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[Exalted] The Last Daughter -- Dragon-Blooded Sorcery School Quest

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[X] Meet new people, engage in a series of shallow flirtations and entanglements
Randino Treviani said:
Raksi was first age I believe, so while she could be better than Ambraea's mother, the statement still applies. That said, this is probably a popular realm assertion Ambraea believes rather than neccessarily fact.
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Raksi is also Anathema, and therefore by definition disqualified from being "the greatest Exalted sorcerer".
 
Randino Treviani said:
Raksi was first age I believe, so while she could be better than Ambraea's mother, the statement still applies. That said, this is probably a popular realm assertion Ambraea believes rather than neccessarily fact.
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No, this is bias on Ambraea's part, it's very easy to argue that Raksi has that distinction. The Empress is definitely up there, though.
 
[X] Meet new people, engage in a series of shallow flirtations and entanglements

I just think this is the most interesting option
 
[X] Focus on the texts that the Empress provided, conduct small experiments and rituals in your suite
[X] Throw yourself into your swordswomanship, seek out new opponents for practice duels
 
[X] Throw yourself into your swordswomanship, seek out new opponents for practice duels

This is probably the healthiest option, and while I am normally a thirsty bitch seeking drama, right now I just want good things for Ambraea.

Also, I audibly went "oh no" when the Empress pulled out the genealogical records. So hurtful, especially because you can see how it came from a place of genuine concern. What a great story.
 
[X] Throw yourself into your swordswomanship, seek out new opponents for practice duels
 
[X] Throw yourself into your swordswomanship, seek out new opponents for practice duels

Getting a reputation as a hotheaded duelist seems like great fun.
 
Randino Treviani said:
I think it's the opposite. the vote is more of a consolation prize. Something Ambraea gains in perfunctory small talk leading up to the Empress hurting her, which is a set and decided thing as a result of our actions this year.
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Like, I called it. Perfunctory small talk for what we gain. Did not anticipate she'd drop the genealogy though, and I notice she doesn't mention her part in there survival.

Based on one of our potential Romance options being Diamond Cut Perfection, I can see her confronting Ambraea in that situation as well, which begs the question, if the empress confronts Ambraea about her relationships as a matter of course, what could there be about Sola that the empress would bring up?
 
Notice that all the options have "The Court will take note of this". As far as I'm concerned, this vote is overwhelmingly about what image we want to project in the highest of social circles. Having affairs all over? Potentially interesting from a character standpoint, but absolutely not at all a helpful reputation to start building. The swordsmanship training is better, but still not on point for Ambraea and our previous choices. Secluding ourselves with knowledge given to us by the Empress in a private meeting, on the other hand, blows every other option out of the water. We're a Sorceress. Solitary, mysterious, and with unknown depths of arcane knowledge, this is exactly what we need emphasize in the long term.
 
Calico J said:
Notice that all the options have "The Court will take note of this". As far as I'm concerned, this vote is overwhelmingly about what image we want to project in the highest of social circles. Having affairs all over? Potentially interesting from a character standpoint, but absolutely not at all a helpful reputation to start building. The swordsmanship training is better, but still not on point for Ambraea and our previous choices. Secluding ourselves with knowledge given to us by the Empress in a private meeting, on the other hand, blows every other option out of the water. We're a Sorceress. Solitary, mysterious, and with unknown depths of arcane knowledge, this is exactly what we need emphasize in the long term.
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I think arriving on the back of a lesser elemental dragon accomplished that rather nicely, assuming the copper snake around Ambraea's neck falls short in the first place, and I prefer a more nuanced message, so I'll go for swordswomanship, and establish Ambraea as a competent commander of spirits who doesn't neglect her physical training and acknowledges her Prasadi roots through her saber wielding.
 
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[x] Throw yourself into your swordswomanship, seek out new opponents for practice duels
 
Calico J said:
Having affairs all over? Potentially interesting from a character standpoint, but absolutely not at all a helpful reputation to start building.
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It would definitely give her a reputation for that, but that is like, a normal Dynast trait rather than spooky sorcerer shit, which is not a bad thing in most people's eyes.

There's definitely a deliberate tradeoff there, though.
 
Gazetteer said:
It would definitely give her a reputation for that, but that is like, a normal Dynast trait rather than spooky sorcerer shit, which is not a bad thing in most people's eyes.

There's definitely a deliberate tradeoff there, though.
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And iirc even married dynasts are only expected to be discreet about their affairs (and choose partners that don't create a risk of accidental pregnancy), rather than not having affairs in the first place.
 
[X] Meet new people, engage in a series of shallow flirtations and entanglements
[X] Focus on the texts that the Empress provided, conduct small experiments and rituals in your suite
 
Gazetteer said:
It would definitely give her a reputation for that, but that is like, a normal Dynast trait rather than spooky sorcerer shit, which is not a bad thing in most people's eyes.

There's definitely a deliberate tradeoff there, though.
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Yeah, the normality of it is exactly my objection. Just to remind everybody, back in "Interlude 1: Favoured Daughter 02" we had a vote for picking Ambraea's long term goals, which included a social option...

Gazetteer said:
[ ] [Goal] Eyes of Black Diamond, Smile of White Fangs

Ambraea has not inherited her mother's legendary charm and charisma, but she is beginning to demonstrate some of the Empress's commanding presence. She can hone this to her advantage, with sorcery intended to beguile and misdirect, becoming a quiet social predator at the edge of high society. This is a skillset that any house or major faction on the Blessed Isle will be able to appreciate, although some more than others.

Focus: Subterfuge, misdirection, social intimidation, inscrutability
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...and we did not pick that. Instead we voted for...

Gazetteer said:
[ ] [Goal] The Serpent Witch

Sorcerers are unavoidably social outcasts within the Dynasty, figures of dread and fascination both. One can find a way to work around this, or to use it to their advantage. Ambraea can lean into the uncanny and esoteric aspects of her craft, honing the unique strengths of her sorcerous initiation to become the kind of sorcerer that every Great House both fears and considers indispensable, capable of protecting her allies and bringing woe down upon her enemies.

Focus: Curses and afflictions, spirits, 🐍snakes 🐍, dread mystery
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...which is a lot different. We aren't exactly being consistent here. Where are we going with Ambraea as a character?
 
Regardless of what wins this vote, Ambraea is still going to have some pretty intense intimidating snake witch vibes, and this is more about adding shades of nuance to that.

"I want to double down on spooky witch stuff" is a good reason to pick the second option, though.
 
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