The Path Unending (A Cultivation Quest)
- Thread starter Vesvius
- Start date
- Original
-
- Tags
- original xianxia cultivation quest
- Location
- Vermont
Adding time into Sear also made its final form competitive with Siani's techniques for very cheap, it would so something cool as hell for NAO, and give us better incentive to integrate a technique that could increase our strength and spiritual talent.
Also, if whatever kukuni this is occupied a time wonder, they aren't locked in space as cleanly, so we might increase our supply of time anam shortly.
Also, if whatever kukuni this is occupied a time wonder, they aren't locked in space as cleanly, so we might increase our supply of time anam shortly.
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- Location
- United States of America
So, let's talk about the herbalist and the lies stoppered in bottles.
Honestly, I think that the most important part of this is the morning visits. This is not a one-off thing. This is a regular, repeated visit in the morning. A routine. Something that occurred daily. Which is weird. Because as far as I can recall, this is the first time we've seen something that the Kukuni has addressed that occurred over multiple days that is not the Perfect Day.
Additionally, I believe the morning visits with lies in bottles refer to the herbalist. I can't see any other person who would have routine access to an individual and be bringing bottles.
So we have the herbalist visiting routinely in the morning. And the kukuni knows about the herbalist and the visits, so presumably these visits were happening even after the kukuni's birth.
Additionally, the village Elder doesn't mention the herbalist at all. Nothing in their notes about them exist. But he does talk about medicine. Here's the relevant section:
So... we have a request sent to Twelve Fields for a specific medicine for a specific illness, but the need for that specific medicine no longer exists. Notably, the Headsman doesn't request specific medicines or herbs, just "all-purpose cures." Which is weird, right, because if the Headsman knew of the herbalist, you would think that they would have a list of medicines the herbalist is running low on and would request those specifically.
But the Headsman doesn't. Doesn't even seem to acknowledge that the village has an herbalist. Even when writing about how ill Liren is, the Elder doesn't talk about the herbalist, doesn't bring it up with Liyu to have the herbalist look at the ill Liren. Nothing.
My suspicion? The herbalist was erased before the perfect day expanded past Liren's house. The herbalist may have very well been the first one to be erased.
The herbalist was erased before the fourth of Bright Moon Deer. Before the complaint about the cattle was lodged against Liren. And, I suspect, even before the Headsman wrote the letter to be mailed out to Twelve Fields.
So..., we have an illness sweeping the town. We have an herbalist who visits in the morning with medicine? Poison? With something bottled. Something the herbalsit does is so offensive to the kukuni that the kukuni erases them from existence so completely that it is as if they never existed. The illness runs its course, and the Headsman pens a letter for Twelve Fields to switch up the medicines to an all-purpose cure. The fourth day of Bright Moon Deer comes, and the kukuni's field expands.
What could an herbalist be doing, with lies in bottles, that was so offensive to the Kukuni that it warranted complete censure?
My guess? Not treating Liren for the disease (or poisoning him). With an illness sweeping through town and not enough medicine to go around, the herbalist would have been presented with awful choices. Who do they save? I believe they chose not to save Liren and either gave them a placebo (under the guise of actual medicine) or attempted to poison him as a mercy (under the guise of medicine). The Kukuni took exception to that and destroyed the herbalist.
Honestly, I think that the most important part of this is the morning visits. This is not a one-off thing. This is a regular, repeated visit in the morning. A routine. Something that occurred daily. Which is weird. Because as far as I can recall, this is the first time we've seen something that the Kukuni has addressed that occurred over multiple days that is not the Perfect Day.
Additionally, I believe the morning visits with lies in bottles refer to the herbalist. I can't see any other person who would have routine access to an individual and be bringing bottles.
So we have the herbalist visiting routinely in the morning. And the kukuni knows about the herbalist and the visits, so presumably these visits were happening even after the kukuni's birth.
Additionally, the village Elder doesn't mention the herbalist at all. Nothing in their notes about them exist. But he does talk about medicine. Here's the relevant section:
So... we have a request sent to Twelve Fields for a specific medicine for a specific illness, but the need for that specific medicine no longer exists. Notably, the Headsman doesn't request specific medicines or herbs, just "all-purpose cures." Which is weird, right, because if the Headsman knew of the herbalist, you would think that they would have a list of medicines the herbalist is running low on and would request those specifically.
But the Headsman doesn't. Doesn't even seem to acknowledge that the village has an herbalist. Even when writing about how ill Liren is, the Elder doesn't talk about the herbalist, doesn't bring it up with Liyu to have the herbalist look at the ill Liren. Nothing.
My suspicion? The herbalist was erased before the perfect day expanded past Liren's house. The herbalist may have very well been the first one to be erased.
The herbalist was erased before the fourth of Bright Moon Deer. Before the complaint about the cattle was lodged against Liren. And, I suspect, even before the Headsman wrote the letter to be mailed out to Twelve Fields.
So..., we have an illness sweeping the town. We have an herbalist who visits in the morning with medicine? Poison? With something bottled. Something the herbalsit does is so offensive to the kukuni that the kukuni erases them from existence so completely that it is as if they never existed. The illness runs its course, and the Headsman pens a letter for Twelve Fields to switch up the medicines to an all-purpose cure. The fourth day of Bright Moon Deer comes, and the kukuni's field expands.
What could an herbalist be doing, with lies in bottles, that was so offensive to the Kukuni that it warranted complete censure?
My guess? Not treating Liren for the disease (or poisoning him). With an illness sweeping through town and not enough medicine to go around, the herbalist would have been presented with awful choices. Who do they save? I believe they chose not to save Liren and either gave them a placebo (under the guise of actual medicine) or attempted to poison him as a mercy (under the guise of medicine). The Kukuni took exception to that and destroyed the herbalist.
How would Liyu have reacted if her father didn't heal as expected, and the herbalist mentioned that he's now "beyond helping"? Sometimes medication is not enough if a person is seriously ill, there doesn't need to be a conspiracy necessarily.
[X] [TECHNIQUE] Shatter the Mirror
[X] [TECHNIQUE] The Everdistant Flame
[X] [APPROACH] Investigate the probable Source for this anomaly, Liyu's Home.
[X] [SMALL] Liyu's testing should be delayed or even prevented entirely. She may have anam already and could break the treasure.
[X] [SMALL] The Headsman's records indicate that the loop began during the reign of the Emperor in Flames when the Resolute March was encamped at Jingyi's Summit. Inquire with Zhuan if that rings any bells and if there were any other strange occurrences in the area around that time period.
[X] [SMALL] Describe Liyu to your companions, and have them assure her that things will be alright.
[X] [SMALL] Ask Zhuan Kun what Yi Tai's notes contain on Kukuni, especially in regards to fighting a Kukuni of perfection, joy, or time.
[X] [SMALL] Use A Moment's Respite on the physical stress.
[X] [SMALL] Try seeing if Perfect Mirror reflects different things around the village or in the Rancher's home.
[X] [SMALL] Leave a note for yourself in your stasis ring and see how it is affected by the loop
[X] [TECHNIQUE] The Everdistant Flame
[X] [APPROACH] Investigate the probable Source for this anomaly, Liyu's Home.
[X] [SMALL] Liyu's testing should be delayed or even prevented entirely. She may have anam already and could break the treasure.
[X] [SMALL] The Headsman's records indicate that the loop began during the reign of the Emperor in Flames when the Resolute March was encamped at Jingyi's Summit. Inquire with Zhuan if that rings any bells and if there were any other strange occurrences in the area around that time period.
[X] [SMALL] Describe Liyu to your companions, and have them assure her that things will be alright.
[X] [SMALL] Ask Zhuan Kun what Yi Tai's notes contain on Kukuni, especially in regards to fighting a Kukuni of perfection, joy, or time.
[X] [SMALL] Use A Moment's Respite on the physical stress.
[X] [SMALL] Try seeing if Perfect Mirror reflects different things around the village or in the Rancher's home.
[X] [SMALL] Leave a note for yourself in your stasis ring and see how it is affected by the loop
Agreed, bottled lies might be an expression/feeling that the Kukuni "inherited" from Liyu.
Medicines cure. Ergo, this medicine is a lie, because it doesn't cure Liren.
In the world of children (and kukuni) there is no such a nuanced thing as a remedy that is a real and honest one, yet just not potent enough to heal a patient (or this particular patient).
Medicines cure. Ergo, this medicine is a lie, because it doesn't cure Liren.
In the world of children (and kukuni) there is no such a nuanced thing as a remedy that is a real and honest one, yet just not potent enough to heal a patient (or this particular patient).
- Location
- United States of America
Probably the same way any child would react when told a parent is about to die. Denial, anger, grief. Certainly, they would try to pursue any means to ensure that the parent survives.
In radically other news, I'm throwing my hat behind NAO as the technique to receive the next time anam dose.
I believe that Time would take over the War section of the technique. Which, while saddening for me, offers a wealth of other opportunities. War, as an Anam type, was something I had high hopes for in regards to adding it to Kong Zhi's core through the Farmer step. I have become less and less enthralled with that possibility as time continues. As Zhi has progressed during this time outside the Sect, War seems less and less suited for him. He's not the type of person to lay waste to his enemies, utterly destroy his objectives, or salt the earth.
That being said, I love NAO. It was, I think, our very first technique. A simple punching technique that we learned from fighting a spirit beast and taking its skull as a prize. Starting out as Wood/Earth and moving towards Wood/War, the core of the technique has always been about drawing in strength from things outside of yourself. At first it was the earth the technique drew strength from, then it was acts of violence and dominance.
If this works like I think it does, we can change it once again.
Let's have the Northern Auroach's Onslaught draw strength from time itself.
Mechanically, I have been convinced it is the correct choice. We reduce the cost of using the technique due to our Core trait, which, while not significant, is not something to scoff at either. It would hopefully buff the technique's power, which is needed, given that as a combat technique it doesn't have a high ceiling.
But... more fun for me is the narrative, the theming of the change. From drawing strength for a punch through the earth beneath our feet, to the violence we commit, and then progressing it to drawing strength from an underpinning of reality. It shows a progression for our first technique, a progression that reflects our progress in the Caretakers.
From drawing strengths from those around us (Hate of the Molech Quest), to becoming comfortable committing violence alone (the Phantom Point Quest), to recognizing our unique status as a Herald dealing with time shenanigans (The Perfect Day).
Let's commit to the Northern Auroch's Onslaught and have a mirror to our progress.
- Location
- Vermont
The discount also reduces the amount of time and anam needed to integrate a technique, so if it replaces war then it would also make it easier to integrate.
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] [TECHNIQUE] Shatter the Mirror
[X] The Northern Auroch's Onslaught
Sure, I'm convinced I guess.
[X] The Northern Auroch's Onslaught
Sure, I'm convinced I guess.
Plinni
A mysterious and charasmatic banyanya
- Location
- Pargon Pargon Pargon
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] [TECHNIQUE] The Northern Auroch's Onslaught
[X] [TECHNIQUE] Shatter the Mirror
[X] [APPROACH] Investigate the probable Source for this anomaly, Liyu's Home.
[X] [SMALL] Liyu's testing should be delayed or even prevented entirely. She may have anam already and could break the treasure.
[X] [TECHNIQUE] Shatter the Mirror
[X] [APPROACH] Investigate the probable Source for this anomaly, Liyu's Home.
[X] [SMALL] Liyu's testing should be delayed or even prevented entirely. She may have anam already and could break the treasure.
[X] [SMALL] The Headsman's records indicate that the loop began during the reign of the Emperor in Flames when the Resolute March was encamped at Jingyi's Summit. Inquire with Zhuan if that rings any bells and if there were any other strange occurrences in the area around that time period.
[X] [TECHNIQUE] The Northern Auroch's Onslaught
[X] [TECHNIQUE] Shatter the Mirror
[X] [TECHNIQUE] The Northern Auroch's Onslaught
[X] [TECHNIQUE] Shatter the Mirror
C'mon guys, Northern Auroch's Onslaught is only a couple of votes away from getting in over Ever Distant Flame. Almost there!
Omegahugger
Inattentive Idiot
I don't think adding Time to the Northern Auroch's Onslaught is a good idea. Having a breadth of Anam Types in your techniques is a good idea, there's a reason why Kun essentially has zero overlap in his.
If we add Time to the NAO and it turns out the Kukuni is resistant to/has some kind of defense against Time Techniques our options will be heavily limited and this is not a scenario in which we want that.
If we add Time to the NAO and it turns out the Kukuni is resistant to/has some kind of defense against Time Techniques our options will be heavily limited and this is not a scenario in which we want that.
We wouldn't use NAO against it anyway. As has been stated it's fallen behind our Martial technique, Charm in full Flight, and would literally just be a waste of Anam.
We're going to look real silly if the Kukuni thinks the problem was the Anam it used last time, and this time it's a Perfection based attack.
Omegahugger
Inattentive Idiot
Honestly, if that was the case I would totally vote Northern Auroch's Onslaught.
Nah, the description of the attack "The changing of the seasons and the weight of ages presses against my spirit- and I breathe." makes it rather clear this is still Time Anam.
[X] [TECHNIQUE] The Northern Auroch's Onslaught
[X] [TECHNIQUE] Shatter the Mirror
Getting a head start on aligning our techniques isn't something to scoff at.
[X] [SMALL] Liyu's testing should be delayed or even prevented entirely. She may have anam already and could break the treasure.
[x] [SMALL] The Headsman's records indicate that the loop began during the reign of the Emperor in Flames when the Resolute March was encamped at Jingyi's Summit. Inquire with Zhuan if that rings any bells and if there were any other strange occurrences in the area around that time period.
I think that those who have concluded that this is a Perfection kukuni need a talking to from sister Kumi about falling in love with a theory.
[X] [TECHNIQUE] Shatter the Mirror
Getting a head start on aligning our techniques isn't something to scoff at.
[X] [SMALL] Liyu's testing should be delayed or even prevented entirely. She may have anam already and could break the treasure.
[x] [SMALL] The Headsman's records indicate that the loop began during the reign of the Emperor in Flames when the Resolute March was encamped at Jingyi's Summit. Inquire with Zhuan if that rings any bells and if there were any other strange occurrences in the area around that time period.
I think that those who have concluded that this is a Perfection kukuni need a talking to from sister Kumi about falling in love with a theory.
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- Location
- Vermont
Mei Daiyu had a variety of different techniques when we sparred before she reset her core aspects, but notably they all had a little night in them, and a variety of other anam types. Having a second type means that those techniques can have versatility in addition to the discount.
Well, good news it probably doesn't have any particular defense against time! It's been trying and failing to kill us with it, and if you look at Zhi's core and Throne of Smoke trait, you'll notice that countering a technique is the opposing aspect's domain. It would need Fate to counter Zhi, and the time anam coming out of nowhere suggests that if anything, the kukuni is exploiting time anam in some way. Fate and Time anam also hate each other, violently, so it's unlikely to have both.
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It would only take in a small amount of time Anam and then be locked until we can get it the fire Anam it needs for the next stage. It's not going to get anywhere close to completing until we're back at the sect.
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Parabola
Divided Loyalties Librarian
- Location
- The Destination of Fate
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I support Time!Punch in part because NAO (previously BSA) is a technique that has been with us since the beginning of Zhi's journey, and in part because we are a Time artist. And the more techniques we have fitting our core, the better.
I think that while it's possible that we got a trait out of An Elegant Plume because it was a sufficiently-powerful technique given to us by Elder Siani, it's also possible we got a trait because it matched our core. Meaning we could possibly get traits out of Everdistant Flame and Time!Punch. I think that is desirable and worth expending time on (hah).
As for the concerns on whether we might run into a bottleneck of Time anam... well, they are valid, but I think it's quite possible that we'll either get more Time (e.g. the Second of Eternity will expand because it sees we need more Time to work with) or we could go to the Archives and try to find out how to 'bond' ourselves with the Second. It's been brought up a handful of times in the quest before that you can further your relationship with a Wonder or Treasure to make cycling from them easier, and that makes me less worried overall about Time.
...Besides all those considerations, Wood/Time and Time/War both sound like cool aspect combinations for a Warrior technique. With the former, maybe we could do what Senior Brother Jetei once did and punch a tiger into becoming a tree; and for the latter, perhaps Zhi's blows would arrive before he throws them; things of that nature sound very cool and worth pursuing.
I think that while it's possible that we got a trait out of An Elegant Plume because it was a sufficiently-powerful technique given to us by Elder Siani, it's also possible we got a trait because it matched our core. Meaning we could possibly get traits out of Everdistant Flame and Time!Punch. I think that is desirable and worth expending time on (hah).
As for the concerns on whether we might run into a bottleneck of Time anam... well, they are valid, but I think it's quite possible that we'll either get more Time (e.g. the Second of Eternity will expand because it sees we need more Time to work with) or we could go to the Archives and try to find out how to 'bond' ourselves with the Second. It's been brought up a handful of times in the quest before that you can further your relationship with a Wonder or Treasure to make cycling from them easier, and that makes me less worried overall about Time.
...Besides all those considerations, Wood/Time and Time/War both sound like cool aspect combinations for a Warrior technique. With the former, maybe we could do what Senior Brother Jetei once did and punch a tiger into becoming a tree; and for the latter, perhaps Zhi's blows would arrive before he throws them; things of that nature sound very cool and worth pursuing.
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