Su Ling and Li Suyin have kept fairly mum on their abilities, as has pretty much everyone else. No question we haven't seen a tenth of what Bai Meizhen is capable of, and I would not be surprised if that includes formations or medicine.
Forge of Destiny(Xianxia Quest)
- Thread starter yrsillar
- Start date
- Original Fantasy
Codex
Fantasy Addict
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Well, we have an inkling of what 6 of Meizhen's arts are like (Poison art, Imperial Serpent's Majesty/Fear Aura, Abyssal Mantle/Water Mantle, Perception art, Shadow Movement art, and Argent Mirror). So I'd say we know at least a tenth of what she can do.
But yeah I get what you mean. Cultivators are ultra secretive even to their friends.
Thunderdome redux
Dex+Throwing Knives+ZB+AtW+Equip+First strike. 17 dice +4 auto
10 1 7 9 5 7 9 10 2 1 7 7 5 6 2 3 9. 9 successes. 13 w/ auto
Kang minion 2
Dex+Dodge+Techs. 12 dice
10 8 9 3 9 3 10 7 8 4 5 5. 7 successes
Instant reaction
Kang Zihao's Celestial Aegis
Dex+Shield+CA+Passive+Equips. 17 dice. +1 auto
10 7 8 2 2 6 7 9 9 8 4 5 2 5 1 3 5. 7 successes +1 auto.
1 damage dealt. Blocked by target qi
10 1 7 9 5 7 9 10 2 1 7 7 5 6 2 3 9. 9 successes. 13 w/ auto
Kang minion 2
Dex+Dodge+Techs. 12 dice
10 8 9 3 9 3 10 7 8 4 5 5. 7 successes
Instant reaction
Kang Zihao's Celestial Aegis
Dex+Shield+CA+Passive+Equips. 17 dice. +1 auto
10 7 8 2 2 6 7 9 9 8 4 5 2 5 1 3 5. 7 successes +1 auto.
1 damage dealt. Blocked by target qi
40/43 Qi
Whatever else might have been said next was silenced as a white streak of light flashed across the field, cutting between the posturing groups, aimed at the narrow faced and nervous boy standing at Kang Zihao's left side. In an instant the son of the imperial guard moved, bringing up his gleaming silver shield to deflect the projectile. Even then though, he was a hair too slow, and rather than deflecting it entirely, the wind guided blade sliced across his subordinates shoulder, drawing thin burst of misty blue qi.
Kang Zihao scowled at Ling Qi, who had thrown the knife, and opened his mouth to speak as all attention fixed on Ling Qi. She spoke first though, looking at Sun Liling's group with narrowed eyes as she felt her qi take hold on Kang's minions and surprisingly, Lu Feng. "Whatever you're going to say, stow it," she said flatly. "I know where I stand," she continued nodding to Bai Meizhen, who gave her complicated look, even as the twisting metal ribbons of her weapon appeared in her hand. "Let's just get the part where we beat you down over with."
Ling Qi thought she sounded pretty cool, despite her heart pounding in her ears and the more cautious part of her mind screaming at her for her impulsiveness.
"Ha, you know… It really is too bad you're with the snake," Sun Liling replied, her features lighting with a feral grin, even as she slashed her fingers across her right forearm, drawing a spray of blood.
Then everything went mad.
Gan Guangli charged with a bellow of righteous fury, light blazing ftom his forearms as a pair of heavy iron gauntlets appeared, studded with spikes longer than Ling Qi's knives. They looked more like something that would be used to batter down gates than something to be worn, and the impression was only reinforced by the explosion of dust and the tremor that exploded outward as he slammed a ham sized fist into the ground where Lu Feng had been standing a moment ago. In the same instant, Sun Liling became little more than a red blur, dark armor spreading across her her limbs and torso in the bare second it took her to cross the distance to Cai Renxiang, her grinning face vanishing behind the toothy maw of the demonic visage that formed her helmet.
Cai Renxiang's oversized saber was torn from the ground in a spray of dirt, it's sheath unraveling before Ling Qi's eyes into a cloud of dark blue thread, exposing a similarly colored blade as it swung up to meet the thorny spear forming in Sun Liling's hands. Ling Qi was forced back a step, throwing up her arm to shield her eyes from the shockwave that erupted from the meeting of their weapons even as Cai Renxiang was driven back, heels digging furrows in the dirt.
"Awaken, Liming," Cai Renxiang's harsh voice cut through the growing cacophony and the wings emblazoned across her chest burned with sudden light and intelligence, the pattern's warping into something like beastial eyes even as the sleeves of her gown shredded apart, exposing her pale, sleekly muscled arms. Ling Qi could see the unraveled thread glittering in the air around her as it gathered at her back, mingling with the blazing light she emitted to form wings of radiance on her back.
Even as Cai Renxiang, rose into the air, the ground cracking beneath her feet, the clearing shook with a thunderous gong, like the great bell in a temple being struck by a battering ram. Ji Rong had reached Xuan Shi, his fists blazing like miniature suns even as crackling rings of electricity formed around his ankles. His literally thunderous charge was stopped by a wall of stone raised with a stamp of the the other boys foot, that nonetheless crumbled, blown apart by the power of the scarred boys fists. Huang Da blurred, vanishing from sight in the wave of dust and shrapnel that he created.
"Cui," Meizhen's voice reached her ears, but whatever else would have been said must have been silent, because it was followed only by Cui springing from her perch on Meizhen's throat and swelling rapidly in size, landing on the ground with a crash as she venom glistened on her exposed fangs. Meizhen for her part, had begun to draw on her mantle, streamers of water forming the dark hood that shadowed her face, lending her the terrible presence that Ling Qi had grown so used too in the past weeks. Her friends golden eyes snapped open, burning with internal light, and Ling Qi shuddered as the very air seemed to warp and ripple with the force of her presence.
Even without having it aimed at her, she felt the terror that Bai Meizhen exuded, and she saw the shudder pass through the quickly dodging Lu Feng. For Kang Zihao's unnamed minions, it was worse, the red one went pale as milk, a strangled scream escaping his throat as he began to rapidly back away, the other held on better, but Ling Qi could see his teeth chattering from here.
"Stand steady," Kang Zihao barked, handsome face set in a severe expression. His words were backed by qi, and the air seemed to briefly shimmer in the space around him, pushing back the growing pall of Meizhen's presence for the moment. Meizhen simply began to advance with steady steps though, uncaring of his efforts to resist.
Their stand off was broken a moment later by a searing beam of flame that Kang Zihao caught on his shield, and Ling Qi looked beside her to see Gu Xiulan grinning like a madwoman, the air around her rippling with heat while sparks danced around her fingers.
Individual actions became harder to track after that, as Ling Qi began to play the melody of the vale, mist rolling out in a cloying wave from her flute and deadening slightly the sounds of battle. The cost of including so many allies was sharp, but she thought it worth it, particularly as she felt her qi latch onto Lu Feng, muddling his senses.
-32/43 Qi
Everything felt slightly unreal to Ling Qi. Her previous battles had never seemed quite so… beyond human in scope, but now, watching Sun Liling, now fully encased in demonic red armor, it's helm a triumvirate of fanged faces, wielding her spear with impossible skill even as another pair of skeletal arms formed, on her shoulders, already wielding vicious, jagged edged blades clashing with what seemed like a living star, Cai Renxiang barely even visible within her corona of light save as a vague winged figure unleashing scorching arcs of burning light with every sweep of the dark blade in her hands, while flitting through the sky, shockwaves erupting each time she fell upon Sun Liling like meteor.
Things were growing more hectic as well, Sun Liling's voice snapped out something garbled in a language Ling Qi didn't understand, and bloody mist streamed from her back, solidifying into the tall and willowy form of a beautiful bronze skinned woman in… scant red silk scarves and nothing else, Ling Qi felt qi begin to exude from the the captivating form of the spirit and her mist shimmered, growing warm around the woman as flowers began to bloom at her feet, it was an oddly captivating scene…
Until Cui struck, sinking venomous fangs into the creatures thigh, and it's face twisted in a rictus of bloodthirsty fury. The spirit's eyes burned red and it's beautiful face seemed to split, cheeks and lips coming apart and exposing sinewy muscle and inch long glistening fangs. It roared and hurled Cui away, uncaring for the spray of blood as it tore the serpent's fangs free.
Ling Qi had no luxury to focus on the rest of the fight then, as Kang Zihao charged, splitting the earth beneath him as metallic coloring flowed across his skin. At his back was a great white hound with an iron collar, Kang Zihao engaged Meizhen with a roar, even as the hound charged past, blazing fast to leap at Ling Qi, seeming unimpeded by the mist.
Dex+Dodge+SCS+ Crescent Grace+Equip. 18 dice
7 8 9 7 5 6 4 10 4 3 8 6 3 7 10 3 2 3. 8 success
Doggy
Str+Natural+Mark+Buff+Steel Lunge-Mist. 14 dice
5 7 6 1 3 3 7 8 4 9 5 10 5 8. 6 successes
No damage
7 8 9 7 5 6 4 10 4 3 8 6 3 7 10 3 2 3. 8 success
Doggy
Str+Natural+Mark+Buff+Steel Lunge-Mist. 14 dice
5 7 6 1 3 3 7 8 4 9 5 10 5 8. 6 successes
No damage
Ling Qi twisted out of the beasts path, dancing away into the mists and leaving the creature behind even as she saw Kang's slightly recovered minions doing throw out their hands, having finished a chant of some kind, and throw out their hands, scattering what looked like small clay tiles with glowing characters carved upon them.
Ling Qi flinched as the pulse of qi washed over her, but threw it off before it could take hold, instead only stumbling for a brief second as the weight of her limbs seemed to quadruple for a moment. She wasn't the only one affected though, she saw Xiulan grimace and stumble as well, throwing off her aim as she attempted to burn the hound that had just attacked Ling Qi. Likewise, out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Huang Da go flying like a ragdoll as one of Ji Rong's fists slammed home on his chest.
Then the both of Kang's minions went flying as thunder boomed across the battlefield and sent their rippling, a crater appearing where they once stood, Han Fang's muscular frame rising from the dust, even as that dust whipped up into a spinning cone and slammed into the stronger of the two minions at the direction of Han Jian's sword, drawing a scream from his lips as the scouring wind shredded his robes and tore at his skin.
Ling Qi began to prepare to draw her bow and begin working to put down Kang Zihao's spirit beast, as it seemed to her eye that Kang Zihao's intent was simply to prevent Meizhen from engaging anyone else, with the defensive manner he fought in, hunkered down behind his shield, and focusing on avoiding Meizhen's furiously hissing metal ribbons. All around him the air seemed to warp weirdly, and every time Bai Meizhen grimaced as her movement slowed as if by a massive pressure whenever she tried to disengage. Kang's face grew paler each time she made the attempt though.
"Red Thorn Death Flight."
Ling Qi looked up at the sound of Sun Liling's distorted voice in time to see the girl seeming to float midair, well above her mist. The extra limbs she had grown had solidified fully, growing muscle and armor over bone. She only had a moment to look upon the girl as she flung her spear downward and it exploded into a hundred blazing streaks of bloody light. Then she could only dodge, and desperately flare her qi, blasting out a circle of wind to deflect the deadly rain.
Dex+Dodge+SCS+CG+SG+Equip. 20 dice
7 3 8 2 1 3 3 10 8 5 1 3 6 3 7 10 1 4 10 1. 7 successes
Red Thorn Death Flight
Dex+Spear+Passives+Equip+RTDF. 26 dice. +4 auto
7 3 7 6 8 8 1 10 6 5 4 6 1 10 9 3 9 6 3 9 5 1 6 3 6 2. 9 successes. +4 auto
6 damage dealt. 2 aggravated, 2 unblockable. 2 blocked by 4 qi
7 3 8 2 1 3 3 10 8 5 1 3 6 3 7 10 1 4 10 1. 7 successes
Red Thorn Death Flight
Dex+Spear+Passives+Equip+RTDF. 26 dice. +4 auto
7 3 7 6 8 8 1 10 6 5 4 6 1 10 9 3 9 6 3 9 5 1 6 3 6 2. 9 successes. +4 auto
6 damage dealt. 2 aggravated, 2 unblockable. 2 blocked by 4 qi
20/43 Qi
[*][*][X][X][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
Ling Qi screamed as several of the jagged blood shards tore right through her spinning winds, slicing across her limbs and in one case embedding itself in her stomach. The wounds burned painfully, and she could see smoke rising from her wounds as the skin around them blackened and burned.
The technique had rained down on the entire battlefield, and blown away her mist, revealing the battlefield in it's entirety. Bai Meizhen still battled furiously with an increasingly battered Kang Zihao, though she now bled from several wounds. Gu Xiulan's right arm hung limply from her shoulder and she bled freely as well, now desperately retreating from Kang's advancing hound.
Further back, neither of Kang's minions still stood, and Han Jian stood unharmed… but at cost. Han Fang slumped down in from of him, arms which had been held out collapsing to his sides as he fell to his knees, bleeding from a dozen wounds. Han Jian's normally relaxed expression was set in fury as he scowled up at the figures in the sky.
The brawl between Ji Rong and the other two boys was in it's late stages as well. Huang Da struggled to his feet, his chin stained with blood as he clutched his ribs, Ji Rong was hardly in better shape, letting out panting breaths like a winded bull even as steam began to rise from the tattoos on his flesh. His left arm was frozen stiff and unmoving. Xuan Shi for his part, looked utterly unscathed as the dome of rock around him crumbled, but Ling Qi thought his qi seemed to be quite depleted.
Gan Guangli stood tall still, bloodied but unbowed, nearing four meters in height. Lu Feng lay at the bottom of a meter deep crater, at his feet. Meanwhile, the struggle between Cui and Liling's spirit continued unabated, Cui hissing and thrashing furiousl as the thing tore at her scales with claws of jagged wood, and bloody flowers bloomed around them. Liling's spirit had only grown more hideous, bone and sinew exposed as flesh sloughed off under the assault of Cui's venom.
Ling Qi's eyes were torn from the battlefield as A blazing ray of light slammed down on the descending figure of Sun Liling, blasting her to the ground and burning a molten crater into the pavilion as it drove the armored girl into the foundation.
Cai Renxiang's light had faded a bit, enough to see the girl, and Ling Qi could see that she was looking pale and winded, strain showing in the set of her jaw as her limbs trembled with unnatural exhaustion
Sun Liling's laughter showed that she still stood strong though, leaping from the glowing crater to land on the pavillions crumbling roof. "Ha, I guess your mother knows what she's doing after all," the girl laughed, her armor charred and cracked, one of her extra limbs broken off, and a chunk of the helmet missing exposing the feral grin still on her face. "That thing you're wearing is ridiculous."
"You have little room to speak Princess Sun," the heiress replied stiffly, the wings of light on her back flaring, even as she stilled the trembling in her now bare limbs. The lower part of the gown had begun to unravel as well, exposing the knee high boots the long haired girl wore beneath. "Yield. You're side of this conflict is crumbling around you."
Ling Qi thought that might be a bit optimistic, but… no on second thought even with the destruction Liling had rained down, her side was losing. Kang could only hold against Meizhen for so long, and she was fairly confident Xuan Shi and Huang Da could handle the increasingly unsteady looking Ji Rong.
"As if I'd end such a good fight before it's even over," The redhead laughed. "This is doing just fine at settling my foundations Cai. Come at me."
Ling Qi grimaced, it still wasn't over by a long shot though. She needed to consider what to do.
[] Focus first on aiding Xiulan, she's wounded badly, and Kang's spirit hound has the scent of blood.
[] Help Meizhen put down Kang Zihao. Once she's freed up, this will be over.
[] Go for Liling herself. Even if you can't land a hit, distracting her will give Cai Renxiang the chance to strike.
((Man, Ling Qi is actually a pretty tanky girl when she needs to be.))
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- Location
- United States of America
Well, this is a challenge. I have no idea what to do at the moment. At least our side is winning, for the most part, just have to finish this up quick before permanent damage is done.
- Location
- Actually pretty lost
We pretty much have to save Xiulan, much as I would like to free up Meizhen. If we can do that quickly enough to then turn on Kang Zihao that'd be ideal, but it's far from guaranteed.
[X] Focus first on aiding Xiulan, she's wounded badly, and Kang's spirit hound has the scent of blood.
[X] Focus first on aiding Xiulan, she's wounded badly, and Kang's spirit hound has the scent of blood.
By what's above.
This battle was... intense.
We're actually not doing too bad, and the Monsters seem to be doing good, tipped to our side.
Our "Faction" of Golden Fields, Bai, and us aren't doing too bad, save for Xiulan and Fang.
So... I give this a 7/10 on performance. Thanks for the writing as usual, @yrsillar.
This battle was... intense.
We're actually not doing too bad, and the Monsters seem to be doing good, tipped to our side.
Our "Faction" of Golden Fields, Bai, and us aren't doing too bad, save for Xiulan and Fang.
So... I give this a 7/10 on performance. Thanks for the writing as usual, @yrsillar.
BungieONI
Seven gremlins in a trench coat
- Location
- Lickwidget
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Diomedea
A piece of the continent
- Location
- The interblag
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Those 4 auto-successes. Oof.
Free agents without opponents are Han Jian, and Gan Guangli. Han Jian will obviously move to aid Xiulan, and Gan Guangli will move to aid CRX.
I think we should help Bai, since if Kang is knocked down, his spirit should retreat to defend him, and Bai is needed to actually finish Sun Liling.
[X] Help Meizhen put down Kang Zihao. Once she's freed up, this will be over.
Free agents without opponents are Han Jian, and Gan Guangli. Han Jian will obviously move to aid Xiulan, and Gan Guangli will move to aid CRX.
I think we should help Bai, since if Kang is knocked down, his spirit should retreat to defend him, and Bai is needed to actually finish Sun Liling.
[X] Help Meizhen put down Kang Zihao. Once she's freed up, this will be over.
DarkLight140
Credit to Team
- Location
- Lost in my thoughts
Well, that hurt.
On the bright side, either Cai Renxiang or Bai Meizhen is likely to cover our medical bills after this.
On the bright side, either Cai Renxiang or Bai Meizhen is likely to cover our medical bills after this.
BungieONI
Seven gremlins in a trench coat
- Location
- Lickwidget
- Pronouns
- She/Her
- Location
- United States of America
While I would love to run to Gu Han is still in the game , and will come assist her most likely now that he's freed up (plus you know maybe him being the one saving Gu is a good thing .... )
If we help bei take down her guy she can help Cai who is getting tired.
Sun doesn't look anywhere near done yet...
If we help bei take down her guy she can help Cai who is getting tired.
Sun doesn't look anywhere near done yet...
Arkeus
Crazy cat guy
- Location
- France
Anyway, useless dice stuff as it can't impact anything right now @yrsillar
Dex 5+ Throwing Knives 3+ ZB 2+ AtW 2+ Equip 3 (pin + knives) + First Strike 4 = 19
Are we insulating more than 3 people? If we are insulating 3 people it should cost 3+3x2=9-3=6, so 34 Qi.
Yikes those dices, we had some real bad luck there.
I know this is kind of a clusterfuck but weirdly the part that stuck with me was Lu Feng's no good very bad day.
Talked shit, got hit. We need to hit Guangli up after this because dayuuuuuuum son.
[X] Focus first on aiding Xiulan, she's wounded badly, and Kang's spirit hound has the scent of blood
I think we'll get in some diplomatic trouble if we don't help Gu.
I think we'll get in some diplomatic trouble if we don't help Gu.
- Location
- United States of America
Yeah, I would say the little extra wind totally helped in the beginning. It has made the fight in our favor, with only 5 people on their side (Sun, Ji Rong, Kang, and the two spirits). Once Kang goes down, his spirit should retreat as well, this would free up a total of 4 people (Xuilan, Jian, Fan, and Meizhen) to pound on Sun Liling. So in that vein
[X] Help Meizhen put down Kang Zihao. Once she's freed up, this will be over.
[X] Help Meizhen put down Kang Zihao. Once she's freed up, this will be over.
BungieONI
Seven gremlins in a trench coat
- Location
- Lickwidget
- Pronouns
- She/Her
#GanGuangliisBestBroForever
[X] Help Meizhen put down Kang Zihao. Once she's freed up, this will be over.
Need to sleep and can probably not vote for about 20 hours after that so throwing this vote out there.
Helping out Gu Xiulan is my second choice. But getting Kang out of the picture would make the rest of the battle much easier and there is the chances that putting more pressure on Kang should have the hound going for Ling Qi or back trying to defend Kang. On the other hand if, and that is a big if, we can help Xiulan take out the hound quick the two of us could slap around the others that much faster.
Need to sleep and can probably not vote for about 20 hours after that so throwing this vote out there.
Helping out Gu Xiulan is my second choice. But getting Kang out of the picture would make the rest of the battle much easier and there is the chances that putting more pressure on Kang should have the hound going for Ling Qi or back trying to defend Kang. On the other hand if, and that is a big if, we can help Xiulan take out the hound quick the two of us could slap around the others that much faster.
Is Han Fang a bodyguard of some sort?
- Location
- UK
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Ah, Ling Qi's all cool and suave like in FixerUpper's omake. Well done Ling Qi, you're just as cool as you'd hoped, even Liling was impressed!
Oh okay so it's Meizhen vs Zihao. Kinda glad that yrsillar telling us not to underestimate Liling wasn't in reference to a clash of her vs both Renxiang and Meizhen. Sad that Meizhen had to lower herself to fighting that schmuck though (even if he isn't actually a schmuck)
Han Fang, truly the most noble of champions
I was worried about Liling managing to take shots around the field but there was literally nothing we could've done against that. Hopefully we can rack up enough damage against the enmy to make up for it before she manages to do this again.
So Meizhen's winning and Han Fang protected Jian. Fang is such a hero. At least Guangli won and Xuan looks like he'll be fine to continue after Rong is down.
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- Location
- Oymyakon
I'm still kind of new to the thread and the mechanics in this quest in general, but successes on combat rolls are 7 and up right? I keep counting us at 7 successes instead of 6 on our Dodge rolls. Did we have a -1 modifier I didn't know about?
Sorry if I'm wrong, I'm still wrapping my head around everything.