The Nacreous Outcast: Difference between revisions
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''"The Nacreous Survivor runs a tentacle over a stretch of black rock, shorn of coral. 'Zhis ish hhwat it hwanted.' It is taking pains to enunciate, wants to be understood. Silver light pulses weakly. It wraps the same tentacle around the wooden strut holding an Iron & Misery warehouse out of the water. 'Zhis ish not ffwaht it hhwanted.''' | ''"The Nacreous Survivor runs a tentacle over a stretch of black rock, shorn of coral. 'Zhis ish hhwat it hwanted.' It is taking pains to enunciate, wants to be understood. Silver light pulses weakly. It wraps the same tentacle around the wooden strut holding an Iron & Misery warehouse out of the water. 'Zhis ish not ffwaht it hhwanted.''' | ||
''"It appears to be battling with itself, fighting to express something vast and complicated in a language it was not built to speak. 'Fflike zhis.' The Nacreous Survivor gestures at itself. 'Becoshh offh Prinshhipulssh.' Anger; grief, relief. 'Not hwhwaht ''I'' hwanted.'"''</blockquote> | ''"It appears to be battling with itself, fighting to express something vast and complicated in a language it was not built to speak. 'Fflike zhis.' The Nacreous Survivor gestures at itself. 'Becoshh offh Prinshhipulssh.' Anger; grief, relief. 'Not hwhwaht ''I'' hwanted.'"''<ref name=":0">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Speak_with_the_Nacreous_Survivor|Speak with the Nacreous Survivor|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote> | ||
The Principles of Coral wished to descend the [[Great Chain of Being]]<ref name="give idol">{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/The_Pulse_of_the_Principles|Give the Principles a Wakeful Idol|Sunless Sea|}}</ref> and free itself of thought forever.<ref name="game last">{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/The_Pulse_of_the_Principles|The Last Game|Sunless Sea|}}</ref> To this end, the Outcast was ordered to gather materials<ref name="offer help" /><ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/Salt_Lions#Interactions|"Shalt-Flions"|Sunless Sea|}}</ref> for a chess game against an outside opponent,<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/The_Pulse_of_the_Principles|Setting up|Sunless Sea|}}</ref> and act as a surrogate for its master.<ref name="win match">{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/The_Pulse_of_the_Principles|Win the match|Sunless Sea|}}</ref> It was to lose on the Principles' behalf, upon which the minds of ''both'' beings would perish.<ref name="game last" /><ref name="win match" /> | The Principles of Coral wished to descend the [[Great Chain of Being]]<ref name="give idol">{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/The_Pulse_of_the_Principles|Give the Principles a Wakeful Idol|Sunless Sea|}}</ref> and free itself of thought forever.<ref name="game last">{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/The_Pulse_of_the_Principles|The Last Game|Sunless Sea|}}</ref> To this end, the Outcast was ordered to gather materials<ref name="offer help" /><ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/Salt_Lions#Interactions|"Shalt-Flions"|Sunless Sea|}}</ref> for a chess game against an outside opponent,<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/The_Pulse_of_the_Principles|Setting up|Sunless Sea|}}</ref> and act as a surrogate for its master.<ref name="win match">{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/The_Pulse_of_the_Principles|Win the match|Sunless Sea|}}</ref> It was to lose on the Principles' behalf, upon which the minds of ''both'' beings would perish.<ref name="game last" /><ref name="win match" /> | ||
Of course the Outcast feared this fate,<ref name="game last" /> but fortunately for this hapless Rubbery Man, it was not to be | Of course the Outcast feared this fate,<ref name="game last" /> but fortunately for this hapless Rubbery Man, it was not to be. While the Principles has been significantly weakened,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Meet_with_a_bright_and_fading_mind|Meet with a bright and fading mind|Fallen London|}}</ref> leading to the exploitation of its reef,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ask_around_town_about_the_scintillack_refinery|Ask around town about the scintillack refinery|Fallen London|}}</ref> the Outcast survived the incident, as the consequences for both seem to have been less drastic than anticipated.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/A_Nacreous_Survivor|A Nacreous Survivor|Fallen London|}}</ref> Now the Outcast grieves the exploitation of the being that gave it a home, but it also grieves for itself and its own purpose.<ref name=":0" /> | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 10:14, 12 August 2022
"A Rubbery Man rises from a cyst in the floor. An iridescent cicatrice crosses its face. Even in this flood of silvery light, it pulses like a fevered moon."[1]
The Nacreous Outcast is a Rubbery Man from the Principles of Coral.
A Star-Crossed Creature
"Flif your hanf on the ftool. Farphaf! Ophen your eyess."[2]
"I ushed to love - "[3]
The Nacreous Outcast's most striking physical feature is a scar glowing with silver light. Unlike most Rubbery Men yet encountered, it can speak both English[1] and the Rubbery language,[4] though its speech in the former can be difficult for some to understand.[1] It is familiar with esoteric culinary arts[2] - though it prefers its food uncooked.[3] It is typically very terse[5] and has a reserved demeanor.[6] In addition to its home in the Principles, it has a residence in an isolated part of London, where it draws figures in the windows and sings.[7][8]
The Outcast was exiled on account of multiple crimes, most of which cannot be described by human languages. One of them was love,[3] which is forbidden among the Axiles,[9][10] and it is implied that the recipient of its affection was a Fluke.[11] As punishment, it was abandoned at Port Cecil; here it became an emissary[1] to the Shining Mind,[3] the entity whose mind once suffused the Principles of Coral.[12]
An End, Averted
|
Beyond this point lie major spoilers for Fallen London, Sunless Sea, Sunless Skies, or Mask of the Rose. This may include endgame or major Fate-locked spoilers. Proceed at your own risk. You can find out more about our spoiler policy here. |
"The Nacreous Survivor runs a tentacle over a stretch of black rock, shorn of coral. 'Zhis ish hhwat it hwanted.' It is taking pains to enunciate, wants to be understood. Silver light pulses weakly. It wraps the same tentacle around the wooden strut holding an Iron & Misery warehouse out of the water. 'Zhis ish not ffwaht it hhwanted.'
"It appears to be battling with itself, fighting to express something vast and complicated in a language it was not built to speak. 'Fflike zhis.' The Nacreous Survivor gestures at itself. 'Becoshh offh Prinshhipulssh.' Anger; grief, relief. 'Not hwhwaht I hwanted.'"[13]
The Principles of Coral wished to descend the Great Chain of Being[14] and free itself of thought forever.[15] To this end, the Outcast was ordered to gather materials[1][16] for a chess game against an outside opponent,[17] and act as a surrogate for its master.[18] It was to lose on the Principles' behalf, upon which the minds of both beings would perish.[15][18]
Of course the Outcast feared this fate,[15] but fortunately for this hapless Rubbery Man, it was not to be. While the Principles has been significantly weakened,[19] leading to the exploitation of its reef,[20] the Outcast survived the incident, as the consequences for both seem to have been less drastic than anticipated.[21] Now the Outcast grieves the exploitation of the being that gave it a home, but it also grieves for itself and its own purpose.[13]
