Given our entire build is based around crafting including our foundation technique I wouldn't have it as a maybe in our strengths. The character sheet in the first post says that Chachi has both Crafting and Persuasion at Expert.
For the other people some of those guesses are good but we don't have enough information to know anything for sure so I'm going to hold my theory crafting in until we get more updates.
I wouldn't count the Heir out of the running because his entire point earlier was that a fight wouldn't prove that they were suitable to run the clan and that he didn't have to accept a challenge that he couldn't win to him losing his position without a challenge because of a fight.
Oh, wow, I didn't notice there was a character sheet in the first post. Nice! I based my list on the story, and for now, those abilities were what was shown plus what was hinted at or could be guessed. Maybe I should have called them traits, rather than strengths, but I think that was a reasonable assumption to make. Honestly, I never would have thought Persuasion was our best skill together with Crafting, but that's good to know.
As for the Heir, after the last couple of updates and some of the other posts by the QM, I really can't see him challenging us, as long as we don't run our clan into the ground or something to that effect. These two quotes, at least, point in that direction:
Your organization is at risk to collapse because your business partners are mostly at Transcendent or Lord and they won't respect you without a Transcendent in charge. The heir is at a near panic because he's the one who best understands all the ways people are suddenly forgetting about contracts, refusing to honor debts, pressuring suppliers, and generally being predatory assholes now that they think they can get away with it.
Now that we're doing it and he doesn't have to risk it, I think it's fair to say he's not going to undermine us (unless, once again, he feels like he really has to).
Basically, almost every family member sees us as a manipulable puppet figurehead and we kind of are, but we're indispensable to the operation so it's a pretty cushy job overall.
Now that we're doing it and he doesn't have to risk it, I think it's fair to say he's not going to undermine us (unless, once again, he feels like he really has to).
Huh we've switched positions over the course of the thread. If you look at the question quoted in your quote you'll see my post stating a belief that only a Transcendent can rule and your following comment about our clan being merchants.
My bias is saying that you need transformation to try and become a leader of a group like this which means that Okuillin and maybe Tetlkoto are the main threats if someone wants to challenge our control of the clan. Is it right to think that?
The main reason why I changed my position was because he didn't grovel hard enough when we won the duel. If it turns out that you don't need to grovel I'll feel mildly embarrassed about the mistake but until then I figured that his not groveling meant that he wasn't giving up.
Chachi noted that her older brothers went to their knees, but kept their backs straight. Was that correct?
Huh we've switched positions over the course of the thread. If you look at the question quoted in your quote you'll see my post stating a belief that only a Transcendent can rule and your following comment about our clan being merchants.
I kind of adjusted my position since then, maybe, a little bit? I don't think I'm saying anything different than what I did previously. It's just that, since then, the QM has confirmed you were right in saying that a Transcendent leader is almost necessary to maintain our status. But I did think, and I still do, that if we were a terrible leader, we'd be challenged, Transcendent or not, by a Transcendent or not.
The main reason why I changed my position was because he didn't grovel hard enough when we won the duel. If it turns out that you don't need to grovel I'll feel mildly embarrassed about the mistake but until then I figured that his not groveling meant that he wasn't giving up.
Chachi noted that her older brothers went to their knees, but kept their backs straight. Was that correct?
Yes, you are correct. But personally, I don't quite interpret the gesture as them (the Heir in particular) not giving up, but rather as them not giving their absolute support. I would say that the Heir is behind us conditionally, provisionally, under reserve. Something like that. Basically, he wants to see how we do, and if we deserve it, first, in my opinion.
With the Arbiter off to record the results of the match, and the branch heads dispersed back to their duties, Chachi's reward for a battle won and a clan seized was a mountain of paperwork. She was rushed off from the Clan Estate to the Head Office, a modest tower located prestigiously close to the central palace of Tacuba, capital of the Thousand Rivers region. Designed to invoke respectability without provoking envy, the tower was a clean gray accented with hanging gardens fed by an artificial waterfall on the south side. Teokuitlatlkopilli practically lived there, but Chachi had only visited a handful of times. The foyer was also gray with tasteful aquamarine accents, the family colors. Chachi waved excitedly at the receptionist, who waved back, stopped with a look of horror, and then fell hard to her knees in a rushed bow. Ouch.
Teokuitlatlkopilli led the way to the Clan Archives. "We'll throw you a huge party soon, once the mourning period has passed completely. This will be mind-numbing for you, I'm sure, but it is very necessary. Bureaucracy is the beating heart of the Empire. Nothing is real until you've submitted a T-32, S-87, and EZ-499 in triplicate."
With the help of her brother and six assistants it only took four hours. Chachi couldn't wait to escape and visit her sister. Maybe she'd want another fight!
Okuillin was just finishing with the healers when Chachi arrived back at the estate. She was dressed in spare blue robes. She looked thin without her armor. Short too. Did she wear boots to make her taller?
"So…" Chachi wasn't sure what to say.
"So…" Maybe her sister didn't either? She looked uncertain. Troubled even. They stared at each other for a bit, waiting for the other to decide how things would go. Then something broke in Oku's body language.
"It takes huge balls to dive for Transformation like that," she grinned uncertainly.
"My balls would crush Mount Tai" Chachi quipped back, and her sister laughed. It was a surprisingly sweet sound, when it wasn't laced with rage and scorn.
"I thought I could maybe get you, even with all that. You fight like someone with too many tutors and not enough enemies. But it was clever to turn off my technique like that. Couldn't believe you threw my own lightning back at me and it actually worked!" She punched Chachi's shoulder with a bit more force than she would have preferred.
"You fought well… Given the circumstances," Chachi allowed.
"So…" Oku scratched the back of her neck, the uncertain look creeping back to her face, "look. I got issues with, the, uh, you know, our dad." It looked like using that word physically pained her, "but I guess he's dead, so I can bury the grudge right along with him. But just so you know, both your brothers didn't fall far from that rotten tree. Fucking snakes. They'd drown a baby for his smile and they'd grovel in shit at his frown. I know them, and if they were drowning I'd piss in the river…. But I don't know you."
Chachi had to consciously unclench her fists at such unkind words towards her family. The only thing she could agree with is that her brothers and her father came from similar stock. Her honored father was the best man she ever knew, and her brothers were much like him. On the other hand, if her father had one flaw it's how he treated his first daughter. It was a shame that he let his passions overcome him after his first wife's death and had a child out of wedlock, but that wasn't the child's fault. She supposed, if she'd been traded to the Blue River Sect for the sake of propriety she'd be mad too.
1. What should you do about your sister?
[] Keep her close
You can use her. You might have to keep her away from your brothers, or find some way to make nice, but her sect connections and strength are worth it. Besides, she's family.
[] Back to the sect with your blessing
Officially recognize her as a core member of the clan, but ask her to return to the Blue River Sect. She can continue her training and try to dig up some opportunities there. You will keep in regular contact and expect some support, like any scion in the sects.
[] Back to the sect as an exile
She dishonors your father constantly with her words, and now she is disrespecting your brothers. Tell her that she does not belong with the Clan and should not use your name.
---
Three days later, Chachi was painting Lord Tlaloc's palace. Her penthouse office had an excellent view of the lower complex, she could even see the enclosure for his Resplendent Quetzals. Being the Matriarch was surprisingly easy. Her brother was such a worrywart, but the business seemed to be doing just fine. All humming along, just like it always had. She was just working on the floating islands when her mother burst in.
"You cannot allow this!" she cried.
Chachi stared at her blankly, "allow what?"
Itstlixochitl slammed a document on Chachi's enormous empty desk: one of the transition papers. Chachi skimmed it. Yep, looked all in order. She raised an eyebrow at her clearly disturbed mother.
"What?"
"Foolish girl! You granted your brother power of representation! This document gives him full authority to act in your name and speak with your voice! You made him the Patriarch in all but name. In the last two days you've issued over four hundred orders to the clan. Did you write a single one?"
Chachi bit her lip, "I don't see any problem with him handling the little details. Father trusted Teokuitlatlkopilli to handle all kinds of clan business."
"Your father always kept a close eye on the business. He'd never give anyone his voice, even his eldest son. You are the Matriarch. You can't delegate everything. You have to lead. If you don't…. Look, see here," Itsli revealed a second document, a list of names.
"He fired all these employees. These are good workers, very loyal. You understand, they were extremely loyal. He replaced them with less reliable new hires, people who answer directly to him. People we might not be able to count on in hard times. Loyalty is very important."
"Yeah… I guess."
"Don't guess. Know. You're in charge now. Your vision guides this Clan, not your brother's. I know you're young, and you're used to being told what to do. If you need any help, just ask me."
So Chachi found herself marching down to her brother's office. She burst through the door, filled with righteous indignation. Those feelings popped like a balloon when she saw her brother. She stood just inside the threshold suddenly uncertain, as a small mob of workers flung themselves into full kowtows. Her brother's office was smaller than hers, but while most of her space was filled with fine statues, his was crammed with eight paper-swamped desks and a flowing river of workers who just moments ago were rushing on some business that was, no doubt, extraordinarily important. As she hesitated, another one burst in behind her, realized who she was, and also went into a bow. Chachi realized, with dawning horror, that if she just stood here they would just keep piling up. The only person not bowing was her brother, who remained seated at his desk. He was scribbling something down.
"Please… um…. Be about your business. I just want to speak with my brother for a moment. When, uh, you have the time. I want you to come up to my office."
Chachi rushed back to her office in a matter of seconds, her own door rattling at the wave of air she drew with her. She took a deep breath and rubbed her giant desk for comfort, suddenly ashamed of its pristine surface. A few minutes later, her brother entered.
"How can I help you, Great Matriarch?"
"About… About your power of representation," she could hear the wheedling in her own voice.
Her brother sighed and took a seat. He looked haggard. As a cultivator in Perfect, that took a lot. Chachi wondered if he'd slept at all since their father's death.
"In many great Clans, the Matriarch does not take a direct hand in business. It's too much busywork. A Matriarch's duty is strength. You are our face, you are our greatest asset, but you do not need to be our mind. Your goal should be to reach Transcendent as soon as possible. No other action would benefit the clan more," he explained.
"Father led the business directly," Chachi countered.
"You are not the Patriarch. Our honored father started this business with a cart, a dream, and a friend who was a pretty good refiner and a very bad salesman. You are a child with a freakish talent for cultivation that he spoiled incessantly. You can't replace him." Teokuitlatlkopilli sighed and stared forlornly at the same palace she'd been painting. "Neither can I. I don't have his talent, or his courage. But I learned from him for, what, seven times your years? Do you really think you can manage the business better than me?"
Chachi grimaced. This was worse than her fight with Oku. Couldn't she just hit him? Oku would hit him. Oku did hit him. "You're underestimating me. Father wanted me to take over the business someday."
Teokuitlatlkopilli smiled with a touch of bitterness, "If he wanted you to take over he would have trained you for it, and he never made those intentions known to me. But, let's concede that. You were his Golden Child, and he loved you unreservedly. Surely someday is not today. You are not ready."
"How do you know? Okuillin was sure surprised by what I could do."
"Alright," he countered, "a duel then. Of a different sort. We'll do this one casually, just between us. If you win, we rescind the order and you take over the business in truth. If I win, you admit that we're better off with you as a more distant Matriarch. I will present a problem, a very real one that is vexing me. As far as I can see, there is no good answer. Give me your solution, and I will give you the best idea I have so far. For better or worse, you are the Matriarch now. I can only present my views and hope that you will accept them. Therefore, you will judge the duel. If you honestly believe that your answer is better, then you win."
"Lord Tlaloc, the fellow whose palace you're painting so skillfully, was a personal friend of our father. Centuries ago, he granted our father rights in perpetuity to harvest water from the Heavenspan River, which runs through his lands. Heavenspan water is useful in a wide variety of elixirs and free access to it is the cornerstone of our business. Now that our father is dead, Lord Tlaloc has withdrawn our Clan's harvesting rights. He doesn't just want to charge us taxes, he wants to charge us rent for our riverside facilities and charge us for every gallon we extract. If we pay, we will need to raise prices to the point where we are no longer competitive, or we will need to sell all Heavenspan based elixirs at a loss. If we move operations, we risk enraging a powerful Lord, one who owns this very land we're speaking on."
2. What should the Clan do?
[] Write-in.
Each novel solution in the thread will be an idea Chachi has. Very good ideas will help the Clan. Novel solutions are what matter for this, so you should present new ideas instead of supporting ones that have already been posted.
3. What does Chachi decide?
[] The Matriarch Leads
Claim that your idea is better than his. Implement it for better or worse. Rescind the power of representation and handle the business. If your brother has a problem with it, he can step down.
Meta: You'll dive into a Xanxia Merchant Clan Simulator, giving CKIII style orders in addition to managing Chachi's time, with some adventures between timeskips.
[] Figurehead is fine
Admit that he's right. You will focus on cultivation or pet projects, and he'll call you if he needs you.
Meta: You're not abandoning the premise, but the actual business end will be mostly on the backburner. As Matriarch you will work on cultivation, put out fires, and look for new opportunities for the clan to capitalize on. Less CKIII, more Dragon Age Inquisition.
[] Mother knows best
Ask your mom to join the duel, then support her idea. Change the power of representation to her. She'll be delighted. Your brother will be enraged.
Meta: Figurehead with a bit more direct involvement, also you're trusting your mother to handle things over your brother.
[] I can learn
Admit that he's right, but argue that the Patriarch really did intend for you to lead. Someday is not today, but it's coming soon. Your brother needs to teach you in his place.
Meta: Easing into management with more 'tutorial scenes.' Chachi's cultivation will slow down as she tries to learn the family business.
This big brother might get some ideas on overthrowing Chachi so we should definitely take care of him first. Dueling him might be unfavorable due to our character's inexperience, but we should definitely not give him power over a lot of the Clan's business venture.
They underestimate the MC due to her being the spoiled child of the family and they would definitely get ideas about subsiding her position. I'm not really good at planning stuff like these so imma just wait for someone else to make a good plan!
For the sister I'm fine with either Keep her close or allow her to return to the sect with our backing. I would probably leave it to her preference but since that wasn't mentioned I would say to keep her close because she is family and she isn't connected to any of the others which means we will have someone that we can bitch to without judgement and maybe also spar with to let out hard feelings or aggravation.
For the rest with him taking control in all but name that was what I had expected to happen so I'm not surprised by it happening. I am surprised by our mother catching it so fast. I'm wondering if the people that he fired were the same people that she gained the loyalty of and that was why she noticed so fast. Also the first view of the easily manipulatable adorable little kid who has no idea what the truth actually is.
As for the situation itself I hate the idea of slowing down our cultivation when we need to grow stronger as fast as possible but since we are in charge we should have some idea of what we are agreeing to have in our name or else we will get fucked. Style wise I would prefer the figure head because I would prefer that kind of quest overall and honestly if we can trust someone to not screw us over our cultivation level is more important to our business success then our actual knowledge of the business so it makes sense to delay until we are transcendent for the social benefits and then try to learn. Well being a merchant isn't that important to me but in quest it would annoy me to take on the responsibility and then ignore it so I'll probably choose I can learn maybe might change my mind.
As for the problem itself a part of me wants to ask if we know anything about this person but the rest of me realizes that isn't going to matter because we need to reignite his memories of our father rather then convince him directly. I'm going to vote for several things that I think might work however given it's a personal problem based on affections and bonds of brotherhood rather then wealth and money it makes sense that a high business skill isn't enough to run things. I would lean on our persuade skill and crafting to create something that would remind him of that bond and then request that he withholds the taxes until at least our fathers final deal is complete. It would be hilarious if our father didn't have a high business skill but was so good at talking to people that they kept writing in exceptions.
The tax exemption does not make any sense from a business perspective because it was a gift to a friend what we would need to do would be to get him to decide to pass at least some of the feelings that he felt for his friend down to us and that's a persuade check not a business one
[X] Keep her close
[X] Figurehead is fine
[X] Potential Solution 1
-[X] "Enter 9999 Revelations Meditation" and remember that our father's final deal was a twenty year contract for heaven's water.
-[X] Reach into your memories and use your forge to create an artifact designed to rekindle the memory of that lost friendship and with it request an extension that allows them to honor their fathers final gift. If he has lived for centuries surely a handful of years will mean little to him.
-[X] Use the twenty years to cultivate or create your own connections so that the loss doesn't hurt as much when you have to move.
[X] Potential Solution 2
-[X] Ask if everyone else selling Heaven's water also had that free exemption because it would seem fishy otherwise that gaining the same taxes that everyone else has to pay would destroy the business.
-[X] Use Blessing of Efficiency to see if anything can be cut back or removed to lower costs. Letting go of workers and closing buildings would be survivable. As would switching to harder potions that could have the price raised for skill rather then selling the water in bulk.
-[X] If you can't make it work and the lord isn't interested in compromise then close down operations by the lake and try to focus on something else.
[X] Potential Solution 3
-[X] use memories of your father and something from your super special heaven empowering crafting technique as a bribe and hope that he doesn't kidnap you and murder your family so gain full ownership over it.
[X] Potential Solution 4
-[X] Call everyone from the family into the room and brainstorm. one or two people will have less ideas then three or four it's possible that someone will think of something that can be turned into a solution.
[X] Potential Solution 5
-[X] Assume that someone so old and powerful is probably a true noble and ask what a true noble linked to the land would get out of having a strong and powerful cultivator living there as "They claim a piece of land and all the creatures who dwell upon it" and realize that having no taxes were a incentive to have him choose to live there and with him dead he must want a different benefit and that if you wanted to remove said taxes again you would need to have a way to provide a benefit of the same level.
-[X] Realize that Diamonds mild purifying effect on the environment isn't going to be enough compared to a thousand year cultivator and that a permanent change would be forgotten in time as he loses interest and so it has to be something that depends on your living there.
-[X] Realize that you have no idea what would work and throw the idea out into the thread's grasping hands.
Edit: Added to post from later in the thread
[X] Mention the principles of trickle down economics and talk about how you will commit to spending in his territory. Higher taxes mean higher prices which mean that less people will buy the item creating an overall loss. At the prices your asking we cannot afford it and it's unlikely that others can either. If getting the ingredient costs more then the potion sells for then a large part of the market will disappear and the building will sit empty.
-[X] Dive into other economics books to look into other theories that might help. Not something that I'm going to do
[X] Shut down or scale back to something that you can afford without the Patriarch and use the money freed up to invest in something that you can maintain without the tax cuts even if it means losing employees and buildings.
[X] Plan Variant what number, I don't know
-[X] offer exclusive access to the herd of animals in your father's last deal in exchange for maintaining the water rights for another generation.
-[X] An exclusive deal isn't a problem as we both need to build the herd up enough to be sustainable and need the water rights more then we need a new cash cow.
-[X] Even though we don't know exactly what they are, they have to be valuable or father wouldn't have traded for them and a new resource that was considered on par or slightly below the water in exchange for something already in place is more then welcome to a lord.
-[X] He can't take the herd by force because it doesn't exist yet and we need the water rights to get a hold of them in the first place which will give us a minimum of twenty years before he could change his mind which might be enough time to cultivate to a better position or strengthen the clan in other ways.
-[X] Undercutting an already signed deal from an old friend to damage said friends children who are giving him access to a new resource would cause problems because if nothing else they are outside of his territory.
As long as we dont immediately take control of the Clan (and become a figurehead as well) that's fine with me.
Do you think it would be worth it to keep the wayward sister close? She's definitely got views against the already entrenched brothers here, so bringing her close might help offset the manipulations that comes our way.
[X] Keep her close
[X] I can learn
[X] Send the painting as a gift to him along with a letter asking for audience. Make your case to him personally. Afterwards, begin your offer while remaining respectful, allow his own descendants to have cheap access to our product. We will sell at a loss to his family only thus allowing his descendants an advantage over other cultivators, in return we get to keep our access to the water. Argue he loses no money compared to when father was alive, but he gets access to the finished product of his water without having to pay the burden of processing it himself. Surely as fathers friend he would not drive their family to ruin right after their fathers death. Thank him for his time and say that regardless of what he chooses, we are eternally grateful for his kindness all these years and offer your friendship.
We have no legal right to continue using the water for free. Economics (in my understanding) is about give and take plus relationships. To barge into his home only trying to take what we have no personal right to is to be called insolent whelps and thrown out on our asses. Likewise if we demand such a great benefit with nothing to offer in return. My intention is to offer him benefits, appeal to his friendship with our father and to begin building our personal relationship.
also @Mr. Prokosch You have not stated what his proposed solution is. how are we supposed to know if ours is superior if we don't even know what he is planning?
As long as we dont immediately take control of the Clan (and become a figurehead as well) that's fine with me.
Do you think it would be worth it to keep the wayward sister close? She's definitely got views against the already entrenched brothers here, so bringing her close might help offset the manipulations that comes our way.
I support keeping our sister close because learning this shit is stressful and we need a release valve that isn't trapped in everyone hating everyone else. If the only people we can talk to are all searching for an advantage we would probably go crazy and welcome another challenge if it gets us away from the paperwork. It's getting through that we're like fifteen and trying to compete with people that are hundreds of years old.
I'm have to point out that I'm approval voting for Figurehead and I can learn so If your completely against figurehead you might want to change your vote.
As for the plans for what our plan is about the taxes he's going to pull ideas from the thread to add into the update so voting for a specific one that's already out there doesn't really help.
What are Oku's thoughts on staying/returning to sect?
And we do need the ability to understand on more than just a surface level whats going on in our name. Not doing so can cause surprises to pop up at inopportune times. Figurehead after learning is fine, but we need to understand first. Passing over to mom would not be optimal, while her interests align more, there's no indication she has the ability to do so.
Yeah, it's a bit odd that you're voting on who is right before you hear his idea, or are even sure of yours, but there's no objective way to be sure if his plan is better than yours. He doesn't have a brilliant trap of a plan. If he did, he'd be doing it.
You're the judge and it's totally subjective. But do you have the confidence to back your idea over his? He's hoping that by making Chachi even think about this stuff she'll quit and let him do it, because she's a spoiled child who doesn't really want to be responsible for everything.
Asking Oku what she wants depends entirely on how you ask, so it goes back to the choice. If you genuinely reach out to her as her sister and express a desire to know her better she'll want to stay. If you're a bit more distant but conspire with her about what you can do to help each other she'll want to go back to the sect. You are naturally charming, so she'll think it was her idea either way.
Well I'm good with this plan, and to be honest though? We could just push all of this towards our brother if he was trustworthy and with no malicious thoughts towards us. The good of the Clan is paramount for the MC even though she is still inexperienced.
It feels like keeping her or sending her away would be more a meta vote than anything, because I can't imagine the thread voting against her stated preference
I'm considering changing my vote to Matriarch rules and I'll try instead tomorrow morning I'll check the thread to see if there are any new effort posts or write in's giving different solutions to solving the problem first but then I'll probably switch.
You're the judge and it's totally subjective. But do you have the confidence to back your idea over his? He's hoping that by making Chachi even think about this stuff she'll quit and let him do it, because she's a spoiled child who doesn't really want to be responsible for everything.
I now want to take him up on his challenge and rise to the occasion by voting Matriarch because It's a win win situation if we solve the problem we win and if we fuck up and fail we still win because having him read the situation completely wrong and have it spiral out of control and blow up in his face would be hilarious so long as it doesn't bad end the quest.
Novel Solution 1
[X] Gift Lord Tlaloc the best specimen out of the Dracoxen's herd your clan has just acquired. Explain to him how obtaining this majestic creature was one of the last acts Father did, in a deal that would have to be rescinded if the Lord went through with his new offer, which is something that would place a blemish on the Patriarch's legacy. Additionally, expand on the benefits that this land would gain by keeping this herd, not only from an economical standpoint and resource-wise, but aesthetically as well, not unlike with the Lord's Resplendent Quetzals. Also explain how this new business partner promises to be most profitable in the future.
Novel Solution 2
[X] Select a treasure/valuable item and use the techniques 9999 Revelations Meditation, Basic Imbuing, Secret Ritual of True Spirit Refinement and Will of Creation to:
-Focus and come up with the perfect idea for a gift for the Lord
-Give it additional minor powers and make it receptive to empowerment rituals
-Empower and improve it with Heavenly Toetl
-Shape and turn it into something memorable, beautiful and that will remind the Lord of his friendship with Father
Novel Solution 3
[X] Put water from the Heavenspan River into the Cosmic Forge until you have Water Essence (I assume) of a decent size. Then (unless you can do the following bits in the Forge itself) use the techniques 9999 Revelations Meditation, Basic Imbuing, Secret Ritual of True Spirit Refinement and Will of Creation to:
-Focus and come up with the perfect idea for a gift for the Lord
-Give it additional minor powers and make it receptive to empowerment rituals
-Empower and improve it with Heavenly Toetl
-Shape and turn it into something memorable, beautiful and that will remind the Lord of his friendship with Father
Novel Solution 4
[X] Gift him a great Elixir your clan has made using the Heavenspan River, either something intended for his personal use/pleasure or something to enrich his land. Or both.
Novel Solution 5
[X] Tell the Lord that, while you won't and can't replace your Father, you are a supporter/follower worth having, whose future is bright and promising. Humbly but with confidence, explain what the Patriarch himself thought of your talent and of your Cosmic Forge, which has the potential to revolutionize the business. Tell him how he and you often planned for new, exciting opportunities to bring riches to the clan, and thus the land. Perhaps he had mentioned/bragged about it to the Lord in the past? Either way, tell him you want to further Father's legacy and follow in his footsteps.
@Mr. Prokosch , could you explain the Novel Solutions vote a little bit more? How does it work and how will you resolve it? We're brainstorming a lot of things, and some are and will inevitably be contradictory, but we're not voting for them, so how will you pick one in case the actual vote option "The Matriarch Leads" wins, for example?
Also, could you clarify the differences between the Meta explanations for "The Matriarch Leads" and "I can learn"? In the latter, you mention our cultivation slowing down while we learn, but what about the former? Also, is the "I can learn" option eventually going to flow into "The Matriarch Leads" one, assuming we wish so and nothing goes wrong, or is it going to work differently?
Novel Solution 6
[X] No matter what ends up happening, begin a process of diversification, in order for your clan to be less dependent on Heavenspan water.
Novel Solution 7
[X] As part of another, related solution, learn what you can about Lord Tlaloc, his powers, possessions, personality, likes and dislikes, enemies and allies, etc.
New Solution 1
[X]Sufficient force solves all problems. If Lord Tlaloc is the obstacle, make him no longer an obstacle. Beat him up until he agrees to give us free access to the Heavenspan water in perpetuity, then beat him up some more until he surrenders his Lordship to us.
New Solution 1
[X]Sufficient force solves all solutions. If Lord Tlaloc is the obstacle, make him no longer an obstacle. Beat him up until he agrees to give us free access to the Heavenspan water in perpetuity, then beat him up some more until he surrenders his Lordship to us.
Chachi is going to use 9999 revelations and brainstorm. All the ideas in the thread will pop into her head. Things she intuits as non viable, like beating him up, she'll quickly dismiss. Won't hurt, but don't help.
The ideas that don't contradict and I personally think are best are what she'll bring up in the post. You can tackle a problem from multiple angles, so she'll bring up a few things they should do at the same time. If two ideas in the thread might work and you can't do both I'll pick the one I think will work better. Since I'm the QM, the one I think works better will work better. If the Matriarch Leads wins, then those are the ideas you implement. If the other options wins but your ideas are pretty good, he'll listen to them and use them along with his own.
For example, your brother thinks visiting the Lord and giving him a heartfelt gift probably won't fix this, but it's worth trying and a nice thing to do in general. In post Chachi will mention that off hand, and your clan will end up sending him a gift no matter what wins.
