The Whisker-Ways (Guide)

From Fallen London Wiki
Piebalddreamer.png
This guide is incomplete. You can help by expanding it.
What needs work: missing information on strategy, EPA estimates, rare/alternative success frequencies, quality levels for the other main ending of the Premium Story (please report numbers in the comments)

This guide covers the repeatable activities unlocked after completing the Premium Story A Dream of a Thousand Tails. Once you've completed the story, the Whisker-Ways is a permanent location accessible with a free 0-action movement from your Parabolan Base-Camp. This content is FATE-locked, so per this Wiki's Content Policy, the covered content will not otherwise be included on the Wiki, and the guide may contain mechanical descriptions but not narrative content.

Mythopoesis Summary[edit]

The largest part of the permanent content involves creating Rat Stories, which will reward you with items based upon the kind of Story you've created. There are three main steps to each round:

  1. Pick one of three Virtues to base the story on.
  2. Build up Mythic Potential. You'll need at least 50, but these actions also become unavailable if you already have 100 or higher.
  3. Refine your story by adding Heroic Rallies, Inscrutable Twists, and Moralising Developments at the cost of either items or Mythic Potential. If Potential drops below 100, you can go back to the previous step and add more. These options become unavailable if the combined number of Rallies, Twists, and Developments is 20 or higher.
  4. Finish your story and receive your items. This requires at least 50 Mythic Potential and at least 11 combined of Rallies, Twists, and Developments.

Generating Mythic Potential[edit]

Based on the local Airs quality that changes after each action, you'll have access to 3-5 options to generate Mythic Potential. Once you have 100+, you'll be unable to create more this round (unless you spend some in the next step and drop below 100). You'll always have one of the two "general options", and the remaining 2-4 will be based on the Airs as well the Virtue you picked. The rare successes for the general options are about 10% likely, and the others are about 50% likely. (Wiki note: more thorough confirmation required).

Story Icon Challenge and Airs Success Rare Success Failure
General options (always available)
Bazaardoor teeth.png +13 Mythic Potential +18 Mythic Potential +5 Mythic Potential
Generic unterzee4.png +13 Mythic Potential +18 Mythic Potential +5 Mythic Potential
Cunning options
Mirrormonster.png +17 Mythic Potential +21 Mythic Potential -
Evade2.png +17 Mythic Potential +21 Mythic Potential -
Nightmares red.png +22 Mythic Potential +27 Mythic Potential +5 Mythic Potential
Foliageorange.png +25 Mythic Potential -
Invention options
Lawfurnace.png +17 Mythic Potential +21 Mythic Potential -
Tattoo eye hallowmas.png +17 Mythic Potential +21 Mythic Potential -
Mechanism.png +22 Mythic Potential +27 Mythic Potential +5 Mythic Potential
Dawnmachine.png +25 Mythic Potential -
Community options
Chesspiece apocyan.png +17 Mythic Potential +21 Mythic Potential -
Ballotbox.png +17 Mythic Potential +21 Mythic Potential -
Formerlytalkativebearer.png +22 Mythic Potential +27 Mythic Potential +5 Mythic Potential
Crowd2.png +25 Mythic Potential -

Refining Your Story[edit]

Once you have at least 50 Mythic Potential, you can begin adding secondary qualities by spending items or Mythic Potential. If your Mythic Potential drops below 50, you'll have to go back to the previous step to create more before cashing out your Story. The alternate successes are about 50% likely. (Wiki note: more thorough confirmation required).

Story Icon Challenge Consumes Success Alternate Success Failure
Hoofprint.png Mithridacy 9 10 Mythic Potential +3 Moralising Development +4 Moralising Development +1 Moralising Development
Snakehead2.png Dangerous 130 2 x Extraordinary Implication +4 Moralising Development +6 Moralising Development -
Beeface.png Mithridacy 7 1 x Emetic Revelation +8 Moralising Development +9 Moralising Development +1 Moralising Development
Fist2.png Mithridacy 9 10 Mythic Potential +3 Heroic Rally +4 Heroic Rally +1 Heroic Rally
Delirium.png Dangerous 130 2 x Memory of a Much Lesser Self +4 Heroic Rally +6 Heroic Rally -
Currency1 gold.png Mithridacy 7 1 x Magnificent Diamond +8 Heroic Rally +9 Heroic Rally +1 Heroic Rally
Clouds.png Mithridacy 9 10 Mythic Potential +3 Inscrutable Twist +4 Inscrutable Twist +1 Inscrutable Twist
Cross.png Dangerous 130 2 x Mourning Candle +4 Inscrutable Twist +6 Inscrutable Twist -
Map.png Mithridacy 7 1 x Puzzling Map +8 Inscrutable Twist +9 Inscrutable Twist +1 Inscrutable Twist

Payout[edit]

The four qualities pay out separately and don't impact each other at this step. Mythic Potential is worth 0.2 Echoes, and Heroic Rallies, Inscrutable Twists, and Moralising Developments are each worth 2 Echoes. Each quality will pay out as many 12.5 Echo items as it can, and then pay out as many of the lesser items it can, and if anything is remaining will pay out that value in Cryptic Clues on top of the basic 300 that's always received. To summarize:

  1. You'll receive the rewards from one of the Virtue tables (depending upon which one you picked)
  2. You'll also receive rewards from all 3 of the Rallies, Twists, and Developments tables (although if you have 0 of that quality, you receive 0 for that table).

Virtue[edit]

Depending upon the Virtue you picked at the start, and your total Mythic Potential, you will receive the rewards in the corresponding row of the corresponding table:

Myth of Cunning[edit]

Mythic Potential Antique Mystery Extraordinary Implication Cryptic Clue
50-62 0 4 300 + 10 * ( Mythic Potential - 50)
63-74 1 0 305 + 10 * ( Mythic Potential - 63)
75-87 1 1 300 + 10 * ( Mythic Potential - 75)
88-99 1 2 305 + 10 * ( Mythic Potential - 88)
100-112 1 3 300 + 10 * ( Mythic Potential - 100)
113-124 1 4 305 + 10 * ( Mythic Potential - 113)
125-137 2 0 300 + 10 * ( Mythic Potential - 125)

Myth of Invention[edit]

Mythic Potential Bejewelled Lens Volume of Collated Research Cryptic Clue
50-62 0 4 300 + 10 * ( Mythic Potential - 50)
63-74 1 0 305 + 10 * ( Mythic Potential - 63)
75-87 1 1 300 + 10 * ( Mythic Potential - 75)
88-99 1 2 305 + 10 * ( Mythic Potential - 88)
100-112 1 3 300 + 10 * ( Mythic Potential - 100)
113-124 1 4 305 + 10 * ( Mythic Potential - 113)
125-137 2 0 300 + 10 * ( Mythic Potential - 125)

Myth of Community[edit]

Mythic Potential Storm-Threnody Touching Love Story Cryptic Clue
50-62 0 4 300 + 10 * ( Mythic Potential - 50)
63-74 1 0 305 + 10 * ( Mythic Potential - 63)
75-87 1 1 300 + 10 * ( Mythic Potential - 75)
88-99 1 2 305 + 10 * ( Mythic Potential - 88)
100-112 1 3 300 + 10 * ( Mythic Potential - 100)
113-124 1 4 305 + 10 * ( Mythic Potential - 113)
125-137 2 0 300 + 10 * ( Mythic Potential - 125)
note: each row has a range of 12.5, which is 2.5 Echoes, but since you can't receive 0.5 points of Mythic Potential the rows alternate 12 / 13 and some start with 5 Cryptic Clues (0.5 points) that was carried over

Mythic Balance[edit]

You will also receive the rewards from all 3 tables below, although if you have 0 of the corresponding quality you will receive 0 items for that table. The important levels here are 7, 13, 19, and 25 for getting an additional tier-4 item, which is generally the more exciting payout.

Moralising Developments[edit]

Moralising Developments 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Blackmail Material 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2
Scrap of Incendiary Gossip 4 8 12 16 20 24 3 7 11 15 19 23 2 6
Moralising Developments 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Blackmail Material 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4
Scrap of Incendiary Gossip 10 14 18 22 1 5 9 13 17 21 0 4 8 12

Heroic Rallies[edit]

Heroic Rallies 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Direful Reflection 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2
Tale of Terror!! 4 8 12 16 20 24 3 7 11 15 19 23 2 6
Heroic Rallies 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Direful Reflection 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4
Tale of Terror!! 10 14 18 22 1 5 9 13 17 21 0 4 8 12

Inscrutable Twists[edit]

Inscrutable Twists 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Puzzle-Damask Scrap 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2
Journal of Infamy 4 8 12 16 20 24 3 7 11 15 19 23 2 6
Inscrutable Twists 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Puzzle-Damask Scrap 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4
Journal of Infamy 10 14 18 22 1 5 9 13 17 21 0 4 8 12

Strategy[edit]

Rat Myths are quite profitable if you can reliably pass the relevant checks, but because they tend to pay out a variety of items, it's difficult to say they're an efficient way to grind a specific item, as there is usually a better option for that item exclusively. However, whether you just want money, or you want to grind items while 'also' making some money on the side, or you just like making Rat Myths, this carousel could prove worthwhile.

Below are suggested strategies with requirements and, if the goal is not simply to make money, an explanation of why you might pursue them. Strategies that require inputs and don't account for how those inputs may be acquired will probably have higher EPA than is strictly achievable long-term. Most strategies will default to a Myth of Community because a Storm-Threnody will be valued higher than its E 12.50 peers thanks to the Rat Market.

Free Moralising Community[edit]

EPA: ~5.44 (5.05 - 5.83)

This option requires no inputs and pays passably well, but does require high stats.

  1. 1 action: Pick a Myth of Community
  2. 4 actions: 4x Generate 25 Mythic Potential
  3. 4 actions: 4x Pay 10 Mythic Potential for 3-4 Moralising Developments
  4. 1 action: 1x Generate 25 Mythic Potential

This results in 85 Mythic Potential and 12-16 Moralising Developments, paying out:

With an extra 0.2 actions to sell the Threnody to the Rat Market, the profit is (17+2.5+8+28)/10.2 actions = 5.44 EPA.

Memory of a Much Lesser Self Disposal[edit]

EPA: ~5.67 (4.79 - 6.37)

This option assumes you have excess Memories, which are uncommon but otherwise difficult to efficiently liquidate. If you discount their cost because you already have them or accrued them while doing something else, the EPA jumps to 7.98 (but this will usually be a misleadingly high number if used for comparisons).

  1. 1 action: Pick a Myth of Community
  2. 3 actions: 3x Generate 25 Mythic Potential
  3. 2 actions: 2x Pay 2 Memories for 4/6 Heroic Rallies
  4. 0-1 actions: if you are below 11 Heroic Rallies, pay 2 Memories once more for 4/6 Heroic Rallies

This results in 75 Mythic Potential and 12-16 Heroic Rallies, paying out:

With an extra 0.2 actions to sell the Threnody to the Rat Market, the profit is 0.75*(17+2.5+6+28.66-15)/7.2 actions + 0.25*(17+2.5+6+24-10)/6.2 actions= 5.67 EPA.

Making Waves[edit]

MW/A: 10

This option requires end-game levels of advanced stats, and generates Making Waves by using Bejewelled Lens to have Dinner in your Room on the Lodgings card, which will gain an average of +70 CP Making Waves.

While it is possible to get two Bejewelled Lens per cycle, it requires spending additional actions to generate and spend Mythic Potential, as well as an alternate success on an airs-dependent option at the end of the cycle. In short, if your main goal is to obtain Bejewelled Lenses for Making Waves, it is a better use of actions to aim for one Lens per cycle.

Minimising the actions spent per cycle also requires the use of a 12.5E input item of your choice (Emetic Revelations, Magnificent Diamonds, or Puzzling Maps), that players with end-game stats will hopefully have in surplus already.

  1. 1 action: Pick Myth of Invention
  2. 3 actions: 3x Generate 25 Mythic Potential
  3. 1 action: Generate 3-4 points of Mythic Balance (Mithridacy 9 check, costs 10 points of Mythic Potential)
  4. 1 action: Generate 8-9 points of Mythic Balance (Mithridacy 7 check, 12.5E item input)

This totals 6 actions to generate 65 points of Mythic Potential and 12 points on average of Mythic Balance. This pays out as 1 Bejewelled Lens, 325 Cryptic Clues, 1 12.5E item and 23 0.5E items, with the exact mix depending on your choice of flavour of Mythic Balance.

Including the additional action used to convert the Bejewelled Lens into Making Waves, and ignoring action or Echo costs for Parabola entry or Scandal reduction, this is a total of 7 actions for 70.5CP of Making Waves, and 30.5 Echoes (with a 12.5E input).

This comes out to 10CP MW/A and 2.57 EPA.

One-Action Content[edit]

There are also a few actions available that generally pay out 2.50 worth of items, and require no input except a single action. This is unlikely to be an optimal grind, but it does offer a fair amount of flavourful text. The last option is unlocked at the conclusion of A Dream of a Thousand Tails, with the result and associated reward change based on that story's ending. Also pay special attention to the Reliquary option's airs-based results: 10 in total!

Story Icon Challenge Success Alt Success Failure Alt Failure
Chambersoftheheart.png Luck 50% 1 x Mourning Candle 1 x Vienna Opening 5 x Memory of Light 250 x Jade Fragment
Ratofglory.png 1 x Glass Gazette
Reliquary.png 1 x Apostate's Psalm
Parabola.png 1 x Extraordinary Implication
Mrcheese.png 100+  1 x Mourning Candle
Retrieved from "https://fallenlondon.wiki/w/index.php?title=The_Whisker-Ways_(Guide)&oldid=1287908"