The Starved Lithologer

The Starved Lithologer

> *"They truly do not understand why you resist, as we did not. Resisting a change that is already happening leads to... Misshaping. They are used to overcoming that resistance. They will do so, instinctually."*
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> *"They do not deal with you. They deal with the* city *and* its *change, as we did. It does not occur to them to negotiate with the blood in its veins, the cells that make it up. We were incorrect, of course. Our perspective has changed. Theirs is yet to."*
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The **Starved Lithologer** is a Starved Man who played a key role in the events surrounding the London Horticultural Show.

## Initial Conflicts

> *"We watch. I watch. The rock. The lights. Patterns and signs and warnings. Always reshaping. Patterns reveal. What shape things will be. What shape things might be."*
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> *"We wished to prevent a painful rebirth. The city's next great change, in a long line of them. How many has it been now? Four? Some of you fought us. But there was no time – we had to act, before..."*
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During the catastrophe that interrupted the London Horticultural Show, the Lithologer was one of the many Starved Men who invaded London and attempted to reshape its infrastructure. Unlike their compatriots, however, the Lithologer has a similar physique and appearance to the average Londoner, barring a few eccentric qualities. Their most distinguishing feature is their left eye, which resembles a multifaceted "organic telescope" and possesses enhanced vision. Their view of the world is expressed in biological and evolutionary terms, describing London as a "body," its citizens as "cells," and the Neath itself as a living thing.

As London's defenders forced many of the Starved into retreat, the Lithologer's group frantically tried to complete their work before surrendering to the Admiralty. After their capture, the Lithologer was able to reshape their vocal cords to speak English with clarity. They revealed that they had studied the Roof of the Neath for signs of the future, and it was foretold that the Sixth City was due to Fall. Thus, their group sought to reshape London to stave off its destruction; the Lithologer expressed shame for the deaths and chaos the Starved had caused.

## The Starved Weapon and Aftermath

> *"Our way was the kinder way. We saw the signs, and sought to change them. To prevent catastrophic change. Others among us* believe *in catastrophic change. They saw the signs, and seek to hasten it."*
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> *"We... truly thought we were helping. I don't think that means much, but it is — unchanging.* True*. The city is changing back to what it was before. That is... something I would like to understand."*
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However, London's troubles were not over, as the Lithologer also revealed that another faction of Starved was building a weapon to bore through the Roof and burn London with sunlight. The Lithologer explained that these Starved did not consider individual citizens in their plans, and saw their actions as a mercy, but also acknowledged the fallacy of this view. Consequently, they pledged to help save London, and their group assisted in constructing London's airfleet to destroy the Starved weapon.

After the conclusion of the crisis, the Lithologer appeared at the reprise of the Horticultural Show, in an attempt to understand why the city sought a return to normalcy. They also organized the **Starved Embassy** to facilitate cultural exchanges and prevent future conflicts between London and the Starved. Additionally, they appeared at the third year of 1899's *(2023's)* Fruits of the Zee Festival, acting as the unofficial representative of the Roof. They took a great interest in understanding the traditions of Mutton Island, though some practices, such as cooking fish, seemed perplexing to them.

## References

2. ↑ Hear them out, warily, *Fallen London*
3. ↑ Ask why the Starved Men attacked, *Fallen London*
4. ↑ State of Emergence, *Fallen London* *"The inside of the stalactite drips with amber. A hand emerges [...] Another hand [...] A gangly figure [...] Another follows, then another [...] more figures extrude themselves from fissures in the rock. [...] Starved Men. You've seen them [...] on your expeditions to the roof."*
5. ↑ The War in London 2, *Fallen London* *"London is overrun. Buildings, their quoins and cornice stones made flesh, ripped open and left to bleed."*
6. ↑ Study the Starved prisoner, *Fallen London* *"They have opted for a more parsimonious number of limbs than many of the Starved. [...] you might even mistake them for human. But their face gives them away. Their chin stretches slightly too far [...]"*
7. ↑ Study the Starved prisoner, *Fallen London* *"[...] their eye, the left one [...] bones around the socket [...] Housed within is an organ that resembles more a miniature, organic telescope [...]"*
8. ↑ Inquire about the state of the Roof, *Fallen London* *"They look at you seriously, your face reflected back a hundred times in their compound eye."*
9. ↑ Rapprochement, *Fallen London* *"The Starved Lithologer turns their great eye upwards, tracking the movement of the false-stars."*
10. ↑ Inquire about the state of the Roof, *Fallen London* *""It is like a body." Many of their analogies are biological."*
11. ↑ Press for more details of the plan, *Fallen London* *"Resisting a change that is already happening leads to..." They search for the word. "Misshaping. [...]"*
12. ↑ Ask why the Starved Men attacked, *Fallen London* *"[...] But here, this body, [...] "This is not a body, it's a city," blusters the Commodore. "*
13. ↑ Press for more details of the plan, *Fallen London* *"They deal with the city [...] It does not occur to them to negotiate with the blood in its veins, the cells that make it up."*
14. ↑ Inquire about the state of the Roof, *Fallen London* *""The Neath lives. This is one of the things we know that you, perhaps, do not.""*
15. ↑ The Amber Tide, Turned, *Fallen London* *"Victory is a matter of degrees. London has proven itself adaptable [...] amber supply is tightly controlled. Guns are trained roofwards to intercept any descending stalactites or balloons. [...] the Starved Men have been made [...] to bleed in ways they cannot endure. [...] London has tended her wounds – has protected her people as best it can. "*
16. ↑ Contemplate the disposition of the Starved forces, *Fallen London* *"The Starved Men are scattered. Half of them have abandoned the attack, either vanishing off into the fringes of the Neath, or ascending once more [...] Those that remain are clustered [...] still desperately engaged in their work. Fervid, like they know that their time is running out. "*
17. ↑ Give the order, *Fallen London* *"There. Walking out of the shadows. Six of them, [...] "Hold," says your gruff second. "I think... I think they're surrendering." [...] They cooperate as the monks of Godfall bind their many hands at the wrists. [...] they do their best to show willing, the hairy one generally guiding the others. "*
18. ↑ Carnate, Incarcerate, *Fallen London* *"The Starved Men prisoners are enjoying a stint in the belly of the HMS Vaunted, chained and weighted, and with the whole ship lined with charges. They have offered no further resistance. "*
19. ↑ Pick up the thread of the argument, *Fallen London* *"After a lengthy span with an overcurious academic, plus some smuggled amber, this particular Starved individual has reshaped their vocal organs enough to speak."*
20. ↑ Hear them out, warily, *Fallen London* *""I dig nock... intengd thish. We saw the signs, and thott to acht. [...] They clear their throat. [...] The longer they talk, the clearer their voice becomes [...] "We watch. I watch. The rock. The lights. Patterns and signs and warnings. [...] Patterns reveal. What shape things will be. What shape things might be." [...] You are hearing the tale of the Starved Lithologer."*
21. ↑ Ask why the Starved Men attacked, *Fallen London* *" "What is seen can be changed. All things can be changed. [...] this body, it has fared ill with past changes." [...] "This is not a body, it's a city," blusters the Commodore. [...] "Yes. We sought to reshape the city, to help it avert a greater change which it could not endure. [...] We were helping—" [...] "You were tearing down our homes and tearing up our people." [...] a flash of a very human expression. Shame. "We wished to prevent [...] The city's next great change, [...] How many has it been now? Four?" [...] there was no time – we had to act, before..." [...]"*
22. ↑ What Lies Above, *Fallen London*
23. ↑ Approach the Starved Lithologer, *Fallen London*
24. ↑ Look up (What Lies Above), *Fallen London* *""They are preparing," says the Starved Lithologer. "We were not fast enough. We did not do enough." [...] "They have been digging upwards. They mean to... assist the city in a thorough metamorphosis." [...] "The sun," says the Commodore. "The b\_\_\_\_y sun." "*
25. ↑ Also Into You, *Fallen London* *"A great ocular mass. A distended cornea the size of the [airship] itself [...] Helping these things hold their strained shape as they prepare to channel inimical sunlight."*
26. ↑ Rapprochement, *Fallen London* *""They mean to burn us," says the Commodore [...] The Starved Lithologer [...] "They truly see it as a kindness. One short, sharp change. From down here... I think the perspective is different.""*
27. ↑ Press for more details of the plan, *Fallen London* *""They do not deal with you. They deal with the city and its change, as we did. It does not occur to them to negotiate with the [...] cells that make it up. We were incorrect [...] Our perspective has changed. Theirs is yet to." "*
28. ↑ Rapprochement, *Fallen London* *"The Starved Lithologer raises their arms [...] "We will help. Those of my faction who remain. We can sculpt away the error.""*
29. ↑ Station IX (Provisional), *Fallen London* *"The airfield is busier with every passing hour. The Starved Lithologer directs long-limbed compatriots around to help with construction. "*
30. ↑ Consider who might help in London's hour of need, *Fallen London* *""So unless London is to become the target of an unknown weapon of the Roof, we need airships. And allies.""*
31. ↑ Approach the Starved Lithologer, *Fallen London* *"They're the only one of their number that dared to come here. [...] "The city is changing back to what it was before. That is..." [...] "...something I would like to understand.""*
32. ↑ Inveigle your way onto the delegation, *Fallen London* *"You are called, together with the others, to attend the meeting at the 'Starved Embassy' [...]"*
33. ↑ A Cultural Exchange, *Fallen London* *"[...] the events of that summer arose from a poor understanding of each others' existential idiom. [...] to ensure that it cannot happen again, the Starved Lithologer has facilitated a cultural program where the two sides exchange gifts. "*
34. ↑ Fruits for the Starved, *Fallen London* *"Following the summer's altercation with the Starved Men, the Starved Lithologer has become the de facto representative of the Roof in London. [...] this role bestows upon them, it seems, is making honorary appearances at all the great feasts and festivals of London's social calendar. So here they are, on Mutton Island [...]"*
35. ↑ Celebrate with the Starved Lithologer, *Fallen London* *"The Lithologer is an ideal visitor, receptive and boundlessly curious about the local customs. [...] they still cannot be persuaded to actually eat any of the delights on offer. "I don't understand," [...] "why you feel the need to blacken perfectly good flesh with fire.""*