What is the Avid Horizon? And SMEN (spoilers)

[gnomesayin]

I got into the Fallen London universe in 2020 when I played through Sunless Skies in February. Have started a playthrough of Seas, but I'm taking my time to get into it.

I have read my fair share of things online, however.

On my playthrough of Skies, I chose The Truth ambition and concluded it by crossing the Avid Horizon, into the Neath. I also understand that in Seas, another ambition can be concluded where crossing the Avid Horizon takes you to the High Wilderness. So I understand that the Avid Horizon is a gateway. Easy enough to understand.

With what I know of SMEN is where I'm confused. As the search to head NORTH concludes, The crossing of the Avid Horizon in the world of Fallen London is the final step before The King of Ways, which remains a mystery for the most of us. However, knowing what we do know about how SMEN concludes and how it damages the player character, I highly doubt the Avid Horizon works the way I understand it to in Seas and Skies, operates the same as it does in the Fallen London game.

Anyone care to share any insight?

[Ellixer]

You got it right that the Avid Horizon is the gate between Albion and the Neath.

I'm unsure how far I can go since I don't know whether you saw how SMEN concluded, and the developers have asked players to remain hush hush, but I'll say that I see no reason to think it serves a different function than what you have seen in Sea and Skies. SMEN famously bricks your account upon completion, but that may be because of what you are trying to accomplish once you've passed through the gate, rather than it being an inherent property of the Avid Horizon.

[gnomesayin]

Автор сообщения: Ellixer

but I'll say that I see no reason to think it serves a different function than what you have seen in Sea and Skies... but that may be because of what you are trying to accomplish once you've passed through the gate

A fitting answer and very in the vein of SMEN.

It's somewhat unsatisfactory, but it will have to suffice. I don't have the time to commit to the Search but it still fascinates me, even though it's more like an unscratchable itch than wonder.

[yiftachs]

without too many spoilers (though the weary should stop reading here)
in sunless sea Avid Horizon is a giant gate in the northmost point reachable in the Neath, the gate appears as two giant winged figures colored in Gant, in the days of fallen London those who sinned against the empire came there to write their confessions.
The Venturer knows a ritual that with enough supplies will allow a ship to open and travel through the gate into the high wilderness where the Judgments create the Law, where the forge of souls lies and where a new frontier awaits
in Fallen London a seeker who finished a different and costly set of preparations may knock upon the gate of Avid Horizon and reach the High Wilderness what awaits him there and what shall he do is up to him and those possible fates are still under the "please do not spoil" request of the creators, but what happens there fits the world building and theme of both seeking and Sunless skies
in the alternate history of Sunless Skies things happened, not all of them clear, but the end result is the the Traitor Empress opened the gate of Avid Horizon and ordered an exodus, the sea spilled through along with many of her subjects, the empress dismantlement London and rebuilt it once more around the Throne of Hours. after a short time she ordered the gate closed, the Home Office which once dealt with the coming and going through the gate is now mostly inactive, though they can if need be reopen the gate from the Skies back to the Sea.
On the High Wilderness the gate looks much the same, two giant winged figures floating in the space and under them the sea which spilled thorough

Many of the traditions of fallen london carried over to the high wilderness, but the whispers of Mr. Eaten and his reckoning promised to the Bazaar and the Masters have not, the bazaar and most of the Masters (all except for one as far as we know) stayed in the Neath with whatever whispering lingering horror they created, the closest we see of seeking in Skies are the Displeased who share many of their themes.
one thing we do learn from Sunless Skies about Seeking in Fallen London is the importance of wells and the reason why they are so crucial to the fate of Mr. Eaten.

[Ellixer]

Minor detail but at least two Masters came through the Avid Horizon. We find one in the House of Chimes (probably Mr Veils, during the Cups ambition so I understand), and another as an officer (Mr Apples/Hearts). As I remember it Hearts mentioned multiple Masters other than himself ditching the Neath, so I'd say at least three, but that's speculative. We know at least two of them really want to go home already, specifically Pages and Spices.

[yiftachs]

Forgot about the one in the Cups ambition, but yes, we know the Bazaar didn't go through the gate, what happened to the rest of the merry band... I don't think we will get much more about them is Skies than what we already have

[Ellixer]

I seem to recall text somewhere implying that the next city arrived to replace London but I can't recall where that is. Possibly one of Hearts' dialogues.