Editing Painting in Balmoral (Guide)

{{GuideFor|Concept=Concept:Painting in Balmoral|Pages=Balmoral: Presenting your Painting}}{{Audience|LateRailway}}[[File:Painting fragment.png|right]]
{{ActivitySummary
|Activity=Painting in Balmoral
|Length=Fixed
|Starting Actions=1
|Progress Actions=6
|Ending Actions={{Tooltip|2*|Does not include travel to present.}}
|Progress Details=Raise {{IL|Painting: Nostalgic|Short=yes}}, {{IL|Painting: Luminosity|Short=yes}}, and {{IL|Painting: Incendiary|Short=yes}} while you can add {{IL|Painter's Progress}} as required for desired payout.
|Output Items=2.5{{e}}:
*{{IL|Thirsty Bombazine Scrap}}
*{{IL|Mourning Candle}}
*{{IL|Sworn Statement}}
*{{IL|Vienna Opening}}
*{{IL|Muscaria Brandy}}
12.5{{e}}:
*{{IL|Skeleton with Seven Necks}}
*{{IL|Blackmail Material}}
*{{IL|Cellar of Wine}}
*{{IL|Bazaar Permit}}
*{{IL|Silent Soul}}
*{{IL|Direful Reflection}}
*{{IL|Favour in High Places}}
62.5{{e}}:
*{{IL|Night-Whisper}}
*{{IL|Discordant Soul}} 
*{{IL|Parabola-Linen Scrap}}
*{{IL|Bottle of Fourth City Airag: Year of the Tortoise}}
|Raw EPA = 4.40
|EPA Notes = Ratket, Kraken, and woesel to fail Paint!
|Raw SPA = 5.68
|SPA Notes =  
|Conversion=Yes
|Input Items=*{{IL|Moonlit}}
*{{IL|Memory of a Much Lesser Self}}
*{{IL|Memory of Light}}
*{{IL|Vital Intelligence}}
*{{IL|Touching Love Story}}
}}
==General==
{{IL|Balmoral}} is found at the fourth station of the Railway. Apart from visiting the local forest (the [[Moonlit Woods (Guide)|Moonlit Woods]], where you can gain {{IL|Moonlit}} for painting) and [[Balmoral Castle]], you can join the artist in the [[Visit the Distillery|old Distillery]] in {{IL|Crathie}} and take up commissions for Her Enduring Majesty. She has neglected to visit the place since the Fall, but that doesn't seem to bother anyone.

==Painting Progress==
Your progress towards a finished piece is tracked by {{IL|Painter's Progress}}. It is set to 1 when [[Undertake a commission|beginning a new commission]] and when it reaches 7, the [[Complete a commission|painting is finished]]. This means you have 6 actions to contribute to your work and it takes 8 actions to fully begin and finish a painting. Your painting's style (the reward) is determined by the combinations of {{IL|Painting: Luminosity}}, {{IL|Painting: Nostalgic}} and {{IL|Painting: Incendiary}}.

'''You have 6 actions to influence your work for every painting. Both success and failure increase {{IL|Painter's Progress}} by 1.'''
{| class="article-table"
!Option
!Cost
!~In {{e}}
!Challenge
!Success
!Fail
|-
!colspan = "6"|{{IL|Painter's Progress}} 0
|-
|[[Undertake a commission]]
|
|
|
|
|
|-
!colspan = "6"|{{IL|Painter's Progress}} 1-6
|-
|[[Paint with Moonlight|With Moonlight]]
|{{TableList|{{IL|Moonlit}} 2|{{IL|Memory of a Much Lesser Self|2 x}}|{{IL|Memory of Light|10 x}}}}
|12.50<ref>This presumes all options of equal value, and thus {{IL|Moonlit}} at 1.25 {{e}} </ref>
|{{IL|Persuasive}} 200
|{{IL|Painting: Luminosity|Appearance=Luminosity}} 1
|{{IL|Painting: Nostalgic|Appearance=Nostalgic}} 1
|-
|[[Paint Balmoral in a subversive cast|In a subversive cast]]
|{{IL|Vital Intelligence|1 x}}
|12.50<ref name=":2">11.00 as 1.50 {{e}} are returned as 15 x {{IL|Romantic Notion}}</ref>
|{{IL|A Player of Chess}} 4<ref>Reduced with high {{IL|Renown: Revolutionaries}}</ref>
|{{IL|Painting: Incendiary|Appearance=Incendiary}} 1
|{{IL|Painting: Nostalgic|Appearance=Nostalgic}} 1
|-
|[[Paint!]]
|{{TableList|{{IL|Touching Love Story|5 x}} on success|{{IL|Touching Love Story|3 x}} on failure}}
|{{TableList|12.50<ref name=":2">11.00 as 1.50 {{e}} are returned as 15 x {{IL|Romantic Notion}}</ref> on success|7.50 on failure}}
|{{IL|Persuasive}} 200
|{{IL|Painting: Nostalgic|Appearance=Nostalgic}} 1
|{{IL|Painting: Incendiary|Appearance=Incendiary}} 1
|-
!colspan = "6"|{{IL|Painter's Progress}} 7
|-
|[[Complete a commission]]
|
|
|
|colspan = "2"|{{IL|Completed Painting}}
|}

<references />

Creating a painting is essentially a 45-75 {{e}} investment in order to gain different items.

Since both success and failure add one of the three attributes, your painting will always end up with 6 marks in total. The amount and combinations of these determine the rewards.

'''You must present your {{IL|Completed Painting}} before starting another one!'''

There are small additional rewards for the success of each option:
* {{IL|Inspired...}} (+1 CP) for [[Paint with Moonlight]]
* {{IL|Romantic Notion|15 x}} for [[Paint Balmoral in a subversive cast]] and [[Paint!]]

Failure consumes the items as well, except for "[[Paint!]]" where the penalty is only {{IL|Touching Love Story|3 x|Appearance=Touching Love Stories}}.

[[Complete a commission|Finishing a painting]] also increases the {{IL|Painter of Fine Art}} quality by 1, tracking the number of paintings you completed and your reputation as an artist.

==Rewards==
Return to either [[Balmoral: Presenting your Painting|London]] or the [[Display your own painting|Helicon House]] in [[Ealing Gardens]] to present your painting. '''Only a {{IL|Completed Painting}} may be presented.'''
{| class="article-table"
!Requirements
!Reward
!Value ({{e}})
|-
!colspan = "3"|London - [[Balmoral: Presenting your Painting|Presenting your Painting]]
|-
|{{IL|Painting: Nostalgic|Appearance=Nostalgic}} at least 4
|{{TableList|{{IL|Bottle of Fourth City Airag: Year of the Tortoise|1 x}}|{{IL|Cellar of Wine|1 x}}|{{IL|Sworn Statement|2 x}}}}
|80
|-
|{{IL|Painting: Luminosity|Appearance=Luminosity}} at least 4
|{{TableList|{{IL|Vienna Opening|5 x}}|{{IL|Sworn Statement|5 x}}|{{IL|Parabola-Linen Scrap|1 x}}|{{IL|Bazaar Permit|1 x}}}}
|{{TableList|100.20|120.2 \ 107.7 w/ [[The Rat Market (Guide)|Ratket]]}}
|-
|{{IL|Painting: Incendiary|Appearance=Incendiary}} at least 4
|{{TableList|{{IL|Skeleton with Seven Necks|1 x}}|{{IL|Silent Soul|1 x}}|{{IL|Thirsty Bombazine Scrap|2 x}}}}
|80
|-
|{{TableList|{{IL|Painting: Incendiary|Appearance=Incendiary}} 3|{{IL|Painting: Nostalgic|Appearance=Nostalgic}} 3}}
|{{TableList|{{IL|Discordant Soul|1 x}}|{{IL|Direful Reflection|1 x}}|{{IL|Mourning Candle|2 x}}}}
|{{TableList|17.50|+ {{IL|Discordant Soul|1 x}}<ref>Valued at 62.50 {{e}}, but no direct way of selling it</ref>}}
|-
|{{TableList|{{IL|Painting: Incendiary|Appearance=Incendiary}} 3|{{IL|Painting: Luminosity|Appearance=Luminosity}} 3}}
|{{TableList|{{IL|Night-Whisper|1 x}}|{{IL|Vienna Opening|5 x}}|{{IL|Thirsty Bombazine Scrap|5 x}}|{{IL|Blackmail Material|1 x}}}}
|{{TableList|100.20|120.2 \ 107.7 w/ [[The Rat Market (Guide)|Ratket]]}}
|-
|{{TableList|{{IL|Painting: Nostalgic|Appearance=Nostalgic}} 3|{{IL|Painting: Luminosity|Appearance=Luminosity}} 3}}
|{{TableList|{{IL|Bottle of Fourth City Airag: Year of the Tortoise|1 x}}|{{IL|Mourning Candle|10 x}}|{{IL|Favour in High Places|1 x}}}}
|100
|-
|Any other combination
|{{TableList|{{IL|Bottle of Fourth City Airag: Year of the Tortoise|1 x}}|{{IL|Favours: Society|2 x}} (up to 7)|{{IL|Muscaria Brandy|5 x}}}}
|{{TableList|75|+ {{IL|Favours: Society|2 x}}}}
|-
|{{TableList|{{IL|A Nascent Opportunity}} 1|(only once, during [[Present the Fervent Widow's painting|story]])}}
|{{TableList|{{IL|Scandal}} (+5 CP)|{{IL|Vienna Opening|5 x}}|{{IL|Sworn Statement|5 x}}}}
|25.20
|-
!colspan = "3"|Helicon House - [[Display your own painting]]
|-
|Any combination
|{{TableList|{{IL|Hinterland Scrip|125 x}}|{{IL|Inspired...}} (+ {{IL|Painting: Luminosity}} CP)|{{IL|Fitting in at Helicon House}} + ({{IL|Painting: Incendiary}} - {{IL|Painting: Nostalgic}})}}
|
|}

==Analysis==

Each painting essentially takes at least 9 Actions: one to begin, six to paint, one to complete, and one to sell.
*Traveling to sell your paintings will take 3 Actions, irrelevant on your preference of selling method ({{IL|Fallen London|Appearance=London}} or {{IL|Helicon House|Appearance=The Helicon House}}). 
You have six chances to influence your painting, with each option giving a point of {{IL|Painter's Progress}}. Failing  checks is not only likely, but encouraged, if you are looking for the best EpA.
The following are the listed actions needed for sourcing the necessary items for each option:

*[[Paint with Moonlight]] — 4 Actions + {{IL|Moonlit| 2 x}} ''(see {{IL|Irem (Guide)}} for sourcing)''
**This option presents difficulty as it pretends to {{IL|Moonlit}} as a prerequisite. For the time being, it was ignored for the purposes of the guide, but if a compelling method is found, it will be factored in.

*[[Paint Balmoral in a subversive cast|Paint in a subversive cast]] — 6 Actions ''(see {{IL|Hunting Bees in Old Newgate (Guide)|Appearance= Old Newgate (Guide)}} for sourcing)''
**This option is by far the most expensive in terms of Actions and the less rewarding, as both its success and failure offer points in styles easier to gain through the other methods.

*[[Paint!]] — 5 Actions ''(see {{IL|Irem (Guide)}} for sourcing)''
**Even so, as mentioned above, the failure on the option to [[Paint!]] consumes only {{IL|Touching Love Story| 3 x}} for one progress and 1 x {{IL|Painting: Incendiary|Appearance= Incendiary}}
**Failure can be used as a cheap option to fill the rest of a painting after gathering 4 of any other desired painting styles.
**This can be improved through the use of your {{IL|Allow your Inculcating Kraken to engage in commerce|Appearance=Kraken}} in {{IL|The Lofty Tower: the Potential of Premises at the Bazaar|Appearance=the Lofty Tower}} card to source {{IL|Touching Love Story|Appearance=Touching Love Stories| 1.5 x}} per Action.

The following is a table detailing the EpA, or SpA, of any end option, using the factors above:

{| class="article-table"
!colspan = "2"|London - [[Balmoral: Presenting your Painting|Presenting your Painting]]
|-
!Requirements
!EPA
|-
|{{IL|Painting: Nostalgic|Appearance=Nostalgic}} at least 4
|{{TableList|2.75|3.69 w/ {{IL|Allow your Inculcating Kraken to engage in commerce|Appearance=Kraken}}}}
|-
|{{IL|Painting: Luminosity|Appearance=Luminosity}} at least 4
|{{TableList|2.80|3.29 \ 2.99 w/ [[The Rat Market (Guide)|Ratket]]|3.48 \ 3.16 w/ {{IL|Allow your Inculcating Kraken to engage in commerce|Appearance=Kraken}}}} 
|-
|{{IL|Painting: Incendiary|Appearance=Incendiary}} at least 4
|{{TableList|1.91 w/ [[Painting in Balmoral (Guide)#Strategy|Strategy]]|2.21 w/ {{IL|Allow your Inculcating Kraken to engage in commerce|Appearance=Kraken}}}}
|-
|{{TableList|{{IL|Painting: Incendiary|Appearance=Incendiary}} 3|{{IL|Painting: Nostalgic|Appearance=Nostalgic}} 3}}
|{{TableList| 2.42|3.20 w/ {{IL|Allow your Inculcating Kraken to engage in commerce|Appearance=Kraken}}|3.23 w/ {{IL|Discordant Studies}}}}
|-
|{{TableList|{{IL|Painting: Incendiary|Appearance=Incendiary}} 3|{{IL|Painting: Luminosity|Appearance=Luminosity}} 3}}
|{{TableList|3.34|3.97 \ 3.59  w/ [[The Rat Market (Guide)|Ratket]]| 4.40 \ 3.99 w/ {{IL|Allow your Inculcating Kraken to engage in commerce|Appearance=Kraken}}}}
|-
|{{TableList|{{IL|Painting: Nostalgic|Appearance=Nostalgic}} 3|{{IL|Painting: Luminosity|Appearance=Luminosity}} 3}}
|{{TableList|2.90| 3.37 w/ {{IL|Allow your Inculcating Kraken to engage in commerce|Appearance=Kraken}}}}
|-
| Any other combination
|{{TableList|~2.98 <ref>{{IL|Favours: Society}} valued at 10.27 {{e}} from [[Money-Making/Sources#The Court of the Wakeful Eye (Rat Market)|Tiger Tribute]]</ref>| ~3.18 \ ~3.06 w/ [[The Rat Market (Guide)|Ratket]] <ref>{{IL|Favours: Society}} valued at 13.55 {{e}}\ 11.5 {{e}} from [[Money-Making/Sources#The Court of the Wakeful Eye (Rat Market)|Tiger Tribute]] is exchanged at the [[The Rat Market (Guide)|Ratket]]</ref>| ~3.80 \ ~3.65 w/ {{IL|Allow your Inculcating Kraken to engage in commerce|Appearance=Kraken}}}}
|-
|{{TableList|{{IL|A Nascent Opportunity}} 1|(only once, during [[Present the Fervent Widow's painting|story]])}}
|{{TableList|0.94|1.21 w/ {{IL|Allow your Inculcating Kraken to engage in commerce|Appearance=Kraken}}}}
|-
!colspan = "2"|Helicon House - [[Display your own painting]]
|-
!Requirements
!SPA
|-
|Any combination
|{{TableList|4.46 |5.68 w/ {{IL|Allow your Inculcating Kraken to engage in commerce|Appearance=Kraken}}}}
|}

==Strategy==

The above results were obtained by taking into account all options as they report to [[Paint!]], thus any option for "at least 4" were completed using the Failure on [[Paint!]], likewise {{IL|Painting: Incendiary|Appearance=Incendiary}} and {{IL|Painting: Nostalgic|Appearance=Nostalgic}} were both sourced from [[Paint!]] such to be augmented by the presence of the {{IL|Allow your Inculcating Kraken to engage in commerce|Appearance=Kraken}} option.


This segment will detail an attempt at integrating a Bone Market recipe in the grind, for the purposes of cashing out the resources provided by the {{IL|Painting: Incendiary|Appearance=Incendiary| 4}} option, in {{e}}:
*Assuming: an initial investment of {{IL|Bright Brass Skull|Appearance=Brass Skulls| 7 x}}, so a start of 437.5 {{e}}, and that {{IL|The Diplomat's Current Fascination}} is birds or skeletons with many skulls.  

*One cycle of painting failure (through the use of a {{IL|Weasel of Woe|Appearance= Woesel}}) will cost {{IL|Touching Love Story| 18 x}}. 
<!-- 18 Actions for sourcing-->
** Thus, with our {{IL|Painting: Incendiary|Appearance=Incendiary| 6}} we can choose the payment for {{IL|Painting: Incendiary|Appearance=Incendiary| 4}}, which will give us {{IL|Skeleton with Seven Necks| 1 x}} and 17.5 {{e}} worth of sellable goods.
<!-- 9 Actions painting/travelling to London/selling-->

*We turn to the {{IL|Bone Market}} for a worthy recipe for a {{IL|Skeleton with Seven Necks}}.
**[[Assembling a Skeleton (Guide)/Recipes#Diplomatic Bird|Diplomatic Bird]] recipe:
<!-- 11 Actions recipe-->
***{{IL|Skeleton with Seven Necks}} ✓
*** {{IL|Bright Brass Skull|Appearance=Brass Skulls|7 x}} ✓
**** {{IL|Nevercold Brass Sliver|1400 x}} <!-- 3.68 Actions sourcing--> 
*** {{IL|Wing of a Young Terror Bird|2 x}} (sourced from [[Take the Bishop of Southwark hunting|Hunting in Burrow]] or [[A Composed Composer]]) ✓
<!-- 2 Actions sourcing--> 

* Traveling to the {{IL|The Copper Quarter|Appearance= Khanate}} (requires a {{IL|Khaganian Safe-Conduct}}):
** [[Sell the Diplomat a fossil bird|Sell your Bird to the Diplomat]]. This will gain you {{IL|Assortment of Khaganian Coinage|Appearance=Khaganian Coinage| 1011 x}}.
<!-- 2 Actions disembark/selling -->
* '''Total: 1.91 EpA'''

*This can be further improved through the use of the {{IL|Allow your Inculcating Kraken to engage in commerce|Appearance=Kraken}} method. 
* '''Up to 2.21 EpA'''

''Please note that travel actions were not included for the London - Khanate route''


This is no longer the better method, leaving in place the {{IL|Painting: Incendiary|Appearance=Incendiary| 3}} and {{IL|Painting: Luminosity|Appearance=Luminosity| 3}} option.
* '''At: 3.97 EpA'''

*And further improved through the use the {{IL|Allow your Inculcating Kraken to engage in commerce|Appearance=Kraken}}.
* '''Up to 4.40 EpA'''

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Guides]]