Some Seeking questions

Sorry if these have been answered elsewhere, but the main SMEN thread is now 77 pages and I honestly just don’t have time to wade through it all. My playing has been fairly halfhearted for a while, so when I noticed that this quest reportedly ends with the destruction of your character, I thought it would make a fitting way to bring my journey to a close. I’ve hit a couple roadblocks, though:

  1. I’ve been leisurely increasing my SMEN quality just using the opportunity cards once a week, since it seems to carry little or no penalty beyond having to lower some menaces afterwards. I’m at 19 now and attempted to avail myself of the Bucculent Dentist’s services today, only to find that I did not get an increase. Is this as high as I can go with cards, or do I simply have to increase UP further and use higher-value cards? I think the Dentist is the SIX.

  2. Followup, my main stats are in the 155-170ish range. I notice that the &quotBlacken your mind like paper&quot choice in my Lodgings requires a ridiculous Watchful (over 400? How?) and the other options also require utterly insane amounts of certain qualities, like 163 Scholar of the Correspondence. Did I mess up somewhere and permanently screw myself out of finishing?

  3. I see that it is possible to obtain &quotMr. Eaten’s Calling Card&quot somewhere. Is that a thing I can currently do?

  4. Is there a comprehensive guide to completing the questline somewhere that just lays it all on the table? I know that posting spoilers is frowned upon - I’m just impatient to find the Name, and obliterate my character in the process. If there’s a dirty cheat sheet I can consult somewhere that would be just aces.

Thanks in advance!

  1. Higher level cards increase it by higher amounts. There’s a set formula, but the wiki has all the individual limits. The highest you can bring it using Marsh-Mired is 28, using the KNIGHT OF FEASTS card.

  2. This is intended. The Seeking Road’s early options get more and more punishing as your SMEN quality increases. You aren’t meant to use these indefinitely. There is one very expensive option that remains static in cost unlocked at SMEN 18, but there is a better way you can use with a little help as early as SMEN 21.

  3. Specifically, I mean Mr Eaten’s Calling Card. Acquiring one on your own through God’s Editors needs SMEN 29, and there’s an option in the Seeking Road unlocks at exactly 28 to point you in that direction. You can definitely get this entirely through Marsh-Mired, and make use of it from that point on. If you’re a little social, however, you can be given a card. It won’t be useful until you reach SMEN 21, however.

  4. The wiki has a helpful guide you may consult.

    edited by Sara Hysaro on 12/7/2016

[quote=Jarvind]Sorry if these have been answered elsewhere, but the main SMEN thread is now 77 pages and I honestly just don’t have time to wade through it all. My playing has been fairly halfhearted for a while, so when I noticed that this quest reportedly ends with the destruction of your character, I thought it would make a fitting way to bring my journey to a close. I’ve hit a couple roadblocks, though:

  1. I’ve been leisurely increasing my SMEN quality just using the opportunity cards once a week, since it seems to carry little or no penalty beyond having to lower some menaces afterwards. I’m at 19 now and attempted to avail myself of the Bucculent Dentist’s services today, only to find that I did not get an increase. Is this as high as I can go with cards, or do I simply have to increase UP further and use higher-value cards? I think the Dentist is the SIX.

  2. Followup, my main stats are in the 155-170ish range. I notice that the &quotBlacken your mind like paper&quot choice in my Lodgings requires a ridiculous Watchful (over 400? How?) and the other options also require utterly insane amounts of certain qualities, like 163 Scholar of the Correspondence. Did I mess up somewhere and permanently screw myself out of finishing?

  3. I see that it is possible to obtain &quotMr. Eaten’s Calling Card&quot somewhere. Is that a thing I can currently do?

  4. Is there a comprehensive guide to completing the questline somewhere that just lays it all on the table? I know that posting spoilers is frowned upon - I’m just impatient to find the Name, and obliterate my character in the process. If there’s a dirty cheat sheet I can consult somewhere that would be just aces.

Thanks in advance![/quote]

  1. To clarify, each UP card’s marsh-mired option(s) can increase your SMEN while it is [card’s UP unlock] x 3 at most. In other words, ACE OF HUNGERS can increase SMEN while at 3, and thus up to 4; SIX OF PEARLS can increase SMEN while at 18 and up to 19; KNIGHT OF FEASTS can increase SMEN while at 27 up to 28.

  2. As said, most options from The Seeking Road increase exponentially:

  • Blackening your mind requires a Watchful of (50 + current SMEN)^2[/li][li]Perverting your studies requires Scholar of the Correspondence of (current SMEN)^2[/li][li]Drowning your Secrets requires (current SMEN x 77) Appalling Secrets and (current SMEN) Greyfields 1879[/li][li]Setting fires requires (current SMEN x 77) Mourning Candles[/li][li]Charring yourself requires (current SMEN x 7) Searing Enigmas

All these options have exponentially difficult challenges as well, and failing costs just as much as succeeding. There are several one-off ways to increase SMEN as well - getting any of the candles gives a level, there’s a cheap level from The Seeking Road at exactly 28, and having a Rat of Glory and St Arthur’s Candle triggers a joke event that gives a level of SMEN at no cost.

  1. Getting a Calling Card yourself (ie through God’s Editors) requires SMEN 29, seven Searing Enigmas, and &quotprecisely the right quantity&quot of Proscribed Material.

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink.