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Money and Power: A Xianxia Merchant Quest

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Alectai said:
[X] The Legion of One
[X] A Shining Silver Ant Queen, the minds and hearts of that most terrible species. Ordinarily quiescent and content to build their mountain holdfasts, when provoked they would lash out in a terrible stampede. It is said that a single Shining Silver Ant is nothing to fear, but few would be so bold as to face the living rivers of the hive directly.

Not sure on a good name at the moment.
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I really like the idea but... Ummm, I've already read stories with ants...
 
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From the cultivation primer:
Mr. Prokosch said:
A proper Foundation Technique will be appropriate to the cultivator's skills, personality, and circumstances. Most importantly, it will resonate with the cultivator's soul.
...
The second phase of Perfection is Refinement, and it begins as soon as a cultivator has integrated their Foundation Technique. The first step is simple to explain but infinitely diverse: they must use their Foundation Technique to refine their being. The specifics vary with each technique.
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Soooo...
[X] The Infinitely Perfect
You worked a cosmic forge. Planets were your crude matter, stars were your fuel. With each blow of your titanic hammer, your ultimate creation became more perfect. It was the work of eternity, the masterpiece of the ages. It was you. You were the smith and the creation. With each forging, you are were greater still. Perfection unbound, a singularity of infinite refinement.

This fits:
-The phase it involves (Refinement)
-The journey it concludes (Perfection)
-The young prodigy aspect
-The merchant aspect (unlike the Panoply which fits a fighter and the Legion which fits... I don't know what)

All that aside, The Infinitely Perfect doesn't feel creepy and lonely (unlike the Legion), or pretentious and self-important (unlike the Panoply) to me.
 
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[X] The Legion of One

[X] Assimilation

I'm not really good with names, but I like the Legion of One vote cause of it's potential for memes! Zerg Rush for the win baby!
 
For what concerns the element/material/creature, keep in mind that:
Mr. Prokosch said:
The leap to Transformation is dangerous. Half of all cultivators who make the attempt die instantly. Half of those who survive eventually lose their selfhood, their body, mind, or soul irrevocably corrupted. The reader is well advised to deeply consider if they wish to take this step, and to settle any loose ends if they do. For some the reward, the promise of freedom from the ravages of time, and of even greater power, is worth the risk.

The first step is Merging. The cultivator must introduce a foreign element, something utterly inhuman, into their body, mind and soul. Each is a step, but which is taken first depends on the cultivator. The second phase is Mastering. They must learn to master the new element, taming it to their will. The first step is Transposition, mastering the ability to switch between Human and Other. Then there is Liminal, learning to merge the two. Finally, there is Harmonic, learning to make them both improve the other, to become greater as a whole than either is alone. Once a cultivator perfects the Harmonic step, they earn the title of Transcendent.
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So whatever the QM picks will be something we can turn into, something we can mix with, and something we can... mix with to greater effects?
An alternative interpretation could be, maybe: something we can possess/move our consciousness into, something we can turn into, and something we can mix with.

I'm not sure how concepts would be handled, but elements/materials/creatures are more straightforward. Personally, I like
[X] Glass

It can cut, it can reflect, it can enhance vision, it can insulate, it can contain, it can decorate, and I'm sure many other things. Also, it's not cliché or overpowered (whatever that means in this context).
 
[X] Chalchiuhxochitl of the Atlahau clan
[X] The Infinitely Perfect
[X] A Xiuhcoatl, also known as a fire serpent

It'd probably maybe translate to Jade Flower of the Water Owner clan. Elixirs probably use water which probably means needing to own some body of water. Aztecs WOOOOO!

Sounds like crafting, I like crafting.

Fire serpent because stars being used as fuel, fire, and forging means heat (usually). Heat and fire are a Xiuhtecuhtli (god of fire, day and heat) thing while a Xiuhcoatl should have some sort of connection to said day god.
 
[X] The Legion of One
Information based powers are my favorite

Glass seems original, interesting, and flexible. Since it's a raffle though, I'll throw in
[X] Ink
Useful for arrays, flows around many kinds of damage and once you get it on you, very hard to get rid of.
 
[X] Chalchiuhxochitl of the Atlahau clan
[X] The Legion of One
[X] Exchange

Having Aztec names be the norm seems fun.


edited in my other votes since it seems to only count the ones from your most recent post.
 
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[X] The Legion of One
[X] Water (Qi-infused rain from a once in ten-millennia storm)

Obviously the arrival of such unique form of water is a sign of the heaven's blessing, perhaps an Ancestor Spirit is favourably inclined towards your leadership of the clan.
As rain nourishes plants, so too will your leadership cause the clan to grow.


[X] Chalchiuhxochitl of the Atlahau clan
 
[X] Chalchiuhxochitl of the Atlahau clan
[X] The Infinitely Perfect
[X] A Quetzalcoatlus thrown across time and space

Because Aztec themes and giant pterosaurs, what's not to like?
 
[X] The Infinitely Perfect

[X] Glass

Mirror World! Also Glass Cannon, in the sense that our character is mono focused.
 
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[X] Chalchiuhxochitl of the Atlahau clan
[X] The Infinitely Perfect
[X] A Xiuhcoatl, also known as a fire serpent

Aztec could be fun.

I was torn between infinity perfect and panoply, not a fan of legion at all. But ultimately crafting could bring a new dimension to the quest and suits our clan of merchants.

A fire serpent would be perfect for a crafter. Fuel to craft and also useful as a martial ability.
 
vote tally

Adhoc vote count started by Juli Freixi on Oct 24, 2020 at 1:17 PM, finished with 23 posts and 20 votes.
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@Epic Bygones if you want all your votes to be represented I think you should put them in the same message... like this:
[] The Infinitely Perfect
[] Glass
Because if not, only the vote of your last message comes out...
 
Juli Freixi said:
@Epic Bygones if you want all your votes to be represented I think you should put them in the same message... like this:
[] The Infinitely Perfect
[] Glass
Because if not, only the vote of your last message comes out...
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Oh, I see. Thanks for letting me know. Well, in that case, and since there's already a vote for Glass and it's a raffle, let's do this:
[X] The Infinitely Perfect
[X] The Jade Rabbit

From Chinese mythology, originally symbolizing the moon and connected to the elixir of life. It matches our main resource, of course, but it also fits the description of The Infinitely Perfect, which mentions the cosmos, planets and stars.
 
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[X] Qián Maylin
[X] The Infinitely Perfect
[X] Universe seed

Why be normal? We were forged in stars with planets are raw materials, were obviously a young universe
 
I just want to say I am disappointed and salty that SV chose to go with the stereotypical cookie-cutter Cultivation Prodigy in a Mercantile/Political-themed quest.
Like, there's so much lost opportunity by picking the neophyte archetype that goes from Rags to Riches because it's been done so many times before.

I'm sure the QM will find a way to portray the Prodigy in an interesting manner, I just think the Spare or Exile with their Cunning, Ambition & Ruthlessness would've really complemented the theme of the Quest. As is, it felt like the thread chose to go with a standard Hero's Journey story instead of exploring the potential novelty of a Streetwise/Cynical Anti-Hero.
Hope I'm not coming off as litigating voters' decisions though, just saddened and wanted to vent a bit. That said... Guess my vote will be:

[X] Qián Maylin
[X] The Infinitely Perfect
For thematic purposes I'm more interested in the reforging aspect of Infinitely Perfect.
 
I did a raffle for the name too. That wasn't clear but it felt right for something like a name.

Corndog said:
[X] Chalchiuhxochitl of the Atlahau clan

Having Aztec names be the norm seems fun.
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This means naming conventions in the 1000 Rivers region are Aztec.

Welp, looks like I'm going to be using an Aztec translator thing. Also plenty of people will go by shorter nick names for my sanity.

veekie said:
[X] Diamond
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You have decided to Merge with Diamond. In addition to their superlative physical properties, diamonds are useful in Teotl purifiers, defensive constructs, and divination aids.

By tally your Foundation is The Infinitely Perfect.

Post should be written tomorrow.
 
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