Knife And Candle
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To start playing Knife and Candle, you need an Iron Knife Token. Some players received these directly from Mr Iron. Everyone else needs to be invited from other players or spend secrets to enroll.

Once you have tokens, you can choose a form. Once you have a form, you can attack and be attacked.

Every 3rd day, you receive A Sense of Urgency, which is a guaranteed move (no card flipping needed).

There are currently 2 Leagues of participation: Iron and Moon.

Occasionally, Prize Tokens are handed out to players. They move about by being taken by victors.

Getting in the game

Once you receive a token, either by spending secrets or being passed one by another player, you must play this storylet.

Knife-and-Candle: joining the Underground Leagues

You have an Iron Knife Token… which marks you as a participant in the underground leagues of the Game of Knife and Candle. Is that what you wanted?

Get rid of it!

You've no wish to be stabbed by strangers. Or friends.

Pass it on

Perhaps you have a more foolhardy friend?

Wild and random violence

You are bold! Join the Iron League, where attacks are random and frequent, where an ambush may come at any time, where the rules are simple. You can change Leagues later.
knifetokensmall.png [Unlocked with 1 x Iron Knife Token]

The Gameskeeper's Cottage at Watchmaker's Hill

gamekeeper_cottage.png

Knife-and-Candle: The Gamekeeper's Cottage

Rumour runs abroad in Watchmaker's Hill like a waistcoated tout. Is it true the Game of Knife-and-Candle has begun again? In secret, unsanctioned by Mr Iron? Does the Committee meet at the Gamekeeper's Cottage?

Acquire an invitation to the Game of Knife and Candle

Perhaps, by chance or fate, an Iron Knife token will find its way into your hands, and allow you to join the Game. Knife-and-Candle allows you to compete against other players for the uncertain honour of being the most successfully murderous. The Game is experimental and evolving. You need not spend Secrets if you can acquire an invite from an existing player - ask your friends, or look here for invitations.
whispered_secretsmall.png [Unlocked with 101 x Whispered Secret]
master2small.png [Unlocked with A Participant in the Underground Leagues of Knife-and-Candle no more than 0]

Visit the Cottage

…where you may hear the current rules of the Game, and perhaps purchase badges or advantages. There: the cottage lies in the shade of a fungal forest.
master2small.png [Unlocked with A Participant in the Underground Leagues of Knife-and-Candle 1]
[This storylet will not cost you an action!]

Inside the Cottage

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KNIFE AND CANDLE: The Underground Leagues

Tokens are the life-blood of the Underground Leagues. That, and actual life-blood, of course. Win fights to earn Awards and Sponsorship; earn Prize Tokens to purchase wonderful things. Learn more about the Game here.



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Listen to the rules

The Sharp-Eyed Gamekeeper addresses a heavily armed group of women and men.


——

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Invite another player

This costs a Token. If you give away all your tokens, your participation will end.
knifetokensmall.png [Unlocked with 1 x Iron Knife Token]
lodgings.png

Withdraw from the game

Give up any Tokens.
knifetokensmall.png [Unlocked with 1 x Iron Knife Token]
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Return to Watchmaker's Hill

You're finished here for now.

[This storylet will not cost you an action!]

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Purchase a Chrysalis Candle

'The new wears the skin of the old,' the Gamekeeper says, in the manner of one quoting a passage of scripture. The Chrysalis Candle will allow you to change your Form at a time of your choosing, as long as you already have a Form.
candletranslucentsmall.png [Unlocked with no more than 6 x Chrysalis Candle]
knifetokensmall.png [Unlocked with 3 x Iron Knife Token]
crowd2.png

Diplomacy!

The Committee allows players to establish Pacts with one another that prevent assault. These Pacts enforce peace between two players… until they're broken.
[This storylet will not cost you an action!]

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Prizes!

When you have at least one Prize Token, you can use it to purchase wonderful things… The Committee sends out tokens from time to time. You can steal them from players that you defeat.
medalgiftsilversmall.png [Unlocked with 1 x Prize Token]
[This storylet will not cost you an action!]
medalroseiron.png

Seek an Award, or Sponsorship

Have you a string of victories to your name? Perhaps the Committee will recognise it; perhaps a non-player may take an interest.
bloodstainsmall.png [Unlocked with 1 x Knife-and-Candle: A Proud Parade of Victories]
[This storylet will not cost you an action!]
medalcandlesilver.png

Join the Moon League

In the Moon League, patience and cunning are rewarded: players fight duels, not melees. Once you begin a fight, you hunt and are hunted by that player until one of you withdraws or one of you wins.
lurkersmall.png [Unlocked when Knife-and-Candle Form is: The Spiralled Shadow: an Elusive form, The Night-Lamp: a Balanced form, The Egg Imponderable: a Baroque form, The Fatal-Clawed Bat]
medalmoonsilversmall.png [Unlocked with no more than 0 x Moon League Token]

The opportunities that let you play Knife and Candle

There are multi-option cards that have had a Knife and Candle use added to them.

A Little Omen
An Implausible Penance
The Lofty Tower
The Tower of Sun and Moon
The Western Tower

Using them for an opening in Knife and Candle sends you to this storylet, which can also be accessed anywhere if you have A Sense of Urgency:

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Knife and Candle: an opening

When the cryptic note comes from Watchmaker's Hill, you are ready. Now is your chance… Attacking or changing your Form will always spend your Sense of Urgency, if you have one. You can also find your way to this storylet through some Opportunity Cards.
pirateredsmall.png [Unlocked with 1 x A Sense of Urgency]

…your chance to change your Form.

Players change their Forms according to an enigmatic timetable determined by the Committee. Change your Form to change your tactics, or abandon your Form to enjoy some safe time free from murder.
master2small.png [Unlocked with A Participant in the Underground Leagues of Knife-and-Candle 1]
[This storylet will not cost you an action!]

…your chance to mount an attack!

Only when the bat-flights align may one player attack another. And the Committee of Watchmaker's Hill determines their alignments.
medalmoonsilversmall.png [Unlocked with no more than 0 x Moon League Token]
lurkersmall.png [Unlocked when Knife-and-Candle Form is: The Spiralled Shadow: an Elusive form, The Night-Lamp: a Balanced form, The Egg Imponderable: a Baroque form, The Fatal-Clawed Bat]
master2small.png [Unlocked with A Participant in the Underground Leagues of Knife-and-Candle 1]
[This storylet will not cost you an action!]

Bring a victim to you in a dream

Light St Arthur's Candle, the false-candle. Perform the rite, the rite, the rite of the words and the scars. Bring a Seeker to you as they sleep. They will give you silver, the Betrayer's metal. This will take all the Prize Tokens of another Seeker. It costs one Searing Enigma. Its reach is all of London. Only holders of St Arthur's Candle are vulnerable. Only those with at least one Prize Token will appear on the list. The only defence is possession of St Cerise's Candle. Do not proceed with this quest. Matters will continue to deteriorate.
candlecherryredsmall.png [Unlocked with no more than 0 x St Cerise's Candle]
appallingsecretsmall.png [Unlocked with seeking Mr Eaten's Name 1]
enigmasmall.png [Unlocked with 1 x Searing Enigma]
candleblacksmall.png [Unlocked with 1 x St Arthur's Candle]
knifemilkysmall.png [Unlocked with no more than 0 x Waxwail Knife]

Choosing a Form

Knife-and-Candle: change your Form

Your Form determines your Savage!, Elusive! and Baroque! values. Those with a high Savage! score are best defended against Savage attacks, and best equipped to make them; and so on and so forth. Note: in the Moon League, changing your Form will remove current Move bonuses… but may still be an effective strategy.

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Adopt the Fatal-Clawed Bat

This will set your Savage! to 100, your Elusive! to 80 and your Baroque! to 60.
bearsmall.png [Unlocked with Dangerous 10]
[This storylet will not cost you an action!]
beetle.png

Adopt the Spiralled Shadow

This will set your Elusive! to 100, your Savage! to 80 and your Baroque! to 60.
catsmall.png [Unlocked with Shadowy 10]
[This storylet will not cost you an action!]
lanternshutter.png

Adopt the Night-Lamp

This will set your Savage and Elusive to 90 and your Baroque to 80.
catsmall.png [Unlocked with Shadowy 10]
bearsmall.png [Unlocked with Dangerous 10]
[This storylet will not cost you an action!]
eggblack.png

Adopt the Egg Imponderable

This will set your Baroque to 100 and your Savage and Elusive each to 60.
cherriessmall.png [Unlocked with a Connoisseur of Neathy Delights 1]
[This storylet will not cost you an action!]
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Abandon your Form

The Game has grown too hectic. Step aside. This will return you to a neutral state: you will still be in the Game, but you won't be able to make or suffer any attacks until you adopt a new Form. You'll have to wait until another of these cards comes along.
lurkersmall.png [Unlocked when Knife-and-Candle Form is: The Spiralled Shadow: an Elusive form, The Night-Lamp: a Balanced form, The Egg Imponderable: a Baroque form, The Fatal-Clawed Bat]

[Note: Selecting 'Perhaps Not' wastes the opportunity]

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A Chrysalis Candle

Glassy, translucent wax, like resin or warm ice.
candletranslucentsmall.png [Unlocked with 1 x Chrysalis Candle]

Light the Chrysalis Candle and set it in your window

This will allow you to change your Form, as long as you already have one.
lurkersmall.png [Unlocked when Knife-and-Candle Form is: The Spiralled Shadow: an Elusive form, The Night-Lamp: a Balanced form, The Egg Imponderable: a Baroque form, The Fatal-Clawed Bat]

Light the Chrysalis Candle as you sleep

This will use the Candle to gain some small profit.
keyhole1small.png [Unlocked with Impossible! 1]

Participating in the Moon League

This is a playable storylet anywhere in London once you're in the Moon League

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Hunting in the Moon League

The Game in the Moon League is a stately exchange of bluff and counter-bluff…
medalmoonsilversmall.png [Unlocked with 1 x Moon League Token]

Explain this to me!

Summarise the rules of the Moon League. How is it different from original flavour Knife and Candle?
[This storylet will not cost you an action!]

Challenge a target!

Challenge a target to a hunt. The challenger gains a bonus to Savage; the target has the advantage of the first Move.
lurkersilhouettesmall.png [Unlocked with Making your Moves no more than 0]
footprintsmall.png [Unlocked with You are Locked in a Hunt with no more than 0]
lurkersmall.png [Unlocked when Knife-and-Candle Form is: The Spiralled Shadow: an Elusive form, The Night-Lamp: a Balanced form, The Egg Imponderable: a Baroque form, The Fatal-Clawed Bat]

Challenge a target to a Golden Hunt!

If you have a winning streak of at least three victories, you can challenge another three-victory player to a high-prestige duel. A Golden Hunt challenge may never be refused. The winner will gain one point of the coveted Assassin of Assassins quality…
lurkersilhouettesmall.png [Unlocked with Making your Moves no more than 0]
footprintsmall.png [Unlocked with You are Locked in a Hunt with no more than 0]
lurkersmall.png [Unlocked when Knife-and-Candle Form is: The Spiralled Shadow: an Elusive form, The Night-Lamp: a Balanced form, The Egg Imponderable: a Baroque form, The Fatal-Clawed Bat]
bloodstainsmall.png [Unlocked with 3 x Knife-and-Candle: A Proud Parade of Victories]

Withdraw

At any point, you may withdraw. This will end the hunt early, without any rewards or losses for either side.
footprintsmall.png [Unlocked with You are Locked in a Hunt with 1]
[This storylet will not cost you an action!]

Prepare for a battle

Sharpen your knives. Practice your steps. Question your contacts about your opponent's fighting style. This will increase your Savage. You can only Move when it is your turn… but if you get bored of waiting, you can withdraw.
leapsmall.png [Unlocked when Waiting your Turn? is Not Waiting]
sidebarsavagesmall.png [Unlocked with Savage! 1]
footprintsmall.png [Unlocked with You are Locked in a Hunt with 1]

Prepare for ambushes

Learn your opponent's hiding places and roof-top escape routes. This will increase your Elusive. You can only Move when it is your turn… but if you get bored of waiting, you can withdraw.
leapsmall.png [Unlocked when Waiting your Turn? is Not Waiting]
sidebarelusivesmall.png [Unlocked with Elusive! 1]
footprintsmall.png [Unlocked with You are Locked in a Hunt with 1]

Prepare for a contest of crafty schemes

Graffiti at the cross-roads. A door left open at a dockside ware-house. A dog fed spiced wolf-meat. What are you planning? This will increase your Baroque. You can only Move when it is your turn… but if you get bored of waiting, you can withdraw.
leapsmall.png [Unlocked when Waiting your Turn? is Not Waiting]
sidebarbaroquesmall.png [Unlocked with Baroque! 1]
footprintsmall.png [Unlocked with You are Locked in a Hunt with 1]

Deploy a Gambit

Give up a little initiative to change the conditions of the Hunt: for example, to rule out one form of attack against you.
footprintsmall.png [Unlocked with You are Locked in a Hunt with 1]
leapsmall.png [Unlocked when Waiting your Turn? is: Not Waiting]
[This storylet will not cost you an action!]

Confront your opponent!

Challenge them openly! You're better prepared for a pitched battle. This is a Savage contest. If your opponent is using the Trick of the Light Gambit, they will be immune to this attack and won't appear in the target list.
leapsmall.png [Unlocked when Waiting your Turn? is: Not Waiting]
lurkersilhouettesmall.png [Unlocked with Making your Moves 4]
sidebarsavagesmall.png [Unlocked with Savage! 1]
footprintsmall.png [Unlocked with You are Locked in a Hunt with 1]

Ambush your opponent!

Come at them from the shadows! You''ll have the advantage of surprise… unless they've prepared a counter-ambush. This is an Elusive contest. If your opponent is using the Flight to the Flit Gambit, they will be immune to this attack and won't appear in the target list. If you win an Ambush, you may steal your opponent's Knife-and-Candle weaponry - if you lose, they'll steal yours…
leapsmall.png [Unlocked when Waiting your Turn? is: Not Waiting]
lurkersmall.png [Unlocked with no more than 0 x Benjamin's Friends]
lurkersilhouettesmall.png [Unlocked with Making your Moves 4]
sidebarelusivesmall.png [Unlocked with Elusive! 1]
footprintsmall.png [Unlocked with You are Locked in a Hunt with 1]

Bewilder your opponent!

Demonstrate the intricate brillliance of your schemes! But what if you've played into their hands? This is a Baroque contest.
leapsmall.png [Unlocked when Waiting your Turn? is: Not Waiting]
lurkersmall.png [Unlocked with no more than 0 x the Season of Revolutions]
lurkersilhouettesmall.png [Unlocked with Making your Moves 4]
sidebarbaroquesmall.png [Unlocked with Baroque! 1]
footprintsmall.png [Unlocked with You are Locked in a Hunt with 1]

If your Wounds reach 8

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A sudden darkness!

Your wounds have proven too much for you! You collapse. It's like going to sleep. If going to sleep really hurt. If you can reduce your Wounds to 0, perhaps you'll live on…

Go gently into that good night

Don't panic! There are ways to recover. You will, however, lose any Iron Knife Tokens you may possess.
[This storylet will not cost you an action!]

If you move to A slow boat passing a dark beach on a silent river

This occurs no matter how you arrive (Wounds, mirror, etc).

The Hungry River

You have died in possession of Iron Knife Tokens. The River is always hungry.

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Drop them into the River, one by one.

All those little deaths will lie on the River's bed. Perhaps you'd like to keep them, but the rules are the rules.

——


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Hand them all to the Boatman

They'll still all be gone, but perhaps he'll show some kind of mercy? Nothing fewer than seven will interest him, though.
knifetokensmall.png [Unlocked with 7 x Iron Knife Token]

Retiring from the Game

Knife-and-Candle: retirement!

By choice or chance, no Iron Knife tokens remain to you. Thus, you have retired from the Game. Perhaps you will return some day.

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Forfeit your place in the Game

Place the Black Rose of capitulation on your door, to ensure that passersby will not murder you as you come out to speak with the coal merchant.

——


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Wait!

What's this in your pocket? This will give you a single token, allowing you to remain in the game.

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Requires 10 Fate
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