Exceptional Stories (Guide)/Rewards Comparison

This guide covers the various FATE-locked items and qualities available through Exceptional Stories. For other FATE-locked areas, see Fate-locked content (Guide)/Rewards Comparison. It also covers any permanent content and choices available even if they aren't explicitly linked to the items in question.

Items Sorted by Stats

It is worth noting that some options are dependent on the choices you make during the ES. Make sure to look at the ES's page in order to reach the conclusion you want when you make a decision based on these options.

Best In Slot

These items are Strict Best- or Worst-in-Slot for one or more stats, or Shared Best-in-Slot only with other FATE-locked items.

Item	Slot	Story	FATE	Stats	Notes	Additional Unique Items/Qualities to Story
A WORD, BROKEN	Weapon	Cricket, Anyone?	45	Persuasive -10 Dangerous -6 Respectable -3	A Turnip? provides a greater reduction to Respectable.	Cricket Bat
Diamond Newt	Home Comfort	A Newt by Any Other Name	45	Respectable -2 Bizarre +2 Increases Scandal build up.?	Strict BiS for Scandal increase. Peer Bizarre and BDR items freely available. Mutually exclusive with The Newt.	The Newt
The Newt	Companion	A Newt by Any Other Name	45	Shadowy +4 Reduces Scandal build up.? Increases Nightmares build up.?	Shared BiS for Scandal reduction with Gravel-Voiced Gossip, which was freely available only during the HALLOWMAS of 2023. Shared BiS for Nightmares increase with Focused Albatross and the FATE-locked Masked Former Priest. Mutually exclusive with the Diamond Newt.	Diamond Newt

Situational Best-In-Slot

These items are often Shared Best-in-Slot for one or more qualities. However, peer items are available during certain Festivals, or with certain Ambitions, etc.

Item	Slot	Story	FATE	Stats	Notes	Additional Items/Qualities Unique to Story
The Boatman's Hat	Hat	The Shallows	45	Shadowy +6 Persuasive +2 Dreaded +2	Peer items include the Anonymous White Mask, freely available during select weeks. Outclassed by Tanned Mask from FEAST OF THE ROSE and Corinthian Belfry Hat from SUMMER.	Clues to a Controller

Perennial Best-In-Slot

These items have peer or better items freely available at all times of year, though they may be difficult to acquire or require the completion of a lengthy storyline.

Item	Slot	Story	FATE	Stats	Notes	Additional Items/Qualities Unique to Story
Wings-of-Thunder Batling	Companion	The Rat-Catcher (Story)	45	Dangerous +5 Dreaded +2	Players who chose a certain option when Troubled by Vermin may already have the peer Disgraced Rattus Faber Bandit-Chief. Else, the Malevolent Monkey is peer for Dangerous and Bazaar-buyable. Peer BDR items include the Blemmigan Tourist, available after some progress in Making Your Name.	Dire Appendage
Map of Prelapsarian London	Home Comfort	The Bones of London	45	Shadowy +2 Watchful +3	Peer Watchful items include the Voluminous Library. Outclassed in Shadowy by Rook-Crowned Oneiropompic Stave and Oneiric Key. A better Watchful item is the Naturalist's Map from Evolution; stronger Watchful items require more substantial time investment.	Brass Theodolite
Sugarplum	Companion	Codename: Sugarplum	45	Shadowy +3 A Player of Chess -1 Steward of the Discordance -1	A peer Steward of the Discordance item can be obtained from Breaking the Ice depending on your choice at the end.

Early-Game Utility

These items are strictly outclassed for endgame players, but may be useful options for those who do not yet have access to a lategame alternative.

Item	Slot	Story	FATE	Stats	Notes	Additional Unique Items/Qualities to Story
Ornate Mortar Board	Hat	Dernier Cri	45	Persuasive +4 Respectable +1	Peer for Respectable with The Admiral's Hat, which is perennially available but may be cost-prohibitive. Better Persuasive item, Beguiling Mask, is Bazaar-buyable but also cost-prohibitive.
Naval Waistcoat	Clothing	Dernier Cri	45	Watchful +4 Respectable +1	Strictly outclassed by Academic Gown, which is obtained freely at the start of the University storyline.
The Boatman's Lantern	Weapon	The Shallows	45	Watchful +6 Dangerous +2 Bizarre +1 Dreaded +1	Peer for Watchful with two Profession items. Better Watchful items include the Ratwork Watch, available for relatively cheap during certain weeks at the Rat Market. Peer for Dreaded and Bizarre with the Iron Republic Journal.	Clues to a Controller
The Knapt	Weapon	Flint	120	Dangerous +5 Dreaded +1	Peer for Dangerous with the Selection of Garish Fireworks — resources to buy one can be obtained by burning a Trade Secret. Peer Dreaded items include the Shuttered Cake, which can be bought using resources from the Sunken Embassy.	Griswine The Word of Caution A Seared Snuffer The Woman in Yellow Snuffer's Gratitude A Moment in Time Cherty
The Word of Caution	Weapon	Flint	120	Watchful +5 Bizarre +1	Peer item, Dilmun Club Lapel Badge, is not availible until at least Watchful 84.	Griswine The Knapt A Seared Snuffer The Woman in Yellow Snuffer's Gratitude A Moment in Time Cherty
Boneless Pianist	Companion	Fading to a Coda	45	Shadowy -1 Persuasive +3	Outclassed by two Profession items. Otherwise, better items are either available seasonally, or Bazaar-buyable (possibly at heavy expense for new players).
Dashing Debunker	Companion	Noises from Upstairs	45	Watchful +7 Persuasive +4 Respectable +1	Outclassed in Watchful by the Blemmigan Tourist, available freely after some progress in Making Your Name. Better Persuasive items are available seasonally, or Bazaar-buyable (possibly at heavy expense for new players).
Spider-Infested Eyeball	Companion	Required Repairs	45	Bizarre +1 Dreaded +1	Peer Dreaded items are seasonal or available midgame, like The Minister of War. Outclassed in Bizarre and peer for BDR with the Blemmigan Tourist, available freely after some progress in Making Your Name.	Used Eyepatch

No Notable Stats

These Items cannot be recommended based on their stats alone.

Item	Slot	Story	FATE	Stats	Notes	Additional Unique Items/Qualities to Story
Song Stuck in Your Head	Hat	Por Una Cabeza	45	Increases Nightmares build up.?	Just buy a Sporing Bonnet instead.
Moth-woven Greatcoat	Clothing	The Pursuit of Moths	45	Shadowy +3	Your choice of a peer Shadowy can be obtained from Trailing the Affluent Photographer.
Cricket Bat	Weapons	Cricket, Anyone?	45	Dangerous +1 Respectable +1	Unremarkable for Dangerous. Purchase a Weighty Postlapsarian Romance for Respectable.	A WORD, BROKEN
Aggrieved Toad	Companion	The Ballad of Johnny Croak	45	Dangerous +1	Outclassed by various Bazaar-buyable companions, including the cheap Araby Fighting-Weasel.	A Hollow Crossbow Bolt
Docile Vesture Spider	Companion	The House of Silk and Flame	45	Persuasive +1 Respectable +1	For Persuasive, buy a Deshrieked Mandrake. Peer or better Respectable items are numerous; you should have one by the time you need one.	Discovered: The Third Arbor or Favour: Her Roseate Splendour
Intrepid Deacon	Companion	For All the Saints Who From Their Labours Rest	45	Watchful +6 Persuasive +5 Dreaded +1	Outclassed by several other FEAST OF THE ROSE companions, and he's only recruitable then.	The Bishop's Good Book The Deacon's Heart
A Seared Snuffer	Companion	Flint	120	Shadowy +3 Watchful +1	Unremarkable for Watchful. For Shadowy, buy a Devious Henchman.	Griswine The Word of Caution The Knapt Snuffer's Gratitude A Moment in Time Cherty
Wild Vesture Spider	Companion	The House of Silk and Flame	45	Dangerous +1 Bizarre +1	Outclassed in Dangerous by various Bazaar-buyable companions, including the cheap Araby Fighting-Weasel. Outclassed in Bizarre by the Blemmigan Tourist.	Discovered: The Third Arbor or Favour: Her Roseate Splendour

Stories Sorted by Use

A listing of Exceptional Stories with uses, grouped by usefulness to the average player. Exceptional Stories with no uses will not be listed here. For a complete list see Exceptional Stories (Guide). The stories themselves will be listed together as they are a package deal, regardless if the action comes from granted items, or from just playing through the story. It is worth noting that some options are dependent on the choices you make during the ES. Make sure to look at the ES's page in order to reach the conclusion you want when you make a decision based on these options.

Efficient Repeatable

These stories unlock repeatable options that are much better than their evergreen alternatives.

Story	Type	FATE	Use	Notes	Unique Items/Qualities
The Sinking Synod	Option	45	Option on A Jurisdictional Dispute Put up a statue of yourself at Burrow-Infra-Mump	This makes the card more profitable. The statue trades items for a Verse of Counter-Creed, but is better grindable elsewhere.	Proceedings of a Synod Addressed as: Bishop
All Things Must End	Carousel Option	45	Access to Tanah-Chook Option on the Tomb-Colonies Card	The new location is niche at best. The option on the card is good though.	A Cocoon
HOJOTOHO!	Option	45	Option on the Urchins Card New conclusion at the end of Working toward a Foreign Posting	The option on the card is good. The new ending for the carousel is niche at best.	HEADLINE: The Valkyrie Sings!
The Clay Man's Arm	Option	45	With A Clay Arm, a new option in the Underclay	The best way to gain Stone Confessions.	A Story of Clay Oppression A Clay Arm

Efficient Single-Use

These stories unlock a one-time option that saves the player significant resources compared to the free alternatives.

Story	Type	Fate	Use	Notes	Unique Items/Qualities
The Shallows if The Boatman's Lantern	Option	45	Option for lighting your Ealing Gardens watchtower	Many other free options also work.	Clues to a Controller The Boatman's Lantern
For All the Saints Who From Their Labours Rest	Option	45	Option on The Devil's Chorus Option on The Pilgrim Road Can recruit Intrepid Deacon during the FEAST OF THE ROSE With Intrepid Deacon, option while establishing your Church in the Wild	Each of these options provide for a cost savings, assuming you don't have the other free alternatives.	The Bishop's Good Book The Deacon's Heart Intrepid Deacon
Flint ( see also Niche Repeatable)	Story Option	120	Wipes Stain on Your Soul Full Menace Reset Make a quirk 14 Raise Base Dangerous by 2.5% at the cost of 20% Persuasive	Only way to wipe Stains, only way to overcap Dangerous (though you can't get it back if you lose it).	Griswine The Knapt The Word of Caution A Seared Snuffer The Woman in Yellow Snuffer's Gratitude A Moment in Time Cherty
Cut with Moonlight	Option	45	Buy Sun-Stamped Mirrorcatch Boxes on either the Criminals Card or the Society Card Open one for a Mirrocatch Box. Several storylets providing 2.5 worth of items on a 40% luck chance.	Very efficient Mirrorcatch Box source. Storylets are not great.
Lost in Reflections	Story Option	45	Reset of Advancing the Liberation of Night	If you want to reset it, this is the way. Mutually exclusive with the other option.	Dreams of a Future: July

Niche Repeatable

These items unlock repeatable options that are either equivalent to or outclassed by their evergreen alternatives.

Story	Type	FATE	Use	Notes	Unique Items/Qualities
Codename: Sugarplum	Option	45	Option on Snowfall in Adulterine Castle	One of the best ways to get Well-Placed Pawn, but it's card based and in a place you won't be spending much time.	Sugarplum
Damp Martyrs	Option	45	Option on A Ship of Zealots	Worse than Piracy or Racing away, but checkless.	Near-Death Experience
Caveat Emptor	Remote Address Card Option	45	A Sanguine Château and card for the same Option on Don't Perform Research in Adulterine Castle	A Remote Address, with all its boons. Lodgings card isn't a bad source of Deer Femurs, but it's outclassed by the Balmoral Dumbwaiter. Research card option is bad.	A Sanguine Château
Fading to a Coda	Option	45	Option at Helicon House (Guide)	Same rewards and difficulty as other actions.	Boneless Pianist
My Kingdom for a Pig	Option	45	A way to Chronicle the history of Gaider's Mourn when Writing a Monograph (Guide)	Also unlockable with The Pirate-Poet	Bottle of Fourth City Airag: Year of the Boar Stars Under Skin
Noises from Upstairs	Option	45	Option on Lowell's Locks and Cages (Card)	This option is bad.	Dashing Debunker
Cricket, Anyone?	Card Option	45	Card in London Option while Hurling (Guide) With A WORD, BROKEN: Option while Diving	The card is bad. The Hurlers option is unknown, but checkless. The diving option is bad.	Cricket Bat A WORD, BROKEN
Written in the Glim	Option	45	Option on A Navigation Error	Option is outclassed once you start doing Piracy (Guide)	False-Star Chart
The Persona Engine	Option	45	Option on the Red Science Lab Card Option on a card in Adulterine Castle	The research is equivalent to the option for having an Element of Dawn You should have better ways of getting Bazaar Permits by now.	Blueprint for a Seal of Red Science
The Frequently Deceased	Partial Carousel	45	With Sinning Jenny's Finishing School, a new pupil	Graduating a Student at the lab is faster.	Business Card of the Triple Orpheus
Flint ( Efficient Single Use)	Carousel	120	Unlocks Apis Meet (Guide)	All the items provided can be sourced better elsewhere.	Griswine The Knapt The Word of Caution A Seared Snuffer The Woman in Yellow Snuffer's Gratitude A Moment in Time Cherty
Lost in Reflections	Option	45	With Sinning Jenny's Finishing School, and ending option providing a couple relics	The option is not very efficient. Go for Favours instead.	Dreams of a Future: July
The Haunting at the Marsh-House	Remote Address	45	A Once-Great Marsh-House	A Remote Address, with all its boons.	A Once-Great Marsh-House

Niche Single-Use

These items unlock a one-time option that is either equivalent to or outclassed by the evergreen alternatives.

Story	Type	Fate	Use	Notes	Unique Items/Qualities
The Fair Unknown	Option	45	Option at the end of Chess Campaign	Changes from Scarlet-Handed to Crimson-Handed	Scarlet-Handed
The Icarian Cup (Story)	Option	45	With Dawnburnt, Option at the conclusion of Playing with Soul	No mechanical advantage, otherbeing checkless, just story.	The Icarian Cup Dawnburnt
The Stag and the Shark	Option	45	With Dawnburnt, Option at the conclusion of Playing with Soul	No mechanical advantage, otherbeing checkless, just story.	Mermaid's Purse Dawnburnt
The Attendants	Option	45	Narrative at the end of Bag a Legend, A dreaming Priest of the Second City's Campaign	No mechanical rewards.	A Ubiquitous Ushabti

Vanity Only

These Exceptional Stories only provide items or qualities that have no uses, except perhaps unlocking the season's conclusion of a particular set of Exceptional Stories. Exceptional Stories that only provide their named quality are left off.