"It is the season for affection, is it not?" Mr Spices' voice is high and fluting. It waves a shawl-enshrouded hand airily in the direction of the Bazaar. "It is incumbent upon us to ensure that the city is a fertile bed for budding romance."

The Feast of the Rose is here! A festival bursting with affectionate activities, nuptial phantasies, burgeoning romance… and shot through with scorn. Tend to the business of your heart through 'Celebrate the Feast of the Exceptional Rose', available throughout London.

Join the Revels!

Take part in the festivities to gain Masquing, which can be later spent on rewards. Exchange gifts of love (or disdain, or mysterious yet enticing indifference) with other players. Keep your gifts – or trade them for Masquing!

As always, additional Masquing can be obtained with Fate, which unlocks further options.

A Task for Mr Spices

This year, Mr Spices has taken a direct interest in the festivities, and believes that true love might need a little helping hand in order to take proper root. Many things might act as catalysts – a rousing play, a touching story, a thoughtful gift. Even violence, when deployed properly, has its uses.

For the duration of the Feast, select activities in and around London have new options that pay out in a new quality – Burgeoning Romance – in addition to their usual rewards. Trade your Burgeoning Romance with Mr Spices to receive additional payment, in the form of items that can be used to send gifts to friends during Feast-time.

These activities are:

A new play at Court
A new plant in Vertiginous Horticulture
A new Theft of Particular Character in the Flit
A new laboratory experiment
A new duel when 'Getting into other fights' for the Black Ribbon'
A new expedition in the Forgotten Quarter

The Lady in Lilac

"You are desired," she says. "Give me the proof of it, and I'll make arrangements."

Starting on February 13th, the mysterious 'Lady in Lilac' card will appear, allowing you to exchange your Feast gifts for Masquing.

Meet New Faces

Every year, the Feast brings new companions to Fallen London. Starting next week, on February 13th, you will be able to spend your Masquing to attract companions from Feasts past, as well as four new companions:

Break up a brawl with Old Resurrection
Explore the flexibilities of the human condition with the Analgesic Rhetorician
Face off to the pain with the Whispering Duellist
Consider the manifold delights of the Koloman Republic with the Sun-Kissed Polymath

Those first two can be unlocked with Fate.

Matrimony!

This year we've added upgrades to several more spouses: A Bewildering Procession of Companions, Suitors, Lovers and Paramours, and the Cultural Attaché and Attachee, as well as the Devout, Conspiratorial and Academic Intriguers. Support the Procession as they seek to deepen their connection in honeyed dreams, or lend your skills to your spouses from Wilmot's End in order to make your spouses more powerful.

The upgrade for the Procession costs 20 Fate, and can be found in Your Lodgings once you are married.

The Attaché, Attachee and Intriguers can all be upgraded for free from their unique opportunity cards.

Skin-bound Memories and Nuptial Phantasies!

How better to prove your devotion than through permanent ink? High time for a visit to Clathermont’s Tattoo Parlour! Make your way to Ladybones Road to complete the story of the Clathermont family, as long as you have reached level 4 or higher in A Name in Seven Secret Alphabets. Tattoos will become available from the 13th of February.

Also available during the Feast of the Exceptional Rose: Nuptial phantasies! Obtain custom-tailored dreams of nuptial bliss (or marital discord) with some of your favourite Fallen London characters. Find these by visiting the Shopkeeper in Viric, in Veilgarden.

Meet your Destiny!

You can obtain a Destiny or alter your existing one during the Feast. Destinies offer unique insights into the deeper mysteries of the Neath, and once acquired, confer a mechanical bonus too.

Find the way to the Perfumer-Semiotician's shop through the card 'The Feast of the Rose', which can be drawn in London.

Those who know the way there could also zail to Irem, where destinies are grown, altered, and consumed.

A Continuing Mystery

Just what is the Exceptional Rose? Rumours abound. Some say that it's a vicious, fanged flower. Others that it's a cherub sent to watch over star-crossed lovers. Yet more tut, calling it an elaborate ruse cooked up by Mr Inch. Whatever it is, nobody has seen the real Exceptional Rose in years. But perhaps this Feast is different? But, the Exceptional Rose, like love, is a changeable thing, and does not always look the same...

Newcomers may start this story in 'The Exceptional Rose', available anywhere in London. If you were here last year, you already know the way; seek the Rose out once more when Millicent's Parlour opens on the 13th.

Key Dates for the Festival

The Feast of the Exceptional Rose starts today, February 6th.
February 13th: 'An Encounter at the Feast' and 'The Lady in Lilac' become available. Trade gifts for Masquing, and obtain new companions. Tattoos will also be available in the Forgotten Quarter.
February 20th: Gift exchanging and obtaining Masquing closes. You will still have a week to exchange Masquing for companions and to experience Feast seasonal stories.
February 27th: All remaining Feast storylets close.