Of course, being loosely based on history also means that scientific cultivation will eventually dominate the world. Wew magic tech. Of course, that so far ahead in the hazy future its unlikely to affect us.
Of course, being loosely based on history also means that scientific cultivation will eventually dominate the world. Wew magic tech. Of course, that so far ahead in the hazy future its unlikely to affect us.
Of course, being loosely based on history also means that scientific cultivation will eventually dominate the world. Wew magic tech. Of course, that so far ahead in the hazy future its unlikely to affect us.
Well, honestly, it's probably more likely that Daoist Cultivation wins out, because it covers esoterica, legacy, and sheer girthiness in all forms, and unlike the Christian style, they can absolutely throw entire seas of cultivators at you if that's what it takes, because they're set up like a giant pyramid scheme, but even the lower rungs trivially outcompete anything but other Cultivators, and the higher tiers are no weaker than the top tiers of the other settings, so they get the best of all worlds while paying nothing significant to get it. (The overwhelming majority of the population being stuck at subsistence level is not a downside when you can still field millions of lay cultivators). Science requires the world to fundamentally obey certain rules and refuse to bend from them without equally understood exceptions, which is thrown out the door when some random girl can learn to freeze space because she had a really good first kiss.
And thus, you get your Standard Cultivation Setting where everyone has the same base culture and the same fundamental understandings of how Cultivation Works, and all other styles have been erased from history.
too bad we cant cook the squire in the armor.... but oh well.
Kinda sad about the 0 defense dice though... we STILL have the reinforce layers, right?
Otherwise, its a good plan.
Well, honestly, it's probably more likely that Daoist Cultivation wins out, because it covers esoterica, legacy, and sheer girthiness in all forms, and unlike the Christian style, they can absolutely throw entire seas of cultivators at you if that's what it takes, because they're set up like a giant pyramid scheme, but even the lower rungs trivially outcompete anything but other Cultivators, and the higher tiers are no weaker than the top tiers of the other settings, so they get the best of all worlds while paying nothing significant to get it.
Do we know it works like that in universe?
That seems immensely powerful. It's not like we're getting literally smote by sacred power just for attacking Christians, or that the Norse are about to be smacked down by the biblical twelve plagues…
On the contrary, from your description alone, I can see one rather significant weakness, namely unity. To paraphrase a certain webcomic I enjoy (Far Side of Utopia), based on your description, if the Daoists even exerted five percent of their focused attention, they could do almost anything in the world. The problem is that if five percent of the Daoist cultivators tried to conquer, say, Europe, then at least another five percent would choose to take advantage to steal the Sects' resources/secrets/lives while their backs are turned.Well, honestly, it's probably more likely that Daoist Cultivation wins out, because it covers esoterica, legacy, and sheer girthiness in all forms, and unlike the Christian style, they can absolutely throw entire seas of cultivators at you if that's what it takes, because they're set up like a giant pyramid scheme, but even the lower rungs trivially outcompete anything but other Cultivators, and the higher tiers are no weaker than the top tiers of the other settings, so they get the best of all worlds while paying nothing significant to get it. (The overwhelming majority of the population being stuck at subsistence level is not a downside when you can still field millions of lay cultivators). Science requires the world to fundamentally obey certain rules and refuse to bend from them without equally understood exceptions, which is thrown out the door when some random girl can learn to freeze space because she had a really good first kiss.
And thus, you get your Standard Cultivation Setting where everyone has the same base culture and the same fundamental understandings of how Cultivation Works, and all other styles have been erased from history.
Not to say you are not right about Christian Cultivators having plenty of time to advance the cultivation of their peers, but depending on how closely the Bible in-universe follows our Bible, they might also have a time limit of 70 years, 80 tops as opposed to the traditional Xianxia Cultivation that allows for longer lifespans.doesn't come with a near guarantee that something will kill you before you're 50
Christian cultivators are worse at things like Farming. Norse cultivation is all about "being a paragon of a human being in general" and that means being good at all sorts of things.Also is Christian cultivation just better than Norse full stop or are they worse at some things?
Norse cultivators get stronger by fighting, too, accumulating Orthstirr quite rapidly if they don't die. Halla has snowballed immensely over a couple years. Knights and priests likely have to spend their time locked in training, meditation and prayer.Christian cultivators are worse at things like Farming. Norse cultivation is all about "being a paragon of a human being in general" and that means being good at all sorts of things.
Chrstian cultivators also require a lot more support. Like, this guy has platemail,a horse, and a hunting hawk. Most Christians aren't cultivators i part because (for whatever reason) being a Christian Cultivator flat requires having an entire economic structure feeding you resources. The priests get cingregations feeding them worship and tithes, the knights get lands feeding them honor and rents... all you need to be a Norse Cultivator is a chunk of ground to put a farm on.
all you need to be a Norse Cultivator is a chunk of ground to put a farm on.
Congratulations, Halla. You're the protagonist. No, really. The most impressive Viking of his generation burned it all into giving you the "protagonist" card. You and your line are the only ones that can save us from inevitable doom. Don't screw it up.Remember after all, the biggest thing Hallr did was ensure that he can carry out Plans that go beyond your own allotted span of life. Which is what is required to spearhead that kind of cultural reform.
Worth noting that Steinarr himself isn't a Steelfather. There's some ground left to thread on the Norse Cultivation side too.Just bringing up Charlemagne apparently got Hallr--the Absolute Godslaying Unit himself--feeling spooked.
Remember, the Christian Cultivation method goes up to 15 Decades and then apparently a Crucifix, yet even a 10th Decade Knight is enough to absolute shitstomp an entire platoon of seasoned vikings, requiring mister "Half-Step Steelfather" Steinarr himself to salvage that shit.
That's only 2/3rds of the way through their Cultivation[/i].
...I think there is a theme in Xianxia stories, that if you get high enough cultivation, you just do not need to eat or sleep and can subsist on just energy. I wonder if that is a thing here.You don't even need that, honestly. A Norseman without a farm has to have a way to survive and get glory, but neither of those actually require even as much material support as a farm.
I've always thought that the 39-clues novels had interesting world-building in the form of different branches of the same family pulling shenanigans and scheming against each other.
Ah! And that explains one of the other terrifying things about Norse Cultivators.You don't even need that, honestly. A Norseman without a farm has to have a way to survive and get glory, but neither of those actually require even as much material support as a farm.
Ah! And that explains one of the other terrifying things about Norse Cultivators.
They can travel.
This little warband can go... pretty much wherever the boats take them, Do Awesome Things, and have their Cultivation thank them for it. As long as none of them outright die, the primary limiting factor is "ran out of space on the boat for loot". Christian priests that leave their churches take a hit, and if they have no congregation they take another hit, and they probably don't have much left once they're done. Knights can travel, but without the resource footprint feeding them stuff, they're going to be slowly losing out as well. A group of a dozen viking warriors heads out on a quest? That's "Ah! Folkmarr's getting started building his jarl-saga a bit young is he? Always knew that was a kid with ambition." A group of a dozen knights does that? That's the equivalent of a barony going to war, at significant expense.
My man, i loved that seriesI've always thought that the 39-clues novels had interesting world-building in the form of different branches of the same family pulling shenanigans and scheming against each other.
yah keep in mind even the big boy armor we see in the crafting informational is probably lesser in make and they might have better iron than us too without going into magic iron. The knight's armor are also inscribed with a ton a Latin, even a squire is a massive money sink since he has non Latin armor, horse armor, cultivator horse, and cultivator falcon. The preist is not anywhere as threatening as 6th decade knight which would make quick work of us because he has way less money invested.From what Gabriel's interlude indicates, ongoing Knight cultivation doesn't require continuing resources behind time and energy from the knight themselves (he notes that the only reason he can't do it is the shackles). The expense is in having gotten them to that point. Like the armor, the horse, the training...they're an investment. Norse cultivators really aren't.
So the difference is expense more than mobility.
One sorta leads to the other though? The high investment required means that those financing it, aka the peasants and/or the liege, will expect a return through fulfilling feudal obligations. Those obligations are what keep the Knights more sedentary, as I doubt oathbreaking is good for a Knight's cultivation.From what Gabriel's interlude indicates, ongoing Knight cultivation doesn't require continuing resources behind time and energy from the knight themselves (he notes that the only reason he can't do it is the shackles). The expense is in having gotten them to that point. Like the armor, the horse, the training...they're an investment. Norse cultivators really aren't.
So the difference is expense more than mobility.