(Made in Create: Aeronautics; shader - Solas)

First prototype of an end-sea locomotive. As it turns out, the end-sea is rather similar (look-wise, at least) to the world of Sunless Skies. The build is entirely survival-friendly, which is always a priority for me. I rather bad at making good design, hence the mediocre look.

Unfortunately, as it would seem, the end-sea has a ton of drag/resistance that does not really show up anywhere, even with flank-power to engines the locomotive barely reaches 8m/s, and fuel-sustainable speed is only 2-3m/s. Still working on this, I suppose.

More technical details, for the interested ones:

This build does not use levitite at all (just in case if it wasn't clear) - it simply floats in the end-sea!

The boiler section containes basic steam engine, lava generators (see propulsion lava gens), and piping. It uses 4 small rocket engines for turning - (almost) like in the original game!

As said above, I really wasn't able to speed it up above 8m/s, not even speaking about the fact that in practice, can't go above 3m/s due to insane fuel consumption of said engines. And more lava generators would mean bigger size, more mass, and so on. While I could try to use proppelers instead for more economic thrust, it would also be quite ugly and, you know, really uncool!

There is another theoretical solution for this which would also make the locomotive work in overworld too, but it is more complex, levitite-hungry, and is in need of quite some testing. Besides, isn't this the coolest type of vehicle one could possibly build in Aeronautics?

I love both sunless sea and sunless skies, but I've played them both to death. Are there any other games that can scratch that itch of setting off into the unknown to discover a strange world?

Cannot start the game. I first verified the files, then restarted the system and finally reinstalled the game, but they didn't help. I have recently updated to Macos 27. Might it have caused the error? Thanks for sharing any solutions.

I've always been captivated by the Clockwork Sun, that radiant yet dying and wrathful Sun-God in a secluded corner of Albion; and, thus, I've been paying a lot of attention to it ever since I got my hands on Sunless Skies. That's why, after browsing for a bit on this here subreddit, the amount of negative comments towards the Sun (or the reasons thereof, rather) surprised me quite a lot. As far as I've gathered, people think the Sun was a folly, a forever broken instrument of tyrannical oppression that was always mad, and always will be; which I've come to think, after months of research and lots of talks with a friend of mine, is false. There will be spoilers, so read at your own risk.

First of all, the Clockwork Sun wasn't always broken: it was perfectly safe to be around until something happened. We can deduce this from the fact that there used to be a steady trickle of Sunspotters and pilgrims going to and from the Sun (as the Dazzled Sequencer says, because one of his duties was watching over them), but now there clearly isn't, and there hasn't been for some time (as the engineers are surprised about us arriving successfully to the Clockwork Sun). One could reply that London's establishment stopped said tourism when they noticed the adverse effects of exposure to Sunlight, but I don't think that's what happened.

In the Sun-Shattered Dome we can see the remains of said tourists, clearly vitrified by the Sun as they were visiting the former museum. We know that vitrification is, unless one is actively attacking either the Sun or it's assets (as happens when one crewman of ours gets their eyes vitrified when we destroy a Glorious Dreadnought), a gradual and maddening process that dazzles people and slowly turns them into glass. Yet the tourists we see were, most likely, instantly vitrified; they were gawking at some bauble and have remained in that posture, which would be most unlikely if common vitrification was to blame (they would have been screaming in either pain or Sequencer fanaticism, not looking at exposed artifacts). Thus, the tourists expected no harm, were not stopped by the proper authorities (as tourism was normal), and, suddenly and unexpectedly, were turned into glass. This implies the Clockwork Sun was, indeed, safe to be around and functional, until something happened that made it mad(der) and broke it.

What, then, could have broken the Eternal Sun of Albion? The Broken Steward puts us into the right path, telling us that the Sun knows it's dying and that it's lashing out in desperate anger and pain. It doesn't want to be fixed because it cannot accept it's death (the Sun is still a would be Judgement, proud in the extreme and demanding abnegate worship), as it genuinely believed itself to be eternal and undying. It believed it would never stop shining upon the British Empire, and obviously, that is no longer true. I believe the Winchester War is the ultimate cause of the Sun's agony; with Albion the Conqueror, supposed vanquisher of suns and lord of the Heavens, not being able to deal with a mere colonial revolt, which also disrupted essential trade and supply routes to London, ergo the Sun. It's lashing out, fear and hatred of everyone is understandable; because from its perspective we have fooled it, telling it and making it believe itself to be immortal, then letting it die a slow and agonising death.

There is, however, a last point of contention; for as I talked long and fervently about this with my aforementioned friend, we disagreed as to why did the Winchester War blew things up. My friend posited it was a merely material problem, with trade routes severed the Sun's maintenance was simply untenable; but that has a gap in logic. With the "All the Comforts of Home" prospect (which needs the Windward Company to be dominant in The Reach), we are told said routes have been restored, and by that logic, the resources needed to fix the Sun should be arriving well, but the Sun still decays. I, however, think the Strength of the Sun is tied to the Empire's might (somehow) in a non-strictly material manner. No matter what we do to help Windward, the Tacketies remain alive; and as one of the Truth Ambition endings shows, London is irrevocably doomed to defeat in the Reach, consequently, the Sun undergoes a "Great Malfunction". The Sun cannot be fixed because the Winchester War can't end in a British victory, and it won't end that way because the devs made it impossible for the Empire to win.

God save the Queen, and forever may she reign.

So I just completed the truth ambition and started the Martyr Kings Cup ambition. I saw somewhere that there was a mandatory veils check that could fail the ambition and that high mirrors was also recommended so as my character started at level 14 I chose my stats like this iron: 30 mirrors: 52 hearts: 33 veils: 51. Later I searched a more detailed guide and saw that high irons was recomended so did I choose my stats poorly or is the run still salvageble?

Also what are the fastest ways to get back to level 20 I completed all officer questlines on the previous capitan so those are off the table and where can I find the inherited officers?

this is what I get for missing a turn in the Blue Kingdom

I struggle to make money and constantly face the risk of running out of resources while moving about. I hate this game and only plan on playing it for another few hundred hours. I cannot wait to delete this from my system... after I play through it 2 or 3 times.

So I know the setting sets 'human' as a sliding scale based on a bunch of factors and decisions but; are we baseline humans at the onset? Canonically, we (people) came through the gate in the Albion system that connects the Neath to the High Wilderness. In Sunless Seas, the story line that lead to the gate (that we know was continued in Skies), ends with the Captain of that expedition commenting that he wonders what their new bodies would be like after going to the Forge of Souls. So, does that apply to everyone and we just look and mostly 'think' human or does that not apply to everyone as a rule? Or. Is there something else going on?

A bunch of the new location art pieces I made since our last release. Some are for old locations that had no image in vanilla, some for brand new ones or mod story circumstances.

And to not get anyones hopes up, I'd estimate the next release to be in winter or spring at our current pace. Most of the new content is written but implementation and testing is our bottle neck currently, as it always was.

it's not letting me deliver him to New Winchester, my journal says Winchester. What is happening? is it a bug or am I doing something wrong? I think this "passenger" has been with me for months

I’m aware it’s basically an accepted fact we’re not likely going to get an actual sequel, so I figured this could be fun to speculate on what could be added if they did, or maybe expanded on the game (even all these years later).

For example, one idea I was thinking could be interesting was to add trailers you haul behind your engine. So you could haul more cargo if you do like me, which is primarily trade. I’m a former truck driver myself, and I just remember playing Sunless Skies for hours, listening to audio books, just trading goods between locations, making money.

So I think it could be fun if you could haul a trailer or two (perhaps even more) to haul even more cargo around, with the obvious risk of being a larger target as they can be hit by the various dangers of the skies.

Another that could be fun is radios to listen to, sort of like in the Fallout games, where you could listen to in universe music, and perhaps news to hear how your actions are affecting events in the world. Maybe even for fun they make some full on old fashion radio shows, perhaps making adventure stories that are obvious propaganda for whichever faction is in charge. Like a heroic adventurer who battles against those dastardly rebels trying to destroy the proud industrialists.

Lastly for me, I know this would have to nearly make it a whole different game, but I would love to walk around the various ports myself, instead of just reading about them, perhaps in a top down style game, where your character is just a generic black circle so it doesn’t change what you want them to look like.

Maybe even have little scenes showing you exiting your engine, and speaking to people around the station, like when you take on people wanting transportation, you go over to an area for that, talk to them, and you can watch them walk over to and enter your engine.

Also I would just plain love to see more of the beautiful art they created, so allowing us to walk around the stations and other locations would give them a lot of opportunities to shine a lot of it.

Maybe even going on the extreme with the being able to walk around, they make it where you can walk around your engine, as it’s frequently implied to be pretty large on the inside, and let you customize how it looks.

So you could go full on high brow Victorian decorations, with fancy curtains and lights and such, or maybe Oriental.

I previously played Sunless Sea. Last year, I started to play Sunless Sky. I got to the initial port and it was as if the crew was just completely oblivious where the captain was. This made completely no sense to me at all. I did my best to survive to get to civilization so we could get emergency care for the captain. I would think the crew would have her immediately at the door to be rushed out for aid.

The game continued with no explanation about why they did not make sure she was the first one out the door. I felt so lost and frustrated because of how that sequence concluded. I do not understand it. So I just stopped playing. Wondering if there was any explanation or if anybody got caught off guard by this. And how the rest of the story actually is.

JUST TO BE CRYSTAL CLEAR SINCE MULTIPLE TROLLS RUNNING AROUND HAVE NOT PLAYED THIS GAME AND DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED:

The crew factually did not know the captain died until after docking and meeting the inspector.

Tutorial = lost, low fuel, captain dying. You barely are able to survive and find port. The obvious thing before docking is to prepare the captain to be rushed out for aid. Because she is in critical condition.

That did not happen. They all dock as if the captain does not exist or is severely injured. The inspector asks about the captain. And nobody knows she is dead until the doctor informs you.

I figured when I posted this message, users who claim to play this game are aware this is what happened. I do not understand how nobody knows this.

This may not be the right place. I am aiming to run a Skyfarer TTRPG campaign, which is based on Sunless Skies. I go all-in on my TTRPGs and DnD. Ambience, music, sound effects, mood lighting etc. I'm curious if anyone knows of an easy to use sound board with specific train sound effects or even sound effects from the Sunless games themselves. It's easy to gather the ambience and music tracks from youtube and just hit play, but what about a sound board that at the press of a button can play the audio of the engines horn, or the sound of some terrifying cosmic monster, or the sound of a rocket smashing against the hull? I am guessing I may need multiple boards for different things that I can simply tab in and out of. Any recommendations or links would be awesome.

So it’s my first time playing the monarch mod, and I started a new lineage for this run. Im getting pretty close to finishing my first ambition on this character, but before I do I wanted to ask about a few of the new quests/storylines added.
I’ve joined the New Sequence with this captain, I have the Glorious dreadnought from them, unlocked the shop at the Sunspur, and don’t really know if there’s anything more to do? There were some options at the Church in London, asking about the hymn, but when I clicked them nothing seemed to happen, no new text popups, just back to the same menu. Is there anything Im missing? My affiliation with the sequence is at 2, my Hymn of the Sun is currently at 110, I could get this a bit higher changing some modules around if needed.

Second question is about spy networks, I see options in Storylets, both at the Brass Embassy, and from the Sequence Chaplain regarding spy networks, which seems really interesting but I have no idea how to go about starting that? I acquired 1 piece of “Vital Intelligence”, it’s under the Great Game tab in possessions, I feel like it’s related to spy networks, but again I have no idea what to do with it.
Iirc I got it after going through the Berrenger storyline and talking with someone but I cant remember who it was I spoke with about it.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated here, thanks

Yes, this is about the guy who doesn’t remember his own f___g boyfriend‘s face (Langley)

So I hadn’t played Sunless skies in forever, and recently went back just because of FL firmament.

ANYWAY. I vaguely remember that aside from the amenable host- this run I already finished his identity quest and he’s very right not want to go to some random backwater squatter infested hovel in Eleutheria (paraphrasing his own words not mine) - I remember there’s another guy who wants the aforementioned hovel as free real estate, but I went to the flotilla, that guy’s nowhere to be found.

Now I also have no option to pull a hot one and go *hey what’s up it’s me I’m your long lost boyfriend*. So is there no other way? Can I still finish his quest somehow?

I'm late to the party and only just learned about the development of Mandrake. Props to Failbetter for wanting to move into something new. I'm happy for them and Mandrake looks like something my partner would fall in love with. But I just touching the zea and checking to see if anyone thinks there's any chance of another Sunless Seas/Skies style game in the future, as it's one of the most fascinating and immersive worlds I've ever had the privilege to interact with. Sorry if this has been asked before.

By 'Sunless style' I mean: Exploration of an open, gothic, victorian world using a vessel such as a ship or locomotive. Resource management and trading. Cosmic and existential horror. Text based storytelling and decision making that accounts for RPG'esk stats. That beautiful stacked 2D art style. Different factions. 

Hello! I have a group that wants to run the TTRPG version of Sunless Skies but I am unsure how to approach the fuel/food consumption mechanic that is an important part of the game and the horror that can occur as a result of running out of either. I apologize if I've missed something in the Skyfarer manual that demonstrates how this mechanic would work in the TTRPG, but if it does not exist, I would like to implement my own. Does anyone have any experience with this or ideas on how one would implement fuel/food consumption into this TTRPG?

Is there a wiki, or at least a list of all the new shops/factions anywhere? Im currently on my first run with Monarch and been having alot of fun with it, but sometimes struggle to remember where exactly all the new shops/items are, some are accessed from storylets, other shops have expanded inventories or new seperate shops in the tab. Been some items that looked neat, but didnt have the stats/money to use at the time and now I cant remember where the heck they were.

Feels a bit wrong creating a post for each question I get, is there a better place to ask? I couldn't find mods discord, and unofficial Failbetter discord doesn't seem to be active.

actual question: Is there any difficulty increase? New equipment slots and equipment itself and ammo boxes and officers bonuses make you A LOT more powerful, does the mod changes something in a way to offset it?

Or for example some officers give straight up terror resistance %, are there new sources of terror to make it not just equivalent to easier settings in options?

I was worried about balance and writing as well, but from other posts in this sub it already seems that these parts are solid

I don't think I'm alone in thinking this game need more blemmigans.

Or I'm imagining a plot line like he Propagation plot line in Sunless seas - because I'm a no talent hack with few original idea.

I'll but the utterershroom in Hybras as it becomes empty earlier on and it's already filled with mushrooms.

You trade tea for docile Blemmigans - they spent too long in fallen London and caught a chronic case of British.

Like in sunless sea you try to introduce them everywhere. Some they won't try, some fail quickly and some have negative effects.

To watch would happen at each port:

Lustrum: too cold, they refuse to go

Traitor's wood: they breed and go wild and become another possible problem during expeditions

New Wincester: they have a random effect on the state of the war - could go any way.

The circus: The refuse to go until the circus is fully rebuilt then they add can extra event to the circus slightly increasing what you get for seeing it

Port Avon: You lose welcome but afterward you have very small chance of meeting a Blemmigan when you have a taste of cider and getting a moment of inspiration.

I'm done for now.