CHRISTMAS IN THE NEATH: A GUIDE

Ahhhh ok I finally figured out what I was spacing out on: the Days of Mr. Sacks gains are uncapped so you don’t want to waste them on low levels of ToL, of course. Sorry, that was dense of me.

Maybe Millie will consent to a tattoo on our feet instead?

[quote=Màiread]If you have scholar of the correspondence 10, you will have no problem reaching nine taste. This is the least complicated way to get what you want:

  1. Before using Mr sacks cards, gather 4 pails of snow either from the weekly snowfall or by buying from the urchins (you will probably get a free one from the advent calendar).

  2. Stare at a bucket with a monocle (reach taste 3). Twice, put a soul in the bucket (taste 5). Stare at your last bucket (taste 8).

  3. Using the wiki as a guide, take one of the options which raises taste on the Mr sacks cards (play a consonant violin, give a magnificent diamond - I can’t recall the others off the top of my head, but the wiki has them). This will take you to taste 9.
    edited by Màiread on 11/11/2015
    edited by Màiread on 11/11/2015[/quote]

Christmass lasts 1 month, I need to wait 3-4 weeks(3 if the advert callendar gives the snow earlier) and then draw all the cards? And no, I don’t have 10 SotC I only have 7, so if I get unlucky I may need more, and if I need to reach the forth week, will I be able to get all the cards(there are 12, right?)

When I read the wiki it didn’t say doing the snow action gives more than 1 ToL, nice to know it’s not like that through.

[quote=The Master]

Christmass lasts 1 month, I need to wait 3-4 weeks(3 if the advert callendar gives the snow earlier) and then draw all the cards? And no, I don’t have 10 SotC I only have 7, so if I get unlucky I may need more, and if I need to reach the forth week, will I be able to get all the cards(there are 12, right?)

When I read the wiki it didn’t say doing the snow action gives more than 1 ToL, nice to know it’s not like that through.[/quote]

I’d really recommend raising your SotC to ten if you can - you should have enough time between now and Sackmas. I suggest composing symphonies at the Empress’s Court (if you’ve been kicked out, I believe you’re stuck with either the corresponding ocelot card or shadowy dealings at the university). This ensures you don’t have to buy a bunch of extra pails.

You will definitely be able to draw all the cards - as the weeks go by, the frequency is cranked up very high, so you’ll be drawing them often. Don’t give the Sackses pails of snow, as there are better ways to make use of both the pails and the cards. For your purposes, you’ll need to raise your taste to 8 and then do one of these:

  1. Day 2 Give an eerie air (requires consonant violin and connected: masters 2)
  2. Day 4 Spending fate to side with any of the factions will result in additional taste
  3. Day 5 Give a dream of skies untainted (requires you to be associated with the Celestials)
  4. Day 8 Invite him in for wine and cold meats or &quotSilas! You rogue!&quot
  5. Day 11 Accept the cariage ride (you must be a notary or a doctor)
  6. Day 12 Take advantage of the situation (also grants an extra pail)

Picking ‘accept his hearts and lights’ on day 9 will give you no taste but an extra pail.

As you can see, you’ll have a lot of opportunities to boost your taste. As long as you reach 8 taste before playing the last card (day 12) then you will be able to reach nine. You will get more taste overall if you can boost your taste to 8 before taking any of the options on the Sacks cards, but if you’re really struggling because of your SotC or you’re concerned about getting everything done you could always play through some of the earlier days, as long as you make sure to leave yourself a minimum of one card which can take you over the top. But honestly the cards become very very common after a while so you aren’t going to miss out because you’ve delayed starting them.

[quote=Màiread][quote=The Master]

Christmass lasts 1 month, I need to wait 3-4 weeks(3 if the advert callendar gives the snow earlier) and then draw all the cards? And no, I don’t have 10 SotC I only have 7, so if I get unlucky I may need more, and if I need to reach the forth week, will I be able to get all the cards(there are 12, right?)

When I read the wiki it didn’t say doing the snow action gives more than 1 ToL, nice to know it’s not like that through.[/quote]

I’d really recommend raising your SotC to ten if you can - you should have enough time between now and Sackmas. I suggest composing symphonies at the Empress’s Court (if you’ve been kicked out, I believe you’re stuck with either the corresponding ocelot card or shadowy dealings at the university). This ensures you don’t have to buy a bunch of extra pails.

You will definitely be able to draw all the cards - as the weeks go by, the frequency is cranked up very high, so you’ll be drawing them often. Don’t give the Sackses pails of snow, as there are better ways to make use of both the pails and the cards. For your purposes, you’ll need to raise your taste to 8 and then do one of these:

  1. Day 2 Give an eerie air (requires consonant violin and connected: masters 2)
  2. Day 4 Spending fate to side with any of the factions will result in additional taste
  3. Day 5 Give a dream of skies untainted (requires you to be associated with the Celestials)
  4. Day 8 Invite him in for wine and cold meats or &quotSilas! You rogue!&quot
  5. Day 11 Accept the cariage ride (you must be a notary or a doctor)
  6. Day 12 Take advantage of the situation (also grants an extra pail)

Picking ‘accept his hearts and lights’ on day 9 will give you no taste but an extra pail.

As you can see, you’ll have a lot of opportunities to boost your taste. As long as you reach 8 taste before playing the last card (day 12) then you will be able to reach nine. You will get more taste overall if you can boost your taste to 8 before taking any of the options on the Sacks cards, but if you’re really struggling because of your SotC or you’re concerned about getting everything done you could always play through some of the earlier days, as long as you make sure to leave yourself a minimum of one card which can take you over the top. But honestly the cards become very very common after a while so you aren’t going to miss out because you’ve delayed starting them.[/quote]

Thank you for taking your time to write that, and when I think about it, 70% isn’t that high when you have such a low amount of chances, thanks again :).

I believe there’s an additional, cheaper way to raise SotC to 10 if you haven’t finished the University storyline. The high-level bundle of oddities containing Correspondence Plaques also raises SotC but that one can only be obtained through Surprise Packages.

Just a little note on this since the info is scattered throughout this thread and this decision involves spending fate:

  • siding with the Urchins will result in a net gain of 1 taste compared to going through the Days without spending fate[/li][li]siding with the Duchess or Widow will result in a net gain of 2 taste or – if you do not conclude the story once the Wicket opens – 7 taste. However: concluding the story means losing 5 taste, but gaining a rare 312.5 echo item, so you may want to finish it for that or just for narrative closure.[/li][li]siding with the other factions does not give you a net gain of taste. Some of them just don’t have options during the Days that generate taste, while others do but on days where you could use a non-Fate option to gain taste.

Now, this isn’t the only reason to pick one faction over the others, of course! There are different 312.5 echo rewards; there are roleplaying reasons; there’s wanting to learn various hidden secrets about Mr. Sacks and lacre. But if you’re prioritizing earning taste of lacre in various ways described in this thread, you might want to factor in these differences.

Happy to help! And thanks Optimatum and metasynthie for the extra info. I sided with the Duchess last year, so I didn’t realise the other options were taste-neutral.

And while we are here…how do you actually activate the codes from the advent calendar?

When the time comes Failbetter will tweet a link - just click on it and you’ll be taken to a version of the usual log in page. Simply log in and the goodies will be added to your character/inventory.

I’m still kind of confused about the benefit of keeping a noman alive, is it just for the quirks?
It is an illegal being after all.
edited by Chaingun on 11/13/2015

Interracting with the noman leads to a rather lovely and touching story. In the short term, you can get an elemental secret. Keeping them alive until the Feast of the Rose unlocks a special tattoo and a new option when talking to Lilac.
edited by Màiread on 11/13/2015

Hmm, is it me, or do you get 2 piles of snow from advents? One at Dec 8th and one extra at Dec 16th when you have to clear the snow again.
http://fallenlondon.wikia.com/wiki/Advent_Calendar_2014

Another question: What if you get snow from Mr Sacks after 1st Feb? Does it melt instantly or can you use it?

It doesn’t melt instantly. It will melt the next time that time the healer visits you.

It doesn’t melt instantly. It will melt the next time that time the healer visits you.[/quote]
Thanks, Nite! So I’ll have the time to convert it into the permanent ToL I believe.

So basically, if I already have 5 card lodgings and Remote Address, the best thing to use ToL on would be Tears of Bazaar in the Nadir?

It doesn’t melt instantly. It will melt the next time that time the healer visits you.[/quote]
Thanks, Nite! So I’ll have the time to convert it into the permanent ToL I believe.

So basically, if I already have 5 card lodgings and Remote Address, the best thing to use ToL on would be Tears of Bazaar in the Nadir?[/quote]
Most likely. There might be new stuff, or interesting text, down in penstock’s wicket, though. If you need a soothe-and-copper longbox, that could be aquired for 3 ToL.
edited by Grenem on 11/13/2015

Okay, this took some work but I think I figured out my exact plan for this Sacksmas!

I’d be grateful if someone could look it over and tell me whether I missed something or if it could be done better.

I have DS, 10 SotC, 5C Lodgings, Remote Address, so I figured I’d go for max Tears this Sacksmas, unless there is a better option?
edited by Danko on 11/16/2015

This will be my first Sacksmas and my top priorities are getting the remote address and a five-card lodging. Is there any benefit in getting more than one remote address? Similarly, any benefit in getting more than one 5-card lodging? I don’t think there are any new opportunity cards unlocked with those?

In addition, I only have one vial of Tears of the Bazaar. Is there any point in shooting for a Noman this season, considering that I’m going for the lodgings first?

Sorry if I’m repeating any questions already answered - I’ve read this thread so many times and my head has been s.w.i.m.m.i.n.g with the information therein. Thank you to all who’ve contributed, it’s so comprehensive!

Having multiple remote addresses or five-card lodgings has no effect outside of collecting. Upgrading to the Brass Embassy Sanctum does open two options on its card which allow you to purchase the two devil companions with fate; these are only otherwise available at the Feast of the Rose. I believe their cost in Masquing at the Feast is equivalent to their fate cost from the lodgings.

If you want a Noman for its storyline, buy it right when the Wicket opens and the price is cheapest and you should be able to draw its card often enough to not worry about it dying. If you want the Noman for the tattoo during the Feast, you have essentially no chance of managing it with only one Tears. It would take an extraordinary number of Night-Whispers and Storm Threnodies to get enough snow even if you lucked out and drew the Urchins card enough.