Threads Of Destiny(Eastern Fantasy, Sequel to Forge of Destiny)

Voted best in category in the Users' Choice awards.
to adjust the her bow
her bow, or the bow


and the shadow around her feet stirred, churning silently like a pool of ink
and I dont know what came over me (had to reread from the start) that up until this point, I had thought that it was Xuilan who was with us in the room. Maybe I have been blinded by how rare the apperance of Best!Snek is, and mine eyes were yet unprepared for such wonders.

[X] Liang He, Disciple 790

Straight up brawl! Lets see how good our setup really is.
 
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[X] Liang He, Disciple 790

Let's see how our recent advances and discussion about tactics and build dynamics shakes out.
 
Hey, while I actually agree with challenging Liang He, I just want to say there's no real point in hiding your power to a large degree in this system.

Let's say you're challenged and you can go "OH YOU SPRUNG MY TRAP, RANDOM CHALLENGER, ENJOY LOSING TO A THRESHOLD GREEN. YOUR 6 CP IS MINE BWHAHAHAHA."

Why?



Like, what did they gain out of that? If they're hiding their power for an intel advantage on some specific target, they blew it retaining ONE rank. If there was some specific benefit to hiding their power, then it won't be over rank challenges from below. They probably plan on challenging up to the 500-600s where disciples have been hoarding CP and CP-making-jobs for a generation and can actually afford to refuse challenges regularly. In that case, deliberately sliding a rank to keep your secret is correct. You don't care if you're 795 or 797, you care that your planned challenge to 530 will work out before 530 gets wind that you're actually stronger than them.

And like, EVEN THEN, it doesn't really make sense that 530 would refuse a challenge either, unless the very top ranks are very differentiated and sliding a rank in the top 30 of the 500+ inner sect actually matters. The system is set up so this "bwhahaha I was hiding my true strength" is actually bullshit.



It might be most relevant in the top 500 of the sect where they're competing over the right to become a Core Disciple, I guess. If the system up there is largely the same then I'm skeptical, but I could see it in the very top ranks. Maybe.


e: If you wanted to win a lot of challenges from below, the correct play would be to have a very diverse skill set, so the Elders pick a set of offered challenges that the challengers don't expect. You might look weak on paper for duels, but you are secretly a decent Formations expert, skilled in Calligraphy, have tamed wild Spirit Beasts, and can cook a mean Pill, and no one knows about your 1000 skills. That would actually work for a while in drawing challenges.
 
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[X] Liang He, Disciple 790

Since we haven't resolved our cultivation problem there's no way I'd want to challenge an opponent specializing in emotion manipulating arts right now. Plus I want to see what our dueling skills are like right now.
 
[X] Liang He, Disciple 790

Perhaps gay marriage is only really common in other parts of the Empire, or a gay couple having children is a little more difficult than I've made it out to be, leading to it being more uncommon and this society and thus too politically messy to get any official recognition. Now that I say that, I feel like this has come up before, but I don't really remember where...
It's probably more difficult than you think. This is a story so we see lots of high-level cultivators because nobody* cares about the scrubs.

Let's say Cyan+ cultivators can manage this. Except the vast majority of cultivators never reach Cyan. In fact most never even reach Green! This means only a tiny fraction of all cultivators, themselves a fraction of all humans in the Empire**, are capable of achieving this.

If only .01%*** of the population can do X it's plausible that society doesn't think X is normal. Not guaranteed since Cyan+ are the rulers, but at least plausible.

*except Su Ling
**Don't forget mortals exist! :)
***or whatever really small percentage it actually is
 
I just want to say there's no real point in hiding your power to a large degree in this system.
its the Tiers thats important. If the one you are challenging doesnt know you have X skill...trump card, then they cant defend against it or make preparations to negate or avoid said trump card.

And on trump cards, most any of the Arts or hidden jumps in cultivations here are pretty significant trump cards since they apply to a wider variety than just for battle, and that increase in cultivation if kept secret enough, could give someone time to properly solidify their position so they can jump tiers and then hold that fort till you are ready for another increase in cultivation.


Basically, the system might seemingly favor varied skill, but the challengers must trick the challenged into picking trapped choices or else get stuck being a one trick pony.


Imagine if you will, someone being challenged by rank 790. Unless you can stomp him, you would definately never choose a head on fight. But, what if the choice you pick is something disciple 790 happened to have a trup card on?

Thing to remember, is that the Elders choose the choices. Meaning they will only reasonably pick those where the challenger has either a chance to win, or enough skill they think they can use to win.
 
the 500-600s where disciples have been hoarding CP and CP-making-jobs for a generation and can actually afford to refuse challenges regularly.
Even with deep CP reserves, refusing challenges regularly is a sure wait to squander your wealth. Sure, they might be able to refuse a challenge or ten, but that means lots of lost CP. At best, they can earn back the lost CP by regularly doing missions, but at that point you've got people dumping serious amounts of time and effort merely to avoid a challenge.
 
While I think that is unlikely that the illusionist is sandbagging, though u do agree that if anyone can pull that off a Lake Illusionist specialist can, that's not why I'm going for the dueliat.

I just want to show that we can hang with the big boys in a fight.

[X] Liang He, Disciple 790

Wonder if there's ever going to be a battle where only spirit beast participate. Zhengui would dominate I bet.

The only people that would choose that challenge against someone known to have a Green Xuan Wu would be some sort of pet specialist, so I don't think it would be that one sided.
 
[X] Liang He, Disciple 790

Wow, what a contentious vote. It's really coming down to the wire here. No discernable lead on either side.
 
So. Our second challenge. I was curious in how our better perception would translate in quality of intelligence so i went out of my way to quote intel. of both.
First.
Disciple 804: Mou Shuang
Age 17 Cultivation Green 1/Bronze 1
Elements: Wind/Water
A quiet and unassuming young man, polite to a fault and seemingly well regarded by other disciples. Sociable, seen mingling with other disciples regularly, spoken to by Gu Xiulan, who agrees with the assessment. Scion of an emerald seas baronial clan. Member of the Sect's scout forces. Specialties lie in reconnaissance and infiltration. Generally regarded as a weak duelist, those who have worked with him nonetheless value his contributions. Primarily uses spiritual arts and unarmed fighting style. Is known to have a bound spirit of the third realm fused with his shadow.

Statblock
Qi: C25
Combat Perception: B20
Phys Hit: C25
Spirit Pen. B

Disciple 807: Xu Zhen
Age 17 Cultivation Green 1/ Bronze 1
Elements: Metal/Earth
Youngest son of a Emerald Seas baron. Dour and unsociable personality, but dutiful and punctual to a fault. Is easily flustered, according to Gu Xiulan. Known for creating and using single use defensive talismans as part of his personal fighting style, as well as regularly helping with upkeep of the Sects defensive wardings. Fights primarily using a staff, and is known particularly for his ability to unravel the trickery of spirits.

Statblock
Combat perception: B
Phys Armor: C20
Spirit Armor: B15
Phys Hit: C20

Disciple 812: Yu Nuan
Age 16 Cultivation Green 1/Bronze 1
Elements: Fire/Wind (music?)
A taciturn and violent girl, surrounded by ill rumor. Member of the previous years graduating class, entering at the bottom of the rankings as a second realm. Either common born or the child of a common cultivator, rumor is unsure. Briefly spotted in the archive by Li Suyin, in the bestiaries section. Practices musical arts with large five stringed lute. Generally considered loud and vulgar in her compositions. No known bound spirits

Statblock
Health: B
Speed: C25, Init. B
Phys Hit: B10
Spirit Hit: C25
Second
[] Liang He, Disciple 790
Seventeen years old. First third realm cultivator from a soldiers family in emerald seas. Primarily a swordsman. Humble and dutiful in most respects, he is known for taking a great deal of pride in his dueling ability.

Cultivation Green2/Bronze2

Qi: B15
Initiative: B5
Phys Hit: B35
Phys. Avoid: B25 Phys. Armor C2
Sp Avoid: B10 Sp. Armor: C12

Primary Elements: Wind, Fire, Heaven

Spirit Beast: Azure Inferno Falcon
Green1/Bronze 1
Primary Elements: Wind, Fire [/SPOILER]
[] Yu Jiu, Disciple 794
Eighteen years old, daughter of a minor family from the imperial capital. Seems to have stagnated somewhat in the last year, her cultivation not advancing much. Known to heavily favor illusions and emotion manipulating arts.

Green2/Bronze 2
Health C25
Speed: C10
Spiritual Hit: B30
Phys Avoid: C10
Sp. Avoid: B5 Sp Armor: B30

Primary Elements: Lake, Heaven, Water

Spirit Beast: Unknown Species/ Incorporeal
Green 1/Bronze 1

Primary elements: Lake[/SPOILER]
Ok. Lets see...
1)In Intel.1 we have information on 3 targets (instead of two) and more background information. It may seem confusing but this month we used 1AP on Challenge Research instead of 2AP like month before, so it make sense that we got less number of targets and background information. Good to know.
2)As expected in intel.2 we have more information from Statblocks - 6-7 stats per target instead of 4-5 like before, so it's easy to see advantage of high Perception. Also it's not said anywhere in our Character Sheet what type of Perception our AM derived ability is using i am almost sure that, at least, for challenges it's Social. Too much increase in potency for it too be Combat.

P.S.:Also. It wasn't my goal, but i have to admit that our new targets surprisingly stronger than before, not so much from their stats, but from the fact that both of them full Cultivation Rank higher and both have Spirit Beasts and they are just 10-22 ranks apart from targets of our previous challenge. Interesting, though i don't have much answer as to why except that they are in a more potent Tier with higher income and higher quality vent. Maybe someone else in thread will have better understanding than me...
 
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So. Our second challenge. I was curious in how our better perception would translate in quality of intelligence so i went out of my way to quote intel. of both.
First.

Second

Ok. Lets see...
1)In Intel.1 we have information on 3 targets (instead of two) and more background information. It may seem confusing but this month we used 1AP on Challenge Research instead of 2AP like month before, so it make sense that we got less number of targets and background information. Good to know.
2)As expected in intel.2 we have more information from Statblocks - 6-7 stats per target instead of 4-5 like before, so it's easy to see advantage of high Perception. Also it's not said anywhere in our Character Sheet what type of Perception our AM derived ability is using i am almost sure that, at least, for challenges it's Social. Too much increase in potency for it too be Combat.

P.S.:Also. It wasn't my goal, but i have to admit that our new targets surprisingly stronger than before, not so much from their stats, but from the fact that both of them full Cultivation Rank higher and both have Spirit Beasts and they are just 10-22 ranks apart from targets of our previous challenge. Interesting, though i don't have much answer as to why. Maybe someone else in thread will have better understanding than me...

No idea either, I felt that yrsillar did it to give us a challenge, at the same time I feel that something is not right with how rank works. It even indicated that Foundation people start appearing at 770 which to me sound too low. I think there are still a few Appraisal in a rank higher than 770 and are in fact more common there than Foundation but eh, I'm just guessing. Might be just a coincidence that we happen upon two Appraisals instead of Early.
 
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our new targets surprisingly stronger than before, not so much from their stats, but from the fact that both of them full Cultivation Rank higher and both have Spirit Beasts and they are just 10-22 ranks apart from targets of our previous challenge. Interesting, though i don't have much answer as to why. Maybe someone else in thread will have better understanding than me


I was thinking of that too, and here's my thoughts on the matter.

If I had to guess, a LOT of the 700 and maybe even 600s are in Foundation, waiting for greater Insights or just looking through Arts making Domain decisions.

Since most of the <850s are Yellow, this would put a slide right about where we are where strength changes pretty quick and people move quickly.
 
Ling Qi eyed the stand she had purchased, and reached up to adjust the her bow so that it hung properly on the hook.

"It is unusual for you to engage in vanity," Meizhen said from behind her, sounding faintly amused.

"I'm not so poor that I have to recycle anything that isn't immediately useful," Ling Qi pointed out wryly. She still felt a faint wonder at that if she was honest. She turned away from the stand to look at her friend. They were in Ling Qi's bedroom, and Meizhen was seated on her bed, watching her work. Earlier, they had been in town along with Xiulan browsing the Inner Sect's craft's market, where the Sect sold the disciples more mundane work. "I still enjoy archery, but I'm not exactly going to be pulling it out in a fight or a duel any time soon, so it can sit here, in case I get invited onto some fancy hunt or something."

"I suppose your usual methods would rather defeat the point of such games,"
The bow did good work.
We're past using it, but a decoration isn't so bad a fate!

Meizhen replied serenely, glancing across the still near empty room. "Have you done any practice with more traditional weapons?"

Ling Qi sighed, looking away. "...Not really," she admitted somewhat sheepishly. "I had intended to work with Lady Cai on that but…"

"She is rather busy," Meizhen replied with a frown. "The tasks and pace of cultivation she has set for herself are…"

"Pretty strenuous," Ling Qi admitted. She had started to become slightly concerned when her liege had actually been a full minute late to their first spar after her recent spate of cultivation. Cai Renxiang was usually frighteningly punctual. She knew the girl was spending a great deal of time arranging and holding meetings with a wide array of Inner Disciples, on top of keeping a cultivation schedule that had even raised Ling Qi's eyebrows a little, due to its strictness. "Of course, I don't really have much room to talk."
Ling Qi saying its 'pretty strenous' is basically anyone else saying "murderous".
"Right, you spent a whole morning engaging in nonessential social activity, you lay about," Sixiang teased, their voice emanating from inside Ling Qi's wardrobe. "I still can't believe you still only have two gowns."

Meizhen glanced toward the sound of the muses voice, and the shadow around her feet stirred, churning silently like a pool of ink. "...I can hardly speak against such practices myself," Meizhen admitted.

...oh god thats where she gets the "Only One Dress" from.

"At least we're all making good progress," Ling Qi said with somewhat forced cheer. Meizhen had reached the Foundation level of Green, even if her physical cultivation wasn't there yet. From the little she had seen of her liege the other girl would likely be finishing her own rise by the end of the month. The gap between them was narrowing, but it was still there.
This whole bunch is cultivating monsters
"Ling Qi had an attack of the sentiments, it was good to see!" Sixiang replied for her, now seemingly speaking from just above her shoulder.
Well, Sixiang is certainly enjoying being able to talk.

Meizhen gave her, or rather, the air just above her head a flat look. "...I am attempting to learn from my aunt. Aunt Suzhen wishes to strengthen our bonds with other clans. Tao Gong reaches above his station, but it is likely that in a few years things might be arranged that he marry into one of the lesser branches in exchange for other considerations. His overtures remain in the realm of politeness, and so my own behavior must remain in the same."

Ling Qi grimaced, already she had begun to field leading questions regarding her own status in such matters, and she was very much not looking forward to when she would have to start giving such things serious consideration. Still, a question lingered in her thoughts. "You know, how are things likely to work out for you regarding engagement?" She asked quietly. Sixiang remained thankfully silent.

Given her knowledge of Meizhen's preferences, she was unsurprised at the unhappy look which crossed Meizhen's face. "It will be one of my cousins in the first branch I suppose, once the clans elders have decided which pairings will not result in bloodline sickness. The Imperial Family is unlikely to offer invitation, the Cai have no candidates, the Jin have placed their fortunes in the Sun's camp, negotiations with the Xuan have fallen through, the Guo are too far for useful alliance, and the Zheng regard the entire concept as a farce. It is the only reasonable choice."
Feudal noble 101. Marriage is a matter of Who. Barring her beelining ascension somehow.
On the plus side for Ling Qi I suppose in Cultivator land, S rank abs are hardly rare in the peaks of nobility!
In the awkward silence that followed, Ling Qi looked down at the path descending the mountain and leaving Meizhen to her thoughts. "...Well that's something to worry about in the future," she said, determinedly forging on. "Have you picked out who you intend to challenge this month?"

Meizhen shot her a look of fond amusement, masking her previous thoughts. "So certain that I will challenge immediately?"

"Well sure, I've been doing my research. Foundation cultivators mostly start appears around the Seven Hundred Seventies."

"I am hardly a wholly foundation level cultivator yet, and mere cultivation level is not everything," Meizhen pointed out.

Ling Qi gave her a silent look. The wind stirred, a lone breeze enhancing the moment. Internally she thanked Sixiang.

"Disciple Seven Hundred Seventy two," Meizhen sighed.
Sixiang: *Tumbleweeds*
Of course she's challenging.

As for the challenges, given that everyone else had done the stats talk to death by the time I woke up I'll just poke at curiosities.
[] Liang He, Disciple 790
Seventeen years old. First third realm cultivator from a soldiers family in emerald seas. Primarily a swordsman. Humble and dutiful in most respects, he is known for taking a great deal of pride in his dueling ability.

Cultivation Green2/Bronze2

Qi: B15
Initiative: B5
Phys Hit: B35
Phys. Avoid: B25 Phys. Armor C2
Sp Avoid: B10 Sp. Armor: C12

Primary Elements: Wind, Fire, Heaven

Spirit Beast: Azure Inferno Falcon
Green1/Bronze 1
Primary Elements: Wind, Fire
Firebird pokemon, sounds like he has excellent Abs going by his stats.

[] Yu Jiu, Disciple 794
Eighteen years old, daughter of a minor family from the imperial capital. Seems to have stagnated somewhat in the last year, her cultivation not advancing much. Known to heavily favor illusions and emotion manipulating arts.

Green2/Bronze 2
Health C25
Speed: C10
Spiritual Hit: B30
Phys Avoid: C10
Sp. Avoid: B5 Sp Armor: B30

Primary Elements: Lake, Heaven, Water

Spirit Beast: Unknown Species/ Incorporeal
Green 1/Bronze 1

Primary elements: Lake
Illusionist so it'd be head to head Spiritual huh?
 
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