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The Path Unending (A Cultivation Quest)

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Vesvius said:
there's even a little dancer girl! You would like her very much, Ru- she reminds me greatly of your sister."

...

Kong Ru does not notice their new surroundings. Instead, her face is pinched in pain.. "Ai or Rei?" she asks. "Wait, no, why do I bother to ask. Obviously it's-"
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If the ???? in Mei Daiyu's relationship modifier is that she's a hitherto unknown cousin, that will be a very amusing end to that particular front of the waifu war.
 
Vesvius said:
"Yes, they are a strange mix. The Azure Gardens Twins, a barbarian from the Wastes, a northern sailor of all things, and there's even a little dancer girl!
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Well, the cat's out of the bag, now.
We can prolly expect "gentle suggestions" from mother to befriend at least one more noble in order to improve the pitiful social status average of our "cadre".

Gee, thanks auntie Bi. :V

I am joking (well, mostly joking).

I loved the introduction to Zhi's parents. Honestly, I didn't imagine them that way at all.
 
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Kong Ves in: Plot Relevant (commission)
  • Sidestory
    • 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.

    With this, we have reached the end of this month's commissions! My apologies again for how long this took. Next time, we should be back to business as usual.

    The prompt this time: the second part of the adventures of Kong Ves!     Find the first part here if you're confused. Hope you all enjoy!
    ---------------------------------
    Running the through the tunnels is easy, thoughtless work- and as it turns out, talking with Ming Hui is just easy and thoughtless. I barely need to consider my words while I chat with the chef. All I need to do is mention that I've never tried to eat eel before and he's off to the races. Ming Hui takes the lead from there, deciding that since I've never before tried eel, that must mean my palette is horrifyingly underdeveloped, and he waxes eloquent about all the other foods I must try in this life time.

    And it's good that the conversation and running are easy. Despite the pleasantness of trading words with Ming Hui, my mind is a thousand miles away.

    As we run, I plan. I'm not going to survive this without a plan, and I definitely can't follow Zhi's original plan. I'm not sure, but it's probably safe to assume I don't have his penchant for surviving stupid things that should kill me. So that means a whole host of main plot shit has to be pushed to the side. I'm not going to look for the Second, I'm not going to talk with Jai Shouxi and his clarity at all, and I'm definitely not going hunting alone. Tiaoyue would have a field day with me- but fuck, even the Earthroot Ox or the Camel Turkey is more than I can handle on my own!

    No, I need to do things differently. I need to play things quiet and keep as low a profile as possible.

    So I won't live in the Spire; I'll follow Ming Hui and wind up where he does. I won't go to Elder Yixue's class. That triggers the Jin flag, and I need to buy as much time before that happens as I can. Instead I'll... I don't know, hit up Sela? Actually take a combat class so I don't die? Or-

    Oh, I know! The answer is, once again, Ming Hui. He needs an assistant chef. I can volunteer my services- hell, I can even make kitchen charms for him! That should keep the Kongs off my back as I try and figure out step two of the plan. Plus, the Immortal Chef path has its dangers, but nothing there is going to mutate me!

    ...I think. Did I put something there that would mutate me? Fuck I hope not.

    Anyway, stay low, hang with Ming Hui, get fat as I figure out what I'm doing. Solid plan, easy plan, a plan so foolproof that even I can't fuck it up. Not bad for a few minutes of running.

    But my plan, my beautiful plan, doesn't last long.

    It barely makes it to the end of the run. Because that's when I start cycling anam for myself.

    And holy fuck, that's the good shit.

    Anam is… well, it's… I… well… I've never gotten high before. Never done a drug. Not because I want to be straightedge or because I thought about it, but because I never really had the chance. I didn't leave home for college, I don't exactly know a bunch of people who can hook me up, and I'm not about to wander onto a Philly street corner asking random people if they can sell me 'One Drugs, please!'

    But if I had? I can't imagine it'd be a better high than anam.

    It's like a fucking power cord is stuck right in the back of my neck, but it's not carrying electricity. It's carrying delicious food and the feeling of triumph and the knowledge that everything is going to work out at the end of a sad movie and the excitement of a fresh start and a thousand other things that I do not have the words to describe. And by the time Elder Lei tells me that I've filled up as much as I can, one truth has been burned into my mind like it's been shoved there with a branding iron:

    I need to get me some more of that.

    So I do. The rest of my plan… ok, the rest of my thoughts that might one day have grown up to become a plan if they drank their milk and worked real hard… fall by the wayside. There's nothing else on my mind but figuring out how to cycle more aspects- and aspects that are better suited for me. Earth and Mud… they're goddamn invigorating, but once you get past the whole 'energy of creation' thing, it feels like chugging day old coffee mixed with irish creamer by a convenience store clerk who's just heard of sugar but hasn't really figured it out yet. Namely: disgusting.

    So I need other aspects, and I need them pronto. It's a thought that stays with me even as I wait for Ming Hui, even as we pick out the home he picked in Path Proper, and even as the energy vanishes, leaving me a hollowed out husk that can only be made human again with enough sleep.

    The next morning, the thought is less intense, but no less present. I wave goodbye to Ming Hui and leave our boring house, heading for the outskirts of the Courtyard. I've got no idea where the Natural Wonders are, but I can find one. You can't go through six caves in the Heart without stumbling on three of the things. All I need to do is be persistent- and avoid being eaten.

    A crowd is already gathered near the exit to the courtyard, huddled around a post driven into the earth. Oh, right- the class list. I should at least check it out. Elder Yixue's class may be something to avoid, but I should know where the others are and when they're meeting. I haven't written much about Elder Fensui; maybe he's less of a dick than Yixue and Tian?

    As I get closer, I start picking out more faces that I only know from my thoughts. The silver hair of the Jai Twins. Xu Yun's blonde mop. The large straw hat of Sun Yijun. The imperial glare of Zhuan Kun.

    ...and towards the back of the crowd, looking confused, the weathered face of Nokai.

    My feet slow to a crawl without my input. Oh. Right. She's not besties with Mo Hanying yet and doesn't have any other friends. Without Zhi, she doesn't even know what those posts say.

    I shouldn't. Nokai has 'plot relevant' written all over her. Maybe literally- I've got no idea what her tats mean! I should just move on and let her fend for herself. She'll be fine!

    But… she looks very, very lost.

    ...fuck.

    I move towards her and raise a hand. "Excuse me!" I call out. "Do you need-"

    Nokai spins towards me, eyes set in a fierce glare, and I freeze. But not because of anything she's doing- I've been glared at before, I'll be glared at again- but because of what the motion reveals. Hanging from the front of her robe is the dark eyes, pink tongue, and white fluff of Xue. And the motion also draws the rest of her pack around her. Zhao, Lu, and Lan all stare at me, daring me to take a step closer.

    And I can't help myself. I look at Nokai for a moment and gesture at her dogs. "May I?" I ask.

    Nokai's glare morphs into a confused grimace. "What?" she asks.

    "Your dogs," I elaborate. "Can I pet them?"

    Nokai looks at her pack and then at herself, and then more specifically at the tattoos covering her hands. She wiggles her fingers as if to prove that they're still there, then looks back at me. "You want pet dog," she slowly drawls out. Her voice is deeper than I imagined and seems to carry almost a country twang to it.

    I nod eagerly. "Yeah, can I? Please?"

    "Uh, yes?"

    I don't need any more encouragement. I step forward and drop to a knee, extending the back of my hand towards the dogs. They look almost as confused as their mistress and all give her plaintive looks. But it's Lan who makes the first move, padding forward and giving my hand a tentative sniff.

    Whatever he finds there must not be too displeasing. He takes another step forward and that's when I strike. I reach out and pet wherever I can reach, scratching behind his ears, his ribs, that sensitive spot on his snout that all Beardies I've ever met like, and everywhere in between.

    My mouth moves without input. "Aw, who's a good boy? Is it you? I think it's you! Who's the best little puppy in the whole wide world? I bet it's you! Or maybe it's you! Nah, it's definitely you. Who's a good boy? Who is? Who's it? Whose? Huh?"

    Nokai watches the scene unfolding before her with wide eyes. "Lan not puppy," she corrects me.

    I scoff and glare up at her. "He is," I insist. "He is a dog. All dogs are puppies. Ergo, Lan is a puppy. And so is… this one!" I barely hold myself back from naming Lu, as the Scottie decides that my friendliness isn't a ploy and approaches me for his own pets.

    I've got no idea how long it takes me to thoroughly pet all the dogs, but I get the job done. My hands cramp as I stand up from the sheer amount of scratching I've had them do. Hey, this could be good training! Bring me dogs, I'll pet them, and it builds my endurance! I'll need to remember that. I grunt out a satisfied sigh and nod at Nokai. "My thanks. Oh, and I am Zhi. Er...Kong Zhi. Thank you for allowing me to pet your dogs. They are good boys."

    Nokai is still watching me with narrow, confused eyes. "Dogs kill many," she says bluntly. "Whole bunches. Why pet?"

    "Because they're dogs," I answer. "They need to be pet." The sheer enthusiasm in my voice is enough to convince Nokai that I'm harmless, at least for the most part. She introduces herself and happily accepts my offer to translate the words on the post.

    But when I'm done, she doesn't instantly take off for Elder Fensui's class like I expect her to. Instead she stays still and asks, "What class you take?"

    "Um, I wasn't planning on taking one right now," I answer. "I wanted to…" Find a Natural Wonder and cycle from it until I popped "...explore." At Nokai's judging look, I hurry to defend myself. "The classes will still be there tomorrow, and I want to be sure that I have a good lay of the land!"

    Nokai gives me a nod. "Right. Let's go."

    That gives me pause. "...what?"

    "Explore!" she cheers. "Make sure know where all is. You know fight?"

    I shake my head slowly. "I'd struggle beating up a six-year old."

    Nokai nods gravely. "Can tell. Stay back; get in way of hunt. Keep watch; if see, point and scream. Finish rest."

    Then she's gone, leading the way and clearly expecting me to follow.

    ...which I do. I do the moment my feet work again, following Nokai into the wilds. She leads the way right into a nearby tunnel and continues to do so until the six of us reach a fork- but then she stands back and gives me a questioning look, clearly asking my opinion on which path we should take. I shrug and point at the left one and then we're off again

    Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. I did not want to get on the plot's radar like this.

    But hey, could be worse. At least Nokai won't let me get killed. And she may teach me how to fight if I ask nicely! The Slaughter Claw isn't as eloquent as the Hummingbird's Dance, but it definitely holds it's own.

    But more importantly, there will be dogs. I can't see a problem stemming from any course of action that involves dogs.
    ----------
    Enjoying Kong Ves? The next one can be found here!
     
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  • Sidestory
    • This is also a path to meeting Mo Hanying, which you definitely want to do! You should totally ensure she commissions a charm from you rather than Jin, because if he has his hooks in her as well as Geng Tu you'll never be rid of him!
     
    It's a shame Aunty Bi left, if we went to talk to Tiaoyue she would have been excellent backup to make sure it stuck to any deals it made. Plus I could have called it plan Bi.



    Something I noticed is that other than A Moment's Respite and the Rainbow Eyes he was assigned Kong Zhi hasn't made any utility charms which I think has been a major limitation. Some Charm ideas in light of that.



    • Artificer's Stock Pot
      • Anam: ? Possibly hunger, possibly cuisine, are there any meta types? I guess they all can be if used correctly. Some sort of dampening. Some iron probably.
      • Description: Infusing charms is a slow, dull process and although anam type is irrelevant artificers still often need to take up the time of valuable resources like natural wonders. This sturdy iron pot could be a solution. Gradually absorbs anam from its surroundings into a thick morass inside that has none of the properties of it's component anam but can be cycled into charms or added more quickly using a charm forge although that is less efficient. Put near Creator's Garden, there seems to always be a lot of waste anam coming off there. Probably a major project to be worth anything if possible, nobody seems to have bothered already so there's that, perhaps more experienced members have techniques that do the same thing? The cooperation of Tian would be important if it's to take any advantage of the Garden besides being nearby.
      • Effects: A charging only artificial wonder. If made as part of a larger harvesting network it could impress an elder.
    • Spirit Butcher's Blade
      • Anam: Shell Fragment (Beast 14), Vestige's Ice (Ice 8), Earth? Blood? Greed?
      • Description: A squat and not entirely superficially crude shell butcher's knife with a wrapped ice handle. Crafted from materials that resulted from a problem this blade is designed to solve. This one I actually think should be made before the trip. Whenever somebody butchers a spirit there seems to be an incredible amount of waste, more advanced people probably don't have that problem but if Zhi is going to continue harvesting stuff like vestiges then he should get a tool for the job. I mean only a small bottle of that lake got saved and it was one of his more potent materials, there was probably some concentration going on but if it was left alive that would have been a large renewable source of materials, even if it needed to die for that there that was still most of a lake and a corpse vanished into the aether.
      • Effects: Allows the quicker preservation of larger materials, simply inserting it into a small spirit corpse can stabilize the entire thing indefinitely. When used as a weapon it will bite into areas that avoid damaging the victim's value as materials though it is poorly suited for such use. Not quite as effective with inorganic materials but sturdy enough not to be damaged by such use.
    • Haste Set
      • Anam: Time major, wind moderate(those camel-bird feathers probably), blood minor, mind minor
      • Description: a set of anklets, bracelets and a circlet that passively enhance the wearer's speed by a slight yet consistent quantity. Has a bright thin silvery yellow aesthetic. Perhaps electrum highlights? Feathers are nice but tend to be caught on things, overlapping them and enveloping them in resin would keep them solid and out of the way but would be heavier and a lesser aesthetic. Best just to rely on the wind anam to keep them out of the way. Would have been nice before but there's so few weeks left it's probably not worth it and after that there'll be much less of a time crunch. Rent it out to stressed ninth circlers?
      • Effects: Adds 1 action per week. +1 agility.
    • A Waste Of Time
      • Anam: Time major, deception moderate, blood minor
      • Description: The opposite of the Haste Set. Sabotage might be beneath us but it's prudent to plan for sinking lower. This belt buckle can be made to seem identical to any other buckle even to a cursory inspection with the 6th sense so that it may replace it without notice. It robs the wearer of punctuality and haste in a difficult to trace manner, unless an observer or even the wearer knows what to look for or are extraordinarily perceptive it will simply seem like they are unable to hold themselves to quiet the same standards.
      • Effects: -1 action per week. -1 agility.
    • Frostlight
      • Anam: Ice minor(Vestige's ice?), light minor, perception minor.
      • Description: this handheld charm with a simple icy body projects a cone of soft cool white-blue light. It is easier to see with it than the intensity of the light would suggest, particularly things in hiding. When the charm holder is startled by something seen in this way it'll reflexively brighten to a harmful degree for a moment and project cold through the bones of anything touched by it's light. It's also sturdy enough to be used as a club in a pinch. Could be built for the expedition.
      • Effects: Provides an observation bonus in low light, a successful check negates surprise advantage and gives a minor dex and adg debuff to attackers. Less noticeable than such a light would normally be. Works as a mace of moderate quality with bonus ice damage.
    • Piecemeal Timepiece
      • Anam: Time minor, hunger minor, steel minor, force minor, creation moderate. Uses an unusually large quantity of mundane crafting supplies and time spent working on it. Handles it's own cycling.
      • Description: A mechanical clock with no face, rather it emits a tick precisely tuned to the drops of A Second Of Eternity. Made of brass and steel with gem bearings. Siphons spare anam from the Second into it's components. Designed so that any individual component can be removed and replaced without interrupting it's function. Has an austere yet pleasant casing made with any permanent runes and materials. Internal geometry has a certain elaborate artistic quality.
      • Effects: A renewable source of time anam materials once placed within the Second. Takes three weeks to begin, every week beyond it can be harvested for 1 material with a quality of 1D12 time with a 1D4 chance to have the anam of the component's material as well(actual values to DM discretion). Consumes 1 mundane crafting material per harvest. If harvested at the same day and time every week for three or more weeks in a row harvested materials gain +1 quality. Can be harvested early or not replace components but this will lower quality or even loose harvestability until repaired. It will never need more than replacing internal components and waiting 3 weeks to restore all functionality. Could impress an elder.
    • Pacemaker Pendant
      • Anam: Time major, something else minor.(What works best here, earth? Blood? Are breathing patterns wind aligned?
      • Description: The rainbow eyes are nice, especially how they work with cycling anything but it may be possible for Kong Zhi to exceed them with extreme specialisation and a deep understanding of the requirements. This charm is on a long simple string and hangs over the center of the chest, near his core. It is specifically aid Kong Zhi cycling from A Second Of Eternity. While time anam in general is probably not alive the Second certainly is and that's probably what he feels in it's anam. Ideally it would be made from stone from the Second or containing a few drops of it's water but it probably won't like that, it's unchanging, cyclical nature seems very important to it's nature. Failing that an unattached rock that's been left there for a while or some quartz and rock of the same type as the Second ritually infused in it would work too. It is carved into the shape of a stylized gear with where an axle would go filled with clear quartz or water contained between two quartz panes.
    • Stabilizer
      • Anam: time minor, earth moderate
      • Description: A charm's charm, buffs other charms the wearer is using. Possible active, single target variation.
      • Effects: reduces the cooldown and increases the uptime of other charms the user is wearing.

    We have not designed anything using time anam which I think is a shame if it is to be Kong Zhi's specialty.

    • Hesitant Atlatl
      • Anam: Time medium, force minor, steel minor. Perhaps a bit of wind, beast and/or mind for the darts so they have some aim. Make a whole set of tricked out darts for it even.
      • Description: An atlatl made of finely polished wood, has two holes for fingers.
        The difficulty with any muscle power weapon is extending the amount of time over which one can apply force, a direct solution presents itself. At the first moment of the throw it feels normal but as it continues resistance builds quickly, it feels like it's being dragged first through treacle and then through rock, the user should pull on it with all their might during this half second period. All at once the resistance vanishes and dart launches forward with all the force applied.
      • Effects: Archer charm. Long range. Poor against an agile or close by target. Best as an opening shot. Power scales with user's strength.
    • Broken Metronome
      • Anam: Time major, war minor, mind minor
      • Description: Combat is about timing, the tide of battle can change in moments, any fighter with quicker reactions can gain an advantage, another way to gain such an advantage is if the moments themselves favor a particular fighter. This charm speeds up and slows down the wearer slightly in a seemingly random pattern but one that makes perfect intuitive sense to the wearer. It is a very slight effect and averages out to a normal flow of time but it grants enough unpredictability to render any sense of precise timing or prediction quite useless. Think doing PvP but everyone else has a bad ping. It could be an earing perhaps.
      • Effects: Gives an offensive and defensive advantage against styles and opponents that rely on precise timing, has little effect against more basic, reliable methods. Acts as a dex bonus when it comes to gaining and keeping tempo.
    • A Moment's Respite addon.
      • Anam: Time minor, blood minor
      • Description: It is difficult to recover or heal quickly, this ring works as a fourth member of the set and grants A Moment's Respite more time to work improving efficiency and effect, it also gives more control over when the aches and wear return.
      • Effects: A Moment's Respite upgrade.
    • Gap Time
      • Anam: Time major
      • Description: It is possible to travel to the future, skipping over a period of time, it follows the reverse is possible without actually traveling back in time. When this charm is activated the user will have a period of time disconnected from the outside world to regroup and rethink with no gap noticeable to anyone else
      • Effects: Dunno what this would do mechanically
    • Procrastinating Padding
      • Anam: Time major, steel moderate, sloth minor
      • Description: The manner armor typically works is by spreading out a focused force, both over a larger area with hard plates and over a larger period of time with soft padding. This in effect adds a thick layer of padding, turning a sharp blow into what feels like a slow shove but without the weight. I'm not sure what form it would take, it could be a paint specialised to adding that enhancement to any armor, it could just be another piece of jewelry or it could be an actual set of studded leather armor rather than enhancing something else.
      • Effects: Added armor.
    • Hammer Of Ages
      • Anam: Time major, force major, steel major.
      • Description: This unadorned sturdy sledgehammer swings slowly but with seemingly endless inertia, passing through a mountainside without slowing. Comes as a set with some chisels for precision work. The slower the more force. Once set in motion it cannot be stopped until the predetermined end of it's arc.
      • Effects: A crafting and refining tool for working with otherwise unbreakable materials. Gives an intimidation bonus when held. Can be used as a weapon but getting it to move at a usable speed robs it of most of it's impetus, bypasses all but strongest armor and defenses but easy to dodge.
    • Melon Bomb:
      • Anam: Time major, space minor, melon minor
      • Description: Taking aunt Bi's advice to make something just to stick it to reason in general rather than any "practical" goal. A single centermelon acts as the focus. When a set or runes are carved into the rind of a different similar melon, an infusion of time from Zhi's core is provided and a fragment of the centermelon removed when enchanting it is added the ancillarymelon is launched forward to an unspecified time and place. When the centermelon is activated and a timer runs down or it's smashed all ancillarymelons arrive in approximately the same place as the centermelon producing an explosion of melonflesh proportional to the number of ancillarymelons launched, preferably well into the thousands. Find a melon merchant willing to provide all overripe melons at a very low bulk price. Possibly allow single melons to be summoned as emergency rations.
      • Effects: Explosion with scaling damage, create terrain block, bind unlucky creatures and deal drowning damage until retrieved. Highly unlikely to be effected by any specialised defense.
    • Timeater
      • Anam: Time major, blood moderate, hunger moderate
      • Description: Vampiric weapons are well known, practically pedestrian, after all, if one is to cause harm regardless why not gain some value from that? This one accelerates the wearer while applying an opposing effect to a target for balance and efficiency using blood as the medium. A jagged bone dagger with metal along the cutting edges. Honestly this one isn't anything interesting.
      • Effects: Gives a buff to the stabber and an equal debuff to the stabbee. Proportionate to damage dealt.
    • Tune breaker
      • Anam: time minor, music minor, war minor, fate moderate, destruction major
      • Description: defending against something that all we know of that it's time based, omnipresent, probably works through music and incredibly powerful is difficult to say the least but a start can be made. This charm is musically contrary, the sound and anam it echos renders even the most elaborate rhythm based techniques used on the wearer or nearby into just so much noise. Hopefully. Form of earrings?
      • Effects: a percentage reduction of the effect of rhythm based techniques used on the wearer, increased percentage from on complexity. Wearer cannot appreciate music while charm is active. Wearer has reduced ability to interpret sounds and cycles in general while charm is active.

    Those charms probably won't be built, atleast not exactly like that, the Kong method is about making a recipe for a given set of ingredients, not making ingredients fit a recipe.

    Other charm ideas independent of Zhi

    • First Drop Of The Monsoon
      • Anam: Water, beast
      • Description: It's easy to think of water as something that gives way at a touch, it is easy to forget that all life is defined by the flow of water. Has a deceptively low amount of anam. Takes the form of a silver circlet with a sapphire in the front. The longer the bearer works on a project the more their ability builds with the charm refining their anam towards that particular end and concentrating mana generated from their work into a temporary dedicated enhancement. It reduces and postpones stress from the task, allowing the wearer to work nigh indefinitely but if they aren't provided for they can have extreme burnout once the effect ceases, either from the task being complete or total collapse. The effect is slow yet can be incredible, allowing the wearer to build a fortress or carve through a mountain singlehandedly over the course of months.
      • Effects: A buff to a given task that builds each repetition with no upper limit, also buffs drive. The narrower the task the better, afterwards the wearer will have a temporary debuff to everything else, this also grows the longer it continued but levels off. Fills stress boxes if the user pushes too far, too quickly. People can cycle anam generated once it's no longer needed. Builds drive. Skill lvl ups are kept afterwards.
    • First Drop Of A New River.
      • Anam: Water, blood
      • Description: It's easy to think of water as something that gives way at a touch, it is easy to forget the heavens and earth themselves are shaped by the flow of water. Like the First Drop Of A Monsoon however this charm is more permanent. Has an even lower amount of anam though few are capable of the mindset nessesary to craft these. This charm takes the form of an iron nail, worn yet strong as the day it was made, covered with angular runes. To apply it the bearer must hammer it directly into their own forehead to three quarters depth with a full understanding of the charm's nature. Less an enhancement and more of a geas. A bearer of this charm will not comprise with themselves or for convenience, this charm will hold them to the highest standards, they will not necessarily achieve them but they will be unable to not attempt. The charm can be removed although it is a difficult and painful process for everyone involved.
      • Effects: Drive set to max. Higher chance to improve and learn. Restrictions on arbitrary or unproductive actions.
    • False Eye
      • Anam: deception moderate
      • Description: This oval sticker holds a crude drawing of an eye on one side and a simple adhesive on the other. Anyone seeing it lying around will feel a mild impulse to put it onto the center of their forehead, as if on a whim. If they go through with this they and any observers will be convinced it is a genuine third eye, representing an advancement to a higher level of being, rather than operate on it's own mild power it works by turning the perception and anam of witnesses against themselves, using their desire for it to be genuine against themselves. The wearer will "see" things as if they had a third eye but it will be derived purely from their own expectations but they and anyone nearby will be convinced of the vision's authenticity, again by using their desire against them. Created using thankfully unknown principles as a prank by a small naive child against their father the devastation wreaked by this cursed charm directly or indirectly makes the life's work of many demonic warlords seem insignificant. After 6 years rooting out the last of the followers of the Three Eyed Skink, a disastrous attempt at reverse engineering by the Empire's greatest sages and an ineffective attempt commanded from the Empire's least enthusiastic sage's assistants the Emperor-In-Steel themself personally oversaw it being sealed in steel three times and dropped into the ocean. The "child", now approaching old age is provided therapy and a handsome retainer to never craft anything ever again.
    • Ring Of True Freedom
      • Description: Allows the wearer to walk out of their life and the world to a place unknowable without a gap or trace left behind, escaping even the chains of spite, duty, oaths and love. This ring is always left behind as the last bond dropped. A gift often given to those who have been left to a duty for lifetimes and those truly penitent on death row.
    • Liar's soul
      • Anam: deception major
      • Description: Generates anam of a type that seems identical to a target type yet unusable. Can be released into an environment like carbon monoxide, suffocating with a healthy flush. It can be last for years before it's nature comes to light, charged charms suddenly revealed to have long been useless.
    • Cloak of absence
      • Anam: Space major, secret moderate
      • Description: This is broadly speaking a cloak of invisibility but presses the outer, abstract limits of both concepts. It has 1 side, an area of about 4 meters square and a volume quite out of proportion of it's size, which is negative. Merely putting it on requires a deep understanding of space. The evolution of methods of traveling unperceved has been a long one, simply covering oneself with something dark is limited as the conspicuous absence of light tends to stick out little less than it's presence. Silence works better but even then it becomes nessesary to allow sound through without distortion. The sixth sense is much more tricky, to either allow an appropriate quantity of anam to flow through and swirl with itself while simultaneously preventing it from interacting with one's own anam occupying the same space. And none of that solves somebody stumbling into you. A Cloak Of Absence is the next best thing to not being there and it's a close second. Once it is wrapped around somebody they can tie a sort of knot in it, resulting in what is either a space projected "over" one's location so that extraneous events pass through it rather than through the space the wearer actually occupies or it results in the wearer "beneath" their supposed location, moving independent of reality yet able to freely reach in. The difference is academic.
      • Effects: Undetecability to all except higher powers with a connection to transcendental space aspect.
     
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    Evonix said:
    It's a shame Aunty Bi left, if we went to talk to Tiaoyue she would have been excellent backup to make sure it stuck to any deals it made. Plus I could have called it plan Bi.



    Something I noticed is that other than A Moment's Respite and the Rainbow Eyes he was assigned Kong Zhi hasn't made any utility charms which I think has been a major limitation. Some Charm ideas in light of that.



    • Artificer's Stock Pot
      • Anam: ? Possibly hunger, possibly cuisine, are there any meta types? I guess they all can be if used correctly. Some sort of dampening. Some iron probably.
      • Description: Infusing charms is a slow, dull process and although anam type is irrelevant artificers still often need to take up the time of valuable resources like natural wonders. This sturdy iron pot could be a solution. Gradually absorbs anam from its surroundings into a thick morass inside that has none of the properties of it's component anam but can be cycled into charms or added more quickly using a charm forge although that is less efficient. Put near Creator's Garden, there seems to always be a lot of waste anam coming off there. Probably a major project to be worth anything if possible, nobody seems to have bothered already so there's that, perhaps more experienced members have techniques that do the same thing? The cooperation of Tian would be important if it's to take any advantage of the Garden besides being nearby.
      • Effects: A charging only artificial wonder. If made as part of a larger harvesting network it could impress an elder.
    • Spirit Butcher's Blade
      • Anam: Shell Fragment (Beast 14), Vestige's Ice (Ice 8), Earth? Blood? Greed?
      • Description: A squat and not entirely superficially crude shell butcher's knife with a wrapped ice handle. Crafted from materials that resulted from a problem this blade is designed to solve. This one I actually think should be made before the trip. Whenever somebody butchers a spirit there seems to be an incredible amount of waste, more advanced people probably don't have that problem but if Zhi is going to continue harvesting stuff like vestiges then he should get a tool for the job. I mean only a small bottle of that lake got saved and it was one of his more potent materials, there was probably some concentration going on but if it was left alive that would have been a large renewable source of materials, even if it needed to die for that there that was still most of a lake and a corpse vanished into the aether.
      • Effects: Allows the quicker preservation of larger materials, simply inserting it into a small spirit corpse can stabilize the entire thing indefinitely. When used as a weapon it will bite into areas that avoid damaging the victim's value as materials though it is poorly suited for such use. Not quite as effective with inorganic materials but sturdy enough not to be damaged by such use.
    • Haste Set
      • Anam: Time major, wind moderate(those camel-bird feathers probably), blood minor, mind minor
      • Description: a set of anklets, bracelets and a circlet that passively enhance the wearer's speed by a slight yet consistent quantity. Has a bright thin silvery yellow aesthetic. Perhaps electrum highlights? Feathers are nice but tend to be caught on things, overlapping them and enveloping them in resin would keep them solid and out of the way but would be heavier and a lesser aesthetic. Best just to rely on the wind anam to keep them out of the way. Would have been nice before but there's so few weeks left it's probably not worth it and after that there'll be much less of a time crunch. Rent it out to stressed ninth circlers?
      • Effects: Adds 1 action per week. +1 agility.
    • A Waste Of Time
      • Anam: Time major, deception moderate, blood minor
      • Description: The opposite of the Haste Set. Sabotage might be beneath us but it's prudent to plan for sinking lower. This belt buckle can be made to seem identical to any other buckle even to a cursory inspection with the 6th sense so that it may replace it without notice. It robs the wearer of punctuality and haste in a difficult to trace manner, unless an observer or even the wearer knows what to look for or are extraordinarily perceptive it will simply seem like they are unable to hold themselves to quiet the same standards.
      • Effects: -1 action per week. -1 agility.
    • Frostlight
      • Anam: Ice minor(Vestige's ice?), light minor, perception minor.
      • Description: this handheld charm with a simple icy body projects a cone of soft cool white-blue light. It is easier to see with it than the intensity of the light would suggest, particularly things in hiding. When the charm holder is startled by something seen in this way it'll reflexively brighten to a harmful degree for a moment and project cold through the bones of anything touched by it's light. It's also sturdy enough to be used as a club in a pinch. Could be built for the expedition.
      • Effects: Provides an observation bonus in low light, a successful check negates surprise advantage and gives a minor dex and adg debuff to attackers. Less noticeable than such a light would normally be. Works as a mace of moderate quality with bonus ice damage.
    • Piecemeal Timepiece
      • Anam: Time minor, hunger minor, steel minor, force minor, creation moderate. Uses an unusually large quantity of mundane crafting supplies and time spent working on it. Handles it's own cycling.
      • Description: A mechanical clock with no face, rather it emits a tick precisely tuned to the drops of A Second Of Eternity. Made of brass and steel with gem bearings. Siphons spare anam from the Second into it's components. Designed so that any individual component can be removed and replaced without interrupting it's function. Has an austere yet pleasant casing made with any permanent runes and materials. Internal geometry has a certain elaborate artistic quality.
      • Effects: A renewable source of time anam materials once placed within the Second. Takes three weeks to begin, every week beyond it can be harvested for 1 material with a quality of 1D12 time with a 1D4 chance to have the anam of the component's material as well(actual values to DM discretion). Consumes 1 mundane crafting material per harvest. If harvested at the same day and time every week for three or more weeks in a row harvested materials gain +1 quality. Can be harvested early or not replace components but this will lower quality or even loose harvestability until repaired. It will never need more than replacing internal components and waiting 3 weeks to restore all functionality. Could impress an elder.
    • Pacemaker Pendant
      • Anam: Time major, something else minor.(What works best here, earth? Blood? Are breathing patterns wind aligned?
      • Description: The rainbow eyes are nice, especially how they work with cycling anything but it may be possible for Kong Zhi to exceed them with extreme specialisation and a deep understanding of the requirements. This charm is on a long simple string and hangs over the center of the chest, near his core. It is specifically aid Kong Zhi cycling from A Second Of Eternity. While time anam in general is probably not alive the Second certainly is and that's probably what he feels in it's anam. Ideally it would be made from stone from the Second or containing a few drops of it's water but it probably won't like that, it's unchanging, cyclical nature seems very important to it's nature. Failing that an unattached rock that's been left there for a while or some quartz and rock of the same type as the Second ritually infused in it would work too. It is carved into the shape of a stylized gear with where an axle would go filled with clear quartz or water contained between two quartz panes.
    • Stabilizer
      • Anam: time minor, earth moderate
      • Description: A charm's charm, buffs other charms the wearer is using. Possible active, single target variation.
      • reduces the cooldown and increases the uptime of other charms the user is wearing.

    We have not designed anything using time anam which I think is a shame if it is to be Kong Zhi's specialty.

    • Hesitant Atlatl
      • Anam: Time medium, force minor, steel minor. Perhaps a bit of wind, beast and/or mind for the darts so they have some aim. Make a whole set of tricked out darts for it even.
      • Description: An atlatl made of finely polished wood, has two holes for fingers.
        The difficulty with any muscle power weapon is extending the amount of time over which one can apply force, a direct solution presents itself. At the first moment of the throw it feels normal but as it continues resistance builds quickly, it feels like it's being dragged first through treacle and then through rock, the user should pull on it with all their might during this half second period. All at once the resistance vanishes and dart launches forward with all the force applied.


      • Effects: Archer charm. Long range. Poor against an agile or close by target. Best as an opening shot. Power scales with user's strength.
    • Broken Metronome
      • Anam: Time major, war minor, mind minor
      • Description: Combat is about timing, the tide of battle can change in moments, any fighter with quicker reactions can gain an advantage, another way to gain such an advantage is if the moments themselves favor a particular fighter. This charm speeds up and slows down the wearer slightly in a seemingly random pattern but one that makes perfect intuitive sense to the wearer. It is a very slight effect and averages out to a normal flow of time but it grants enough unpredictability to render any sense of precise timing or prediction quite useless. Think doing PvP but everyone else has a bad ping. It could be an earing perhaps.
      • Effects: Gives an offensive and defensive advantage against styles and opponents that rely on precise timing, has little effect against more basic, reliable methods. Acts as a dex bonus when it comes to gaining and keeping tempo.
    • A Moment's Respite addon.
      • Anam: Time minor, blood minor
      • Description: It is difficult to recover or heal quickly, this ring works as a fourth member of the set and grants A Moment's Respite more time to work improving efficiency and effect, it also gives more control over when the aches and wear return.
      • Effects: A Moment's Respite upgrade.
    • Gap Time
      • Anam: Time major
      • Description: It is possible to travel to the future, skipping over a period of time, it follows the reverse is possible without actually traveling back in time. When this charm is activated the user will have a period of time disconnected from the outside world to regroup and rethink with no gap noticeable to anyone else
      • Effects: Dunno what this would do mechanically
    • Procrastinating Padding
      • Anam: Time major, steel moderate, sloth minor
      • Description: The manner armor typically works is by spreading out a focused force, both over a larger area with hard plates and over a larger period of time with soft padding. This in effect adds a thick layer of padding, turning a sharp blow into what feels like a slow shove but without the weight. I'm not sure what form it would take, it could be a paint specialised to adding that enhancement to any armor, it could just be another piece of jewelry or it could be an actual set of studded leather armor rather than enhancing something else.
      • Effects: Added armor.
    • Hammer Of Ages
      • Anam: Time major, force major, steel major.
      • Description: This unadorned sturdy sledgehammer swings slowly but with seemingly endless inertia, passing through a mountainside without slowing. Comes as a set with some chisels for precision work. The slower the more force. Once set in motion it cannot be stopped until the predetermined end of it's arc.
      • Effects: A crafting and refining tool for working with otherwise unbreakable materials. Gives an intimidation bonus when held. Can be used as a weapon but getting it to move at a usable speed robs it of most of it's impetus, bypasses all but strongest armor and defenses but easy to dodge.
    • Melon Bomb:
      • Anam: Time major, space minor, melon minor
      • Description: Taking aunt Bi's advice to make something just to stick it to reason in general rather than any "practical" goal. A single centermelon acts as the focus. When a set or runes are carved into the rind of a different similar melon, an infusion of time from Zhi's core is provided and a fragment of the centermelon removed when enchanting it is added the ancillarymelon is launched forward to an unspecified time and place. When the centermelon is activated and a timer runs down or it's smashed all ancillarymelons arrive in approximately the same place as the centermelon producing an explosion of melonflesh proportional to the number of ancillarymelons launched, preferably well into the thousands. Find a melon merchant willing to provide all overripe melons at a very low bulk price. Possibly allow single melons to be summoned as emergency rations.
      • Effects: Explosion with scaling damage, create terrain block, bind unlucky creatures and deal drowning damage until retrieved. Highly unlikely to be effected by any specialised defense.
    • Timeater
      • Anam: Time major, blood moderate, hunger moderate
      • Description: Vampiric weapons are well known, practically pedestrian, after all, if one is to cause harm regardless why not gain some value from that? This one accelerates the wearer while applying an opposing effect to a target for balance and efficiency using blood as the medium. A jagged bone dagger with metal along the cutting edges. Honestly this one isn't anything interesting.
      • Effects: Gives a buff to the stabber and an equal debuff to the stabbee. Proportionate to damage dealt.
    • Tune breaker
      • Anam: time minor, music minor, war minor, fate moderate, destruction major
      • Description: defending against something that all we know of that it's time based, omnipresent, probably works through music and incredibly powerful is difficult to say the least but a start can be made. This charm is musically contrary, the sound and anam it echos renders even the most elaborate rhythm based techniques used on the wearer or nearby into just so much noise. Hopefully. Form of earrings?
      • Effects: a percentage reduction of the effect of rhythm based techniques used on the wearer, increased percentage from on complexity. Wearer cannot appreciate music while charm is active. Wearer has reduced ability to interpret sounds and cycles in general while charm is active.

    Those charms probably won't be built, atleast not exactly like that, the Kong method is about making a recipe for a given set of ingredients, not making ingredients fit a recipe.

    Other charm ideas independent of Zhi

    • First Drop Of The Monsoon
      • Anam: Water, beast
      • Description: It's easy to think of water as something that gives way at a touch, it is easy to forget that life is defined by the flow of water. Has a deceptively low amount of anam. Takes the form of a silver circlet with a sapphire in the front. The longer the bearer works on a project the more their ability builds with the charm refining their anam towards that particular end and concentrating mana generated from their work into a temporary dedicated enhancement. It reduces and postpones stress from the task, allowing the wearer to work nigh indefinitely but if they aren't provided for they can have extreme burnout once the effect ceases, either from the task being complete or total collapse. The effect is slow yet can be incredible, allowing the wearer to build a fortress or carve through a mountain singlehandedly over the course of months.
      • Effects: A buff to a given task that builds each repetition with no upper limit, also buffs drive. The narrower the task the better, afterwards the wearer will have a temporary debuff to everything else, this also grows the longer it continued but levels off. Fills stress boxes if the user pushes too far, too quickly. People can cycle anam generated once it's no longer needed. Builds drive. Skill lvl ups are kept afterwards.
    • First Drop Of A New River.
      • Anam: Water, blood
      • Description: It's easy to think of water as something that gives way at a touch, it is easy to forget the heavens and earth themselves are shaped by the flow of water. Like the First Drop Of A Monsoon however this charm is more permanent. Has an even lower amount of anam though few are capable of the mindset nessesary to craft these. This charm takes the form of an iron nail, worn yet strong as the day it was made, covered with angular runes. To apply it the bearer must hammer it directly into their own forehead to three quarters depth. Less an enhancement and more of a geas.
    • False Eye
      • Anam: deception moderate
      • Description: This oval sticker holds a crude drawing of an eye on one side and a simple adhesive on the other. Anyone seeing it lying around will feel a mild impulse to put it onto the center of their forehead, as if on a whim. If they go through with this they and any observers will be convinced it is a genuine third eye, representing an advancement to a higher level of being, rather than operate on it's own mild power it works by turning the perception and anam of witnesses against themselves, using their desire for it to be genuine against themselves. The wearer will "see" things as if they had a third eye but it will be derived purely from their own expectations but they and anyone nearby will be convinced of the vision's authenticity, again by using their desire against them. Created using thankfully unknown principles as a prank by a small native child against their father the devastation wreaked by this cursed charm directly or indirectly makes the life's work of many demonic warlords seem insignificant. After 6 years rooting out the last of the followers of the Three Eyed Skink, a disastrous attempt at reverse engineering by the Empire's greatest sages and an ineffective attempt commanded from the Empire's least enthusiastic sage's assistants the Emperor-In-Steel themself personally oversaw it being sealed in steel three times and dropped into the ocean. The "child", now approaching old age is provided therapy and a handsome retainer to never craft anything ever again.
    • Ring Of True Freedom
      • Description: Allows the wearer to walk out of their life and the world to a place unknowable without a gap or trace left behind, escaping even the chains of spite, duty, oaths and love. This ring is always left behind as the last bond dropped. A gift often given to those who have been left to a duty for lifetimes and those truly penitent on death row.
    • Liar's soul
      • Anam: deception major
      • Description: Generates anam of a type that seems identical to a target type yet unusable. Can be released into an environment like carbon monoxide, suffocating with a healthy flush. It can be last for years before it's nature comes to light, charged charms suddenly revealed to have long been useless.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    We don't have an "impressive" button, so take my informational upvote.
     
    I'm very glad Kong Ves has decided to become a driven punch-shit-wizard instead of squirreling away as a sad footnote in the Kong annals. Certainly, it would be terrifying, and survival would be on the mind. But there's no point to continuing to tread this doomed mortal coil if you don't let yourself enjoy a little bit of the process!

    ...That he appears to be enjoying it via getting high off anam is a little questionable, but hey, it (probably) won't give him cancer. That's something, right?

    Honestly, I'd read this story as a full-on spinoff.
     
    Evonix said:
    It's a shame Aunty Bi left, if we went to talk to Tiaoyue she would have been excellent backup to make sure it stuck to any deals it made. Plus I could have called it plan Bi.



    Something I noticed is that other than A Moment's Respite and the Rainbow Eyes he was assigned Kong Zhi hasn't made any utility charms which I think has been a major limitation. Some Charm ideas in light of that.



    • Artificer's Stock Pot
      • Anam: ? Possibly hunger, possibly cuisine, are there any meta types? I guess they all can be if used correctly. Some sort of dampening. Some iron probably.
      • Description: Infusing charms is a slow, dull process and although anam type is irrelevant artificers still often need to take up the time of valuable resources like natural wonders. This sturdy iron pot could be a solution. Gradually absorbs anam from its surroundings into a thick morass inside that has none of the properties of it's component anam but can be cycled into charms or added more quickly using a charm forge although that is less efficient. Put near Creator's Garden, there seems to always be a lot of waste anam coming off there. Probably a major project to be worth anything if possible, nobody seems to have bothered already so there's that, perhaps more experienced members have techniques that do the same thing? The cooperation of Tian would be important if it's to take any advantage of the Garden besides being nearby.
      • Effects: A charging only artificial wonder. If made as part of a larger harvesting network it could impress an elder.
    • Spirit Butcher's Blade
      • Anam: Shell Fragment (Beast 14), Vestige's Ice (Ice 8), Earth? Blood? Greed?
      • Description: A squat and not entirely superficially crude shell butcher's knife with a wrapped ice handle. Crafted from materials that resulted from a problem this blade is designed to solve. This one I actually think should be made before the trip. Whenever somebody butchers a spirit there seems to be an incredible amount of waste, more advanced people probably don't have that problem but if Zhi is going to continue harvesting stuff like vestiges then he should get a tool for the job. I mean only a small bottle of that lake got saved and it was one of his more potent materials, there was probably some concentration going on but if it was left alive that would have been a large renewable source of materials, even if it needed to die for that there that was still most of a lake and a corpse vanished into the aether.
      • Effects: Allows the quicker preservation of larger materials, simply inserting it into a small spirit corpse can stabilize the entire thing indefinitely. When used as a weapon it will bite into areas that avoid damaging the victim's value as materials though it is poorly suited for such use. Not quite as effective with inorganic materials but sturdy enough not to be damaged by such use.
    • Haste Set
      • Anam: Time major, wind moderate(those camel-bird feathers probably), blood minor, mind minor
      • Description: a set of anklets, bracelets and a circlet that passively enhance the wearer's speed by a slight yet consistent quantity. Has a bright thin silvery yellow aesthetic. Perhaps electrum highlights? Feathers are nice but tend to be caught on things, overlapping them and enveloping them in resin would keep them solid and out of the way but would be heavier and a lesser aesthetic. Best just to rely on the wind anam to keep them out of the way. Would have been nice before but there's so few weeks left it's probably not worth it and after that there'll be much less of a time crunch. Rent it out to stressed ninth circlers?
      • Effects: Adds 1 action per week. +1 agility.
    • A Waste Of Time
      • Anam: Time major, deception moderate, blood minor
      • Description: The opposite of the Haste Set. Sabotage might be beneath us but it's prudent to plan for sinking lower. This belt buckle can be made to seem identical to any other buckle even to a cursory inspection with the 6th sense so that it may replace it without notice. It robs the wearer of punctuality and haste in a difficult to trace manner, unless an observer or even the wearer knows what to look for or are extraordinarily perceptive it will simply seem like they are unable to hold themselves to quiet the same standards.
      • Effects: -1 action per week. -1 agility.
    • Frostlight
      • Anam: Ice minor(Vestige's ice?), light minor, perception minor.
      • Description: this handheld charm with a simple icy body projects a cone of soft cool white-blue light. It is easier to see with it than the intensity of the light would suggest, particularly things in hiding. When the charm holder is startled by something seen in this way it'll reflexively brighten to a harmful degree for a moment and project cold through the bones of anything touched by it's light. It's also sturdy enough to be used as a club in a pinch. Could be built for the expedition.
      • Effects: Provides an observation bonus in low light, a successful check negates surprise advantage and gives a minor dex and adg debuff to attackers. Less noticeable than such a light would normally be. Works as a mace of moderate quality with bonus ice damage.
    • Piecemeal Timepiece
      • Anam: Time minor, hunger minor, steel minor, force minor, creation moderate. Uses an unusually large quantity of mundane crafting supplies and time spent working on it. Handles it's own cycling.
      • Description: A mechanical clock with no face, rather it emits a tick precisely tuned to the drops of A Second Of Eternity. Made of brass and steel with gem bearings. Siphons spare anam from the Second into it's components. Designed so that any individual component can be removed and replaced without interrupting it's function. Has an austere yet pleasant casing made with any permanent runes and materials. Internal geometry has a certain elaborate artistic quality.
      • Effects: A renewable source of time anam materials once placed within the Second. Takes three weeks to begin, every week beyond it can be harvested for 1 material with a quality of 1D12 time with a 1D4 chance to have the anam of the component's material as well(actual values to DM discretion). Consumes 1 mundane crafting material per harvest. If harvested at the same day and time every week for three or more weeks in a row harvested materials gain +1 quality. Can be harvested early or not replace components but this will lower quality or even loose harvestability until repaired. It will never need more than replacing internal components and waiting 3 weeks to restore all functionality. Could impress an elder.
    • Pacemaker Pendant
      • Anam: Time major, something else minor.(What works best here, earth? Blood? Are breathing patterns wind aligned?
      • Description: The rainbow eyes are nice, especially how they work with cycling anything but it may be possible for Kong Zhi to exceed them with extreme specialisation and a deep understanding of the requirements. This charm is on a long simple string and hangs over the center of the chest, near his core. It is specifically aid Kong Zhi cycling from A Second Of Eternity. While time anam in general is probably not alive the Second certainly is and that's probably what he feels in it's anam. Ideally it would be made from stone from the Second or containing a few drops of it's water but it probably won't like that, it's unchanging, cyclical nature seems very important to it's nature. Failing that an unattached rock that's been left there for a while or some quartz and rock of the same type as the Second ritually infused in it would work too. It is carved into the shape of a stylized gear with where an axle would go filled with clear quartz or water contained between two quartz panes.
    • Stabilizer
      • Anam: time minor, earth moderate
      • Description: A charm's charm, buffs other charms the wearer is using. Possible active, single target variation.
      • reduces the cooldown and increases the uptime of other charms the user is wearing.

    We have not designed anything using time anam which I think is a shame if it is to be Kong Zhi's specialty.

    • Hesitant Atlatl
      • Anam: Time medium, force minor, steel minor. Perhaps a bit of wind, beast and/or mind for the darts so they have some aim. Make a whole set of tricked out darts for it even.
      • Description: An atlatl made of finely polished wood, has two holes for fingers.
        The difficulty with any muscle power weapon is extending the amount of time over which one can apply force, a direct solution presents itself. At the first moment of the throw it feels normal but as it continues resistance builds quickly, it feels like it's being dragged first through treacle and then through rock, the user should pull on it with all their might during this half second period. All at once the resistance vanishes and dart launches forward with all the force applied.


      • Effects: Archer charm. Long range. Poor against an agile or close by target. Best as an opening shot. Power scales with user's strength.
    • Broken Metronome
      • Anam: Time major, war minor, mind minor
      • Description: Combat is about timing, the tide of battle can change in moments, any fighter with quicker reactions can gain an advantage, another way to gain such an advantage is if the moments themselves favor a particular fighter. This charm speeds up and slows down the wearer slightly in a seemingly random pattern but one that makes perfect intuitive sense to the wearer. It is a very slight effect and averages out to a normal flow of time but it grants enough unpredictability to render any sense of precise timing or prediction quite useless. Think doing PvP but everyone else has a bad ping. It could be an earing perhaps.
      • Effects: Gives an offensive and defensive advantage against styles and opponents that rely on precise timing, has little effect against more basic, reliable methods. Acts as a dex bonus when it comes to gaining and keeping tempo.
    • A Moment's Respite addon.
      • Anam: Time minor, blood minor
      • Description: It is difficult to recover or heal quickly, this ring works as a fourth member of the set and grants A Moment's Respite more time to work improving efficiency and effect, it also gives more control over when the aches and wear return.
      • Effects: A Moment's Respite upgrade.
    • Gap Time
      • Anam: Time major
      • Description: It is possible to travel to the future, skipping over a period of time, it follows the reverse is possible without actually traveling back in time. When this charm is activated the user will have a period of time disconnected from the outside world to regroup and rethink with no gap noticeable to anyone else
      • Effects: Dunno what this would do mechanically
    • Procrastinating Padding
      • Anam: Time major, steel moderate, sloth minor
      • Description: The manner armor typically works is by spreading out a focused force, both over a larger area with hard plates and over a larger period of time with soft padding. This in effect adds a thick layer of padding, turning a sharp blow into what feels like a slow shove but without the weight. I'm not sure what form it would take, it could be a paint specialised to adding that enhancement to any armor, it could just be another piece of jewelry or it could be an actual set of studded leather armor rather than enhancing something else.
      • Effects: Added armor.
    • Hammer Of Ages
      • Anam: Time major, force major, steel major.
      • Description: This unadorned sturdy sledgehammer swings slowly but with seemingly endless inertia, passing through a mountainside without slowing. Comes as a set with some chisels for precision work. The slower the more force. Once set in motion it cannot be stopped until the predetermined end of it's arc.
      • Effects: A crafting and refining tool for working with otherwise unbreakable materials. Gives an intimidation bonus when held. Can be used as a weapon but getting it to move at a usable speed robs it of most of it's impetus, bypasses all but strongest armor and defenses but easy to dodge.
    • Melon Bomb:
      • Anam: Time major, space minor, melon minor
      • Description: Taking aunt Bi's advice to make something just to stick it to reason in general rather than any "practical" goal. A single centermelon acts as the focus. When a set or runes are carved into the rind of a different similar melon, an infusion of time from Zhi's core is provided and a fragment of the centermelon removed when enchanting it is added the ancillarymelon is launched forward to an unspecified time and place. When the centermelon is activated and a timer runs down or it's smashed all ancillarymelons arrive in approximately the same place as the centermelon producing an explosion of melonflesh proportional to the number of ancillarymelons launched, preferably well into the thousands. Find a melon merchant willing to provide all overripe melons at a very low bulk price. Possibly allow single melons to be summoned as emergency rations.
      • Effects: Explosion with scaling damage, create terrain block, bind unlucky creatures and deal drowning damage until retrieved. Highly unlikely to be effected by any specialised defense.
    • Timeater
      • Anam: Time major, blood moderate, hunger moderate
      • Description: Vampiric weapons are well known, practically pedestrian, after all, if one is to cause harm regardless why not gain some value from that? This one accelerates the wearer while applying an opposing effect to a target for balance and efficiency using blood as the medium. A jagged bone dagger with metal along the cutting edges. Honestly this one isn't anything interesting.
      • Effects: Gives a buff to the stabber and an equal debuff to the stabbee. Proportionate to damage dealt.
    • Tune breaker
      • Anam: time minor, music minor, war minor, fate moderate, destruction major
      • Description: defending against something that all we know of that it's time based, omnipresent, probably works through music and incredibly powerful is difficult to say the least but a start can be made. This charm is musically contrary, the sound and anam it echos renders even the most elaborate rhythm based techniques used on the wearer or nearby into just so much noise. Hopefully. Form of earrings?
      • Effects: a percentage reduction of the effect of rhythm based techniques used on the wearer, increased percentage from on complexity. Wearer cannot appreciate music while charm is active. Wearer has reduced ability to interpret sounds and cycles in general while charm is active.

    Those charms probably won't be built, atleast not exactly like that, the Kong method is about making a recipe for a given set of ingredients, not making ingredients fit a recipe.

    Other charm ideas independent of Zhi

    • First Drop Of The Monsoon
      • Anam: Water, beast
      • Description: It's easy to think of water as something that gives way at a touch, it is easy to forget that life is defined by the flow of water. Has a deceptively low amount of anam. Takes the form of a silver circlet with a sapphire in the front. The longer the bearer works on a project the more their ability builds with the charm refining their anam towards that particular end and concentrating mana generated from their work into a temporary dedicated enhancement. It reduces and postpones stress from the task, allowing the wearer to work nigh indefinitely but if they aren't provided for they can have extreme burnout once the effect ceases, either from the task being complete or total collapse. The effect is slow yet can be incredible, allowing the wearer to build a fortress or carve through a mountain singlehandedly over the course of months.
      • Effects: A buff to a given task that builds each repetition with no upper limit, also buffs drive. The narrower the task the better, afterwards the wearer will have a temporary debuff to everything else, this also grows the longer it continued but levels off. Fills stress boxes if the user pushes too far, too quickly. People can cycle anam generated once it's no longer needed. Builds drive. Skill lvl ups are kept afterwards.
    • First Drop Of A New River.
      • Anam: Water, blood
      • Description: It's easy to think of water as something that gives way at a touch, it is easy to forget the heavens and earth themselves are shaped by the flow of water. Like the First Drop Of A Monsoon however this charm is more permanent. Has an even lower amount of anam though few are capable of the mindset nessesary to craft these. This charm takes the form of an iron nail, worn yet strong as the day it was made, covered with angular runes. To apply it the bearer must hammer it directly into their own forehead to three quarters depth. Less an enhancement and more of a geas.
    • False Eye
      • Anam: deception moderate
      • Description: This oval sticker holds a crude drawing of an eye on one side and a simple adhesive on the other. Anyone seeing it lying around will feel a mild impulse to put it onto the center of their forehead, as if on a whim. If they go through with this they and any observers will be convinced it is a genuine third eye, representing an advancement to a higher level of being, rather than operate on it's own mild power it works by turning the perception and anam of witnesses against themselves, using their desire for it to be genuine against themselves. The wearer will "see" things as if they had a third eye but it will be derived purely from their own expectations but they and anyone nearby will be convinced of the vision's authenticity, again by using their desire against them. Created using thankfully unknown principles as a prank by a small native child against their father the devastation wreaked by this cursed charm directly or indirectly makes the life's work of many demonic warlords seem insignificant. After 6 years rooting out the last of the followers of the Three Eyed Skink, a disastrous attempt at reverse engineering by the Empire's greatest sages and an ineffective attempt commanded from the Empire's least enthusiastic sage's assistants the Emperor-In-Steel themself personally oversaw it being sealed in steel three times and dropped into the ocean. The "child", now approaching old age is provided therapy and a handsome retainer to never craft anything ever again.
    • Ring Of True Freedom
      • Description: Allows the wearer to walk out of their life and the world to a place unknowable without a gap or trace left behind, escaping even the chains of spite, duty, oaths and love. This ring is always left behind as the last bond dropped. A gift often given to those who have been left to a duty for lifetimes and those truly penitent on death row.
    • Liar's soul
      • Anam: deception major
      • Description: Generates anam of a type that seems identical to a target type yet unusable. Can be released into an environment like carbon monoxide, suffocating with a healthy flush. It can be last for years before it's nature comes to light, charged charms suddenly revealed to have long been useless.
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    Holy shit dude. These are amazing.
    Are you on the discord?
    We should totally do some of these when/if we get materials. I have no idea how we are going to get time mats but we will try.
     
    Vesvius said:
    "Now, both of you. Calm down. Before I say anything else, I would like to stress one thing: Little Zhi is fine."
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    Yep, totally fine. Zhi definitely didn't pick a fight with a Farmer. He looks better than when he left here (has the benefit of being true, we have Appearance 2 now).

    Vesvius said:
    Nokai watches the scene unfolding before her with wide eyes. "Lan not puppy," she corrects me.
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    Who is this crazy guy that likes dogs so much? Probably worried that you may try to steal them from her by the way you acted.

    Vesvius said:
    I shake my head slowly. "I'd struggle beating up a six-year old."

    Nokai nods gravely. "Can tell. Stay back; get in way of hunt. Keep watch; if see, point and scream. Finish rest."
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    Nice, Nokai and you looking for Wonders sounds fun. Finding more dru... I mean anam is also a worthy goal. Will Kong Ves attempt to catch them all?
     
    I don't know if this idea has been tossed around, but here's a possibility for a perception based charm.
    • Treasurer's Eye
      • Anam: Beauty
      • Construction: A pearl suspended in the center of a glass prism. Engraved upon the pearl are eyes facing each side of the prism.
      • Description: This tool is both simple in use, but profound in purpose. By extending one's sixth sense through this charm, one's range, breadth, and fidelity regarding the perception of anam is greatly enhanced. This can assist one in perceiving nuances in the anam around them while also expanding the distance one can perceive anam as well. Useful in attempting to locate natural wonders among the world or the minute flows of anam in one's material.
    This charm comes from the idea of expanding and refining the Enclosed Stallion Technique that Aunt Bi taught us and how much richer our anam perception was once all the rest of our senses were locked away. Should this tool be crafted, I hope that we can reach impressive heights of anam perception by combining the above technique with the tool for even greater perception of the world around us.
     
    You know, I kinda have somewhat of a buyer's regret regarding Zhi's core.

    Steel and smoke both at the same time just sound either contra-intuitive or just plain industrial.

    Time and smoke? Sounds really fun. Like, this combination has screwing the laws of nature and casuality written all over it.

    Time and steel? A bit strange, but I can see it having a lot of "Simon says" shenanigans where Zhi's time-techniques are ironclad (steelclad), tough to dispel tough to overcome etc.

    Time and steel and smoke? It primarily associates me with a factory manufacturing process completing faster. Fitting for a production Artist I suppose, but not for an artisan like Kong Zhi.

    Eh. Maybe we can swing it as a xianxia clockwork tinker specialty? That could be fun and cool.

    Too late to cry over spoilt milk anyway.
     
    Horium said:
    You know, I kinda have somewhat of a buyer's regret regarding Zhi's core.

    Steel and smoke both at the same time just sound either contra-intuitive or just plain industrial.

    Time and smoke? Sounds really fun. Like, this combination has screwing the laws of nature and casuality written all over it.

    Time and steel? A bit strange, but I can see it having a lot of "Simon says" shenanigans where Zhi's time-techniques are ironclad (steelclad), tough to dispel tough to overcome etc.

    Time and steel and smoke? It primarily associates me with a factory manufacturing process completing faster. Fitting for a production Artist I suppose, but not for an artisan like Kong Zhi.

    Eh. Maybe we can swing it as a xianxia clockwork tinker specialty? That could be fun and cool.

    Too late to cry over spoilt milk anyway.
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    My only regret is that Smoke/Deception/Time sounds really cool and kinda like an almost-inverse of our father's Light/Knowledge/Spider.
     
    Horium said:
    You know, I kinda have somewhat of a buyer's regret regarding Zhi's core.

    Steel and smoke both at the same time just sound either contra-intuitive or just plain industrial.

    Time and smoke? Sounds really fun. Like, this combination has screwing the laws of nature and casuality written all over it.

    Time and steel? A bit strange, but I can see it having a lot of "Simon says" shenanigans where Zhi's time-techniques are ironclad (steelclad), tough to dispel tough to overcome etc.

    Time and steel and smoke? It primarily associates me with a factory manufacturing process completing faster. Fitting for a production Artist I suppose, but not for an artisan like Kong Zhi.

    Eh. Maybe we can swing it as a xianxia clockwork tinker specialty? That could be fun and cool.

    Too late to cry over spoilt milk anyway.
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    We wouldn't be proper questers unless we agreed and went for the first option that was available to us immediately.
     
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    96. Further Sweat
  • Threadmarks
    • 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.
    [] Plan: For the love of pills.
    -[] 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
    --[] You have a fair idea of what's needed to progress your other techniques and it's tempting to buy pills to get all the necessary aspects for the Blooming Spear of the Auroch. How many pills of earth, wood and beast can Shouxi make in time for next week and what would be the cost? Can he use the Winter Crab's carapace? How many of those pills can you even ingest at a time? Ask him! You don't want your intestines to fail... Xu Yun will give you sect points for two more weeks, so if you don't have enough now maybe Shouxi will accept a delayed payment.
    -[] 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.
    --[] You don't know what to buy before you have talked to Shouxi and you don't know what to arrange with Shouxi before you know what's available at the market. Get information and make a cohesive spending plan.
    -[] 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.
    --[] Thank Nokai, Xue and Lan for helping you.
    --[] Offer her an invitation to join our expedition into the deeps
    -[] 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.
    --[] ( Talon of Remembrance ) x2
    --[] ( Raptor's Foot ) x2
    -[] 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. X2
    -----------------------
    You are correct: the beating your friends lay upon you does in fact hurt.

    But that doesn't mean it's not effective.

    For an endless stretch of time that could last anywhere from an hour to a week, Fa, Xu Yun, and Mei Daiyu take turns 'sparring' with you, and they make certain to give it their all. Not a punch is pulled, not a throw is sparred, and there is not one opportunity to lay you on your back that the three don't take. The two that aren't currently beating you into the ground spar amongst themselves while you're eating dirt, but you know you are not imagining how they seem to be going at half speed. No, their own improvement is clearly a secondary goal here. The primary purpose is to beat a Kong Zhi-shaped hole into the training crater, and if you happen to become more proficient with your alterations, that will be a happy side-benefit.

    But no beating can go on forever, no matter how productive. Your friends have their own matters to attend to; they cannot smash you about the training grounds endlessly. One by one, they start making their apologies and leaving the training grounds.

    Xu Yun is the first to go. He bows deeply in apology as he backs away, and then again with each step. "I am sorry," he says over and over again. "I wish I could do more, but Elder Lei has set a time for my final patrol. I must make preparations now or else risk losing his favor."

    You wave him off after his eighth apology, reducing your tormentors down to two. That only lasts an hour longer though; Mei Daiyu is the next to go. She doesn't apologize like Xu Yun did- though she still seems reluctant to leave. "Elder Hotei," she explains. "There is some kind of test approaching… a dinner party?" She stops and shakes her head. "He has not been forthcoming as to the nature of the test. But I need to cleanse myself and cycle before it begins. If you are still working when I have earned my sigil, I shall rejoin you."

    She gives you a small, awkward smile and a slight nod of the head is directed at Fa. Then she's gone, leaving behind only the faint scent of plums.

    You watch her go for a moment and then turn to Fa. "I suppose you are leaving soon to tend to your own Elder as well?" you ask, fighting to keep the hope from your voice.

    From the quirk in the corners of Fa's mouth, you don't think you were successful. But she doesn't address it. Instead she nods. "Elder Fensui has selected a Spirit Beast for us to hunt," she informs you. "A Bear of some sort that is firmly in the Farmer's Step. If we are successful, we earn his Sigil."

    You flinch at the words, and at the memory of your last encounter with a being in the Farmer's Step. "Good fortune to you," you respond. "How many disciples are with you?"

    Fa shrugs. "Enough," she answers. Then she hefts her axe up and lays it across her shoulders. "We shall be successful- and you should not take this as an opportunity to stop your labor."

    You blink once, twice at Fa's words. "Um… I understand? But how do you propose I continue sparring with no opponents?"

    A packet of papers hits you in the chest before you can blink a third time. You glance down to find them covered in spidery scrawl and diagrams of the human body. "Your exercises," Fa informs you, rather unnecessarily in your opinion. "Do them. Please."

    Her voice softens almost imperceptibly on the last word and you can feel your stomach sink. You cannot say no to that. So you don't, instead giving her a slight nod. "I will. Perhaps I should have started with them- they seem far less likely to slice me in two."

    Fa's eyebrows twitch. "Please, Zhi. I would never slice you in two." She pauses and looks you up and down. "Quarters are a far more desirable state of dismemberment; they are worlds more economical."

    Then she too is gone, jogging from the crater and leaving you staring at her slack jawed as she goes.

    …did Fa just make a joke?!

    ...did she just call you by only your given name?!

    ...have you been doing the same!? How long has that been happening?!

    You ponder that for entirely too long. But eventually, not even very confusing thoughts and memories can distract you. Fa was right; you need to begin your exercises if you want any hope of regaining control of the right side of your body. So with your good hand, you open the packet and get to work.

    Athletics Check (Talon): 5d10s7(1.1). DIce Rolled: 8, 10, 7, 4, 3, 1. 2.2, rounded down to 2 Successes!
    Athletics Check (Talon): 5d10s7(1.1). DIce Rolled: 5, 3, 7, 4, 6. 1.1, rounded down to 1 Success!
    Athletics Check (Talon): 5d10s7(1.1). DIce Rolled: 8, 9, 10, 2, 5, 1. 2.2, rounded down to 2 Successes!
    Athletics Check (Talon): 5d10s7(1.1). DIce Rolled: 3, 5, 4, 1, 7. 0 Successes!
    Athletics Check (Foot): 5d10s7(1.1). DIce Rolled: 1, 5, 1, 10, 6, 1. 0 Successes!
    Athletics Check (Foot): 5d10s7(1.1). DIce Rolled: 3, 1, 8, 8, 2. 1.1, rounded down to 1 Success!
    Athletics Check (Foot): 5d10s7(1.1). DIce Rolled: 2, 5, 7, 3, 5. 1.1, rounded down to 1 Success!
    Athletics Check (Foot): 5d10s7(1.1). DIce Rolled: 6, 4, 3, 3, 6. 0 Successes!

    Technique Upgraded! Talon of Remembrance!
    Talon of Remembrance (Strength 2)
    Warrior Technique 3 (Physical 9) (6 til next phase)
    Cost: 0
    Current Phase: 3/15
    Description: Where once Kong Zhi had a normal arm upon his shoulder, now he bears an altered limb capped with a vicious talon.

    And work indeed it is. The exercises prescribed to you by the healer are no easy tasks. They involve stretching your limbs out until you cry, bending your claws until they nearly touch the back of your hand, digging your talons into the stone until either the stone gives way or your foot does, and so much more. And it's all somehow worse than the beating your friends laid upon you hours ago because you're doing them all alone.

    But you don't stop until you physically cannot stretch any more. If this is hard and painful, that only means that the rewards you will reap will be that much more worth it.

    However, that time does come. After another eternity, you cannot stretch another tendon without risking something snapping- even if that something is your mind. You stalk from the training craters, limping as you do.

    Part of you wants to return home to the Spire and finally get that rest you sought. Fa isn't there to police you right now after all. But as quickly as the thought occurs to you, you discard it. Fa isn't there right now because she is hard at work earning her Sigil, as are the rest of your friends. It would be insulting to sleep the day away instead of doing the same.

    So instead, you turn from the Ninth Circle Courtyard and make your way towards the Assignment Hall. While you may not be able to storm the Deeps on your own, at the very least, you can earn points to later spend on things to better your later chances of success.

    The paths begin to grow more congested as you get closer and closer to the Central Pillar. The areas around the training craters are only barely populated, but as you move towards the heart of the sect, you begin having to dodge around disciples to avoid any unfortunate collisions. With your new alterations, it is far harder to avoid crashing into people than it once was.

    But some disciples make it easier than others. The first time you almost collide with one of your fellow Ninth Circle Members, they are the ones to flee from your path, sparing you only a frightened glance. Another Ninth Circle Disciple gives you similar treatment, then so does a third. Even an Eighth Circle Member, sigil dark on their hand, gives you a wide berth, eyes locked on to your right hand, and your stomach winds up somewhere near your feet.

    The reactions of your peers aren't entirely surprising. After all, you look like… this. You had hoped for better, but you cannot say you were not expecting such a reception. It's the reactions of your seniors, though, that give you pause. A Seventh Circle Disciple doesn't exactly give you the right of way, but she does glance at you and nod approvingly. A Fifth Circle Disciple demands that you stop so that they can better inspect your claw. A martial disciple whose ranking you cannot identify even deigns to exchange words with you-

    -though in truth, perhaps it is not so surprising. After all, he looks more alien than you do, with skin green and leathery with hard plates decorated with glowing runes growing right from his flesh. "Very well done," the altered disciple says as he passes you, giving you a respectful nod. "It is good to see the youth not shying away from experimentation."

    You have no idea how to answer that. So instead you bow deeply. "Elder Brother's words honor me," you intone. That seems to be enough to satisfy him; he sweeps away without another word.

    Shortly after that strange encounter, you reach your destination. And you will give your mutations this: while they make your peers shy away from you, they make it far easier to make your way around the Assignment Hall. Enough of the occupants are Eighth and Ninth Circle Disciples that you find yourself with room to stretch no matter where you go in the otherwise packed hall.

    Which is good! It allows you plenty of time to survey the tasks available.

    Which assignments do you take? (Select Two.)
    [] A shipment of dry goods is being delivered to the docks. Unload the ship and send the captain on his way. (Difficulty: Very Easy. Reward: 2 Sect Points)
    [] The torches in the side passages need refreshing. Replace them. (Difficulty: Very Easy. Reward: 2 Sect Points)
    [] A novice combat disciple wishes to receive proper training. Give it to him. (Difficulty: Easy. Reward: 4 Sect Points)
    [] The runes on the lamps within the Archives need to be refreshed. Recarve them using the template provided. (Difficulty: Easy. Reward: 4 Sect Points)
    [] The shelves must be stocked at the Inner Market. Present yourself and be put to work. (Difficulty: Easy. Reward: 4 Sect Points)
    [] An Eighth Circle Immortal Chef has a dish she wishes feedback on. Payment is contingent upon useful criticism. (Difficulty: Medium. Reward: 7 Sect Points)
    [] A Ninth Circle Disciple wishes a new sparring partner. A basic test of competence will be administered before you will be allowed to take this assignment. (Difficulty: Medium. Reward: 7 Sect Points)
    [] A Seventh Circle Refiner needs herbs from the Forest of Pearls above. Acquire them and deliver them for payment. (Difficulty: Medium. Reward: 7 Sect Points)
    [] A Fifth Circle Disciple is honing a technique and wishes to gain a proper test subject. Present yourself to serve as such. (Difficulty: Hard. Reward: 11 Sect Points)
    [] The Archives maintain a map of the most commonly used tunnels in the midlands and highlands. Review it and walk it's paths to ensure they are still accurate. (Difficulty: Hard. Reward: 11 Sect Points)
    [] Blacksmith Tools are going missing in the Creator's Garden. Find what is removing them and deal with it. (Difficulty: Hard. Reward: 11 Sect Points)
    [] There has been word that the snake population in the midlands has exploded to a dangerous level seemingly overnight. Cull the serpents and, if possible, investigate the cause of their sudden reproduction. (Difficulty: Very Hard. Reward: 15 Sect Points)
    [] There is a Spirit Bird that has taken up residence in the Forest of Pearls with a rare and valuable nature. Its feathers are a potent material- but they must be plucked from a live bird to retain peak potency. Pluck them. (Difficulty: Very Hard. Reward: 15 Sect Points)
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Just going to remind y'all, the rankings are based on what the sect says. Its entirely possible that what the Sect thinks is Hard is something Zhi is suited to, or something that's easy is something Zhi's not suited to.

    Its up to y'all to use some discretion on this too.
     
    [] Blacksmith Tools are going missing in the Creator's Garden. Find what is removing them and deal with it. (Difficulty: Hard. Reward: 11 Sect Points)
    Bet this ties into where the hammer went.
     
    Vesvius said:
    Your friends have their own matters to attend to; they cannot smash you about the training grounds endlessly.
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    Vesvius said:
    "I wish I could do more
    Click to expand...
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    Vesvius said:
    she still seems reluctant to leave.
    Click to expand...
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    Vesvius said:
    "Please, Zhi. I would never slice you in two." She pauses and looks you up and down. "Quarters are a far more desirable state of dismemberment; they are worlds more economical."
    Click to expand...
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    With friends like these...

    Hidden Trait Discovered - Stress Relief
    Kong Zhi's friends derive great joy from beating the stuffing out of him. -1 Mental Stress Box every time they trounce him in a spar.
     
    Looking at the tasks...

    [] A shipment of dry goods is being delivered to the docks. Unload the ship and send the captain on his way. (Difficulty: Very Easy. Reward: 2 Sect Points)

    This would probably be a little more difficult for us than normal, due to our new limbs.

    [] The torches in the side passages need refreshing. Replace them. (Difficulty: Very Easy. Reward: 2 Sect Points)

    Similar, but probably less difficult.

    [] A novice combat disciple wishes to receive proper training. Give it to him. (Difficulty: Easy. Reward: 4 Sect Points)

    Well, we could give him HD lessions (might even be Teng Lim), but again, limbs make that a problem...

    [] The runes on the lamps within the Archives need to be refreshed. Recarve them using the template provided. (Difficulty: Easy. Reward: 4 Sect Points)

    Doable. Kong Zhi's left hand would be up to the task.

    [] The shelves must be stocked at the Inner Market. Present yourself and be put to work. (Difficulty: Easy. Reward: 4 Sect Points)

    Doable, but there's potential for damage with our claw.

    [] An Eighth Circle Immortal Chef has a dish she wishes feedback on. Payment is contingent upon useful criticism. (Difficulty: Medium. Reward: 7 Sect Points)

    We have a functioning tongue. Very doable. I can't help but htink we'll compare it to Ming Hui, though!

    [] A Ninth Circle Disciple wishes a new sparring partner. A basic test of competence will be administered before you will be allowed to take this assignment. (Difficulty: Medium. Reward: 7 Sect Points)

    Still think this is Zhuan Kun. He might be very interested in our new limbs, though we're yet to be that good with them.

    [] A Seventh Circle Refiner needs herbs from the Forest of Pearls above. Acquire them and deliver them for payment. (Difficulty: Medium. Reward: 7 Sect Points)

    Herb gathering would be easy enough, I would think. Though this might require a Survival roll.

    [] A Fifth Circle Disciple is honing a technique and wishes to gain a proper test subject. Present yourself to serve as such. (Difficulty: Hard. Reward: 11 Sect Points)

    We lack a Defender tech, and we don't want to get overly injured the week before the Deeps. Gonna say hard no to this.

    [] The Archives maintain a map of the most commonly used tunnels in the midlands and highlands. Review it and walk it's paths to ensure they are still accurate. (Difficulty: Hard. Reward: 11 Sect Points)

    We could possibly run into a spirit beast or something. Wouldn't be hard to do otherwise, but there is a risk. That's why it's rated a Hard mission.

    [] Blacksmith Tools are going missing in the Creator's Garden. Find what is removing them and deal with it. (Difficulty: Hard. Reward: 11 Sect Points)

    Likely related to what stole our hammer! This is tempting. We might even be able to use SEG senses to find the culprit!

    [] There has been word that the snake population in the midlands has exploded to a dangerous level seemingly overnight. Cull the serpents and, if possible, investigate the cause of their sudden reproduction. (Difficulty: Very Hard. Reward: 15 Sect Points)

    Culling the snakes should probably be easy enough, tbh. Use our new foot and claw to slash them. Investigating the cause might be another matter, but we could possibly finish the base task.

    [] There is a Spirit Bird that has taken up residence in the Forest of Pearls with a rare and valuable nature. Its feathers are a potent material- but they must be plucked from a live bird to retain peak potency. Pluck them. (Difficulty: Very Hard. Reward: 15 Sect Points)

    This would likely involve a Survival roll to find the creature, as well as a Stealth roll. Or maybe Animal Empathy. Not sure we'd be suited to this.
     
    [X] Blacksmith Tools are going missing in the Creator's Garden. Find what is removing them and deal with it. (Difficulty: Hard. Reward: 11 Sect Points)

    Stinks of plot.

    [X] There has been word that the snake population in the midlands has exploded to a dangerous level seemingly overnight. Cull the serpents and, if possible, investigate the cause of their sudden reproduction. (Difficulty: Very Hard. Reward: 15 Sect Points)

    Stinks of plot. Spirit Beast Baby Egg.
     
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