Editing Souls

''"In simpler times, Hell would take a soul on the death of the body. Death is more complicated in Fallen London, though not unknown. So it's not terribly uncommon to meet someone who's short a soul. Some of them become mumbling, dead-eyed husks: some of them simply turn to occupations where soullessness is a professional advantage."''<ref name = "know when soul gone">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Sidebar_Snippets#Devils_and_Hell|How do you know when your soul's gone?|Fallen London|}}</ref>
[[File:Undistinguishedsouls largeicon.png|150px|alt=Three bottles containing strange swirling faces within.|thumb|A Jumble of Undistinguished Souls.]]
'''Souls''' are an inexplicable, metaphysical, and sometimes valuable facet of almost every living thing.__forcetoc__

== Buoyancy? ==
''"Souls, they say, exalt the body upwards, but there are other buoyant substances, also. Swamp gas, for instance. The breath of the Wax-Wind. When we see the soul in its proper company, is it so very enviable?"''<ref name = "attend lecture embassy">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Attend_a_lecture_at_the_Brass_Embassy|Attend a lecture at the Brass Embassy|Fallen London|}}</ref>

Souls are a very important component of life, present in almost every living creature - even plants, animals, and many otherworldly beings.<ref name = "sky barnet grand entrance">{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Sky_Barnet#The_Grand_Entrance|The Grand Entrance|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> They can affect one's mentality and livelihood,<ref name = "know when soul gone"/> and when exposed to certain experiences or emotions, a soul can become more valuable in the eyes of certain patrons.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Get_a_price_in_Brilliant_Souls|Get a price in Brilliant Souls|Fallen London|}}</ref> No one's quite sure where souls come from, but in the [[Neath]], souls are ferried to parts unknown by the [[Boatman]] after [[death]] if the deceased still possessed one,<ref name = "your move">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Your_move...|Your move...|Fallen London|}}</ref> and in the [[High Wilderness]], they go to the [[Blue Kingdom]] to be judged by the vast celestial bureaucracies there.<ref name = "sky barnet grand entrance"/>
[[File:Bottledsoul.png|alt=A bottle with a mystical swirling face.|thumb|An unremarkable soul.]]
Such a crucial part of one's identity can be removed with surprising ease,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Sidebar_Snippets#Devils_and_Hell|Eleven per cent?|Fallen London|}}</ref> and stored in a bottle for easy transport and sale.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Soul|Soul|Fallen London|}}</ref> [[Devils]] from [[Hell]], as part of a partnership of sorts with the [[Echo Bazaar]],<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Merrigans_Exchange|Merrigans Exchange|Fallen London|}}</ref> run the [[The Soul Trade|soul trade]], and are responsible for the vast majority of incidents related to soul loss in [[Fallen London]].<ref name = "trade in souls">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Sidebar_Snippets#Devils_and_Hell|A trade in souls?|Fallen London|}}</ref> It's indeed possible to live without one's soul, but the consequences may be dire, such as losing aspects of one's old personality,<ref name = "know when soul gone"/> or the side effects may be barely noticeable at all, except for a feeling that ''something'' is missing.<ref name = "get down to business">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/%22Let%27s_get_down_to_business.%22|"Let's get down to business."|Fallen London|}}</ref> In fact, certain professions are even said to ''benefit'' from soul loss, strange as that may seem.<ref name = "know when soul gone"/>

It is also possible, through the right means and a little ingenuity, to get one's soul back.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Where%27s_my_soul%3F|Where's my soul?|Fallen London|}}</ref>

== Losing a Soul ==
{{spoiler}}
''"An otherwise tedious anarchist pamphlet gained some notoriety when it claimed that eleven per cent of the citizens of Fallen London had traded, lost or otherwise mislaid their souls. An exaggeration, certainly. But the Bazaar does not permit the publication of the real number. Look around you when you next take a seat on a crowded omnibus. The girl sitting next to you could quite easily be one of the soulless."''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Sidebar_Snippets#Devils_and_Hell|Eleven per cent?|Fallen London|}}</ref>

The [[Neath]], unsurprisingly, is home to many strange ways to lose one's soul. [[Souls#Spirifers_and_Spirifage|Spirifers]] are soul-thieves who use strange, fork-like tools to wind a soul out of a person's body, often while the victim is incapacitated.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Watch_from_the_rooftops|Watch from the rooftops|Fallen London|}} ''"[...] a spirifer comes [...] with a device like a brass tuning fork, gently winds the soul from an invalid's mouth."''</ref> The Pentecost apes of the [[Empire of Hands]], home to monkeys that seek to absorb souls into themselves, strap donors to machines that prick people in the back with unseen metal instruments, while sedative-soaked rags are stuffed into their mouths. Once the process is complete, the hosts might awaken with a headache, a bruised body, and an unmistakable, inexplicable feeling of loss.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.gamepedia.com/The_Wildweald_Court#The_Chandler_of_Souls|Sell to the Mayor of Port Stanton|Sunless Sea|}}</ref>
[[File:Document.png|thumb|An infernal contract.]]But above all of these cases, [[devils]] are responsible for the vast majority of legal instances of losing one's soul in [[Fallen London]]. They refer to the process as '''Abstraction''', which is sold as an enviable, sometimes beautiful thing;<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Risk_letting_her_try_to_convince_you|Risk letting her try to convince you|Fallen London|}} ''"She murmurs quietly, and you catch words here and there: "the marvellous freedom of Abstraction", "the sublime unencumbered life", "the dream of every thinking citizen"."''</ref> they hold seminars and presentations about why souls aren't strictly necessary or valuable to their human hosts.<ref name = "attend lecture embassy"/> The devils may also form personal relationships with certain exceptional Londoners, and may monitor them through "dates" to gauge their personality type and traits.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Attend_alone|Attend alone|Fallen London|}}</ref>

Devils appear to use a metallic handheld tool to extract a person's soul,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Risk_letting_her_try_to_convince_you|Risk letting her try to convince you|Fallen London|}} ''"The Quiet Deviless steps back and reaches for her embroidery, but not before you see something in her hand. Something metallic, with a soft sheen."''</ref> and the process of Abstraction may leave a scar or mark on the person's wrist after it's conducted.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Your_very_own_Infernal_Contract|Your very own Infernal Contract|Fallen London|}}</ref> They also use '''Infernal Contracts''' as a form of verification that a soul was extracted legally, and these documents mysteriously disintegrate should a signer obtain their soul once again.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Keep_looking|Keep looking|Fallen London|}}</ref>

== Soul Properties ==
{{Major spoiler small}}
''"The soul pops and flares. What cheery blue sparks! Wait a minute - blue? You snatch up a toasting-fork and fish the soul from the fireplace. It was more valuable than the label had indicated. Back into the bottle with you, soul."''<ref name = "throw soul onto fire">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Throw_another_soul_on_the_fire|Throw another soul on the fire|Fallen London|}}</ref>
[[File:Bottledsoulblue.png|alt=A mystical bottle with a strange face floating within.|thumb|A valuable Brilliant Soul.]]
Souls are an extremely esoteric and mysterious substance, even by the Neath's standards. They're often held in transparent containers,<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Jumble_of_Undistinguished_Souls#Description|Description|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> even non-specialized ones like milk bottles;<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/An_Enclave_of_the_Dead#Interactions|Trade petrichor for souls|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> depending on the value of the soul, the receptacle and presentation may be improved to match its price.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Selection_of_Immaculate_Souls#Description|Description|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> Souls also tend to glow faintly within their bottles,<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.gamepedia.com/The_Wistful_Deviless|A hesitant request|Sunless Sea|}}</ref> valuable souls much more so,<ref name = "coruscating soul">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Coruscating_Soul|Coruscating Soul|Fallen London|}}</ref> and a soul of a particular flavor may emit a certain color, such as blue<ref name = "throw soul onto fire"/> - or several colors.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Soul_Trade_(Story)|The Soul Trade (Story)|Fallen London|}} ''"These souls are more colourful than the others..."''</ref>

Should a soul be removed from its body, it can be reinserted into its host with relative ease,<ref name = "nature of souls">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Nature_of_Souls|The Nature of Souls|Fallen London|}}</ref> and a person can theoretically live with a different soul than the one they were born with,<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.gamepedia.com/Brisk_Campaigner#Speak_to_the_Campaigner|"I have one more idea - "|Sunless Sea|}}</ref> though this is considered highly risky.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Soul_Trade_(Story) |The Soul Trade (Story) |Fallen London|}} ''"'Horrible things', it seems, occur when a soul is wrongly re-housed: but the messenger doesn't go into detail."''</ref> Inserting a soul into a ''dead'' body, however, is extremely taboo, even for the rogues of the [[The Soul Trade|soul trade]].<ref name = "nature of souls"/>

Physically, souls seem to resemble an extremely cohesive, viscous fluid; this is primarily concluded from the fact that souls can be manipulated by and lifted with forks, and seem to be affected by gravity when released from their bottles.<ref name = "throw soul onto fire"/> According to certain academics, souls also resemble a thin gas.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/Observing_the_Latest_Autopsies|The Professor|Sunless Sea|}}</ref> Each soul has a unique weight,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Apply_appropriate_methodology|Apply appropriate methodology|Fallen London|}} ''"Each soul, you explain in your best lecture-room voice, has a unique weight."''</ref> with valuable souls apparently lighter than others.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Soul_Trade_(Story)|The Soul Trade (Story)|Fallen London|}} ''"These souls are are more colourful than the others [...] lighter? Somehow you'd expected them to be heavier."''</ref> Souls also have certain optical properties, and diamond lenses can be used to study and distinguish them individually.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Apply_appropriate_methodology|Apply appropriate methodology|Fallen London|}}</ref> 
[[File:Selectionofimmaculatesouls largeicon.png|150px|alt=Three mysterious bottles, each with a unique cloudy being trapped within.|thumb|A Selection of Immaculate Souls.]]
Souls are flammable,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Sidebar_Snippets|What is animescence?|Fallen London|}}</ref> and are said to burn rather slowly.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.gamepedia.com/The_Brisk_Campaigner_collapses!|Ask after her health|Sunless Sea|}}</ref> Should a soul catch on fire when it is still within the body, it may result in a dangerous disease called [[animescence]], which is endemic to the [[Elder Continent]] and can be highly contagious should the patient die without receiving proper care.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.gamepedia.com/Assist_at_an_Animescence_Hospital|Assist at an Animescence Hospital|Sunless Sea|}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.gamepedia.com/Rosina%27s_Chambers,_in_Health#Interactions|Speak to her about her history|Sunless Sea|}}</ref> Souls are highly reactive to low temperatures as well: when exposed to the [[lacre|Neath's best impression of snow]], they explode violently like a block of sodium in a bucket of water;<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Dip_a_soul_in_it|Dip a soul in it|Fallen London|}}</ref> apparently, this is because "sufficient grief destroys a soul".<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/A_casket_marked_with_a_black_ribbon|A casket marked with a black ribbon|Fallen London|}}</ref> Furthermore, souls that belonged to hosts exposed to the [[Discordance]] may become extremely cold to the touch; these unique specimens are called '''Discordant Souls'''.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ask_how_she_first_learned_about_stones_like_the_one_you_found|Ask how she first learned about stones like the one you found|Fallen London|}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Discordant_Soul|Discordant Soul|Fallen London|}}</ref>
=== Soul Stories ===
''"A relic. I parted with that soul before my first death. It hasn't been with me through anything that matters."''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Offer_him_his_soul_back|Offer him his soul back|Fallen London|}}</ref>

''"Mmmm, yes. Quite acceptable. Overtones of forbidden lusts, and a long, desperate finish. I know just the patron for these. I think a tiny bonus is in order."''<ref name = "deal with sommelier">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Deal_with_the_Infernal_Sommelier|Deal with the Infernal Sommelier|Fallen London|}}</ref>
[[File:Chap3.png|alt=A wizened old man.|thumb|The Infernal Sommelier]]
Perhaps the most interesting property of souls is the unique way they tend to age, like a fine wine or an old journal. Souls appear to retain certain aspects of their host's mental and emotional state at the time that they were removed; for example, souls may give off airs of resentment, unauthorized lust, depression,<ref name = "deal with sommelier"/> or even unsubstantiated hope.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Exchange_your_souls_for_brandy|Exchange your souls for brandy|Fallen London|}}</ref> The '''Infernal Sommelier''', apparently hailing from the [[Fourth City]], is a man capable of reading into these auras,<ref name = "deal with sommelier"/> to the extent that he can even deduce the possible identity of a soul's original owner just by studying it.<ref name = "get price brilliant souls">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Get_a_price_in_Brilliant_Souls|Get a price in Brilliant Souls|Fallen London|}}</ref> He manages the [[Brass Embassy]]'s cellars,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Trade_it_to_the_Infernal_Sommelier|Trade it to the Infernal Sommelier|Fallen London|}}</ref> and trades in souls and infernal wines with others for his many mysterious patrons.<ref name = "deal with sommelier"/>

Certain powerful souls may also exhibit a degree of sentience despite lacking a body, with a tendency to peer from and rattle in their bottles as if trying to escape.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Silent_Soul|Silent Soul|Fallen London|}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Brilliant_Soul|Brilliant Soul|Fallen London|}}</ref> For example, a soul originating from an agent of the [[Great Game]] still retained knowledge of the host's codes and ciphers, and tapped those codes against the bottle it was imprisoned in;<ref name = "get price brilliant souls"/> furthermore, exceptional souls may share their stories and secrets when they're released from their bottles, though where they go when released remains unknown.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Free_the_souls_in_exchange_for_secrets|Free the souls in exchange for secrets|Fallen London|}}</ref>

=== Symptoms of Soullessness ===
''"Specialist surgical trusses for the soulless are sold in Fallen London. Do they work? Well, they don't return your soul. But the soulless are martyrs to bad posture. They might help with that."''<ref name = "orthopaedic solution">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Sidebar_Snippets#Devils_and_Hell|An orthopaedic solution?|Fallen London|}}</ref>

Upon losing a soul, a person's demeanor may change significantly. According to rumor, they may become "mumbling, dead-eyed husks",<ref name = "know when soul gone"/> who are "dispirited, callous, dead to pleasures and prone to viciousness".<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Soul_Trade_(Story) |The Soul Trade (Story) |Fallen London|}}</ref> Or, they may find no warmth in art or company, and suffer a feeling of low spirits.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Soul_Trade_(Story)|The Soul Trade (Story)|Fallen London|}} ''"[The Soulless Messenger] is in no pain, but he is listless and often despondent. He finds no beauty in art and little warmth in company."''</ref> Or, they may not be affected very much at all,<ref name = "know when soul gone"/> except with an inexplicable feeling of personal loss.<ref name = "get down to business"/> The soulless ''are'' infamous for their poor posture, however, and trusses for back support are specially designed and sold to assist with this issue.<ref name = "orthopaedic solution"/> The soulless are also unfortunately banned from [[Summerset College]]; conversely, the soulless, and the [[Soul Trade|soul trade]], thrive at [[Benthic College]].<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Sidebar_Snippets#The_University_2|Academic Discrimination?|Fallen London|}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Sidebar_Snippets#The_University_2|What's it like at Benthic College?|Fallen London|}}</ref>

According to the [[Bishop of St Fiacre's]], [[Snuffers]] also universally lack souls, resulting in envy of their human counterparts.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Flint|Flint|Fallen London|}} ''"We envy humans, my Cousins [...] we lack your souls and your lives."''</ref>

== Soul Flaws ==
''"It is not worth much, in its present condition. Too flawed. I could cure you of all that, if I had time, and if I cared, and if it were not just as easy to take any of a dozen other innocent souls in a better state of repair. If you want it improved, you might, I suppose, try your luck at Carillon."''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Repentant_Devil#The_Repentant_Devil|Ask him about the state of your soul (Soul Flaws ≥ 1 and ≤ 4)|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

''"I have rarely seen such a combination of stains, flaws, and disappointing features. You are to be congratulated: I assume this was intentional. You could hardly have done it by accident."''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Repentant_Devil#The_Repentant_Devil|Ask him about the state of your soul (Soul Flaws ≥ 5)|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

There are many ways to apparently "damage" a soul without losing it; these are known as '''soul flaws'''.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Soul_Flaws#reduction|reduction|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> The devils at [[Carillon]] are self-proclaimed experts in gauging and curing soul flaws,<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Stained#Interaction_description|Interaction description|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> and have as such devised unique ways to heal them, many of which involve torture.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Soul_Flaws#reaction|reaction|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

While the negativity surrounding soul flaws may seem (and for the most part is) arbitrary, certain groups or individuals despise or reject visitors with an unacceptable amount of soul flaws; for example, the Rose-Binders at [[Caduceus]] shun any visitors with a soul they deem "aesthetically displeasing",<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Caduceus#The_Place_of_the_Rose|Try to speak with the Thorn Maiden|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> and the courts at the [[White Well]] refuse to grant Testaments of Roses to those with souls that lack a requisite quality.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Facing_Judgement#Interactions|Await the verdict (1)|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

''The Carillon Compendium'', written by the Presiding Deviless, separates these flaws into seven different categories:<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Clear#Profile_description|Profile description|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

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===[[File:Iron square.png|40px]] Clear===
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''"Soul is fully transparent. No swirls, no clouding, no personality."''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Clear#Profile_description|Profile description|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

''"Disregard of death is a serious flaw. It displeases the Blue Kingdom; it makes the Devils tut."''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Carillon#Sand_Garden|Cure your clear soul|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

Hosts with '''Clear''' souls are known for their disregard for the cycle of life and [[death]].<ref name = "ask rep devil about rental dispute">{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Sky_Barnet#Devils.27_Quarters|Consult the Repentant Devil about the Rental Dispute|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> Individuals who refuse to join the military, decline to eat meat, tamper with mortality, or keep library books past their due date may find their souls more transparent than usual.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Changes_at_Carillon#endurance_crime|endurance crime (0), (30), (38), (99)|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

Individuals with Clear souls are treated unfavorably in the [[Blue Kingdom]], and are not eligible for certain favors there;<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/The_House_of_Days#The_Court_of_Apes|A Rental Dispute: Begin renegotiating the Embassy's lease|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> after all, disrespecting death means disrespecting the Kingdom.<ref name = "ask rep devil about rental dispute"/>

To cure a Clear soul, the patient must relearn the inevitability of their mortality.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Penance:_Endurance#reaction|reaction (4)|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> Therefore, the treatments they undergo involve being buried alive, copying death reports, studying dead bodies, or other morbid activities.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Airs_of_Carillon#endurance_punishment|endurance punishment (10), (50), (90)|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
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===[[File:Bloody square.png|40px]] Cold===
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''"The soul is icy to the touch. Dispassionate, clinical, removed."''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Cold#Profile_description|Profile description|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

''"Indifference to love can be corrected. But not easily."''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Carillon#Stunted_Grove|Cure your cold soul|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

'''Cold''' souls are borne from dispassion, lack of empathy, and heartlessness. Owners of such chilly souls are the puppy-kickers, the truly pitiless, those who murder their loved ones for money - the kind who let out a dark, villainous laugh when given a compliment.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Changes_at_Carillon#ordeal_crime|ordeal crime (0), (5), (38), (50), (55), (90), (95)|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

Individuals with Cold souls are not permitted to partake in the higher mysteries of [[Caduceus]], as they are considered unworthy by the [[Grand Devil]] that holds power there.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/A_Moonlit_Pool#Interactions|Drink deeply (Cold ≥ 1)|Sunless Skies|}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/A_Moonlit_Pool#Interactions|Drink deeply|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

Curing Cold souls involves coercing the penitent into feeling empathy and emotion, through suffering.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Penance:_Ordeal#reaction|reaction (0), (2)|Sunless Skies|}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Penance:_Ordeal#MajorLateral_description|MajorLateral Description|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> Patients are often prodded by pitchforks, strapped to ice cubes, menaced by kittens, and undergo other forms of torture.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Airs_of_Carillon#ordeal_punishment|ordeal punishment (0), (30), (70)|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
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===[[File:Fire square.png|40px]] Curdled===
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''"Overly willing to please, envious, obsequious... are those chunks? ...in the soul."''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Curdled#Profile_description|Profile description|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

''"Envy. Frustration. A tendency to begrudge honours given to others."''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Carillon#Chequerboard_Garden|Cure your curdled soul|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

A person's soul can become '''Curdled''' by not knowing one's place, especially by ignoring or violating the "natural" hierarchies of the universe. Owners of Curdled souls may have regarded their superiors with too much familiarity, pretended to be someone greater than they are, or even denied the superiority of any [[:Category:Nonhumans|non-human creature]]. Or, perhaps, they pried into matters of biology not meant for the human mind.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Changes_at_Carillon#conversion_crime |conversion crime (0), (10), (30), (35), (80)|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

Notably, the [[Blue Kingdom]] is apparently incapable of effectively processing the events or memories that may Curdle one's soul.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/The_House_of_Days#The_Court_of_Mules|Seek a removal of your Curdled Soul flaw|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

Curing a Curdled soul means reminding a patient of their proper place,<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Penance:_Shift_of_Perspective#reaction|reaction (3), (4)|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> so the process involves many unflattering activities and reminders of the patient's low status, such as vigorous exercises and being told of exclusive parties that the patient may never attend.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Airs_of_Carillon#conversion_punishment |conversion punishment (20), (80)|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
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===[[File:Hunger square.png|40px]] Fermented===
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''"Soul appears faintly bubbling in its bottle. It is pungent of odour and indifferent to taboo."''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Fermented#Profile_description|Profile description|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

''"Perhaps you have eaten that which you should not. Perhaps you've come in contact with something unclean. At any rate, your soul has gone a bit off."''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Carillon#Bell_Garden|Cure your fermented soul|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

Partaking in dirty deeds, shadowy affairs, and repugnant behaviors may cause one's soul to become '''Fermented'''. These are the individuals who ignore other people's plans and schedules, suffer from unaccountable peckishness, associate with [[The Tomb-Colonies|tomb colonists]] and [[Snuffers]], wear unwashed clothes, and generally commit disgusting acts... like swimming in the Thames.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Changes_at_Carillon#deprivation_crime|deprivation crime (18), (50), (65), (70), (90)|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

Curing a Fermented soul means imposing self-restraint and cleanliness on the patient;<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Penance:_Deprivation#reaction|reaction (1), (6)|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> hence, the penitents often have to suffer strict eating schedules, deprivation from beverages, extremely thorough washings, and other punishments and restrictions.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Airs_of_Carillon#deprivation_punishment|deprivation punishment (5), (25), (75)|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
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===[[File:Pastscandal square.png|40px]] Flickering===
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''"Soul-light is unpersistent, incurious, lacking."''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Flickering#Profile_description|Profile description|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

''"Maybe you've found yourself lying as a matter of course. Maybe you've forgotten a few inconvenient aspects of yourself."''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Carillon#Terrace_of_Glass_Statues|Cure your flickering soul|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

The '''Flickering''' soul flaw relates to disassociation, the loss of identity, and self-delusion. Those with Flickering souls may have been compulsive liars to themselves or others, have forgotten important aspects of their lives, memories, or achievements, or may have published a masterwork of literature but forgot to read the reviews.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Changes_at_Carillon#inescapable_truth_crime|inescapable truth crime (5), (10), (15), (55)|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

More chillingly, those with Flickering souls may also see someone else in their reflection - perhaps because they passed through a [[Parabola|mirror]] and came back changed, losing a part of themselves the process. Spores of the [[Uttershroom]], mysteriously, can also damage a soul in this manner.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Changes_at_Carillon#inescapable_truth_crime|inescapable truth crime (30), (55), (80), (90)|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

Flickering souls are generally considered extremely hard to cure, and the process mainly revolves around reminding patients of the truth and discouraging them from engaging in falsehoods.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Penance:_Inescapable_Truth#reaction|reaction (3), (5), (7)|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> Punishments include being depicted in a portrait with unwavering accuracy, copying informational articles, and eating past untruths written on scraps of paper.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Airs_of_Carillon#inescapable_truth_punishment|inescapable truth punishment (0), (45), (60)|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>   
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===[[File:Mirrors square.png|40px]] Lightless ===
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''"Slothful, viceful, willful abandonment of talent and interest."''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Lightless#Profile_description|Profile description|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

''"Perhaps you have fallen into habits. Perhaps you haven't stretched your imagination lately."''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Carillon#Gaslight_Terrace|Cure your lightless soul|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

The '''Lightless''' soul flaw can be caused by poor habits, playing things overly safe, or leaving things "just good enough". Those with Lightless souls may have abandoned their natural talents or overwhelmed themselves with sloth... or they may have eaten too many carob candies.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Changes_at_Carillon#enlightenment_crime|enlightenment crime (0), (20), (32), (40), (45), (70)|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

Lightless souls are not allowed to partake in the mysteries of [[Caduceus]], as the [[devils]] there consider them dull,<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/A_Moonlit_Pool#Interactions|Drink thirstily|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> and they're not permitted to move beyond the Catafalque within [[Death's Door]] as they will fail the administered soul-quality tests.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/The_Catafalque#Interactions|Offer help to a Lightless spirit|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

Curing Lightless souls involves livening things up for patients by imparting within them a sense of self-worth and ambition.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Penance:_Enlightenment#reaction|reaction (0), (1), (3)|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> Hence, Lightless patients are forced to "put themselves out there" by undertaking arduous public musical performances, as well as learning strange new skills and gaining new experiences they may have avoided otherwise.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Airs_of_Carillon#enlightenment_punishment|enlightenment punishment (15), (17), (20), (22), (25), (28), (35), (44)|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
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===[[File:Scrawl1small.png|40px]] <font color="red">Stained</font>===
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''"Soul appears damaged, scorched. Reckless, dangerous and fatally curious."''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Stained#Profile_description|Profile description|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

''"Perhaps you've looked into topics you should not have. Perhaps your soul has been consumed and spat out again by an unspeakable beast."''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Carillon#Garden_of_Insatiable_Roses|Cure your stained soul|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

As arguably the most dangerous of the seven soul flaws, '''Stained''' souls are the mark of the overly curious: those who seek forbidden knowledge or the world's deepest secrets. Those who bypass censors, study the facets of star-killing, learn dangerous [[Correspondence]] sigils, or look too closely into the nature of wells may gain a Stain on their soul.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Changes_at_Carillon#excess_crime|excess crime (0), (18), (20), (45)|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

The method of curing Stained souls involves imparting within the patient one lesson and one lesson only: that there is a such thing as too much.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Penance:_Excess#reaction|reaction (0)|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> Thus, penitents are forced to gorge themselves on excesses of food, drink, and most importantly, secrets.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Airs_of_Carillon#excess_punishment|excess punishment (0), (10), (50)|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> Strange essences sourced from the [[Prison of Flint]] may also cure a Stained soul, but obtaining such substances is easier said than done.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Flint|Flint|Fallen London|}} ''"I believe those essences remain in its Prison of Flint..." [...] Give him the Essences: "Do you have them?" [...] Unstain your soul: You wish you had not done what you have done."''</ref>
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== The Soul Trade ==
[[File:SoulTrade.gif|center|880x880px|alt=A (non-canonical) ticker board of the soul trade. By Observator42.]]

''"Souls are traded to Hell for brass, hydrogen, devilbone, earthly delights, rare coins and other things difficult to find in a department store. Trade without a license is punishable by - well, I don't want to upset you. Nothing you'll need to worry about. After all, you wouldn't be daft enough to engage in spirifage: the unlicensed trade in souls."''<ref name = "trade in souls"/>

The '''soul trade''' is the legal, healthy, and widespread trade of extracted human souls. Legally speaking, souls are actually classified as ''light sources'',<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/A_hissing_finale!|A hissing finale!|Fallen London|}}</ref> and any imports of souls coming into [[Wolfstack Docks]] from around the [[Unterzee]] are taxed and must be appropriately stamped with an Imperial Customs seal.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.gamepedia.com/The_Revenue_Men|Declare all controlled goods|Sunless Sea|}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.gamepedia.com/Unstamped_Crate_of_Brilliant_Souls#Item_description|Item description|Sunless Sea|}}</ref> Like all trade in [[Fallen London]], commerce in souls must be conducted through the [[Bazaar]],<ref name = "what is spirifer 2">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Sidebar_Snippets#Devils_and_Hell|What is a spirifer? (2)|Fallen London|}}</ref> and any business that is conducted in souls without an appropriate license is punished extremely harshly.<ref name = "trade in souls"/>

=== Spirifers and Spirifage ===
''"There's a healthy export trade in souls from Fallen London to Hell. But like all trade, it's licensed and overseen by the Bazaar. Spirifers are those rogues who bypass the Bazaar to sell directly to Hell. A soul may be a final desperate payment against a bad debt; it may be gambled unwisely; or it may be tricked from its first owner."''<ref name = "what is spirifer 2"/>[[File:Forkbrass.png|thumb|A Spirifer's Fork.]]
'''Spirifers''' are soul-merchants who happen to lack permission or licensing from the [[Bazaar]] or [[London]]'s authorities.<ref name = "what is spirifer 2"/> Most are human, and they usually try to trade souls directly to [[Hell]] instead, bypassing London's tariffs and strict regulations.<ref name = "what is spirifer 2"/> Their trade is called '''spirifage;''' it can be lucrative, but spirifers are prosecuted severely if caught.<ref name = "trade in souls"/> 

Spirifers are infamous for their preferred means of obtaining souls: stealing them from invalids and other incapacitated parties.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Sidebar_Snippets#Devils_and_Hell|What is a spirifer? (1)|Fallen London|}}</ref> To do this efficiently, they use '''spirifer's forks''', brass-colored metallic instruments that can wind out a person's soul from their mouth or some other orifice. Unfortunately, victims tend to die of shock from the extraction process.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Watch_from_the_rooftops|Watch from the rooftops|Fallen London|}} ''"...a spirifer [...] leans over a bedside [...] device like a brass tuning fork..."''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Soul_Trade_(Story)|The Soul Trade (Story)|Fallen London|}} ''"You roam around [...] extracting souls. The spirifer's fork works [...] winding the souls [...] from the mouth or eyes. A few [...] victims [...] killed by the shock..."''</ref> Apparently, spirifer's forks work because they're specialized in removing souls that are considered "loosely tethered".<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Spirifer's_Fork|Spirifer's Fork|Fallen London|}}</ref>

To be established as a spirifer, an aspirant needs a patron, such as a [[devil]] from the fringes of the [[Brass Embassy]].<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Soul_Trade_(Story)|The Soul Trade (Story)|Fallen London|}} ''"The Brass Embassy pays well for souls. [...] A serious spirifer needs an infernal fence for the goods. [...] There are devils around the Brass Embassy [...] those that indulge in unlicensed soul commerce are circumspect."''</ref> They may be forced to pass a grueling test before the patron will accept them and provide them with a spirifer's fork,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Soul_Trade_(Story)|The Soul Trade (Story)|Fallen London|}} ''"Was this a test?. [...] A devil finds you at home. He congratulates you [...] offer you a commission. [...] You will be there [...] how is this [...] soul extraction device operated?"''</ref> but after paying for it, the newly-minted spirifer can sell souls to their patron for a better rate than at the [[Echo Bazaar]].<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Soul_Trade_(Story)|The Soul Trade (Story)|Fallen London|}} ''"[...] sack of bottled souls in tow [...] pass on some to the fence as payment for the spirifer's fork. [...] you are an established spirifer now: you will get a better deal on souls than the Bazaar offers..."''</ref>
[[File:MonkeySSea.png|alt=A grinning monkey.|100px|thumb|A Pentecost ape.]]
[[The Empire of Hands]], in the far eastern [[Unterzee]], is a colony of intelligent monkeys who have managed to acquire and absorb many human souls within themselves - several in one body, in some cases. Being monkeys, they often go overboard and conclude that more is better; social status in the Empire is in fact based on how many souls a monkey possesses,<ref>{{FLCitation|https://sunlesssea.gamepedia.com/Empire_of_Hands#Port_Stanton|An Audience with the Flea-Ridden Mayor|Sunless Sea|}}</ref> and they actively try to acquire souls from donors as well as from careless zailors.<ref>{{FLCitation|https://sunlesssea.gamepedia.com/Empire_of_Hands#Port_Stanton|Help your navigator sell his soul|Sunless Sea|}}</ref><ref>{{FLCitation|https://sunlesssea.gamepedia.com/Empire_of_Hands#Port_Stanton|Shore leave (A walk in the woods)|Sunless Sea|}}</ref> Apparently, they "absorb" human souls with the intention of inheriting the soul's traits and becoming more human-like,<ref>{{FLCitation|https://sunlesssea.gamepedia.com/Empire_of_Hands#Port_Stanton|Recover your soul|Sunless Sea|}}</ref> due to a burning envy for their less fur-covered counterparts.<ref name = "her master's voice">{{FLCitation|https://sunlesssea.gamepedia.com/Sovereign_Island#An_Audience_with_the_Emperor|Her Master's Voice|Sunless Sea|}}</ref> Much to their anger, the [[Admiralty]] considers their activities a form of spirifage, and has cut them off from any business with London as a result.<ref>{{FLCitation|https://sunlesssea.gamepedia.com/Empire_of_Hands#A_Stern_Reminder_from_the_Admiralty|A Stern Reminder from the Admiralty|Sunless Sea|}}</ref><ref name = "her master's voice"/>
[[File:SpiriferEngine.png|alt=A strangely decorated flying train engine.|100px|thumb|A Spirifer Engine.]]
Given the abundance of souls within the [[Blue Kingdom]], it's not surprising that illegal spirifage would be an issue even there. Spirifers in the [[High Wilderness]] travel in '''Spirifer Engines''', strange locomotives that often disguise themselves as funerary locomotives, decorated in a crude imitation of the Blue Kingdom's burial customs and rites.<ref>{{FLCitation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Spirifer_Engine|A Spirifer Engine, Stopped|Sunless Skies|}}</ref><ref name = "scrap the engine">{{FLCitation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Spirifer_Engine|Scrap the engine|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> They may also appear to be merchant ships, or take on other disguises are that less well-known;<ref name = "retrieve otherworldly artefact">{{FLCitation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Spirifer_Engine|Retrieve an Otherworldy Artefact|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> unfortunately for them, the [[Logoi]] that patrol the Blue Kingdom are rarely fooled by this ruse, and as such attack them on sight.<ref name = "scrap the engine"/>

Spirifers in the High Wilderness may also possess strange artifacts that can open the various '''Vaults''' that pepper the Blue Kingdom;<ref name = "retrieve otherworldly artefact"/> these treasure troves are filled with souls, but are frequent targets for raiders and ambushers due to their lucrative contents.<ref>{{FLCitation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Discoveries#Vaults_of_Souls|Vaults of Souls|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

=== Shepherds and the C.V.R. ===
''"You know it at once. Your soul, which was taken from you! A note simply reads: BE MORE CAREFUL NEXT TIME. Beneath it, a crudely drawn shepherd's crook."''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Something_unexpected|Something unexpected|Fallen London|}}</ref>
[[File:Pocketwatch.png|thumb|A Shepherd's Timepiece.]]
Given the moral dubiousness of the soul trade, it only makes sense that certain groups and individuals would try to campaign against it.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Soul_Trade_(Story)|The Soul Trade (Story)|Fallen London|}} ''"He speaks at length on the evils of the soul trade..."''</ref> One of these groups is the '''Committee for Vital Restitution''', or '''C.V.R.''', who seek to return souls to their rightful owners regardless of the costs or risks.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Soul_Trade_(Story)|The Soul Trade (Story)|Fallen London|}} ''"If you are to return souls to their rightful owners you will require allies. [...] They are looking for a group called the Committee for Vital Restitution. [...] a meeting of the 'C.V.R.' will take place [...] the savers of souls you are looking for?."''</ref> Unfortunately for them, interfering in the soul trade in this manner is illegal and is prosecuted by the [[Constables]] and the [[Masters]], and the [[Church]] does not publicly approve of such activities either;<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Soul_Trade_(Story)|The Soul Trade (Story)|Fallen London|}} ''"The Church will not publicly intervene: [...] The Masters of the Bazaar look harshly on interference with the soul trade. Those who would restore souls are persecuted by the Constables."''</ref> hence, the C.V.R. often has to meet in secret, wearing masks and hoods, in a different location every time.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Soul_Trade_(Story)|The Soul Trade (Story)|Fallen London|}} ''"You have heard rumours of odd sects [...] around Watchmaker's Hill [...] a meeting of the 'C.V.R.' will take place in [...] Tyrant's Gardens [...] You observe the small meeting: masked, hooded and otherwise obscured figures [...]"''</ref> As part of their work, the C.V.R. collects both souls and infernal contracts, in an effort to ensure that the souls are matched correctly with their original owners,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Soul_Trade_(Story)|The Soul Trade (Story)|Fallen London|}} "''recovering souls is essential, returning them to their correct owners is actually the most difficult part of the C.V.R.'s work [...] Have you any souls for restoration or infernal contracts to help the process along?"''</ref> and interestingly, some members of the C.V.R. may be reformed spirifers themselves.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Soul_Trade_(Story)|The Soul Trade (Story)|Fallen London|}} ''"He speaks [...] with such detailed knowledge that you suspect him of once having been a spirifer himself."''</ref>

New recruits of the C.V.R. must prove themselves to verify their qualifications and dedication to the cause.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Soul_Trade_(Story)|The Soul Trade (Story)|Fallen London|}} ''"...new members of the Committee must prove themselves both trustworthy and capable."''</ref> Upon their induction into the group, they'll receive a unique pocket watch called a '''Shepherd's Timepiece''' that serves as a symbol of membership,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Soul_Trade_(Story)|The Soul Trade (Story)|Fallen London|}} ''"He hands you a beautiful little pocket watch. [...] the secret sign of members of the Committee of Vital Restitution...</ref> and will engage in regular contact with the C.V.R.'s '''Soulless Messenger''', an individual who unfortunately lost their soul in a foolhardy wager in their younger days.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Soul_Trade_(Story)|The Soul Trade (Story)|Fallen London|}} ''"[The Soulless Messenger] was tricked out of his soul in a foolish bet in his youth. [...] The Soulless Messenger from the Committee for Vital Restitution is making his rounds."''</ref> Despite the C.V.R.'s lack of public support, many powerful individuals in certain circles support the C.V.R., and often reward them handsomely for their good deeds.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Soul_Trade_(Story)|The Soul Trade (Story)|Fallen London|}} "Both souls and contracts together! [...] The more influential members of the Committee will no doubt sing your praises in certain circles."''</ref> Apparently, a Shepherd's Timepiece can also be a useful tool in the process of soul restoration itself, but its exact capabilities are unknown.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Caught_Up_in_a_Soldier%27s_Heartbreaking_Tale|Caught Up in a Soldier's Heartbreaking Tale|Fallen London|}} ''"Your duty as a Shepherd of Souls is clear! [...] You do something complicated with your watch and a spare soul jar..."''</ref>

== Devils and Souls ==
''"Do you happen to have a case of souls for me? No I'm not going to eat them! We don't eat souls, usually. I'm not clear how that story got around. I just - I told you that I miss London. I miss Hell. I'd like a keepsake. And all souls are ours, you know, by right."''<ref name = "hesitant request">{{FLCitation|https://sunlesssea.gamepedia.com/The_Wistful_Deviless|A hesitant request|Sunless Sea|}}</ref>
[[File:Devil.png|alt=A man with fangs, a mustache, and a nice fedora.|thumb|A [[Devil]].]]
[[Devils]] have an interesting relationship with souls; contrary to popular belief, they do not eat the souls they receive from the soul trade. What they actually ''do'' with the souls they obtain, however, is currently unclear. That said, devils seem to have an emotional response when receiving souls after being deprived of them for an extended period of time,<ref name = "hesitant request"/><ref>{{FLCitation|https://sunlesssea.gamepedia.com/A_Buzzing_Beggar|Yes, you have zouls. Souls.|Sunless Sea|}}</ref> and they also possess the ability to appraise and identify souls just from their bottles,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Show_her_the_soul_you_took_from_the_Discerning_Deviless|Show her the soul you took from the Discerning Deviless|Fallen London|}}</ref> identifying a soul's "flavor" with relative ease.<ref>{{FLCitation|https://sunlesssea.gamepedia.com/The_Brass_Embassy|Sell a Crate of Human Souls to the Brass Embassy|Sunless Sea|}}</ref> In fact, certain devils use designations that are very similar to real-life brandy designations to grade souls; for example: the designation of "V.S.A.H." apparently indicates a valuable soul.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_front_desk|The front desk|Fallen London|}} ''"Holding a soul V.S.A.H. or better in grade."''</ref> Devils also do not seem keen on obtaining souls tinged with [[Rubbery Men|Rubbery]] Essences, which may occur if the host obtained a... ''peculiar'' personal enchantment .<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Soul_Trade_(Story)|The Soul Trade (Story)|Fallen London|}} ''"Let the devil know about your [...] addition [...] If you've gone and infused yourself with—" [...] "Essences, it's hardly worth my while to come here."</ref>

Devils actually have souls of their own, which are known to be quite different from human ones. According to the Presiding Deviless at [[Carillon]], devil souls change "on their own", meaning their properties can warp significantly without being part of a host, unlike human souls.<ref>{{FLCitation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Carillon#Discussion_with_the_Presiding_Deviless|Probe into the nature of Devil souls|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> Furthermore, devil souls are apparently "changeable" and can alter the behavior and personality of their hosts in an erratic manner; for example, a devil-turned-spirifer once had a very different soul when he still worked at Carillon, as the Presiding Deviless's mentor, no less.<ref>{{FLCitation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Carillon#Discussion_with_the_Presiding_Deviless|Turn in the Spirifer|Sunless Skies|}}</ref><ref>{{FLCitation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Carillon#Discussion_with_the_Presiding_Deviless|Offer to take the Spirifer on board your engine|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
[[File:Lawfurnace.png|alt=A fireplace and stoker.|thumb|A Law Furnace.]]
Being as technologically advanced as they are, devils possess many forms of technology involving souls that may seem completely alien to the average Londoner. In the [[Iron Republic]], beyond a strange brass gate, is a "place not of tormenting, but fermenting" there exists an '''Infernal Vinification Apparatus''':<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/A_Day_Outside_of_Days|A Day Outside of Days|Fallen London|}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Open_the_gate|Open the gate|Fallen London|}}</ref> a strange mixing apparatus and selection of flasks apparently used to improve and refine souls.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Infernal_Vinification_Apparatus|Infernal Vinification Apparatus|Fallen London|}}</ref> Devils also possess machines called '''Law Furnaces''', which can be used to both create and destroy surrounding Law;<ref>{{FLCitation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/The_Inscribed_Tinkerer%27s_Designs#Interactions|Acquire a 'Pluto' Miniature Law-Furnace|Sunless Sea|}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Icarian_Cup|The Icarian Cup|Fallen London|}} ''"Industrial run-off from the Law-Furnaces has resulted in a rolling bank of repealed, misbegotten and self-violating laws..."''</ref> these furnaces seem to use souls as part of their operation for an unknown purpose, possibly to act as a quickening agent, and can be found in both [[Hell]] and in the Iron Republic.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Trial_and_Error|Trial and Error|Fallen London|}} ''"Besides the paper, nothing else is fed into the machine, [...] You find a soul wedged between two gears. It looks damaged. [...] The law furnace was a poor imitation of the great factories that sit on the edges of Hell."''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Breed_the_Rubbery_Hound_5|Breed the Rubbery Hound 5|Fallen London|}} ''"They snag a soul in each of these things. Somewhere in the gears. Helps quicken it, or something."''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Icarian_Cup|The Icarian Cup|Fallen London|}} ''"Industrial run-off from the Law-Furnaces [...] rolling out from the Iron Republic..."''</ref> Other infernal machines that use souls include deadly clockwork beetles called '''malebolgic scarabs'''; the souls within them are also apparently used to "quicken" the contraptions.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Breed_the_Rubbery_Hound_5|Breed the Rubbery Hound 5|Fallen London|}} ''"[...] a cloud of clicking brass beetles. "Malebolgic scarabs!" [...] "They snag a soul in each of these things. Somewhere in the gears. Helps quicken it, or something. [...]"''</ref>

Certain infernal engineers have also created the '''Moloch-Class Liner''',<ref>{{FLCitation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Moloch-Class_Liner|Description|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> a powerful sky-locomotive with the functionality to burn souls of a high caliber as a fuel source in a pinch,<ref>{{FLCitation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Adrift!#Interactions|Burn unremarkable souls|Sunless Skies|}}</ref><ref>{{FLCitation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Adrift!#Interactions|Burn fine souls|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> and devils are also capable of forging souls into valuable trinkets, such as rings, but such transactions come with interest.<ref>{{FLCitation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Carillon#Discussion_with_the_Presiding_Deviless|Have the devils forge a ring for the princess|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

==The Truth?==
''"Finally, a soul returns to the sky, for the Judgements to absorb and savour and add to their nature. I do not regard this as ascension. I regard it as digestion. But I fear it comes to us all."''<ref>{{FLCitation|https://sunlesssea.gamepedia.com/Light%27s_fever|Yearning, burning|Sunless Sea|}}</ref>

''"Whose soul was this? A queen? A genius? A prophet? It's like looking into the face of the sun."''<ref name = "coruscating soul"/>
[[File:Visionoftheheavens largeicon.png|150px|alt=A sun behind clouds.|thumb|[[The Sapphir'd King]]]]
Souls are the food of the gods, and no god is higher on the food chain than the [[Judgements]]. Stars seem to need souls, and lots of them; not much is known about their table habits exactly, but it is known that they "eat" souls.<ref name = "make immaculate soul">{{FLCitation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/The_Forge,_Awoken#Interactions|Craft an Immaculate Soul|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> The [[Blue Kingdom]] is actually a massive, sprawling industrial complex specifically designed to weed out souls that the [[Sapphir'd King]] would not prefer; it uses [[Logoi]] as well as its Yoked spirits to ensure that the process moves smoothly,<ref>{{FLCitation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Beyond_Death%27s_Door#Story_description|Story description|Sunless Skies|}}</ref><ref>{{FLCitation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Sky_Barnet#Free_Consultation|What is Yoked status?|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> and the facilities of [[Death's Door]] administer strict tests on the various spirits that pass through to their eternal reward.<ref>{{FLCitation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Bargains|All that remains|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> What lies ''beyond'' Death's Door is a titanic, star-sized machine, where spirits are dissected and fed into the Blue Kingdom's deeper regions, presumably to provide the Azure with his next meal.<ref>{{FLCitation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Beyond_Death%27s_Door#Interactions|Discover what happens to spirits beyond Death's Door|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> Another Judgement, the [[Garden-King]], when he was still alive, used [[Port Avon]] as a dinner table of sorts to consume the souls delivered from his various servants including several [[Curators]].<ref>{{FLCitation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Mr_Menagerie%27s_Stall_for_Delicious_Scouts#Interactions|Listen to a story of things past|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

The [[Forge of Souls]] actually has a means to ''create'' souls from scratch: several spirits in the Forge operate on the soul and use sigils of the [[Correspondence]] to "quicken" it, resulting in a soul that is often rather valuable.<ref name = "make immaculate soul"/> ''All'' souls, in fact, may have the potential to become Judgements,<ref name = "your move"/> though this outcome may have progressed further for certain souls than others.<ref name = "coruscating soul"/><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Judgements'_Egg|Judgements' Egg|Fallen London|}}</ref>
[[File:Repentantdevil.png|thumb|150px|alt = A humanoid with yellow eyes and large sideburns.|[[The Repentant Devil]]]]
In ages past, certain [[Grand Devils]] once served the Judgements as "sommeliers", or presumably, soul-tasters,<ref>{{FLCitation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Winter%27s_Reside#A_Solitary_Cobbled_Street|Find the tomb of the Mantle-bearer|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> and some Grand Devils still serve beyond Death's Door to this day.<ref>{{FLCitation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Beyond_Death%27s_Door#Interactions|Pledge your eternal service to the Sapphir'd King|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> One devil, the [[Repentant Devil]], would develop various techniques to improve souls, under the philosophy of "matching the soul to its Judgement",<ref>{{FLCitation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Repentant_Devil#The_Repentant_Devil|Ask the Repentant Devil about his former friend at Carillon|Sunless Skies|}}</ref><ref name = "debrief him on carillion">{{FLCitation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Repentant_Devil#The_Repentant_Devil|Debrief him on Carillon|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> and his skills are still in demand in the modern day, especially in the [[Blue Kingdom]], much to his annoyance.<ref>{{FLCitation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Repentant_Devil#The_Repentant_Devil|Assemble the Devil's Evidence|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> Despite their effectiveness, he also considers the devils of [[Carillon]] rather incompetent.<ref name = "debrief him on carillion"/>

There's a strange bell located within [[Low Barnet]] that steals the souls of those who ring it. Apparently, it was installed by the [[Admiralty]] to feed souls to the [[Dawn Machine]].<ref>{{FLCitation|https://sunlesssea.gamepedia.com/The_Bell_Tower#Interactions|Ring the bell|Sunless Sea|}}</ref>

As an aside, death by drowning can change a soul slightly, and interestingly, some stars seem to find such a change incompatible with their palates.<ref>{{FLCitation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Sky_Barnet#Devils.27_Quarters|Visit the Repentant Devil|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

== Real-Life Inspirations ==
The question of the existence and the importance of souls has been pondered arguably since the beginning of philosophy as a discipline. People in real life might not have had the [[The Correspondence|laws of nature work in their favor]] and likely haven't seen a [[devil]], but the idea of a life-giving essence inherent to all things has been plaguing the minds of humanity for millennia - as has the concept of monstrous, evil creatures living deep underground. So many societies across history have told stories about souls: a divine quantum inside every human, a source of inner strength, a person's real self. 

As an example, the philosopher [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gottfried_Wilhelm_Leibniz Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz], one of the inventors of calculus, thought that every single object, no matter how big or small, has a soul, and the soul's strength defines this object and brings it existence. Small particles combine into more complex systems, which then also combine, and so on, and sentient souls may develop even further, not by outside influence, but rather by revealing their true potential. And every soul is a reflection of God, as well as a potential divine being in itself, able to create its own universe.<ref>{{Citation|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gottfried_Wilhelm_Leibniz#Monads|Wilhelm Leibniz: Monads|Wikipedia|}}</ref> 

These concepts are reflected in the world of ''Fallen London'', where even tiny human souls are said to possess the potential to become [[Judgements]] and slowly grow and change as they gain experience, inanimate objects can become animate given the right push, such as in places like [[Polythreme]], and said ideas are directly referenced in the following passage from the game itself:

''"You're writing some notes on the possibility that every thing here has a soul, or a spirit, when your quill twists in your hand and starts scrawling gibberish across the paper. The paper resists the ink, crumpling and creasing, but you salvage what you can."''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/What_can_you_learn_of_matters_spiritual_and_supernatural%3F|What can you learn of matters spiritual and supernatural?|Fallen London|}}</ref>

==References==
''Special thanks to [[User:Observator42|Observator42]] for developing this page and providing the amazing soul stock ticker GIF.''
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