The Guang family is gone, their holding destroyed and their members slaughtered.
Guang Li, the only survivor has fled to the Verdant Flames sect, where he is now an outer disciple. Utilizing the Guang bloodline he has summoned you, his ancestors to help him on his path of vengeance.
He would advance in cultivation, find out what happened to his family and achieve vengeance for their deaths.
So long as you can keep him form dying to the first young master he encounters of course.
Refined senses I (+2 con, +4 per) stage 1 reflection.
Blood surge I- +1 con, +1 HP. May be activated for +20 on all combat rolls for 6 combat rounds for a -30 on all combat rolls until rest. Reaching con 100 would lower this penalty by 5, with every 5 con score above lowering the penalty further by 1 point.
Refined mind I (reflection) +4 int, +4 comprehension, +2 con.
Pulse Dissecting Sense I- hear heartbeats from a great distince and with great clarity grants advantage (roll best of two) to the roll when attempting to ascertain whether someone is lying and perception rolls against anything with a heart/pulse) +1 HP +1 con.
Seven flame purification (+1 str, +3 con).
Traits:
Blood of Guang- grants accesses to the ancestors of the Guang bloodline.
Immortal I- +1 Guang Li action every turn, tiny reduction in needed food and water, HP base calculation changed from con score to con score*1.2. lifespan calculation changed from base 60+con score to 60 +(con score*2).
Greater then its parts I- +1 to all attributes)
Auspicious passage- +2 on luck rolls.
Comprahension: 4.
Attributes.
Strength- 33 (+11).
Dexterity- 35 (+12).
Constitution- 49 (+19).
Wisdom- 26 (+8).
Intelligence- 29 (+9).
Perception- 31 (+10).
Skills:
Combat- 6.
Fellowship- 4.
Cultavetion- 5.
Breakthrough- 2.
Alchemy- 4.
Butcher- 2.
Qi sense- 1. Special: incrise all passive precetion cheaks by +2 per level in the skill.
Techniques:
Serenity of water lv 1/10- When in use Guang Li rolls combat twice and pick's the highest result, he then doubles his combat score for defensive purposes. Cost: 3 water Qi per round.
Water quench lv 1/5- create a small aura around the user where fire techniques cannot be used. Cost: 3 water Qi and 1 yin Qi to activate. 1 water and 1 yin every 3 rounds.
Breath of War- a breathing method meant to dedicate one whole purpose for battle. Consisting of small but powerful breaths, this breathing technique is meant to be adopted during times of conflict and switched away after battle has concluded.
Meridians needed: all. (all you have open not all of the 670 meridians).
Effect: adds +1 per meridian opened to all combat rolls.
Yin effect: add +2 instead.
Drawback: switching away from this technique saps stamina equivalent to an adrenalin crash.
Invetory:
The sword that pierces heaven (t1 artifact)- infused by the lingering energy of heaven in Guang Li body, his refined sword has been transformed into a true artifact, piercing all defenses before it. +10 to combat rolls, enemy armor is considered 1 steps less effective when rolling for injury.
Basic armor (reduced HP damage form attacks so long as the armor is intact).
1x body reforging elixir (2x progress to the first body refining action to the turn)
1x Ox strength pill
1x advanced mending potion (+20 HP)
Lecadia
Ulvlar
The Meddler
KreenWarrior
Shard
Uhtread
Random Reader
KNakamura
Rotekian
Mortenkam
blankmask
WGDragoon
O N I O N
Esprit
Aria the Mage
Omniext
random_npc
KSn5Ynoh
Ghost in the sun
Seventeen
RookDeSuit
banelord DeleteWolf
The Well Wisher
lebaker
DiscordOxymoron
DareDaemon
Clockmosis
SomeDude134
WhoTheHeckity
Redikai
Dinfinity
SeaTheTree
HammeredApple
MIKL
Once one has completed expending their dentian and has successfully broken through heavens wrath, the next step is to build nine pillars within it.
Each pillar holds within it a concept, a single part of the truth of the Dao. Nine pillars are the minimum that must be constructed but the Guang know (or knew) of a way to construct up to 13 (you'll be able to spend shards to gain access to them). Furthermore, in order for advancement to core formation to even be an option 5 pillars must be dedicated to the cycle of the five elements and an additional two must bare the Yin and Yang, the pillars do not have to precisely encompass all of the element and may instead encompass an idea that is closely attached to it, a pillar of tides would be sufficient to stand in place of a pillar of water as would the pillar of flowing but a pillar of flexibility or swiftness would not be despite the concepts themselves aligning with water.
On average cultivators construct broad pillars of their main element which encompass the entire concept and narrow pillars for their destructive elements, which seek to capture a single meaning of the element that is most benefitable for the cultivator specific needs.
The knowledge of how to reduce the required pillars is a closely guarded secret but even the Guang knew only how to substitute a single pillar (traditionally the Yang Pillar would be replaced with something pertaining to the ancestors).
The cultivator may start and work on the pillars in any order they may desire, they could even work on multiple pillars simultaneously, although constraints of Qi and the fact that one only gets the benefit of a pillar when it is completed make it a rare occurrence indeed.
There are three parts to building a pillar, the base, the middle and the top. Each part has a different influence on the completed pillar and all may be of different or identical Qi.
The base (1000 progress/5 Qi per) of the pillar is the part which supply's its stability, and sturdiness. This stability determines how the pillar fares under pressure and how far can the cultivator push it, the stability ranges form 0%-100% (although 100% is almost impossible to actually achieve) where a 0 represents the fact that the pillar would fall at the slightest touch and 100 being a pillar that can be use all day every day and not suffer a single crack. Construction the base from Earth Qi achieves a stability of 50%, wood and metal would achieve 30%, water 20% and fire 0%. Blood and ice would gain 40%. Steel on the other hand would achieve 80% stability.
The middle (500 progress/20 Qi per) of the pillar is perhaps its most important, it is here that the concept is housed, that a small glimpse into the great dao is protected from the impurity of the outside world. Qi cannot enhance this stage for what it protects is as pure as it can be but the wrong Qi can mar the concept, the glimpse of the dao with impurities and severally weaken it. what is the right and what is the wrong type of Qi depends heavily on the concept the cultivator attempts to capture within the pillar. Do not attempt to encompass a fire pillar with water Qi!
The top of the pillar (1000 progress/5 Qi per) is the opening through which the power of the pillar is channeled and it gives the pillar its rating, a pillar is rated between 1-5 with the final rating determining the power gained form the pillar, base elements give a rating of 0, blood and ice give 1, lightening and reflection give 2. The Top gains a +1 to its rating if the QI that is used is aligned with the concept of the pillar, as well as another +1 if the Qi used for the middle is an empowering Qi toward the Qi used in construction the top and an additional +1 if the same relationship is had between the base and middle of the pillar.
Once a pillar is complete a cultivator can utilize its effect at will although stability may impair its use, least the pillar collapse all together.
The pillars give no attributes (Aside from ones gained from the Qi itself) but the befit they bring is considerable. The effect for the "base" pillars (the elements and Yin and Yang) are standard across all paths and is as simple as it is devastating for those who stand below.
Each pillar multiplies techniques (dice result if its rolled) that match or align with its concept and grants a "virtual" amount of Qi identical to its nature (IE: the water pillar gives water Qi) to spend every round on such techniques equal to its rating.
For example, with a completed water pillar of 3 when Guang Li would use his Serinity of water technique, instead of rolling best of two and doubling his result, he would roll best of 6 and multiply his result by the same amount (so 6), additionally he would gain 3 "water Qi" every turn to use on this technique essentially making it free so long as he can continue to utilize his pillar.
Pillars that are not the base core ones, grant a weaker but still comparable ability. Most often in the form of singular powerful abilities rather than a boost to techniques.
I probably should threadmark this as this is the second time it has been asked.
There are indeed omake rewards, aside form the fact that people being invested enough to sit down and write something within my works boosts my motivation (and as such speeds up the update) I also offer either progress (exact amount not yet determined) something related to the omake (mainly in the form of unlocking actions, or opportunities and the like).
And from to time, I might offer something more if I can think of something.
Same goes for fanart.
Story Omake standards.
There are going to be two kinds story omake, "short stories" and regular.
Short stories are a minimum of 150 words (don't swept it if your at 147 or something) and will award a reroll.
Regular are a minimum of 500 words and will likely award some small amount of set progress.
Figured I should be doing this, as a quick reference to what the different types of Qi do. More would be added as you discover them.
Water Qi is ever flowing, water represent change and flexibility and it naturally attempts to become a liquid. Utilizing water Qi for condensation accrues double the progress, completing a project which gives +Dex with mostly water Qi doubles the Dex gained.
Yin represents the mind and spiritual. By dint of their bloodline the Guang posses Yin roots heavily developed. Utilizing mostly Yin Qi for projects which improve the mind/spirit double the benefits incurred.
Yang represents the energy of the living, physically. The Guang line has been known to have well below average Yang roots. Utilizing mostly Yang Qi for projects which impose the physicality aspect grant double the benefits.
Fire is destruction, it is wild and uncontrollable but it is also renewal, purification and the forge of all things. Using fire Qi to refine one's body yields double the progress and double the benefits.
Blood Qi- blood represent the body vitality, full of power and potential. Composed of fire, water and earth, utilizing Blood Qi doubles the progress gained with QC and BR actions as well as doubling all physical attribute gains, additionally using blood Qi to refine the body adds an additional +1 con and any usage of blood QI (on either QC or BR) adds +1 HP.
Quadruple physical cultivation progress, triple all benefits both physical and mental, + 5 Dex after all multiplying is done. -10 HP per point used while below con score of 100, reducing the damage by 1 per 10 con score above 100.
Wood, resilient, ancient and ever growing. Width wisdom of it years the tree knows when to bend and when to stand tall, flexible yet powerful it possesses an embar of life and its vitality within it.
Body refining: gain +1 Con and +1 dex.
QC: gain +1 dex.
FE: ???
Reflection, a return of what is sent, be it light, matter or anything else
Body refining: +2 con, 2x dex gains, 4x gain for Perception, intelligence and wisdom.
QC: 3x progress, +2 con 2x dex gains, 4x gain for Perception, intelligence and wisdom.
FE: ??
Cf: ??
Special: 4x to all spiritual/mental characteristics when used (already included in the stated attribute gain),2x progress or +5 on the roll for spiritual/mantel actions (this includes refining, meridians, the middle dantian, creating a Qi well, the power of thought and that basically it for what you have unlocked).
You know off a few of the halls already but I suppose some more information wouldn't be amiss. You know off 9 halls within the sect and each one is composed of at least one elder and several dozen inner disciples. In general all of the halls are independent of each other.
The halls you know of are:
The alchemy hall: responsible to brewing the many elixirs and pills consumed by the disciples of the sect for advancement, also create combat drugs when needed.
The refining/artificing hall: same as the above but for refining and crafting various "enchanted" items
The resource acquisition hall: the job of those guys is to go around harvesting the various resources within the sect territory, they also tend to herb gardens and even go mining. Basically this hall Is the one which gets the raw material the above two require.
The judgment hall: this is the internal police/judgment system of the sect all roll up in one hall. They are charged with enforcing the rules and meting out punishment for those who break them.
The exploration hall: the purpose of this hall is to go around and survey the sect territory and surroundings in search of noteworthy things, they also go delving in ancient ruins form time to time in search of treasure/lost knowledge.
The contracts and oaths hall: part foreign relation and part domestic arbitrator. This hall is in charge of both negotiating benefitable contracts and agreements for the sect and in making sure the sect keeps to its oaths and agreements. They are also charge with making sure land spirits/local gods are pacified and content and not running around causing devastation within the sect lands.
The treasure hall: one part treasury, one part bureaucracy and one part mission hall. The treasure hall is the one that is both in charge of creating the mission's as well as paying for their completion.
The library hall: this hall Is responsible with the safeguarding of knowledge and making it available to the sect and its disciples (for a reasonable fee).
The war hall: the main/standing fighting force of the sect, in truth if the sect goes to war everyone is participating but when the sect isn't at war footing those guys are the one who man the defenses and skirmish with the various enemies at the sect borders.
Going forward, this will be my policy toward omake rewards.
Short stories (see omake policy tab for what constitutes a "short story") will be awarded a reroll, they can spend on their rolls, give to somone else for their rolls, give Guang Li or give me during events for background rolls.
Regular omake will be both given a reroll and an arbitrary amount of "points" with which they can buy Qi for the following price.
Pure- 1 point.
Basic elemental (water, fire, earth, metal and wood)- 2 points.
Advanced (wind, blood, lightning, ice and so on)- 3 points.
Seeing as voting has slowed down and we reached the average of voters (which is around 50) I'm going to say that I will close the vote this evening in 6~ hours.
Anyway, I just realized that I was (and I'm) throwing around terms like minor/major/great powers without actually explaining what they are despite having such an explanation. (and sure, people get the gist of what it means but if I have a description that will give a better idea I might as well use it).
So, lets start with minor powers.
This is easy, you have a nascent soul? (or equivalent) then you're a minor power. that is the line between a minor power and none entities (in the big picture at least, locally even none nascent powers might matter) because the gap of power between a nascent soul and everyone below is just too big to be overcome (normally).
Minor powers (like the verdant flame sect) tend to be the least stable of the powers of the continent, as their power and statue rests upon a single individual and should anything happen to him…
But a sect (or clan) are more then a single individual, and despite that single individual being the line between who is and is not considered to be a minor power, there is benefit to being a part of a minor power.
For one, they tend to be old institutions and the knowledge they gathered over the centuries and millennia means better techniques, better practices and just better cultivators all around, like all sects/clans minor power have a specialty they excel at (Body cultivation for the Verdant flame sect) although that they do tend to branch out to sub specialize in a few other disciplines (Refining, herbalism and alchemy in the case of the VF).
But beyond just knowledge, being a minor power means dominating those around you, it means controlling secret realms, fertile lands, and places with high Ambient Qi (specifically elemental Qi) which can be used to both to gather Qi and harvest high level ingredients.
Taking the VF for example, compare a disciple which could use one of their rented fields for 1.4x to their fire QI generation to one who can't. Even if they had access to the refinements and cultivation knowledge (when they often don't) by the time both of them gathered 100 fire Qi the VF disciple would actually gain 140. Which means he's more advanced in cultivation possess more refinements and so on and so on.
There is also the reputation effect, being a minor power means more people are trying to get in to become members, which means you can afford to be pickier and more set your standards higher. So, your disciples are also just more talented and with better spiritual roots then others (this is more applicable for sects rather than clans but even clans can benefit).
On this continent there are around 180 minor powers out of which the verdant flame is fairly average.
Mejor powers.
Major powers are also simple, you're a major power if you posses two or more nascent souls (or equivalent), or in others words if you possess a way to semi reliably and regularly raise a nascent soul cultivator.
After all, possessing one means you hade a talented disciple or a fluke of heavily luck. Possessing two means that you not only possess the knowledge, resources and the talented disciples to reach the peak of core formation regularly to attempt tribulation but that you also posses the knowledge to help them pass the tribulation.
Needless to say most major powers have more than two nascent souls (around 4-6) but the distinction is there because at that point one can sit at home and the other go out and do stuff without compromising the sect/clan defense.
Those sects and clans which are termed major powers tend to be extremally stable and old.
They posses more resources and knowledge then their lesser's and basically all of the upsides that minor powers have they do too but better.
But the biggest advantage is the fact that as they have multiple nascent souls the major powers can afford to have one be a dedicated crafter rather than having to spec into fighting least your enemies descend upon your weakness.
That is not say that the nascent souls in minor powers are not crafters of one persuasion or another (you don't tend to get to that level without picking up at least one profession) but rather that being able to have someone of that rank be dedicated to utilizing and advancing their profession and not need to worry about pushing up their combat ability (too much at least) is a big power multiplayer no matter their profession.
There are around two dozen major powers on this continent, this has been the case for the last two thousand years.
Great powers.
To be a great power is more about the number of nascent souls you possess, or about your nascent souls at all (although they do matter).
To be a great power means one thing, that someway, somehow, your disciples reliably pouch a full realm above their own. That the Qi condensation disciples are as the foundation establishment disciples of other powers, that the foundation cultivators are as strong as those in core formation and that those at core formation can fight with nascent souls.
For a very recant example, it has been noted that the two wights made from the Guang elders that are fighting the VF sect master were in core formation before their death and that despite any power that they lost in process and the sect master being a nascent soul boosted by a formation the fight is even and not the one-sided stomp it should have been.
Of course, such excellence dos carry on to the nascent soul realm but not to the same extreme, the nascent souls of great powers are stronger than those of others but if a spirit severing monster arrived form beyond the continent, they would not stand equal.
There isn't really a standard level here, expect from the fact that to even reach this level requires deep knowledge of pretty much all aspects and the overwhelming power it brings means absolute dominance of even minor and major powers.
There are (or were) four great powers.
The Guang Clan achieved this statue because of soul cultivation and their bloodline (and technically their great insight into soul cultivation comes from their bloodline).
The ascendant sword sect achieved this statue with sword Hax's and extreme mastery of sword crafting/refining.
The infinite mountain sect achieved this statue with mastery of body refining and righteous flesh crafting.
The Jiu clan has achieved this statue by mastery of self-sacrificing and life consuming techniques and their bloodline which gives their members nine lives.
Well, this was longer than I expected... I hope it at least proved interesting.
Through freeing your chained brethren in the recant event, the collective has managed to gather 6 shards of the ancestors. Which they may now use to repair the collective.
Please vote in plan format, I'm going to give another 4 hours moratorium to allow some discussion and contemplation of the offered options.
You don't have to spend all of the shards right this minute, after this vote, this post is going to go for the informational and you could come back and buy things whenever. And as you unlock things (either through here or by progressing through your trees) more options will be added.
Our next stop is Poison valley, which may or may not influence what you want to buy.
Skills. (this unlocks not only teaching Guang Li the skill but also ancestor specific actions).
[] Herbalism- the skill for growing and tending for spiritual herbs.
[] Beast taming- the skill for taming beasts for labor, combat or for harvesting.
[] Stealth [advanced]- the skill for evading Qi senses and perception techniques.
[] talisman making [advanced] - the skill for creating talismans, consumable scripts that influence the world around them.
[] Qi sense [advanced]- the skill for sensing Qi in the surroundings. Useful for both detecting enemies and finding treasure.
[] spiritual butcher- the upgrade of the butcher skill, utilizing small amount of Qi spun in a specific manner to retain more of the spirit beast power within its body.
[] doctor [rare]- the skill for treating wounds for enhanced individuals, limited without relevant techniques but still needed for a good doctor.
Ancestors' actions/knowledge-
[] Meridian creation (flesh crafting) (3 shards)- a secret stolen from the Infinite Mountain sect long ago, utilizing advanced principles of flesh crafting and high knowledge and awareness of the body the ancestors of the Guang may create a new meridian system in Guang Li body, it would be small, far smaller than the natural body but separate as both systems would be they would not influence the difficulty of opening one another. Gain graft artificial meridian system planning [0/250] (wisdom) and graft artificial meridian system [0/300] when the previous project is done. Once complete Guang Li may open up to 5 meridians on a new track (basically the difficulty increase from one doesn't affect the other).
[] the tenth Qi condensation stage- a secret stage, known to few on the continent. With secret knowledge and mastery one can push forward even after fully expanding their dantian, condensing a powerful drop of Qi and utilizing to fully shatter a chain of heaven earning their enmity but removing the shackles imposed upon the cultivator.
[] The eleventh Qi condensation stage [Requires the tenth]- an additional secret stage, the second of four, allowing one to fully shatter a chain of heaven.
[] Binding of heaven- instead of shattering or bending the chains of heaven with secret knowledge one can strike a binding with heaven and reinforce a chain into an unbreakable bond. This chain will never bend or break, forever tying down the cultivator but for willing to succumb to heavens laws the cultivator earns its favor. The harsher the chain the more favor afforded.
Chain of hunger- this dictates that the mortal must consume of the world to survive. On breaking this chain, the cultivator losses all need for food, on binding the cultivator will never lose or reduce the quantity of food he requires and as he advances in cultivation more sustenance would be required to sustain.
Chain of rest- the heavens dictate that all mortals must fall into slumber least their bodies fail them. on breaking the cultivator body no longer requires sleep. on binding the cultivator would never reduce the amount of rest his body requires and as he advances, he may require even more rest to ensure his body stays in top shape.
The chain of age- the heavens dictates that all men grow old and frail in time. on breaking the cultivator will not age, their life line can still run out so they can still die form old age but they will not grow frail the grasp of time slipping its hold on them. On binding, the cultivator will age like a mortal, they will still be able to live for several lifetimes but their bodies will grow frail and weak in time.
The chain of earth- the even dictate that all mortals are drawn to the earth from which they came. On breaking, the earth no longer calls upon the cultivator allowing him to reach for the sky (and fly), on binding no longer can the cultivator leave the ground for more than brief instances, he will never soar through the sky and even his leaps would be reduced the earth calling on him to return.
[] Mantling- a secret of the Guang, the act of mantling allows the ancestors to -briefly- possess Guang Li body just enough to guide and correct his mistakes, allowing the ancestors greater skill to supplement his own. (in mechanical terms, Guang Li will get a bonus to his rolls, that bonus scales by how far down a knowledge tree the ancestors got).
[] Bloodline reinforcement (2 shards)- through the use of copious amounts of Shen, one's bloodline can be thickened providing a multitude of benefits.
[] Blood spilling cycle- a secret technique of the Guang bordering the demonic, when blood is spilled by Guang Li the ancestors may gather it a small portion of it for later use, this technique is incredibly refined and dos not posses the many dangers and downside normally apparent in such techniques. It is also almost completely undetectable.
[] breath of the Guang [2 shards]- using esoteric knowledge and refinements over millennia's, the Guang ancestors can supplement Guang Li breathing from the realm of the dead, effectively increasing the number of meridians dedicated to the breathing technique. (this is an active action of the ghosts).
[] Twelve cuts to topple the heavens, the first cut to open the way- stolen from the Sword Ascendant sect at great cost, the Guang ancestors know the first technique of its main manual, the first cut to open the way is a technique which calls upon the sword Dao to penetrate and nullify defensive artifacts or techniques and is the first of a sequence of twelve. This technique requires no Qi, merely understanding a far rarer substance.
Recipes/artifacts blueprints. (feel free to ask for possible artifacts/pills this is just giving you examples).
[] Pill of the open Dantian- a special pill that eases the opening of the second dantian. 1 rare herb, 15 common herbs. [hard] (requires double the points to brew). -10 to the dc of opening the first/second/third dentian. Each additional pill taken for the same dentian after the first gives half the benefit. (so -5 then -2 then -1).
[] Pill of the surging heart- a powerful pill meant to supplement the blood refined heart, both pushing it harder and reducing the strain it puts on the body. 5 rare herbs, 1 notable rare herb (blood), 50 common herbs. Halve the HP penalty of blood surge, double the benefit and add 50% to its duration.
[] Bell of the honored dead- most of the Guang ancestors are slumbering withing the realm of the dead, few manage to hold interest in their descendants for long periods of time, ringing this bell draws their attention and wakes them from their slumber for a limited time, saving their descendant from peril. 100 progress (wisdom), 50 progress (Qi), 50 progress (wrath), 100 CC (or its equivalent in materials), 50 pure Qi, 10 Yin Qi. A lifesaving treasure sufficient for anything below NS. Ringing the bell may injure The Guang who rung it, as too many ancestors are channeled through their body.
General upgrades (may be bought multiple times)- instead of something specific the ancestors could recall many techniques and tricks of efficiency and effectiveness.
[] General body refining knowledge [max 3]- +1 to body refining rolls per ghost.
[] General Qi condensation knowledge [max 5]- +1 to Qi condensation rolls per ghost.
[] General Qi gathering knowledge [max 5]- +1 to Qi gathering rolls per ghost.
Repairs- alternatively the shards may be spent to repair sections the Guang already posses (1 shard= 250~ progress.
[ ] Seek knowledge from the collective.
-[ ] knowledge of extreme Yin and extreme Yang. [35/250] unlock an action to change Yin Qi to Yang Qi and Yang Qi to yin Qi.
-[ ] Knowledge of the bloodline [88/250]. Unlock bloodline actions.
-[ ] Knowledge of your demise [0/500]. Knowledge about the slaughter.
[] the eyes which sees the future- someone attempts to shield the future from your sight, instead of attempting to overpower the shield attempt to restore the knowledge of breaching the interference. [17/100] +1 decryption score.
[ ] Look to the stars for hidden knowledge of the future [174/500]. Reveal the event in the event track permanently.
