A picture of a smiling child. Scraps of cardboard. Cogwheels and porcelain. Something is going on…
Beginning the Story
Playing with Broken Toys is a story opened up through selecting the right option on any of several cards.
(lazy edit - night on the tiles, choose to bluff your way in, shadowy 45 unlocks)
A peculiar practice
The Regius Professor of Additive Surgery hints that he would value tomb-colonists to dissect. Still-moving would be best.
Unlocks: Dangerous 57
Find out what he's up to
Break into his lab and take a look at his notes.
How disappointing
The Professor's rosewood desk is remarkably empty. You search it thoroughly, and all you find is a small scrap of cardboard in the lowest drawer. It bears a picture of a smiling child, painted in bright colours.
Rewards:
An occurrence! Your Playing with Broken Toys Quality is now 1!
Turn the tables
A word to the tomb-colonists and this foul practice will surely be ended, scientific interest be d—ned!
A useful consultation
You are lounging by the Professor's rooms when four hefty tomb-colonists pay him a visit. Instead of the expected sounds of vented anger, all you hear is quiet discussion. Three colonists emerge, shake hands with the Professor, and head off through the cloisters. Their leader throws you a package as he passes. You don't see the fourth again.
Connected: The Tomb-Colonies increase
Connected: Summerset decrease
Gain: 26 x Silk Scrap
Go a-stalking
A trip to a well-known haunt of tomb-colonists should see you richly rewarded.
(Dangerous challenge, straightforward at 77)
A bag of bones
You trail a figure in tattered rags as she stumbles through Spite. A swift cosh to the back of the skull is all it takes. What's more, she's still ali— her chest is still moving. Which will earn you extra from the Professor. You fold her up and place her in a voluminous carpet bag. It's awkward hauling the thing through the cloisters, but you expect to be well paid.
Dangerous increase
Gain: 69 x Ragged Clothing
Coals and souls
A boat with tattered sails glides into the same dock once a week. A group of vagrants boards as sacks of coal are unloaded. What's going on here?
Unlocks: Watchful 45
Investigate the sacks
missing text
A piece of a puzzle?
You recover a coal-stained scrap of cardboard. On it is a picture of a smiling child, painted in bright colours. It looks to have been torn from the lid of a box.
Rewards:
An occurrence! Your Playing with Broken Toys Quality is now 1!
A word to the neddy men
Mum's the word
You seek out a neddy man and tell him about the ship. He stares at you for a full minute. Then he winks. He digs into his pocket, and presses a leather purse into your hand. "Least said, fewest dead, right?" A sharp whistle, and he's joined by two of his mates. Sticks in hand, they saunter off towards the dock in question.
You've gained 41 x Rat on a String
Stow away
What's a little discomfort when there are secrets to be learned?
Watchful challenge, straightforward at 68
All aboard
A dock in a sewer-mouth underneath the spires of the University. A long table, where the vagrants sit down to a meal of beef and dumplings while the zailors load the coal. A black iron door with three locks, which opens to reveal a passageway, along which the diners are led after their meal. From your hiding place amongst the barrels you can't see where it leads. Perhaps it's better that way.
Watchful increase
Gain: 60 x Whispered Secrets
Finding More Clues
Perhaps these toys are not what they seem to be…. (These cards are all bronze-bordered.)
Child's play
A boy sits on the corner of the street, weeping. At his feet lie shards of broken and twisted metal, brightly painted.
Unlocks: Playing with Broken Toys 1
Examine the shards
Whatever it was, it warrants a closer look.
(Watchful challenge; straightforward < 80)
Well-heeled
Cogs and and springs are scattered across the cobbles. This was a child's toy, fashioned from metal and porcelain, with complicated clockwork innards. Someone has taken their boot heel to it. Precious little is left whole — there is a face, a hand, and a single staring eye.
Rewards:
Watchful increase
Playing with Broken Toys increase
Question the boy
Perhaps he'll tell you what happened.
(Persuasive challenge; straightforward < 85)
Whirrsy
'Whirrsy bit him! Bit the neddy man — right on his hand. He shouldn't have touched him. I told him: Whirrsy didn't like neddy men! Now he's crunched up. He won't even have coins for the boat. Poor Whirrsy. It's not fair.'
Persuasive increase
Playing with Broken Toys increase
Under the hammer
Gossip has it that something special is for sale at a low-grade auction house. You've narrowed it down to three sales. All bidding is in glim.
Unlocks: Playing with Broken Toys 1
Bid for the cardboard box
From here, you can't make out the brightly-coloured pictures on the lid…
Unlocks: 20 x Glim
A childhood memory
The pictures on the box lid are of smiling children. A discreet slogan reads 'With Joy, from the Hill'. Inside is an exquisite clockwork toy, only a little tarnished by time. Whoever made this was a master of the art. The old man you outbid looks bitter. 'She don't make 'em like that any more.'
Playing with Broken Toys increase
Gain: 1 x Exquisite Toy
Lose: 20 x Glim
Bid for the dusty bottles
They're blue, and unlabelled.
Unlocks: 80 x Glim
Strong stuff
A most excellent vintage indeed, but not wine — these are some of Mrs. Gebrandt's finest.
Gain: 10 x F.F. Gebrandt's Tincture of Vigour
Lose: 80 x Glim
Bid for the battered books
They're extremely foxed, and bound in red leather.
Unlocks: 40 x Glim
Not for all eyes
On prising the pages apart, you realise that these are copies of that book. You know. The one with the… illustrations. Banned from public sale, and still selling like hot-cakes amongst both literati and illiterati. Under plain covers, of course.
Gain: 10 x Proscribed Material
Lose: 40 x Glim
The coffin trade
The Reluctant Newsmonger will slip you choice trinkets for information. He wants to know about the boxes stored round the back of the loading sheds on Peppery Dock.
Unlocks: Playing with Broken Toys 1
A little question and answer
Rough up a few of Those in the Know and you should have answers.
(Dangerous challenge; straightforward at 58)
Roughly does it
A few heads knocked together and you've established a set of possible facts. The boxes were used for transporting tomb-colonists; they are the home of a respected family of toads; they were ordered by Mr Cups from somewhere outside London; they are stacked upright so that the blood doesn't drain out; they were constructed by staff at the Shuttered Palace as a holiday retreat for friends of the Duchess.
It takes some persuasion before the Reluctant Newsmonger agrees to pay you for the information.
Gain: 3 x Horsehead Amulet
Dangerous increase
Playing with Broken Toys increase
A little breaking and entering
Perhaps you should see these boxes for yourself.
(Shadowy challenge; straightforward < 70)
A missing cargo
You lift a few boards and sneak your way round behind the lading sheds. Here's a stack of wooden crates, coffin sized. The lids have been prised off, and each holds damp woodshavings. What else they might once have contained, who can tell? But there's a brand burned into the planks; the screaming face of Polythreme. And there's a scrawl of chalk on one of them: 'Attn: Mr C'.
The Reluctant Newsmonger pales noticeably as he listens to your findings.
Gain: 53 x Whispered Secret actually seems to be a random reward
Shadowy increase
Playing with Broken Toys increase
Drinking to forget
Unlocks: Playing with Broken Toys 1
The Beleagured Lawyer will pay handsomely for a tonic. He needs to blur a client's memory before they have their day in court.
Supply something appropriate
F.F. Gebrandt provides something for exactly this situation.
missing text
Unlocks: 1 x F.F. Gebrandt's Superior Laudanum
Fading memory
The lawyer sniffs the bottle. 'A touch of laudanum, if I'm not much mistaken? Excellent. Although one must be careful, if I understand correctly; certain infusions can cause one to forget family, friends, even life itself. And there are circumstances where forgetting life can be a tragic mistake.'
Lose: 1 x F.F. Gebrandt's Superior Laudanum
Playing with Broken Toys increase
Supply a placebo
What difference will it make? It's all in the mind, after all.
(Persuasive challenge, straightforward < 85)
Face value
You hand over a flask of yellowish liquid, and the lawyer thanks you profusely. The next day the case is the talk of society: an extraordinary number of of cleaning staff were required in the courtroom. Something in the food, perhaps?
Rewards:
Persuasive increase
Gain: 9 x Stolen Correspondence
Bringing down the house
Unlocks: Playing with Broken Toys 3
The Careworn Roustabout is offering work. An old schoolhouse is to be torn down, and he needs extra hands.
Help him out
It's a good way to let off a little steam.
(Dangerous challenge, straightforward at 58)
Wrecking crew
You break down the chimney-breast. It reveals a hidden collection of children's toys. The Careworn Roustabout is grim-faced. 'Smash 'em,' he says. 'Everyone lend a hand. Don't leave any of 'em whole. Particular orders from Mr Ir - from above.' You're well-paid for your efforts and for your silence.
Dangerous increase
Playing with Broken Toys increase
Gain: 61 x Greyfields 1879
This is almost certainly a random result. I got 5 x Sober Dresses, so it looks like ~50-60 pence.
Loot the place
The fixtures and fittings might be worth a bit.
(Shadowy challenge, straightforward < 71)
A hidden nook
You search the schoolhouse. Behind the teacher's desk is a cupboard. It's full of old children's toys. One in particular catches your eye; a brightly-painted clockwork mannequin. You retrieve it, along with a handful of other goods.
As you slip out of the building, the Careworn Roustabout is briefing his wrecking crew. 'And if you find any of those things, you smash 'em. Particular orders from Mr Iro— from above.'
Shadowy increase
Playing with Broken Toys increase
1 x Broken Toy
5 x Relic of the Third City Seems to be a random result.
A stranded shipment
A cart has lost its wheel in the middle of the street. The flustered carter is trying to fix it up again while a queue builds up behind him. The cargo is a pile of small cardboard boxes, each with a smiling child painted on the lid.
Unlocks: Playing with Broken Toys 3
Help him out
A bit of effort and he'll be on his way in no time.
(Dangerous challenge; straightforward at 58)
Heave!
Between the two of you, you manage to get the wheel back on. The carter thanks you profusely. 'The mistress'd be very upset if these didn't get to where they're needed in time. I hear even Mr Cups hisself is keen on them.' You catch a glimpse of a slogan on one of the boxes as he gets the horses moving: 'With Joy, from the Hill.'
Dangerous increase
Playing with Broken Toys increase
Half-inch a box
He's too busy to pay much attention.
(Shadowy challenge; straightforward < 74)
A new toy
At a safe distance you study your find. The lid has 'With Joy, from the Hill' on it. Inside is a clockwork mannequin painted in bright colours. It looks to be of solid quality, although there's something a little sneering about the face.
Shadowy increase
1 x Broken Toy
Playing with Broken Toys increase
Murder's afoot
A man lies dead in a nearby alley. He has a look of bewildered horror on his face, and blood seeps from a hole in his shoe.
Unlocks: Playing with Broken Toys 3
Investigate the scene
Take a look before the Constables get here.
(Watchful challenge, straightforward < 87)
Puzzling
The victim is pale, his hands clutching his chest. Something's bitten right through his shoe, leaving tiny teeth marks in a perfect horseshoe shape. Then the same something has bitten into his flesh, tearing off his toe. Was this what killed him? As you turn to go, you spot something a short distance away; an empty cardboard box. The lid has a child's smiling face painted on it, and bears the slogan 'With Joy, from the Hill'.
Watchful increase
Playing with Broken Toys increase
Go through his pockets
Acquire any knick-knacks before the Constables get here.
(Shadowy challenge; straightforward < 80)
Puzzling
A cursory rifle through his pockets brings up a handful of trinkets and a bill of sale from a local market stall. It states: 'Item: One child's plaything @ 5 Echoes & a consideration'.
Shadowy increase
Playing with Broken Toys increase
Random reward: (I got 61 x Moon-pearl)
A new toy
A girl holds up a small box. 'Daddy, I can't make it work.' Her father takes it from her. It has a picture of a smiling child painted on the lid, and bears the slogan 'With Joy, from the Hill'.
He opens the box and takes out a mannequin; a red-jacketed toy soldier. He smiles, and ruffles her hair. 'Don't worry. It's clockwork. I'll see if I can set it going.'
Unlocks: Playing with Broken Toys 4
Help Him
Between you, you should be able to make it work.
Tick tock
Well, if you could just hold it here for me,' says the man. 'It's a marvel, isn't it? I had one of these when I was young; the Watchmaker's Daughter always creates the most wonderful toys.'
You put the key in the back of the soldier and wind up the mechanism. It whirrs into life; the porcelain teeth gnash together, the arms clack up and down, and it's away at a brisk march across the cobbles. The girl claps in delight. After sixteen paces, the soldier does a sharp about face, and now it's heading straight back towards the girls' father.
When it starts biting, he flees. It follows. You hear the screams from two streets away. When the constables find the body, there's no sign of the toy.
Playing with Broken Toys increase
Nightmares increase
Convince him otherwise
Winding that thing up may not be the best idea.
Tick tock
'Don't be ridiculous. The Watchmaker's Daughter always creates the most wonderful toys. What could possibly go wrong?'
What indeed? But there's something about the toy's painted eyes… you move on, leaving the father fiddling futilely.
Nightmares decrease
Subtle increase
Any old iron
The Recovering Entrepreneur pushes a small handcart through the city, calling for unwanted metals, or for wanted metals that no longer have an obvious owner…
(unlocked with Playing with Broken Toys 1)
Any old iron
The Recovering Entrepreneur pushes a small handcart through the city, calling for unwanted metals, or for wanted metals that no longer have an obvious owner.
Offer him Rostygold
It may not be true gold, but it is metal.
(unlocked with Rostygold 50 )
Interrupted trade
He bites down on a piece, and grudgingly accepts it. In return, he pulls out a bag and spreads it open. It contains broken parts of what was once a clockwork toy. 'All the bits are here,' he says. 'You could fix it up — what do you say?'
At that, a scurrying shape leaps off the cart, grabs one of the larger pieces in its jaws and and makes off with it. A rat! It disappears into a gutter.
The Entrepreneur shakes his head. 'Not again.' He hands you some glim instead.
You've gained 50 x Glim
You've lost 50 x Rostygold
Playing with Broken Toys is increasing… (+1 change point)
Offer him Nevercold brass
It's worth it to see what he has in stock.
(unlocked with Nevercold Brass Sliver 50 )
Interrupted trade
He gladly accepts it. In return, he pulls out a bag and spreads it open. It contains broken parts of what was once a clockwork toy. 'All the bits are here,' he says. 'You could fix it up — what do you say?'
At that, a scurrying shape leaps off the cart, grabs one of the larger pieces in its jaws and and makes off with it. A rat! It disappears into a gutter.
The Entrepreneur shakes his head. 'Not again.' He hands you some glim instead.
You've lost 50 x Nevercold Brass Sliver
Playing with Broken Toys is increasing… (+1 change point)
You've gained 50 x Glim
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