Cardinal's Honey: Difference between revisions

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{{Object|image1=BlackHoney.png|caption1=Cardinal's Honey|location=Cage-Gardens|alias=Black honey<ref name = "inquiry">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Make_a_discreet_inquiry_into_the_upper_strata|Make a discreet inquiry into the upper strata|Fallen London|}} ''"They found the Cardinal's Honey, a midnight strain of the Red Honey. [...] they imbibed the black honey [...]"''</ref>|related=[[Gaoler's Honey]]}}<blockquote>''"His family did not die, though they did give themselves over to the indulgences widely held to have ruined them. Bored of their dissipated pleasures, they sought something more potent still. They found the Cardinal's Honey, a midnight strain of the Red Honey. One by one they imbibed the black honey, and one by one they vanished. As though they had never been."''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Make_a_discreet_inquiry_into_the_upper_strata|Make a discreet inquiry into the upper strata|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>
{{Object|image1=BlackHoney.png|caption1=Cardinal's Honey|location=Cage-Gardens|alias=Black honey<ref name = "inquiry">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Make_a_discreet_inquiry_into_the_upper_strata|Make a discreet inquiry into the upper strata|Fallen London|}} ''"They found the Cardinal's Honey, a midnight strain of the Red Honey. [...] they imbibed the black honey [...]"''</ref>|related=[[Gaoler's Honey]]}}<blockquote>''"His family did not die, though they did give themselves over to the indulgences widely held to have ruined them. Bored of their dissipated pleasures, they sought something more potent still. They found the Cardinal's Honey, a midnight strain of the Red Honey. One by one they imbibed the black honey, and one by one they vanished. As though they had never been."''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Make_a_discreet_inquiry_into_the_upper_strata|Make a discreet inquiry into the upper strata|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>


'''Cardinal's Honey''', also called '''black honey''', is a deadly variant of [[Gaoler's Honey]].<ref name = "inquiry"/><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Conduct_your_own_researches|Conduct your own researches|Fallen London|}} ''"It is a corrupted form of the Red Honey."''</ref> Like ordinary honey, it tastes sweet and has a sticky texture,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Test_an_iota_of_the_Cardinal%27s_Honey_on_yourself|Test an iota of the Cardinal's Honey on yourself|Fallen London|}} ''"A wave of nausea [...] even as your tongue delights in the rich, [...] sweetness of the honey."''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Remain_concealed,_and_savour_the_moment|Remain concealed, and savour the moment|Fallen London|}} ''"Is it surprised at the new stickiness of the wine?"''</ref> but its color is pitch-black and it smells musty and rotten.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Test_an_iota_of_the_Cardinal%27s_Honey_on_yourself|Test an iota of the Cardinal's Honey on yourself|Fallen London|}} ''"You decant a single drop of the tar-like honey into a cup [...] It still smells sweetly of rot and sugar and damp wool."''</ref> Black honey is one of the deadliest poisons in the [[Neath]], trumping even the venom of the [[Cantigaster]];<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Conduct_your_own_researches|Conduct your own researches|Fallen London|}} ''"[...] you come across the name of a famed poisoner. [...] his records reference several poisons of unnatural potency. Cantigaster's venom has been proven to be ineffective against the Masters [...] There is another entry however: Cardinal's Honey."''</ref> even a droplet of a droplet can kill a human,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Test_an_iota_of_the_Cardinal%27s_Honey_on_yourself|Test an iota of the Cardinal's Honey on yourself|Fallen London|}} ''"You decant a single drop of the tar-like honey into a cup, and dilute it [...] You take a spoonful of the watered-down concoction, tip it into another cup, dilute that, and pour the rest away. [...] you down the contents of the teacup. A wave of nausea [...] Your fingers grasp for the antidote, [...] before the dreams carry you away [...]"''</ref> and those who consume this substance vanish into thin air never to return.<ref name="concealed">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Remain_concealed,_and_savour_the_moment|Remain concealed, and savour the moment|Fallen London|}} ''"You watch, [...] as the honey takes it. One moment Cups is there, retching, the next it is gone – plucked into the dreams of the dead."''</ref> It is also effective against non-human creatures,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ambition:_Nemesis_%E2%80%93_Midnight%27s_Honey|Ambition: Nemesis – Midnight's Honey|Fallen London|}} ''"Earlier you tested both on a family of mice [...] You watched as they winked out of existence [...]"''</ref> including powerful beings like [[Curators]].<ref name = "concealed"/>
'''Cardinal's Honey''', also called '''black honey''', is a deadly poison and a byproduct of the production of [[Gaoler's Honey]].__forcetoc__
 
== Don't Sip This ==
<blockquote>''"This poet tells you of a different honey, jet black in hue: the Cardinal's Honey. Those who take it do not die. They cease to be. They never were."''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Make_inquries_into_the_demimonde|Make inquries into the demimonde|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>
 
Cardinal's honey is a deadly variant of [[Gaoler's Honey]].<ref name = "inquiry"/><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Conduct_your_own_researches|Conduct your own researches|Fallen London|}} ''"It is a corrupted form of the Red Honey."''</ref> Like ordinary honey, it tastes sweet and has a sticky texture,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Test_an_iota_of_the_Cardinal%27s_Honey_on_yourself|Test an iota of the Cardinal's Honey on yourself|Fallen London|}} ''"A wave of nausea [...] even as your tongue delights in the rich, [...] sweetness of the honey."''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Remain_concealed,_and_savour_the_moment|Remain concealed, and savour the moment|Fallen London|}} ''"Is it surprised at the new stickiness of the wine?"''</ref> but its color is pitch-black and it smells musty and rotten.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Test_an_iota_of_the_Cardinal%27s_Honey_on_yourself|Test an iota of the Cardinal's Honey on yourself|Fallen London|}} ''"You decant a single drop of the tar-like honey into a cup [...] It still smells sweetly of rot and sugar and damp wool."''</ref> Black honey is one of the deadliest poisons in the [[Neath]], trumping even the venom of the [[Cantigaster]];<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Conduct_your_own_researches|Conduct your own researches|Fallen London|}} ''"[...] you come across the name of a famed poisoner. [...] his records reference several poisons of unnatural potency. Cantigaster's venom has been proven to be ineffective against the Masters [...] There is another entry however: Cardinal's Honey."''</ref> even a droplet of a droplet can kill a human,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Test_an_iota_of_the_Cardinal%27s_Honey_on_yourself|Test an iota of the Cardinal's Honey on yourself|Fallen London|}} ''"You decant a single drop of the tar-like honey into a cup, and dilute it [...] You take a spoonful of the watered-down concoction, tip it into another cup, dilute that, and pour the rest away. [...] you down the contents of the teacup. A wave of nausea [...] Your fingers grasp for the antidote, [...] before the dreams carry you away [...]"''</ref> and those who consume this substance vanish into thin air never to return.<ref name="concealed">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Remain_concealed,_and_savour_the_moment|Remain concealed, and savour the moment|Fallen London|}} ''"You watch, [...] as the honey takes it. One moment Cups is there, retching, the next it is gone – plucked into the dreams of the dead."''</ref> It is also effective against non-human creatures,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ambition:_Nemesis_%E2%80%93_Midnight%27s_Honey|Ambition: Nemesis – Midnight's Honey|Fallen London|}} ''"Earlier you tested both on a family of mice [...] You watched as they winked out of existence [...]"''</ref> including powerful beings like [[Curators]].<ref name = "concealed"/>
[[File:Redhoney.png|alt=A spoonful of red honey.|thumb|[[Gaoler's Honey]]]]
[[File:Redhoney.png|alt=A spoonful of red honey.|thumb|[[Gaoler's Honey]]]]
Black honey is a byproduct of [[red honey]] production,<ref name = "jars">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Wait_in_the_shadows|Wait in the shadows|Fallen London|}} ''"A cart and driver enters the garden. [...] you smell the sickly sweet aroma of Red Honey. [...] a different set of jars on the cart. A midnight hue rests within them. [...] the driver leaves, carrying a crate of the jars. He [...] opens a [...] door [...] a set of stairs disappears into darkness. The driver begins to descend."''</ref> apparently created when victims of red honey farms die during the process.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Gather_your_thoughts|Gather your thoughts|Fallen London|}} ''"This midnight honey sends its victims into the dreams of the dead. There, [...] those who died after being harvested for honey linger."''</ref> Sufficiently large Cage-Gardens produce ''jarfuls'' of the stuff, which are promptly hidden away.<ref name = "jars"/> Some especially depraved hedonists consume black honey for amusement, with predictable results;<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Make_a_discreet_inquiry_into_the_upper_strata|Make a discreet inquiry into the upper strata|Fallen London|}} ''"His family did not die, though they did give themselves over to the indulgences widely held to have ruined them. Bored of their dissipated pleasures, they sought something more potent [...] They found the Cardinal's Honey, [...] they imbibed the black honey, and one by one they vanished."''</ref> certain individuals like to distribute diluted, non-lethal droplets of black honey to those consumed by vengeance or despair.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Make_discreet_inquiries|Make discreet inquiries|Fallen London|}} ''"[...] He chooses who needs it most. Those who've lost hope, who need reminding of their purpose. Or those for whom oblivion would be a blessing.""''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Convince_the_Procurer_of_your_character|Convince the Procurer of your character|Fallen London|}} ''"[...] he knows where one can acquire the real Cardinal's Honey. He makes clear that despite the black film [...] what he has given them tonight is a pale facsimile of the real thing. These people's lives are worth more than their dreams of vengeance."''</ref> Black honey has an antidote, a clear liquid that must be consumed immediately before or after the honey.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Test_an_iota_of_the_Cardinal%27s_Honey_on_yourself|Test an iota of the Cardinal's Honey on yourself|Fallen London|}} ''"Your fingers grasp for the antidote, a clear, Lethean liquid [...]"''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Convince_the_Procurer_of_your_character|Convince the Procurer of your character|Fallen London|}} ''"[...] he assures you is an antidote to the Cardinal's Honey. It should be drunk immediately after imbibing, or as near to as you can."''</ref> Those exposed to the antidote are able to return from oblivion alive, though they may be traumatized or severely injured after their trip.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ambition:_Nemesis_%E2%80%93_Midnight%27s_Honey|Ambition: Nemesis – Midnight's Honey|Fallen London|}} ''"Along with the Honey, you also possess its antidote [...] Earlier you tested both on a family of mice [...] You watched as they winked out of existence, [...] Those who were given the antidote returned, trembling but alive [...] their whiskers soon brittled and fell off."''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Accept_Mr_Cups%27_bargain;_spare_its_life|Accept Mr Cups' bargain; spare its life|Fallen London|}} ''"The dreams lose their hold [...] its flesh remains ruined: gored with scars, lurid with bruises from the throttling fingers of the dead, its left half just a worm-riddled corpse of itself."''</ref>
Black honey is a byproduct of [[red honey]] production,<ref name = "jars">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Wait_in_the_shadows|Wait in the shadows|Fallen London|}} ''"A cart and driver enters the garden. [...] you smell the sickly sweet aroma of Red Honey. [...] a different set of jars on the cart. A midnight hue rests within them. [...] the driver leaves, carrying a crate of the jars. He [...] opens a [...] door [...] a set of stairs disappears into darkness. The driver begins to descend."''</ref> apparently created when victims of red honey farms die during the process.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Gather_your_thoughts|Gather your thoughts|Fallen London|}} ''"This midnight honey sends its victims into the dreams of the dead. There, [...] those who died after being harvested for honey linger."''</ref> Sufficiently large Cage-Gardens produce ''jarfuls'' of the stuff, which are promptly hidden away.<ref name = "jars"/> Some especially depraved hedonists consume black honey for amusement, with predictable results;<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Make_a_discreet_inquiry_into_the_upper_strata|Make a discreet inquiry into the upper strata|Fallen London|}} ''"His family did not die, though they did give themselves over to the indulgences widely held to have ruined them. Bored of their dissipated pleasures, they sought something more potent [...] They found the Cardinal's Honey, [...] they imbibed the black honey, and one by one they vanished."''</ref> other individuals distribute diluted, non-lethal droplets of black honey to those consumed by vengeance or despair.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Make_discreet_inquiries|Make discreet inquiries|Fallen London|}} ''"[...] He chooses who needs it most. Those who've lost hope, who need reminding of their purpose. Or those for whom oblivion would be a blessing.""''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Convince_the_Procurer_of_your_character|Convince the Procurer of your character|Fallen London|}} ''"[...] he knows where one can acquire the real Cardinal's Honey. He makes clear that despite the black film [...] what he has given them tonight is a pale facsimile of the real thing. These people's lives are worth more than their dreams of vengeance."''</ref> Black honey has an antidote, a clear liquid that must be consumed immediately before or after the honey.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Test_an_iota_of_the_Cardinal%27s_Honey_on_yourself|Test an iota of the Cardinal's Honey on yourself|Fallen London|}} ''"Your fingers grasp for the antidote, a clear, Lethean liquid [...]"''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Convince_the_Procurer_of_your_character|Convince the Procurer of your character|Fallen London|}} ''"[...] he assures you is an antidote to the Cardinal's Honey. It should be drunk immediately after imbibing, or as near to as you can."''</ref> Those exposed to the antidote are able to return from oblivion alive, though they may be traumatized or severely injured after their trip.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ambition:_Nemesis_%E2%80%93_Midnight%27s_Honey|Ambition: Nemesis – Midnight's Honey|Fallen London|}} ''"Along with the Honey, you also possess its antidote [...] Earlier you tested both on a family of mice [...] You watched as they winked out of existence, [...] Those who were given the antidote returned, trembling but alive [...] their whiskers soon brittled and fell off."''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Accept_Mr_Cups%27_bargain;_spare_its_life|Accept Mr Cups' bargain; spare its life|Fallen London|}} ''"The dreams lose their hold [...] its flesh remains ruined: gored with scars, lurid with bruises from the throttling fingers of the dead, its left half just a worm-riddled corpse of itself."''</ref>
 
== Somnii Mortuorum ==
<blockquote>''"You are somewhere very dark. Your breath comes in ragged, shallow gulps. You cannot turn around. Raising your hands, your nails rake along wood."''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ambition_Nemesis_%E2%80%93_The_Small_Place|Ambition Nemesis %E2%80%93 The Small Place|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>
[[File:Skull.png|alt=A skull.|thumb|[[Death|Mortis]]]]
[[File:Skull.png|alt=A skull.|thumb|[[Death|Mortis]]]]
Consumers of black honey are transported to the dreams of the [[Death|dead]],<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Gather_your_thoughts|Gather your thoughts|Fallen London|}} ''"This midnight honey sends its victims into the dreams of the dead."''</ref> where they will find themselves buried under miles of dirt speckled with burrowed tunnels and crawling with grave-worms.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Dig_up|Dig up|Fallen London|}} ''"You are not alone in the earth; worms squirm through the soil. You dig past them; [...] You are lost deep within the dreams of the dead."''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ambition_Nemesis_%E2%80%93_Lost_Warrens|Ambition Nemesis – Lost Warrens|Fallen London|}} ''"You emerge, gasping, in a pocket in the earth. [...] There are clawed furrows in the soil; this space was made by others, crawling through the earth."''</ref> Dreamers may hear echoes of the last memories of the deceased,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Dig_up|Dig up|Fallen London|}} ''"There are voices too. "No," you hear, [...] "Stop." [...] "Please. Please." These are the last words of the dead, crawling through the buried warrens."''</ref> or stumble upon objects like clothing, money, or weapons.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Dig_to_the_left|Dig to the left|Fallen London|}} ''"You see a cage; [...] There are scraps of clothing on the floor – a maid's cap, an apron [...] you can make out a few words. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to look. I won't tell anyone—""''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Dig_to_the_right|Dig to the right|Fallen London|}} ''"There is a pair of discarded manacles, [...] There is a knife, [...] A bag full of echoes [...] "My payment – I want what was promised. I did what you said—" The rest is cut off by the sudden low drone of bees."''</ref> They may also encounter the deceased face-to-face, who have an undead appearance and do not take kindly to their dreams being invaded.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ambition_Nemesis_%E2%80%93_A_Quiet_Place|Ambition Nemesis – A Quiet Place|Fallen London|}} ''"It is a person: shivering, wasted, [...] Brittle [...] Their eyes are dull behind straggles of hair. Their skin is cold. They have no breath. This is one of the dead. "Why have you come to our dreams?" [...] anger begins to gather in their eyes. "They are all that is left to us!""''</ref> Some of these encounters may in fact be familiar faces, such as slain loved ones,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Make_discreet_inquiries|Make discreet inquiries|Fallen London|}} ''"An aristocratic balladeer sat alone [...] A dark liquid drips from his lips, and his fingers twitch. He murmurs something about a woman named 'Christobel', he's sorry he failed; he promises to do better next time."''</ref> or vengeful spirits.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Refuse_the_offer,_and_let_Mr_Cups_die|Refuse the offer, and let Mr Cups die|Fallen London|}} ''"Unseen hands drag the Master into the dreams of the dead, where vengeful spirits wait, cold knives in cold hands."''</ref>
Consumers of black honey are transported to the dreams of the [[Death|dead]],<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Gather_your_thoughts|Gather your thoughts|Fallen London|}} ''"This midnight honey sends its victims into the dreams of the dead."''</ref> where they will find themselves buried under miles of dirt speckled with burrowed tunnels and crawling with grave-worms.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Dig_up|Dig up|Fallen London|}} ''"You are not alone in the earth; worms squirm through the soil. You dig past them; [...] You are lost deep within the dreams of the dead."''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ambition_Nemesis_%E2%80%93_Lost_Warrens|Ambition Nemesis – Lost Warrens|Fallen London|}} ''"You emerge, gasping, in a pocket in the earth. [...] There are clawed furrows in the soil; this space was made by others, crawling through the earth."''</ref> Dreamers may hear echoes of the last memories of the deceased,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Dig_up|Dig up|Fallen London|}} ''"There are voices too. "No," you hear, [...] "Stop." [...] "Please. Please." These are the last words of the dead, crawling through the buried warrens."''</ref> or stumble upon objects like clothing, money, or weapons.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Dig_to_the_left|Dig to the left|Fallen London|}} ''"You see a cage; [...] There are scraps of clothing on the floor – a maid's cap, an apron [...] you can make out a few words. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to look. I won't tell anyone—""''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Dig_to_the_right|Dig to the right|Fallen London|}} ''"There is a pair of discarded manacles, [...] There is a knife, [...] A bag full of echoes [...] "My payment – I want what was promised. I did what you said—" The rest is cut off by the sudden low drone of bees."''</ref> They may also encounter the deceased face-to-face, who have an undead appearance and do not take kindly to their dreams being invaded.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ambition_Nemesis_%E2%80%93_A_Quiet_Place|Ambition Nemesis – A Quiet Place|Fallen London|}} ''"It is a person: shivering, wasted, [...] Brittle [...] Their eyes are dull behind straggles of hair. Their skin is cold. They have no breath. This is one of the dead. "Why have you come to our dreams?" [...] anger begins to gather in their eyes. "They are all that is left to us!""''</ref> Many of these spectres appear to be those who died while being harvested for [[red honey]],<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Dig_to_the_left|Dig to the left|Fallen London|}} ''"You see a cage; iron mangled and drops of red honey upon its bars. There are scraps of clothing [...] a maid's cap, an apron [...] You can't see anyone here, but over the sound of sobbing, you can make out a few words. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to look. I won't tell anyone—""''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Dig_to_the_right|Dig to the right|Fallen London|}} ''""My payment – I want what was promised. I did what you said—" The rest is cut off by the sudden low drone of bees."''</ref> though some of these encounters may also be familiar faces, such as slain loved ones,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Make_discreet_inquiries|Make discreet inquiries|Fallen London|}} ''"An aristocratic balladeer sat alone [...] A dark liquid drips from his lips, and his fingers twitch. He murmurs something about a woman named 'Christobel', he's sorry he failed; he promises to do better next time."''</ref> or vengeful spirits.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Refuse_the_offer,_and_let_Mr_Cups_die|Refuse the offer, and let Mr Cups die|Fallen London|}} ''"Unseen hands drag the Master into the dreams of the dead, where vengeful spirits wait, cold knives in cold hands."''</ref>


== References ==
== References ==

Revision as of 19:12, 2 May 2024

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"His family did not die, though they did give themselves over to the indulgences widely held to have ruined them. Bored of their dissipated pleasures, they sought something more potent still. They found the Cardinal's Honey, a midnight strain of the Red Honey. One by one they imbibed the black honey, and one by one they vanished. As though they had never been."[2]

Cardinal's Honey, also called black honey, is a deadly poison and a byproduct of the production of Gaoler's Honey.

Don't Sip This

"This poet tells you of a different honey, jet black in hue: the Cardinal's Honey. Those who take it do not die. They cease to be. They never were."[3]

Cardinal's honey is a deadly variant of Gaoler's Honey.[1][4] Like ordinary honey, it tastes sweet and has a sticky texture,[5][6] but its color is pitch-black and it smells musty and rotten.[7] Black honey is one of the deadliest poisons in the Neath, trumping even the venom of the Cantigaster;[8] even a droplet of a droplet can kill a human,[9] and those who consume this substance vanish into thin air never to return.[10] It is also effective against non-human creatures,[11] including powerful beings like Curators.[10]

A spoonful of red honey.
Gaoler's Honey

Black honey is a byproduct of red honey production,[12] apparently created when victims of red honey farms die during the process.[13] Sufficiently large Cage-Gardens produce jarfuls of the stuff, which are promptly hidden away.[12] Some especially depraved hedonists consume black honey for amusement, with predictable results;[14] other individuals distribute diluted, non-lethal droplets of black honey to those consumed by vengeance or despair.[15][16] Black honey has an antidote, a clear liquid that must be consumed immediately before or after the honey.[17][18] Those exposed to the antidote are able to return from oblivion alive, though they may be traumatized or severely injured after their trip.[19][20]

Somnii Mortuorum

"You are somewhere very dark. Your breath comes in ragged, shallow gulps. You cannot turn around. Raising your hands, your nails rake along wood."[21]

A skull.
Mortis

Consumers of black honey are transported to the dreams of the dead,[22] where they will find themselves buried under miles of dirt speckled with burrowed tunnels and crawling with grave-worms.[23][24] Dreamers may hear echoes of the last memories of the deceased,[25] or stumble upon objects like clothing, money, or weapons.[26][27] They may also encounter the deceased face-to-face, who have an undead appearance and do not take kindly to their dreams being invaded.[28] Many of these spectres appear to be those who died while being harvested for red honey,[29][30] though some of these encounters may also be familiar faces, such as slain loved ones,[31] or vengeful spirits.[32]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Make a discreet inquiry into the upper strata, Fallen London "They found the Cardinal's Honey, a midnight strain of the Red Honey. [...] they imbibed the black honey [...]"
  2. Make a discreet inquiry into the upper strata, Fallen London
  3. Make inquries into the demimonde, Fallen London
  4. Conduct your own researches, Fallen London "It is a corrupted form of the Red Honey."
  5. Test an iota of the Cardinal's Honey on yourself, Fallen London "A wave of nausea [...] even as your tongue delights in the rich, [...] sweetness of the honey."
  6. Remain concealed, and savour the moment, Fallen London "Is it surprised at the new stickiness of the wine?"
  7. Test an iota of the Cardinal's Honey on yourself, Fallen London "You decant a single drop of the tar-like honey into a cup [...] It still smells sweetly of rot and sugar and damp wool."
  8. Conduct your own researches, Fallen London "[...] you come across the name of a famed poisoner. [...] his records reference several poisons of unnatural potency. Cantigaster's venom has been proven to be ineffective against the Masters [...] There is another entry however: Cardinal's Honey."
  9. Test an iota of the Cardinal's Honey on yourself, Fallen London "You decant a single drop of the tar-like honey into a cup, and dilute it [...] You take a spoonful of the watered-down concoction, tip it into another cup, dilute that, and pour the rest away. [...] you down the contents of the teacup. A wave of nausea [...] Your fingers grasp for the antidote, [...] before the dreams carry you away [...]"
  10. 10.0 10.1 Remain concealed, and savour the moment, Fallen London "You watch, [...] as the honey takes it. One moment Cups is there, retching, the next it is gone – plucked into the dreams of the dead."
  11. Ambition: Nemesis – Midnight's Honey, Fallen London "Earlier you tested both on a family of mice [...] You watched as they winked out of existence [...]"
  12. 12.0 12.1 Wait in the shadows, Fallen London "A cart and driver enters the garden. [...] you smell the sickly sweet aroma of Red Honey. [...] a different set of jars on the cart. A midnight hue rests within them. [...] the driver leaves, carrying a crate of the jars. He [...] opens a [...] door [...] a set of stairs disappears into darkness. The driver begins to descend."
  13. Gather your thoughts, Fallen London "This midnight honey sends its victims into the dreams of the dead. There, [...] those who died after being harvested for honey linger."
  14. Make a discreet inquiry into the upper strata, Fallen London "His family did not die, though they did give themselves over to the indulgences widely held to have ruined them. Bored of their dissipated pleasures, they sought something more potent [...] They found the Cardinal's Honey, [...] they imbibed the black honey, and one by one they vanished."
  15. Make discreet inquiries, Fallen London "[...] He chooses who needs it most. Those who've lost hope, who need reminding of their purpose. Or those for whom oblivion would be a blessing.""
  16. Convince the Procurer of your character, Fallen London "[...] he knows where one can acquire the real Cardinal's Honey. He makes clear that despite the black film [...] what he has given them tonight is a pale facsimile of the real thing. These people's lives are worth more than their dreams of vengeance."
  17. Test an iota of the Cardinal's Honey on yourself, Fallen London "Your fingers grasp for the antidote, a clear, Lethean liquid [...]"
  18. Convince the Procurer of your character, Fallen London "[...] he assures you is an antidote to the Cardinal's Honey. It should be drunk immediately after imbibing, or as near to as you can."
  19. Ambition: Nemesis – Midnight's Honey, Fallen London "Along with the Honey, you also possess its antidote [...] Earlier you tested both on a family of mice [...] You watched as they winked out of existence, [...] Those who were given the antidote returned, trembling but alive [...] their whiskers soon brittled and fell off."
  20. Accept Mr Cups' bargain; spare its life, Fallen London "The dreams lose their hold [...] its flesh remains ruined: gored with scars, lurid with bruises from the throttling fingers of the dead, its left half just a worm-riddled corpse of itself."
  21. Ambition Nemesis %E2%80%93 The Small Place, Fallen London
  22. Gather your thoughts, Fallen London "This midnight honey sends its victims into the dreams of the dead."
  23. Dig up, Fallen London "You are not alone in the earth; worms squirm through the soil. You dig past them; [...] You are lost deep within the dreams of the dead."
  24. Ambition Nemesis – Lost Warrens, Fallen London "You emerge, gasping, in a pocket in the earth. [...] There are clawed furrows in the soil; this space was made by others, crawling through the earth."
  25. Dig up, Fallen London "There are voices too. "No," you hear, [...] "Stop." [...] "Please. Please." These are the last words of the dead, crawling through the buried warrens."
  26. Dig to the left, Fallen London "You see a cage; [...] There are scraps of clothing on the floor – a maid's cap, an apron [...] you can make out a few words. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to look. I won't tell anyone—""
  27. Dig to the right, Fallen London "There is a pair of discarded manacles, [...] There is a knife, [...] A bag full of echoes [...] "My payment – I want what was promised. I did what you said—" The rest is cut off by the sudden low drone of bees."
  28. Ambition Nemesis – A Quiet Place, Fallen London "It is a person: shivering, wasted, [...] Brittle [...] Their eyes are dull behind straggles of hair. Their skin is cold. They have no breath. This is one of the dead. "Why have you come to our dreams?" [...] anger begins to gather in their eyes. "They are all that is left to us!""
  29. Dig to the left, Fallen London "You see a cage; iron mangled and drops of red honey upon its bars. There are scraps of clothing [...] a maid's cap, an apron [...] You can't see anyone here, but over the sound of sobbing, you can make out a few words. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to look. I won't tell anyone—""
  30. Dig to the right, Fallen London ""My payment – I want what was promised. I did what you said—" The rest is cut off by the sudden low drone of bees."
  31. Make discreet inquiries, Fallen London "An aristocratic balladeer sat alone [...] A dark liquid drips from his lips, and his fingers twitch. He murmurs something about a woman named 'Christobel', he's sorry he failed; he promises to do better next time."
  32. Refuse the offer, and let Mr Cups die, Fallen London "Unseen hands drag the Master into the dreams of the dead, where vengeful spirits wait, cold knives in cold hands."