Cost is 200 echoes, covering for a week’s rations, fuel and the wages of my crew. Any special or potentially dangerous items will cost 50 echoes extra to cover security and harbour fees. Any specific requests, such as certain dietary needs or other requirements can be discussed and bartered on at the Docks.
Expected harbours we will call on during this journey are Venderbight, Whither, Port Palmerston and Irem. Please ensure to bring along necessary adjustments in attire.
Captain Henry Fuchard, Captain of the ARS Baskerville
You see this small, wax-stained poster among the dozens of other scraps stuck to the announcement boards inside the inns and bazaars of the Fallen City. This is your chance, you think, to finally leave this city behind you. Maybe you conned the wrong person, or have quite an extensive debt with the infamous Cheery Man. Or maybe you got in too deep and are now on the run. Or, maybe (and this is a big maybe), you really are simply seeking to get some not-so-fresh air away from this City for a while.
This City where lies, secrets and gossip used as currency more often than the actual currency does. This City where sin is a sign of status, as long as you can keep them from being used against you. This City where devils walk freely among the elite of the elite, casually buying the souls of the rich and powerful over glasses of bloodrock wine. This City where the Admiralty hold more power than the meek and corrupt parliament, implementing laws and regulations to benefit their Great Game.
That is what the Fallen City really is.
Main story arc
A/N- This SB is based on and in the Fallen London world from the game of the same name. I really enjoy the game, and thought an SB set in it and the follow-up game Sunless Sea would be an excellent adventure/intrigue SB. Most of the content is from the games, but I am planning on adding my own concepts and ideas as we progress. If you wish to learn more about the game(s), the link is at the end of this post (and I really recommend the games... they're brilliant)
So as you can deduce, your character is trying to leave the Fallen City. The reasons can be anything from stealing a conning a random stranger (with powerful connections), to failing in a blackmail attempt of the mayor, known as Sinning Jenny. It can be murder, or even just planning a secret meeting about banned books or poetry.
Your character can also be anyone: from a thief who has grown too old to be part of the Urchin Gangs, to a wealthy and connected lord or lady living on the prime Watchmaker Hill.
Our seven characters will all be on the same ship heading out onto the dark waters of the Nethersea. Each of us will be on it for different reasons, but one thing’s for certain- we’ll have to work together to survive (let’s just say Captain Fuchard and his officers won’t be living through this SB)
Background
This SB takes place in the Neath, a large, underground world. The majority of the Neath is filled with the Nethersea, a large, ever-changing sea that is filled with untold horrors and secrets in its dark, sunless depths.
The entire SB takes place underground, starting in the Fallen City (a major city that fell from the surface due to sin), as well as the other islands, cities and places in the Neath. The entire Neath is without any sun or sunlight (or any natural light…), and this darkness has been known to drive many a sailor or citizen crazy (it is not simply a natural darkness, but a darkness that has not known light for thousands of years)
The technology, clothing and architecture are all Victorian English, with steam technology the main form of technology to motor ship and factories.
Important places in the Neath:
The Fallen City: The capital of the Fallen Empire and home base of the Admiralty. The city has four districts, along with two islands in close proximity of the City’s harbour.
Spoiler! :
The Iron Republic: This is a city ruled by some of the more ruthless devils from Hell. The Admiralty call the Republic lawless, but refuse to subjugate, embargo or take any other action regarding the Republic and its devil overlords.
Venderbight: The tomb colony set on the sea route to Whither in the northwestern Neath. The colonists of Venderbight are individuals who are enduring the prolonged torture of death (for whatever reasons they decided to give up on any life in the Neath, wrapped themselves in cloth like corpses, and slowly die among others like them)
Whither: A fishing settlement in the northern reaches of the Neath, where the unnatural snow constantly falls. The settlement of Whither is also known as the “place of questions”, where no answers are ever directly given, and questions always asked.
Gaider’s Mourn & the Ilse of Cats: These two different locations are the pirate strongholds of the Neath. Gaider’s Mourn is a city of pirates and vagrants built up and in the collosal pillars that hold up the Neath roof. The Poet (a very deadly pirate lord) is said to reign here.
The Ilse of Cats on the other hand is an island of unimaginable pleasures and dalliances, all ruled over by the Pirate King with his “rose gardens” (not your usual roses)
The Khanate: A very old nation that has been in the Neath for centuries before the Fallen City fell. Their cities are Khan’s Heart (the main trading hub), Khan’s Glory (the noble houses), and Khan’s Shadow (where the Khan’s war fleets reside in a castle made of broken ships) They are not openly hostile to the Fallen City and the Admiralty, but are suspicious of anyone that is not them.
The Presbyterate: This is also known as the Elder Continent, where 37 kingdoms exists and fight for power. No Fallen Citizen or any non-Prebyterate individual has ever made it through Adam’s Way to get to the undying continent (since people can live essentially forever, if they don’t mind being hunted for breaking the Sacred Law) The closest port available for non-Presbyterites is Apis Meet, where one may only stay for as long as the Neath tree lives (one gets planted as soon as you step ashore)
Fathomking’s Hold: The mysterious islands that are the residence of the Fathomking, a very ancient being that is said to know all the secrets of the Nethersea and one of the only “magical” individuals in the Neath.
Port Palmerston: This is the mining port set at the foot of Mount Palmerston, which is from where the devils of the Brimstone Convention fled during the revolution in Hell.
Port Cecil and the Bonny Reefs: Port Cecil is a city located in a large coral network, the city itself built on a big coral island. The residents of Port Cecil are, only second to the keepers of Irem, the most enthusiastic over riddles and tales. They are all players in the Great Game as well.
*
There are other locations, but I will mention them as the SB progresses. I simply mentioned the big settlements.
Important individuals or concepts
- Nethersea- The Nethersea is unlike all other seas in our surface world. Not only is it underground and filled with strange creatures, but it is also known as the ever-changing sea. This means that nothing stays the same for long, with islands changing position in the spontaneously, never being in the same location twice. To inexperienced sailors or land citizens, this is confusing and sometimes drives them insane, but to a skilled sailor, they have become accustomed to know when change is occurring somewhere in the Neath.
- The Terror of the Neath- The Neath’s perpetual darkness is more than just dark, but filled with horrors and terrors that plague one’s mind if one stays away from civilisation for too long in the open water. The Neath also start causing terrible nightmares, that slowly but surely become more real and lifelike before they consume the minds of those they afflict.
- Sinning Jenny- The official mayor of the Fallen City. Extremely influential and dangerous, yet not the most powerful individual in the Fallen City. However, the Sisterhood are loyal to her, and would do her bidding if required.
- The Cheery Man- The leader of the thieves, cutthroats, smugglers and all other shady sorts of the City. His/Her network is vast, and the Cheery Man’s vengeance is not something you want directed at you.
- The Admiral- No one knows how he looks, except that he wears a pair of dark spectacles. Other than being the leader of the Admiralty, he is also a major player in the Great Game, with an army of spies and informants ensuring that all other players or attempting new entrees are kept in check.
-The Great Game- unless you are a player, no one knows what the Great Game is about, but one thing everyone knows is that if you’re a player, you must be prepared to pay some grave prices.
- The Brimstone Convention- The council of the devil nobles that fled Hell during a revolution in Hell. They are collectors of souls and information, and would hunt and kill any who steal or cheat them.
- Sea, Storm and Stone- These three mysterious entities are the tree ancient rulers of the Neath. Worshipped by some, blasphemed by others, their reputation varies wherever one goes. But one thing is certain- they are all three extremely dangerous is taunted.
- Honey dens and Rose gardens- Honey from the roses of the Pirate king are not like our usual honey made by bees. This honey is used to unlock one’s full mental potential, at a price. Many who dare use it disappear from public life or go insane.
Character slots, profile template and other stuff
1) reserved for TheSunderedSorcerer
2) reserved for ChildOfNowhere
3) reserved for EvangelineFire
4) reserved for Rydia
5) Open
6) Open
7) Open
Just a note on the Character Profiles and Character creation- This world is a world based on how you can use other people’s secrets or any other information about them to your own advantage. This counts for the character profiles, so feel free to write this as a person trying to conceal (or seemingly conceal) who they actually are. Let’s just say that I am expecting everyone to doubt whether the others are telling the truth or not…
- Code: Select all
[b][u]Name:[/u][/b]
[b][u]Nickname:[/u][/b] (What do people call you if they talk about you)
[b][u]Gender:[/u][/b]
[b][u]Appearance:[/u][/b] (attire you are wearing when you board the ship included in appearance please)
[b][u]Background:[/u][/b] (if you wish not to divulge, just write “my past will stay wreathed in shadows”)
[b][u]Is there one item you would never let out of your sight?:[/u][/b]
[b][u]Are you bringing any special cargo?:[/u][/b]
[b][u]Have you sold your soul yet?:[/u][/b] (Albeit to a Devil or Pentecost ape)
[b][u]What sin are you most guilty of?:[/u][/b]
[b][u]Overt reason for leaving the Fallen City:[/u][/b] (even if Captain Fuchard doesn't ask too many questions, he'd like to "know" why you want to leave)
Other stuff
- Devils look just like normal humans, just with paler skin, glowing eyes, extremely expensive clothing, and always an aura of heat coming from them (Your character may secretly be one )
- Although tomb colonists usually go to Venderbight to die, some go out on the Nethersea to experience some new sights before they die, so don't worry too much if we encounter mummy-like people with the smell of death sailing around on ships
- Vampires exist. Enough said.
- Although we are underground, there is a way to the surface (usually to allow people down, not allow people out) Unless you are rich and own a Irem cloak, you'd probably die in prolonged sunlight if you managed to sneak through the Albertine Gates, run by the Admiralty
- Here's the link to Fallen London if you want to check it out- http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/ Enjoy
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