Editing Christmas (Guide)

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:'''''The winds are wild, the lacre deep. The snarling stones arise from sleep. The Fifth's tales may exalt the suns, but never hope to halt what comes.'''''

Each December, false-snow covers the city, a mysterious hooded figure stalks the streets demanding gifts, and a passageway opens to a sundered sea in the heart of the Bazaar.

For an overview of the items available at Christmas, see [[Christmas (Guide)/Item Comparison]].

Merry Christmas.

==Advent==
Beginning from the 1st of December, rewards become available in a dedicated storylet, one a day at around noon UTC. Each reward is available until 1st January, but the reward is better on the day it becomes available. The rewards each day can range from [[Completely Unassuming Palaeontological Accessory|useful]] [[Plate of Scandalously-Buttered Scones|equipment]] to [[Sky-Story|rare]] [[Magnificent Feast|items]], but consistently include among their number a level of {{IL|Putting the Pieces Together: the Taste of Lacre}} and an {{IL|Unusual Pail of So-Called Snow}} - these will come in useful later.

From early December (usually noon UTC on the second Monday or Tuesday of the month) through to the 6th of January, each [[Time, the Healer]] will bring [[SNOWBOUND!|a snow-drift to cover your door]] if you have [[Your Lodgings|lodgings]], preventing you from accessing them. You can [[Clear the path yourself]], [[Pay urchins to clear the path]] or [[Clear the paths of others, then your own]]; each will give you an {{IL|Unusual Pail of So-Called Snow}}. Alternatively, you may pay {{FontFate}} to have a Master of the Bazaar clear out your path, which will get you [[Incarnadine Fur Robe|a quite different reward]].

===Cards===
During this time period, [[Time, the Healer]] will also increase the number of {{IL|Potential Christmas Card}}s you have up to 7; each card may be sent to an acquaintance to reduce one of their menaces and grant them some Second Chances. You will receive your first 7 cards on the 1st from the Advent Calendar.

===Buying and Selling===
During the Advent period, and up until late January, you can buy more [[Unusual Pail of So-Called Snow|Unusual Pails of So-Called Snow]] from [[The Roof-Tops: Urchins]] for {{IL|Storm-Threnody|7 x}} and {{IL|Night-Whisper|1 x}}. <strong>You must have {{IL|Putting the Pieces Together: the Taste of Lacre}} in order to purchase the pail.</strong>

In what is definitely just a coincidence, owners of [[Key to a Brass Embassy Guest Room|lodgings at the Brass Embassy]] can use [[The Western Tower: a Guest Room at the Brass Embassy|its card]] to sell their soul for {{IL|Storm-Threnody|7 x}} and {{IL|Night-Whisper|1 x}}.


==Mr Sacks==
''A more detailed guide to Mr. Sacks is located at [[12 Days of Mr Sacks (Guide)]]''

Over the twelve days from the 25th to the 5th, a series of pinned storylets will appear. Each storylet (bar the fourth) is a visit from Mr Sacks, a mysterious hooded figure who demands gifts.

On the [[Day 4: What's the angle?|fourth day]], you can spend {{FontFate}} to investigate Mr Sacks with one of 9 factions. Each investigation continues over the rest of the visits, with some concluding during the visits and some ending in [[Penstock's Wicket]]; each gives some lore and a reward at the end.

If you are investigating on behalf of The Widow, The Duchess or Docks '''you will require an additional 5 ToL to claim your final reward during [[Penstock's Wicket]]'''.

{{:12 Days of Mr Sacks (Guide)/Investigation rewards}}

==Incarnadine Fur Robes==
If you spend {{FontFate}} to have the Masters clear your snow for you, you will receive an Incarnadine Fur Robe instead of a pail of "snow". A robe can then be traded in for one of the following special items, some of which are best (or worst) in slot. Highlighted items have one of the non-highlighted items as a prerequisite; see {{IL|Incarnadine Fur Robe}} for specifics.

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==The Wicket and The Sea==
On the 5th of January, [[Penstock's Wicket]] opens to those who have experienced all of Mr Sacks' visits. If your {{IL|Putting the Pieces Together: the Taste of Lacre}} is at least 3, you may descend from the Wicket to [[A Sundered Sea]] in the Bazaar's heart. Here, {{IL|Putting the Pieces Together: the Taste of Lacre}} can be traded for various rewards:
*With at least 3 levels, 1 level can be traded for a variety of random rewards by [[Take the air|taking the air]] or [[Search the shore|searching the shore]]
* 3 levels can be traded for a remote address ([[Key to a Dripstone-Snared Temple|the Temple]], [[Key to the Old Newgate Cellars|the Pit]] and [[Key to a Zee-Znail Retreat|the Shell]]), 3-card lodgings where City Vices cards will not be drawn
*If you have at least 6 levels, then 5 levels can be traded for a {{IL|Soothe & Cooper Long-Box}}, which can be sold to the Bazaar for 62.5{{e}} or to zailors for 50{{e}}, 3 {{IL|Favours: The Docks}} and a special quality
*If you have a 4-cards lodging, at least 3 {{IL|Notability}} and meet some other conditions, between 7 and 9 levels can be traded (along with the {{IL|Notability}}) to upgrade the 4-card lodging to a 5-card lodging
*You can also create a '''[[Noman]]''', a short-lived being formed of lacre and a little of yourself. The cost of creating a Noman rises rapidly over time, starting out at 3 levels and ending up at 15. A Noman can be taught about the world - or have its life extended at great cost - via [[Noman's Progress|an opportunity card]]. If it learns enough, it can reveal an {{IL|Elemental Secret}} before it dies. If it lives long enough you may [[The Face in the Snow tattoo|receive a tattoo]] [[An Incident: Get a private tattoo of your noman|to commemorate it]]; if you want to attempt this (very difficult) task, consult '''[[Noman Tattoo (Guide)]]'''.

[[Putting the Pieces Together: the Taste of Lacre|PtPT:tToL]] can also be spent on extending a Noman's life on its card, or in [[The Cave of the Nadir]] via [[The Catafalquerie]] on {{IL|Vial of Tears of the Bazaar}}.

The Wicket closes on the fourth Friday of January at about 9 am UTC.

==But How Do I Get Enough [[Putting the Pieces Together: the Taste of Lacre|Taste of Lacre]] to Buy What I Want?==
Although you can get up to 6 levels of [[Putting the Pieces Together: the Taste of Lacre]] for free, this isn't enough to get the most expensive things available. This is where the {{IL|Unusual Pail of So-Called Snow|Appearance=Unusual Pails of So-Called Snow}} come in useful; they have a variety of options that allow you to gain more [[Putting the Pieces Together: the Taste of Lacre|Taste of Lacre]], the best of which are:
*[[Scent your pillow with it]], which has a 60% chance of granting 1 level up to a maximum of [[Putting the Pieces Together: the Taste of Lacre|Taste of Lacre]] 4. This requires [[Zeefaring]]
*[[Dip a soul in it]], which will grant 1 level up to a maximum of [[Putting the Pieces Together: the Taste of Lacre|Taste of Lacre]] 5
*[[Mix it with an old wine]], which has a 40% chance of granting 1 level up to a maximum of [[Putting the Pieces Together: the Taste of Lacre|Taste of Lacre]] 6
*[[Examine it through your Semiotic Monocle]], a [[Narrow]] {{IL|A Scholar of the Correspondence}} 6 check. On success, it grants 3 levels '''provided you have at most 5 levels beforehand'''
*[[Feed it to a Wild Boar]], a {{IL|Dangerous}} 200 check which requires a {{IL|Dreadful Surmise}} (not consumed). On success, it grants 1 level up to 16. This is an excellent time to use [[Hard-Earned Lesson|Hard-Earned Lessons]], as they let you preserve the pail on a failure.
On both success and failure, each of these options (and all the other options to use a pail) will consume the pail.

Provided you already have some [[Putting the Pieces Together: the Taste of Lacre|Taste of Lacre]] and a {{IL|Vial of Tears of the Bazaar}}, you may [[Warm your Tears of the Bazaar]] to gain [[Putting the Pieces Together: the Taste of Lacre|Taste of Lacre]] up to 11, at risk of losing the Vial altogether.

The usual best path depends on how expensive your next goal is, and usually requires [[Examine it through your Semiotic Monocle]] assuming that you have high enough Scholar of the Correspondence and Dangerous. If you want several things, it may be best to make several trips starting with your most expensive option to get the most out of your Pails (spending your Taste of Lacre lets you use the +3 Monocle option again). If you need to make several trips, '''remember to buy your Pails first''', since [["'Ere, you! D'you want this?"|that action]] requires still having at least 1 Taste of Lacre. Follow these steps until you reach your most expensive goal, and repeat once you need more Taste of Lacre for your next goal:
#If you have between 0-2 Taste of Lacre, [[Examine it through your Semiotic Monocle]] (+3)
#If you have between 3-4 Taste of Lacre, [[Dip a soul in it]] (+1) or use Days of Sacksmas.
#If you have exactly 5 Taste of Lacre, [[Examine it through your Semiotic Monocle]] (+3)
#If your target is 9 or higher, either warm your {{IL|Vial of Tears of the Bazaar|Appearance=Tears of the Bazaar}} (stops working at 11), [[Feed it to a Wild Boar]] (stops working at 16), or use uncapped Taste of Lacre from the Days of Sacksmas.  Fortunately nothing requires more than 15 Taste of Lacre (so far), so you can reach any target if you're prepared to buy enough Pails.

If you don't mind using (and possibly losing) Tears, it's better to [[Examine it through your Semiotic Monocle|Examine the Monocle]] twice (0 to 6) and then [[Warm your Tears of the Bazaar|Warm your Tears]] up to 11 Taste of Lacre. This strategy is especially useful for [["Help me. I beg you."|increasing the durability of your Noman]] to get the most out of your Pails. 

As none of the (optimal) Sacks or Advent sources of [[Putting the Pieces Together: the Taste of Lacre|Taste of Lacre]] have a cap, it is advisable to try and use Pails before these sources, though obviously this isn't always possible. Deciding in advance exactly what you want from the Wicket and planning out your [[Putting the Pieces Together: the Taste of Lacre|Taste of Lacre]] gains accordingly is highly advisable. Some more advice on how to do this can be found [https://community.failbettergames.com/t/christmas-in-the-neath-a-guide/14603 here].

===Other Uses for Pails===
If you are a Correspondent, then [[Write a monograph on it...in it]] can be a good but expensive source of {{IL|A Scholar of the Correspondence}} (up to level 15). If you don't yet have a Destiny, then [[The Oracle of the Lintel]] will allow you to gain one at the cost of a pail; see [[Destinies (Guide)]] for more information.

[[Category:Guides]]
[[Category:Christmas]]