- Location
- Italy
Maybe if we better defined what we hope to get from them and what is not an acceptable price...
How about " in the future will I regret recruiting X"?
The Iron Oath (An Oath/Contract Based Cultivation Quest).
- Thread starter uri
- Start date
- Original
How about " in the future will I regret recruiting X"?
- Location
- Goose Land
Considering our character, that's definitely going to twing as "Yes" because they will inevitably cause us to need to do work.
WhoTheHeckity
But no one ever asks HowTheHeckity
- Location
- Murica 🦅
[X] Plan: Recruiting and Learning
- Location
- Goose Land
I was surprised when Weekend Turns were mentioned, because I didn't remember you mentioning anything like that, but it being a New Thing because of wanting to ensure time was available and made for in regards to specific very important aspects of our character role is very much appreciated.
Narratively and mechanically this essentially being Aurora laying down the law regarding her two "missing" AP and saying "We Are Relaxing Now" is very fun.
Now regarding the vote-
[X] Plan: One Last Day Of Relaxation
-[X] Drag Octavia and Gallus with you to laze about in the morning shade, discuss your experiences in the school so far and most importantly ensure they don't lift a single finger for work.
-[X] Go and introduce yourself to one of the disciples Octavia scouted. (x2)
--[X] Ermis Rodas, the giant blood.
--[X] Livia Cicero.
Ermis and Livia are time critical, and if we snatch up Livia then we can leverage her during our Edgy Boy negotiations to essentially say "The only reason I didn't go for you immediately is because I wanted to gurantee the benefits I wanted to offer you were available first".
We're all practically agreed on Ermis and Livia though, so here's my explanation for my third action.
We're going to be diving into things and leveraging our retainers to our maximum in the coming days, trying to balance advancement and politics, and so far we have mostly missed all of our social opportunities with them, because of the time crunch. Taking a moment to cool down, check in, see how they're taking things, and strictly enforce a "We're Not Working Right Now, We're Chilling" rest before going right back into work seems like a very good thing.
Part of the point for choosing these two was because their loyalty is not to The Family but to Us to a degree, and maintaining that relationship is to our benefit.
CedeTheBees
Probably high right now
- Location
- Somewhere
- Pronouns
- They/Them
[X] Plan: One Last Day Of Relaxation
Temporary threadmark: fellowship and negotiation talents.
Okey, I figured while we're waiting for me to write, that I might as well put another talent (or two) up for a vote, especially since both of those might come in useful for the next update.
Now before anyone asks every time you do a negotiation challenge, I determine three perimeters: the base price (which is the starting value of the service/item/whatever), the minimum price (the price the seller won't go under for one reason or another) and the maximum price (the price you won't go over).
I then roll both pools and every success over the opponents shits the base price 10% toward either the maximum or the minimum.
As a sidenote I've also updated the character sheet with all the things you've gotten this turn.
Negotiation talents. (choose 1).
[] Go high- as a noble, you are rich, richer than ninety percent of the empire so what if it cost you twice as much to get what you want you still go it, you may choose to double your rolled successes in a negotiation challenge in exchange of doubling the base and minimum "price".
[] Go low- from a young age you've been taught to manage your finances and you know that it is in the margin that profit is made, use your influence and knowledge to browbeat your opponents to lower the price. Whenever you are rolling negotiation challenge against someone of a lower standing or power of you may halve the base and minimum "price", doing so will increase the challenge difficulty depending on how close they are to your standing (with using it on peasants adding a single dice to their dice pool and on nobles that are just below you straight up doubling their dice pools) and damage your relationship succussed or fail.
[] Poker face- you have learnt the ways of smiling without meaning, of saying without saying and most importantly you've learned to shield your true words behind an impassive face. Your base resistance against sense motive checks made against you is now heart/2 rather than heart/4
[] Amicable voice- Your voice has a distinct and nice tone to it, halve relationship damage from negotiation challenges.
Fellowship talents. (choose 1).
[] Magnanimous host- let them all see your generosity, let them all see your splendor, let the wine flow and let none forget who is paying for it all. when you are hosting a party (or are the primary financer of one) you may add the cost as dice (at the rate of 20 silver per dice) to all Heart based skills used for the duration of the party.
[] Approachable- it may be something in your face, it may be in how you talk or how you walk but people find it easier to approach you for good and ill. +1 dice for first impressions challenges, higher likelihood of people approaching you on their own initiative.
[] Women of the people- the difference between a noble and a peasant are many and it is important that you will learn of them If you wish to ever be taken as "one of them". Halve the penalty form difference in social standing in all heart based challenges.
[] Comradery- there is nothing quite like the bonds you crate between friends and it is of upmost importance to maintain them, how good is it that the knowledge gained form those bonds can be used to do so. when performing a fallow ship challenge against a target your already possess a positive relationship with add dice deepening on how positive your bond Is.
Now before anyone asks every time you do a negotiation challenge, I determine three perimeters: the base price (which is the starting value of the service/item/whatever), the minimum price (the price the seller won't go under for one reason or another) and the maximum price (the price you won't go over).
I then roll both pools and every success over the opponents shits the base price 10% toward either the maximum or the minimum.
As a sidenote I've also updated the character sheet with all the things you've gotten this turn.
Negotiation talents. (choose 1).
[] Go high- as a noble, you are rich, richer than ninety percent of the empire so what if it cost you twice as much to get what you want you still go it, you may choose to double your rolled successes in a negotiation challenge in exchange of doubling the base and minimum "price".
[] Go low- from a young age you've been taught to manage your finances and you know that it is in the margin that profit is made, use your influence and knowledge to browbeat your opponents to lower the price. Whenever you are rolling negotiation challenge against someone of a lower standing or power of you may halve the base and minimum "price", doing so will increase the challenge difficulty depending on how close they are to your standing (with using it on peasants adding a single dice to their dice pool and on nobles that are just below you straight up doubling their dice pools) and damage your relationship succussed or fail.
[] Poker face- you have learnt the ways of smiling without meaning, of saying without saying and most importantly you've learned to shield your true words behind an impassive face. Your base resistance against sense motive checks made against you is now heart/2 rather than heart/4
[] Amicable voice- Your voice has a distinct and nice tone to it, halve relationship damage from negotiation challenges.
Fellowship talents. (choose 1).
[] Magnanimous host- let them all see your generosity, let them all see your splendor, let the wine flow and let none forget who is paying for it all. when you are hosting a party (or are the primary financer of one) you may add the cost as dice (at the rate of 20 silver per dice) to all Heart based skills used for the duration of the party.
[] Approachable- it may be something in your face, it may be in how you talk or how you walk but people find it easier to approach you for good and ill. +1 dice for first impressions challenges, higher likelihood of people approaching you on their own initiative.
[] Women of the people- the difference between a noble and a peasant are many and it is important that you will learn of them If you wish to ever be taken as "one of them". Halve the penalty form difference in social standing in all heart based challenges.
[] Comradery- there is nothing quite like the bonds you crate between friends and it is of upmost importance to maintain them, how good is it that the knowledge gained form those bonds can be used to do so. when performing a fallow ship challenge against a target your already possess a positive relationship with add dice deepening on how positive your bond Is.
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CedeTheBees
Probably high right now
- Location
- Somewhere
- Pronouns
- They/Them
I can normally figure out what a typo is meant to be, but I'm honestly stumped with this one.
Amicable.
How the fuck did I typo this, I literally copy pasted the word from google translate.
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CedeTheBees
Probably high right now
- Location
- Somewhere
- Pronouns
- They/Them
[X] Amicable voice
[X] Approachable
Approachable feels best for our lazy girl. Let other people do the work of befriending her lol
[X] Approachable
Approachable feels best for our lazy girl. Let other people do the work of befriending her lol
- Location
- United States
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Poker face
[X] Comradery
[X] Comradery
- Location
- Goose Land
[X] Go high- as a noble, you are rich, richer than ninety percent of the empire so what if it cost you twice as much to get what you want you still go it, you may choose to double your rolled successes in a negotiation challenge in exchange of doubling the base and minimum "price".
[X] Comradery- there is nothing quite like the bonds you crate between friends and it is of upmost importance to maintain them, how good is it that the knowledge gained form those bonds can be used to do so. when performing a fallow ship challenge against a target your already possess a positive relationship with add dice deepening on how positive your bond Is.
I think Poker Face is the better mechanical choice, but I like these two for the character choices they suggest.
[X] Comradery- there is nothing quite like the bonds you crate between friends and it is of upmost importance to maintain them, how good is it that the knowledge gained form those bonds can be used to do so. when performing a fallow ship challenge against a target your already possess a positive relationship with add dice deepening on how positive your bond Is.
I think Poker Face is the better mechanical choice, but I like these two for the character choices they suggest.
- Location
- parker colorado
[X] Amicable voice
[X] Comradery
[X] Comradery
- Location
- Italy
I couldn't tell either. I had this weird image of Aurora going around killing Ameba after Ameba...
[X] Approachable
[X] Comradery
I'm fine with both
[X] Go high
Okey, I got a little distracted by some small life issues but were back to schedule now.
My currant plan is to finish the iron oath turn (it's only a single update), the do another small update for distant stars, post turn 2 of iron oath and then finish the distant stars turn and post turn 13.
Assuming everything go's according to plan, this should take around two weeks to do.
Edit: And we have a three-way tie, I'm just going to roll a die for this 1: poker face 2 Amicable voice 3: Go high.
My currant plan is to finish the iron oath turn (it's only a single update), the do another small update for distant stars, post turn 2 of iron oath and then finish the distant stars turn and post turn 13.
Assuming everything go's according to plan, this should take around two weeks to do.
Edit: And we have a three-way tie, I'm just going to roll a die for this 1: poker face 2 Amicable voice 3: Go high.
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Faction's and You.
Seeing as this is going to play a significant part of our early quest (and even later on will be an important part) and that you're starting with a few actions this turn to get it up and running.
I decided that it might be a good time to do a faction and you post (especially as the next update would take another day or two).
Now the first question that must be asked is what dos a faction do for you?
For a regular disciple a faction provides two things, protection and resources.
Protection comes both form the numbers of the faction and the fact that the noble leading it most likely has a few powerful guards (gallus provides this function to you) and that they themselves likely saw a lot of investment to increase their power.
Resources come primarily form the noble in charge and from any plunder taken form rivels or non-faction disciples (you have not yet seen it but the iron oath school is very much vibing with the steel sharpens steel mindset they just don't take it to extreme most sects in regular Xinaxia), this can come in gold, treasures, teaching, techniques, discounts with faction aligned crafters and various other ways.
Both of those factors impact how attractive a certain faction is and the more attractive a faction is the liker it is people will want to join it.
But all of the above is from the perspective of the average disciple as the noble in charge of the faction, you are the one who must provide protection and opportunities to your followers.
So, what dos a faction do for you?
4 things, resources, protection, influence and retainers.
Lets start with protection, your family has enemies that are on the same level of them (if not higher on the totem pole) if they get twenty guys to jump you, your fucked if you don't have anywhere to get extra help, now this protection can come by joining someone else's faction but unless they are allied with your family (or at least friendly) the price of joining will likely be high and that's setting aside the matter of face lost by submitting to another who will most likely be your social peer or subordinate.
And while you do pay and must invest resources into your faction to maintain and grow it, it is very much an investment you will get return on, faction crafters would supply you with things either at cost or just above it, you get the highest share of plunder, and every member pays for your protection and opportunities either in contribution points or in labor.
The next thing a faction brings you is influence, this is largely something that comes into fruition when you get the outer/inner school and the members of the faction are now integrated with the overall school faction of your family and get placed in their roles and they participate in helping spreading your family influence in the school but leading a large and powerful faction dos give your voice more meaning in inner test disputes.
The last category while called retainers could very much be called poaching, but basically your faction is (hopefully) going to attract talented members which you'll likely invest in, a big advantage of a faction is that you create relationships with those talented disciples which make recruiting them into your family ranks becomes easier (and as such poaching them form the school is easier) they wont necessary become retainers or retainers for you specifically but they can and a big part of the faction purpose (in noble eyes) is to poach talent out of the school and into the family businesses/forces outside of the school.
Now that we talked on why you would want a faction let's talk mechanics.
There are more than 200 potential disciples in the school and I am not generating that many characters.
So, the first separation between faction members would be notable and none notables.
Both would still be divided into the same categories but notable members would give more, be better than a non-notable and might have demands for time to time to get them to stay satisfied.
Faction members are divided in to the 5 following categories.
Officers- the one who lead your faction, this your retainers and if your faction becomes big enough it needs more than two officers likely a few of your notables' members. Officers provide combat power and a unique bonus to the faction.
Gallus provides a perk called the "strength of knowledge" which gives all faction rolls a slight bonus and Octaveia provides a perk called "eyes of truth" which gives a massive bonus against infiltration.
Soldiers- soldiers mainly proved combat power, they help protect the faction and fight on its behalf, mostly their payment comes in their labor (IE: fighting for you) and in a share of the plunder.
Workers- workers are your pill makers, talisman crafters, engravers, fletcher's and blacksmiths, basically your crafters, they don't pay you anything you pay them (invest in the training of their craft) and in return they provided you and your faction members with discounted goods, workers provide faction attraction and a bonus for faction rolls and as such are very important.
Subjects- subjects are those disciples who pay you a fee for you to protect them (anything form 1-3 contribution points a turn) they provide some combat power but very little but they do increase attraction for workers and form the back bone of your faction financial stability so are very important even if they are the one who least benefit from the faction itself.
Conquered- conquered are those that pay you "protection" because you beat them up and they either couldn't find someone to protect them or you beat up the faction they turned to, they provide a large amount of resources (from contribution points to pills) but are likely top rebel if they aren't kept suppressed (tying up some of your combat power).
Evry turn you will need to invest resources into the various categories (expect the conquered for obvious reasons) to keep them satisfied and on side, this can be in actual money or in time but we'll get to that more when you actually start building your faction.
I decided that it might be a good time to do a faction and you post (especially as the next update would take another day or two).
Now the first question that must be asked is what dos a faction do for you?
For a regular disciple a faction provides two things, protection and resources.
Protection comes both form the numbers of the faction and the fact that the noble leading it most likely has a few powerful guards (gallus provides this function to you) and that they themselves likely saw a lot of investment to increase their power.
Resources come primarily form the noble in charge and from any plunder taken form rivels or non-faction disciples (you have not yet seen it but the iron oath school is very much vibing with the steel sharpens steel mindset they just don't take it to extreme most sects in regular Xinaxia), this can come in gold, treasures, teaching, techniques, discounts with faction aligned crafters and various other ways.
Both of those factors impact how attractive a certain faction is and the more attractive a faction is the liker it is people will want to join it.
But all of the above is from the perspective of the average disciple as the noble in charge of the faction, you are the one who must provide protection and opportunities to your followers.
So, what dos a faction do for you?
4 things, resources, protection, influence and retainers.
Lets start with protection, your family has enemies that are on the same level of them (if not higher on the totem pole) if they get twenty guys to jump you, your fucked if you don't have anywhere to get extra help, now this protection can come by joining someone else's faction but unless they are allied with your family (or at least friendly) the price of joining will likely be high and that's setting aside the matter of face lost by submitting to another who will most likely be your social peer or subordinate.
And while you do pay and must invest resources into your faction to maintain and grow it, it is very much an investment you will get return on, faction crafters would supply you with things either at cost or just above it, you get the highest share of plunder, and every member pays for your protection and opportunities either in contribution points or in labor.
The next thing a faction brings you is influence, this is largely something that comes into fruition when you get the outer/inner school and the members of the faction are now integrated with the overall school faction of your family and get placed in their roles and they participate in helping spreading your family influence in the school but leading a large and powerful faction dos give your voice more meaning in inner test disputes.
The last category while called retainers could very much be called poaching, but basically your faction is (hopefully) going to attract talented members which you'll likely invest in, a big advantage of a faction is that you create relationships with those talented disciples which make recruiting them into your family ranks becomes easier (and as such poaching them form the school is easier) they wont necessary become retainers or retainers for you specifically but they can and a big part of the faction purpose (in noble eyes) is to poach talent out of the school and into the family businesses/forces outside of the school.
Now that we talked on why you would want a faction let's talk mechanics.
There are more than 200 potential disciples in the school and I am not generating that many characters.
So, the first separation between faction members would be notable and none notables.
Both would still be divided into the same categories but notable members would give more, be better than a non-notable and might have demands for time to time to get them to stay satisfied.
Faction members are divided in to the 5 following categories.
Officers- the one who lead your faction, this your retainers and if your faction becomes big enough it needs more than two officers likely a few of your notables' members. Officers provide combat power and a unique bonus to the faction.
Gallus provides a perk called the "strength of knowledge" which gives all faction rolls a slight bonus and Octaveia provides a perk called "eyes of truth" which gives a massive bonus against infiltration.
Soldiers- soldiers mainly proved combat power, they help protect the faction and fight on its behalf, mostly their payment comes in their labor (IE: fighting for you) and in a share of the plunder.
Workers- workers are your pill makers, talisman crafters, engravers, fletcher's and blacksmiths, basically your crafters, they don't pay you anything you pay them (invest in the training of their craft) and in return they provided you and your faction members with discounted goods, workers provide faction attraction and a bonus for faction rolls and as such are very important.
Subjects- subjects are those disciples who pay you a fee for you to protect them (anything form 1-3 contribution points a turn) they provide some combat power but very little but they do increase attraction for workers and form the back bone of your faction financial stability so are very important even if they are the one who least benefit from the faction itself.
Conquered- conquered are those that pay you "protection" because you beat them up and they either couldn't find someone to protect them or you beat up the faction they turned to, they provide a large amount of resources (from contribution points to pills) but are likely top rebel if they aren't kept suppressed (tying up some of your combat power).
Evry turn you will need to invest resources into the various categories (expect the conquered for obvious reasons) to keep them satisfied and on side, this can be in actual money or in time but we'll get to that more when you actually start building your faction.
- Location
- Italy
we can go for an "honorable but woe unto our enemy" approach. We already kinda started with the choice NOT to remove the notices with the lesson's times.
Someone wrongs us? if they don't apologize and offer restitution we destroy them.
To everyone not openly hostile we try to be approachable and reasonable.
yeah, we definitely need numbers AND quality. Crafters are particularly valuable, of course, as well as the most talented cultivators, but there's a place for "fodder" too.
well, we should definitely make outer school by the end of the first... I think it was 4 months? 3? I don't remember. I remember giving a look at the math and it was fairly doable.
No idea about inner school yet, then again we only know one potential requirement (four oaths).
Depending on what new events, resources and contract powers we get we might actually make it, but it's hard to tell for now.
we'll try our best...
clear. Obviously the "notable" ones also make the faction more attractive to other potential recruits. We might end up directly absorbing other factions, even.
I'm as always really happy we took Octavia. her power is just that good. Especially if others don't know about it
not an IMMEDIATE priority, but we need them fairly soon. They're kind of the "most common" notables I think
We only have one potential recruit here, Livia Cicero the alchemist.
She was, understandably, our very first pick last turn (well, also the Ermis Rodas, the giant blood, who'd likely count as a soldier)
the ones under our protections, who pay for it and for "preferential treatment" from our crafters I imagine.
They're not a MAIN focus, in that if we get workers and soldiers subjects will likely come to us on their own... or at least that's the hope. Especially if we make ourselves look approachable.
The first time someone attacks us we'll have to make an example of them and thus get some "conquered". Maybe slowly try to transition them to "subjects" if possible
So probably in a week or two.
While I'm finishing a few details of the update here are the pills Livia can sell you, they aren't all the pills she can sell (and feel free to ask about certain effects if you want them) but I don't want to generate a huge list of pills of which many won't be used.
So ask me about specific pills/effects and I make a relevant pill (if she knows the recipe or in general if it's something sold on the market).
Now, keep in mind that the prices here are about 2-5x as expensive as regular prices, the reason for that will be revealed in the update itself but keep this fact in mind.
So ask me about specific pills/effects and I make a relevant pill (if she knows the recipe or in general if it's something sold on the market).
Now, keep in mind that the prices here are about 2-5x as expensive as regular prices, the reason for that will be revealed in the update itself but keep this fact in mind.
Strengthened meridians pill (2X success for a single Horkos cultivation roll) - 50 silver until Horkos 10, 100 silver until Horkos 20, 200 silver until Horkos 30, etcetera.
Body reforging pill- 1xp to the body attribute per 2 silver (overuse may result in increased levels of impurities when tiering up) multiply the cost by 5 for every tier above the first.
Meridian expansion pill- 500 silver, (+0.1 permanent multiplayer for Horkos cultivation) doubles the cost with every pill taken.
Horkos gathering pill- 1 success per 5 silver until horkos 10 , 10 silver until horkos 20 and so on.
Horkos replenishment pill- 5 horkos replenished per 20 silver.
Impurity expulsion pill, 100 silver (increases the chance to retain a higher attribute level when tiering up) doubles the cost with every pill taken, 5x the cost with every tier above the first.
Body reforging pill- 1xp to the body attribute per 2 silver (overuse may result in increased levels of impurities when tiering up) multiply the cost by 5 for every tier above the first.
Meridian expansion pill- 500 silver, (+0.1 permanent multiplayer for Horkos cultivation) doubles the cost with every pill taken.
Horkos gathering pill- 1 success per 5 silver until horkos 10 , 10 silver until horkos 20 and so on.
Horkos replenishment pill- 5 horkos replenished per 20 silver.
Impurity expulsion pill, 100 silver (increases the chance to retain a higher attribute level when tiering up) doubles the cost with every pill taken, 5x the cost with every tier above the first.
- Location
- Italy
I'm going to guess she's paying off crafting material or has to establish deals for ingredients?
As our faction grows and we can get better deals on tools and ingredients prices should go down. Or if we can get ingredients from our family...
In any case it implies we'll want to wait on the most expensive stuff. Trivial expenses are trivial, but if we can wait for some things and get them for cheaper later on it might be better to focus our training and purchases on different stuff that we can progress on for less money and effort.
Actually, WHAT does our family specialize in? Like, are they a family of mostly politicians/socialites? Crafters? Warriors?
Side note... I know it's a bit annoying, but could we get some more informational threadmarks, maybe after the next update?
like
"a tutorial collections, including how training works/how we roll/calculate exp for the various skills/attributes"
"the requirements for branch and outer school admission (and what little we know of inner"
"the mechanics of how to get more oaths, horkos, the iron skin/body method and exp math for it"
"the pills we can pick between for Horkos each week"
You know, the kind of things that are currently spread between updates.
Actually I'll quote here the things I think should be added to some informational posts.
admission requirements
skill training
physical training boosts. not that important to note, admittedly, We just have to remember we can get a x2 multiplier fairly easily
iron body method
how to unlock more oaths
horkos exp, maybe to be expanded upon a bit?
Horkos pills
combat
potential NOTABLE recruits
oh, also I forgot: what's our budget from our family and how often we get it?
the underlined ones are the pills we can pick between weekly for free.
The school offered a 2x success pill, OR a +20 successes pill (so here the equivalent would cost us... 50 silver for the 2x, and 100 silvers for the 20 successes.
We probably don't care for Body Reforging Pills at all, really. We need to train physically anyway, and the impurity thing worries me. Maybe occassionally a few exp when we're close to the rank up.
Meridian Expansion... that the +0.1 apply to the "gives x successes" pills too? In any case that's something we might want to take early if we can afford it.
a few replenishment pills for emergencies are something all of our notables should have, really. They should be standard equipment, let's say 2 of them each.
Impurity expulsion is something we definitely want for ourselves and any notable on our side, PARTICULARLY our retainers and warriors. It's an investment, really. If we can lower the cost of Meridian Expansion Pills maybe we can make them sort of a sign-in bonus for the most valuable recruits...
so, for more pills that are not here... this covers horkos, body exp and rank up pills.
I suppose... "recovery from physical fatigue" pills? Even if they only had narrative effects Aurora would definitely want to feel less tired after training.
pills that improve memorization and concentration ability for a short time? (basically mental exp multiplier pills, or just temporary mental/willpower/physical buffs for emergency combat)
healing pills if we get seriously wounded?
In any case... maybe we'd want to buy horkos pills to reach horkos 10 on Aurora and maybe our retainers too immediately? Especially if then the school just gives us the better pills that work until horkos 20 after that.
- Location
- Goose Land
It's because of research costs obviously, she's pursuing what every Alchemist does and is trying to figure out her own spin on the old recipes that's more effective/efficient in some way, and testing costs money.
Or she got super recruited by one of our rivals first and this is the price we pay.
Or she's decided that the Bidding War will go to the one most able to buy her overpriced pills.
It's definitely probably one of those three.
What's our allowance again?
As for new pill types...
Healing Pills are always good to have on hand, so those would be nice to see.
Combat Pills are something we don't normally see too much of, but the equivalent to a Smoke Grenade or Moderate Combat Stimulant would be neat.
And speaking of Stimulants, a Coffee Equivalent would be neat, though I suppose it would be more like Adderall if it's a pill? Basically a learning aid or something that will help us stay focused and awake while studying.
Something our character in specific might technically be interested in are Sleep Aids? She might consider them "cheating" or "wastes of time and money" when we consider her natural laziness, but recreational pills aren't something I recall really seeing in Xianxia, which is kind of weird now that I think about it considering all of the explicit drug use and the whole "Pursuit of Enlightenment" thing and how hallucinogens are said to help with that in some limited cases.
Honestly at the rank your family is at, they have their hand in most pies to at least some extent.
I haven't decided on the exact main pursuit of the family but its likely going to be a mercantile/political one.
5 gold (500 silver) every 4 weeks, you'll get it this next update and then again on turn 5.
I've already been planning on doing so soonish.
A focusing pill is very much possible, not sure yet what exact effect it would have but its definitely possible.
The problem with such kinds of pills is, well, what kind of effect do you want them to have? while a regular xinxia story doesn't need to concern itself with mechnices a quest does.
And if I had stress mechnices, I would have said that such drugs will reduce it (and while i have something along the lines of a stress mechanic it's not something that I would have a pill for and if it did not at this level).
maybe it could be sued as a social bonus in certain situations.
- Location
- Goose Land
Honestly, the primary mechanical interaction I'd probably be looking for if we did have such pills would be monetary and factional.
It would sort of be like how Fancy Alcohols tend to work, where when available in the right circumstances they tend to provide a Social/Influence bonus through the demonstration of Wealth and (hopefully) Taste, and being a provider of such goods would provide Wealth and Influence to the one able to do so, except these are more direct alchemical concoctions rather than brewed drinks.
Yet at the same time, such use of pills have a very specific association IRL as a dirty and criminal thing, so if such pills did exist in setting we would want to be careful about how we make use of them for both IRL political reasons and IC legal reasons.
- Location
- Italy
the "dirty and criminal" thing is usually in large part because they come with heavy side effects.
Cultivators are explicitly superhuman, and when such things as "spirit wine" or "spiritual cocaine" or stuff like that is mentioned, usually it's also stated that they're dangerous to use at low cultivation, if not lethal.
another comparison could be the Witcher's potions. They're very toxic, so usually only witchers use them and normal humans wouldn't be able to
- Location
- Goose Land
There's definitely an element of politics on top of that though, just look at the IRL issues regarding Tobacco compared to Marijuana. As far as I'm concerned, Tobacco almost certainly has worse side effects than Marijuana, at least in terms of lifespan.
Of course by that same margin "alcohols" could have a stigma associated with them as they're nominally within the reach of Mortals at their low end, compared to pills which are firmly a "cultivators only" club thing potentially making them nominally more acceptable as a vice.
Of course then there's the potential issues of pill toxicity which would complicate Immortality Pursuit Things, so that's an extra layer involved.
Maybe we should think about poking at Spiritual Cooking and see how prestigious that's marked exactly...