- Location
- The Middle of the Howling Wilderness
Leingod's Ideas Thread
- Thread starter Leingod
- Start date
- Location
- Leeds
He can be a recurring villain. Every four years.Shit, there goes about half of them
- Location
- The Middle of the Howling Wilderness
I honestly don't know if that makes me feel better or worse.
- Location
- Leeds
My work here is done.
Leingod
Immaculate Blooming Lotus
For some background, there are actually a lot more materials that can be used to make cores for wands, but Ollivander only trades in three, and those three are the only ones that have been expanded on. I've got some ideas for Ilvermorny, but here's what the three cores mean:
Dragon Heartstring - Produce the most powerful wands that produce the most dramatic effects; they tend to "learn" more quickly than other types. They bond strongly with their owner, but change allegiance the most easily if "won" from their original master. They're also the easiest to turn to the Dark Arts of the three (though they don't naturally incline in that direction), and is the most prone to accidents, being "temperamental."
Unicorn Hair - Produce the easiest wands to use which are the most consistent and least prone to power flux or blockage. They're the most difficult to turn to the Dark Arts of the three and are the most "faithful;" they always bond strongly to their first owner. On the other hand, they're the core that provides the least raw power (though certain wand woods can compensate) and are "prone to melancholy" is mishandled; it's possible for a neglected or misused wand to "die" and need replacing.
Phoenix Feather - Produce wands which are the most capable of a wide variety of uses, but take more time to show this. They also show the most "initiative," sometimes acting on their own accord, which a lot of wizards don't like but which can be very helpful and even life-saving sometimes. Phoenix feather makes for the pickiest wands which are the hardest to tame and personalize.
Yeah, okay. I'll just continue on describing wand woods, then:
Oh, and the length and flexibility of a wand also has some minor importance. The rigidity or flexibility of a wand tends to match the rigidity or flexibility of the user (mentally/morally, that is). Length usually doesn't mean anything, but a really short wand can sometimes indicate that the owner is lacking something morally.
For fun, take a look at some wands with this information in mind:
The Elder Wand - Elder (obviously) with a thestral tail core. 15 inches and of unknown flexibility.
Bellatrix Lestrange - Walnut and dragon heartstring. 12 and 3/4 inches, unyielding.
Dolores Umbridge - Birch and dragon heartstring. 8 inches, unknown flexibility.
Draco Malfoy - Hawthorn and unicorn hair. 10 inches, reasonably springy.
Gilderoy Lockhart - Cherry and dragon heartstring. 9 inches, slightly bendy.
Harry Potter - Holly and phoenix feather. 11 inches, nice and supple.
Hermione Granger - Vine and dragon heartstring. 10 and 3/4 inches, unknown flexibility.
Lucius Malfoy - Elm and dragon heartstring. 18 inches, unyielding.
Minerva MacGonagall - Fir and dragon heartstring. 9 and 1/2 inches, stiff.
Neville Longbottom - Cherry and unicorn hair. 13 inches, unknown flexibility.
Peter Pettigrew (before betraying the Potters) - Chestnut and dragon heartstring. 9 and 1/4 inches, brittle.
Petter Pettigrew (after betraying the Potters) - Hawthorn and dragon heartstring. 9 iand 1/4 inches, brittle.
Quirinus Quirrel - Alder and unicorn hair. 9 inches, bendy.
Remus Lupin - Cypress and unicorn hair. 10 and 1/4 inches, pliable.
Ron Weasley (Charlie's hand-me-down): Ash and unicorn hair. 12 inches, unknown flexibility.
Ron Weasley (his own wand): Willow and unicorn hair. 14 inches, unknown flexibility.
Tom Riddle - Yew and phoenix feather. 13 and 1/2 inches, unknown flexibility.
Leingod - Fir and unicorn hair. 10 inches, hard.
Yeah, there's a quiz on Pottermore made by Rowling herself to match you with "your" wand.
Dragon Heartstring - Produce the most powerful wands that produce the most dramatic effects; they tend to "learn" more quickly than other types. They bond strongly with their owner, but change allegiance the most easily if "won" from their original master. They're also the easiest to turn to the Dark Arts of the three (though they don't naturally incline in that direction), and is the most prone to accidents, being "temperamental."
Unicorn Hair - Produce the easiest wands to use which are the most consistent and least prone to power flux or blockage. They're the most difficult to turn to the Dark Arts of the three and are the most "faithful;" they always bond strongly to their first owner. On the other hand, they're the core that provides the least raw power (though certain wand woods can compensate) and are "prone to melancholy" is mishandled; it's possible for a neglected or misused wand to "die" and need replacing.
Phoenix Feather - Produce wands which are the most capable of a wide variety of uses, but take more time to show this. They also show the most "initiative," sometimes acting on their own accord, which a lot of wizards don't like but which can be very helpful and even life-saving sometimes. Phoenix feather makes for the pickiest wands which are the hardest to tame and personalize.
Yeah, okay. I'll just continue on describing wand woods, then:
Acacia - Often refuse to perform magic for anyone but their owner and withhold their strength from all but talented owners. Acacia wands favor subtle but gifted wizards and aren't suited for "bangs-and-smells" magic.
Alder - Favors helpful, considerate, likable wizards. Best suited for non-verbal spells, giving them a reputation as a wand best-suited for advanced wizards.
Apple - Creates a powerful wand best suited to an owner with high aims and ideals; applewod wands are a terrible fit for Dark Magic. Ollivander notes that most applewood wand owners have a lot of personal charm, and some have a talent for learning languages, particularly those of magical beings like merpeople.
Ash - Creates an extremely loyal wand that can't be taken or even given to others without losing strength, especially if it's core is unicorn hair. Favors wizards who are courageous and not lightly swayed from their beliefs and purpose (i.e. stubborn), but usually not to the point of being brash or arrogant.
Aspen - Creates a wand very well-suited for charmwork and especially martial magic, which makes it known as a great "duelist's wand." Favors users who are strong-minded and determined, and usually those who are attracted to quests and new ideas; Ollivander calls it a "wand for revolutionaries."
Beech - Favors users who are (if young) wise beyond their years or (if older) rich in understanding and experience; they don't perform well for the narrow-minded or intolerant. When well-matched, the wand is capable of incredible subtlety and artistry, making them a prestigious wand wood.
Blackthorn - Creates a wand best-suited to warriors, both good and evil. Blackthorn wands don't fully bond to an owner until the two pass through danger or hardship together, at which point they become extremely loyal.
Black Walnut - Creates a wand very well-suited to all kinds of charmwork. Favors users with good instincts and powerful insight. Has a unique quirk: it's very attuned to inner toil, and loses power dramatically if its user falls prey to self-deception.
Cedar - Favors users with great loyalty, strength of character, and perception. Ollivander also notes that users of cedar wands are usually terrifying enemies when their loved ones are threatened.
Cherry - Creates a wand with truly lethal power whatever its core. However, it requires a great deal of self-control and strength of mind, especially if the core is dragon heartstring.
Chestnut - A wand that changes its character depending on its core. Can be attracted to those with a love of animals, a green thumb, or a talent for flying. When paired with dragon heartstring, it favors those with a taste for the finer things in life, but when paired with unicorn hair, it favors those with a passion for justice.
Cypress - A wand associated with nobility; it favors users who are brave, bold and self-sacrificing. An Ollivander from the Middle Ages once said he was always pleased to match a cypresswood wand, because he knew its user would die a heroic death.
Dogwood - Dogwood wands are playful and mischievous, and insist on owners who can give them proper scope for excitement and fun. When paired with a suitably clever wizard, they can produce dazzling enchantments. They're also rather noisy and often refuse to perform non-verbal spells.
Ebony - Creates a wand well-suited to martial spells and Transfiguration. Favors highly individual users who hold fasts to their beliefs... whatever those beliefs happen to be.
Elder - The rarest wand wood, considered unlucky and the trickiest to master by far. It contains powerful magic, but scorns an owner who isn't the superior of their company, making them hard for any but the most gifted and driven wizards to keep hold of for very long. Only an unusual person will match well with elder, and Ollivander believes such people are marked with a special destiny. He also notes they tend to feel a strong affinity for those chosen by rowan wands. I'm probably going to veto this particular wood.
Elm - Superstition says that only pure-bloods can use elm wands; Ollivander debunks this. Elm wands favor users with presence, magical dexterity and a certain "native dignity." Elm wood creates a wand that produces, according to Ollivander, "the fewest accidents, the least foolish errors, and the most elegant charms and spells."
English Oak - Favors users with strength, courage and fidelity, and to a lesser extent users with powerful intuition and an affinity for magical plants and animals.
Fir - Ollivander's grandfather called fir "the survivor's wand." Fir wands require users with great resilience and strength of purpose; to be chosen by one usually means you're focused, strong-minded, and of occasionally intimidating demeanor. Fir wands are also very good for Transfiguration.
Hawthorn - Hawthorn wands are very complex, sometimes even contradictory. They're well-suited to both healing and to curses, and they tend to be most at home with users who are conflicted internally or who go through a great deal of turmoil and tumult. They also have one particular feature: if handled badly, their spells can backfire on the user.
Hazel - A sensitive wand that reflects its user's emotional state, and works best for someone who can understand and manage their own feelings. They're capable of very powerful magic in the hands of such a wizard, and have a unique feature of being able to detect water, emitting silvery puffs of smoke when near underground springs and wells. Hazel wands are the most loyal; when its owner dies, a hazel wand will often "wilt," expelling all its magic and becoming useless unless the core is removed and placed in another casing. If its core is unicorn hair, though, the wand will "die" entirely.
Holly - A wand that often chooses users who are engaged in some kind of dangerous or important quest. It is very good at protective magic, and favors users who need help overcoming tendencies toward anger and impetuousness. Its performance varies dramatically based on the core used, and it's very difficult to pair well with phoenix feather. If it does pair well, though, the wand is capable of almost anything.
Hornbeam - According to Ollivander, hornbeam wands usually choose users with a single, pure passion, which some might call "obsession" and Ollivander calls "vision." They attune to their users quickly and powerfully; other people will often have difficulty casting even the most simple spells with a hornbeam wand, and they tend to absorb their user's personal sense of honor, refusing to use spells that don't tally with their user's morality.
Larch - Highly sought after for its reputation of instilling courage and confidence in a user, but it's tricky to handle and choosy about its owner. Larch wands always have some hidden talent or unexpected effect, which Ollivander claims also describes those who pair with such wands. Often, such wizards may never realize the full extent of their talent until paired with the larch wand.
Laurel - It's said that laurel wands cannot be used for dishonorable acts, but Ollivander notes that it can perform powerful and even lethal magic when used in the pursuit of glory, something common for users of laurel wands. They're sometimes called fickle, but that's because they absolutely can't stand laziness in a user. Also, if someone attempts to steal a laurel wand, they have the "unusual and engaging " feature of smiting the attempted thief with lighting.
Maple - Favors people with a strong wanderlust and curiosity; maple wands are meant for travelers and explorers. Without new challenges and experiences, the wand's magic grows heavy and lackluster. A maple wand is a status symbol because of its connection to high achievers throughout history.
Pear - A powerful wood which favors the warm-hearted, the generous and the wise; users of pear wands are usually popular and well-respected.
Pine - Favors people of independent, even brooding nature (born loners, in other words). Pine wands enjoy being used creatively and adapt quickly to new spells and methods; they favor the artistic and the innovative, in other words. It's also very sensitive to non-verbal magic.
Poplar - Creates a wand with both consistency and power, which always favor those with strong integrity and moral vision. There's a joke that no politicians have poplar wands, but Ollivander points out that two of the best Ministers of Magic in history had poplar wands.
Red Oak - The stereotype is that red oak wands choose those with fiery tempers; Ollivander corrects this by saying that red oak wands are natural fits for those with quick reactions, a light touch, quick wits, and an adaptable mind, making it a perfect wand for duelists.
Redwood - Superstition is that redwood wands are good luck; Ollivander says this is back to front, and what really happens is that redwood wands choose those with a talent for landing on their feet and finding a way to snatch victory from defeat. Users of such wands often lead exciting lives.
Rowan - Considered the best for protection charms. Rowan wands favor the clear-headed and pure-hearted; both conventional wisdom and Ollivander himself state that no Dark Wizard has ever had a rowan wand.
Silver Lime - An unusual wood that was in vogue during the 19th century (in the midst of the first spiritualism craze, I might note) due to its reputation for performing best for Seers and those with a natural talent for Legilimency (which, for those who don't know Harry Potter, means people who can see the future and people who can read thoughts).
Spruce - Has a reputation for being difficult to work with. Spruce wands require a "particular deftness" to work with and don't pair well with those of nervous or cautious natures; it requires a firm hand because "it often has its own ideas about what magic it ought to be called on to produce." When paired with a bold wizard with a good sense of humor, though, it becomes capable of flamboyant and dramatic displays of magic.
Sycamore - Favors curious, vital and adventurous users, with whom they demonstrate a great capacity to learn and adapt. It's even more desirous of new experiences than maple, and will actually spontaneously combust if they become "bored."
Vine - An uncommon wand wood that favors users who seek a greater purpose, with a vision beyond the ordinary and the ability to astound even those who know them best. Vine wands are attracted to strong personalities with hidden depths.
Walnut - Ollivander claims that highly intelligent wizards shopping for wands should be offered walnut wands first, because 9 times out of 10 they'll be a perfect match. Walnut wands are unusually versatile and adaptable, and are often found in the hands of magical inventors and innovators. However, it cares about brilliance rather than morals; a walnut wand is horribly lethal in the hands of a brilliant wizard with no conscience.
Willow - A wand very well-suited to healing. Ollivander notes that willow wands tend to seek out users who feel insecure in themselves (whether it's obvious or not), and they consistently select those with the greatest potential over those with little to learn. Those with the farthest to travel will go fastest with willow, according to him.
Yew - An unusual and rather notorious wood, yew wands have a powerful reputation for dueling and curses, and are said to endow users with power over life and death. This gives them a reputation for the Dark Arts, but both heroes and villains have used yew wands in equal measure. Yew wands never choose a mediocre or timid owner.
Alder - Favors helpful, considerate, likable wizards. Best suited for non-verbal spells, giving them a reputation as a wand best-suited for advanced wizards.
Apple - Creates a powerful wand best suited to an owner with high aims and ideals; applewod wands are a terrible fit for Dark Magic. Ollivander notes that most applewood wand owners have a lot of personal charm, and some have a talent for learning languages, particularly those of magical beings like merpeople.
Ash - Creates an extremely loyal wand that can't be taken or even given to others without losing strength, especially if it's core is unicorn hair. Favors wizards who are courageous and not lightly swayed from their beliefs and purpose (i.e. stubborn), but usually not to the point of being brash or arrogant.
Aspen - Creates a wand very well-suited for charmwork and especially martial magic, which makes it known as a great "duelist's wand." Favors users who are strong-minded and determined, and usually those who are attracted to quests and new ideas; Ollivander calls it a "wand for revolutionaries."
Beech - Favors users who are (if young) wise beyond their years or (if older) rich in understanding and experience; they don't perform well for the narrow-minded or intolerant. When well-matched, the wand is capable of incredible subtlety and artistry, making them a prestigious wand wood.
Blackthorn - Creates a wand best-suited to warriors, both good and evil. Blackthorn wands don't fully bond to an owner until the two pass through danger or hardship together, at which point they become extremely loyal.
Black Walnut - Creates a wand very well-suited to all kinds of charmwork. Favors users with good instincts and powerful insight. Has a unique quirk: it's very attuned to inner toil, and loses power dramatically if its user falls prey to self-deception.
Cedar - Favors users with great loyalty, strength of character, and perception. Ollivander also notes that users of cedar wands are usually terrifying enemies when their loved ones are threatened.
Cherry - Creates a wand with truly lethal power whatever its core. However, it requires a great deal of self-control and strength of mind, especially if the core is dragon heartstring.
Chestnut - A wand that changes its character depending on its core. Can be attracted to those with a love of animals, a green thumb, or a talent for flying. When paired with dragon heartstring, it favors those with a taste for the finer things in life, but when paired with unicorn hair, it favors those with a passion for justice.
Cypress - A wand associated with nobility; it favors users who are brave, bold and self-sacrificing. An Ollivander from the Middle Ages once said he was always pleased to match a cypresswood wand, because he knew its user would die a heroic death.
Dogwood - Dogwood wands are playful and mischievous, and insist on owners who can give them proper scope for excitement and fun. When paired with a suitably clever wizard, they can produce dazzling enchantments. They're also rather noisy and often refuse to perform non-verbal spells.
Ebony - Creates a wand well-suited to martial spells and Transfiguration. Favors highly individual users who hold fasts to their beliefs... whatever those beliefs happen to be.
Elder - The rarest wand wood, considered unlucky and the trickiest to master by far. It contains powerful magic, but scorns an owner who isn't the superior of their company, making them hard for any but the most gifted and driven wizards to keep hold of for very long. Only an unusual person will match well with elder, and Ollivander believes such people are marked with a special destiny. He also notes they tend to feel a strong affinity for those chosen by rowan wands. I'm probably going to veto this particular wood.
Elm - Superstition says that only pure-bloods can use elm wands; Ollivander debunks this. Elm wands favor users with presence, magical dexterity and a certain "native dignity." Elm wood creates a wand that produces, according to Ollivander, "the fewest accidents, the least foolish errors, and the most elegant charms and spells."
English Oak - Favors users with strength, courage and fidelity, and to a lesser extent users with powerful intuition and an affinity for magical plants and animals.
Fir - Ollivander's grandfather called fir "the survivor's wand." Fir wands require users with great resilience and strength of purpose; to be chosen by one usually means you're focused, strong-minded, and of occasionally intimidating demeanor. Fir wands are also very good for Transfiguration.
Hawthorn - Hawthorn wands are very complex, sometimes even contradictory. They're well-suited to both healing and to curses, and they tend to be most at home with users who are conflicted internally or who go through a great deal of turmoil and tumult. They also have one particular feature: if handled badly, their spells can backfire on the user.
Hazel - A sensitive wand that reflects its user's emotional state, and works best for someone who can understand and manage their own feelings. They're capable of very powerful magic in the hands of such a wizard, and have a unique feature of being able to detect water, emitting silvery puffs of smoke when near underground springs and wells. Hazel wands are the most loyal; when its owner dies, a hazel wand will often "wilt," expelling all its magic and becoming useless unless the core is removed and placed in another casing. If its core is unicorn hair, though, the wand will "die" entirely.
Holly - A wand that often chooses users who are engaged in some kind of dangerous or important quest. It is very good at protective magic, and favors users who need help overcoming tendencies toward anger and impetuousness. Its performance varies dramatically based on the core used, and it's very difficult to pair well with phoenix feather. If it does pair well, though, the wand is capable of almost anything.
Hornbeam - According to Ollivander, hornbeam wands usually choose users with a single, pure passion, which some might call "obsession" and Ollivander calls "vision." They attune to their users quickly and powerfully; other people will often have difficulty casting even the most simple spells with a hornbeam wand, and they tend to absorb their user's personal sense of honor, refusing to use spells that don't tally with their user's morality.
Larch - Highly sought after for its reputation of instilling courage and confidence in a user, but it's tricky to handle and choosy about its owner. Larch wands always have some hidden talent or unexpected effect, which Ollivander claims also describes those who pair with such wands. Often, such wizards may never realize the full extent of their talent until paired with the larch wand.
Laurel - It's said that laurel wands cannot be used for dishonorable acts, but Ollivander notes that it can perform powerful and even lethal magic when used in the pursuit of glory, something common for users of laurel wands. They're sometimes called fickle, but that's because they absolutely can't stand laziness in a user. Also, if someone attempts to steal a laurel wand, they have the "unusual and engaging " feature of smiting the attempted thief with lighting.
Maple - Favors people with a strong wanderlust and curiosity; maple wands are meant for travelers and explorers. Without new challenges and experiences, the wand's magic grows heavy and lackluster. A maple wand is a status symbol because of its connection to high achievers throughout history.
Pear - A powerful wood which favors the warm-hearted, the generous and the wise; users of pear wands are usually popular and well-respected.
Pine - Favors people of independent, even brooding nature (born loners, in other words). Pine wands enjoy being used creatively and adapt quickly to new spells and methods; they favor the artistic and the innovative, in other words. It's also very sensitive to non-verbal magic.
Poplar - Creates a wand with both consistency and power, which always favor those with strong integrity and moral vision. There's a joke that no politicians have poplar wands, but Ollivander points out that two of the best Ministers of Magic in history had poplar wands.
Red Oak - The stereotype is that red oak wands choose those with fiery tempers; Ollivander corrects this by saying that red oak wands are natural fits for those with quick reactions, a light touch, quick wits, and an adaptable mind, making it a perfect wand for duelists.
Redwood - Superstition is that redwood wands are good luck; Ollivander says this is back to front, and what really happens is that redwood wands choose those with a talent for landing on their feet and finding a way to snatch victory from defeat. Users of such wands often lead exciting lives.
Rowan - Considered the best for protection charms. Rowan wands favor the clear-headed and pure-hearted; both conventional wisdom and Ollivander himself state that no Dark Wizard has ever had a rowan wand.
Silver Lime - An unusual wood that was in vogue during the 19th century (in the midst of the first spiritualism craze, I might note) due to its reputation for performing best for Seers and those with a natural talent for Legilimency (which, for those who don't know Harry Potter, means people who can see the future and people who can read thoughts).
Spruce - Has a reputation for being difficult to work with. Spruce wands require a "particular deftness" to work with and don't pair well with those of nervous or cautious natures; it requires a firm hand because "it often has its own ideas about what magic it ought to be called on to produce." When paired with a bold wizard with a good sense of humor, though, it becomes capable of flamboyant and dramatic displays of magic.
Sycamore - Favors curious, vital and adventurous users, with whom they demonstrate a great capacity to learn and adapt. It's even more desirous of new experiences than maple, and will actually spontaneously combust if they become "bored."
Vine - An uncommon wand wood that favors users who seek a greater purpose, with a vision beyond the ordinary and the ability to astound even those who know them best. Vine wands are attracted to strong personalities with hidden depths.
Walnut - Ollivander claims that highly intelligent wizards shopping for wands should be offered walnut wands first, because 9 times out of 10 they'll be a perfect match. Walnut wands are unusually versatile and adaptable, and are often found in the hands of magical inventors and innovators. However, it cares about brilliance rather than morals; a walnut wand is horribly lethal in the hands of a brilliant wizard with no conscience.
Willow - A wand very well-suited to healing. Ollivander notes that willow wands tend to seek out users who feel insecure in themselves (whether it's obvious or not), and they consistently select those with the greatest potential over those with little to learn. Those with the farthest to travel will go fastest with willow, according to him.
Yew - An unusual and rather notorious wood, yew wands have a powerful reputation for dueling and curses, and are said to endow users with power over life and death. This gives them a reputation for the Dark Arts, but both heroes and villains have used yew wands in equal measure. Yew wands never choose a mediocre or timid owner.
Oh, and the length and flexibility of a wand also has some minor importance. The rigidity or flexibility of a wand tends to match the rigidity or flexibility of the user (mentally/morally, that is). Length usually doesn't mean anything, but a really short wand can sometimes indicate that the owner is lacking something morally.
For fun, take a look at some wands with this information in mind:
The Elder Wand - Elder (obviously) with a thestral tail core. 15 inches and of unknown flexibility.
Bellatrix Lestrange - Walnut and dragon heartstring. 12 and 3/4 inches, unyielding.
Dolores Umbridge - Birch and dragon heartstring. 8 inches, unknown flexibility.
Draco Malfoy - Hawthorn and unicorn hair. 10 inches, reasonably springy.
Gilderoy Lockhart - Cherry and dragon heartstring. 9 inches, slightly bendy.
Harry Potter - Holly and phoenix feather. 11 inches, nice and supple.
Hermione Granger - Vine and dragon heartstring. 10 and 3/4 inches, unknown flexibility.
Lucius Malfoy - Elm and dragon heartstring. 18 inches, unyielding.
Minerva MacGonagall - Fir and dragon heartstring. 9 and 1/2 inches, stiff.
Neville Longbottom - Cherry and unicorn hair. 13 inches, unknown flexibility.
Peter Pettigrew (before betraying the Potters) - Chestnut and dragon heartstring. 9 and 1/4 inches, brittle.
Petter Pettigrew (after betraying the Potters) - Hawthorn and dragon heartstring. 9 iand 1/4 inches, brittle.
Quirinus Quirrel - Alder and unicorn hair. 9 inches, bendy.
Remus Lupin - Cypress and unicorn hair. 10 and 1/4 inches, pliable.
Ron Weasley (Charlie's hand-me-down): Ash and unicorn hair. 12 inches, unknown flexibility.
Ron Weasley (his own wand): Willow and unicorn hair. 14 inches, unknown flexibility.
Tom Riddle - Yew and phoenix feather. 13 and 1/2 inches, unknown flexibility.
Leingod - Fir and unicorn hair. 10 inches, hard.
Yeah, there's a quiz on Pottermore made by Rowling herself to match you with "your" wand.
- Location
- Leeds
Belatix Lestrange has nearly two inches of length on Harry.
Hell, Moldymort has two and a half.
WTF Harry?
Seriously though, while I'd prune down the list of potential wand woods to prevent massively split votes, theres so much diversity in there its actually much better than I was expecting. Also if and when this quest happens I want a Manticore Quill core. I don't care what it does. Just make it happen.
Leingod
Immaculate Blooming Lotus
Belatix Lestrange has nearly two inches of length on Harry.
Hell, Moldymort has two and a half.
WTF Harry?
Seriously though, while I'd prune down the list of potential wand woods to prevent massively split votes, theres so much diversity in there its actually much better than I was expecting. Also if and when this quest happens I want a Manticore Quill core. I don't care what it does. Just make it happen.
You'll get jackalope antler and like it.
- Location
- Leeds
Nooooo.You'll get jackalope antler and like it.
Anything but that.
- Location
- The Middle of the Howling Wilderness
Huh. I never really realized how much worldbuilding went into all the background stuff in Harry Potter. Maybe because it never shows up in fanfics.
The wand stuff is actually pretty cool. Lots of variety and potential for interesting combinations. You might want to pre-design a couple wands and their corresponding characters as option for the chargen vote, then give the a write-in option, just to simplify things a bit.
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Leingod
Immaculate Blooming Lotus
Huh. I never really realized how much worldbuilding went into all the background stuff in Harry Potter. Maybe because it never shows up in fanfics.
It is genuinely surprising just how much depth J.K. Rowling put into this world. Professor McGonagall has her entire life's story written up describing her family, her time at Hogwarts, her first love, how she became such close friends with Dumbledore, etc. It's actually a very interesting read that provides a lot of insight into her character.
Professor McGonagall - Pottermore
I feel like people don't give J.K. Rowling enough respect as a writer. I mean, Harry Potter is far from flawed, but there's a lot more to it than most people are willing to give it credit for, even its fans.
I don't know how I didn't see that coming.
- Location
- The Middle of the Howling Wilderness
huh. That's actually really sad.
Also, the more of this kinda stuff I read, the more I want to start writing a Jane Austen/Harry Potter crossover fanfic. It feels like that would actually work.
Yeah, her worldbuilding gets a lot of criticism for being kinda inconsistent and arbitrary, but it seems like she was always more concerned about making her world a vehicle to tell the kind of stories that she wanted, rather than as an end in itself.
Yeah, you really just handed that one to me on a silver platter.
I was gonna say something about "low-hanging fruit", but that might have been too much low-brow humor.
Leingod
Immaculate Blooming Lotus
huh. That's actually really sad.
Also, the more of this kinda stuff I read, the more I want to start writing a Jane Austen/Harry Potter crossover fanfic. It feels like that would actually work.
Harry Potter during the Regency Period? I'd read it.
It might just be because they're the forums I frequent and it's actually a wider thing, but there's a definite trend on SB and SV toward world-building just for the sake of world-building, rather than for the sake of facilitating good stories. There also seems to be this idea that every story needs to be ruthlessly picked apart for any inconsistency or plot hole. I mean, yes, it's important to hold stories to a certain standard and not let them just be lazy, but all that really matters is that a reader not see a plot hole in the moment. If the plot hole doesn't become obvious until you put the book down and look back on it, it's not worth getting worked up about.
Leingod
Immaculate Blooming Lotus
Hey, anyone remember that Tales of Symphonia OP I posted? I just found a great image for that quest:
In Tales of Symphonia, Palmacosta here is the largest city in the world of Sylvarant, and is believed to be the only remaining polity capable of standing up to the Desians in any serious capacity.
I actually never realized that Palmacosta is basically a Venice-inspired city-state that's been built out into the sea. I guess that helps a little to explain why it's lasted for so long, although it' still close enough that the Desians could make siege works or just have their mages throw fireballs into the city from the looks of it...
Oh, and here's Flanoir, the big-ass city that somehow just exists up in the Arctic and appears to be almost the same size as Palmacosta. Both of these were made by the-bells-of-luin on Deviantart, BTW, who also does other fantasy cities like Clocktown from Majora's Mask.
Hmm... You know, I never realized before, but all of the major settlements in Sylvarant have been built somewhere that makes them more difficult to attack. Palmacosta is built out into the sea, Flanoir is out in the Arctic, Triet is built around an oasis smack in the middle of a desert, Asgard is built on the side of a cliff with only one narrow entrance to it, and Luin is built over a large river and connected to land through bridges. It makes sense considering the constant threat of Desian attacks. Iselia presumably gets away with having no barrier other than a forest with easily navigable paths by virtue of their non-aggression treaty with the Desians.
Oh, and Hima's built on a mountaintop, but Hima is literally nothing but one inn and a few merchants who presumably sleep in their stalls at night, so who cares? "Village of Adventurers" my ass, that inn doesn't even have a tavern!
In Tales of Symphonia, Palmacosta here is the largest city in the world of Sylvarant, and is believed to be the only remaining polity capable of standing up to the Desians in any serious capacity.
I actually never realized that Palmacosta is basically a Venice-inspired city-state that's been built out into the sea. I guess that helps a little to explain why it's lasted for so long, although it' still close enough that the Desians could make siege works or just have their mages throw fireballs into the city from the looks of it...
Oh, and here's Flanoir, the big-ass city that somehow just exists up in the Arctic and appears to be almost the same size as Palmacosta. Both of these were made by the-bells-of-luin on Deviantart, BTW, who also does other fantasy cities like Clocktown from Majora's Mask.
Hmm... You know, I never realized before, but all of the major settlements in Sylvarant have been built somewhere that makes them more difficult to attack. Palmacosta is built out into the sea, Flanoir is out in the Arctic, Triet is built around an oasis smack in the middle of a desert, Asgard is built on the side of a cliff with only one narrow entrance to it, and Luin is built over a large river and connected to land through bridges. It makes sense considering the constant threat of Desian attacks. Iselia presumably gets away with having no barrier other than a forest with easily navigable paths by virtue of their non-aggression treaty with the Desians.
Oh, and Hima's built on a mountaintop, but Hima is literally nothing but one inn and a few merchants who presumably sleep in their stalls at night, so who cares? "Village of Adventurers" my ass, that inn doesn't even have a tavern!
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EmpirePlayer
Anyone need some chaos?
- Location
- Penang
Not that familiar with it, but maybe the more vital parts of the settlement are quietly built into more remote locations, and usually there is little cause for most adventurers to go to those places?
Leingod
Immaculate Blooming Lotus
It's possible, I suppose. I say "mountaintop," but actually that inn is built on a large platform that juts out from a narrow, winding path up the mountain.
So it would actually be an interesting possibility if there were similar platforms (terraces?) lower down so that Hima is less a village in the conventional sense and more a spiraling path connecting a bunch of houses. Though that does raise the question of how they grow food; the mountain doesn't seem to have any water sources.
EmpirePlayer
Anyone need some chaos?
- Location
- Penang
Well, a cursory search on google raises the possibility that there might be Mountain Aquifers, or maybe underground rivers in the places that have nothing built on top of them. Or they have collect snow and melt them? Plenty of ways to get drinkable water in a relatively clean world compared to the modern world.
Leingod
Immaculate Blooming Lotus
Going back to my RTK quest idea. First of all, some maps, because those are fun. First is a map that demonstrates the size of the Han Dynasty in comparison to modern-day China.
Here's some fun info: the kingdom of Wu actually conquered a lot of land that Han never held, or at least never held very well. In addition to that bit of southeastern land there, they also colonized that big island in the South China Sea, which is called Hainan. Han China also excludes a lot of land that was only conquered during the Qing Dynasty, namely Inner Mongolia, Manchuria, Tibet and Xinjiang (the latter two make up that huge block of land to the west). Xinjiang ("New Frontier"), BTW, was gained through what is now known as the Dzungar Genocide, which is one of the most successful and appalling pre-modern genocides in recorded history, but that's neither here nor there.
More importantly, here's a map of the provinces of Han China c. 190:
The reason I'm bringing this one up is because I had some ideas of where to place the MC if the characters want to try to create their own warlord state and don't want to pick the option to be Tao Qian's son.
Tao Qian's warlord state is actually larger than it's presented in the novel and the games; immediately after the breakdown of the campaign against Dong Zhuo, Tao Qian took advantage of the chaos to take over much of Yang Province; you know those guys Sun Ce beat down in succession to take over Yang? Several of them were puppets of Tao Qian, and in actual history the campaign was meant by Yuan Shu as a power play to replace Tao Qian's puppets with Yuan Shu's puppets, the Sun family. Obviously, it didn't work out that way.
Anyway, despite the fact that it encompasses two provinces, Tao Qian's state is a hard one to defend or expand further. Xu and Yang are separated by the huge-ass Yangtze River (which in Chinese is more commonly called the Chang Jiang, i.e. "Long River"), so there's geographical difficulties from the get-go. Then there's the enemies you'd be up against if you wanted to expand: Yuan Shao and/or Gongsun Zan to the north, Cao Cao and/or Lu Bu to the west, and Yuan Shu and Sun Ce to the south. You have to take down at least one of them and very likely more just to start expanding. And then depending on how events progress either Liu Bei or Lu Bu might try to take the whole province out from under you.
As for attempts to make your own warlord state, there's three possibilities I've decided would make good starting points; all three have their own challenges but aren't impossible and have some room to grow. I'm doing these with the assumption right here that the character's father (and likely the character themselves) fight in the Yellow Turban Rebellion and are given a government job in the provinces; this would be most likely for either the Liu Tian or Song Jiang options, though He Xin might be given his own posting as an Inspector or Administrator in the provinces.
The first possibility is Bing Province, which players of the RTK games would recognize as the two western cities in Yuan Shao's territory, Jinyuan and Shangdang. In canon, the Inspector (then Governor) of Bing is Ding Yuan, Lu Bu's first foster father. Ding Yuan was one of the three provincial lords whom He Jin secretly invited to the capital to give him enough muscle to oust the Ten Regular Attendants from Power, along with Dong Zhuo and Bao Xin. Dong Zhuo got there first and took over in the confusion after He Jin's death and the slaughter of the eunuchs by Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu. Ding Yuan opposed Dong Zhuo, so Dong Zhuo bribed Lu Bu into killing Ding Yuan and then absorbed much of his military forces into his own, thereby increasing his power greatly.
If, however, the character can rally enough of Ding Yuan's army to prevent them all from surrendering to Lu Bu and Dong Zhuo (most likely they won't be able to get all of them, but maybe 20,000-30,000 would be possible depending on the character's build and methods), they might still be able to hold Jinyuan. Shangdang is held by Zhang Yang, who makes allies with a very interesting footnote to the history of the Three Kingdoms: the Black Mountain Bandits.
You see, there were a lot of bandit uprising totally unrelated to the Yellow Turbans who took advantage of the chaos of the times to organize and grow greatly in power. One of the most successful were the Black Mountain Bandits, a confederation of bandits led by Zhang Yan, also called "Flying Swallow Yan." These bandits ravaged lands all around the Taihang Mountain Range, which extends for about 250 miles north-south all the way from the northernmost extent of the Han down into the Central Plains (the modern-day provinces of Shanxi and Shandong are both named in reference to this mountain range, BTW; Shanxi means "West of the Mountains" and Shandong means "East of the Mountains"); they operated with near-impunity for almost 10 years before getting too bold, attacking Yuan Shao, and getting crippled, and even then they lasted long enough that Zhang Yan assisted Cao Cao in his campaign against Yuan Shao and contributed enough to be given amnesty and made a general. At their height it was said they numbered 1,000,000 men; this is a massive exaggeration, obviously, but it does show that they were very large and very dangerous.
So essentially, you start out with Jinyang and some of the remnants of Ding Yuan's army. If you want to expand, you have to first deal with the alliance between Zhang Yang in Shangdang and the Black Mountain Bandits led by Zhang Yan, either of whom would be a difficult opponent on their own. Then, you have to deal with either Gongsun Zan, Yuan Shao, or both, depending on circumstances and time frame.
The best chance of survival would probably come from playing off different factions. The Black Mountains made pests of themselves in Yuan Shao's Ji Province, and later on the Black Mountains tried to assist Gongsun Zan, so an alliance to deal with them might not be out of the question, for example. And from there, your best bet would probably be trying to find some way to play off the conflict between Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zan to seize enough power to become a third power. Which would kind of make the lands north of the Yellow River into a microcosm of the Three Kingdoms, funnily enough.
The second possibility is in southern Jing Province, i.e. those four cities (Changsha, Lingling, Guiyang and... I don't remember the fourth) south of Liu Biao's territories in the northern half of Jing, to those who played the RTK games. Jing Province is huge and wealthy, but much like China as a whole at this time, the south is much less rich or populous than the north. What's more, until Sun Jian's death, he rules Changsha, which is the choicest piece of land in southern Jing. So you either have to take him out or wait until he bites the dust just to unify southern Jing, and then you have to deal with Liu Biao, who isn't exactly great shakes himself as a general, but has a large and well-equipped army with at least a few very dangerous generals (I can think of two in particular who could be a problem if you fought them head-on...).
Of course, if you manage to triumph and take all of Jing, you're instantly one of the strongest warlords in the region. On the other hand, you'd be sandwiched between the Suns in Yang, Liu Zhang in Yi (and maybe later on Liu Bei in Yi), and Cao Cao everywhere to the north, unless you managed to do all this early enough that you might be able to head off one or two of these factions from gaining power.
Or you could do the easy thing and turn south instead. Jiaozhi, ruled by Shi Xie, is in what in modern times is northern Vietnam. Shi Xie is a very interesting historical figure (in fact, the Vietnamese deified him after the Han ended as "King Si") who did a lot to develop northern Vietnam, including presiding over the immigration of a lot of Chinese families. At the very least, it would give you a lot of productive land; rice, after all, originates not in China but in these hot, tropical lands south of China, and tends to grow much better there.
The third option is starting in Yang Province, which otherwise would first be disputed between Tao Qian and Yuan Shu before being taken by Sun Ce (though the Huainan ended up under the control of Wei, and was the subject of pretty much every attempted conquest Wu made against Wei and later Jin, mostly famously Hefei). Not only would you have to deal with Tao Qian's puppet rulers like Liu Yao and Wang Lang, you might also have to contend first with Yuan Shu's forays and then with Sun Ce's conquest, on top of the native Shanyue barbarians and the bandits led by Yan Baihu. I'd probably put you somewhere a little separated from all that chaos though, likely Chaisang, which would give you a barrier to actually gear up for a fight without having to fight assholes off left, right and center.
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Stepping away from the conquest stuff and onto the character stuff, I've always been kind of disappointed with how little actual person-to-person interaction there ever was between the heads of the three kingdoms. I mean, it's obvious why that is, they were often at war and all, but even before everything slips into chaos and there's a chance in the narrative for all three of them to talk to each other and share a scene, it doesn't happen.
The two best chances I know are the Yellow Turban Rebellion and the Guangdong Coalition (the campaign against Dong Zhuo). Cao Cao, Liu Bei and Sun Jian were all involved in both of them, but there's never a scene where they talk to each other; in fact, I'm pretty sure Liu Bei and Cao Cao both never met Sun Jian or Sun Ce, and Liu Bei only ever met Sun Quan once.
Both of these campaigns are the best times for the three to meet and interact with each other, because think about it: the fathers of the Three Kingdoms not only share the same scene together, but also fight on the same side, even though in both campaigns none of them are among the major leaders of the campaigns. But that last bit actually adds to the value of it, because it shows how all three of them began as underdogs, and how in these early years they're all fighting for the same cause: the restoration of the Han. Which gives it a lot more pathos later on when they and their descendants end up splitting the empire among themselves and spend decades warring with each other.
The Guangdong Campaign would be especially interesting, in that it would also be a part of establishing just what makes these three different from the other 20-odd warlords that make up the coalition. Both in history and in the novel, essentially the coalition set up a huge blockade that kept Dong Zhuo's forces in the capital from getting any funds or food from the east (which incidentally led Dong Zhuo to completely ruin the Han economy by melting down every scrap of bronze he could find into new coins, causing rampant inflation that destroyed the value of coins for decades to come and only furthered the breakdown from a centralized empire into a bunch of feuding feudal states), and then proceeded to do as little as they possibly could. You see, each of the warlords secretly wanted to be in Dong Zhuo's position of ruling over the emperor and thus the empire. Each of them fully intended to turn on their compatriots as soon as possible. So once the blockade was established, every one of the warlords tried their best to contribute as little as possible, turning the campaign into a game of chicken as each of them tried to wait until one of their compatriots committed their own forces first and thus weakened themselves, making them easier prey when the time came to turn on them. Sun Jian, Cao Cao and (in the novel at least) Liu Bei were some of the only ones who actually permitted themselves (though Cao Cao and Sun Jian were actually subordinates of Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu respectively at the time, and those two were using them as catspaws to do the dirty work and thus preserve the bulk of their own forces).
So there's a good potential for dramatic contrast between these three and the other warlords. In the novel, Sun Jian's forces engage Hua Xiong and lose because Yuan Shu has a fit of jealousy and fear and withholds supplies from Jian, necessitating the battle that ends with Guan Yu killing Hua Xiong. In actual history, Sun Jian talked Yuan Shu into giving the supplies before the damage could be done and won, defeating Hu Zhen (Hua Xiong IRL was a very minor officer of little note, rather than Dong Zhuo's second-best general).
Since Guan Yu's badass credentials are established quite thoroughly, I'll be giving this one to Sun Jian by mixing history with fiction. Hua Xiong is Dong Zhuo's best general after Lu Bu, and Yuan Shu does withhold supplies, but Sun Jian still manages to defeat and kill Hua Xiong and his subordinate Hu Zhen (most likely involving Sun Jian and Hua Xiong fighting a duel, because I can't possibly pass up that chance), but his forces take serious losses in the process, Sun Jian is wounded, and his general Zu Mao, as in both the novel and history, is killed saving his life.
The Guandong Coalition then throws a huge feast to celebrate Sun Jian's victory, and from there it shows off the debauchery and ill-concealed greed of these warlords. Each of them tuts with faux-sympathy over the losses Sun Jian took and is clearly eyeing both him and each other up, each of them tries to jibe and jab each other into being the next to weaken themselves so the others can feast on them like wolves over a fatted calf, etc.
Sun Jian leaves the feast in barely-concealed disgust, his absence barely noticed amidst all the reveling and politicking. Outside, he runs into the only two whose congratulations and sympathy are genuine: Cao Cao and Liu Bei, the former of whom has only just returned from a successful minor sortie, the latter of whom simply wasn't important enough to join the celebrations. Cao Cao, who I tend to characterize with a flair for audacious statements, declares that the three of them are the only people in this army willing to truly put their lives on the line for the Han, sparking a conversation where the three speak of their frustrations with the coalition and end up talking about their personal views on loyalty, what restoring the Han truly means, etc. I kind of want it to be like that one episode of Legend of the Galactic Heroes where Reinhard von Lohengramm and Yang Wenli meet face-to-face for the first and only time in the series, have a civil discussion on their own opposing viewpoints, and leave unable to truly agree but with a strong mutual respect for each other and their worldviews, even if they don't understand them completely.
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I've also got some plans for Lu Bu and the Battle of Hulao Pass, but I think this post is getting way too long already.
Here's some fun info: the kingdom of Wu actually conquered a lot of land that Han never held, or at least never held very well. In addition to that bit of southeastern land there, they also colonized that big island in the South China Sea, which is called Hainan. Han China also excludes a lot of land that was only conquered during the Qing Dynasty, namely Inner Mongolia, Manchuria, Tibet and Xinjiang (the latter two make up that huge block of land to the west). Xinjiang ("New Frontier"), BTW, was gained through what is now known as the Dzungar Genocide, which is one of the most successful and appalling pre-modern genocides in recorded history, but that's neither here nor there.
More importantly, here's a map of the provinces of Han China c. 190:
The reason I'm bringing this one up is because I had some ideas of where to place the MC if the characters want to try to create their own warlord state and don't want to pick the option to be Tao Qian's son.
Tao Qian's warlord state is actually larger than it's presented in the novel and the games; immediately after the breakdown of the campaign against Dong Zhuo, Tao Qian took advantage of the chaos to take over much of Yang Province; you know those guys Sun Ce beat down in succession to take over Yang? Several of them were puppets of Tao Qian, and in actual history the campaign was meant by Yuan Shu as a power play to replace Tao Qian's puppets with Yuan Shu's puppets, the Sun family. Obviously, it didn't work out that way.
Anyway, despite the fact that it encompasses two provinces, Tao Qian's state is a hard one to defend or expand further. Xu and Yang are separated by the huge-ass Yangtze River (which in Chinese is more commonly called the Chang Jiang, i.e. "Long River"), so there's geographical difficulties from the get-go. Then there's the enemies you'd be up against if you wanted to expand: Yuan Shao and/or Gongsun Zan to the north, Cao Cao and/or Lu Bu to the west, and Yuan Shu and Sun Ce to the south. You have to take down at least one of them and very likely more just to start expanding. And then depending on how events progress either Liu Bei or Lu Bu might try to take the whole province out from under you.
As for attempts to make your own warlord state, there's three possibilities I've decided would make good starting points; all three have their own challenges but aren't impossible and have some room to grow. I'm doing these with the assumption right here that the character's father (and likely the character themselves) fight in the Yellow Turban Rebellion and are given a government job in the provinces; this would be most likely for either the Liu Tian or Song Jiang options, though He Xin might be given his own posting as an Inspector or Administrator in the provinces.
The first possibility is Bing Province, which players of the RTK games would recognize as the two western cities in Yuan Shao's territory, Jinyuan and Shangdang. In canon, the Inspector (then Governor) of Bing is Ding Yuan, Lu Bu's first foster father. Ding Yuan was one of the three provincial lords whom He Jin secretly invited to the capital to give him enough muscle to oust the Ten Regular Attendants from Power, along with Dong Zhuo and Bao Xin. Dong Zhuo got there first and took over in the confusion after He Jin's death and the slaughter of the eunuchs by Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu. Ding Yuan opposed Dong Zhuo, so Dong Zhuo bribed Lu Bu into killing Ding Yuan and then absorbed much of his military forces into his own, thereby increasing his power greatly.
If, however, the character can rally enough of Ding Yuan's army to prevent them all from surrendering to Lu Bu and Dong Zhuo (most likely they won't be able to get all of them, but maybe 20,000-30,000 would be possible depending on the character's build and methods), they might still be able to hold Jinyuan. Shangdang is held by Zhang Yang, who makes allies with a very interesting footnote to the history of the Three Kingdoms: the Black Mountain Bandits.
You see, there were a lot of bandit uprising totally unrelated to the Yellow Turbans who took advantage of the chaos of the times to organize and grow greatly in power. One of the most successful were the Black Mountain Bandits, a confederation of bandits led by Zhang Yan, also called "Flying Swallow Yan." These bandits ravaged lands all around the Taihang Mountain Range, which extends for about 250 miles north-south all the way from the northernmost extent of the Han down into the Central Plains (the modern-day provinces of Shanxi and Shandong are both named in reference to this mountain range, BTW; Shanxi means "West of the Mountains" and Shandong means "East of the Mountains"); they operated with near-impunity for almost 10 years before getting too bold, attacking Yuan Shao, and getting crippled, and even then they lasted long enough that Zhang Yan assisted Cao Cao in his campaign against Yuan Shao and contributed enough to be given amnesty and made a general. At their height it was said they numbered 1,000,000 men; this is a massive exaggeration, obviously, but it does show that they were very large and very dangerous.
So essentially, you start out with Jinyang and some of the remnants of Ding Yuan's army. If you want to expand, you have to first deal with the alliance between Zhang Yang in Shangdang and the Black Mountain Bandits led by Zhang Yan, either of whom would be a difficult opponent on their own. Then, you have to deal with either Gongsun Zan, Yuan Shao, or both, depending on circumstances and time frame.
The best chance of survival would probably come from playing off different factions. The Black Mountains made pests of themselves in Yuan Shao's Ji Province, and later on the Black Mountains tried to assist Gongsun Zan, so an alliance to deal with them might not be out of the question, for example. And from there, your best bet would probably be trying to find some way to play off the conflict between Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zan to seize enough power to become a third power. Which would kind of make the lands north of the Yellow River into a microcosm of the Three Kingdoms, funnily enough.
The second possibility is in southern Jing Province, i.e. those four cities (Changsha, Lingling, Guiyang and... I don't remember the fourth) south of Liu Biao's territories in the northern half of Jing, to those who played the RTK games. Jing Province is huge and wealthy, but much like China as a whole at this time, the south is much less rich or populous than the north. What's more, until Sun Jian's death, he rules Changsha, which is the choicest piece of land in southern Jing. So you either have to take him out or wait until he bites the dust just to unify southern Jing, and then you have to deal with Liu Biao, who isn't exactly great shakes himself as a general, but has a large and well-equipped army with at least a few very dangerous generals (I can think of two in particular who could be a problem if you fought them head-on...).
Of course, if you manage to triumph and take all of Jing, you're instantly one of the strongest warlords in the region. On the other hand, you'd be sandwiched between the Suns in Yang, Liu Zhang in Yi (and maybe later on Liu Bei in Yi), and Cao Cao everywhere to the north, unless you managed to do all this early enough that you might be able to head off one or two of these factions from gaining power.
Or you could do the easy thing and turn south instead. Jiaozhi, ruled by Shi Xie, is in what in modern times is northern Vietnam. Shi Xie is a very interesting historical figure (in fact, the Vietnamese deified him after the Han ended as "King Si") who did a lot to develop northern Vietnam, including presiding over the immigration of a lot of Chinese families. At the very least, it would give you a lot of productive land; rice, after all, originates not in China but in these hot, tropical lands south of China, and tends to grow much better there.
The third option is starting in Yang Province, which otherwise would first be disputed between Tao Qian and Yuan Shu before being taken by Sun Ce (though the Huainan ended up under the control of Wei, and was the subject of pretty much every attempted conquest Wu made against Wei and later Jin, mostly famously Hefei). Not only would you have to deal with Tao Qian's puppet rulers like Liu Yao and Wang Lang, you might also have to contend first with Yuan Shu's forays and then with Sun Ce's conquest, on top of the native Shanyue barbarians and the bandits led by Yan Baihu. I'd probably put you somewhere a little separated from all that chaos though, likely Chaisang, which would give you a barrier to actually gear up for a fight without having to fight assholes off left, right and center.
-
Stepping away from the conquest stuff and onto the character stuff, I've always been kind of disappointed with how little actual person-to-person interaction there ever was between the heads of the three kingdoms. I mean, it's obvious why that is, they were often at war and all, but even before everything slips into chaos and there's a chance in the narrative for all three of them to talk to each other and share a scene, it doesn't happen.
The two best chances I know are the Yellow Turban Rebellion and the Guangdong Coalition (the campaign against Dong Zhuo). Cao Cao, Liu Bei and Sun Jian were all involved in both of them, but there's never a scene where they talk to each other; in fact, I'm pretty sure Liu Bei and Cao Cao both never met Sun Jian or Sun Ce, and Liu Bei only ever met Sun Quan once.
Both of these campaigns are the best times for the three to meet and interact with each other, because think about it: the fathers of the Three Kingdoms not only share the same scene together, but also fight on the same side, even though in both campaigns none of them are among the major leaders of the campaigns. But that last bit actually adds to the value of it, because it shows how all three of them began as underdogs, and how in these early years they're all fighting for the same cause: the restoration of the Han. Which gives it a lot more pathos later on when they and their descendants end up splitting the empire among themselves and spend decades warring with each other.
The Guangdong Campaign would be especially interesting, in that it would also be a part of establishing just what makes these three different from the other 20-odd warlords that make up the coalition. Both in history and in the novel, essentially the coalition set up a huge blockade that kept Dong Zhuo's forces in the capital from getting any funds or food from the east (which incidentally led Dong Zhuo to completely ruin the Han economy by melting down every scrap of bronze he could find into new coins, causing rampant inflation that destroyed the value of coins for decades to come and only furthered the breakdown from a centralized empire into a bunch of feuding feudal states), and then proceeded to do as little as they possibly could. You see, each of the warlords secretly wanted to be in Dong Zhuo's position of ruling over the emperor and thus the empire. Each of them fully intended to turn on their compatriots as soon as possible. So once the blockade was established, every one of the warlords tried their best to contribute as little as possible, turning the campaign into a game of chicken as each of them tried to wait until one of their compatriots committed their own forces first and thus weakened themselves, making them easier prey when the time came to turn on them. Sun Jian, Cao Cao and (in the novel at least) Liu Bei were some of the only ones who actually permitted themselves (though Cao Cao and Sun Jian were actually subordinates of Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu respectively at the time, and those two were using them as catspaws to do the dirty work and thus preserve the bulk of their own forces).
So there's a good potential for dramatic contrast between these three and the other warlords. In the novel, Sun Jian's forces engage Hua Xiong and lose because Yuan Shu has a fit of jealousy and fear and withholds supplies from Jian, necessitating the battle that ends with Guan Yu killing Hua Xiong. In actual history, Sun Jian talked Yuan Shu into giving the supplies before the damage could be done and won, defeating Hu Zhen (Hua Xiong IRL was a very minor officer of little note, rather than Dong Zhuo's second-best general).
Since Guan Yu's badass credentials are established quite thoroughly, I'll be giving this one to Sun Jian by mixing history with fiction. Hua Xiong is Dong Zhuo's best general after Lu Bu, and Yuan Shu does withhold supplies, but Sun Jian still manages to defeat and kill Hua Xiong and his subordinate Hu Zhen (most likely involving Sun Jian and Hua Xiong fighting a duel, because I can't possibly pass up that chance), but his forces take serious losses in the process, Sun Jian is wounded, and his general Zu Mao, as in both the novel and history, is killed saving his life.
The Guandong Coalition then throws a huge feast to celebrate Sun Jian's victory, and from there it shows off the debauchery and ill-concealed greed of these warlords. Each of them tuts with faux-sympathy over the losses Sun Jian took and is clearly eyeing both him and each other up, each of them tries to jibe and jab each other into being the next to weaken themselves so the others can feast on them like wolves over a fatted calf, etc.
Sun Jian leaves the feast in barely-concealed disgust, his absence barely noticed amidst all the reveling and politicking. Outside, he runs into the only two whose congratulations and sympathy are genuine: Cao Cao and Liu Bei, the former of whom has only just returned from a successful minor sortie, the latter of whom simply wasn't important enough to join the celebrations. Cao Cao, who I tend to characterize with a flair for audacious statements, declares that the three of them are the only people in this army willing to truly put their lives on the line for the Han, sparking a conversation where the three speak of their frustrations with the coalition and end up talking about their personal views on loyalty, what restoring the Han truly means, etc. I kind of want it to be like that one episode of Legend of the Galactic Heroes where Reinhard von Lohengramm and Yang Wenli meet face-to-face for the first and only time in the series, have a civil discussion on their own opposing viewpoints, and leave unable to truly agree but with a strong mutual respect for each other and their worldviews, even if they don't understand them completely.
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I've also got some plans for Lu Bu and the Battle of Hulao Pass, but I think this post is getting way too long already.
EmpirePlayer
Anyone need some chaos?
- Location
- Penang
Well, that can't possibly lead to any confusion. Especially if it is in the middle of a battle, where a G might end up getting added or lost partway through. Maybe it would be prudent to refer to them in some other way to minimise confusion
On one hand, that would be a profit moment. On the other hand, sone part of me is dreading ever trying that.
And possbily having a coallition try to kick your shit in.
Considering what he became, odds are we can never really be the Ruler of this land in the minds of the people. Unless we one-up him as a ruler.
Amen.
And why exactly Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and Sun Jian were visonaries. Then Sun Jian came down with a case of death after he went and grabbed the Imperial Seal and lied about it. The heavens were not happy about that.
Maybe some other chance meetings with Sun Ce or Sun Quan after Sun Jian bites it? Gives it a generational feel, with the younger Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and older Sun Jian in the first meeting at the aforementioned time, the proud Cao Cao, steadfast Liu Bei, and unproven Sun Quan at Chi Bi, and the old Cao Cao, reminiscing of the past. (If things get to that point)
With the MC either part of it in-quest or just the observer.
I don't mind. I really like these posts.
Leingod
Immaculate Blooming Lotus
Luckily, the Black Mountain Bandits all have "wuxia names." Zhang Yan was called "Flying Sparrow Yan," which I could just shorten to "Flying Sparrow."
Other Black Mountain leaders had such names as Bogue ("White Sparrow"), Kujiu ("Dry Grub"), Li Damu ("Big-Eyed Li"), Yu Du ("Poison Yu") and my personal favorite Zuo Zizhangba ("Zuo with the Long Mustache").
Just do what Liu Biao did and harness the incredible power of Cutscene Arrows.
To be fair, if he'd told he truth he'd have been obligated to give it to either Yuan Shao, who was the leader of the coalition, or Yuan Shu, who was Sun Jian's boss at the time, and by this point neither of them has proven especially trustworthy or sincere as Han loyalists.
I can certainly think of ways for Sun Ce and Sun Quan to meet both Liu Bei and Cao Cao. Sun Ce is 15 in 190 and Sun Quan is 8, so Ce at least might even be there with his dad in the campaign, though almost certainly not as a combatant.
Also, another historical difference from the novel I might include: in actual history, Ma Teng and Han Sui weren't a part of the Guandong Coalition. In fact, they were allies of Dong Zhuo and his successors, though they ended up rebelling against Li Jue. So those two might make an appearance on the enemy's side of the campaign.
Thank you! Let's move onto Hulao, then.
I have a lot of beef with Koei's Dynasty Warriors series, but the early games at least definitely got one thing down pat: making Lu Bu a genuinely terrifying opponent to face. There was nothing more satisfying in any Dynasty Warriors game than the first time you pursue Lu Bu and win in the early games. The guy felt legitimately unstoppable, so when you toppled the Goliath it felt incredible.
I've always really enjoyed portraying Lu Bu as almost inhuman in just how terrifyingly powerful he is, as someone who rises so far above ordinary people that he seems almost to become something elemental, as befitting a man called the God of War. I won't make him Superman or anything, but any battle with Lu Bu in it should definitely involve at least one or two feats that seem almost impossible and strike fear and awe into both sides of the fighting. Other generals might have nearly superhuman feats, but only Lu Bu does the seemingly impossible every single time he takes the field.
The true power of Lu Bu is the effect he has on morale: in the ancient world, morale is everything in battle. The side with greater morale has a truly huge advantage over the side with less, and morale is usually the tipping point that decides whether the fight ends with orderly retreat or a devastating rout. No matter how incredible a fighter Lu Bu is, his strength alone usually doesn't decide the outcome of battles... but the effect on morale that that strength has does. An army with the invincible Lu Bu on their side feels invincible, and any army forced to go against him needs something to equalize morale or it'll be at a huge disadvantage.
Dong Zhuo's army feels invincible so long as Lu Bu leads them. But if Lu Bu is killed, their morale will evaporate completely. So the primary goal at Hulao isn't just to get past Lu Bu's blockade and defeat his army; it's to slay the God of War. From here, I take inspiration both from the 2010 live-action RTK series and also the manhua The Ravages of Time.
To that end, the strategy Yuan Shao decides on is to play to Lu Bu's ego and challenge him to what is essentially a gauntlet of successive duels against the greatest generals the coalition can muster. There are a total of 20 generals slated to fight Lu Bu, representative of the 20 lords making up the coalition (though not every lord is putting up a fighter). Yuan Shao sells this strategy thus: he makes a vow will personally lobby for ennobling the lord of the victorious general as a duke when they destroy Dong Zhuo, and the general will be made a marquess and given high rank as a general. Further, he points out that none of them have to expend any of their troops or supplies, and only risk a single general for what could be a fantastic reward. And the victorious general will be famous as the slayer of the God of War, even despite the circumstances. In fact, the more of the other generals are killed beforehand, the more impressive the feat will sound to people, because the more inhuman it makes Lu Bu sound. If he kills 1 or 2 generals before being beaten, that's pretty normal. 4 or 5 and sure, people might say you only won because he was tired, but others will point out that killing someone who just killed 5 famous generals is a feat no matter how tired the guy is. 10 or more and you're a hero who slew a demon of legend, essentially.
So the generals are assembled, names called out on a scroll, famous general after famous general announced in the order they'll take on the legend. The assembled soldiers trade stories of these men's prowess, informing each other of their great deeds and cool nicknames and all of that. Men cheer on whichever general they're familiar with; some of the generals ignore it, but many grandstand and play to the crowd, showing off their skills and making grandiose claims or promising rewards for their men once they become nobility.
Pan Feng, who wields his axe like it weighs nothing and can slice a thick wooden post in half in the blink of an eye. Yu She, known as the "Thousand-Man Slayer." Fang Yue, who once killed a score of armed and armored bandits with no armor and only a short sword as a weapon. Mu Shun, who has Xiongnu blood in his veins, and everyone knows a Xiongnu is nearly invincible atop a horse! Wu Anguo, who stands nearly eight feet tall and wields an iron mace with enough strength to crush a horse with one mighty blow. Liu Sandao, who brags that he'll slay Lu Bu in three bouts. Han Yong, who proclaims that every one of his men will be gifted with silver when he becomes a marquess. Wang Chong, who tells everyone that he'll make sure to keep Red Hare alive and take it for his own mount. And so on, until only 6 more generals are left.
Huang Gai and Han Dang, generals of Sun Jian's army, are announced with a bit less fanfare than the rest, their names not so well-known. Xiahou Yuan and Xiahou Dun, generals of Cao Cao's army, are announced with still less. Neither of them's really done anything as far as anyone can tell. Wonder how Cao Cao convinced Yuan Shao to give him two tries?
But the cheers stop completely when the last two are announced. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, mounted archers of Liu Bei's army? Who the hell are they? Wait, mounted archers? Common soldiers? And this Liu Bei is just some county magistrate? What's going on here?
Some bright spark figures it out and starts to spread the word. Obviously, Lord Yuan Shao is using these commoners as a calculated insult; by putting mere soldiers on the levels of these famous heroes, he'll bruise their egos and spur them on to do their best to show their mettle against Lu Bu. This quickly spreads, and everyone nods their heads or laughs it off. Of course, that makes sense.
Who knows, maybe that's even true. Or maybe Cao Cao, Sun Jian and Gongsun Zan all know what Liu Bei and his men are capable of and convinced Yuan Shao to include them. Hard to say.
At the scheduled time to begin the bouts, Lu Bu marches ahead of his army, completely alone, shouting insults and boasts in equal measure, promising to take the heads of every lord of the alliance once he's done disposing of their so-called generals. The first general, Yu She, charges in announcing his name, shouting that Lu Bu will meet his end here.
Yu She - LDR 67, WAR 84, INT 41, POL 38, CHA 48
With one sweep of his halberd, Lu Bu beheads the "Thousand-Man Slayer", then grabs the head in mid-flight and lifts it up for all to see, his army shouting in triumph at the sight. Sticking his halberd into the ground for a moment, he draws his bow, nocks an arrow, and lets it loose. It strikes the flagpole of one of the 20 flags of the Guandong Coalition and breaks it in half, sending the flag flapping to the ground.
"One down."
In the Coalition camp, there's a moment of fear, uncertainty, but quickly the words start to fly. One victory means nothing, Lu Bu has 19 more generals to fight. He's showboating, trying to scare the competition so they'll break; he can't keep this up. Yu She was overconfident, and it cost him. Etc.
Pan Feng charges in, brandishing his huge axe, swinging it rapidly.
Pan Feng - LDR 62, WAR 87, INT 24, POL 35, CHA 50
He's not rapid enough, or strong enough. With one blow, Lu Bu disarms Pan Feng. Literally. With the next, he stabs him through the throat. He draws his bow again. Another arrow, another flag falls.
"Two down."
And so it goes. General after general, hero after hero, renowned fighter after renowned fighter, challenges Lu Bu... and is cut down. Most are killed in one or two blows; a few manage to block a blow or two and are killed on the third. Of 9 warriors, only 1 manages to make it longer than that: the mighty Wu Anguo, said to have the strength of ten men.
Wu Anguo - LDR 78, WAR 93, INT 58, POL 47, CHA 51
He trades a grand total of five blows before Lu Bu cuts off his arm and he's forced to flee for his life. Lu Bu doesn't even consider him worth chasing.
The next general steps forward. There's no cheering on the coalition's side, now, only fear and fervent hope. There's no proud boasting or grandstanding among the generals, only grim determination barely hiding the encroaching fear of death. For the next in line, Wang Chong, it's all he can do to keep from shaking. He can't do this. He's going to die, just as easily as all the others-
From the coalition's side, one of the assembled generals rushes forward. It's not Wang Chong. It's one of the last in line, one of those two soldiers Lord Yuan used to motivate the generals. What's he doing? Doesn't he realize he's going to die? He won't last a second against that demon! Wait, what's that he's yelling?
"That's it! Forget you weaklings! All you famous generals, and this all you amount to! Pathetic! Let Zhang Fei of Yan show you high-and-mighty wimps how a real man does it! Come here Lu Bu, you bastard with three fathers! Let's see how you deal with someone who actually knows how to fight!"
:origin()/pre09/7416/th/pre/f/2016/240/4/5/zhang_fei___rtkxii_by_unlimitedblankworks-dafkc3t.jpg){kind=spacer}
Zhang Fei - WAR 103(+5)
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You know how it goes from there.
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EmpirePlayer
Anyone need some chaos?
- Location
- Penang
Amphibious attacks are hell, no matter the era. Best way to do this would be to sneak-attack and immediately take a fort on the other side of the river to establish a foothold. And even then, if the river is not merciful, it will be a long time before any supplies/reinforcements can arrive. On the other hand, it is also hard for the enemy to cross it too. Any major movement of Boats are quite noticeable, especially you have fishermen on the lookout.
Well, at least the troops from this province are the more experienced ones.
The problem with Bandits in any piece of Chinese fiction is that you don't know if the are either the "Slimy Bandits" or the "Honorable Bandits". So the ways to deal with them are quite hard to figure out without ever meeting them. Especially if it is a "Canny Noble Bandit" who might take the money to betray their alliance only to turn around and stab you instead for being dishonorable.
An Alliance with Yuan Shao? Oh God. It should be made very clear that this is a temporary one.
With us in the position of Shu. At least until Cao Cao invades, if he does. But he most likely will. And he has Guo Jia at this point in time.
Well, considering it was by getting too reckless that he was even caught in the ambush he was caught in and got crushed by a boulder/shot by arrows...
Then again, killing him is a good way to get a pissed off Sun Ce after you.
But swearing by the heavens didn't exactly help. That's the equivalent of swearing on the Bible then saying lies. It's Bad Juju, especially in those times. Especially if there are supernatural themes that are never shown directly.
It's telling that it took his entire army crumbling outright and being completely surrounded by Cao Cao's forces to capture and kill Lu Bu.
That it causes the deaths of the best Generals of the Lords just happens to be a coincidence. Suuure...
But if all 20 wipe, that would be break the Coalition Army, though.
Considering that I knew these two survived past Chi Bi at least, it pretty much spoiled that Zhang Fei would go in before these two. Yuan Shu was in on Yuan Shao's plot, so it makes sense. (Considering Huang Gai's moment of fame was faking defection in Chi Bi which Cao Cao thought was true in a moment of derp, well...)
Yuan Shao didn't want to lose anyone of his Generals. That Xiahou Yuan and Xiahou Dun volunteered is a bit of a surprise though. Again, knowing that these two were chosen basically spoiled that Zhang Fei was going to charge in before they could get their chance to fight Lu Bu.
He was under... Gongsun Zan, who presumably also saw though Yuan Shao's ploy.
By this point, Sun Jian and Cao Cao are also likely sweating hard. Sun Jian because Huang Gai was one of his best (and older) retainers, and Cao Cao because he might just lose his two relatives for no gain. (Granted, Xiahou Dun had both eyes right now, but...)
Shots fired! (Yes, I know the real reason was because Lu Bu killed his 'Father'.)
Considering it took Zhang Fei, Guan Yu, and Liu Bei to just get a draw with Lu Bu, it says a lot about the prowess on both sides of the fight. Though more about Lu Bu, but still. At least the draw meant that the Coalition Morale didn't break outright.
Leingod
Immaculate Blooming Lotus
From what I can tell, Zhang Yan never stabbed anyone he allied with (Zhang Yang, Gongsun Zan, Cao Cao) in the back, so he had that going for him.
An alliance with a Yuan is never anything else.
True.
Also true.
There's exactly one trait shared by Lu Bu and Yuan Shu: they're both some of the most tenacious bastards around.
The fact that Wen Chou suffered an injury in a sortie a short while ago and Yan Liang is back home dealing with bandits are also completely coincidental.
Maybe, but hey, what are the chances of that happening? I mean, no matter how strong he is, Lu Bu's still a man, right? Against 20 of the best generals the coalition can muster, how can he possibly not slip up at some point?
If it's not clear, Yuan Shao doesn't quite understand who he's f*cking with.
Oh, Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu were both careful to put at least one general in: Wang Chong and Yu She, respectively. That neither of these is actually their best general (Yuan Shao has Wen Chou, Yan Liang and Qu Yi, while Yuan Shu has Ji Ling) is simply because none of those men are available at the moment. Some of the other lords aren't bringing their A-game, either; Han Fu volunteered Pan Feng when he has Zhang He in his employ, for example. Of course, others did; Kong Rong has no general who could possibly fill the void of losing Wu Anguo, for example.
As for Cao Cao, he's operating on the same logic as Yuan Shao. And like Yuan Shao, he doesn't quite understand who he's f*cking with. Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan are both damn good fighters, so he assumes that after running a gauntlet of 16 other high-quality generals, his cousins should be able to clinch it easily.
The thing is that just because you hear all these crazy stories about Lu Bu and recognize the effect it has on morale doesn't necessarily mean you believe them. Fluffing up the reputation of generals for morale is very common, after all; everyone does it.
That and Gongsun Zan's best general and fighter is himself, so... yeah, he's not doing that.
Oh yeah, they'll be sweating bullets. At the moment, Sun Jian has only 4 truly noteworthy generals (the other two are Cheng Pu, who is still recovering from killing Hu Zhen and fighting Hua Xiong, and Zhu Zhi, who's indispensable in handling various civil affairs for Sun Jian) and has already lost the 5th (Zu Mao, who pretended to be Sun Jian to lead away some troops who were hunting him and got killed by Hua Xiong). And Cao Cao's only got family to rely on; if he lost the Xiahous he'd only really have Cao Ren and Cao Hong to rely on.
Lu Bu: The only man who can be accused of betraying his father and honestly reply, "Which one?"
Well, it was more that Lu Bu and Zhang Fei made for a more or less even fight; Lu Bu was struggling when Guan Yu was added into the mix, and had to flee when Liu Bei also started contributing. So the three brothers together managed to chase him off, which while not nearly as impressive as one general killing him, does accomplish at least the basic objective by weakening the enemy's morale in the short term (they didn't see the God of War die in front of them, but they did see him flee, albeit from a 3v1; it says a lot about just how highly the legend of Lu Bu has been built up that this is seen as a defeat for him), which allows them to press forward through Hulao, also ensuring that Liu Bei and his brothers become famous overnight for standing up to Lu Bu and not only surviving, but driving him off.
Part of the point of building up Lu Bu so much is that it means that even the smallest victory looks titanic by comparison to all the broken corpses of the men who tried before. It's why I'd want to go to pains of making sure all of these generals are portrayed as the heroes of a generation, some of the mightiest and most famous warriors of their day... and then have them get completely and utterly wrecked with contemptuous ease by the God of War.
It also serves to mark the passing of an age. These are the great warriors of an age of peace and unity, when the greatest threat the Han faced was bands of Xiongnu raiding at the northern borders or some hungry peasants turning to banditry. In the age created by the Yellow Turbans, where feudal lords divide the long amongst themselves and chaos is endemic, the heroes of yesteryear are barely speedbumps to the heroes of the chaos to come.
- Location
- Leeds
It always amuses me that sometimes this becomes Chinese History thread
EmpirePlayer
Anyone need some chaos?
- Location
- Penang
Ah, great. Well, if the Bandit refuses to backstab, maybe Zhang Yang will be more distrustful of those filthy bandits...
To be fair, no-one knows just how good Lu Bu was at the time.
One of the major blind spots of Cao Cao, I feel, is that sometimes he forgets the human element in a war. Oh, morale and management he knows, but sometimes I feel like he fails to understand the human emotions of his enemies.
Alright then, so if you wanted to fight the God of War in ancient times, either do like Guan Yu and kill an abusive noble and be on the run for 5 years, or do like Zhang Fei and farm, sell wine, and work as a Butcher.
Makes sense.
One quibbling point I do have is that the stats of the characters are outright stated. Maybe to reflect the uncertain nature of the times, a stat will only be revealed in full after testing someone? And before testing, you would only have the character's impression of their stats, and those might be wildly off the mark? I dunno, just a suggestion here.
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Honestly, these always make me sorta hyped!
What work do you still need to do to finish prepping for the Quest, or is it a matter of time and focus?
What work do you still need to do to finish prepping for the Quest, or is it a matter of time and focus?
Leingod
Immaculate Blooming Lotus
Well, it's not like we know what Lu Bu did with his life before killing Ding Yuan.
I only revealed the stats of three of the other generals because they all end up dying/getting crippled. Also to prove a point about their strength.
Time and focus. Namely, right now I'm focused more on my RWBY story, whose update speed is slow enough that it just isn't advisable for me to start another quest and make it even slower.
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