Something that should be noted is that we've done a lot to deal with various issues that have Trouble Clocks which clears up more time for the MC in the long term.
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Nobility on the Golden Plains [A Clan Builder / Cultivation Quest]
- Thread starter Arcanestomper
- Start date
- Original Fantasy
-
- Tags
- original xianxia cultivation
[X] Plan Alchemical Improvements
Someone roll a 1d21.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
13 could be good in context. It's not super low at least.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Well fuck. I'm really hoping there's something we can do to complete one single remaining point of progress on Corruption without an action. There probably isn't, but having to spend an action on a single point of progression feels awful, and I think that's where we are on Corruption.
On the brighter side of things, we're more than halfway done with the student thing, and training went well. We may want to put 1 of our Alchemist TP into finishing our Leaf Cauldron 4 (and putting us only a single action away from getting it to 5...probably don't bother for a bit, but being one action away is handy), that still allows also completing Cultivation 7 in the coming turn.
On the brighter side of things, we're more than halfway done with the student thing, and training went well. We may want to put 1 of our Alchemist TP into finishing our Leaf Cauldron 4 (and putting us only a single action away from getting it to 5...probably don't bother for a bit, but being one action away is handy), that still allows also completing Cultivation 7 in the coming turn.
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- Pronouns
- He/It/Argh!
Character sheet says it need 6 total to advance.
Technique costs increase by 1 every five levels.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Ah shit, you're right. Yeah, have to focus on cultivation then, at least for a bit. There may be a turn later where we distribute out the TP elsewhere but this one isn't it.
It's basically what you use for training. In xianxia terms your breathing techniques and fundamental path.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
On a mechanical level, we roll it for all training actions, so every level speeds up how quickly we increase any skill we spend actions raising including cultivation itself. It's also what's rolled to complete the specific actions used to advance our Realm, so it results in them being completed in less actions each.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
It'd probably be a mix of 2 to Leaf Cauldron and 1 to Iridescent Toxin to make it actually impossible for either to be more than one action to raise to 5, but that's possible, yeah. The delay on Cultivation hurts though. Have to think about it.
Definitely cultivation this coming turn, though.
Turn 5: Putting the Pavilion in Order (Year 2/Spring)
Turn 5: Putting the Pavilion in Order (Year 2/Spring)
[X] Plan Alchemical Improvements
-[X] Select a technique to boost with 3 TP. (Cultivation)
-[X] Clean up Corruption (Goal: 12/20) (Stress: +1)
-[X] Teach Promising Apprentices (Goal: 0/20)
-[X] Cultivate: +.2 TP for every point on the roll
--- [X] Train ourselves in Leaf Cauldron
-[X] Select a technique to boost with 3 TP. (Cultivation)
-[X] Clean up Corruption (Goal: 12/20) (Stress: +1)
-[X] Teach Promising Apprentices (Goal: 0/20)
-[X] Cultivate: +.2 TP for every point on the roll
--- [X] Train ourselves in Leaf Cauldron
You spend all winter cooped up in the silver grass pavilion poring over records. An Lia and your handful of loyal retainers watch the other alchemists to gauge which ones are too corrupt or too inept. Ever so lowly your ledger gets more and more detailed. Your knowledge of your nominal underlings improves every day.
You have already had several relatively productive discussions with the senior alchemists you have deemed relatively fit. You have imparted your new direction for the silver grass pavilion on them and it seems to have gone over fairly well.
You are just contemplating how to approach the significantly more stubborn alchemists when Miss An Lia rushes into your office. "Young master! We have a problem!"
"What is it?" You are about to rise when she dumps a pile of documents on your desk.
"The elders have assigned you a new task."
You go over it and find that it appears to be a request to fully document the Silver Grass Pavilion's current capabilities and budget for the usage of the elders. And also to make a copy of the pavilions records for the archives.
"What is this nonsense? Since when do they need this sort of thing."
An Lian leans closer even though your office is already private. "I think it's the senior alchemists. They've learned what you're planning and have persuaded some elders to stall you."
Not that mere alchemists would have much to offer a clan elder, but you suppose the elders want to see how you handle this. It is an ostensibly reasonable request after all. It just comes at a bad time.
[ ] (Elder Assignment) Plow Through it
It's a lot of work, but you already looked over most of this information so it's fresh in your mind. You could spend a few sleepless nights writing it all down before moving on with your own plans.
+2 Stress
Complete Clean Up Corruption Action
[ ] (Elder Assignment) Set it aside
You can just push it off for now. The exact relationship between you and the elders isn't well defined. They can't quite give you orders, but you are expected to do what they say. You can just not in this instance. At least not immediately. That will of course make them angry.
-1 Face
Complete Clean Up Corruption Action
[ ] (Elder Assignment) Perform a Purge
You were planning a relatively clean operation of only removing the worst of the senior alchemists. But you don't have time to handle them carefully and do the elder's bidding. So instead you can simply fire everyone you suspect of being corrupt. It might be better to get rid of all the bad eggs anyway.
-2 Silver Grass Pavilion Size
Complete Clean Up Corruption Action
Fortunately not everyone in the Silver Grass pavilion is an obstacle. Most of the apprentices are young and unassuming. They are more than eager to fall over themselves to do your bidding. They just don't do it very well.
You perform a few wide scale tests to tell which of them are most promising. You are looking for talent, loyalty, and dedication. They are not qualities that every alchemist possesses, but you aren't trying to find a personal disciple, just people who make reasonably decent alchemists.
You manage to find fifty who seem reasonably fit for purpose and spend a month teaching them. You use one of the lecture halls and assign them more advanced alchemy assignments than they would normally be getting at their level. You teach them some of your knowledge and make a small section of your time available for questions.
It is not entirely unpleasant. Some of the apprentices don't seem to grasp things that quickly. Indeed all of them are slower than you remember being, but they do still make decent progress. And a few of them manage to ask some insightful questions.
Not all of your time is spent on the silver grass pavilion. You spend a month in seclusion in the Jade Bell Forest. The private ancestral training grounds of the Zhuge clan. Only open to members of the main family and the most privileged retainers it has abundant qi and allows you to refine yourself without any outside interference.
You spend the time working in the training alchemy lab practising your elixir brewing and studying pill composition. You feel like you have nearly broken through to a new level of insight, but unfortunately something is holding you back.
However you do make another breakthrough. During one of your meditation sessions you review your actions of the past year and realize something about yourself.
New Trait
[ ] (Trait) Aspiring Administrator
All the numbers and facts in the reports you read every day are making more and more sense to you. Far from being boring you find managing the orderly functioning of your to be quite enjoyable.
(Reduced stress from administrator actions. Upgradeable)
[ ] (Trait) Aspiring Diplomat
You have decided that you actually did enjoy the negotiations with the Iron Fist sect. You realize you weren't much use in them however so you plan to focus some efforts to increase your skill in the area.
(Better diplomatic deals. Upgradeable)
[ ] (Trait) Wood Bond
You've decided to take the Poplar Guardian as your bonded spirit beast. It's a bit unorthodox given that spirit trees are rather unwieldy to have as companions. They are slow, large, and tend to not blend in well in cities. On the other hand they blend in extremely well everywhere else and are both durable and powerful.
(You can only have one bonded spirit beast)
[ ] (Trait) Inspired
You feel as if something is subtly leading you down the paths of cultivation. Even when you encounter bottlenecks there always seems to be a handy scroll or rumor that shows you the way forward.
(I will provide explicit actions to clear up cultivation bottlenecks.)
Unfortunately as the spring turns into summer you find yourself facing another obstacle. It seems that the elders were just one string in the bow of the senior alchemists. Several of them, including several you dismissed, have rallied behind Haoran Ying. An old Soldier and senior alchemist he has all three of your undesirable traits. He is ambitious, corrupt, and incompetent.
Perhaps at one point he was a decent alchemist, but you don't think he's picked up an alembic in years much less lit a pill cauldron. Unfortunately he is a respected member of the Haoran clan. A position you suspect he cemented with embezzled funds. And the Haoran clan is one of the Zhuge clan's more important vassal clans.
They own quite a few towns in the province and are quite wealthy. They have political connections with nearly everyone, and while not the absolute best retainers have proven themselves loyal and relatively competent vassals. And now they have brought a complaint against you for your unjust dismissal of respected members of the Silver Grass Pavilion.
You were well within your rights as the medicine pavilion head to make those dismissals, but it doesn't really matter whether they were unjust or not. They are challenging your authority on the grounds of being too young and inexperienced. It's a headache, but one you'll need to deal with if you want anyone to take you seriously.
Minor Trouble Clock - Accusations of Inexperience [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Trouble Clocks
Major: The Kasjan Dispute [X] [X] [X] [ ] [ ] [ ]Minor: Accusations of Inexperience [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Special Actions
Alchemist Bonus--- [ ] Select a technique to boost with 3 TP. [Cultivation, School of the Jade Cauldron, School of the Iridescent Toxin]
Turn Actions
You may personally lead 3 actions without penalty.Remember that you can also write omakes for other members of the clan to deal with issues you can't.
Cultivation (+6) [Cultivation]
[ ] Cultivate: +.2 TP for every point on the roll--- [ ] Select a trait, skill, or technique to boost with the XP gained.
------ [ ] Who benefits from this boost?
[ ] Plant the Seed (Goal: 50)
Nurture your spiritual core by providing it with plenty of wood qi. Prepare a space in your soul to accept it by obtaining enlightenments as to your path. You will need to have a firm conviction and understanding of yourself in order to provide sufficient insights for the core to take root.
Your mother has asked you to wait before doing this.
[ ] Watering the Roots (Goal 100)
Locked
[ ] Pruning the Sapling (Goal 150)
Locked
[ ] Breakthrough: Eating the Fruit (Goal: ??)
Locked
Administration (+2) [Administration]
[ ] Recruit More Alchemists (Goal: 0/10) (Spirit Stones: $1)Send An Lia out into the city to hire more alchemists for the pavilion. There are always small alchemist shops and loose cultivators that can be recruited by a large clan like the Zhuge. They won't be the best or most loyal, but that can be fixed with time.
Size: +1
[ ] Request More Alchemists (Goal: 0/10) (Reputation Test)
Request that the clan elders assign more alchemists to the silver grass pavilion. Despite your low clan influence this is still likely to be accepted simply because it isn't a very large demand. There are thousands of alchemists scattered among the various pavilions around the province.
Unless you happen to catch the clan elders in a bad mood these will likely be better than the alchemists you can recruit on your own.
Size: +1
Alchemy (+8) [Leaf Cauldron + Core]
[ ] Brew Flowing Ivy Elixir (Goal: 3/5 Repeatable) (1/3 Stress Free)It's always good to have some healing elixirs on hand. You already have the recipe so it shouldn't be too hard to brew a few elixirs. You will gain 1 elixir for each five points of progress.
[ ] Research a new Recipe (Goal: ??)
--[ ] What kind of elixir are you trying to make?
You can try to figure out the recipe for a new pill or elixir. You are quite talented in alchemy so you can try to make nearly anything, but more complex and potent recipes will be harder. They may also require more exotic ingredients.
[ ] Use a Flowing Ivy Elixir (1 Elixir)
-[ ] The Target
Use 1 elixir and your wood qi to fully heal a cultivator of the Knight realm or below.
[ ] Assign the Silver Grass Pavilion a Task
-[ ] Elixir or research
You are the head of the pavilion. You can assign the pavilion as a whole tasks to complete. Even in its current state the alchemists will still carry out your orders. Though their output will be limited.
Automatically carries out a task.
Will continue every turn until stopped.
[ ] Purchase New Equipment (Goal: 0/10) (Spirit Stones: $5)
You can purchase some better pill cauldrons from the markets in Fragrant Lotus City. This won't be cheap. You'll need to save up for some time, ask the elders for more stones, or find another way to make money. But it should noticeably improve the output of the pavilion's alchemists.
Facilities: Fine -> Good
[ ] Lead a Grand Project
-[ ] Write in Goal
In order to increase the loyalty of the alchemists in the Silver Grass Pavilion you need to prove that you are a capable leader who can provide them with benefits in the future. You aren't sure how exactly to do that at the moment, but you can start by proving that you are a capable alchemist.
The best way you can think to do that is to marshal the entire pavilion into a grand working producing a rare pill of high grade and realm. This will be a complex endeavor. So your first step will be figuring out what you want to try and make.
Quest (+4) [School of the Iridescent Toxin]
[ ] Go on an Adventure (Goal: ??)You probably shouldn't be heading out to explore ruins and look for treasures on your own, but you don't have anything else particularly pressing to do. Take some time off to go slay monsters, search ancient palaces, and roam the wild lands looking for fortunate encounters. (Depending on the roll you can find useful locations, harvest rare materials, loot treasures, tame spirit beasts, increase your cultivation, and possibly reduce stress.)
Learning (+5) [Sage]
[ ] Teach Senior Alchemists (Goal: 0/10) (Face Test) (Stress: +1)You are the best alchemist in the silver grass pavilion, and you could teach even the most senior alchemists in the pavilion a thing or two. Unfortunately many of them are significantly older than you and unlikely to listen well. You'll have to force them to accept your teachings.
Expertise: +1 Grade
[ ] Teach Promising Apprentices (Goal: 12/20)
Alternatively you can pick out promising apprentices to take on as disciples. This will take more of your time and the results won't be quick, but you will be able to oversee all aspects of their training. And in the end should gain several highly trained alchemists with excellent loyalty.
[ ] Write an Alchemy Manual (Goal: 0/20)
You could also collect the current training materials that the apprentices are using and collate it into an alchemy manual. You are unlikely to provide any exceptional insight in your manual. You aren't an alchemy grandmaster. But the benefit is that all the apprentices would be learning alchemy in a way that is both standardized and fitted to your personal style of alchemy.
Incremental improvement to Expertise and Disciple
Diplomacy (+0) [Diplomat]
[ ] Request a Larger Budget (Goal: 0/20) (Reputation Check) (Stress: +1)The clan elders are unlikely to grant the Silver Grass Pavilion more money, but you can always ask.
Budget: +?
[ ] Request a Personal Stipend (Goal: 0/20) (Face Check) (Stress: +1)
You could also ask the elders for a personal allotment of spirit stones. You'd be free to use these spirit stones in any way you wish. If they agree to grant your request of course.
Spirit Stones: +?
Personal [Automatic success]
[ ] Spend Time with your Family (Automatic)You could try to spend some time with your siblings, or even your mother. You don't know who would be available so it would be up to fate who exactly you can pull away from their duties.
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- Pronouns
- He/Him
Should those first two options be part of the plan or separate votes? Because the Trait especially actually feels like it should be a separate thing from the turn plan.
I'm feeling either the Poplar Tree or the Inspired Trait, the Tree because it seems handy to have a physical powerhouse to serve as our tank, and meshes well with our Wood attribute techniques, and Inspired because it makes future Cultivation easier.
Aside from that, I believe the plan was to level Cultivation and maybe do some training on the Leaf Cauldron? Getting it to level 5 would probably be a boon for our position as head of the Alchemy Pavilion.
Aside from that, I believe the plan was to level Cultivation and maybe do some training on the Leaf Cauldron? Getting it to level 5 would probably be a boon for our position as head of the Alchemy Pavilion.
[X] (Trait) Wood Bond
Friend get
Friend get
[X] (Trait) Wood Bond
[X] (Elder Assignment) Plow Through it
Stress is getting a bit worrying, this will push it up to 5/10 and we should take some actions to relax afterwards, but we can still handle this at the moment. As for a Plan for the turn:
[X] Plan Steady Progress
-[X] Select a technique to boost with 3 TP. [Cultivation]
-[X] Teach Promising Apprentices (Goal: 12/20)
-[X] Cultivate: +.2 TP for every point on the roll
--- [X] School of the Leaf Cauldron
-[X] Lead a Grand Project
--[X] Create a pill capable of boosting the power of Wood Attribute Qi techniques for a Lord-Realm Cultivator
From my understanding, the best way to disprove claims of inexperience and unworthiness is to do something impressive that the people accusing us can't manage, and prove them wrong. Aside from that, some further progress on training our Disciples to fill the Hall with more loyal Alchemists and improving our own Alchemy so we can better teach people.
[X] (Elder Assignment) Plow Through it
Stress is getting a bit worrying, this will push it up to 5/10 and we should take some actions to relax afterwards, but we can still handle this at the moment. As for a Plan for the turn:
[X] Plan Steady Progress
-[X] Select a technique to boost with 3 TP. [Cultivation]
-[X] Teach Promising Apprentices (Goal: 12/20)
-[X] Cultivate: +.2 TP for every point on the roll
--- [X] School of the Leaf Cauldron
-[X] Lead a Grand Project
--[X] Create a pill capable of boosting the power of Wood Attribute Qi techniques for a Lord-Realm Cultivator
From my understanding, the best way to disprove claims of inexperience and unworthiness is to do something impressive that the people accusing us can't manage, and prove them wrong. Aside from that, some further progress on training our Disciples to fill the Hall with more loyal Alchemists and improving our own Alchemy so we can better teach people.
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- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] (Elder Assignment) Plow Through it
I think losing Face here is bad, and dropping even more Size is also not great. I'm hopeful that having trained apprentices will provide us with an outlet for our Stress...a companion might also help with that? Unsure.
[X] (Trait) Aspiring Administrator
[X] (Trait) Wood Bond
Related to the above, but I'm concerned about stress. Aspiring Administrator explicitly helps with that, and I'm hopeful having a spirit companion would also be good there. The other two are also great, though, and I wouldn't be unhappy with any of the four winning.
Either way, here's what I'm thinking for turn plan:
[X] Plan Self-Improvement
-[X] Select a technique to boost with 3 TP. (Cultivation)
-[X] Teach Promising Apprentices (Goal: 12/20)
-[X] [X] Cultivate x2: +.2 TP for every point on the roll
--- [X] Train Diplomat x2
[X] Plan Self-Improvement (Admin Version)
-[X] Select a technique to boost with 3 TP. (Cultivation)
-[X] Teach Promising Apprentices (Goal: 12/20)
-[X] [X] Cultivate x2: +.2 TP for every point on the roll
--- [X] Train Administrator x2
Raising actual alchemy is also super tempting, but we can do that next turn before we actually start on any alchemical projects, even if we choose not to spend any actions on it (our free TP can get it to 4), and I think we need Diplomat and better Admin more. The reality is that being a competent alchemist doesn't help a lot when the accusations are of incompetence in management, so I think we need the skill set to refute that accusation slightly more than we need the alchemy. We do also want more alchemy and accomplishments, but I think we start those next turn, personally.
I'd like to raise both Diplomat and Admin if possible, but if we want a level in one immediately, that's two actions (and hoping a third seals the deal for a second level...we'll see what we can finagle there).
But yeah, that's my thoughts.
Plans go in order so I think the Cultivation boost needs to go first so it applies to the Cultivate action.
I think losing Face here is bad, and dropping even more Size is also not great. I'm hopeful that having trained apprentices will provide us with an outlet for our Stress...a companion might also help with that? Unsure.
[X] (Trait) Aspiring Administrator
[X] (Trait) Wood Bond
Related to the above, but I'm concerned about stress. Aspiring Administrator explicitly helps with that, and I'm hopeful having a spirit companion would also be good there. The other two are also great, though, and I wouldn't be unhappy with any of the four winning.
Either way, here's what I'm thinking for turn plan:
[X] Plan Self-Improvement
-[X] Select a technique to boost with 3 TP. (Cultivation)
-[X] Teach Promising Apprentices (Goal: 12/20)
-[X] [X] Cultivate x2: +.2 TP for every point on the roll
--- [X] Train Diplomat x2
[X] Plan Self-Improvement (Admin Version)
-[X] Select a technique to boost with 3 TP. (Cultivation)
-[X] Teach Promising Apprentices (Goal: 12/20)
-[X] [X] Cultivate x2: +.2 TP for every point on the roll
--- [X] Train Administrator x2
Raising actual alchemy is also super tempting, but we can do that next turn before we actually start on any alchemical projects, even if we choose not to spend any actions on it (our free TP can get it to 4), and I think we need Diplomat and better Admin more. The reality is that being a competent alchemist doesn't help a lot when the accusations are of incompetence in management, so I think we need the skill set to refute that accusation slightly more than we need the alchemy. We do also want more alchemy and accomplishments, but I think we start those next turn, personally.
I'd like to raise both Diplomat and Admin if possible, but if we want a level in one immediately, that's two actions (and hoping a third seals the deal for a second level...we'll see what we can finagle there).
But yeah, that's my thoughts.
Plans go in order so I think the Cultivation boost needs to go first so it applies to the Cultivate action.
[X] (Elder Assignment) Plow Through it
[X] (Trait) Aspiring Administrator
[X] Plan: Admin Access
--[X] Select a technique to boost with 3 TP. [Cultivation]
-[X] Cultivate: +.2 TP for every point on the roll
--[X] Administrator
-[X] Teach Promising Apprentices (Goal: 12/20)
-[X] Write an Alchemy Manual (Goal: 0/20)
[X] (Trait) Aspiring Administrator
[X] Plan: Admin Access
--[X] Select a technique to boost with 3 TP. [Cultivation]
-[X] Cultivate: +.2 TP for every point on the roll
--[X] Administrator
-[X] Teach Promising Apprentices (Goal: 12/20)
-[X] Write an Alchemy Manual (Goal: 0/20)