Editing The Correspondence

<blockquote>''"A lead plaque incised, carefully, with Correspondence sigils. Not too many. Apparently even lead can burn."''<ref name="plaque">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Correspondence_Plaque|Correspondence Plaque|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>[[File:Graffitihiero.png|alt=Several strange symbols.|thumb|The Correspondence]]

'''The Correspondence''' is a mysterious language of unknown provenance, known for its effects on the mind and its high flammability. It is related to the freezing [[The Discordance|Discordance]], another language of a perplexing nature.__forcetoc__

==Surface-Level Details==
<blockquote>''"It's much safer to keep Correspondence letters on lead sheets than on paper. But still, your study is becoming a danger to public health and sanity."''<ref name="plaque" /></blockquote>[[File:Scrawl1.png|alt=A strange sigil.|thumb|''Almost never remembered'']]
The Correspondence is an esoteric form of writing that often consists of complex sigils or pictograms.<ref name = "plaque"/> It is extremely notorious for being hazardous to both the mind and the body; the heat generated from the sigils can scorch an observer's eyebrows clean off just from studying it too closely, to say nothing of the horrifying secrets that now swim through their foolhardy mind.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ask_someone_else_what_they_saw|Ask someone else what they saw|Fallen London|}}</ref> Due its high flammability, it is often inscribed on lead plaques for study,<ref name = "plaque"/> though fireproof paper is sometimes employed as well.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Flame-proof_Missive|Flame-proof Missive|Fallen London|}}</ref> It's also occasionally graffitied on the walls of [[Fallen London]], causing public discontent,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/City_Vices:_Orthographic_Infection|City Vices: Orthographic Infection|Fallen London|}}</ref> and such acts of vandalism are often dealt with by the [[Special Constables]].<ref name = "answer to nightmares">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_answer_to_Nightmares%3F|The answer to Nightmares?|Fallen London|}}</ref>

Besides the occasional scribblings of the lost or confused,<ref name = "alphabet of scars">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/An_Alphabet_of_Scars|An Alphabet of Scars|Fallen London|}}</ref> this strange language can be found in many locations throughout the [[Neath]]: from the dark spires of the [[Bazaar]],<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Further_investigations|Further investigations|Fallen London|}} ''"[...] through the city to the glistening black spires of the Bazaar [...]"''</ref> to the furthest corners of the [[Unterzee]], including the skin of the [[Dawn Machine]] and the stones near the [[Avid Horizon]].<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/Dawn_Machine|Dawn Machine|Sunless Sea|}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.gamepedia.com/Avid_Horizon|Avid Horizon|Sunless Sea|}}</ref> It can commonly be seen in several places across the [[High Wilderness]] as well, such as at the [[Most Serene Mausoleum]],<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/Correspondence_Sigil_in_the_Most_Serene_Mausoleum#Interaction_description|Interaction description|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> the chaotic region of [[Pan]],<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/Correspondence_Sigil_in_Pan#Interaction_description|Interaction description|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> and other odd corners of the sky.

There is much rumor and hearsay surrounding the Correspondence, and most daren't study it beyond a passing glance.<ref name = "sidebar correspondence">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Sidebar_Snippets#The_Correspondence|Sidebar Snippets|Fallen London|}}</ref> Approaching it without due caution may result in injuries, terror, nightmares, a trip to the [[Death|slow boat]], a permanent reservation at the [[Royal Bethlehem Hotel]]... or a lifelong ban from the library.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Back_to_the_research!|Back to the research!|Fallen London|}} ''"[...] be ejected for setting the Library on fire [...]"''</ref>

{{Dropdown|Image = Scrawl1small.png|Alt Text = A sigil in a strange language.
|Section Header = Rumors
|Quote = "Menelaus? Raffles? The Third City? What on earth?"<ref name = "sidebar correspondence"/>
|Text = There's quite a bit of rumor and hearsay about the Correspondence that circulates throughout [[Fallen London]], as listed below. Not all of it is true, but it's not all completely false either.<ref name = "sidebar correspondence"/>

''They say it's the key that opens [[Mr Stones]]' vaults. They say it's concealed in [[Mr Pages]]' library. They say it's the only way down here you can ever see [[Judgements|starlight]].''<ref name = "sidebar what is correspondence">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Sidebar_Snippets#The_Correspondence|What is the Correspondence?|Fallen London|}}</ref>

''They say it's a gate that opens in the stalactites behind [[Wolfstack Docks]]. They say you can see it in [[Mrs Plenty's Carnival|Mrs Plenty's mirrors]]. They say it's the only sure way to tell the weight of your [[soul]].''<ref name = "sidebar what is correspondence"/>

''They say it's a series of confidential negotiations between the [[The Masters of the Bazaar|Masters]] and a [[devil]] of some note. They say it comprises the billets-doux written by [[Jack-of-Smiles]] to the [[Traitor Empress]]. They say it's the letter the Pope wrote, the one without which Rome would have been the Fourth City. They say if you read it your eyes boil and your hair turns the white of old ice. They say it's written on slate in the blood of poisoned bats.''<ref name = "sidebar what is correspondence"/>

''They say it's the language the [[The Masters|bats]] speak. They say the [[Snuffers|Snuffer]] wrote it on the outside walls of [[New Newgate]]. They say the [[Topsy King]] learnt it, and that's why you can never understand a bloody word he says.''<ref name = "sidebar what is correspondence"/>

''They say it's the letters that Helen wrote to Menelaus in the years of her imprisonment. They say it's the letters Raffles wrote about the [[The Isle of Cats|Cat]] that never were published. They say it's the last accounts of the last days of the [[Third City]], strung in beads on cord in a code no-one living understands...''<ref name = "sidebar what is correspondence"/>

''They say it's the only map of all the [[Unterzee]], scratched on the keystone of the [[Neath]]. They say it predicts every price change in the Bazaar for the next hundred years. They say it's a script that you cannot write and live. They say every piece of [[Rubbery Men|deep amber]] has a fragment of the Correspondence at its heart.''<ref name = "sidebar what is correspondence"/>

''They say it's the map that connects every glimmer of [[Moon-misers|moonish light]] to a star. They say it's the key that unlocks the secrets of bat-flights. They say it's a trap that someone found inscribed on a wall in the [[First City]], and if you decode its complicated patterns you inevitably decide you're God, to the considerable detriment of your social life.''<ref name = "sidebar what is correspondence"/>

''They say it's the mathematics of [[Hell]]. They say it's the geography of Time. They say it was invented wholesale by a [[Prisoner's Honey|honey-sipper]] sitting giggling in a cramped and filthy room on Hollow Street, and it's been driving gullible scholars insane ever since.''<ref name = "sidebar what is correspondence"/>

''They say only the [[Brass Embassy]] knows.''<ref name = "sidebar what is correspondence"/>
}}

== Scholars of the Correspondence ==
{{spoiler}}
<blockquote>''"A new one! What does it mean? 'Tracks in the illimitable void?' Is it that character that translated as an emotion somewhere between love and academic excitement? Or the one that seems to mean 'bad-tempered gas?' In any case, it's meat for your researches."''<ref name="look for evidence of correspondence ruins">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Look_for_more_evidence_of_the_Correspondence_in_the_ruins|Look for more evidence of the Correspondence in the ruins|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>[[File:Library.png|alt=A stack of books.|thumb|232.778 degrees Celsius.]]
Those clever or foolhardy enough to study the Correspondence in detail are called '''Scholars of the Correspondence'''.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/A_Scholar_of_the_Correspondence|A Scholar of the Correspondence|Fallen London|}}</ref> These smoldering academics are few in number,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Discuss_the_Discordance|Discuss the Discordance|Fallen London|}} ''"[...] how many Scholars of the Correspondence [...] there aren't too many [...]"''</ref> and have a tendency to frantically study any sigils they can get their eyes on, safety and sanity notwithstanding.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/What%27s_that%3F|What's that?|Fallen London|}}</ref> They commonly frequent the [[Forgotten Quarter]], as it is littered with searing artifacts.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Set_of_Correspondence_Stones|Set of Correspondence Stones|Fallen London|}}</ref> The [[University]] also has an unnamed department dedicated to studying the Correspondence, though they prefer to practice restraint when handling the language, and shy away from handling the Correspondence directly.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/What_were_they_up_to%3F|What were they up to?|Fallen London|}}</ref> It is considered extremely dangerous to study this language on the [[Surface]], as it is outside the safe confines of the [[Neath]].<ref name = "remember something useful">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Perhaps_you_can_remember_something_useful|Perhaps you can remember something useful|Fallen London|}}</ref> 
[[File:Monosigil.png|alt=A monocle inscribed with a strange sigil.|thumb|A Semiotic Monocle.]]
Unsurprisingly, studying the Correspondence can be difficult even for the experienced academic. Works regarding the Correspondence are often fiercely hoarded by collectors or are outright destroyed by the [[Ministry of Public Decency]],<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/A_distinctly_cautious_approach|A distinctly cautious approach|Fallen London|}} ''"[...] between private collectors, [...] the Ministry of Public Decency [...]"''</ref> and lengthy discussions regarding the Correspondence in detail can be extremely detrimental to all parties involved.<ref name = "find out what he knows">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Find_out_what_he_knows|Find out what he knows|Fallen London|}} ''"Your philologist is not what he was: [...] talking to him difficult."''</ref> In fact, just ''thinking'' about the Correspondence can result in feelings of being scorched.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Correspondence_Savages_Your_Dreams|The Correspondence Savages Your Dreams|Fallen London|}}</ref> Thus, common methods for studying the Correspondence include direct field research: learning new sigils, studying uncovered sigils in detail,<ref name = "look for evidence of correspondence ruins"/> or sleeping on Correspondence-inscribed artifacts.<ref name = "incautious approach">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/A_decidedly_incautious_approach|A decidedly incautious approach|Fallen London|}}</ref> Scholars also use unique devices, such as '''Semiotic Monocles''', to study the Correspondence safely,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Semiotic_Monocle|Semiotic Monocle|Fallen London|}}</ref> and especially advanced academics may experiment with lead Correspondence Plaques, at the presumed detriment of their long-term health.<ref name = "remember something useful"/>

== The Language of Stars ==
{{major spoiler small}}
<blockquote>''"How interesting. You speak the language of Xanadu. A doubly impressive achievement when one considers the comparative lightness of your cranial scarring. Perhaps you will travel to converse with the stars themselves."''<ref name="mysteries of heavens">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_mysteries_of_the_heavens|The mysteries of the heavens|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>[[File:Sunset.png|thumb|alt = The Sun setting over the horizon.|[[The Sun]]]]
The Correspondence is the language of the [[Judgements]] - the stars, like the [[Sun]].<ref name = "mysteries of heavens"/> These sky-gods use the Correspondence to communicate amongst themselves, using [[Messengers]] like the [[Bazaar]] and the now-deceased [[House of Rods and Chains]] to correspond with one another,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Order_Ovate,_Ice|Order Ovate, Ice|Fallen London|}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/The_House_of_Rods_and_Chains#Log_Entries|Log Entries|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> and to ensure that their messages are not forgotten, Messengers inscribe the Correspondence on their carapaces.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ambition:_Nemesis_%E2%80%93_One_Last_Matter|Ambition: Nemesis %E2%80%93 One Last Matter|Fallen London|}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Warm_your_Tears_of_the_Bazaar|Warm your Tears of the Bazaar|Fallen London|}} ''"You have scored the message on your skin so you will not forget."''</ref> Correspondence sigils can also manifest directly on a star's surface, dimming their brightness somewhat and appearing very similar to sunspots.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/Within_a_Weft_of_Unravelling_Time#Interactions|Search the past for a lost Correspondence sigil|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

=== Lawful Light ===
<blockquote>''"Sunlight is - in certain senses literally, quite literally, law. Without sunlight, the earth would spin off into space. And the absence of sunlight down here means the absence of a dozen laws. Death operates unreliably (though more reliably on the zee, as you know). Geography is uncertain and shifting. And dreams - dreams - "''<ref name="chat about science">{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/Haunted_Doctor#Interactions|Chat about science|Sunless Sea|}}</ref>

''"Mathematics. Formulae. Principles that dictate how the planets move, how apples fall, how confessions can be compelled. How confessions can be compelled: the same way apples fall, and planets move. Apply the right force. Ask the proper question. The effect will follow the cause. Whoever you interrogate will speak the truth, because in the language that governs the stars, there is only the truth."''<ref name="cricket anyone">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Cricket,_Anyone%3F_(Story)|Cricket, Anyone? (Story)|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>[[File:Deathsdoorstep ambience.png|thumb|150px|alt = A door in the sky opening to reveal a star.|[[Death's Door]]]]
Many forms of the Correspondence are in fact a form of law, and Judgements use the Correspondence to enforce and maintain their celestial principles.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Cricket,_Anyone%3F_(Story)|Cricket, Anyone? (Story)|Fallen London|}} ''"A law is a sequence of words, [...] Correspondence blazes in your brain. You perceive laws [...]"''</ref><ref name = "mysteries of heavens"/> Certain manifestations of the Correspondence are indistinguishable from light,<ref name = "chuckle">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/A_Conversation_on_the_Road|A Conversation on the Road|Fallen London|}} ''"A chuckle in the Correspondence is the crackle of broken light."''</ref> so a Judgement's starlight can easily subjugate anything it reaches to its will, with the finality and certainty of a deity.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/The_Sapphir'd_King#Interactions|Pledge your allegiance|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> With a single flare, a Judgement can impose on its subjects any law it chooses, including laws that determine the rules of [[Death|mortality]], the stability of geography, the nature of [[Parabola|dreams]],<ref name = "chat about science"/> or even the definition of existence itself.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/Beyond_Death's_Door#Interactions|Rage against the light of dying|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> 

The forms of law that the Judgments enforce can range from laws defining gravity, to the trajectory of planetary orbits, to the method of proper interrogation, but they all have a core theme at heart: every sigil of celestial law defines a strict cause and an effect, because in celestial law, there is no flexibility or uncertainty; only truth.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Cricket,_Anyone%3F_(Story)|Cricket, Anyone? (Story)|Fallen London|}} ''"[...] your head is brimming with celestial law. [...] Principles that dictate how the planets move, how apples fall, how confessions can be compelled.
[...] The effect will follow the cause. [....] in the language that governs the stars, there is only the truth."''</ref>

Sometimes, the Judgements need active enforcement for certain tasks or interpretations of their laws. To this end, they may create [[Logoi]], living sigils of the Correspondence that are effectively immortal and carry out their duties with fury and gusto.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/Red_Logos|Red Logos|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

== Applications ==
<blockquote>''"It's probably safe to weld Correspondence Plaques to the stove's bottom. After all, the stove is metal; the plaques are metal; if one hasn't caught fire, the other shouldn't. And even if there were a fire, isn't that the idea?"''<ref name="reinforce the stove">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Reinforce_the_potbelly_stove|Reinforce the potbelly stove|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>[[File:Searingenigma.png|150px|alt=A piece of burning paper inscribed with odd sigils.|thumb|A Searing Enigma.]]
As one of the most all-encompassing and versatile languages in the universe, it's not surprising that the Correspondence has a variety of surprisingly practical applications. Naturally, its most obvious use is allowing communication between two highly disparate parties,<ref name = "search it for letters of fire">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Search_it_for_letters_of_fire|Search it for letters of fire|Fallen London|}}</ref> or convey concepts that cannot be easily explained in lesser tongues.<ref name = "become correspondent">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Become_a_Correspondent|Become a Correspondent|Fallen London|}}</ref> 

Unlike most languages, which reflect the world and order thoughts, the Correspondence is capable of ''shaping'' the world and ''composing'' thoughts of its own accord.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Read_the_Doctor%27s_writings|Read the Doctor's writings|Fallen London|}} ''"[...] of the Correspondence [...] Such an alphabet shapes the world around it, rather than reflecting it; it is no mere method of ordering thoughts, it composes and creates them of its own accord."''</ref> The meanings of sigils of the Correspondence that represent concepts can be especially notable, as they can be used to convey certain characteristics onto the objects upon which they're written. For instance, carefully inscribing the Correspondence sigils for "Light" and "Constancy" onto a waxen cylinder can create a candle that never loses its flame.<ref name = "create candle">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Create_your_own_Candle|Create your own Candle|Fallen London|}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Everlasting_Candle|Everlasting Candle|Fallen London|}}</ref> Furthermore, the influence of an inscribed sigil may extend far beyond the object on which it was inscribed; the entirety of [[Langley Hall]], for example, is under the influence of an alluring Correspondence sigil seared onto the body of the eponymous Lord Langley, giving the Hall its infamously hypnotic properties.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/The_Ballroom#Interactions|Ask Lord Langley about the Hall|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

But sometimes the ''meaning'' of the Correspondence isn't as important as the ''properties'' of the Correspondence. Naturally, its most well-known property is its ability to generate large amounts of thermal energy, and as such the Correspondence can be used as an extremely powerful heat source. When used correctly, it can also generate a form of smokeless combustion.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Practical_application_of_esoteria|Practical application of esoteria|Fallen London|}}</ref> However, using the Correspondence for this purpose can be dangerous, as the resulting fires can be highly volatile and difficult to control.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/Adrift!#Interactions|Inscribe a Searing Enigma upon your regulator valve|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
[[File:Sigilriddennavigator.png|thumb|alt = A man with a large sigil on his forehead.|100px|[[The Sigil-Ridden Navigator]]]]
The Correspondence's uses go beyond mere communication and esoteric engineering, however. When in the hands of a truly unscrupulous individual, the Correspondence can be used to push the very boundaries of reality. Sigils of the Correspondence can grant false life to flesh, enter dangerous pacts in exchange for service,<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/Kingeater%27s_Castle#Interactions|Rid your Sigil-Ridden Navigator of his troublesome humanity|Sunless Sea|}}</ref> be used to inflict tremendous amounts of torment on the unwary or unfortunate,<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/The_Confessional#Interactions|Open the second door|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> or prove useful in other dark quests.<ref name = "alphabet of scars"/> In fact, one of the most powerful uses of the Correspondence is its ability to manipulate time, space, and causality. With the right sigils, the Correspondence can untangle space and restore nearby surroundings to a prior state, though of course, such endeavors are no easy task, and may require entire teams of dedicated Correspondents to execute correctly.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Arrange_with_Furnace_to_repair_the_missing_block|Arrange with Furnace to repair the missing block|Fallen London|}} ''"[...] four Correspondents write [...] inscribe the equation that unknots space. [...] row-houses [...] have returned, but [...] in a pre-demolished condition."''</ref>

=== Paradoxical ===
<blockquote>''"There is no law: that is the law. Heat something, melt it, reshape it. Translate it into something new. Even the truth is mutable. Even the words you're reading aren't the words you're reading now. You scan the last sentence again. It's different. You flip to the index. There is no index. Page numbers change. Your head begins to pound."''<ref name="cricket anyone">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Cricket,_Anyone%3F_(Story)|Cricket, Anyone? (Story)|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>[[File:Mementomori.png|thumb|alt = A piece of machinery with sigils inscribed on it.|The Memento Mori]]
Even a language as ancient and esoteric as the Correspondence isn't immune to the concept of paradox; there exist self-contradictory, nonsensical, or illogical forms of the Correspondence. These mysterious laws are so paradoxical that they barely even resemble "laws" at all, but they burn all the same, and they embody the inherent mutability of language, truth, and the universe.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Cricket,_Anyone%3F_(Story)|Cricket, Anyone? (Story)|Fallen London|}} ''"There is no law: that is the law. [...] Even the truth is mutable. [...] Page numbers change. [...] To rise is to fall. Smoke coils from the crawling print."''</ref> 

As such, sigils of the Correspondence are as capable of distorting the universe as structuring it; for example, they can be used to encode [[Treacheries]], or critical fractures in the order of the world, when properly "trained into defiance".<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Finish_your_work_resizing_a_human_ribcage_using_the_Red_Science|Finish your work resizing a human ribcage using the Red Science|Fallen London|}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/St_Erzulie%27s_Candle_(Action)|St Erzulie's Candle (Action)|Fallen London|}}</ref> Thus, the Correspondence is a crucial tool in the study of [[Red Science]],<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/Visit_to_the_Smith%27s_Emporium|Ask the smith to construct an assembly-housing for the Cannoneer's weapon|Sunless Sea|}}</ref> the practice of breaking old chains and forging new links.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Artisan_of_the_Red_Science|Artisan of the Red Science|Fallen London|}}</ref>

== Practitioners ==
<blockquote>''"A jolly devil approaches you with a wager on the outcome of the match. If Benthic XI win, you receive an ancient text concerning the Correspondence. If the Brass Embassy Ladies win, you must publicly punch the Summerset chaplain."''<ref name="merry wager">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/A_merry_wager|A merry wager|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>[[File:Devil.png|thumb|alt = An individual with a nice hat and fangs.|A [[Devil]].]]
Besides humans and the [[Judgements]], there exist many wielders of the Correspondence from all corners of the universe. The [[Masters of the Bazaar]] occasionally speak it among themselves,<ref name = "opine">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/A_Conversation_on_the_Road|A Conversation on the Road|Fallen London|}} ''"([...] would opine, were he speaking in air, in a language less [...] than the Correspondence.)"''</ref> and the [[Lorn-Flukes]] and [[Mt Nomad]] are capable of weaponizing it to devastating effect.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/Lorn-Fluke#Behavior|Behavior|Sunless Sea|}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/Mt_Nomad#Game_Data|Game Data|Sunless Sea|}}</ref> Mysteriously, eyes blessed by the Correspondence are also often sought by [[sorrow-spiders|spider-councils]].<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Talk_your_way_out|Talk your way out|Fallen London|}}</ref>

[[Devils]] are also very knowledgeable of the Correspondence,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Cricket,_Anyone%3F_(Story)|Cricket, Anyone? (Story)|Fallen London|}} ''"I taught her how to speak the Correspondence through cricket."''</ref> and they utilize it in some of their highly advanced technologies, such as in their reliable devil-killing execution devices.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Tauroktonos|Tauroktonos|Fallen London|}} ''"The sigil is incandescent. [...] The Deviless pulls the lever. The sizzling brand descends."''</ref>  

=== Correspondents ===
<blockquote>''"The Correspondent writes with a pen of fire and a hand of adamant. No topic is beyond his consideration, no subject too fundamental or necessary to be critiqued. He has, with a single essay, destroyed a religion, started a war, or shaken the earth."''<ref name="become correspondent" /></blockquote>[[File:Violant.png|thumb|alt = A pot of strange-colored ink.|A Pot of Violant Ink.]]
'''Correspondents''' are professionals in the Correspondence who specialize in world-changing academics.<ref name = "become correspondent"/> These individuals tackle topics no one dare question, or topics typically taken for granted, and flip them on their heads, causing upheavals across certain circles and outrage among others. Unfortunately, their publications are often considered to be too advanced for the average reader, so they're unpopular to most audiences.<ref name = "become correspondent"/> Correspondents are also experts in wielding the Correspondence for their own ends, such as to convey their reputation,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Rely_on_your_professional_standing|Rely on your professional standing|Fallen London|}}</ref> make demands,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Expand_your_workshop_via_persuasion|Expand your workshop via persuasion|Fallen London|}}</ref> play politics, or other tremendous feats.<ref name = "become correspondent"/> 

The ink Correspondents prefer to use is [[violant]], the color of troublesome but necessary connections,<ref name = "pot of violant ink">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/A_Pot_of_Violant_Ink|A Pot of Violant Ink|Fallen London|}}</ref> as violant ink is the one of the best inks for conveying the connection between meaning and symbol.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Discordant_Studies_(Storylet)|Discordant Studies (Storylet)|Fallen London|}} ''"You're using Violant Ink instead, which is better at capturing the connections between symbols and their meanings."''</ref> Apparently, it tastes like pitch with a hint of tears.<ref name = "pot of violant ink"/>

== Spelling and Grammar ==
<blockquote>''"You walk through the city to the glistening black spires of the Bazaar. Your studies have advanced to the point that you understand a little of the grammar of the Correspondence."''<ref name="further investigations">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Further_investigations|Further investigations|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>Like all languages, the Correspondence has rules regarding grammar, spelling, and structure, but these rules can be unintuitive or hard to understand.<ref name = "further investigations"/>

=== Sigils and Sentences ===
''"Some sigils are known and frequently attested. Some can be guessed, assembled from other marks. Some are hapax legomera, seen once in the corpus and never again. And some marks can only be definitely identified as Correspondence when you write them on a page and discover that they burn."''<ref name = "speculate on meaning">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Speculate_on_meaning|Speculate on meaning|Fallen London|}}</ref>
[[File:Merch correspondence.png|thumb|alt = Several strange sigils.|Eight sigils?]]
Certain sigils of the Correspondence are well-known and frequently prove useful, while others are hapax legomera, meaning they're seen once and never used anywhere else. Notably, some sigils can only be identified as such by their tendency to burn.<ref name = "speculate on meaning"/> Sigils can be constructed from scratch by assembling them from other marks,<ref name = "speculate on meaning"/> while others can be created from several sigils overlaid on top of one another.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/A_partial_tale,_about_revenge_satisfied|A partial tale, about revenge satisfied|Fallen London|}}</ref> Certain sigils can also act as '''root-sigils''', from which other sigils are derived.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Gift_(Story)|The Gift (Story)|Fallen London|}} ''"[...] a Correspondence sign. [...] all those whose sign is descended from the root-sigil [...]"''</ref>

Sigils of the Correspondence are usually interpreted as having one meaning, but sometimes, they can take on several meanings depending on the context. For instance, the [[Pansekritis]] is a [[Logos]] that can mean "Eternal dominion", "Everything in its place", or even "No drop-in meetings permitted".<ref name = "listen to rumors about pansekritis">{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/The_House_of_Days#The_Antechamber_of_the_Pansekritis|Listen to rumours about the Pansekritis|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> Furthermore, certain sigils of the Correspondence may take on different meanings based on their orientation; for example, one sigil means "to circle a point without reaching the point" when turned sideways, and "always looking toward the horizon" when upside-down.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Study_the_Discordance_with_her|Study the Discordance with her|Fallen London|}} ''"This one means 'to circle a point without reaching the point', but only when it's turned sideways. [...] when it's upside down, it means 'always looking toward the horizon' instead."''</ref> Correspondence sigils that are reflected in [[Parabola]] are described as "left-handed" and said to take on a "darker meaning", though the precise implications of this are unknown.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ambition:_Bag_a_Legend!_-_The_Reflection_of_the_Chorister%27s_Bomb|Ambition: Bag a Legend! - The Reflection of the Chorister's Bomb|Fallen London|}}</ref>

Sentences of the Correspondence can sometimes be hard to define; sigils of the Correspondence that are near one another can sometimes be unrelated to one another, and sentences can span long distances and be spaced far apart.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Further_investigations|Further investigations|Fallen London|}} ''"Symbols close to each other may be [...] unrelated. [...] a ‘sentence’ can span four levels of three different spires."''</ref> However, only a maximum of six sigils can be written safely on a single surface; seven sigils tend to burst into flame and destroy the surface they're written on.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Lost_in_Reflections|Lost in Reflections|Fallen London|}} ''"[...] it bears six words of the Correspondence, and no document [...] can bear a seventh. You inscribe it with the word [...] and it vanishes in a rush of flame [...]"''</ref>

=== Other Rules ===
<blockquote>''"In tandem, at the striking of the clock, four Correspondents write on the paving, 'return from exile', with the punctuation mark that renders the sigil into a command."''<ref name="arrange with furnace repair missing block">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Arrange_with_Furnace_to_repair_the_missing_block|Arrange with Furnace to repair the missing block|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>[[File:Rockcorrespondence.png|thumb|alt = A stone covered in strange inscriptions.|A Starstone Demark.]]
Punctuation in the Correspondence can be especially useful for parsing or using the Correspondence accurately. A certain punctuation mark can render a sigil into a command,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Arrange_with_Furnace_to_repair_the_missing_block|Arrange with Furnace to repair the missing block|Fallen London|}} ''"[...] the punctuation mark that renders the sigil into a command."''</ref> and mysterious stones called '''Starstone Demarks''' are said to act as punctuation in the Correspondence, as well as weapons, tokens, and punchlines.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Starstone_Demark|Starstone Demark|Fallen London|}}</ref>

The Correspondence is capable of encoding idioms and accents,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Enter_the_lighthouse.|Enter the lighthouse.|Fallen London|}} ''"[...] in a debased idiom of the Correspondence you can hardly make out."''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/For_A_Dream_Of_Innocence|For A Dream Of Innocence|Fallen London|}} ''"It will spit Correspondence words with accents improper to its station."''</ref> and its also susceptible to its own form of "slang": unique, external forms of language disguised with celestial syntax that do not fit standard Correspondence, but superficially appear to.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Caveat_Emptor|Caveat Emptor|Fallen London|}} ''"It adheres to no semiotic tradition that you can identify. Perhaps it's not a law [...] but rather something camouflaged with a celestial syntax [...] slip into sentences as though it belongs. [...] it can never belong."''</ref>

The Correspondence is also capable of representing numbers, quantities, and tallies, especially large ones.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/A_distinctly_cautious_approach|A distinctly cautious approach|Fallen London|}} ''"[...] you're getting the hang of the numbering system."''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Sleeper|The Sleeper|Fallen London|}} ''"[...] made themselves into sigils of the Correspondence, naming the tally of the debt [...]"''</ref> Furthermore, it has applications in esoteric forms of math and strange equations, but it may also produce unpredictable results.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ask_her_to_help_with_ordinary_research_(Lettice)|Ask her to help with ordinary research (Lettice)|Fallen London|}}</ref>

Names in the Correspondence are special; they're designated with a unique superscript,<ref name = "in your dreams voice echoing">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/In_your_dreams,_you_hear_a_voice_echoing_hollowly_each_night|In your dreams, you hear a voice echoing hollowly each night|Fallen London|}}</ref> and have strange interactions when inserted into equations.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Use_what_you_know_of_the_unknowable|Use what you know of the unknowable|Fallen London|}} ''"Correspondence names that inhabit the equations and transform them into entirely [...]"''</ref> Certain names, such as the [[Salt|Name-Which-Burns]], are represented with seven letters, and these names tend to burn.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/Letters_of_the_Name-Which-Burns#Journal_description|Journal description (7)|Sunless Sea|}}</ref>

=== Sequences and Mediums ===
<blockquote>''"A law is a sequence of words, and words are simply meanings translated: by lines on a page, by sounds in a mouth, by movements across a ballroom. Or a cricket field. Correspondence blazes in your brain."''<ref name="cricket anyone" /></blockquote>[[File:Cricket.png|alt=Wickets and a cricket ball.|thumb|Cricket, anyone?]]
Writing the Correspondence is in fact only one of the many ways to express it. It can be conveyed through speech,<ref name = "opine"/> and when spoken, it may take on the form of light,<ref name = "chuckle"/> or form sigils in the air. However, speaking the Correspondence can be extremely scarring,<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/Kingeater%27s_Castle#Interactions|Speak your name|Sunless Sea|}}</ref> even destroying a speaker's voice and filling their lungs with blood.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/My_Kingdom_for_a_Pig|My Kingdom for a Pig|Fallen London|}} ''"He will scream [...] his voice is gone [...] his lungs are filled with blood [...] the void between the stars opens between his teeth."''</ref>

[[Devils]], such as those of the [[Well of the Wolf]], are skilled in using song and dance to convey the Correspondence. Their dances can form patterns resembling the Correspondence, and they may sing hymns to convey inflection.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/The_Bandstand#Interactions|Decipher some of the dance-alphabet of the devils|Sunles Skies|}}</ref> Musical instruments can also convey sigils of the Correspondence, but such a performance may require strange instruments and stage arrangements, such as glass drums or bassoon players that hang from the ceiling - to say nothing of the chaos that may ensue.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Somewhat_challenging_music|Somewhat challenging music|Fallen London|}} ''"[...] it wasn't as hard as acquiring the glass drums that your piece requires [...] the bassoon players dangling from the ceiling [...]"''</ref>

In fact, ''any sequence'' of defined events, from writing, speech, dance, or any other action, can be a form of the Correspondence, as "actions" are sequences of events, "laws" are sequences of words, and "words" are simply meanings translated into a suitable medium.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Cricket,_Anyone%3F_(Story)|Cricket, Anyone? (Story)|Fallen London|}} ''"A law is a sequence of words, and words are simply meanings translated: by lines on a page, by sounds in a mouth, by movements across a ballroom. [...] You perceive laws, not as words, but actions."''</ref> Thus, even something as unorthodox as ''cricket'' can serve as a medium for the Correspondence: the bat, a pen; the ball, a punctuation mark; and the universe, the paper.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Cricket,_Anyone%3F_(Story)|Cricket, Anyone? (Story)|Fallen London|}} ''"[...] the ball: a point in space, a punctuation mark. [...] your bat is the pen [...] this universe is the paper [...] </ref>

== Compilations ==
<blockquote>''"With pen, paper, and a hardback copy of Dolford's Compilation, you subject your transcription to a merciless interrogation. You use a magnifying glass at several points, until it melts entirely."''<ref name="begin your translation">{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/Perform_a_Translation#Interactions|Begin your translation|Sunless Skies|}}</ref></blockquote>There exist several compilations of the Correspondence, and given their contents, many of them need to be handled with care. One such compendium is the '''Gulbahar Redaction''', a four-volume book consisting of sigils deemed forbidden by the [[Ministry of Public Decency]].<ref name = "decipher scathewick correspondence">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Decipher_Scathewick%27s_Correspondence_sign|Decipher Scathewick's Correspondence sign|Fallen London|}}</ref> Another compilation is titled '''Guttering Embers: a Study of Three Abandoned Branches of the Chiswick-Myers Semagramic Tree'''.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Decipher_Scathewick%27s_Correspondence_sign|Decipher Scathewick's Correspondence sign|Fallen London|}} ''"You check Guttering Embers: a Study of Three Abandoned Branches of the Chiswick-Myers Semagramic Tree [...]"''</ref> Yet another compilation is the '''Dolford Compilation''', which notably contains designations for dangerous sigils, called '''Regrettable''', and includes threat levels for them, the most dangerous of which are termed '''conflagratory'''.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/To_Become_Fire_Rather_Than_Be_Burned#Interactions|Store the sigil safely|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

{{Dropdown|Image = Graffitihierosmall.png|Alt Text = Several strange sigils.
|Section Header = Gallery
|Quote = <blockquote>"Thank you, captain. How marvellous. It ought to be classified with the Regretables in the Dolford Compilation, I think. The impact that destroys, the fire that burns bright. For some, there is no surrender. Very good, captain. Here, your reward. I'm more than happy to do business with you from now on."<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/The_Inscribed_Tinkerer#Interactions|Return to the Inscribed Tinkerer|Sunless Skies|}}</ref></blockquote>
|Text = Below is a gallery of all known images containing Correspondence sigils from ''Fallen London'', ''Sunless Sea'', and ''Sunless Skies''.
<gallery>
Scrawl1.png|''Almost never remembered''
Scrawl2.png|''A command to violate the wishes of the greatest''
Correspondence1.png|The Name-Which-Burns
Correspondence2.png|''An unmappable direction''
Correspondence3.png|''Forever hurtling towards the earth''
Correspondence4.png|''[[The Dawn Machine|SHINE WHERE THOU WILT AND THOU HARM NONE]]''
Graffitihiero.png|Mysterious graffiti.
merch_correspondence.png|Sigils of the Correspondence.
Correspondencestone.png|A Set of Correspondence Stones.
Correspondence paperweight.png|A Ray-Drenched Correspondence Paperweight.
Seal.png|A Cloven Seal.
Mementomori.png|The Memento Mori
merch_keychain.png|''Forever hurtling towards the earth''
Rockcorrespondence.png|A Starstone Demark.
Monosigil.png|A Semiotic Monocle.
sigilriddennavigator.png|[[The Sigil-Ridden Navigator]] (bearing "Almost never remembered")
Sigil1.png|''To Become Fire Rather Than Be Burned''
Sigil2.png|''The Pain Experienced at Apogee''
Sigil3.png|''The Improbable Collusion of Two Unrelated Perils''
Sigil4.png|''Two Futures, Endlessly Circling''
Sigil5.png|''The Revelation That Uncertainty is Itself an Answer''
Sigil6.png|''The Imagined Contents of a Span of Time Between When an Event was Supposed to Occur, and When it Finally Did''
Sigil7.png|''A Mistake, Forged into a Triumph''
Sigil8.png|''To Assemble a Name from Scars''
Sigil9.png|''A Commingling of Radiances''
Sigil10.png|''The Conquest of an All-Too-Familiar Rival''
Sigil11.png|''The Final Moment of Acceleration''
Sigil12.png|''One Fateful Event that Depends on Countless Others''
Sigil13.png|''An Exchange of Burdens''
Sigil14.png|''Writ Upon the Heavens''
Sigil15.png|''The Wound That Saves Your Life''
Sigil16.png|''The Erroneous Assumption That There Will Be a Tomorrow''
Sigil17.png|''An Elaborate But Fragile Artifice''
Sigil18.png|''An Old Orbit, Fondly Remembered''
Sigil19.png|''Eternal dominion''/''Everything in its place''/''No drop-in meetings permitted''/''The Queue Forms to the Right''
Pansekritis.png|[[The Pansekritis]]
Sigil20.png|''The Sensation of Having Carried Out a Painstaking Task for No Particular Reason''
CorrespondencesSSkies.png|Several Correspondence sigils.
Searingenigma.png|A Searing Enigma.
Wrath of heaven.png|The Wrath of Heaven
Transitrelay_ambience.png|A Singh-Jenkins Transit Relay.
Seacorrespondence1.png|''A colophon printed on living skin''
Seacorrespondence2.png|''The altar-stone of a forgotten temple''
Seacorrespondence3.png|''An unmappable direction''
Seacorrespondence4.png|''The last hour with a friend''
Seacorrespondence5.png|''A relative, afflicted with limerence''
Seacorrespondence6.png|''Forever hurtling towards the earth''
</gallery>
}}

{{Dropdown|Image = Merch correspondencesmall.png|Alt Text = Several strange sigils.
|Section Header = List of Sigils and Sentences
|Quote = <blockquote>"The sign does not appear in any of the common collections, nor in your more obscure compendia. You meet with a Supposedly Retired Professor. His office is gloomy with walnut and pipe smoke. He explains at exhaustive length that he has never seen the sign before. Furthermore, he knows absolutely nothing about a list of prohibited Correspondence sigils maintained by a Senior Auditor at the Ministry of Public Decency."<ref name = "decipher scathewick correspondence"/></blockquote>
|Text = Below is a list of all known Correspondence sigils and sentences from ''Fallen London'', ''Sunless Sea'', and ''Sunless Skies''. As with any reference text, there's a chance this compilation may be incomplete or outdated.

*''Almost never remembered''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/Frostfound#Frostfound|Show the squatters your Navigator's sigil|Sunless Sea|}}</ref>
*''Forever hurtling towards the earth''<ref name = "steam badges">{{Citation|https://steamtradingcards.fandom.com/wiki/SUNLESS_SEA#Badges|Badges|Steam Trading Cards Wiki|}}</ref>
*''An unmappable direction''<ref name = "steam badges"/>
*''A colophon printed on living skin''<ref name = "steam badges"/>
*''The altar-stone of a forgotten temple''<ref name = "steam badges"/>
*''A relative, afflicted with limerence''<ref name = "steam badges"/>
*''Separation''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/The_Chelonate#The_Chelonate|Find someone to teach secrets of butchery to the Bandaged Poissonnier|Sunless Sea|}}</ref>
*''Shine where thou wilt and thou harm none''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/Dawn%27s_Law#Item_description|Item description|Sunless Sea|}}</ref>
*''A day that lasts a thousand years''<ref name = "cancel appointments investigate ideogram">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Cancel_your_appointments_and_investigate_the_ideogram|Cancel your appointments and investigate the ideogram|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''A generous gift of murder''<ref name = "cancel appointments investigate ideogram"/>
*''Lost in a night which never sees starlight''<ref name = "in your dreams voice echoing">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/In_your_dreams,_you_hear_a_voice_echoing_hollowly_each_night|In your dreams, you hear a voice echoing hollowly each night|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''Revenged in the sense of a cataclysmic collision''<ref name = "in your dreams voice echoing"/>
*''Breath''<ref name = "in your dreams voice echoing"/>
*''Absence of breath''<ref name = "in your dreams voice echoing"/>
*''A place between spheres of influence''<ref name = "enter lighthouse">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Enter_the_lighthouse.|Enter the lighthouse.|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''Attention to a grand scheme''<ref name = "enter lighthouse"/>
*''The absence of fertility''<ref name = "enter lighthouse"/>
*''Unmoved by gravity''<ref name = "enter lighthouse"/>
*''Alone''<ref name = "enter lighthouse"/>
*''Silence''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Let_the_messages_fall_by_the_road%27s_edge|Let the messages fall by the road's edge|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''Buy''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/A_bewildering_salon|A bewildering salon|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''Age''<ref name = "eldritch symbol">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Eldritch_Symbols|Eldritch Symbols|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''Betrayal''<ref name = "eldritch symbol"/>
*''Luck''<ref name = "eldritch symbol"/>
*''An impossible number divided by seven''<ref name = "eldritch symbol"/>
*''Illustrious culpability''<ref name = "decipher scathewick correspondence"/>
*''A thing which is empty, whose purpose is to be filled''<ref name = "decipher scathewick correspondence"/>
*''Offer of return to service''<ref name = "read the note">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Read_the_note_(Bag_a_Legend!)|Read the note (Bag a Legend!)|Fallen London|}}</ref> 
*''Last hour with a friend''<ref name = "read the note"/>
*''Light''<ref name = "create candle">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Create_your_own_Candle|Create your own Candle|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''Constancy''<ref name = "create candle"/>
*''Knife-sky-rock''<ref name = "ceiling cracks">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ceiling_cracks|Ceiling cracks|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''Master''<ref name = "ceiling cracks"/>
*''Gleam-metal''<ref name = "ceiling cracks"/>
*''Calumny''<ref name = "ceiling cracks"/>
*''Moon''<ref name = "ceiling cracks"/>
*''From this house''<ref name = "visit wry functionary fate">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Visit_the_Wry_Functionary_(15_FATE)|Visit the Wry Functionary (15 FATE)|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''Payment made in full''<ref name = "visit wry functionary fate"/>
*''Rotating something other than its axis''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Get_a_look_into_the_houses_that_aren%27t_there|Get a look into the houses that aren't there|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''Construction of a protective barrier''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Take_the_vote_and_declare_Victory_280|Take the vote and declare Victory 280|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''The destruction of momentum''<ref name = "conclude study mysterious brickwork>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Conclude_your_study_of_the_mysterious_brickwork|Conclude your study of the mysterious brickwork|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''The separation of the left shoe from the right''<ref name = "conclude study mysterious brickwork/> 
*''The forgetting of family and siblings, of mothers and daughters''<ref name = "conclude study mysterious brickwork/>
*''Isolation''<ref name = "conclude study mysterious brickwork/>
*''Return from exile''<ref name = "arrange with furnace repair missing block"/>
*''To detain''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Por_Una_Cabeza|Por Una Cabeza|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''Vitreous humour''<ref name = "house of chimes">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Entrance_to_the_House_of_Chimes|The Entrance to the House of Chimes|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''Enclosure''<ref name = "house of chimes"/>
*''Extraction''<ref name = "house of chimes"/>
*''A sentiment that is chiefly curiosity, but is experienced as infatuation''<ref name = "house of chimes"/>
*''A crime of amalgamy''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Gift_(Story)|The Gift (Story)|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''One able to dance only when there is an audience''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Duplicate_the_skull_of_John_the_Baptist,_if_you_can_call_that_a_skull|Duplicate the skull of John the Baptist, if you can call that a skull|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''An exchange that is both monstrous and scrupulously honest''<ref name = "corresponding ocelot">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Corresponding_Ocelot|Corresponding Ocelot|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''A place deep underneath, to hide sins and secrets''<ref name = "corresponding ocelot"/>
*''The hateful priest whose lusts killed thousands''<ref name = "further investigations"/>
*''The act of drowning your sister to be with the man she loves, although you do not share that love''<ref name = "further investigations"/>
*''The mounting excitement when one’s beloved reaches the closest point of his orbit''<ref name = "further investigations"/>
*''A span of time more than four million years''<ref name = "find out what he knows"/>
*''A trade involving a labyrinth''<ref name = "find out what he knows"/>
*''The re-emergence of a feeling one expected to never feel again''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Present_it_with_the_Curatorial_Cocktail|Present it with the Curatorial Cocktail|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''Brisk expulsion of whatever is inert or dead''<ref name = "steep dark dewed cherry liqueur">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Steep_a_Dark-Dewed_Cherry_Liqueur|Steep a Dark-Dewed Cherry Liqueur|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''Dead''<ref name = "steep dark dewed cherry liqueur"/>
*''An airless flight''<ref name = "incautious approach"/>
*''A willing sacrifice''<ref name = "incautious approach"/> 
*''Tracks in the illimitable void''<ref name = "look for evidence of correspondence ruins"/>
*''An emotion somewhere between love and academic excitement''<ref name = "look for evidence of correspondence ruins"/>
*''Bad-tempered gas''<ref name = "look for evidence of correspondence ruins"/>
*''An exchange''<ref name = "merry wager"/>
*''Freedom''<ref name = "merry wager"/>
*''Death by water, again''<ref name = "merry wager"/>
*''An interval of between a thousand and ten thousand years''<ref name = "intermediary correspondence">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Intermediary_Correspondence,_for_the_more_advanced_student|Intermediary Correspondence, for the more advanced student|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''A decomposing deity''<ref name = "intermediary correspondence"/>
*''The absorption of a Royal house''<ref name = "introductory lecturing">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Introductory_lecturing|Introductory lecturing|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''The act of kidnapping a new friend''<ref name = "introductory lecturing"/>
*''A fortuitous occasion for the revision of plans for murder''<ref name = "intercept the message">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Intercept_the_messages|Intercept the messages|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''A deep place to hide sins''<ref name = "intercept the message"/>
*''A gift to remind a woman of something best forgotten''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Breed_the_Plated_Seal_1|Breed the Plated Seal 1|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''To eternally circle the object of your affection''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Chimney_Pot_Wars|The Chimney Pot Wars|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''Swirling eddies of diffuse starlight''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Fading_to_a_Coda|Fading to a Coda|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''A body leaving orbit never to return''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Build_the_station_at_Moulin|Build the station at Moulin|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''"Rumour has reached us of your many deeds"''<ref name = "read it in correspondence">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Read_it_in_Correspondence|Read it in Correspondence|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''"From tall vantage points, we have calculated the degrees of arc spanned by your ambition"''<ref name = "read it in correspondence"/> 
*''"From the tallest vantage point, we have seen the reproduction-pits of your folk"''<ref name = "read it in correspondence"/>
*''"But you have not watched us, have not given us proper weight"''<ref name = "read it in correspondence"/>
*''"Therefore a warning"''<ref name = "read it in correspondence"/>
*''"Come among us with equal mass, as binary double, or be cast out"''<ref name = "read it in correspondence"/>
*''Something which originated in the core of one's being and has long been far from the surface''<ref name = "search it for letters of fire"/>
*''Substance shared with a distant sibling''<ref name = "search it for letters of fire"/>
*''The memory of a purpose assigned''<ref name = "search it for letters of fire"/>
*''A peaceful but undeniable demand''<ref name = "search it for letters of fire"/>
*''To one who will be one of us''<ref name = "brass grail">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Brass_Grail_(Story)|The Brass Grail (Story)|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''A command to violate the wishes of the greatest''<ref name = "brass grail"/>
*''Chained by that which is inside''<ref name = "brass grail"/>
*''The certainty of death''<ref name = "bull es">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Tauroktonos|Tauroktonos|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''A demise that can no longer be delayed''<ref name = "bull es"/>
*''A warmth without which the cold would be unbearable''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Dream_the_final_dream_(Mr_Wines)|Dream the final dream (Mr Wines)|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''An alteration made to the world which is mirrored in the self''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Misplaced_Ring|Misplaced Ring|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''A request to never repeat a recent unpleasant experience''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Bifurcated_Owl|Bifurcated Owl|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''To circle a point without reaching the point''<ref name = "study the discordance with her">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Study_the_Discordance_with_her|Study the Discordance with her|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''Always looking toward the horizon''<ref name = "study the discordance with her"/>
*''A great maw to dispose of the unwary''<ref name = "further investigations"/>
*''To have once been loved''<ref name = "ignite chorus forests">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ignite_the_Chorus_of_Forests|Ignite the Chorus of Forests|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''To have felt the breath of suns''<ref name = "ignite chorus forests"/>
*''Not to have never been''<ref name = "ignite chorus forests"/>
*''Life preserved''<ref name = "percipient cricketer">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Percipient_Cricketer|Percipient Cricketer|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''Life transformed''<ref name = "percipient cricketer"/>
*''Life housed''<ref name = "percipient cricketer"/>
*''"Our employer grows nervous. Like a maid on her wedding-day, hey?"''<ref name = "conversation on road">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/A_Conversation_on_the_Road|A Conversation on the Road|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''"This again, Hearts. It may be as nervous as it likes. It will keep its promise at last. For the rest, I care not."''<ref name = "conversation on road"/>
*''"And still, my dear, I do not believe you! I do not. One always becomes fond of one's travelling-companions. Why, I have grown very fond even of our new associate here. Lowly origins notwithstanding."''<ref name = "conversation on road"/>
*''"And you, my friend? Have you grown fond of us?"''<ref name = "conversation on road"/>
*''"Hearts. Spices. We are what we are. Not all of us are proud of our origins. Isn't that so, Veils?"''<ref name = "aver it">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Aver_it|Aver it|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''"Our employer made us a promise. All shall be well, it said, and all manner of thing shall be well. When it has delivered its message, we shall find other feasts, of music and more."''<ref name = "aver it"/>
*''"Well said! Well said! You shan't miss your home, I trust? When the message is delivered?"''<ref name = "aver it"/>
*''"We only regret the price worth paying."''<ref name = "aver it"/>
*''"Fondness is a coin like any other. You have paid me in certain currencies; I will repay the investment in others. And our employer, too, has made an investment in us. We shall have to find a suitable coin to repay that investment, too. Shan’t we?"<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Prevaricate_2|Prevaricate 2|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''"You are monsters. I am no friend of yours. When the message is delivered, you will be free: you will plague us no more. I am here to make sure of that."''<ref name = "deny it">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Deny_it|Deny it|Fallen London|}}</ref> 
*''"Well,"''<ref name = "deny it"/>
*''"I say,"''<ref name = "deny it"/>
*''"Someone is still marked with the mud of their beginnings."''<ref name = "deny it"/>
*''"The promise!"''<ref name = "depart">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Depart_(10_FATE)|Depart (10 FATE)|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''"Do not abandon us! We are too few!"''<ref name = "depart"/>
*''A commingling of radiances''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/A_Commingling_of_Radiances|A Commingling of Radiances|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
*''A mistake, forged into a triumph''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/A_Mistake,_Forged_into_a_Triumph|A Mistake, Forged into a Triumph|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
*''An elaborate but fragile artifice''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/An_Elaborate_But_Fragile_Artifice|An Elaborate But Fragile Artifice|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
*''An exchange of burdens''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/An_Exchange_of_Burdens|An Exchange of Burdens|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
*''An old orbit, fondly remembered''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/An_Old_Orbit,_Fondly_Remembered|An Old Orbit, Fondly Remembered|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
*''One fateful event that depends on countless others''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/One_Fateful_Event_that_Depends_on_Countless_Others|One Fateful Event that Depends on Countless Others|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
*''The conquest of an all-too-familiar rival''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/The_Conquest_of_an_All-Too-Familiar_Rival|The Conquest of an All-Too-Familiar Rival|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
*''The erroneous assumption that there will be a tomorrow''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/The_Erroneous_Assumption_That_There_Will_Be_a_Tomorrow|The Erroneous Assumption That There Will Be a Tomorrow|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
*''The final moment of acceleration''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/The_Final_Moment_of_Acceleration|The Final Moment of Acceleration|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
*''The imagined contents of a span of time between when an event was supposed to occur and when it finally did''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/The_Imagined_Contents_of_a_Span_of_Time_Between_When_an_Event_was_Supposed_to_Occur,_and_When_it_Finally_Did|The Imagined Contents of a Span of Time Between When an Event was Supposed to Occur, and When it Finally Did|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
*''The improbable collusion of two unrelated perils''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/The_Improbable_Collusion_of_Two_Unrelated_Perils|The Improbable Collusion of Two Unrelated Perils|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
*''The pain experienced at apogee''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/The_Pain_Experienced_at_Apogee|The Pain Experienced at Apogee|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
*''The revelation that uncertainty is itself an answer''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/The_Revelation_That_Uncertainty_is_Itself_an_Answer|The Revelation That Uncertainty is Itself an Answer|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
*''The wound that saves your life''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/The_Wound_That_Saves_Your_Life|The Wound That Saves Your Life|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
*''To assemble a name from scars''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/To_Assemble_a_Name_from_Scars|To Assemble a Name from Scars|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
*''To become fire rather than be burned''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/To_Become_Fire_Rather_Than_Be_Burned|To Become Fire Rather Than Be Burned|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
*''Two futures, endlessly circling''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/Two_Futures,_Endlessly_Circling|Two Futures, Endlessly Circling|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
*''Writ upon the heavens''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/Writ_Upon_the_Heavens|Writ Upon the Heavens|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
*''Eternal dominion''<ref name = "listen to rumors about pansekritis"/>
*''Everything in its place''<ref name = "listen to rumors about pansekritis"/>
*''No drop-in meetings permitted''<ref name = "listen to rumors about pansekritis"/>
*''The queue forms to the right''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/The_House_of_Days#The_Court_of_Apes|The Court of Apes|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
*''Missing the presence of a person who has committed an unforgiven betrayal, but who possessed an ineffable charm now absent from one's life''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/Changes_at_Carillon#excess_crime|excess_crime (18)|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
*''Time offers no surety against death''<ref name = "begin your translation"/>
*''Not to be forgot''<ref name = "cloven seal">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Cloven_Seal|Cloven Seal|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''What awaits''<ref name = "cloven seal"/>
*''Why we must stay''<ref name = "cloven seal"/>
*''Pennies and Pipes''<ref name = "cloven seal"/>
*''Barleycorn and Menagerie''<ref name = "cloven seal"/>
*''Chain and duty''<ref name = "dome of scales becoming">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Dome_of_Scales,_Becoming|The Dome of Scales, Becoming|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''Warder and warded''<ref name = "dome of scales becoming"/>
*''What is and what must be guarded against''<ref name = "dome of scales becoming"/>
*''A reckoning long postponed''<ref name = "dream of innocence">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/For_A_Dream_Of_Innocence|For A Dream Of Innocence|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''Transgression of seven greater links''<ref name = "dream of innocence"/>
*''Repletion is abolished''<ref name = "dream of innocence"/>
*''Anchors are withdrawn''<ref name = "dream of innocence"/>
*''The furthest point from home on an orbit one does not expect to complete<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/A_First_Impression_of_the_Clay_Highwayman|A First Impression of the Clay Highwayman|Fallen London|}}</ref>
*''No word lost''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.fandom.com/wiki/Shiftwork_in_the_Dead_Letter_Office|Descend into the basement with flame|Sunless Sea|}}</ref>
*''The sensation of having carried out a painstaking task for no particular reason<ref>{{Citation|https://thefifthcity.fandom.com/wiki/File:20_Correspondence.png|20_Correspondence|Image|}}</ref>
*''Dare''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Scar_in_the_Sky_tattoo|The Scar in the Sky tattoo|Fallen London|}}</ref>
}}

== Real-Life Inspirations ==
Correspondence tablets may have been inspired by Greco-Roman curse tablets, which were pieces of lead or pewter inscribed with curses against specific people (e.g. thieves).<ref>{{Citation|http://curses.csad.ox.ac.uk/beginners/index.shtml|Curse Tablets from Roman Britain|Center for the Study of Ancient Documents, Oxford University|}}</ref> It's possible that they were also inspired by cuneiform, Egyptian hieroglyphics, or Mayan hieroglyphics, all three of which have strong ties to ''Fallen London''<nowiki/>'s story as the writing systems of the first three [[The Fallen Cities|fallen cities]].

The sigil "The act of drowning your sister to be with the one she loves, although you do not share that love" is a reference to the folksong The Twa Sisters.


== References ==
''Special thanks to [[User:0bsidianFire|0bsidianFire]] and [[User:WaltzingOphidian|WaltzingOphidian]].''
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