[ wheezes ]
[ the air shimmers briefly, then the missing ward appears, bowing briefly before Mr Dipswitch ]
Apologies for my absence. Perhaps this medicine will help rid you of the pleurisy attacking your lungs. Drink up!
Ha. Old Cap’n Fussypants shoulda listened to me. Weren’t for Ol’ Tommy ‘ere an’ a lil’ on Stroppy Bottom where 'ed be?
Ah well, “ha” on me too, I go as his ship sails…
Indeed, madam. Indeed! I do believe the bewitching carnelian coloration decorating your mouthparts had distracted my associate when he wrapped your purchases. With all haste I have processed the returned goods and dispatched a courier to bring you the correct item.
Your status has been updated and you have my most sincere apologies.
[ wheezes at a slightly lower decibel level ]
Ahhhhhhh, just the ticket, lad! I’m feeling better already.
What’s say we head over to the Club and continue the healing process?
“A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of.”
– Jane Clawsten, Crabsfield Park
Turn Deadline: Friday, Feb 23 @ 11pm EST
Turn-specific events
As the plague continues to worsen, passersby are often seen carrying fashionable handkerchiefs or fans to cover the nose and mouth. At the moment, one might expect the following:
Turn 1 risks: Lousy chance of a decline in health that would likely be minor. Average chance for any existing condition to either improve or worsen.
Turn 1 rewards: Outside chance to receive a modest inheritance.
Investment opportunities
Choose only one of the following options as well as how much you wish to invest in that option. Greater investments results in greater economies of scale. A higher relevant stat will further improve outcomes, but to a lesser extent than the size of the investment. For example:
Invest 1 300
Option 1: Invest in the remaining released tracts: Several entirely acceptable options are still available. Additional brokers have been called up to assist in drawing up the necessary legal papers. One may even express a preference as to which specific resources should be sought after.
- Relevant stats: BUS, FSH
- Rewards: Average chance for good income improvement, average income improvement otherwise.
- Risks: Poor chance of incurring a future legal risk.
Option 2: Invest in improvements to existing holdings: For individuals more interested in concentrating existing holdings, various professionals and tradesentients are available for hire to help expand operations.
- Relevant stats: EDU, BUS
- Rewards: Very good chance of of good income improvement, average income improvement otherwise.
- Risks: Poor chance that unexpected challenges will arise, resulting in a less effective outcome.
Option 3: Invest in new inventions and discoveries: Any number of individuals are hard at work on fascinating devices that will improve all aspects of living. With proper financial backing of the right inventor, any number of residuals will contribute to your bottom line.
- Relevant stats: PER, MIL
- Rewards: Lousy chance of outstanding income improvement, good income improvement otherwise.
- Risks: Average chance that income will be tied up next turn due to delays at the patent office.
Attend a Social Gathering
Optional: Receive an invitation from a local Salon. Only Weatherby’s finest are expected to receive a coveted invitation to Ms. Applethwaite’s salon, but thankfully many other options exist for the eager social striver. As your name becomes more and more talked about, you will almost certainly have more impressive doors opened for you in the coming fall months.
Be warned however: It would be the scandal of the season to attend such a gathering without a hat.
For example:
Attend 1
Option 1: Attend Ms. Fangley’s Salon to discuss politics - with the coming fall election, what better way to become well versed in the local political scene than to dive into a vigorous discussion with other concerned citizens.
- Requirements: 1) That you have started the season in a Modest Apartment or better and 2) possess a hat.
- Rewards: Fair chance to receive an introduction to an individual of significant means, otherwise receive an introduction to an individual with important connections. Additional rank bonus based on hat.
- Risks: Outside chance that you will say something intemperate that will affect your reputation resulting in a modest loss of FSH and rank.
Option 2: Attend a gathering of Mr. Bracewell’s Salon to discuss poetry
- Requirements: 1) That you have started the season in a Spartan Apartment or better and 2) possess a hat.
- Rewards: Very Good chance to be inspired to write your own volume of verse, which will sell a number of copies primarily based on PER and EDU. Otherwise, you will be motivated to pen some critical analysis of the evening’s selections in an academic journal. Additional rank bonus based on hat.
- Risks: Fair chance that you will make a clumsy comment or give a poor reading, resulting in unpleasant gossip.
Option 3: Attend a public lecture at Weatherby University
- Requirements: possess a hat
- Rewards: Fair chance to learn something that will moderately improve two of your holdings, otherwise learn something that improves one of your holdings. Additional rank bonus based on hat.
- Risks: Outside chance that you are bored to tears by the evening’s topic and choose to leave early.
Place Wagers
Optional: One may choose to wager on this season’s Lagoderm race. Merely select a promising creature from the Sports & Leisure section and also indicate the size of the wager. Example:
Wager Hamdinger 100
Market District
The goods in the market district will be available from turn to turn, although prices may change. One may upgrade or downgrade in any given category from turn to turn as needed.
Rent:
Optional: One may procure personal quarters within the city at the current market rate. Any change of quarters comes with an additional 25£ fee for moving services. Each improvement represents a move to a better neighborhood with a more impressive address. Example:
Rent Spartan apartment
Once personal lodging has been acquired, there’s no need to submit a new rent order unless you desire to move to new accommodations.
Nature of Quarters Upkeep Effect
-------------------- -------------- ---------------
Spartan apartment 75£ per turn +50 rank
Modest apartment 200£ per turn +75 rank
Proper apartment 400£ per turn +150 rank
Buy:
Optional: One may purchase various items to enhance ones abilities in various aspects. These items will change from season to season depending on current fashions and availability. Purchases of the same object beyond the first will have no further effect. What on earth would one do with two monocles?
45£ Fashionable Handkerchief/Charming Fan (FSH+4)
65£ Provocative Novel (PER+4, EDU+2)
25£ Lacquer Snuffbox (PER+1, MIL+1)
With the arrival of the haberdashery at the start of the salon season, hats are in very high demand. It is customary that only a single hat be purchased in a given season, as only indulgent fops insist on wearing many hats.
50£ Cloche Hat (Rank + 10)
75£ Poke Bonnet (Rank + 20)
50£ Felt Bowler (Rank + 10)
75£ Silk Bowler (Rank + 20)
Although it appears none is needed, a brief reminder to use the Public Ledger to establish your intentions for this season.
Dear Mr. Farnsworth,
I appreciate the offer of a tonic, but, as you may have heard by now, I will not be attending the Leviathan until my illness improves. I assure you that I mean no offense by saying it, but I am also uncertain as to whether a tonic that works well for a Space Moose would be equally effective on a Space Griffin. Avianoid physiology is, after all, quite different from that of an alcesinoid.
I do, however, thank you for your kind and generous offer, in the spirit it was meant, and offer congratulations on the success of your business endeavours. May I also note, with some jealousy, that sealing a letter with an impression of your coat of arms is very effective, and I regret missing the opportunity that you took in acquiring a Signet Ring. A fine choice, sir.
I wish you the best of luck with the upcoming season’s opportunities, whichever endeavours you choose to undertake.
I remain,
As always,
Your good friend,
[Illegibly ornamented signature]
Aaaakzeee St-Patrick-Hartbrooke III
Would it not be more prudent for us to adjourn to your apartment in town, so I can properly administer your medicaments without incident?
Why, you’ll be better in no time at all and back to the card tables before you know it. Wouldn’t want that wheezing to turn into a cough, would you?
You just relax, and I’ll send word to the castle to have some proper food sent over post-haste.
Damn and Blast it all. I’d wanted to hold off on an apartment until my investments were truly paying off, but that just will not do. The Levithan is comfortable enough - and I’ll still keep a change of clothes there - but I must be seen as well as talked about. I suppose it will be easier to keep track of young Rocco, I know how often he’s out his bedroom window, across the oaks and hopping on the back of a passing coach. At least if I’m in town I can intervene before the rags get involved.
The farms and fishery are doing well, although those bastards put some clauses in the final articles I am not to comfortable with. But I think my time at Benjamin Wheatly’s Mercantile Concern will show them the errors of their ways if anything comes of it. No, I think I’d best improve what I have. I need to make sure Cmdr Piker goes looking after the larger fish concerns instead of looking closer at my sandfish. Sentient Sandfish…what rubbish.
I see hats are all the rage. It is about time fashion caught up with me again. That Silk Bowler I saw at the haberdashery would look spectacular perch 'tween my stately antlers. I suppose I should pick up a few other sundries while I’m out. And it does appear as if O.T.B. is between hither, tither and yon. Hmmm…Amaranta here’s a kiss, I chose you to end this list.
Bowlers and bonnets indeed. I have created my own genetically modified haberdashery, which is both the fashion of tomorrow and provides tasty and nutritious sustenance on a regular basis. Additionally, it is also constructed of a sort of silk, and protects the ears in all types of weather. Prepare to be amaized.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you the tricorn:
More grist to the milliner?
You, Sir? Did you do this last turn
Are you sir a Cornographer?
Weatherpedia:
During the 18th century, hats of this general style were referred to as “cocked hats”.
Early prototypes proved too stiff for day-to-day wear.
Weatherby thrives!
Having three new publishing efforts will give scope and dimension to the upcoming Season in a manner the considered Space Times never does. I encourage all to call on our new publishers, Elizabeth Mary Farnsworth VI @Hadley, Eudaemonia Betalinda Ponsonby-Britt @Nightflyer, and Olivier Richard Pierre Jean-Robèrt Sylvain @MalevolentPixy.
Of course, Weatherby’s fortunes are tied to Charybdis at large. Having three new export/import ventures led by such capable sentients as Aaaakzeee St-Patrick-Hartbrooke III @nimelennar, Cmdr William T. Piker @fintastic, and Lt. Erythro Brummell (ret) @daneel can only improve matters.
No Society is complete without proper attention to Arts and Letters. We are truly blessed that Jean-Rhys Witherspoon Wilhelmina Winnifred Rodchaser née Westingham @MrMonkey has graciously deigned to accept an appointment at Weatherby U. I know Eighth eagerly awaits her lecture on Physical Chemistry.
Improvements in the New Territories are off to a capital start, as testified by the Quality of the leading investors. The possibilities of the Weatherby fisheries in particular are so exalted that solely focusing on the off-world commodity export business is surely not the highest and best use of such a Providential Gift.
I will be at the Leviathan on Wednesday to discuss these or other matters pertinent to the betterment of Weatherby.
At Your Service,
Mr. Julius Rothschild Karekin
“Apothecarists hawk exclusive potions and unguents.”
Medicines may also be purchased from local merchants to help reduce the risk of plague.
5£ Dr. Arbuckle's Whipweed Tonic Wine
10£ Ms. Merrimoose's Soothing Syrup
15£ Franklin Gooseberry's Remarkable Colloidal Seryl
Ms. Merrimoose’s Soothing Syrup
I bet it is just like my GrandCow’s tonic…the secret ingredient was honey. And Brandy. But GrandMama always said it was the honey that soothed my throat and helped me sleep.
Brandy tonics! That does bring back some memories. I can’t say I ever knew my grandmother, or much of my mother either really, but I do recall the floor matron at old Harbinger’s Reform School used to insist on nanobots and brandy. Nanobots for whatever child was coughing his lungs out, and brandy to help matron sleep though it.
pip! boing!
So much to-do. So much to-see. Consider this a gentle reminder to:
Cmdr Damerl Capstanturnbuckle (@pogo)
Olivier Richard Pierre Jean-Robèrt Sylvain (@MalevolentPixy)
Cmdr William T. Piker (@fintastic)
Lady Jane (@penguinchris)
Elizabeth Mary Farnsworth VI (@hadley)
Carcinogennifer Honeyvenom (@Donald_Petersen)
<pleasing hum> (@manwich)
Julius Rothschild Karekin (@David_Falkayn)
Jean-Rhys Witherspoon Wilhelmina Winnifred Rodchaser née Westingham (@MrMonkey)
Eudaemonia Betalinda Ponsonby-Britt (@Nightflyer)
that 36 hours remain for your intentions to be recorded in the Public Ledger.
ffffzzzzzzzzzorrt.
“…And, that’s right, folks, you can have all of these benefits, guaranteed by Franklin Gooseberry himself, for just the low, low price — and this is a special offer, valid only for today, and only while supplies last, so buy now, and buy as much as you can carry — of…”
St-Patrick-Hartbrooke has heard quite enough of this street-corner huckster, and pulls the window shut. He had wanted to let in a bit of fresh air to soothe his throat, but there’s nothing fresh about that line of patter. Or, if there is, it’s the fresh smell of a lagoderm stable in sore need of mucking.
The Space Griffon takes a deep breath of a perfume-scented handkerchief in order to clear the imaginary smell brought by that train of thought from his head, and by so doing dislodges something from within his throat. He spends a rather unpleasant minute coughing, and when that is done, something gooey and yellow is sitting on his handkerchief. He folds the kerchief over and passes it to his manservant, who rinses it out and tosses it into the hamper, pulls a fresh one out of the drawer and perfumes it, and then passes it back to his master, who folds it stylishly and stows it in his pocket.
This blasted cough. It’s been with him almost a full season now, and St-Patrick-Hartbrooke has spent the past few weeks trying to seek out a competent doctor. Unfortunately, it appears that a particular quirk of the colony system is that not many people really want to be a doctor: the lower class do not receive the right kind of education for it, and the upper class can make much more money by simply existing. Certainly, St-Patrick-Hartbrooke has exceeded most of his peers in funds and social standing, not through any rigorous higher education, but through courtesy, manners, etiquette, and simply his preternatural talent for timing things well.
There will, of course, be people who feel a calling to serve their fellow men (although such a thing is shamefully rare among the aristocracy), but the Taaa’keee has found none of those in his searches; all of the medical doctors he’s found have seemed to be either play-acting the role, or to be confidence artists of one sort or another.
And then there’s the complicating nature of his biology, of which the less said the better; he’d tried to convince some doctors from the homeworld to immigrate, but none were willing to take the chance of being reduced to Citizen-Pretender status. Reportedly, there were many more doctors and scientists on Britannia Prime than on the frontier colonies; perhaps they would start appearing here as the colony matured. Not that that did St-Patrick-Hartbrooke any good now.
It was almost enough to tempt a bird to buy one of that huckster’s miracle panaceas. Not quite, though: it was more likely to be spiced alcohol than any actual curative, and the likelihood that a pusher might add a contaminant that might be harmful was far too great for any prudent sentient to take.
No, he’d just trust his own strength, and trust God, and surely his health will improve shortly. After all, there is a party to attend, and a debt to settle (the price to be repaid rising with every day and every stained handkerchief).
Ensign Crusher to Commaner Piker, reporting in…