Persuade the Dean of Xenotheology

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ID: 240869

Spoiler warning! This page contains details about Fallen London Actions.

From: Debating Matters of Business with the Board

She is very hard to confuse or distract. She has firm commitments to the wellbeing of the Church, the University, and Rubbery Men.

Game Instructions: She is affected by Respectability. Other branches in this storylet may help to persuade her.

Unlocked with Board Member: The Dean of Xenotheology

Locked with The Dean'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%)
  

Speculatively, base difficulty is 100, and increases by 40 per point of Board against the University, and 20 per point of Board against the Church, Board Against Rubbery Interests, Board against the Status Quo, Board against Own Financial Interests, and Board for the Fingerkings. Every point of Respectability Factor reduces the base difficulty by 50 points.

Success

She is convinced!

She hears you out, then remarks that she would pass a student who presented such a thesis.

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
3 - 5, 9	"Yes," she says. "There are no safe routes to Hell, after all."
7	[…] while one wouldn't like to see any […] colleagues harmed, naturally, it would be of interest to know how being submerged in the lava happens to affect the survivors. We might question […] and record their answers for further research." […]
10 - 16, 18 - 24, 26 - 29, 31 - 33, 35, 37	"I have considerable experience on matters of personnel," says the Dean; and she treats the company to half an hour's gossip about the Dean of Supernumerary Faculty, by way of saying that she agrees.
30	"I don't wish to speak ill of a former colleague," says the Dean. "And I have very much appreciated her insight on the board..." But, it appears, she is in fact able to dispense with January's presence.
100, 105, 115 - 170, 181 - 187	The Dean of Xenotheology frowns at the plans. "There's usually a Buildings and Estates Committee for this sort of question. But I suppose it looks like a building."
205	She hears you out, then notes that lack of adequate space is the perennial bugbear of every college and university, and that one can never have too much room.
400	"I suppose," she says. "If the numbers work out. I try to avoid those things, but I trust that your calculations are accurate."
500	"It would be very instructive," she says. "And we're told to give more attention to Parabola these days."
510	"The possibility of studying these creatures..." she says. "Consider what we might learn about the Law Furnaces! It is a little outside my own domain of expertise, of course, but I would be honoured to participate in a study."
520 - 523, 525 - 529	The Dean votes yes. "I expect this investigation to yield a great deal of discovery," she says.
610	"Certainly," says the Dean. She looks gleeful. "We never get to vote on political matters in the University committees."
700 - 720	"If we think the candidate shows the proper administrative skills," she says. "Then it could be a very good thing for the region, which, I'm given to understand, has been somewhat underdeveloped."
800 (?)	"His palaeontological interests are commendable," says the Dean. "But I have some doubts about his morals."
850	"He is plainly a person of sound scientific curiosity," says the Dean. "I think we could do much worse than to engage him. To be honest, Furnace never seemed so concerned about such matters as she should have been."
910	"Well, I suppose he's the next best choice. Isn't he?" She says, giving you a cool stare.
931, 933 - 934, 940 - 941	The Dean spends a great deal of time listing out the numerous pros and cons of the proposal. "...and on balance, I vote aye," she concludes.
932	"Yes!," she says. "By all means let's fund this fascinating experiment. I have grave doubts as to its efficacy but it will doubtlessly be instructive."
1000 - 1020	The Dean […] has been radiant with excitement since the story of the Tower was first divulged […] When you […] get a 'yes' […] she goes back […] to outlining her theory about the worldview […] of beings conventionally supposed to be inanimate […]
1100 - 1110	The Dean of Xenotheology gives a simple nod. "Even if the train is lost, we will have learned something." She looks[…]around the table. "Oh! I was speaking merely hypothetically. I'm sure nothing will go wrong with us sending a war-train into Parabola."
1200	The Dean of Xenotheology looks keen. She votes yes […] her allotted time (and somewhat more than her allotted time) […] plans to visit the area […] practices both of the citizens and of the landscape. […] Creditor […] worship the moon, […]? […] Greco-Roman tradition, […]

Other Vote	Second paragraph of Success Description
Jovial Contrarian	The Jovial Contrarian remarks that the Dean is on everyone's side at all times[…]. The Dean gives a long-winded and well-meaning speech about how she tries to see all issues from the perspective of the parties concerned. After the third paragraph […]

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

Redirects to: Debating Matters of Business with the Board

Failure

Unconvinced

[See table below]

Question	Failure Description
1 - 3, 250	The Dean of Xenotheology is eager to get back to her own research – but not so eager that she will put up with your follies and misguided proposals.
4 - 5, 7, 9	"One doesn't feel quite right proposing such a dangerous route," […] "Though the University does sometimes permit students to undertake quite unsafe courses of study, there, of course, there is at least the pursuit of knowledge to justify..." […]
10 - 16, 18 - 24, 26 - 29, 31 - 33, 35, 37	"But should we really be kicking anyone out?" the Dean asks. "It is so difficult to persuade people to serve on a committee in the first place. I think we should try to make the best of the contributions we have."
30	"Our colleague is a distinguished and illustrious scholar in her own right and also formidably gifted as an administrator and manager of people," […] "And it would be a travesty to remove her from the board when she is so obviously […] capable."
100, 105, 115 - 170, 181 - 187	"I don't know much on the topic, […] But I have heard my colleagues on the Buildings and Estates committee say it is crucial to review the foundations […]" A 'no,' it appears, until the Dean understands how the building compares to others.
200	"Capital improvements always require new investment," says the Dean, with the certain air of someone who has heard a lot of academic gossip. "We should invite a named donor to sponsor […]. Perhaps put a commemorative plaque on the guard-car."
205	"Capital improvements always require new investment," says the Dean, with the certain air of someone who has heard a lot of academic gossip. "Perhaps we could induce a maker of bespoke luggage to provide funds."
210	"Luxuries […] rank […] behind the rigour of the curriculum and the advancement of research." […] in this analogy […] the train's regular adherence to schedule and progress on its intended course represent "curriculum" and "research advancement."
220 - 280	"I doubt whether this is the best use of our capital," says the Dean. She proposes several other uses for it, […]. The conversation remains in the realm of the theoretical, since (by her own admission) she has no head for accountancy […].
300, 310, 340	"The Statement of Purpose should not be rushed," says the Dean, in a reverent voice. "Consider how long the Council of Nicaea devoted to developing its Creed."
400	The Dean has difficulty concentrating on the topic of money. Generally speaking, one leaves that to other committees – the ones she isn't on.
500	The Dean is very interested in mounting an expedition to Parabola and exploring the place thoroughly. She is less interested in putting any immediate effort into applying that research […] after ten or perhaps twenty years of study […]
510	"The concept is of course very appealing," […] There's a general sigh from the rest of the table. This […] means that she is going to vote 'no' but that she is going to spend the next fifteen minutes expressing sympathy for the other side […]
520 - 523, 525, 527 - 529	"We could do it that way," says the Dean thoughtfully. "But there might be other approaches that would be more informative and leave more learning to posterity."
700 - 720	"I am not sure that this Castellan would be concerned for the best interests of the region," says the Dean of Xenotheology. She goes on in this hesitant vein for at least five minutes: a no, but with plenty of frills.
800	"I do not have the impression that he reads," says the Dean, and this is the most blighting possible indictment.
850	"His palaeontological interests are commendable," says the Dean. "But I have some doubts about his morals."
910	"I'm sorry I just think he's of more use here. You evidently thought the same about me, after all," she says, giving you a long stare.
931, 933, 934, 940 - 941	The Dean spends a great deal of time listing out the numerous pros and cons of the proposal. "...and on balance, I vote nay," she concludes.
932	"This proposal is half-cooked," the Dean notes. "I would not approve a grant."
1000 - 1020	[…] "I want to speak with it," she says. "There are so many questions – even down to its physical extent! Is it just the tower, or does it have other parts? […] I'm sorry, I get distracted. I do not have faith in this particular approach," […]
1100 - 1110	The Dean frowns. "I think the risks outweigh the benefits here. We know that we can go to Parabola with our trains, and indeed we do. I'm not sure what more there is to be learned on this front."
1200	The Dean frowns. She would like to visit the place, especially given the intriguing whispers […] about cult practices springing up ex nihilo in the area. But isn't there a risk that joining the place to the railway might extinguish those practices […]?

Other Vote	Second paragraph of Failure Description
Tentacled Entrepreneur	The Tentacled Entrepreneur turns a disappointed gaze in her direction and burbles something in the Rubbery language. You cannot interpret it. The Dean, however, looks chastened. "Nonetheless," she says, and gurgles a response.

• Persuasive is increasing…

Redirects to: Debating Matters of Business with the Board