Playing with Soul (Guide)

Early MYN Content

Late MYN Content

A guide for Playing with Soul, a storyline regarding the Blind Pianist and the Sallow Spirifer. Throughout the story, you'll take the side of either the Pianist or the Spirifer, though you can side with both.

The Sallow Spirifer and the Blind Pianist

The starting point is the storylet The Sallow Spirifer and the Blind Pianist in The Singing Mandrake, a sub-area of Veilgarden.

• The Blind Pianist: You will be Favouring the Pianist.
• The Sallow Spirifer: You will be Favouring the Spirifer.

This is a purely roleplay decision. You can freely switch between the two at this point in the storyline.

Afterwards, draw and play the card A message from an acquaintance in Veilgarden. Next, go to The Singing Mandrake to meet with whomever you've chosen. Repeat this process 3 times until PwS reaches 4.

Playing with Soul	Favouring...		Result
	the Blind Pianist	the Sallow Spirifer
1	A Meeting at Moloch Street	Following a trail to Moloch Street	Sets PwS to 2
	Speak to the Sallow Spirifer about this	Go to the Blind Pianist	Redirects to the other side
2	Help the Blind Pianist smuggle someone out of Hell	Heed the warnings of the Sallow Spirifer	Sets PwS to 3
	Inform the Sallow Spirifer	Speak to the Blind Pianist	Redirects to the other side
3	Help the Blind Pianist smuggle her spy out of Hell	Help the Sallow Spirifer stop the spy returning from Hell	Sets PwS to 4
	Go to the Spirifer instead	Help the Blind Pianist	Redirects to the other side

After you're done assisting either the Spirifer or the Pianist, you'll have to wait 1 real life month for them to get back to you and be able to proceed to the next part.

A Resumption of Hostilities

Who you favour stops mattering past this point. How much they trust you is more important. The qualities The Sallow Spirifer's Trust/ The Pianist's Trust will determine the course of the story.

Storylet	Favouring...	Action	Result
A Resumption of Hostilities (Fifth City Stories)	the Pianist	Visit the Blind Pianist	Sets PwS to 5
	the Spirifer	Visit the Sallow Spirifer
The Blind Pianist's Plan ( Spite)	the Pianist	Ask what the Blind Pianist requires	Sets PwS to 6
	the Spirifer	Convince the Blind Pianist
In Need of a Spirifer (Fifth City Stories)	the Pianist	Consult the Sallow Spirifer	Sets PwS to 7
	the Spirifer
The Sallow Spirifer, Required	the Pianist	Defect to the Spirifer	Sets PwS to 10 1 x The Sallow Spirifer's Trust
	the Spirifer	Report to the Spirifer	Sets PwS to 10 1 x The Sallow Spirifer's Trust
	Either	Tell the Spirifer as little as possible	Sets PwS to 10

The Sunken Embassy

Go to Spite and decide what to do with the The Blind Pianist's Soul:

• Give her the nearly-immaculate soul: Gives 2 x The Pianist's Trust.
• Give her the near-immaculate soul for a price: Gives 1 x Brass Ring and 1 x The Pianist's Trust.

Next, head to Moloch Street and begin Seeking Documents in the Sunken Embassy, which is unlocked by progressing A Name in Seven Secret Alphabets to 3 (Solved the case of the Absconding Devil). Go Westward to Find the Blind Pianist.

You'll find The Rose in Webs, a giant spider:

• Flee the Rose-in-Webs: Dangerous 50 challenge.
  • Success: Sets Playing with Soul to 13.
  • Failure: +3 CP Wounds and you'll have to try again.
• Eavesdrop: If you have The Flower from Hell that Grows Under Your Skin (This can only be acquired in Marigold Station, the final station of the Railway).
• Eavesdrop on Hell: If you don't.

Both option will set Playing with Soul to 15.

Returning to the Blind Pianist:

• Tell him everything: Gives 1 x The Sallow Spirifer's Trust.
• Lie: No The Sallow Spirifer's Trust.

Both option will set Playing with Soul to 16 and redirects to The Devils' Details:

• Attempt to leave: No The Sallow Spirifer's Trust.
• Reveal what you know: Gives 1 x The Sallow Spirifer's Trust.

Both option will set Playing with Soul to 20.

Go to Wolfstack Docks, where you find The Blind Pianist, Ready to Embark:

• Provide transport to the Grande Geode if you have a Ship of your own.
• Take passage with her to the Grande Geode if you don't.

Both option will set Playing with Soul to 25.

The Zee's Mirror

When Skirting the Grand Geode, you can either parley with the Admiralty or speed past them:

• Parley: Persuasive 50 challenge.
  • Success: Sets Playing with Soul to 30.
  • Failure: +3 CP Nightmares.
• Full steam ahead!: Dangerous 50 challenge.
  • Success: Sets Playing with Soul to 30.
  • Failure: +3 CP Nightmares.
• Zail through: You can skip the challenges if you have Dawnburnt, gained by playing the Exceptional Stories The Icarian Cup or The Stag and the Shark.

All options redirects to The Dawn Machine, Ascendant:

• Suggest you free the spy from Hell: Gives 1 x The Pianist's Trust and sets Pianist's decision to 1.
• Suggest you proceed with the Dynamite's plan: Gives 1 x The Pianist's Trust and sets Pianist's decision to 2.
• Suggest that you do neither: Sets Pianist's decision to 1.

A Second Ship is following you, carrying the Spirifer. Depending on how much he trusts you, he'll be an enemy or an ally:

• Hell's Exchange ( The Sallow Spirifer's Trust < 2):
  • Redirects to Radiance.
• The Spirifer and the Pianist Together ( The Sallow Spirifer's Trust > 1):
  • Depending on how much the Pianist trusts you and your own decision, the Spirifer will be allowed on board or be barred:
    • Allow the Sallow Spirifer to board ( The Pianist's Trust > 1): Sets In Union to 2.
    • Forbid the Sallow Spirifer from boarding ( The Pianist's Trust > 1): Sets In Union to 1.
    • Wait for the Pianist's Decision ( The Pianist's Trust < 2): Sets In Union to 1.
  • Redirects to The Final Radiance.

Endings

Radiance

• Reveal the Dynamite: Sets To All Things An End to 7 - The Dynamite have been revealed to Hell, the Blind Pianist recaptured.
• Free the spy: Sets To All Things An End to 8 - A spy has escaped Hell, to tell the Surface of its true self
• Create a reflection of Hell: Sets To All Things An End to 9 - Hell has been reflected in Parabola. One day it may grow.
• Break Hell's contract with the Sallow Spirifer: Sets To All Things An End to 10 - The Blind Pianist escaped Hell, the Spirifer's contract was broken.

The Final Radiance

In Union exactly 1

• Reveal the Dynamite. Betray the Pianist.: Sets To All Things An End to 4 - You betrayed the Blind Pianist and revealed the Dynamite to Hell, despite the Sallow Spirifer's sacrifice.
• Let the Pianist make her choice ( Pianist's decision exactly 1): Sets To All Things An End to 5 - The Sallow Spirifer sacrificed himself so that the Blind Pianist could recover her spy from Hell.
• Let the Pianist make her choice ( Pianist's decision exactly 2): Sets To All Things An End to 6 - The Sallow Spirifer sacrificed himself so that the Blind Pianist could create a seed of Hell in Parabola.

In Union exactly 2

• Reveal the Dynamite. Betray the Pianist: Sets To All Things An End to 1 - You betrayed both the Blind Pianist and the Sallow Spirifer and revealed the Dynamite to Hell.
• Let the Pianist make her choice ( Pianist's decision exactly 1): Sets To All Things An End to 2 - The Sallow Spirifer helped the Blind Pianist recover her spy from Hell.
• Let the Pianist make her choice ( Pianist's decision exactly 2): Sets To All Things An End to 3 - The Sallow Spirifer helped the Blind Pianist create a seed of Hell in Parabola.

Reward

Once all is said and done, you'll receive a Searing Enigma for your troubles.