User:BraydonM

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Menaces are generally troublesome qualities increased by certain actions. When their levels get too high, something unpleasant may happen.

Introduction[edit]

Sometimes, when failing challenges (or even when succeeding), you get qualities called Menaces. The higher a menace gets, the more unpleasant things start happening. The main menaces increase the same way as other qualities: it takes 1 CP to raise a menace to level 1, another 2 CP to raise it to level 2, etc.

Each menace tends to be associated with a certain Attribute — for example, you're more likely to get Nightmares while doing Watchful things. If a menace reaches level 8, the consequences send you to a penalty location, where you'll have to reduce that menace in order to escape.

Watchful gains Nightmares which lead to A state of some confusion or The Mirror-Marches.
Owl.png → Sidebarnightmares.png → Mad.png or Parabola.png

Shadowy gains Suspicion which leads to New Newgate Prison - again!
Cat.png → Sidebarsuspicion.png → Newgate.png

Dangerous gains Wounds which lead to a slow boat passing a dark beach on a silent river.
Bear.png → Sidebarwounds.png → Death.png

Persuasive gains Scandal which leads to Disgraced exile in the Tomb-Colonies.
Fox.png → Sidebarscandal.png → Scandal.png

If you move to a menace location, see Menace Locations (Guide) for how to best escape.

In general, you want to keep your menaces as low as possible. But there may also be times when you'll need to raise a menace on purpose. Don't worry — the effects (probably) won't be permanent. (A major exception is being sent to New Newgate Prison, which raises your criminal record.) Since most cards and storylets in the penalty locations provide opportunities to reduce the relevant menace, it can be significantly easier to reduce the menace there than in London.

Note that there are certain locations that are exempt from Menace-related movement:

More Than One Menace[edit]

Time, the Healer will reduce all four main Menaces, as well as eliminating Irrigo.

During Christmas, anyone receiving a card reduces one of the main four Menaces.

While in your University Laboratory, the cards See a Doctor, Nightmares of Your Experiment, and Tomb Sciences can respectively reduce Wounds, Nightmares, and Scandal, at the cost of some of your Laboratory Research. You can also Take a day off, reducing a random Menace.

If you have access to Station VIII, you can prepare meals which you may consume (either immediately or through an opportunity in the Upper River) to reduce Wounds or Nightmares. See A Kitchen for Artists (Guide) for more details.

In the Iron Republic Streets, days 8, 12, 17, 19, 40, 51, 78, 81, and 88 all have an option that sets a Menace to 2 or 3. See the Iron Republic Street Map for details.

At Zee, suffering a Reckless end will set all four main Menaces to 7, and will send you to the slow boat. Likewise, certain options when Seeking Mr Eaten's Name can raise more than one Menace above 8.

Nightmares[edit]

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Nightmares are becoming a problem. Some nights you hardly dare sleep. If this reaches 5, bad things may begin to happen. Don't let it reach 8.

Nightmares tend to come from Watchful actions, though another notable (if unreliable) source is the variety of opportunity cards about recurring dreams.

Reaching Nightmares 5 causes the appearance of a non-discardable opportunity card, A merry gentleman, which will disappear only once Nightmares drops to 4 or less, or if you play the card, which either gives you an item that will prevent or increase nightmares gain. If you hit Nightmares 8, you will be sent to either The Mirror-Marches (if you have at least 1 x Memory of Light or 10 Having Recurring Dreams: Is Someone There?, or are at Zee) or A state of some confusion (if you don't). Once you do, you can see either the The Mirror-Marches guide or the A state of some confusion guide.

Reducing Nightmares[edit]

Social actions:
Actions:
Semi-reliable opportunity cards in London:

Items:

Equipped items (chance to reduce Nightmares gain while equipped):

Increasing Nightmares[edit]

Social Actions:
Actions:
Items:

Equipped items (chance to increase Nightmares gain while equipped):

Scandal[edit]

Sidebarscandal.png

Scandal is getting out of hand. If this reaches 8, something bad may happen.

Scandal tends to come from Persuasive actions. If it hits 8, you will be sent to Disgraced exile in the Tomb-Colonies. Once there you can see the menace location guide for how to best escape.

Reducing Scandal[edit]

Social actions:
Actions:
Semi-reliable opportunity cards in London:
Items:
Equipped items (chance to decrease Scandal gain while equipped):

Increasing Scandal[edit]

Actions:
Items:
Equipped items (chance to increase Scandal gain while equipped):

Suspicion[edit]

Sidebarsuspicion.png

Suspicious activities are beginning to draw the attention of the law. If this reaches 8, something bad may happen.

Suspicion tends to come from Shadowy actions. If it hits 8, you will be sent to New Newgate Prison - again! Returning to prison gives you A Criminal Record:, and if that quality reaches 4, Nikolas & Sons Instant Ablution Absolution will no longer reduce your Suspicion. Once there you can see [menace location guide] for how to best escape.

Reducing Suspicion[edit]

Social actions:
Actions:
Semi-reliable opportunity cards in London:
Items:
Equipped items (chance to reduce Suspicion gain while equipped):
  • Set of Workman's Clothes (E 0.20 from Gottery the Outfitter)
  • Sober Dress (E 0.20 from Gottery the Outfitter)
  • A Preserver of London (retired affiliation)
  • The Undying Respect of the Order of the Blackened Hoof (affiliation) FATE CHRISTMAS

Increasing Suspicion[edit]

Actions:
Equipped items (chance to increase Suspicion gain while equipped):

Wounds[edit]

Sidebarwounds.png

Wounds are becoming troublesome. At 8, they may become fatal. Which would be inconvenient.

Wounds tend to come from Dangerous actions, and once they reach 8, you are sent on a slow boat passing a dark beach on a silent river. Once there you can see [menace location guide] for how to best escape.

Reducing Wounds[edit]

Social actions:
Actions:
Semi-reliable opportunity cards in London:
Items:
Equipped items (chance to reduce Wounds gain while equipped):

Increasing Wounds[edit]

Actions:
Social Actions:

Less common menaces[edit]

Some menaces are associated exclusively with certain locations or stories. These tend to increase or decrease a level at a time, rather than by CP.

A Turncoat[edit]

Sidebarturncoat.png

A Turncoat is primarily increased by switching sides during A Boxful of Intrigue, based on whether your A Power in Waiting - quality is set to A Guardian of the Realm or The Conscience of Empire. (This is initially set in the storylet The Troubles So Far: choosing Those who govern sets it to The Conscience of Empire, while choosing Those who are governed sets it to A Guardian of the Realm.)

The only way to reduce A Turncoat is the storylet The Traitor's Feast, which only unlocks at A Turncoat 4 (and also requires Shadowy 120 and A Survivor of the Affair of the Box 12).

To avoid gaining A Turncoat during A Boxful of Intrigue, choose the option listed below your side on these storylets, which will also gain CP in Empire's Kingmaker:

Storylet Caperers.png A Guardian of the Realm Master2.png The Conscience of Empire
An Agent of the Masters Help cover up the sordid business Expose him to the newspapers
The Course of Love Help keep them together Keep its agents at bay
Doing the Rounds Tell them the truth Lie to them
Encryption of a Sort See that the messages arrive safely Intercept the messages
A Night of Desperate Ambushes Wade in with the neddy men Defend Spite from the neddy men
A Strong Box Tell the gentlemen in blue about any plans for robbery you hear about Tell your larcenous colleagues when the strong-box will be moved
The Unionist Join the hunt Help her escape

A Turncoat can also increase during the Family and Law story if you switch sides between the Cheery Man and the Last Constable.

Finally, it can increase in these other storylets:

A Place of Greater Safety[edit]

Hansom.png

A Place of Greater Safety is specific to the A Carriage, A Conversation, A Light Caper, part of the Family and Law story. While you have this quality, you cannot ask questions of your carriage-mate or raise Destination Approaching. It is set to 1 in Accept the Last Constable's offer if you favoured the Last Constable, or Accept if you favoured the Cheery Man, and has a chance to be set to 3 whenever you ask a question on the A Carriage, A Conversation, A Light Caper cards.

Reducing Plagued: A Place of Greater Safety is reduced with three options from the A Carriage, A Conversation, A Light Caper cards. Both factions:

Faction-specific cards (The mechanical effects are the same, the only difference is description.)

Acclimating to Pressure[edit]

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Acclimating to Pressure is specific to Diving in the Magistracy of Evenlode.

It is raised by changing Diving Depth, and goes down by 1 CP for each action you spend on a particular depth level. If you Emerge from the water while still having this menace, all of its CP will be converted 1:1 to CP of Wounds.

Additionally, it is reset by the following actions:

See Diving in the Magistracy (Guide) for full details.

Attracting Attention in the Orphanage[edit]

Attracting Attention in the Orphanage is specific to Ambition: Light Fingers! and is gained through failure at various actions while exploring the orphanage. Once gained, this menace is only lost upon Escape or by reaching the failure state. If this menace reaches 6, it triggers the autofire storylet Discovered! which sets Wounds to 6 (even if it was higher) and your location to A small, velvet lined box.


Inciting a Simian Revenge?[edit]

Inciting a Simian Revenge? is specific to the Topsy King branch of Ambition: Heart's Desire!

Disgruntlement among the Expedition[edit]

Disgruntlement among the Expedition is a menace exclusive to Moulin Expeditions and is gained by failing checks while performing an expedition. This is cleared by returning back to Moulin. If this ever reaches 8, then Mutiny! will trigger, increasing your Wounds +4 CP, and sending you immediately back to Moulin with no wages. For full details see Moulin Expeditions (Guide).

Disgruntlement among the Students[edit]

Disgruntlement among the Students is a menace exclusive to the University Laboratory. This is raised by making use of your students while they are at max level (level 5). Occasionally you will get an alternative success where the disgruntlement is raised by 1 CP. This can be reset by graduating a student.

When it reaches 4, you will start to draw the menace card Student Complaints, whose options can lower disgruntlement. If this ever reaches 6, you will draw the menace card Student Fury, which will cost you -200 x Laboratory Research, gain you Scandal +1 CP, and lower disgruntlement by -7 CP.

Hearts' Game Menaces[edit]

Poison Tolerance of Your Target

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Poison Tolerance of Your Target is a menace specific to Hearts' Game and increases during a round. The higher this is, the less effective your actions will be in increasing Poisoner's Progress. This is gained just as time goes on during the game; starting at about turn 5, it increases at every action. A small number of Accomplices can help lower it. For full details see Hearts' Game (Guide).

Elusiveness of your Target

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Elusiveness of your Target is a menace specific to Hearts' Game and tracks how close you are to losing the round. When it reaches 8, the round ends on a loss, unless you reach Poisoner's Progress 8 at the same time, in which case it results in a win. This is gained just as time goes on during the game; starting at about turn 5, it increases at every action. A small number of Accomplices have actions that are guaranteed to raise it. For full details see Hearts' Game (Guide).


Irrigo[edit]

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Irrigo is a menace gained while exploring the Cave of the Nadir, and the amount you accrue determines what Attribute penalties are inflicted as you leave. If this menace reaches 10, you are forced out of the Cave via the storylet Drowning in violet.

For more information on the Cave expedition, see Cave of the Nadir (Guide).

Moonlit[edit]

Moon.png

You may become Moonlit while exploring the Moonlit Woods in Balmoral. Once this quality reaches 5, you can enter Balmoral As Before from the paths, enabling you to observe that your quarry is a Fox (see the Moonlit Woods Guide); this is also where you must meet with September after the first time you speak at the Kirk, in order to advance his story.

You lose 5x Moonlit when you identify your quarry, but it otherwise carries over when you leave the woods. Moonlit can be spent outside of the woods when you Paint with Moonlight in Crathie, Freeze the Solacefruit Champagne Royale into a sorbet at the Passenger Dining Room at Station VIII, or Present the Mandolinist with Moonlight at Marigold Station.

Orthos is Coming![edit]

Sidebarorthosiscoming.png

Orthos is Coming! increases while doing actions at Bullbone Island, Corpsecage Island, or Grunting Fen, behaving as a timer that determines the length of your stay and which options are available at any given time on each island. When it reaches 10, Orthos catches up to you, and you have to leave the location. For more details see Embarking on a Voyage of Scientific Discovery (Guide).

Plagued by a Popular Song[edit]

Sidebarplaguedbyapopularsong.png

Plagued by a Popular Song is specific to Mahogany Hall. If it reaches 5, a storylet auto-fires in that location that causes one of your weasels (an Araby Fighting-Weasel, or a Lucky Weasel if you don't have a fighting weasel), or an unlucky nearby weasel, to explode. For more details see Tales of Mahogany Hall (Guide).

Reducing Plagued:

Taimen's Attention[edit]

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Taimen's Attention is specific to Khan's Heart and is gained when completing most intrigues and failing checks in the Khanate. The higher Taimen's Attention, the more damaging to your Khaganian Front failures are. Higher Taimen's Attention also makes certain checks more difficult.

For more information on intrigues in the Khanate, see Khaganian Intrigue (Guide).

Troubled Waters[edit]

Sidebartroubledwaters.png

Troubled Waters is a menace gained at zee. Most options on zailing cards increase it at least slightly. As it increases, you'll start to encounter greater hazards like the Circumcelion Brotherhood or the Killing Wind. If it reaches 8, your voyage will end abruptly, as you are either killed (visiting the Fathomking on your way to |the Boatman) or sent to The Mirror-Marches.

A number of other qualities track details such as your crew's morale (Creeping Fear, Mutinous Whispers, Rumbling Stomachs), your vessel's physical condition (Groaning Hull), and who or what is pursuing you (Silent Stalker, Unwelcome on the Waters). These are discrete Circumstance qualities with a maximum level of 1, and they mostly determine the type of demise you face at Troubled Waters 8

For more information on how Troubled Waters affects zailing, refer to Zailing (Guide).

Unaccountably Peckish[edit]

Sidebarunaccountablypeckish.png

Unaccountably Peckish is associated with Seeking Mr. Eaten's Name. If you are not pursuing this story, you will want to eliminate this menace in order to stop drawing associated cards.

Reducing Unaccountably Peckish

Increasing Unaccountably Peckish

Unravelling[edit]

Thread menace.png

Unravelling is a menace exclusive to Irem and is gained by failing various checks or taking some actions within the various futures of Irem. This menace is cleared by leaving the futures and returning back to Irem. If this ever reaches 8, Unraveled! will autofire and kick you back into Irem and in the process you will lose 1 of every Iremi item acquired in the futures.

For more information on Irem, see Irem (Guide).

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