Hmmph... this junior is a good seed [Cultivation Management Quest]

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New Good Seed and Omake Rule Updates
Good Seed and Omake Spreadsheet Rules:

Firstly, if you have questions about Good Seeds and the like please read here. If that doesn't answer your question please ping me in thread, or on Discord.

If you write a new Good Seed, or write an omake, please update the spreadsheet if you have access.

If you do not have access, please ping a collaborator (Swordomatic, Alectai, Quest, TehChron, Insane-Not-Crazy, Humbaba, ReaderOfFate, Kaboomatic, no., BungieONI) letting them know what you want and they will update the spreadsheet here. To gain access, you will need a gmail account of some kind. Throwaway emails are fine (I'm using one for the spreadsheet), but to gain access it's as simple as sending me either your email via PM, via DM in Discord, or just in Discord's #spreadsheet-requests channel.

This is mandatory. If a Good Seed does not record their omake by pinging collabs (or just requesting access and editing things themselves - this is the preferred option), I won't give out awards. If a new Good Seed is not recorded here, they won't advance. By doing this it makes the whole thing manageable for me - it's gotten pretty unwieldy!

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Omake Writer Instructions:

There are four fields you need to fill out.

Omake Link, which is just a link to your first omake for the turn. This makes it easier for me to read them as I do the update - without this it's tough to know off the bat which omake were written this turn, and to properly

Requested Bonus, which is your requested bonus for your omake. You can leave it up to me if you like. You can see more info in the Good Seed infopost here.

Cultivation Aims. For those following unorthodox paths - higher than 9th Heavenstage or later than 7th Dao Pillar paths. Please put in what you are aiming for before you break through. I have left it as 'default'. If you do not edit it, I'll go with that.

Turn Notes - Do you want to do something specific? Enter a Secret Realm? Help the Clan out in some way? If you have something specific you want to accomplish on this turn, put it in turn notes so I can adjust your Fate around it.

All other fields are for QM use to record character information to properly run the flow of the game.
 
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[X] Plan: A strong mind in a strong body

Also we probably can no7shere. I assume we will be able to personally make ourselves stronger and we will have things to work on ourself. We could develop those formations and in fact that wouldnt be horrible. Its a form of strength that we can pass down to future leaders of the sect and make them signoficantly stronger.
 
[X] Plan: A strong mind in a strong body
-[X] As Guest Elders or Guest Cultivators
-[X] Resoluteness
-[X] Shattering Glass Spear Array
-[X] Hoplite Formation
 
I'm sort of sad we can't get all three of these formations, they seem like they'd all combo extremely well.

Just quoting my earlier post:

NB - You will possess all three of these formations and more, but the one you choose will be your Primary Formation, which all your Core Formation cultivators will be trained in, as will the majority of your Foundation Establishment cultivators. If a Nascent Soul shows up to fight, this is the formation your clan uses (and the only one they can use) to assist you in battle. You have the highest attainment in it, and it's the most effective.

You'll still have all three, but in terms of high-end battles that really matter, you can only realistically specialise in one.
 
Just quoting my earlier post:



You'll still have all three, but in terms of high-end battles that really matter, you can only realistically specialise in one.

could we create divisions of cultivators that each specialize in one of the three formations? like for the future or as our sect grows? or is that just kinda impossible even as our numbers grow?



in addition, on question i have is about good seeds. You said that not all good seeds will specialize in what the clan does. when a good seed dies, is their research into their path donated to the clan for others to follow? like can we devote some cultivators to develop the path that the good seed blazed so our sect has a stronger foundation? can future good seeds of the same path use the research of previous good seeds to advance that path even further?

Also you said good seeds would somehow be tied into omakes, right? how will that work? can we have multiple good seeds at once? do we or you roll die to see if the good seeds from omakes survive in the decades long time-span that the updates will supposedly take?

also i assume we (the only nascent soul) can die. if we die but the clan is still alive, do we take the POV of the strongest good seed at that time?

if you are gonna clarify all this later thats ok and thanks, for reading my bs. I assume at least some of this stuff is already laid out and i'm just not seeing it lol.
 
Isn't the idea of formations having our whole force executing it at once? It seems like splitting our focus might lead to weaker power overall.
the idea is that the power is decent enough to interfere in nascent soul level battles at our clans okish size right now. As we grow large and thus have more cultivators to allocate for formations, it seems logical to me that we could have multiple formations usable.

think of it like this i suppose.
say our cultivator population is at 50 (for an easy number).
you need 40 cultivators to be able to specialize in running an array at the level it can affect nascent soul battles.
that leave us 10 left over that we can't do anything with besides running as substitutes for if one of the 40 die.
then our clan grows cus #prosperity. now we have 100 cultivators.
My question is if we have to put all 100 towards the formation that runs effectively at 40 to boost its strength or if we can create a seperate division to be capable of using a second formation effectively enough to affect nascent soul battles. Perhaps at the cost of more resources for training or research actions.
 
So, I gotta ask why the hoplite formation? We are slow and sitting right up against a large mountain range, so wouldn't the eagle be a better option? We would be more mobile, able to cover greater distances to either range further into the desert or move amount the mountains and valleys. The eagle offers us many other advantages such as being able to spot enemies from further away, making scouting easier, moving troops into location, this assists with rapid raids and having aerial power isn't something to be overlooked as you bird can also fight with us.

What I'm thinking is a plan to use this to project our power across a further distance.

[x] plan fight at a distance
[x] As Guest Elders or Guest Cultivators
[x] Talent
[x] Shattering Glass Spear Array
[x] Two-Headed Eagle Formation

We have little resources so we need to ensure we're using those resources to cultivate the best we have available to us from the clan.

I've already outlined the benefits of the eagle. It'll give us more options and cover a weakness in an additional fighter And increased speed.

The spear allows us to fight from a distance to weaken our enemies before we have to close in with them. Together with the eagle this lets us chase down raiders and kill them before they hurt our people.
 
I am pretty hyped for this quest, i've been looking for a Cultivation Management style quest and luckily all the decisions chosen so far are what i would have like (besides the formations being more Greek then Three kingdoms, but that's minor.)

If you're a fan of 'trying to break a fundamentally unjust system in xianxia', 40 Milleniums of Cultivation is probably the best story out there. It's my personal favorite cultivation story (Nine Star is funnier and has a protag capable of actual flirting which is a first in xianxia, but plot-wise it's not as good) and really grapples with the big systemic questions all the time.

OH SWEET, it's nice to run into people who like it as well. The world building is awesome and the sci-fi aspect was blended really well with the cultivation aspects. Something along the same lines that you might like would be The Human Emperor. While there are many aspects of it that are cliche and predictable, the one thing i think it does well is fully breaksdown how Xianxia-esque cultivation will function in a Wuxia world

The setting has strong individual cultivators who are army breakers, but also goes into details on Formations and how weaker cultivators can pair up as well as how Better Gear plays up.
Optimatoi is Byzantine, which is the aesthetic I reached for initially - more Greek than Roman. Essentially the Clan was some manner of elite in the Heaven-Defying Sect.

If the vote remains close I'm likely to split the internal/external names (Golden Devil are what we call ourselves externally and what others call us, Imperial Optimatoi is the true name of the Clan but using it brings the displeasure of the heavens so it is kept secret and rarely used).

Nice! i would love for us to have a Good Seed or two who is specced into the Champion kind of build so we can have our own Hector or Achilles (at least in skill)
[ ] As mercenaries
+ Very high cost to hire wandering cultivators, cannot induct them into the clan except in rare circumstances
- Betrayal likelihood non-existant

Would we be able to tie them in with ties of Marriage ? Because that was the one thing that occured to me when i saw Clan won, which was the age old method of creating blood ties by marriage.
[ ] Kataphraktoi Formation

Your formation summons a great bronze-clad horseman, with lance and helm. He charges at staggering speed, the lance able to strike with far more power than one might expect. However, once the charge is spent, so will the formation mostly be - it is one grand strike, and after that the horseman can only fire mere arrows of moderate power.
while the Hoplite and Kataphraktoi Formations can admit those even without the clan's bloodline to an extent

So yeah, this Formation + it being able to have people without the clan bloodline makes me hyped. I would love to be able to have Cavalry/Beast Rider Auxiliaries to act as the hammer to our Clan's Anvil.

And it's perfect that we have a access route to get the beasts, we just need a person with the skillset to do so!

[X] Plan: A strong mind in a strong body
-[X] As Guest Elders or Guest Cultivators
-[X] Resoluteness
-[X] Shattering Glass Spear Array
-[X] Hoplite Formation


Would we be able to develop or modify Formations ? Because i really like the Kataphraktoi Formation, and i would love for us to be able to branch it off into a pure Calvary specced formations that trades away the Grand Strike ability for a All Stats boost as long as they remain mounted and in formation.

Which i think will benefit a Auxillary group of Calvary that is built more along the lines of those in Chinese Media, with the Beasts breaking the enemies while the riders chop down with polearms.

I also hope that with modified formations we can gradually make connections with the greater world since they will be more subtle or changed so that no one can tell their origins at a power tradeoff. I can see us being able to from a Escort Agency to protect Merchant Caravans or maybe even offer rich nobles or merchants a Varangian -esque Guard contract.

Since our reliance on 1 to 1 is less, we can leverage our less strong members to do such things.
 
I have literally plotted out my own Plucky Youngster submission, and eagerly await to find out how that system will work.
 
Pretty tuckered out and my hands are killing me from sanding all day, so I won't write another vote now. Just respond to a couple of things.

I can't read any of our territory info. (I am on mobile tho.)

I don't use mobile for imgur - the picture itself needs to be clicked on to expand on PC. Could be similar, requiring a tap?

could we create divisions of cultivators that each specialize in one of the three formations? like for the future or as our sect grows? or is that just kinda impossible even as our numbers grow?

The answer to this, as many things, is 'yes, you can do it'.

The reciprocal question is always 'should you?'

in addition, on question i have is about good seeds. You said that not all good seeds will specialize in what the clan does. when a good seed dies, is their research into their path donated to the clan for others to follow? like can we devote some cultivators to develop the path that the good seed blazed so our sect has a stronger foundation? can future good seeds of the same path use the research of previous good seeds to advance that path even further?

Also you said good seeds would somehow be tied into omakes, right? how will that work? can we have multiple good seeds at once? do we or you roll die to see if the good seeds from omakes survive in the decades long time-span that the updates will supposedly take?

Very broadly speaking - the clan can pick up new techniques, new paths, etc, etc.

Good seeds are player characters, effectively. The clan has characters of its own. The Good Seeds mechanic lets players in the quest write their own character. They're subject to the vagaries of fate as ordinary clan members, however, omake helps... bend probability in their favour.

Bear in mind taking two decades per turn isn't that crazy - if a good seed reaches Core Formation they'll be able to live 600 years, or 30 turns. This is a considerable portion of the quest.

also i assume we (the only nascent soul) can die. if we die but the clan is still alive, do we take the POV of the strongest good seed at that time?

Not sure. If the players do a hard-turn into some stupid suicidal action early I might do a time rewind (or even let the quest die as a caution to future questers). I haven't thought of the mechanics for a long time in the future. I prefer to refine mechanics as I QM, being too specific means having to rework stuff all the time.


Do we have any idea of how many lower level cultivators it takes to fight a level up?

In formation, the ratios are roughly 50-1. Without formations, perhaps closer to 250-1. There is a ratio of 100 cultivators per low realm for every 1 in the realm above it. This sounds good, but bear in mind deploying formations into battle is tough and situational - in reality 50 Core Formation cultivators have an almost zero chance of killing a Nascent Soul as the Nascent Soul can just leave unfavorable battles if they desire. But this is 'can this group of cultivators force an enemy to retreat in this one specific battle'.

Bear in mind due to not specialising in battle techniques your cultivators are personally weaker. So 50 of your Core Formation cultivators could fight you, but it might take 60-65 of them to match a Nascent Soul in the same realm who is a combat specialist. Of course, if you march into battle with plenty of underlings to use as Qi batteries formation members it'd be a different story.

@occipitallobe is there anything like a field fortification style array ie. something that our cultivators could set up quickly upon arriving somewhere?

Yes, but bear in mind arrays aren't cheap or free. You can certainly bring a fortification array around with a group of cultivators, though.

I have literally plotted out my own Plucky Youngster submission, and eagerly await to find out how that system will work.

So far it's literally 'write a character in the early Qi Condensation Realm, and submit them for consideration'. I'm very easygoing on the consideration part - as long as it seems like it fits the clan and setting ok I'll approve it. Mechanically I'll roll behind the scenes to see how Good Seeds do each turn, and omake will let you choose bonuses - a fortuitous encounter, better cultivation speed for the turn, avoiding death or crippling, etc. I'll usually offer some relatively minor information (the kind our Nascent Soul would quickly read over - young Alexia had a good encounter in a cultivation realm and fought and killed a Foundation Establishment wandering cultivator, she also got a Foundation Establishment artifact of some kind') to help players write more omake if they'd like, or just keep up to date with their character if they don't. I'll sketch out the major cultivation events in their life that turn in extremely broad strokes, and it's up to that Good Seed's player if they'd like to fill in the gaps.

The omake absolutely aren't mandatory, they just offer bonuses to reward the most invested players in the thread with cooler characters, which I think is a fair trade.
 
Will there be a phase were we could define things about the clan like only deploying our cultivators in groups of 10 for example or that our cultivators are actually organised into a military structure?
 
So far it's literally 'write a character in the early Qi Condensation Realm, and submit them for consideration'. I'm very easygoing on the consideration part - as long as it seems like it fits the clan and setting ok I'll approve it. Mechanically I'll roll behind the scenes to see how Good Seeds do each turn, and omake will let you choose bonuses - a fortuitous encounter, better cultivation speed for the turn, avoiding death or crippling, etc. I'll usually offer some relatively minor information (the kind our Nascent Soul would quickly read over - young Alexia had a good encounter in a cultivation realm and fought and killed a Foundation Establishment wandering cultivator, she also got a Foundation Establishment artifact of some kind') to help players write more omake if they'd like, or just keep up to date with their character if they don't. I'll sketch out the major cultivation events in their life that turn in extremely broad strokes, and it's up to that Good Seed's player if they'd like to fill in the gaps.
So after a Good Seed is accepted they will appear as footnotes in the quest, and you might also add some prompts for stuff we can write about happening? Or we write the Omake and then it shows up in the quest?
 
So after a Good Seed is accepted they will appear as footnotes in the quest, and you might also add some prompts for stuff we can write about happening? Or we write the Omake and then it shows up in the quest?

They'll appear as part of your turn report - say you have a character named Xian, for sake of argument. As a good seed the main quest gets something like 'Xian is one of the more promising disciples, he entered the Junxi Secret Realm ten years ago and encountered a Spirit Spring, helping him advance his cultivation.' Or 'Xian was badly wounded in battle against a Foundation Building wandering cultivator.'

Written Omake will be indexed (I'll try and sort them by character), but in the main quest you'll only see a few snippets here and there. You as players will know what has happened in the sect and what is about to happen though, so there's plenty of room to try things out.
 
Adhoc vote count started by occipitallobe on Aug 24, 2020 at 11:03 AM, finished with 50 posts and 23 votes.


I said I wasn't going to do this, but, eh. Vote is closed. Next one up in a bit.

Will there be a phase were we could define things about the clan like only deploying our cultivators in groups of 10 for example or that our cultivators are actually organised into a military structure?

No. Your cultivators will have a vaguely military structure, but there's worldbuilding going on behind the scenes which is 'sensible' - in the sense that I've let you choose broad things (territories, philosophies) and thematic things (cultivation techniques, arrays). I don't want to get bogged down in minutae - the point of clan generation is to give the players a sense of who the clan and the Nascent Soul is, and give me a sense of what I'm writing. More things will be established along the way.
 
You, Nascent Soul...
You are the Archegetes of the Imperial Optimatoi. At least, that is who you are to your inner clan members.

To most, you are Elder

[ ] Zhan Ze

Your use of the Turtle World name is deliberate. The Heavens strike at you for using your True Names, and so you adopt the names of the natives of this world.

[ ] Manuel Konstantinos

Your refusal to adopt a Turtle World name is deliberate. The Heavens can strike at you for many things, but at least they have left you your name.

[ ] Write-in (Chinese names follow the first choice in effect, Greek names follow the second. Your name determines the naming schema for the Clan)

Of the Golden Devil Clan.

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Your clan members are a disciplined bunch, and you were once a mere member. You climbed the cultivation ranks

[ ] Slowly

Start at Age 1,500. You reached Nascent Soul after several fortuitous encounters as a Core Formation cultivator expanding your lifespan, reaching Nascent Soul at 750. You have low talent, and will grow more slowly in future. However, your wealth of experience means you are generally better at everything - from combat, to management, to intrigue. You have gained another 500 years of lifespan from your encounters.

[ ] At Average Pace

Start at Age 1,000. You reached Nascent Soul a few scant years before your Core would've failed and you would've died of old age - at 500. Very typical for a cultivator of your clan. No bonuses or maluses.

[ ] Quickly

Start at age 700. You reached Nascent Soul at a mere 350, one of the best talents in your Clan. Your cultivation talent has not left you - you will grow more quickly. However, your youth has left you callow, and inexperienced. You gain a general malus to your actions of all kinds.

[ ] Heaven-Defyingly

Start at age 300. You reached Nascent Soul at the age of 150, an absurd speed. All of the Core Formation Elders are significantly older than you, usually around 500 or so. You will continue to cultivate at tremendous speed, however, your cultivation speed left you with no time to practice administration, intrigue, and even combat. You are terribly ineffective at most of these things compared to your peers. If there were any other Nascent Souls in the clan you would be secreted away to continue your progress, not given real authority.

Bear in mind for this choice experience in various things is accrued very slowly. The Heaven-Defyingly fast cultivator will reach the Slowly cultivators stats at the same age. 1,200 years, or 60 turns. Of course, in the long run you can expect to reach late stage and even the great circle of Nascent Soul much quicker, but the more talented your Nascent Soul, the more brutal the game will be early.

---------------


You ascended to the position of Archegetes after...

[ ] An attack from the Battle Blood Cannibal Sect

Four Nascent Souls, and you were only in the initial stage. The Elder left you to operate the array, and went out to challenge them. One Nascent Soul in the late stage versus one in the late and three in the middle. An absurd fight, as he killed two, crippled one, and wounded the fourth. He died shortly after, leaving the Clan in your hands. You have a burning hatred for the Cannibal Sect.

[ ] A Seven Divine Saber Palace swordsman killed your Elder

You had reached the early stage of the Nascent Soul, and Dancing Sword Liu Zhao from the Seven Divine Saber Palace challenged your Elder to a battle to the death, or else threatened to lay waste to your lands. Liu Zhao won easily, and left, stating honour had been satisfied. Honour will be satisfied for you on Liu Zhao's corpse.

[ ] The last Elder died in the Hundred-Year Trials

Three Core Formation cultivators in the Hundred-Year Trials, but one carried a magical treasure of great power. A sliver of will from a cultivator unimaginable in strength. Your Elder foolishly tried to save his grandson who was being hunted. The amulet sprang to life and killed him in an instant. You obsess over finding a way to defeat the trials.

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Your personal talent is...

[ ] Cultivation Lecturing


You gain a new Action - Give Lecture. You can help your disciples and Clan members cultivate to a degree.

[ ] Administration

You gain a significant bonus to Clan organisation Actions.

[ ] Intrigue

You gain a significant bonus to internal Clan intrigue Actions to root out traitors and discover who among your Elders is loyal and competent.

[ ] Array Carving

You gain a new action - Carve Array. Such Arrays can be sold for a significant sum, or used to assist the Clan.

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Your personal weakness is...

[ ] Stamina


You can fight, but your use of Qi is inefficient, and you can maintain battle for less long than you might think.

[ ] Decisiveness

You often vacillate, and even when a decision has been made you find it difficult to commit to it.

[ ] Rage

You have not severed your anger, and you find yourself easily enraged and reacting to those who offend you.

[ ] I Had Eyes, But Did Not Recognise Mt. Tai

You are... socially inept, to say the least. Insulting other cultivators, seemingly looking down on them, never giving face... others see you as arrogant, but in truth you're just clueless socially.

---------------

Your family...

[ ] Is alive.


Your parents, of course, are long dead, and your wife has passed as well. However, you have ten children, and forty grandchildren, as well as twelve great-grandchildren! Your descendents are known throughout the Clan. You are very protective of them, but your bloodline is quite potent and yields some excellent disciples.

[ ] Is dead

It was during the last Hundred-Year Trial. Your son and daughter were killed, and your wife died trying to protect them. You could do nothing. You are filled with a cold, seething hatred of those who hurt your clan and family, but it manifests as a cold rationality. You are better at thinking things through.

[ ] Has never come to be

Romance? Dao Partners? Pah! You might get married one day, but only for the good of the Clan. You have no interest in women or men - what can the pleasures of the flesh compare to the pursuit of immortality? Of course, if alliances must be made, or factions within the Clan allayed, that is something else.

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Lastly.


Your old master passed down a Dao to you, a path to follow. One that led you to this place, to this power. What was it?

[ ] Dao of Rebellion

There are many truths. Rebellion against the Heavens can lead to the truth of the Heavens, just as storming a castle can find you in its keep as much as entering by the main gate with permission. For millennia your Elders have passed down this truth. Rebel against the Heavens. Rebel against all authority, and stand at the top of all things that you might change them. Rebellion can be done in secret, but the business of the rebel never ends.

[ ] Dao of Defiance

Till hope is gone, till strength is gone, striking at the enemy with teeth bared, screaming defiance with the last breath, to spit in the eye of the Heavens on the last day. You defy the world. You defy the Heavens. You defy all that stands against your truth. Defiance is open, and never-ending. One does not hide, or lower your head. Defiance.

[ ] Dao of Peace

Peace. Peace. Peace. A stronger wish there has never been. Your Elders wished peace and prosperity for all the world, yet it cannot be found as long as the tyrannical Heavens hold sway. Do not hate them, but bring peace to all.

[ ] Dao of Justice

There is only one truth in the world. The Heavens shall be sharpened upon the blade of justice. With justice as its whetstone, the Heavens shall achieve perfection. All who are guilty shall be punished, whether they be gods, or kings, or all the cultivators in Heaven and Earth. The guilty will suffer so that the innocent might find respite.

[ ] Write-in
 
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I am all in favour of long term gains over short term benefits, s Heaven Deefyingly is the best option. We will start of weak, but over time gain huge benefits.

A normal name so we fit in better with our allies. People are distrustful of things different than themselves so if we wat to mesh well with our allies we need to integrate with their culture.

Since we rely on allies we can't afford to take any social debuffs, so stamina is the choice that is best for us. Taking Rage, or I had Eyes would make it harder to do well with allies.

Is Alive for the purpose of having lots of talented disciples who are loyal to us by virtue of blood, strengthening our hold on the sect.

Intrigue because we are weak to betrayal so it is practically mandatory. It will allow to us to better sniff out traitors and rebels as promote competent elders who will manage the sect day to day for us.

The battle blood cannibal sect is our main enemy currently so having hate for them is good.

Dao of rebellion since its just defiance + secrecy.
[X] The Rebel Cause
-[X] Zhan Ze
-[X] Heaven-Defyingly
-[X] An attack from the Battle Blood Cannibal Sect
-[X] Intrigue
-[X] Stamina
-[X] Is alive.
-[X] Dao of Rebellion
 
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