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

[X] Close in, relying on Sixiang to keep it's toxic aura from affecting you, between your music and your subordinates ritualism, it should be possible to pacify the creature.

The last few arcs have been about Ling Qi wanting to preserve memories and understanding both people and spirits better, as well as a marked preference to giving second chances to sentient when possible. Barricading to let our high-up decide would be fine, as there is a secondary theme of "working for an authority in an honest manner", but I am not seeing any reasonable reason to just go killing it without trying to pacify it first.

That is, as long as it's not so dangerous that we believe we are in immediate danger. We aren't voting on pacifying under overwhelming threat here, just what Ling Qi's first reaction should be.

[X] Close in, relying on Sixiang to keep it's toxic aura from affecting you, between your music and your subordinates ritualism, it should be possible to pacify the creature.
[x] Continue distracting the hill beast while your subordinates and Zhengui wall off the remaining exits from its valley, then vanish, and only engage again if it looks to be breaking out.

Voting these because for the first time in a long while an option (the kill one ) has absolutely no interest for me.

1986ctcel said:

....

"like should we stop taking spirit core based medicine, stop hunting for food for Zhengui and Hanyi? Like this is not a world where stuff of that works if we actually want to be someone that matters."

Pretty blatantly implying that pacification can lead to this and tossing in a dose of "this will gimp us in reaching higher cultivation" by the unspoken assumption that us doing something so crazy is an actual possibility

(because leaving Hanyi and Zhengui to starve is totally reasonable consequences to pacifying spirits when possible and treating them as people)

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Note that they said "full pacification", and then presented a hypothetical end scenario of what that means, questioning if that is the voters intentions or not. I'll say, I don't know what the correct answer is to LQ killing sapient high-level spirits for materials, since she reacted so badly to killing BINO, but we'll probably work it out eventually.

Again I say, this isn't hard to figure out, but you just seem to want to yell drama.

[X] Close in, relying on Sixiang to keep it's toxic aura from affecting you, between your music and your subordinates ritualism, it should be possible to pacify the creature.

I have no idea what all this nonsense hullabaloo is about — seriously, that End is capitalized means character arc for Ling Qi??? — so just going for music socialization exp.

Jensaarai said:

Note that they said "full pacification", and then presented a hypothetical end scenario of what that means, questioning if that is the voters intentions or not. I'll say, I don't know what the correct answer is to LQ killing sapient high-level spirits for materials, since she reacted so badly to killing BINO, but we'll probably work it out eventually.

Again I say, this isn't hard to figure out, but you just seem to want to yell drama.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

I think it's fine for Ling Qi's decision to be uncertain. I think it's okay for Ling Qi to engage with the question and not know 100% the answer. I think it's appropriate for Ling Qi to experiment with her methods. There is no choice here that can alone definitively shape how Ling Qi feels about killing things. Not a single one. I don't think hyperbolic hypotheticals are very useful here.

I'll point out the attachment to living and badness of death are pretty mortal concepts. Plenty of spirits just reform later if killed (that river fish) or even have ending/renewal as part of their natural lifecycle.

In that context, let's remember Ling Qi's concept of Ending:

-There are endings and Endings, only the very last one is final. Just as winter ends in spring, small endings are new beginnings.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Deciding that yes, things like double-corrupted spirits in immense pain deserve an End isn't a bad lesson here, and it's not like it precludes less violent options later when we're much better equipped for it and aren't putting subordinates at risk.

[X] Go in for the kill, and call Zhengui to help. You have underestimated your own killing power before, and the things cultivation is not superior to your own. Hill or not, you can End it.

I again don't understand why so many people are taking the pacify option as such a safe bet. Like I agree, it's not going to end the quest no matter what choice we make. But the fact that so many people are saying and thinking things like how this is just an opening phase, or if it doesn't work we will try something else. Like that just seems such a dangerous assumption to make. Especially with this kind of heavily corrupted creature. Why the hell would people think we can succeed at this. Not saying it's impossible, but we have shown, and have no arts or abilities that I can picture easily pacifying this hill. It's attacking us, responding to the slightest provocation with extreme violence, and rejects any Qi getting close to it. And people have to stop bringing up the river spirit, this is a completely different situation to that. The last hill we did something similar to this, we didn't really stop. It spoke a little, but kept moving forward, we had no control over the encounter. Why would we have that here?

Also again, this could exhaust us. Leaving us less options. It seems so stupidly risky compared to the other options, both for ourselves and our minions. And we have almost never truly chosen the "kill" option, and it's not even really about killing at this moment. Otherwise it would directly state that. More than that, we have almost always gone for diplomacy, but even then a show of force almost always was required. This hill is most likely not rational as well. To do any diplomacy we need both minds to be present and attentive.

Black Noise said:

I'll point out the attachment to living and badness of death are pretty mortal concepts. Plenty of spirits just reform later if killed (that river fish) or even have ending/renewal as part of their natural lifecycle.

In that context, let's remember Ling Qi's concept of Ending:


Deciding that yes, things like double-corrupted spirits in immense pain deserve an End isn't a bad lesson here, and it's not like it precludes less violent options later when we're much better equipped for it and aren't putting subordinates at risk.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

It's... not like if we fail to pacify it the sect won't deal with it? I mean, the 'safe' option is the barricade, and it's the one that has by default the sect deciding what to do. Ending or Pacifying are instead Ling Qi deciding what to do, where if Ling Qi fails the sect comes and decide what to do themselves.

The idea that "It deserves an End" comes from nowhere storywise as far as I can tell, and even if it did deserve an End, it would only deserve it if Ling Qi fails to pacify it.... and then the sect is going to do it anyway. This is a bit of weird logic, as the premise of it deserving an End comes from the belief Pacifying is impossible, and Ling Qi believes pacifying is possible, and anyway even if it's impossible the sect is behind us.

I also highly doubt we are putting an subordinates at risk, here. Ling Qi is good at making sure she isn't putting them at risk. No, this is a "what does Ling Qi does in this type of situation" thing. Character wise, everything shows "Talk first", not "End first".

Leosky00 said:

I again don't understand why so many people are taking the pacify option as such a safe bet. Like I agree, it's not going to end the quest no matter what choice we make. But the fact that so many people are saying and thinking things like how this is just an opening phase, or if it doesn't work we will try something else. Like that just seems such a dangerous assumption to make. Especially with this kind of heavily corrupted creature. Why the hell would people think we can succeed at this. Not saying it's impossible, but we have shown, and have no arts or abilities that I can picture easily pacifying this hill. It's attacking us, responding to the slightest provocation with extreme violence, and rejects any Qi getting close to it. And people have to stop bringing up the river spirit, this is a completely different situation to that. The last hill we did something similar to this, we didn't really stop. It spoke a little, but kept moving forward, we had no control over the encounter. Why would we have that here?

Also again, this could exhaust us. Leaving us less options. It seems so stupidly risky compared to the other options, both for ourselves and our minions. And we have almost never truly chosen the "kill" option, and it's not even really about killing at this moment. Otherwise it would directly state that. More than that, we have almost always gone for diplomacy, but even then a show of force almost always was required. This hill is most likely not rational as well. To do any diplomacy we need both minds to be present and attentive.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Street rat was the weak diplo background. I don't think we've used diplo all that much?

We've talked thing out with friends a handful of times, where violence isn't an option, but that's about it.

Well, since the... debate regarding the options seems to have started rehashing previous pages of discussion, I'm going to discuss the actual update.

yrsillar said:

He was grateful to his junior sister for so doggedly searching the barren upper peaks and ferreting out this interesting little gathering.
He shook his head. She really was quite something, but...

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Hey, Liao Zhu, how about helping us in the inner sect since you're greateful to us for our dogged search? I'm not asking for material things, like talismans or stones, but rather helping us network by introducing us to other top inner sect students. Networking makes dreams work!

However, knowing you, you'll probably just give some vague cryptic advice and leave it at that.

yrsillar said:

"We done here?" A gruff voice interrupted his musing, and he glanced to the side, where his spirit Tengjing lay on the rocks, regarding him with great boredom. The spirit ruffled his great feathered wings impatiently. Between those wings, and his powerful, grey furred feline body and scaled draconic head, the Pixiu was certainly a majestic sight.

Or he would be, if Liao Zhu was not aware of what a dull bore the creature often was. No patience at all for extravagance at all. "One would imagine that even you would be interested by what we have spied, my churlish friend." He glanced down at the corpse, ignoring with long practice the faint regret that stirred in his breast at another life taken. "Might you clean this up?"

"Clown," the chimeric beast grunted. Tengjing opened his jaw and breathed out, and streak of silver flames shot out, catching the corpse and beginning to burn voraciously, eating flesh and equipment alike without a single wisp of smoke. "I am not sure why a mere difference of coloration bothers you so."

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

It's always interesting to see how other people treat their spirit companions. This makes it seem like he has a working relationship with Tengjing, but nothing like what Ling Qi and Zhengui have. We have plenty of examples where spirit companions are treated as family, or are explicitly family, with Meizhen and Cui, Han Jian and his tiger, and then Ling Qi and Zhengui. The other people with spirit companions that we regularly interact with don't seem to have their spirits developed to the point of communicating with others, like Xiulan and her fairy or Suyin and Zhenli.

I also do wonder where Liao Zhu got this specific spirit companion and was it before or after he got the reflecting moon spirit. Questions we'll never get answers to I suppose.

yrsillar said:

Below and behind Ling Qi, her subordinates and Zhengui worked hard, raising barricades of earth and roots to box the beasts flowing emissions in, for the toxic muck seemed to poison and wither everything that it touched. The encirclement was yet incomplete though, because none of them had been expecting this. The day had passed in tense peace, but as they were reaching the end of their survey, the ground beneath their feet had rocked, and the slowly crawling hill that they had been traversing had burst into malignant life.

Ling Qi was all too aware that they were currently near the blighted vale which they had burned the night previous. She had been quick enough to react thankfully, shrouding the hill in cloying mist as her companions made distance, but then the heads had burst out, and she had been forced to activate Deepwood Vitality to protect them all from the massive blast that had followed as the stinking vents in the hillside had opened.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

The circumstances certainly seem to point towards the corrupting influence of the weird stuff expanding. While I'm sure that our firebreak and burning of the blighted vale might have helped the surface issue, since the root cause seems to be far below the surface, it was only ever a stop-gap measure. And apparently, it wasn't even that effective because the effects of the blight seem to have expanded much further than what it initially appeared.

I do wonder if they'll collect and study this color from space material to do some research and development with it. I mean, traditionally sects were designed to study and develop new arts/techniques/talismans for their sponsor, and I don't think that facet has disappeared with the advent of Great Sects. Which makes me wonder, what other insidious dark projects do the top tier production students have in their basements. We know that Li Suyin already has some creepy stuff in her basement, and while she has access to some of the more interesting materials, I have to imagine that other production students have creepy, insidious, or downright disturbing projects of their own.

Ah well, I really enjoyed the update, and I can't wait to see how this arc concludes!

[X] Close in, relying on Sixiang to keep it's toxic aura from affecting you, between your music and your subordinates ritualism, it should be possible to pacify the creature.

Alright putting in the two hour warning

Hey @yrsillar I felt I should mention this since I've bitched about it before. But I really appreciate that the last few choices you've given have contained a lot more context than before. Particularly this choice gives us real information to work on and enough to feel like we're making an informed decision instead of gambling based on flimsy interpretation.

At least for me it has been a major improvement. Thank you.

[X] Close in, relying on Sixiang to keep it's toxic aura from affecting you, between your music and your subordinates ritualism, it should be possible to pacify the creature.

yrsillar said:

Liao Zhu spun the dagger in his hand and returned it to the sheath, and watched the simulacra rise, smoke like from the corpse of the man and beast at his feet. He hummed to himself as horseman and rider alike wavered shimmered, like a reflection in troubled waters. Focusing his qi across the air between himself and the simulacra, he carefully poured essence stored within his sheathed dagger into the construct, smoothing away warping and granting definition to it's wavering edges.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Also, I find this really cool. It seems like his dagger dramatically improves his simulacra art. Without the essence stored in his dagger, he seems to be able to create phantasmal simulacra which he is then able to control. Likely useful in a fight for distracting and disorienting an opponent, but certainly not useful for infiltrating a cloud tribe.

Makes me wonder what talisman we could get to narratively improve our arts, rather than simply mechanically. A music box where we can store a song and have it play recreating the effect seems interesting but ultimately too clumsy to use in battle or in any other situation.

Anyway, I really like his talisman dagger, and it shows just how diverse the talisman effects can be.

[X] Close in, relying on Sixiang to keep it's toxic aura from affecting you, between your music and your subordinates ritualism, it should be possible to pacify the creature.

Thor's Twin said:

Also, I find this really cool. It seems like his dagger dramatically improves his simulacra art. Without the essence stored in his dagger, he seems to be able to create phantasmal simulacra which he is then able to control. Likely useful in a fight for distracting and disorienting an opponent, but certainly not useful for infiltrating a cloud tribe.

Makes me wonder what talisman we could get to narratively improve our arts, rather than simply mechanically. A music box where we can store a song and have it play recreating the effect seems interesting but ultimately too clumsy to use in battle or in any other situation.

Anyway, I really like his talisman dagger, and it shows just how diverse the talisman effects can be.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

We know Jiao mentioned getting better death... memories(?) from a melee weapon kill than a kill with an arrow. It could be related to that.

[X] Close in, relying on Sixiang to keep it's toxic aura from affecting you, between your music and your subordinates ritualism, it should be possible to pacify the creature.

[x] Continue distracting the hill beast while your subordinates and Zhengui wall off the remaining exits from its valley, then vanish, and only engage again if it looks to be breaking out.
[X] Close in, relying on Sixiang to keep it's toxic aura from affecting you, between your music and your subordinates ritualism, it should be possible to pacify the creature.

Killing seems a weird choice to me when the update indicates pretty clearly that sealing it in stands an excellent chance of working based on its behaviour.

We know very little about either corruption or how it spreads and leaving it for the much better resourced and larger group of the main force allows for potential research along with them to make the better informed decision of whether death or purification is the best option for dealing with the corruption(s) and also for the region.