Editing The London Horticultural Show (historical)

[[File:Estival promo.png|thumb]]<blockquote>''It's 1899 (again), and London's rose blooms on. It seems that a celebration of the city's endurance – its survival – is in order. Lady ______ has generously donated the use of her private glasshouse to the London Horticultural Society. For the first time since the Fall, the London Horticultural Show has returned!''</blockquote>

The London Horticultural Show was a one-off festival in Fallen London, which began on the 31st of July 1899 (2023). As with the previous year's Estival, the [[F.F. Gebrandt's Prelapsarian Exhibition (historical)|Prelapsarian Exhibition]], five new items and various items from the Exhibition, the [[Mr Chimes' Grand Clearing-Out (historical)|Grand Clearing Out]] and the [[Election (historical)|elections]] were available to purchase for {{IL|Estival Tokens}}, and players were given 30 of these at the beginning of the festival.

==31st July==
''"Fallen London is currently running more server instances than we ever have before thanks to your enthusiasm for plants. Never a normal day here, honestly."<br><p style="margin-left: 2em; margin-top: -0.5em;">– Failbetter Games''<ref>[https://nitter.net/failbettergames/status/1685989620121542656#m The FBG Twitter account]</ref></p>

The new items introduced for the event were:
* {{IL|Conspicuously Liveried Carriage}}, a Mithridacy Transport
* {{IL|Extensive Collections of Mayoral Campaign Buttons}}, a Mithridacy Clothing
* {{IL|Surplussed Giftschrank}}, a Kataleptic Toxicology Home Comfort
* {{IL|Heavily Annotated Timetables}}, an A Player of Chess Weapon
* {{IL|Khatun-class Electric Launch}}, an A Player of Chess Transport

Some of the items had game instructions noting they had equivalent stats to other seasonal items; it was elaborated that they were for different roleplayers to have access to their stats.<ref>https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1135546495886708787 "We definitely wanted to target for these initial cosmetic alternates some items that have a very specific kind of presentation/roleplay to them." - BrunoFBG, 12:16 UTC 31/7/23</ref> There was a great deal of consternation on the Discord as to why the Electric Launches, a boat, didn't go in the Ship slot, to which the devs replied: "because a boat isn't a ship."<ref>https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1135552914820169830 "The Khaganian boat isn't a ship because a boat isn't a ship. I wondered how much this would throw people." - BrunoFBG, 12:41 UTC 31/7/23</ref>

The Show began with the opening of a new carousel, [[In the Glasshouse]], which allowed players to grow plants to compete in the Show. Doing so increased the World Quality {{IL|Advancing the Horticultural Arts}}, which unlocked new plants to grow and options for growing them, as well as rewarding players with {{IL|Horticultural Prestige}}.

It was revealed via game instructions that the next stage of the event would begin at 12 noon UTC the following day, with the opening ceremony of the show.<ref>[[Attend the opening ceremony]]</ref>

==1st August==
''"Sorry I forgot it's estival time and if I make jokes they'll become gospel truth"<br><p style="margin-left: 2em; margin-top: -0.5em;">– LukeFBG (aka Barse)''<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1135846655044894801 Discord], 8:09 UTC</ref></p>

The early hours of the morning brought discussions of how difficult it was to read the {{IL|Advancing the Horticultural Arts}} requirement on [['Violant wing' lily-caps]] due to the lack of commas<ref>https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1135730783676534967 "My mind keeps adding 0's and removing them as I try to count" - Flesh Hunter, Pirate Queen 00:28 UTC 1/8/23</ref>. The situation was not helped when, at 6:05 UTC, {{IL|Advancing the Horticultural Arts}} reached 10000, unlocking the [['Violant wing' lily-caps]] and revealing the [[Cautionary Orchids]] with a requirement of 1000000.

===The Opening Ceremony===
''"who's ready to have some nibbles and a glass of something nice"<br><p style="margin-left: 2em; margin-top: -0.5em;">– HannahFBG''<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1135904036378398790 Discord], 11:57 UTC</ref></p>

The Opening Ceremony began at 12:00 UTC. His Amused Lordship provided attendees with [[Charging Up|some wine]] and [[London's Rose|gave a speech]]. Unfortunately, his speech was interrupted when a [[Stalactite|stalactite]] fell from the Roof, crushing the Show's greenhouses and a number of bystanders.

Then, because that apparently wasn't bad enough, the stalactite peeled open to reveal an army of Starved Men.

===London, Falling===
''"✍️ add... TLU city... then... destroy it... next... estival..."<br><p style="margin-left: 2em; margin-top: -0.5em;">– Bruno (FBG)''<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1135947163432648704 Discord], 14:48 UTC</ref></p>

Everything changed when the Starved Men attacked. It was no longer possible to grow plants for the show, on account of the giant stalactite having crushed the greenhouse. Instead, players could now attempt to help Londoners with [[Unfolding Violence|various]] [[Sinuous Streets|opportunity]] [[Marbled Flank|cards]]; success on these cards would reduce a new World Quality, {{IL|London's Ruin}} - however, {{IL|London's Ruin}} also increased passively over time, massively outpacing the player's efforts and rapidly reaching and remaining at its cap of 1 million.

[[File:Estival promo2.png|thumb]]The attack also had an effect on the routes in and out of London. In Moloch Street, players [[All Aboard: A Fresh Stoppage|had to gain]] either {{IL|Scandal}} or {{IL|Wounds}} to travel to the Hinterlands, and in the Docks they [[Put to Zee: Hazardous Materials|had to either]] pass a {{IL|Persuasive}} check or have a {{IL|Khatun-class Electric Launch}} to get to their ships. Initially, there were some issues with the unlocks on the Docks storylet, making it possible<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/798167693664583740/1135929451457298442 Discord] "Hi, i'm a pre-PoSI player who's apparently used the confusion of the attack on london to...steal a ship, from what I can tell? then set out to zee with it
an honest mistake
Now that i'm onboard though, the only two options I have are to read a tutorial or chart a course, which brings out a map with only "Irem" and "Void's approach" on it, and i'm not sure what to make of that" - Asphodel Honey, 13:38 UTC</ref> for players without a ship to [[Put to Zee!]]. This was swiftly corrected, and a storylet added to bring them back to dry land.

In addition to the opportunity cards, players could petition various factions for aid - the Masters, the Palace, the Admiralty, Hell and Sinning Jenny - filling up respective World Qualities. At 14:53 UTC<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1135948394423124008 Discord] "Ah, Masters just locked themselves off" - Gotthart Redlich, 14:53 UTC</ref> (probably upon their petitioning quality reaching 1.5% of its maximum), the option to petition the Masters switched to being locked by [[Appealed to the Masters]], a quality given by appealing to them - in other words, players were limited to petitioning them once only. At 17:24 UTC, appealing to the Empress similarly locked<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1135986536488374405 Discord] "SHE GONE GONE" - 🃏Mr. Cards🃏(IGN: Sans Cipher), 17:24 UTC</ref> at 2.5% of its maximum. At 19:03 UTC (and 5%) the option to petition Hell also became single-use only<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136011375425105990 Discord] "oookay so, devils are also lockd, whats open?" - (IGN: Pietr0) Piet, 19:03 UTC</ref>.

At the same time, the text for appealing to Jenny and the Admiralty changed with their World Qualities, with the Admiralty getting more enthusiastic about artillery and Jenny (who was busy running a field hospital) growing ever more despairing at the failure of those with responsibilities to London to actually do anything.

On the Discord, it was revealed that the horticulture activity was essentially a facade, with most of the options and flowers not actually implemented, and that it might or might not return in future<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1135938559879151696 Discord] "The horticulture wheel is gone but depending on the response to it we may bring it back as its own thing in the future." - Bruno (FBG), 14:14 UTC</ref>. The entire Horticulture Show was just there to allow the event to be advertised without spoiling the surprise inherent in a surprise attack<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1135940264230392001 Discord] "The horticulture show really exists to preserve the shock and disorientation of the initial invasion – it's meant to sell that moment of "wait, what" while still allowing us to talk about the event in advance of it starting. Obviously you expect *something* to happen, but this year it's a sudden external threat so it wanted that bit of artifice." - Bruno (FBG), 14:21 UTC</ref>. Also revealed was the real event poster, shown above.

At 21:44, the Admiralty reached 10%, changing the reward for appealing to them from {{IL|Memory of Distant Shores}} to {{IL|Service to London}} and giving new text<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136051847501721621 Discord] "NEW TEXT" - THE SUN IS A GIRLBOSS, 21:44 UTC</ref>. A minute or so later, Jenny also crossed the 10% mark and switched to Service<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136052060383625226 Discord] "Go Jenny!!" - hlodvig, 21:45 UTC</ref>.

Throughout this time, the game had a number of performance issues, with many people unable to login. This was due to the actual underlying database being at maximum capacity for input/output.

==2nd August==
''"I retract all of my previous statements and apologize to Sinning Jenny. This woman is more of a Paramount Presence than I ever could hope or dream to be."<br><p style="margin-left: 2em; margin-top: -0.5em;">– Sacchi Hikaru''<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136171576144973844 Discord], 05:40 UTC</ref></p>

At 4:29 UTC, the {{IL|Appeals for Aid}} World Quality for appealing to Jenny reached 100%.<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136153884528750632 Discord]"it's gone over" - HeronLikesStuff (IGN), 4:29 UTC</ref> At 5:35 UTC, {{IL|Appeals for Arms}} also reached 100%, beginning the next stage of the event.<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136170279102595142 Discord]"100!" - Calliteara, 05:35 UTC</ref>. In a dramatic scene, [[London's Heart|Sinning Jenny arrived at the head of a crowd of people]] (giving a new Boon, {{IL|London's Many Hands}}), beginning to work on helping the injured and repairing the buildings - only to be [[The Tenderising Ministrations of the Starved|set upon]] by the Starved Men. Fortunately, they were saved by the intervention of the Admiralty, in the form of [[London's Fist|shelling the area]].

This opened up new options; the storylet [[Tending London's Wounds]], which gave options to help with the relief efforts, decreasing {{IL|London's Ruin}}; and the storylet [[Fighting London's War]], which gave options to fight back against the Starved, raising both {{IL|London's Ruin}} and {{IL|The Defence of London}}. Options in both storylets rewarded players with {{IL|Service to London}}, which could now be exchanged for a variety of rewards in a new storylet, [[Materials and Materiel]].

One option, [[Lay a botanical trap for the Starved Men]], gave both a substantial amount of Service and a vanity quality ({{IL|Not So Starved}}) - however, it was one-time-only and required {{IL|Attending to the Needs of a Singular Plant}} 19. Later on in the day<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136311891673743420 Discord] "Plant-havers, take note: I've expanded the requirements on That Branch in Fighting London's War, so you can do it as long as you have a Cryptobotanical Rosette instead. (But the original unlock is still available.)" - George FBG, 14:57 UTC</ref> the requirements were relaxed so it was also accessible with a {{IL|Cryptobotanical Rosette}}.

===The Clue Hunt===
''"The major issue that was causing the entire game to thrash earlier in the event has been resolved by widening the furnace's weasel intake pipe by a factor of 2x, but we are continuing to monitor."''<br><p style="margin-left: 2em; margin-top: -0.5em;">– Bruno (FBG)''<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136338232829825064 Discord], 16:42 UTC</ref></p>

From 10 UTC to 11:50, Fallen London had planned downtime to deal with the stability issues that had plagued it the afternoon prior. Unfortunately, the in-universe London had no such stabilisation, a fact noted when, at 15:07 UTC, Jenny [[Council of War|confronted]] the Admiralty leadership about the fact that repeatedly firing artillery at your own city to fight enemies more than capable of surviving artillery blasts was counterproductive. It was [[Contemplate the tactics of the Starved Men|decided]] that what was needed was more information on the enemy - and so the clue hunt returned once more. Much like the [[F.F. Gebrandt's Prelapsarian Exhibition (historical)#29 July|Exhibition's hunt]], once one player had found and reported a given clue a [[Ponder where knowledge might be found|cryptic hint]] as to its location would become visible in-game; unlike the last year, however, no amount of turn-ins would convert the hint to an explicit location, and it wasn't necessary to find all the clues to progress the story. Most clues, once turned in enough times, opened up new options on [[Tending London's Wounds]] or [[Fighting London's War]], which were much more effective than the originally-available options.

Some clues opened up new options on [[Materials and Materiel]], including [[Claim an assortment of Starved remains]], the first non-{{FontFate}}-locked source of {{IL|Rubbery Skull}}s. Shortly after it was unlocked, people remembered that the skulls could be sold for 62.5{{e}} worth of {{IL|Nightsoil of the Bazaar}}<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136428429353431070 Discord] "That *has* to be an oversight, right? Rubbery skulls can be sold for *125* scrip." - The Innovative Anatomist(ign) — , 22:40 UTC</ref>, making this a ~12 EPA grind. This would be fixed at 2:23 UTC the next day, by making the option only give a skull the first time it was played<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136484533106126930 Discord] "The assortment of starved remains has been downtuned, though in a somewhat generous way
It'll now give you a rubbery skull but only the first time you do it. Subsequently it'll give you a withered tentacle instead." - Bruno (FBG), 2:23 UTC</ref>.

Out of the 20 total clues, 19 of them were found that same day:

* ''Hidden behind closed doors.'' - In Mrs Chapmans' Boarding House. First reported to the Discord by Choleric (FL: Name Thief) at 15:18 UTC<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136317191856332911 Discord] "Chapman has one, if you’ve found all the clues to talk to her"</ref>
* ''!kathakathoti!'' - On the Rubbery Men faction card. First reported by The Revered Abolitionist at 15:36 UTC<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136321743095615568 Discord] ''A screenshot of the [[Slime and Amber: the Rubbery Men]] card, with the option [[Ask a Rubbery Man about amber from the Roof]] visible; and a screenshot of the action result''</ref>
* ''Among ruins.'' - At the end of a Forgotten Quarter expedition. First reported by I'm Also Salt (Amets Estibariz) at 15:28 UTC<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136319746237808751 Discord] "Forgotten Quarter Base-Camp > Begin an Expedition in the Forgotten Quarter" ''followed by a screenshot of the [[Stonefall Copse]] option''</ref>
* ''Among the lights and laughter.'' - In Mrs Plenty's Carnival. First reported to the Discord by 🃏Mr. Cards🃏(IGN: Sans Cipher) at 15:13 UTC<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136315813046001784 Discord] ''A screenshot of the [[The hunched and etiolated specimen]] option''</ref>
* ''Where oars bend to water.'' - On a slow boat. First report unclear.
* ''Beneath the loam.'' - In Underclay. First reported by Unsatiable at 15:26 UTC<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136319146334900234 Discord] "Underclay has an option to send mutinous too the navy"</ref>
* ''Under moonish light.'' - At Port Cecil. First reported on Discord by Pinstripeowl at 18:59 UTC<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136372753088393316 Discord] "PORT CECIL"</ref>
* ''Forgotten.'' - In the Nadir. First reported by The Revered Abolitionist at 15:58 UTC<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136327181614714980 Discord] "There is one in the Nadir"</ref>
* ''At the tip of a fallen temple.'' - In Godfall. First reported by LordPaido at 15:22 UTC<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136318110878666772 Discord] "Can confirm the Godfall pilgrimage has one"</ref>
* ''At the frontiers of knowledge.'' - An experiment in the University Laboratory. First reported to Discord by 🃏Mr. Cards🃏(IGN: Sans Cipher) at 17:01 UTC<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136342928743219300 Discord] "NEW RESEARCH IN LAB" ''followed by a screenshot of the option [[Test the elastic limits of flesh and bone]]''</ref>
* ''Deep in memory – if you have the right past.'' - In the Waswood, for players with the Light Fingers Ambition. Reported at 15:14 UTC by DrBones (Prickfinger Flores)<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136316013177217135 Discord] ''A screenshot of the Waswood, including the option [[Recall your experience fighting Starved Men]]''</ref>
* ''Downstairs.'' - In Helicon House. First reported by IGN: Captain Nicholas Lime at 15:18 UTC<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136317059718992116 Discord] "OH! OHHHH!" ''followed by a screenshot of the option to enter with [[The Admiralty Lackey]]''</ref>
* ''In dreams.'' - In the Viric Jungle. First reported to the Discord by (IGN) Ambrosine Eathellreda at 15:13 UTC<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136315960974905467 Discord] "CLUE IN PARABOLA Encounter the Ophidian Gentleman"</ref>
* ''Beneath justice.'' - Diving in the Magistracy of the Evenlode. First report unclear
* ''In a time yet to come.'' In the Neon Future of Irem. First reported to the Discord by Finn' at 15:45 UTC<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136323864687812750 Discord] "Neon!" ''followed by a screenshot of the option [[Barter for information with Starved Merchants]]''</ref>
* ''Through gunsmoke and fire.'' - Piracy on the Unterzee. First reported to the Discord by 🃏Mr. Cards🃏(IGN: Sans Cipher) at 16:15 UTC<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136331387750842398 Discord] "WAIT WAIT WAIT" ''followed by a screenshot of the option [[Hear the name of something lost and misshapen]]''</ref>
* ''Deep, and down.'' - In Flute Street. First reported by Kislev (IGN) at 15:17 UTC<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136316811562975242 Discord] "CLUE IN FLUTE STRET MY TIME WAS NOT WASTED"</ref>
* ''Up.'' - In the Ossuary from [[Upwards (Story)|Upwards]], a {{FontFate}}-locked story. First reported to the Discord by Finn' at 15:12 UTC<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136315518689747066 Discord] "In Upwards (the fate story.)"</ref>
* ''Somewhere meteorological.'' - On [[Weather at last]] for those who had played [[Written in the Glim]]. First reported on the forum by sebastianolmen at 15:45 UTC<ref>[https://community.failbettergames.com/t/the-london-horticultural-show-is-here/21646/149 FBG Forums] "The weather At Last card has a new option if you’ve done Written in the Glim"</ref>

It was soon confirmed that the reward for finding clues was nothing more than a vanity quality<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136343551366664254 Discord] "There are no mechanical rewards for clue finding. It's just the Starved Intelligencer quality and its levels" - LukeFBG, 17:03 UTC</ref>, with its description changing at 1, 3, 6 and 10 clues turned in<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136318508813275257 Discord] "In fact, the vanity qld breakpoints for clue-finding are at 1, 3, 6 and 10, 10 being the highest." - LukeFBG, 13:24 UTC</ref>.

Initially it was possible to miss the Nadir card due to bad luck with the cards; as such, at 16:12 UTC the frequency was raised to High Urgency to guarantee drawing<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136330605118885888 Discord] "A communcation from the Masters: Nadir Card frequency has been raised to High Urgency" - Asarta [IGN] Mr. Timestamps/Pins, 16:12 UTC</ref>, and FBG offered to wipe the irrigo of anyone who went in there looking for it but missed it<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136330748803158119 Discord] "If you previously attempted Nadir and didn't get it email support@failbettergames.com and they will reset irrigo for you" - Asarta [IGN] Mr. Timestamps/Pins, 16:12 UTC</ref>

==3rd August==
''"we had to do it to em"<br><p style="margin-left: 2em; margin-top: -0.5em;">– HannahFBG''<ref>[https://nitter.net/itshannahflynn/status/1687127602933161986#m Twitter], 15:45 UTC</ref></p>

The hunt for the final clue continued, with Bruno giving various hints<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136491366805942372 Discord] "It's definitely not somewhere that you couldn't see before getting to the clue-gaining stage of the event (tutorial) or somewhere that you can't return to turn in the clue from (a place you won't leave)" - Bruno (FBG), 2:50 UTC</ref><ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136491717776916480 Discord] "It's not something anyone can get right now because that'd mean it's in one of the early game core London locations." - Bruno (FBG), 2:52 UTC</ref><ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136492563239546931 Discord] "Anyway, the last clue is in a spot that meets the same sort of boundaries as the other ones – it may or may not require having played a specific story or claimed some quality, etc, and it may be in a hard to reach place." - Bruno (FBG), 2:55 UTC</ref><ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136492869151096913 Discord] "It's definitely available right now, if not to everyone." - Bruno (FBG), 2:56 UTC</ref><ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136492942144577566 Discord] "It's just in a place you've forgotten about or erroneously think you've ruled out. Good luck." - Bruno (FBG), 2:57 UTC</ref><ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136568196405657660 Discord] "It's nothing like, say, the state of binding servitude where you can't revisit it after finishing a story." - Bruno (FBG), 7:56 UTC</ref><ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136579375408619540 Discord] "If it requires something it requires progression and stories that relate to the place where it's found." - Bruno (FBG), 8:40 UTC</ref>

At 12:23 UTC, a screenshot was posted to the Discord showing that all 20 clues had been discovered<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136635401541533717 Discord] "ayo??" ''followed with a screenshot of the game instructions from [[Knowledge is Power (Storylet)|Knowledge is Power]] saying that 20 clues had been found''</ref>. As nobody had reported this discovery, the hint for the clue - ''Somewhere fungal.'' - prompted frantic speculation. Eventually, at 12:43 UTC the clue was reported to the Discord by Kislev<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136640450577571971 Discord] ''A screenshot of a {{FontFate}}-locked storylet with an option unlocked with various Horticultural-Show-related World Qualities''</ref>. It had been missed on prior searches of Mangrove College as it appeared in a storylet only available after completing the {{FontFate}}-locked [[Philosofruits (Guide)|Philosofruits carousel]] seven times, zailing away from the island and then returning.

The final clue's World Quality, {{IL|Spreading the Word: A Dream of Dancing Lights}}, reached 100% with the fourth turn-in of the clue at around 13:05 UTC.

During the latter part of the day, it was realised by some who had yet to play the opening ceremony and continued to garden that there was a cap on {{IL|Advancing the Horticultural Arts}} of 499999, meaning that the 1000000 needed to unlock the Cautionary Orchids was actually impossible.<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/765443037592551424/765443037592551427/1136731963563200542 Discord] "Oooh you know what's really cheeky?" ''followed by a screenshot taken with the FL Quality Lantern extension showing a cap of 499999 on an increase of {{IL|Advancing the Horticultural Arts}}'' - GyroFeather, 18:46 UTC</ref>.

Throughout the day, the increased effectiveness of the repairing options brought on by the clues led to {{IL|London's Ruin}} tumbling from a million at around 4:55 UTC to 0 at around 6:45 UTC and hovering around there for the rest of the day. Meanwhile, the value of {{IL|The Defence of London}} rose from just shy of 700,000 (7%) to around 3,800,000 (38%) over the course of the day.

==4th August==
''"you know, I don't know if the admiralty _really_ needed me to go out to the roof of the neath and blow up a whole raft of the twisty men just to inform them "They're vulnerable to massed cannon fire and getting shot in the face.""<br><p style="margin-left: 2em; margin-top: -0.5em;">– BrokenLeg''<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136833855140151408 Discord], 1:31 UTC</ref></p>

Relatively little happened on this day. {{IL|The Defence of London}} continued to rise, and it was revealed that not much would happen initially when it reached 100%, so the devs didn't have to work on the weekend (5th-6th).<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1136961010071261235 Discord] "Yeah. Story'll progress a little when those conditions are met. But we're not putting anything beyond that live while we're out of office, so that will wait." - LukeFBG, 9:57 UTC</ref> By the end of the day it had reached around 8,650,000, 86.5%.

Over on Reddit, it was discovered<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/fallenlondon/comments/15i38di/not_even_you/ Reddit]</ref> by u/MissBreaker that the {{IL|Dangerous}} requirement for the locked [[Endure]] option on [[Stalactite]] was 500.

==5th August==
''"I can't really see how London is meant to go back to the previous status quo. Like, at all. Our closest trading partner(Hell) did nothing to help, the opulent upper-class did nothing to help, the *Masters did nothing to help*. Instead, London was helped by a sex worker/revolutionary/nun and by an Admiralty they dragged kicking and screaming into actually doing something useful. How would they, logically, ever be able to go back to believing in the previous hierarchy? The French Revolution seems downright sensible under these circumstances"<br><p style="margin-left: 2em; margin-top: -0.5em;">– Sh0 (The Light-Struck Idealist)''<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1137201896919150662 Discord], 1:54 UTC</ref></p>

''"italians *are* also vulnerable to massed cannon fire. I think you might be onto something."<br><p style="margin-left: 2em; margin-top: -0.5em;">– BrokenLeg''<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1137249888594300989 Discord], 5:05 UTC</ref></p>

Very little continued to happen for the first part of the day, with the Discord playing host to a discussion on how people in the Neath might trans their genders. At 6:03 UTC, however, {{IL|The Defence of London}} finally reached 100%<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1137264546596270183 Discord] "100" - Dehno, 6:03 UTC</ref>. A small new stage was unlocked, with the Starved Men mostly driven off or killed and the last few [[Give the order|surrendering]]. Once players moved on to this stage, it was no longer possible for them to find or turn in clues or play [[Fighting London's War]], although [[Tending London's Wounds]] remained.

Despite the fact it was a weekend, George FBG made some minor tweaks to the event to make things better for those who had yet to move on to the new stage. He first confirmed that {{IL|London's Ruin}} should no longer be increasing over time<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1137265902954500146 Discord] "(Also London’s Ruin shouldn’t be going up any more; I’m going to check that shortly.)" - George FBG, 6:08 UTC</ref>, and then made changes based around the fact it was now permanently at 0 - he removed the {{IL|London's Ruin}} requirement on the previous stage's cards<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1137269859013644289 Discord] "(I've removed the London's Ruin locks from the menace cards from this phase of the event, so people coming to this stage late can see them despite the lack of London's Ruin. They should be gone if you've progressed to the very latest stage of the event, or if you've got rid of them through the normal means.)" - George FBG, 6:24 UTC</ref> and fiddled around with [[All Aboard: A Fresh Stoppage]] to make it less punishing based on stage<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1137279787510014032 Discord] "Figured out a quick compromise for getting a train (now more forgiving on which event phase it's based on), since that's text-light and the only one that's not otherwise bypassable or dismissible." - George FBG, 7:03 UTC</ref>.

He also confirmed that the new payout option for [[Pilgrimages in Godfall (Guide)|Godfall]], [[Break fast with Saint Stalactite]], would remain available post-event.<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1137271491088633917 Discord] "That option will be sticking around in some form. I can't think of anything else offhand that's *quite like that*/relates specifically to aspects of the clues, but there will be some manner of other things that remain post-event." - George FBG, 6:30 UTC</ref>

==6th August==
''"I still love that the Admiralty decided they couldn't fire the Lost Research Assistant from a cannon, so instead they packed them into a crate for storage... lol" <p style="margin-left: 2em; margin-top: -0.5em;">- Anoran | Doctor Eckhart''</p>
''"The Assistant, from inside the crate: "Still better then trying to get funding"" <p style="margin-left: 2em; margin-top: -0.5em;">- LordPaido<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1137785919198474300 Discord] 16:35 UTC</ref></p>

Again, very little happened. At 13:56 UTC, it was confirmed that the next stage would begin at 12 noon UTC the next day<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1137776273742114928 Discord] "Next event phase is at <t:1691409600:f>, <t:1691409600:R>"</ref>.

==7th August==
''"Feed the weasels coffee!!!!"<p style="margin-left: 2em; margin-top: -0.5em;"> - Matcha | (FL) Lionel Whittaker''</p>
''"There is a sign in the server room that expressly forbids that. The weasels keep trying to remove it, but I don't know why."<p style="margin-left: 2em; margin-top: -0.5em;"> - George FBG''<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1138077270704128020 Discord] 11:52 UTC</ref></p>

At 12 UTC, the next stage of the event began. One of the captured Starved shaped themselves to be capable of ordinary speech, and [[Ask why the Starved Men attacked|explained]] that their attack had been an attempt to save the city from "[t]he change of flooding and falling"<ref>[[The Starved Summit]]</ref> by reshaping what it was and could be. However, there was another faction of Starved Men who sought to prevent this change by more drastic means - by [[Look up (What Lies Above)|opening a hole in the Roof]] and subjecting the city to the light of the Sun.

This was widely agreed to be a Very Bad Thing, and so the Admiralty began construction on an airship fleet to take the fight to the Roof. Players could participate by using options in [[Station IX (Provisional)]] to raise the new {{IL|Disposition of the Air Fleet}} World Quality, or by going to various nations of the Neath to ask for their aid against this existential threat - which would raise the cap on {{IL|Disposition of the Air Fleet}}.

Raising {{IL|Disposition of the Air Fleet}} also increased {{IL|Contributions to the Fleet}}, which 10 of would unlock a unique item later on. Beginning the new stage also gave players who had participated in [[Tending London's Wounds]] a reward for getting {{IL|London's Ruin}} to 0, {{IL|A Hard-Earned Knack for Repair}}, and locked [[Tending London's Wounds]].

Three of the six nations or factions that could be petitioned - Polythreme, Hell and the Khanate - were soon deduced from newly-visible (but still locked) new options on [[Materials and Materiel]]<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1138080509495345252 Discord] "Well, this seems like a spoiler on the factions we'll be talking to." ''followed by a screenshot of the options [[Claim the crate of surplus Khaganian materiel]], [[Claim the box from Hell]] and [[Claim the crate of Polythremean ammunition]]'' - Savato {IGN}, 12:05 UTC</ref>. At 12:10 UTC, Finn' reported an option to petition the Docks<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1138081843166584862 Discord] "At the docks." ''followed by a screenshot of the storylet [[Call to Arms: The Docks]]''</ref>. At 12:15, scog<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1138083041928040448 Discord] "One Call to Arms at Godfall" - scog</ref> and suinicide (Sunnytime)<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1138083071309123694 Discord] "Found a Gaider's Mourn option" - suinicide (Sunnytime)</ref> reported options for Godfall and Gaider's Mourn respectively.

* {{IL|London's Overtures: Hell}} reached its maximum shortly after 14:00 UTC<ref>[[London's Overtures: Hell/History]]</ref>
* {{IL|London's Overtures: The Docks}} reached its maximum shortly after 17:10 UTC<ref>[[London's Overtures: The Docks/History]]</ref>
* {{IL|London's Overtures: Khanate}} reached its maximum shortly after 17:50 UTC<ref>[[London's Overtures: Khanate/History]]</ref>
* {{IL|London's Overtures: Gaider's Mourn}} reached its maximum shortly after 18:55 UTC<ref>[[London's Overtures: Gaider's Mourn/History]]</ref>
* {{IL|London's Overtures: Polythreme}} reached its maximum shortly after 19:35 UTC<ref>[[London's Overtures: Polythreme/History]]</ref>

When the new [[Materials and Materiel]] options were unlocked, it was soon realised that the Hell option was very profitable<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1138114902842679328 Discord] "So. Huh. Yeah.

Just cashing out on eyeless skulls generates 32.5e in raw profit.

If you don't mind spending rev favours to cash out, it's above and beyond the best payout right now.

Like weirdly so.

Like. Do it now before it gets nerfed." - Mourning Sun (IGN: Noonstar), 14:22 UTC</ref> due to the fact that five of its main payout, an {{IL|Eyeless Skull}}, could be converted into a {{IL|Ray-Drenched Cinder}} worth 312.5{{e}}, whereas the option valued them at about 30{{e}} apiece. At 16:47 UTC, the outrageous profits of this second skull-related EPA miscalculation were bought to a close,<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1138151399079809025 Discord] "I'm not in a position where I can balance the numbers to my satisfaction, but this were somewhat misvalued (always skulls <:FBG:900308927349149706>). You can still get some, but there is now a finite limit. I may revisit this when I have more opportunity (but I don't guarantee that, either!)." - George FBG, 16:47 UTC</ref> with the option being limited so it could only be used 10 times.

Before {{IL|London's Overtures: Godfall}} could reach its maximum, {{IL|Disposition of the Air Fleet}} reached 10,000,000 at 19:45 UTC, unlocking a new activity<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1138196190211620954 Discord] "New thing?" ''followed by a screenshot of the option [[A Load of Hot Air]]'' - Finn', 19:45 UTC</ref>. Players could gain a new Affiliation, {{IL|The Rank of Flight Captain}}, and lead scouting missions to the Roof in an airship. This lowered {{IL|Disposition of the Air Fleet}} but raised {{IL|Aerial Surveillance}}, as well as being remarkably profitable. Each of the three airship classes available - the {{IL|Command of a Sparrow-class Airship|Appearance=''Sparrow''-class}}, the {{IL|Command of a Vigilant-class Airship|Appearance=''Vigilant''-class}} and the {{IL|Command of an Obliterator-class Airship|Appearance=''Obliterator''-class}} - was represented by a Boon conferring {{IL|Aerial Prowess}} and {{IL|Aerial Armament}} corresponding to the speed and weaponry of the class. These qualities were then used in checks in the new scouting activity in [[At the Command of the (Airship Name)]]. Much excitement was had at the new banner art<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1138197522519707769 Discord] "ROOF FLEET BACKGROUND ***DAMN***" - Varn Yggdrasil, 19:50 UTC</ref> for the setting of the activity, [[Warring on the Roof]], and at the many, many randomised airship names<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1138199074366042142 Discord] "'the Mighty Zero' is now an actual airship title" - George FBG, 19:56 UTC</ref><ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1138200079061221488 Discord] "GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING" - Steward of the Dighorsedance, 20:00 UTC</ref><ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1138201970059006073 Discord] "I've reached the bottom 😄" ''followed by a screenshot of a list of all the airship names'' - mp, 20:08 UTC</ref>.

Players with an airship command could spend 20000 {{IL|Service to London}} with [[Perform above and beyond in the field of duty]] to gain {{IL|The Admiration of Station IX}}, which was promised to unlock a unique item later in the event.

Eventually, people realised that the fast, lightly-armed Sparrow, the [[Employ stealth]] option and generally avoiding [[Under Attack!|combat]] was the best strategy for scouting.<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1138200641639034931 Discord] "Hmm, seems like you can get almost 1/3 towards the 3rd castle onthe Sparrwo before you get not 100% chance on the stealth approach" - Mr Weasels [IGN: NekoiNemo], 20:02 UTC</ref>. In fact, the gap was so large that the ''Obliterator'' was buffed at 20:34 UTC<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1138208547390357534 Discord]"Obliterators now 33% more obliteraty" - George FBG</ref>, after which there was some discussion of whether it was a good idea to deliberately aim to fail combat checks to make progress whilst gaining {{IL|Damage to your Airship}} rather than {{IL|Fuel Depletion of your Airship}} in order to travel further.<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1138222689262256228 Discord] "But you make good distance without fuel use" - Gangvann, 21:30 UTC</ref>

{{IL|London's Overtures: Godfall}} reached its maximum shortly after 21:10 UTC<ref>[[London's Overtures: Godfall/History]]</ref>.

Also someone made a remarkably accurate prediction about the final stage of the event.<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1138134054730997873 Discord] "Me thinks they're transmuting the roof's stone into a giant eyeball to direct sunlight onto london" - (IGN) Spoons7, 15:38</ref>

==8th August==
''"the crew are dying, dead, panicking. Some of them pray to Storm, Stone, Salt, the Drowned Man, anyone please! Some in desperation offer themselves up to the Starved, who accept with but a graceful nod of absolution and a fluke-sign painted over their faces in baptismal amber. Some curse the Starved; others the Admiralty; others your name.''

''You, meanwhile, await your solo return to London with nothing more but contemplation. Let’s see, based on the distance travel and the landmarks seen…how many more echoes will you be walking away from the crash with this time?"<br><p style="margin-left: 2em; margin-top: -0.5em;">– Hespiderean, Spiderpope''<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1138261332722982912 Discord], 00:04 UTC</ref></p>

Not much happened, with {{IL|Aerial Surveillance}} rising from 4.8% at the start of the day to 44.5% and {{IL|Disposition of the Air Fleet}} rising from 69.5% to 96.5%. At some point, the cap on {{IL|Disposition of the Air Fleet}} was raised to 26,000,000, although the target value remained the same.<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/765443037592551424/765443037592551427/1138580936158617681 Discord] "also, sigh, they raised the max disposition of the air fleet for contributions again. (i updated all the pages)" - tirerim, 21:09 UTC</ref>.

==9th August==
''"BTW i spent 10 actions changing my ship name from Obliteraor to the "Ran out of Zee to plunder" I was going to try for a badass name, but i feel that works as one kinda. "YEah, i stole so much from the zee there's fucking nothing left there, so i'm coming for you roof bastards""<br><p style="margin-left: 2em; margin-top: -0.5em;">– Kylestien''<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1138714165628915772 Discord], 6:03 UTC</ref></p>

Both World Qualities continued to rise, with Disposition reaching its target at 4:23 UTC<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1138689006335426631 Discord] "20mil!" ''followed by a screenshot of the Disposition tooltip, showing a value of 20000683'' - Ayla (FL: reacocard), 4:23 UTC</ref>. At 15:44 UTC, when Surveillance was around 72.7%, George dropped in to say that if the target was reached before noon UTC the next day, the next stage would be delayed until that time to save the devs from having to work unsociable hours.<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1138860395470262392 Discord] "Wotcher folks. Looks like things are well on course with aerial reconnaissance! Top work. Just FYI: when you hit that mark, there'll be a brief pause (currently open event things should remain open) until noon UTC. This is so we neither have to get up at Unsociable AM or be asleep when things tick over." - George FBG, 15:44 UTC</ref>

==10th August==
''"Nah, final phase is getting back to gardening with a single shaft of sunlight hitting the greenhouse through smoked glass, with little holes cut out for the plants that want to photosynthesize."<p style="margin-left: 2em; margin-top: -0.5em;"> - Finvaara (IGN: Professor Varald)''</p>
''"Photosynthesis? That's a myth made by envious surface horticulturalists..."<p style="margin-left: 2em; margin-top: -0.5em;"> - IGN: Qu1cKsAnD (Correspondent)''<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1139079539142688849 Discord] 6:15 UTC</ref></p>

Excitement built as the next stage approached, with at least one prophetic joke<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1138998773167693975 Discord] "The roof grows a huge eye and stares at us" - IGN: Qu1cKsAnD (Correspondent) 00:54 UTC</ref> and {{IL|Aerial Surveillance}} reaching the target at 6:25 UTC<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1139082105515688028 Discord] "ONE HUNDRED WOO" ''followed by a screenshot of the Aerial Surveillance tooltip displaying a value of 10000285'' - Céleste [souls] they / them, 6:25 UTC</ref>.

===Into the Cold, Black Yonder===
''"Is something happening today? I forget."<p style="margin-left: 2em; margin-top: -0.5em;"> - George FBG''<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1139166138715086919 Discord] 11:59 UTC</ref></p>

At 12:00 UTC, the next stage of the attack began. Players could receive the [[Plan of Attack|plan of attack]] from the Overworked Commodore (and [[ Speculate luridly about the grisly nature of the weapon|speculate luridly about the grisly nature of the weapon]]), before the tail end of the briefing was [[Pause to investigate a ruckus|interrupted]] by Mr Pages, Mr Iron and Mr Fires finally turning up to help. The Air Fleet then [[The Dark before a Long-Averted Dawn|set off]], fighting their way through the Starved Men to reach the weapon, with [[Bring your guns to bear|various beneficial]] [[Nose on through|options being]] [[Proceed, unmolested|unlocked by]] [[Take evasive manoeuvres (Roof, Rocks, Ruin)|having recruited allies]]. The Masters [[This Wild Highness|took flight]] and killed a great many Starved Men, and finally the player broke free and [[Also Into You|could get in shelling range of the weapon]].

It was a giant eyeball, intended to focus and disperse the sunlight across London. As it [[The Eye Opens|slowly opened]], firing at it [[Fire on the Starved oculus|proved ineffective]] - and with their airships taking heavy damage, players were left with only two options: [[Attempt to save yourself|set their airship on a collision course with the eye and jump off]], to die safely on the Neath floor; or to [[Fly the (Airship) straight into the Starved weapon|crash into it and go down with their ships]].

Both courses of action gave the player 80 {{IL|Wounds}}, and sent them to the Boatman. There they met with the Starved Lithologer, and the [[An End, at Last|Boatman revealed]] that London had indeed survived. Many chose to celebrate this by [[Stand up, holler, and sing an extended series of boisterous songs|standing up, hollering, and singing an extended series of boisterous songs]].

===Epilogue===
''"The ending of this event was so good it made me not stick around for EPA. It made me, the high epa want guy, not strick around for higher then usual epa."<p style="margin-left: 2em; margin-top: -0.5em;"> - Kylestien''<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1139600209245114368 Discord] 16:44 UTC</ref></p>

Players had one last chance to turn in {{IL|Service to London}} before playing the epilogue. The people of London had, without anyone particularly deciding it should happen, [[Visit the community garden|created a community garden]] out of airship debris, which the players could visit. Shortly after, a Starved Man arrived and, despite the natural tension, [[The Peace Garden|planted a Starved Rose]] as a gesture of peace and goodwill.

Afterwards, players could visit [[The Starved Embassy|the new Starved Embassy]] to exchange gifts with the Starved Men. Doing so raised {{IL|A Shaper of Starved Culture}}, which at 6 unlocked an option to obtain an event-specific item, the {{IL|Amber Ambassador's Seal}}. However, as this could only be done once per Time the Healer, it was soon realised it would take a while for this to happen.<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1139177203721048145 Discord] "so who's got a real close tth so we can uh. wait no itll still be a week out even then huh. damn" - Mr Cups, 12:43 UTC</ref>. Also available was a card, [[Rocs' Graveyard]], unlocked by {{IL|The Admiration of Station IX}}, on which players could visit the wreckage of their airship, and recieve the reward item {{IL|The Final Resting Place of an Old Friend}}. Finally, they could attend [[The London Horticultural Show Awards Ceremony|the London Horticultural Show Awards Ceremony]] and recieve {{IL|Honorary Membership in the London Horticultural Society}} and their {{IL|Horticultural Prestige}} paid out in wines from His Amused Lordship's stockpile.

An announcement was made that it would remain possible to begin the event until Monday the 14th, and possible to complete it until the 21st.<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/606155678968578135/1139204944730263562 Discord] "'''The Conclusion of the London Horticultural Show'''
The London Horticultural Show draws to a close at last! It's been quite the event – the ribbon-plant cutting, the startling display of terraria from across the Neath, not to mention the 'incident' with the Infernal Marigolds! London has been positively abuzz. 

Those who have not yet begun the event but still wish to have until '''Monday, August 14th''' to do so. We will fully close the event on '''Monday, August 21st''', so make sure to follow the event to its conclusion before that time. Estival Tokens can be retained to spend in future Summer Events, but any unspent Prestige and Service will be cleared when we close the event." ''followed by the second poster, with the stalactite'' - George FBG, 14:33 UTC</ref>.

==21st August==
The event closed on the 21st of August, with the World Qualities at these their final values:

* {{IL|Advancing the Horticultural Arts}}: 269500
* {{IL|Appeals for Aid}}: 2146634, 214.7% of the target
* {{IL|Appeals for Arms}}: 2047320, 204.7% of the target
* {{IL|Appeals for Amnesty}}: 59470, 5.9% of the 'target'
* {{IL|Appeals for Assistance}}: 78680, 7.9% of the 'target'
* {{IL|Appeals to Authority}}: 54000, 5.4% of the 'target'
* {{IL|Disposition of the Air Fleet}}: 32228779, 161.1% of the target
* {{IL|Aerial Surveillance}}: 23696050, 237.0% of the target

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==References==
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[[Category: Historical events]]