Welp, too late.
I’ll need an eyeless skull within the next few days. If anyone has a spare one, I’d be delighted if you invited me to a social action so I could ask you to send it to me, because I will most likely not actively watch this thread!
If any splendiferous benefactor would be willing to gift me up to three Skulls, I would be willing to trade twice the amount in Glasses of Teeth for the currently ongoing Feast of the Exceptional Rose.
I was trying to find them for the Nadir but RNG screwed me over (and I spent hundreds of actions) so I think I’ll just buy the cinder and donate the two I have to Snow and Spitfire above. :/
I have a skull, but I still have to make 1 more expedition to the shrine before I can go looking for the cave, to say nothing of getting the supplies. Should I hold on to the skull until then? Something tells me that, although painful, any levels I may lose from the cards will be preferable to the frustration of trying to get another one.
You should probably hold onto the skull. It’s very rare. The cards it gives are nasty and can’t be discarded, but you don’t have to play them, either. I think I had 3 of them just sitting in my hand by the time I got to the Cave, but I’m pretty sure I was able to discard them once I was rid of the skull.
There’s a pretty good argument for it, yes. You’re going to need six by the time you get to the Nadir, and the shorter that grind, the happier the player. Also, cards have a minimum ability level before they’ll appear; if your base stats are low enough, a talkative rat (plus a few other negative pieces of equipment) can help you ditch the cards if they fill up your hands.
On the other hand, this is the Feast of the Rose. If you’re looking for Lilac, you do not want to be stuck with your hand full of skull cards. As long as you have at least one free spot in your hand, then you’re good; drawing cards one at a time actually increases your chances ever-so-slightly (since it lets you use the Lilac card and then - if you are supremely lucky - draw her again). However, if your hand fills up and you can’t do anything about it, then ditching the skull becomes a much more attractive idea. After all, you will get everything you need, eventually.
In a bizarre twist of fortune, I have acquired a second skull. According to the wiki, a ray drenched cinder costs 400 echoes, is this information correct? That doesn’t seem too bad.
Two skulls aren’t any worse than one to have, and you’re that much further on your way to the Nadir.
Indeed, the price of 400 Echoes is correct. I have just last week found my way to the cave of the Nadir, and being lucky enough to have 400 Echoes worth of Rostygold, Brass and Amber, I could instantly buy a cinder. Without having done any of the maths, I would guess that you would make a profit, at least on average, if you did not search for the 5 extra skulls, but instead do more valuable actions to afford the cinder. I might do the maths on that the next few days, if someone can tell me the rates that the rare success of finding a skull appears in the respective storylets.
Okay, I did the math. Although most of it was already made by other people, bless them. Turns out that in order to find 5 eyeless skulls, you need to use about 612,5 actions on average, which give out about 1,1 Echoes per Action. Minus the actions you will need to rid yourself of the nightmares this causes. Now if you look at these numbers you can probably already tell how ridiculous this is. Even by searching the skulls, you will most likely find enough secrets and fourth city relics to buy the cinder a long time before you have your fifth skull. And also, the 1,1 EpA are what you get with Watchful at or above 250 and Persuasive over 100. Since your Watchful is probably lower, you will get less money from it, and less chances to find a skull.
So I would suggest getting the cinder. Depending on your progress in certain stories, there are way better ways to get money quick. The best one you can not get locked out of if the affair of the box carousel, if you choose to work against the masters, intercept their messages and choose the mourning candles. For more details on this and other grinds, look up the “money making” page of the echo bazaar wiki.
Oh, and of course, do not forget to go through your opportunity deck as often as possible, there are cards of huge value in there! Good luck with the Nadir!
I have a skull I’m willing to donate.
EDIT: Sold to the Bazaar due to lack of offers.
edited by Joe_The_Average on 2/23/2017
2 skulls available, the usual terms.
EDIT: both gone.
edited by Cat’s Tail on 2/21/2017
One of my acquaintances, Mr Salts, has found an eyeless skull recently and will keep searching for more to give them to anyone willing to go to the cave of the nadir, mad enough to endure the irrigo light it shines!
I have another Eyeless Skull if anyone wants it. I’m going to keep it until Forgotten cards start inconveniencing me, and then I’m selling it at the Bazaar.
Selling it now.
For purchase: one Eyeless Skull, the usual terms.
EDIT: it has been accounted for.
edited by Cat’s Tail on 2/27/2017
If anyone has eyeless skulls that needing being rid of, and they are solvent enough to bestow them on a poor sinner, I have my eyes on producing a ray drenched cinder, and would appreciate anything that could be spared.
I’m also in search of a skull - I’ve scoured every inch of the Quarter twice and can certify it skull-free.
I have one available, the usual terms; I hold onto it until I get a request for it or the menace cards irritate me too much.
EDIT: gone!
edited by Cat’s Tail on 3/3/2017