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

Pipeman · Aug 18, 2020

lendary said:
Wow, Linqin really doesn't like CRX. I think basically every single on screen appearance has her spending her time throwing passive aggressive remarks at us and trying to discredit our efforts. That level of vindictive pettiness aimed at a teenager by someone so old is honestly kind of pathetic.

Given that she is in fact Prism and this:

yrsillar said:
A voice, Diao Linqin's cut through the pressure, pale pink rose petals closed around the burning radiance that threatened to crush her, loving and covetous.

I'm kinda suspecting she might be incapable of not disliking CRX.
Her relationship with Shenhua is probably part of her Way to some degree and makes her reflexively and permanently peeved with the person who is theoretically Shenhua's closest living relative.

lendary said:
The thing with the Shishigui seems pretty logical in retrospect. They only launched this war out of desperation, with the only alternative being slow but steady extermination by the empire. If the imperials weren't utterly blinded by supremacist ideology to a downright comical degree, they'd have offered them this deal years ago.

I mentioned this on the discord, but I'm not sure the guys beneath Shenhua were even part of it all.
Since Shenhua knew about them in advance, I suspect they were vaguely aware of her as well and their policy up to now was probably "just keep your fucking head down", but then the guys that don't have to freaking live directly under Shenhua started up some shit and when Shenhua came knocking on their door their policy changed to "Throw money at her until she goes away".

Erebeal · Aug 18, 2020

Deadly Snark said:
Especially if CRX's little sister turns out to be Linqin and Shenhua's daughter due to White bullshit.

That's not the case though. Because a) reproduction doesn't work like that in Forge, and b) if it did then Shenhua wouldn't have a Diao husband and would have had Renxiang with Linqin too.

Orkus Majorkus · Aug 18, 2020

yrsillar said:
In fairness you did choose the option specifically noted to lower her opinion of you

Funny part is, Lingqin was the one who had to remind Shenhua to not bbq this noob greenies brain before she was done talking.

Deadly Snark · Aug 18, 2020

Erebeal said:
That's not the case though. Because a) reproduction doesn't work like that in Forge, and b) if it did then Shenhua wouldn't have a Diao husband and would have had Renxiang with Linqin too.

It can easily be a new development, but as I said even if that wasnt the case, the basic point of "Not liking the child my lover had with someone else" is a fairly understandable motivation. Its not a good quality, but it is what it is.

BungieONI · Aug 18, 2020

Orkus Majorkus said:
Funny part is, Lingqin had to remind Shenhua to not bbq this noob greenies brain before she was done talking.

I now see why the minimum level to be present in Shenhua's court is Ling Qi's level or higher. All the others just evaporate.

Erebeal · Aug 18, 2020

Deadly Snark said:
the basic point of "Not liking the child my lover had with someone else" is a fairly understandable motivation. Its not a good quality, but it is what it is.

Oh, absolutely. And that's also consistent with Renxiang being confused about it because she just doesn't understand her mother's relationship.

Pipeman · Aug 18, 2020

Erebeal said:
That's not the case though. Because a) reproduction doesn't work like that in Forge, and b) if it did then Shenhua wouldn't have a Diao husband and would have had Renxiang with Linqin too.

Given the fact that Linqin is also the head of a count clan and correspondingly old, there's decent chance CRX is in fact her descendant or something similarly squicky.
Dynastic policy really shouldn't have anything to do with her dislike of CRX.

OneArmedYeti · Aug 18, 2020

Erebeal said:
Oh, absolutely. And that's also consistent with Renxiang being confused about it because she just doesn't understand her mother's relationship.

"Ah, people tend to dislike reminders their lovers have been intimate with others, I need to write that down, good intel."

Krazo · Aug 18, 2020

Erebeal said:
That's not the case though. Because a) reproduction doesn't work like that in Forge, and b) if it did then Shenhua wouldn't have a Diao husband and would have had Renxiang with Linqin too.

Didn't Sixiang say once that gender is not a problem for high level cultivators?

Anyway
[] Avoid
[] Fan

Because fans increase cool factor 10 times for noble acting, and Avoid because I want a visual of LQ swatting projectiles away with her fan, like an annoying fly.

SITB · Aug 18, 2020

TBF ignoring Linqin personal animosity, there's a decent chance that the Diao clan in general dislikes Renxiang because they hope that if Shenhua dies without a proper successor they can blob over the Cai and become the new ducal clan.

JowKeen · Aug 18, 2020

Linqin is mad at Renxiang for a few reasons. I suspect one of the most powerful reasons is that Renxiang is afraid of Shenhua, and that is obvious to Linqin, and Linqin doesn't like that Renxiang is scared of her precious waifu-liege.

GG and ourselves are mad at Linqin in turn, for being mad at our glorious friend and lady liege Renxiang.

It's a vicious cycle

Pipeman · Aug 18, 2020

Krazo said:
Didn't Sixiang say once that gender is not a problem for high level cultivators?

A high level cultivator can be whatever matches their Way, even if that happens to be something different from time to time.
But for reproduction you need something to be metaphysically "male" and something to be "female" and if neither Shenhua nor Linqin are capable of being male that's pretty much that for their reproductive ambitions with each other.

Odds are this links up to the Father and Mother creation myth they've got going around here.

FakePriest · Aug 18, 2020

Let's see. This is faction relations we had earlier:

yrsillar said:
Emerald Seas Nobility: -2
-Luo Clan & Vassals: 0
--Imperial Conservatives (20%): -2
--Imperial Moderates (20%): -1
--Weilu Moderates (55%): 0
--Old Tribes (5%): 1

yrsillar said:
Wang Clan and Vassals: 1
--Imperial Moderates(40%): 0
--Imperial Conservatives (10%): -1
--Weilu Moderates (50%): 1

And this is what we have now:

yrsillar said:
Emerald Seas Nobility: -1

-Luo Clan & Vassals: 1
--Imperial Conservatives (20%): -2
--Imperial Moderates (20%): 0
--Weilu Moderates (55%): 1
--Old Tribes (5%): 2

-Wang Clan and Vassals: 1
--Imperial Moderates(40%): 0
--Imperial Conservatives (10%): -2
--Weilu Moderates (50%): 1

-Meng Clan: -1

-Diao Clan -1

-Jia Clan: 0

-Bao clan: 1

I'm a little concerned that our relations with Meng clan apparently were at -2. Also it seems Linqin had no antipathy to LQ... before today. In addition Imperial representative obviously wasn't impressed, as weren't impressed all Imperial conservatives, even among Luo clan their opinion didn't change even though all others ranged up.
In general we are slightly less disliked now, wich is good, but we aren't really liked by anyone other than old tribes folks. Oh, and Jia still have no clue 'who is this girl again'.
P.S.: Congratulations people, we have our expedition next turn, finally. Though this one is a bit bigger than I voted for.

Erebeal · Aug 18, 2020

Pipeman said:
Given the fact that Linqin is also the head of a count clan and correspondingly old, there's decent chance CRX is in fact her descendant or something similarly squicky

Fun WOG just in: Linqin did have a husband, and does have descendants. He was a Hui. He's dead now.

EternalObserver · Aug 18, 2020

Erebeal said:
Fun WOG just in: Linqin did have a husband, and does have descendants. He was a Hui. He's dead now.

Really really big news. The plot thickens

Krazo · Aug 18, 2020

And if you don't like my fan idea there is also this:

TimEd · Aug 18, 2020

yrsillar said:
Her garments as well, bore the marks of civilized hands. Nothing to match imperial finery of course, but not the rough rough furs and stolen patchworks which the barbarians use.

repeated word

yrsillar said:
"Reasonable enough," the Wang representative grunted. "No use holding principal above effectiveness."

i thinkbthis is supposed to be
principles

yrsillar said:
An organically developed escape talisman, meant to draw the smaller piece the larger one. Mistaken for kin indeed."

draw the smaller piece towards ("to" if it is meant to be a teleport) the larger one

So, on talisman, do we go for Combat Perception?

JohnnieBoy123 · Aug 18, 2020

TimEd said:
draw the smaller piece towards the larger one

Its probably "to" instead of "towards". The implication is that it teleports the user instead of pulling them around.

dycouza · Aug 18, 2020

yrsillar said:
I shall see to providing further resources for your growth and cultivation of subordinates.

For one glorious moment to the Bao representative's greed social perception Art our radiance eclipsed that of Shenhua herself. And he was like "Hoh, yeah, she's one of ours."

Erebeal said:
Design ideas I posted previously were these:

I really like the windchimes combined with the Hidden Moon. I imagine they'd chime at secrets and hidden things overlooked, like someone coming to stab us or our enemies preparing to unveil something up their sleeve. Maybe they'll constantly chime to the tune of ambient Qi, the music growing discordant at things hiding from our perception or they'll chime with a miniature version of HDW where we sense everything the soft sound reaches. Maybe wisps of the Hidden Moon will whisper and hint at secrets to our ear. We'll notice Sound and Silence both, odd fluctuations in the Wind and interruptions in the harmonious ambiance.

Eastern Calculus · Aug 18, 2020

Love this portrayal of a court of demigods. Really gives the feeling that a Moon Wraith took the wrong turn and ended up on Mount Olympus.

Nemonowan · Aug 18, 2020

The roadtrip next turn is gonna eat up a big chunk of time, and from I could tell the current turn has been mostly the raid on the barbarian meet so far. Should we review our cultivation plan for next turn and maybe even for the rest of this turn? A greater focus on social arts might be warranted if we are going on a diplomatic mission.

Lena27 · Aug 18, 2020

Nemonowan said:
The roadtrip next turn is gonna eat up a big chunk of time, and from I could tell the current turn has been mostly the raid on the barbarian meet so far. Should we review our cultivation plan for next turn and maybe even for the rest of this turn? A greater focus on social arts might be warranted if we are going on a diplomatic mission.

Well this turn is already decided and I don't think...going back on what's been voted on is a thing? Next turn, idk.

Varder · Aug 18, 2020

Damn, the I felt Shenhua's pressure just from reading. She's scary.

Also good thing our relationship with Meng went up - the more Sun are tied to the Empire the better.

ThrustVectoring · Aug 18, 2020

Plan: don't get got

[x] Combat Perception
- [x] Earrings

Ayashi · Aug 18, 2020

Erebeal said:
Alright, so talisman plans were

[] Combat Perception
-[] Earring

And I think the thing in particular people were particularly worried about was stealth detection?

Design ideas I posted previously were these:

With the top three being the best ones IMO (and the bottom ones are urgh).

The simple black gem calling to mind the hidden moon is both thematically appropriate and plays off our hair nicely. Otoh, for a more wind/music vibe the chimes also work well, and might be good for something focused on stealth detection. And then if we like both the combination option actually looks pretty good too.

i'd say the very first one looks best. I doubt ling qi would want something hanging from her ear ready to be grabbed by any enemy. Looking at the ones that look like frieking windchimes in particular...
Maybe a black (onyx?) central stone with a silver casting that slowly covers and uncovers the central stone matching the current phase of the Moon?

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

Tryhard As Fuck

Seven gremlins in a trench coat

eYe Gaze baCk

Meteor maker

Tired Cultist