Hmmph... this junior is a good seed [Cultivation Management Quest]

[occipitallobe]

Good Seed and Omake Spreadsheet Rules:

Firstly, if you have questions about Good Seeds and the like please read here. If that doesn't answer your question please ping me in thread, or on Discord.

If you write a new Good Seed, or write an omake, please update the spreadsheet if you have access.

If you do not have access, please ping a collaborator (Swordomatic, Alectai, Quest, TehChron, Insane-Not-Crazy, Humbaba, ReaderOfFate, Kaboomatic, no., BungieONI) letting them know what you want and they will update the spreadsheet here. To gain access, you will need a gmail account of some kind. Throwaway emails are fine (I'm using one for the spreadsheet), but to gain access it's as simple as sending me either your email via PM, via DM in Discord, or just in Discord's #spreadsheet-requests channel.

This is mandatory. If a Good Seed does not record their omake by pinging collabs (or just requesting access and editing things themselves - this is the preferred option), I won't give out awards. If a new Good Seed is not recorded here, they won't advance. By doing this it makes the whole thing manageable for me - it's gotten pretty unwieldy!

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Omake Writer Instructions:

There are four fields you need to fill out.

Omake Link, which is just a link to your first omake for the turn. This makes it easier for me to read them as I do the update - without this it's tough to know off the bat which omake were written this turn, and to properly

Requested Bonus, which is your requested bonus for your omake. You can leave it up to me if you like. You can see more info in the Good Seed infopost here.

Cultivation Aims. For those following unorthodox paths - higher than 9th Heavenstage or later than 7th Dao Pillar paths. Please put in what you are aiming for before you break through. I have left it as 'default'. If you do not edit it, I'll go with that.

Turn Notes - Do you want to do something specific? Enter a Secret Realm? Help the Clan out in some way? If you have something specific you want to accomplish on this turn, put it in turn notes so I can adjust your Fate around it.

All other fields are for QM use to record character information to properly run the flow of the game.

 

[occipitallobe]

The two presences stopped, just outside the Dawn Fortress.

Waiting.

Well.

Manuel had no need to oblige them, but also no need to offend them.

Two men floated in the air above the fortress, one was....

Manuel shook his head. He'd seen the man. He'd even remembered seeing him. His details, his eyes, his clothes... all gone from his memory. He grunted. That was going to be fun.

The other man was handsome and tall, with dark skin on high cheekbones framing an aquiline nose. His eyes were gentle, and his hair was tied up in a turban above his head. He carried a spear glimmering with jewels, what appeared to be the living tail of a serpent flicking and waving at its end.

Manuel recognised this man. He had been a mere Foundation Building expert when he had last saw him, bearing the amulet that took Alexios's life. Still. That was no reason to act foolishly. No, he would certainly not attack this handsome man, every intention within him wide open, his intention to leave the handsome man alone emanating from every pore in his body.

He spoke to them.

"So, you have come to my home. May I ask who has come, and what for?"

The second man spoke.

"I am Bh-"

As he did, Manuel leapt into action, flaring his cultivation. A droplet of crystallised Ten-Year Tea dissolving under his tongue let him momentarily exude the aura - if nothing else - of a Late Nascent Soul, and he struck in the direction of the unmemorable man, Certain Death Corpse Dagger stabbing towards him. A pointless weapon, except that it allowed him to convince others in a lower realm that the blow was sure to be fatal. This particular combination he had been holding onto for four hundred years, waiting for an opportunity to use it.

He felt a flare of peculiar Heavenly Qi, and the nondescript man faded from existence.

His token shattered, he presumed. Not that he could tell, or even remember what the man had done. Frustrating, but he could still infer the situation from context. The pieces of his memory shattered and lost in the past could never properly form, but at least now he would not be at such a disadvantage - in both combat and conversation.

Manuel smiled, and flew back, narrowly dodging a strike from the handsome man.

"Apologies, dear guest. I thought I detected something there. Ah, well. Perhaps it was nothing."

The other man looked at him, shaking with rage momentarily.

"You dare?"

Manuel's smile grew thinnner.

"Only an idiot would negotiate with two Nascent Souls. You could easily kill me, or enforce your will on me as you preferred. You came without attacking, so clearly you're here to negotiate. Do you think I would do so from a position of weakness?"

The man eyed him down.

"Very well. was an idiot anyway, and what is done is done. You may call me Bhrigu."

"Of course, honored Bhrigu. This one is Manuel Konstantinos, Grand Elder of the Golden Devils. What do you wish from my humble home?"

The man bit his lip.

"The Naag."

"The Naag?"

"Anush Naag. Ninth Prince. Lord of Ten Thousand Serpents. Terror of Jharkhand. Whatever name he goes by, it matters not."

Manuel's smile quivered a little, as if entertained.

"I may have heard of such a name. Tell me, what do you wish with a junior of mine?"

"A junior?!"

The man's shoulders trembled, and his eyes widened.

"No, no, of course. To cross the Seas. Of course."

He chuckled.

"This will be easier, then. I had thought I was bargaining for the life of a... Nascent Soul, as you call them. If he is less than that, I suppose it makes the calculus easier for you, no?"

Manuel frowned.

"Perhaps it does. Let us assume I am but a poor, ignorant barbarian to your magnificent Fifth Sea self. Could you explain your logic to this one?"

The man looked at him, taking the compliments in stride.

"Let me make it explicit for you, then, old man. The Naag and I have... irreconcilable differences. Allow me to exterminate the last of my enemies and I will restrain these trials of ours, and even offer plentiful gifts and wealth. Enough to make up for ten of your petty Nascent Souls. If Anush Naag dies, I can offer much."

Manuel raised an eyebrow.

"Will not killing him shatter your token and return you to the Fifth Sea?"

Bhrigu nodded.

"Yes. But I do not come here for some minor boost of Karma. Killing the Naag will be sufficient for me."

Manuel thought for a moment. There was something screaming in the back of his mind. A trap. It wasn't his instincts, nor his Dao.

No.

His eyes opened wide, his face jolted by relevation. This was not him communing with Heaven's Shadow.

This was Heaven's Shadow communing with him.

Don't.... let him... we all end... don't... let...

The tiny, flickering voice ended, cut off without even an echo to remember it.

He smiled, bowing at Bhrigu.

"I may be amenable. Before we begin negotiating though, I wish to tell a story so that you might understand my position."

Bhrigu threw his shoulders back and sighed.

"If you must."

"What do you know of trees, honored Bhrigu?"

"Of trees?"

"Let me tell you a tale, if you would. Of two trees. My mentor, Alexios, once said there were two mighty oaks, near a village. Both stood tall and proud for centuries, until weakness took them, and they began to die. Slowly but surely they dried out, old and unmoving, no longer able to grow or advance."

Bhrigu nodded.

"The first tree sought to keep what little of its life was left, and toppled over into a nearby bog. Into the muck it fell, bubbles rising around it as it fell deep, rotting all the while. For centuries it persisted, and centuries more, the ancient oak rotting away, becoming less and less. As it rotted, it became home to all manner of horrid beasts, rising from the swamp to strike at the village. Spirit Beasts of all types struck at the village, and in that oak they lived. It became a foul thing, exchanging life for the misery of others."

Manuel cast his thoughts back, to old Alexios. He had been a Foundation Building expert when he had heard this story. A children's tale, but all the best truths were simple. Even having a Dao was simple enough. Just because a thing was simple didn't mean it was easy, though.

"The second oak grew old later, you see, being younger. It was on a night where the foul oak disgorged hundreds of beasts, converging on the village which had no further way to defend itself. On that selfsame night, the second oak challenged the Heavens, stretching to grow again. For its insolence lightning came from the sky, shattering it, and lighting it on fire. Thousands of branches and split pieces of trunk fell to the ground, infused with Heavenly fire. The villagers saw it, and picked up the pieces, Heavenly fire in their hands. Mere mortals, they turned back Spirit Beasts and more, the fire of Heaven itself serving them on that one night."

"As the sun rose, the last pieces of the second oak were gone, consumed by the fire. The village was saved. The second oak was dead, and the first oak still rotted underground. It's life had been preserved."

Bhrigu looked bored.

"What are you telling me, old man? Stop skirting around what you want to say, you're tiring me with your pointless story."

"Every man is like these trees, to a degree. To rot, and survive a little longer. To give up your juniors, those under your protection for a little more safety, to compromise and cower so you might rot for a few more years. That is one choice. The other..."

Manuel grinned, his cleaver and dagger in hand.

"...is to burn!"

 

[Alratan]

Ominous...

 

[Leon12431]

Just how lucky did Manuel be to get this outcome? A one on one fight is much more even and has at least a possible chance for a junior to be caught in the blast of B's attacks ending his little excursion.

 

[occipitallobe]

Just how lucky did Manuel be to get this outcome?

Click to shrink...

This Nascent Soul fight specifically wasn't subject to rolls, but rather is generating the outcome of other rolls.

I have a (rolled) endpoint, a few plot points I needed to touch off on, and I needed a way to tie them all together.

I had a few ideas, but specifically needed something to tie everything together. I wrote like three plotlines before I found one that I was actually satisfied with and wanted to write out, and this is it. I think you'll all enjoy it.

 

[Tall_Garbage]

Goodbye Grand Elder, it was fun.

 

[ReaderOfFate]

Manuel shook his head. He'd seen the man. He'd even remembered seeing him. His details, his eyes, his clothes... all gone from his memory. He grunted. That was going to be fun.

Click to shrink...

If that isn't a Dao effect, I'll eat my hat.

Manuel recognised this man. He had been a mere Foundation Building expert when he had last saw him, bearing the amulet that took Alexios's life.

Click to shrink...

Wow, there's precisely no way Manuel is going to leave him alive.

No, he would certainly not attack this handsome man, every intention within him wide open, his intention to leave the handsome man alone emanating from every pore in his body.

Click to shrink...

If that isn't a Dao effect, I'll eat the hat that I keep stacked atop my first hat.

His eyes opened wide, his face jolted by relevation. This was not him communing with Heaven's Shadow.

This was Heaven's Shadow communing with him.

Don't.... we all end... don't...

Click to shrink...

Woah, that's hella spooky. Clearly, the Ninth Prince is pretty important to the survival or resurgence of our Clan in some way.

"Every man is like these trees, to a degree. To rot, and survive a little longer. To give up your juniors, those under your protection for a little more safety, to compromise and cower so you might rot for a few more years. That is one choice. The other..."

Manuel grinned, his cleaver and dagger in hand.

"...is to burn!"

Click to shrink...

Go for it, Manuel! I believe in you!

(I hope he can access the Late Nascent Soul Will from where he is...)

 

[Mochinator]

As he did, Manuel leapt into action, flaring his cultivation. A droplet of crystallised Ten-Year Tea dissolving under his tongue let him momentarily exude the aura - if nothing else - of a Late Nascent Soul, and he struck in the direction of the unmemorable man, Certain Death Corpse Dagger stabbing towards him. A pointless weapon, except that it allowed him to convince others in a lower realm that the blow was sure to be fatal. This particular combination he had been holding onto for four hundred years, waiting for an opportunity to use it.

He felt a flare of peculiar Heavenly Qi, and the nondescript man faded from existence.

His token shattered, he presumed. Not that he could tell, or even remember what the man had done. Frustrating, but he could still infer the situation from context. The pieces of his memory shattered and lost in the past could never properly form, but at least now he would not be at such a disadvantage - in both combat and conversation.

Click to shrink...

Oh that was cunning! And if i remember right, that was the other cultivator the one that was more dangerous because of how mysterious he was

His eyes opened wide, his face jolted by relevation. This was not him communing with Heaven's Shadow.

This was Heaven's Shadow communing with him.

Don't.... let him... we all end... don't... let...

The tiny, flickering voice ended, cut off without even an echo to remember it.

Click to shrink...

Wow, that is interesting. Heaven might have forsaken us but we look to have our own backer as well?

"Every man is like these trees, to a degree. To rot, and survive a little longer. To give up your juniors, those under your protection for a little more safety, to compromise and cower so you might rot for a few more years. That is one choice. The other..."

Manuel grinned, his cleaver and dagger in hand.

"...is to burn!"

Click to shrink...

Oh nice! Very Epic moment. Judging from the title of the chap and this ending point, it looks like the rolls were pretty decent!

 

[Karugus]

Is this Manuel condemning his earlier acts to avoid harm during the earlier war? Or is this simply him recognizing there's a difference between inviting unknown retaliation and throwing down with the asshole that has the audacity to flat out demand one of his own?

 

[Raron]

Why are people writing Manuel off? We still have that Late Nascent Soul attack Will from starting bonuses to play.

 

[occipitallobe]

Is this Manuel condemning his earlier acts to avoid harm during the earlier war? Or is this simply him recognizing there's a difference between inviting unknown retaliation and throwing down with the asshole that has the audacity to flat out demand one of his own?

Click to shrink...

Initially, it's just caution. As aggressive as it seems to just merc one guy right off, if two Nascent Souls try to kill him he's dead. It makes too much sense to even the odds right away if possible. Note this would never work against non-Fifth Sea Nascent Souls, but shattering a token is a good plan if you assume you're about to die.

The overall fight is the latter in part. Secondly, the Shadow of Heaven's Will has clearly told him the Clan is done for if he doesn't stop them killing Anush Naag, so he has to fight. But also, he really, really wants to and has done for centuries. He watched his mentor and best friend die to these Trials, watched people die in their thousands every year, powerless to do anything.

He doesn't want to have to take a fight, necessarily, but emotionally he is 100% down with fucking over Fifth Sea Nascent Souls in whatever capacity possible. And given it's pretty much non-optional, this day got very bad but also very good for Manuel.

 

[Karugus]

Initially, it's just caution. As aggressive as it seems to just merc one guy right off, if two Nascent Souls try to kill him he's dead. It makes too much sense to even the odds right away if possible. Note this would never work against non-Fifth Sea Nascent Souls, but shattering a token is a good plan if you assume you're about to die.

The overall fight is the latter in part. Secondly, the Shadow of Heaven's Will has clearly told him the Clan is done for if he doesn't stop them killing Anush Naag, so he has to fight. But also, he really, really wants to and has done for centuries. He watched his mentor and best friend die to these Trials, watched people die in their thousands every year, powerless to do anything.

He doesn't want to have to take a fight, necessarily, but emotionally he is 100% down with fucking over Fifth Sea Nascent Souls in whatever capacity possible. And given it's pretty much non-optional, this day got very bad but also very good for Manuel.

Click to shrink...

I take it everyone else heard the fourth bell, and presumably felt one of the 5th sea Nascent Souls get punked? As bad it sounds, it will probably help people accept our choice in hindsight if Manuel wound up fighting in the trials against the two who came through.

 

[Leon12431]

Hmm. are there no spirit severing protectors this trial?

 

[occipitallobe]

Hmm. are there no spirit severing protectors this trial?

Click to shrink...

There are, but they're not interfering with hot Nascent-on-Nascent action.

They love that stuff.

 

[occipitallobe]

Please - only those who have chosen Saving Juniors this turn (as per trial mechanics here) vote on this.

I'm looking at doing one of two things.

One, each Good Seed gets a small snippet for Saving Juniors (did 'x') in the Good Seed Report at the end of the turn.

Two, I write one specific outcome as a story post, letting you know how you all collectively did.

Please let me know what you'd prefer.

[ ] Individual Snippet

[ ] Collective Storypost

 

[gale]

There are, but they're not interfering with hot Nascent-on-Nascent action.

They love that stuff.

Click to shrink...

They do not get to see it often then?

 

[Leon12431]

[X] Individual Snippet

Does this mean that the Ninth Prince can not die ever until some point in the future or is it only for the trial?

[x] Individual Snippet

 

[ReaderOfFate]

There are, but they're not interfering with hot Nascent-on-Nascent action.

They love that stuff.

Click to shrink...

Of course, high-level fights like that must be entertaining.

BTW, as for the Heaven's Shadow saying that the Clan would be in peril if the Ninth Prince dies, is that referring to the current moment, or is it a blanket statement for all time forwards?

 

[TimEd]

Just how lucky did Manuel be to get this outcome? A one on one fight is much more even and has at least a possible chance for a junior to be caught in the blast of B's attacks ending his little excursion.

Click to shrink...

Ehhh. Manuel as a character was chosen because he had tons of actual fighting experience. Would be weirder if we were "just" wiped out due to a battle roll we never had a chance to pass from the start.

I mean, just imagine if we had chosen the Young Genius who had little combat experience in this situation.

 

[DangerKitty]

[X] Individual Snippet

I assume ambrus wouldnt be mentioned by name if i go collective.

I wanna know what i got for trading his life

[x] Individual Snippet

 

[Neshuakadal]

[X] Collective Storypost

 

[ReaderOfFate]

[-] Collective Storypost

This would probably look more cohesive overall.

I just hope Amaranth's name gets mentioned, tbh. Considering he has two rolls and is burning a stage-jumper, maybe my hope isn't impossible.

Changed my mind. I need prompts, and the Collective wouldn't be good for that.

 

[Shard]

[X] Collective Storypost

Cohesiveness!

 

[occipitallobe]

[X] Individual Snippet

I assume ambrus wouldnt be mentioned by name if i go collective.

I wanna know what i got for trading his life

[x] Individual Snippet

Click to shrink...

I'll aim to mention everyone by name in the storypost. It's more 'you guys did this thing together' and it'll be hard to quantify your personal contributions. Also, it'll be much more specific on what you've done and where, so there won't be as much wriggle room for omake. Conversely, individual snippets will make it much clearer how effective each individual was.

edit: Make certain you've made your Saving Juniors intentions clear on the spreadsheet, though. If you're not on there I won't roll for you or include you in the storypost.

 

[Shard]

By the way, is it too late to also say that I'm saving juniors in the spreadsheet? (In addition to the crazy 'hunt a good seed down to death' plan)

 

[occipitallobe]

By the way, is it too late to also say that I'm saving juniors in the spreadsheet? (In addition to the crazy 'hunt a good seed down to death' plan)

Click to shrink...

Absolutely not, feel free to add it. I've only rolled a couple of these so far, and I have the bones of what the Good Seeds might be doing - I just don't want to continue until I'm sure what format I'll be writing in.

Just bear in mind it comes with worse personal outcomes in return for Clan bonuses.