The Honey-Addled Detective: Difference between revisions
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Created page with "{{Character |image1 = Honeydetective.png |location = Moloch Street |allegiance=The Candlefinder Society}}<blockquote>''"He was a great mind once. Now he haunts his cavernous rooms on Moloch Street, half out of his mind on prisoner's honey. He still take clients, but he passes the work on to promising outsiders. Lucky for you."''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Working_with_the_Honey-Addled_Detective|Working with the Honey-Addled Detective|Fallen London|..." Tag: visualeditor |
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|image1 = Honeydetective.png | |image1 = Honeydetective.png | ||
|location = [[Moloch Street]] | |location = [[Moloch Street]] | ||
|allegiance=The Candlefinder Society}}<blockquote>''"He was a great mind once. Now he haunts his cavernous rooms on Moloch Street, half out of his mind on prisoner's honey. He still take clients, but he passes the work on to promising outsiders. Lucky for you."''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Working_with_the_Honey-Addled_Detective|Working with the Honey-Addled Detective|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>''' | |allegiance=[[The Constables]]<br>The Candlefinder Society}}<blockquote>''"He was a great mind once. Now he haunts his cavernous rooms on Moloch Street, half out of his mind on prisoner's honey. He still take clients, but he passes the work on to promising outsiders. Lucky for you."''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Working_with_the_Honey-Addled_Detective|Working with the Honey-Addled Detective|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>The '''Honey-Addled Detective''' was once one of the greatest detectives in London, but has been crippled by his addiction to [[Prisoner's Honey|prisoner's honey]], leaving his glory days far behind him. | ||
== It's Elementary, My Dear == | |||
He resides in solitude on [[Moloch Street]], though his exact address is kept secret<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Set_out_to_track_him_down Set out to track him down, ''Fallen London''] ''"He's known to keep apartments somewhere in Moloch Street – but he also keeps to himself, and has taken some pains to hide his whereabouts."''</ref> thanks to well-paid neighbours sworn to silence.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Making_Your_Name_%E2%80%93_Closing_the_Case:_the_Honey-Addled_Detective Making Your Name – Closing the Case: the Honey-Addled Detective, ''Fallen London''] ''"The inhabitants of Moloch Street are reticent. The Detective must have paid them for their silence. But you're certain that's his apartment – there on the top floor, where the candle-flame swims behind the window in a green glass lobster-pot."''</ref> His apartment is immaculate, yet always tinged with the unmistakable scent of honey.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Approach_him_boastfully Approach him boastfully, ''Fallen London''] ''"His rooms are scrupulously clean, but the sweetish fug of prisoner's honey hangs in the air, and his eyes are hooded with dreams. "No doubt," he says. "I'm honoured to make your acquaintance." It's difficult to read his tone."''</ref> More often than not, he is honey-mazed: his mind wandering [[Parabola]],<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Dreams:_A_Choice_of_Reverie Dreams: A Choice of Reverie, ''Fallen London''] ''"The Detective's body is elsewhere – back in a flat in Moloch Street, most likely. But his mind is here, as present in Parabola as any dream-shade. He is kneeling on the jungle floor, measuring the pawprint of a panther."''</ref> chasing phantoms of unsolved cases<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Take_charge_of_the_Honey-Addled_Detective Take charge of the Honey-Addled Detective, ''Fallen London''] ''"His body isn't here, but his mind is: lost, and tracking the villain's footprints through the Parabolan mud."''</ref> or endlessly reliving old victories.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Reconnecting_to_Reality Reconnecting to Reality, ''Fallen London''] ''"When you next visit the Honey-Addled Detective, he's threatening his hat stand with a cane. "The chase is at its end. Surrender her Ladyship's jewels and come with me." […] An empty jar of honey lies by his chair."''</ref> He has never dared [[Gaoler's Honey|red honey]], though he once dabbled in [[Cardinal's Honey|black honey]].<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Case_of_the_Empty_Belfry The Case of the Empty Belfry, ''Fallen London''] ''"Honey, you say?" The Honey-Added Detective rouses in his chair, almost knocking over an empty glass of port. "I never touched the scarlet myself, however tempted by its stygian fancies. But once, long ago, I dabbled in the midnight..."''</ref> Aside from his honey habit, he also has a smoking pipe.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Case_of_the_Missing_Comb:_Meeting_your_Client The Case of the Missing Comb: Meeting your Client, ''Fallen London''] ''"[...] A little roof-drip has fallen while you were inside, slicking the cobbles. The Honey-Addled Detective fills his pipe."''</ref> | |||
Despite his affliction, his intellect has not wholly dimmed, being able to deduce someone's residence and employment from just one look.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Test_the_man%27s_skills Test the man's skills, ''Fallen London''] ''"Why [...], it's not difficult to get the measure of you." He takes a deep breath. "Mmm. Books. You keep many at your home? Ah, but surely even you wouldn't keep that many. A shop, then?" He turns his attention to your hands. "Are those ink-stains I see? The pen must never be far from your hand."''</ref> His counsel is sought by young detectives and seasoned professionals alike.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/She%27s_not_alone_1|She's not alone|Fallen London|}}''"A gaunt, languid man sips coffee sweetened with cream in the Viennese manner..."''</ref> He occasionally takes on a case himself, though more often, he delegates the work to rising talents.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Working_with_the_Honey-Addled_Detective Working with the Honey-Addled Detective, ''Fallen London''] ''"He was a great mind once. Now he haunts his cavernous rooms on Moloch Street, half out of his mind on prisoner's honey. He still take clients, but he passes the work on to promising outsiders. Lucky for you."''</ref> | |||
The Detective is extremely attentive to minute details<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Improve_the_statistical_rigour_of_this_investigation Improve the statistical rigour of this investigation, ''Fallen London''] ''"All the botanical character recedes […] In their place is a regimented space, mathematically perfect[…] The density of the mud at […] the Stolen River; the proportion of coal dust in Ealing fireplaces; the frequency of arrest for friends of the Gracious Widow."''</ref> and can draw clues from the most minor of evidence.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Introduce_your_own_evidence Introduce your own evidence, ''Fallen London''] ''"Your mind is thickly furnished with evidence – evidence of every kind. Gossip read […], names whispered […] At the Honey-Addled Detective's feet, you cause a pile of distinctly recognisable cigar ash. He sinks his hands in it to the wrists, delighted."''</ref> He takes great joy in solving cases<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_pursuit_of_knowledge_is_the_finest_entertainment The pursuit of knowledge is the finest entertainment, ''Fallen London''] ''"[…] The Honey-Addled Detective chuckles […] "I... appreciate spending time with someone who understands. […]""''</ref> and foiling villains.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Knowledge_is_power Knowledge is power, ''Fallen London''] ''[…] "Ah, yes – pitting wits against thieves and murderers. Tossing them up into New Newgate with your intellect alone. […] I... appreciate spending time with someone who understands. […] You may have surpassed me. Don't squander it."''</ref> He believed that the search for knowledge would help his fellow man,<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Knowledge_should_serve_humanity Knowledge should serve humanity, ''Fallen London''] ''"I believed the same […] Your work has reassured me that I was not all wrong."''</ref> but that same relentless pursuit led him into addiction.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/You_pursue_knowledge_because_you_must You pursue knowledge because you must, ''Fallen London''] ''"I fear I understand the sentiment all too well." […] "If only I'd been more careful where I sought understanding." He pauses […] "Search for knowledge we would never find above. You may have surpassed me. Don't squander it."''</ref> There are entire books to be formed from the cases the Honey-Addled Detective has solved without knowing it. The constabulary has only heard a quarter of his solutions. His own clients rarely get the whole story.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Extract_clues_from_his_thoughts Extract clues from his thoughts, ''Fallen London''] ''"There are entire books to be formed from the cases the Honey-Addled Detective has solved without knowing it. The constabulary has only heard a quarter of his solutions. His own clients rarely get the whole story."''</ref> | |||
The Illuminated Archivist at [[Avid Horizon]], a historian of old [[London]], identified the Detective as the '''"honey-wrecked detective"'''.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/The_Illuminated_Archivist|Request another reading of the Word|Sunless Skies|}} ''"And here, the address of a honey-wrecked detective is on the mend."''</ref> This unfortunately implies he did not recover from his addiction in the ''Sunless Skies ''timeline, and possibly succumbed to it. | |||
== Literary Inspiration == | |||
The Honey-Addled Detective is a clear literary allusion to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherlock_Holmes Sherlock Holmes]. He resides on Moloch Street, formerly known as Baker Street before the [[The Fall of London|Fall]], a deliberate nod to the address of Doyle’s detective. Like Holmes, he smokes a pipe and has a drug addiction. | |||
In Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories, [https://www.victorianweb.org/authors/doyle/addiction.html Holmes has a drug addiction]. It is implied that his extraordinary intellect demands constant stimulation, and in the absence of challenging cases, he turns to narcotics (notably cocaine and morphine) to dull the edge of boredom. These substances serve as a substitute for the mental engagement he craves. While his use is often treated matter-of-factly, it is at times shown to be deeply troubling, with implications that his addiction could become, or already is, a serious and debilitating condition. | |||
The Honey-Addled Detective can be read as a deconstruction of Sherlock Holmes, a vision of what Holmes might have become had his addiction been allowed to consume him entirely. | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
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Revision as of 17:13, 10 April 2025
"He was a great mind once. Now he haunts his cavernous rooms on Moloch Street, half out of his mind on prisoner's honey. He still take clients, but he passes the work on to promising outsiders. Lucky for you."[1]
The Honey-Addled Detective was once one of the greatest detectives in London, but has been crippled by his addiction to prisoner's honey, leaving his glory days far behind him.
It's Elementary, My Dear
He resides in solitude on Moloch Street, though his exact address is kept secret[2] thanks to well-paid neighbours sworn to silence.[3] His apartment is immaculate, yet always tinged with the unmistakable scent of honey.[4] More often than not, he is honey-mazed: his mind wandering Parabola,[5] chasing phantoms of unsolved cases[6] or endlessly reliving old victories.[7] He has never dared red honey, though he once dabbled in black honey.[8] Aside from his honey habit, he also has a smoking pipe.[9]
Despite his affliction, his intellect has not wholly dimmed, being able to deduce someone's residence and employment from just one look.[10] His counsel is sought by young detectives and seasoned professionals alike.[11] He occasionally takes on a case himself, though more often, he delegates the work to rising talents.[12]
The Detective is extremely attentive to minute details[13] and can draw clues from the most minor of evidence.[14] He takes great joy in solving cases[15] and foiling villains.[16] He believed that the search for knowledge would help his fellow man,[17] but that same relentless pursuit led him into addiction.[18] There are entire books to be formed from the cases the Honey-Addled Detective has solved without knowing it. The constabulary has only heard a quarter of his solutions. His own clients rarely get the whole story.[19]
The Illuminated Archivist at Avid Horizon, a historian of old London, identified the Detective as the "honey-wrecked detective".[20] This unfortunately implies he did not recover from his addiction in the Sunless Skies timeline, and possibly succumbed to it.
Literary Inspiration
The Honey-Addled Detective is a clear literary allusion to Sherlock Holmes. He resides on Moloch Street, formerly known as Baker Street before the Fall, a deliberate nod to the address of Doyle’s detective. Like Holmes, he smokes a pipe and has a drug addiction.
In Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories, Holmes has a drug addiction. It is implied that his extraordinary intellect demands constant stimulation, and in the absence of challenging cases, he turns to narcotics (notably cocaine and morphine) to dull the edge of boredom. These substances serve as a substitute for the mental engagement he craves. While his use is often treated matter-of-factly, it is at times shown to be deeply troubling, with implications that his addiction could become, or already is, a serious and debilitating condition.
The Honey-Addled Detective can be read as a deconstruction of Sherlock Holmes, a vision of what Holmes might have become had his addiction been allowed to consume him entirely.
References
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