The Scholar of Correspondence

Fallen London
1

Greetings, fellow Londoners! I’m an aspiring Scholar of Correspondence, and I’m afraid I need some help.

The problem is raising the Scholar of Correspondence quality up to 10. I’m currently at 5, and it seems I’m running out of ways to raise it further. I’ve already completed the University and didn’t focus on side-stories there, and I’m at the end of the Shuttered Palace. I did my homework and found out that the two options to raise the Scholar is either at the University (which is no longer available to me) and through a certain Symphony in the Palace. I’ve composed 2 of them already, and I only got 1 point of Scholar (or even less than that) for this.

The question is: are there any better ways to raise the Scholar of Correspondence quality? I assume it’ll need even greater input at later levels (7+), and it’ll take forever for me to grind it up to 10. I’m burning around 30 actions for a Symphony to get composed, more if I get unlucky in setting up Inspired. This frustrates me greatly, but I don’t want to leave the Palace only to find out that I can no longer become a proper Scholar.

Please, I need some help.

2

If you’ve finished the University, look out for a case to follow. At the conclusion of that case, you’ll unlock a card which can increase your SOTC up to 7.

There’s also Fate locked opportunity card to increase your SOTC up to 10.

3

I believe your only other option is fate-locked; I don’t have one myself, but I am fairly sure the corresponding ocelot’s card would take you to ten. The symphony route feels onerous, especially if it’s your first big grind, but you do turn a nice profit in moon pearls, so it’s not too bad.

ETA: you get one CP of SotC for each symphony. Going from 7 to 10 takes about a week, I think, if you have decent persuasive.
edited by Màiread on 7/9/2016

4

I already completed the case you’ve mentioned, which indeed raised my SOTC a bit. Unfortunately, It’s at 4.5 at the moment: I completely forgot about the Correspondence while at the University.

5

[quote=Màiread]I believe your only other option is fate-locked; I don’t have one myself, but I am fairly sure the corresponding ocelot’s card would take you to ten. The symphony route feels onerous, especially if it’s your first big grind, but you do turn a nice profit in moon pearls, so it’s not too bad.

ETA: you get one CP of SotC for each symphony. Going from 7 to 10 takes about a week, I think, if you have decent persuasive.
edited by Màiread on 7/9/2016[/quote]

I’m not sure whether this is my first big grind: I’ve spent about a month getting my Stats to 100+ to reach PoSI. The amount of moon pearls I get is really the only redeeming thing of this, I think I’ll be able to get some nice things from the Bazaar in exchange for this.

I did check the Echo Bazaar wiki again, and it does seem that the only valuable option left for me is a certain Symphony. I’m currently at Persuasive 130, so… Oh well, time to get ready for the Great Grind.

Thank you for your responses, you’ve helped a lot.
edited by Lilem on 7/9/2016

6

If you keep using the Glim Sculptor card as it turns up in your deck, it’ll work up to 7. That’s how I got my start.

That said, there is of course the very expensive University method: you’ll eventually want a high watchful for it.

7

[quote=Parelle]If you keep using the Glim Sculptor card as it turns up in your deck, it’ll work up to 7. That’s how I got my start.

That said, there is of course the very expensive University method: you’ll eventually want a high watchful for it.[/quote]

Oh, so the Glim Sculptor case is not a one-time thing? Then I’ll be on the lookout for more. Thank you so much!
The University is no longer available for me, as I said earlier — already finished it with all the consequences.
edited by Lilem on 7/9/2016

8

[quote=Lilem][quote=Parelle]If you keep using the Glim Sculptor card as it turns up in your deck, it’ll work up to 7. That’s how I got my start.

That said, there is of course the very expensive University method: you’ll eventually want a high watchful for it.[/quote]

Oh, so the Glim Sculptor case is not a one-time thing? Then I’ll be on the lookout for more. Thank you so much!
The University is no longer available for me, as I said earlier — already finished it with all the consequences.6[/quote]

Later on, you may reopen the University for research purposes, allowing you to take SoTC all the way to 21.

9

[quote=Lilem]
Oh, so the Glim Sculptor case is not a one-time thing? Then I’ll be on the lookout for more. Thank you so much![/quote]

Estelle mentioned how to reopen the University, but the card I’m referring to turns up now that you’ve completed the case (You can’t attempt the whole case-playthrough more than once though).

10

The way I got to level 10 was by grinding Symphonies. And honestly, I don’t know if there is really any other way of doing it.

Edit: http://fallenlondon.wikia.com/wiki/A_Scholar_of_the_Correspondence I guess the other option is to spend resources at the University. But that can be quite expensive.

edited by Sir Goomy on 7/9/2016
edited by Sir Goomy on 7/9/2016

11

I got my start (SotC 5 to 7) in &quotSeeking Curios and Secrets&quot in the Forgotten Quarter. A storylet called &quotLook for more evidence of the Correspondence in the ruins&quot appears at 1/5 chance. You can also grind eyeless skulls with Seeking Curios and Secrets if you still need an access to Nadir; simply stay away from that 3AP choice and grind. From 7-10 it took me about 2 weeks waiting for something fate-locked, and writing symphonies, sometimes.

Edit: Oops, I forgot &quotSpeak to an Aristocratic Academic" avoid this one if you are not grinding for Counting the Days. It won’t reset &quotThe Airs of the Forgotten Quarter&quot.
edited by Fadewalker on 7/9/2016

12

I went the symphony route for 7-10 too. It really wasn’t that bad; a little under a thousand actions.

13

If you’re a POSI and your watchful is decent (or you have a ‘Mood’ card) the University option isn’t so bad, at least in my opinion. I wouldn’t consider the Symphony route, I can’t say if its faster or slower than the university storyline, I just didn’t like it. However, if you can spend the fate Dionysian(?) Intrigue is a great storyline, and the Corresponding Ocelot will give you an irregular source of SotC. Also this month’s exceptional story can give you a single point, if you haven’t done that yet and want to I guess.[li]

14

Using shadowy dealings at the university is slow and becomes exponentially more expensive as your level rises; writing symphonies is moderately slow, but you get a big whack of moon pearls. Unless you have an ocelot, the most efficient way to raise your level from 7 to 10 is symphonies. After that you’re stuck with shadowy dealings. You shouldn’t use a mood until you have reached the absolute maximum watchful you can get on your own; those little cards are rare, and they never show up when you’re looking for one.

The most reliable route for SotC is probably ‘beneath the neath’ at the carnival (up to 3), seeking further evidence in the forgotten quarter (up to 7 - airs dependent, but faster than the rare success at the university and you can’t get locked out), then symphonies up to 10. After that, shadowy dealings. Or you can just pay fate and cuddle your ocelot a bunch.

15

Actually, there is no “end of the Shuttered Palace”. Just refuse to write the opera that kicks you out of Court, and you can keep writing Symphonies till you reach SotC 10.

16

I’m not entirely sure which wiki you mean, but there are two: an older one which is rarely updated but has information on some old discontinued content, and the usually-accurate newer one.