The Vake: Difference between revisions
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{{Major spoiler small}}''"The Mother Superior settles into your comfiest chair. "The Vake is a Master," she says. "Perhaps you'd already guessed that."'' | {{Major spoiler small}}''"The Mother Superior settles into your comfiest chair. "The Vake is a Master," she says. "Perhaps you'd already guessed that."'' | ||
More wild and irrepressible than the other Masters, Mr Veils suffered greatly from being trapped inside a dark and musty cavern, surrounded by creatures it wouldn't even consider worthy prey in its prime.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Embattled_with_Curator_Mr_Veils|It sees you. It simply doesn't take a great deal of interest.|Fallen London|}}</ref> And then it came up with an idea. One day, the Department of Menace Eradication received a staggering new commission: ''four million'' echoes for the head of "the [[The Vake|Vake]]," a giant winged creature that threatened the carefree lives of London's citizens.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ambition:_Bag_a_Legend!_0|A standing reward of four million Echoes|Fallen London|}}</ref> The reward was so immense that some thought it a joke, but its authenticity was backed up by Veils itself. The Department even received a considerable sum in advance,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Put_your_trophy_on_the_clerk%27s_desk|To be paid by the Bazaar and backed by Mr Veils|Fallen London|}}</ref> so the word about the mysterious creature and a bounty on its head spread quickly. | |||
Particularly sharp hunters figured out that the Vake ''is'' Veils, but rather than wanting to die, it began preying upon those who would seek to slay it. It lured unwary into [[Parabola]] through the use of Black Wings Absinthe - a brew that grants a feeling of flight, visions of a hunt between stars, and eventually, glimpses of something winged following the drinker in the night. With the Vake's identity established, most wonder if it is even possible to kill such a vicious, supernatural creature. | |||
Yet, like a respectable lady's petticoats and skirts, there are still more layers to this Master. The Vake is but one of its alter egos, the many different masks it's worn across cities -<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/And_then_there_are_three|Huge and monstrous body explodes into many beings|Fallen London|}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Consider_the_one_that_looks_like_a_beast|It does not look like a Master, or like a human|Fallen London|}}</ref> and sometime after the fall of London, this one took over. Veils' identity as a Master... dissolved into the background, really.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/And_then_there_are_three|Most die gasping. So does the one that looks like Mr Veils|Fallen London|}}</ref> This had almost no effect on its reputation in London; after all, it has always been cryptic, and no one will notice that anything has changed beneath its heavy cloak.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Stop_and_look_through_a_distracting_mirror_1|Stop and look through a distracting mirror 1|Fallen London|}}</ref> Mr Wines did notice, though, and has been forced to reconsider its relationship with Veils. | |||
At its core, despite all these masks, Veils/the Vake has only three selves. Veils the [[Curators|Curator]] is the most primal and savage, desiring only to fly, hunt, and kill, showing itself most easily in the Vake as we know it. Veils of the Third City was a feathered god-priest of blood, who saw a special beauty in violent sacrifices and gory rituals.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Capture_Third_City_Veils|I ALONE SAW ITS BEAUTY|Fallen London|}}</ref> It still lives, and it follows this crimson path to the end, to reckoning. Veils the Intriguer is no less vicious than the other two, but stands as an outlier: it has no claws or wings, nor a hunger for blood... at least not directly. The Intriguer is a grand manipulator, a mastermind behind the chessboard, who makes its pawns do all sorts of nasty things. The reason for its relative pacifism is that the Vake's hunt for those who would seek to slay it has changed both its prey and the Vake itself, to become more like each other. Thus, in a way, the Intriguer is more ''human''. And that has baffling implications indeed.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Consider_sparing_one_form_of_the_Vake_out_of_fellow-feeling_2|It is a monster. So are you|Fallen London|}}</ref> | |||
== References == | == References == | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
Revision as of 07:15, 13 April 2021
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The following page is not properly cited as per our revamped content policy. Therefore, the article may contain information from speculative or non-canon sources. You can find out more about our citation policy here. |
"On long evenings at the Medusa's Head, where the monster-hunters drink, they brag about the beasts they've bagged - the Cantigaster, the Eater-of-Chains, the Spider Council, Jack-of-Smiles in his many bodies. But no-one tells stories about the Vake: the Vake, for whose head the Department offers a standing reward of four million Echoes. Four million."[1]
"When the Vake is mentioned, everyone goes quiet. No-one has any boastful stories. Why?"
"What is the Vake? They say it's not a monster at all. They say it's a man who dresses up as a bat. To, ah, prowl the city by night. But that would just be stupid."[2]
The Vake is a fearsome batlike monster that has a ridiculous bounty on its head.
Death from Above
No one in the Neath wants to mess with this thing, not even the most daring monster-hunters. This is mainly because the Vake's primary prey is the people who hunt it, seeking to Bag a Legend.
Some of the stranger newspapers of the Neath claim to run interviews with it, but these are, for the most part, with persons under the influence of Black Wings Absinthe. Probably.
What is it?
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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 Mother Superior settles into your comfiest chair. "The Vake is a Master," she says. "Perhaps you'd already guessed that."
More wild and irrepressible than the other Masters, Mr Veils suffered greatly from being trapped inside a dark and musty cavern, surrounded by creatures it wouldn't even consider worthy prey in its prime.[3] And then it came up with an idea. One day, the Department of Menace Eradication received a staggering new commission: four million echoes for the head of "the Vake," a giant winged creature that threatened the carefree lives of London's citizens.[4] The reward was so immense that some thought it a joke, but its authenticity was backed up by Veils itself. The Department even received a considerable sum in advance,[5] so the word about the mysterious creature and a bounty on its head spread quickly.
Particularly sharp hunters figured out that the Vake is Veils, but rather than wanting to die, it began preying upon those who would seek to slay it. It lured unwary into Parabola through the use of Black Wings Absinthe - a brew that grants a feeling of flight, visions of a hunt between stars, and eventually, glimpses of something winged following the drinker in the night. With the Vake's identity established, most wonder if it is even possible to kill such a vicious, supernatural creature.
Yet, like a respectable lady's petticoats and skirts, there are still more layers to this Master. The Vake is but one of its alter egos, the many different masks it's worn across cities -[6][7] and sometime after the fall of London, this one took over. Veils' identity as a Master... dissolved into the background, really.[8] This had almost no effect on its reputation in London; after all, it has always been cryptic, and no one will notice that anything has changed beneath its heavy cloak.[9] Mr Wines did notice, though, and has been forced to reconsider its relationship with Veils.
At its core, despite all these masks, Veils/the Vake has only three selves. Veils the Curator is the most primal and savage, desiring only to fly, hunt, and kill, showing itself most easily in the Vake as we know it. Veils of the Third City was a feathered god-priest of blood, who saw a special beauty in violent sacrifices and gory rituals.[10] It still lives, and it follows this crimson path to the end, to reckoning. Veils the Intriguer is no less vicious than the other two, but stands as an outlier: it has no claws or wings, nor a hunger for blood... at least not directly. The Intriguer is a grand manipulator, a mastermind behind the chessboard, who makes its pawns do all sorts of nasty things. The reason for its relative pacifism is that the Vake's hunt for those who would seek to slay it has changed both its prey and the Vake itself, to become more like each other. Thus, in a way, the Intriguer is more human. And that has baffling implications indeed.[11]
References
- ↑ Ambition: Bag a Legend! 0, Fallen London
- ↑ Sidebar Snippets, Fallen London
- ↑ It sees you. It simply doesn't take a great deal of interest., Fallen London
- ↑ A standing reward of four million Echoes, Fallen London
- ↑ To be paid by the Bazaar and backed by Mr Veils, Fallen London
- ↑ Huge and monstrous body explodes into many beings, Fallen London
- ↑ It does not look like a Master, or like a human, Fallen London
- ↑ Most die gasping. So does the one that looks like Mr Veils, Fallen London
- ↑ Stop and look through a distracting mirror 1, Fallen London
- ↑ I ALONE SAW ITS BEAUTY, Fallen London
- ↑ It is a monster. So are you, Fallen London
