On the topic of wanting to see the player deal with failure and real stakes, I want to see more negative consequences for the ambitions
Have the nemesis player haunted by choices and facing suspicion from those in the loop. Wounds and aftereffects from consuming one of the deadliest poisons in universe. I think Cups would be too scared to do more harm in the one ending, but Wines really wouldn't be happy with the player. Moonlight can be so interesting here with seeing the loved one alive and whole
Bag a Legend player struggling with injuries and nightmares from the visions of violence they saw. Physical and mental scars. The vast connections ending player could be stressed by demands and paperwork and the attention of the Bazaar. Those who kept an aspect alive still subject to exhausting manipulations, esp with the intriguer.
Light Fingers player would have a lot of trauma from all that. Depending on choices, a question of if their friends still trust them or not. Still dealing with sabotage and scrutiny from Fires. The Diamond ending with society falling apart around them and the jewel itself starting to burn them alive. The pain of missing and worrying about your child in the other ending
Heart's Desire player, with all endings but the Marvellous ending, has a lonely and hollow victory. All the bridges burned and connections lost to get what they want, and is it even really what they want? Alternatively if you want to play a character who has no regrets about winning, show them struggle to have any normal interaction because of their status. Lots of people don't like them. The power ending would physically hurt. Marvellous ending player still struggling with ideas of what could have been. Moonlight would be interesting here too
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A Page From Slowcakes
[Editor's Note: Credit to Brightgoat and their maker, "Bright's Piccrew Hell" for the art. Image ID in alt text.]
NOTICE: Please read Editor's notes next to section headings, as they contain information about content that may be triggering for some.
Name: Lady Spring Lovelace
DOB: September 23rd, 1869
Age: 25-32 years old. [Editor's Note: 25 is the first notable instance of Spring appearing in well-known circles. 32 is her age in the current year.].
KNOWN ALIASES: [REDACTED FOR SPOILERS], The Ambitious Showman, The Masterful Machinator.
Pronouns: She/They/It
Profession: Licentiate, Undisclosed affiliation with the Bazaar, Professional Playwright and Novelist, Consultant on the Great Hellbound Railway Board (GHBRB).
BACKSTORY [Editor's Note; Discretion is advised- content ahead contains mentions of Parental Death, Child Neglect, Gambling.]
Spring was born in London, the child of a lady of a very minor branch of Spanish nobility and a man of a similar background in the English nobility. Her parents were in love, perhaps, although they quickly fell out of it, particularly as her father was soon disinherited by her grandfather and cast out. Her parents strained relationship eventually caused them to informally split- they did not divorce, as her mother worried her reputation back home would not survive. Instead, her mother took Spring back to the surface to live on their family's small estate.
Spring's childhood was an odd sort- on the surface for eight months of the year, she lived quietly with her mother's family. She was raised as any noble lady ought to be, taught proper manners, the fine arts, as well as instruction in Spanish, English, French, and German. While on the Surface, Spring was the picture of elegance and grace, growing in to a fine young lady. She was never fully embraced by her peers, but she strove to keep a strong reputation and meet all the expectations placed upon her.
By contrast, every summer she was sent back down into the Neath to stay with her father. For four months out of the year, she was given almost no oversight into what she did or where she did it. Her father believed in a lax style of raising children, and his work afforded him the ability to never be around his daughter. Spring was not awfully fond on the man, but she loved London. The sights, the sounds, the strange fauna and flora, the culture, all of it excited and enthralled her. She spent many of her days in the Neath roaming freely, enjoying all manner of adventures with her dearest friend, Liz, a street urchin who quickly became her closest confidante.
Over the years, she began to prefer London more and more, to the detriment of her behavior on the Surface. She was attached to the people and the places of London, to the myriad of strange and sinister delights, and especially to the games. She was such a fan of the unique games that London gave rise to that oftentimes she would stay out for days, looking for new people to play with, higher stakes to bet on. As a child, the stakes were never too high- they were candy, toys, cool bits and bobs; she had no idea the path this habit of hers would lead later in life, nor the toll it would soon ask of her. To a child, games are harmless things, though their consequences may very well feel harsh in the moment.
She dreamed of loftier places for herself in life- a desire for more than marriage and courtly aspirations. She wanted the power she saw in the lords and businessmen and royalty she saw all around her, and she often dreamed of the day she could claim it for herself.
Of course, all good things come to an end. At the age of 18, her mother began to forbid her from visiting her father, insisting she focus on preparing herself for her eventual life as a proper lady. Spring was miserable on the Surface, though she put up with it for her mother's sake, as they were quite close. She remained there for seven years, enduring her life in Spain and longing for a return to what she felt was her rightful home. She got this return when her mother fell ill, passing away in the night after months of struggling.
The day after her mother's funeral, Spring cut her hair and disappeared from the family's home, leaving a note that spoke only of one thing- she was returning to her rightful place in the world. And once she was there? Well, there was no limit to what she might achieve.
NOTABLE ASSOCIATES
Detective Peculiar: A good friend. Peculiar usually asks Spring to help out in cases, and Spring drags her off to social events and encourages her to 'live a little'. They're rather close.
Doctor Stone: A real partner-in-crime. They love to put on little schemes together and they generally get along quite well. Spring holds them in high regard.
Liz(ard) O'Connor: Her greatest friend. She cares more for them than she likes, sometimes. The only person she cares for more is herself. They are inseparable. They work together constantly and one is usually not far away if the other is present.
Samuel (Sam) Wells (Wellison): The two of them get along well enough. They mostly spend time together because of Liz, so Spring's opinions on them is mostly that they are quite violent and a little unpredictable- but aren't all good things just so?
Woeful: They hate each other. Especially after what Woeful did to her. She has no respect for her, and Woeful has no feelings for Spring. It's grand!
Kendrick Starlee: Very good friends. They love to spend time together, speaking about their mutual love of art. Spring admires her artistic abilities, and vice versa. The two of them are often seen perusing bookstores or attending the theater together.
AMBITION NOTES [Editor's Notes: Major Spoilers for Ambition: Heart's Desire. ] For an in-depth look, please see the Directory.
Spring chose the Power ending
This is because she is [checks notes] a bad person!
She has a strong desire for power and control. She does not give a shit about anyone outside of her very small circle and she is apathetic to the suffering of others. Of course she went for the Power ending.
Her desire to join the Masters isn't out of any sense of comradery. In fact she is constantly scheming against them
As time passes her work wears on her, until she is far more cynical and callous than she was before
Spring 🤝 Liz- becoming more monstrous as they lose sight of the person they used to be in the pursuit of power and strength.
She stays in touch with the Topsy King, after helping him to win his mind back. The two are actually pretty close.
She and the Manager still do not get along. They fight constantly.
Spring made so many enemies, which comes back to bite her a lot. She was not merciful or kind in the slightest.
EXTRA INFORMATION [Spoilers for late-game content]
Spring loves cats. She loves cats so much. The Duchess hates her because she loves picking up cats and hugging them and they do not like this.
Spring isn't big into the academics, but the one time she attempts to publish a scholarly article, it was immediately redacted by the Ministry of Public Decency. Spring is not allowed to publish anymore after what she implied about the Bishop of Southwark.
Her operas always sell out the first night- because they very often are banned by the next morning. She loves pushing buttons.
Spring is anti-Liberation. She likes systems of power and especially enjoys being On TOP of systems of power. She'd become a Judgement if that was possible.
Spring loves metaphors and uses them constantly. She's very dramatic.
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