making-me-nameless

[making-me-nameless]

So you're blocked on several things but the Side-streets would resolve the current block on the Library -> Equipment -> Railway Steel, right?

Is the blockage there https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Sufficient_Importance ?

Yes, I need Equipment for Railway Steel, I need the Library for Equipment, I need the Side-Streets for the Library, and that's how you unlock the Side-Streets.

There might be other ways to accomplish one of the steps in the chain, but resolving that storylet would indeed fix the problem, so if you have an idea for how that could be accomplished, I'd be happy to hear it.

[making-me-nameless]

Thank you for the votes. Unfortunately, my ambition is back on hold until I figure out what I'm going to do about the Railway Steel issue. I don't think a specific ambition will be required to fix it, but just in case I'm not committing to one until I figure it out.

A Quandary of Ambition

Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure I won't be able to finish an Ambition, unless something changes. I need pick either Bag a Legend or Nemesis in order to unlock Moloch Street, and they both eventually have checkpoints that I can't reach. Nemesis requires Embroiled in the Wars of Illusion (either directly or in order to unlock Silverer as a Profession). Bag a Legend requires access to the Labyrinth of Tigers.

Of the two, it seems significantly more likely that some future feature will allow me to access the Labyrinth of Tigers. Just last summer, the Sixth Coil event did so; it's even possible that the Waswood version of the Sixth Coil will do it. That makes me think I should pick Bag A Legend.

There's a problem with Bag A Legend, though. It also requires access to the Medusa's Head and (unlike the above requirements) that requirement comes before it unlocks Moloch Street. To reach the Medusa's Head, I do have to play a storylet that is labeled "Making Your Name"

It does not actually start the Making Your Name storyline (in order to do that you need to play the other option to Visit the Department of Menace Eradication). In fact, it doesn't unlock any non-hidden quality at all. But it's still labeled "Making Your Name", and so could be argued as not allowed.

I've been going back and forth on this, so I put it to you: what would you rather see?

[making-me-nameless]

Uh oh

[making-me-nameless]

Time the Updater

As implied by my last post, I've spent most of the last week working in the Lab (as well as playing as many Masquing cards as I could draw).

The next step for the Railway is using my Ambition to unlock Moloch Street, so that's coming soon. Currently it's looking like Bag A Legend by a landslide, but the poll is still open, so get your votes in now!

In the meantime, I've been bumming around Parabola, working on my advanced stats:

And just now I've jumped into the London Horticultural Show in the Waswood. I'm sure it will be a relaxing time. Vertiginous Horticulture is locked to MYN, so looking forward to a chance to participate in the next closest thing.

[making-me-nameless]

I may have been having a bit too much fun with the Feast of the Rose Lab project. Not that it's bad that I've reached the point where I unlock Railway Steel, exactly, but I did have other projects I wanted to do and I haven't done them.

[making-me-nameless]

A Quandary of Ambition

Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure I won't be able to finish an Ambition, unless something changes. I need pick either Bag a Legend or Nemesis in order to unlock Moloch Street, and they both eventually have checkpoints that I can't reach. Nemesis requires Embroiled in the Wars of Illusion (either directly or in order to unlock Silverer as a Profession). Bag a Legend requires access to the Labyrinth of Tigers.

Of the two, it seems significantly more likely that some future feature will allow me to access the Labyrinth of Tigers. Just last summer, the Sixth Coil event did so; it's even possible that the Waswood version of the Sixth Coil will do it. That makes me think I should pick Bag A Legend.

There's a problem with Bag A Legend, though. It also requires access to the Medusa's Head and (unlike the above requirements) that requirement comes before it unlocks Moloch Street. To reach the Medusa's Head, I do have to play a storylet that is labeled "Making Your Name"

It does not actually start the Making Your Name storyline (in order to do that you need to play the other option to Visit the Department of Menace Eradication). In fact, it doesn't unlock any non-hidden quality at all. But it's still labeled "Making Your Name", and so could be argued as not allowed.

I've been going back and forth on this, so I put it to you: what would you rather see?

[making-me-nameless]

Time the Updater

The two big themes this week have the Feast of the Rose and grinding Notability to start the Railway.

Notability was mostly the Newspaper (and upconverting the proceeds to Uncanny Incunabula), which also made a fair chunk of money. I did, however, reach the final level via a scheme in my Orphanage, which cost a bunch of money in turn. I think I still made money overall, though.

For the Feast, I've gone through both the Expedition and the Lab Experiment for Spices several times. I think they pay better than the other expeditions and experiments, so it's a pretty good way to grind Archaeology and laboratory Prestige. I also got a chance to go through several Nuptial Phantasies, and now I'm focused on collecting Companions.

[making-me-nameless]

Technically starting the Railway

I still have a long way to go before I, you know, actually have an railways for my railway company. But I am, officially,

Involved in a Railway Venture.

Unfortunately, as it says, the next step is takes place at Moloch Street...

And I still don't have access to Moloch Street.

So I need to dust off those Ambition plans and see if I can use them to get access.

[making-me-nameless]

Gracious Widow Nuptial Phantasy is calling me out

[making-me-nameless]

Time the Updater

Before the Feast of the Rose kicked off, I was focused on newspapers. I've almost made it to the required threshold to start the Railway:

But that last point of Notability going from 6 to 7 is going to be a Lot:

(Technically I only 27, this is right after Time the Healer and I haven't reupped Not to be Trifled With yet. Still a lot.)

[making-me-nameless]

Oh, I suppose I should also mention the Tattoos. Normally, they're a pretty big deal: free, permanent BDR. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure I can't get them. You need Entwined in the Intrigues of the Clathermont Family, and the start of that storyline is locked to MYN.

Feast of the Rose

It's Feast of the Exceptional Rose time! I haven't yet figured out every detail of my plans, but I have some ideas.

Masquing, of course, is the key feature. I'll certainly be playing the Feast card whenever it comes up. In terms of turning it in, I want the to meet the Captivating Princess, pick up a couple of companions, and spend the rest on Nuptial Phantasies. Hopefully I'll be able to do all that with just my free Masquing, and not need to trade in any items (but more on items later).

The two companions I've got my eye on are the Debonair Palaeontologist (for the extra Flood of Bones Rumour) and the Diptych Painter (who is strict BIS for Chthonosophy). I may also grab others (particularly the two that are new this year), but those are the priority. No Fate companions, obviously (even when I am whaling, the Feast companions seem notably expensive for what you get).

In terms of items, there are two that are worth considering for utility outside the festival. The first is the Custom-Engraved Skull, which gives a profit of 80E a piece when made into a Skeleton at the Bone Market. It's going to be harder than normal for me to use the Bone, so I'm not sure how many I'll want, but probably more than zero. The other is the Antediluvian Ushabti, which can produce Expertise of the Second City in the lab. That's harder to get from other sources, but it also isn't used for that many things, so I'm tentatively planning to pass on those.

Last we have the new activity for this year, the Burgeoning Romance tasks for Mr Spices. Most of those I can't do, but I can do the expedition and the lab project, and I'll probably do each of them at least once. Whether I do more than that, I'm still figuring out. I don't think the rewards are documented anywhere yet, so I need to figure those out and do the math on whether they're worth it.

[making-me-nameless]

Feast of the Rose

It's Feast of the Exceptional Rose time! I haven't yet figured out every detail of my plans, but I have some ideas.

Masquing, of course, is the key feature. I'll certainly be playing the Feast card whenever it comes up. In terms of turning it in, I want the to meet the Captivating Princess, pick up a couple of companions, and spend the rest on Nuptial Phantasies. Hopefully I'll be able to do all that with just my free Masquing, and not need to trade in any items (but more on items later).

The two companions I've got my eye on are the Debonair Palaeontologist (for the extra Flood of Bones Rumour) and the Diptych Painter (who is strict BIS for Chthonosophy). I may also grab others (particularly the two that are new this year), but those are the priority. No Fate companions, obviously (even when I am whaling, the Feast companions seem notably expensive for what you get).

In terms of items, there are two that are worth considering for utility outside the festival. The first is the Custom-Engraved Skull, which gives a profit of 80E a piece when made into a Skeleton at the Bone Market. It's going to be harder than normal for me to use the Bone, so I'm not sure how many I'll want, but probably more than zero. The other is the Antediluvian Ushabti, which can produce Expertise of the Second City in the lab. That's harder to get from other sources, but it also isn't used for that many things, so I'm tentatively planning to pass on those.

Last we have the new activity for this year, the Burgeoning Romance tasks for Mr Spices. Most of those I can't do, but I can do the expedition and the lab project, and I'll probably do each of them at least once. Whether I do more than that, I'm still figuring out. I don't think the rewards are documented anywhere yet, so I need to figure those out and do the math on whether they're worth it.

[making-me-nameless]

Another thing I haven't done before: setting up an Orphanage. Normally, if you need a ton of Making Waves, a Salon is a better choice, and really either of them is overkill for anything short of Paramount Presence.

But for me it offers something different:

Respectable +4! Filling in for the absence of God's Editors, which I've found painful since becoming a POSI. Important not only for the BDR, but also for hitting the 10 Respectable required for the free Railway start.

[making-me-nameless]

Becoming a Crooked-Cross

With Connected: Benthic unlocked, I can actually get a tier 3 profession. Crooked-cross would not be my first choice, but it's better than nothing.

(I could have gotten this several weeks ago, had I only thought of it? Yes).

[making-me-nameless]

Time, the Updater

Yes, I've been publishing a newspaper. It's Uncanny Incunabula at the Rat Market this weekend and next, so this is a good way to make money together with Making Waves to slowly grind my way up the Notability scale.

I need at least 5 Notability for the Railway. Ideally 8, to save on the Hinterland Scrip. I'm missing a lot of the usual sources of BDR, so it will be quite a grind.

[making-me-nameless]

Apparently you need Route: The Flit to become a Trickster off the Urchins opportunity card. Hopefully I draw the Hell card before Time the Healer!

(I want to switch to Conjurer for the +2 BDR companion)

[making-me-nameless]

Time the Updater

Well, that's maybe a little optimistic...

And actually right now it's more like

Hunting the lifeberg in the Salt Steppes was actually easier, because the Khanate was right there (and as mentioned I don't have access to Polythreme), so even though the Sea of Voices has easier checks, I screwed up Troubled Waters management and died. I'm probably going to head back out there; I think still worth it for the EPA even if the Sea of Voices is trickier than the Salt Steppes.

(Before the lifeberg showed up, I was in working the lab)