Fallen London: Hello, Delicious Playgrounders

[Varen_Tai]

EDIT: Funny story, by the by, about my Second Chances--I have 406 Confident Smiles stockpiled from the days when I was scrambling for Notability to become a Correspondent.

I was gunning for that until I looked at the weekly reward for the Correspondent, and it sucks, at least compared to being an Author. I love getting Cellars of Wine and other valuables. I mean, Antique Mysteries are nice, but not used often. Cellars of Wine are quite handy, as are the other Author rewards. The other rewards Correspondent rewards seem very useless.

Unless you have some additional insight that I am lacking?

[Eldan]

With that many smiles, you should at least get your Persuasive up to 200 quickly.

As for coins: I have the Heart's Desire ambition. It's quite cool, but incredibly frustrating. It requires 77 silver coins at some point, which are an absolute pain to grind. I have about 180 now, though, so any Marvellers can write me.

It is a cool ambition, however. You get to talk to the King with a Hundred Hearts about his backstory and you find out who the Topsy King is and why he's Topsy.

[Pseudo_Nym]

I just started yesterday, after seeing you all praise the game so much in another thread. Enjoying it immensely.

Professor Nym, a sly and charming gentleman, at your service.

[Iruka]

Just when I've chosen my Ambition (Bag a Legend), I keep hearing interesting stuff about the others. But that Ambition seemed the best fit for my character. Kinda annoying that there are only Ambitions for certain Quality combinations ...

[Hydranova]

Eh, you kinda use the other 2 stats as well, but they're more of your minor stats, in that they won't be needed as frequently.

[Eldan]

Well, I know nothing about the other three Ambitions. They might be just as good.

Also, personally, I hate the Tomb Colonies. They are boring.

The Mirror Marches, on the other hand, were quite nice the first few times. I mean, to a Fallen Londoner, they are like a holiday. You get all the things that are missing in London. The sun, weather, fresh air, green plants, fresh fruit...

[CarpeGuitarrem]

My word! I seem to have so many things to say!

I was gunning for that until I looked at the weekly reward for the Correspondent, and it sucks, at least compared to being an Author. I love getting Cellars of Wine and other valuables. I mean, Antique Mysteries are nice, but not used often. Cellars of Wine are quite handy, as are the other Author rewards. The other rewards Correspondent rewards seem very useless.

Unless you have some additional insight that I am lacking?

I'm mostly in it for the story. Plus, I suspect that the Correspondent awards will be beneficial later on, when additional content is implemented. (That said, I do very much miss getting the Cellars of Wine in particular. Fast-track to Fourth City Airag, which you can use to get Tears of the Bazaar and eventually Master's Blood. If you wish.)

With that many smiles, you should at least get your Persuasive up to 200 quickly.

Truth! Though that's not a priority at the moment. Maybe once the caps are lifted, though...

It is a cool ambition, however. You get to talk to the King with a Hundred Hearts about his backstory and you find out who the Topsy King is and why he's Topsy.

*drools* Ahem. Sorry. That sounds fascinating! All I got was Scathewick. And apparently a conspiracy stretching far and wide in the Neath.......

I just started yesterday, after seeing you all praise the game so much in another thread. Enjoying it immensely.

Professor Nym, a sly and charming gentleman, at your service.

Adding you to the list!

Just when I've chosen my Ambition (Bag a Legend), I keep hearing interesting stuff about the others. But that Ambition seemed the best fit for my character. Kinda annoying that there are only Ambitions for certain Quality combinations ...

To be honest, if you're anything like me, you wind up advancing all of the stats anyways. Eventually. Because stats are really just markers for content; if you want to check out all the content, you advance all the stats.

Also, I hear that the Bag a Legend storylets are superb and often hilarious.

Eldan: If you're looking for something else to do--finding ways to increase Making Waves and accrue Notability will enable you to eventually upgrade your lodgings, although it's a bit more expensive at this time than previously.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Ugh, great, I didn't realize that to change my lodgings I had to use the key in my inventory, I thought it was an automatic change. Now I wasted 450 Whispered Secrets on a second lodging thinking that I got a bug when I bought the first one.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

So do you have two lodgings, or just one? I--oh, right. They switched how you buy the basic lodgings. You used to have to get them via a storylet card. Said storylet card wouldn't allow you to purchase an additional lodging if you already had it.

(Also...heh. 450 Whispered Secrets. Wait until you see the lodging that requires 40,000.)

[Iruka]

To be honest, if you're anything like me, you wind up advancing all of the stats anyways. Eventually. Because stats are really just markers for content; if you want to check out all the content, you advance all the stats.

Also, I hear that the Bag a Legend storylets are superb and often hilarious.

Oh indeed. I just delivered 90 rat corpses to a Scarred Naturalist. He licked his lips in a strictly academic way and served me the worst coffee I ever tasted.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Well I was upgrading from my basic lodgings. Both of the new ones are the same effect, three cards can be in your hand.

[Pseudo_Nym]

At least if you ever get evicted, you can move right back in.

Not sure if it's possible to get evicted, but it's the principle of the thing.

[Hydranova]

Way I see it, Nemesis is more of you being Liam Neeson from Taken (the original, not the second). Not the most light-hearted of Ambitions, but it's pretty formidable in your determination.

Way I measure characterization is quirks, Connections, Profession, and how you decide to measure up your attributes. This mostly came to me as I was grinding Dangerous by Dueling the Black Ribbon (speaking of, who else wants Feducci as a companion? He's the head of the only NPCs* in Fallen London with NAMES instead of descriptions. Dude would be an awesome party member, don't deny it.) Seeing as this came after running into a stumbling block related to Dangerous, I like to see it as my guy going slightly overboard in violence (Dangerous becoming best stat) then, after taking a career at the University, calming down and returning to his true insightful nature (Watchful returning to top stat, minus gear).


Speaking of Feducci, who wants to bet he's a Hesperidean?


*Excluding the Masters (Not human...possibly), Any of the Ambition people (confined to Ambitions), Jack Smiles (who is...odd), and anyone else I've forgotten.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

Well I was upgrading from my basic lodgings. Both of the new ones are the same effect, three cards can be in your hand.

Well, if they're distinct Lodgings, you get different Opportunity cards for each one. So there's that.

I've actually acquired a veritable slew of real estate. I think I have 2/3rds of the Lodgings in the game. (I'm not too keen on abetting Hell's goals, not to the extent of giving them 40,000 souls, so I don't have the Western Tower lodging nor the Brass Sanctum. And I wasn't able to acquire all of the new 3-card lodgings which became available over Christmas.)

[Hiro Protagonest]

I got two different ones, the Rooftop Shack and the one above the library.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

Okay, excellent. While this means you have one more lodging than you need, it also means that you have two cards with unique text and actions. (Both of them, though, should have an action which gives you certifiable scraps. You can actually save those up and buy things when you start getting cards from the Relickers.)

[Eldan]

*Excluding the Masters (Not human...possibly), Any of the Ambition people (confined to Ambitions), Jack Smiles (who is...odd), and anyone else I've forgotten.

Alice. A few people mentioned in various intrigue and rumour items, usually along the lines of "Lady B_ _ _ _ _ _ _, who did something terrible."

Edit:
Dr. Sigmund Schlomo.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

Alice is certainly...her own special category, too. Especially with that content snippet.

[Wookieetank]

Alice is certainly...her own special category, too. Especially with that content snippet.

Are we talking along the lines of SMT's take on Alice?

[Hydranova]

No, no, Alice is much more...how to put this.

You might want to invest in Cheddar, Parmesan, or Provolone, if you know what I'm saying.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

Quite so.

I remember that storylet as one of the big choices I got to make in Fallen London. I wonder if it shall be reprised.

[Eldan]

So, what did you go for? I went for the Big Bang, personally. It felt right and I'd like to think I made a temporary impact, at least, and created a legend in certain circles.

[Luzahn]

You know, I'm starting to think that my choice of the Nemesis ambition was a bit shortsighted. Sure, I get to be a vengeful crusader, but it's led my character to not tolerating London's...eccentricities lightly.

I mean, I honestly can't see invading hell and trying to overthrow the Masters going well. At least I have my escape zubmarine ready.

[Eldan]

Hah. That's what you think. The Masters are as good as gone.

Honestly, I have a hard time thinking of any ambition that can beat Heart's Desire's performance of the Correspondence Opera.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

So, what did you go for? I went for the Big Bang, personally. It felt right and I'd like to think I made a temporary impact, at least, and created a legend in certain circles.

I think that's the one I picked? I don't remember all the stuff I've done, actually. But I'm fairly certain that's it, after rereading it on the wiki.

Honestly, I have a hard time thinking of any ambition that can beat Heart's Desire's performance of the Correspondence Opera.

Wh-whaaaaaaaa?

(Now I'm really regretting going the Nemesis route. But I'm too far invested to try another, even if I wanted to spend Fate.)

[Eldan]

Want spoilers? I can give you the short version. Only this much: you get the true identities of the Topsy King, the King with a Hundred Hearts, the Manager of the Royal Betlehem and many of the secrets of the first city.

Regarding the basic plot:

Spoiler

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Whenever a certain planetary conjunction happens, a card game, called hte Marvellous, can take place. It must have seven special players. Each of them must bet 77 first city coins. The winner gets his Heart's greatest Desire fulfilled. Probably twisted.

The player has to unite the other six players, many of which have played and lost before, and stage the game.

Regarding the Opera and the Topsy King:

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One prominent player is the Topsy King, formerly Tristran Bagley, royal composer. He tried to write an opera based on the correspondence, played entirely on instruments of glass. He failed, and so he tried to play the Marvellous. He lost, and it cost him his sanity.

To bring him back into the game, one has to find his notes, finish the opera, recruit an utterly insane orchestra in Veilgarden, convince the court to allow you to play the opera and then perform it. You conduct it.

After the first few beats of the grand kettle drums, your vision clouds with blood and it gets worse from there.

This gives Bagley just enough sanity back that he can agree to play, before losing it again.

Concerning other players and the first city:

Spoiler

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The King with a Hundred Hearts and the Manager of the Royal Betlehem are the King of the First City and his lover from a distant land.

The King fell ill and the Manager gambled he city on his health. They won, in a way. The King is now both a statue of himself and the entire land of Polythreme and all the Clay Men. He hates the Manager for what happened and the two will not meet or speak.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

O.O I'm torn between reading spoilers and making an alt to play through--eh. I'll probably never have the inclination to make an alt and get far enough, unless no new content comes out for a while.

EDIT: OH MY WORD. That's...ah...marvellous.

[Hydranova]

So, what did you go for? I went for the Big Bang, personally. It felt right and I'd like to think I made a temporary impact, at least, and created a legend in certain circles.

I offed 'em all.

Sadly, the browser didn't load SO I didn't see the last snippet, the one that showed when

Spoiler

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Alice died.

[Luzahn]

Well, to be honest it's not the masters themselves who concern me. It's more who/what pulls the strings...

Hell seems to be a bigger problem though, especially considering the Destiny information my character got.

By the way, does the game go off of Character name or user name for contacts? Luzahn122 is my storynexus username, but I'm not sure if that's sufficient.

[Eldan]

Mind sharing some of that Destiny information? In a spoiler perhaps? Because I don't think we'll get to see it otherwise.