The Path Unending (A Cultivation Quest)
- Thread starter Vesvius
- Start date
- Original
Hmmm... you know, on consideration, I think there's a chance that this is exactly what it looks like. That there's nothing odd going on here beyond the fact that a bunch of Seated managed to kill a Farmer-level beast. That they just got lucky.
The head wound is an oddity, but there could be a number of reasons for that. Perhaps someone just got in a very lucky strike. Or maybe it ran headfirst into a farmer's plow while traveling underground, stunning it and letting the farmers kill it in its weakened state. Or some other mundane explanation.
The farmers leaving the beast to rot and trying to cover their tracks is also really weird, but there might be a reason for that. Thinking about what we know of Mockingjay and its rulers, I'm wondering if they're worried that they'll be considered poachers. If our guesses about Mei's master being killed here in Mockingjay by the Ying Clan are correct, the locals might have a legitimate worry in that respect. Perhaps they hope to claim that some other beast killed the mole and they fled their homes to hide while the two battled it out? Or maybe they just feel they need to abandon their homes entirely, risking it because possible death leaving to go elsewhere is better than certain death by execution?
And then there's the farmers' reaction to our showing up. There isn't really an indicator that they're under any kind of mind control. They're looking at our group with "surprise, shock, awe, and a bit of fear"... which is entirely understandable. We wear the robes of the Delving Heart, which they've likely seen before or at least know by description since disciples likely pass through every now and then. And let's face it, our group is certainly eye-catching and a bit terrifying, which was pointed out in Discord. Indeed, Ves commented that "Zhi's an infernal creature, Kun has the whole Imperial Judge vibe, and Mei, if you don't know her, resembles an icy flower that would butcher all who lay eyes upon her". And maybe they knew the beast was contracted to be killed by the sect, which could add to their fear of accusations of poaching.
I'd expect a group of mind-controlled individuals to react differently. That there'd be something off about it.
So, on thinking about this possibility, I'll change my vote to...
[X] Jubilantly. Seated warriors have crushed a great foe! This is the kind of thing stories are written about- you think! They should be lauded for their deeds!
If this group of very clearly Artists comes in singing their praises, it should probably defuse a great deal of tension, and make them open up. Further, it plays to Zhi's strengths - namely his An Uncomfortable Authenticity trait. It should make it easier to convince them to tell him what's up if he's honestly praising them. Plus, you know people like to brag. So give them a reason to brag!
The head wound is an oddity, but there could be a number of reasons for that. Perhaps someone just got in a very lucky strike. Or maybe it ran headfirst into a farmer's plow while traveling underground, stunning it and letting the farmers kill it in its weakened state. Or some other mundane explanation.
The farmers leaving the beast to rot and trying to cover their tracks is also really weird, but there might be a reason for that. Thinking about what we know of Mockingjay and its rulers, I'm wondering if they're worried that they'll be considered poachers. If our guesses about Mei's master being killed here in Mockingjay by the Ying Clan are correct, the locals might have a legitimate worry in that respect. Perhaps they hope to claim that some other beast killed the mole and they fled their homes to hide while the two battled it out? Or maybe they just feel they need to abandon their homes entirely, risking it because possible death leaving to go elsewhere is better than certain death by execution?
And then there's the farmers' reaction to our showing up. There isn't really an indicator that they're under any kind of mind control. They're looking at our group with "surprise, shock, awe, and a bit of fear"... which is entirely understandable. We wear the robes of the Delving Heart, which they've likely seen before or at least know by description since disciples likely pass through every now and then. And let's face it, our group is certainly eye-catching and a bit terrifying, which was pointed out in Discord. Indeed, Ves commented that "Zhi's an infernal creature, Kun has the whole Imperial Judge vibe, and Mei, if you don't know her, resembles an icy flower that would butcher all who lay eyes upon her". And maybe they knew the beast was contracted to be killed by the sect, which could add to their fear of accusations of poaching.
I'd expect a group of mind-controlled individuals to react differently. That there'd be something off about it.
So, on thinking about this possibility, I'll change my vote to...
[X] Jubilantly. Seated warriors have crushed a great foe! This is the kind of thing stories are written about- you think! They should be lauded for their deeds!
If this group of very clearly Artists comes in singing their praises, it should probably defuse a great deal of tension, and make them open up. Further, it plays to Zhi's strengths - namely his An Uncomfortable Authenticity trait. It should make it easier to convince them to tell him what's up if he's honestly praising them. Plus, you know people like to brag. So give them a reason to brag!
What do we know about this mistery?
• The mole had a big wound in it's head → The seated farmers don't seem to have caused it.
• The mole had a lot of stabs → The seated farmers could have done it with their spears.
• The mole was intact → The seated farmers didn't try to harvest it, insteat, they went to the forest.
• The Yin clan didn't try to kill the mole or post a notice in the sect→ They seem to let all their Spirit Beasts roam free.
• A tunnel made by the mole was flattened back to the ground in an univen manner → The seated farmers tried to make it seem like the mole didn't appear, but they couldn't do it in time.
• The spearheads they had, have some anam → It's not a charm and the farmes don't semm to have made it.
Conclusions: Someone or something did the heavy lifting fighting the mole, causing the big wound on it's head and using a technique so that the farmers could finish the beast by infusing their spears. The farmers didn't want anyone to know what happened there, they tried to clean everything up but couldn't, they left the carcass of the mole and escaped into the forest.
Things that smell funny:
• The Yins didn't hunt the mole or post a notice with the sect even when the Spirit Beast was causing trouble, why?
• The farmers prefered to flee their homes and go to to the forest, why? Who are they afraid of?
[x] Jubilantly. Seated warriors have crushed a great foe! This is the kind of thing stories are written about- you think! They should be lauded for their deeds!
• The mole had a big wound in it's head → The seated farmers don't seem to have caused it.
• The mole had a lot of stabs → The seated farmers could have done it with their spears.
• The mole was intact → The seated farmers didn't try to harvest it, insteat, they went to the forest.
• The Yin clan didn't try to kill the mole or post a notice in the sect→ They seem to let all their Spirit Beasts roam free.
• A tunnel made by the mole was flattened back to the ground in an univen manner → The seated farmers tried to make it seem like the mole didn't appear, but they couldn't do it in time.
• The spearheads they had, have some anam → It's not a charm and the farmes don't semm to have made it.
Conclusions: Someone or something did the heavy lifting fighting the mole, causing the big wound on it's head and using a technique so that the farmers could finish the beast by infusing their spears. The farmers didn't want anyone to know what happened there, they tried to clean everything up but couldn't, they left the carcass of the mole and escaped into the forest.
Things that smell funny:
• The Yins didn't hunt the mole or post a notice with the sect even when the Spirit Beast was causing trouble, why?
• The farmers prefered to flee their homes and go to to the forest, why? Who are they afraid of?
[x] Jubilantly. Seated warriors have crushed a great foe! This is the kind of thing stories are written about- you think! They should be lauded for their deeds!
Last edited:
Well to be fair...you ever heard about that Exalted scenario where you face 4 beefy guys with hammers?
Last edited:
- Location
- United States
[x] Jubilantly. Seated warriors have crushed a great foe! This is the kind of thing stories are written about- you think! They should be lauded for their deeds!
Ghost in a wall
Just a bit spooky
Honestly, I'd rather ask if they are okay, but I think that's not particularly relevent. It's been a bit since the body dropped so to speak, so any injuried should be recovering somewhere else or what have you. Still, this is a puzzle alright.
- Location
- United States of America
[X] Politely. You were just in the area and noticed that they appear to have stabbed a powerful menace to death. How did that come about?
Let's be the very polite possibly very dangerous strangers here. They don't know who we are but given our current appearance, we are very clearly artists. Which makes us dangerous, especially to the seated.
Let's be the very polite possibly very dangerous strangers here. They don't know who we are but given our current appearance, we are very clearly artists. Which makes us dangerous, especially to the seated.
The polite response for seated talking to artists is for them to bow and scrape and otherwise be as subservient as they can be. If we try to ask them anything then they're probably going to play dumb, and then we won't be able to get any information from them without threats. Either step back and let Mei flex her social muscles or try to subvert their expectations.
[X] Jubilantly. Seated warriors have crushed a great foe! This is the kind of thing stories are written about- you think! They should be lauded for their deeds!
WhoTheHeckity
But no one ever asks HowTheHeckity
- Location
- Murica 🦅
[X] Jubilantly. Seated warriors have crushed a great foe! This is the kind of thing stories are written about- you think! They should be lauded for their deeds!
A new charm idea:
Materials: Pale Glowing Blossoms (Moon 13), Startouched Eggshell (Star 4), Flowing Feathers of the Camel Turkey (Wind 4)
Design: A silver crown adorned with flowers, feathers and small shiny gems.
Effect: This charm reflects the superficial thoughts of everyone that the target can see into his own mind and makes him understant them better.
Concept: The moon anam reflects the thoughts of the people, the wind carry them to us and the star anam helps us understand them
Materials: Pale Glowing Blossoms (Moon 13), Startouched Eggshell (Star 4), Flowing Feathers of the Camel Turkey (Wind 4)
Design: A silver crown adorned with flowers, feathers and small shiny gems.
Effect: This charm reflects the superficial thoughts of everyone that the target can see into his own mind and makes him understant them better.
Concept: The moon anam reflects the thoughts of the people, the wind carry them to us and the star anam helps us understand them
- Location
- Somewhere over the rainbow
[X] Jubilantly. Seated warriors have crushed a great foe! This is the kind of thing stories are written about- you think! They should be lauded for their deeds!
If we're gonna be the red devil in our little trio, let's be the fun guy! Someone's gotta smile on our team.
If we're gonna be the red devil in our little trio, let's be the fun guy! Someone's gotta smile on our team.
- Pronouns
- They/He
[X] Politely. You were just in the area and noticed that they appear to have stabbed a powerful menace to death. How did that come about?
[X] Jubilantly. Seated warriors have crushed a great foe! This is the kind of thing stories are written about- you think! They should be lauded for their deeds!