Welcome back, Gravedigger! If Part 6 was about unlocking new abilities (Alchemy and Fishing), Part 7 is about turning those unlocks into political power and royal connections. We’re finally going to deliver that medicine, start the critical Wine Quest for the Inquisitor, and begin the long, gruesome grind for the Rat’s underground ritual.
This is where the game’s main storyline really starts moving!
Summary
This part focuses on activating the major Royal NPC quests that have been blocked, using the items and technology unlocked previously. You will:
| Progress Checkpoint | Key Action | What You Unlock |
|---|---|---|
| Merchant Approval | Deliver Spices (Remedy) to the Merchant | Royal Stamp of Approval and access to Trade Blessings |
| Royal Sermons | Preach the Commercial Blessing | Trade Blessing Certificates and fast NPC reputation gains |
| Wine Quest Begins | Speak to the Inquisitor and accept the Wine request | Unlocks Astrologer and Gypsy Baron progression |
| Gold Star Wine | Produce Tier 3 Fertilizer and Gold Star Grapes | High-quality Wine required for Inquisitor events |
| Winery Setup | Build Wine Press and Wine Barrels | Grape Juice aging into Wine |
| Rat’s Ritual Grind | Gather Skulls, decorations, and cemetery upgrades | Progress toward the Infinite Notebook |
| Church Expansion | Increase Cemetery Quality to +20 | Access to Massive Prayer of Gold |
Step-by-Step
Time to climb the social ladder, one royal delivery at a time!
Phase 1: The Merchant’s Approval and Royal Stamps
The first priority is delivering the Spices you crafted at the end of Part 6 (Solution of Life + Salt).
- Deliver the Remedy: On the next Orange Day (Wednesday), talk to the Merchant and give him the Spices you created.
- Milestone: The Merchant will give you a Royal Stamp of Approval and ask for an even more potent remedy.
- New Quest (Vine/Inquisitor Tie-in): The Merchant reveals that his wine production is the source of his wealth and asks you to help him deliver the upcoming Wine to the Inquisitor (who is located on the Hill of Witches).
- Sermon Strategy: Now that you have a Royal Stamp, use your next sermon day (White Day/Sunday) to preach the Commercial Blessing sermon.
- Tip: After the sermon, the Royal Stamp is consumed, but it grants you a massive +10 Friendship with the NPC of your choice when you give them the resulting Trade Blessing Certificate! Use this on a difficult NPC like the Astrologer or the Inquisitor.
Phase 2: The Inquisitor and the Wine Quest
The Wine Quest is the single most important roadblock in the mid-game, as it connects the Merchant, the Inquisitor, the Astrologer, and the Gypsy Baron.
- Meet the Inquisitor: On the next Red Day (Saturday), talk to the Inquisitor on the Hill of Witches. He confirms he needs high-quality wine for his upcoming event.
- The Gold Star Grapes: The Inquisitor requires 10 Gold Star Quality Wine. This means you need Gold Star Grapes.
Decision: This is the time to commit to making Tier 3 Fertilizer (Quality 3).
Technology: Head to the Technology Tree (Nature & Farming) and unlock the following: Compost Tier 2 and Compost Tier 3. - Creating Tier 3 Fertilizer:
Compost Tier 2: Combine Tier 1 Fertilizer + Water (in a Compost Pile).
Compost Tier 3: Combine Tier 2 Fertilizer + Salt (collected from cremation) + Ash (collected from cremation).
Action: Start applying the Tier 3 Fertilizer to your Grape plots. This guarantees Gold Star quality harvest. - Setting up the Winery:
Construction: Build the Wine Press and the Wine Barrel in a convenient location (likely near your farm or the church cellar).
Action: When your Grapes are ready, use the Wine Press to make Grape Juice, and then place the juice in the Wine Barrel to age into Wine.
Phase 3: Rat’s Ritual and Skeleton Decoration Grind
The Rat’s quest to fix his ceremonial area is a massive grind, but it’s essential for getting the Infinite Notebook (a key endgame item).
- Review the List: The Rat requires a huge amount of decorations, including up to 24 Skull Pillars and Crucifixes.
- Skulls are Life (and Blue Points): This is the time to start processing every body for its skull and its flesh to make useful materials (like Brain and Fat).
Technology: If you haven’t yet, unlock the high-tier decoration technologies in the Theology tab (Church Decorations). - Cemetery Upgrade: Focus on creating high-quality tombstones (Marble, Iron Fences) to push your Cemetery Quality to +20. This unlocks the ability to use the Massive Prayer of Gold (a high-tier sermon for maximizing profit).
- The Grind Strategy: Every time a corpse arrives, extract Brain, Intestines, and Heart for Science/Alchemy, extract the Skull for the Rat’s decoration quest, extract the Bone (needed for Cement, which is needed for high-tier upgrades), and cremate the remaining body (if red-skull quality) to get Salt and Ash for Fertilizer.
Phase 4: Advancing the Main Story Loops
Several quests are currently blocked, but starting the Wine Quest helps clear them out.
- Astrologer / Miller Loop: The Miller’s quest (to fix the mill for the Farmer) is blocked by a complicated Latin manual that only the Astrologer can read.
Strategy: Use the Trade Blessing Certificate (from your Commercial Sermon) to instantly boost the Astrologer’s friendship and give him the manual on the next Purple Day.
Milestone: Once the Astrologer helps the Miller, the Farmer will let his daughter Alissa join the Charmer’s show. - Gypsy Baron / Inquisitor Loop: The Gypsy Baron is blocked until the Inquisitor frees his captive.
Strategy: Once you deliver the Gold Star Wine to the Inquisitor, he will grant you a favor, allowing you to free the captive and continue the Gypsy Baron’s quest line (Esmeralda/Astrologer’s family).
Useful Tips
- Prioritize Tier 3 Fertilizer: The Gold Star Wine is mandatory for the Inquisitor. Don’t waste time making lower-quality wine; focus all your farming energy on creating enough Tier 3 Fertilizer immediately.
- The Inquisitor’s Event: The Inquisitor’s Wine event occurs every few Red Days (Saturdays). Ensure you have enough Gold Star Wine ready for delivery or you will delay the entire main story.
- The Power of Salt: Salt, collected from cremation, is critical for both the Spices (Remedy) and Tier 3 Fertilizer. Make sure you are regularly cremating high-red-skull corpses to keep your supply stocked.
- Massive Prayer Sermon: Once your cemetery hits Quality +20, focus on building simple decoration items inside the church (Candles, Benches) to push the Church Quality score up. This allows you to successfully preach the Massive Prayer of Gold for huge profit.
What Comes Next in Part 8
Part 8 will see the payoff of all this hard work! The focus will be on:
- Delivering the Gold Star Wine to the Inquisitor and unblocking the Gypsy Baron quest.
- Completing the Miller/Farmer/Charmer quest line after the Astrologer deciphers the manual.
- The first major expansion of the Church using the accumulated Faith.
- Advancing the Rat’s Ritual by installing the grotesque decorations he requires.
