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

Voted best in category in the Users' Choice awards.
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[X] Offer an item of value to a spirit who values mortal craft.
-[X] Offer the Dream Idol

Given that the XP is the smallest cost by far, I'm worried about it being considered inadequate.
 
Personally, I want to keep the idol. The dream cult was a huge, important, and long-running party of the culture here. We know that duchess Cai regards us as evidence of the spirits she defeated bowing to her dominion, out at least she has *publicly speculated* to that end, and I think that means we need to understand what she views us as representing. There's too much history here to just pave over and hope for the best.

And as far as the disruption of the spiritual ecosystem- I'm on the hedonistic "consequences are inevitable" side of the balance, rather than the "don't touch anything" side. We are not going to grow our cultivation without making a mark on the world.

And personally? I like the idea that we are becoming our lady leige's dark shadow. Where she is light and revelation and the truth of day, we are the comfort of night and dreams and actions taken in private. Both are needed for people to flourish.

Which means that dreams are key- what might be, and what is not- to give relief from the pressure of what *is* and being locked into a position in life where dreams are the only escape.

I don't want to throw that away to make nobles happier with us- they'll be happier that we are neutering ourselves more than they'll be happy that the past is being left in the past.
 
Looks like there is a strong winner.
What I find interesting is people are just as willing to trade the brush, as the idol.

Adhoc vote count started by Killer_Whale on Jul 3, 2021 at 1:14 AM, finished with 97 posts and 43 votes.
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[X] Offer one service, which must be within your current power, to be completed within a year and a day (Locks in a Quest from the Spirit.)

I like quests! Also, maybe gives us a chance at talking to the priesthood again.
 
[X] For the adulation lost, offer a sliver of your own power, once and done. (-100 XP from cultivation XP earned this turn, before multipliers)
 
[X] For the adulation lost, offer a sliver of your own power, once and done. (-100 XP from cultivation XP earned this turn, before multipliers)
[X] Offer an item of value to a spirit who values mortal craft.
-[X] Offer the Dream Idol
 
I don't like the idea of us offering up either the dream idol or the Hui brush because we're brand new to the nobility, I feel like they're exactly the kinds of things either used to enhance weaker member's abilities or as a sort of heirloom that heirs or comrades use to excel above their peers. They should be kept and used as the tools they are unless the Ling Clan falls into DIRE financial problems.

kinigget said:
[X] Offer an item of value to a spirit who values mortal craft.
-[X] Offer the Hui Painter's Brush

we have no use for this and no inclination to find one. Perfect gift.
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I don't like the quoted take for the reasons I just outlined.

I also don't like the option to give up some of our own power to sate this random spirit's anger. We just voted for an option to increase our Power concept so we should lean into that if it's going to be a consistent theme.

I really think that the quest option is the most solid one. It gives Ling Qi the possibility to make a name for herself in the realm of spiritual negotiation and troubleshooting. It also sounds like a solid lead on something that will increase our understanding of concepts and could potentially lead to an insight. Also a year in canon is REALLY long in the thread so we could put it off for a significant period unless Yrs starts time skipping heavily.

So I'm voting:

[X] Offer one service, which must be within your current power, to be completed within a year and a day (Locks in a Quest from the Spirit.)
 
Audacious said:
I also don't like the option to give up some of our own power to sate this random spirit's anger. We just voted for an option to increase our Power concept so we should lean into that if it's going to be a consistent theme.
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....the Power concept is about what power means, how it is used, spent and gained.
Spending power to achieve something we otherwise could not IS developing the Power concept. It is the Power of wealth, personal ability, time to spare and social connections.

It is how and why Power matters, not accumulation of power for its own sake.
As a side note, Ling Qi probably should start building up a collection of random knick knacks to use in bargains....
 
[X] For the adulation lost, offer a sliver of your own power, once and done. (-100 XP from cultivation XP earned this turn, before multipliers)

I have sudden thought about importance and self-significance:

What if this plot does not aims at as only, ar even at all? Maybe enemy target clerics, or the Spirit, maybe it is inner Ministry of Postmen affair, etc., etc. Why we go there seeking only our enemies?
 
[X] For the adulation lost, offer a sliver of your own power, once and done. (-100 XP from cultivation XP earned this turn, before multipliers)
 
[X] Offer an item of value to a spirit who values mortal craft.
-[X] Offer the Hui Painter's Brush

I'd pick the exp but I think this exactly an example of disrupting a spiritual ecosystem. The brush will do so too but likely slower/over a manageable timespan.
 
[X] For the adulation lost, offer a sliver of your own power, once and done. (-100 XP from cultivation XP earned this turn, before multipliers)
 
[X] For the adulation lost, offer a sliver of your own power, once and done. (-100 XP from cultivation XP earned this turn, before multipliers)

[X] Offer an item of value to a spirit who values mortal craft.
-[X] Offer the Dream Idol

[X] Offer an item of value to a spirit who values mortal craft.
-[X] Offer the Hui Painter's Brush
 
Ah Ling Qi, a girl who finds it easier to speak with sapient concepts and dreams then actual people.

Do we have an actual in story reason for this knack besides just rolling well?

Normally I would say it was a skill gained from a characters past but Ling Qi has been perpetually a loner before getting to the sect. Even ignored the ominous whispers of spirits that she could hear.
 
[X] For the adulation lost, offer a sliver of your own power, once and done. (-100 XP from cultivation XP earned this turn, before multipliers)

[X] Offer an item of value to a spirit who values mortal craft.
-[X] Offer the Hui Painter's Brush
 
[X] For the adulation lost, offer a sliver of your own power, once and done. (-100 XP from cultivation XP earned this turn, before multipliers)
 
[X] Offer one service, which must be within your current power, to be completed within a year and a day (Locks in a Quest from the Spirit.)
 
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[X] For the adulation lost, offer a sliver of your own power, once and done. (-100 XP from cultivation XP earned this turn, before multipliers)
FixerUpper said:
I would point out that we should be wary of offering power: sure, the cost to us personally might not be huge, but as the priestess said, we are a disruptive influence on a normally predictable relationship. It's entirely possible that, small as our gift might seem to us, it'd upset what ever spiritual ecosystem balance is in play right now.
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Whilst the other options might directly shift the balance I doubt the XP donation will do so in any significant way? It's the most direct trade for the adulation lost (or at least Ling Qi can adjust how much she gives so it is).

More importantly I'm concerned about the precedent our choice sets. The Clergy undoubtedly have guidelines to follow for if rituals like this go wrong. If we give them the brush, then next time something happens the spirit can be like "Well last time the representative gave me a cyan tier talisman. You better not give me something lesser than that, or am I less worth it now?"
The XP at least is a lot more repeatable a salve than the other options.
 
[X] For the adulation lost, offer a sliver of your own power, once and done. (-100 XP from cultivation XP earned this turn, before multipliers)

I'm not sure if I voted and this is arguably the cheapest.

query said:
Ah Ling Qi, a girl who finds it easier to speak with sapient concepts and dreams then actual people.

Do we have an actual in story reason for this knack besides just rolling well?

Normally I would say it was a skill gained from a characters past but Ling Qi has been perpetually a loner before getting to the sect. Even ignored the ominous whispers of spirits that she could hear.
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Spirits are ultimately simpler than humans (at least at the level that we are acting on, the line starts getting really blurry as cultivation increases). Even the most deceptive of spirits generally have a fairly small number of likes and dislikes that can be accounted for and the vast majority of spirits are more honest than normal humans. You also don't need to worry about plots within plots, you just need to accept them as they are and figure out the degree to which you can accommodate them.

Normally this lack of complexity results in human social skills reading situations wrong but LQ was learning hers at the same time she was learning how to interact with them. As such she never had to unlearn any bad habits.

On the other side spirits need to learn that humans are a lot more complicated than them. Sixiang's character development is along those lines. Meanwhile Hanyi remains deeply weird and doesn't fit into this paradigm.
 
[X] For the adulation lost, offer a sliver of your own power, once and done. (-100 XP from cultivation XP earned this turn, before multipliers)
 
[X] For the adulation lost, offer a sliver of your own power, once and done. (-100 XP from cultivation XP earned this turn, before multipliers)
 
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