- Location
- Who knows?
I really enjoyed Brother Divsimar's teaching/philosophy here! The cat analogy, and general message of being confident enough even if you don't have full control/knowledge is very apropos.
Green Flame Rising (Exalted vs Dresden Files)
- Thread starter DragonParadox
- Start date
- Crossover Fantasy
OK, this looks pretty definitive, vote closed let's show the monk the newest Realm-of-Yomi-that-Isn't
Arc 11 Post 33: Parting the Veil
Parting the Veil
9th of January 2007 A.D.
"Diplomacy is supposed to be about opening up and finding common ground, but of late I have found that it is also about finding the places where interests to not align, figuring out the secrets of those who should be allies," you answer mostly honestly, keeping back the threat of the Walker against which the old monk, wise as he may be can do little. Actually.... Who has infiltrated this man's organization? These words you press into the ether with script of unseen flame and the answer.
Lost 1 Essence -> Now at 14/15 (Crown Question)
No one.
A breath you had not realized you were holding escapes you, relief layering over satisfaction at finally getting somewhere with the meditation. Finally a house with no rats in its walls, you were beginning to wonder if such a thing could even exist.
"If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you; If all men count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute with 60 seconds worth of distance run- Yours is the earth and everything that's in it," he says, quotes. It takes you a moment to recognize Kipling's If and mentally add the last line, though awkward in the moment for it had been addressed to a son, not a daughter: And—which is more—you'll be a Man, my son.
"Yeah, something like," you admit. "Though not the Earth."
He nods as though expecting it and explains: "A pair of the Wise, learned one in peace the other in war came to see me last month. They had many questions, the Wise often do, but in those questions many answers could be found. A place that is as no other place, a places where you are queen." He sets the delicate floral tea cup on its plate. "I have no sight beyond sight with which to behold such things, but I have ears with which to listen to the rumors that fly through the air like sparrows in spring. So I have come to know more than nothing though less than all, such as is the lot of man."
"If only other people could be a philosophical about it as you holy one," you sigh, but to your surprise he laughs.
"Such a strange language English, turn it one way and it seems a fair sampler in the bazaar of all the world's meanings, turn it another and it gets lost in a dead end of parochial understanding, as though a philosopher is a man sitting perched on a rock somewhere thinking for its own sweet sake and never coming to any conclusions. If I must be something that ends in 'al' then I would rather be methodical."
"Well I can certainly help with that. I was going to invite you..."
***
Lost 2 Essence -> Now at 12/15 (Opening the way)
The tour which had begun in the palace soon leads though the Wyrm-Lines to the City of Law, to theaters filled with masked perfumers dancing like many-colored flowers moving with the wind, like arrows and raptors bloody beaked upon the eve of war, to calls of commerce where the syndic-corps display their wares in play of light and shadow, at last to libraries filled with the hum of watchful SUTRAS. Halls of study you see, halls of learning, you even pop in on Daniel and Olivia, your brother obviously curious about the man who is your teacher. He does not complain about the peace of his own learning, though you can tell he's sitting more gingerly than usual, the consequence of a tumble that hadn't been worth the healing patch.
"Your realm becomes you Miss Carpenter," the aged monk says, looking out over the lights of the city. "A perilous place locked against the universe beyond, still keeping secrets in its heart, yet eager to reach out and touch the middle realms. I know now why the lady Wu Min thought this a realm of Yomi, lost perhaps and found by accident."
"But you don't think it is one?" you ask, trying not to sound too annoyed at hearing the theory again.
"It is said that nature abhors a vacuum and that is true for the nature we know, but the realms of Yomi abhor balance, so I have heard in my youth from a scholar with much understanding of them and a great reason to seek greater. This realm, this Sanctuary is, for all its raging extremes, a place in balance, between ice and fire savagery and civility, the ethereal and the material. Take any blade of grass, any feather off a sauropod's back and one would conclude that it was brought from the Demon World, but all together as these old eyes might judge: art and architecture, philosophy and science... No, this is not a place of punishment, even in that most righteous sense that it is whispered a handful of Yama Kings still keep to for it it was the very laws of nature would favor binding not release. The mountains and rivers would not be arguing so much as to need a whole cadre of spirit-talkers and martial artists to argue back. Mere royal absence could not change that... I do not know what this domain is other than an excellent place to stretch one's legs and one's mind. If I may..."
What do you reply?
[] Agree to let him explore Sanctuary
[] Ask for his help
-[] ...in Studying the arts of Sanctuary in comparison to those he knows, there are undoubted similarities, but you do not have the time to study they
-[] Keeping an eye on your little brother, offer some advice, maybe some words of wisdom
[] Offer an alliance with his monastery and any trained shih who are friendly with them
-[] Write in terms
[] Write in
OOC: Not as much of a surprise as Molly thought it would be thanks to Morgan and company seeking Brother Divsimar out, but he is still very glad he decided to stay and be friendly with Molly. I am not even going to make you guys roll to tell that one.
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- Location
- Earth
A couple lessons are a cheap price to pay for the goodwill of a monarch.
His lessons have had a serious impact on molly. He has shaped us into the monarch and while we don't owe him favours we do owe him respect.
- Location
- Earth
And we do respect him.
Molly hasn't opened up about her nightmare to her parents, or anyone but him.
[X] Plan Honor Thy Teacher
-[X] Agree to let him explore Sanctuary
--[X] Offer whatever support he requires, and provide ways to contact you
--[X] If he wishes to travel anonymously, help him with a cover story and provide means to communicate
-[X] Offer an alliance with his monastery and any trained shih who are friendly with them
--[X] Terms:
---[X] You provide:
----[X] The benefit of the Courts' medical technology and equipment for those suffering from injuries obtained in the line of duty
----[X] The benefit of the Wheel for those suffering from incurable illnesses, including old age, that are not ready to depart this life
----[X] Access to armor, and weapons on the same terms as White Council gets
---[X] They provide:
----[X] Advice, local knowledge, and introductions for you and your agents as needed
----[X] Shelter for your agents, with a right of refusal if it actively endangers them
----[X] A chance to learn shih arts for your agents (with a right to refuse the student)
Something like this? Or are the alliance terms "too much too fast"?
-[X] Agree to let him explore Sanctuary
--[X] Offer whatever support he requires, and provide ways to contact you
--[X] If he wishes to travel anonymously, help him with a cover story and provide means to communicate
-[X] Offer an alliance with his monastery and any trained shih who are friendly with them
--[X] Terms:
---[X] You provide:
----[X] The benefit of the Courts' medical technology and equipment for those suffering from injuries obtained in the line of duty
----[X] The benefit of the Wheel for those suffering from incurable illnesses, including old age, that are not ready to depart this life
----[X] Access to armor, and weapons on the same terms as White Council gets
---[X] They provide:
----[X] Advice, local knowledge, and introductions for you and your agents as needed
----[X] Shelter for your agents, with a right of refusal if it actively endangers them
----[X] A chance to learn shih arts for your agents (with a right to refuse the student)
Something like this? Or are the alliance terms "too much too fast"?
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- Pronouns
- She/Her
Seems a bit "too much too fast". Though I tend towards cautious, when it comes to diplomacy. I'd rather not start off too strong, and have to mend things.
From their point of view, I imagine that it's a few alarm bells, and learning their arts might be a fair trade, but it is still one hell of an ask.
From their point of view, I imagine that it's a few alarm bells, and learning their arts might be a fair trade, but it is still one hell of an ask.
But how fast is this, actually? Yes, we only knew each other for half a year, which is not much on an institutional timespan, but it's not little either.
This is also an offer to negotiate. Maybe drop their arts for now? Their local wisdom and knowledge is more important.
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
Thanks, corrected.
So has he basically put Molly down as a question mark, or does he think she's some sort of cousin to the Yama Kings?
Yeah. Though I think the looks needs redone.
I disagree with @Alratan on the jades being exalted in power or significance on a basic level, but he's right about a vague description of the item attracting more attention from them than we'd like.
Maybe we could make up a story from the FCF to base the look on? We have existing stories about ascetics going into the waste seeking wisdom through hardship, which could work as a base.
Perhaps something tied to FHS?
It is said that in elder days, when the dream had first sparked and the Empress-to-Be had not yet set its boundaries, that one could wander the edge of what was to see what could be.
Many a brave traveler met glory and ruin seeking things to grant them greater form among the formless. One such traveler found both; for their legacy is as vast and enduring as the wastes, while their name was as a candle lit within them.
The Wayfarer had been searching fruitlessly for lifetimes and in his heart he despaired that he had become truly lost, for he could no longer remember home well enough for the world to carry him there.
As they reached the limits of their endurance, The Wayfarer found themselves caught in a storm and driven deep into the caves of a vast mountain. Within they would find something miraculous; a spring. Though it was scarcely any warmer within than without, true water flowed as easily as it might under the ring.
Unknown to The Wayfarer, they had found a spoke of the Wheel. A place where the flow of souls turned particularly quick and, though it did not think, the wheel learned. For while it yet has no voice, the world has ever had eyes.
As The Wayfarer drank the water, so too did they partake in the secret knowledge found in the parting and joining of body and soul.
Many a brave traveler met glory and ruin seeking things to grant them greater form among the formless. One such traveler found both; for their legacy is as vast and enduring as the wastes, while their name was as a candle lit within them.
The Wayfarer had been searching fruitlessly for lifetimes and in his heart he despaired that he had become truly lost, for he could no longer remember home well enough for the world to carry him there.
As they reached the limits of their endurance, The Wayfarer found themselves caught in a storm and driven deep into the caves of a vast mountain. Within they would find something miraculous; a spring. Though it was scarcely any warmer within than without, true water flowed as easily as it might under the ring.
Unknown to The Wayfarer, they had found a spoke of the Wheel. A place where the flow of souls turned particularly quick and, though it did not think, the wheel learned. For while it yet has no voice, the world has ever had eyes.
As The Wayfarer drank the water, so too did they partake in the secret knowledge found in the parting and joining of body and soul.
This isn't necessarily meant to be true, just a story told like the fountain of youth for a society where everyone is already immortal.
You drink from it and get exposed to the secret knowledge of the wheel, which has beheld all death and presided over the joining of countless souls. Granting you great vitality and in the case of this particular campfire story contributing to the development of magical martial arts through inspired knowledge of moving the body and soul together.
An item themed on that could be something like a boulder with a split in it from which unspeakably cold water spills. Same usage rules as the fruit; make a will check to drink and the impossible cold leeches imperfections from the place where body meets soul (that is, grants the transformation) instead of heat.
I could also begrudgingly be convinced to drop unaging for another feature that fits the theme.
Maybe pain tolerance, a variant of the vampire efficient digestion that applies to regenerating their own chi, or mystic ability tuned to physical threats.
Not everything has to be an explicit debt. I think paying back a good turn given at great risk (which this really was) with an excellent reward is appropriate.
Edit: Minor corrections.
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I could agree to a different appearance, though it was deliberate when I made it- that might well be how original peaches of immortality worked, recreated now by exalted hand of Molly. I like that it is very close to, perhaps exactly the same or similar to the "real" peach tree of immortality. That's part of the point of proving Molly's bonafides. It's symbolic. It's a statement to those partaking of it. It's a statement to those who know about it.
Some of the proposed lore for FCF doesn't work, I think, because most people likely have originated from the ancestral prison, or were sheltered there, or in the forest area, but the writing is great, and it could probably be adapted.
Maybe make it a mushroom. Or a never-melting icicle that slowly produced droplets of water. Yeah, that could work. If we agree to make the effect, aesthetics could be discussed. EDIT: I was thinking of involving Lash in making the tree /EDIT. She could probably help with Lore of Flesh.
This I disagree with. Agelessness is a qualitative advantage most bad guys in the setting have over most good guys in the setting. They have time to be patient. To weave these millennia-long schemes, to accumulate wealth, to hone their skills, to select and perhaps even selectively breed apprentices. Good guys are mostly mortal. Wizards too, but in many cases - mortals. Those who have at most a century or a bit more for life, with an active service of seventy years if they are likely. This changes the equation fundamentally. Not now, not for a while, not for the duration of the game, almost certainly, but fundamentally, if the distant epilogue of whatever hazy future is revealed by the turning of the wheel? A thousand years old shih grandmaster is a completely different beast than a two hundred year old one who is on the verge of succumbing to age.
And, besides, it's not like I am planning on stopping at one tree. That's the thing - at 3 dots, with how we are going? We could afford to grow a garden in a year or so.
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For my part I think something like this would be good, but we shouldn't do it unilaterally on either side.
Divsimar may have been reporting in, but that isn't the same as having full buy in on us and we don't want to scare off their order's more paranoid members.
I'm pretty sure our people will be on board with a deal like this, but we should at minimum talk about it with them. In charge or not letting our advisors advise is always a good plan, and it's their stuff we're promising here anyway.
I think a good play would be to green light his exploration and extend the offer to his order. Then go to the Exarchs get buy in for a lore exchange.
Let things grow organically from there.
So, just leave "offer an alliance", but leave the terms for later? @DragonParadox who would be negotiating the alliance terms on shih's part? Does the good brother have such authority? Molly should, but how would this normally be done?
fictionfan
Please sir, may I have some Meows?
- Location
- Tempe, AZ
[X] Agree to let him explore Sanctuary
Are we going to have to start making passports?
Are we going to have to start making passports?
We most likely would need to give him a personal assistant device - he doesn't speak any language of the Sanctuary, and has no money otherwise.
