Post by Todd on Jul 27, 2016 8:00:06 GMT -5
Presumably, everyone else here received the curator's email (dated March 25th), titled; "From the desk of the Curator: I wear no mask."? What are your thoughts about it?
Mike Rotch
Posted over 1 year ago
I'd like to share some thoughts about it.... A couple of his references jumped out at me related to Robert William Chambers, best known for his book entitled **The King In Yellow**, published in 1895 (Information here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_King_in_Yellow). In this book there are ten short stories, the first four of which, mention**The King in Yellow**, a forbidden play which induces despair or madness in those who read it. (A text that makes you mad is highly reminiscent of H.P. Lovecraft, who wrote about similar themes. Indeed the curator mentions this connection in his email!) Now, the curator also mentions that he has "a secret", "one that shall be made known [...] in but a single week," and that the MPC "has a trick up its sleeve, but it is no ruse." Definition wise, a ruse is a trick, intended to deceive someone, but I'm more curious about the secret revealed in a week's time, whatever that may be.... The Curator does mention April 1st, a famous day for pranks, as the day which he may reveal his secret. Though, he writes; "There shall be no deceit from my fingers on this day". I'd pretty much take that with a pinch of salt! But, he is very insistent in making us believe he is telling the truth when he says "you may believe what I say as if I had sworn a blood oath upon the graves of my own parents" and "I shall not speak a falsehood to you." For me the next sentence is rather telling, as he quotes Robert Chambers, "I shall merely state irresistable (sic) revealed truths." This harks back to the imaginary play *The King in Yellow* which apparently has two acts and at least three characters: Cassilda, Camilla, and "The Stranger", who may or may not be the title character. The title of the curator's email, "I wear no mask" is related to the short story "The Mask" -A dream story of art, love, and uncanny science, which is introduced by an excerpt from Act 1, Scene 2d:
*Camilla: You, sir, should unmask.*
*Stranger: Indeed?*
*Cassilda: Indeed it's time. We have all laid aside disguise but you.*
**Stranger: I wear no mask.**
*Camilla: (Terrified, aside to Cassilda.) No mask? No mask!*
The title of the curator's email matches the phrase the Stranger uses in The Mask. Also, the excerpts above come from Act 1. The King in Yellow, is a plot device in a larger story: a forbidden play which is said to induce despair or madness in those who read it due to the abundance of "'irresistible' revealed truths" after a pedestrian first act. I haven't had a chance to watch True Detective on HBO, which centers on the King in Yellow plot device and the danger of allegory taken as nonfiction by a modern, powerful and secretive cult. I've probably missed a tonnes of references in the curator's email, but that's my two cents thrown in.
Mike Rotch
Posted over 1 year ago
Update: It's April 1st and another email from the curator (right on cue!) reveals his secret to be a New Experience based upon the forbidden play; The King in Yellow. The experience includes numerous weathered and aged background materials, documentation and rare discoveries shedding light on the King in Yellow, his acolytes, and the writings surrounding them. I would very much love to get this for myself as it's promised to be comparable in stature to Robust packages, consisting of three mailings, with two final artifacts contained within one signature wooden crates. So, there you have it! That's the secret he promised in last week's email. The proverbial cat is out of the bag. The curator has revealed his impressive package. Fnarr fnarr!
Mike Rotch
Posted over 1 year ago
Does anyone have a copy of this email? I am working my way through Volume 1 (lots of fun), and am wondering if there's anything helpful in the missive for those of us who came into this a little late.
Theseus
Posted 5 months ago
The Curator's emails, while always interesting to read, have never (to my knowledge) revealed anything about C&C other than the deadlines for each chapter and other subscription logistics. Better sources for help (besides the Sitting Room) would be the wiki (http://curios-and-conundrums.wikia.com/wiki/Curios_and_Conundrums_Wiki) and the unofficial chatroom (instructions for which are located on the homepage of the wiki).
Eleanor, aka "The Bardess"
Posted 5 months ago
Mike Rotch
Posted over 1 year ago
I'd like to share some thoughts about it.... A couple of his references jumped out at me related to Robert William Chambers, best known for his book entitled **The King In Yellow**, published in 1895 (Information here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_King_in_Yellow). In this book there are ten short stories, the first four of which, mention**The King in Yellow**, a forbidden play which induces despair or madness in those who read it. (A text that makes you mad is highly reminiscent of H.P. Lovecraft, who wrote about similar themes. Indeed the curator mentions this connection in his email!) Now, the curator also mentions that he has "a secret", "one that shall be made known [...] in but a single week," and that the MPC "has a trick up its sleeve, but it is no ruse." Definition wise, a ruse is a trick, intended to deceive someone, but I'm more curious about the secret revealed in a week's time, whatever that may be.... The Curator does mention April 1st, a famous day for pranks, as the day which he may reveal his secret. Though, he writes; "There shall be no deceit from my fingers on this day". I'd pretty much take that with a pinch of salt! But, he is very insistent in making us believe he is telling the truth when he says "you may believe what I say as if I had sworn a blood oath upon the graves of my own parents" and "I shall not speak a falsehood to you." For me the next sentence is rather telling, as he quotes Robert Chambers, "I shall merely state irresistable (sic) revealed truths." This harks back to the imaginary play *The King in Yellow* which apparently has two acts and at least three characters: Cassilda, Camilla, and "The Stranger", who may or may not be the title character. The title of the curator's email, "I wear no mask" is related to the short story "The Mask" -A dream story of art, love, and uncanny science, which is introduced by an excerpt from Act 1, Scene 2d:
*Camilla: You, sir, should unmask.*
*Stranger: Indeed?*
*Cassilda: Indeed it's time. We have all laid aside disguise but you.*
**Stranger: I wear no mask.**
*Camilla: (Terrified, aside to Cassilda.) No mask? No mask!*
The title of the curator's email matches the phrase the Stranger uses in The Mask. Also, the excerpts above come from Act 1. The King in Yellow, is a plot device in a larger story: a forbidden play which is said to induce despair or madness in those who read it due to the abundance of "'irresistible' revealed truths" after a pedestrian first act. I haven't had a chance to watch True Detective on HBO, which centers on the King in Yellow plot device and the danger of allegory taken as nonfiction by a modern, powerful and secretive cult. I've probably missed a tonnes of references in the curator's email, but that's my two cents thrown in.
Mike Rotch
Posted over 1 year ago
Update: It's April 1st and another email from the curator (right on cue!) reveals his secret to be a New Experience based upon the forbidden play; The King in Yellow. The experience includes numerous weathered and aged background materials, documentation and rare discoveries shedding light on the King in Yellow, his acolytes, and the writings surrounding them. I would very much love to get this for myself as it's promised to be comparable in stature to Robust packages, consisting of three mailings, with two final artifacts contained within one signature wooden crates. So, there you have it! That's the secret he promised in last week's email. The proverbial cat is out of the bag. The curator has revealed his impressive package. Fnarr fnarr!
Mike Rotch
Posted over 1 year ago
Does anyone have a copy of this email? I am working my way through Volume 1 (lots of fun), and am wondering if there's anything helpful in the missive for those of us who came into this a little late.
Theseus
Posted 5 months ago
The Curator's emails, while always interesting to read, have never (to my knowledge) revealed anything about C&C other than the deadlines for each chapter and other subscription logistics. Better sources for help (besides the Sitting Room) would be the wiki (http://curios-and-conundrums.wikia.com/wiki/Curios_and_Conundrums_Wiki) and the unofficial chatroom (instructions for which are located on the homepage of the wiki).
Eleanor, aka "The Bardess"
Posted 5 months ago