The Froggy Ninja
The Blade Will Never Die
I mean, we've only gone one stage over the minimum for our previous levels and only one level has had anyone go two stages over. And most Xianxia protagonists don't go full subrealms over the requirement.
Distant Stars. (a WH40K/Xianxia civ Quest).
- Thread starter uri
- Start date
[X] Plan: Weeding and Cultivating
[X] Plan: Weeding and Cultivating
Roth963
If I become inactive with this massage, I died
Most of them go well beyond what the other people do, it could be reaching the absolute limit of a realm, or using a heaven defying method, or using multiple methods at the same time to cultivate both their bodies and qi.
Xianxia protagonists rarely ever go for the minimal or slightly above the minimal.
But maybe it is possible to make a method to change your cultivation without breaking it, there is a quest on this site where the protagonist special method allows her to change her cultivation after she set it at a cost, she can go back and raise more pillars for example, she can shatter her core (weakening her temporarily) and than rebuild it better without needing to destroy other stuff and so on.
Some special formation to hold up our cultivation while we refine meridians or pillars and so on might be possible, if probably significantly harder than just breaking everything and starting over, the same way that ruining a building is easier than lifting it up so you can change the foundation before bringing it back down.
Allright I got a little distracted so the first mid turn (dealing with your new 3rd step cultivator) should be out either today or tomorrow at the latest and then the turn end would go out on Sunday or so.
In the meantime, enjoy this better map of the world (curtesy of Inkarnate giving away 7 free days of pro).
In the meantime, enjoy this better map of the world (curtesy of Inkarnate giving away 7 free days of pro).
Last edited:
The Froggy Ninja
The Blade Will Never Die
Could you mark the places of Power we've discovered?
That is actually a good idea, I'll do it after I finish the turn.
mid turn 3-The ascent and the fall.
I'll be honest I wanted this out sooner but I got a little distracted and the second half of this really didn't want to come out.
Now a word of warning the following is pretty depressing (or at least I meant it to come out that way and I'm curious how much I succussed) so if you don't care for that or aren't in the mood just skip to the first line break, I'll put a summery of what happened at the bottom of the post so you wont miss anything
There are many days that you still feel as if you were a young Keku barely past his second decade.
When a mother thanks you for helping her child achieve a better life.
When you visit the imperial university and see all the bright young minds and feel their hunger for new knowledge.
When the work dried up and you could spend the evening breeze riding the wind attempting ever more impossible maneuvers.
And then there were the days when you felt your age all too well.
When you set out to help your students advance and face their tribulation seventeen answered your call.
Each and every one of them you have known for more than a century -some for almost two- and were at the peak of their current step -the known peak at least.
One by one you talked with them, you've discussed your life and theirs, the fears, the love's, the triumphs and the regrets.
Many days were spent reminiscing on the past, for the heavens were cruel and used your own fillings to sap your resolve and strike you down.
It was good to catch up with some of your oldest students and friends. The last few decades have given you little time to keep up with all your students.
Perhaps that's what made it all the worse when they died.
Knowing of the future to come and the strength that would be needed to survive.
One by one they rose to challenge the very heavens themselves.
And one by one they fell back to earth, their hopes and dreams dashed by the crushing descent.
And with every death you lost a little piece of your heart.
Some night's you've even dreamt about the last time so many of those you loved died, with you unable to save them.
Of the family you had so long ago.
By the end of the decade out of the seventeen Keku who attempted their tribulation.
Twelve died outright, their body's burning to ash under the tribulation lightning.
Another four were crippeled, their feathers forever blackened, their bones cracked almost shattering outright and their muscles stiff and unresponsive.
Only a faint spark of their previous cultivation remains.
With time and help their suffering will lessen but they will never again reach for the sky, the simple joy of riding the winds now forever barde *** from them.
Only one -the youngest of them all- came back whole if not hearty.
But even he did not fully succeed.
Over your long life you have gathered -or devised- many tools to help with the diagnosis of patients, from mixtures that reacted in certain ways when a patient's blood contained properties outside the norm to some very precise Qi techniques that gave you a good look over the internal state of their bodies.
And in general, you were quite experienced in diagnosing and care for most ill's that might befall someone.
Unfortunately, none of your tools or experiences could help you here.
"As expected, I can't find anything wrong with you on the physical side"
"There is nothing you can do?"
"Despite many years of trying I have yet to find a way to directly observe someone cultivation base if it doesn't have some sort of visible effect on their physical body, I can tell you're a bit weaker physically then either me or my daughter were at the first pillar and that you aren't in the second step anymore but I can't see anything that would explain why you can't continue to cultivate"
You could see how your words influenced Kekeru. His head hung low as you admitted that there is nothing that could be done. He was young -only barely past a century- and he still thought of you as this all-knowing figure and now he needed to contend with both his inability to further advance and with knowing your true self.
An old man who does the best he can but one whose best is not always enough.
"Do not despair Kekeru, you have many years ahead of you and if there is one thing I learned in my life it is that the impossible of yesterday is nothing but the possible of tomorrow, we still have a lot of work ahead of us, persevere and who knows what the future might bring"
Although they didn't seem to fully bring Kekeru out of his funk you could see that your words have relit the fire in his heart, they were still but embers but with time they would become a raging inferno.
Now you have to decide on what Kekeru will spend his time on. A third step cultivator -even crippled as he is- is a powerful piece and can achieve much the question is -as always- what will you prioritize? (choose 1).
[] To survive the coming end, you will need numbers but more than numbers you will need power and for that you can't have more than twenty aspirant's die to tribulation for everyone who succeeds. Those who survive tribulation know intently the processes by which it works and can help their fellows to face theirs, that goes double for those who survived two, having Kekeru help those who attempt ascend to the second step will see their rate of successes increase not much admittedly but on long enough scale it's the difference between having a hundred-second steps and five hundred.
[] There is more to advancement then power, senses and control are sharpened in an even greater manner and it is those attributes that contribute most to sussing out the patterns of the world and as such the creation of reliable and efficient techniques. Have Kekeru focus his efforts on the creation of a technique library, such a collection would benefit not only you but also the second step cultivators under your guidance making them all the more resilient and deadly.
[] The situation Kekeru is in, is unprecedented, never have you had someone succeed in their tribulation yet be unable to advance in their cultivation. Have Kekeru attempt to remedy this situation you do not know if it is possible nor how long it will take but if this won't be an on off it would be prudent to gather some data on how to deal with It. (note: this will happen regardless as Kekeru would attempt this on his own time instead of cultivation -which he can do- but it would be less effective without picking this option).
[] While you doubt that there is anyone on this planet that can actually pose a threat to you in a fight, there are many times where you are vulnerable to the outside. Whether that be when you are cultivating, when you attempt to ride the waves of time or something else. suffice to say that you cannot be constantly vigilant at all times of the day and while you already have many guards -both cultivators and not- having a third step cultivator following you around with the explicit mission to protect you and nothing else would eclipse all of their efforts.
[] Even with your dedication there is much you do not know about this path you're treading and its many roads, for every piece of knowledge you have brought to light a thousand more lie in shadow's have, kekeru seek them out his newly found senses and experience make him extremely suited for this job.
Summery: many of your second step cultivators died to tribulation and in return you've got a half third step (you don't know this yet in universe but that's basically what happened) and considering all of those second steps were close to your character it's was hitting him hard.
Now a word of warning the following is pretty depressing (or at least I meant it to come out that way and I'm curious how much I succussed) so if you don't care for that or aren't in the mood just skip to the first line break, I'll put a summery of what happened at the bottom of the post so you wont miss anything
There are many days that you still feel as if you were a young Keku barely past his second decade.
When a mother thanks you for helping her child achieve a better life.
When you visit the imperial university and see all the bright young minds and feel their hunger for new knowledge.
When the work dried up and you could spend the evening breeze riding the wind attempting ever more impossible maneuvers.
And then there were the days when you felt your age all too well.
When you set out to help your students advance and face their tribulation seventeen answered your call.
Each and every one of them you have known for more than a century -some for almost two- and were at the peak of their current step -the known peak at least.
One by one you talked with them, you've discussed your life and theirs, the fears, the love's, the triumphs and the regrets.
Many days were spent reminiscing on the past, for the heavens were cruel and used your own fillings to sap your resolve and strike you down.
It was good to catch up with some of your oldest students and friends. The last few decades have given you little time to keep up with all your students.
Perhaps that's what made it all the worse when they died.
Knowing of the future to come and the strength that would be needed to survive.
One by one they rose to challenge the very heavens themselves.
And one by one they fell back to earth, their hopes and dreams dashed by the crushing descent.
And with every death you lost a little piece of your heart.
Some night's you've even dreamt about the last time so many of those you loved died, with you unable to save them.
Of the family you had so long ago.
By the end of the decade out of the seventeen Keku who attempted their tribulation.
Twelve died outright, their body's burning to ash under the tribulation lightning.
Another four were crippeled, their feathers forever blackened, their bones cracked almost shattering outright and their muscles stiff and unresponsive.
Only a faint spark of their previous cultivation remains.
With time and help their suffering will lessen but they will never again reach for the sky, the simple joy of riding the winds now forever barde *** from them.
Only one -the youngest of them all- came back whole if not hearty.
But even he did not fully succeed.
Over your long life you have gathered -or devised- many tools to help with the diagnosis of patients, from mixtures that reacted in certain ways when a patient's blood contained properties outside the norm to some very precise Qi techniques that gave you a good look over the internal state of their bodies.
And in general, you were quite experienced in diagnosing and care for most ill's that might befall someone.
Unfortunately, none of your tools or experiences could help you here.
"As expected, I can't find anything wrong with you on the physical side"
"There is nothing you can do?"
"Despite many years of trying I have yet to find a way to directly observe someone cultivation base if it doesn't have some sort of visible effect on their physical body, I can tell you're a bit weaker physically then either me or my daughter were at the first pillar and that you aren't in the second step anymore but I can't see anything that would explain why you can't continue to cultivate"
You could see how your words influenced Kekeru. His head hung low as you admitted that there is nothing that could be done. He was young -only barely past a century- and he still thought of you as this all-knowing figure and now he needed to contend with both his inability to further advance and with knowing your true self.
An old man who does the best he can but one whose best is not always enough.
"Do not despair Kekeru, you have many years ahead of you and if there is one thing I learned in my life it is that the impossible of yesterday is nothing but the possible of tomorrow, we still have a lot of work ahead of us, persevere and who knows what the future might bring"
Although they didn't seem to fully bring Kekeru out of his funk you could see that your words have relit the fire in his heart, they were still but embers but with time they would become a raging inferno.
Now you have to decide on what Kekeru will spend his time on. A third step cultivator -even crippled as he is- is a powerful piece and can achieve much the question is -as always- what will you prioritize? (choose 1).
[] To survive the coming end, you will need numbers but more than numbers you will need power and for that you can't have more than twenty aspirant's die to tribulation for everyone who succeeds. Those who survive tribulation know intently the processes by which it works and can help their fellows to face theirs, that goes double for those who survived two, having Kekeru help those who attempt ascend to the second step will see their rate of successes increase not much admittedly but on long enough scale it's the difference between having a hundred-second steps and five hundred.
[] There is more to advancement then power, senses and control are sharpened in an even greater manner and it is those attributes that contribute most to sussing out the patterns of the world and as such the creation of reliable and efficient techniques. Have Kekeru focus his efforts on the creation of a technique library, such a collection would benefit not only you but also the second step cultivators under your guidance making them all the more resilient and deadly.
[] The situation Kekeru is in, is unprecedented, never have you had someone succeed in their tribulation yet be unable to advance in their cultivation. Have Kekeru attempt to remedy this situation you do not know if it is possible nor how long it will take but if this won't be an on off it would be prudent to gather some data on how to deal with It. (note: this will happen regardless as Kekeru would attempt this on his own time instead of cultivation -which he can do- but it would be less effective without picking this option).
[] While you doubt that there is anyone on this planet that can actually pose a threat to you in a fight, there are many times where you are vulnerable to the outside. Whether that be when you are cultivating, when you attempt to ride the waves of time or something else. suffice to say that you cannot be constantly vigilant at all times of the day and while you already have many guards -both cultivators and not- having a third step cultivator following you around with the explicit mission to protect you and nothing else would eclipse all of their efforts.
[] Even with your dedication there is much you do not know about this path you're treading and its many roads, for every piece of knowledge you have brought to light a thousand more lie in shadow's have, kekeru seek them out his newly found senses and experience make him extremely suited for this job.
Summery: many of your second step cultivators died to tribulation and in return you've got a half third step (you don't know this yet in universe but that's basically what happened) and considering all of those second steps were close to your character it's was hitting him hard.
[X] There is more to advancement then power, senses and control are sharpened in an even greater manner and it is those attributes that contribute most to sussing out the patterns of the world and as such the creation of reliable and efficient techniques. Have Kekeru focus his efforts on the creation of a technique library, such a collection would benefit not only you but also the second step cultivators under your guidance making them all the more resilient and deadly.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[x] There is more to advancement then power, senses and control are sharpened in an even greater manner and it is those attributes that contribute most to sussing out the patterns of the world and as such the creation of reliable and efficient techniques. Have Kekeru focus his efforts on the creation of a technique library, such a collection would benefit not only you but also the second step cultivators under your guidance making them all the more resilient and deadly.
[X] To survive the coming end, you will need numbers but more than numbers you will need power and for that you can't have more than twenty aspirant's die to tribulation for everyone who succeeds. Those who survive tribulation know intently the processes by which it works and can help their fellows to face theirs, that goes double for those who survived two, having Kekeru help those who attempt ascend to the second step will see their rate of successes increase not much admittedly but on long enough scale it's the difference between having a hundred-second steps and five hundred.
[X] To survive the coming end, you will need numbers but more than numbers you will need power and for that you can't have more than twenty aspirant's die to tribulation for everyone who succeeds. Those who survive tribulation know intently the processes by which it works and can help their fellows to face theirs, that goes double for those who survived two, having Kekeru help those who attempt ascend to the second step will see their rate of successes increase not much admittedly but on long enough scale it's the difference between having a hundred-second steps and five hundred.
Roth963
If I become inactive with this massage, I died
[X] To survive the coming end, you will need numbers but more than numbers you will need power and for that you can't have more than twenty aspirant's die to tribulation for everyone who succeeds. Those who survive tribulation know intently the processes by which it works and can help their fellows to face theirs, that goes double for those who survived two, having Kekeru help those who attempt ascend to the second step will see their rate of successes increase not much admittedly but on long enough scale it's the difference between having a hundred-second steps and five hundred.
Seems most beneficial long term unless he really get lucky with alchemy, which seems unlikely to me.
Seems most beneficial long term unless he really get lucky with alchemy, which seems unlikely to me.
Turn 3: end.
Well this fought me but its out, hope you enjoy.
I'll update the informational's later today and I hope to get the actual turn either later today or tomorrow.
As always if you have questions or advice feel free.
Another decade has passed and with it the apocalypse is ever closer.
With the help of your divination you estimate that the apocalypse will start anywhere between 10-25 decades (turns) from now.
As your information about the crises is almost nonexistent you cannot estimate how prepared you are for the coming crisis. But the being you saw in your visions does not spell good fortune.
You can only hope that the actions in the past decade have pushed you closer to survival.
-[x] Empire
--[x] taming the land.
It was apparent that if you wanted to have a fighting chance you needed more.
More food, more cotton, more fiber, more metal, more population, more everything.
Pushing your citizens to tame the wild land around them would get you most of that, so it is no wonder that one of your priorities was to encourage such behavior.
And in hindsight perhaps you've encouraged it a bit too much.
As with all the incentives you've given some cities have started to empty as keku moved to the countryside.
Another side effect is the increased burden on your bureaucracy, a burden that it can ill afford.
Not all is bad as the project itself is a huge success.
With tens of thousands of acres going under cultivation for everything from basic food stuff to cash crops to expire and hard to cultivate plants.
Of course, with the emptying of the cities you'll not really see the benefit for some time but a benefit it is.
gain 8 base economic power every turn for the next 4 turn's, gain the modifier empty city's (-10% economic growth) which will last for the next 2 turns. And worsen the lack of bureaucrats problem (this and then some is wiped by the progress you've made on that problem).
--[x] Rebel hunting.
Having lost the popular support (at least in the vast majority of places) rounding up the last of the rebels has been relatively straightforward.
Many of them fought to the last and a not insignificant number of those captured were later executed.
From those that were questioned it seems that most cells were independent of one another and likely had different causes for which they fought although many seemed to have a shred backer.
It is almost impossible to truly say that you got all of the rebels but as attacks petered out towards the end of the decade you could confidently say that of those not captured the vast majority faded into the population at large and seems to have given up the fight.
In any way a small amount of resources would be assigned to the task of monitoring the situation and seeing if some of the backers can be identified or more former rebels captured.
The "partisan problem" has been removed.
--[x] education for the masses.
Slowly more schools are built and staffed.
And ever more keku receive an education.
Soon enough students graduate and the brightest return as teachers, reducing the shortage encountered.
Over the decade over ten thousand new students are attending a school bringing doubling the number of students graduating every year.
Education has never been more in reach for the common Keku.
Unfortunately the private initiative seems to have slowed
And already you can see the effects.
Gain the educated populace I trait and make progress for the educated populace II trait.. Minor education system has its cost increased by 7 EEP.
--[x] Sharpening the claw.
All throughout the empire Keku were called to arms, paid generously and gathered in training camps where they received their equipment and training under the veterans of the last war.
They are still small in number -only numbering a few thousand- but they represent a large increase in the conventical power of the empire and more importantly they will serve as a testing ground for new strategies and a seed for further advancement.
Raise 2 points of regulars (bringing you to a total of 4) and recruit enough of an army that they can start to train as one.
--[x] more universities.
There is nothing quite like touring the imperial university and seeing all it offers.
It is a bastion for learning and knowledge and to this day you still think it is your greatest creation.
A few years ago when your schedule allowed it you even gave a guest lecture, and seeing that hall packed with willing and eager students has lessened any doubt you had about your path.
But even though it is the shining jewel in your accomplishments, it is a lonely star.
And you've decided to change it.
And so all throughout the empire more and more new universities opened their doors.
Individually they were far smaller than the imperial university.
And in truth even together they barely match it but they are far more specialized.
And that allows for a different kind of expertise.
The imperial university institution has its cost increased by 1 EEP and now also increases the chance for minor advancements slightly.
--[x] An egg nests.
No delays or problems in the last decade have arisen to a level that needs your or the treasury attention, so most of the wealth saved has gone to more minor things that had very little impact.
Nothing.
--[x] the arteries of trade.
The empire lands starch far and wide, even the mere idea of connecting them all is unthinkable and yet it must be done if you wish to effectively marshel your strength for the times to come.
The last decade saw little to no actual construction; instead it saw a mountain of scrolls assembled in your palace as routes were mapped and martials secured.
A thousand bureaucrats working day and night to ensure that you can actually construct something effective.
Much work has been done and a lot more remains.
Progress made toward constructing an empire wide road network.
--[x] research bounties.
Unfortunately it seems that this decade bounties saw little fruit with no meaningful advancement made due to it.
nothing
--[x] Looking for enlightenment
The hammer rises.
The hammer falls.
Rise and fall, this is the song of the blacksmith.
The song of metal hitting metal.
The cycle continues until the shaped wire is good and truly flattened.
In the end perhaps a dozen ring's are cut out of the flattened wire.
For a normal blacksmith this cycle would take a full day, they would then need to repeat it a hundred times more to have enough rings to construct the final piece.
But this is no normal blacksmith for this blacksmith is a cultivator of the second step. His arms carry the strength of seven grown Keku and by his will alone can he melt the metal he shapes.
For him a work that would take a year to fully complete to any other, takes but a single month.
Such is the power of cultivation.
But there is also grace to it.
Glimpsed from years of meditation a rune of durability adorns each and every ring upon his anvil.
Dutifully craved by hand and submerged in his will.
Alone such a small rune would do nothing.
But combined with hundreds of its kind it has managed to turn aside a ballista bolt.
Already they were requesting that he cover the wall of the palace with this rune.
And he would do so.
Just after he finished the gift to his old teacher.
Discovered rune of durability, a rune that when applied makes things harder to break.
Gain a chainmail suit covered with such runes as personal equipment.
-[x] Personal
--[x] Push higher
---[x] comprehension
Following your instincts, you've meditated on your new piller attempting to determine its massage.
Unfurtlanly meditation has revealed nothing new.
Which has left the long road of trying and failing.
And you've tried and failed many times in the past decade.
From attempting to teach through complicated riddles and metaphors to teaching someone the most mundane things in life.
None of your attempts have borne any fruits.
Until that is, in one of your discussions with the cultivator who volunteered to attempt tribulation you've touched about the nature of the pillar's with you talking about yours as examples that you've somehow taught an inferior version of your pillar insight as a technique.
Additional attempts have confirmed that fact.
After you figured it out your pillar seemed to quiet down so it's a fair assumption that this is what it wanted to tell you.
Discover that you can teach other inferior versions of your insights as techniques (although you cant do that for all insights) this is currently mostly useless for you because you only have another third step cultivator and both of her insights can't be taught but this dos mean that the strength of your second step cultivators has increased.
---[x] A seventh pillar (0/3 AP to complete)
Over the last decade you've spent many hours slowly gathering the Qi needed to erect another pillar and have started putting the foundations for it in your soul.
+1 progress to erecting a seventh pillar.
--[x] The burdens of a teacher
---[x] The next step
See turn 3 mid 1.
Advancements.
Unfortunately, it seems that no other notable advancement has been made in the last decade but time marches ever forward.
- Gain 2 advancement point's.
Cultivator reports.
The last decade has seen the recruitment and awakening of two hundred and thirty new first step cultivators a great improvement over the last decade.
In addition to the one hundred and five first step cultivators who attempted tribulation only 3 succeeded. A better ratio then in the preceding decade but too low to even hope to replenish the number of second steps cultivators who died in their tribulation.
-a net of 125 new 1st step cultivators.
-a net minus of 14 2nd step cultivators.
Faction actions.
Five sects: from the reports of lightning over their holdings and the following celebration by the five sects, they have managed to raise a new second step cultivator. This would mark the sixth one under their influence. In addition, they have continued to train new cultivators but it is unknown how many have died from tribulation.
I'll update the informational's later today and I hope to get the actual turn either later today or tomorrow.
As always if you have questions or advice feel free.
Another decade has passed and with it the apocalypse is ever closer.
With the help of your divination you estimate that the apocalypse will start anywhere between 10-25 decades (turns) from now.
As your information about the crises is almost nonexistent you cannot estimate how prepared you are for the coming crisis. But the being you saw in your visions does not spell good fortune.
You can only hope that the actions in the past decade have pushed you closer to survival.
-[x] Empire
--[x] taming the land.
It was apparent that if you wanted to have a fighting chance you needed more.
More food, more cotton, more fiber, more metal, more population, more everything.
Pushing your citizens to tame the wild land around them would get you most of that, so it is no wonder that one of your priorities was to encourage such behavior.
And in hindsight perhaps you've encouraged it a bit too much.
As with all the incentives you've given some cities have started to empty as keku moved to the countryside.
Another side effect is the increased burden on your bureaucracy, a burden that it can ill afford.
Not all is bad as the project itself is a huge success.
With tens of thousands of acres going under cultivation for everything from basic food stuff to cash crops to expire and hard to cultivate plants.
Of course, with the emptying of the cities you'll not really see the benefit for some time but a benefit it is.
gain 8 base economic power every turn for the next 4 turn's, gain the modifier empty city's (-10% economic growth) which will last for the next 2 turns. And worsen the lack of bureaucrats problem (this and then some is wiped by the progress you've made on that problem).
--[x] Rebel hunting.
Having lost the popular support (at least in the vast majority of places) rounding up the last of the rebels has been relatively straightforward.
Many of them fought to the last and a not insignificant number of those captured were later executed.
From those that were questioned it seems that most cells were independent of one another and likely had different causes for which they fought although many seemed to have a shred backer.
It is almost impossible to truly say that you got all of the rebels but as attacks petered out towards the end of the decade you could confidently say that of those not captured the vast majority faded into the population at large and seems to have given up the fight.
In any way a small amount of resources would be assigned to the task of monitoring the situation and seeing if some of the backers can be identified or more former rebels captured.
The "partisan problem" has been removed.
--[x] education for the masses.
Slowly more schools are built and staffed.
And ever more keku receive an education.
Soon enough students graduate and the brightest return as teachers, reducing the shortage encountered.
Over the decade over ten thousand new students are attending a school bringing doubling the number of students graduating every year.
Education has never been more in reach for the common Keku.
Unfortunately the private initiative seems to have slowed
And already you can see the effects.
Gain the educated populace I trait and make progress for the educated populace II trait.. Minor education system has its cost increased by 7 EEP.
+5% economic growth.
--[x] Sharpening the claw.
All throughout the empire Keku were called to arms, paid generously and gathered in training camps where they received their equipment and training under the veterans of the last war.
They are still small in number -only numbering a few thousand- but they represent a large increase in the conventical power of the empire and more importantly they will serve as a testing ground for new strategies and a seed for further advancement.
Raise 2 points of regulars (bringing you to a total of 4) and recruit enough of an army that they can start to train as one.
--[x] more universities.
There is nothing quite like touring the imperial university and seeing all it offers.
It is a bastion for learning and knowledge and to this day you still think it is your greatest creation.
A few years ago when your schedule allowed it you even gave a guest lecture, and seeing that hall packed with willing and eager students has lessened any doubt you had about your path.
But even though it is the shining jewel in your accomplishments, it is a lonely star.
And you've decided to change it.
And so all throughout the empire more and more new universities opened their doors.
Individually they were far smaller than the imperial university.
And in truth even together they barely match it but they are far more specialized.
And that allows for a different kind of expertise.
The imperial university institution has its cost increased by 1 EEP and now also increases the chance for minor advancements slightly.
--[x] An egg nests.
No delays or problems in the last decade have arisen to a level that needs your or the treasury attention, so most of the wealth saved has gone to more minor things that had very little impact.
Nothing.
--[x] the arteries of trade.
The empire lands starch far and wide, even the mere idea of connecting them all is unthinkable and yet it must be done if you wish to effectively marshel your strength for the times to come.
The last decade saw little to no actual construction; instead it saw a mountain of scrolls assembled in your palace as routes were mapped and martials secured.
A thousand bureaucrats working day and night to ensure that you can actually construct something effective.
Much work has been done and a lot more remains.
Progress made toward constructing an empire wide road network.
--[x] research bounties.
Unfortunately it seems that this decade bounties saw little fruit with no meaningful advancement made due to it.
nothing
--[x] Looking for enlightenment
The hammer rises.
The hammer falls.
Rise and fall, this is the song of the blacksmith.
The song of metal hitting metal.
The cycle continues until the shaped wire is good and truly flattened.
In the end perhaps a dozen ring's are cut out of the flattened wire.
For a normal blacksmith this cycle would take a full day, they would then need to repeat it a hundred times more to have enough rings to construct the final piece.
But this is no normal blacksmith for this blacksmith is a cultivator of the second step. His arms carry the strength of seven grown Keku and by his will alone can he melt the metal he shapes.
For him a work that would take a year to fully complete to any other, takes but a single month.
Such is the power of cultivation.
But there is also grace to it.
Glimpsed from years of meditation a rune of durability adorns each and every ring upon his anvil.
Dutifully craved by hand and submerged in his will.
Alone such a small rune would do nothing.
But combined with hundreds of its kind it has managed to turn aside a ballista bolt.
Already they were requesting that he cover the wall of the palace with this rune.
And he would do so.
Just after he finished the gift to his old teacher.
Discovered rune of durability, a rune that when applied makes things harder to break.
Gain a chainmail suit covered with such runes as personal equipment.
-[x] Personal
--[x] Push higher
---[x] comprehension
Following your instincts, you've meditated on your new piller attempting to determine its massage.
Unfurtlanly meditation has revealed nothing new.
Which has left the long road of trying and failing.
And you've tried and failed many times in the past decade.
From attempting to teach through complicated riddles and metaphors to teaching someone the most mundane things in life.
None of your attempts have borne any fruits.
Until that is, in one of your discussions with the cultivator who volunteered to attempt tribulation you've touched about the nature of the pillar's with you talking about yours as examples that you've somehow taught an inferior version of your pillar insight as a technique.
Additional attempts have confirmed that fact.
After you figured it out your pillar seemed to quiet down so it's a fair assumption that this is what it wanted to tell you.
Discover that you can teach other inferior versions of your insights as techniques (although you cant do that for all insights) this is currently mostly useless for you because you only have another third step cultivator and both of her insights can't be taught but this dos mean that the strength of your second step cultivators has increased.
---[x] A seventh pillar (0/3 AP to complete)
Over the last decade you've spent many hours slowly gathering the Qi needed to erect another pillar and have started putting the foundations for it in your soul.
+1 progress to erecting a seventh pillar.
--[x] The burdens of a teacher
---[x] The next step
See turn 3 mid 1.
Advancements.
Unfortunately, it seems that no other notable advancement has been made in the last decade but time marches ever forward.
- Gain 2 advancement point's.
Cultivator reports.
The last decade has seen the recruitment and awakening of two hundred and thirty new first step cultivators a great improvement over the last decade.
In addition to the one hundred and five first step cultivators who attempted tribulation only 3 succeeded. A better ratio then in the preceding decade but too low to even hope to replenish the number of second steps cultivators who died in their tribulation.
-a net of 125 new 1st step cultivators.
-a net minus of 14 2nd step cultivators.
Faction actions.
Five sects: from the reports of lightning over their holdings and the following celebration by the five sects, they have managed to raise a new second step cultivator. This would mark the sixth one under their influence. In addition, they have continued to train new cultivators but it is unknown how many have died from tribulation.
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Turn 4.
Well, here we are turn 4, took me way too much time but I got lost a little in other things, I wanted to put a snippet here but uni has been kicking my ass and I'm already a month late so I decided to just post the turn.
Hope you enjoy.
[] Public libraries.
Even with the advent of the printing press books have remained outside the remit of the common Keku for the simple fact that almost none knew to read and write.
But with recent rise in literacy rates the interest in books grew.
Yet they are still expensive things.
Diverting resources to the printing of hundreds of copies from the most wanted books around and allowing the common Keku to barrow them for perusal would make knowledge far more accessible for those who wish for it.
A minimal investment would see the libraries only stock a select number of books and at lower copies as well but should be enough investment to ensure every city in the empire has one such library.
Further investment will not only see the selection of books improved or the number of copies held increased but also might see the creation of two or even three such libraries in the more major cities.
[] education for the city / [] education for the country side. (cant be first priority)
The last few decades has seen the number of educated personal increase by leaps and bounds and yet even with such an increase in available personal expending your education efforts will see too much of those qualified personal tapped to get all the goals you might wish for.
Which for a choice.
You can fucus your effort on the cities where your already existing system and the population density will make expansion far more impactful.
Or you may fucus on the country side in an attempt to leave those that live there behind but such would be more costly and less impactful as little has been previously done to expend education.
Whichever way you choose the more you invest the more progress you'll make although you are somewhat limited in the resources you can invest.
[] research bounties.
In this world there are very few motivators stronger than money and wealth. And of those few none are as easy to direct as it.
And if there is anything the empire isn't lacking it is money.
So, use it.
The creation of bunties for useful inventions would spur people to create them at the chance of getting the prize.
Although the more you pay, the more charlatans would try to deceive you.
Investing as much as you can, would see you make great strides in technological advancements, how much exactly is difficult to estimate and you can be sure that at this level many would try to deceive your testers to get the prize.
Reduced investment would of course see less progress, with the minimum investment even having the chance of showing none.
But whatever money you spend will likely be spent more efficiently as the number of charlatans would lower.
[] the arteries of trade.
The lifeblood of trade, roads.
The situation is at once dire at once perfectly fine if a bit worn down.
The truth is that every kingdom -petty or grand- that was absorbed into the empire had its own road system, stretching to their larger villages and in-between their towns. Sometimes they were connected with the systems of other kingdoms and sometimes not.
This leads to the fact that provincially most road systems are perfectly fine for their regular day to day use. Perhaps only needing some slight repair or updating but otherwise good enough.
And yet on the empire level the road system is absolutely atrocious with very little roads actually connecting the different provinces together.
Considering that only the very old or very young cant fly reliably and so the roads are only used for the transportation of bulk goods and heavy items, fixing this has been low on the priority list. Especially as much of the bureaucracy has been too occupied keeping the empire semi stable to carry out the large surveying work that would be needed to correct this.
But now that the empire is far more stable the time has come to let the river of trade flow.
The last decade has been spent gathering the reams of information needed for such an undertaking. And thanks to it you can finally start construction.
A minimal investment will mean you start buying and acquiring the needed material and getting all the needed clawpower but very little work will actually get done, assuming no setbacks you'll have only constructed about seven percent of the work.
A maximum invest is widely inefficient as you buy all the resources on the market leading to severe shortages in various types of construction material jacking up prices and there is a limit to how many sections could be worked at, once's as some need previous portions of the system constructed before they themselves could be constructed but if your wiling to shoulder this inefficiency you could finish about twenty percent of the work this decade.
[] An egg nests.
A decade is a long time and many unexpected costs could rack up.
From simple delays and obstacles for projects to exciting opportunities to sudden crises.
Having an egg nest to draw resources from so you won't need to compromise in other more costly way's is a good idea.
And if it isn't used it's quite easy (if fairly inefficient) to assign it to struggling projects.
Maximum investment is unnecessary and would even be harmful as too much funds and influence are saved rather than spent to further your goals.
A minimal investment while not ideal isn't the worst thing (especially with all the other pressing concerns) but it would mean that should delays occur or opportunities arise your ability to capitalize or resolve them without compromising other concerns is minimal.
[] the reserves of war.
With a core for your new army found you must turn your attention to the other need of war, supplies.
When the end comes it will come swiftly and mercilessly.
It would be nothing short of a total war where every able -and many who aren't- member of your specie would need to pick up a weapon and fight for survival.
Beyond the need to stockpile weapons and ammunition you for most priority is food.
Your advisors estimate that in a case of total war (where your raise the entire army, garrison and probably like a full 60-70% of the population as militia) your stockpile of food would barely last two week's without large scale rationing for non-combatants.
Form reports requested from your governors it seems that population growth is overcoming the growth of such stockpile so this ability is slowly being degraded.
As you have no idea how long the conflict to come will last you must prepare for the worst and start buying excess grain and other long storage foodstuff to slowly fill ever greeter storages.
As a benefital side effect this increase in reserve stockpiles would also serve to reduce the impact of other crises.
A minimal investment would only see your stockpiles raised to lats 4 weeks.
A maximal investment on the other hand will give you about 3 months of food stockpiles for total war but it would strip the market bare of foodstuff for this decade which is inadvisable.
[] shirts of iron.
The last decade saw both the fast expansion of the number of cultivators and also the expansion of their reasonability's (1 AP).
Teachers: it is expected that around 231 new 1st step cultivators would be recruited and trained this decade (at current pace you're expected to get another AP in 1 turns).
[] Recruiting- if you wish to have a hope of survival the current number of disciples is pitiful, your disciples would focus on going out and training potential cultivators in order to find new talents and increase their number. With a crude but passable way to determine talent you can now weed out the untalented. Increasing the power and quality of your new disciples.
[] the connecting thread- out of the sixty-seven centers of power found, sixty-five are next to major habitations. Send out agents to scour all sixty-five centers of power thoroughly and find the thread connecting them all. After all knowledge is the first step towered control.
[] Looking for enlightenment cultivation as a concept is relatively unknown, with all of your knowledge coming from either your or your older disciples' experiments. But your knowledge is lacking and there are many unknowns. Have your disciples try to invite new concepts that either help or push your knowledge of cultivation further. (OOC: you get a cultivation advancement dice which can give you many tasteful things)
[] Push forward- your disciples have their own cultivation to pursue and they will do so regardless but giving them more time to do so would allow them to make more progress.
[] Wandering sages- in the good times, before you foresaw the apocalypse that is to come, the students who sought you out, were scholars at heart and although each had a different purpose for doing so almost all of them had a great thirst for knowledge. It was this knowledge that they passed down to their new students and it was this knowledge that could be used to speed up some of your plans. Sending your cultivators to roam the countryside and teach the populace would at the very least ensure a minimal level of education would be passed down outside major population centers and make the eventual excision of the proposed education system to the countryside easier.
[] The sharp edge of knowledge- after much deliberation and meditation, your older disciples have come to the conclusion that the relative lack of combat techniques is the largest factor in holding back their combat potential. Giving them leave to focus on developing an arsenal of techniques would ensure that they are ready to face whatever may come. Unfortunately, in this case your innate understanding is working against you as you skip whole parts when casting your own techniques making them unsuitable for your general students.
[] rune study- new knowledge has brought your disciples another avenue of growth you very little about the runes you've found and how they work but were there is two there are three and your disciples are eager to find out more so let them and slowly you'll unlock the secrets of artificing.
[] craft- supernatural knowledge is at your descipales beak and call maybe they should do something with it.
-[] shirts of iron- the foundries of the empire already ready themselves to the creatin of many, many mail-shirts for your cultivators tasking your disciples to enchant them as yours has been would see their effectiveness increase considerably.
A long decade is awaiting you, there is much to do and not enough time to do it all (3 personal AP).
[] Push higher- your power alone would not save you or your kind, but more power would certainly be useful, so push ahead on this path that you've created oh so long ago.
-[] Ascend- you can feel it, you've reached a point where you can once more reach higher. Push ahead, face the wrath of heaven once more and pray you're ready.
-[] Mediation on the self (may be taken more than once)- the wrath of heaven is powerful and cunning, it will strike at any weakness you show, take a time to know your falling and put your mind at peace to help with the tribulation you will face. (This action will give a big bonus if you take it on the turn, you attempt the tribulation otherwise it would give a small but stackable bonus).
-[] A seventh pillar (1/3 AP to complete)- your instincts tell you that you may still push further in your current step, so take the time to gather the Qi needed to construct a new pillar in your soul. Giving you a new and powerful tool.
-[] study (artifice)- a new path opens itself before you, travels down its length and attempts to pry whatever secrets it holds.
-[] Seek insight from the world (choose pillar)(may be taken more than once)- five pillars you've erected in your soul, but they are not just constructs of Qi in each of them there is a Truth of the world. Meditation can draw those truths out but to look within you must look without and seek the inspiration that would advance your understanding and give a new insight for one of your pillars.
[] Glimpse the future- you have a gift, a gift that no other has. It has set you on this path and you must both hone and use it, to see the end of this path. Cast your eyes into the future and the apocalypse to come and attempt to draw any piece of information that might give you an advantage.
-[] Pin down the date- currently you know that the apocalypse will start anywhere between a century to three from now, attempt to pin down when it would actually start so you may better prepare. Not available. Unlocks at turn 8.
-[] The nature of the beast- you know almost nothing about what's to come besides an unending tide of beasts, attempt to understand the coming apocalypse.
-[] The tide- in your vision you saw many types of beast's, small and big, deformed and consisting of perfect form. Attempt to more correctly ascertain what it is that you'll be fighting.
-[] the maelstrom [extremely dangerous]- in your journey through the sea of time you have encountered a being that defies understanding. One way or the other this being is connected to the coming apocalypse, already without even knowing you desist it shrouds your sight of the future, your sight now returning with less and less details. So cast your gaze once more to the future and attempt to ascertain its nature and perhaps you'll find ways to avoid it. But beware as should you be caught death is the only mercy you can expect.
-[] the shadows- someone is moving in the shadow's, from all the questioning done you've identified a shared backer to many of the rebel cells, in truth it probably disgruntled nobles and your agents have already begun a search to identify this backer and you'll likely get reports in time but you could save your agents much effort if you just dedicated a bit of time to divining this shadowy backer.
[] The burdens of an emperor- a farmer, son of a farmer turned into a sage, you never thought, nor wanted the burden of rule but here you are with a crown upon your head.
-[] To rule well- taking the time to listen to your subordinates and subjects as well as taking care of the small problems that arise would free your subordinates from the need to do it.
(OOC: with the competent ruling action being removed from the empire action list -having achieved a good enough administrative efficiency that it doesn't need to be focused on- this action still helps with the rule of the empire and solving any problem that might crop up)
[] The burdens of a teacher- you have come to enjoy teaching, but the very act gives you a certain obligation to those you teach.
-[] To teach the next generations- you're going to need many more cultivators to face the end that comes, and you have taught many, do so again and help train the defenders of the future. Your new pillar making you even more suited to this task.
-[] The next step- you have many students pushing for the next step in their journey, take the time to share your wisdom and guide them in surviving the tribulation.
-[] the broken- the tribulation to the third step is nothing alike that of the second step and its harsher nature seems to apply to those who fail it as well, those who fail the first tribulation and yet survive had lost most of their cultivation granted power and are heavily wounded but a few months later most of their wounds are healed and although they do not regain their former strength they are still stronger than a regular mortal this is not so for those who fail the second tribulation and are unlucky enough to survive as even now, years after their attempt at tribulation the wounds incurred show no sign of getting any better. You have already tasked various medical institutes to trying to conceive of way to ease their pain (for somewhat mixed results) but you posses knowledge and understanding few others will claim to match and with just some attention from your fallen students plight might be much reduced… it is the least you owe them and yet the duty of the emperor sits heavy on your shoulders, can you justify investing your time (one of the most valuable resources you have) in something that will not help stave of anhelation?
-[] kekaru- Kekaru has done something you had no idea was possible and has reached a place between the second step and the third attempt to push him over the line fully into the third step if such a thing is even possible.
Right, here is turn 4, the vote is in plan format and as always, I'm available for questions.
Plan format example:
[] plan name.
-[] empire action with highest priority.
-[] empire action with lower priority.
-[] empire action with lowest priority.
-[] cultivators actions.
-[] personal action.
As a reminder maximum investment refers to putting the action the highest in the plan and minimal investment mean putting it the lowest. Keep in mind that for the education you can only choose one)
Hope you enjoy.
[] Public libraries.
Even with the advent of the printing press books have remained outside the remit of the common Keku for the simple fact that almost none knew to read and write.
But with recent rise in literacy rates the interest in books grew.
Yet they are still expensive things.
Diverting resources to the printing of hundreds of copies from the most wanted books around and allowing the common Keku to barrow them for perusal would make knowledge far more accessible for those who wish for it.
A minimal investment would see the libraries only stock a select number of books and at lower copies as well but should be enough investment to ensure every city in the empire has one such library.
Further investment will not only see the selection of books improved or the number of copies held increased but also might see the creation of two or even three such libraries in the more major cities.
[] education for the city / [] education for the country side. (cant be first priority)
The last few decades has seen the number of educated personal increase by leaps and bounds and yet even with such an increase in available personal expending your education efforts will see too much of those qualified personal tapped to get all the goals you might wish for.
Which for a choice.
You can fucus your effort on the cities where your already existing system and the population density will make expansion far more impactful.
Or you may fucus on the country side in an attempt to leave those that live there behind but such would be more costly and less impactful as little has been previously done to expend education.
Whichever way you choose the more you invest the more progress you'll make although you are somewhat limited in the resources you can invest.
[] research bounties.
In this world there are very few motivators stronger than money and wealth. And of those few none are as easy to direct as it.
And if there is anything the empire isn't lacking it is money.
So, use it.
The creation of bunties for useful inventions would spur people to create them at the chance of getting the prize.
Although the more you pay, the more charlatans would try to deceive you.
Investing as much as you can, would see you make great strides in technological advancements, how much exactly is difficult to estimate and you can be sure that at this level many would try to deceive your testers to get the prize.
Reduced investment would of course see less progress, with the minimum investment even having the chance of showing none.
But whatever money you spend will likely be spent more efficiently as the number of charlatans would lower.
[] the arteries of trade.
The lifeblood of trade, roads.
The situation is at once dire at once perfectly fine if a bit worn down.
The truth is that every kingdom -petty or grand- that was absorbed into the empire had its own road system, stretching to their larger villages and in-between their towns. Sometimes they were connected with the systems of other kingdoms and sometimes not.
This leads to the fact that provincially most road systems are perfectly fine for their regular day to day use. Perhaps only needing some slight repair or updating but otherwise good enough.
And yet on the empire level the road system is absolutely atrocious with very little roads actually connecting the different provinces together.
Considering that only the very old or very young cant fly reliably and so the roads are only used for the transportation of bulk goods and heavy items, fixing this has been low on the priority list. Especially as much of the bureaucracy has been too occupied keeping the empire semi stable to carry out the large surveying work that would be needed to correct this.
But now that the empire is far more stable the time has come to let the river of trade flow.
The last decade has been spent gathering the reams of information needed for such an undertaking. And thanks to it you can finally start construction.
A minimal investment will mean you start buying and acquiring the needed material and getting all the needed clawpower but very little work will actually get done, assuming no setbacks you'll have only constructed about seven percent of the work.
A maximum invest is widely inefficient as you buy all the resources on the market leading to severe shortages in various types of construction material jacking up prices and there is a limit to how many sections could be worked at, once's as some need previous portions of the system constructed before they themselves could be constructed but if your wiling to shoulder this inefficiency you could finish about twenty percent of the work this decade.
[] An egg nests.
A decade is a long time and many unexpected costs could rack up.
From simple delays and obstacles for projects to exciting opportunities to sudden crises.
Having an egg nest to draw resources from so you won't need to compromise in other more costly way's is a good idea.
And if it isn't used it's quite easy (if fairly inefficient) to assign it to struggling projects.
Maximum investment is unnecessary and would even be harmful as too much funds and influence are saved rather than spent to further your goals.
A minimal investment while not ideal isn't the worst thing (especially with all the other pressing concerns) but it would mean that should delays occur or opportunities arise your ability to capitalize or resolve them without compromising other concerns is minimal.
[] the reserves of war.
With a core for your new army found you must turn your attention to the other need of war, supplies.
When the end comes it will come swiftly and mercilessly.
It would be nothing short of a total war where every able -and many who aren't- member of your specie would need to pick up a weapon and fight for survival.
Beyond the need to stockpile weapons and ammunition you for most priority is food.
Your advisors estimate that in a case of total war (where your raise the entire army, garrison and probably like a full 60-70% of the population as militia) your stockpile of food would barely last two week's without large scale rationing for non-combatants.
Form reports requested from your governors it seems that population growth is overcoming the growth of such stockpile so this ability is slowly being degraded.
As you have no idea how long the conflict to come will last you must prepare for the worst and start buying excess grain and other long storage foodstuff to slowly fill ever greeter storages.
As a benefital side effect this increase in reserve stockpiles would also serve to reduce the impact of other crises.
A minimal investment would only see your stockpiles raised to lats 4 weeks.
A maximal investment on the other hand will give you about 3 months of food stockpiles for total war but it would strip the market bare of foodstuff for this decade which is inadvisable.
[] shirts of iron.
The last decade saw both the fast expansion of the number of cultivators and also the expansion of their reasonability's (1 AP).
Teachers: it is expected that around 231 new 1st step cultivators would be recruited and trained this decade (at current pace you're expected to get another AP in 1 turns).
[] Recruiting- if you wish to have a hope of survival the current number of disciples is pitiful, your disciples would focus on going out and training potential cultivators in order to find new talents and increase their number. With a crude but passable way to determine talent you can now weed out the untalented. Increasing the power and quality of your new disciples.
[] the connecting thread- out of the sixty-seven centers of power found, sixty-five are next to major habitations. Send out agents to scour all sixty-five centers of power thoroughly and find the thread connecting them all. After all knowledge is the first step towered control.
[] Looking for enlightenment cultivation as a concept is relatively unknown, with all of your knowledge coming from either your or your older disciples' experiments. But your knowledge is lacking and there are many unknowns. Have your disciples try to invite new concepts that either help or push your knowledge of cultivation further. (OOC: you get a cultivation advancement dice which can give you many tasteful things)
[] Push forward- your disciples have their own cultivation to pursue and they will do so regardless but giving them more time to do so would allow them to make more progress.
[] Wandering sages- in the good times, before you foresaw the apocalypse that is to come, the students who sought you out, were scholars at heart and although each had a different purpose for doing so almost all of them had a great thirst for knowledge. It was this knowledge that they passed down to their new students and it was this knowledge that could be used to speed up some of your plans. Sending your cultivators to roam the countryside and teach the populace would at the very least ensure a minimal level of education would be passed down outside major population centers and make the eventual excision of the proposed education system to the countryside easier.
[] The sharp edge of knowledge- after much deliberation and meditation, your older disciples have come to the conclusion that the relative lack of combat techniques is the largest factor in holding back their combat potential. Giving them leave to focus on developing an arsenal of techniques would ensure that they are ready to face whatever may come. Unfortunately, in this case your innate understanding is working against you as you skip whole parts when casting your own techniques making them unsuitable for your general students.
[] rune study- new knowledge has brought your disciples another avenue of growth you very little about the runes you've found and how they work but were there is two there are three and your disciples are eager to find out more so let them and slowly you'll unlock the secrets of artificing.
[] craft- supernatural knowledge is at your descipales beak and call maybe they should do something with it.
-[] shirts of iron- the foundries of the empire already ready themselves to the creatin of many, many mail-shirts for your cultivators tasking your disciples to enchant them as yours has been would see their effectiveness increase considerably.
A long decade is awaiting you, there is much to do and not enough time to do it all (3 personal AP).
[] Push higher- your power alone would not save you or your kind, but more power would certainly be useful, so push ahead on this path that you've created oh so long ago.
-[] Ascend- you can feel it, you've reached a point where you can once more reach higher. Push ahead, face the wrath of heaven once more and pray you're ready.
-[] Mediation on the self (may be taken more than once)- the wrath of heaven is powerful and cunning, it will strike at any weakness you show, take a time to know your falling and put your mind at peace to help with the tribulation you will face. (This action will give a big bonus if you take it on the turn, you attempt the tribulation otherwise it would give a small but stackable bonus).
-[] A seventh pillar (1/3 AP to complete)- your instincts tell you that you may still push further in your current step, so take the time to gather the Qi needed to construct a new pillar in your soul. Giving you a new and powerful tool.
-[] study (artifice)- a new path opens itself before you, travels down its length and attempts to pry whatever secrets it holds.
-[] Seek insight from the world (choose pillar)(may be taken more than once)- five pillars you've erected in your soul, but they are not just constructs of Qi in each of them there is a Truth of the world. Meditation can draw those truths out but to look within you must look without and seek the inspiration that would advance your understanding and give a new insight for one of your pillars.
[] Glimpse the future- you have a gift, a gift that no other has. It has set you on this path and you must both hone and use it, to see the end of this path. Cast your eyes into the future and the apocalypse to come and attempt to draw any piece of information that might give you an advantage.
-[] The nature of the beast- you know almost nothing about what's to come besides an unending tide of beasts, attempt to understand the coming apocalypse.
-[] The tide- in your vision you saw many types of beast's, small and big, deformed and consisting of perfect form. Attempt to more correctly ascertain what it is that you'll be fighting.
-[] the maelstrom [extremely dangerous]- in your journey through the sea of time you have encountered a being that defies understanding. One way or the other this being is connected to the coming apocalypse, already without even knowing you desist it shrouds your sight of the future, your sight now returning with less and less details. So cast your gaze once more to the future and attempt to ascertain its nature and perhaps you'll find ways to avoid it. But beware as should you be caught death is the only mercy you can expect.
-[] the shadows- someone is moving in the shadow's, from all the questioning done you've identified a shared backer to many of the rebel cells, in truth it probably disgruntled nobles and your agents have already begun a search to identify this backer and you'll likely get reports in time but you could save your agents much effort if you just dedicated a bit of time to divining this shadowy backer.
[] The burdens of an emperor- a farmer, son of a farmer turned into a sage, you never thought, nor wanted the burden of rule but here you are with a crown upon your head.
-[] To rule well- taking the time to listen to your subordinates and subjects as well as taking care of the small problems that arise would free your subordinates from the need to do it.
(OOC: with the competent ruling action being removed from the empire action list -having achieved a good enough administrative efficiency that it doesn't need to be focused on- this action still helps with the rule of the empire and solving any problem that might crop up)
[] The burdens of a teacher- you have come to enjoy teaching, but the very act gives you a certain obligation to those you teach.
-[] To teach the next generations- you're going to need many more cultivators to face the end that comes, and you have taught many, do so again and help train the defenders of the future. Your new pillar making you even more suited to this task.
-[] The next step- you have many students pushing for the next step in their journey, take the time to share your wisdom and guide them in surviving the tribulation.
-[] the broken- the tribulation to the third step is nothing alike that of the second step and its harsher nature seems to apply to those who fail it as well, those who fail the first tribulation and yet survive had lost most of their cultivation granted power and are heavily wounded but a few months later most of their wounds are healed and although they do not regain their former strength they are still stronger than a regular mortal this is not so for those who fail the second tribulation and are unlucky enough to survive as even now, years after their attempt at tribulation the wounds incurred show no sign of getting any better. You have already tasked various medical institutes to trying to conceive of way to ease their pain (for somewhat mixed results) but you posses knowledge and understanding few others will claim to match and with just some attention from your fallen students plight might be much reduced… it is the least you owe them and yet the duty of the emperor sits heavy on your shoulders, can you justify investing your time (one of the most valuable resources you have) in something that will not help stave of anhelation?
-[] kekaru- Kekaru has done something you had no idea was possible and has reached a place between the second step and the third attempt to push him over the line fully into the third step if such a thing is even possible.
Right, here is turn 4, the vote is in plan format and as always, I'm available for questions.
Plan format example:
[] plan name.
-[] empire action with highest priority.
-[] empire action with lower priority.
-[] empire action with lowest priority.
-[] cultivators actions.
-[] personal action.
As a reminder maximum investment refers to putting the action the highest in the plan and minimal investment mean putting it the lowest. Keep in mind that for the education you can only choose one)
[] Plan building up
-[] education for the city
One of our major problems is a lack of bureaucrats so improving education is a priority so we can hire more graduates
-[] Public libraries.
More books to help the education
-[] the arteries of trade.
More trade will provide more income and make moving resources for other projects easier
-[] the reserves of war.
Two weeks is not enough food to stores so we should invest into improving them
-[] research bounties.
-[] An egg nests.
-[] shirts of iron.
-[] Looking for enlightenment
A die to improve cultivation is something to get as soon as possible to get the most out of it
-[] A seventh pillar (1/3 AP to complete) 2 AP
Complete the work we have begun
-[] Seek insight from the world (Teaching)(may be taken more than once)- 1 AP
And become better at teaching as a lot of the cultivators are not surviving the second ascension and this will make us better at working at that next turn
-[] education for the city
One of our major problems is a lack of bureaucrats so improving education is a priority so we can hire more graduates
-[] Public libraries.
More books to help the education
-[] the arteries of trade.
More trade will provide more income and make moving resources for other projects easier
-[] the reserves of war.
Two weeks is not enough food to stores so we should invest into improving them
-[] research bounties.
-[] An egg nests.
-[] shirts of iron.
-[] Looking for enlightenment
A die to improve cultivation is something to get as soon as possible to get the most out of it
-[] A seventh pillar (1/3 AP to complete) 2 AP
Complete the work we have begun
-[] Seek insight from the world (Teaching)(may be taken more than once)- 1 AP
And become better at teaching as a lot of the cultivators are not surviving the second ascension and this will make us better at working at that next turn
You cant put this action as the first priorty.
Thanks for checking the plan swapping the libraries and education:
[X] Plan building up
-[X] Public libraries.
More books to help the education
-[X] education for the city
One of our major problems is a lack of bureaucrats so improving education is a priority so we can hire more graduates
-[X] the arteries of trade.
More trade will provide more income and make moving resources for other projects easier
-[X] the reserves of war.
Two weeks is not enough food to stores so we should invest into improving them
-[X] research bounties.
-[X] An egg nests.
-[X] shirts of iron.
-[X] Looking for enlightenment
A die to improve cultivation is something to get as soon as possible to get the most out of it
-[X] A seventh pillar (1/3 AP to complete) 2 AP
Complete the work we have begun
-[X] Seek insight from the world (Teaching)(may be taken more than once)- 1 AP
And become better at teaching as a lot of the cultivators are not surviving the second ascension and this will make us better at working at that next turn
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[X] Plan building up
Seems like a good plan.
Seems like a good plan.
[X] Plan building up
-[x] Mediation on the self (may be taken more than once)-
I feel like we should do this too.
I feel like we should do this too.
[X] Plan building up