Style of the Gods: A Xianxia Style's Celestial Bureaucrat

Why does our disreputable keep going up?
I think the most recent Disreputable came from Grey Rat Bites the Cat; that the "Herokiller" trait reflects Kaname being Revolutionary suggests why. It's a technique about overturning "the way of things."

That's actually the only point of Disreputable we've gotten for the last several turns; the issue is more that we're not doing anything to reduce it, so the occasional drips raising it add up. (The most recent increase came when we added an assassination technique in the Year of the Goat, and we'd gotten half the Disreputable gains in the entire quest by the second turn.)

If we're not going about ambushing Luna's messengers, working our way up the hierarchy might reduce Disreputable; spreading rumors talking up how great our style is might also, we've never done it to check.

Not that there has to be a problem with it, but it might develop into one, if Asuka, as the "Master" of the style isn't the strongest user of it...
we just had a not-so-subtle nudge from her peer that she should keep progressing
Looking back, Asuka last increased her cultivation in year 1404. She's been at her current cultivation rank for seven years now; she's gone four years since her duel without advancing. That's ... longer than I'd though it'd been. Yeesh.
 
Last edited:
Looking back, Asuka last increased her cultivation in year 1404. She's been at her current cultivation rank for seven years now; she's gone four years since her duel without advancing. That's ... longer than I'd though it'd been. Yeesh.
Yeah, I'd noticed that she hadn't improved in some chapters, but I hadn't checked how long that was in-universe, actually.

Not sure where exactly she ranks, at the moment, and if it's "normal" to stagnate for as long as she has, but with the boni she has to cultivation it's pretty safe to advance for her.
 
1412 - Year of the Rat
This year is the year of the Rat, which means it's time for your 12-year performance review. You know very well that your senior will not be impressed by a few dozen fumbling students in a sect owned by someone else, and so you take to stealth. A few bouts of frustration-induced ranting encourage you to also work on your temper.

It's impossible to hide for the entire year, though, and so you find yourself on your knees with your head pressed to the floor, grovelling for your job again.

"But please, Master, what about Whitefang?"

Your master slaps you down again with his cane. "A pitiable toothpick! You must aspire to more, Kaname. Don't you have any ambition? Stop seeing individuals as something that matters, and start working to spread the style by any means necessary. If you are going to insist on giving your style a disreputable reputation, then fight dirty!"

"Yes, master! Of course, master!"

"Hmph. Well enough."

You stand and brush yourself off as the master leaves the room. You never did like him much.



"Master," Oji says, bowing deeply. "I come with a gift from a second-dan girl. Perhaps you recall her; her name is Misa?"

You frown. "Yes. Stuck from shaky breath control. What does she have to offer?"

"This." Oji extends a hand, and you take a bone comb from him. It's inscribed continuously with the sigils for Life and Death, even on the teeth.

"She can't advance, so she's turned to Charm work. Her pieces are quite fine, meaning no disrespect to yours."

"None taken." You flip the comb over in your hands, and cautiously probe it with Atma. It seems it's designed to be a reservoir for Atma and allow the user to draw upon it smoothly and fluidly; an aid to crafting and cultivation both.

"Convey my thanks," you say, "And keep an eye on her. If she's a budding craftswoman, I want to know what she makes."

"Yes, Master!" He steps out.

A few moments later, Jiro comes into your rooms.

"So," he says. "6th Dan. Same as me. I just can't seem to overtake you, Asuka."

You grin. "Another time, Jiro."

"Another time."

He leaves you in peace at your desk again.

Now, to recreate this comb in your own style…



Adare Kaname, Bureaucrat of Grey Rat Style
Fisher King:
You take on the properties of the Style you're responsible for reflexively. Your personality feeds the style, and vice versa.
Cultivator 3
Legendary 3
Revolutionary 1
Lunar 4
Wyld 3
Hunter 4
Warrior 2
Assassin 2
Artisan 4
Alchemist 1
Rich 1
Worldly 2
Prepared 5
Alert 4
Tranquil 2
Cooperative 2
Disreputable 5
Cowardly 2
Vicious 3
Ghoulish 2

Style: Grey Rat Cheats The Heavens
Rigorous 3
Style of Legend 3
Hero-Killing 1
Yin Style 3
Chi Style 3
Beast-Killing 4
Killing Intent 2
Assassination 2
Artisanal 3
Alchemic 1
Varied Techniques 1
Strong Fundamentals 2
Survivalist 5
Rapid 4
Pacifist 2
Teamwork 2
Disreputable 5
Evasive 2
Dangerous 3
Taboo-Breaking 2

Techniques:
Consuming Cultivation Focus
Grey Rat Persists On Corruption
Grey Rat Wields The Shadows
10,000 Grey Rats Gather In Moonlight
Nimble Grey Rat Dances In Moonlight
Grey Rat Is Kin To Thousands
Grey Rat Eats Behemoths' Corpses
Grey Rat Climbs Over Corpses
Grey Rats Swarm The Carcass
Grey Rat Flees The Hawk
Grey Rat Endures The Storm
Grey Rat's Black Claws
Grey Rat Bites The Cat
Nimble Paws of the Grey Rat

Hero: Asuka Veran
Grey Rat Cheats The Heavens 6
Good Seed: +20 to Cultivation rolls.
Protagonist: +20 to Cultivation rolls.
Dead Hand: +10 to Atma rolls.
Bone Whistle: +10 to Cultivation rolls.
Bone Hair-Comb: Cultivation +10, Atma +10
Goldfur Robe: +20 to Atma rolls, -1 Voracious
Whitefang: +1 Beast-Killing, Combat +20, Cultivation +20

[ ][Asuka] Continue to train in Grey Rat Cheats The Heavens and develop another Core. Cultivation Check against DC 100, failure = death.
[ ][Asuka] Work on developing Grey Rat Cheats The Heavens. Cultivation check at DC 80, gains an additional technique for the Style. Failure = injury or death.
[ ][Asuka] Try to make a twin for Whitefang from the remaining rib. Atma check at DC80. Failure = injury.
[ ][Asuka] Focus on making more Charms from the dead criminal's bones. Atma check at DC50.
[ ][Asuka] Try to impress your Master with a demonstration of what you can do. Cultivation check at DC??
[ ][Asuka] Focus on being a good Master to the students who follow you.
[ ][Asuka] Bring Whitefang to Oji and Rei and see if they can push to 6th Dan using it.
[ ][Asuka] Try to kick-start the washouts among your students using Whitefang.

[ ][Domain] Push Taro's limits and encourage him to continue striving for additional Cores.
[ ][Domain] Push Rei and Oji to continue striving for more.
[ ][Domain] Encourage Asuka's master to begin experimenting with Grey Rat Cheats The Heavens.
[ ][Domain] Encourage the new Grey Rat Sect to split from the Green Dragon Sect.
[ ][Domain] Encourage rumors about the new style to spread outside the Sect and attract new students.
[ ][Domain] Popularize the production of bone Charms among the students.
[ ][Domain] Encourage further hunting expeditions among the students.
[ ][Domain] Encourage the students to spar among one another.

[ ][Style] Grey Rat's Stolen Claws
Develop the style's ability to improvise weapons from the environment, working with whatever is to hand. Build Path: Survivalist
[ ][Style] Grey Rat Embraces Shady Drugs
Develop methods to artificially break cultivation blocks with chemical help. Makes the style more dangerous but increases its potential. Build Path: Alchemy
[ ][Style] Grey Rat Scurries In Darkness
Develop the style's stealth and night-sensing capabilities. Ideal for messengers, spies and assassins. Build Path: Assassin
[ ][Style] Grey Rat Consumes The Sun
Develop the "hard", Yang potential of the style, emphasizing its cultivation. Build Path: Yang Specialist

[ ][Personal] Go to see your friends in your Wyldfae village.
[ ][Personal] Attend to your responsibilities as a minor courtier of Luna.
[ ][Personal] Continue negotiations with King Death and his court.
[ ][Personal] Attempt to contact the court of the Zodiac Rat.
[ ][Personal] Train to remove one of your personality faults and thereby improve the style you're responsible for. (Write in a fault.)
[ ][Personal] Hunt Demon Beasts to craft a Treasure for Asuka.
[ ][Personal] Use your influence over Grey Rat style to encourage its discovery by a larger group of practitioners.
[ ][Personal] Continue cultivating and attempt to form a third Core. Cultivation DC60.
 
Adare Kaname, Bureaucrat of Grey Rat Style
Fisher King:
You take on the properties of the Style you're responsible for reflexively. Your personality feeds the style, and vice versa.
Cultivator 3
Legendary 3
Revolutionary 1
Lunar 4
Wyld 3
Hunter 4
Warrior 2
Assassin 2
Artisan 4
Alchemist 1
Rich 1
Worldly 2
Prepared 5
Alert 4
Tranquil 2
Cooperative 2
Disreputable 5
Cowardly 2
Vicious 3
Ghoulish 2
Five shifts.

Looks like "Remove a Fault" only caused one shift, again; it might be because we were hitting a trait at 4+?
 
[X] Plan: Masters and Rats
-[X][Asuka] Focus on being a good Master to the students who follow you.
-[X][Domain] Encourage Asuka's master to begin experimenting with Grey Rat Cheats The Heavens.
-[X][Style] Grey Rat Consumes The Sun
-[X][Personal] Attempt to contact the court of the Zodiac Rat.
 
[X] Plan: Grey Rat Seeks the Stars
-[X][Asuka] Work on developing Grey Rat Cheats The Heavens. Cultivation check at DC 80, gains an additional technique for the Style. Failure = injury or death.
-[X][Domain] Encourage Asuka's master to begin experimenting with Grey Rat Cheats The Heavens.
-[X][Style] Grey Rat Consumes The Sun
Develop the "hard", Yang potential of the style, emphasizing its cultivation. Build Path: Yang Specialist
-[X][Personal] Attempt to contact the court of the Zodiac Rat.
 
So. Do we want to split with the Green Dragon sect, do we want to go with that "hidden hand" idea, do we want to try and devour the Green Dragon from within?

Because now is probably the time to commit to something.

[x] Plan the Rat Behind the Throne
-[x][Asuka] Try to impress your Master with a demonstration of what you can do. Cultivation check at DC??
-[x][Domain] Encourage Asuka's master to begin experimenting with Grey Rat Cheats The Heavens.
-[x][Style] Grey Rat Scurries In Darkness
-[x][Personal] Attempt to contact the court of the Zodiac Rat.

Not going for "spread rumors about the style" this time; if we're going to try to be a "hidden hand," it's better if people don't know where to find us. Probably commits us to high disreputable, though.

And The Year of the Rat certainly sounds like a notable time to contact the Zodiac Rat.
 
Last edited:
[X] Plan Two Fangs Make for a More Dangerous Rat
-[X][Asuka] Try to make a twin for Whitefang from the remaining rib. Atma check at DC80. Failure = injury.
-[X][Domain] Push Rei and Oji to continue striving for more.
-[X][Style] Grey Rat Scurries In Darkness
-[X][Personal] Attempt to contact the court of the Zodiac Rat.
 
[ ][Asuka] Work on developing Grey Rat Cheats The Heavens. Cultivation check at DC 80, gains an additional technique for the Style. Failure = injury or death.
Should actually carry no risks, since Asuka has +80 on Cultivation. And it would improve the whole Style.

[ ][Asuka] Try to impress your Master with a demonstration of what you can do. Cultivation check at DC??
Could also be something to consider. The DC?? makes me wary...

[ ][Domain] Encourage Asuka's master to begin experimenting with Grey Rat Cheats The Heavens.
Should also lead to a wider spread of the Style, if the whole Sect adopts it...

[ ][Domain] Encourage rumors about the new style to spread outside the Sect and attract new students.
Is something we should also consider, since it's basically our main task, right?

For the Style choice...the Style is already pretty broadly spread, but I'd rather focus on specializing in something, than add another aspect. So Yang and Alchemy would be out; Survivalist preferred.

[ ][Personal] Attempt to contact the court of the Zodiac Rat.
Could be something to look into, it being the Year of the Rat and all...not sure about the significance, as I don't think we got any idea about it till now?

[ ][Personal] Use your influence over Grey Rat style to encourage its discovery by a larger group of practitioners.
Seems to be something our master expects us to do.

Because now is probably the time to commit to something.
Yeah, true. So, let me put together the other extreme:

[] Plan Rat's are everywhere!
- [ ][Asuka] Try to kick-start the washouts among your students using Whitefang.
- [ ][Domain] Encourage rumors about the new style to spread outside the Sect and attract new students.
- [ ][Style] Grey Rat's Stolen Claws (Develop the style's ability to improvise weapons from the environment, working with whatever is to hand. Build Path: Survivalist)
- [ ][Personal] Use your influence over Grey Rat style to encourage its discovery by a larger group of practitioners.

Not sure what I'd add to the "split from the Green Dragon" path.

For now I'll vote for
[x] Plan the Rat Behind the Throne

Also, meta-thing, @Evenstar would it be possible to put the plan that won at the top each chapter?
 
[X] Plan: Masters and Rats
-[X][Asuka] Focus on being a good Master to the students who follow you.
-[X][Domain] Encourage Asuka's master to begin experimenting with Grey Rat Cheats The Heavens.
-[X][Style] Grey Rat Consumes The Sun
-[X][Personal] Attempt to contact the court of the Zodiac Rat
 
Not going for "spread rumors about the style" this time; if we're going to try to be a "hidden hand," it's better if people don't know where to find us. Probably commits us to high disreputable, though.

I don't understand how being a ''hidden hand'' could even work with the fundamental premise of the quest, we are the Kami of the Grey Rat Style, our goal is to have it grow, to spread it across the land, practiced and know be as many as possible with a long, rich and glorious history, having the practioners stay as a small secret subdivision of another sect seens to run counter to that.
 
our goal is to have it grow, to spread it across the land, practiced and know be as many as possible with a long, rich and glorious history, having the practioners stay as a small secret subdivision of another sect seens to run counter to that.
Depends on how big that other sect is, I'd think.

"Small secret subdivision" is relative.
 
I don't understand how being a ''hidden hand'' could even work with the fundamental premise of the quest, we are the Kami of the Grey Rat Style, our goal is to have it grow, to spread it across the land, practiced and know be as many as possible with a long, rich and glorious history, having the practioners stay as a small secret subdivision of another sect seens to run counter to that.
Depends on how big that other sect is, I'd think.

"Small secret subdivision" is relative.

Also, being known in the whole world as "those strange Rat Guys that the Green Dragon calls, when they really want you gone" sounds like a pretty nice thing ;)

But, yes, I do agree that for us as the kami if the style it's most likely the more dangerous play.
 
[X] Plan: Masters and Rats
-[X][Asuka] Focus on being a good Master to the students who follow you.
-[X][Domain] Encourage Asuka's master to begin experimenting with Grey Rat Cheats The Heavens.
-[X][Style] Grey Rat Consumes The Sun
-[X][Personal] Attempt to contact the court of the Zodiac Rat
 
Back
Top