Editing The Coilheart Games

{{spoiler}}
{{Event
|image1 = Estival2024.png
|date = Summer of 1899 (2024)
|location = [[The Labyrinth of Tigers]]
|alias = The Coilheart Games
|notable_figures = [[Tigers#The Tiger Keeper|The Tiger Keeper]]<br>[[Mr Huffam]]
|related = [[Tigers]]<br>[[Fingerkings]]
|title1 = The Sixth Coil
}}<blockquote>''"The Tiger Keeper rises to his hind legs. "London!" He is bellowing now, gold eyes alight with zeal. "The Sixth Coil is opening at last! And we shall share its boundless riches... with the victors of the Coilheart Games!" The Tiger Keeper's shout ends in a roar, quickly adopted by his fellows in the Gardens."''<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Stripes_in_the_Bandstand Stripes in the Bandstand, ''Fallen London'']</ref></blockquote>

The '''Coilheart Games''' were a notable event of (the fourth) 1899, in which [[London]] hosted an international sports competition to judge who would be worthy to enter the Sixth Coil of the [[Labyrinth of Tigers]].

==The Sixth Coil?==
<blockquote>''"'INFORMATION WANTED: What's in the SIXTH COIL?'''↵''Good MONEY Paid for SOLID & PUBLISHABLE Leads!''↵''Report EXCLUSIVELY to the Offices of the GAZETTE.'"''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Examine_the_card|Examine the card|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>In the false-summer of the fourth 1899, a gaggle of regally-clad [[urchins]] darted through London's streets, bearing the news that the [[tigers]] of the Labyrinth and the [[Court of the Wakeful Eye]] would soon be making a grand proclamation.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Grab_a_flyer Grab a flyer, ''Fallen London''] ''"The tigers – of the Labyrinth, and of the lands across the zee – have an announcement. Today. In Tyrant's Gardens. Already a slow trickle of citizens, pockets bulging with discarded sapphires, meanders in the direction of the excitement."''</ref> When the day arrived, the tigers gathered in Tyrant's Gardens to announce that a contest would be held in London, to determine who in the [[Neath]] was worthy to enter the sealed '''Sixth Coil''' of the Labyrinth and claim its boundless riches.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Stripes_in_the_Bandstand Stripes in the Bandstand, ''Fallen London''] ''"Our Labyrinth has many coils. [...] One coil has remained shuttered since before my tenure: the sixth. Soon, it will open [...] To show the beneficence of the Wakeful Eye, a select group will be permitted to enter the Coil and partake of its riches. This group [...] will consist of the winners of a tournament [...] that we shall hold in the coming weeks. A tournament not just for London, but for the whole Neath."''</ref> Speculation gripped the city: what lay within the Sixth Coil? None were more eager to find out than [[Mr Huffam]] of the ''Unexpurgated London Gazette'', who issued an open invitation to his offices for any who possessed knowledge of the Coil.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Examine_the_card Examine the card, ''Fallen London''] ''"'INFORMATION WANTED: What's in the SIXTH COIL?'''

''Good MONEY Paid for SOLID & PUBLISHABLE Leads!''

''Report EXCLUSIVELY to the Offices of the GAZETTE.'"''</ref>

The Coilheart Games were held within the Labyrinth, whose first coil was transformed into a grand stadium; there were also smaller amphitheaters erected across London.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Clamour_of_Construction The Clamour of Construction, ''Fallen London''] ''"The Labyrinth of Tigers is still open to visitors, but large swathes of the entrance and first coil are given over to construction efforts. [...] Similar, smaller amphitheatres are under construction across the Fifth City – it appears the Labyrinth owns more London property than initially appeared."''</ref> Four major international delegations descended upon London to participate in the Games: the Wakeful Court tigers,<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Burning_Bright Burning Bright, ''Fallen London''] ''"Gold and emeralds gleam amidst the fog, like eyes in the dark. Tigers chuff and purr, licking red lips, red tongues. The emissaries of the Wakeful Court have arrived."''</ref> the [[Khanate]],<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Eagle%27s_Splendour Eagle's Splendour, ''Fallen London''] ''"A great swell of bodies leaves tall ironships. The Eagle Clan of the Khanate are here in strength. Banners in blue; electric lights; suitcases and trunks."''</ref> [[tomb-colonists]],<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Memento_Mori Memento Mori, ''Fallen London''] ''"The usual tomb-ships for the Colonies are docked in port, tattered banners aflutter from the steam of the factories. But they are not admitting passengers. No, quite the contrary, they are disembarking them. A bandaged horde shuffles onto the jetties. A Raucous Grandmaster positively tap-dances down the gangplank. They bring banners; they bring swords; tomb-horses; clubs. They are here to compete."''</ref> and a mysterious European [[Surface]] power called the Koloman Republic.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/New_Dawn New Dawn, ''Fallen London''] ''"A ferry, direct from the Cumaean Canal, unloads a cargo of brightly dressed newcomers. They must be from the Surface; their skin looks too bright, too hale. [...] Their dress is European, though you'd struggle to identify anything more specific. [...] they pronounce that the Koloman Republic has come to compete."''</ref>[[File:Tigerhat.png|thumb|The Tiger Keeper]]The opening ceremony proceeded without a hitch - until a tremor rippled through the arena just as the Tiger Keeper raised his paw.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Packed_to_the_Rafters Packed to the Rafters, ''Fallen London''] ''"The delegation from the Resplendent Court of the Wakeful Eye settles on a series of rugs and scatter cushions, while the Tiger Keeper walks a circle at its centre. When the silence has ratcheted to breaking point, he raises a great paw——and the earth trembles."''</ref> The crowd began to panic, but was halted by the determined Tiger Keeper,<ref name=":1">[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/A_Prelude A Prelude, ''Fallen London''] ''"PEACE." The Tiger Keeper cuts through the panic, half speech and half roar. People freeze. [...] "It is only the coil shifting." The vice of uncertainty eases. Quiet, again. [...] "All is well." The Tiger Keeper's face is serene; almost rapturous. [...] "Be seated. The Sixth Coil is merely stirring, in anticipation of your glories."''</ref> who continued into his planned speech but seemed unsettled afterward.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Seek_out_the_Tiger_Keeper Seek out the Tiger Keeper, ''Fallen London''] ''"At your approach, the Keeper sinks back into an approximation of feline relaxation, examining his claws. It is not altogether convincing. "Scamper off and enjoy the celebrations, would you? Exciting times, to be sure – but if anybody asks me any more questions, I fear I may have to eat them.""''</ref> The Keeper, notably, said the Coil was ''shifting...''<ref name=":1" />

==Let the Games Begin!==
<blockquote>''"The Labyrinth of Tigers exerts an incontrovertible pull, distorting the usual tides of London's crowds. The Coilheart Games are well and truly underway, the thundering of the spectators often audible across the city. Nobody wants to miss the next wonder, the next intrigue, the next snippet of raw and juicy gossip."''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Coilheart_Games_(Storylet)|The Coilheart Games (Storylet)|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>The Coilheart Games consisted of four grand tournaments, each of which tested a different virtue: imagination, intellect, science, and body. There were also hundreds of smaller contests of various skills, whose winners were awarded the Distinction of the Waking Fire, a symbol of excellence in all four virtues.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/An_Opportunity_for_Excellence An Opportunity for Excellence, ''Fallen London''] ''"The Distinction of the Waking Fire is not one of the Games' headline prizes. A multidisciplinary medal awarded to those individuals who excel in each of the Coilheart Games' four Tournament virtues, it is difficult for one crowd to track and watch a competitor's progress – participants can make their mark in any of the hundreds of minor competitions taking place across the Fifth City. It's eclectic, wide-ranging, and extremely difficult to pull off. It can also be accomplished as an individual. It is perfect."''</ref>

The '''Tournament of the Sciences''' took place at [[Wolfstack Docks]], and featured a shipbuilding challenge and a subsequent race. Competitors had to construct a vessel capable of enduring the treacherous, toxic waters between Hell and the Sere Palace; the survivors of the race would then continue across the Unterzee.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/A_Tournament_of_the_Sciences A Tournament of the Sciences, ''Fallen London''] ''"A colossal worksite hangs over the distant town of Jericho Locks like a storm cloud. For each competing team there is but one aim: the creation of a ship. The first test for such a craft is a simple one. It must merely survive in a confluence of the waters of Hell and the poisoned overflow from a nearby Second City palace. The second test is more difficult: a race from the waters of Hell out to the wild Unterzee. For this, the shipyard is a riot of noise, frustration and frantic activity."''</ref> While the Eagle Clan might have been the expected forerunners, they instead built a mysterious device that exploded in their shipyard and was quickly confiscated by the [[Constables]].<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Approach_the_source_of_the_ominous_humming Approach the source of the ominous humming, ''Fallen London''] ''"[...] engineers race towards the source of the noise: a closed bay in the Eagle's shipyard. At the same time, Eagle scholars [...] rush in the opposite direction. You arrive just as the whole yard is illuminated in an electric blue, and then the explosion carries you almost to the river. [...] As your eyes adjust, you can make out the source of the explosion: a vast device, shuddering to a halt. [...] Already the Constables are here, closing the doors and carrying away the confiscated remnants of the machine."''</ref> Mr Huffam's investigation into the incident revealed that the device was seemingly intended to counteract some [[Parabolan]] force hidden within the Labyrinth.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/What_has_come_of_the_investigation_into_the_Eagle_Clan%3F What has come of the investigation into the Eagle Clan?, ''Fallen London''] ''"It seems they're of the opinion that the Labyrinth is the shelter of something Parabolan in origin. [...] That contraption that they built during the tournament – some kind of light. Effective against dreams. I don't pretend to follow the science."''</ref> With the Eagle Clan otherwise occupied, it was the tomb-colonists whose trireme claimed victory.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Watch_the_race Watch the race, ''Fallen London''] ''"But it is the Sanatoria's dread trireme, pale banners aloft like thunderclouds ahead, that takes the lead. [...] There are cheers from train and carriage as the procession wends its way to Wolfstack, and victory."''</ref>

Veilgarden’s open studio amphitheatre hosted the '''Tournament of the Imagination''', an artistic free-for-all where any medium was permitted<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/A_Tournament_of_the_Imagination A Tournament of the Imagination, ''Fallen London''] ''"A Neoclassical amphitheatre has been hastily constructed on a vacant lot in Veilgarden. For the time being, it is an open-air studio, where the tournament's competitors have organised into sections. Paints are being brought in by the bucketful, and Bazaarine literature by the cartload."''</ref> — painting,<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Meet_the_delegation_from_the_Court_(Imagination) Meet the delegation from the Court (Imagination), ''Fallen London''] ''"But the real action surrounds the Pantherine Impressionist, who is hard at work on the vast canvas. She holds the brush with her mouth and draws in sweeping arcs. The remaining tigers seem to be here to assist, or advise."''</ref> sculpture,<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Meet_the_delegation_from_the_Eagle Meet the delegation from the Eagle, ''Fallen London''] ''"Sculpture [...] has been chosen as the medium for the Khaganians' submission to the tournament."''</ref> dance,<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Meet_the_delegation_from_the_Republic Meet the delegation from the Republic, ''Fallen London''] ''"The one in charge of organising the performance is a Bespectacled Choreographer [...] He happily regales you with a precis on the 'quaturva' dance they intend to perform..."''</ref> theater,<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/A_Tournament_of_the_Imagination:_Aiding_the_Bohemians A Tournament of the Imagination: Aiding the Bohemians, ''Fallen London''] ''"In their corner of the amphitheatre, the Bohemians have flown an actual flag. [...] They have begun to rehearse a play, which seems to mostly involve a lot of languid conversation and a slow but steady flow of wine."''</ref> and beyond. There was a brief scandal when the Pantherine Impressionist, a tiger painter, was ordered by representatives of the Banded Prince to sabotage her own work. She complied,<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Witness_an_argument Witness an argument, ''Fallen London''] ''"By the time the Lord of Inks and the Striped Officiant leave the amphitheatre, she has painted over a ragged swathe of almost-finished masterwork with white primer. The sketch she scribbles in its place is not nearly so intricate, or accomplished."''</ref> causing Mr Huffam to investigate and discover that the tigers had held previous Coilheart Games to just as much spectacle, and that they had a long tradition of competing in the Games but always ensuring they did not win.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/What_are_these_tigers_up_to%3F What are these tigers up to?, ''Fallen London''] ''"[...] They aren't trying to win – actively working against it! As it's important for them to appear as though they're taking part, while handily losing. Seems they've never tried to win, even when this has happened before. [...] Seems all this has happened before – the Sixth Coil opening, that is. People entering, et cetera."''</ref> Ultimately, this tournament was won by a troupe of [[bohemians]], who staged an avant-garde play so bewildering that the judges had to declare it the winner.<ref name=":0">[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Watch_the_judging Watch the judging, ''Fallen London''] ''"In the end, the judges award victory to the coalition of Bohemians – the 'Cosmic Unity for the Progression of Aesthetics', whose name has changed in the last hour. Against all odds, every element of their work – the painted backdrops, the intricate costumes, the writing, the performance – perfectly meshes to form an explosive form of pure theatre."''</ref>[[File:Kolomanrepublic.png|thumb|The Koloman Republic's Flag]]The '''Tournament of the Intellect''' was held at [[Spite]]'s abandoned opera house, and involved a high-stakes chess tournament... although none of the delegations participating could agree on the rules.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/A_Tournament_of_the_Intellect A Tournament of the Intellect, ''Fallen London''] ''"The site of an abandoned opera house has been commandeered [...] Here, amidst sighing silk ceilings and lavishly ornamented chambers, the great game will be played. The only difficulty is that no competitor seems able to agree on the exact rules: each team has brought its own variation of chess. Still, someone will surely work things out."''</ref> In this tournament, it was the Koloman Republic that encountered setbacks; two of their competitors, erstwhile lovers, fell into a heated argument that culminated in the revelation that they were both [[Surface]] spies.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Investigate_a_commotion Investigate a commotion, F''allen London''] ''""You should have thrown the match before. I know your orders. You were not to face me," the Polymath says in English, switching as if to involve the crowd in the disagreement. "You thought that I would not be on guard because of last night? You will not outplay me as you did in Vienna." He turns to the judges, retrieving a blocky device – similar to a corresponding sounder – from his pocket. "These receive orders from the Surface. She has one, too. Check her skirts." He leans back, staring only at his opponent."''</ref> Further investigation revealed that the Koloman Republic itself was a fabrication — its entire delegation was comprised of agents from various Surface powers. Evidence also surfaced suggesting that the Sixth Coil imprisoned not treasure, but a tiger.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/What%27s_the_story_with_the_Koloman_Republic%3F What's the story with the Koloman Republic?, ''Fallen London''] ''"Huffam sits in the midst of an ever-growing labyrinth of paper and empty teacups. He rubs his brows, as if fending off a headache. "Not a country at all, are they?" He slaps his notes with the back of his hand for emphasis. "Spies, all of them. Or 'incognito diplomats'. Vienna, Paris, who knows where else. Would have seen through it immediately if my head were screwed on straight. Thank goodness for a lover's quarrel, eh?" A landslide of paper temporarily obscures the old man from view. "What I don't understand is why they're here. Their intelligence about the Coil's contents is all over the place! It can't be sold; it's shameful, or imprisoned; it's just another tiger."''</ref> Despite the aforementioned tradition of self-sabotage, the Wakeful Court's representative did win this tournament, though their expression betrayed that victory was not something to be celebrated.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Watch_the_final_matches Watch the final matches, ''Fallen London''] ''"The Patient Mastermind stands, their coat damp with perspiration. The smile on their face begins to fade as the truth of their victory sinks in."''</ref>

The '''Tournament of the Body''', a dueling tournament, took place on a football field near [[Bugsby's Marsh|Bugsby’s Marsh]] in [[Watchmaker's Hill]].<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/A_Tournament_of_the_Body A Tournament of the Body, ''Fallen London''] ''"A tourney of blade and blood and bone, of besting others in the opening of opponents. It is to be held in the new football grounds, near Bugsby's Marshes. Wits quip that the venue has been chosen to best conceal the corpses in the soft marshy earth. The judges say death must be performed with honour: true skill lies in mastery over bloodlust as well as the blade."''</ref> In a particularly harrowing bout, a tomb-colonist faced an Eagle Clan lieutenant, but Feducci intervened and pulled the tomb-colonist away just before she could kill her opponent permanently.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Witness_a_duel Witness a duel, ''Fallen London''] ''"The Whispering Duellist murmurs something as she unsheathes a dagger from her bandages. [...] The Eagles' second [...] parries adroitly, slicing away one dagger with his own, the curve turning to reach the second. But she drops low, has one dagger in his thigh, and as his blood gouts into the sand, retrieves the first and sticks it in his throat. Again. Again. And again. Again — Feducci races into the arena, pulling her away from the remnants of her opponent before she can strike true death. She whispers something to him, about the coil, about her need, about torments beyond death. Feducci is impassable: he drags her away."''</ref> Investigating the matter, Huffam discovered that those who had entered the Sixth Coil during previous [[Fallen Cities]] were trapped inside; the tomb-colonist was attempting to rescue her love, lost for almost a thousand years after winning the [[Third City]]'s games.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/What_motivates_the_delegation_from_the_Grand_Sanatoria%3F What motivates the delegation from the Grand Sanatoria?, ''Fallen London''] ''"It seems those who enter the Sixth Coil do not come back out again. [...] But nor do they die. [...] we have the eyewitness accounts – that Duellist. [...] the previous entrants to the Coil are all still down there. With... it. The treasure. The tiger? And now we're getting reports that it's a serpent, too.""''</ref> In the end, a fighter from the forsaken [[Presbyterate]] kingdom of [[Skite]] claimed a hard-fought and bloody victory.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Watch_the_proceedings Watch the proceedings, ''Fallen London''] ''"In the end, the judges award victory to the soldiers of Skite. The Weeping Mercenary stands alone, their blood mingled with their enemies [...] In each duel, they almost fell, seeming to succumb to their wounds. But, at the very last, they always rose again, taking out their less wounded opponent with their final strength. For such valour [...] they are accorded all honour."''</ref>

==One Coil, And Another ==
<blockquote>''"The Gazette can report this morning, after an extraordinary effort of international journalism, the truth of the Labyrinth's oft-touted Sixth Coil. We shall not bury the lede. We have all been deceived..."''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Read_the_front_page_(Good_Graces)|Read the front page (Good Graces)|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>[[File:Tigerserpent.png|thumb|The Seventh Coil]]
As the Games drew to a close, as crowds spilled from the Labyrinth, another, stronger earthquake struck — nearly destroying the amphitheater,<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Uncertain_Gulf_Between_Inconvenience_and_Danger The Uncertain Gulf Between Inconvenience and Danger, ''Fallen London''] ''"[...] The ground groans, and the groan travels [...] into the skeleton of the grand amphitheatre. A crack shudders across the mosaiced arena floor, and a section of seating collapses inwards. This time, the tremor does not stop."''</ref> though fortunately the stands had already emptied enough that there were no casualties.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Through_Coil_and_Cage Through Coil and Cage, ''Fallen London''] ''"The tremors stop. Dust hangs in the air, muffling shouts and the uneasy settling of the fallen stands. Around you, the noises speak more of confusion and alarm than pain; the amphitheatre was almost empty when the tremor hit."''</ref> The Striped Officiant, a Wakeful Court [[Tigers|tiger]], was the first to investigate, and found the gate to the Sixth Coil slightly ajar; Mr Huffam and four delegation representatives, notably excluding the Tiger Keeper, quickly caught up.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Striped;_Barred;_Banded_Together Striped; Barred; Banded Together, ''Fallen London''] ''""Upon my authority. Get out." The Striped Officiant surveys you, as if looking for someone in particular. You look around too. Where, in all this, is the Tiger Keeper?"''</ref> Though the Officiant desperately deflected their questions, Huffam and the delegations still pieced together what the Games had been hiding, and he wasted no time in writing an exposé.<ref name=":2">[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Read_the_front_page_(Good_Graces) Read the front page (Good Graces), ''Fallen London''] ''"'The Gazette can report this morning, after an extraordinary effort of international journalism, the truth of the Labyrinth's oft-touted Sixth Coil.' [...]'' ''The Sixth Coil does not contain treasures, but [...] A union of enemies, royal tiger and serpent-of-the-glass [...] It requires sacrifice. And so [...] tributes are offered to the glass: the victors of the Coilheart Games."''</ref> He and a contingent of victorious athletes returned and cornered the Officiant,<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Striped_Shames Striped Shames, ''Fallen London''] ''"The assembled delegates and Coilheart victors nod and jeer. You have been here for almost an hour, now, and it keeps coming back to this. The look on the Striped Officiant's face when your group had barged into the Labyrinth – utter weariness and defeat – forestalled most of the violence, but to call relations strained would be a monumental understatement."''</ref> forcing him to confess what he knew.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Present_a_pertinent_detail Present a pertinent detail, ''Fallen London''] ''"The Striped Officiant's face falls in shock, jowls exposing the black of his maw. This, it seems, was not known to him – a new horror, piled atop old guilts. "Truly?" He reaches for a copy of the Gazette, perusing it with ever-greater dismay. "But... It has been so long. I do not mean to be callous, but 'not dead' does not always mean ali—""''</ref> The tournament winners taken as tributes were indeed not dead, but trapped within the Sixth Coil; worse still, the '''Seventh Coil''' — an ancient shame of the tigers, half-tiger and half-[[Fingerkings|serpent]] — lurked within, threatening to break free.<ref name=":2" />

Desperate, the Striped Officiant implored the gathered representatives for aid in containing the Seventh Coil and rescuing the imprisoned tributes.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Unease_and_Humbled_Pleas Unease and Humbled Pleas, ''Fallen London''] ''"It is on behalf of The Prince of the Smoking Shore and Duke of all the Isles, Archipelagos and Peninsulae that were once the Sovereignty of the Humbled Satraps that I now beg for your aid. For all the Neath's aid." The Officiant sits up, then leans forward, paws outstretched, prostrating himself before you all. "Help us contain the Keeper, and the Seventh Coil."''</ref> The victors of each tournament planned to descend into the Sixth Coil, mapping its terrain<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Consider_navigating_the_Sixth_Coil Consider navigating the Sixth Coil, ''Fallen London''] ''"It is not called a labyrinth for nothing. The prison we now call the Sixth Coil was built by the very first Stained Tigers of an ancient Prince to be disorienting, an ever-changing trap. The warriors we have sent within have not returned. But it will nevertheless need to be explored and mapped, to locate the Keeper and the Seventh Coil within its depths."''</ref> and arming themselves with anti-[[Parabolan]] technology,<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Consider_the_obstacles_facing_a_rescue Consider the obstacles facing a rescue, ''Fallen London''] ''"They say that the Seventh Coil spoke to its old minsters, and filled their minds with silver. Those who rejected him, he robbed of their shapes. [...] We will need a means of cleansing outside influence – the influence of Parabola.""''</ref> before using lightbulbs to blind the entity inside and free the tributes.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Listen_to_the_plan|Listen to the plan|Fallen London|}} ''""Arrays of xanthous bulbs [...] Let go of the button, and let there be light. [...] flooding the cell with this light will this will weaken the Seventh Coil's influence, providing the imprisoned Tributes with an opportunity to flee." The Weeping Mercenary steps forward. "Which is where I come in. I'll protect them, and get as many people as possible towards the exit.""''</ref> Once everyone was safe, they would seal the gate with a powerful [[Correspondence]] sigil.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Listen_to_the_plan|Listen to the plan|Fallen London|}} ''"The Bohemian Sculptress is serious. "Once we're all out, we'll seal the door. I've been working with the Officiant to refine a binding sigil. It'll hold.""''</ref> 

The plan encountered one unexpected variable, however: the missing Tiger Keeper, whom the group found standing before the colossal chimeric form of the Seventh Coil itself. The delegates watched as the Keeper pleaded with the entity, trying to free it,<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Keeper_and_the_Coil The Keeper and the Coil, ''Fallen London''] ''"Words from the deep shadows halt your approach. "Please – my lord. My love." The Tiger Keeper's throaty voice is plaintive. "We must go. Your court takes too long to gather, and our time is short.""''</ref> but the Coil wished to stay.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Remain_hidden Remain hidden, ''Fallen London''] ''"We are not trapped. We are contemplative. [...] Is our company not enough for you, now that you behold us in the true?'<nowiki/>'''"'''''</ref> The Keeper, who had apparently fallen in genuine and voluntary love with the Coil, ultimately chose to merge with it — just as the forbidden union between a tiger and a [[Fingerking]] had birthed it long ago.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Prowl_as_a_tiger_prowls Prowl as a tiger prowls, ''Fallen London''] ''"'Is, and Not, and always, and never. We will become you as once we became each other.''' ''The Seventh Coil and the Tiger Keeper barely look away from each other, the Keeper entranced atop his throne, and the Coil hauling ever more of its body out from the shadows."''</ref> At that point, the tournament winners sprang into action; the old tributes were freed,<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Shock_of_Noon_After_an_Age_of_Night The Shock of Noon After an Age of Night, ''Fallen London''] ''"There is light. [...] Shadows flee. Beneath them all are flat, silvered planes – like a house of mirrors, or the inside of the diamond. The Seventh Coil hisses, rearing, retracting from the blazing light. The Patient Mastermind cries in triumph – behind you, the silver burns out of the eyes of the assembled crowds of tribute. Your analogues from city's past blink control back into their eyes."''</ref> and a brief skirmish with the Tiger Keeper left him wounded<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Fearful_Symmetry_(The_Sixth_Coil)|Fearful Symmetry (The Sixth Coil)|Fallen London|}} ''"Guttural fury behind you. Claws on metal. A glimpse of white and orange and death – the Tiger Keeper, mid-leap, fangs bared, maw a black and terrible void. His words are lost in his roars. Light lacerates the scales of the Coil, and the Keeper pounces through them, passing through pained walls of suddenly unreal flesh in the long arc towards your body."''</ref> and the Seventh Coil howling in distress.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Guttering_Lights|Guttering Lights|Fallen London|}} ''"'No!' The Coil's shout in your mind is a physical pressure, pushing against the backs of your eyes. 'Our beloved!'"''</ref> The Coil did not chase the tributes. It only protected the Keeper.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Sprint_to_your_allies Sprint to your allies, ''Fallen London''] ''"Coils close in from all sides – vast reaches of scaled flesh conjoined uneasily with furred segments of tiger, writhing sinuous or propelled by feline paws. The Seventh Coil's awful unvoice shrieks throughout: 'you will not hurt him he will join with us he loves us truly and after all this time—' [...] Its coils retract once more to the darkness, looping around the injured Keeper."''</ref> And so, as the last of the group emerged, the great doors to the Seventh Coil's lair were sealed, with only the couple inside.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Locking_the_Door_Behind_You Locking the Door Behind You, ''Fallen London''] ''"[...] you tumble through the great golden doorways to the Seventh Coil's hidden cell, the Cackling Mechanic at your side. You are the last through – the vestibule crowds with awakened tributes."''</ref> (The outer doors to the Sixth Coil were damaged, and remained open.)<ref name=":3">[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Entering_the_Sixth_Coil Entering the Sixth Coil, ''Fallen London''] ''"The Tiger Keeper, torchlight glittering off his circlet, pads back and forth before the Sixth Coil's doors. The tigers have not been able to push them back closed; the previous Keeper's left their sealing mechanisms spent and fractured. "We will need to be doubly vigilant, now. With the outer doors open..." He shrugs, a ripple of muscle. "I have set up patrols within. To chart the depths, and ensure that the inner sanctum remains sealed.""''</ref>[[File:Stripedofficiant.png|thumb|The New Tiger Keeper]]
[[London]] erupted in celebration at the aversion of yet another disaster. The Banded Prince visited to personally honor the victors of the Coilheart Games,<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Approach_the_Banded_Prince%27s_dais Approach the Banded Prince's dais, ''Fallen London''] ''"The Banded Prince greets you one at a time, by name. The Cackling Mechanic. The Bohemian Sculptress. The Patient Mastermind. The Weeping Mercenary. You. He speaks plainly. He does not ask you to kneel."''</ref> and the Striped Officiant was appointed the new Tiger Keeper, charged with maintaining the seal now that the Games were no longer necessary.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Catch_the_eye_of_the_Striped_Officiant Catch the eye of the Striped Officiant, ''Fallen London''] ''"He nods, long and slow, at your greeting. "It's 'Ambassador', now, actually." There is amusement in his voice, mixed with that familiar weariness. "Or 'Keeper', if you prefer. His Majesty requires that the posting here be filled, and deemed me most qualified." A chuff of resignation. "I am to oversee the Sixth Coil, and monitor the seals within, to prevent the need for such dishonour as has plagued us until now.""''</ref> Mr Huffam’s damning report was swiftly censored by decree of the [[Empress]] and the Banded Prince, so he instead published the story as fiction, altering names and details to slip past the censors.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Mr_Huffam%27s_unpublished_expos%C3%A9 Mr Huffam's unpublished exposé, ''Fallen London''] ''"The Banded Prince and the Traitor Empress may have placed an injunction upon the Gazette, but you doubt Huffam will rest there. There's more than one way to break a story."''</ref> The international delegations, alongside some of the rescued tributes, departed; other tributes chose to stay and adapt to life in London.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Bask_in_the_peace Bask in the peace, ''Fallen London''] ''"Outside, the lights and sounds of London play out their typical dramas. A few more ships set zail from Wolfstack. More visitors leave, or melt into the shadows of the Fifth City until they're no longer visitors at all. After the light and clamour of the Coilheart Games, it looks almost as if nothing has changed."''</ref> And although the Sixth Coil could no longer be sealed entirely, the watchful eye of the new Tiger Keeper ensured that what lurked below the Labyrinth would never be forgotten.<ref name=":3" />

==Historical & Cultural Inspirations==
The structure of the Coilheart Games, with its diverse international participation, draws clear parallels to the Olympic Games. This resemblance is further accentuated by the event's timing, which coincided with the real-life Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.

Imagery throughout the event narrative draws heavily from English poet William Blake's 1794 poem ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tyger The Tyger]'', which delves into themes of creation, beauty, ferocity. and the duality between innocence and experience.

The Koloman Republic's name is a nod to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coloman_of_Stockerau Coloman of Stockerau], an Irish pilgrim martyred near Vienna in 1012 after being mistaken for a spy. The republic's flag also incorporates symbols associated with him.

==References ==
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[[Category:Estival]]
[[Category:Events]]