[X] You will hold all the impurities you have left, grounding you heavily in the world of the physical. Your body will be strong - and may even manifest unpredictable changes.
You feel the last impurities in your body splitting under the roaring torrent of the Qi that suffuses you. No part of your body, no part of your soul manages to escape the current. Every part of you is now swirling within the vortex at your centre, lashing itself against the prison of your body, begging to be released.
To hold onto those impurities, to release them, you don't know what the right choice is.
But you do know the path you've chosen.
A free spirit… You don't understand it. The words of the Elder wash over you, but they find no purchase. Your life, your entire existence has been grounded in this world. Hunting beasts of the land and now the sea. Farming and harvesting materials with your bare hands. Walking, climbing, running through the fields and mountains. You aren't done with this world yet. This world is your strength. You take hold of every impurity that your Qi has ripped apart, and though at first, the mixture feels gritty, dirty, polluted, slowly the mixture of light and matter, spirit and flesh, begins to dissolve into a substance stronger than either. You collect that mixture at the center of yourself, grain by grain, and with each grain you can collect store it in your centre, slowly but surely until it takes the shape of a disc, moulded like clay.
And while your centre is moulded, so is the rest of your body. With each pulse of the Qi you feel something rushing over your skin, firming over yourself like a protective film. A hand to your chest reveals a firmness which had not been there before, your nails failing to dig into your skin as it stands resolute against your examinations. You cannot move to examine the rest of your body, but you know that the change has been made and all you can do is continue to endure whatever changes may come.
This resolve is tested almost immediately as a blaze of pain erupts behind your closed eyes, and you open them to see a world in greater clarity than you had ever before. The blood red of tortured vessels shifts and as it does a hue of purple and violet which had been beyond you now engulfs the world. As you blink, the hues blend in, creating warmth and vivid colour where previously there had been little. That is not all. The feeling of the hunt swims through you and as the last vestiges of red leave your vision you see a flash of something just beyond your view before it fades leaving as many questions as answers.
But now you can see, and so you focus on the Elder sipping his tea as he watches the struggles of you and your fellow initiates. He comes into focus much more clearly than before your transformation, you can see the steam rising from his cup, the bitter looking green liquid running down his throat as he takes elegant gulps. Distance is no longer your enemy, for you can see clearer and sharper than you had been capable of before.
You bite back a scream as you feel the muscles in your body crawling under your skin, re-knitting themselves. Bones creak as they grow wider, and longer, as if you are being forced through a growth spurt in seconds rather than weeks and you close your eyes, feeling your hands dig into the mat before you force yourself to focus on one thing and one thing only. The Qi in your centre, your foundation, and the cause of all these changes. To lose focus now could be fatal or have irreversible consequences and you refuse to make a mistake this close to the final hurdle.
Hold that centre. Hold it.
The clay disc begins to harden, your core forming a permanent marker in your soul. Your core forms, the wave of Qi releases itself, pouring out of your body until there is barely a drop left and the final change happens.
You regain your senses as you find yourself kneeling back in the chamber. Your mat is ripped. Your hands having torn it to shreds during your advancement. You reach for the cup of water you had been given by the sect but your hand clatters against it and you watch it splash to the floor. Liquid runs underneath the mat next you and you notice Mehdi still deep in his meditations, yet to make his decision. You snatch your hand back, but the movement feels drawn out, almost alien.
Has your hand always been so big?
You rise from your knees and stand up, observing your new changes. You are taller than what you were a few hours ago, having grown by several inches. That film which runs down your flesh, now hardened. You trace a finger along flesh, still scarred from the life you've lived but now rugged, no longer easy to cut or rend.
Congratulations, You have Consecrated and are officially a member of the Golden Reeds Sect.
Attributes Gained – Strength +3, Agility +3 Will +1
Health Pool 34/34
Qi Pool 18/18
Abilities Gained – Hardened – Nature is unforgiving, to stand firm in the face of it is your greatest strength. You have gained a resistance to damage and piercing attacks. Enemies automatically suffer -2 Successes when attacking you.
Eyes of the Hunter – Bear a wary eye and track your quarry well, your vision is clear, may your skills lead you to success. Advantage on tracking rolls.
A Grounded Form – You chose not to let your spirt soar, grounding yourself in the world of the physical. 1.3 Successes to the pursuit of Physical Techniques.
Though you are not the first to have managed to pass through their Consecration, others surround you changed in their own ways. Bai Ping rises from the ground, flowing with grace he didn't have before, his pale skin even paler, marred by the impurities which have stained his white robes. The guzeng he carries with him not in his grasp, yet you can hear a melody surrounding him as gentle notes filter over towards you.
In contrast Mehdi rolls over on the ground with a groan, no music accompanying him. You can see flecks of impurities on his face and running down his arms. Where you chose kept all of them, he chose to do away with some. A pungent smell which would rankle your nose were you not accustomed to it by now stings your nostrils, but you offer a hand which your friend takes, hauling himself up though it takes less effort than it used to.
The sound of clapping draws everyone from their interactions with each other as the Monkey leaves his seat and stands in front of you all.
"I am pleased to see that all of you have taken the first true step in your cultivation. I can only say that I am looking forward to seeing what each of you will bring to this sect, and how each of you will develop as you take your next steps forward."
The Elder pauses, his countenance growing more serious.
"This sect is home to many a great secret, to many a great opportunity. It is one of the birthplaces of cultivation. When man was first given the gift, we were here to help them along the way. Thousands have come through here before and left their mark. You stand upon the weight of their collective existence. Do not let their lessons go unheeded, do not let their knowledge elude you. Move forward with the drive to improve yourself and I believe that all of you are capable of success."
The light which he had arrived with earlier this evening begins to blossom from the ceiling of the cavern and he raises his head towards it before taking a long sip of his tea and stepping towards it.
"I wish you the best of luck initiates!" He says, vanishing as he disappears, leaving you with the senior initiates once more.
The senior initiate leads you through the cave, your frame almost forcing you to sidestep so as not to scrape against the stone. A small passage leads out of the back, and you find yourself outside gazing at the night sky as the moon shines brilliantly overhead. Before you is a small path leading down to a small series of houses, smoke billowing out of the chimneys of each. Though they are not the homes you had seen before when you had visited Seri with The Ghost. These homes seem smaller, less homely than those reserved for the higher ranked members of the sect.
"When the Golden Reeds was first created these are the huts with which we formed our first compound." Recites the senior, stopping before the entrance to the homes. "Since then, it has been tradition for initiates to walk the steps of their predecessors."
"You have been brought into our sect, and with it you have reached the next stage of your cultivation. Over the next few months, you will not just be pursuing your own advancement. You will have to work with you fellow disciples to advance together. While we say that cultivation is one man's battle against the heavens, when you are a part of this sect you stand united against the threats that plague us."
The senior stops so that their words wash over all who are assembled. You yourself steal a quick glance at Qian Xia, to find her in turn staring at you. Your eyes lock together for a fraction, before you see her turn away with a quick frown, leaning down to whisper in the ear of the person next to her. A short, stocky man you have yet to meet who turns to look at you whispering to Qian Xia the whole time though you can't make out his words.
The senior takes your attention again. "In this stage of your initiation, you will work in groups led by a senior member of the sect. You will work together to solve challenges and succeed. Success will lead to boons and greater opportunities for advancement. Failure will earn you nothing."
Surprisingly it is not Qian Xia who speaks up, but Lord Li Jiang.
"Will we be forced into these groups?" He asks, as Qing Liao hovers behind him.
"Your first task will be to group yourselves, however you see fit. By the end of this evening, you will be in groups of four. Living together and working together to pursue your collective interests. Good luck initiates."
The senior excuses themselves and enters one of the huts, leaving the rest of you to sort yourselves out. Excited murmurings ripple out amongst those present. One of the initiates, the girl with the sword you remember from the sands of the training grounds glides into one of the huts, each step flowing like water. Near you, you can make out Mehdi, Vijaya, Bai Ping, Wu Chanying and others you have not spoken to before. A lizard crawls out of a scrawny young woman's robes; and sibilant whispers flow back and forth between the two of them. A boy with violet eyes fingers a runed jade amulet whose gem glows in his hands. A short, chubby male disciple twirls, of all things, a calligraphy brush in one hand as he looks around.
You have reached the next stage of the initiation, what do you intend to do?
[] Name two people you wish to join your group, and two people you do not wish to join your group. Rolls may be required, depending on your choices.
If nothing else there'll be other people who took the same path we did, so we can get advice if we need it.
