- Pronouns
- He/Him
Realistically, we can't enhance the Boulder Drop right now so that's out. We could throw one in theory (with our single Throwing Trick)...but we've never actually done that, so we don't know how much damage they deal.
NorseQuest (A Norse Xianxia)
- Thread starter I.F. Ister
- Start date
- Original Fantasy Action
-
- Tags
- norse mythology (mythology) original xianxia cultivation western cultivation ask sirihand did your mother tell you anything? discussion pleases yggdrasil farming gloating gets people killed granary management hubris is a coward's word you will die norsemen do not die when they are killed the qm has a bad memory the qm is bad at math viking courtroom drama (legal drama) vikings
- Pronouns
- He/Him
We don't have a boulder that we can just manifest like that, sadly. We have one in our fylgja, but we'd need to manifest the fylgja for that, and that seems...ill-advised.
Shard
One and Many
- Location
- Malaysia
Could soul-manifest, get out the Boulder, then throw.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Mid-combat? I think that splits our attention a bit much.
We should definitely experiment a bit more with what we can put in the pockets, though, and what tricks we can do with where and how they manifest (can we make berries appear in our mouth? That'd be very convenient). Having a boulder or three available isn't a bad call long term.
Added to my current plan as a research topic, as it should be safe enough.
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Ehh ... I'm honestly pretty disappointed by how most cultivation systems boil down to "shove as much energy into your soul as you safely can, and then some" - at most there might be some mention of "instability" or some nonsense. The only exception I've seen is "The Weirkey Chronicles" by Sarah Lin, where you actually have to physically build things in your soul using the materials you've absorbed. It's so distinct that I wouldn't even call it Xianxia at that point, and it took me a while to realize it was cultivation.
(The good thing about cultivation in general is that - in theory at least - it's not an empowerment mechanism that requires mass murder, unlike most video-game-adjacent systems, since the energy ultimately comes from "the world" or something)
And unlike Odr, we should be able to pass them around if the situation calls for it.
Fireberries to Steinarr.
Maybe make arrow shafts from that sealwood. (With some area clean so the archer can touch it.) Add standstill inspired runes.
Shard
One and Many
- Location
- Malaysia
My personal guess, without evidence, is that we probably get
1st Stage: Original (Fire Damage/Glue)
2nd Stage: 2x of Stage 1, Counter to Stage 1 (Fire Resist Oil, antiglue Wax)
3rd Stage: 4x of Stage 2, 2x of Stage 2, Possibly seeds so you can grow more of the plant or give them to other people?
4th Stage: 8x (Or unlimited) of Stage 1, 4x (or unlimited) of Stage 2, 2x of Stage 3, Permanent Buff of some kind (Maybe a permanent stacking +1 Fire Damage/Resistance for example)
In line with how tricks go from 2x Cost/1x Cost/0.5x Cost/0x Cost.
There's almost definitely many nonobvious ways to use plant parts too. Sure you can eat a berry, but what if you used it as juice for a potion? Maybe you can concentrate hearthberries for a more intense effect? What if you used it as 'paint' for runes? Maybe you can use it as dye for clothes? So on.
1st Stage: Original (Fire Damage/Glue)
2nd Stage: 2x of Stage 1, Counter to Stage 1 (Fire Resist Oil, antiglue Wax)
3rd Stage: 4x of Stage 2, 2x of Stage 2, Possibly seeds so you can grow more of the plant or give them to other people?
4th Stage: 8x (Or unlimited) of Stage 1, 4x (or unlimited) of Stage 2, 2x of Stage 3, Permanent Buff of some kind (Maybe a permanent stacking +1 Fire Damage/Resistance for example)
In line with how tricks go from 2x Cost/1x Cost/0.5x Cost/0x Cost.
There's almost definitely many nonobvious ways to use plant parts too. Sure you can eat a berry, but what if you used it as juice for a potion? Maybe you can concentrate hearthberries for a more intense effect? What if you used it as 'paint' for runes? Maybe you can use it as dye for clothes? So on.
Name sounds familiar, is she the one who wrote Street Cultivation? I liked that one.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
We actually get three doses of the oil it sounds like, and maybe five of the wax, from our soulscape description. So the numbers definitely don't work quite like this.
Yep. Good author in general, I've liked pretty much all her stuff.
Shard
One and Many
- Location
- Malaysia
Oh. Huh.
Hey Blackhand,
1) Is there a Farming 'trick' to grow better quality plants?
2) Is there some kind of trick or technique that would let us not be affected by Jarlspeech?
3) Is there such a thing as a Fylgja-specific trick? Some kind of trick that is based on your Fylgja?
Hey Blackhand,
1) Is there a Farming 'trick' to grow better quality plants?
2) Is there some kind of trick or technique that would let us not be affected by Jarlspeech?
3) Is there such a thing as a Fylgja-specific trick? Some kind of trick that is based on your Fylgja?
Iirc, jarl speak is hot emotional, and the cool off trick was picked up as a countermeasure to it
- Pronouns
- He/Him
It can probably do cold emotional stuff (like fear), too, but Blackhand handles that with no trick needed. If there's any entirely non-emotional elements we probably need Seidr to counteract them, but maybe we're wrong and Blackhand will have a different answer.
I.F. Ister
Fortifying The Thread
- Pronouns
- He/They
A few, but none are very convenient
'There are several, but none are simple in nature. You can enhance the soil, enrich the water, encourage beneficial bugs. All of these result in a higher quality plant.'
'Don't be a part of their, as the Christians put it, 'Dominion'. That's the simplest method. A Jarl that has authority over you can wield Jarlspeak against you, something like that cannot be countered with a simple trick.
But, if that is not an option, then you must never deal with a Jarl while off your property. A Jarl has authority, but he does not take the high seat when in another man's home.'
'They depend on the animal the fylgja has taken as their form — and the growth that has passed — but yes.'
0~0~0
I'll call voting in 10 minutes, I've got a minor thing to handle and then we're good to go.
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I.F. Ister
Fortifying The Thread
- Pronouns
- He/They
Alrighty, voting is now closed.
Let's get this party started!
Let's get this party started!
Sten Spar Final
I.F. Ister
Fortifying The Thread
- Pronouns
- He/They
[X] Plan Pushing To The Edge
-[X] Stoke Virthing (+71 Orthstirr)
-[X] 64d6 Attack (64d6 tricks)
-[X] 18d6 Defense
-[X] 0d6 Intercept
-[X] Attack Sten immediately up to two 18d6 Honed x3 Skewer-Flick attacks using Orthstirr for extra Lightning damage (-8 Orthstirr each) tossing him towards the edge of the hill to disrupt his balance, then once he's off balance (even if that's after only one attack, including the counterattack below) use a 22d6 Inertia-Arresting Throw (-6 Orthstirr) to temporarily trap him and use a 20d6 Honed x4 Leaping Cleave attack using Orthstirr for extra Lightning damage and the Pierce Twist (-19 Orthstirr), and follow it up with the remaining Skewer-Flicks if we still have any left.
-[X] Use Ember-Wing Cloak as necessary for balance, to stay next to Sten, or even to dodge mid-Leaping Cleave (-6 Orthstirr, -9 Orthstirr if used mid-Leaping Cleave).
-[X] Against the first melee attack to target us use Contested Movement (-3 Orthstirr, using Fight of Our Life for +5d6) with the counterattack it provides being a Honed x3 Skewer Flick using Orthstirr for extra Lightning damage (-8 Orthstirr). If that doesn't work, if attacked at range, or if attacked with with anything at all after that first Contested Movement attempt to use Halting Vortex (-4 Orthstirr), and if that doesn't work (or we currently have IAT out) use up to two 14d6+4 Reinforcedx2 Honed x3 defenses (-5 Orthstirr each).
-[X] Tactics – We're trying to push him to the edge of the hill where he has to worry about his footing, then, while he's worried about that, freeze him in place and hit him hard with a Leaping Cleave to break his armor and do some damage.
-[X] Stoke Virthing (+71 Orthstirr)
-[X] 64d6 Attack (64d6 tricks)
-[X] 18d6 Defense
-[X] 0d6 Intercept
-[X] Attack Sten immediately up to two 18d6 Honed x3 Skewer-Flick attacks using Orthstirr for extra Lightning damage (-8 Orthstirr each) tossing him towards the edge of the hill to disrupt his balance, then once he's off balance (even if that's after only one attack, including the counterattack below) use a 22d6 Inertia-Arresting Throw (-6 Orthstirr) to temporarily trap him and use a 20d6 Honed x4 Leaping Cleave attack using Orthstirr for extra Lightning damage and the Pierce Twist (-19 Orthstirr), and follow it up with the remaining Skewer-Flicks if we still have any left.
-[X] Use Ember-Wing Cloak as necessary for balance, to stay next to Sten, or even to dodge mid-Leaping Cleave (-6 Orthstirr, -9 Orthstirr if used mid-Leaping Cleave).
-[X] Against the first melee attack to target us use Contested Movement (-3 Orthstirr, using Fight of Our Life for +5d6) with the counterattack it provides being a Honed x3 Skewer Flick using Orthstirr for extra Lightning damage (-8 Orthstirr). If that doesn't work, if attacked at range, or if attacked with with anything at all after that first Contested Movement attempt to use Halting Vortex (-4 Orthstirr), and if that doesn't work (or we currently have IAT out) use up to two 14d6+4 Reinforcedx2 Honed x3 defenses (-5 Orthstirr each).
-[X] Tactics – We're trying to push him to the edge of the hill where he has to worry about his footing, then, while he's worried about that, freeze him in place and hit him hard with a Leaping Cleave to break his armor and do some damage.
It has been a long time since you last saw your own blood in a manner quite like this, since anyone landed a solid blow on you. Your blood has been spilled before, but not like this.
In fact, this might be the first time it's ever happened like that.
You could very well be wrong, though, there is a rather lot going through your mind right now.
Sten's feet keep pace with your own slight stagger. His eyes blaze with focused heat as his sword shines bright — crimson power shaving off another layer of iron. Your ears fill with the relentless, unceasing pounding of his heart's drum. Power surges up and down his weapon as a trick sparks to life.
(Halla's Hamr: 16+23(Fight of Your Life)=39 vs Sten's Hamr: 22, Halla Wins! 7 Armor Damage Dealt!)
Sagaseeker drives through Sten's mail, iron shining bright in the sun as more broken links fall to the ground. You don't manage to hit him especially hard — not with that gambeson in the way — but it's enough to hook him by his armor.
He grunts as you move to lift him off the ground — lightning arcing across his body — only for his weight to stop Sagaseeker in its tracks.
(Halla's Hamr: 29 vs Sten's Hamr: 64, Sten Wins!)
Try as you might, you simply can't budge him. No matter how hard you lift, no matter what way you work the leverage, you fail to find purchase in his iron-heavy body.
He steps forward, a smirk creeping up his face, and your atgeir starts to bend. With supernatural speed, you yank Sagaseeker away just as he moves to engage — sword sharpened once again.
Your eyes meet as your jaw tightens, teeth straining together as you lunge to meet his charge.
You're faster than he is — with longer reach, to boot! — so the responsibility of first attack falls on your shoulders. It's a responsibility you're very well acquainted with, so you greet it like an old friend.
Sagaseeker blurs through the air, crimson orthstirr leaving a shining trail of power in the wake of its march. It races with a frantic, joyous pace as Sagaseeker's spirit sings sword-songs.
(Iron Wall'd)
Sten's hand darts up in a burst of motion, fingers splayed wide as orthstirr burns bright. A circular wall of tough iron sprouts from his palm as the shield stops Sagaseeker in its tracks. Lightning surges down the blade and turns the iron surface into rage-fueled arcs of death-dealing power.
You can't help but feel a certain odd sense of familiarity. It's like you've been here before, just not on this end of it.
'The French have a term for this phenomenon. They call it 'deja vu'.'
"I gotta give credit where it's due," Sten's voice comes from behind the iron wall — admiration clear in his tone, "your Halting Vortex inspired this trick of mine."
You grin as, with ears straining, you're certain of where he's standing. Ever so slightly bending your legs at the joint, your power surges as virthing unfurls around your shoulders. A cloak of silver-threaded, tip-scorched owl feathers falls around your body — stylized designs of a bear, a wolf, an albatross, and a beaver cover the feathers.
Fire sprays from beneath your cloak of feathers as you rocket into the sky. It's not a very tall leap, just enough to get you up and over the iron. Sten's head — as he's halfway around the wall — snaps up and his eyes widen as you twist in mid-air.
One hand whips out to the side as you spin, Standstill trailing invisibly behind it. With your entire body supporting the motion, you throw the cloak of power with all the might you have. It bursts through the air, spinning rapidly as it sails closer and closer.
Though he can't see it, he can still sense the orthstirr blazing along.
His foot drives into the ground as he moves to throw himself to the side. Orthstirr screams as earth sprays out in a wide crescent.
(Trick Attack: 93 vs Reinforced Trick Defense: 41+6=47, Attacker Wins!)
The very edge of the attack just barely manages to catch him as he makes his dodge. The folds of of invisible might twist and turn as it wraps him in its lengths. He hangs there mid-dodge, as vulnerable as the day he was born.
But as you throw yourself into a dive with Sagaseeker held high and orthstirr streaming behind you like a tail of fire, you can't help but feel like you might have walked into a trap.
When he starts to laugh, your fears are made certain.
"How many times have you tried that trick, I wonder?" The look on Sten's face just screams smugness as his eyes stay locked to your moving form. "It's clearly well practiced, the sheer fluidity is evidence enough of that. But..." He trails off as his body erupts with crimson power.
"I'm about to show you why attacking prepared ground is a fool's gambit."
His fist clenches and all throughout the hill shine bright light. Nestled in the shin-high grass lies dozens of metal shards, all sown well before the battle began.
Your hammer of a heart pounds a stammering beat as the metal shards lift into the air and, as one, they fall upon you like the Gods' own arrows.
With a surge of power, the fiery wings snap out once again and throw you into a breakneck hurtle. There's only one way to try and dodge this, but you can't help but have the sneaking suspicion that Sten saw that one coming too.
(Trick Attack #1: 53+4=57 vs Trick Defense #1: 66+4=70, Defender Wins! Trick Attack #2: 63+4=67 vs Trick Defense #2: 70+4=74, Defender Wins! Trick Attack #3: 65+4=69 vs Trick Defense #3: 64+4=68, Attacker Wins! 6 Armor Damage! Armor Pierced! 3 Endurance Damage!)
But even as the storm of metal shards rains down upon you like death itself came to rest on your shoulder.
Even as the sun itself seems to dim as metal covers its light.
Even as your armor clangs from strike after strike, failing to stop it all as blood runs thick down your body.
You manage to weather the storm by the skin of your teeth.
You hit Sten and split his armor, crashing through some strange, drum-like barrier, and into his body.
Blood sprays out as Standstill breaks.
You hit the ground face-first, your body more resembling a pincushion than a person.
Sten remains standing, though heavily bloodied.
He nods.
"You did good, about as well as I was expecting. Could use a bit more variety in your attack, but overall you're doing fine. If I had to make a correction, I would suggest being more aware of the environment. You tend to hyper-focus in on your opponent, which isn't that major of a problem, all things considered."
You lost this fight.
But even as that knowledge curdles your stomach, a certain sense of determination springs up to counter that creeping despair.
Sten is stronger than you, that was never in question.
With that strength comes a pillar to climb, a goal for you to aspire towards.
One way or another, you will be his equal one day.
(Muna Gained: Determination From Defeat)
Pick a reward:
[ ] Generic Hamr Trick: Sharpen (Unlocks ability to train Sharpen)
[ ] Muna: Whistling Wind (Unlocks a Wind Hugareida)
[ ] Upgrade Muna: Fight of Your Life (2 uses per fight instead of one)
Would you like to continue breaking into Horra's Sanctum? (You won't have an opportunity to heal from the battle and your armor will only be repaired to 12)
[ ] Yes
[ ] No
(You've unlocked the ability to Train Drifa)
0~0~0
AN: Well, that didn't go entirely to plan.
Anyways, I hope you have fun arguing over the various rewards!
Here's a summary of Sten's character sheet.
[Sten Iskearauta]
Endurance: (8/8) | Rhythm: (4/4) (4 Synnyt Knots, +4 to Magic Rolls) | Armor: (24/24)(8 to Pierce)(+6 to Defense Rolls)
Magic Capacity: (32/32)
Orthstirr: (642/642) | Vaki: (80/80) | Henki: (18/18)
( ) Frami: 214 | ( ) Virthing: 214 | ( ) Saemd: 214
Hamingja: (12) (0 temporary)
Haltija: (8)
Hamr: (8)
Hugr: (7)
Itse: (4)
78 Combat Dice Maximum
Synnyt Knots:
-
-
-
-
Hugareida:
Ironbloom (Grade VI: +8 Dice to Ironbloom Rolls)
Ignition (Grade II: +2 Dice to Ignition Rolls)
Forgefire (Grade VI: +8 Dice to Forgefire Rolls)
???
Twists:
-Hammer and Anvil
-Puncture
-Tolling Bell
-Sowing Seeds
Muna:
-Watching the Flowers Bloom
-Laughter of Snow
-Keeping the Fire Burning
-Unrelenting Fury
-Death of the Teacher
-Watching it Burn
-Homecoming
Endurance: (8/8) | Rhythm: (4/4) (4 Synnyt Knots, +4 to Magic Rolls) | Armor: (24/24)(8 to Pierce)(+6 to Defense Rolls)
Magic Capacity: (32/32)
Orthstirr: (642/642) | Vaki: (80/80) | Henki: (18/18)
( ) Frami: 214 | ( ) Virthing: 214 | ( ) Saemd: 214
Hamingja: (12) (0 temporary)
Haltija: (8)
Hamr: (8)
Hugr: (7)
Itse: (4)
78 Combat Dice Maximum
Synnyt Knots:
-
-
-
-
Hugareida:
Ironbloom (Grade VI: +8 Dice to Ironbloom Rolls)
Ignition (Grade II: +2 Dice to Ignition Rolls)
Forgefire (Grade VI: +8 Dice to Forgefire Rolls)
???
Twists:
-Hammer and Anvil
-Puncture
-Tolling Bell
-Sowing Seeds
Muna:
-Watching the Flowers Bloom
-Laughter of Snow
-Keeping the Fire Burning
-Unrelenting Fury
-Death of the Teacher
-Watching it Burn
-Homecoming
No moratorium.
Alectai
Speaks Words of Wisdom... On occasion
Holy fuck, he's a beast.
Still, nice to know that our main vulnerability is mostly "You don't have enough variety of Tricks yet." Which is a problem that can be fixed.
Is the Wind Hugareida on the table fixed? Or is that going to be gacha based? I can see Wind + Fire synergizing very well.
Then again, what's Sharpen do?
Still, nice to know that our main vulnerability is mostly "You don't have enough variety of Tricks yet." Which is a problem that can be fixed.
Is the Wind Hugareida on the table fixed? Or is that going to be gacha based? I can see Wind + Fire synergizing very well.
Then again, what's Sharpen do?
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I.F. Ister
Fortifying The Thread
- Pronouns
- He/They
Fixed (It's gonna be Gale, which is the same one that Tryggr and Eric have)
More specifically, it's that you tend to attack in similar patterns.
Alectai
Speaks Words of Wisdom... On occasion
Which, you know, fair is fair, we attack in those patterns because those are the ones our Tricks set us up for. We need a wider arsenal to get more options.
On a meta level, what kind of things open with with Sharpen vs having Gale? Wind + Fire strike me as being very compatible for the sake of Alloys, and there should be some high level applications there, but yeah. But Sharpen might be extremely difficult to get our hands on outside of something like this.
And yeah, 'Don't attack a tinker on his home ground' was very much a good lesson to be hammered in ICly as well. We were fucked the instant we didn't have Halting Vortex ready to go. Still, we made him work for it, and that's not nothing.
Anyway, interesting to have an example of syncretic cultivation there, Itse is his Fylgja equivilant, which seems to work more-or-less the same way, while Halitja seems to be general spirit-wrangling and contracting.
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That finisher is brutal. 4 attacks, each of which does 9 damage? We should look into creating our own.
I'm more inclined towards Whistling Wind than Sharpen, since Sharpen seems to damage one's weapon.
I'm more inclined towards Whistling Wind than Sharpen, since Sharpen seems to damage one's weapon.
- Location
- Bretonnia
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Wow. That fight was so fuckin' cool, man. I knew that Sten was stronger than us, but still, we got outplayed - hard. One thing I wonder is if Sten is locked into Finnish Cultivation - we know that one doesn't need to be a true Norse Cultivator to use orthstirr, and I wonder if Henki/Vaki are the Finnish versions of Odr/Frenzy. Well, Vaki can't be Frenzy, since I'm pretty sure we did Endurance damage to Sten, and didn't break through any protective layer, but that's not my main point. Edit - I think Rhythm is the Finnish version of Frenzy...? Then I wonder what that would make Vaki, then...
Another Edit... turns out I was wrong - Sten did have a 'drum-like' barrier akin to Frenzy protecting him that we broke through. So Rhythm is definitely the Frenzy equivalent of Finnish Cultivation.
As for his muna... we know that Sten was forced to flee back home - I feel like we should follow up on that someday, since something big clearly happened. If only so we don't get blindsided by whatever killed his master following him here - was it said that the Enemy can't act in Christian lands, or all lands outside of Norse lands? If it's the latter, it could've been the Enemy for all we know.
Also, Wind Hugareida? To go with our Skyfire kenning one day? Hell yeah! Wonder if we could get Tryggyr (not sure if that's the right brother) to teach some tricks to us if we get the same as his?
Sharpen seems neat, but it seems to damage the weapon, so I'm much more leery of that.
Another Edit... turns out I was wrong - Sten did have a 'drum-like' barrier akin to Frenzy protecting him that we broke through. So Rhythm is definitely the Frenzy equivalent of Finnish Cultivation.
As for his muna... we know that Sten was forced to flee back home - I feel like we should follow up on that someday, since something big clearly happened. If only so we don't get blindsided by whatever killed his master following him here - was it said that the Enemy can't act in Christian lands, or all lands outside of Norse lands? If it's the latter, it could've been the Enemy for all we know.
Also, Wind Hugareida? To go with our Skyfire kenning one day? Hell yeah! Wonder if we could get Tryggyr (not sure if that's the right brother) to teach some tricks to us if we get the same as his?
Sharpen seems neat, but it seems to damage the weapon, so I'm much more leery of that.
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- Location
- some computer lab
[x] Generic Hamr Trick: Sharpen (Unlocks ability to train Sharpen)
Having a better generic dice adder seems really good, and if we get Fortify soon, then we might get a boon like "the bloody intermediates. Hone feels bad to train, since I don't think the cost lowers.
Having a better generic dice adder seems really good, and if we get Fortify soon, then we might get a boon like "the bloody intermediates. Hone feels bad to train, since I don't think the cost lowers.
- Location
- on the way to the fire.
- Pronouns
- He
Heh, fitting, for who is to be the new Matriarch and spirit ancestor of an entire line. she wear her children's spirits on her Virthing.
[X] Muna: Whistling Wind (Unlocks a Wind Hugareida)
Wikipedia links for reference for Sten's Finnish powers:
en.wikipedia.org
en.wikipedia.org
en.wikipedia.org
Wikipedia links for reference for Sten's Finnish powers:
Synty - Wikipedia
Väki - Wikipedia