Sub Polythreme
READ You were unlucky
READ You were unlucky
READ You were unlucky
WRITE Oh well another unwinnable carousel
Call Polythreme
End Sub
Really, if I’m still here at the end of this week I will delete. When did fun become the optional extra in games?
Never have I been so frustrated, all the plans I have require items farmed from Polythreme. Is there anyway to get stolen kisses/romantic notions that don’t require being here? I don’t care how slow, if this is the future of Fallen London, I’m off.
p.s I know that’s recursion, and yes I will blow my stack soon.
Failbetter, your Skinner Box is showing edited by Squillious Fogg on 9/25/2016
You can convert items in your inventory to acquire Romantic Notions and Stolen Kisses - no need to visit Polythreme for them. The Affair of the Box is a direct source of Stolen Kisses as well, so if your Shadowy is sufficiently high that’s a good place to get those.
Edit: This thread may also prove useful, if you wish to stay in Polythreme and get the items directly. My recommendation - bribe to get that first cycle out of the way, and unlock one of the two cards that’ll give you a stat check rather than a luck check.
It’s not as bad as it first seems - you just need some time to get used to the mechanics.
You definitely need loads of Surface Silk and Romantic Notions, so just grind these for a while if you didn’t bring enough with you. It’s also profitable to have a four- or five-card lodgings since you can keep more cards in your hand and slightly decrease the deck that way.
Example for Investigating:
Start with Paying your Way. Each time you gain a little Fascinating on the side, immediately convert it with A Clay Man of Wealth and Influence. Keep doing that until you’re at Unnatural Exuberance 5 or 6**, then start using opp cards. Use only those that can get you some Investigating - and keep converting any Fascinating gained on the side immediately. With this method, you should reach Investigating 12 almost every time, and 13 quite often.
Example for Fascinating:
Start with Paying your Way. Each time you gain a little Investigating on the side, immediately convert it with Robes and Belts and Masks and Mantles. Keep doing that until you’re at Unnatural Exuberance 5 or 6**, then start using opp cards. Use only those that can get you some Fascinating - and keep converting any Investigating gained on the side immediately. With this method, you should reach Fascinating 12 almost every time, and 13 quite often.
If you bring loads of Mysteries of the Elder Continent with you, you can use "Paying your Way" even longer, thereby almost guaranteeing success - but that’s a bit of a waste imo.
Also, starting the side quests "A Little Spy Work" and "A Guided Tour of Polythreme" unlocks two useful opp cards that can gain you a lot of Investigating/Fascinating respectively - useful provided your Shadowy/Persuasive is high enough: [1][2] (straightforward at 200).
I actually enjoyed my various stays at Polythreme but yeah, it definitely takes some time to figure out the place!
**you’ll get a feeling for this - I usually stop at 7 by now edited by phryne on 4/12/2021
Thanks folks, I have been pretty much doing what you suggest. I have the Fractious Furniture unlocked, and pay my way until it starts to require notions which I need to collect several hundred of. I haven’t been using the convert options though. Will try that out. Sooner I’m done here the better, been here 2 weeks =/
You don’t need to use the Fascinating/Investigating carousel to gain Romantic Notions. There’s an option at the bottom called “One Might Profit Even in Such a Place” that gets you 12 Romantic Notions per action if you choose “Lurk in the eaves”. It also doesn’t give any menaces on failure, which is nice.
Any tips on the Touching Love Stories carousel? I’ve been wondering if that is better than a Heist. Is there a trick beyond dumb luck or spending items you get elsewhere?