Nuncio

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> Nuncio
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> Nuncio's statue. Art from Sunless Sea.
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> ### Location
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> Rattsey
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> ### Ports
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> McMaster's Haven
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> ### Affiliation
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> Postmen
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> ### Notable Figures
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> The Hairless PostwomanThe Postal Rat
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> *"DO NOT RETURN, SENDER."*
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**Nuncio** is where the Neath's mailmen go when they get frustrated, bored, or ashamed of their undelivered mail.

## Ratmas for All!

> *"Taciturn functionaries walk the docks, in the uniforms of postmen. An enormous crowned statue casts a chilling shadow. The shadows gleam with rats' eyes. Their ceaseless chittering rolls like the tide."*
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The island of Nuncio, dating back to the First City, is a place where all undelivered mail ends up eventually; its shores are constantly swarmed with washed-up letters and parcels, attracted by a mysterious magnetic pull. The island is also a home to postmen who have managed to acquire any dead letters during their careers; the letters' attraction to Nuncio eventually takes their owners there, so that the postmen can gather and catalog the dead mail in hope of one day allowing its delivery. The magnetic pull is not the only strange phenomenon on the island; Nuncio's mail is almost indestructible, and able to reforge itself even after it has exploded.

Nuncio's giant statue can be interpreted as a representation of its many postmen; its appearance changes over time to best represent the people living on the island.

The island is infested with hordes of rats, and Nuncio's inhabitants use their corpses as currency.

## NO WORD LOST

Beyond this point lie **spoilers** for *Fallen London*, *Sunless Sea*, or *Sunless Skies*. This may include **midgame** content. **Proceed with caution**.
You can find out more about our spoiler policy **here**.

Deep under the island lies a giant spiral cavern, with walls lined with undelivered mail from all the previous Fallen Cities. At its very bottom is a needle of deep black rock, whose surface is inscribed with sigils of the Correspondence. This needle is the source of the island's supernatural happenings, as the words written upon it are a powerful commandment: no message may ever go undelivered.

## Historical and Cultural Inspirations

The term "Nuncio" is not a real-world place, but it is a title. Nuncio (officially known as an Apostolic nuncio and also known as a papal nuncio) is the title for an ecclesiastical diplomat, being an envoy or permanent diplomatic representative of the Holy See to a state or international organization. A nuncio is appointed by and represents the Holy See, and is the head of the diplomatic mission, called an Apostolic Nunciature, which is the equivalent of an embassy.

Perhaps the name more directly references the giant statue in the center of the island. Nuncio is sanctuary for all those who must deliver messages and packages, and thus the statue represents the ultimate messenger of the Unterzee. Thus, it is only natural that the island is named after one of the most important messengers in the Christian world.

*The basic idea for Nuncio was created by Spacemarine9, creator of the lore blogs Saint-Arthur and Saint-Beau, who spent some time working for Failbetter.*

## References

2. ↑ Nuncio, *Sunless Sea*
3. ↑ Sit down a moment, *Sunless Sea*
4. ↑ Study the odd currents here, *Sunless Sea*
5. ↑ Ask why the postmen came here, *Sunless Sea*
6. ↑ Shiftwork in the Dead Letter Office, *Sunless Sea*
7. ↑ Throw your undeliverable post into the fire, *Sunless Sea*
8. ↑ Ask about the big statue in the center of the island, *Sunless Sea*
9. ↑ Ask why the local currency consists of rats, *Sunless Sea*
10. ↑ Open the back rooms, *Sunless Sea*
11. ↑ Tell the Postal Rat about your basement findings, *Sunless Sea*
12. ↑ Descend into the basement with flame, *Sunless Sea*
13. ↑ https://saint-arthur.tumblr.com/post/139459043849/were-you-by-any-chance-aware-of-the-bazaars-role