I do think that our mono-focused turn should be focused on meridians (unless we can find a good site in the sect exploration action). It'll allow us to increase the speed of all our other cultivation and, I believe, will allow us to have a decent chance of getting a dot in stamina or awareness with a single cultivation action and no pills.
Ok, several things to note along with the exploration roll.
First, I added in the second level for Quan Jia's arts and techniques (excerpted below). From now on, she will be able to see the both the current level and the next one for all arts she attunes to. I mostly didn't include this information because I had no desire to do it for each of the voting options (something that will continue).
Something to note is that typically the middle (3rd for both of Quan Jia's arts/techs) and final ranks of an art offer bonuses that are either different or more significant/powerful, or both, in what they do.
DEJ
Second Path: A fractured mirror yet reveals truths unseen. A cultivator of the Second Path once again takes their first steps along the twisted paths of Dream and refines their ability to tell true from false.
Mastery of the Second Path grants a +5 (stacks with previous bonus) bonus to random event, exploration, and loot rolls
XP: 0/50
SGS
Second Dune:
Sand flows as liquid and absorbs with languid stillness. Practitioners of the Second Dune begin to refine their control over their sand constructs.
The second dune increases the defensive bonus provided by the First Dune to +3
XP: 0/50
Second, in regards to action economy, I mostly view limiting social actions as a proxy for controlling the effort of writing. On the flip side, cultivation doesn't really carry the same weight in terms of writing. There's really only so many times one can write about opening meridians before it's both boring to write and to read. So I'm open to, and considering an increase in cultivation actions per turn as a function of some combination of cultivation factors. If anyone has any thoughts about this, I'd be happy to hear them, whether they like or don't like it or whatever.
That turned out to be a long winded way to post the sect exploration roll, but here it is:
Spending actions make sense for most cultivators since resources are expensive. But we are the poster child for money. So I can see a single automatic cultivation per turn not being any problem.
Anything more then that would depend on your plans for our action economy long term, are we going to keep 4 actions a turn long term or are there ways to get more. And if so how?
If more actions will be based on cultivation level then that give a few simple ways to increase automatic cultivation.
If they are based on rare items or fortuitous encounters then that's a different matter.
Spending actions make sense for most cultivators since resources are expensive. But we are the poster child for money. So I can see a single automatic cultivation per turn not being any problem.
I don't really understand how resource availability impacts how much one can cultivate when most resources used apply for an entire week instead of single actions.
I'm starting to come around to having our first pill turn be for Meridians. The Cultivation lesson doesn't have a bar to pass beyond showing up (that we're aware of), and for the Combat class I figure we still have a decent chance of winning the spar regardless of whether we pass the first test (if there even is a first test).
By the 3rd pair of classes we'll definitely need to have improved our fighting abilities, but then if we do another pill week Turns 6 and 8 that gives us Turn 7 for social/exploration and Turn 9 for our next lessons.
Quan Jia's eyes drift closed. While not as enjoyable as cultivating the Dreamer's Endless Journey, base cultivation was fine. At least it didn't hurt like opening up new meridians did.
Slumber flows down her left arm with the violence of an avalanche, with the sluggishness of settling mud, and collides with a gnarled meridian. The collision of qi with that tangled inversion of rightness brings with it a lancing pain, distant and burningly sharp along her wrist. Qi, shaped shaped by experience and Awakening, by art and technique, molds into whirlpools of sand that grate, grind, erode away at that blockage.
Intensity gathers as the blockage swells in resistance. Loose sand sharpens into teeth and those roughened edges gouge out the pathway that should exist, paying little heed to the blood and bone and tissue scoured away in the process. Into Dream, she screams, and sable paving stones distort to nightshade in sympathy for that echoed pain.
Inhale. Once more...
The weariness of old age coats her mouth and lungs and thoughts, and brings with it a blessed, twisted, relief from pain. That pale reflection, that harbinger of Death, settles into Dream, and where it touches, impossible vibrancy fades into infinite shades of gray. Wisps of pale indigo, given birth by her agonized screams, desiccate, unable to withstand the monochromatic eternity around them.
Exhale. It's almost over...
Impossibly smooth grains of dust and sand polish the rough hewn path of her new meridian to an almost glasslike smoothness. As the last minute imperfection disappears beneath that whetting stone, the meridian snaps into focus, and the the qi of heaven and earth flows just that much more easily into her.
That was a bad one.
Eyes blink open and Quan Jia looks at the vaporous qi that hangs about her frame like a pale aura.
That being said a full meridian turn will be painful for Quan. Just one was difficult for her, so going all out and doing 4 will be a sight to see. I wouldn't be surprised if it was called out in the narrative. At least this way she can then ignore them for a month or two afterwards.
EDIT: Just wanted to say as well, I really liked those pill descriptions @dmclain2. They were very evocative.
I don't really understand how resource availability impacts how much one can cultivate when most resources used apply for an entire week instead of single actions.
Two reasons.
One, people without garunteed income, if they take a full week to closed door cultivate, might just have zero resources the next week.
Two, lesser pills, like Robin's Grace, only apply to a single action - people who dont have twenty diamonds to throw around probably are pretty elated to even get something like the grace.
Thanks. I really like being able to play a bit with metaphor and how to juxtapose things in seemingly non-sensical sorts of ways. I think it helps to reinforce the idea of how removed cultivators are from mortal limits/perceptions.
Thanks. I really like being able to play a bit with metaphor and how to juxtapose things in seemingly non-sensical sorts of ways. I think it helps to reinforce the idea of how removed cultivators are from mortal limits/perceptions.
[] You really should talk to Xiao Lien about the pig's threat. She seemed... really mad. And even if you're not going to let her hurt your friend, she probably deserves to know what to expect.
It seemed, these past few days that if Quan Jia wanted to find her oldest friend, she just had to follow the sounds.
"Hya" yep that was one of them. Clang. That was another.
"Ow, fuck why do you always hit so hard." That really wasn't one of them, but since it was Xiao Lien's voice, it was easy enough to follow.
Quan Jia looks through an open window on the second floor of her estate and down into the interior garden where Mei Mei was beating on Xiao Lien with a bamboo stick. She watched for a second as her friend parried a strike, spun and slipped under another, and whapped Mei Mei in the shins with her stick.
Well if they were both there, then…
Tilting, Quan Jia rolls out of the window and lands on an elastic sheet of sand. Bouncing once to build up momentum, and not at all because she enjoys the way her hair flies up around her, she propels herself towards Mei Mei and her friend. Gracefully, and not at all ostentatiously, she pirouettes between two sticks in the midst of strike and parry and smiles.
"Is there something my lady needs?" Mei Mei dematerializes her stick and motions for Xiao Lien to do the same, "or was she merely looking for a diversion from boredom?"
"Yeah, you're kinda interrupting," Xiao Lien steps up beside her, slight frown on her face.
"I'll have you know that I've absolutely got other people to bother, if I wanted to, but why would I do that when you're here?" Quan Jia tips her nose up in mock haughtiness, "but there's something maybe important I need to say."
Her attendant seems to see something in her face because the almost permanently faintly amused look fades from her face, "In that case… the western veranda?"
"With the nice view of the lake?" trust Mei Mei to have the good ideas, "and later we can talk about hiring some people so Mei Mei doesn't have to prepare snacks."
"Who said I was preparing snacks," the amused look is back, "is my lady's conversation even snacking appropriate?"
"Are there conversations that aren't?" Quan Jia wonders. The flat stares she receives in response from both of them… the betrayal… makes her sigh in resignation, "oh, fine. I guess we don't need anything."
"Then by your leave, my lady," Quan Jia nods at that, "I will go prepare."
With those words, her attendant begins to fade away, losing first color and then definition until only her outline is visible. That too fades as Quan Jia waves a hand through it, "she always likes to show off like that."
"I can't imagine why," Xiao Lien's voice is completely deadpan for some reason, "so what's this big news that couldn't wait and had to interrupt our practice?"
"Are you feeling alright," she raises a hand to the other girl, one that's ducked under and away from, "how could we set up a space to talk about important things and then spoil them on the walk over?"
"Hmm," her friend seems to concede the point and lapses into silence as they start a leisurely walk toward the wester veranda.
That wouldn't do at all…
"You're getting pretty good with sticks," Quan Jia would have bet the other girl had never held a sword, practice or real, before coming to the sect.
"Thanks," she grins, "it just seems to come naturally… it's like I've been practicing for years."
"It's really hard to hit Mei Mei, even when she's going easy." they rarely sparred though, Mei Mei made a much better pillow than a sparring partner.
"Right," Xiao Lien nods in agreement, "I'm lucky if I can get one hit in a day."
"Wow, that's about as often as I ever could." Her friend really was cool.
"It works best when I just stop thinking," she pauses for a moment as though working through how to put it into words, "moments where everything just feels like an extension of the sword and there's no distinction between action and reaction."
"Thinking's definitely overrated," Quan Jia agrees emphatically, "it's why I like napping so much… no thinking there."
Her words must have carried a bit, because as they step out into the afternoon sun, Mei Mei is waiting, sarcastic smirk firmly affixed on her face. "It is truly the great tribulation of this humble attendant's life that my lady eschews thought when faced with even the slightest of interesting things."
"There's nothing wrong with following creepy boys into strange basements and getting drugged up and gambling," Quan Jia spares a moment to study the arrangement of pillows and blankets placed at the edge of the veranda before materializing her own Comfy Pillow. "Tell her Xiao Lien."
"Who exactly is this creepy boy?" her friend's scowling face provides absolutely no support
"It's like no one trusts me," she pouts, "and here I am trying to do a good thing."
"Well, since we're here," Xiao Lien settles next to her and leans back, "what's the big news?"
"So, there's this pig… no she's female so sow is probably the correct term," Quan Jia starts, only maybe a bit amused at the confusion and resignation on the faces looking back at her. "And last time we met she squealed really loudly about how she hated you and me for supporting you."
"Umm, what does a pig…" her friend trails off, too confused to even ask for clarification.
"My lady speaks of Luo Lif-" Quan Jia cuts her attendant off before she can finish that pig's name.
"Pigs don't have names Mei Mei." The look Mei Mei gives her in response to the interruption is just absolutely perfect.
"I thought it was a sow?" The way her friend joined in on the mockery despite her confusion was simply delightful.
"Sows don't have names either Xiao Lien." Quan Jia clarifies mockingly.
"Well how did a sow threaten me then?" Xiao Lien had a bad habit of always wanting to get to the point.
Why hurry through things...
"The Luo are a prominent agricultural and landowning with numerous ties to bordering provinces." unfortunately that was also one of Mei Mei's bad habits,
So with a resigned sigh, Quan Jia agrees to move forward with the conversation, kind of, "right, it's a noble sow, and those can squeal really loudly, so we probably need to do something."
"Given what my lady and I know of this particular individual-" once again the slight twitch of an eyebrow at her interruption is perfect.
"Please Mei Mei, the proper term is sow, don't be disrespectful." That both her oldest friend and attendant were so willing to disrespect that poor pig.
Such a lack of manners...
"Indeed, given what my lady and I know… it's likely that this farm animal…" Mei Mei trails off and looks over at her.
Quan Jia nods affirmatively, "that's good enough."
"Thank you my lady." she doubted anyone else would have been able to see Mei Mei roll her eyes, what with the bandages and everything. "To continue, it's likely that they have or will soon begin making contacts amongst the more talented and prominent disciples within the outer sect, with the goal of ostracization at best or subtle murder at worst."
That word shatters any sense of friendly banter and her friend's voice is plaintive as she asks, "why though, what does she have against me?"
Quan Jia shrugs from where she's leaning and complains, "she doesn't like fluffy tails… it's even more proof that she's a pig."
"The Luo cleave to very conservative imperial norms when it comes to unsanctioned spirit-blooded." Once again Mei Mei takes it upon herself to provide useful clarification.
"That, umm, Quan Jia can we please treat this seriously." A serious, slightly panicked face turns toward her.
This won't do....
"Fine." Regretfully, she sits up and puts on a serious look, "I will treat this seriously and prove that I can have good thoughts at the same time."
"Oh, then we are truly blessed to be graced with my lady's most meticulous and exacting stratagems." she refuses to rise to the bait of Mei Mei's sarcasm.
"Keep it up and Mei Mei won't get any help in cooking and cleaning." Quan Jia scowls at her attendant as she rises to the bait of her sarcasm.
"This doesn't really feel like it's helping me not, you know... get killed." There was a look on her friend's face, like she was second guessing something important.
This won't do at all...
"Well, the good news is that the solution is simple. In fact we have two choices," a confident smile crosses her face. One that seems to go some way in easing her friend's worry, "the first choice is easier: we make you presentable, like an average noble lady… that means no more food-stains on clothes."
Quan Jia feels perhaps more than just a touch of guilt at the way her friend flushes at her words. "That, I don't… it's just hard to keep up and have time to do chores like that."
"Right, so we use some money here and there to make sure you keep up, look normal, act normal," she pauses, grins slightly, and continues, "you know… like me."
"You said there was another option?" Magnanimously she chooses to overlook the dubious tone in Xiao Lien's voice.
"The way you look when you say that… hmph." the doubtful way she looked, however, was not overlooked, "Well, the other option is that we make you strong enough to silence any dissent."
"A victory through overwhelming firepower." Her attendant interjects, with a hint of the viciousness she normally reserved for people that bothered Quan Jia.
"Right, Mei Mei, that's exactly it. We'll probably have to beg pops for some of the good stuff," maybe it wouldn't feel quite as bad if it went to someone who deserved it... "and well…. you'd make better use of it anyway…"
"Quan Jia..." a hand, feather light, brushes against her shoulder.
"Nope, this is Xiao Lien's crisis time not mine." with an effort of concentration, old doubts get shoved back into the dark place they usually stay.
"Umm, I'm… I don't think I could pay you back for that kind of help." her friend sounds somehow more tentative about that than about her potential murder.
That absolutely won't do… not even a little...
Fierceness doesn't really come naturally to her, but Quan Jia glares her fiercest glare anyways, "Uh-uh, that's what being friends is for, so we don't have to worry about silly things like debt and repayment."
Still glaring, she changes the subject and continues, unwilling to hear any concerns about unimportant things like cost, "So thoughts? Votes? Mei Mei, you first."
After all, it was a group decision.
Her attendant taps at a lip in thought before replying, "I believe that a few requests for aid from Lord Quan would provide materiel sufficient to quell even the most ardent of opposition."
"Yeah, pops is really good with making sticks to hit people with. Xiao Lien, you next."
Her friend fidgets, and the hesitance in her voice is maybe a little heartbreaking, "I… that's too much, way too much… I don't des… you said if I try and fit in I could maybe get by?"
Well if fierceness doesn't work, Quan Jia grins her widest grin and responds, "you're cool the way you are, and once we've got a lot of friends, they'll see that too, but until then… Mei Mei what's a good way to say it?"
"I believe the aphorism is the protruding nail receives the hammer, my lady."
"That doesn't sound quite… nevermind. If you look like a noble lady, people will treat you that way… trust me." For some reason the pair of looks she got seemed to indicate that they really didn't trust her... so unfair... "ok, looks like I get to be tiebreaker, so let's see…"
[] "Lets get the good stuff from pops." (Uses next month's letter home and a future letter to properly outfit Xiao Lien with arts, techniques, pills, etc. so that her natural talent will help her rise to the top.)
[] "Lets work on getting you to look the part." (uses 2 spirit diamonds per turn to help Xiao Lien look and act the part of a newly landed noble.)
I'm happy that voters decided to investigate one of the plot lines that has been laid out for this year. Fortunately, this allows voters to proactively address things that would have, at some point, exploded in their faces. Unfortunately, it comes with both immediate and long term cost, and an additional consideration for turn votes:
Quest Actions
Not every turn, and not necessarily every month, but occasionally as Quan Jia reaches relevant prerequisites, quest actions will appear. These actions will allow her and others within her circle to begin to make progress on the overarching quest. The urgency of these actions will be indicated narratively, but will typically need to be resolved within a month of their appearance. In this particular case its:
[Quest] Mitigate Luo Lifen's attempts to turn disciples against Xiao Lien and by extension Quan Jia. Failure will result in Xiao Lien's departure from the sect and possibly in her death.
Ah, so because it was caught onto quick, we have the initiative and so the damage isn't going to be as overwhelming as it could have been, right, while the investment is about the same?
[X] "Lets get the good stuff from pops." (Uses next month's letter home and a future letter to properly outfit Xiao Lien with arts, techniques, pills, etc. so that her natural talent will help her rise to the top.)
I hope we can use our letters on ourselves at some point but for now this is pretty damn important.
I personally want to help her look better since she deserves it. But it's far to easy for an enemy to say she is just a pampered poodle and stomp on her the second they can make it look like an accident. Turning her into a wolf will make it so she doesnt have to hide in our shadow.
[x] "Lets get the good stuff from pops." (Uses next month's letter home and a future letter to properly outfit Xiao Lien with arts, techniques, pills, etc. so that her natural talent will help her rise to the top.)
[X] "Lets get the good stuff from pops." (Uses next month's letter home and a future letter to properly outfit Xiao Lien with arts, techniques, pills, etc. so that her natural talent will help her rise to the top.)
So letter wise, I know we were planning on using it to get some breakthrough meds but frankly with the revelation that higher art levels contribute to a better breakthrough we have enough on our plate that we could easily push off asking for said medicine until Month 3, to give us enough time to build our foundation. I don't think even a full turn of base cultivation with our shiny new pill will get us to Peak Diamond Soul (just partway through Late, assuming it needs 60 successes total), so we have time to prep. And who knows, maybe we find something relevant in the market.
As to Xiao Lien's reaction, I can see why she's concerned, but I feel I should point out a part of Quan Jia's inner monologue which has popped up before, but again this update.
She considers Xiao Lien to be her oldest friend. As in, before the Sect she had no-one she considered a friend.
I don't think that's laziness, it's just that from what we've seen so far she doesn't see herself as deserving of all her fathers attention/her status as his daughter, so she dismisses any attention she receives because of that. She only accepts friendship overtures from people who don't care about that (Xiao Lien who she soft-bullied into treating her like an equal, Diao Qiu (sp?) who it looks like she didn't know Quan was a noble, and Shao, who's a) a nominal equal and b) doesn't look like she gives much of a shit about political status).
So whilst Lien might be concerned that Quan's spending too much, Quan's probably quite willing to spend that if it guarantees her safety.
There is an argument to be made that it's somewhat excessive, especially considering we're the ones who got her into the Sect in the first place, but considering Xiao's Talent and the sheer weight the culture seems to place on Victory requires no Explanation, it'd probably just be seen as a good investment as long as it all works out.
[] "Lets get the good stuff from pops." (Uses next month's letter home and a future letter to properly outfit Xiao Lien with arts, techniques, pills, etc. so that her natural talent will help her rise to the top.)
Two letters is steep af..... As is two gems forever. Ouch. We wanted those letters so that we'd stand some chance at breaking through eventually.... How long would we be paying two gems for?
Wow. We may have a bad gacha, but we have a good luck to resolve trouble.
[x] "Lets get the good stuff from pops." (Uses next month's letter home and a future letter to properly outfit Xiao Lien with arts, techniques, pills, etc. so that her natural talent will help her rise to the top.)
You want to hurt our eighth pillow? Allright, just try, the fluffy pillow will smash you.
And honestly, a noble archetype should be focused on connections and followers in their strength... Making XiaoLien strong make us strong too.
So this isn't related to the current vote, but after careful consideration I believe the thread should look into the possibility of using some of the sand we summon from our dreams and creating a brick to use as a Magical Treasure. What better, more profound or suitable material could there be to forge our mightiest tools, than the mystical substance of our own dreams?
The brick is a sublime tool of both Offense and Defense, Creation and Destruction, embodying the profound mysteries of Yin and Yang. It can be used to build the mightiest of fortresses that weather foes and time itself alike, and a treasure in this form could thus be used to defend against any threats. So too can a brick fly forth to bring such fortresses down, shattering the defensive techniques of our enemies in its path like the walls of Xiangyang before the trebuchets of Genghis Khan! It even complements our Dao, for foes we strike shall be sent promptly into the deepest slumber!
So please, everyone, consider my case seriously as I advocate for cultivating the Dao of the Brick. I believe that this weapon, which many might decry as plebeian and unsuitable for a Young Mistress, is thus perfectly suitable for Quan Jia.
But the sand doesnt disappear after the use? Would be kind strange everytime Quan Jia defendes herself and sand stay on place... Because in a long fight, ahe would change the scenary to a small beach or desert.
The idea is good but maybe we would need to go to a Dream Realm for that? If this kind of thing exists?
[X] "Lets get the good stuff from pops." (Uses next month's letter home and a future letter to properly outfit Xiao Lien with arts, techniques, pills, etc. so that her natural talent will help her rise to the top.)
[X] "Lets get the good stuff from pops." (Uses next month's letter home and a future letter to properly outfit Xiao Lien with arts, techniques, pills, etc. so that her natural talent will help her rise to the top.)
I think this is the best option. It'll be tough for us to keep up in cultivation without an influx of Pop's goods in the second month, but I think we will be able to manage.
Also, this is likely to be the most useful one for Xiao Lien in the long run. Her ability to rapidly increase in strength will serve as a good deterrent while also being helpful for us in handling any trials we might encounter together.
