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.

 

[Humbaba]

@TehChron I really, really like it.

One question though, the fluff around persuading the Yuan Emperor to accept our help, do you have an idea on how to convince him that he needs us without revealing knowledge of Old Cannibal's invasion, since he'll otherwise have every reason to expect the RP to come to his aid?

Edit:
Nevermind, we're triggering the beast tide trap before the invasion to convince them they need our help, rather than initially deploying it as part of the invasion defences

 

[TehChron]

Nevermind, we're triggering the beast tide trap before the invasion to convince them they need our help, rather than initially deploying it as part of the invasion defences

Click to shrink...

Nah, they're already involved in a Beast Hunt, and we have the intel to back it up now that we're not just relying on Manuel's Shadow powers.

They're basically turbo-fucked if this shits legit, and they know it. We can afford to give them a heads up because the preponderance of force arrayed against the Yuan Clan right now is too much for them to take on alone so they do need us to assist them. We can wipe them out in the immediate aftermath ofc, but as awesome as Kleisthenes is, she's not going to be soloing a Mid Nascent Soul all by her lonesome.

 

[Sirrocco]

[ ] Begin Killing Favored (Major Purchase 4 Purchases)

"Archegetes, the evidence is clear. The Favored loathe us, and with their rise will come our end. With your permission, I would like to begin using Blood Path catspaws to begin killing off the most promising ones. Not from our Strength Purity allies, but there are many Righteous Powers who we can offend with impunity. I could slow their rise by a few decades, perhaps, buying them a longer period of weakness by targeting those growing the fastest. The cost will be immense, but who can put a value on time?"

Click to shrink...

I just want to say here - the Favored are an existential threat, and they're only going to get harder to deal with over time. Slowing them down while increasing their attrition has real, serious value.

 

[Alectai]

I just want to say here - the Favored are an existential threat, and they're only going to get harder to deal with over time. Slowing them down while increasing their attrition has real, serious value.

Click to shrink...

Problem is that it's a sucker bet.

It's getting into a resource competition with The Entire Universe. That's not a contest we can win.

 

[Sirrocco]

Problem is that it's a sucker bet.

It's getting into a resource competition with The Entire Universe. That's not a contest we can win.

Click to shrink...

They've created a finite number of them, and those are dying off. In this particular case, "The Entire Universe" has limits on its resources. The fact that the Hatred of Heaven is finite has been one of the running themes of this quest from the beginning.

More to the point, what viable strategy do we have where we don't try to oppose them? Right now, they're set to turn into significant numbers of Nascents, all of whom hate us with a passion. We can't survive that. If you're not even going to bother with trying to cut down their numebrs while they're weak, then what's your plan for surviving their endgame? It's not like we can diplomacy our way out of this one.

 

[Alectai]

They've created a finite number of them, and those are dying off. In this particular case, "The Entire Universe" has limits on its resources. The fact that the Hatred of Heaven is finite has been one of the running themes of this quest from the beginning.

More to the point, what viable strategy do we have where we don't try to oppose them? Right now, they're set to turn into significant numbers of Nascents, all of whom hate us with a passion. We can't survive that. If you're not even going to bother with trying to cut down their numebrs while they're weak, then what's your plan for surviving their endgame? It's not like we can diplomacy our way out of this one.

Click to shrink...

You misunderstand me, the dying off is the point.

It's a Gu Jar, the ones who survive to the end get further investment, it's not where every single one is expected to get to the top. All joining in the winnowing does is accelerate this process.

 

[TehChron]

You misunderstand me, the dying off is the point.

It's a Gu Jar, the ones who survive to the end get further investment, it's not where every single one is expected to get to the top. All joining in the winnowing does is accelerate this process.

Click to shrink...

See, the Favored are never going to reach the double digits in the timespan of the game. The resources just don't exist.

So winnowing them down just means that the cultivation materials gets funneled more and more strongly into the survivors. So yes, ostensibly we get more time before the SPS come after us in force, it makes the rise of those who survive that much more inevitable. Along with providing an obvious CB to unite a coalition around that lets them reach a preponderance of force.

 

[Sirrocco]

You misunderstand me, the dying off is the point.

It's a Gu Jar, the ones who survive to the end get further investment, it's not where every single one is expected to get to the top. All joining in the winnowing does is accelerate this process.

Click to shrink...

That's a very serious assumption, and as far as I'm aware, it hasn't been anything like confirmed. Has it? I'll admit that I'm not as tuned in to some of the sidebar info sources.

If it hasn't been confirmed, then... well, it's very easy to make assumptions that make the choices that you don't like look like trap options.

...and I'm still not hearing a plan for dealing with the existential threat.

 

[TheCount]

i like Chrone's plan, and will vote on it, but still feels strange to make an offer out of the blue.
for a more diplomatic approach:
[] A Deal you Can't Refuse
-[] Clan Focus: Diplo Yuan (offer military aid at most 10 years before the other forces attack)
-[] Manuel: Kill Weeping Anvil
-[] Kleisthenes: tend to diplomacy
-[] Purchase: diplo Blood Oak
-[] Purchase: Secret Garden
-[] Purchase: Upgrade Beast Tide Trap
-[] Purchase: Panoply for Klesithenes

 

[TehChron]

...and I'm still not hearing a plan for dealing with the existential threat.

Click to shrink...

We just outscale them with our Good Seeds.

That's the literal plan. Once we get Unorthodox Nascents and Heaven-Seizers online we should be utterly beyond the reach of the Favored and able to enter the Epilogue more or less safely.

 

[SeptimusMagisto]

Is the 'no Trials' thing going to become more generally known, or should we omake with Trials in mind?

 

[Alectai]

Is the 'no Trials' thing going to become more generally known, or should we omake with Trials in mind?

Click to shrink...

Pretty sure everyone's going to assume the Trials are still happening, except the inner circle, because otherwise OPFOR will find out.

 

[Humbaba]

That's a very serious assumption, and as far as I'm aware, it hasn't been anything like confirmed. Has it? I'll admit that I'm not as tuned in to some of the sidebar info sources.

If it hasn't been confirmed, then... well, it's very easy to make assumptions that make the choices that you don't like look like trap options.

...and I'm still not hearing a plan for dealing with the existential threat.

Click to shrink...

It bears mentioning that if we can take Yuan from them we will significantly slow down the growth of the Favoured, as they rely on secret realms for part of their fast growth. Without secret realms, the heavens have to struggle harder to find the opportunities where "luck" can boost them. They'll take more missions, and so gradually but meaningfully increase their attrition.

It is also well worth remembering that the Righteous path is far from united. They've been pretty passive recently, seemingly reliant on the Heavens that have finally come to their aid, and focusing on raising the favoured. This is not going to be universally popular amongst their rank and file to say the least, true believers in the fight against the blood path, jealous rivals, Elders who suddenly have to take seriously that these young whippersnappers might actually rise to the point that their powers could be overthrown. I wouldn't be surprised if their attrition starts taking a sharp upswing from "friendly" fire.

The idea that only the opinion of the Righteous' Path's nascent leaders matters is a fallacy that the righteous path seem to be falling into after all, and if Old Cannibal cuts off the spirit stone trade for even a turn I expect quite a number of people in the Righteous path to rapidly sour on the "mess with the golden devils who've been helpful rather than the Noble Devil alliance who we're in an existential war with" agenda the favoured are pushing.

 

[SeptimusMagisto]

As a reminder, the Favored the Wei Princess chose as her successor actually thinks we're great.

 

[adamashield]

But that as he rise in cultivation to higher realms. Heaven will try to reinforced the Hate it has for us. His trials in these matters certainly will hard

 

[veekie]

But that as he rise in cultivation to higher realms. Heaven will try to reinforced the Hate it has for us. His trials in these matters certainly will hard

Click to shrink...

And THAT is why assassination is likely a sucker's bet - Heaven would try to play coincidence and chance to create feuds in our direction or Favored who hold ideals that fundamentally exclude us, they need to work harder if you don't generate an excuse for them.

Decent bet that our assassinations will by chance, expose evidence to the Favored who actually LIKE us that we're behind it.

 

[ilbgar123]

So, Jingjang has hit the 9th Heavenstage, and I can be reasonably certain he'll be pretty far through Foundation Establishment after jumping into the Secret Realm next Turn. I've been considering if I should have him go for the Emperor's Pillar(9th, unknown benefits), given the extra century until the next Trial. The planned 7 extant Pillars are: Medicine, Poison, Blood, Body, Healing, Life, and Death. I'm debating on the eighth, IC and OOC, but I think it would be Ancestry, since they might not know genetics but they have a pretty solid understanding of the nature of inheriting, say, Blood thickness and some Body Cultivation. The idea is to treat Medicine, Poison, and Healing as a set, Blood, Body, and Ancestry as a set, and Life and Death as a final set, linking the first two.

Alternatively, it might be Tools. Even the most basic of surgeries generally requires needle and a thread for literally sewing your wounds closed again. If the Emperor's Pillar ends up being my choice, Tools would be used as glue, because a doctor and/or medical researcher is heavily reliant on their equipment to do anything complicated. Specific Arts that can stand in for a modern medical suite and then some qualifying as Tools in this case.

I'm going back and forth on it a lot, and it's making writing an Omake difficult, because his internal thought process is going to be very different if he sticks to his guns on Orthodox Cultivation, or if he decides that one moderate talent risking himself for the sake of the Clan is very much a worthy gamble, and there being a good chance that it will be valuable to him. Given the title, some sort of enhancement of the Dao effects is plausible, or perhaps being tied to the Imperator's Blood in some fashion. On the other hand, I would not be surprised if the Eight Pillars notably easing Tribulation made the Ninth akin to slapping away an outstretched hand, and calling down much nastier Tribulation relative to, say, going for the Seventh.

What do you guys think?

 

[veekie]

I'm debating on the eighth, IC and OOC, but I think it would be Ancestry, since they might not know genetics but they have a pretty solid understanding of the nature of inheriting, say, Blood thickness and some Body Cultivation.

Click to shrink...

Wouldn't that be Inheritance/Succession?

 

[adamashield]

What do you guys think?

Click to shrink...

I start by commenting that I have bias on these matters.

I would go with at very last 10th heavenstage (double tribulation but lots of impact) or 11th heavenstage to get as much impact as possible and since these days is easier.

Then go 8th Pillar. this in a gameplay 'singleplayer' mode.

There fluff like you said to consider.

in a 'meta' sense I will assume the 8th pillar will cause some shenanigans later since this is the path more connected to the world.

Also in a meta sense I would not go for 'just' the 7th pillar. because that limited you post epilogue to 'just' Nascent soul lvl of grow.

xxx

But like I said I am bias, since I going 13th heavenstage with 2 good seeds in the selfish idea of break the chains of heaven

Spoiler: just to be sure I spoil this

(by going dao seeker later on)

, since I really want that for the epilogue.

Otherwise I would just go as fast as possible to FE (or QC 10th then FE) then span 'defy the heavens' while get a LST each turn (because that way the good seed cannot die).

So I very bias point of view.

Still what truly matter is you to have fun in our sandbox

Go nuts. become the first to something, but do all you want while having fun^^.
edit: grammar. this is why I should always triple check my writing.

 

[ilbgar123]

Wouldn't that be Inheritance/Succession?

Click to shrink...

Yeah, probably. Just as no Clan member exists in a vacuum, all sciences have a mountain of corpses serving as their foundation, it's just that most of the people who, say, figured out that you bred two little dogs if you wanted a smaller dog died of natural causes. So it shouldn't be too hard for Jingjang to reconcile that idea with his 'actually noble knowledge-seeking' thing, since he's doing it to support other people rather than purely for his own benefit.

I start by commenting that I have bias on these matters.

I would go with at very last 10th heavenstage (double tribulation but lots of impact) or 11th heavenstage to get as much impact as possible and since these days is easier.

Then go 8th Pillar. this in a gameplay 'singleplayer' mode.

There fluff like you said to consider.

in a 'meta' sense I will assume the 8th pillar will cause some shenanigans later since this is the path more connected to the world.

Also in a meta sense I would not go for 'just' the 7th pillar. because that limited you post epilogue to 'just' Nascent soul lvl of grow.

xxx

But like I said I am bias, since I going 13th heavenstage with 2 good seeds in the selfish idea of break the chains of heaven

Spoiler: just to be sure I spoil this

(by going dao seeker later on)

, since I really want that for the epilogue.

Otherwise I would just go as fast as possible to FE (or QC 10th then FE) then span 'defy the heavens' while get a LST each turn (because that way the good seed cannot die).

So I very bias point of view.

Still what truly matter is you to have fun in our sandbox

Go nuts. become the first to something, but do all you want while having fun^^.
edit: grammar. this is why I should always triple check my writing.

Click to shrink...

Having reasoned it out, I think I'll go with Emperor's Pillar with Inheritance and Tools making up the 8th and 9th Pillars of the Dao. Part of it's to pave the way for future Good Seeds, and part of it's genuine curiosity. Plus, having another alternative to Single Pillar Kings for more moderately Unorthodox Cultivators would probably be good. It might be of benefit to discovering Core Formation Hidden Stages too.

I, and Jingjang by extension, am ignoring the 10+ Qi Condensation path because I feel that 10's not worth it by itself, and is best treated as a stepping stone(which it essentially is) to 12 and/or 13, and Jingjang is not interested in being a King, nor in calling down an excessive Tribulation on his head, which makes 13 immediately nonviable, and 12 not particularly worth the danger. The potential benefits to the Clan in regards to actually knowing what Emperor's Pillar does hold significant weight in his mind relative to the risk of just dying in Qi Condensation if he goes for 12 or 13.

By the by, since he's breaking through at 9, does he need a Tribulation Treasure? I was planning on a second LST for the Secret Realm, but unless that goes catastrophically, he's basically guaranteed to Breakthrough this next Turn. So few people go for Orthodox Breakthroughs these days that I'm a little spotty on how dangerous the normal ones are relative to the very dangerous 12s and terrifying 13s. Still, it feels like a bit of a waste to not grab the second LST, especially when it dramatically increases my odds of needing a Healing Treasure to get him back in the game or just dying.

 

[BungieONI]

On the other hand, I would not be surprised if the Eight Pillars notably easing Tribulation made the Ninth akin to slapping away an outstretched hand, and calling down much nastier Tribulation relative to, say, going for the Seventh.

Click to shrink...

The Eighth Pillar basically is Heaven bribing the shit out of you with Heavenly Luck, but locking you out of advancement past a certain point. Ninth is you kicking that away and gaining a lot of power plus leaving that potential for advancement open. (I think the Impact amounts are about the same?)

How public that knowledge is and thus accessible I don't know, but also Jingjiang is a Good Seed.

 

[ilbgar123]

The Eighth Pillar basically is Heaven bribing the shit out of you with Heavenly Luck, but locking you out of advancement past a certain point. Ninth is you kicking that away and gaining a lot of power plus leaving that potential for advancement open. (I think the Impact amounts are about the same?)

How public that knowledge is and thus accessible I don't know, but also Jingjiang is a Good Seed.

Click to shrink...

About what I expected then.

 

[occipitallobe]

Apologies, I was in a hurry last night (really rushed the post to get it out rather than delay it another week). Should be five Purchases - I misremembered the Heavenly Beauty Array as being sold.

Also, I forgot to roll for Council advancement - because of the rush. I just rolled now in Discord and both Destasia and Sheng Yu advanced to Late Core.

 

[TehChron]

...OH MY GOD

DESTASIA NASCENT IS ON THE TABLE

 

[occipitallobe]

You misunderstand me, the dying off is the point.

It's a Gu Jar, the ones who survive to the end get further investment, it's not where every single one is expected to get to the top. All joining in the winnowing does is accelerate this process.

Click to shrink...

Killing off those furthest ahead will slow it down a little. The goal isn't to stop the Favored, it's to slow their ascension a little.

Is the 'no Trials' thing going to become more generally known, or should we omake with Trials in mind?

Click to shrink...

Nobody beyond the Council will know this. Blindsiding the entire Clan is a necessity to also blindside the world.

Well... shit. Now that is a surprise for everyone. But pulled off with perfect timing. Good job you lot.


You managed to lose the rest of the sentence here.


'are advancing' I think you mean?

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All fixed, thanks. Sorry, I just ran to get everything done yesterday - ended up posting just before bed, but I figured if I didn't it'd be another week and this turn has taken forever.