A Thousand and One Designs Intertwined…

 

…Which one is mine?

 

 

The Favor of a Spoon of Gold

 

You have been given a silver marmalade spoon with a pool of viscous golden liquid. The golden part is sticky, and if tasted, is sweet on the tongue. It has none of the longing of the Exile’s Rose.

The back of the spoon is inscribed with ‘All Hallows Eve 1894‘.  The end of the spoon is shaped into a key. The bowl of the spoon has “Turn the key deftly in the oilèd wards, And seal the hushèd casket of my soul.” inscribed in a spiral out from the center.

The person next to you consumes the contents of the spoon and, still corporeal, enters.

*  *  *

When finally you return to your lodgings, a parcel has been delivered to your address – a small locked wooden box with a carved lid inset with golden-hued glass. You were wondering what that key side of the spoon would open.

Within, you find a calligraphy scroll of Puck’s soliloquy and one of the following pieces of literature in a pocket sized version (roll  with max set to 11 to find out which).

1. Walter C. Dendy’s On the Phenomena of Dreams and Other Transient Illusions
2. Alexander Grant’s The Literature and Curiosities of Dreams
3. Wilkie Collins The Dream Woman
4. Catherine Crowe’s The Nightside of Nature
5. Oneirocriticon (or The Interpretation of Dreams) of Artemidorus
6. Nocturnal Revels; or, Universal Interpreter of Dreams and Visions. London: Barker and Sons
7. Coleridge’s Kubla Khan
8. CS Lewis’ Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
9. The Iliad
10. Dickens’ A Christmas Carol
11. Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Open House at the Gallery of the Bazaarine

[Occasionally, we have “RP Parties” where an event is hosted for numerous people to engage in threaded RP.  Often it is themed (Christmas, Halloween, birthdays etc.) but sometimes, it is just a reason to try and get people together for interaction when twitter is quiet, or give opportunities for people on different time zones to interact where they might not usually get to.

Because these events take place on Livejournal posts, it facilitates interaction between two people at a time in threads (sometimes three at most) to encourage people to get to know each other’s characters in a social atmosphere. Since there will be interaction with many different people, remember that the other character may or may not have played through some content, or may not embrace the same sensitive topics. We invite you to discuss OOC what would be spoilerage and whether that would be upsetting or not. (i.e., I don’t mind spoilers, but my character has maxed out stats and has played many of the storylets.) For an example of threaded event RP, check out this recent birthday party. (It’s large…)

So that being said:

The Fallen London community is planning on having an Open House, available for anyone looking to dip their toes into the world of EBZ-RP, or want to dive more deeply than they have already.  The post will be put up the day of March 21st, probably in the morning (Central Time in the U.S. ) and people are welcome to join whenever!

Come play with us! ]

What the Thunder Said

Tags

nightmares, stormy-eyed, thunder

[A dream, a nightmare, the truth, and a fantasy: of that the storm-eye sees.]

 

A tentacle remains, wrapped around the venom ruby at her throat, choking her, poisoning her mind. She stands at the edge of the cliff – in one direction, the obsidian zee stretches like a midnight mirror, a zubmarine sinking beneath the waves. It is from this correspondence driven vessel the rubbery limb stretches, threatening to pull her over the cliff face to crash into the black waters, drowning. Already the light is disappearing from the edges of her vision, blackness threading in as her consciousness flails…
 

All Hallows!

The door swings inward at the lightest press; a clay man is stationed to the side of it and obviously pulled it open for you.  He has a gem in his forehead that glints in the gaslight.  He seems to have little to no regard for any of the guests – including you.
 
Entering, you are beset with a series of sensations: the scent of cinnamon and cardamom dancing in the warm air, the glow of gaslight and candlelight across the wide expanse, and the overwhelming silence of anything beyond your own breath.

This is a gallery, it appears, complete with glass cases and alcoves of dioramas painstakingly crafted to feature Neathy life in all its melancholy wonder. (description of the Gallery and Alcoves is here. It is highly recommended you read all of this to understand where you are. ) 

There is mild decoration: the hall has been left mainly to stand for itself as suitable atmosphere for an elaborate All Hallows ball and celebration. Along the wall to the right there is an expansive buffet of edibles – desserts and savories, as well as two bars where wine is being poured liberally (and perhaps other libations). Just further beyond that is a setup of a partial orchestra with a grand piano, players with their instruments sitting as still as dolls.

The chandelier overhead glows with the phosphorescence of beetles, and an elaborate spider web of glittering silk thread attaches from the chandelier, draping to the far left wall.

Just to the left of the door is a table containing cream-colored boxes with a sign that says, “Take Me.”  There is also a stack of dance cards with a surprising number of dance lines provided. At such a rate, you’d be dancing all night.

[The Party is happening in LJ – the link for the main party and conversation is HERE.  The link for the dancing is HERE.  Link to the responses to the Exhibits is HERE. Map of the set up of the part is HERE. ]

[A reminder that the invitation to the party is HERE. The coin that came with it is HERE. The threads of resolving the mystery HERE. ]

Diary: Love and the University–Part 1

Tags

correspondence, Diary, Duchess, love, mirrors, Sorrow Spiders, University

When first I found one of the professor, or rather, the junior research fellow in Antiquarian Esquivalience,  dead by bludgeoning by candlestick, with the letters O-V-E scribbled, I was reticent to consider that “love” was truly the word. People are truly insatiable romantics about here, and are easy to move towards such an assumption since life is often so bleak.  What we did know was that he was killed with a candlestick, the professor had been stealing some of the man’s research, and there was a book or papers missing from the scene. So, likely, he was killed over some information he had managed to obtain.

Afterall, it was noted that he might have stolen his books, or that the books he had been researching might have been proscribed.

In my recent discussions with Lamont and Theodor, however, I find myself leaning more towards the theory of the word being “love”, and the text that the junior researcher found had to do with its stories…  the love stories of the Bazaar.

Diary: Return of Fire

The writing desk has been moved to the window where Scarlet can look out on occasion while working on her latest artistic endeavor for Court. There’s naught but the regular bustle, both inside and outside, this day, and while the morning proved quite prolific for writing, now she is distracted. So, she pulls out the small journal recently acquired, turning to the first blank page.

Since the last diary went up in flames, it is only fitting that this one should begin with flames.

Always This Heart

Tags

blood, character development, confusion, correspondence, ebz, fears, love, madness, mirrors

Her eyes click open.  Irises trace the tiny cracks in the ceiling, cracks in plaster that has seen a host of owners through this house, in Fallen London, and when London was the surface.

Ruby Soup

Tags

curious_fellow, gifts, love, nightmares, pain. tea, ruby soup

“I wonder if I shouldn’t find a way to return to the house without going through the front door.”

Stephan just chuckles at her; she had come into the Crimson Ring through the front door and immediately been beset by a few patrons. Scarlet, despite holding books and papers, immediately transforms into the height of entertainment –  cordial and bawdy in measured amounts, and quickly suggests they return to their frivolities.  It was not official that Scarlet was off the list of delights available at the House, but it was hinted that one should be considerably connected and wealthy to entertain the thought.

Or apparently, very drunk to consider oneself above such requirements.

Stephan watches her quickly ascend the stairs, wondering at his Mistress, who seems so distracted of late.

*     *      *

A song on a scrap…yet untitled.

There is a scrap of paper on her desk with a scribbled poem or song with many crossouts…