Persuade the Bishop of Southwark

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ID: 240870

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From: Debating Matters of Business with the Board

He has very strong feelings about almost every topic.

Game Instructions: He is affected by obfuscation. Other branches in this story may help to confuse him.

Unlocked with Board Member: The Bishop of Southwark

Locked with The Bishop of Southwark's Vote

Challenge information

Broad, Persuasive 100

• 69 - very chancy (41%)
• 85 - chancy (51%)
• 102 - modest (61%)
• 119 - very modest (71%)
• 135 - low-risk (81%)
• 152 - straightforward (91%)
• 167 - straightforward (100%)
  

Base difficulty is probably 100, increased by 40 per point of Board against the Church, and 20 per point of Board against Labour, Board against Urchin Interests, Board against the Constables and Board against the Status Quo. Every level of Obfuscation of the Board reduces the difficulty by 40 points, also each point of Board for the Fingerkings reduces the difficulty by 20 points.

Success

He is convinced!

"Theologically compelling!" he shouts, and slaps you painfully hard on the back. It seems you've won this debate.

Description summary:
The text varies with the Question before the Board. The text above is the generic result; questions with more specific results are listed below.

[Find the rest of the story at https://www.fallenlondon.com]

Question	Success Description
1 - 3, 5, 7, 9	"If it has to be toward Hell," he says. "Then it might as well be that way."
4	"Better through the grasses than through the hills. The one is a danger to the flesh, but the other to the soul."
12 - 13	The Bishop of Southwark is pleased to agree. He is not so impolite as to say that he bears a grudge from past election debates. But there may be some such lurking motivation.
20	Southwark looks as though he wants to find an objection, but lands on nothing in the end. This will have to do.
100	"A titan among stations." Southwark considers the plan, then draws a red pencil circle around a few architectural features he finds especially admirable.
105	"This is the sort of thing!" roars Southwark. "This is what we should be building, all along the line from here to Hell! Up to its gates! Under its walls!"
115	"If it is meant to betray Hell into a false security..." Southwark says. He plainly holds the idea in deep distaste still, and considers it nothing short of offensive to put a building of this kind among the very battlefields of the wars with Hell. […]
120	The Bishop of Southwark finds the tortuous spirals of the design so flustering that he turns the pages over three times before he is sure he's looking at them from the correct direction. "I suppose," he says […] "that it will confuse any attackers."
130	The Bishop of Southwark looks as though he is half-minded to object, but in the end, he says, "It will reassure the patriotic, and perhaps more visitors will come from London to pay their respects."
140	"It may not look very impressive, but even our own Lord came amongst us in a humble guise," remarks the Bishop of Southwark. "I'm told it will be sturdy and inexpensive to build, and allow us to save our resources for the opposition of Hell. Yea."
150	"I myself would prefer a more robust expression of our faith," remarks Southwark, considering the plans. "But it does look the kind of station one would find in a Christian countryside."
160	Southwark is disturbed by the 'overly secular' station building, and as usual unhappy about inching ever closer to hell. But he eventually gives his assent – "As long as none of you joke about a 'cold day in Hell.'"
170	"If we cannot arrange to fill Marigold station with holy water and crosses, I suppose this will do." He has the expression of a man already planning a military campaign.
181 - 187	"Aye," says Southwark, seeming uncharacteristically tired. "If we are to build a railway to Hell, might as well plant a Revolutionary nest on the way. Why not? I surrender to the madness."
200	"Proper armament," he says, and sings several verses of a hymn about the breastplate of Saint Patrick. Really, it is possible that these meetings are unhealthily invigorating for the Bishop.
205	"Room for weapons is the next best thing to armament," says the Bishop of Southwark firmly.
220	"For the worker is worthy of his hire," says the Bishop of Southwark. "I vote Yea."
300 - 330	Southwark looks as though he wants to find an objection, but lands on nothing in the end. This will have to do.
400	"Funds for the Church!" he says. "A tithe would be better, of course. But we take what the by-laws allow."
500	"Parabola is our best chance!" he roars. "Let us approach Hell by way of the unguarded pass!" No one else at the meeting shares his military zeal.
510	"With the greatest reluctance and tribulation of spirit," says the Bishop of Southwark. "I have come to believe this vote is the prudential choice, but I am deeply troubled by it."
520 - 523, 526 - 529	The Bishop of Southwark grudgingly accepts the plan, though not without a lot of commentary about the proper role of the Church in such undertakings.
600	"Better a Rubbery man than a Devil," Southwark says, banging the tabletop with his fist. "The Rubbery men are at least G-d's creatures."
610	"If the Board insists," says the Bishop of Southwark. "For my part, I would recommend feeding her a dish of minced rat and electing someone taller. But my arguments do not seem to hold sway."
620	"I mean to vote for F. F. Gebrandt," says the Bishop. "I admire her taste for experimentation, and I believe her intentions are sound. There are those who say her potations even make some souls unacceptable to Hell! A great recommendation!"
700, 720	The Bishop of Southwark does not see this as a particularly theological matter, and it's plain he's inclined to follow your lead.
710	"We could do worse," says Southwark, though he doesn't say who he has in mind.
800, 850	"No objection," roars the Bishop. He is distracted by something offensive he has just read in the newspaper, and is waiting for the board to tackle his proposal – the one about blessing all the trains before sending them out.
905	"No objection," say the Bishop. "Yet," he says giving the Dean a meaningful glare.
910	"Well, I suppose I can't object," the Bishop says carefully.
932	He consents. "If that works, perhaps we can begin on some Siege-Beasts." Evidently he imagines a Prehistoricist assault on the walls of Hell.
940 - 941	The Bishop of Southwark is not as enthusiastic about charity as he is about the other roles of the Church, but he is not opposed.
1000 - 1020	"Keep it from siding too much with Hell, that's the important thing […] In fact, the sooner the better. The devils are ahead of us. We don't want them more allied than they are. […] We need an alliance of our own. A strong one."
1100 - 1110	"By thunder, I wish to see this train of ours in action! We shall ride it like one of the horses in Revelation and give the realm of dream such a smiting that shall not be forgotten[…]!" The Bishop gets carried away[…] momentarily abashed afterward.
1200	"Build up our strongholds!" says Southwark vehemently. "There's room out there for a grand breeding programme against the forces of Hell." The proposal doesn't contain anything about animal transport, […] moment […] what exactly he's voting on. […]

• Persuasive is increasing…
•  You've lost 1 x Uncommitted Board Members
•  The Bishop of Southwark has agreed to vote with you. (Sets The Bishop of Southwark's Vote to 1 - The Bishop of Southwark is voting on your side)

Redirects to: Debating Matters of Business with the Board

Failure

Unconvinced

[See table below]

Question	Failure Description
1 - 3	Southwark reads the maps with a scowl. There is no way to orient them that obscures the truth: the train is headed toward Hell.
4	"I have heard disturbing things of those grasses," he says. "What if they swallow even the rails into the earth?" Someone else speaks up to assure him that that, at least, is very unlikely. But he remains alert to the dangers.
5	"It would be better not to meet the inhabitants of those hills," he says.
7	[…] "If you drown in lava, does it make you a Drownie?" […] those who have ever been to Zee feel that seawater is categorically different from other liquids and that drowning in one will not have the same effect as drowning in another.
9	Southwark reads the maps with a scowl. There is no way to orient them that obscures the truth: the train is headed toward Hell, and getting ever closer.
10 - 11, 14 - 17, 20 - 24, 26 - 30, 33, 37	"Fewer magnates!" says Southwark. "What this Board needs is soldiers and Bishops. We of the cloth will know what to do when we get to Hell." Despite this hearty declaration, however, he opposes this particular removal.
12 - 13	Southwark opposes the removal. "I am able to turn the other cheek," he says. A reference, apparently, to election arguments he has never forgotten.
18	"On this Board we need all the Bishops we can find," Southwark roars. "We should rather add three more Bishops than remove one of those we have!"
31	"A more muscular participant in the board meetings might be preferable, but his advice is generally good."
32	"The clergy are a beneficial influence," he says. "The Reverend's views may stray into the peculiar, but better her than the alternatives!"
35	"Now there is a fearless woman," […] He may be referring to the time he challenged the Campaigner to an arm-wrestling session […] A pot of tea was spilled […] but it did teach the other board members not to make certain assumptions about the lady.
100, 105	"The race is not to the swift," says the Bishop of Southwark. "Which is to say, this looks a very slapdash affair!"
115	"Is this meant in jest?" demands Southwark. "Is it intended as comedy? Are we now committing blasphemy in marble and brass?" So that's a nay, then.
120	"A temple to Mammon," sulks the Bishop of Southwark. "I think not."
130	"What has the Empress to do with it?" asks the Bishop of Southwark bluntly. "It isn't as though she is likely to pay it a visit!"
140	[…] It doesn't do to be too critical, and there's no fundamental objection to this design – it isn't as though it proclaims the messages of Hell, ha! But it does seem a trifle underwhelming. Couldn't you convey some encouragement to our architect? […]
150	The Bishop of Southwark frowns. "It does seem like the sort of station one would find in a good Christian land," he says. "But it isn't built for the wars."
160, 170	Southwark frowns. "We're getting awfully close to Hell with this one," he says. "Where's the gun emplacements? Where's the magazine? Should we perhaps include a moat?"
181 - 187	"Absolutely not," says Southwark. "First you tell me we're building a railway to Hell, now you say we're also planting a Revolutionary nest on the way there?"
200	"A more robust train is an excellent idea," Southwark exclaims. "But our guards must be bred for the purpose." He outlines the menagerie he would like to put aboard every GHR train, a set of monsters born to the purpose.
205	"An excellent plan, but shouldn't the compartments be designed to carry animals?" He suggests a revision with barred windows. This is not quite what you had in mind.
210	"Waste of time and waste of substance," Southwark says, on reviewing the proposal. "Save the gilding and the cupids'-heads for seats at the theatre."
220 - 270	"'The labourer is worthy of his hire,'" remarks Southwark. "But we risk encouraging more demands of a like nature in the future."
300	"Let us take a Psalm for our motto!" Southwark counters. "The Valley of the Shadow of Death!'
310 - 330	Southwark scowls. This scheme does not appeal to him at all.
400	Southwark argues that no dividends should be disbursed until the company can be sure that no Devils will benefit from the distribution. Considering that there are infernal shareholders, this would be difficult to arrange.
510	"Has everyone taken leave of their senses?" roars the Bishop of Southwark. "Are you wholly and entirely mad? To enter a new contract with Hell, to acquire the beasts of their warfare...! Think of your soul!"
520 - 523, 526 - 529	"Decidedly not," says the Bishop. "If we must take that direction, then listen to me. I am familiar with the battles of Hell."
700, 720	"Are we certain of the candidate's allegiance?" demands the Bishop. "Have we asked suitable questions on points of doctrine?"
710	"September's no friend of the Church, and he'll do nothing to hold back the Devils," says Southwark.
800, 850	"No," says the Bishop. "I cannot think he's prepared for the theological rigours of the position." As though the Tracklayers' Union leader needed to give sermons.
905	"No," says the Bishop. "I cannot think she's prepared for the theological rigours of the position." The Dean gives him an acid look. "Neither is he," she says pointedly.
910	"No," says the Bishop. "I do not think it wise to overextend a Bishop."
931, 933, 934, 940 - 941	"No," says the Bishop. "It does not seem sound at all."
932	"You want to give Cornelius what so he can build what?"
1000 - 1020	"If it speaks through a Baroness of Hell, then any deal will need a hard look," says the Bishop of Southwark. "They never wrote a contract unless it had a dozen loopholes to their own advantage."
1100 - 1110	"I've nothing against loading a train up with bombard and sending it against the enemy," the Bishop glowers. "My problem is we're sending it the wrong ruddy way!"
1200	"No," says the Bishop. "By all I've heard, the place is drawing in more than its share of devils and undesirables. Let them stay out there in their own cage."

Other Votes	Second paragraph of Failure Description
(other)	The Board Secretary writes down this reply in a way that includes none of the arm-waving or shouting.
Virginia	[…] Virginia remarks on the perennial obstructiveness of the Church. Southwark offers to resolve their disagreements by wrestling match. Virginia accepts, on condition Southwark will sign over his soul should he lose. […] debate has to be briefly postponed […]

• Persuasive is increasing…

Redirects to: Debating Matters of Business with the Board