Time is a major concern. The counterbalance I have is not knowing how many types of anam can go in a charm - if there's a cap and it's two, then the result is going to be bad. I don't think Jai Shouxi will have grounds to be angry at the very inclusion of beast anam - he only specified that light and/or water be used (both if we wanted a rare anam pill).
The Path Unending (A Cultivation Quest)
- Thread starter Vesvius
- Start date
- Original
-
- Tags
- original xianxia cultivation quest
Threnodist
occupying Haudenosaunee & Osage land she/her/hers
- Location
- Pittsburgh
Yeah I was thinking the same thing, # of Anams wise, I would guess that 3 types of Anam is a magnitude more complex than just 2.
Knight-Radiant
Recovering Rageaholic
Now that we know that our Craft: Charm skill will be the one used, I feel confident about bleeding out the beast Anam.
Tho to be honest, my greedier side wants to do the split instead. A +3, or +4 Beast material sounds useful....
Tho to be honest, my greedier side wants to do the split instead. A +3, or +4 Beast material sounds useful....
TimEd
Meteor maker
[X] You have begun work on your commissioned charm for Jai Shouxi, but it is nowhere close to being finished. You will continue your efforts.
-[X] One of your materials is not suited for the project it is intended for. You are going to work to refine it before you begin crafting the charm.
[X] Jai Fa has made it clear that you are welcome back to her sparring group if you so desire. You will go and rejoin her, Mei Daiyu, and Xu Yun, and continue honing your skills.
-[X] One of your materials is not suited for the project it is intended for. You are going to work to refine it before you begin crafting the charm.
[X] Jai Fa has made it clear that you are welcome back to her sparring group if you so desire. You will go and rejoin her, Mei Daiyu, and Xu Yun, and continue honing your skills.
[X] Jai Fa has made it clear that you are welcome back to her sparring group if you so desire. You will go and rejoin her, Mei Daiyu, and Xu Yun, and continue honing your skills.
[X] You have begun work on your commissioned charm for Jai Shouxi, but it is nowhere close to being finished. You will continue your efforts.
-[X] One of your materials is not suited for the project it is intended for. You are going to work to refine it before you begin crafting the charm.
[X] You have begun work on your commissioned charm for Jai Shouxi, but it is nowhere close to being finished. You will continue your efforts.
-[X] One of your materials is not suited for the project it is intended for. You are going to work to refine it before you begin crafting the charm.
Metrux
Gentle Demon Lord
- Location
- Brasil
Yes, but this is mostly about your combat techniques. We can still make charms of any anam type, no matter what type we choose for ourselves, because the anam type of the charms is decided by the materials we use, not the anam infused
The problem I see is that we just don't know, it is probably harder, and beast could just plainly make the charm weaker, since it's not that suited to Archer techs. And even if not, it could instead change the effect itself, because this is a bleed of beast, not the main thing we actually want to use. Mainly, unless we're REALLY good for what we're doing, I don't feel secure in trying more complex things that are also not entirely known to us.
Clear Edit later: I just had a thought, and didn't want to double post, but why not call the pill refining the Alchemy skill to make it clearer? @Vesvius
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Knight-Radiant
Recovering Rageaholic
Mhm, and this plays to the strengths of the Kong Family cycling technique-Yes, but this is mostly about your combat techniques. We can still make charms of any anam type, no matter what type we choose for ourselves, because the anam type of the charms is decided by the materials we use, not the anam infused
-with the exception of Physical Techniques with no Anam Cost like the Hummingbird's Dance
That would be sweet, and worth the extra time spent on the process.
I wonder what kind of technique Beast anam is best suited for? Could be more dependent on the material than others.
Yeah, it probably is atleast before the test/trial. Six successes needed to upgrade it vs twice if not more to create a new charm. We could then save the material and make a more powerful charm that will last longer.
I don't know, but if ?I had to guess, it's pretty good for physical attacks, so.. Warrior Techniques or some Traveller Techniques that are about survival in the wild or travelling long distances.
[X] Jai Fa has made it clear that you are welcome back to her sparring group if you so desire. You will go and rejoin her, Mei Daiyu, and Xu Yun, and continue honing your skills.
[X] You have begun work on your commissioned charm for Jai Shouxi, but it is nowhere close to being finished. You will continue your efforts.
-[X] One of your materials is not suited for the project it is intended for. You are going to work to refine it before you begin crafting the charm.
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Metrux
Gentle Demon Lord
- Location
- Brasil
Probably some kind of physical or perceptive tech, beasts are known for those two strenghts.
I'm... Not really sure. After we finish the comission and take the soldier step, then we can see if we want to train the tech or make a charm, if we even have time for any of them... Although the successes seem lesser, we also have higher a chance of getting those successes with charms. And, althought it is very useful and nice to have the combat tech, we might still need something ranged, which means an offensive charm. I wouldn't complain about a better defensive charm aswell x)
6 successes with 4 dice is almost certainly going to take fewer actions than 9-12 successes with 5 dice, even with our drive helping the latter. That will change once we start getting five successes on rolls but that will take a while.
However the real benefit of the technique is that it looks like we can only spend one action a turn on charms. This means building up the technique doesn't actually cost us charms but rather is taking the place of other actions. We'll probably get the next step of our technique done at the same time as the commission.
I was a bit unclear I suppose, but now that we have this tech an archer charm isn't vital. If not for this we would likely have made a charm as soon as possible as long as the build rate was above 5. Now we have a bit of breathing room and can probably make sure it gets above 10 without stressing too much, but I agree the Soldier's Step should come first.
Metrux
Gentle Demon Lord
- Location
- Brasil
The thing about this is that you assume they have the same chance, which is plainly not true. We might need more successes with almost the same number of dices, but we have higher chance of success in each dice. So although statistically the physical will take less actions, it's not a certainty, even with a perfect bollean curve in the dice. The only thing that even makes this a "fair" comparison is our new trait, that makes our chances in physical better, otherwise it would just be plainly faster to do the charm.
20. A Day of Labor
Vesvius
The Wicked God
A/N: A big thanks to the 6 people who have pledged to me on Patreon! If you'd like to join them, you can do so here.
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When you wake up the next morning, it's with a smile on your face. There's a slight breeze blowing in through your window that brings with it the feeling of the morning's serenity. Your bed is surprisingly comfortable, but you feel no desire to stay in it. No, you're well rested and ready to face the day. You have rarely, if ever, felt better than you do right now.
For a moment. And then your body reminds you that it has some complaints about how it was treated yesterday, and it speaks up to voice them. Your good feeling is instantly nothing but pain.
Everything hurts. Your legs ache as if you had forced them to run for hours, which you suppose you did. Your torso is a mess of bruises and aches from Mai Daiyu's constant strikes. Your hands ache to the point where closing them sends shivers of agony down your spine. Everything about your body screams that you have made a horrible mistake and that you should sleep for a year before you ask it to do anything again.
Kong Zhi recovers 2 points of his damage threshold. He currently has three open physical stress boxes.
But much to your body's displeasure, you can't give it what it wants. Instead, you're going to get up and have it go through the same thing again.
You force yourself to move, throwing your legs over the side of your bed in a motion that's ordinarily a normal movement you don't normally think about and is now an exercise in agony. Each move you make as you strip off your sleeping attire and put on a fresh set of robes makes you rue the day you showed the talent of an Artist. You get it done though, only take a few moments more than you usually would. All that's left is the mortal challenge that is the stairs.
Jai Fa is waiting for you at the front door with a look of mild bemusement on her face. She looks you up and down as you finally make it to the end of the stairs of horror. "Where is the enemy?" she asks.
You shoot her a confused look, and what might be a tiny grin plays on her face. "The one you were doing battle with. I assume that is who was screaming?"
"Ha," you grate out. "Ha. Very funny. Now are you going to help me with the door or are you just going to make witty observations?"
"Witty observations," she answers promptly. "You can handle the door."
You stare blankly at her. She can't really be serious, can she? But Jai Fa makes no move towards the door. She even takes a step back, making it so that there's only empty space between you and the heavy portal. You glare at her, but she is unaffected. One moment of inaction turns into two, and then three, before you start trudging towards the door.
Jai Fa sighs. "Stand up straight," she orders. "Hunching over like that will only make it worse."
"You know what else makes things worse?" you shoot back. "Being forced to handle this door on my own!"
"No it won't," comes her answer. "You need to get moving to shake the cramps off. You will feel better by the time you close the door. Trust me."
"The last time I trusted you, it put me in this state!" you argue.
"Then who would know better than I how to fix it?" she replies. "Now be quick about it. We must meet the others soon if we wish to get anything done today."
You want to argue further, but honestly speaking is making your chest hurt even more. So you put your well-reasoned thoughts that all boil down to insults to Jai Fa's character and parentage aside and force yourself to straighten out of the pained hunch you've been moving in. It's like there are leather cords strapped to every part of your body and moving causes them to dig deep into your flesh. You push past it and force yourself to shove the heavy door open. It swings open after some work, and Jai Fa walks through it without a word. You follow her and then grab the door again, forcing your body to go through the task that is closing your home.
By the time you're finished, you've already broken a sweat. Your forehead is damp, your hands slippery, and the pain… is lessened. It's still there, lurking in your body. But it's no longer an overwhelming rebuke for yesterday's activities. Now it feels more like an annoying protest.
Jai Fa notices the look on your face and nods. "That's what I thought." She turns and starts walking through the courtyard, dodging through the line of disciples waiting for the Prospector's Tears. You waste no time in limping after her.
The trip towards Jai Fa's training ground is a quiet one. Your roommate is economical with her words to put it lightly, while you're too busy focusing on walking to make conversation. It passes by quickly and the two of you make it to the crater in short order. Mei Daiyu is already there, slowly working her way through a form.
You pause as you watch her plant one leg and slowly lift the other until it reaches her head's level. You know that kick. That's one of the kicks Mei Daiyu used to beat you down yesterday, and one that she forced you to attempt after she was done the 'intensive' part of the workout. It's one of the moves in her style- your style, you suppose. It's the same one she kept having you work towards: the Hummingbird's Dance. It's a style made for quick, deceptive movements that all lead to set up the enemy for one brutal strike. The kick she's practicing is supposed to be done hundreds of times faster than she's performing it here, making it one fluid motion that snaps her opponent's head back and leaves their eyes crossed.
If you had seen it yesterday morning, you would have just known it was a kick. Maybe. There's an argument that it could be a movement for a dance. But either way, you would not have known what it was. What a difference a day makes.
Mei Daiyu notices your approach and gives you both with a short nod. "Good. Now training can truly begin," she says in lieu of greeting. "Jai Fa, is it safe to assume that we will be working together today?"
Jai Fa nods. "It is. Kong Zhi, you are already warmed up. Either jog to keep your heat or begin work with the dummy." She takes a step towards Mei Daiyu, who has already assumed a ready position.
You pause, feeling a little abandoned. Despite inviting you, Jai Fa has yet to spar with you once. And you had thought you and Mei Daiyu had done quite well yesterday. Now they're both just leaving you to your own devices? "I, uh, suppose I shall jog until Xu Yun arrives," you say, grasping for words. "I would not want my lack of training to cause flaws in my form."
"If that is your worry then you can rest easy," Mei Daiyu answers dryly, painted eyes giving you a sly look. "We will be more than happy to correct your flaws as we train."
Your cheeks flush at that look. Somehow, you have no doubt that Mei Daiyu can read your emotions like a book, and you feel oddly naked. "Oh, no," you reply hastily. "Please, do not let me distract you from your own training."
"It will not be a distraction," Jai Fa answers. "It will only be another form of training. We must keep aware of our surroundings as we fight, after all. Correcting your mistakes will only be helpful for us."
You somehow doubt that, but you don't get a chance to protest before Jai Fa charges Mei Daiyu. Her hand lances out like a snake, aiming for a spot on her shoulder. Mei Daiyu bats it aside with a sharp chop and responds with a low kick that sends her robes fluttering. Your roommate checks the kick with a raised ankle and follows with an elbow, which is countered just as easily.
Well, if they've begun, you might as well start your own training. You put Jai Fa and Mei Daiyu out of mind and walk towards the dummy they indicated. You're hesitant to start working on forms on your own, but they seemed insistent on it. You stand on the balls of your feet and ready yourself, lashing out at the dummy with a kick Mei Daiyu had shown you-
"Higher!" Jai Fa barks. "You want to disable their knee with that strike, not brush their calf!"
You blanch and spin around. The other two are still locked in combat. As you watch, Jai Fa strikes with another chop but Mei Daiyu catches it with one of her throws. But unlike you, who crashed onto the ground, Jai Fa twists and bends in midair, landing on her feet and flipping forward to relieve the pressure. You have no idea how they could see your kick from the middle of all that.
But it seems that they did. You shrug and turn back, falling into your stance again. You raise your foot and kick at the knee this time. It hits the straw-filled dummy with a thud. You pause and glance over your shoulder. There's no response from the others. Either you did it correctly or you messed it up and they just can't see it.
Out of curiosity, you kick again, this time going back to the calf.
"Kong Zhi!" Mei Daiyu calls. "If you do that on purpose once more, we shall cease our own training and spar with you two on one for a moment instead!"
...that answers that.
You fall into your training, starting with kicks and punches, then moving onto elbows and knees. Then you detach the dummy from it's hanger and move on to throws, doing your best to emulate the dozens of them that you experienced yesterday. Again and again you go, smashing the dummy down until it is nothing more than a sack of burlap and straw.
Athletics Check! 1d10s8. Dice Rolled: 4. No Successes! Fail!
Athletics Check! 1d10s8. Dice Rolled: 2. No Successes! Fail!
Skill up! Athletics +1
Each movement feels unnatural for you. You know you're doing them correctly; if you weren't, Jai Fa and Mei Daiyu would correct you. They have not missed one of your mistakes the entire time you've been working. But they still feel stiff and alien. Each throw feels as strange for you to perform as the last.
Your work is not without it's benefits though. You can feel yourself recovering faster as you work harder. Your body protests less with each movement you make. You know you'll feel it tomorrow, but perhaps you'll feel it less than you did this morning.
It's as you're taking a break to get a mouthful of water from your clay bottle that Xu Yun finally arrives. He takes in the scene before him with wide eyes and practically sprints down the stairs. "My apologies!" he gasps out. "I had business that went longer than anticipated. I know it is no excuse, but I-"
"Please, do not apologize," Jai Fa replies as she twists Mei Daiyu's arm, sending her spinning to the ground. "It is not as if we have something important coming up. Something that we have all been tasked with. No. Your poor planning shall have no repercussions on us whatsoever, so you should not feel guilt in the least.
Mei Daiyu is much more direct. "I do not want to hear it, Xu Yun. Either put in the work or do not bother coming back. I would rather face Huo Shi and his trollop alone than take someone who is not prepared as my companion."
From the look on Xu Yun's face, she may as well have just stabbed him. He nods seriously and marches over to you. "Kong Zhi," he greets you, forcing a smile. "My apologies for my lateness. May I have the honor of a spar?"
"You may not," Mei Daiyu calls. You glance over to see that she's just scissored Jai Fa's leg, sending the smaller girl into a heap on the moss. Mei Daiyu sits up and looks at Xu Yun. "Kong Zhi, you see, has actually been working. And he is in no condition for full contact after yesterday. Perhaps tomorrow."
Xu Yun flushes and looks at the moss. "Of course," he mutters. "My apologies." He nods at you and walks over to another straw dummy. He falls into a different stance then you're used to and begins peppering the mannequin with punches.
That seemed… harsh. But it is not your place to argue.
You continue to work by yourself for another span before glancing at the pillar. It's starting to dim to the shade you associate with the afternoon. If you want to work on Jai Shouxi's charm for any length of time, you had best get started. You turn towards the girls, who has separated. "Thank you for the instruction," you say. "But I must be off. I have other tasks before me."
Jai Fa frowns. "Are you making your way back towards the Spire?" she asks. At your nod, she says, "Then I shall accompany you. My brother and I have things we must do as well."
Mei Daiyu looks like she has bitten into a lemon, but she nods. "Very well. Jai Fa, we shall continue this on the morrow. Kong Zhi, until next time." And then she turns towards Xu Yun with a complicated look on her face. As you leave the crater, you hear her begin speaking, but her words are so low that you cannot make them out.
You walk at Jai Fa's side this time instead of trailing behind her. You suspect, however, that this has more to do with her than with you. She seems to be lingering at your side for some reason. It's a suspicion that's quickly confirmed when she looks at you. "You disapprove of how we spoke to Xu Yun."
It is not a question, but you still answer it. "Yes," you say cautiously. "It is not my place, of course, but it seemed… unnecessary."
Jai Fa gives a minute shake of her head. "I disagree. It was entirely necessary."
At your questioning look, she sighs. "There is," she says slowly, "a situation that Mei Daiyu, Xu Yun, and myself must deal with soon." Jai Fa pauses, as if determining how much to say. Finally she continues. "Have you heard us mention a duel?"
You wrack your brains for answers. "I think so," you say. "There was some mention of a challenge yesterday, but that was all."
Jai Fa nods. "Indeed, that is what I am speaking of. Four days hence, the three of us have been challenged to a series of 'friendly' duels by one of our fellow martial disciples. I shall have a match, Mei Daiyu shall have a match, and Xu Yun shall have a match, all against other disciples. Whichever side wins two shall be declared the victor."
You nod. "What brought that on?" you ask curiously.
Your roommate gives a shrug so small you can barely notice it. "There was an altercation," she says shortly. "Mei Daiyu and Huo Shi had words that escalated. Huo Shi's betrothed became involved, as did I. It grew from there. But that is not important. What is important is that we need Xu Yun to work harder than he has ever worked at anything if we are to have any hope of winning."
That brings a frown to your face. "I understand wanting to have your side be the strongest it can be, but are you not already practically guaranteed victory? I cannot imagine Mei Daiyu losing a fight, and you shall surely put your own opponent in the dirt."
Jai Fa's mouth quirks into a small smile. "It is flattering that you think so highly of us. Indeed, there is some truth in what you are saying. I will be dueling Huo Shi himself, and I do not anticipate much trouble from him. But Mei Daiyu…"
She shakes her head and her smile fades. "She is truly one of the strongest amongst the Servants. But if Huo Shi brings who we suspect he shall, then she will be facing a Soldier. Mei Daiyu may be able to be their equal in martial combat, but the foe will be able to wield anam freely. Her chances of winning are poor, at best."
"So we need Xu Yun," she continues. "If we wish to win, we need to win the first bout. We can- but only if he works instead of goofing around and spending time assisting the dock workers as he usually chooses to do."
Jai Fa lapses into silence and you follow her lead. The two of you reach the Spire quickly. Jai Shouxi is already waiting outside. The two of you trade greetings, and you bid farewell to Jai Fa as they make their way back through the courtyard for their own business. Instead of following, you wrench the door back open and make your way to your workstation.
The situation with the sparring group is a complicated one, but it is not one you can allow yourself to linger on. You have work to do.
You study the materials on your workstation that you purchased at the market. Each of them will work nicely for Jai Shouxi's charm. The natural glass is practically glowing with infused light anam, and the beetle husks give off a light aura of their own. You could likely heat the glass and shape it into the rod, then perhaps grind the husks and use them as the medium in which you scribe the runes. It's a simple way to reach the goal you want, at least if you only need to put light anam in the charm.
But you don't. You also need water anam. And that brings you to your final ingredient: the whale teeth. They are a potent material, and there's many way you could use them in this charm. The only hiccup is their anam composition includes a healthy dose of beast anam. That is… less than ideal.
Beast, out of all the aspects, is the most unpredictable. It is wild and ferocious, which makes it perfect for warrior charms. But as for what result you will get if you attempt to put it in this water and light aspected charm for Jai Shouxi? You don't know. The only way you could possibly know for sure if with a great deal of experience that you simply do not have.
You need to refine the material and purge the beast anam. It's safest that way. But there are several ways you can do it, and you need to pick one.
You could attempt to refine it here. That would just take a simple formation that you already know. It's one of the few taught to charmcrafters instead of refiners, and you're certain you can do it. But it would be rough work. You would almost certainly lose the beast anam within the teeth entirely, and you would most likely lose some of the water anam as well.
You could also perform a more advanced formation. You know that one as well, but are much less confident in it. It is a much more intensive undertaking and not one you are well practiced in. It would save some anam, but you would likely exhaust yourself for some time.
Or finally, you could seek a charmforge. A charmforge is a very useful tool in higher undertakings, and it is highly useful when it comes to this sort of thing. The only problem is that you do not have one. You're certain there are some in the central portion of the sect but they will not be free. Plus, you would have to leave with your valuable teeth, and you have not seen Jin Yazhu in days. You would not be surprised to see him lurking, especially while you are unaccompanied by either of the Jai.
Each route has it's risks. You just have to weigh them and decide which is the best path to take.
How do you choose to refine the Whale Teeth?
[] With the quick and simple formation. (No bonus to Craft (Charm) check. No further cost.)
[] With the more intensive formation. (+2 bonus to Craft (Charm) check. -1 action tomorrow.)
[] With the charmforge. (+5 to Craft (Charm) check. -1 talent. Possible risk.)
[] You have begun work on your commissioned charm for Jai Shouxi, but it is nowhere close to being finished. You will continue your efforts.
-[] One of your materials is not suited for the project it is intended for. You are going to work to refine it before you begin crafting the charm.
[] Jai Fa has made it clear that you are welcome back to her sparring group if you so desire. You will go and rejoin her, Mei Daiyu, and Xu Yun, and continue honing your skills.
-[] One of your materials is not suited for the project it is intended for. You are going to work to refine it before you begin crafting the charm.
[] Jai Fa has made it clear that you are welcome back to her sparring group if you so desire. You will go and rejoin her, Mei Daiyu, and Xu Yun, and continue honing your skills.
When you wake up the next morning, it's with a smile on your face. There's a slight breeze blowing in through your window that brings with it the feeling of the morning's serenity. Your bed is surprisingly comfortable, but you feel no desire to stay in it. No, you're well rested and ready to face the day. You have rarely, if ever, felt better than you do right now.
For a moment. And then your body reminds you that it has some complaints about how it was treated yesterday, and it speaks up to voice them. Your good feeling is instantly nothing but pain.
Everything hurts. Your legs ache as if you had forced them to run for hours, which you suppose you did. Your torso is a mess of bruises and aches from Mai Daiyu's constant strikes. Your hands ache to the point where closing them sends shivers of agony down your spine. Everything about your body screams that you have made a horrible mistake and that you should sleep for a year before you ask it to do anything again.
Kong Zhi recovers 2 points of his damage threshold. He currently has three open physical stress boxes.
When you take stress, there are multiple different ways to recover it, but the simplest way is to simply let time do it's job. Every turn, you recover points towards your damage threshold equal to your CON score.
You may also recover physical stress through medication or certain techniques. Also, cycling can restore your body. When you cycle, you may choose to put some of the anam your cycle towards your body. Each point of anam spent that way recovers 2 points towards your damage threshold.
You may also recover physical stress through medication or certain techniques. Also, cycling can restore your body. When you cycle, you may choose to put some of the anam your cycle towards your body. Each point of anam spent that way recovers 2 points towards your damage threshold.
You force yourself to move, throwing your legs over the side of your bed in a motion that's ordinarily a normal movement you don't normally think about and is now an exercise in agony. Each move you make as you strip off your sleeping attire and put on a fresh set of robes makes you rue the day you showed the talent of an Artist. You get it done though, only take a few moments more than you usually would. All that's left is the mortal challenge that is the stairs.
Jai Fa is waiting for you at the front door with a look of mild bemusement on her face. She looks you up and down as you finally make it to the end of the stairs of horror. "Where is the enemy?" she asks.
You shoot her a confused look, and what might be a tiny grin plays on her face. "The one you were doing battle with. I assume that is who was screaming?"
"Ha," you grate out. "Ha. Very funny. Now are you going to help me with the door or are you just going to make witty observations?"
"Witty observations," she answers promptly. "You can handle the door."
You stare blankly at her. She can't really be serious, can she? But Jai Fa makes no move towards the door. She even takes a step back, making it so that there's only empty space between you and the heavy portal. You glare at her, but she is unaffected. One moment of inaction turns into two, and then three, before you start trudging towards the door.
Jai Fa sighs. "Stand up straight," she orders. "Hunching over like that will only make it worse."
"You know what else makes things worse?" you shoot back. "Being forced to handle this door on my own!"
"No it won't," comes her answer. "You need to get moving to shake the cramps off. You will feel better by the time you close the door. Trust me."
"The last time I trusted you, it put me in this state!" you argue.
"Then who would know better than I how to fix it?" she replies. "Now be quick about it. We must meet the others soon if we wish to get anything done today."
You want to argue further, but honestly speaking is making your chest hurt even more. So you put your well-reasoned thoughts that all boil down to insults to Jai Fa's character and parentage aside and force yourself to straighten out of the pained hunch you've been moving in. It's like there are leather cords strapped to every part of your body and moving causes them to dig deep into your flesh. You push past it and force yourself to shove the heavy door open. It swings open after some work, and Jai Fa walks through it without a word. You follow her and then grab the door again, forcing your body to go through the task that is closing your home.
By the time you're finished, you've already broken a sweat. Your forehead is damp, your hands slippery, and the pain… is lessened. It's still there, lurking in your body. But it's no longer an overwhelming rebuke for yesterday's activities. Now it feels more like an annoying protest.
Jai Fa notices the look on your face and nods. "That's what I thought." She turns and starts walking through the courtyard, dodging through the line of disciples waiting for the Prospector's Tears. You waste no time in limping after her.
The trip towards Jai Fa's training ground is a quiet one. Your roommate is economical with her words to put it lightly, while you're too busy focusing on walking to make conversation. It passes by quickly and the two of you make it to the crater in short order. Mei Daiyu is already there, slowly working her way through a form.
You pause as you watch her plant one leg and slowly lift the other until it reaches her head's level. You know that kick. That's one of the kicks Mei Daiyu used to beat you down yesterday, and one that she forced you to attempt after she was done the 'intensive' part of the workout. It's one of the moves in her style- your style, you suppose. It's the same one she kept having you work towards: the Hummingbird's Dance. It's a style made for quick, deceptive movements that all lead to set up the enemy for one brutal strike. The kick she's practicing is supposed to be done hundreds of times faster than she's performing it here, making it one fluid motion that snaps her opponent's head back and leaves their eyes crossed.
If you had seen it yesterday morning, you would have just known it was a kick. Maybe. There's an argument that it could be a movement for a dance. But either way, you would not have known what it was. What a difference a day makes.
Mei Daiyu notices your approach and gives you both with a short nod. "Good. Now training can truly begin," she says in lieu of greeting. "Jai Fa, is it safe to assume that we will be working together today?"
Jai Fa nods. "It is. Kong Zhi, you are already warmed up. Either jog to keep your heat or begin work with the dummy." She takes a step towards Mei Daiyu, who has already assumed a ready position.
You pause, feeling a little abandoned. Despite inviting you, Jai Fa has yet to spar with you once. And you had thought you and Mei Daiyu had done quite well yesterday. Now they're both just leaving you to your own devices? "I, uh, suppose I shall jog until Xu Yun arrives," you say, grasping for words. "I would not want my lack of training to cause flaws in my form."
"If that is your worry then you can rest easy," Mei Daiyu answers dryly, painted eyes giving you a sly look. "We will be more than happy to correct your flaws as we train."
Your cheeks flush at that look. Somehow, you have no doubt that Mei Daiyu can read your emotions like a book, and you feel oddly naked. "Oh, no," you reply hastily. "Please, do not let me distract you from your own training."
"It will not be a distraction," Jai Fa answers. "It will only be another form of training. We must keep aware of our surroundings as we fight, after all. Correcting your mistakes will only be helpful for us."
You somehow doubt that, but you don't get a chance to protest before Jai Fa charges Mei Daiyu. Her hand lances out like a snake, aiming for a spot on her shoulder. Mei Daiyu bats it aside with a sharp chop and responds with a low kick that sends her robes fluttering. Your roommate checks the kick with a raised ankle and follows with an elbow, which is countered just as easily.
Well, if they've begun, you might as well start your own training. You put Jai Fa and Mei Daiyu out of mind and walk towards the dummy they indicated. You're hesitant to start working on forms on your own, but they seemed insistent on it. You stand on the balls of your feet and ready yourself, lashing out at the dummy with a kick Mei Daiyu had shown you-
"Higher!" Jai Fa barks. "You want to disable their knee with that strike, not brush their calf!"
You blanch and spin around. The other two are still locked in combat. As you watch, Jai Fa strikes with another chop but Mei Daiyu catches it with one of her throws. But unlike you, who crashed onto the ground, Jai Fa twists and bends in midair, landing on her feet and flipping forward to relieve the pressure. You have no idea how they could see your kick from the middle of all that.
But it seems that they did. You shrug and turn back, falling into your stance again. You raise your foot and kick at the knee this time. It hits the straw-filled dummy with a thud. You pause and glance over your shoulder. There's no response from the others. Either you did it correctly or you messed it up and they just can't see it.
Out of curiosity, you kick again, this time going back to the calf.
"Kong Zhi!" Mei Daiyu calls. "If you do that on purpose once more, we shall cease our own training and spar with you two on one for a moment instead!"
...that answers that.
You fall into your training, starting with kicks and punches, then moving onto elbows and knees. Then you detach the dummy from it's hanger and move on to throws, doing your best to emulate the dozens of them that you experienced yesterday. Again and again you go, smashing the dummy down until it is nothing more than a sack of burlap and straw.
Athletics Check! 1d10s8. Dice Rolled: 4. No Successes! Fail!
Athletics Check! 1d10s8. Dice Rolled: 2. No Successes! Fail!
Skill up! Athletics +1
Each movement feels unnatural for you. You know you're doing them correctly; if you weren't, Jai Fa and Mei Daiyu would correct you. They have not missed one of your mistakes the entire time you've been working. But they still feel stiff and alien. Each throw feels as strange for you to perform as the last.
Your work is not without it's benefits though. You can feel yourself recovering faster as you work harder. Your body protests less with each movement you make. You know you'll feel it tomorrow, but perhaps you'll feel it less than you did this morning.
It's as you're taking a break to get a mouthful of water from your clay bottle that Xu Yun finally arrives. He takes in the scene before him with wide eyes and practically sprints down the stairs. "My apologies!" he gasps out. "I had business that went longer than anticipated. I know it is no excuse, but I-"
"Please, do not apologize," Jai Fa replies as she twists Mei Daiyu's arm, sending her spinning to the ground. "It is not as if we have something important coming up. Something that we have all been tasked with. No. Your poor planning shall have no repercussions on us whatsoever, so you should not feel guilt in the least.
Mei Daiyu is much more direct. "I do not want to hear it, Xu Yun. Either put in the work or do not bother coming back. I would rather face Huo Shi and his trollop alone than take someone who is not prepared as my companion."
From the look on Xu Yun's face, she may as well have just stabbed him. He nods seriously and marches over to you. "Kong Zhi," he greets you, forcing a smile. "My apologies for my lateness. May I have the honor of a spar?"
"You may not," Mei Daiyu calls. You glance over to see that she's just scissored Jai Fa's leg, sending the smaller girl into a heap on the moss. Mei Daiyu sits up and looks at Xu Yun. "Kong Zhi, you see, has actually been working. And he is in no condition for full contact after yesterday. Perhaps tomorrow."
Xu Yun flushes and looks at the moss. "Of course," he mutters. "My apologies." He nods at you and walks over to another straw dummy. He falls into a different stance then you're used to and begins peppering the mannequin with punches.
That seemed… harsh. But it is not your place to argue.
You continue to work by yourself for another span before glancing at the pillar. It's starting to dim to the shade you associate with the afternoon. If you want to work on Jai Shouxi's charm for any length of time, you had best get started. You turn towards the girls, who has separated. "Thank you for the instruction," you say. "But I must be off. I have other tasks before me."
Jai Fa frowns. "Are you making your way back towards the Spire?" she asks. At your nod, she says, "Then I shall accompany you. My brother and I have things we must do as well."
Mei Daiyu looks like she has bitten into a lemon, but she nods. "Very well. Jai Fa, we shall continue this on the morrow. Kong Zhi, until next time." And then she turns towards Xu Yun with a complicated look on her face. As you leave the crater, you hear her begin speaking, but her words are so low that you cannot make them out.
You walk at Jai Fa's side this time instead of trailing behind her. You suspect, however, that this has more to do with her than with you. She seems to be lingering at your side for some reason. It's a suspicion that's quickly confirmed when she looks at you. "You disapprove of how we spoke to Xu Yun."
It is not a question, but you still answer it. "Yes," you say cautiously. "It is not my place, of course, but it seemed… unnecessary."
Jai Fa gives a minute shake of her head. "I disagree. It was entirely necessary."
At your questioning look, she sighs. "There is," she says slowly, "a situation that Mei Daiyu, Xu Yun, and myself must deal with soon." Jai Fa pauses, as if determining how much to say. Finally she continues. "Have you heard us mention a duel?"
You wrack your brains for answers. "I think so," you say. "There was some mention of a challenge yesterday, but that was all."
Jai Fa nods. "Indeed, that is what I am speaking of. Four days hence, the three of us have been challenged to a series of 'friendly' duels by one of our fellow martial disciples. I shall have a match, Mei Daiyu shall have a match, and Xu Yun shall have a match, all against other disciples. Whichever side wins two shall be declared the victor."
You nod. "What brought that on?" you ask curiously.
Your roommate gives a shrug so small you can barely notice it. "There was an altercation," she says shortly. "Mei Daiyu and Huo Shi had words that escalated. Huo Shi's betrothed became involved, as did I. It grew from there. But that is not important. What is important is that we need Xu Yun to work harder than he has ever worked at anything if we are to have any hope of winning."
That brings a frown to your face. "I understand wanting to have your side be the strongest it can be, but are you not already practically guaranteed victory? I cannot imagine Mei Daiyu losing a fight, and you shall surely put your own opponent in the dirt."
Jai Fa's mouth quirks into a small smile. "It is flattering that you think so highly of us. Indeed, there is some truth in what you are saying. I will be dueling Huo Shi himself, and I do not anticipate much trouble from him. But Mei Daiyu…"
She shakes her head and her smile fades. "She is truly one of the strongest amongst the Servants. But if Huo Shi brings who we suspect he shall, then she will be facing a Soldier. Mei Daiyu may be able to be their equal in martial combat, but the foe will be able to wield anam freely. Her chances of winning are poor, at best."
"So we need Xu Yun," she continues. "If we wish to win, we need to win the first bout. We can- but only if he works instead of goofing around and spending time assisting the dock workers as he usually chooses to do."
Jai Fa lapses into silence and you follow her lead. The two of you reach the Spire quickly. Jai Shouxi is already waiting outside. The two of you trade greetings, and you bid farewell to Jai Fa as they make their way back through the courtyard for their own business. Instead of following, you wrench the door back open and make your way to your workstation.
The situation with the sparring group is a complicated one, but it is not one you can allow yourself to linger on. You have work to do.
You study the materials on your workstation that you purchased at the market. Each of them will work nicely for Jai Shouxi's charm. The natural glass is practically glowing with infused light anam, and the beetle husks give off a light aura of their own. You could likely heat the glass and shape it into the rod, then perhaps grind the husks and use them as the medium in which you scribe the runes. It's a simple way to reach the goal you want, at least if you only need to put light anam in the charm.
But you don't. You also need water anam. And that brings you to your final ingredient: the whale teeth. They are a potent material, and there's many way you could use them in this charm. The only hiccup is their anam composition includes a healthy dose of beast anam. That is… less than ideal.
Beast, out of all the aspects, is the most unpredictable. It is wild and ferocious, which makes it perfect for warrior charms. But as for what result you will get if you attempt to put it in this water and light aspected charm for Jai Shouxi? You don't know. The only way you could possibly know for sure if with a great deal of experience that you simply do not have.
You need to refine the material and purge the beast anam. It's safest that way. But there are several ways you can do it, and you need to pick one.
Some materials that are gathered for charms are not perfectly suited for their intended purpose. Those materials must be molded and shaped before the design can truly begin. This process of molding and crafting is called 'refining'. Refining a material comes down a simple Craft (Charm) check. It is rolled, and the number of successes gives you your result.
If a number of successes equal to or less than the material's grade is rolled, some anam is lost in the process. The excess anam is leeched into the empty air and lost for all time. The material takes the aspect that the charmcrafter desires, and has a new grade equal to the number of successes rolled minus one.
If a number of successes greater than the material's grade is rolled, some of the anam is able to be salvaged. The charmcrafter gains two materials: one that with the aspect they desired and a grade equal to it's previous grade minus one, and the second with the undesired aspect and a grade equal to any remaining successes minus one. (Example: If 9 successes were rolled on a Craft (Charm) check when attempting to refine a material that was Wood/Earth 6 and the crafter wanted to prioritize wood, the resulting materials would be Wood 5 and Earth 2.)
If a number of successes double the material's grade is rolled, then the refining went as well as could physically be possible. The charmcrafter gains two new materials, each with their own aspect, and each with a grade equal to the previous material's grade minus one.
If a number of successes equal to or less than the material's grade is rolled, some anam is lost in the process. The excess anam is leeched into the empty air and lost for all time. The material takes the aspect that the charmcrafter desires, and has a new grade equal to the number of successes rolled minus one.
If a number of successes greater than the material's grade is rolled, some of the anam is able to be salvaged. The charmcrafter gains two materials: one that with the aspect they desired and a grade equal to it's previous grade minus one, and the second with the undesired aspect and a grade equal to any remaining successes minus one. (Example: If 9 successes were rolled on a Craft (Charm) check when attempting to refine a material that was Wood/Earth 6 and the crafter wanted to prioritize wood, the resulting materials would be Wood 5 and Earth 2.)
If a number of successes double the material's grade is rolled, then the refining went as well as could physically be possible. The charmcrafter gains two new materials, each with their own aspect, and each with a grade equal to the previous material's grade minus one.
You could attempt to refine it here. That would just take a simple formation that you already know. It's one of the few taught to charmcrafters instead of refiners, and you're certain you can do it. But it would be rough work. You would almost certainly lose the beast anam within the teeth entirely, and you would most likely lose some of the water anam as well.
You could also perform a more advanced formation. You know that one as well, but are much less confident in it. It is a much more intensive undertaking and not one you are well practiced in. It would save some anam, but you would likely exhaust yourself for some time.
Or finally, you could seek a charmforge. A charmforge is a very useful tool in higher undertakings, and it is highly useful when it comes to this sort of thing. The only problem is that you do not have one. You're certain there are some in the central portion of the sect but they will not be free. Plus, you would have to leave with your valuable teeth, and you have not seen Jin Yazhu in days. You would not be surprised to see him lurking, especially while you are unaccompanied by either of the Jai.
Each route has it's risks. You just have to weigh them and decide which is the best path to take.
How do you choose to refine the Whale Teeth?
[] With the quick and simple formation. (No bonus to Craft (Charm) check. No further cost.)
[] With the more intensive formation. (+2 bonus to Craft (Charm) check. -1 action tomorrow.)
[] With the charmforge. (+5 to Craft (Charm) check. -1 talent. Possible risk.)
[X] With the charmforge. (+5 to Craft (Charm) check. -1 talent. Possible risk.)
We have the money, we cannot take hit to our actions, and we are in a much better place in terms of combat than we were two days ago.
We have the money, we cannot take hit to our actions, and we are in a much better place in terms of combat than we were two days ago.
- Location
- Panama City
[X] With the charmforge. (+5 to Craft (Charm) check. -1 talent. Possible risk.)
If I'm reading the system correctly, we only need to roll a 3 to succeed with this choice, which means we will likely succeed on all dice rolled. Which is good, since we only roll 4 dice for craft(charm) and we're dealing with a grade 5 material. We need to succeed on every dice roll to have a chance at beast anam(if it's even possible).
Of course, I could be reading how this system works wrong, which in that case just ignore everything I just said.
If I'm reading the system correctly, we only need to roll a 3 to succeed with this choice, which means we will likely succeed on all dice rolled. Which is good, since we only roll 4 dice for craft(charm) and we're dealing with a grade 5 material. We need to succeed on every dice roll to have a chance at beast anam(if it's even possible).
Of course, I could be reading how this system works wrong, which in that case just ignore everything I just said.
Are the whale teeth grade 5? I thought they just gave a +5 to development. I think we might not know what grade they are.
Edit: Nvm, I guess since they are Water/Beast 5, that makes them grade 5.
Edit: Nvm, I guess since they are Water/Beast 5, that makes them grade 5.
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- Location
- Philippines
[X] With the charmforge. (+5 to Craft (Charm) check. -1 talent. Possible risk.)
[X] With the quick and simple formation. (No bonus to Craft (Charm) check. No further cost.)x
With any luck we won't need the extra dice from the ritual, actions are a precious commodity. Using the charmforge is a flat bad idea, we don't have talents to spare, and the risk of needless combat when we're already beat up is a bad one.
With any luck we won't need the extra dice from the ritual, actions are a precious commodity. Using the charmforge is a flat bad idea, we don't have talents to spare, and the risk of needless combat when we're already beat up is a bad one.
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[X] With the more intensive formation. (+2 bonus to Craft (Charm) check. -1 action tomorrow.)
Knight-Radiant
Recovering Rageaholic
Too bad about the athletics checks, good to know training gives us 2 rolls tho.
[X] With the more intensive formation. (+2 bonus to Craft (Charm) check. -1 action tomorrow.)
Not worth risking the confrontation with our rival. If luck isn't on our side, we could lose the Teeth and be stuck having to spend MULTIPLE actions finding a replacement, and that's assuming we don't get our money taken as well.
Sacrificing one action to get it done right is a better pick, and the practice may increase one of our skills. Besides, not sparring for one day will let us recover the rest of our damage threshold in peace.
[X] With the more intensive formation. (+2 bonus to Craft (Charm) check. -1 action tomorrow.)
Not worth risking the confrontation with our rival. If luck isn't on our side, we could lose the Teeth and be stuck having to spend MULTIPLE actions finding a replacement, and that's assuming we don't get our money taken as well.
Sacrificing one action to get it done right is a better pick, and the practice may increase one of our skills. Besides, not sparring for one day will let us recover the rest of our damage threshold in peace.
To be honest, part of me is itching for a fight. Storyteller dice odds are a bit tough to calculate with the explosions and ones removing successes, but I think we roughly doubled our average rolls. Jin might be in a surprise if he goes for us alone right now. Course, we don't know what he's packing.
Edit: As for actions, we haven't event started constructing the charm and have less than a week. We really don't have time to waste.
Edit: As for actions, we haven't event started constructing the charm and have less than a week. We really don't have time to waste.
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