Vesvius
The Wicked God
Yep. He's going to be working on these teas until he gets them right.
The Path Unending (A Cultivation Quest)
- Thread starter Vesvius
- Start date
- Original
-
- Tags
- original xianxia cultivation quest
Cteatus
A Guy Who Fell Down a Hole
Has he considered the issue is that he's not making coffee?
- Pronouns
- He
[X] Plan: Rainbow Mo Buying Pills in the Shallows
Shouxi's Day Out by KreenWarrior
Omake time!
Jai Shouxi of the Azure Gardens strolled through the village market, greeting disciples, villagers and shopkeepers alike. Remember the name, the face, and at least one fact about everyone he met, that was his mantra. More if he could, but it was surprising how far simple politeness would go. Ask questions, wear a friendly smile and make it as sincere as you could, because people could tell.
A once in a generation talent.
Echoes of a higher realm? A past life reborn? The touch of a god?
His first experience with what was euphemistically dubbed "clarity" was long ago that he barely remembered the aftermath. He remembered expressions - and whispers. On that day, though, he knew that a weight had settled on his shoulders. He was destined, he was told, for great things.
In the years to come, he would learn the price that destiny carried with it. Years of torturous work, trying to provoke his 'clarity', to make it come forth under his control, rather than at what always seemed to be exactly the wrong moment. Years of frustration, of realizing that when it did come forth, he was frustratingly unaware of the results. Was it truly just the result of grasping concepts that were literally out of his reach, and his mind closing down rather than exposing himself to them when he came out of that altered state? In his darker moments, Shouxi doubted that. Doubted that very much. It was more like he was being ridden like a horse, or used, by something that he couldn't touch, couldn't see, couldn't bargain with.
How could something called 'clarity' be cloaked in so much mystery?
In the end, the only thing close to a surefire way to trigger the state was to confront him with a task outside of his normal mind's capacity. And once that was discovered, the already intense lessons doubled, then doubled again. What was the point of giving him problems that could be solved by regular Jai Shouxi of the Azure Gardens, when the voice that wore his face and used his name, that lived in the recesses of his mind and came forth when it wished, was so much more valuable? That Shouxi was the one that would take the Jai clan from their position as political appointees something higher. Perhaps even the Standing Court itself.
True, being a refiner was dangerously close to being an artisan - a profession that while certainly honorable, was still a profession, and thus inherently unsuited for the role of protector, governor and reaver that was a noble's lot. But a refiner touched the mysteries of cultivation. A refiner might rise above the station of a professional and become something more.
No one but Fa really understood the pressure that had shaped Shouxi. She had been with him at every step, and knew that if he did not have a rock to steady him, he would stumble and break. So she had been that rock. He had a monster living in his mind, so she would slay all the other monsters that came for him, and help him in any way she could. She pared much of herself away, piece by piece - the girl that spent her days with horses, the girl who loved to paint, the girl who watched the hands of every puppeteer troup that came to the Gardens with rapt interest. For Fa horses would now only be a mount for battle, and her work with her hands was limited to fists and holding weapons. Because Shouxi needed someone to protect him, someone who was stable, and serious, and could be relied upon absolutely.
Her vigilance had saved him, more than once - from dangers brought on by his own stupidity, and once from an assassin. Because she was there beside him, he grew in other ways than his studies - he learned to make friends, the value of a pleasant smile and a kind word in the right ear. He defused battles where he could, and found allies when he could not. But what he valued most of all was that she cared for Jai Shouxi of the Azure Gardens, and not the shadow in his mind that sometimes wore his face.
There was no price that could be put on that. No reward that Shouxi could grant her, no pill he could refine, would ever begin to touch that debt.
From the shops he gathered his supplies - Wormtrack Root, a vial of powdered dragonfly wings and more odds and ends - he did not intend to rest on his laurels after he completed Yixue's test. Each shopkeeper received a compliment on their wares, or some element of their dress, or an inquiry into their family. The villagers would not risk cheating disciples, but one could never underestimate the value of greased wheels when one's work required the work of others - and in truth, all those in the Empire relied on more than they knew. The nobles could not fight if the peasants did not grow rice, or if the merchants did not direct the rice where it was needed.
His reminisces were brought to a stop when he passed by the Imperial Post office, carrying his bundle. There was a familiar figure there - a woman, bothering the guards about a letter she was supposed to receive. He had seen her there twice before - did she truly come every day?
His feet carried him towards the grumbling guard and the woman, who seemed entirely in earnest as she pleaded for a response from her dutiful son. He frowns - there is a snarl here. Something is amiss - with the situation or her mind? Who can say.
"Come, honored mother. Would you care to walk with me to pass the time while you wait for the letter to arrive?" The words are out of his lips before he even knows he means to speak them. The woman looks at him, and offers a wide smile that displays several missing teeth.
"Why, thank you, honored disciple. I would be glad to." Cu Ghi seems to welcome the distraction, and abandons the grateful guard without a second thought, lurching towards his proffered arm where she wobbles worryingly before regaining her balance.
"Where would you wish to go? I have been through the market once, but I would not mind another trip."
"Oh, wherever you like, honored disciple. I'm merely glad of the company."
"Let us walk through it again, then." Shouxi led her at a slow pace. "Why don't you tell me about this letter?"
"Oh, it is quite the story. You see, in my youth, I was quite the beauty! Can you believe it?"
Shouxi laughed. "Of course, honored mother. I have no trouble believing that at all."
She stopped and looked up at him, with twinkling eyes. "Really, honored disciple? Can you really believe that?"
Shouxi looked at her, and really looked. She was old, and beaten, but in her eyes, for a moment, he saw something - felt as though the mists of time faded away, and could see a young woman before him. She took one graceful step, twirled, and he could see a grace there, something beyond an old peasant woman. She moved like a dancer, or a courtesan, and there was a freedom of spirit that belied her age. Then she stumbled, and the moment was gone.
But Shouxi smiled. "...you know, honored Mother, I really can. But what, praytell, does that have to do with a letter?"
She spun him a story as they walked. Of a youth as a famous courtesan, and a noble lover, who she dared not name (though she was not shy of making references to certain qualities that could be used to identify him), a promised elopement, a jealous mistress and a betrayal that had left her penniless and alone, reputation ruined. Then a new lover, and one after that, and children born and died and born again, and then sneaking into her old lover's household as a chambermaid, and…
Shouxi had been nodding along, but realized the story had been growing more and more outrageous, and there was a twinkle in Cu Ghi's eyes. He looked at her. "Honored mother, forgive me, but is any of this true?"
Her laughter filled the square. "Oh, a word here and there, disciple. More than you'd believe!"
"Well, perhaps you can cut to the end, and tell me about the letter?"
She shrugged. "Oh, you interrupted the story, disciple. So you don't get to hear the end of it."
"I suppose that's more than fair. Do you think you might tell me the end someday?"
"Perhaps, disciple. Perhaps." She withdrew, giving him a wave.
Trying to put the strange encounter out of his mind, Shouxi returned home. His tea needed work, and… wonderful, Kong Zhi was home! He would make an ideal test subject. As he took out his bag, he counted his supplies. Tiger Flower, Caxasbi, and…
What was Cliff Bark doing there? He had not purchased it, he was quite sure. He replayed the events of the day in his mind. There had been a shop selling Cliff Bark, yes, but he had passed it by. Cliff Bark was expensive, and though he had funds, the demands of the Elder had burnt through them apace.
But… he had passed by it with the woman, and now he recalled remarking on it, how efficacious even a pinch might be.
There was only one conclusion - the woman had bought (or stole, he supposed) the bark for him, and slipped it in among his purchases.
Well, there was no time to delve into such a mystery now. There was a roommate to interrogate. This crafter's duel was madness, but it would offer opportunities for the three of them that could not be ignored.
Jai Shouxi of the Azure Gardens strolled through the village market, greeting disciples, villagers and shopkeepers alike. Remember the name, the face, and at least one fact about everyone he met, that was his mantra. More if he could, but it was surprising how far simple politeness would go. Ask questions, wear a friendly smile and make it as sincere as you could, because people could tell.
A once in a generation talent.
Echoes of a higher realm? A past life reborn? The touch of a god?
His first experience with what was euphemistically dubbed "clarity" was long ago that he barely remembered the aftermath. He remembered expressions - and whispers. On that day, though, he knew that a weight had settled on his shoulders. He was destined, he was told, for great things.
In the years to come, he would learn the price that destiny carried with it. Years of torturous work, trying to provoke his 'clarity', to make it come forth under his control, rather than at what always seemed to be exactly the wrong moment. Years of frustration, of realizing that when it did come forth, he was frustratingly unaware of the results. Was it truly just the result of grasping concepts that were literally out of his reach, and his mind closing down rather than exposing himself to them when he came out of that altered state? In his darker moments, Shouxi doubted that. Doubted that very much. It was more like he was being ridden like a horse, or used, by something that he couldn't touch, couldn't see, couldn't bargain with.
How could something called 'clarity' be cloaked in so much mystery?
In the end, the only thing close to a surefire way to trigger the state was to confront him with a task outside of his normal mind's capacity. And once that was discovered, the already intense lessons doubled, then doubled again. What was the point of giving him problems that could be solved by regular Jai Shouxi of the Azure Gardens, when the voice that wore his face and used his name, that lived in the recesses of his mind and came forth when it wished, was so much more valuable? That Shouxi was the one that would take the Jai clan from their position as political appointees something higher. Perhaps even the Standing Court itself.
True, being a refiner was dangerously close to being an artisan - a profession that while certainly honorable, was still a profession, and thus inherently unsuited for the role of protector, governor and reaver that was a noble's lot. But a refiner touched the mysteries of cultivation. A refiner might rise above the station of a professional and become something more.
No one but Fa really understood the pressure that had shaped Shouxi. She had been with him at every step, and knew that if he did not have a rock to steady him, he would stumble and break. So she had been that rock. He had a monster living in his mind, so she would slay all the other monsters that came for him, and help him in any way she could. She pared much of herself away, piece by piece - the girl that spent her days with horses, the girl who loved to paint, the girl who watched the hands of every puppeteer troup that came to the Gardens with rapt interest. For Fa horses would now only be a mount for battle, and her work with her hands was limited to fists and holding weapons. Because Shouxi needed someone to protect him, someone who was stable, and serious, and could be relied upon absolutely.
Her vigilance had saved him, more than once - from dangers brought on by his own stupidity, and once from an assassin. Because she was there beside him, he grew in other ways than his studies - he learned to make friends, the value of a pleasant smile and a kind word in the right ear. He defused battles where he could, and found allies when he could not. But what he valued most of all was that she cared for Jai Shouxi of the Azure Gardens, and not the shadow in his mind that sometimes wore his face.
There was no price that could be put on that. No reward that Shouxi could grant her, no pill he could refine, would ever begin to touch that debt.
From the shops he gathered his supplies - Wormtrack Root, a vial of powdered dragonfly wings and more odds and ends - he did not intend to rest on his laurels after he completed Yixue's test. Each shopkeeper received a compliment on their wares, or some element of their dress, or an inquiry into their family. The villagers would not risk cheating disciples, but one could never underestimate the value of greased wheels when one's work required the work of others - and in truth, all those in the Empire relied on more than they knew. The nobles could not fight if the peasants did not grow rice, or if the merchants did not direct the rice where it was needed.
His reminisces were brought to a stop when he passed by the Imperial Post office, carrying his bundle. There was a familiar figure there - a woman, bothering the guards about a letter she was supposed to receive. He had seen her there twice before - did she truly come every day?
His feet carried him towards the grumbling guard and the woman, who seemed entirely in earnest as she pleaded for a response from her dutiful son. He frowns - there is a snarl here. Something is amiss - with the situation or her mind? Who can say.
"Come, honored mother. Would you care to walk with me to pass the time while you wait for the letter to arrive?" The words are out of his lips before he even knows he means to speak them. The woman looks at him, and offers a wide smile that displays several missing teeth.
"Why, thank you, honored disciple. I would be glad to." Cu Ghi seems to welcome the distraction, and abandons the grateful guard without a second thought, lurching towards his proffered arm where she wobbles worryingly before regaining her balance.
"Where would you wish to go? I have been through the market once, but I would not mind another trip."
"Oh, wherever you like, honored disciple. I'm merely glad of the company."
"Let us walk through it again, then." Shouxi led her at a slow pace. "Why don't you tell me about this letter?"
"Oh, it is quite the story. You see, in my youth, I was quite the beauty! Can you believe it?"
Shouxi laughed. "Of course, honored mother. I have no trouble believing that at all."
She stopped and looked up at him, with twinkling eyes. "Really, honored disciple? Can you really believe that?"
Shouxi looked at her, and really looked. She was old, and beaten, but in her eyes, for a moment, he saw something - felt as though the mists of time faded away, and could see a young woman before him. She took one graceful step, twirled, and he could see a grace there, something beyond an old peasant woman. She moved like a dancer, or a courtesan, and there was a freedom of spirit that belied her age. Then she stumbled, and the moment was gone.
But Shouxi smiled. "...you know, honored Mother, I really can. But what, praytell, does that have to do with a letter?"
She spun him a story as they walked. Of a youth as a famous courtesan, and a noble lover, who she dared not name (though she was not shy of making references to certain qualities that could be used to identify him), a promised elopement, a jealous mistress and a betrayal that had left her penniless and alone, reputation ruined. Then a new lover, and one after that, and children born and died and born again, and then sneaking into her old lover's household as a chambermaid, and…
Shouxi had been nodding along, but realized the story had been growing more and more outrageous, and there was a twinkle in Cu Ghi's eyes. He looked at her. "Honored mother, forgive me, but is any of this true?"
Her laughter filled the square. "Oh, a word here and there, disciple. More than you'd believe!"
"Well, perhaps you can cut to the end, and tell me about the letter?"
She shrugged. "Oh, you interrupted the story, disciple. So you don't get to hear the end of it."
"I suppose that's more than fair. Do you think you might tell me the end someday?"
"Perhaps, disciple. Perhaps." She withdrew, giving him a wave.
Trying to put the strange encounter out of his mind, Shouxi returned home. His tea needed work, and… wonderful, Kong Zhi was home! He would make an ideal test subject. As he took out his bag, he counted his supplies. Tiger Flower, Caxasbi, and…
What was Cliff Bark doing there? He had not purchased it, he was quite sure. He replayed the events of the day in his mind. There had been a shop selling Cliff Bark, yes, but he had passed it by. Cliff Bark was expensive, and though he had funds, the demands of the Elder had burnt through them apace.
But… he had passed by it with the woman, and now he recalled remarking on it, how efficacious even a pinch might be.
There was only one conclusion - the woman had bought (or stole, he supposed) the bark for him, and slipped it in among his purchases.
Well, there was no time to delve into such a mystery now. There was a roommate to interrogate. This crafter's duel was madness, but it would offer opportunities for the three of them that could not be ignored.
Vesvius
The Wicked God
Very fun stuff! You really did a good job trying to capture the strange dynamics between Shouxi and Fa. Also, it took place with Shouxi wandering the village and gabbing gab with everyone. That deserves a +2 to Knowledge (Local).
For everyone else: vote is still open! Make sure to cast your vote while you can. Vote closes sometime tomorrow. When it does, it'll be without warning, so count every moment as if it is your last chance! For it may be!
[X] Plan: Rainbow Mo Buying Pills in the Shallows
- Location
- A place
[X] Plan: Rainbow Mo Buying Pills in the Shallows
- Location
- NY
[X] Plan: Rainbow Mo Buying Pills in the Shallows
- Location
- Domino City
[X] Plan: Rise of the BOX
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Just had an idea for a charm. A headband/crown/headpiece with Time and Mind Anam. What it does is slow the users perception of Time so as to give them the equivalent of enhanced reflexes.
It would be a simple piece with the materials Anam strength adding up to no more than 15. Don't want to end up like Szayelaporro Granz when he fought Mayuri.
It would be a simple piece with the materials Anam strength adding up to no more than 15. Don't want to end up like Szayelaporro Granz when he fought Mayuri.
- Location
- USA
I don't think we're a good enough crafter for that to be a worry. Especially since it'd cost anam to keep active we'd run out.
I suspect mechanically it'd be a Defender(?) technique
- Location
- India
- Pronouns
- He/His
[X] Plan: Rise of the BOX
- Location
- Norway
A crown could be cool if it is a Wukong Crown and not a British Monarch crown.
- Location
- Domino City
I wouldn't mind if we made the Imperial Crown of Russia.
That's probably unlikely to happen, though.
EternalObserver
eYe Gaze baCk
- Location
- The Void
[X] Plan: Rainbow Mo Buying Pills in the Shallows
*tipping scales*
*tipping scales*
- Location
- Domino City
While the triple infusion action in the Box Rises plan could be a bit much, the Hummingbird's Dance action could be more useful than it looks.
If we cycle the Dance enough, it could give us not only a skill-up (like Stealth, which we could use for spying on Jin next week), but it could level up our cycling and make infusing the box an easier task.
It could also provide some insurance in case the Shallows fight goes south.
If we cycle the Dance enough, it could give us not only a skill-up (like Stealth, which we could use for spying on Jin next week), but it could level up our cycling and make infusing the box an easier task.
It could also provide some insurance in case the Shallows fight goes south.
- Location
- USA
Good points. Was wondering what the reasoning was for the Hummingbird. But if it makes the Shallows fight easier (remember we had to give up an action last time b/c we were low on anam and wanted to cycle) and has a chance to level our Cycling skill, that is only good for the upcoming duel.
Also, we have done a lot of Social the last few weeks. Taking some time to up our martial skills is necessary and important. Mo can hold on for a bit and we have been sort of neglecting ourselves.
As for maybe only needing two actions to infuse the Archer charm, that isn't a sure thing. Bad rolls happen. And I would rather have the Archer Charm for the Shallows. It would allow Ja to see it in action and also ensure that everything goes easier there. As while it is likely to be an easier excursion than the previous Map option, it isn't a guarantee. Having a long range option for that fight would help ensure a better outcome so that neither ourselves or Ja (our champion) need take any unnecessary risks just before the duel.
Edit: Basically I feel it would be better to ensure that the Archer charm is done before both the Duel and the Shallows. We have done plenty of social. And we have been neglecting our martial skills a bit.
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- Location
- Norway
My worries is on the deadline. We got like a week and a half left. 3 actions migth be to much, but I do not trust the dice. The more certain we are that it get finished this week, the happier I am.