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

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[X] Speak on the nature of power, of the innate ambition of dominance and command that underlies Sovereignty (Additional Exploration and XP to Power Concept)
 
[X] Speak on the nature of power, of the innate ambition of dominance and command that underlies Sovereignty (Additional Exploration and XP to Power Concept)
 
Adhoc vote count started by EternalObserver on Feb 26, 2023 at 3:49 AM, finished with 159 posts and 93 votes.
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The reason I'm voting for isolation, is that Ling Qi is desperately wanting to avoid experiencing it again when she gets to the top. Unfortunately, she was just told that it's unavoidable, by an Elder who wanted to avoid it as well, but couldn't.
It just makes sense for her to turn to her patron spirit of hidden knowledge, for another opinion on the subject.
 
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[X] Speak on the nature of isolation, of the innate division between things, of the lonely void that grew with each realm. (Additional Exploration and XP to Isolation Concept)
 
[X] Speak on the nature of power, of the innate ambition of dominance and command that underlies Sovereignty (Additional Exploration and XP to Power Concept)
 
[X] Speak on the nature of isolation, of the innate division between things, of the lonely void that grew with each realm. (Additional Exploration and XP to Isolation Concept)
 
ReaderOndra said:
Hmm. But doesnt Ling Qi sing without sound? And are not face expresions and someone's looks used in comunication? Would then anything at all be silent for her?
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Those who are alone.

That is a danger of a way based around communication, I think- the people who are isolated and silent, like she was, won't be a part of it.
 
[X] Speak on the nature of isolation, of the innate division between things, of the lonely void that grew with each realm. (Additional Exploration and XP to Isolation Concept)
 
[X] Speak on the nature of power, of the innate ambition of dominance and command that underlies Sovereignty (Additional Exploration and XP to Power Concept)
 
[X] Speak on the nature of isolation, of the innate division between things, of the lonely void that grew with each realm. (Additional Exploration and XP to Isolation Concept)
 
[X] Speak on the nature of isolation, of the innate division between things, of the lonely void that grew with each realm. (Additional Exploration and XP to Isolation Concept)
 
[X] Speak on the nature of isolation, of the innate division between things, of the lonely void that grew with each realm. (Additional Exploration and XP to Isolation Concept)

I would like to continue our contemplation on how higher ranks become increasingly isolated. Our friends/family/spirits are very dear to us and many of them will end up in higher realms. With this in mind, exploring how to retain "human" relationships like Xin and Jiyao have succeeded in doing is more important and personal in my opinion.

Imagine if our Way grounded ourselves and our closest bonds emotianally like Shenhua has been grounded? Highly unlikely but one can hope.
 
If we pick House of Ling next turn, Isolation would be very good because we'll be interacting with our household. Even with such a relatively small cultivation gap (3 realms), she's very disconnected from her household and Qingge.

Since Qingge is LQ's highest human bond, I would like to discuss how to deal with the disconnect caused between realms. Finding a solution or answer would make our next meeting since the tribulation with her even more impactful, imo.
 
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Power's more about the dominance related to Sovereignty, which is only applicable at the Indigo/Violet. The disconnect between realms is far more present
 
Oliver_Twister said:
Power's more about the dominance related to Sovereignty, which is only applicable at the Indigo/Violet. The disconnect between realms is far more present
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No Power is also relevant in House of Ling, just as much as Isolation. Its mainly the power differential that keeps a distance between LQ and her mother/ her moms friends.
 
Lena27 said:
No Power is also relevant in House of Ling, just as much as Isolation. Its mainly the power differential that keeps a distance between LQ and her mother/ her moms friends.
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This is the vote option.

Speak on the nature of power, of the innate ambition of dominance and command that underlies Sovereignty

We'll talk about Power in relation to Sovereignty. Sovereignty only really matters at Indigo+. The division between things and the void between realms is present in every cultivation realm
 
[X] Speak on the nature of isolation, of the innate division between things, of the lonely void that grew with each realm. (Additional Exploration and XP to Isolation Concept)
 
I've been convinced.

[X] Speak on the nature of power, of the innate ambition of dominance and command that underlies Sovereignty (Additional Exploration and XP to Power Concept)
 
[X] Speak on the nature of isolation, of the innate division between things, of the lonely void that grew with each realm. (Additional Exploration and XP to Isolation Concept)
 
Glau said:
That is a danger of a way based around communication, I think- the people who are isolated and silent, like she was, won't be a part of
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Not really she is focused on communication to bridge the isolated.the chance of she missing isolated people is low. I am more worried she would lose sight people already connected to each other who is rejecting the isolated person. I can see the scene we saw last turn of Qi needing to remind herself of MOI not being a faceless villains who oppose her but people with their own valid concerns being repeated with worse results. If she becomes blind in higher realms it wouldn't be to the isolated individual but the collective that isolated the individual and their reasonings/justification for isolating.
 
[X] Speak on the nature of power, of the innate ambition of dominance and command that underlies Sovereignty (Additional Exploration and XP to Power Concept)
 
Glau said:
Those who are alone.

That is a danger of a way based around communication, I think- the people who are isolated and silent, like she was, won't be a part of it.
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Ling Qi is all about helping those who are isolated communicate. When LQ was isolated, she was deprived. She had no power and freedom choice, so we spent her time trying to survive. She tries to move people away from deprivation(mainly isolation, but also ignorance and hunger) so that they can express themselves ie communicate. That way, they'll form bonds and build communities.

promethus said:
Not really she is focused on communication to bridge the isolated.the chance of she missing isolated people is low. I am more worried she would lose sight people already connected to each other who is rejecting the isolated person. I can see the scene we saw last turn of Qi needing to remind herself of MOI not being a faceless villains who oppose her but people with their own valid concerns being repeated with worse results. If she becomes blind in higher realms it wouldn't be to the isolated individual but the collective that isolated the individual and their reasonings/justification for isolating.
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I don't think so because Ling Qi is also concerned about Community, ie the people who are already connected. As we've seen, the web of bonds that build a community is tenuous and can break easily, so they need communication to ensure they don't. As we saw in the G5 breakthrough, people who are already connected can miscommunicate due to fear, pain, and pain.

In the same way, I don't think she'll lose sight of the individuals that make up a community. LQ admittedly does not care for most of them (or at least thinks she doesn't care. She has more empathy than she realises), but she understands Community as an everchanging web of connected individuals, not a single monolithic entity. So I don't see that happening. If it did, Huisheng and Multitude would definitely change that :p

So she's still concerned with connected people. She wants to free people from deprivation to form bonds and build communities. But those bonds need to be maintained so that communities don't stagnate and die.

Also, it looks like our Truth insight breaking has been foreshadowed all the way since turn 14.

yrsillar said:
"But you did come back for part of it," said the avatar, twirling a smoky rainbow curl on their finger. "You faced the form of your nightmare with us before, has its shadow crept back on you?"

Ling Qi glanced nervously about something about the word nightmare reverberated when the moon spirit spoke, turning shadows to oil and tar and sending a chill wind through the square.

Ling Qi took a deep breath, and met the spirit's eyes firmly, the scent of cheap wine and the shadow of squinting eyes vanished like dew on a summer morning, with it went the gnawing hunger the pain of a broken arm, the fear of pounding feet behind her, the shortness of breath in a child's lungs. Ling Qi had left many nightmares behind. "I understand what Sixiang has been trying to say. There is no need for that. I know I'm still unreasonable about some things."

"Please Grandmother, I don't think tribulation is the cure here," Sixiang said. "I've got this."

The Dreaming Moon regarded them both curiously for a moment. "I suppose you do. But tell me Dreamer, what do you see here, the Great Reverie, the Dream of the People?"

They were walking now, walking up the stairs to a temple, though Ling Qi did not recall standing up or moving. Lights burst in the sky overhead, and the noise was lower, less wild abandon and more the low sound of conversation from a thousand lips, the breathing of the creature called civilization.

"It's all so tenuous," Ling Qi said, looking up at the dark sky and the near full moon gleaming overhead. "Families and business and friends, united by the merest thread. It can all fall apart in an instant. It did all fall apart in an instant, not too long ago, didn't it?"

The cracks yawned wide, scabbed over with webs and tarry darkness if you knew how to look.

"It did, does that lessen what it is now," said the Dreaming Moon, sitting upon the arch of the temple as if it were an emperor's throne. From the twisting perspective, they could have been a child or a giant.

"But most things are like that. Connections break, communities split. But you know endings Ling Qi," Sixiang

They stood at the top of the steps of the temple, and Ling Qi looked down on the festival, a reflection of the empty void above, with warm fires in the place of cold, cruel stars. "It can't be a clean divide can it?"

"Nothing involving you wonderful mortals is ever clean," spoke the Dreaming Moon, and Ling Qi felt her mind itch at the pressure of something so much larger than the already tremendous existence of the avatar.

"We hurt and we hurt in turn," Ling Qi said, thinking of what Meizhen had said many months ago, her own insight, bought by the pain Ling Qi had caused her.
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So, looking at our discussion with Sister Brightsong, each consequence has been foreshadowed. Firstly, LQ's fear of intimacy. Secondly, the idea that there is no perfect safety, and that cutting yourself off won't protect you.

But the breaking of our first concept starts here.

"Dreams and Nightmares are but reflections at different angles," Spake the Moon.

"But they're not only tricks of perspective. That is itself a lie," Ling Qi said.

"Is not the greatest artist but the most consummate of liars?"

"No, they are the poorest ones, if you have no truth to convey, your art is empty." Ling Qi said, and turned to face the moon. "If it speaks only to your own self, it is even more worthless still."

Silver light burnt her eyes, made tears trickle down her cheeks.

Family is only a knot of strong bonds, it is the small connections between people which build community. There was no line between love and obligation, not if both were true.

Community advances to IV, further advancement locked until Isolation reaches IV

The light died, and she felt a hand on her cheek, and saw the avatar standing before her with watering eyes. A voice whispered softly in her ear.

"You're close, Dreamer, but you're not quite there. The greatest lies, the greatest art, is that which becomes truth. But your fear remains. Face your nightmare and find your truth."

Ling Qi fell to her knees reaching up to scrub at her eyes. The Moon was gone.
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Firstly, she doesn't believe that truth is dependent oonyour perspective and thus objective. She rejected that Dreams and Nightmares are the same things, but Brother Darksong showed her that it's true. LQ's dream is connections with others, but, by changing the perspective, Darksong changed that dream into a nightmare

And liars can't be artists because they have no truth or meaning behind their art and communication. Their work is insincere and thus worthless.

It's cool realising how these tiny plot points and conversations connect and come together.
 
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