I feel like it's kind of telling that our best relations with the other sex are with fairly straightforward muscleheads. Nokai is the closest (that we know of anyways) to have far-reaching intrigue, but that's got nothing to do with her as a person and more to do with her legacy and background.
I feel like it's kind of telling that our best relations with the other sex are with fairly straightforward muscleheads. Nokai is the closest (that we know of anyways) to have far-reaching intrigue, but that's got nothing to do with her as a person and more to do with her legacy and background.
Personally speaking, I don't think Mo is as good a friend as Jai Fa and Nokai are (and I don't just mean mechanically). When Kong Zhi interacts with her, I can't help but feel she sees him more as "an object of interest" than as an "actual friend." Part of that might be the fact that we kind of sought her out with our mother's advice in mind instead of our own free will, so maybe I'm reading too much into things, but I very much doubt she sees us as anywhere near approaching an equal.
I know that Kong Zhi is far from the equal of Nokai or Jai Fa - trust me, I have no illusions about that - but with Hanying, it's like we're a pinned butterfly. Zhi may not place that much stock in the personal gains a relationship with her brings, but he's far from blind to it.
I apologize for being unable to word my thoughts on this matter as precisely or thoroughly as I wish, but I do hope that part of the thought behind my ramblings gets across... I might have to reread the thread to get a fresher perspective on her.
Right, pretty much this. When we made our friends at first, I won't deny the fact that part of our decision making process was influenced by how they might affect us and the potential gains. However, that was more of a side goal (and really, could be said for almost anything that isn't a joke vote), and we still went into it with a aim of "making genuine friends."
With Nokai, it's because "dogs!"
With Jai Fa, it was because "roommates, also, white hair is amazing." Definitely.
But with Mo Hanying... well, the first thing that comes to mind when I think of her is "politics."
Right, pretty much this. When we made our friends at first, I won't deny the fact that part of our decision making process was influenced by how they might affect us and the potential gains. However, that was more of a side goal (and really, could be said for almost anything that isn't a joke vote), and we still went into it with a aim of "making genuine friends."
With Nokai, it's because "dogs!"
With Jai Fa, it was because "roommates, also, white hair is amazing." Definitely.
But with Mo Hanying... well, the first thing that comes to mind when I think of her is "politics."
I don't want to imply she doesn't actually like KZ. I believe she does.
It's just that by virtue of who she is and her position, she also has operate in terms of investments to a greater degree than any of us do, and that comes through.
She's put some effort into building up our rep around the duel, and we were shown off in front of her posse. Even if that was also to shit on Jin, her being efficient just means she's good at her job.
I'm not sure why you feel that way. She has repeatedly and publicly aligned herself with us, she has sought out our aid and advice with potential contacts, and has done quite a lot to boost our presence and standing. That's not the sort of thing you do on a lark.
I'm not sure why you feel that way. She has repeatedly and publicly aligned herself with us, she has sought out our aid and advice with potential contacts, and has done quite a lot to boost our presence and standing. That's not the sort of thing you do on a lark.
She put us at significantly increased social risk in the crafting duel with no warning, and gave us no actual support for the duel. We came out ahead because we won, but Mo didn't do anything to make that outcome more likely. Maybe she did something and we didn't notice because she was more subtle than Xu Yun, but I get the feeling she wouldn't have cared all that much about the consequences to us if we lost.
My big hope is that my latest Crab Omake gives us some Romance bonus dice, which bring the update on home. Then I'll pretend retroactively, reveal that it was all part of a grander design.
My big hope is that my latest Crab Omake gives us some Romance bonus dice, which bring the update on home. Then I'll pretend, retroactively, that it was all part of a grander design.
She put us at significantly increased social risk in the crafting duel with no warning, and gave us no actual support for the duel. We came out ahead because we won, but Mo didn't do anything to make that outcome more likely. Maybe she did something and we didn't notice because she was more subtle than Xu Yun, but I get the feeling she wouldn't have cared all that much about the consequences to us if we lost.
I mean, we constantly shit on the Jin in character, at all times. If we couldn't back it up then that's entirely on us.
Also her family has been spending time with ours for a while now (mother's having tea for example). So it was a chance to boost both our reps, and if we were all we and our family made us out to be then we were going to win.
Yeah, she raised the stakes, but seeing as Geng Tu and others were in attendance they also could have been raising them as well. We've only seen one half of the narrative.
For example, Jin winning would have been great redemption after the Mo incident and raised his stock in the circle, giving Geng even more leverage. Raising the stakes was entirely in their interest as well.
I wouldn't be surprised if Mo is waiting for us to wake up and ask her to do something on our behalf. She owes us a favor we haven't called on yet, and she's used us as something between a jester and advisor. I'm sure she's happy that so far we haven't asked for anything directly in return, but there is a debt there we could call on. It's why my plan for this week had us approaching Mo not just for her attendance on the Deeps, but in the alternative helping us with supplies and such.
She put us at significantly increased social risk in the crafting duel with no warning, and gave us no actual support for the duel. We came out ahead because we won, but Mo didn't do anything to make that outcome more likely. Maybe she did something and we didn't notice because she was more subtle than Xu Yun, but I get the feeling she wouldn't have cared all that much about the consequences to us if we lost.
To be fair, she was talking us up a lot before the duel. If we'd lost, that would have cost her socially. She seemed to be betting pretty heavily on us, so I think we're less "disposable asset" and more "valuable investment". And since she has a pretty good idea of who we are and what we want, we also come with a bonus of "minimal threat of betrayal".
To be fair, she was talking us up a lot before the duel. If we'd lost, that would have cost her socially. She seemed to be betting pretty heavily on us, so I think we're less "disposable asset" and more "valuable investment". And since she has a pretty good idea of who we are and what we want, we also come with a bonus of "minimal threat of betrayal".
Haha, silly Mo! Little does she know KZ is controlled by the psychic gestalt of a bunch of people who want "something interesting" to happen and have a moral basis completely alien to her world!
We are Mo's friend. She's an intelligent, cunning, vindictive, paranoid, manipulative wreck of a person that (to her own surprise) feels mostly safe with Zhi and considers him a valuable ally. As far as Mo's concerned, that's what being friends is.
Furthermore, in Mo's world, friends are never just friends. They are also assets, investments, networking hubs, sources of info, etc.
Believe it or not, this frequently happens irl, too, especially in certain professions (e.g. lawyers).
To be fair, she was talking us up a lot before the duel. If we'd lost, that would have cost her socially. She seemed to be betting pretty heavily on us, so I think we're less "disposable asset" and more "valuable investment". And since she has a pretty good idea of who we are and what we want, we also come with a bonus of "minimal threat of betrayal".
A/N: A big thanks to the 29 people who have pledged to me on Patreon! If you'd like to join them, you can do so here. If you'd like to check out the Royal Road crosspost, head on over and check it out! Leave a rating while you're there. It really does help me out.
Also, under the advise T O P M E N, I feel that it would be wise to warn everyone that the following update contains content contains mild elements of body horror. You have been warned.
[] Plan Walter (may god help us all)
-stuff-
Ves' Interpretation: Attempt to ask normally, have a nervous breakdown and do some word vomit, end it by pulling yourself together and pretending that didn't just happen while asking normally.
--------------------
Slowly, very aware of Mei Daiyu's eyes boring a hole through you, you let out a long, slow breath of air. Then, as casually as you know how, you gulp in an equally large breath of fresh air. Another exhalation follows as you try to steady your nerves. If you don't want to ruin the fragile peace you have somehow brokered with your former teacher and current student, you are going to have to pick your words so carefully that you may as well be threading a needle.
"...that is," you continue, forcing your eyes to the sash in front of you. "If you would care to join us, you would be a welcome addition to our group. There is a spot open if you would like to accept it."
There. The question is posed. The hard part is done. Now all you need to do is wait for Mei Daiyu to answer.
But she doesn't answer. In fact, she doesn't respond to your question at all. You don't think she's even moved. You try to keep track of her out of your periphery, not daring to look up and meet her eyes. Instead you look at your work- this sash is fascinating, especially for the work of a Jin- but you can still feel her gaze on you. Her eyes seem to be peering through your skin and deep into your soul.
It's those eyes that drive you to break the silence once again.
"Of course, you do not have to come," you continue. Is your voice really that high pitched?
"I would completely understand if you would rather focus on your own challenges instead of aiding me in mine. In fact, that would probably be the wise thing for you to do. So if you do not wish to come, say no more, and it will be as if the request was never made. And don't think you have to agree for our own safety- no, Jai Fa is more than capable, and we have several other avenues to pursue. So there is no pressure."
The words are pouring out faster and faster from you now, as if you are the Prospector's Tears and Mei Daiyu, one of the dozens crowding around it being splattered with mud. "And of course, you need not make any excuses. We are all very busy right now. I cannot imagine what duties lie before you. I, myself, have… things I must take care of the moment we leave here; your own schedule must be no less crowded."
"Though I hope your tasks are going to be more enjoyable than my own are," you continue, scarcely pausing for a breath. You don't even know what you're saying anymore, just that you cannot stop. "For when we are done, I must go visit my Aunt." One hand reflexively creeps out and knocks on the table in front of you. "If you had not heard, my Aunt is camped outside the sect. I would tell you more but I worry that if I do, she will appear and-"
You cut yourself off and shiver. "-and that is the least of my challenges. Auntie Bi at least, I am almost certain, means the best. I have no such assurances for Elder Siani. I have spoken with him precisely twice. I am not even certain that my task is in fact my task- I am as sure as I can be, but that is a far way from certain."
A giggle creeps out of your throat and you redouble your focus on the sash. Hunger within, Jin must have fingers like a clumsy boar to make stitches this sloppy! "But I have no other options right now. There is no way that I am earning Elder Tian's approval with only weeks left to go, I don't have the martial skills for Elder Fensui, Elder Hotei, or Elder Lei, Elder Yixue is completely out of the question, and there is no chance whatsoever of impressing Elder Tantoi. There is always Elder Sela, I suppose, but I've no desire to wind up sitting in a stall exchanging sect points for talents or trying to see who can refill the lanterns the fastest. All I have left is Elder Siani, and I don't even know if I am completing the correct tasks!"
"Do you recall that research you helped me with?" You continue, your stomach twisting as your mind races back to all that you have dealt with over the past months. "That was to complete a maze that was apparently constructed as an elaborate prank! I had to solve it to continue with this assignment- and the solution was to close my eyes. I have fended off a skeletal centipede, searched for the history of a long dead civilization, and been nearly frozen to death by an enormous crab. And it could all be for nothing! Elder Siani could have wanted me to just polish a scuff out of a charm for all that he's told me! Of course, I doubt that's the case, but I don't know because he doesn't explain anything."
"And… and…" Slowly, your words creep to a halt. Your ears are ringing; sometime during your accidental speech, you started yelling and you didn't even realize it. You look down at the sash trembling in your hand; it wasn't the needlework that was the problem, it was your grip. With forced calmness, you place the sash back on the desk and lower your miststeel needle even as you lower your head.
You breathe in, feeling your chest rise slowly, and then settle back down as you breathe out.
Mei Daiyu's eyes are still on you, but they're less of a burning presence and more of a… you don't even know what they are. You are not meeting her gaze to find out.
Instead, you shove everything that just exploded out of your mouth into the past and look up, staring at Mei Daiyu's chin. "That is to say, you would be an extraordinary help if you choose to come. Your skills far surpass mine in several areas and compliment Jai Fa's in many ways. It would be a relief beyond compare if you agree. But it is entirely understandable if you choose to stay focused on your own tasks."
Then it is as if you have finally run out of words. Your tongue is a river that has run dry. All you can do is wait for Mei Daiyu to finally speak.
Mei Daiyu doesn't move for a long moment. Then finally, awkwardly, one of her hands leaves her lap and reaches up. It lands on your shoulder with a heavy pat. With all the skill and grace of Xue attempting to wriggle into a robe, she raises her hand and pats you on the shoulder again. "I... "
She sighs and takes her own turn staring down at the table. When she raises her head again and parts the veil of her hair, you finally look her in the eyes. She seems… worn. Tired. But there's a note of understanding buried deep beneath the exhaustion. And even lower than that, you can see a glimpse of something that might almost be wary hope.
"I would be hon-"
She cuts herself off again.
"I-" she sighs and blows out a breath so suddenly that it sends a few strands of her hair sailing for the roof. "Yes. I would en- It would-"
Then she stares back at the sash. As Mei Daiyu looks away, she can only muster up one word. "Yes."
And it's enough for you.
Trait Gained: An Uncomfortable Authenticity!Kong Zhi approaches wordplay much like a dog approaches advanced mathematics: with enthusiasm and energy, but not so much skill. But when he speaks the unvarnished truth, he succeeds nonetheless. As long as he speaks with blunt, open honesty, Kong Zhi gains a +1 to his Social Talent for all social roles. However, he is horribly uncomfortable with anything else. For any social rolls in which Kong Zhi attempts to obfuscate or alter the truth in any way, and for all Bluff rolls, he suffers a -1 to his Social Talent instead.
***
After Mei Daiyu's halting agreement, your charm lesson does not last much longer. You finish your diagnosis of the sash and give her a few ideas on how to fix it before hastily retreating from the annex. No, wait, no, you don't retreat. You do not even walk very quickly out of the building. It's more of a slow jog that takes you back out into the training craters. And you certainly are not doing it to run from the awkwardness you somehow unleashed.
No. You just have even more things to do to prepare for your trip to the deeps.
Things like recharge the Dance at the Midnight Crossroads. Your strongest work still sits woefully unprepared for your journey and there is no way you are braving the darkest tunnels without the Dark Rakshasa. You stop at the Spire to drop off your tools and retrieve your work and then immediately head back into the tunnels with the boxes comforting weight hanging from your back. Hopefully that will be the last time that you have to leave it sitting uselessly at home.
The trip to the Lost Armory is starting to become almost routine. You have been to this Wonder so many times that you barely even register it anymore. The blue lights and the spectral murmurs are now just so much background noise and are ignored as easily as the ever-present conversation of the crowd around the Tears. You ignore it all and sit down in the center of the building, the Dance before you. Then, with your eyes closed and your breathing even, you reach out, grasp the anam, and begin.
Cycling Check: 9d10s7(0.9) (Includes Bonus Dice). Dice Rolled: 1, 9, 7, 2, 3, 8, 6, 6, 8. 2.7, rounded up to 3 Successes!
Cycling Check: 7d10s7(0.9). Dice Rolled: 3, 2, 9, 6, 9, 2, 9. 2.7, rounded up to 3 Successes!
Cycling Check: 7d10s7(0.9). Dice Rolled: 4, 5, 4, 9, 5, 9, 2. 1.8, rounded up to 2 Successes!
Cycling Check: 7d10s7(0.9). Dice Rolled: 8, 5, 9, 6, 1, 7, 4. 1.8, rounded up to 2 Successes!
10 Successes Rolled: Dance at the Midnight Crossroads is at full charge!
The Lost Armory: 72/75 -> 62/75
The anam flows from the Armory into your body and then right back out into the Dance without ceasing. You barely even register the anam; as you cycle, you barely even register conscious thought. Time slips away and you are nothing more than a vessel for the anam to pass through.
What little focus you have that isn't spent on the march of Steel and War through your body is turned towards the wonder itself.
Is it your imagination or is there something different about the Lost Armory?
You cannot put your finger on it. The Armory still practically thunders with anam, but there's just something about it's ever-present haze of power that feels… less. When you begin your cycling, it almost feels like the Wonder has been recently cycled. But that cannot be the case; only you and Jai Fa know of the Lost Armory, and she has not left Jai Shouxi's side in days. Any anam she would have drawn from the Wonder would have long since replenished itself. Could someone else have found your hidden power source? That doesn't seem likely; the odds of someone else stumbling through the exact same tunnel network as you are small at best.
Once you're certain that you have poured enough anam into the Dance for the Rakshasa to be born again- relieving yet another weight from your shoulders- you stand and glance around, searching for signs of another's presence.
Survival Check: 3d10s7(0.9). Dice Rolled: 4, 9, 5. 0.9, rounded up to 1 Success!
Your search finds no trace of footsteps or scrapes against the wall. Nothing seems disturbed within the Wonder that you have not disturbed yourself. So either whoever cycled the Lost Armory recently is so subtle that you cannot even detect a whiff of their trace or no one was here at all, and something else is affecting the Wonder.
Or perhaps you're just imagining it.
***
Auntie Bi lets out a sigh so long and loud that for a moment, you worry that there is something physically wrong with her. But that worry dissipates as she reaches out and pinches your cheek with fingers made of iron. "Come now, Little Zhi," she chides you even as she tugs at your face. "Do you really have such little regard for your own instincts?"
You would swat at her hand, but you know from experience that that only makes her grip tighter. Instead you focus on the anam pulsing through your body. Auntie Bi's 'affection' almost made your breath fall out of pattern, and the Beauty scurrying through your veins nearly escaped you. Under your redoubled attention the rough snarls in the anam smooth out and become placid once more. As soon as Auntie Bi lets you go, you'll be able to resume your practice.
However, that is not happening while she's latched onto your cheek. All you can do is stare up at her. "There just is not enough information," you inform her as best you can with a stretched out mouth. "All I know is that the Armory felt a touch weaker than I expected. It is probably nothing."
"Ah, ah, ah," Auntie Bi counters. She finally lets your cheek go, and it snaps back into place with a sound not unlike a woodpecker plying it's trade. "Were that your first instinct, I would agree. But it was not. Your first thought upon cycling from your Armory was…"
"...that something had changed within it," you reluctantly answer.
Auntie Bi nods sharply, as if that says it all. When you don't look convinced, she shakes her head. "Little Zhi, your body and your spirit are far more observant than your mind could ever be. They sense things that you may not even be aware of on a conscious level. That is where your instincts come from- they are when your body and soul scream so loudly that not even your mind can ignore it."
Your Aunt stretches out one hand and fiddles her fingers back and forth to a cacophony of popping knuckles and creaking bone. "Your instincts tell you that something has changed within your Wonder. It was not until your silly conscious mind woke up and decided to interject that you thought otherwise. You must listen to your instincts, Zhi. You have good ones when you care to give them heed."
"Now. That is quite enough stalling. Lean back and stare at the sun."
The tone of her voice tells you that she's quite serious. If you don't do as she says, you will simply be forced to follow her instructions instead. You cannot put off any longer. So you lean back, stare straight up through the gap in the tent that Auntie Bi has helpfully created, and begin your staring contest with the sun once more.
It's been three days since you walked into Auntie Bi's tent. After finishing charging your Dance, you had been torn between ways to further prepare yourself for what's to come. A return trip to the Market had tempted you, as had time spent in the training craters. Just because your party for the Deeps has grown to three doesn't mean that you can slack off on your own training.
But no matter how many times you tried to talk yourself into cycling or exchanging pointers with a martial disciple, one fact had nagged on you: you could be doing more. There was an opportunity available to you that not only was head and shoulders above anything else you could be doing, but also an opportunity available to no one else. And while training with Auntie Bi might scare you on a deep, primal level, fear is no reason to avoid doing what is best.
Besides. If you didn't go to her soon, you had no doubt in your mind that she would find some way to drag you to her, even if she can't step foot in the Heart.
The moment you walked in, Auntie Bi put you to work. You had barely cleared the tent flap before she pressed a Shining Respite into your hands with a command to take it and an admonishment for taking so long. You hadn't disobeyed in the slightest. The pill slid down your throat and Auntie Bi immediately started burning fragrant herbs to get you started on deadening scents.
That took quite some time and another Shining Respite before you were able to fully deaden your sense of smell. From there you had moved on to touch- with the aid of a small earth technique which Auntie Bi used to pelt you with sand. You were extra eager to master that one. Now, with yet another Shining Respite pulsing through your weary body, you are working on the sense you feared deadening the most: your sight.
As you stare up at the sun, cycling Beauty in the patterns driven into your skull by Auntie Bi, your Aunt does not remain idle. Since she isn't 'helping' with this part of your training, she is free to peruse the items you brought before her. In front of her sits your body of work since coming to the Delving Heart: A Moment's Respite, the Vitriolic Retort, and the Dance at the Midnight Crossroads. You cannot see her inspecting them, but you can hear her moving them about as the sun burns itself into your eyes.
There is a small tinkling as she picks up A Moment's Respite and curiously knocks the bones together. "Interesting work," Auntie Bi says. "But rough. Very rough. Am I correct in assuming that this was your first project?"
You grunt out an acknowledgement and Auntie Bi clicks her tongue. "That is no excuse for poor layout. You could have easily doubled the rune density had you modified the purpose array. Why did you go with such a subpar conjunction?"
"It…" you grit out willing the beauty anam to deaden your sight faster. "...seemed like the proper thing to do at the time."
"Ah. Of course," she acknowledges. The rings are set down and the Vitriolic Retort is picked up. She gives it far less of an inspection than she did the Respite. "Pedestrian," she scoffs. "A simple Archer charm? It is beneath even Little Yu- and she is only on her third summer."
The Retort is discarded in short order. Auntie Bi does not quite drop it to the dirt in disgust, but from the sound of it, it is a very near thing. Then her focus changes, turning to the Dance. There is the sound of wood on wood as she pulls the heavy box across the table. Your ears strain to pick up every creak of the wood, the sounds of the doors opening and closing, Auntie Bi's thoughtful hmms.
Eventually, she pushes the box away. "Adequate," she proclaims. Then her hands shift again dragging something heavy in front of her. There is a clatter and the sound of stone grinding against stone. Is that a mortar and pestle?
You wait patiently for her to continue, but she doesn't say another word. All of her focus seems to be on whatever she's grinding. Eventually, you cannot take the silence any more. "Adequate?" you ask. "Is that- Excuse me. What I mean to ask was if you had any further feedback you wished to share."
You can feel Auntie Bi's arched eyebrow. "What more could I have to share, Zhi? The layout is acceptable, the purpose is clear, the artistry is rough but tolerable. There is very little else to say."
Your shoulders slump and Auntie Bi sighs. "There truly is very little to say, Zhi. If I must say more, it will be this: this is the kind of thing you should be making more of."
The sun darkens before your eyes and your hearing seems to sharpen to compensate. You can hear every word Auntie Bi says clearly. "It shows an originality of thought that is not present in your other work. You were clearly inspired when you began work here. When you next take to your workbench, seek out that state again. No matter what you work on, as long as you let inspiration rather than function guide you, you will not be disappointed."
You mull over her words for a long while, long enough that you have to take another Shining Respite. "But how?" you eventually ask. "How can I strive for inspiration when there is so much else that drives my work? I must weigh my costs, my materials, what each charm is supposed to do… how can I still be inspired through all that?'
There is a moment of silence. Then you feel a weight settle in at your side.
Auntie Bi is silent for a moment, but you can hear the deep breath she takes in. "That is a question we all face and must find the answers to, Little Zhi. The only solace I can offer is that at least all of us are facing the question together."
Then you feel a smack of pain as two fingers collide with your brow.
"But it is not yet your time to ask that question!" Auntie Bi chides you, fingers raised for another strike. "You are young! Later, when you have seen the fall of at least one kingdom, you can turn those old man thoughts towards finding inspiration. But now, new experiences are all around you! Life is all around you! There is no shortage of ways for you to find inspiration!"
"Start a fight with someone simply because you can. Kiss a girl, then kiss a boy, then someone else, and then all of them at once if you dare! Capture a snake and train it to dance at your command! Cycle an aspect you have never heard of just to let it dance in your channels! Drink like you are dying of thirst, devour something unknown... live. In new experiences, you find inspiration. Treasure these days, Zhi, for as your years pass, inspiring events will be far harder to come by!"
You blink, still smarting from the blow and fighting off the glare of the sun at the same time. Auntie Bi's words swim through your mind even as Beauty swims through your body. "I thank you for your wisdom," you answer mechanically. "I shall-"
Your words freeze in your throat as you draw connections between Auntie Bi's words and the dozens of terrifying things you have seen her do. "...so the reason you captured the Serpent of the Twilight Hour was…"
Auntie Bi's smile is clear in her voice. "Oh, Hearth?" She lets out a happy little sigh. "He truly was a magnificent dancer."
"Was?" you ask, surprise lancing through your heart. "Did something happen-"
"Oh, no," Auntie Bi interrupts. "His dancing is still beyond compare. Recently though, he has chosen to focus more on his singing voice. I blame his advancement; life paths can lead one to such strange decisions."
…you should focus on your cycling.
And so you do. You push aside Auntie Bi's torrent of words and the pain of her blow alike and instead focus on the pain of the sun burning into your eyes. Slowly, you cycle beauty in the patterns drilled into your spirit by Auntie Bi, and ever so slowly that pain starts to fade. Your training is temporarily halted when the sun sets and is replaced by the far more soothing moon, but Auntie Bi is eager to conjure a burning orb to recreate your agony.
Eventually, your training bears fruit. Your sight winks out like you've covered your head in a dark veil and returns just as easily.
But that's not the only benefit of your training. As you turn off each of your senses in turn and then open them once more, you notice things you never did before. Your sight seems more clear when your nose cannot smell, your touch more sensitive when your eyes are clouded- everything just seems sharper when you cannot rely on all six of your senses. It is going to take some practice to notice these insights when you aren't enclosed in the garden, but you will veil yourself as many times as it takes to engrave them into your spirit.
Stallion's Enclosed Garden (Appearance 1)
Monk Technique 2 (Beauty 18) (13 till next phase)
Cost: 1 Anam per sense deadened
Current Phase: 4/5
Description: The artist masks their senses, rendering them unable to perceive anything using those senses. Currently, Kong Zhi is capable of masking the following senses: taste, smell, touch, sight.
The added insights are certainly helpful, but as you recover from your eighth Shining Respite, a question still swims through your mind: Why?
Why is Auntie Bi teaching you the Stallion's Enclosed Garden?
It seems that she is here solely to do that. Except for a few rare times when she thinks you need urgent education in another matter, every moment you have spent with Auntie Bi has been dedicated to the technique. She clearly wants to be certain you master it as soon as physically possible. So why? Why is she even here, and why is she drilling you in this obscure technique?
The only thing you know for sure is that it has something to do with your last letter home- and even that you only know because of Father's response.
When you go to ask Auntie Bi, in hopes that she will finally give you some kind of clear answer, the only response you get is her fingers drumming on the case that still holds another half-dozen Shining Respites. Instead of answering, she asks, "How many senses does that make?"
"Four," you answer, counting them off on your fingers. "Taste, Sight, Touch, and Smell."
"And how many remain?"
"Two?" you guess. "Hearing and… no, I can simply turn off my sixth sense. So just hearing."
Auntie Bi nods. The look on her face is nothing like her usual teasing, carefree expression. "Finish the technique. Learn to silence the most important of your senses. Fully integrate the Garden."
She breathes out and looks deep into your eyes, as if she's trying to underscore the importance of what she is saying. "Ask me again then, Little Zhi. Ask me again then."
There is only one answer you can give to that. "Yes, Auntie. I…" you reach out for the box holding the pills, but Auntie Bi pulls it away.
"But not tonight," she tells you. "You have had quite enough of the Respite. There is only so much Tiger Mustard you can stomach at your Step."
You scowl up at her. "I can do it!" you protest.
The tongue click returns, though you catch a flash of something in her eyes. Pride maybe? "It is not a question of willingness, Zhi. It is a question of how much Tiger's Mustard your body can absorb before it begins to reject your organs." Auntie Bi pauses. "Though the studies of the herb have not been conclusive. I suppose if you truly wish to continue, I could allow it… for science."
You look from her to the box beneath her hands then back to her. She's bluffing. She has to be.
...you elect not to call that bluff.
"Very well," you answer. "I will return soon to finish mastering the Garden- and for answers." Realizing how that sounds, you hastily add, "Assuming I prove myself worthy of those answers, of course."
The corner of Auntie Bi's mouth tugs upwards. "Of course," she answers gravely. "Enjoy your studies while you have the chance. Oh, and Zhi? Remember to not be boring."
With those last words ringing in your ears, you leave Auntie Bi's tent and make your way back to the soothing tunnels of the Delving Heart. Unlike the last time you left your Aunt, you do not flee for the comforting embrace of the sect. Instead you walk slowly, puzzling over her every word.
An actual promise that you will receive answers… it is more than you expected. Whatever she has to share with you must be important indeed. Important enough to feed you pills laced with some kind of untested poison, if she's to be believed. If.
But whatever the case, she is treating your training with the utmost seriousness. It's nothing like the last time she taught you something, when you had thought you would be learning some basic patterns and instead wound up attempting to weave together the hairs on the back of a hound without it noticing. She didn't stop instructing you from the moment you arrived until the moment you left.
Except to warn you against the dangers of being boring, that is.
You shake your head and a resolve forms in your heart. Fine. She wants you to not be boring? You can do that. You can do that right now!
And so, instead of taking the tunnel you know will lead you back to the central cavern, you deliberately walk by it and take another tunnel that leads you up into the mountain that crowns the Delving Heart. It's a tunnel you have never taken before going in a direction you have never ventured.
It's been too long since you have plumbed the depths of the Delving Heart. The last time you wandered through the tunnels without a destination was when you found the Lost Armory and the time before that was when you found the Second of Eternity. The Delving Heart is littered with such Wonders, each just waiting for you to find it and use it to power your Path. You cannot think of anything more interesting than adding another site to your collection.
Unlike your last few trips, you make a conscious decision to go up this time. You have trodden the lower tunnels hundreds of times over the last months, but you have yet to explore anywhere within the Brightmaples that tower above your home. They are still connected to the tangled web of tunnels that makes up the Heart proper, so there is just as much of a chance of there being something here as there is down below.
Exploration Roll: 73!
The upper tunnels, as it turns out, are quite different from their lower brethren. For one thing, you're constantly climbing up instead of enjoying the gentle decline that you feel deep beneath the ground. Your legs burn from the effort of moving steadily towards the heavens. It's a good kind of burn though; one that makes you grateful that you've chosen to make this trip.
The air is different within the upper tunnels as well. It's cooler and lighter than you're used to. It feels almost like you have been wrapped in a warm, comfortable blanket all this time, and now you are hiking with nothing on at all. You feel almost naked. Thankfully, there is no one else here to share your thoughts, else you would consider being embarrassed by the direction they have taken.
No one human, at least. The tunnels are practically bursting with life. You are practically strolling through a menagerie. When you get closer to the edge of the mountain, you can hear the songs of countless birds as they proclaim their existence to the Forest of Pearls. The moles have chosen to remain at lower elevations, but the ever-present snakes still slither along in great numbers. They are joined by a larger than usual population of Shell Rats, and even by the occasional frog swimming in a stream formed by melting mountain snow.
There must be more openings to the outside here than normal as well. You pass by several animals that frequent the forest that have wandered in, perhaps making some of the outer tunnels their den. You brush by an angry looking sparrow, rub up against the side of the tunnel to make way for a lazy looking bear, and even trade a long look with a wolf as it tries to decide if you are worth hunting. Eventually, it decides that you are more trouble than you're worth. It wanders away, it's nose high as it scents for more agreeable prey.
After the wolf and bear, the animals you encounter seem far less impressive. The next creature you see is a mountain goat, and it-
Wait.
You stop and look at the goat once more.
It is perhaps the strangest looking goat you have ever seen. It's coat is white and scraggly, as you would expect from a mountain goat, and it only comes up to your waist. But that is where it's similarities with normal goats ends. Its horns are long and curved, coming almost up to your shoulder. Its body is powerfully built; it has to weigh nearly what you do! And it's hooves… they gouge small holes in the stone with every step. The sharpness of them must be incredible.
And yet, despite everything, it appears completely normal to your sixth sense. This is no spirit beast. It is just a regular goat, albeit one that is oddly strong in blood anam.
And it's not alone.
Now that you're paying attention, several animals that you brush by all seem heavy with blood anam, to the point where it almost drowns out their inherent beast aspect. Every single one of these creatures is different from the last. The only thing they have in common besides their anam is that they appear to be some kind of exaggerated version of a normal beast. There is a weasel so long and sinuous that at first you think it a snake. A squirrel with skin flaps so wide that it can soar through the tunnels like a bird. A frog that devours other frogs with only the strength of it's tongue.
Those are the ones that are well off. You inspect just as many beasts that are altered in horrible, grotesque ways. There is a goat with six sets of horns, some of which are growing into the beast's own flesh. The bird with no wings that is attempting to drill its way through the stone with only it's seemingly unchanged beak. A bear that seems to have been pressed between two heavy objects and is now as flat as a board.
By the time you pass the body of what seems to have been a fully translucent snake, there is only one conclusion you can come to: something is altering these creatures, and it doesn't much care what it changes.
The altered creatures seem to be thickest in one part of the tunnels, so that is the part you move towards. As you move, your mind whirls. What could this be? A wonder of some sort? You cannot imagine how a Natural Wonder could alter the wildlife like this, but then again you could not truly imagine half of the things you have seen anam do since you came to the Heart. For all you know, this is all well within a Natural Wonder's capabilities. It could…
It could… It…
As you follow the curve of a tunnel, your legs freeze without your direct permission. Your nose flares as the rich scent of blood washes over you, and your eyes widen as they take in what stands before you. You no longer feel like you are in a menagerie any longer.
You are in a charnel house.
Before you, the tunnel floor is carpeted with corpses. Bodies of animals of all stripes are thrown together in enormous piles that scrape the tunnel roof. Badgers and birds, goats and wolves, it matters not what the beast was in life. Now it is just so much meat in a pile, held together with other meat only by the sticky lacquer of blood. What few bodies are not part of the overwhelming piles are instead left to rot alone on the stone, forming monuments to mutilation.
And in the center of the bodies stands…
You have no idea what it is. But you can guess that it is responsible for the scene before you.
The beast… entity… creature that stands amidst the bodies does not seem to have a physical form. It is made of light the color of a day old scab stretched out into a thousand miniscule veins. The light pulses in time with your own heartbeat, and its tendrils dig into the bodies around it like roots burrowing into stone. With every heartbeat, the amount of tendrils change as they merge together and separate once more, forming longer spikes that rend the bodies into even more horrifying shapes that-
A goat beneath the entity's limbs lets out a plaintive cry. Your feet move backwards on their own.
Ancestors, the creatures it is subjecting to it's care are still alive.
Your foot nudges against the body of a mole and the noise of a sandal squelching in liquid echoes out through the bloodstained tunnel. The glowing traceries of light that are cutting open half a dozen beasts at once freezes-
Several tendrils merge and extend, reaching out for you.
Feelings that are not your own wash over you.
Excitement. Pleasure. Curiosity.
As the alien feelings slide through your flesh, you shiver and take another step back. You've never experienced emotions this inhuman before, but you have read accounts from Artists who have- and that means you now know what this entity is.
Before you is a Blood-aspected Kukuni- and it wants you to join the wildlife at its feet.
You are being approached by a Blood Kukuni who seems to want to operate on you. What do you do?
[] You need to be anywhere that's not here. You are going to run.
[] This thing clearly means to render you into so many piles of torn limbs and bleeding meat. You will introduce it to that same fate. You will fight.
[] Kukuni have an intelligence to them, albeit one so far divorced from your own that it might as well be incomprehensible. But perhaps you can find common ground. You will attempt to speak with the spirit.
-[] Write-In Negotiation Tactics
[] Write-In
THERE IS A TWO HOUR MORATORIUM ON THIS VOTE! VOTES CAST BEFORE TWO HOURS HAVE PASSED FROM UPDATE RELEASE WILL BE DISQUALIFIED!
