- Location
- USA
[X] Your Great Grandmother, the Marchioness
-
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Nobility on the Golden Plains [A Clan Builder / Cultivation Quest]
- Thread starter Arcanestomper
- Start date
- Original Fantasy
Yes, the turn length will become longer with each breakthrough.
Also the votes seem rather overwhelmingly in favor of the Baroness. So unless there is a sudden surge of support for one of the other options I will start working on the next update.
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Sirrocco
Pedantic
It would have to be a heck of a surge. My eyeball tally says that the vote is something like 25/3/4. Now, that's not necessarily perfectly accurate, but....
25 for Baroness yeah. Not even five for either of the others. I would normally give the vote at least 24 hours, but this seems pretty definitive.
- Location
- Too Deep in the Midnight Sea
[X] Your Uncle, the Count
[x] Your Mother, the Baroness
Creation 3: The People
New
Creation 3: The People
[ ] Your Mother, the Baroness
Your mother is the matriarch of the clan. As a Baroness her rank is low in the Imperial hierarchy, but still vastly greater than anyone else in the barony. Sitting at the western edge of the crownlands, your family's holdings are considered to be poor and plagued by both bandits and wild spirit beasts. Your family's retainers are constantly on patrol and there are so few of them that you will have to personally deal with many of the problems that may arise.
Your mother is the matriarch of the clan. As a Baroness her rank is low in the Imperial hierarchy, but still vastly greater than anyone else in the barony. Sitting at the western edge of the crownlands, your family's holdings are considered to be poor and plagued by both bandits and wild spirit beasts. Your family's retainers are constantly on patrol and there are so few of them that you will have to personally deal with many of the problems that may arise.
- Low Imperial Obligations.
- No Immediate Enemies.
- Two Natural Treasures
- Good Expansion Opportunities
- Low Prestige
- Low Infrastructure
- Low Mortal Population
- The barony is highly dangerous between settlements
Zhuge Yahui, the Forest Shadow, the matriarch of the Zhuge clan, was called many things by many people. But to you she was Mother. Your relationship had been close once, but it had grown strained in recent years. The many demands of ruling the province ate away at her time, but the main cause were your younger siblings. Ever since the twins had been born your mother focused much of her free time on raising them. You were an adult. You understood the necessity.
But it still gnawed at you. You think you understand a bit more why your elder sister has always been somewhat disdainful to you. It's why you've been training so hard to reach the knight realm. More than just impressing the clan elders with your progress you want to be useful, to give something back to your family. Though you know this is only one step on that path.
Pushing the thoughts of family out of your head you passed through the gateway set in the bottom of the gorge. The scenery instantly changes to that of a lightly wooded hilltop. From here you can see for miles out across the expanse of your clan's holdings. It is mostly small hills and fields for thousands of li in every direction. In the distance you can see the jutting peaks of the Fire Lily mountains where the capital city, and your home lies. You take a moment to stare at it before looking around.
This hill has long been used by your clan for the breakthroughs of both family members and retainers. The gate at the center is surrounded by formations that work to charge it with qi and make the connection to various mystic realms. Various storage buildings and pavilions provide room for supplies as well as lodgings for retainers. A small pagoda overlooking the gate has accommodations suitable for your noble status. And the entire complex is surrounded by stout stone walls to provide protection from beast waves and rogue cultivators.
Your arrival has prompted your retainers to begin rushing around preparing everything necessary for your recuperation. You plan to spend the next several days meditating in order to stabilize your foundation before you head back to the capital and servants are already making the pagoda ready for you.
Your most trusted retainer is waiting for you as well.
[ ] A figure in a shadowy cloak:
No matter how noble a clan professes to be it will always employ the services of shadowy agents. You showed an interest and a proclivity to such activities from a young age and have been trained in the shadow arts in addition to your normal cultivation. In time no doubt you will take over as the clan's spymaster. Though not just yet.
+ Shadow Master: Your enemies must make an additional check to discover your activities.
+ Ninja Skill: Gold (5)
+ Start with a band of assassins and spies
[ ] A jovial man in a rich robe:
The click of coins has always excited you. You avidly study trade routes and haggle with the merchants in the markets for hours on end. It's not just the allure of spirit stones, but the sheer rush of making a deal and finding profit where others are content to simply buy what they need. You have already amassed a small personal fortune, and are eager to begin expanding the clan's coffers.
+ Bargain Hunter: Always get the best deals when making trades.
+ Merchant Skill: Gold (5)
+ Start with a small trading company
[ ] A regal young woman:
She is your cousin and your most trusted friend. The two of you have had many adventures over the years. Together you lead the young bloods of the faction. A group of cousins and young retainers looking to carve out a place for yourselves in the family out from under the watchful eyes of your elders.
+ Family First: Gain a bonus to actions involving your family.
+ Diplomacy Skill: Gold (5)
+ Start with a small internal clan faction
[ ] A brawny man in a fur vest:
Your clan's holdings are dangerous and as such your clan's soldiers are always hard at work patrolling the wilds, defending villages, or training in the barracks. You have spent many days accompanying them on patrol. And many more in the training yards drilling with the warriors. You are well respected as both a commander and a warrior in your own right. No doubt you will be called upon regularly to lead your clan's defenses.
+ A Soldier's Eye: You are more effective at recruiting and training soldiers.
+ General Skill: Gold (5)
+ Start with a small band of warriors
[ ] A woman in scholarly silks:
You've always been more at home in the library or the medicine pavilion than out in the wilds. You have studied the scrolls of your ancestors long into the night and have grasped their words with an understanding far beyond your years. You have already trained several of your own students and everyone assumes that your assumption as head sage of the medicine pavilion is only a matter of time.
+ Understanding of the Path: Gain a bonus to attempting to teach or learn techniques.
+ Sage Skill: Gold (5)
+ Start with a small medicine hall
Quest Note: As a young master of the clan you'll have access to all of these groups regardless of your choice. This choice is simply which ones will have the most personal loyalty to you.
Seeing your retainers going about their business in high spirits makes you think of all the years it took to get here. All the training and familial disputes it took to establish your place in the clan. Some geniuses are able to learn many techniques, but your talent required you to focus your efforts.
What is your specialty?
[ ] Raising Spirit Beasts:
Your clan is noted for its spirit beasts and you have spent significant amounts of time in the stables caring for young spirit beasts and training them to work with cultivators. From young shadow panther cubs to packs of lunar wolves you have trained innumerable spirit beasts over the years and have gained a fine eye for how to spot spirit beasts of quality. Your own spirit beast is one of the finest in the clan and has been a loyal companion since your childhood.
+ Manage the spirit beast stables to raise spirit beasts as livestock, to aid your retainers, or be sold to other clans and sects.
+ Beastmaster: Gain +3 TP turn that can only be spent to advance Cultivation or Beast Taming Schools.
+ Cultivation: Jade (6)
+ Administrator: Copper (2)
+ School of the Spirit's Command: Gold (5)
+ Gain Spirit Beast companion.
[ ] Brewing Elixirs:
Whether it was a sick noble patron, beast on the road, or training blockage you had an elixir for every occasion. You practically live in the medicine pavilion and are frequently seen milling herbs into pastes for your various elixirs. Your herb garden is your pride and joy and your cousins have learned to stay out of it or suffer from one of your more ill tasting concoctions.
+ Raise money by focusing your activities on selling cultivation aids for profit once you've set up the infrastructure to grow your ingredients.
+ Alchemist: Gain +3 TP turn that can only be spent to advance Cultivation or Alchemy Schools.
+ Cultivation: Jade (6)
+ Administrator: Copper (2)
+ School of the Leaf Cauldron: Iron (3)
+ School of the Iridescent Toxin: Copper (2)
+ Pick one Gold quality elixir recipe to start with.
[ ] Poisonous Blades:
You have a talent for combat which you use to fend off bandits and spirit beasts that plague the barony. You can easily defeat all those who are on your level, and many cultivators have learned to fear your poisonous onslaught. Even metal Qi cultivators will have to be skilled before they are your match.
+ Your clan is not so lowly as to engage in common mercenary work. But you are a well known participant in regional tournaments. And if another clan just happens to have a problem you can take care of. Well you wouldn't say no to some gifts of gratitude.
+ Martial Artist: Gain +3 TP that can only be spent on advancing Cultivation or Combat Schools.
+ Cultivation: Jade (6)
+ Administrator: Copper (2)
+ School of the Iridescent Toxin: Silver (4)
+ School of the Stone Fist: Iron (3)
+ Pick one Jade quality weapon to start with.
Chimeraguard
We do deserve to exist.
[X] A regal young woman
[X] Raising Spirit Beasts
I like the idea of family-maxing with our character, and Spirit Beast raising as a focus hasn't really been done before.
[X] Raising Spirit Beasts
I like the idea of family-maxing with our character, and Spirit Beast raising as a focus hasn't really been done before.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] A regal young woman
[X] Raising Spirit Beasts
[X] Raising Spirit Beasts
[X] A brawny man in a fur vest
[X] Poisonous Blades
We live in an area where immediate combat strength would have us able to defend against attacks easier but also create a loyal combat force in safe guarding any future developments made
[X] Poisonous Blades
We live in an area where immediate combat strength would have us able to defend against attacks easier but also create a loyal combat force in safe guarding any future developments made
[X] Medicine Master
-[X] A woman in scholarly silks:
-[X] Brewing Elixirs:
I would like to see a completely medicine focused character
-[X] A woman in scholarly silks:
-[X] Brewing Elixirs:
I would like to see a completely medicine focused character
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- Pronouns
- They/He
[X] A woman in scholarly silks:
You've always been more at home in the library or the medicine pavilion than out in the wilds. You have studied the scrolls of your ancestors long into the night and have grasped their words with an understanding far beyond your years. You have already trained several of your own students and everyone assumes that your assumption as head sage of the medicine pavilion is only a matter of time.
+ Understanding of the Path: Gain a bonus to attempting to teach or learn techniques.
+ Sage Skill: Gold (5)
+ Start with a small medicine hall
[X] Brewing Elixirs:
Whether it was a sick noble patron, beast on the road, or training blockage you had an elixir for every occasion. You practically live in the medicine pavilion and are frequently seen milling herbs into pastes for your various elixirs. Your herb garden is your pride and joy and your cousins have learned to stay out of it or suffer from one of your more ill tasting concoctions.
+ Raise money by focusing your activities on selling cultivation aids for profit once you've set up the infrastructure to grow your ingredients.
+ Alchemist: Gain +3 TP turn that can only be spent to advance Cultivation or Alchemy Schools.
+ Cultivation: Jade (6)
+ Administrator: Copper (2)
+ School of the Leaf Cauldron: Iron (3)
+ School of the Iridescent Toxin: Copper (2)
+ Pick one Gold quality elixir recipe to start with.
You've always been more at home in the library or the medicine pavilion than out in the wilds. You have studied the scrolls of your ancestors long into the night and have grasped their words with an understanding far beyond your years. You have already trained several of your own students and everyone assumes that your assumption as head sage of the medicine pavilion is only a matter of time.
+ Understanding of the Path: Gain a bonus to attempting to teach or learn techniques.
+ Sage Skill: Gold (5)
+ Start with a small medicine hall
[X] Brewing Elixirs:
Whether it was a sick noble patron, beast on the road, or training blockage you had an elixir for every occasion. You practically live in the medicine pavilion and are frequently seen milling herbs into pastes for your various elixirs. Your herb garden is your pride and joy and your cousins have learned to stay out of it or suffer from one of your more ill tasting concoctions.
+ Raise money by focusing your activities on selling cultivation aids for profit once you've set up the infrastructure to grow your ingredients.
+ Alchemist: Gain +3 TP turn that can only be spent to advance Cultivation or Alchemy Schools.
+ Cultivation: Jade (6)
+ Administrator: Copper (2)
+ School of the Leaf Cauldron: Iron (3)
+ School of the Iridescent Toxin: Copper (2)
+ Pick one Gold quality elixir recipe to start with.
Lifeandlice
Practitioning side-character
- Location
- Usa
[x] Plan: Ranching Business
[X] Plan Gotta Catch 'Em All
I am actually rather tempted by the soldiers, gods know it'd be nice to have them since we are in a somewhat dangerous spot while seeming more healing focused and I'm sure they'd appreciate having a very heal focused commander. Imagine an army of wolverines, regenerating soldiers that can afford to be somewhat more reckless on the offense or face tanky on the defensive.
Edit: I will admit I am rather partial to the scholarly ones for the medical sage route so feel free to try and tempt me if the vote gets contentious enough.
The spirit beast is of course entirely my favored pick regardless, they are way too skimmed out on for how cool they are. If it comes to a vote on that, I want to preemptively advocate for a boar. Smart, strong, very fucking hard to kill, potentially big enough to ride.
[X] Plan Gotta Catch 'Em All
I am actually rather tempted by the soldiers, gods know it'd be nice to have them since we are in a somewhat dangerous spot while seeming more healing focused and I'm sure they'd appreciate having a very heal focused commander. Imagine an army of wolverines, regenerating soldiers that can afford to be somewhat more reckless on the offense or face tanky on the defensive.
Edit: I will admit I am rather partial to the scholarly ones for the medical sage route so feel free to try and tempt me if the vote gets contentious enough.
The spirit beast is of course entirely my favored pick regardless, they are way too skimmed out on for how cool they are. If it comes to a vote on that, I want to preemptively advocate for a boar. Smart, strong, very fucking hard to kill, potentially big enough to ride.
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Sirrocco
Pedantic
Okay, so this one is interesting. It's dialing in on what kind of role we want to have in our family. We've already made picks that gave us big bonuses on healing and alchemy, did *not* give us bonuses on combat, and set us into the background where we can more or less immediately pitch in and start trying to advance the clan. This vote is, in essence, deciding how.
[ ] A figure in a shadowy cloak:
Do we want to be the family spymaster? Y/N
[ ] A jovial man in a rich robe:
Do we want to play merchant? Y/N
[ ] A regal young woman:
Do we want to dig into internal family politics and squabbling for position within the family? Y/N
[ ] A brawny man in a fur vest:
Do we want to be focused on group combat and directly fighting off bandits and spirit beasts that threaten our people? Y/N
[ ] A woman in scholarly silks:
Do we want to be the family sage? Y/N
//----------------
the second is going to be our primary focus
[ ] Raising Spirit Beasts:
We get a very nice spirit beast and arts focused on being good at that. Potentially a decent combat build. We'll probably get a spirit beast anyway, but it won't be anything like as much of a focus.
Decent synergies with general (fight alongside beasts) and merchant (buy/sell bests) picks. Maybe spymaster? (little spy beasties?)
[ ] Brewing Elixirs:
Do we want more alchemy with our alchemy? Y/N
Decent synergy with merchant (buy ingredients, make elixirs, sell elixirs) and sage ("head sage of the medicine pavilion") picks.
[ ] Poisonous Blades:
Personal combat focus, and playing with poisons.
Decent synergy with general (good at killing) and spymaster(good at assassination) picks
The "start your own faction" pick could work with any of these.
//----------------
As for what I want? Well first thing is that wood/wood is literally the worst pick that was available for direct combat in the first round of votes. I'm not saying that we should neglect personal defense. We shouldn't... but I also don't want to waste a specialty on something that we've already decided to deprioritize, especially when our second pick means that there's no one out there who's particularly inclined to come after us with violent intent. On the flip side, it double-stacks alchemy on more alchemy. Putting some more alchemy on that seems like it would make sense?
Once we're brewing elixirs, it seems like our best options are Merchant and Sage. Sage is going to result in a lot of interacting inside the clan as we take on apprentices and train them up. Merchant is going to involve more interactions outside the clan as we buy and sell. It's also almost ertainly goign to involve mroe travel. Of the two? I think I like the idea of travel. I *also* like the idea of having big stacks of money to throw around.
I actively don't want the regal woman because I don't want to bring infighting into our little clan. I want to excel in a way that will lift our clan up as a whole, not excel in a way that will make other members of the clan inclined to fight back.
[x] Plan: Bottled Gold
-[x] A jovial man in a rich robe:
-[x] Brewing Elixirs
I'll admit that if my plan gains no traction, I'll switch over to Sage/Brewing without too much complaint. I'd like a "rich merchant" game, but full focus on the All Alchemy/Medicine All The Time channel is also cool.
Edit: approval voting in a couple of other plans that look like they could be cool.
[x] Plan: Ranching Business
[] Medicine Master
[ ] A figure in a shadowy cloak:
Do we want to be the family spymaster? Y/N
[ ] A jovial man in a rich robe:
Do we want to play merchant? Y/N
[ ] A regal young woman:
Do we want to dig into internal family politics and squabbling for position within the family? Y/N
[ ] A brawny man in a fur vest:
Do we want to be focused on group combat and directly fighting off bandits and spirit beasts that threaten our people? Y/N
[ ] A woman in scholarly silks:
Do we want to be the family sage? Y/N
//----------------
the second is going to be our primary focus
[ ] Raising Spirit Beasts:
We get a very nice spirit beast and arts focused on being good at that. Potentially a decent combat build. We'll probably get a spirit beast anyway, but it won't be anything like as much of a focus.
Decent synergies with general (fight alongside beasts) and merchant (buy/sell bests) picks. Maybe spymaster? (little spy beasties?)
[ ] Brewing Elixirs:
Do we want more alchemy with our alchemy? Y/N
Decent synergy with merchant (buy ingredients, make elixirs, sell elixirs) and sage ("head sage of the medicine pavilion") picks.
[ ] Poisonous Blades:
Personal combat focus, and playing with poisons.
Decent synergy with general (good at killing) and spymaster(good at assassination) picks
The "start your own faction" pick could work with any of these.
//----------------
As for what I want? Well first thing is that wood/wood is literally the worst pick that was available for direct combat in the first round of votes. I'm not saying that we should neglect personal defense. We shouldn't... but I also don't want to waste a specialty on something that we've already decided to deprioritize, especially when our second pick means that there's no one out there who's particularly inclined to come after us with violent intent. On the flip side, it double-stacks alchemy on more alchemy. Putting some more alchemy on that seems like it would make sense?
Once we're brewing elixirs, it seems like our best options are Merchant and Sage. Sage is going to result in a lot of interacting inside the clan as we take on apprentices and train them up. Merchant is going to involve more interactions outside the clan as we buy and sell. It's also almost ertainly goign to involve mroe travel. Of the two? I think I like the idea of travel. I *also* like the idea of having big stacks of money to throw around.
I actively don't want the regal woman because I don't want to bring infighting into our little clan. I want to excel in a way that will lift our clan up as a whole, not excel in a way that will make other members of the clan inclined to fight back.
[x] Plan: Bottled Gold
-[x] A jovial man in a rich robe:
-[x] Brewing Elixirs
I'll admit that if my plan gains no traction, I'll switch over to Sage/Brewing without too much complaint. I'd like a "rich merchant" game, but full focus on the All Alchemy/Medicine All The Time channel is also cool.
Edit: approval voting in a couple of other plans that look like they could be cool.
[x] Plan: Ranching Business
[] Medicine Master
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[X] Plan: Social Medicine
-[X] A regal young woman:
-[X] Brewing Elixirs:
Are we supposed to be plan voting, or are the two votes handled separately?
[X] Plan Cultured Duelist
[X] Plan Family And Four Footed Friends
-[X] A regal young woman:
-[X] Brewing Elixirs:
Are we supposed to be plan voting, or are the two votes handled separately?
[X] Plan Cultured Duelist
[X] Plan Family And Four Footed Friends
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- Location
- USA
[X] A brawny man in a fur vest
[X] Poisonous Blades
Combat and adventure is a source of fortuitous encounters, so let's have some fun with that.
[X] Poisonous Blades
Combat and adventure is a source of fortuitous encounters, so let's have some fun with that.
Plan vote please. Just so we don't end up with a really awkward combo.
Ok, I edited my vote to a plan. You should probably say when you start a vote if you want it to be a plan so that we don't end up with multiple non-plan votes at the start.