#exceptional story spoilers
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it's amazing what a little trim can do for the servant's attitude.
#fallen london#the bloody wallpaper#fallen london OC#fbg#cruz merida#exceptional story spoilers#I CUT THEIR HAIR ITS THE WORST THING IVE EVER DONE TO THEM
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Be gay, do financial crimes you have to pay back with the nightmares of your indentured servants.
#fallen london#exceptional story spoilers#bloody wallpaper es if you were wondering#i haven't unlocked the route to the royal beth yet and have only entered state of some confusion once#so i had no insight into the manager of the royal beth's personality#but having played that exceptional story#yeah it checks out this guy would sell his city in exchange for turning his dying boyfriend into a living island#man just has Those Vibes
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Just finished this month's ES. I quite enjoyed it, and this isn't a slight to the author, but it reminded me how ES' by design cannot have consequences. I made the most damning personal choices and all I got was 7 Wounds, then a free Wounds reset the next storylet.
Maybe I need to seek. maybe that's where I should look for permanent punishing consequences
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you could even say we’re 😏 incredulous. about the Incredulous 🫢🤭
#ayyyyyyyyy#wocka wocka 🥁#fallen london#exceptional story spoilers#the tale of old fritz#fallen london posting
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Finally(!) played through Hojotoho!!
Very cute with a dash of tragedy, but not so much that it cuts through the optimism of the narrative but enhances it. One of those stories that is more "low-stakes" in terms of deep mysteries or broad setting impact, but the characters are written well enough that you clearly pick up on how important it is to them.
The twist wasn't much of one to me, mainly because I've already played through all the Foreign Office stuff and kind of picked up on it right away; my main critique really is that absolutely none of that came into play at any point.
The addition to the urchin faction card is also quite good, with a coda I thought was very sweet:
Before the night draws to a close, the Valkyrie offers a toast: "Though the world is unfair, let's enjoy the fight to improve it. May we always support our comrades, and may they always support us. And if we fail, let us try, and try again until we have set the world to rights."
You get 'em, kids.
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The Green King
An invitation to a club so exclusive, no one has ever heard of it. And a string of disappearances that seems to be connected to it.
When you’re joined by the enigmatic Lady Jane, your investigations pick up steam, and you uncover a dark tale of betrayed trust and an old king who hungers for his stolen crown. All leads point back to London, and the secretive, malicious club who sparked this mystery.
MY RATING: ★★★★☆
COMMUNITY RATING: none yet
A dark murder-mystery that allows you to investigate the background of a powerful and corrupt circle of people, alongside an enigmatic companion and evocative writing.
MAIN FOCUS: History, Investigation, Mr. Eaten and Red Queen adjacent
SECONDARY FOCUS: Society, Criminals
Spoiler Free
Opening
Who should play it? How does it begin? Will my character feel out of place?
A dinner invitation to an exclusive club finds its way to your doorstep. However, the envelope has been tampered with. As you investigate both the tampering and the elusive club, it becomes clear that this dinner would have most likely seen you go permanently missing.
The opening makes sense for all sorts of characters. At first it is unclear why you have been chosen, and while it’s not at the forefront of the investigation, it plays well into this mystery. Later, when the reason is revealed, it’s a bit of a let-down. But by this point, you’re already too immersed to care about it.
This ES is very much a murder-mystery. Most of it is investigation, and at the end you get to confront the culprits. So a character who prides themselves for their investigative prowess will have a lot of fun. It also permits you to make “evil” choices at pivotal moments. However, this ES is a dark one that leaves a sad aftertaste even on the good endings. If you’re looking for something wholesome, you’ll probably not find it here.
Review
I did not expect this ES to be this gripping. Despite not looking like it from the onset, you are basically investigating a murder-mystery. That includes getting clues that will only make sense later on, characters turning out to be not who they pretend they are, a conspiracy, all the good stuff.
Beyond the investigation, “The Green King” deals mainly with themes of betrayal, sacrifice and hunger. And while its themes are eerily close to both Mr Eaten and the Godeaters, the story it tells is completely independent of those. Same goes for the Red Queen. Lady Jane, the woman on the poster, is often described with the telltale signs of the Red Queen’s influence, yet it is never confirmed.
Since it stands on its own in the canon of the Neath, “The Green King” felt to me like I took a dive into a dark celtic folktale. It talks about ancient kings, abolished systems, long-forgotten castles and uses more green than an Irish pub on St. Patrick’s Day.
The scope of this one is rather small. No ancient gods are being stopped here. You uncover a small circle of corrupt and somewhat powerful people, that’s all. Which is a good thing. Since ES never have a long lasting impact, it feels good to close the case on this one knowing all is solved.
It took me around 70 actions to play it. It feels decently long even by just reading it through. One thing that frustrated me, however, was the way the actions were spread out. On both play-throughs, I ran out of actions at the same point, where the tension was extremely high.
The writing in this is very evocative. It plays mainly with colour – both the sunlight spectrum and the neathbow – and it makes for some awesome images. I have learned so many synonyms for green and red… There is also a point where the player character teeters on the edge between life, death and madness and the writing becomes outstandingly horrifying and beautiful. I think these passages will be among my favourite pieces of FL writing for quite some time.
There is only one actual character this ES introduces: Lady Jane. There exist some other characters, but they are only static shadows in the background. Lady Jane is the focal point of this ES and she is a wonderful character. Right from the start it’s clear that she’s hiding something from us. Her red outfit doesn’t lie – she’s ready to sacrifice anyone for her gain. But the way she acts and talks is always genuine, and that’s where her charm lies. I found her to be very lovable. And the fact that she doesn’t hesitate to threaten death made her just that much more fun for my Licentiate.
This ES has a few inconsistencies, however. Most of them are probably oversights and will get patched out in later versions. But there is one big one that made a few endings for me unsatisfying. The endings are probably among the weaker parts of this ES, but only because the aforementioned surreal encounter between death and madness was so good. The ending feels earned and even though some of them end in a way that’s outside of the player’s control, I never felt cheated.
It’s too early actually to even gauge community opinion – I’m writing this three days after it came out. So far the few voices sing praise for Lady Jane, and are as puzzled as I am by the ending they got. Which, I think/hope, is a mistake on FBG’s side. One commenter pointed out how refreshing it is to get into the themes of hunger/loss/greed without having to rely on Mr. Eaten once again.
In conclusion: This ES is a beautifully written standalone murder mystery, that gets very dark from time to time. If that’s something you don’t mind, I’d recommend it at once. If only because good mysteries are so rare.
Additional Thoughts (Full Spoilers)
Big part in why I like this ES so much is the craftsmanship that went into the mystery. I got the feeling that every word I read was there for a reason. And sure enough, every clue that was laid out or fact I discovered came up later at least one more time.
That’s why it’s all the more frustrating that there are these small inconsistencies that didn’t add up. Like the librarian’s comment that’s never followed up on, or how it’s not clear which Pretender sponsored my/Jane’s invitation. I actually sat down, took notes and charted things out because I was so invested. But like I said, these things are probably oversights in a very early version of this ES. I sent my notes to FBG and am confident that they’ll patch it.
What’s harder to patch imo is the relationship between Jane and Percy. In two of the endings, they give off romantic vibes for each other, which was never even hinted at. Sure, Jane has a soft spot for Percy, that was clear, but more in the “follow your dream and don’t let anyone stop you” sort of way. And she does take pity on prisoners, which he clearly is. But nothing indicated a romantic connection, and even less the kind of “old love” the endings implied, where they didn’t need to say a word to each other. They just seemed to understand. And while that makes for a really epic ending, I would have loved some kind of breadcrumb as to where that came from. Are they avatars of the Red Queen and the Beleaguered King? Did they grow up as stepbrother and -sister? (No, they didn’t, I double checked.)
As mentioned, my Licentiate and Lady Jane were a match made in heaven. They are on the exact same wavelength of opportunism. Just like how Lady Jane didn’t mind me cutting her rope too much, I had to give her credit for turning the gun on me. Also, it’s a nice thing the other person offers to put themselves in harm’s way, Emanuel wouldn’t object to that.
Credits for "The Green King":
Writing: James Chew
Editing and QA: Luke van den Barselaar and Bruno Dias
Art: Erion Makuo
Link to the FL Forum
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I've been waiting to see this text in Fallen London for at least two years:
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Today in Fallen London
The festivities and open criminality of the Hallowmas season have been interrupted for some by the presence of tiger crime. This act of villainy has prompted into action the greatest of tiger detectives to take up the case!
#fallen london#exceptional story spoilers#Also sherlock holmes is here#There's a lot of detectives in this one
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Monster Hunter Moby Dick real
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before and after the exceptional story featuring @cadaver1ne
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There needs to be a scientific study done on how Rockstar Games' Arthur Morgan is able to provoke the most earth shattering emotions I didn't even know I had in me
#you guys get me right#like you feel it deep in your chest#the joy the anguish the grief#it feels like words aren't enough#and I don't mean it as in “sad moment in video game makes you sad”#I mean it as in “a deep and well written moment that has been slowly building is fleshed out in a video game and I think about for weeks”#when I say I lose sleep over this game I really mean it#I spend hours just laying in bed thinking about everything that happens in arthur morgan's life#it eats at me#I'm not ashamed of how much I have cried over this game#it fucking gets to me#playing rdr2 is the best form of escapism until the story hits you like a stab in the chest but the blade just pushes in further and further#until you're left with a gaping wound#“wow michael I didn't know you were so emotional over pixels on a screen”#except those pixels were acted out and performed by real people and voiced by real people and designed to look like real people#the game's main target was historic realism emphasis on REALISM#to provoke emotions through amazing storytelling#it's okay to feel strongly about things!!#this game man#this game#rdr2#red dead redemption 2#mick squeaks#mick thinks#arthur morgan#red dead redemption 2 spoilers
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Fallen London citizen memes to cope
(Bonus shoutout to Failbetter for not giving us even one normal summer vacation:)
#Fallen London#estival 2023#estival spoilers#shoutout to Sinning Jenny for once again being the most patient Londoner alive#also Failbetter owes us 1 beach episode after this hdhfhds#bonus Exceptional Story where everything is chill actually and everyone has a good time#undescribed#(I'm sorry I'll come back and add them if i get the energy)
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am i the only one who still thinks that they didnt do enough with rouge in sonic prime. and not in a "she didnt get enough screentime" sort of way but in a "they didnt seem to be putting as much thought into what they were doing with her as they were with the other main characters" sort of way
#someone else would be better at explaining it than me i dont really know how to explain my thoughts on this#sonic prime#sonic prime spoilers#idk not really but im tagging just in case#like i wouldnt be surprised if they already had the idea for the plot and what they were going to do for all the characters down#but then realized how bad it would look if there were only 3 girls in that huge cast#so they just threw rouge in there without really thinking about it#its a huge shame really because i really like rouge#and was super excited when it was revealed that she'd not only be in the show but also be a main character#and she was super cute and fun in the first episode#all of her shatterspace variants feel like they easily could have just been some other character and the story/impact would have been#exactly the same. which isnt the case for other characters. except for big but big doesnt really do anything plot relevant for the most par
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man i love hate this game 🤌🤌
#to hate is to love or smth#fallen london#cricket anyone?#exceptional story spoilers#fallen london posting
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Now it don’t feel right? I could have told you that.
#red dead redemption 2#rdr2#rdr2 spoilers#sean macguire#I drew this ages ago with the idea to do one for everybody who died#except for the characters I don’t like#but then the end of chapter five happened and the idea of having to include Molly made me too upset#I was very sad about Sean when it happened as well#he’s my second favourite and I swear it’s not just because I’m Irish that both of my favourites are the Irish ones#one of his story missions is still my favourite out of all of them#fanart#digital art#my art
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The Bloody Wallpaper
The Red and Gold Gala – the most prestigious event of the social season, hosted at the Royal Bethlehem itself – is approaching quickly and you are invited – to work for minimum wage.
While you grind your teeth and keep up the ever-friendly smile, you get to know the guests who attend this gala, as well as the service workers behind the scenes, who are quite literally fighting for their lives in the fast reaches of the Royal Bethlehem. And just when you think your suffering is drawing to a close, the wallpaper is ripped off and you find out that nothing is what it seems.
This celebrates 100 Exceptional Stories, and it is a celebration indeed.
MY RATING: ★★★★★
COMMUNITY RATING: none yet
A surreal ride through the cosmic and existential horrors hidden in the service industry. With brilliant writing, great humour and a stunning amount of content, this ES is well worth its money.
Main Focus: Royal Bethlehem, Parabola
Secondary Focus: Society, Bohemians
Spoiler Free
Opening
You’re enjoying the life of a London socialite. Everyone keeps talking about the Red and Gold Gala, as dread creeps up on you – could it be that you’re… not invited? It’s getting so bad, you even start dreaming about the event. Then, finally, the Manager of the Royal Bethlehem invites you – to work. But there’s a talking lizard on the desk, so you’re a bit distracted when negotiating.
The opening is by far the weakest part of this ES. Any character who is not a dedicated socialite will feel like they’ve came down with a sudden bout of snobbery. On the plus-side, it’s over rather quickly. For my characters, I ignore the hyping up of the Red and Gold Gala and pretend the story only starts with the strange dreams. Because from there on, it makes sense for all sorts of characters to get roped up in this.
I would recommend this ES to any player and character alike. I can’t imagine someone not enjoying this (except the characters, those will suffer tremendously.) The Red and Gold Gala, as well as this ES, is one huge celebration of Fallen London. Players who are very invested in the lore will get an additional enjoyment out of this confluence of some of the Neath’s biggest players.
Review
This ES is an absolute treat! If asked what my all time favourite would be, I’d answer “The Bloody Wallpaper” without skipping a beat. It’s Chandler Groover at his very best – a maelstrom of surreal, colourful writing that evokes emotions powerful enough that you’ll forget about the actual story being told.
Due to it being the 100th ES and riding the hype of Mask of the Rose’s release only a month earlier, this ES is outstanding in several aspects. The most obvious of which is its length. It is a chonker. 80 actions at least, but with all the free actions it has, it feels like two to three times the length of an average ES. I broke up both my play-throughs, and still managed spend four hours on one sitting alone.
The length also reflects in the structure of this ES. It has two very distinct parts, separated at around the three-quarter mark. In addition to that, it offers half a dozen mini-storylines which you can explore at your own pace.
The by far best part about this ES is the craft, in my opinion. This story sits firmly in the horror genre – people get casually killed, you are repeatedly told how utterly unimportant and replaceable you are, and at the climax there’s a good dash of body horror in it as well. But the prose has a matter of fact-ness to it that states “just another Tuesday at Walmart” with a shrug and moves on. It starts out in a cynical, resigned tone which pivots to a desperate last claim for self-worth as reality falls apart more and more.
As said, you are a service-worker at the Red and Gold Gala, where you have to keep the guests happy and the party running almost entirely by yourself. “Who hurt you, Chandler?” I found myself asking more than once. The ES uses its prose, its story and even its mechanics to make you feel utterly powerless. As u/perkoperv123 put it: “My favorite part of FL, the thing that makes it unique tonally, is this exact kind of banal horror. […] This ES is a powerlessness fantasy. You're no longer a Person of Importance. You're barely a person at all. You are the help. If a guest demands the impossible, make it happen anyway.”
As a consequence of this complete lack of agency, there are no roleplay options. The entire ES has two decisions to make, and only one of them matters a little. On all other cards there is exactly one option to pick – whatever makes the guest happy. So you spend a lot of time navigating the mechanical side of this ES to get the orders and items to the guests. It requires a lot of clicking, which feeds into the feeling of futility. I’ve rarely seen FL (or other games) leverage its gameplay to enhance its narrative like this.
What the ES lacks in roleplay it makes up for in freedom to explore. From the beginning on, almost the entire hotel is open to you. Guests have requests, but it’s up to you in which order you serve them. A timer is running throughout the ES, and it will trigger certain events, which generates a false but effective sense of time-pressure. Despite it, there is no missable content.
Community opinion on this one is more divided than usual. Players either loved or hated it. An overwhelming majority praised it very much for the same reasons I listed above. But the people who didn’t enjoy it mostly pointed to the grindy and dull mid-game, as well as the disrespect against their character. And while these aspects are very much intended by the author, I can totally understand why that would take the fun away for some players.
Which brings me to the conclusion. In the end, your character has been used and abused by a power they can never compete with, and that couldn’t care less about what they have to say. Yes, the powerlessness might have been a nightmare, but in the real Fallen London, you might just be as disposable as you were when you had to wait on the most self-important people of London. To me, this downer of an ending didn’t really hit hard because I was still high on the prose (and my characters have an inferiority complex).
In total, I massively enjoyed this ES, and I will continue to recommend it to anyone, if only for the added content. A bit more art and half a soundtrack, and other companies would have sold this as a stand-alone graphic novel.
Additional Thoughts (Full Spoilers)
Only in Fallen London can the author pull the “but it was all a dream”-card and get a better product as a result.
I’m rarely moved by written horror these days. We’ve had 2020. But when the Gala was finally about to begin, when the Manager lead my character into the dining room and all other employees were either dead or mysteriously gone, I could feel my heartbeat in my ears. And the suspense!
Then, when the wallpaper came down, and I genuinely didn’t know any longer what happened, I was worried for my character. But I also couldn’t stop myself, I needed to know where this went.
Then, when all was said and done, and my character sat across the manager once more, I could feel his exhaustion. (story-time: Emanuel, my main FLPC, is stoic, devoid of any emotions, and can take tremendous amounts of abuse with a smile and a polite ‘thank you.’ And usually, I don’t feel bad for him. But when he sat there, I couldn’t help but think “you did not deserve this.”)
And all this because of tax evasion. (Who hurt you, Chandler?) I know he has his fans, but the Manager has very much cemented his place in my list of enemies now. As has the Northbound Parliamentarian. Can’t look at her card the same way as before now.
My favourite guest has to be the Red-Handed Prince. Not only am I is Emanuel a hopeless simp for the red-handed Queen, but if you present him with toxic and thinly veiled pillow talk from a good-looking guy in a suit, he looses all mental faculties. I think the Red-Handed Prince, who claims to be the Bloody-Handed Queen’s son, has not been mentioned yet in her list of avatars, so that’s an interesting addition.
And of course, there’s everyone’s favourite, the Butcher’s Boy. Not only is this a child who actually has two (2!) living parents, but he is also an absolute sweetheart and deserves nothing but the best.
The appearance of October, while stunningly beautiful, went entirely over my head at the time of playing, as did probably many other things. But I couldn’t care, I loved the ride (which is a statement I could make to many of the critiques of this ES.)
11/10 would recommend.
Credits for "The Bloody Wallpaper":
Writing: Chandler Groover
Editing: Luke van den Barselaar
QA: James Chew
Art: Paul Arendt
Link to the FL Forum
#fallen london#exceptional story spoilers#exceptional story#the bloody wallpaper#who hurt you chandler?#review#failbetter games
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