Engaged in a Case (Guide)

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What needs work: Missing some difficulty info on fate locked content. Do they have complications?


Most players will only use this activity for raising their A Name in Seven Secret Alphabets and for finding the Starving Poet, though it is also used for Ambition: Nemesis, Ambition: Bag a Legend!, and several FATE storylines.

Cases[edit]

A cheat sheet for available Cases:

Target Requirements Case Difficulty Needed Notes
The Starving Poet No Acquaintance: the Starving Poet 5 15
The Disappearing Heiress A Name in Seven Secret Alphabets 3 8 10 (x4) 10 x Detective's Progress to gain 1 x Evidence in the Case of the Missing Heiress 4 times.
The Effusive Relicker FATE 25
The Missing Key FATE 45
The Man Who Did Not Die FATE 45
The Placid Patriarch FATE 45
The Purveyor of Names Ambition: Nemesis 38-39 28 10 (x2)
the Arranger of Murders Ambition: Nemesis 38-39 30 10 (x2)
The Third Assassin Ambition: Bag a Legend! 90 34 10 (x2) 10 x Detective's Progress to gain 1 x Evidence in the Case of the Third Assassin 2 times.
The Clay Man's Arm FATE 45

Basic Info[edit]

The goal of this activity is to raise your Detective's Progress to a certain threshold, which will either allow you to complete the activity or to gain some evidence. This threshold is usually 10, but may differ between cases. In cases where you need to gain evidence, you will have to do this 2 or more times before you can turn it in. Gaining evidence may also have other costs.

Sometimes a case will have a complication, which will show up as an opportunity card. These complications can be resolved on the same card during the case, often to your benefit.

Raising Detective's Progress[edit]

You can either raise detective's progress by Pursue Your Current Case which has a number of airs dependent options that are action or resource intensive, or by spending favors on various faction cards.

Investigate: Take your time
Actions Storylet Requirements Challenge Success Failure
<31 3 Ask anyone with an interest (5x) +6
31-60 3 Frequent key locations (5x) +6
61-85 2 Follow persons of interest (10+5x) +5
86-95 1 Reason it out (20+5x) +3
>95 1 Seek wisdom in the flights of bats Luck 20% +8
Investigate: Use your resources
Actions Storylet Requirements Challenge Success Failure
<26 2 Put together scraps of information (10x)  (5x-5)
  • +6
  • -(10x) 
  • +3
  • -(10x) 
26-45 2 Loosen tongues (5x)  (10+5x)
  • +6
  • -(5x) 
  • +3
  • -(5x) 
46-55 2 A view from above (5x-5)
  • +5
  • -(5x) 
  • +4
  • -(5x) 
56-65 2 Enquire with devils (5x)  (5x-5)
  • +5
  • -(5x) 
  • +4
  • -(5x) 
66-80 1 Seek truth in gossip 1 x  (5x-5)
81-90 1 Look to love (x)  (5x-5)
91-100 2 Follow a lead (x)  (5x-5)
100 1 A friendly face Route: Lodgings Luck 70%
Investigate: Call Upon Favours
Faction Storylet Requirements Challenge Success Failure
The Docks Ask down by the river 1 x Favours: The Docks Luck 70%
  • +5 
  • +2CP 
  • -1 
  • +3 
  • -1 
Criminals Ask your criminal contacts 1 x Favours: Criminals Luck 70%
  • +7 
  • +2 
  • -1 
  • +7 
  • +1 
  • -1 
Bohemians Make enquiries in the demi-monde. 1 x Favours: Bohemians Luck 60%
  • +5 
  • +2CP 
  • +1 
  • -1 
  • +3 
  • -1 
Revolutionaries Ask among Revolutionaries 1 x Favours: Revolutionaries Luck 70%
  • +5 
  • 5x 
  • +2CP 
  • -1 
  • +1 
  • +1CP 
  • -1 
  • +1CP 
Hell Seek knowledge from your infernal contacts 1 x Favours: Hell Luck 50%
  • +8 
  • +5CP 
  • +1 
  • -1 
  • +1CP 
  • +2 
  • +1CP 
  • +1CP 
  • -1 
  • +1CP 
Society Ask your more refined contacts 1 x Favours: Society Luck 30%
  • +5 
  • +1 
  • -1 
  • +2 
  • -1 
The Great Game Ask the spies of London 1 x Favours: The Great Game N/A
  • +10 
  • +50 
  • +1CP 
  • -1CP 
  • -1 
 N/A
The Church Ask your clerical contacts 1 x Favours: The Church Luck 50%
  • +6 
  • +1 
  • +1CP 
  • -1CP 
  • -1 
  • +1 
  • +1CP 
  • -1CP 
  • -1 
Tomb-Colonies Ask Tomb-Colonists 1 x Favours: Tomb-Colonies Luck 20%
  • +5 
  • +2CP 
  • -1 
  • +2 
  • +1CP 
  • -1 
Constables Reach out to the Constables N/A Luck 70%
  • +6 
  • +6 
  • +1 
Urchins Ask your Urchin contacts 1 x Favours: Urchins N/A
  • +6 
  • +1CP 
  • -1CP 
  • -1 
 N/A

It is worth noting that the constables option costs no favours, and since Noise has no mechanical effect, it always gives 6 progress for no cost. The urchins and the Great Game both have good no fail options, and the criminals give the same progress on a success or failure, only gaining you 1 x Noise on a failure.

Noise[edit]

Noise is a unique menace acquired by failing at certain actions while Engaged in a Case:, as well as when asking for help with certain favours. It is only eliminated upon resolving a case, but so far there are no recorded effects from having too much noise, even after increasing it to 8.

Complications[edit]

Complications are special cards that are added to your opportunity deck when you are pursuing certain cases. These are drawn with High or Urgent frequency until resolved, depending on the card in question. Failing to solve the complication may lock you out of some conclusions, or lead to a more expensive conclusion.

The Starving Poet[edit]

There are 2 cards here, where the second is available as soon as the first is finished.

  1. A Complication: the Revolutionary Connection
  2. A Complication: the Starving Poet is meeting with Anarchists

Investigate 'Gloriana' and Investigate 'Cumberbold'[edit]

Resolving this will benefit you upon completing your search.

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