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

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Zhengui is needed pretty constantly to rebuild passages, as we have seen previously: Ling Qi scouts, Zhengui rebuilds a passage that's broken (as the passages we go through are broken ones the underdarker don't use).

Ling Qi herself uses almost no Qi in this, and needs it less.

This isn't "letter Zhengui help", this is "enabling Zhengui sacrificing himself for us (because he sees Ling Qi doing the same for him and wants to do the same) at the price of him being unable to help when he actually would shine".


The penalty doesn't influence darkness arts, it just influence spiritual gains, and we can make do with one of the available pills. It has a AP price, while Phys has no AP price, but it also has actual weight.

I want a Ling Qi who tries to honor bargains with "more than then minimum", even when the minimum is exactly the same as not the minimum for the person asking.

Umm.

"Intentionally making we take the most painful payment possible because it's 'More than the minimum' " is more of a masochistic streak than I'm comfortable with.
 
[] Accept Zhengui's offer. [Zhengui expends B Rank qi, receives minor cultivation penalty for the next turn.]

We promised to let him help. If we refuse to let him help here, he will call us on it, and he will be right.
 
So, I really liked this update! That upgraded speech skill is really exciting, especially in our work with Cai Renxiang. A little bummed that we didn't get any advance insight into spirit ken, but I'm happy that Ling Qi got some actual experience dealing with spirits who are outside of the Sect's control, with a goal in mind. This experience in dealing with spirits will be useful if we try for more spirit negotiation in the future, and I fully expect there to be more spirit negotiation in the future.

Also, it's really interesting that the Shishigui live in a region the spirit calls "The Land of Worm and Bone." Speaks to me that there are distinct ecologies underneath the earth, even in the sections of corruption. Additionally, the reference to Worm reminded me of Abyssal Exhalation. I wonder if that wanderer ever went so far down to meet with the Shishigui and that is where he found his inspiration for the art.
 
Ling Qi herself uses almost no Qi in this, and needs it less.

If you believe that building tunnels is the only part of the mission that matters, then sure. But we have stealth infiltration ahead, that Zhengui will sit out, and we have a fighting part later in which both will participate. And unlike building tunnels, noone can take Ling Qi's job in infiltration.
 
I mean, there are 4 options here:

[] Accept Zhengui's offer. [Zhengui expends B Rank qi, receives minor cultivation penalty for the next turn.]

this would cost him about 20% of his Qi, but he doesnt need to do the stealth part of the mission and between the qi regen we can give him and his remaining 80%, he should be able to contribute in the fight in the end until we retreat. the cultivation penalty to him would mean it doesnt go to us, so I dont know how this would manifest, but if it is roughly comparable to ours, then it isnt too bad overall

[] Do it yourself and offer a Dream of songs and starless nights, [Ling Qi expends B rank qi, receives a -.2 multiplier to spiritual cultivation for the next turn.]

This is a terrible option for us, it likely breaks our chances to hit G4 next turn, which is a really big target we currently have. the Qi cost to us is not that big, so i dont care much about it.

[] Do it yourself and offer a dream of motion and bright days, [Ling Qi expends B rank qi, receives a -.2 multiplier to physical cultivation for the next turn.]

again, the qi cost isnt that bad for us, and we can take the hit to phys. it might push some things down the line by 1 turn, but it doesnt really hurt that much.

[] Refuse, try to offer something lesser still [Ling Qi expends B Rank qi, and permanently loses all progress toward one of (Abyssal Exhalation, Fallen Star, Argent Storm and Argent Pulse. Requires a roll of 60+)

this is the the rng route and it would trvialize the cost to us, but i dont like doing a DC60 roll for this


so this means we have imo two decent options here: let Zhengui do it and taking a hit to phys. cultivation.
For context we have this quote
"I'll make sure it doesn't take anything too important regardless," Sixiang whispered.
so i am not too worried about the payment, no matter who makes it.

Now, since I am ok with two options on a mechanical level, i ask myself which of them would be better on a narrative level

the narrative speaking for the Zhengui option is the promise we made him back in Turn 7 Arc 3. During the talk the general idea of what he asked us for is to stop taking the hard part on us and to share the burden more. So this could be the moment where LQ keeps to that promise even if it is hard for her.

the narrative speaking for taking the hit to our phys is that we dont want the thing to hurt zhengui, that the Qi cost for him is bigger and overall that it seems bad to push the negative consequences of our choice on him, even if he asked for it.

I think it is not an easy choice, but i currently tend to the zhengui option, because i want this choice to be about LQ keeping her promise to Zhengui, even if it is very hard for her and even if the idea of hurting him with our choice feels really bad. Afterall, i also want to respect the choice he made when he offered to take the costs (one thing to remember here is that he hates the fungus, so it wasnt easy for him to do so)
 
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!!! We can expunge that hideous loser of an art and forget we ever learned it—!!!


...dammit
Maybe we can throw Abyssal Exaltation in anyways. You know, as a treat...

[] Accept Zhengui's offer. [Zhengui expends B Rank qi, receives minor cultivation penalty for the next turn.]

I think Zhengui as a spirit of Renewal is the most fit to give something away. His entire being is to be reduced and restored so I don't think he'd suffer as much from it as Ling Qi would. Bearing the sacrifice for those he loves because he can take it better than they is a noble use of his Way and may even help him in the long run. We can't shield our tank, especially after promising not to.
 
Maybe we can throw Abyssal Exaltation in anyways. You know, as a treat...

[] Accept Zhengui's offer. [Zhengui expends B Rank qi, receives minor cultivation penalty for the next turn.]

I think Zhengui as a spirit of Renewal is the most fit to give something away. His entire being is to be reduced and restored so I don't think he'd suffer as much from it as Ling Qi would. Bearing the sacrifice for those he loves because he can take it better than they is a noble use of his Way and may even help him in the long run. We can't shield our tank, especially after promising not to.

He isn't giving up anything really important, just one dream he has had. Zhengui sleeps a lot, so he has plenty. Trust Sixiang here, they won't let the fungus monster screw up our boy.
 
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[] Accept Zhengui's offer. [Zhengui expends B Rank qi, receives minor cultivation penalty for the next turn.]
I'm not going to sugarcoat anything here.
The mission is important. Ling Qi needs Qi to accomplish it. Zhengui is powerful but too loud to use before the final phase.
Zhengui is family and a partner not someone we have to protect. Invest more in him being able to think and take care of himself rather than just taking on burdens and leaving him helpless.
It is painful yes. It will hurt yes. But that is life. Relationships are a risk and sometimes it can lead to sacrifices. It is not fair it is not good but that is life and relationships can be good or bad.

Edit:
By the way what is this fungus thing anyway? A spirit? A plant? A beast? I get it is stagnancy and a fungus but there seems to be more than just a spirit here. There seems to be more than just one individual.
 
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[] Accept Zhengui's offer. [Zhengui expends B Rank qi, receives minor cultivation penalty for the next turn.]
I'm not going to sugarcoat anything here.
The mission is important. Ling Qi needs Qi to accomplish it. Zhengui is powerful but too loud to use before the final phase.
Zhengui is family and a partner not someone we have to protect. Invest more in him being able to think and take care of himself rather than just taking on burdens and leaving him helpless.
It is painful yes. It will hurt yes. But that is life. Relationships are a risk and sometimes it can lead to sacrifices. It is not fair it is not good but that is life and relationships can be good or bad.

Edit:
By the way what is this fungus thing anyway? A spirit? A plant? A beast? I get it is stagnancy and a fungus but there seems to be more than just a spirit here. There seems to be more than just one individual.
It was described earlier as a collection of parts sharing one mind. Sort of like a beehive if the beehive had a singular soul.
 
Oh, boi that was close. I do not want to know what the outcome of the other options would have been with those rolls.

Also surprised we got a advance speech skill here, but we seem to have dodged another insight conflict so all good. That skill tho, more sincere manipulation incoming.:lol:
 
[] Accept Zhengui's offer. [Zhengui expends B Rank qi, receives minor cultivation penalty for the next turn.]
Well I can't exactly argue against this given the analysis put forth by others sooo...
 
Cutting it close on the first one weren't we? I'm curious, what happens if we fail.
We fight it, I imagine.


Speaking of Abyssal Exhalation, I remember talk back in Forge of changing a few of its keywords to be more thematically appropriate for us (like Worms to Moths, and I think Hunger to Moon or something). Was that ever a serious consideration, or have we mostly just given up on it?
 
Moratorium's over, I think.

[X] Accept Zhengui's offer. [Zhengui expends B Rank qi, receives minor cultivation penalty for the next turn.]
 
[X] Accept Zhengui's offer. [Zhengui expends B Rank qi, receives minor cultivation penalty for the next turn.]
 
[X] Accept Zhengui's offer. [Zhengui expends B Rank qi, receives minor cultivation penalty for the next turn.]

I wonder what LQ would think watching Zhengui sacrificing part of his Dream for her sake, would she understand how others feel seeing her doing the same? Maybe she will even get Empathy insight from that, at least it would be some food for her mind.
 
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