Forge of Destiny(Xianxia Quest)

[jacobk]

AN: A little bit of apocrypha inspired by Lu Feng's unfortunate run of rolls back in the Thunderdome redux. And, of course, everybody's favorite hero of the Imperium of Man. Special thanks to @yrsillar for creating such an enjoyable xianxia setting.

Now brace yourself for the retelling of the glorious deeds of Lu Feng, HERO OF THE REBELLION...

ooOoo
​

Lu Feng had spent considerable time and effort mastering his family's secret art before enrolling in the Argent Peak Sect. Crouching Dragon Hides in Shadows. A long, pretentious name for a surprisingly simple art that hid his cultivation level from the prying eyes of his peers. He had hoped that it would lead others to underestimate him.

Those were innocent days.

He had always thought of himself as reasonably talented, but in the Argent Peak Sect reasonable talent was the bare minimum required for admission. All around him the other disciples flew ahead, borne on the wings of their talent, while he plodded forward one slow step at a time. It was some comfort that the others remained unaware of the truth. He had no great fear of discovery, either, thanks to the insane selectivity of the inner sect. It would be no great mark of shame to remain an outer disciple for the entire time he spent on the mountain.

That left the issue of his personal safety, although that was no trouble at first. Anybody who voluntarily spent time with Sun Liling picked up a trace of the aura of danger that always surrounded the princess. Not to mention the more tangible promise of retribution to deter those who might have been bold enough to try their luck anyways. When she joined with a group of other powerful disciples to establish order on the mountain, Lu Feng had begun to hope that he might get through the rest of the year without facing a serious fight.

Then Sun Liling decided to declare war on the rest of the outer sect.

Honestly, standing at the rear of the battlefield while the princess went on a rampage wasn't that bad. After the direct approach failed, though, Sun Liling had gotten a little more cautious. She'd decided to delegate.

And so Lu Feng found himself crouched on a tree branch next to Ji Rong in the dead of night, contemplating how best to carry out the order to "stir up something interesting." The two of them had a clear view of a trail used by Cai Renxiang's enforcers, and several carefully crafted formations would keep any noise from escaping the area around them.

Six months ago, Lu Feng would have been more than a match for any one of Cai Renxiang's enforcement teams. Three months ago, he would have had a good hope of taking them down. Today, he didn't like his chances against more than one of them at a time. He'd have to stay patient and hope that their discipline was less effective than their training.

When a lone figure appeared on the path, Lu Feng at first thought his prayers had been answered. Then a stray beam of moonlight illuminated the face of Gan Guangli, and Lu Feng let that thought go. The other boy had grown well past the point where Feng's entangling arts would serve as anything more than a brief distraction. Better to let him pass and-

"Hey, asshole!"

Ji Rong called out the insult as he dropped down from the tree, abandoning any attempt at stealth. Lu Feng stifled a sigh and jumped down after him. Ji Rong wasn't a bad guy, really. Lu Feng had found himself put in the position of Rong's best friend by virtue of being the only member of their group that wasn't constantly needling him or challenging him to fights, and he had found his company surprisingly tolerable. Ji Rong's headstrong streak was going to get him killed someday, though, and Lu Feng dearly hoped not to get dragged along when it happened. Even so, he could hardly abandon him before the fight even properly started.

Gan Guangli, for his part, had remained calm as he turned to face the two of them. "Lu Feng. The barbarian princess's dread right hand."

Lu Feng just stared. He felt... flattered? Insulted? Bemused? Seriously, who talked like that?

"Leash your hound," Gan Guangli continued, unfazed by his lack of reaction. "I would test myself against you, though the outcome is certain."

Lu Feng didn't know whether to laugh or cry over the wild effect a friendship with Sun Liling could have on a reputation. The outcome was certain, indeed, though not the way the other boy seemed to think. Gan Guangli towered over Lu Feng, but the physical differences between them dramatically understated the difference in their strength. Any fight between them would end the moment Guangli laid a hand on him. At that point he wouldn't even need to use any art to pluck the limbs off of Lu Feng's body.

Lu Feng liked his limbs right where they were. He needed to figure out a way out of this.

"You got a big head to go with the fancy clothes and fancy talk," Ji Rong said, pausing to spit off to the side. "You think you're worth Brother Lu's time? Prove it by beating me first."

Ji Rong was truly a prince among men. Lu Feng resolved to speak well of him after he inevitably got himself killed.

Gan Guangli glowered at the interruption. "Your terms are acceptable."

With that, the fight began. Lu Feng strained his eyes, attempting to follow the action. It had been some months since he could keep up in a serious fight, but until recently he could at least see what was going on. Apparently those days were behind him as well, though. Gan Guangli flickered into view right in front of him, fist swinging down at a shadow that resolved itself into Ji Rong, already braced to block. The two fighters remained intent on each other, ignoring the dust kicked up by the shockwave as they collided. The same shockwave tossed Lu Feng out of their little clearing and sent him tumbling into the woods.

He flipped head over heels several times before crashing to a halt against a solid tree trunk. The good news, he confirmed as he picked himself up from the ground, was that he hadn't taken any serious damage. The better news was that his clothes were self cleaning. The bad news was that even shielding himself from the incidental blow had badly drained his qi reserves. Still, there was nothing for it but to make himself look presentable and pick his way back towards the fight.

Unnatural shrieks, crackling fires, the reverberating booms as blows struck home... Lu Feng could almost taste the qi in the air as he cautiously approached the battle. Ji Rong was a terrifying talent, a true once in a lifetime genius. Gan Guangli was no slouch himself, though, and had enjoyed a tremendous access to resources since he had bound himself to Cai Renxiang. Lu Feng wouldn't have liked to wager on the outcome of their battle, given the choice. With his own neck on the line, all he could do was hope.

When he was close enough to see into the clearing his eye was drawn to Ji Rong's form. The other boy was surrounded by a nimbus of crackling lightning. He suddenly darted forward, the lightning flowing around him until it took the shape of a great dragon's head. Ji Rong's fist flowed along with the dragon's fangs as he crashed into Gan Guangli. They stood frozen for a moment as the dragon's head lost its form, the electicity draining into Gan Guangli's body. When it completely disappeared Ji Rong drew back his fist, allowing the still twitching form of Gan Guangli to crumple to the ground.

"Thinkin' you're better than me because you grabbed onto a lady's skirts. Dumbass."

Lu Feng watched with relief as Ji Rong knelt and stripped a storage ring from his downed foe. The relief turned to alarm when he rolled the unconscious Gan Guangli onto his face and started working at the fastenings of his armor. Just like that, Ji Rong's total lack of self preservation flipped from an asset to a liability. Lu Feng steeled himself and stepped forward.

"We have to go. Now."

Ji Rong turned, a rebellious expression on his face. "We got those formations up, don't we?"

Lu Feng shook his head, then turned and ran. A formation designed to contain the sounds of a simple scuffle couldn't hope to hide the signs of such a high level brawl. His time was better spent putting space between himself and the incoming retalition instead of trying to explain the finer points of formation design to Ji Rong, though. It wasn't more than a few breaths later that the other boy caught up with him, running at his shoulder without a word.

The two of them ran in silence for long moments. Ji Rong managed to exude a sulky air even as they ran pell mell through the forest. Lu Feng would have been impressed, if he hadn't been too busy fearing for his life. They had covered perhaps a half a mile before Lu Feng realized that the ground ahead of them was just a bit more visible than it ought to be. A glance back revealed a new star streaking through the heavens. A heartbeat later the star came plummeting from the sky, thankfully crashing to the ground well behind them. Even so, Lu Feng could have sworn that he felt his hair tremble as the shock wave from the impact passed them by.

Beside him, Ji Rong whistled, all traces of his earlier attitude melting away. "Damn, man, how'd you feel her coming?"

Lu Feng held his silence and kept up his pace. He didn't have the breath to spare, even if he'd been inclined to answer. Ji Rong, of course, looked like he was moving at an easy jog.

"I guess that just shows how far I have to go to catch up to the real monsters like you," Ji Rong added, ever the amiable competitor. "I'll work twice as hard on my perception arts this week for sure."

One thought kept Lu Feng moving forward. After the end of year tournament, most of the maniacs from this year would be promoted to the Inner Sect, never to trouble him again. All he had to do was hold on for the next four months, two weeks, and three days.

ooOoo​

"... and that asshole's gonna have to regrow some teeth before he starts shoutin' 'bout his Lady Cai again," Ji Rong said, finishing the story with relish.

Sun Liling had started their debriefing in her usual relaxed sprawl, one leg casually slung over the armrest of her throne. Her posture had grown more attentive over the course of the tale, and she was now leaning forward with a savage grin on her face. Lu Feng was struck by how completely at home she looked in her rough-hewn mountain fortress.

"Lu Feng took care of the rest of the patrol while I was playin' with Gan," Ji Rong added. Lu Feng blinked, but managed to keep a straight face as Rong flashed him a grin. "Musta been three or four of them, messin' up your hair that bad."

Not for the first time, Lu Feng wondered if there was room for anything else in Ji Rong's head besides his prodigious talent for cultivation.

Lu Feng gave him a sour look. "It was nothing of consequence."

"Tired of fighting small fry?" Sun Liling asked, taking a moment to crack her knuckles. "Don't worry, things'll be getting more interesting pretty soon."

Four months, two weeks, and two days.

ooOoo​

 

[Thor's Twin]

The Musings of a Real Tortoise, or
Precious' Thoughts


We needed to dig, to gather fuel, to make a nest. It was a drive we had, a drive that could not really be expressed. Food was needed for our hibernation, this we knew. We didn't know how we knew it, but we knew it regardless. Concern from Mo - Big Sister was a skittering thought against our soul. We ignored it, for there was nothing to be concerned about. This was natural, this was right.

It was so hard to talk to Big Sis right now. There was so much to do, and so little time to do it. We told her what we needed, but it felt as though there was a thick sheet of velvet over our thoughts. Nothing was clear, only the need to have a nest and fuel to burn. Big Sis came through though, she brought nicely scented wood, soft piles of good hay, and some other plants that smelt nice. We could feel that the qi of the materials was thick as well, embedded into the wood, hay, and plants. It would be wonderful to burn it all.

And so we ate and we built, then we built and ate. This is what we needed to do, all other concerns fell by the wayside. The nest grew bigger by the hour, and Big Sis kept feeding us all that we could eat. A platter of fruit was destroyed in our ravenous hunger, but it was ok because nothing was more important than building the nest and growing. Growing strong enough to protect Big Sis from all those mean people who hurt her.

Eventually, the nest was ready, the dirt, wood, hay, and plants all arranged to provide safety and security from all those outside of the nest. We felt some qi of Big Sis permeate enter some formations we hadn't notice before layering even more protection around us. Finally we were safe to grow, finally we were ready to grow, and finally it was time to grow.

Our thoughts retreated further into ourselves. Big Sis became even more muted and distant than before. It was alright though, this was natural, this was right, and Big Sis would be ok while we grew strong. And so we began to focus inward, focus on that which stopped us from growing stronger. And in that state, we began to burn, and the nest alit with flame. The flame grew, consuming all of the nest in a fiery convocation. As the flames grew, so did the heat, and we fed the fires ourselves as well, becoming a part of it and feeding it to keep it going. The heat was comfortable and so we drew it in.

It was in this state that we began to ponder. What did it mean to be of destruction and growth? How could growth and destruction be in one being? How could Zhen be Gui, and Gui be Zhen?

Destruction fed on fuel, and without fuel it could not begin or grow. For without something to destroy, what was destruction? Growth required fuel as well, nutrients, as well as space. Without the space or the nutrients how could anything grow? Destruction destroys providing space for growth, and growth provides fuel for destruction allowing destruction to be sustained which in turn allowed growth to continue. In this the cycle was everlasting. But was this all? Was there not more to the cycle?

Our thoughts turned to the spirit we met while playing with the pretty fires, Linhuo. A spirit of pure fire, born from something called a forest fire far from here. Why did the forest burn, what help did the fire provide to the forest that caused the forest to welcome the scorching heat of fire? What of our ash, something that was created from growth and destruction combined. What was it, and what benefit did ash have for fires or for growth?

The destruction of growth makes ash. Destruction has no substance, which means that the ash is a part of growth. As a part of growth, shouldn't ash help with the growth of new things? Wouldn't it have the nutrients that growth requires? Is that the key, that through the destruction of the forest, the new growth would have both the space and nutrients needed? And through the new growth, more fuel would be there for more destruction to begin and be sustained? Thus the cycle evolves, for through destruction growth receives everything it needs, and through growth destruction receives everything it needs. While one may have one or the other, it is through both that they can sustain themselves in an everlasting cycle of destruction and growth, of growth and destruction.

But is that all? Does it stop there? Is there nothing more to this cycle but providing that which the other half needs? No, there must be more. Destruction destroys all the fuel that it is given. Without discrimination, prejudice, or care. And should there be more fuel, then there is a growth of the destruction to consume that fuel. So with more fuel, destruction grows, and it will keep growing to consume all that fuel. In that sense, destruction also grows, just like the tallest trees and forests, destruction will grow to consume all of the fuel and space that it has available.

Then what of growth? Does that destroy as well? How can growth destroy? Then we remembered the roots of the great trees where we lived. They dug down through the earth, ever searching for more nutrients, burrowing and consuming all they dug through. They destroyed the earth in their search for more. Then they reached the rock of the mountain, and in their search for more, they cracked the rock like a walnut, digging deeper into the mountain. All the roots touched were destroyed to fuel the growth of the trees. Was this not like destruction, destroying all that was touched to grow larger and larger?

As such, we came to the realization, that to grow was to destroy, and to destroy was to grow. They are not different sides of the same coin, they are both present on each side of the coin. Growth and destruction required each other to flourish, and in flourishing, growth destroyed and destruction grows. This was truth.

We would destroy all that prevented us from growing, and in that act we would grow. In the act of growing past our limit, we would destroy the chains that prevented us from becoming powerful enough to protect Big Sis. We would be free to destroy those chains and to grow past our limits, to grow strong enough to protect Big Sis and destroy all that would hurt her. We were not only destruction, nor were we only growth. We were the embodiment of the cycle, the cycle that never ends. The cycle that required destruction to grow, and growth to destroy. Never will there be one without the other, and in one the other can be found as well.

It was in these thoughts that we drew comfort, and as we pondered these things our nest burned ever more fiercely but was never extinguished.

A/N: So, here is my take on what Zhengui is thinking and working over while in his nest. I don't know how much of these things he is thinking, or how deeply he is thinking of them, but this is what I think would be a good starting point for Zhengui to mull over regarding what it means to be a Xuanwu that is both destruction and growth. I hope you enjoy the read! As always, critiques and criticism are welcomed.

 

[Leonidas333]

Spoiler: Burning Incense

"Grinning Moon, I burn this incense to you."

A small girl knelt in a dark alleyway, a small stick of burning incense wedged in the crack between cobblestones. He clothes were ragged, no protection from the Autumn chill. Through the rips and tears in the sleeves, it was apparent that she was much too thin, even for someone as young as herself. The incense too, was not something to be proud of. It was the cheapest that could be bought, and was frequently handed out free on festival days. It had not been free today, though. It had been bought with the girls last money in the world, that could have bought her some food to assuage her hunger instead. This was enough to garner notice.

The few leaves in the alleyway danced for a moment as the wind picked up, and the girl quickly cupped the incense in her hand. She had only gotten one match from the vendor, and had no way to relight the stick should it be put out. She paused, making sure the wind had died down, before returning to her prayer.

"Grinning Moon, I am going to to be robbing someone tonight."

The girl paused, and the attention ed waned for a moment. There were many robbers, and many robberies; and the offering had been paltry, no matter how dear. There were more interesting thieves to watch than this one who was obviously not very successful.

"Grinning Moon, I am hungry."

The attention snapped back into place. There were no surer word to ring into the darkness than these. It focused more on the girl, and saw past her appearance. Clever, inventive, fiercely independent. Such things were to be nurtured and cherished, not thrown away. This mortal had come to her for help in filling both the void in its stomach, and in its heart.

"If I do not succeed, I do not eat."

It could feel talent, inside her as well. Untapped, unfulfilled, and likely never to be realized. But the potential was there, not only in the thieving arts. This one might one day become the shadows she skulked in, and bear the teeth that all feared might lurk in the night. There was a touch of wind as well, the airy gusts that flowed high above the land, never to touch the ground at all. A diamond in the rough, unseen by all around her.

"Please, guide my steps tonight, and watch over me."

It could spare some brief attention. A dog sleeping deeper than usual. A lantern running out of oil. A guard patrol taking a right instead of a left. These were paltry things to the moon, but would make all the difference to a small child whose stomach was eating itself.

Spoiler: The moon smiles

The winds picked up as the incense ran out, and the clouds slowly revealed the moon. LIng Qi glanced up at the moon, before continuing on her way. And all through the night, the moon smiled down upon her.

---------------------------------------------------------
Grinning Moon and RNGesus please no bully.

 

[FixerUpper]

The Duff Ling Qi Part 2
​

Setting: A cold lonely path up the mountain. The wind howls mournfully and nothing lives here save the snow. Two girls stare at each other, one a princess the other a thief - but not the ones you might expect. The redhead sits on a boulder, busy typing on her smartphone with one hand, her hand holding up a slim index finger in a classic 'waitasec' pose, while the other girl, her black braided hair streaming in the wind has her hands in fists, looking like she might fight or flee at any second, pupils dilated, breathing fast and shallow.

Finally, the redhead hops off the boulder, putting her cell phone away. With her other hand, she picks her spear out of the snow and spins it, making a whoop-whoop-whoop helicopter noise. Rumor has it that it is a cursed weapon, requiring specialized handling and must be quenched in barrels of boiling blood that will grow thorns that will pierce you from the inside.

Sun Liling: (Finally stops showing off and holds her spear at a ready position) Sorry, boy troubles - you know how it is. Now where were we?

Ling Qi: You were calling me a pain in the ass, I think?

Sun Liling: Ah, right. (grins) Fact is kid, you're a pain in the derriere, and with that pretty dress o' yours, you're a menace. So take your first shot, run or whatever. I want to get this started.

Ling Qi: (a flute drops into her hand from her sleeve. She breathes in the crisp mountain air before wiping her hands on her dress. She appears to have come to a decision) Before we do, can I just say something?

Sun Liling: (shrugs) No skin offa my nose. Yap away.

Ling Qi: I'm not alone.

Sun Liling: …what?

Ling Qi: (quickly) Beetlegoo, Beetlegoo, Beetlegoo-

(there is a dramatic puff of smoke and a pale, ghostly appears wearing a stylish ensemble that nonetheless covers its entire body and is very sheer and very wispy. The smell of burnt pork emanates from it)

Sun Liling: How the fuck.

Mysterious Burnt Stranger: (sounding outraged and ghostly) LING QI!

Ling Qi: …yes Gu?

Mysterious Burnt Stranger Gu Xiulan: (wraps her arms around herself) It's so cold.

Ling Qi: Yes, that's what happens when you appear on the top of a mountain in your-

Gu Xiulan: Uggggh, what is wrong with you people. Let's make this quick. My lips are going to chap.

Ling Qi: You really don't need to worry about chapped lips anymore.

Sun Liling: (planting her spear into the snow) No seriously, how the fuck did you-

Mysterious Beautiful Stranger (Gu Xiulan): Tut-tut. Nein. We're not going there. Therein lies the land of Plotholia. We need to ask the important questions. Like, why do you get to be the reverse harem protagonist.

Sun Liling: (blinks) …I what.

Gu Xiulan: Lu Feng. Ji Rong. Kang Zihao. Yan Renshu, even. You're hogging all the eligible bachelor meat on the mountain.

Ling Qi: (face in her hands)

Sun Liling: (whispering) did she just call them meat

Gu Xiulan: Ever since Han Jian broke up with me-

Ling Qi: (whispering back) yes

Gu Xiulan: AHEM. Ever since Han Jian broke up with me-

Sun Liling: And weren't you engaged to Fan-

Gu Xiulan: (loud voice) EVER SINCE HAN JIAN BROKE UP WITH ME- I've been looking for someone to spend the rest of my days with. (points dramatically) BUT YOU TOOK ALL THE GOOD MEN AWAY - 'Where have all the good men gone-' as the song goes. But I know. Oh, I know. You took them, you scheming, reverse hareming son of a bitch: I read your self-congratulatory MyMountain posts!

Ling Qi: (realizes something) Dammit, I knew social media was good for something.

Sun Liling: (massaging her nose) …girl, you have a fiancee.

Ling Qi: It's true she does.

Sun Liling: Also, what I do with my harem is my own business.

Gu Xiulan: Ha! You admit it!

Sun Liling: Like you said, I advertised it. It's gotten me followers like you wouldn't believe. What does Cai offer you?

Ling Qi: Wealth, stability, safety, rule of law-

Sun Liling: Yeah, and I got harems. Now, honestly, in your heart of hearts, who're you going to support?

(A beat of silence ensues.)

Gu Xiulan: …are you still accepting applications?

Ling Qi: Xiulan?

Sun Liling: (shrewdly and suddenly very businessman-like) I'll let you have Ji Rong-

Gu Xiulan: At least Kang Zihao.

Ling Qi: No. Xiulan this isn't funny.

Sun Liling: …he's out of your league girl.

Gu Xiulan: Excuse me?! He's out of my league?

Ling Qi: That's it. I'm out.

Sun Liling: You're the, what, fifth daughter of some third-rate-

Gu Xiulan: Say that to my face, bitch!

Sun Liling: I am, bitch!

Ling Qi: Seriously, I'm going.

(Explosions ensue)

-----

Later at home

(Ling Qi is very seriously huddled over Zhengui's nest, head lowered just above his hibernating shell. Small licks of flame emerge with every breath)

Ling Qi: Baby, I know you're sleeping, but you have to promise me something.

Ling Qi: Do not grow up to be a hussy.

 

[Klaus]

<<Turn 8

Forge of Destiny (CKII)

Year 43, Month 8 RESULTS

You are Cai Renxiang.

Your attempts to bring order to the Outer Sect have not been as successful as you had hoped. While you control most of the disciples, the barbarian princess Sun Liling and her ally, that skulking worm Yan Renshu, remain at large. It is only a matter of time until they strike again.

You would hope that Sun Liling and her savage followers would allow their bloodlust to goad them into attacking before they are ready but you know better than to hope that the granddaughter of Sun Shao is untutored in the arts of war.

Conversely, your efforts on the political front have been more successful than you dared hope. You have encountered a surprising number of promising young cultivators, and even managed to make a connection with Bai Meizhen.

The Bai are famously as unfriendly as they are powerful; that power is why, despite the loss of their greatest cultivator, the desertion of their vassals, and the hostility of the Imperial throne the Bai still stand as one of the greatest houses of the empire. Even in their weakness their lessers dare not bare their fangs against them to devour them, as happens to many noble houses who stumble. Your mother has few words of kindness to say for anyone but she has never called the Bai weak.

Slowly but surely, you are acquiring the advisers and allies that will serve as the core of your future government.


PAVILION UPGRADE COMPLETE: +1 Action each turn, must be Military or Stewardship

Military : Gan Guangli is your strong right arm in the sect. There are several ways he can assist you (Choose 1):

Assault: The wheels of justice grind slow but incredibly fine, and it is time to grind Sun Liling and her rebels into dust. Launch an assault on her mountain fortress and bring her to justice.(Begins event turns)

'Luck is also a skill' is an ancient saying of the empire but few today understand its true meaning. You prefer a different formulation: 'Chance favors the prepared mind.' You have trained your soldiers, you have studied the ground, and now, when the opportune moment comes, you strike.

Reward: See 'Assaulting Sun Liling's Rear' Event Turns


Diplomacy : None of your followers have yet shown a gift for diplomacy, so it rests entirely upon your shoulders.(Choose 1) (Action penalty until adviser acquired):

Snake Charmer : Your alliance with Bai Meizhen has yielded fruit so far but if you want it to persist beyond your time in the Outer Sect you should spend some more time with her.

Success

Your offer to teach her embroidery goes over well, and you spend several satisfying afternoons teaching her the finer points of the art. You feel that the images one chooses to embroider often reveal insights into the character of their maker but she sticks entirely to traditional patterns... which is an insight of its own, you suppose.

Reward: Improved relationship with Bai Meizhen. Bai Meizhen will recommend that Ling Qi accept your offer.


Stewardship : Fatty Chen retains an astonishing figure in defiance of her name and her appetite. She oversees your followers on the production track. Her family connections give her a good feel for the markets in the sect. (Choose 1)

One Lump or Two? : Ling Qi wants to speak with you about something. Perhaps you can fit her in for tea?

Critical Success

"Anything not nailed down is mine. Anything I can pry loose is not nailed down." That appears to be Ling Qi's approach to espionage. It's nice to have confirmation that the rather distraught disciple formerly running the stone farming base wasn't lying about the Pill Furnace, and that Yan Renshu didn't have some way to remotely retrieve valuable assets that weren't being guarded. Ling Qi proposes renting the pill furnace to your followers at a discount in exchange for a profit sharing agreement. While she is there you ask a few probing questions and get a better idea of how she thinks.

Reward: +600 RSS/month tax income, insight bonus to Ling Qi recruitment roll


Research : LOCKED FOR TUTORIAL


Piety : Xuan Shi admits he is no expert on dealing with spirits but he is both patient and intelligent. He will do until a real expert comes along.(Choose 1)

Sacred and Profane : There are many spirits on the mountain. If some of them could be convinced to look more favorably upon your forces it would be a great boon.

Failure

Regrettably, Xuan Shi is unable to convince any of the spirits to offer significant aid to your cause. Perhaps they dislike someone better at being mysterious than they are.


Intrigue : None of your followers have yet shown a gift for intrigue, so it rests entirely upon your shoulders.(Choose 1) (Action penalty until adviser acquired):

Choose Spymaster: Ling Qi : A prodigy from a peasant background, she exemplifies the kind of new blood your mother has been infusing her court with. A combination of innate talent and a rare gift for time-management has seen her rise from nothing to become one of most powerful cultivators of her year while simultaneously making important political connections.

WILL COMPLETE IN TWO TURNS

You believe in efficiency so while Ling Qi is already sitting down to tea you make your offer. True vassalage will have to wait until she hits Green and is granted a title of course. Still, you believe you made your case well. You're confident the only true competition that your offer has is Bai Meizhen, and she seems reluctant to press her suit. Though she reacted very oddly when you said it that way... At the very least Ling Qi will be more involved with you and your organization in the coming weeks.

Character Bonus Activated!
Independent Action : Ling Qi is strongly self directed and will take advantage of opportunities as they become available. +1 Intrigue action per turn.

Character Malus Activated!
Independent Action : Ling Qi automatically selects one Intrigue action each turn on her own recognizance. This does not apply if the last action she selected has yet to complete, so she cannot lock up more than one action.

Independent Action:
What You Don't Know Can Hurt You : Send someone to scout out Sun Liling's fortress and the surrounding area.

Critical Success

The initial scouting of the fort does not learn much, getting little more than a name for one of Sun Liling's suppliers and some of their strikers' routes before being discovered. However, Sun Liling took this as a personal insult and attempted to hunt down Ling Qi. Somewhat to your astonishment Ling Qi managed to evade her, leading her on a chase through the upper peaks. Bai Meizhen left to relieve Ling Qi immediately upon hearing the news and was unavailable for the assault but they managed to tie up Sun Liling long enough for your assault to conclude successfully.

Reward: Sun Liling does not participate in the defense of her fortress


Personal Action

Cultivation : Naturally, you cannot permit your cultivation to lag, despite the demands of bringing order to the Outer Sect. In addition to your usual cultivation you will devote extra effort to:
-[X] Arts

Having just previously completed your breakthrough to Bronze you decide to focus on your arts. The more advanced levels of the arts put tremendous strain on you but with your recent breakthrough your body is ready to handle more Qi.

Outer Sect Rumor Mill ​

Crushing Victory!: Lady Cai masterminded a successful assault on the rebel forces. After dispatching council member Ling Qi to bait Sun Liling into abandoning her fortress Lady Cai led a lightning raid, smashing in the gates and laying waste to the fortress. Having demonstrated the folly of opposing her, Lady Cai then withdrew to give those who had been deceived by the false promises of Sun Liling a chance to come to their senses. Already Sun Liling's supporters have begun to desert her!

Funding Trouble : Those with connections in the Inner Sect report that budgets are smaller this year. Speculation is that the empress has denied the Argent Peak Sect's request for additional funding. Disciples from the core provinces suggest that the relatively quiet southern border of the empire is not considered a defense priority in the imperial court.

Ice on the Mountain: Sudden and intense snow storms have struck the upper reaches of the Argent Peak repeatedly this month. While spirits are obviously responsible their motivation remains unclear.

I Spy: A number of the most advanced female cultivators in the outer sect have begun to report a feeling of being watched. After the mass puppet assault earlier this month we can be sure that these incidents are caused by spy puppets of the nefarious Yan Renshu! Any disciple who detects such observations is urged to report them to Fu Xiang for further investigation.


(As before, if anyone wants to be added as a commenter, just tag me and I'll quote you in this post.)

Ling Qi, did what? How... okay how fucked up was she? For that matter how fucked up is Sun?

*reevaluates Ling Qi's threat level*

I like this girl.

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NEVER DOUBT THE HERO UNITS! underdog ling qi ftw!!

But seriously... I really wonder why the bai girl is so reluctant to ask her friend to be a vassal . The bais really need vassals don't they?

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Ling Qi, did what? How... okay how fucked up was she? For that matter how fucked up is Sun?

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Both of them are fine. Sun is too fast for someone as tanky as Meizhen to really pin down, and Ling Qi managed to "meep meep" her way to safety with a little help from Fu Xiang.

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Well, I'll admit when I'm wrong. Turns out we CAN win an assault, though it's unclear how that would have turned out without Ling Qi playing rabbit to Sun's hound. Apparently she drinks pure ninja for breakfast every morning. If we can truly get her onside we're good on espionage- I'm still dubious on independent action but those crits say she has the skills to back up her talk.

In Bai news... Take a gander.

You're confident the only true competition that your offer has is Bai Meizhen, and she seems reluctant to press her suit. Though she reacted very oddly when you said it that way... At the very least Ling Qi will be more involved with you and your organization in the coming weeks.

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Eager for sewing lessons, secretive, and jumps at 'suit'? I'm pretty sure she's trying to learn the 'secret' of mom's super suits, which best of luck to her. Not much to worry about until we get research actions when tutorial ends, at which point we may need to keep a close eye on her. Hopefully by that time we'll have wooed her ninja girl away from her.

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Eager for sewing lessons, secretive, and jumps at 'suit'? I'm pretty sure she's trying to learn the 'secret' of mom's super suits, which best of luck to her. Not much to worry about until we get research actions when tutorial ends, at which point we may need to keep a close eye on her. Hopefully by that time we'll have wooed her ninja girl away from her.

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Well another option for 'suit' is 'suitor'... but that's really unlikely isn't it considering how things work in this empire?

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Well another option for 'suit' is 'suitor'... but that's really unlikely isn't it considering how things work in this empire?

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...Ling Qi is a commoner. And a girl. I mean, if she'd hit on us, maybe. But I doubt it. It's not like Bai would be hard up for companionship if she looked for it.

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...Ling Qi is a commoner. And a girl. I mean, if she'd hit on us, maybe. But I doubt it. It's not like Bai would be hard up for companionship if she looked for it.

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A really talented commoner it seems like, but yes probably not that.

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A really talented commoner it seems like, but yes probably not that.

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Is she though? Every time something seems to be about to happen to her, something saves her or she pulls off an impossible victory. She advances bizarrely fast given that we've been told she has a slightly worse talent than Ji Rong. She's gained the friendship of Bai Meizahn. Most importantly, spirits seem oddly friendly to her, what with what happened to that group of disciples that tried to ambush her and the whole "Trial" reward. Remember, we were told that the spirits would occasionally choose to give out their own little rewards.

I'm beginning to wonder if she isn't some sort of Spirit herself! Or maybe a human that's becoming a Spirit...FQM said that spirits could turn humans they like into spirits and we don't know what the process is or how long it takes...

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On the one hand, yay! Free Intrigue action!
On the art-generated pseudo-hand....

Character Malus Activated!
Independent Action : Ling Qi automatically selects one Intrigue action each turn on her own recognizance. This does not apply if the last action she selected has yet to complete, so she cannot lock up more than one action.

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I really hope she has good risk assessment. Sometimes, no action is better than a failure.
Having both Bai and Sun at the fortress fight might have been better than Sun returning part way through while Bai was still in the mountains.
Speaking of which... Is Bai not being at the fight to help Ling Qi just fluff, or should we look out for Ling stealing our other advisers' actions?
It would be unfortunate to lose our Military action for the turn because Ling Qi decided she needed a hand carrying back the mountain some fool had failed to nail down properly. (Note to self, look into nailing down advisers.)
Although it might be worth it considering having tea with her lead to

Reward: +600 RSS/month tax income, insight bonus to Ling Qi recruitment roll

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A sign that she gives more wealth-orientated Intrigue actions, maybe?

Ice on the Mountain: Sudden and intense snow storms have struck the upper reaches of the Argent Peak repeatedly this month. While spirits are obviously responsible their motivation remains unclear.

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Stirred up by the Bai/Sun/Ling chase sequence? (Maybe they were offended by it being set to Yakety Sax?)
Put Turtle Dude on it next turn to make sure it's not aimed at us? Assuming he doesn't fail again.

I'm pretty sure she's trying to learn the 'secret' of mom's super suits,

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She wants to see Ling Qi in a super-tuxedo, as is fitting for a super-spy!
Actually, so do I...

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Choose Spymaster: Ling Qi :

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I'm still salty about this choice. Ling Qi's great at sneaking, but Fu Xiang has a whole network of contacts and he has the Cellphone Tower Art now.

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(Note to self, look into nailing down advisers.)

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Umm...we could, but I can't help but feel that crucifying our advisers would be rude.

It would be unfortunate to lose our Military action for the turn

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Doubt it. The chase only seemed to take a couple hours at the most so it should be fine.

I'm still salty about this choice. Ling Qi's great at sneaking, but Fu Xiang has a whole network of contacts and he has the Cellphone Tower Art now

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Sure, but it seems like he's willing to work out her at least. Notice how FQM mentioned that Cellphone helped her in escaping-there doesn't seem to be any animosity there. And considering that Sun and Mission Impossible fought out on the mountain, that wasn't a small investment of effort.

Actually... how did MI get away? Sun outsped us on every level when we fought, and she's only gotten stronger since. More, her style of stacking damage to pay for massive attacks later almost requires a heavy focus on speed. And she's a Green/Bronze while Mission Impossible is just a Yellow/Silver. Just how fast is she?

She might have an edge on us in speed!

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I'm beginning to wonder if she isn't some sort of Spirit herself! Or maybe a human that's becoming a Spirit...FQM said that spirits could turn humans they like into spirits and we don't know what the process is or how long it takes...

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Did some research on Chinese spirits. If she is a spirit, one fits really well: the ShanXiao, Hanba, Mountain Goblin, or Mountain Imp. In it's natural form, has long hair and one leg it hops on 'as fast as the wind', can shapeshift into many forms including human. Loves music and causing trouble, can cause disease, but is afraid of firecrackers and saying it's true name prevents it from attacking. Males will sneak into houses and rape women, but females will sneak into houses and steal anything that isn't nailed down. When it stays in one place, rain won't fall there. Sounds like the kind of thing where it cutting loose would piss off a lot of mountain spirits.

Seems surprisingly plausible and easy to test. Just set off a bunch of firecrackers at the next meeting and if she freaks out, chances of 'one-legged hopping mountain goblin' rise drastically.

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Speaking of which... Is Bai not being at the fight to help Ling Qi just fluff, or should we look out for Ling stealing our other advisers' actions?
It would be unfortunate to lose our Military action for the turn because Ling Qi decided she needed a hand carrying back the mountain some fool had failed to nail down properly. (Note to self, look into nailing down advisers.)

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Bai Meizhen missed out on the assult because she was busy chasing Sun Liling up and down the mountain. You don't need to worry about losing actions though. Even if Ling Qi did need Gan Guangli's help schlepping around a mountain of loot, Nodwick-style, you wouldn't lose your action.

Now, you do have the option of sending him off to do something else during an Event, but that would be your choice, and it would still only meaning he wasn't participating in that part of the event not that you lost your actions that month.

Stirred up by the Bai/Sun/Ling chase sequence? (Maybe they were offended by it being set to Yakety Sax?)
Put Turtle Dude on it next turn to make sure it's not aimed at us? Assuming he doesn't fail again.

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You will have an option to investigate that as a Piety action next turn.

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Seems surprisingly plausible and easy to test. Just set off a bunch of firecrackers at the next meeting and if she freaks out, chances of 'one-legged hopping mountain goblin' rise drastically.

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I SEE NOTHING THAT CAN GO WRONG! FORWARD!

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Oh man, I love how our new spymaster has character bonus and character malus as the exact same thing. I love the extra action, even if it means we can't exactly choose what that action is. Wildcard spymaster is best spymaster. And she's not even Green yet!

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"Anything not nailed down is mine. Anything I can pry loose is not nailed down."

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Truly, a wordsmith.

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You believe in efficiency so while Ling Qi is already sitting down to tea you make your offer. True vassalage will have to wait until she hits Green and is granted a title of course. Still, you believe you made your case well. You're confident the only true competition that your offer has is Bai Meizhen, and she seems reluctant to press her suit. Though she reacted very oddly when you said it that way... At the very least Ling Qi will be more involved with you and your organization in the coming weeks.

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You know, it's hard to believe, but could Ling Qi have rejected a position under Bai Meizhen? If we're going to win her over we really need to sweep her off her feet with a passionate message from the heart.

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[Kai Merah]

I have been inspired by the fluff of this update!

Cat!Qi 2: The cat came back!

Note: Cai Renxiang is heir to Cai Shenhua's MNC, known as the Kiryuin Conglomerate. That is the in-universe reason Kiryuin is a name associated with Cai.

Renxiang had been getting very worried about that cat. After the failed attempt to lure it home with fried fish, she had not seen hide nor hair of that cat for an entire two weeks. The closest she came to news of it was from Fu Xiang, of all people. He was on the student council with her, and Renxiang wouldn't have said they were particularly close, but apparently word had gotten round of her interest in this particular cat, and he'd decided to do her a favour. Apparently, the cat had snuck into Sun Liling's house and stole some pie right off her windowsill, while also driving that ugly hound of hers into quite the barking frenzy.

Liling had, for some reason, decided to take this as a personal insult, (and had apparently heard of Renxiang's interest in the cat too), and had actually collaborated with Yan Renshu to make some kind of cat trap. Details on exactly what had happened there was sparse, but according to Fu Xiang, he became aware of the issue due to loud, angry swearing and screams of rage. Upon following the commotion, he had witnessed Sun Liling waving about some kind of pole with a mechanical claw at the end as she chased a frantically dodging cat. She was faster than it, but it was far more agile and could squeeze in smaller spaces, as well as making truly amazing leaps straight up. Fu Xiang had described it as 'something straight out of Yakety Sax' as the cat constantly dodged a hairsbreath out of the way of Liling's wildly swinging pole.

By pure luck and a rather rapid reverse that briefly had Liling looking the wrong way, the cat came streaking right in Fu Xiang's direction, and he had casually nudged open a loose storm drain right behind him. The cat had shot right into the drain, and when Liling had come puffing up moments later to demand where it had gone, he had sent her on a wild goose chase before ringing up Cai with the news.

With Liling apparently too angry to think straight and confirmed to be busy for the next little while, Renxiang had taken the opportunity to sweep into Liling's Dog Obsession Group, and shamelessly stolen away several members into her Kiryuin Interest in Tabby and Tomcat Integration in Elegant Society club. It helped that by then, several bystanders had uploaded their footage on social media, of Liling trying, and failing, to capture one little cat, swearing like a sailor the whole time. And yes, it had been set to the tune of Yakety Sax. Resistance crumbled fairly quickly after that.

Of course, Bai Meizhen had heard of all the ruckus as well, and had gone out to personally find the cat and escort it back to her dorm. She had encountered Liling along the way, and had rather stern words with her. The kind of stern words that may, or may not have left an angry red handprint on Liling's face for half the day. In any case, the cat had come back safely, and Guangli reported that when he had been visited by the cat a day or two later, it had looked quite unharmed, and had even permitted a brief petting. That was definitely progress from the suspicious animal, and proof that it probably hadn't been overly traumatised by Liling's temper tantrum.

The best news was when the cat personally visited her a few days later. She had been walking around town with several members of the student council, discussing what would be an appropriate route for a class field trip, when the cat had appeared and, quite casually, started padding along at her side, as if it just happened to be going in the same direction. It was trailed by two junior members of the Kiryuin Interest in Tabby and Tomcat Integration in Elegant Society club, who seemed just on the verge of squeeing. Renxiang felt like squeeing herself, especially when the cat actually walked close enough to brush her ankles, but she very carefully did not react, and glared at the two girls until they clapped both hands on their mouths to prevent any squees from leaking out. The cat hated loud noises and would definitely bolt again if any squeeing occurred.

It surprised Renxiang to admit it, but she had been very worried when the cat had responded to her attempt to lure it home by vanishing for two whole weeks. And that incident with Liling had made her even more concerned for the animal. This had long progressed from any kind of favour to Meizhen, to a sincere, vested interest in the cat for its own sake. She had even gone so far as to bring pictures of the cat to the Kiryuin Interest in Tabby and Tomcat Integration in Elegant Society club, and then show them excerpts from Liling's social media making it very, very clear how how angry she was with this particular cat. Before Renxiang could even ask for volunteers, the Ma girls had immediately called to "Protect the kitty!" and then promptly started an initiative to stalk the cat night and day in order to save it from Liling's wrath. As club president, Renxiang had merely needed to give her approval, and the deed was done.

Honestly, Renxiang had doubted that the girls, no matter how enthusiastic, would truly be able to keep up with that cat, but they appeared to have somehow managed it, and to have even gained the cat's grudging tolerance. Renxiang might have been a touch jealous about that, given that the cat had avoided her for two whole weeks, but she was too happy over how the cat had come to her and was calmly strolling at her heels at present.

Carefully taking no notice whatsoever of it, she continued discussing with her student council members about the upcoming field trip, and when the cat started getting skittish as they approached the street of Renxiang's manor, she smoothly changed direction and pretended she had been intending to explore an entirely different part of the town all along. Her council members knew better than to question her. Besides, some of them were also members of the Kiryuin Interest in Tabby and Tomcat Integration in Elegant Society club, and they were too busy staring besottedly at the clever kitty of by-now-considerable Youtube fame.

Renxiang was rewarded for her completely calm demeanour when the cat did not get bored and wander off, but actually followed her for the entire day, walking by her ankles the entire time, and at the end of the day, it even padded without hesitation into Renxiang's dorm and accepted the saucer of milk she offered. Renxiang noted with pleasure that it seemed to like this brand of milk more than the other brand she'd offered it before. She had bought a different brand of milk specifically because the cat did not seem to enjoy the previous brand of milk she had offered it, wrinkling its little nose and leaving the bowl half-finished. She was pleased to see the cat lapping contentedly at the saucer this time, and finishing all the milk. Afterwards, it wound a quick figure-eight around her legs, and Renxiang's self-control may possibly have been strained beyond all control that day, so she may or may not have given a rather unladylike little squee, and may or may not have swooped down a bit too quickly to scoop it up and hug it hard.

It dodged, of course, fur fluffing up and giving her a thoroughly unimpressed look from an arm's length away, but Renxiang counted it a win that it hadn't immediately bolted at least. Renxiang had regained never lost control and simply sat calmly after that, and pretended to ignore it to do her homework. The cat had settled down then, watched her for a little longer, then exited without rush from her open window. In the distance, she heard the cries of despair and disappointment from two girls who had apparently exhausted the cat's patience, but in her room, Renxiang smiled. She had a good feeling about today. Unlike last time, she thought it would be far sooner before the cat visited her again. She would make sure to top up her supplies of milk and fish.

 

[Horium]

Seeing as the thread has gone weird places (again), perhaps it's time for a new omake.

Here is the second part of everyone's favorite protagonist, Fan Yu!

What do you mean he is not your favorite protagonist? All of you guys said he was! Multiple times!

Oh.

You meant least favorite protagonist.

Well, this is awkward.


Fan Yu, The Peggy Sue Chronicles part 2



'Being surrounded at all times by a bunch of brats is infuriating.' Yu thought grumpily as he couldn't help but be irritated by the discordant cacophony on all sides, created by all the first year students nearby going their own way, laughing and giggling, talking and posturing haughtily the way they imagined their elders did.

There was something simply ridiculous about a bunch of snot-nosed brats behaving as if they were the fully-grown adult cultivators, who had the whole world all figured out and theirs for the taking.

'Especially when the brats in question are -barely- teenager versions of your rivals and erstwhile friends. Not to mention *shudder* Xiulan.'

Fan Yu firmly put any thoughts of Xiulan far, far away, at least for this moment, in some distant reaches of his mind ordinarily reserved for all those nasty experiences one sometimes experiences in life, such as drinking a dead camel's blood to prevent death by thirst, or having to explain his future father-in-law what he was doing naked in his winter gardens. The same out of the way part of his brain that only awoke under the influence of strong, mind-addling drugs, or even stronger alcohol.
Gu Xiulan, his childhood fiancée, was hell itself, and best left alone, though he knew he could not do so. She was, at this point of time, still his fiancée, and would not accept his avoiding her forever. However, finding a proper way to deal with her was the future Yu's problem.

Now Han Fang, on the other hand, Yu was somewhat glad to see again, as while their paths had separated a long time ago, they had separated at mostly good terms and the stocky cultivator was always glad when he saw his childhood companion, although he rarely did.
The once-mute boy, had undergone an almost meteoric rise in the Imperial Army. Already a captain, a mid Cyan and late Iron cultivator, almost always on a campaign, the now mountainous man had little time in his life for matters unconnected to warcraft, even for his clan, let alone Fan Yu.

Fang had been one of the few bright spots in Yu's life in that second bitter year, after the Final Tournament of the first year, when Jian and Xiulan had managed, by the skin of their teeth and with no small amount of luck, to advance to the Inner Sect.

That second year... had been desolate. Yu and Fang had been left behind, bereft of most of their allies and denied the various Sect resources and privileges that showed their true value only in their absence.

To make matters worse, the strongest remaining disciple, Kang Zihao, had nursed a grudge against the Golden Fields for his narrow defeat at Jian's hands, and Lu Feng was dutifully carrying on his crimson princess' mandate to cause havoc and ensure the rule of jungle, with Sun Liling's blessings and, more importantly, some of her resources and assets.

The older leaders of the Outer Sect Disciples meanwhile were on the war path, thankfully without Chu Song who had scrapped by to the Inner Sect, finally united in their desire to prevent the events of the last year from repeating and thus stopping some first year upstarts from preventing their advancement in Sect's hierarchy, again.

It had fallen to Han Fang and Fan Yu to help Guangli and that freak Huang to pick up the pieces of the Cai's council. An impossible task, but one they had to attempt in order to acquire allies and infrastructure needed to keep all their enemies from taking their pound of blood.

Just the great effort of keeping himself alive and well, as well as some subsequent unpleasant events, had changed Fan Yu.

Xiulan had used opportunity of her advancement to gleefully wreck beyond any hope of repair their mutual relationship, thereby even endangering the relations between their two clans.
Their betrothal had been in shambles for months at that point due to her unreasonable antagonism and was likely doomed to failure. Yu knew that the most likely outcome was for him to marry some other girl from Xiulan's clan, however, in her impatience and sheer capriciousness, drunk with victory, Xiulan had been entirely too ham-fisted and had pressed too hard and too fast in her attempts to force her father's hands and break their engagement, which had borne unfortunate consequences for both Xiulan and Yu.

His father and his honorable grandfather the clan head, had not been happy, and they had let their displeasure be known, both to Xiulan's father and himself.
Xiulan's father, not too satisfied himself with Xiulan's conduct and even further incensed by the outcome of the short and abruptly ended negotiations with the leaders of the Fan clan, punished Xiulan harshly for her insolence, which had cost the Gu clan.

Fan Yu scowled, angry at himself, and again banished thoughts of Xiulan the furthest he could. Unbidden, his thoughts went to the other dominant presence in his childhood, Han Jian.

Han Jian, on the other hand, had just grown distant as time passed. No great theatrics and volcanic eruptions of emotions for him.
Rather, the moment of his ascension in the Sect's hierarchy, marked also the moment when Jian had left Yu behind, in body and mind. He rarely returned letters, and seemingly had little time to devote to Fan Yu, always citing some unspecified responsibilities and unspecified obligations as the reason for his unavailability.

It had taken him many years, but the stubborn noble had eventually understood that his 'brother' Jian had likely not been as fond of him as Fan Yu had always been of the taller boy, and had intentionally allowed their relationship to wither away.

The sting of that harsh, but nigh undisputable fact still pained him, even all these years later.

Fan Yu logically understood that he had always possessed certain flaws. He was far from perfect, and one could not expect to be universally liked, even in the case that he was a better man than Yu was.

He was too blunt, frequently overly harsh, almost prone to insensitivity when it came to other people's feelings and not very tactical in certain situations to put it mildly. He had an unfortunate tendency for risk-taking, with a gambling vice he constantly had to keep in a steel grip.
He was also easily roused to anger and often impatient, sometimes even outright unkind.

Fan Yu knew all this.

His emotions burned hotly, and could get away from him at times. While unseemly in a noble and a cultivator, it was just who he was, Fan Yu had long since accepted that part of his being. It was something he had learned to manage with his family's training and simple experience, but not something he felt embarrassed about.

He had always disliked being dishonest, hiding cruel thoughts behind bland smiles, nor did he like behaving like a three-day old dead fish, never showing joy or any other passion, always killing one's emotions in the name of some unnaturally bland "composure".

However, he always thought that his virtues outweighed his frankly noticeable flaws. He was loyal, passionate, generous, honest, cheerful and of a forgiving nature.

Too bad Han Jian apparently had never felt quite the same way.

Which honestly made their current conversation, first real one in almost a week for Jian and the first one in years to Yu, all the more stilting and surreal to the stout man/boy.

"You have been absent quite a bit ever since we arrived at the Sect, Yu. Is everything well?" asked the General's son with a faint air of curiosity, while they walked leisurely on their way to the market. Han Fang was also present, moving entirely too quietly for a person of his size, on the opposite side from Fan Yu, with Han Jian in the centre of their little group.

"Everything's fine, Jian. I was just busy exploring the mountainside and training a bit. The change of surroundings have been a real inspiration!" replied the other boy, trying to project a bit of his (in)famous energy into the answer, hoping to put Jian at ease.

It... didn't entirely succeed.

Fan Yu, while a cheerful and passionate man, still had a mind of an adult with more than a few years of experience under his belt; in war, cultivation and life.
He simply didn't behave like his former self had, and could never hope to closely imitate the rambunctiousness nor the unthinking abrasiveness of the 14-year old Fan Yu. (Hence, he just simply couldn't cause the same kind of annoyance to the people in his presence. Not that Fan Yu realized any of this).

Han Jian, and even Han Fang looked a bit uncertain at the answer. Nevertheless, the Tiger Scion let out a soft chuckle.

"Is that so? Well, I must say, Fan Yu, the Argent Sect seems to be doing you good. You looked very focused these last several weeks. I can't remember the last time your eyes held such drive, and for such a long time. I am thankful that it was not some trouble causing this.
And I hope you forgive me, old friend, for saying this, but you have also certainly... mellowed out a bit. Honestly, it is a good look on you. Even Xiulan noticed. She approves."

In the background, Fan Yu could see Fang giving a solemn nod, apparently agreeing with his cousin. Not that surprising. Yu could count on the fingers of his hand the times Fang had disagreed with Jian in all the years he knew them, and still come short.

'And that's the sticking point, isn't it?' thought Fan Yu bitterly.

He had been avoiding his companions, truthfully. He had been busy trying to regain those abilities of his that he could, had been busy rebuilding qi and opening meridians all over again, and had hoped to hasten the process by using all the myriad of cultivating sites and secrets that the Outer Sect held and that were mostly reserved for the first years, hoping to use his 'unfair' knowledge accumulated during his three years spent in the Argent Sect in order to gain an upper hand against the frankly monstrous competition.

First years had no place being that advanced!

Truly, his generation must have had the worst of luck to have been saddled with the likes of Bai Meizhen and Sun Liling as their competition.

However in his haste to secure as much of the resources for himself as he possibly could, no mean goal when his intention was to do this just by himself if possible, especially as weak as he currently was, he seemed to have behaved significantly unlike his younger self.
(Unlike even his older self for that matter, not that Fan Yu realized this at the start. His sheer zeal for forging a new life for himself had made him behave quite oddly for his standards, younger or older.)

And this new Fan Yu seemed to be more to the liking of his compatriots and his fiancée from the Golden Fields.

It was an ugly thing, that realization. That the selfish, ambitious, distant, almost uncaring version of him was the one that Jian, Xiulan and even Fang seemed to prefer, rather than his generous and caring original self.

It opened old wounds, the ones that had never truly healed but rather had just scabbed over, even though his wife-to-be FeiFei had tried her best to help and comfort him.

He was still bitter, and still resentful. Of Jian's long-hidden, traitorous dislike, of Xiulan's scorching disapproval and cruel enmity, and Fang's stoic almost indifference.

Of being left behind, alone, as so many others, worse in character but stronger in talent, passed him in the mud. Of being disliked, or even ignored by people he liked and trusted.

However.

'I need their help' came the unpleasant realization, stuck like a bone in his throat.

'I am not strong enough to access most of the cultivation sites.I will not become strong enough fast enough. Sun Liling, Kang Zihao or somebody else will claim them. To say nothing of the Elders' trials...'

And Fan Yu wanted those Elders' trials, and what they would bring very much. His ignorance of the myriad Argent Arts, with the exception of the humble Argent Soul, gnawed on him fiercely.
He also wanted the attention, the recognition, that passing the Elders' trial would bring him.

Additionally, the material rewards awaiting those that passed the trials was nothing to sneeze at.

"Yu? Have you started sleepwalking?" asked Jian humorously, interrupting his frenzied thoughts.

Fan Yu watched the other boy carefully, at war with himself. Han Jian. The gallant, noble, compassionate, treacherous, weak, dishonest, flawed Han Jian. Yu felt himself on a precipice, weighing whether to keep his knowledge of the Sect's bounties to himself, or to trust again.

He turned his gaze to the other larger boy walking beside them. The polite, calm and stoic Han Fang, who seemingly preferred the background and whose affable silence hid a veritable storm of ambition and a thirst that could not be denied, a primal desire to step out of the shadow and to make something of himself, to make all his wishes come true, no matter the cost and no matter who got in the way.

Fan Yu licked his suddenly dry lips and let out a hoarse chuckle.

"N-no, I haven't. I've just been thinking. Jian, and you Fang, listen carefully. I think I may have found something interesting on the north side of the mountain a couple of days ago..." started speaking the shortest boy among the three of them quietly, the two other boys unconsciously stepping closer to better hear him, with Fang discreetly making noise not carry over to the other disciples.

Ultimately, Fan Yu was the forgiving sort, and he was ready to roll the dice again.


AN: @yrsillar The more I write, the more I appreciate the effort you put in this quest. Really, hats off.

 

[Thor's Twin]

So, in honor of trying to do an omake a month, here is another Omake from your's truly! I don't think I've done a December Omake yet, so this is it. Not my best work, but hopefully it is an enjoyable read. As always, critiques and criticisms are welcomed!


The Shifty Looking Boulder

It was around mid-day she figured, with the sun reaching its apex in a couple of moments. The job that Lady Cai had assigned to my sister and me was both paradoxically some of the most interesting and most boring work we could possibly be doing. It was at this time that it was the most boring. For some reason Miss Ling liked to do her cultivation at night which meant that her weekly sleeping time was normally around mid-day. It was at this moment that guard duty was intolerably boring, just waiting for the charge to wake up and begin her day. Although, there was something noticeably different about the Miss Ling's house today. And her curiosity was itching to find the answer.

"Hey Sis, are you sure I can't take a quick peek in the back of the house to see what happened to that pyre?"

"Yes Lei, I'm positive that trying to break the privacy of Miss Ling and Bai Meizhen is a terrible idea. Your curiosity will get you beaten up one of these days but I am going to ensure that it is not on the day we are supposed to be guarding Miss Ling."

Ugggh, Jun was always such a stickler for these things. No sticking our noses into other people's business, no taking unnecessary risks, all about propriety and being as lady-like as proper. It was so boring! Life was meant to be lived! Risks were meant to be taken! And… what is that boulder doing there?

"Hey, Jun, am I imagining things or is that spiky boulder over the path there a new addition to the scenery here?"

Jun perked up at her name being used, shifting subtly back a step and readying her qi to begin spinning out her support arts.

"Why Lei, that is an astute observation. That boulder indeed seems new and completely out of place for what is expected from the scenery."

Lady Cai had been very specific in her directions to us, protect Miss Ling from unwanted fights, stall her aggressors for as long as possible, and if we noticed anything untoward around Miss Ling to make sure that it wasn't that despicable Yan Renshu spying on her. The boulder was about 2 meters long and a meter across, which was big enough to hide an extensive formation underneath. A formation that might be used to spy, explode, or any other nasty thing. Either way, that boulder was simply too suspicious to simply do nothing.

My clay armor began to form as I approached the boulder, ready to flip the boulder over and preparing to take the, admittedly unlikely, explosion face first. As my hand touched the weird spiked sections of the boulder, I jerked back. I had felt a warmth, and a slight shifting as if it was breathing. Then to my utter surprise, it exploded outward in a shower of dirt and gravel and a Xuanwu came into view.

And then she heard a deep rumbling voice cry out, "Oh no! Zhen we were spotted by the humans loitering in front of Moth... Big Sister's house! How are we supposed to figure out if they are up to no good now!"

"Hmph, I said that you needed to be more careful in placing yourself so that they wouldn't spot us, but no, you decided that digging right in front of them was fine."

The two parts of the Xuanwu began to bicker among themselves on whose idea it had been really to plop themselves right in front of the house. It was a little bit surreal in my opinion. Sis got the right of it though and decided that the proper thing to do in this situation was to introduce ourselves. I was too flabbergasted at this turn of events to offer resistance to this plan.

"Greetings, I am known as Ma Jun and the one next to me is known as Ma Lei. May we know who you are known as?"

It was a little eerie as the two parts of the Xuanwu stopped bickering and looked in unison towards us. "Of course! We haven't been introduced yet, but we are known as Zhengui" they said in unison, and then in a sibilant hiss the serpent half added, "I am known as Zhen and this oaf," looking down at his tortoise half, "is known as Gui."

Gui looked up, "I am not an oaf! You are just jealous that I came up with the idea to sneak up on the two loiters in front of Big Sister's house!"

The bickering was about to start again when both heads looked towards the house. "Oh, it looks like Big Sister is waking up from her nap! We are going to tell her all about you two people loitering in front of her house, just you wait!"

As the Xuanwu began trundling towards the house, I spoke up, "That was really... surreal. I did not expect Miss Ling's spirit companion to be so fun to speak to." I turned towards Sis, who appeared to be hyperventilating?

"Are we in trouble? Did we do something wrong? Is Miss Ling going to dismiss us because her spirit companion doesn't like us? Is this going to be a black mark on our record?"

I just looked at Sis. Seriously, this is why you don't take life too seriously and try to be proper all the time. All that stress! Still though, I couldn't believe that Miss Ling's spirit companion tried to sneak up on us like that. In broad daylight no less! Maybe we will be rewarded for spotting him?

A/N: @yrsillar here's another omake.

 

[Citino]

A Bitter Pill​

[X] Quickly return to your fort. It is likely that the Bai was being used to distract you from what was happening to your holdings. While you have some confidence in your followers and the defenses you have erected, you are certain that Cai Renxiang will bypass them quickly enough. It is likely too late already, but you must return to salvage what is left quickly.

Your return was a bitter one. After your clashes with the snake, you had returned to find your carefully built fort was all but broken, and your followers gravely demoralized. Cai Renxiang had acted quickly it seems, much to your dismay, and Bai Meizhen had played her part spectacularly. Her dogged persistence in attempting to continue her fight with you would normally have been welcome, but with time at a premium, you could only feel annoyance.

From what you could discover of what had transpired, Cai Renxiang had attacked shortly after you had sprung your trap on Ling Qi. Without your presence to counter her, she and her enforcers had quickly overrun your followers, though you were satisfied to learn that your defenses had managed to do a fair bit of damage to some of Cai's enforcers.

That satisfaction was minor though, compared to the unyielding rage that filled you now. You had known that what you were planning was risky, that leaving your fortifications would be dangerous. But the chance to take that increasingly annoying Li Qing off the board for a time had seemed to be worth it. Your preparation had been nearly flawless, and her own power was nowhere near great enough to oppose you for any real period of time.

Of course, that had been the problem, had it not? You had ignored what you had been taught, and had assumed that your enemy would be unable to react in a way that you could not predict. You had assumed that you knew all her options, that there was no way for her to escape or to defend herself, and worst of all, you had been too confident in yourself.

You threw yourself into salvaging what was left. While it initially appeared hopeless, you knew that there was still great potential left here. That Cai bitch might be overbearing, but even she knew her limits. As word of your crushing defeat spread, you knew that you would lose support, and that many others would assume this meant you had lost completely. Your followers and 'followers' would start to question your leadership, would wonder why you were the one they had to obey. The road ahead looked long, hard and bitter.

In the privacy of your home, you grinned at the thought of what lay ahead, your blood surging through your veins.

This. This was what you lived for. Strong enemies, so assured of their power, entrenched with allies and resources, while you had little of your own. Enemies that would grow stronger yet, that sought to crush you, to break you.

Enemies that you could fight with abandon, with only the fruit of your own labors to aid you.

This was a setback, you knew. But then again, that was truly the only way this game could be fun.

After all, a Cultivator could only be judged by the quality of their enemies, could they not?



[] Reorganize your forces
-[] Which?
[] Visit the Archive
-[] Search for a technique
-[] Study or improve formations
[] Cultivate on your own
-[] Physical
-[] Spiritual
-[] Qi
-[] Meridian (which one?)
-[] Art(Which one?)

[] Chu Song is furious after this debacle and has already taken her own people and left. You can work to try to bring her back into the fold, though you suspect doing so will be an uphill battle...
[] Spend some time with Ji Rong, he seems like a fun sort.
[] You have yet to go over that book you had found. It might not be what you'd like to spend your free time on, but you should get around to it sometime...
[] You might not be able to personally go after Ling Qi after what just happened, but you can work with Yan Renshu to keep track of her, and more importantly, keep her from further interfering.

A.N. Yeah, so shit kinda hit the fan while you were playing tag. Updated front page with the damages.

Calling it now, not taking down the Bai is going to bite us soooo hard. We already lost a ton of face when we couldn't take down LQ, now we are going to run back without even trying?

Edit: Oh, a @yearsillar ninja update.

Edit 2: Whelp. I'd like to say that I was wrong, but sadly...

Click to shrink...

Ouch, that smarts. Haven't checked the front page yet, but just the narrative sounds pretty bad.

Seriously though, fuck LQ.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, not our best showing here, though at least this seems like last vote was pretty much a lose-lose situation. Had we fought snake girl, unless we got pretty lucky and managed to thrash her, we wouldn't have recovered enough back to really matter. And the time spent fighting probably would have lost us even more followers and resources. By coming back, we saved a bit of resources and manpower, but lost the chance to get some of our rep back by fighting the snake.

Once we failed to beat LQ down, we had already pretty much lost. This was just a matter of how much we were going to through in the fire, so we did pretty good, all things considering.

Can't even really blame our choices, not when we had so much shit luck, and LQ had so much good luck with the dice.

Click to shrink...

I'm not even sure why we voted to chase down LQ in the first place? I mean, we had people saying that something like this was a distinct possibility, so why take the chance to hunt her down?

Click to shrink...

Well, as Sun said above, we had it all planned out, we had all the counters for her lined up, and there was no way she was beating us in a fight.

And then Murphy decided to peek in on what we were doing, and give us some 'help'.

Click to shrink...

^

Seriously, LQ's luck here was insane. Combine that with our complete certainty in being able to take her down quickly once we pinned her down making us overconfident, and some clever thinking and use of stealth on her part, and we found ourselves fumbling the hell out of what should have been an easy hit.

And then it just escalated from there. The only thing we could have done better after that first update was break off the minute she managed to slip the original trap. But of course, that would have required us to be insanely paranoid that she had somehow turned our trap against us.

And considering we had wounded her, and thus had tracking bonuses, it would be crazy to assume so with what we knew.

Click to shrink...

Did she counter-trap us?

I mean, this is pretty convenient for her. She gets 'caught' by Ji Rong, despite being a ninja-in-training, and the guy not exactly speccing in perception as far as I can tell, which is pretty much spitting in our face. We then spend some time prepping to counter her and take her off the board, cause fighting CRX with actual intrigue capabilities would be incredibly annoying, wait for her to drop her guard...

And then she slips the net? Not only that, she somehow has a bolthole ready fairly close, as well as some sort of allied spirit nearby willing to skirt the edges of the rules?

Combine that with some pretty quick reaction times, and I wonder if this was planned. If not by LQ, then by someone else?

Click to shrink...

Eh, while that's possible, I'm pretty sure this was just bad luck. I mean, there were too many points of failure for LQ to reliably distract us for long enough to launch the assault the way she did. We know that she escaped because of shit luck, not because she's some master ninja.

She's skilled, and is someone we have to be more careful of from now on, but don't assume hyper-competence just because they managed to get lucky.

Click to shrink...

Their timing was pretty impressive though, so it's possible that CRX might have suspected something like this was going to happen?

On the bright side, we did all but get confirmation that LQ didn't have enough time to thoroughly scout the fort before getting caught. The update mentioned that our defenses took some of their guys down, so we can assume that we weren't fully compromised.

So, silver linings?

Click to shrink...

Uggh, there goes our chance at having a nice, simple all out war with CRX. Now we actually have to intrigue against her.

Dammit, shadow war stuff is just so annoying, and now we have a fairly talented enemy specced in it? Goodbye, fun times. It was nice while it lasted.

At least Sun is pretty chiper about all this. She's right that this setback is just going to make things more fun in the long term, so there is that.

Click to shrink...

Note: So, haven't fully read the thread yet, only the updates and some of the omakes. But this is the first time I've actually had access to a computer in like a week and a half, and I really wanted to make an omake. Since I was catching up to this quest, this is the one I had an idea for. So please excuse any mishandled characterization, or failed understanding of the setting.

Edit: Was told to tag you, @yrsillar

 

[Humbaba]

@yrsillar


A Prince of Empire

(Xianxia CK2 Quest)

================================

Your name is Mu An; Prince of the Mu dynasty and heir to the throne of the Empire. For thousands of years the empire has stood, its armies of cultivators beating back barbarian hordes, legions of spirit beasts and angry spirits.

Through tireless effort civilisation has been carved out of a world of wondrous horrors. The Mu are the Third true dynasty to stride the world. Descendants of the Herald of Endings, the Owl who's white wings cover the skies, the are charged with overseeing the empire, lest the wrath of the Celestial Dragon, companion of the first Emperor, rain down his lightning upon them.

You are prince An of the Mu dynasty and your empire is rotting around you. The Golden Fields still chokes under ash and dust, the last desperate attack of Purifying Sun having saved the empire, but doomed the province.

Beneath the permissive eye of your father, Emperor Si, the nobility have grown lax and rapacious. Talented commoners become small nobles whose houses rise and fall as often as the tides. Lands go forever untended as great men and women have their talents strangled in their cribs long before they can rise to serve the empire. Vassals and peasants chafe under harsh and grasping hands. Corruption is everywhere.

To the south one of the great provinces is being invaded. The cloud tribes come on their flying horses, cities shatter under lighting storms and the Emerald Seas tremble in Ogodei's shadow.

Beset by foes on all sides, with daggers behind you and swords ahead you must come rule these lands and lead your people to safety and prosperity.

-----------------------------

Welcome to a prince of Empire. A CK2 Style quest in which you are the prince of an Empire in a Xianxia type world.

This quest is somewhat unusual, in that you start out playing a prince beneath your father's rule rather than as your own head of house. Beware, for sometimes the actions you prefer may come into conflict with the choices of your father.

Turns will typically be a number of years (most frequently a decade) because of the long lives of cultivators. At certain times you'll encounter flashpoints. Much like war turns these will slow down the action and have you take decisions on much smaller timescales than normal.

Rolls for stats (1d20):

20 19 10 17 10 18

(Ok who bribed the dice gods for your stats?)

Please assign to: Martial, Diplomacy, Stewardship, Learning, Piety and Intrigue.

Additionally pick two traits:

Brave: +1 Martial, greater respect from martially inclined peers. Bonus to personal combat and combat cultivation techniques.

Scholar: +2 learning. Greater respect from scholarly inclined members of the court.

Once a generation (counts as 3 traits): +4 Piety. Enables you to one day reach the greatest heights of cultivation a mortal is able to. Perhaps one day you might join the realms of the great spirits themselves.

An ancient blood: Piety +1. The spirit blood of you ancestor is stronger in you than most. May have unknown effects

I know people: Diplomacy +1, Intrigue+1. As a prince people are eager to talk to you and eager to tell you of their rivals sins.


Additionally you may pick a disadvantage to gain an extra trait:

Rash: Confers additional bonuses to personal combat. -1 Martial (strategy rolls) -1 diplomacy.

Big Spender: You have lived a lavish life and see little problem with spending money to like water. -2 Stewardship.

Justice will come: Narrative trait. (Counts as 2 disadvantages) You believe in justice so much that you have based your cultivation around it. The system is rotten and must be changed, so you will change it. You will have trouble overcoming the urge to correct injustices, and will bear grudges against the unjust even when it might be wise to forget them. Where you get the chance to correct a great injustice (as the character sees it) but do not wish to you must make a resistance roll to overcome the urge to do so.

=========================

Character Sheet:

Mu An


Age: 150


Martial: 18

Diplomacy: 10

Stewardship: 10

Learning: 17

Piety: 20

Intrigue: 19

Traits:

Cultivator: Add ½ Piety x realm to personal combat rolls (d100)

I know people: I know people: Diplomacy +1, Intrigue+1. As a prince people are eager to talk to you and eager to tell you of their rival's sins.

Once a generation (counts as 3 traits): +4 Piety. Enables you to one day reach the greatest heights of cultivation a mortal is able to. Perhaps one day you might join the realms of the great spirits themselves.

Justice will come: Narrative trait. (Counts as 2 disadvantages) You believe in justice so much that you have based your cultivation around it. The system is rotten and must be changed, so you will change it. You will have trouble overcoming the urge to correct injustices, and will bear grudges against the unjust even when it might be wise to forget them. Where you get the chance to correct a great injustice (as the character sees it) but do not wish to you must make a resistance roll to overcome the urge to do so.

===========================

Turn 1:

The Emerald Seas have been invaded. On wings of flying messages come tales of the sack of cities and the plundering of a province. And the name: Ogodei Khan.

Martial (pick 2)

[] To the South!
Pack your personal guard and take a flying carriage to the aid of the Emerald Seas. There's no time to lose. You'll link up with the local armies and take the fight to these barbarians.
Chance of Success - high. Roll for condition of armies and province on your arrival.


[] To the South - with Reinforcements
One cultivator and his bodyguards, even a prince and his retinue will make little difference. There are cultivators as strong or stronger than you in the Emerald Seas. What you need are enough men to drive back these armies.

Must be take with Diplomacy - rally. Roll to see how many you recruit and how fast you get there. Be warned, too many recruits may slow you down more due to transport issues. The Emerald Seas will take a malus to their condition roll.

Chance: Roll dependant.

[] Suit up team!
The imperial vaults are, well not open to you exactly but you can get a few nice items. Retrieve artifacts for the campaign for you and your bodyguards, bonuses to combat.

Chance: Certain.

[] Get to the Chopper - Only available with Diplomacy - Rally and To the South with Reinforcements

You'll need more than your own transportation if you want to get a large number of men there in time. Beg, borrow or commandeer whatever you can. Higher roll means less time lost for the army to get there.

Chance: Certain. Higher rolls give better results.


Diplomacy: (Pick 1)

[] Rally -general:
You need troops to go to the aid of the Emerald Seas. Convince your father and any other nobles you can find to lend you them.

Chance: Moderate. They're only barbarians after all. Warning: very low rolls may incur penalties.

[] Rally - The young Scions
Instead of trying to get the emperor and the heads of the nobility to listen play to tales of glory to convince the younger members of the nobility of the glory of fighting the barbarians. Lesser number of troops, but they'll bring their house guards and can move fast and come with their own transports.

Chance: Moderate-High.


[] Rally - the Sects
Typically captained by the second, third or fourth children of the nobility the sects are charged with teaching younger generations the skills of cultivation. They are also meant to safeguard the empire.

Chance: High. It is the duty of the sects to come. Additionally the sects are typically stronger than cultivators of the courts. However rivalries, territoriality and the scattered nature of the sects may reduce the number who can come at once.

[] Scion of the Empire:
Try to convince your father to release more of the contents of the royal vault to you. Greater artifacts and protections available for you and your men.

Chance: High. Warning: low roll may come with penalties.

[] A little help:
You aren't the best at talking to people. Find someone better to do it for you.

Chance: Very high


Stewardship: (Only 1 action available due to war).

[] Recruit Senchanal.
Your father has given you a certain amount of land to rule over as practice for your eventual rule of the empire. Recruit someone to do advise you and take care of your lands while you're away.

Chance: Certain

Learning: (Pick one due to time constraints of situation)

[] Surely someone knows:
The cloud tribes are far away and you know litte of your foe. Surely someone else knows more.
Reward: more info on cloud tribes.

Chance: Fairly high. Roll to sort propaganda from truth

[] Know thyself:
Find out more about the geography of the Emerald Seas. Work out where you need to fight them, where to stop them and where to retreat.
Chance: Fairly high.

Piety (Pick 2)

[] ABC - Always be cultivating
Bonus to personal combat for the war. Begin/continue the quest for immortality.

Chance: 100% Effects depend on roll.

[] Of the spirits:
Can the spirits be useful to your campaign? You should find out.

Chance: moderate due to difficulty of finding someone familiar enough with the Emerald Seas.

[] I want to be the very best:
Spirits are the greatest boon to the empire as well as one of your greatest foes. Find and bind a strong spirit to be your companion, inside battle and out.

Chance: 100%. Higher rolls give better spirits.

Intrigue (Pick 2):

[] An ear at court.
It is a bad idea to be out of the loop of court activities. Recruit some people to ensure you know what happens in your absence.

Chance: Very High.

[] Rooting out Corruption
You already know who is on the take. Everyone. Find out who the worst offenders are and begin to lay out plans for their removal.

Chance: ???

[] Blackmail is such an unpleasant word.
Your people need you. They need your need troops more than they need justice from those nobles right now. Get the evidence and trade it for troops.

Bonus to Get to the Chopper and Rally diplomacy actions. May require a roll due to Justice will come trait.

Chance: Moderate

Personal:

[] Get married: The empire needs another heir.
There's a war on. No.

[] At odds with an Emperor:
You and your father have had staunch disagreements on the way the empire is run for decades. Perhaps you should talk to him again?

[] The Bodyguard(s):
Get to know your bodyguards better. They're responsible for keeping you alive.

[]Can a prince have friends?
Speak with the nobles at court you get along best with.

[] Extra effort
Gain a small boost to a specified action in any category except diplomacy, stewardship or personal.

[] The search for immortality
Continue your cultivation. Stacks with []ABC
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AN: As with all of these please tag me if you have a comment you'd like added in.