Editing Helicon House (Guide)

{{GuideFor|Location = Helicon House|Cleanup = Repair any damages|Storylet = Helicon House (Storylet)}}{{Audience|EarlyRailway|Evergreen=yes}}[[File:Mirrormonster.png|right]]
{{ActivitySummary
|Activity=Helicon House
|Starting Actions=1
|Length=Semi-Fixed
|Progress Actions=2-5
|Ending Actions=1
|Progress Details=Make strides towards {{IL|Fitting in at Helicon House|Appearance=Fitting in}}.
|Output Items=*{{IL|Hinterland Scrip}}
*{{IL|Withered Tentacle}}
*{{IL|Nodule of Warm Amber}}
*{{IL|Favour in High Places}}
*{{IL|Blackmail Material}}
*{{IL|Cryptic Clue}}
*{{IL|Extraordinary Implication}}
*{{IL|Bottle of Strangling Willow Absinthe}}
*{{IL|Crate of Incorruptible Biscuits}}
*{{IL|Pot of Venison Marrow}}
*{{IL|Solacefruit}}
*{{IL|Hand-picked Peppercaps}}
*{{IL|Thirsty Bombazine Scrap}}
*{{IL|Drop of Prisoner's Honey}}
*{{IL|Moon-Pearl}}
*{{IL|Expertise of the Third City}}
*{{IL|Memory of Light}}
*{{IL|Memory of Distant Shores}}
*{{IL|Memory of Discordance}}
*{{IL|Memory of a Much Lesser Self}}
|Raw EPA = 3.14
|Raw SPA = 6.19
|Locked=Yes
|Starting Items=*{{IL|Preserved Surface Blooms|1 x}}
*{{IL|Slim Volume of Bazaarine Poetry|1 x}}
*''{{IL|Oneiric Key}}''
*''{{IL|Location of an Underground Organ}}''
*''{{IL|A Pendant of Helicon Amber}}''
|Input Items=*{{IL|Glass Gazette}}
*{{IL|Hand-picked Peppercaps}}
*{{IL|Nodule of Warm Amber}}
*{{IL|Inspired...}}
*{{IL|Fascinating...}}
*{{IL|Casing...}}
|Boost Items=*''{{IL|Rubbery Euphonium}}''
*{{IL|Rubbery Campanologist}}''
*{{IL|Rubbery Herald}}''
*{{IL|Boneless Pianist}}''
*{{IL|Morally and Physically Flexible Rubbery Cat}}
}}
Helicon House is a location in {{IL|Ealing Gardens}}. It is unlocked by acquiring an {{IL|Acquaintance with Helicon House}}.
With {{IL|The DF}} or a {{IL|Rubbery Bellringer}}, this can be done with opportunity cards in Ealing.

If you don't have these, you need to build up {{IL|Investigating...}} to 5, then "Track the rumours you've been hearing" under the [[Tour the Neighbourhood]] storylet. The best sources of investigating before {{IL|Jericho Locks}} are either in {{IL|The Flit}}, {{IL|The University}} or from other sources. See [[Investigating (Guide)]] for more info on these.
With access to Jericho Locks, [[Ply them with lager and see what they'll share]] will give you all the progress you need in a single action.

== Entering the House ==
To enter the house, you must pay with either a single {{IL|Preserved Surface Blooms|Appearance=Surface Bloom}} or {{IL|Slim Volume of Bazaarine Poetry}}, or have either the {{IL|Oneiric Key}} ({{IL|Faction: Bohemians|Appearance=Bohemian}} renown 40 item), or the {{IL|Location of an Underground Organ}} ({{IL|Faction: Rubbery Men|Appearance=Rubbery}} renown 40 item).  In addition to not removing your renown items, the renown options give 5 {{IL|Romantic Notion}}s and {{IL|Warm Amber}} respectively, and 2 {{IL|Fitting in at Helicon House}} (see below).  

After this, you can choose [[Alone, or with a companion?|which (if any) companion to bring with you]].  It is recommended within the game, and this guide, to enter with a companion, though the benefits vary greatly.  Many of the options are {{FontFate}}-locked, and both Fate-locked and not can give an increase to {{IL|Fitting in at Helicon House|Appearance=Fitting in}}, {{IL|Investigating...}}, {{IL|Fascinating...}}, {{IL|Casing...}}, or {{IL|Inspired...}}; the only notable exception are those who took a particular ending of [[Ambition: Nemesis (Guide)| Nemesis]], which gives -3CP of both Nightmares and one of Suspicion or Scandal. 

<!--(note to future editors: please add a table for both of the above paragraphs)-->

==Helicon House Qualities==
Visits to Helicon House use two qualities to determine which actions are available: {{IL|Time Remaining at Helicon House}}, and {{IL|Fitting in at Helicon House}} (hereafter "Time Remaining" and "Fitting In"). Both of these are reset every visit. In addition there are progress qualities which are not reset.

==={{IL|Time Remaining at Helicon House|Appearance=Time Remaining}}===
Time Remaining in Helicon House tracks the progression of the evening, and has a slight resemblance to the {{IL|Time Remaining...}} quality from Veilgarden Parties, but is not as rigid. Time Remaining starts at 5 (or 4 if entering with the Pendant), and is lowered by 1 every action you take in Helicon House.

Many actions are restricted by Time Remaining, but generally to ranges rather than specific values. Roughly speaking, Time Remaining 4-5 is early in the evening, Time Remaining 3-2 is later in the evening, and Time Remaining 1 is when things are winding down and guests are leaving.

==={{IL|Fitting in at Helicon House|Appearance=Fitting In}}===
Fitting In represents your acceptance among the counterculture of Helicon House. Successful actions generally raise it by 1 or 2 points, a handful of options with exclusive requirements raise it by 3 points, and some failures decrease it by 1. Entering Helicon House with any of the Free Entrance methods will start your evening with two free points, and your choice of Companion may give you a free point.

A few actions are gated by Fitting In, sometimes requiring you to take less-profitable actions first to Fit In enough. The profitable options for exiting Helicon House require Fitting In, and several of those options have rewards which scale with Fitting In, although the scaling rewards are not worth being excited about. 

In practice, Fitting In is not usually a significant obstacle. A few optimized grinds must fiddle with it to shave an action off of a loop, but most core actions do not require high values. The actions that require values which are difficult to obtain are the ones that will make you {{IL|Closest To}} Rubbery Men or Bohemians.

===Progress Qualities===
Helicon House makes use of four [[:Category:Progress|Progress]] qualities that are used elsewhere in Fallen London: {{IL|Casing...}}, {{IL|Fascinating...}}, {{IL|Inspired...}}, and {{IL|Investigating...}}. Helicon House does not reset these qualities, and can freely mix with other sources or uses of them in the broader game.

All four qualities can be raised in Helicon House, and the first three can be cashed in profitably. Helicon House uses {{IL|Investigating...}} to unlock certain areas, but has no repeatable use for that quality. Casing can be exchanged in [[the Upstairs Honey Den]] with [[Lay claim to any left-behind items]], and Fascinating and Inspired can be exchanged in [[the Prussian Salon]] with [[Attract a companion for the rest of the evening]] and [[Accept a commission]], respectively. Note that all three of those exchanges end your visit in Helicon House.

Several Ambition rewards unlock an option in Helicon House. Many of these are unique ways to raise one of the Progress qualities. Likewise, many of the Companion choices give free Progress on entrance.

==Overview of Storylets==

The storylets are ordered into different rooms, which have different focuses. You can mix and match rooms as much as you want to.

===[[The Entrance Hall]]===
*Gain {{IL|Casing...}} (faster at the beginning of the evening)
*Gain {{IL|Investigating...}}
*Spend {{IL|Investigating...}} to unlock various locations (all of them also require Fitting In 3 to unlock):
**{{IL|Discovered: the Upstairs Honey-Den}} - requires level 7
**{{IL|Discovered: the Mirrored Salon}} - requires level 7 and {{IL|Favours: Fingerkings|1 x}}
**{{IL|Discovered: Below-Stairs}} - requires level 10
**The Sculpture Garden - Requires level 7 and (fate-locked) {{IL|A Pendant of Helicon Amber}}.
*At Time Remaining 0-1, end your visit for either {{IL|Crate of Incorruptible Biscuits}} and {{IL|Pot of Venison Marrow}}; {{IL|Solacefruit}} and {{IL|Hand-picked Peppercaps}}; or {{IL|Hand-picked Peppercaps}} and a {{IL|Thirsty Bombazine Scrap}}.

===[[The South Parlour]]===
*Options to increase Fitting In that are easier with high {{IL|Renown: Rubbery Men}} and/or {{IL|Closest To}} - Rubbery Men.
*Gain {{IL|Inspired...}}
*Buy {{IL|A Pendant of Helicon Amber}}.

===[[The Yellow Salon]]===
*Options to increase Fitting In that are easier with high {{IL|Renown: Bohemians}}.
*Different option depending on {{IL|Identified with a School}}.
*Gain {{IL|Inspired...}}
*Display your {{IL|Completed Painting}} for {{IL|Hinterland Scrip}} and, depending on painting qualities, {{IL|Inspired...}}/Fitting In.

===[[The Prussian Salon]]===
*Options to increase Fitting In that are easier with high {{IL|Renown: Bohemians}}.
*Gain {{IL|Inspired...}}
*At Time Remaining 2, end your visit for {{IL|Bottle of Strangling Willow Absinthe}} and {{IL|Hinterland Scrip}}.
*At Fitting In 5, end your visit by cashing in {{IL|Fascinating...}} for {{IL|Nightmares}} reduction and {{IL|Favour in High Places}}, {{IL|Blackmail Material}}, {{IL|Cryptic Clue}}, {{IL|Extraordinary Implication}}.
*At Fitting In 5, end your visit by cashing in {{IL|Inspired...}} for {{IL|Hinterland Scrip}} and {{IL|Nodule of Warm Amber}}.

===[[The Supper Room]]===
*Gain {{IL|Fascinating...}}
*Gain {{IL|Inspired...}}
*[[Serve up a Culinary Tribute to the Sea of Spines]] for {{IL|Hinterland Scrip}} and {{IL|Inspired...}}

===[[The Upstairs Honey Den]]===
Must be discovered.
*Gain {{IL|Inspired...}}
*Become {{IL|Closest To}} Bohemians.
*Get {{IL|Discovered: the Sea of Spines}}.
*At Fitting In 3, end your visit by cashing in {{IL|Casing...}} for {{IL|Hinterland Scrip}}, {{IL|Drop of Prisoner's Honey}}, {{IL|Moon-Pearl}}.
*At Fitting In 5, if you have {{IL|The Long-Dead Priests of the Red Bird}}, end your visit by cashing in {{IL|Inspired...}} for {{IL|Expertise of the Third City}}, {{IL|Memory of Light}}, {{IL|Memory of Distant Shores}}, {{IL|Memory of Discordance}}, {{IL|Memory of a Much Lesser Self}}.

===[[The Mirrored Salon]]===
Must be discovered.
*Gain {{IL|Inspired...}} - requires {{IL|A False-Star of your Own}}.
*Sell {{IL|Glass Gazette}} for {{IL|Hinterland Scrip}}.
*Gain {{IL|Making Waves}} ([[Astonish the company with an illusion]])
*If you have {{IL|Master Jewel Thief}}, spend {{IL|Casing...}} for {{IL|Sapphire}} and {{IL|Ostentatious Diamond}}.

===[[Below-Stairs]]===
Must be discovered.
*Become {{IL|Closest To}} Rubbery Men.
*Spend {{IL|Nodule of Warm Amber}} for {{IL|Withered Tentacle}}.
*Upgrade various bones.
*Gain {{IL|Shapeling Studies}}.
*Obtain the {{IL|Location of an Underground Organ}} if one does not have access to [[Flute Street (Guide)|Flute Street]].

==={{FontFate}} The Sculpture Garden===
Must be discovered, requires {{IL|A Pendant of Helicon Amber}}.
*Gain {{IL|Inspired...}}
*Gain {{IL|Making Waves}}
*At Fitting In 5, get an {{IL|Extraordinary Implication}}
*At Fitting In 5, get an {{IL|Unearthly Fossil}}, or a bit of {{IL|Bone Fragments}} and some {{IL|Warm Amber}}
*At Time Remaining 2 or lower, end your visit by presenting an amalgamous and implausible skeleton for a good amount of {{IL|Warm Amber}} and a slight increase in the skeleton's value, based on Fitting In (the skeleton is not consumed)

==Tables==
{{/Tables}}

[[Category:Guides]]