Edit: Did anyone figure out what's so special about our Zhi's limbs? The number of phases, 15, might indicate either how hard it is for Zhi to learn to use them or they have some as of yet unknown secret to them that warrants such level of mastery.
Auntie Bi frowns. "That… some Artists do bind themselves very closely with a certain Natural Wonder. If certain rituals are performed, their subconscious can lead them to those wonders without thought. But I assume you have performed no such rites?" She barely pauses to observe the shake of your head before continuing. "Strange."
"All I can tell you, little Zhi, is that if time itself has developed some strange sentience of it's own that copies your techniques and guides your feet, it is a very recent development- or time is less well understood then we ever thought."
So the Kong's have a technique library. Too bad Kong Zhi was to busy crafting to think about it. They might have a steel or smoke tech in there that might be usefull.
The more the world around them resembles their inner nature, the more powerful they become. The more powerful they become, the more body they add to their spirit. And the more body they add to their spirit, the more they can alter the world around them."
"To defeat a kukuni," Auntie Bi concludes, leaning forward to capture your gaze once more. "You must know of it. You must know of its origin, you must learn of its moment, and thus grow to understand its nature. Only then will you truly find the path to crush any kukuni
"I would not want to rob your Master of all his fun!" Auntie Bi answers, tone light and breezy. "I am certain that he will have some ideas on how your pathways should best be laid out. Though there are some channel maps at home that have proved sufficient for others; if you are interested, write to the Archivists."
"And as for how?" Auntie Bi flicks her wrist. Around you, the tent flickers and vanishes as if it were never there. "That at least has an easy answer: gather your anam, will it to a point, and drill."
That sounds painful, and it's absolutely something that we should research before starting. Though I wonder if Time has its own ideas there. Seems like it has to be done with un-aspected anam though and not something you cycle for. I suppose we will have to write to the Archivist back home and check the Sect Archives as well. I wonder if the channels are supposed to go through the space where the other core locations were.
I really like the idea of Artist deciding for themselves how many channels to make and finding out when to stop. Spend too much time and the people around you will get ahead of you, spend too little time and you won't be able to teach your anam sufficiently (likely clue to the Teacher's step). Makes me wonder about the Warlords Step. If the Farmer's Step is to carve these channels and the Teacher's Step is to teach your anam both. What do you do at the Warlord's Step? Taking the Warlord's Step and failing will kill you. Taking the path brings you closer to a perfect mix between anam, body and mind. So do you then use your anam to excert some kind of spiritual force on reality over a period of time to say "hey look at me, I'm all about the spirits!" and if you're not strong enough, or did not manage to teach your anam enough, reality does not accept your "application" and kill you instead.
Edit: Did anyone figure out what's so special about our Zhi's limbs? The number of phases, 15, might indicate either how hard it is for Zhi to learn to use them or they have some as of yet unknown secret to them that warrants such level of mastery.
HOLD UP! Path unending?! Clearly a reference to our cycling of time anam! But as far as I can remember it's always had that name. Is this proof that @Vesvius is a time artist and already knew this was gonna happen?
What's the reason Tiaoyue isn't on the Dramatis Personae? They're definitely sentient and a character in the story. This is both a request to consider adding them and, if that request is denied, a further request to possibly detail the relevant policy in the FAQ.
Wait what? I thought this whole time the reason she came was because she also cycles Time? Didn't she have things crafted by herself without having learned to make them?
No, she had things she crafted even though she seemingly never trained in the needed skill. She wasn't using Time shenenigans, she is simply that good.
HOLD UP! Path unending?! Clearly a reference to our cycling of time anam! But as far as I can remember it's always had that name. Is this proof that @Vesvius is a time artist and already knew this was gonna happen?
hello i was wondering all the steps in ascension and could not find it in informational threads. If you could say what they are that would be great. Such as our father taking warlords step, how many are between us? If it is not too spoilery of course Vesvius.
The number of phases, 15, might indicate either how hard it is for Zhi to learn to use them or they have some as of yet unknown secret to them that warrants such level of mastery.
So we get to drill through our body and soul with our will and power? That sounds... fun. Let's go with fun.
Speaking of different techniques, I wonder if there are any that focus on crafting charms, and, if so, when we'll have the opportunity to acquire them.
Some good stuff in this update. The info on kukuni was interesting, and knowing the basics of the Farmer's Step is helpful - we'll be carving so many channels! Also nice to see our relationship with Auntie Bi go up.
Wow. When we were first introduced to her, it became obvious Auntie Bi was a quirky character, but every time we see, that statement becomes more and more of a 'tip of the iceberg,' kind of thing.
hello i was wondering all the steps in ascension and could not find it in informational threads. If you could say what they are that would be great. Such as our father taking warlords step, how many are between us? If it is not too spoilery of course Vesvius.
There are seven steps, each harder to take than the last. You'll learn more about them IC as you get closer to them, but they are: the Servant's Step, the Soldier's Step, the Farmer's Step, the Teacher's Step, the Warlord's Step, the Sage's Step, and the Emperor's Step. Kong Shuren has taken the Teacher's Step and is cultivating in preparation for the Warlord's Step, though that might take him decades.
The imbue a single hammer stroke with the repetition of hundred blows, sounds like something that be helpful in crafting. Also asking your future self about a charm design seems like something that would improve the design.
Pfffft get out of here with your logic and reasoning and open your eyes! Wake up sheep! It's never ending because it's ALL time anam! The entire verse is really just a closed predestination loop!
So, kukuni are created in moments, and some of us suspect that there may be a baby kukuni in the Lost Armory. If that's the case, there is a question of what moment created it, and what moments might be helping it grow.
One idea suggested in Discord is that the moment the Dance at the Midnight Crossroads was completed, it was completed in the Lost Armory. That would be a moment of significance as we finished the creation of a weapon inside an armory of weapons, and it was somewhat recent. That could lead to a kukuni that might be a crafter.
Another idea might be that our adding the weapons to the Lost Armory might do it. That's something we've done three times now, and would sort of match up with leaving the hammer in the Lost Armory and it disappearing. Repeated moments might have given the kukuni enough presence to start doing things like cycling from the Armory itself to get extra anam. This might indicate a kukuni that wishes to fill armories with weapons.
I think the hammer might somehow be involved, seeing as it disappeared between the time we laid it and the time we came back.
We could very well have a kukuni that experiments with materials to create more effective ones, or is simply a weapon crafter or collector.
Either way, I have a feeling it would be an adventurous kukuni, since it was curiosity (and a willingness to work outside the box) that led to the hammer's placement, and the Box's creation.
I'd guess it's a kukuni of weapon collection that formed when the armory did, and has been mostly inert. Us returning weapons to it would be making its environment more similar to its nature, and increasing its power.
If it's a kukuni.
I mean, it's ALSO possible that the hammer was taken by another student or intelligent spirit beast that followed us to the resource point. Or that it got absorbed by the resource point with no kukuni-ness involved.
I'd guess it's a kukuni of weapon collection that formed when the armory did, and has been mostly inert. Us returning weapons to it would be making its environment more similar to its nature, and increasing its power.
If it's a kukuni.
I mean, it's ALSO possible that the hammer was taken by another student or intelligent spirit beast that followed us to the resource point. Or that it got absorbed by the resource point with no kukuni-ness involved.
That's all quite possible and logical thinking, but not as fun. When we brought back the axe the armoury just got stronger didn't it? When the meteor hammer was intergraded the armoury developed a war aspect. Perhaps this time something else was unlocked and that's what took the hammer.
personally i'm off the opinion that the steel mat is absorbing the anaam. I'm not sure if its becoming a part of the wonder or something else entirely, but that's what i think is happening. could also maybe be developing a spirit of some sort?
I'd guess it's a kukuni of weapon collection that formed when the armory did, and has been mostly inert. Us returning weapons to it would be making its environment more similar to its nature, and increasing its power.
If it's a kukuni.
I mean, it's ALSO possible that the hammer was taken by another student or intelligent spirit beast that followed us to the resource point. Or that it got absorbed by the resource point with no kukuni-ness involved.
How I conceptualized Wonders was that they were just a result of Anam in the world expressing itself through some existing place suitable to its aspect. And I think that is still roughly how Wonders start, though it'll be interesting to learn what sets the process off. But it probably doesn't end there. Wonders have character, when Zhi channels from them he doesn't express merely an experience of the Anam in them but also the nature of the Wonder itself.
As we learned last update Anam as a whole probably isn't a thinking thing ( though exceptions may apply, perhaps related to how complex it is ) but Anam isn't just mindless power. Anam strives towards perfection, it wants to be used, Anam changes and empowers. The Anam of even a not particularly powerful Artist leaves behind enough of themselves to create a Vestige. The Anam of a meaningful enough Moment leaves behind a creature embodying that moment. Combining those ideas if I had to describe Anam in a word that wasn't merely power I'd say that Anam is Agency.
So Wonders are places that gather and channel Anam a force of agency and change. Wonders like Anam want to be used, they are welcoming and open when they are filled with Anam and they are tired and reclusive when they are emptied. Wonders have character and we've learned this update that Wonders can build relationships with Artists, and that rituals exist to use those relationships for specific purposes.
So, I think that the idea that restoring the Armory as a simple process of return an object to the Armory and restore some fraction of its former self is misguided at best. I'm certain that the Armory wants its missing elements returned and that they do represent some of its power but the idea that this process will give us the Armory as it used to be before it was ransacked seems off. Why would it want to simply return to its exact previous state.
I don't think it is returning to its previous state to start with, that if you were to ask someone who'd seen it before they'd tell you its different now. Zhi's initial impression before he started Thinking was that it had changed. And that, naturally someone must have changed it. But I think I've built a decent argument for that not needing to be true. The Armory can simply be changing itself.
You see the Armory as it stands has two users, two people it has a relationship with. Its initial aspect was steel and since its an armory its second aspect of war was probably part of it before it got ransacked. And steel is a great fit for Jai Fa but to Zhi its merely efficient power right now. That's not right, the Armory doesn't want to be merely efficient power.
But that's alright, the Armory is brimming with Anam, with the power of change and agency it can better, at least better for the current situation. It has a character and themes that limit it, it can't decide to also be a Time Anam Wonder but it can be better. Its no coincidence that it "stole" a hammer, or that it feels like some of its Anam was used. If my reading is correct it will soon, whether that soon is measured in story beats or actual time manifest either some section of itself dedicated to the creation and maintenance of weapons or a hammer on its wall and an Armory-ish aspect more suited for Zhi like Smithing or Forging.
I delayed posting this for a few days.
I was worried it would get a lot of.... hmmmm reaction based on how the thread was feeling. I feel like it is a more comfortable place posting it now.
There have been controversial votes and story turns in this quest. The last one that causeD as much outrage was the choice Kong Zhi made to fight against Mei Daiyu. But after long efforts we managed to get back to this place illustrated. An amazing story that would never of happened if we hadn't persisted. I am really proud to be a part of this community and I love this story we are making together.
"We can't find something, it must be a new Kukuni!"
Not everything is going to be the thing you just learned more about.
It's called the "Lost" armory, why would we be able to find anything there?
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.
There was no vote. So I'll just use this space to pontificate on the parallels between proper story structure in novels and quests and good pro wrestling booking. The two have more in common than you'd think. They both reply on proper pacing to get to a massive reaction that makes organic sense within the narrative and- wait. Where you going?! GET BACK HE-
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Your mind is abuzz as you shoulder the Dance and begin your long journey home. Thoughts of everything you've just learned float through your mind like so many fish churning through busy waters. Thoughts of the nature of Kukuni and the moments that create them. Thoughts of the Farmer's Step, channel cultivation, and all you will have to do to step into the next realm. And of course, thoughts of your core, your aspects, and the Symphony-In-Rags.
But your mind can only be distracted for so long, even if the distractions are as important as the ones that plague you. Eventually, your thoughts are pulled back to your body, and you are forced to confront a new truth:
You are tired.
You are far more tired than you should be. Since you forged your core, you've become accustomed to going days without sleep and still feeling as fresh as you did the moment you woke up. But right now, as you pull yourself down the tunnels back towards the central cavern, weariness burdens your limbs, dragging them down towards the dirt floor as if you were wearing weighted clothes.
Or at least, two of your limbs are so afflicted. The left side of your body seems to be functioning as normal. It's only your right side, your altered side, that struggles so. For all of their monstrous appearance, your 'new' appendages feel weak- almost sickly. It's like your perfectly functional right arm and leg have been removed, and in their place someone has grafted those of a newborn baby.
...a large, veined, clawed baby, but a baby nonetheless. And things are only made worse as your heel-claw starts getting regularly stuck in the soft loam.
It's enough to make you practically pant with effort. By the time you reach the bright light of the central cavern, sweat pours down your face and pulls your robes to your body as if it were your first day at the Heart- no, as if it were your first day ever walking. Eventually, you make it to the Spire's entrance, your heart pounding in your chest and your mouth dry and parched, and throw open the heavy door with your left hand, looking forward to nothing less than another eight hours of rest-
-only to stop dead in your tracks as you almost trip over Jai Fa.
Your friend is kneeling right in front of the door, back facing the entrance. You have to swerve wildly, windmilling your arms, to avoid running into her back. She barely seems to notice though; the only acknowledgement she gives to your presence is a quirked eyebrow as you execute a sloppy twirl to wind up in front of her. All of her focus on a small object in front of her.
Once you have regained your balance you give that same object a small amount of your own attention. It looks to be a dagger, its metal glinting as it peeks over a black, leather-wrapped handle. But if that's what the object truly is, the smith did a terrible job on it. The edges look to be as blunt as a bedpost. The point seems to be of standard sharpness, but the blade itself is too short for it to be a proper stabbing weapon; anyone stabbed by this 'dagger' would get perhaps a quarter-inch of steel in their flesh before being hilted. And the hilt itself seems odd; though the blade is currently buried in the stone floor, it looks like it's still in danger of tipping over. You have only learned the basics of smithing, but you are fairly certain that the hilt should not be that heavy on any weapon.
You squint down at the weapon and then at Jai Fa, who has barely taken her eyes off of it. The dagger, if it is a weapon, is a terrible weapon. Jai Fa is a skilled warrior; she would never pick up a terrible weapon. Combining those two facts leads you to one conclusion: this dagger is not a weapon at all. Barely resisting the urge to palm your forehead, you open your Sixth Sense.
Sure enough, the dagger throbs with anam. It's flowing from the blade and into Jai Fa as she sips at it with her breathing pattern. The anam seems to have a familiar flavor too. It moves into Jai Fa with the familiar orderly march of steel, but there is more to it than that. You reach out curiously; not to draw on the anam, but just to get a feel for it's aspects.
Jai Fa glances up at you before your questing senses fully reach the energy. One of her hands reaches up and slaps your wrist as if she caught you reaching for seconds at the dinner table. "No," she simply says. "None of that."
You flush and withdraw your senses. "My apologies," you answer. "I was merely curious."
"I assumed," Jai Fa answers dryly. She lets out a long breath and allows her cycling trance to break fully. The anam that still floats in the air pauses for a moment before snapping back into the dagger, as if drawn there by an invisible tether. You stare at it for a moment longer and then look back at your friend.
"If you do not mind, I still find myself curious," you continue as Jai Fa stands up, plucking the dagger from the floor with a quick gesture as she does. "May I ask what you have there?"
"It-" Jai Fa goes to respond before pausing. Then she stops and squints at you. "You look different," she informs you. "Why?"
You stare at Jai Fa and then look down at your arm and foot. "I… well, I-"
"No, not that," Jai Fa cuts you off. "The rest of you. Your appearance is… it is different. Have you not noticed?"
"...I beg your pardon?"
Jai Fa sighs and walks over to Shouxi's workstation. She rummages through his desk for a moment before producing a small mirror. Then she turns and holds it out to you. "Explain," she instructs you.
"I do not know what you are-"
And then you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror.
Before your changes, you could- at best- be described as 'unremarkable'. Your face blended into a crowd. Long time acquaintances would come right up to you and not recognize you until you introduced yourself- and sometimes, not even then. And after your changes, while you were no longer unremarkable, you would still never call your unaltered side anything close to noteworthy.
But Jai Fa is not wrong. You look different.
Your face is the most changed. Your chin is a touch flatter, your jaw more square. Your ear seems a bit lowered and your cheekbones- you can see your cheekbones now. Where before they were barely noticeable, they are higher and more defined than ever before. The rest of your body seems a bit different as well. Your shoulders look a touch broader, your hips a bit lower- nothing you would have ever noticed on your own, but now that you're looking for changes you can't unsee them.
Your altered side has changed to match. Your overly large arm and leg are still clearly oversized for you, but they somehow seem more proportional. If before you had the limbs of a giant, now you have the limbs of a youthful giant. And your vein-covered head and ridged eye socket seem sharper, more prominently defined than they were before.
You stare at your changed self in the mirror, mind struggling to find an explanation. Eventually, you think of one. "I integrated a technique earlier?" you answer.
Jai Fa nods. "Yes, that makes sense," she answers. She puts the mirror down and moves back towards you. "You should do that more often; it is a most beneficial experience."
You crane your neck to look in the mirror again, but then shake your head. What you look like is not important. It has to not be important. "Anyway. What is it that you have there?"
"A Natural Treasure from home," Jai Fa answers easily. She holds the dagger up before your eyes and then slides it into a small sheathe clearly tailor made for the nub of a blade. The sheathe then gets tucked behind her sash, in the small of her back. "One of the Nails of the Tyrant. It is one of the several treasures around which my Path is based."
Jai Fa gives you a long look. "Anam from the Nail of the Tyrant is aspected with both Blood and Steel; an hour with it is worth six at the Armory. Please do not attempt to draw from it."
"I was not going to!" your protest. When her look does not ease up, your shoulders slump. "I won't," you promise.
Jai Fa nods sharply. "Very well. Now, have you plans for the afternoon?"
At her words, the right side of your body practically cries out for your bed. "I was considering resting for a time," you reply.
"Impractical," comes the swift and immediate response. "You have spent several days resting as it is. Now is not the time for slumber; it is the time for action." She takes a few steps, quickly leaving behind the damaged stone near the front door, and heads towards the side of the entrance hall.
Leaning against the wall are two large axes. Both are the size of the one you once fed to the Lost Armory, and Jai Fa scoops them up as if they weigh nothing. One is quickly airborne; you fumble the catch though, and it drops to your feet. You stare down at the heavy weapon, a sick feeling in your stomach. Time for action… could she mean…
"My apologies," you mutter, not lifting your eyes. "But with my current condition, I do not think that I will be able to begin work on your charm any time soon. I swear, when-" if "-I regain proper use of my hand, I will not rest until your service has been properly repaid."
Jai Fa's brow furrows as she contemplates your words. Does she think you're not up to the task? That you can't craft anymore? Is that doubt in her mind?
Sense Motive Check: 5d10s7(1.1) (Includes Bonus Dice). Dice Rolled: 3, 8, 7, 6, 7. 3.3, rounded down to 3 Successes!
No. That's confusion on her face.
Her brow unfurrows and she continues, "I am certain that when you finish the charm it will be exemplary."
...you don't detect any dishonesty in her words. There is nothing there meant to hide her discontent or shield you from a harsh truth. There is only a mildly confused certainty. Of course you will still make her charm. Of course it will still be of top quality. Any possibility otherwise is a possibility not worth thinking about.
You hold your hand to your mouth and cough, a sudden tightness in your chest strangling your voice. "I, ah, yes," you manage to get out. After coughing to clear your throat, you continue. "It will take some time before I am back to my full ability, but until that time comes, I shall study this axe so that I may best know how to use it. My thanks for the model."
You bend over and scoop up the weapon, giving it a heft. It's heavier than Jai Fa made it seem, but it's still lighter than you expected. All of the weight is towards the head, and it's not even spread out evenly. It's a struggle simply to hold the polearm upright. What a strange weapon. It's good that Jai Fa had the foresight to bring you one for study.
"I am certain you will," comes Jai Fa's answer. Lurking beneath her normal monotone is a note of barely restrained amusement; you instantly find yourself on your guard. "But I did not bring you that to examine. I brought it for you to use."
Your head snaps back and you stare at Jai Fa. "I beg your pardon?" you instantly bark out. "I-"
"We must exchange pointers," Jai Fa informs you. Her voice is that of an unstoppable force. Her desires will be made reality; you have no say in the matter. "Come. I have made certain to reserve a training ground."
Then she marches out the door, her axe slung over her shoulder, blowing by you as you are nothing more than a statue. You stare at her vanishing back, mouth agape, axe hanging from loose fingers. "Jai Fa!" you call after her. "I do not think this is a prudent idea!"
Jai Fa pauses then spins, marching back towards you like a conquering soldier. One of her arms hooks around your altered claw and then she's off again, this time towing you in the direction of the training grounds. "I don't believe that I asked you what you thought.," she responds. "You need to strengthen your new limbs. I need to practice with an axe. Our goals are in alignment."
Your heel-claw catches on a stone. If Jai Fa didn't have an iron grip on your arm, your face would be in the dirt. But she does, so instead her pulling turns to dragging as she hauls you through the sect like a sack of flour. As you struggle to get your feet back under you, you answer, "The healer gave me some exercises to do. It would be far wiser to go through those before doing anything more."
"Agreed," Jai Fa answers. "That would be wise. But that is not happening."
You glare at your friend and manage to take a step under your own power. "That should be what I do," you say. "That will be what I do."
"Excellent. You will do them later. For now, you will assist me with my weapons training."
The two of you reach the craters. Jai Fa pulls you right into one and drags you down the side. You almost trip again, but this time you manage to retain your balance, though you do stagger several steps. Once you recover, you spin and glare at your friend. "Fa. No," you say again. "I won't. I need-"
"Either strike back or dodge," Jai Fa tells you, limbering her arms and pulling up the axe in a ready stance. "It makes no difference to me."
Then she pauses and seems to consider something. She gives you a short nod before lifting the weapon. "Either way, Zhi, it is time to defend yourself." And then she's moving forward, silver steel gleaming in the piller's light.
Your instincts make your choice for you: you choose to dodge.
But avoiding Jai Fa's strikes is far more difficult than just ducking out of the way of the blade. For all her claims that she needs to practice with the heavy weapon, the axe dances in Jai Fa's hands, moving from strike to strike with an unnatural grace. You have to move with something approaching that grace to even think about avoiding the blows. It's something that you may have been able to do before your changes, but now? It's hopeless.
At least, it should be hopeless. But for all of your stumbling, you still find yourself a step ahead of the axe. The blade darts forward but finds only the soil as you dance out of it's way. The Hummingbird's Dance forces its way into your limbs old and new despite your weariness. You slap the axe away, step forward, nearly trip, and capture Jai Fa's swinging hand with your sleeve before sending her tumbling to the ground.
She rolls through and pops back up, axe held high. "There," she says, her voice the same as it was when she had no doubt in your charmcrafting. "Was that so hard?"
Then she lowers the axe slightly and takes it in both hands. "Now, let us take this seriously."
And then she's on you again.
You dodge and duck and dive away from the blows as quickly as you can, but this time Jai Fa isn't holding back. The steel bites into your flesh half a dozen times, never doing more than drawing blood, but doing that in abundance. Again and again she cuts, drawing grunts of pain from between your clenched teeth.
But the cuts do more than that. Each time the steel kisses your flesh, your movements sharpen. Your reflexes are faster when the blade comes again. You still aren't where you were weeks ago, but by the time Jai Fa finally calls for a break, the burn in your arms is the familiar one of a day's exertion.
"Perhaps next round, you will actually attempt to strike back," Jai Fa jibes as she produces a waterskin. She takes a pull and then passes it to you.
You glower at her as you drink and maintain eye contact as you wash the sweat from your brow. "You are horrible," you grumble.
Jai Fa nods proudly. "Indeed. As are you- but at least that does not apply to my skill with a weapon. You may one day grow beyond that, but only if you learn to attack. Allow me to offer you some advice: to hurt me, you must use the bladet of the axe. It is the sharp thing at the end."
You open your mouth to unleash a retort both devastating and accurate, but your perfect verbal assault is left unexecuted when another voice interrupts. "Have you finished warming up?" it calls. "Or should I return later?"
"You may as well come down now," Jai Fa answers. "I doubt I will be receiving anything more from him today."
You snarl something uncomplimentary at your friend before reaching down to grab your axe. You'll show her an attack! But before you do, you glance over your shoulder, where Xu Yun is sliding down the side of the crater.
Your blonde friend nods a greeting at Jai Fa and then at you. Then he pauses and studies you closely. "You seem… different."
"Technique integration," Jai Fa answers.
"Ah."
You don't answer Xu Yun yourself. Instead, you've opened your Sixth Sense and are peering curiously at your friend. Sure enough, a core burns within his chest, though…
Perhaps 'burns' is the wrong word for it.
Xu Yun's core is a cold thing, a heavy thing that lies over his heart. Running your sixth sense over it brings you feelings of pressure, of depths, of something lurking deep within the waters. Danger lurks within Xu Yun's core; studying it brings the feeling of being watched, the feeling that you are being studied in return by something cold and other and-
You shake your head, closing off your sixth sense. "So, that is a core of Ocean anam?" you ask. "It feels different than I expected."
Xu Yun reaches up and scratches the back of his head. "Well, there is Ocean in it," he tells you. "But it is not the only thing there."
"Oh? What else makes up your core?" you ask curiously.
"I… don't entirely know," Xu Yun guiltily admits.
Behind you, there's the sound of flesh on flesh, and you know that Jai Fa has just slapped her own forehead. "You do not know what your core is made of." she states. "Of course you do not."
"I know most of it!" Xu Yun protests. "There is ocean, there is wind, there is a touch of darkness, but…" he trails off. "No, there are other aspects in there as well. Lonespear Sanctuary turned out to have several aspects that I do not fully understand. They felt right to incorporate though. I suppose we shall see their worth."
He turns to you before Jai Fa can say anything. "But first! Do you have your sect token?""
You pause, taken aback by the change in subject, and pull it from your pocket. "Yes, right here."
"Excellent. May I?" At your nod, he reaches out and grabs it before producing his own. The two tokens are pressed together and there's a flash of light. "There," he says, satisfaction in his voice. "Your due from last week and for this week."
What is he- ah, yes! Your payment for Widow's Ward! You were supposed to start receiving it last week. At least, you were before… events. It is good that it was Xu Yun who owed it to you; a less scrupulous person would hope you forgot.
13 Sect Points Gained! (Widow's Ward Payment Week One)
11 Sect Points Gained! (Widow's War Payment Week Two)
Two weeks of payment remain!
You take your token back with a nod of gratitude. Xu Yun grins at you. "Do not thank me yet!" he interjects. "Now that Jai Fa has gotten you warmed up, we must begin our preparations in earnest! I-"
"Our preparations?" you interrupt. "What are we… I know what we are preparing for, but… do you have something you must train for as well, Xu Yun?"
Xu Yun pauses, then trades a look with Jai Fa. "Did Jai Fa not inform you?"
"I was going to, but then he decided to drag his feet. The subject was never broached."
The sailor nods. "I see." Then he turns back to you. "I had hoped to join you and Jai Fa in the deeps now that I have my core. Assuming the invitation is still open, of course."
Persuade Check: AUTOPASS
"It is!" you answer before he can change his mind. "We will be happy to have you. I am certain your guidance shall prove invaluable in the depths."
Jai Fa listens to your praise of Xu Yun and shrugs. "It will be helpful, no doubt." Then she turns to you. "I have asked several others as well; we may have more company, depending on who says yes."
"Excellent," you reply. "My thanks."
"Do not show gratitude yet!" Xu Yun interjects. "For soon, you shall rue the day that you invited me along- for now we begin your true training for the deeps! Prepare yourself, for I will not be holding back-"
Jai Fa scoffs. "True training," she mutters. "I did more than merely warm him up. You won't even draw blood!"
"You did?!" Xu Yun's voice rises, becoming almost shrill.
"Ow!"
The last yelp of pain gives all three of you pause, for none of you made it. From outside the crater, you hear an angry mutter, and then the last person you expected to see today peers over it's lip.
Mei Daiyu stares down at the three of you, pain writ large on her canted features. "Can you not control your volume?" she hisses at Xu Yun. "Just because you cannot hear an elephant dancing three feet from you doesn't mean that the rest of us have trouble with our hearing!"
"Uh… my apologies," Xu Yun answers. Confusion is writ large on his face, as it is on yours and Jai Fa's. What… Mei Daiyu agreed to come to the Deeps with you, but you did not expect her… well, you made no plans with her besides that.
So why is she here?
Ignoring your confusion, Mei Daiyu slides down the side of the crater. She takes the slide with more care than normal, paying extra attention to the bundle in her hand. She is cradling a bowl wrapped in thick paper and is taking extra care not to disturb it as she walks. Mei Daiyu only lifts her gaze from it once she's on stable ground again, when she looks up and lays her eyes on you for the first time since… well, since before.
She pauses mid-step but recovers just as quickly. "Kong Zhi," she greets you, a careful blankness in her voice. "You seem… different."
"Technique integration," Jai Fa answers.
"Ah, I see," Mei Daiyu says, accepting Jai Fa's words with ease. "That makes sense."
You can only stare at her. Is that… is that it? Is that her only reaction to your changes? No, not even that, she isn't even reacting to your alterations! Just to the differences the Stallion has wrought on you! It… you would have expected questions, or horror, or confusion at the very least!
Sense Motive Check: 7d10s7(1.1) (Includes Bonus Dice). Dice Rolled: 5, 1, 7, 5, 6, 8, 3. 1.3, rounded down to 1 Success!
...has she seen your changes before? When would she even have had the chance? It would have had to-
"Anyway!" Mei Daiyu says, interrupting your thoughts. "Please, take this." She thrusts the bowl out at you like it's a spear aiming for your guts. "Ming Hui was very clear that you should eat it when hot."
"Ming Hui?" you parrot, reaching out to take the bowl reflexively. It's still warm beneath the paper; you rip it open to find it full of dark rice with chunks of meat and globs of golden egg spread throughout it like hidden treasures. "What is… why is there food here?"
Mei Daiyu sighs. "I encountered Ming Hui in the courtyard. He asked that I deliver this to you. Something about needing proper nutrition in these times; please, tell him you got it when you return home. Otherwise he will think that I absconded with his work; that will lead nowhere pleasant for anyone."
Then she turns and glances at Jai Fa, and then a longer look at Xu Yun. "My apologies for my interruption," she tells them both. "I shall leave you to your training."
Then she turns and makes for the crater wall without another word.
Xu Yun stares after her, mouth moving silently. But it's Jai Fa who lets out a heavy sigh. "Stay," she says. "Your help would be appreciated in this endeavor."
Mei Daiyu pauses. "Oh? Are you certain? I would not wish to intrude."
Jai Fa shakes her head. "It is no trouble. Besides; sparring with an uneven number is awkward at best."
Mei Daiyu turns and studies Jai Fa. Whatever she sees there, it's enough to make her look at Xu Yun, who offers her a nod. Then she looks at you- and finds something that makes her smile.
It is a beautiful smile- but it is one that makes your limbs twitch in phantom pain.
Relationship Up! Mei Daiyu +1!
"Then I will be happy to remain," Mei Daiyu says. "Now. Shall we begin?"
...your sparring group is all here.
Later, you will be happy to have your friends around you again, no matter how awkward things are between you.
Raptor's Foot (Dexterity 2)
Warrior Technique 3 (Physical 9) (8 til next phase)
Cost: 0
Current Phase: 3/15
Description: Where once Kong Zhi had a normal leg, now he bears a mutated limb that ends with a reptilian claw.
We are at the start of week 13! You have 2 Weeks left to prove yourself!
How do you spend your 13th week within the Delving Heart? (Pick Nine!)
You will receive your allowance at the start of this week!
NOTE: you may attempt to bring anyone you have met within the Delving Heart along on any of your actions. However, unless it is simply a social action, dice will be rolled to determine if they are available to accompany you, as they have their own lives and priorities to deal with.
Please cast all votes in PLAN FORMAT! There is a two hour moratorium on this vote! There is no voting until two hours have passed! If anyone breaks this moratorium, if their vote still stands before it ends, their vote will be disqualified for the round! Sect Actions
[] You may now take assignments at the Delving Heart Assignment Hall. You will go, take one, and carry it out to the best of your ability.
[] You've been tasked with impressing an Elder if you wish to rise to the Eighth Circle. You will seek to impress Elder Lei, who seems to be in charge of defending the sect in some capacity.
-[] Write-In
[] You've been tasked with impressing an Elder if you wish to rise to the Eighth Circle. You will seek to impress Elder Fensui, who stands above the martial disciples.
-[] Write-In
[] You've been tasked with impressing an Elder if you wish to rise to the Eighth Circle. You will seek to impress Elder Hotei, who you know little about save that their disciples have a martial bent.
-[] Write-In
[] You've been tasked with impressing an Elder if you wish to rise to the Eighth Circle. You will seek to impress Elder Yixue, the sect's healer and chief refiner.
-[] Write-In
[] You've been tasked with impressing an Elder if you wish to rise to the Eighth Circle. You will seek to impress Elder Tian, the master craftsman, by returning to the Creators Garden and working as an assistant to any who will have you.
[] You've been tasked with impressing an Elder if you wish to rise to the Eighth Circle. You have heard rumors that Elder Sela, the mistress of general knowledge, will accept any who approach her. You will approach her and inquire further about her generous offer.
-[] She may take on anyone, but you still wish to impress her. Write-In how.
[] You've been tasked with impressing an Elder if you wish to rise to the Eighth Circle. You will seek to impress Elder Tantoi, the sect's mistress of administration.
-[] Write-In
[] You've been tasked with impressing an Elder if you wish to rise to the Eighth Circle. You have recently met Elder Siani, an Elder who seems to handle problems and rare situations around the sect. Elder Siani seems very interested in the Armory Map you fixed, and completing its tasks will likely draw further attention.
-[] You will seek out the point on the map that lies deep within the caverns, below even the Lost Armory. (Counts as Three Two Actions).
[] You've been tasked with impressing an Elder if you wish to rise to the Eighth Circle. Elder Tantoi listed seven such Elders you could impress, and you have since learned of one more, but there is still one unaccounted for. You will seek information on this shadowy ninth elder.
-[] Write-In
Training Actions
[] You have discovered some talent in the physical arts, but talent is useless if not honed. You will find an empty training field and work on your martial skills.
-[] (Specify Technique Being Trained)
[] You now have access to the Archives of the Delving Heart. You will go there and seek out knowledge, paying for it with either talents or sect points.
-[] (Specify Subject of Interest. General Knowledge hunts have a two point cover charge. Everything else varies.)
[] The Archives of the Delving Heart also offer to connect disciples with tutors in their discipline for a moderate cost. You will take advantage of the wisdom of your seniors.
-[] (Select the level of the tutor you will hire. The choices are 7th Circle (3 Talents, Counts as 2 Actions, 1d3 training roll), 5th Circle (6 talents, Counts as 3 Actions, 1d6+1 training roll).
--[] (Select the Skill you wish tutored.)
[] The only true way to walk your path is to cycle the anam of the world. You will do so.
-[] (Select the Natural Wonder you will cycle)
--[] (Select your cycling target (for healing, for a technique, for other purposes, etc.)
Craftsman Actions
[] Your fingers itch to begin work on a new charm. You shall begin planning one out.
-[] You will begin work on a charm for your own purposes
-[] You have promised a charm to Jai Fa in exchange for her services as champion. She is not expecting it for quite some time, but there's never any shame in starting a project early. You will work on her charm. (Jai Fa requests an Axe infused with Steel and one other aspect)
[] A true charmcrafter always has a ready supply of materials ready to go. You will go out and add to your collection.
-[] You will go scavenging for new materials.
-[] You will go hunting for new materials.
-[] You will go seek out new materials in the village market.
[] One of your materials is in a form which does not suit you. You shall refine it.
-[] Select which material you will refine
--[] You will refine it with a quick formation (No bonus, no further cost).
--[] You will refinie it with an intense formation (+2 dice, -1 action next turn).
--[] You will refine it with the aid of a charmforge (+5 dice, -1 bronze talent).
Social Actions
[] Jai Fa is refining her axe-wielding technique. Should you wish to serve as her training dummy, she would be glad to receive your pain-filled feedback.
[] Jai Shouxi is relaxing at home, enjoying the fruits of his labor. He seems like he would be happy to speak with you, and seems most interested in your new alterations
[] Though he has a core, Xu Yun seems to seek normality for now. He can once again be found at the docks. Xu Yun is busying himself with his work. Though he will be available should you need him, he has other obligations.
[] Nokai is beyond happy that Auntie Bi is gone. She wishes to celebrate with a trip to the Forest of Pearls. Perhaps some sunshine is what you need. You will accompany her.
[] Mei Daiyu has proved an interested student in the field of charm crafting. You have much left you can teach her. You will set up another lesson for your one-time teacher. Mei Daiyu is throwing herself into her own Sigil Hunt. Though she will be available should you require her, she has little free time right now.
[] Mo Hanying has asked for you. Apparently she has plans coming up that she thinks you would greatly enjoy, and she invites you to attend her at your leisure.
[] Ming Hui is planning a tour of the village's many street vendors soon so that he may be more inspired in his future dishes. If you wish a seat and a plate, one can be provided for you.
[] You have taught Teng Lim the absolute basics of the Hummingbird's Dance, but you can always teach him more. You will invite him out to the training grounds once more and further his studies.
[] You have been asked to befriend several disciples by your mother, one of whom is Geng Tu, an associate of the craven Jin Yazhu. You may not have gotten off to the best start with him but now that his current artisan has proven so lackluster, perhaps you could make inroads.
[] You have met the elusive Zhuan Kun, or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that your face has met the elusive Zhuan Kun's knee. But that was barely an introduction. You will seek him out again and perhaps do better in your next sparring session.
[] It is always good to stay in contact with your family. You shall pen them another letter. (Does not count as an action. -1 bronze talent).
-[] (Write-In the contents of the letter)
[] There are other disciples you have yet to meet, and you would like to change that. You'll mingle with your fellows.
[] You have heard of several disciples that you have not formally made the acquaintance of. You would like to expand your social circle, and so you will seek one of them out.
-[] (Write in which disciple you would like to speak with)
Other actions
[] The Delving Heart is a massive cave complex full of mystery. You'll seek that mystery out and find out more about the place you now live.
[] Recently, you have mastered the Stallion's Enclosed Garden, and with it, an enhancement to your sixth sense. Though it will be tiring and difficult, perhaps you can use this technique to refine your hunts through the tunnel. (Counts as Two Actions. Costs one box of mental stress.)
-[] (Choose what you are hunting for: Wonder, Spirit Beast, Kukuni, or Other. A roll will be made on a table made entirely of your choice.)
[] During your travels through the Delving Heart, you encountered a Blood Kukuni of fearsome power. It was victorious last time and it left you greatly changed. This time, things will be different.
-[] You will hunt down the Kukuni to kill it.
-[] You will hunt down the Kukuni to speak with it.
[] You have talents and you have sect points. They burn a hole in your purse and token the longer you have them. You shall go to the sect market and seek to offload some of your wealth.
[] Write-In
We definitely want a market trip. I'd suggest bringing Shouxi along and see if we can work out the best use of our money/points in terms of commissioning him and buying pills/Wonders.
