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

Voted best in category in the Users' Choice awards.
You are assuming an insult from someone you just met,

You are assuming that I am assuming. :p Nothing in the post to which you replied was an assumption. I've already granted the possibility exists that he isn't engaging in some sort of Bai social dominance test that is potentially at her expense. I'd rather be wary of the possibility from the start than caught by surprise and blindsided however.

who has specifically been chosen to join our efforts by an ally.

Bai Suzhen isn't our personal ally. Purple Snek Boi may be about to become part of Best Snek's entourage, but he is yet unaware of our almost scandalous closeness, and best snake is constrained by Bai social norms herself. Her ability to prevent him from playing the usual Bai social dominance games is open to question.

It could be an insult, but assuming it instantly is a kneejerk reaction

I've already granted that possibility. This is why I advocated giving him time to make his intentions clear in a previous response.

and while talking to the soldier is not a bad choice, acting offended so easily is going to hurt us.

I didn't say Ling Qi should act offended, I said she should talk to the soldier until she can ascertain the scholar/courtier's intent.

And if it is an insult, this would be an excellent change to put them in place by showing off, instead of instantly backing away and changing subject.

If it is an insult, I fail to see how playing into his apparent social dominance game and implicitly accepting his authority as a Bai to judge her musical worthiness works in her favor. He is not her superior. It is he who should be proving himself to her.

We should be careful about how we behave around the Bai, but this is not the way to do it, we can't afford to act timid.

Timid is accepting that he as a Bai is more worthy of judging Ling Qi's skill than she herself is. Playing his game hands him a victory at her expense. If he wants a musical duel he should come right out and say it, I say bring it on, but then he'll need to risk the possibility of losing. If not, he can go pound sand until he makes a decent effort of impressing Ling Qi with his own skills first.

I mean, Wang Chao used to be hated and compared to Fan Yu by some questers

Lo and behold, we are now good confidants of him. Look where we are now :V

I defended Wang Chao. :D
 
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I wouldn't say the thread has a habit of man hating cause that comment targets the individuals that make up the community. Any well reasoned analysis of characters or other game / narrative element is valid IMO. The poorly reasoned ones are fair game for visceral dismantling... of their reasoning.

Kudos to quest master for stirring the pot with a handful of sentences worth of character intro.

Besides distrusting strangers and men in particular is part of LQs character no?

I shall never agree that the snake boys are hot. They run a few degrees cooler than us. High five on the eye candy though.
 
To be fair, the cuddliest most open Bai we've met story wise is Meizhen whom is dismissive and somewhat contemptuous of anybody not from a ten thousand year old family and whom recently Ling Qi expressed some surprise Meizhen considers anybody aside from ducals, her girlfriend, or Ling Qi a peer. A branch Bai being somewhat condescending to a babby new blood baron is the least surprising thing even if they were picked for a junior foreign diplomat.
 
Okay guys, we're doing the update tomorrow again. Sorry about this. I may end up moving my update days since this keeps happening. You'll still get two updates a week though.
 
I've no issue with the potentially pointed pretentiousness and assuredly ambitious attempt at acquiring our musical/celestial role. We will fend off such advances and assert our authority, while acquiescing generalized astronomy to his domain as we're chosen of our moon Aunties. Not necessarily an expert in constellations nor generalized astrological phenomena nor their associated attributes.
 
I hope we get to see some tournament action. Like tea with all the bosses has been great character development and faction building... but this is a festival of fisticuffs. I wanna OD on xanxia super battles.

Wanna see Xia Fen's familiar and see her go all out against a tough opponent... like she's a rush down, guard break with a spirit beast assist, hyper combo finish kinda girl.

GG's development and spirit have been teased and a grudge match with Lu Feng would be narratively apropos and a cool contrast of battle styles.

Truthfully not that interested in the tiger bros.

But totally wanna see Jun x Jun 's development... and their battle strength as well. And Lei's new ninken puppy! Dynamic marking ftw.

Liu Xin and his flaming hands totally need to be developing a Falcon punch. (Shoryureppa seems more Xiao Fen's style)

Our friends get to beat on the western nobles (maybe we'll see some new western skills like in LQ and GX's dream trial).

Sir piggy gets Jeice style punched in the face and doesn't pass the prelims.

Lu Feng and GG are the mini boss wizards: because we all know who the actual 2nd year bosses are and because any challengers they run into shall not pass.

I guess the scrubs we already beat are still around and technically valid conteders for the bottom couple of spots... Fan Yu, Huang Da and Hong Lin , Lei Quing, LuLu of the oft purloined staff, broken Zhou Chen... meh bracket fodder.
 
I hope we get to see some tournament action. Like tea with all the bosses has been great character development and faction building... but this is a festival of fisticuffs. I wanna OD on xanxia super battles.

Wanna see Xia Fen's familiar and see her go all out against a tough opponent... like she's a rush down, guard break with a spirit beast assist, hyper combo finish kinda girl.

GG's development and spirit have been teased and a grudge match with Lu Feng would be narratively apropos and a cool contrast of battle styles.

Truthfully not that interested in the tiger bros.

But totally wanna see Jun x Jun 's development... and their battle strength as well. And Lei's new ninken puppy! Dynamic marking ftw.

Liu Xin and his flaming hands totally need to be developing a Falcon punch. (Shoryureppa seems more Xiao Fen's style)

Our friends get to beat on the western nobles (maybe we'll see some new western skills like in LQ and GX's dream trial).

Sir piggy gets Jeice style punched in the face and doesn't pass the prelims.

Lu Feng and GG are the mini boss wizards: because we all know who the actual 2nd year bosses are and because any challengers they run into shall not pass.

I guess the scrubs we already beat are still around and technically valid conteders for the bottom couple of spots... Fan Yu, Huang Da and Hong Lin , Lei Quing, LuLu of the oft purloined staff, broken Zhou Chen... meh bracket fodder.
Yeah I'm definitely looking forward to some tournament fights!
GG is probably the favourite to win the thing being G3 which is basically unheard of in the outer sect so by this point him not getting first would be a disappointed for him and CRX.
Han Jian also has a good shot being I think green 2 with a very high quality green spirit beast.
I am definitely looking forward to seeing Xiao Fen fight and am wondering what Lu Feng has cooked up. We've basically heard nothing about him.
I also am wondering if Chu Song will get screwed in the matchups again or if she'll finally catch a break.
The prelims should be interesting and I wonder if Fan Yu will finally make some progress or will continue his downward spiral.
Oh and Huang Da withdrew from the sect so we won't be seeing him.
All in all a ton to look forward to.
 
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Turn 13: 4-3
Ling QI listened as Cai Renxiang and the Ambassador continued to trade pleasantries and smalltalk,with Xia Lushen sometimes cutting in, or Meizhen answering a question or making a comment. She did wish she could just chat with her friend, but that would come later when they weren't in such a formal situation.

She watched the servers set out the refreshments. They did smell good. Ling Qi only recognized a few of them, fish had never been common in Tonghou. Now she saw more types than she could name, in as many different styles, steamed, roasted, fried, even raw. She eyed a platter stacked high with some kind of orange shelled bug… things that were still twitching. There were a few non fish dishes as well, she recognized cuts of venison and pork arranged artfully and drizzled with some kind of rich red sauce.

There were, she noticed no vegetable dishes. Spices, sauces and garnishes were the only non meats on the table. She recalled a conversation long ago with Bai Meizhen. The Bai were, after all, half serpent, predators by nature.

"The Bai are generous," Ling Qi said, turning her eyes back to the two young men. She pitched her voice low to avoid interrupting the conversation of her superiors."I admit I am a little spoiled for choice. Do you have any recommendations?"

"The dishes served on the black plates are suitable only for Bai stomachs," Xia Anxi said lightly. "While the toxins add a kick I enjoy, you would not, I think."

Ling Qi eyes the plate in front of him on which sat cubes of fish skewered on what looked awfully like organic spines. She was not inclined to make a fool of herself trying something that would hurt her.

"The abalone," Lao Keung said shortly, gesturing to a series of small shallow bowls on a nearby platter, each one was filled with a dark brown sauce in which she saw a type of meat she didn't recognize.

"Ah, as a coral I cannot object to recommending our shellfish, its a bit simple though," Xia Anxi chuckled, biting through the skewering spine on one of his chosen meals with a snap. Something black and sizzling dripped onto his plate, and Ling Qi was quite certain she saw it etching the porcelain. "I might suggest the prawn."

"Simple is good, at times. But the prawn is good too. I suggest the cooked platter," Lao Keung said. There was a faint crunch as he twisted the head from one of the orange bug things, which she supposed was a prawn. She watched him pop the still twitching body into his mouth.

"Thank you for your advice," Ling Qi said. She took one of the little bowls and took a moment to try a piece of the meat. It had a strange texture unlike anything she'd had before, but it was very tender. She eyed the other platter indicated, stacked with what she now supposed were more 'prawn' already stripped of their heads and shells and battered. She tentatively took two of those as well.

"So, if I may ask, what do you already know of the enemies here," Ling Qi said politely.

"The nomads have begun coalitioning again, a concern certainly," Xia Anxi said lightly. "The Bai do have some minor dealings with such barbarians, but that is more my companions field."

"I do not have experience in the south, nor did my father or mother," Lao Keung said shortly. "The Asp's rangers deal with such strays."

Asps, those were the Green, Ling Qi recalled. A memory surfaced of horrified golden eyes freezing over.

"Ah yes, I suppose it would be, forgive my ignorance," Xia Anxi said politely. "I have studied what texts we have on the nomads. I am certain our hosts will provide us with more."

Lao Keung grunted an agreement, twisting the head from another prawn with the faintest crunch. "But there is a more dangerous foe, isn't there?"

"More dangerous in that our knowledge of them is lacking," Ling Qi said. "It is best not to underestimate the nomads in the center of their power."

"It is true that a cornered rat fights the most fiercely," Xia Anxi said. "I imagine the fact that they are so hard to corner must make them that much more vicious when you do."

"Just so," Ling Qi said. "But as you've said there are many sources for knowledge on the nomads. Experience with these newer enemies is harder to find."

"Ah, but it is known that you are among those with such knowledge is it not baroness?" Xia Anxi said with a smile, resting his hands on his chin.

Lao Keung merely watched her silently.

"It is true," Ling Qi said, not humbly but with firm confidence. "I discovered and helped eliminate one of their assassins the day that Elder Zhou passed, and I was among the party which scouted their home ground."

"Significant accomplishments, from what I have heard. How do they fight?" Lao Keung asked.

Ling Qi frowned, buying herself a moment by sampling another pice of the 'abalone'. How should she go about describing it.

"Set the narrative you want to tell, and fit your description to support it," Sixiang murmured.
"Flexibly," Ling Qi said slowly, allowing Sixiang to help her guide her words and expressions. "They fight flexibility. The assassin I faced first was my equal or better in the arts of stealth. It was only through certain brash action that I was able to leave them open to my fellow disciples crippling blow. Some might have called it reckless even, but against such tactical superiority…"

"Victory often comes to the brash,' Lao Keung agreed.

"Only with much waste," Xia Anxi said idly.

"A good general must spend her resources like tokens of rare jade, but spend them she must," Lao Keung replied back with a coolness in his expression.

"Hm, that explains the budgets of Zhenjian I suppose," Xia Anxi jabbed back. "But Baroness, continue. Why then do you describe them as flexible, it sounds as if the foe you faced was anything but outside of the physical sense."

"Because such assassins are only one tool in their arsenal," Ling Qi said. "From speaking to others who fought and my own experiences under the earth, they are a very adjustable foe. Sometimes they come with great hordes of beasts guided by a few masters who grow powerful off the deaths around them. At other times they form disciplined ranks, make use of assassins, or powerful cultivators of spiritual pain. I have seen them raise a legion of flying mounts, and I have seen one of their officers track us even in the realm of dream."

"You make them sound like imperial armies," Xia Anxi said mildly.

"That isn't a bad comparison," Ling Qi agreed. "In kind if not in quality. That is my point, they are a foe with well varied tactics and tricks, unlike many barbarians."

"Interesting," Lao Keung said, looking at her now. "What would you say is their greatest disadvantage then?"

Ling Qi pondered that for a moment. "...I would say their inability to operate freely on the surface, but we have that disadvantage as well in their home ground."

"Yes, rather a wash isn't it," Xia Anxi hummed, drinking from a cup of some kind of clear wine. "I imagine that is why your Duchess chose subjugation. It really wouldn't be worth the trouble to go further, would it?"

Ling Qi nodded absently. "It's their organization I think. I wasn't able to discern a central leader. I suspect they might not even have one. That will weaken and slow their responses. More than that though, it's their lack of unity."

"You did not make that sound like a problem when describing their military," Lao Keung said curiously.
"I don't refer to that level. They are, according to her Grace, a collection of city states, can a city or even a few cities really stand against a province in the long term?" Ling Qi said. "Strength and bravery are important, but I have learned how important resources are.

It was the weight of resources that allowed her to keep up her own cultivation. It was access to endless libraries and resources which put those like her Meizhen permanently ahead of her, although such things could only supplement talent.

But if her liege, or Meizhen or even sun liling had dealt with her situation would they truly be so far ahead?

"Hm, if that is the position of the Cai, I understand why Lady Suzhen chose to ally with your Duchess," Xia Anxi said.

Lao Keung looked disgruntled for a moment, but it passed as swiftly as an eyeblink. "...It is not a bad base on which to build your thinking. Don't underestimate a foe just because their resources are poor."

"That was not my intent. These barbarians are still quite dangerous," Ling Qi replied. Her chosen main course was gone, and so she was left with these 'prawn'. It seemed weird to her to eat with her hands at a formal dinner but glances around the table had shown her this seemed appropriate for a few of the dishes. Hiding her disquiet, Ling Qi bit into one and blinked at the savory taste of the meat under the spiced batter.

"You think that they will threaten the diplomatic forces directly?" Lao Keung asked.

Ling Qi took a moment to finish chewing and took a small drink from the cup a servant had poured for her, chilling the watered wine as she took ahold of it. "I think that even a barbarian would understand the threat of an enemy gaining more allies."

"True," Lao Keung said, a smile briefly tugging at his lips. "Too often we forget that our enemies do not want to die."

"If you are acting properly, their opinion on the matter should be moot, no?" Xia Anxi drawled, but she could tell his attention was wandering back toward the ambassador and her liege.

"As if reality is ever so easy," Lao Keung scoffed.

"I generally agree," Ling Qi said carefully. "As one of my elders has said, the world is not a go board, there are no players, every piece moves itself."

Xia Anxi nodded noncommittally.

Loa Keung gave an approving grunt. "I would like to hear a bit more, Baroness. Would you give some details of your journey under the earth?"

She did so, not embellishing the tale by too much. She did leave out her observations of the shishigui's river settlement though. She still wasn't certain of how she felt about that.

But the brief meal was soon winding down. Servants were taking away the food that remained and there was quite a lot of it. That bothered her, just a little, in the corner of her mind. The girl who had lived on scraps and leavings abhorred such waste.

"I think the servants get the leftovers," Sixiang mused. "Least that's what I get from skimming doubt anyone would be that pleased with tossing good food."

Ling Qi hadn't thought of that, but she supposed it made sense. The Bai were not kind by any measure but she supposed deliberate wastefulness was not one of their vices. She let that idle thought drift away as she turned back to her liege and the Bai Ambassador, they would be accompanying them to their box to view the preliminaries. She supposed she would have to decide who to focus on when watching though. The obvious ones were Gan Guangli and Xiao Fen.

[] Gan Guangli, your ally and fellow retainer, you could talk him up a bit, and spin your looking away from Xiao Fen as having no doubts a Bai will pass the preliminary.
[] Xiao Fen, your brief student and best friends handmaiden, Renxiang will no doubt be supporting Gan Guangli, and you can talk up your support for her throughout the year.
 
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[X] Gan Guangli, your ally and fellow retainer, you could talk him up a bit, and spin your looking away from Xiao Fen as having no doubts a Bai will pass the preliminary.

I want both, but think GG has less support. So GG
 
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Let us see how our student has progressed. Its been a year and it hasn't sat well with me we never got a proper relationship.

[] Xiao Fen, your brief student and best friends handmaiden, Renxiang will no doubt be supporting Gan Guangli, and you can talk up your support for her throughout the year.
 
Interesting to watch Lao Keung and Xia Anxi gently sniping at one another. If I had more analysis resources in the tank, I would dig into it a bit more and try to unearth their particular positions on things. Sadly, I do not currently have the brain.

On the matter of the upcoming vote... it is not who to support. We'll have zero effect on the actual trials, and Cai Shenhua isn't there. It's a matter of how we talk with the Bai ambassadors. Focusing on Gan Guangli tries to sell the ambassadors on Gan specifically. Focusing on Xian Fen allows us to further sell the benefits of cooperation, and effectively talk up ourselves for having supported her. Between those two....

[] Xiao Fen, your brief student and best friends handmaiden, Renxiang will no doubt be supporting Gan Guangli, and you can talk up your support for her throughout the year.

I'd be happy to support Gan if I thought he'd benefit from it in a meaningful way, but I'm not seeing what talking him up in front of the ambassadors is really going to do for him. Focusing on Xiao Fen seems like it would at least yield some gains.
 
It was access to endless libraries and resources which put those like her Meizhen permanently ahead of her, although such things could only supplement talent.
Her Meizhen?

Oh my.

[X] Xiao Fen, your brief student and best friends handmaiden, Renxiang will no doubt be supporting Gan Guangli, and you can talk up your support for her throughout the year.

Spend more time with snek. We'll have plenty of time to spend with GG after the tournament since we'll be working with him.
 
"It is true that a cornered right fights the most fiercely," Xia Anxi said. "I imagine the fact that they are so hard to corner must make them that much more viscous when you do."

right=>rat
viscous=>vicious

"I don't refer to that level. They are, according to her Grace, a collection of city states, can a city or even a few cities really stand against a province in the long term?" Ling Qi said. "Strength and bravery are important, but I have learned how important resources are.

missing end quote

"I think the servants get the leftovers," Sixiang mused. "Least that's what I get from skimming doubt anyone would be that pleased with tossing good food."

This sentence flows weirdly after "skimming"
 
While I love Xiao Fen, GG is the commander so I do think we should probably watch his group fight since is the only time he'll be able to use his group skills in the tournament. Plus this is where he failed last time so it'll be nice to see what he learned.

[X] Gan Guangli, your ally and fellow retainer, you could talk him up a bit, and spin your looking away from Xiao Fen as having no doubts a Bai will pass the preliminary.
 
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"It is true that a cornered right fights the most fiercely," Xia Anxi said.
rat
"They fight flexibility. The assassin I faced first was my equal or better in the arts of stealth.
flexibly
or
fight with great flexibility


[] Gan Guangli, your ally and fellow retainer, you could talk him up a bit, and spin your looking away from Xiao Fen as having no doubts a Bai will pass the preliminary.

I want to support Gan, but Fenfen was our student.
[] Xiao Fen, your brief student and best friends handmaiden, Renxiang will no doubt be supporting Gan Guangli, and you can talk up your support for her throughout the year.

On the other hand, maybe we can make it so we have confidence in Fenfen due to being both a Bai and our sometimes student?
 
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