humanly fragile on her. For belonging to another victim that spread her legs.

And yet, after all the venom he inwardly spat about the bard’s two threatening marks, he couldn’t bear to look away from them.

She is warm poison, Seeping into the day. A silent death in the veins, For he became her prey.

He bit his tongue, regaining his normal frivolity. “I do so ever love food with a bit of zest!” Astarion murmured into the sheath of Tav’s ear. “Which one do you think would taste better?”

“Shush. I’m trying to listen in case Lae’zel needs our help,” she responded, trying to stifle a chuckle as she wiggled her nose like a chipmunk. “Besides, I literally just fed you last night.”

“It’s not my fault I’m feeling a bit peckish,” the vamp pouted, showing Tav one of his fangs. “And it’s definitely not my fault your blood happens to be the most exquisite dessert I’ve ever had and I can’t indulge in it as much as I’d like.”

“Now you’re just flirting,” she pointed out.

“And shamelessly I might add.”

He watched the slightest purse spread her lips as she seemed to ponder their exchange. “After we take care of this, I’ll grab Shadowheart and you can top yourself off.”

“Pardon me, but could you possibly explain to your friend here that the society’s goal isn’t to harm their young?” Lady Esther interrupted, leaning to peer behind Lae’zel.

Fibril pieces of hair were wiped away from Tav’s face as she approached, wedging herself between Esther and Lae’zel. “There’s nothing to explain. You’re trying to steal another race’s child to use as a science experiment without the child’s consent. In most places, that would be considered trafficking.”

Lady Esther sneered, adjusting her body into a defensive stance, readying herself if one of them drew their weapon. “What a brazen accusation to make!”

“My steel wants blood! Let me strike her down and be done with this offense,” Lae’zel scolded, ripping her sword off of her back.

“As do I,” Astarion slid in, throwing his knife into an intricate spin in the air before catching it.

Tav spread out her arms to the sides, quieting the multiple voices. Then, the aria of her tadpole reached out to Astarion’s, whining aggressively to connect.

What is it?

We don’t have much time before Esther suspects something is up, but do you think you can sneak behind her to knock her out? the songstress hastily implored.

Knock out? Shouldn’t we just kill her? You know Lae’zel isn’t going to be pleased about this, he chastised.

The purring vibration of Tav’s worm hesitated. I know she won’t be, but this will at least allow us time to deal with the githyanki crèche. I don’t want more blood on our hands than necessary. Please.

Ah, so she wasn’t exactly denying ending the old woman’s life could be the right call to make, but Astarion knew that that rapturing heart of hers had once again gotten in the way. He sighed—it wasn’t his choice to make anyways.

Not even a sip?

Astarion! Tav warned.

Finnnee. Keep her distracted, he grumbled.

The link ruptured and he watched Tav casually lowering her arms, walking a half circle around Lady Esther’s position. She tracked Tav’s movements while keeping a squinted eye on Lae’zel, who also began to shift in the same direction as Tav. He realized his two companions must’ve had a separate tadpole conversation that alerted Lae’zel of the plan to deal with Esther.

Astarion willed his respiration to stop, falling back on his less human-like qualities. Stealthily he tiptoed, like a mouse in a church searching for sacramental wafers leftover by those who refused communion. Upright, heels up, the twigs he avoided didn’t stand a chance keeping him off course.

And then, he was behind Esther, the pommel end of his dagger raised above her head and angled at her temple, waiting for Tav to administer her last rites.

“Nobody should be a slave to someone else’s ambitions,” the bard firmly said, nodding at the vampire to execute the finality to their gambit.

WHACK!

Astarion stowed the dagger, looking up from the unconscious woman laying on the ground. “Aww, I was hoping she would have put up more of a fight. How about we go get that bite to eat now?

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Notes:

Githyanki Language:

k'chakhi = idiot

[orionsangel86]

A Final Farewell

A short story about Death and Dream, set after the end of the comics. MAJOR comic spoilers for the canonical comic ending and what happens. This is pretty sad. But perhaps cathartic? Fair warning: I was a weeping mess whilst writing it, so maybe bear that in mind?

The way is long and hard. The baron lifeless landscape stretches to the horizon and beyond. The sky is a deep dark void. Starless, sunless, empty. You may wonder why you continue to trudge along the silent road into eternity, never truly knowing what lies ahead of you. But you are never alone. She walks beside you even now, never letting go of your hand. You do not fear her. You have known and loved her your entire life, and she has loved you just as long. The way is long and hard, but the sunless lands welcome you with open arms and a promise of eternal sleep in the dark.

Death sighs as she sinks her feet into the glittering sand of a sunless beach. Waves crash against the shore in a soothing melody that sings of peace, calm and contentment. a figure sits up ahead, gazing out towards the black ocean beyond. The wine-dark sea of ancient times that all beings dream of at some point, and all find themselves facing in the end. A sea that promises nothing within its depths but eternal blissful peace.

She sits beside him and catches a small smile on his lips. There is no light here, in her realm, but they can both see each other perfectly clearly.

“Hello, my sister.”

Death smiles sadly. “Technically, you can’t call me that anymore.”

He hums to himself in contemplation.

“Perhaps not. But then again you visited me, and I have never known you as anything else. So my sister you shall still be whilst you are here.”

Death turns to look at him. He is relaxed, smiling, and less rigid than he ever was in life.

“I can accept that. My dear brother.”

Morpheus, for we can no longer refer to him as Dream, grins at her. It is an expression he rarely ever displayed in his long life. She supposes he truly is happy to be here, in her realm, among the dead.

“So why are you here?” he asks her.

Death sighs. She doesn’t even really know the answer to that herself. Whilst she may always be within her realm, guiding the souls of the recently deceased to their final resting place (she is doing so even now as she sits at his side), she never really lingers once she drops them off. Her being here in her former brothers eternal peacetime is somewhat out of character.

“Perhaps I missed you?” she answers finally.

“You should not. Even now your brother sits on his throne, in his realm, watching over the dreamers. You should be there for him, at this difficult time.”

Death feels a tremble in her lip. She knows this. She does not need him to speak it.

“I will be there for him. As I was there for Despair. But you must know I was ever so fond of you, as you were, even at your most insufferable.” She nudges him gently and feels him sway and nudge her back. Morpheus was never a tactile creature, but he reaches for her now, and drapes a thin arm around her, pulling her into him. She goes willingly and sighs in his arms.

“Did you ever visit her?” He asks after a short silence.

She knows immediately who he refers to. The first Despair, whose death was violent, and sudden. “Once.” She replies thoughtfully.  “She asked after you. She told me she was worried. That you appeared in her mirror. Even then, all that time ago.”

Morpheus nods solemnly. “I expected as much.”

She sits there for a while, in the cradle of his arms, listening to the distant waves in the dark. When she finally sits up she realises her face is wet with tears. Morpheus reaches out and wipes them from her cheek with his thumb.

“You should not cry for me my sister. I am at peace.”

Death huffs out a small laugh. “Even I can suffer grief my brother.” She sobs.

He smiles sadly. “I would not see you distressed. But I am proud to have been loved by you.”

Morpheus leans forward, and kisses her brow. Then he lies back in the sand and closes his eyes.

“Farewell my sister. Go with my love, and look after Dream. He will need your guidance, and all the love you hold for me.”

She nods and stands up, shaking the glittering black sand off of her jeans. She turns away from Morpheus and wipes her eyes. When she looks back, he is gone.

Death takes in a deep breath and looks out again at the ocean, feeling the breeze in her hair, the sweet scent of salt and spray, and feels the weight of her grief deep within her. Grief, after all, is simply love in another form and she loved him so very much.

Even now she is everywhere, guiding the souls of the dying and dead, taking their hands and holding them through their pain. Even now she walks through her realm, and beyond, through the many worlds of the living across the universe, and she lets herself be soothed by all those lives that she has touched, who love her as she loves them. As always, she carries on.

[theirrepressibleheiress]

Hi Tumblr

I have like half an idea at best of general etiquette and what I'm doing! I'm Fern (she/they/fae/it) and I got convinced to make this account mostly to find more excuses to talk about Fallen London, though there's a chance other non-FL stuff will sneak in.

I've drifted in and out of FL but I've been playing since (checks notes) 2016 holy shit! I first got into the universe from Sunless Sea being available for free for a weekend and fell deeply in love with it from there - I've played FL, a lot of Sea and Skies both, and a fair bit of Mask of the Rose.

I had an alt who went NORTH, a few years ago. (Which is kind of a wild thing to say, now that I think about it. I really have been playing this game for forever huh.)

Please ask me about the Heiress or just anything at all FL-related - I got talked into making this account mostly so I'd have more of an excuse to do that.

Really I should stop overthinking this, post it, get food, and then go find some cool art and/or writing to reblog later.

A brief overview of The Irrepressible Heiress (they/them)

Did Ambition: Nemesis, made several Choices in its doing, regrets only a handful of them.

Is a Paramount Presence, as of a few months ago!

Known Revolutionary, complete with Takes:tm: about the Liberation of Night, among other things.

Is someone I've been slowly figuring out as they've gone from just being "me, but in game" to an actual character in their own right.

Profile is here: https://www.fallenlondon.com/profile/The%20Irrepressible%20Heiress (Ambition spoiler-free)

[zeebreezin]

Introduction • Updated 06/05/24

Hello hello, this is Astra! Welcome to my Fallen London side blog, I’m still somewhat new to the game but I’ve played a good bit of Sunless Seas and am always down to learn more about the world. This blog is heavily focused towards OCs, both mine and others, as well as my liveblog of my playthrough! According to some I’ve become the Sequencer Guy (™), which is a title I'm more than willing to bear. I’m working through a Nemesis route character as we speak and have just started a Light Fingers PC! Shaw’s (Nemesis) playthrough can be found at #low level liveblog, and B’s (Light Fingers) is at #b’s bizarre adventure.

If you ever have questions about my characters or want to interact, shoot me an ask or DM! I love talking and I love hearing about other people’s creations, but I have a pretty bad memory for conversations & replies!!

I’m a writer and digital painter, and am much more comfortable with more atmospheric / background work compared to portraiture & drawing people in general, but I’ve been trying to branch out. I also tend to make jokes that can lean in dirty directions, but I won’t be reblogging any IRL NSFW. There might be discussions of kink & sexual topics, but I’ll keep those tagged under #suggestive and they shouldn’t be too frequent. I’m also chronically bad at tagging spoilers or triggers, so please let me know if you need anything I will do my best.

One last important note here - like I mentioned before, I have a lot of characters involved with the New Sequence & the Dawn Machine, and I do my best to portray semi-realistic elements of how cults function & can impact people in them. If you are at all uncomfortable with those kinds themes of religious abuse, please please please feel free to blacklist those character & relationship tags!! I will not judge you whatsoever, Stay safe!

With all that said, Character stuff under the cut! Hope you have a great day today!

Ambition Characters:

The Marked Examinant - August Shaw

He/They - Mid 40s - Nemesis! - Investigator - Watchful | Dangerous

Account: Ad7Astra

An investigator by trade, Shaw is a prickly character who has a mildly extreme obsession with the various languages of the Neath, a fascination that’s gotten them into a good deal of trouble… and left them with a few strange quirks. He's driven by the need to get revenge after his daughter’s death, and puts on a face of absolute pragmatism to do it. Unscrupulous at the best of times, he is damn good at his job, when he’s not chasing a bit of escapism by any means necessary. While they’re seemingly a complete hardass, Shaw does have a soft side for a few things: Namely, his assistant, and the urchins of the city.

The Reckless Playwright - ‘B’

Any/They - Mid 20s - Light Fingers - Actor/Playwright - Persuasive | Shadowy

Account: BThePlaywright

B is an aspiring playwright and actor with their head in the non-existent clouds and a spring in their step. She always seems to be getting into a little bit of trouble, before charming his way out of it with a smile and a wide eyed look. Everything about their past is a bit of a mystery, though it can’t be denied that they have a good heart. While searching for cheap lodgings in London, B ended up with the (mis)fortune of becoming Shaw’s housemate and eventual investigative assistant. Their endless optimism hides a great deal of past horrors, as does their suitcase. They’re absolutely not wanted by the Navy for treason, either. Don't know why I had to specify that.

The Pragmatic Headhunter - Vivian Fitzpatrick

She/He/They - Bag a Legend - Bounty Hunter - Dangerous | Watchful

Shaw’s Ex-wife who came down to the Neath after he abandoned her and their still living son. After murdering her (now probably ex-) husband, Vivian developed a taste for the Neath. Both for the power they could achieve, and for the thrill of the hunt and battle. More than anything, he wants to prove herself to be more than the grieving mother the surface wanted her to be - by becoming something more feared than death itself. Harsh and openly hypocritical, Vivian’s on the fast track to becoming something terrible - but the question is, will she be able to bury the last of herself to do it?

Non-Ambition Characters:

The Ravenous Acumen - It/She - Killer for Hire / Killer for Hobby - Shadowy | Dangerous

A mysterious figure with a deeply warped body and equally warped sense of morality. After Acumen’s own hubris cost her everything, it devoted itself to killing arrogant or naive researchers that play with things they don’t understand. There’s far worse fates out there then death, after all. It speaks in riddles, lives for games, and has a bizarrely tender affection for anyone who gains her favor.

The Mournful Phantasm/The Chimeric Violinist - ‘Lenore Shaw’ - She/They - ??? - Persuasive | Dangerous

Once a dangerous Parabolan entity born from the thousands of false-selves created when mourners dream of lost loved ones, ‘Lenore’ found her way to reality entirely by accident, and truly believes she is Shaw and Vivian’s biological daughter. Gazing into the mirror glace that follows her reflects back the form of whoever or whatever you’ve lost that you miss most dearly. Not quite a reflection, but definitely not human, she currently resides in the Royal Beth, haunting its halls - though she may walk the streets soon enough.

The Phosphorescent Engineer - Officer Benedict Beverley - He/Him - Chief Engineer @ The Grand Geode - Watchful | Persuasive

The hot shot engineer and golden boy of the Grand Geode, Beverley is a sequencer who’s best known for his wonderful designs of prototype dawnlight explosives. Bastard. Deeply in denial. He’s desperate to test them out and bring the dawn to the population of London, but he’s even more desperate to recover his lost prototype… and find his missing partner. [Has a Sunless Skies verison - The Scintillating Harbinger!]

The Hell Scarred Surgeon - Dr. Laurence Frost - He/Him - Medical Officer & Interrogator @ The Grand Geode - Dangerous | Watchful

Veteran of the War on Hell in 68’ and currently a respected doctor & chemist within the New Sequence, Laurence is a deadpan bastard who loves his work. All of it. Known for having a relationship with Isobel & Vincent that led to him becoming Beverley’s legal guardian after their deaths, as well as having complicated feelings about the Grand Geode’s authority. As loyal as he is to the Sequence, he’s even more loyal to the Beverley family.

The Gregarious Commander - Commander Vincent Beverley - He/Him - Commander & Recruiter @ The Grand Geode - Persuasive | Dangerous

One of the New Sequence’s most prolific recruitment officers, Vincent was a conman looking to profit off the Admiralty in the years following London’s fall… but lost himself entirely in the process. Now he’s deeply in love with Isobel, the woman that ‘saved’ him, as well as his favorite doctor. He’s frighteningly good at charming souls into joining the Dawn Machine’s light, in order to ‘save’ them too. Charismatic, silly, & utterly empty inside. Died mysteriously when Beverley was young. [Dead as of FL canon!]

The Discreet Artificer - Isobel Beverley - She/Her - Former Engineer @ The Grand Geode - Watchful | Shadowy

A former engineer that helped build the Dawn Machine, Isobel lost the majority of her sight after venturing deep into the Machine’s heart to perform an emergency repair. The experience left her with even more of an undying love for the machine, and now with the aid of her husband Vincent as a figurehead, she’s been creating her own sect on the Grand Geode. A soft spoken woman with a knack for manipulation and collecting unwell spouses. Died mysteriously when Beverley was young. [Dead as of FL canon!]

Side Game PCs:

The Wide-Eyed Venturer - Doctor-Captain Everett Shaw-Fitzpatrick - SSkies PC - He/They - Captain of the Uncommon Denominator - Hearts | Mirrors

Shaw and Vivian’s son, who spent his teen years raised on stories of their adventures in the Neath. Now, he’s taken to the skies to make a story of his own, after a brief stint learning medicine in Vienna. He’s got all the smarts, but none of the cutthroat energy of his parents. What could go wrong?

Inactive Characters:

The Rake-In-Violant / The Malcontent Seamstress - Emile Rainier - He/She - Light Fingers - ‘Socialite’ / Thief - Shadowy | Persuasive

The Everdrowned Reaver - Captain Verily - Sunless Seas PC - She/They/It - Captain of the Double or Nothing - Irons | Hearts

Character Tags:

#August Shaw

#B

#Vivian Fitzpatrick

#The Ravenous Acumen

#Officer Beverley

#The Hell Scarred Surgeon

#The Gregarious Commander

#The Discreet Artificer

#Lenore Shaw

#Doctor Captain Everett

#The Rake In Violant

#Captain Verily

Character Relationship Tags:

August Shaw & B - #Detective duo

A depressed detective set on revenge and a lost playwright drunk on freedom take up lodgings together. A strangely charged and mildly codependent friendship.

August Shaw & The Manager of the Royal Bethlehem Hotel - #cuneiform curses

Yeah, it turns out being wracked with guilt and constantly going insane has some consequences! In Shaw’s case, the consequences are catching some complicated feelings for the hat man. Go figure.

August Shaw & Vivian Fitzpatrick - #(un)loveable hand

The bloodthirsty wife he abandoned and the self flagellating husband she swore to surpass. Extremely complicated divorced couple who’ve changed in more ways than one.

The Shaw-Fitzpatrick Family (August, Vivian, Lenore, Everett) - #in the blood

A family charged with sorrow, who all seem to have a tendency to wield their pain like knives. General tag for the family’s background, themes, and vibes.

August Shaw & The Ravenous Acumen - #worst laid plans

An endless game of cat and mouse - or at least, it should be, provided the killer can get her chosen opponent to survive what’s coming. Psychosexual mind games, and weirdly supportive ones at that.

B & Officer Benedict Beverley - #best and brightest

Two best friends, perfect partners, who build a maddening machine. One chose their own ambition over the other’s safety - but who’s who is up for debate. Neither is entirely happy with the outcome. Longing, Cults, and heartbreak, o my!

Laurence, Vincent, & Isobel - #photokeratitis

The almighty Sequencer Throuple. Forged in cult indoctrination and violently codependent tendencies, these three have a complicated but deeply loving relationship built on trust and communication. This is a bad thing.

Doctor-Captain Shaw-Fitzpatrick & Skies!Beverley - #horseshoes and hand grenades

The most dangerous Captain of Her Majesty’s fleet… and the traveler that just can’t help but ruin his day. Religiously. Wile E. Coyote and Roadrunner type shit until one of them gets feelings about it.

B & Emile Rainier - #red letter days

Vivian Fitzpatrick & Emile Rainier - #arsenic and old lace

[house-of-mirrors]

Also hey unrelated but. My autistic ass can only read so much wiki or trawl the Internet for Forbidden Story Information before my eyes start to glaze over. I know the *name* Dawn Machine but I never got around to doing its Sunless Sea quest (something something The Sun drives people mad??? Space is made of gods or something right? I know the giant undersea Mouth is like. A fallen god or something) anyway what I'm saying is please consider this an open offer to infodump potentially in DMs about whatever Fallen London lore is particularly itching your brain because i *will* eat that shit up like a hungry baby bird

Sorry this took a bit to get to, my grad school semester started and I was a bit all over the place. You can ask me about the forbidden story information: But Watch Out. (major spoilers under the cut for FL and sskies) Anyway without further ado, *deep breath*

The Dawn Machine is an artificial judgement built a few decades ago and is now under the jurisdiction of the admiralty. They use it as an excuse to be horrible imperialists but I don't think they actually care about the machine's consciousness beyond using it as a tool of oppression. It hates everyone and itself. It knows it shouldn't exist and that makes it angry. It wTHE SUN THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN THE S- and I digress. It has a counterpart in skies called the Clockwork Sun which is in a similar situation but slowly dying and on its way to taking the whole region with it. They turn stuff to crystal or glass respectively which I'm really curious as to why, considering the White (who is like a cosmic spymaster and the main villain of the judgements, you can fight me on this it's true) is described as having "a hall of poisoned crystal." All my homies HATE the white. YOU can't oppose the white but I'm built differently. I read a single line of text in skies that teased "the war on the white" and I'm like hey get back here! You can't just drop that and leave! I hope the recent lore declassification means we'll get a story in Fallen London exploring more of it (and violence against it)

Which leads into the second point, "space is made of gods." The Judgements, the stars, whatever you call them are godlike beings at the top of the order called the great chain, which is an allegory to victorian era social hierarchy. The chain dictates how powerful you are and what your role is and you're not supposed to be allowed to change your place. Understandably this made many people very angry and is widely considered to be a bad move, etc. Anyway the judgements are more or less what it says on the label, space's judges and courts who make the laws of the universe. Light is Law. From skies, there are lines that suggest the judgements didn't choose their role either. "The chain binds us all. It is our privilege to enforce it." I want to know what happened, like did they put themselves in power a long time ago and current generations remain stuck? Interesting for how an oppressive system harms those on top too. Also, we know that they weren't always in charge. There are characters in skies (Mr Menagerie) who remember a time before they ruled. There is no divine right of kings. This system didn't always exist and it can be overthrown. They aren't gods. They're fallible as mortals with petty wars and affairs and they don't want anyone to know how many problems their society has. "As below, so above." The liberation of the night seeks to overthrow all tyrants, up to and including the stars.

In sunless skies you can interact with the sapphir'd king, the lord of the dead, whom I affectionately like to call the Sapphire'd bitch. I wrote a fic about meeting him and from that point kept talking about how I wanted to plot his demise. Then the truth ambition said "congrats. You get to plot the demise of the sapphird king" and I said "oh. Neat. Back to being a merchant while I process that for 3-5." Sure is a game! Shortly tho, once I work up the nerve, I'll be finishing the "truth" ambition in skies and so will be posting a whole thing when I do, likely incoherent. Look forward to it.

Something specific that interests me in skies is how you can interact with a character who used to be a judgement but seemingly willingly chose to descend the chain to human. She remembers being a cruel leader and is glad she is no longer, and specifically a masculine figure so like yay trans rights. But we already know I have strong feelings towards beings that used to be stars 🙈

Now as for the third thing I haven't played much sea but I know there's speculation the Neath was formed from the skull of a dead god. Storm, one of the zee gods, is a dead god whose consciousness lingers and is angry because it knows it's dead. We see this in skies as well, the "bones of a star" which are large enough to encompass London, whose mind lingers in a ghost, angry to be dead.

I could go into some of the other stellar characters we learn about in skies but I'll save that for another post and more organized thoughts.

I typed up this stream of consciousness rant while in a swimming pool. Hope it's what you were looking for! I have Head full Many thoughts about the judgements all the time all the time

[warabola]

Top 5 lore areas of interest?

Oh no this is actually so hard to narrow down. Oh man. How do I even start to put this succinctly.

If I was going to give a real quick and simple answer, trying to avoid anything too specific or abstract:

TL;DR

Death in the extended setting

The unknowable depths of the zee

The workings and implications of advanced skills (and the professions associated with them)

The impact of prolonged exposure to the Neath, and other non-Sol laws on biology/physiology

The history and politics of devils

(...That's still specific and abstract I'm sorry everyone.)

Longer version ft. incoherent rambling and heavy spoilers to follow:

Death: What the fuck is the far shore. Why can't I get a proper answer. If we're eaten by stars if we die where their light touches and eaten by the God Kings if we die under moonlight then what is the far shore and what is eating us over there. Why does the boatman exist. Why is the greatest shame there under the river and what was it. What are the implications of the rivers connected to Death, including the one through the Waswood? Why is there casually an alternative to death and why is it turning into a moth. Who was the Boatman prior to the Naturalist's arc? i'm going to scream.

The Zee: Alright. Fun warabola lore! I had thalassophobia at one point in time, particularly regarding the really deep seas. But I am nothing if not stubborn, and my response to any irrational fear is to try and rationalize it and confront it face on. It's likely not the best response to forcibly expose myself to the things that cause me distress but I was determined to do so and, well. Do nothing in halves. Hyperfixate on your worst nightmares, play Subnautica with an audience that goads you into going deeper even when you're panicking, learn everything you can, and you too could end up microdosing exposure therapy until your wires cross! Subnautica and Sunless Seas are now some of my favourite games. I'm quite obsessed with every new horrifying thing we discover about the zee. I cannot possibly get enough of it. Old Fitz and the diving bell part of Evolution are some of my favourite recent writing in Fallen London.

Advanced Skills/Professions: You might've seen me rambling about the implications of silverers and crooked crosses recently, but the advanced skills really are fascinating. The specific details and mechanics are especially interesting, be it Glasswork (Mind Palaces, the ability of Parabola to influence the waking world via dreams, the ability to travel through time and space as implied by Caduceus, the effects on a human body if the mirror is broken mid-traversing-) or Kataleptic Toxicology (bottling of the most specific and profound emotions, Station VII, Licentiates' capabilities, the fact that you train it/research it by repeatedly dosing yourself to death sdfsfdd). The mind-map I made regarding the connections between different professions and specializations is like the tip of the ranting iceberg.

The impact of prolonged exposure to the Neath etc etc: Who isn't interested in this. What are tomb colonists and frost moths. Why does that happen. What are the specific details regarding how the sun smites us if we step onto the surface. Why does Yearning, Burning happen. What is the effect of time-anachronism and can it be replicated by humans with the Rose Giveth. Answer me, Failbetter.

Devils: I will be honest, this is less about Hell and more about all the other weirdness and politics going on with them, as well as the history regarding Caduceus and how they're like chefs for the stars and Mount Palmerston and the Brazen Brigade and the Iron Republic and the physiology of Grand Devils and their unique language and how they're.... they're really fancy bees. They are so weird and interesting. Tell me more.