Talk:Ambition: Nemesis 10: to the tomb-colonies?/@comment-6042046-20130716190809/@comment-6042046-20130717212405

Ambition: Nemesis 9 - Forgotten Quarter 5 isn't integral to the story (except as an in-game hint of where to go next). It doesn't raise or lower any story qualities. It does seem to be constantly visible after you unlock it; I'm near the end of the current content boundary (haven't visited the Iron Republic yet) and the storylet is still in the FQ!

I also reached Ambition: Nemesis 9 - the Shuttered Palace 4 before preparation and digestion of the red honey.

This is how my Nemesis alt navigated the Cage-Garden portion: - Ambition: Nemesis 9 - the Shuttered Palace 5 - the Cage-Garden (entered the Cage-Garden) - Allow yourself to be shown the cages (decided to hear the keeper's explanation of the place first) - Ambition: Nemesis 9 - the Shuttered Palace 6 - the Cage-Garden (faced with the decision to ignore the prisoners' plight as to continue questioning the keeper, or to immediately knock the keeper unconscious in order to aid the prisoners) <-- this seems to be the pivotal Nemesis level 10 or 11 moment - Strike the Cage-keeper down! (struck that fool down like a bad habit; Nemesis is set to 10 and stays at 10 throughout the course of freeing the caged prisoners) - Ambition: Nemesis 10: to the tomb-colonies? (since I KO'ed the keeper, I couldn't question him; my character doesn't get confirmation of the connection between Scathewick, Carrywell and the tomb-colonies till this storylet comes along)

If Nemesis level 11 represents confirmation of Carrywell's ties, then I took the long route from 9.

The description for option Question the Simpering Cage-keeper says your thoughts are "All this is very well, but what about Scathewick? Can you bring the conversation round to the man you're hunting?" which means you don't care much or at all about the Cage-Garden and its inhabitants. You want to be in and out quick. Once the keeper tells you what he knows of Scathewick and Carrywell, you obtain Nemesis 11. The quality allows you to immediately leave the Garden, the Palace, and then to rush to Wolfstack Docks to board a ship for Venderbight. There is no need to pound the keeper or free the prisoners once you learn the keeper's knowledge; you can progress with your ambition without doing either of those things. That's the short route.

Some players finished their conversation amiably with the Cage-keeper and strolled out of the Palace to board the first ship to Venderbight. They progressed just fine. The option to strike down the keeper (and consequently free the caged) still remains open to them, though it isn't a necessary story step.