The Path Unending (A Cultivation Quest)

[Vesvius]

A/N: A big thanks to the 44 people who have pledged to me on Patreon! If you'd like to join them, you can do so here. Or, if you'd like to suppor me without the monthly commitment, you can buy me a cup of Ko-Fi here.

Spoiler: Previous Winning Vote

> Ta Riou and her Sanctity

------------------------------
...you cannot do it.

You do not know why Mo Hanying is 'asking' you to pick someone who produced blatantly substandard work to win her contest. Such a request not only goes against what she said a mere hour ago, the bluntness of it is… well, it is very unlike her. If Mo Hanying were to ask you to do such a thing, you would expect it to be veiled in metaphors and suggested so lightly that the request would barely register. The fact that she is coming out and just stating her preference is enough to send you reeling.

But while you do not know her reasons, in the end, they do not matter. You simply cannot do it. You cannot give your endorsement, your seal of approval, the approval of the Kong to someone who has not truly earned it. And while He Kwoo's piece is not terrible, it has failed to defeat all of it's rivals.

And so, after a moment's thought, you rise to your feet. The clamor of the audience dies down instantly as you take center stage once more. The contestants, however, do not need any assistance in falling silent. None of them have said a word since they finished their presentations. All of them watch you with eager, hungry eyes.

"The works displayed today have all been exceptional," you begin. "And each of them truly embodies their creator's philosophy of charmcraft. Every piece presented today should be a source of pride for their charmcrafter. All of you, hold your heads high and know that you were worthy of your place in the finals."

"But while all the pieces are of high quality, only one can be the best. Only one can earn their creator the victory they so crave." You pauce, clearing your throat. "And it is my pleasure to announce that victory today."

If possible, the stares coming at you from the competitors intensify even further. If you drag this out much longer, there is a good chance that their eyes will set you aflame- either that or they will all fall over from a lack of air. You cannot have that.

"Though all of the charms spoke of your talent, your skill, and your potential, one truly stood above it's brethren. That charm is Sanctity, by Ta Riou-"

Anything else you might have said is lost in an explosion of adulation.

Some members of the crowd are on their feet, applauding so loudly that you fear their hands might fall off. Fallen competitors seated in the front row are no exception, with the majority of them clapping just as hard as any of the others. Even Wei Rong, standing near the exit to the stadium, is no exception as he brings his mighty mitts together.

Not everyone is overjoyed though. Some audience members sit in sullen silence. Others pass coins to their neighbors while kicking the stands- they were betting on this? But why? Several of the former competitors have faces that looked to be carved from granite, clearly thinking that the victory should have been theirs.

But it is not. It is Ta Riou's. And the blonde glassblower is beside herself. A radiant smile beams from her face as tears of joy fall from her eyes. She reaches over and grabs at her assistant, Nu Shaying seeming almost as happy for Ta Riou's victory as the charmcrafter herself. Once she is free, she is quickly met by her fellow finalists, most of whom rush to slap her on the back.

You do not get to see much of their joy, though. Instead you glance behind you.

Mo Hanying still sits in her seat. She applauds as heartily as anyone else, a seemingly proud smile on her face. But the smile does not quite reach her eyes.

As she rises up to beckon to the culinary disciples waiting near the entrance, Mo Hanying passes by you. She reaches up and claps you on the shoulder in a seemingly friendly gesture. "Very well," she states. "I suppose you must do as you think best."

She nods at you slightly before turning, gesturing at Fan Zhao. As the spear-wielder falls in behind her, Mo Hanying glances up into your eyes one more time.

"I have nothing but respect for your integrity, Kong Zhi. May it serve you well."

Relationships Established: Ta Riou (2: Friend), Boli Guozao (2: Friend), Siau Satai (1: Acquaintance), Song Douyan (1: Acquaintance), Xi Weixiao (1: Acquaintance), Yi Tai (1: Acquaintance), He Kwoo (-1: Annoyance)!
Relationships Changed: Fan Zhao -1 (-1: Annoyance)!, Mo Hanying -1 (1: Acquaintance)!

And then she's gone, leaving you staring after her, wondering what exactly just happened.

We are at the start of week 24! How do you spend your 24th week within the Delving Heart? (Pick Ten!)

You will receive your allowance in 3 weeks!

+5 Sect Points! (Caretaker Allowance)

NOTE: you may attempt to bring anyone you have met within the Delving Heart along on almost any of your actions, save your actions for the Caretakers. However, unless it is simply a social action, dice will be rolled to determine if they are available to accompany you, as they have their own lives and priorities to deal with.

Please cast all votes in PLAN FORMAT!
There is a four hour moratorium on this vote! There is no voting until four hours have passed! If anyone breaks this moratorium, if their vote still stands before it ends, their vote will be disqualified for the round!

Sect Actions
[] You are now a member of the Eighth Circle, and as such, your time is no longer your own. Elder Siani and his Caretakers require your service. (This action counts as 3 Actions. This action is mandatory.)
[] 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.
[] Your purse is light and your sect token even lighter, but there may be a way to remedy the last. You've recently mastered a technique of your own design and are able to pass it on. The Archives might be interested in acquiring such a technique for their own. You will approach them and attempt to strike a deal for further sect points.
[] The more familiar you become with the Caretaker's headquarters, the stranger it seems to you. It is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside. It has more rooms in it than any simple building should. Certain parts of it just feel… strange. It is time to begin solving some of it's mysteries. You will begin exploring the Warren in earnest.

Training Actions
[] You have discovered some talent in the physical arts, but talent is useless if not honed. You will find an empty training field and work on your martial skills.
-[] (Specify Technique Being Trained)
[] Eighth Circle Disciples no longer have to pay for entrance to the Archives, giving you unlimited access to knowledge of thousands of years. You will take advantage of this to further your studies.
-[] (Specify subject of interest. An Investigation Check will determine results.)
[] You now have nearly unlimited access to the Archives of the Delving Heart. You will take advantage of this to search for techniques.
-[] (Specify details of technique you are searching for. An Investigation Check will determine results.)
[] The Archives of the Delving Heart also offer to connect disciples with tutors in their discipline for a cost. You will take advantage of the wisdom of your seniors.
-[] (Select the level of the tutor you will hire. The choices are 7th Circle (3 Talents, Counts as 2 Actions, 1d3 training roll) or 5th Circle (6 talents, Counts as 3 Actions, 1d6+1 training roll).
--[] (Select the Skill you wish tutored.)
[] The only true way to walk your path is to cycle the anam of the world. You will do so.
-[] (Select the Natural Wonder and/or Treasure you will cycle.)
--[] (Select your cycling target (for healing, for a technique, for other purposes, etc.)
[] Those who have taken the Teacher's Step may allow you to cycle their power- thought it is not without cost to your body. (Costs 1 Box of Stress. The type of stress corresponds to what Aspect is cycled.)
-[] (Select which Teacher you will approach to Cycle from)
--[] (Select which Aspect you will cycle from this Teacher)
---[] (Select your cycling target (for healing, for a technique, for other purposes, etc.)

Craftsman Actions
[] Your fingers itch to begin work on a new charm. You shall begin planning one out.
-[] You will begin work on a charm for your own purposes
-[] The Axe you've long since promised to Jai Fa has begun to take form. All it will take is a bit more work to hone this creation of ice and twisted steel to a sharp edge. You will put in that work.
[] A true charmcrafter always has a ready supply of materials ready to go. You will go out and add to your collection.
-[] You will go scavenging for new materials.
-[] You will go hunting for new materials.
-[] You will go seek out new materials in the village market.
[] One of your materials is in a form which does not suit you. You shall refine it.
-[] Select which material you will refine
--[] You will refine it with a quick formation (No bonus, no further cost).
--[] You will refine it with an intense formation (+2 dice, -1 action next turn).
--[] You will refine it with the aid of a charmforge (+5 dice, -1 bronze talent).

Social Actions
[] Jai Fa has been seen in the training craters preparing for a duel of some kind. She does not seem worried about the outcome in the least, but she will always welcome a sparring partner.
[] Jai Shouxi seems to have carved out some rare free time and plans to use it. He has been putting together groups of disciples to serve as test groups. You would be a poor roommate if you did not offer your own services- though hopefully you will be able to avoid being dosed this time.
[] Xu Yun has been spending a great deal of time in the training grounds working on his techniques. You will pay him a visit; it will be interesting to see his mysterious core in action.
[] Bihai is putting his experience with the Court of Preservation to good use by planning a small trip through seldom explored tunnels. He is happy to have you along; after all, the more hands there, the more likely it is for someone to find something good! Bihai has vanished into the tunnels. Sometimes, if you listen well, you can still hear his voice.
[] Much to your bemusement, you have been informed that Zhao thinks very poorly of your howling skills. Nokai has informed you that both of you are to suffer through the hound's remedial lessons. Attendance is heavily advised. (Pack Mentality Roll: 20! May be taken at no cost this week!)
[] Mei Daiyu has not given up on her charmcrafting aspirations, and has begun planning another project. But this project requires an unconventional material: frozen starlight. You have been invited to traverse the Brightmaples with her as she gathers it.
[] You have precisely no idea what just happened with Mo Hanying. There will be no more verbal sparring, no more cunning webs, no more hidden motives. You are going to track her down and get answers. Mo Hanying is nowhere to be found. When approached, her household states that she is occupied with her other contests, though you would be welcome to leave a message. You did not leave a message.
[] Ming Hui has been assigned a task that is thoroughly out of his area of expertise. He has been told to clean a building in the central cavern for a guest of the sect, some Spirit Beast member of another of the great seven. Though it is not your mission, he would be grateful for extra hands.
[] Sun Yijun has received the same warnings about the Warren that you have, telling you not to explore the darkened floors of the Caretaker's Headquarters without being fully prepared. What could fortify you better than working together? The two of you will begin poking through a quiet floor and see what comes next. Sun Yijun cannot be found. When he was last seen, he was pushing into the lower levels of the Warren, one floor deeper than you have visited before.
[] Kumi is preparing to leave the Heart for a mission of some sort, and she is gathering her resources. She would not say no to an extra pair of hands to carry bags as she gets ready to venture forth. Kumi is out of the sect on her mission. She will be back soon- with soup!
[] Word has reached you through the murmurs of the Prospector's Courtyard: Zhuan Kun has extended an invitation for an audience with your name on it. Though considering that the noble has been absorbed in his proving ground for days, you suspect the invitation comes more from his household. You sense Yi Tai's hand in this.
[] Wugui has proven both willing and able to assist you with training your altered limbs, though he does show a bit too much glee in the act for your comfort. You will seek him out and put yourself under his tender mercies once again. Your turtle-esque Senior has his own duties to attend to. He has no time to serve as your taskmaster this week.
[] Weeks ago, you besmirched your home with the abominations that are mass produced charms. But perhaps all hope is not lost. You've recently made the acquaintance of Boli Guozao, a charmcrafter specializing in architecture. Perhaps he could be called upon to assist in salvaging your Spire.
[] Ta Riou has expressed a great deal of interest in body modification techniques. As you have just finished your masterwork, she would welcome the chance to inspect it so as to better plan her own Path. As champion of Mo Hanying's tournament, Ta Riou is beleaguered on all sides by commission requests. She seems like she will be occupied for quite some time.
[] Siau Satai impressed you during Mo Hanyng's tournament. She has not a lick of formal training, but there is clear talent and potential there. With a bit of training, she can see how bright her jewel will shine. You can provide that training.
[] During the charmcrafting challenge, Song Douyan showed a talent with working jewels. But she is still a neophyte when it comes to judging their quality, and she has approached you to remedy that gap in her education. You will take her through the markets and help her learn to tell good gemstones from bad.
[] Xi Weixiao has already begun her next project: a large sculpture depicting wolves fighting skinks. She wishes to be as accurate with her work as possible, but sadly neither of the two subjects will consent to stay still for her. The artist would be greatly appreciative if you assisted her in rendering them insensate long enough for her to capture their form.
[] It is always good to stay in contact with your family. You shall pen them another letter. (Does not count as an action. -1 bronze talent).
-[] (Write-In the contents of the letter)
[] There are other disciples you have yet to meet, and you would like to change that. You'll mingle with your fellows.
[] You have heard of several disciples that you have not formally made the acquaintance of. You would like to expand your social circle, and so you will seek one of them out.
-[] (Write in which disciple you would like to speak with)

Other actions
[] The Delving Heart is a massive cave complex full of mystery. You'll seek that mystery out and find out more about the place you now live.
[] Recently, you have mastered the Stallion's Enclosed Garden, and with it, an enhancement to your sixth sense. Though it will be tiring and difficult, perhaps you can use this technique to refine your hunts through the tunnel. (Counts as Two Actions. Costs one box of mental stress.)
-[] (Choose what you are hunting for: Wonder, Spirit Beast, Kukuni, or Other. A roll will be made on a table made entirely of your choice.)
[] On your belt hangs a small hammer inhabited by a Kukuni of Steel you have dubbed Chui Dao. It seems to be an affable spirit with a passion for beating metal, but there may be more. You will experiment with Chui Dao and see what other secrets hide within his metal.
-[] (Write-In how you will experiment with Chui Dao.)
[] You've recently discovered the location of the Glorious Respite, or rather the Bathhouse as some of your seniors know it. You will head there and use it's refreshing springs to cleanse your mind of troubles. (Counts as Two Actions. Removes one box of mental stress. Up to two disciples may be invited on this trip, with a roll determining if they accept.)
[] During your travels through the Delving Heart, you encountered Tiaoyue, a Blood Kukuni of fearsome power. It was victorious last time and it left you greatly changed. This time, things will be different.
-[] You will hunt down the Kukuni to kill it.
-[] You will hunt down the Kukuni to speak with it.
[] You have talents and you have sect points. They burn a hole in your purse and token the longer you have them. You shall go to the sect market and seek to offload some of your wealth.
[] Jai Shouxi has recently indicated that his skills as a refiner are now available for purchase. While he may not have the backstock that the Inner Market has, he is a touch cheaper- if riskier. (Does not count as an option. Jai Shouxi can make you a maximum of 5 pills per action.)
-[] (Write-In what Pills you wish to purchase from Jai Shouxi. He charges 4 sect points per aspect per grade (i.e: a Grade 1 Earth pill will be 4 points, a Grade 2 Earth pill will be 8 points, a Grade 1 Earth/Fire pill will be 8 points, etc.), with rarer aspects costing more. For each pill, 1d20 is rolled. On a 1, there will be a delay, and your pill will not be available this next week. On a 20, Jai Shouxi has slipped into Clarity. Your commission will have interesting results.)
[] Jai Shouxi has begun selling cups of his new, energizing tea at the behest of Elder Yixue. It is guaranteed to energize and refresh you, but it is not without its downsides. (Cost: 1 Talent. Gain one extra action, fill one mental stress box.)
[] Write-In

 

[Vesvius]

A/N: A big thanks to the 46 people who have pledged to me on Patreon! If you'd like to join them, you can do so here. Or, if you'd like to support me without the monthly commitment, you can buy me a cup of Ko-Fi here.

Spoiler: Previous Winning Vote

>Plan Trapped Under the Ice
>> You are now a member of the Eighth Circle, and as such, your time is no longer your own. Elder Siani and his Caretakers require your service. x3 actions
>>> Use Wind pills when necessary if we are cycling An Elegant Plume
>> Much to your bemusement, you have been informed that Zhao thinks very poorly of your howling skills. Nokai has informed you that both of you are to suffer through the hound's remedial lessons. Attendance is heavily advised. (Pack Mentality Roll: 20! May be taken at no cost this week!)
>>> Use Choir Note if training Warhounds Cry.
>> Mei Daiyu has not given up on her charmcrafting aspirations, and has begun planning another project. But this project requires an unconventional material: frozen starlight. You have been invited to traverse the Brightmaples with her as she gathers it.
>> Word has reached you through the murmurs of the Prospector's Courtyard: Zhuan Kun has extended an invitation for an audience with your name on it. Though considering that the noble has been absorbed in his proving ground for days, you suspect the invitation comes more from his household. You sense Yi Tai's hand in this.
>> Siau Satai impressed you during Mo Hanyng's tournament. She has not a lick of formal training, but there is clear talent and potential there. With a bit of training, she can see how bright her jewel will shine. You can provide that training.
>> Your fingers itch to begin work on a new charm. You shall begin planning one out.
>>> The Axe you've long since promised to Jai Fa has begun to take form. All it will take is a bit more work to hone this creation of ice and twisted steel to a sharp edge. You will put in that work.
>>>> Crafting X1 w/ Chui Dao, Infusing X2
>>>> You will infuse the charm in The Twice-Forged Thicket
>> The only true way to walk your path is to cycle the anam of the world. You will do so. x1 action
>>> A Second of Eternity
>>>> Shatter the Mirror

----------------------------
As you stalk from the confines of Mo Hanying's amphitheatre your mind is a confused tangle of thoughts. Even though you saw everything happen with your own eyes, you still can only guess at what just occurred. Mo Hanying wanted you to crown the winner of her contest… until she didn't? But if she wanted you to pick someone specific, why did she not simply tell you beforehand and at least try to talk about it? Why were you even there? Why did she not seize back the power she gave you and countermand your decision? She's nobility; that kind of thing may not be encouraged, but few would have been surprised if she did.

You… you need to be somewhere else right now. You need to be doing something else right now. It doesn't matter what it is, you just need to focus on something to still the buzzing in your beehive of a mind.

Simple, mindless work might be just the thing you need to regain your control. But what? You do not want to work on Fa's axe in this state; you cannot risk polluting your work with the feelings currently boiling in your gut. Perhaps you should seek out one of your friends and exchange pointers. Or you could see what Sister Xiong has to offer you. You could even go seek a regular assignment for once! Simple labor may not be the most glamorous thing, but it would at least be completely mindless. Or you could… you could...

Your thoughts come to a complete halt as you round a bend in the tunnel.

What had so far been a flat and uninteresting stretch of stone that should have led you back to the central cavern is instead replaced with the towering spires and rhythmic rain of the Second of Eternity.

The echoing splashes of water meeting stone sounds almost like a friendly greeting.

....very well then. This will certainly do. You pick your way through the stone, pat one spire on the side in a friendly greeting, and drop down into your cycling position.

Cycling Check: 10d10s6(1.0). Dice Rolled: 9, 8, 7, 7, 7, 6, 4, 2, 1, 1. 4 Successes!
Cycling Check: 10d10s6(1.0). Dice Rolled: 10, 10, 8, 5, 4, 3, 2, 2, 2, 6, 1. 3 Successes!
Cycling Check: 10d10s6(1.0). Dice Rolled: 9, 8, 8, 7, 7, 5, 5, 4, 2, 1. 4 Successes!
Cycling Check: 10d10s6(1.0). Dice Rolled: 10, 10, 8, 6, 6, 5, 4, 3, 3, 2, 10, 6, 3. 7 Successes!

18 Successes!
A Second of Eternity: 25/25 -> 7/25!
Technique Upgraded: Shatter the Mirror!

Spoiler: Shatter the Mirror

Shatter the Mirror (EMP 4)
Defender Technique 3 (Time 39) (13 Remaining)
Cost: 5 Anam
Phases: 5/7
Description: There was once a Vestige which could create many copies of itself. Kong Zhi is incapable of that feat, but thanks to time anam, he does not have to recreate it as is. Instead, he can pluck himself from another moment in time, having that copy do his bidding for a short period of time.

By the time you feel that you have taken all that you can safely take from the Second of Eternity, you feel much better. The effort of managing Time Anam did a great deal to distract you from your thoughts. As you rise up, the energy of the ages settling in your bones, you feel more at peace than you did hours ago. More… centered.

...cycling Time anam helped to calm you down. What a strange world you live in.

But regardless of how strange it is, it is undoubtedly true. You leave the Second of Eternity with your thoughts well and truly in order. So what if you do not understand what just happened? How is that any different than how you are after a normal conversation with Mo Hanying. You are certainly still upset, and eventually you will have answers, but for now you are content to tuck those feelings into the back of your mind. You will retrieve them later, when they can do some good.

That is a matter for later, though. As for now? Now that you are centered, you feel ready to return to the Twice-Forged Thicket. Fa's axe is so close to completion that you can practically taste it. All you need to do is finish shaping the blade and affix it to the haft. You will not let such minor tasks stand in the way of your friend receiving her just reward any longer.

It is only a brief journey from the Second to the Thicket, and your new form makes it even shorter. Before long, you are back at your makeshift workstation amongst the iron boughs. A flick of your wrist summons the partially finished charm from the depths of the Wandering Estate. You almost flick it again to call up your tools-

<Muuuuuuuuu.>

-but before you can, your eyes find the unblinking azure stare of Chui Dao, who seems none too pleased at the thought of you using another tool. You consider the spirit for a moment before shrugging and lifting it's hammer from your belt sash much to the kukuni's joy. The small spirit has been very helpful thus far. You may as well continue on as you began.

With a grunt of effort, you lift Chui Dao and continue your labors.

Craft (Weapon): Check: 3d10s7(1.4)+5 (Son of Kong Shuren)(Chui Dao, the Hammer) vs. Build Target 13 (55-8-8-9-9-3-5). Dice Rolled: 10, 7, 7, 8. 5.6, rounded up to 6 plus 5 equals 11 Successes!
Craft (Weapon): Check: 3d10s7(1.4)+5 (Son of Kong Shuren)(Chui Dao, the Hammer) vs. Build Target 2 (55-8-8-9-9-3-5-11). Dice Rolled: 6, 5, 3. 0 plus 5 equals 5 Successes!
Craft (Weapon): Check: 3d10s7(1.4)+5 (Son of Kong Shuren)(Chui Dao, the Hammer) vs. Build Target -3 (55-8-8-9-9-3-5-11-5). Dice Rolled: 8, 8, 5. 2.8, rounded up to 3 plus 5 equals 8 Successes!
Craft (Weapon): Check: 3d10s7(1.4)+5 (Son of Kong Shuren)(Chui Dao, the Hammer) vs. Build Target -11 (55-8-8-9-9-3-5-11-5-8). Dice Rolled: 2, 1, 1. -2 plus 5 equals 3 successes!

Build Target: -14! Build Target Met!

This time, Chui Dao does not do anything as pedestrian as sit atop your arm while you swing it's hammer. Instead the spirit reaches out for the axehead and sinks down into it, it's semi-gelatinous form squeezing into every nook and cranny of the unfinished weapon. The webwork of steel suspended in the ice shines with an inner fire as the kukuni brings its power to bear.

As you watch, the blade slowly seems to alter it's form on its own. The uneven surface begins to flatten out, the twin heads both expand, a fine edge forming on each end. If you wanted, you could likely sit back and watch as the axe finished it's own creation. Or rather, you could watch as Chui Dao puts the finishing touches on your creation.

But no. You will not be outdone by a Kukuni with a one-sound vocabulary! You bring the hammer down on the malleable ice, adding your own strength to the Spirits. Chui Dao seems to take your force and adds it to its own efforts, speeding the process up even further. With each hammer-stroke, the blade gets larger and larger, the edge taking on more and more of a wicked sharpness.

A quick test reveals that the blade is already sharp enough to draw blood. You stick your now dripping fifth finger into your mouth to soothe the pain before grinning and swinging the hammer once more.

The blade might be sharp, but it is also absurdly thin. You're sure that the steel lattice Chui Dao is adding to the ice will strengthen it, but you would rather be safe than sorry. It needs more mass. Thankfully, you have the remaining shavings from the anvil to add to the equation.

Leaving Chui Dao behind to continue its work, you make a quick fire with fallen boughs and throw in a small nugget of specially prepared charcoal to make it burn even hotter. Once the flames are nearly blue, you drop your pot full of anvil shavings on top- and then add another with the scraps of what used to be the door knocker on top. You have a new idea.

Soon, the scraps are gone, leaving only the shimmer of molten steel and bronze in their place. You waste no time in gathering the steel and labeling it over the axehead as if you were Ming Hui basting a cut of meat. The majority of the steel drips right back off of the ice and back to the pot but some remains, sticking to the axehead like a new coat of paint. A flick of your wrist spins the axehead and you repeat the process, staining the ice with silver-gray.

Several hours later your ladle finally scrapes the bottom of the pot. The steel has all adhered to the axehead, adding mass and stability to the unfinished weapon. Where before your project was blue with veins of gray, now it is gray with streaks of blue seeping to the surface. The only part of the axe that is still unquestionably ice is the edge, which still is a proud, unbroken azure.

Handle Animal Check: 4d10s7(1.0)(Includes Bonus Dice). Dice Rolled: 9, 5, 5, 3. 1 Success!

Chui Dao has not lain idle during the long coating process either. Even now it works inside the axe, ejecting pockets of air and unifying the metal into an unbroken coating. The kukuni lets out <Mug!>'s of joy every few moments, clearly delighting in the work. Every now and then, it pops it's bright blue eye out of the axe to peer at you, as if checking to make sure that you approve of what it's doing.

The next time it pops out, you gesture at it to vacate the axehead. It does so with a groan. Tentatively, you reach out and pat it on its… head? Its head. You feel a small amount of sympathy for it. Being told to stop working before the project is obviously done is not a fun experience for anyone. But just as Father stopped you from helping him assemble the Tapestry of the Twin Dukes when you were seven, you must stop Chui Dao from assisting you now and for much the same reason: you cannot risk anything distracting you while you add the brass.

So once Chui Dao is free from the charm, you dip a brush with a head of miststeel strands into the molten brass and move it over to the burning hot axehead. Then quickly, with a deft hand, you begin to paint.

You've no design in mind, but your hands certainly have ideas on what they wish to make. Brass forms a jagged edge near the frozen edges before tapering off, segueing into dozens of thumb-sized teardrops. The droplets of metal meet again in the middle, unifying into a worn crown- perfect for one who walks the Path of the Bloodstained Tyrant. A few carefully placed rubies completes the look, making it appear as if blood is arcing from every strike.

The other side gets a less thematic design, but one no less meaningful. Several lines cross from edge to edge, winding and twisting in labyrinthine patterns. The maze of brass is only interrupted in a few key locations, leaving steel silhouettes of beasts you and Fa have slain together peeking through: a skeleton with a segmented lower body. A crab. And in the center, the towering elephantine figure of the Vestige you fought in the ghost city.

With the designs done you can barely wait for the metal to cool before moving to bring it all together. The last of the steel is alloyed with the last of the brass and combined with a healthy dose of Angel's Tears, and you coat the well in the center of the axehead with a brush dipped in the resulting mixture.Another coat on the haft itself allows you to press the two components together into one complete piece. Another dash of Angel's Tears and some unguents to heat and mold the axehead one last time ensures it.

Just like that, all you have to do is infuse the completed charm with anam and Fa will finally have her just reward-

Cycling Check: 10d10s6(1.4)(Son of Kong Shuren). Dice Rolled: 10, 8, 8, 8, 8, 6, 6, 6, 5, 3, 5. 11.2, rounded down to 11 Successes!
Cycling Check: 10d10s6(1.4)(Son of Kong Shuren). Dice Rolled: 9, 9, 9, 8, 5, 6, 5, 5, 3, 1. 7 Successes!
Cycling Check: 10d10s6(1.4)(Son of Kong Shuren). Dice Rolled: 10, 8, 8, 8, 8, 6, 3, 3, 2, 1, 7. 8.4, rounded down to 8 Successes!
Cycling Check: 10d10s6(1.4)(Son of Kong Shuren). Dice Rolled: 10, 8, 7, 7, 6, 6, 4, 3, 3, 2, 6. 9.8, rounded up to 10 Successes!
Cycling Check: 10d10s6(1.4)(Son of Kong Shuren). Dice Rolled: 10, 8, 7, 7, 4, 4, 4, 3, 3, 1, 10, 4. 5.6, rounded up to 6 Successes!
Cycling Check: 10d10s6(1.4)(Son of Kong Shuren). Dice Rolled: 9, 8, 6, 5, 4, 4, 2, 2, 2, 1. 2.8, rounded up to 3 Successes!
Cycling Check: 10d10s6(1.4)(Son of Kong Shuren). Dice Rolled: 10, 10, 9, 9, 7, 6, 5, 3, 2, 1, 9, 8. 9.8, rounded up to 10 Successes!

Build Target Reached!

-and that is, surprisingly enough, easier done than said.

You hardly have to try to infuse the axe. The materials have been bathing in the power of the Twice-Forged Thicket since you began the charm's construction. The anam has been a constant presence in your mind's eye as you shaped the metal, wrangled Chui Dao, and painted the designs. It barely takes a slight breath to fill your lungs with the power of Wood and Steel, and from there it is simple to coax the mixture into the charm.

Barely an hour after you began infusing the charm, you have completed it.

Spoiler: The Axe Charm

<THE AXE> (Weapon/Axe)
Warrior Charm 4 (Steel 35/Force 9/Ice 5)
Trigger Cost: N/A(Passive)/4 Anam (Final Strike)
The physical embodiment of a promise, <THE AXE> is a weapon forged by Kong Zhi for his long time friend and accomplice Jai Fa as both payment for a duel and as a token of appreciation.

When in combat and wielding <THE AXE>, the wielder gains 3 bonus dice to any melee attack they use. In addition, every round that the wielder rolls a 10 or their opponent rolls a 1, they gain 1 point of hardness up to their CON score. At any point in the combat, the wielder may pay <THE AXE>'s trigger cost, sacrificing their stacked hardness and gaining that number of successes to their current roll.

Now, only one thing remains before you can hand your latest creation over to your roommate.

You need to give it a name.

What do you name the axe you have forged for Fa?
[] Write-In

 

[Vesvius]

A/N: A big thanks to the 47 people who have pledged to me on Patreon! If you'd like to join them, you can do so here. Or, if you'd like to support me without the monthly commitment, you can buy me a cup of Ko-Fi here.

Spoiler: Previous Winning Vote

>The Weight of Winter

-------------------------------
It takes you a little bit of time to find Fa. When you return from the Twice-Forged Thicket, it is to an empty and desolate Spire. She is nowhere to be seen in the Prospector's Courtyard either, and a quick trip to the hospital reveals that she is not currently hovering over Jai Shouxi's shoulder either. In fact, Jai Shouxi is absent from his usual post as well, which means wherever they are, they are likely together.

Thankfully there are only so many places that the two of them frequent. In fact, your search is over almost as quickly as it had begun when you emerge into the training craters. Sure enough, Fa is working over a straw dummy with an axe moving with speed that belies its size. Behind her, sitting with his back resting against the crater wall, is her brother. Jai Shouxi's pestle is moving nearly as quickly as his sister's weapon though his eyes remain trained on his twin.

"Blooming Orchard!" Jai Shouxi suddenly calls out. Fa shifts instantly at the sound of her brother's words. Her axe, which had previously been flying for the dummy's head, changes angles. It darts low to bite at the burlap foe's ankles instead. As she swings, Fa moves, twisting out of the way of an imaginary foe. The pattern repeats itself as you watch. Again and again, Fa strikes at the dummy's ankles and dodges attacks that never come.

After the sixth repetition with no changes, you shrug and slide down the side of the crater. It does not look like Fa will be taking a break any time soon, so now is as good a time as any to make your entrance. You come to a halt next to Jai Shouxi, who glances up at you and offers a friendly nod. "Good afternoon, Kong Zhi," he greets you. "I hope that this day is treating you well."

"As well as any other," you respond, glancing from Jai Shouxi to Fa. "May I ask what that dummy has done to offend Fa?"

Jai Shouxi snorts at the question and shakes his head. "The dummy itself is merely a victim of circumstance," he answers easily. "It is- hold for a moment, please. Fa! Frog in a flame!"

That last is shouted in Fa's direction, and you turn with the shout to watch as once again the slightly older Jai Twin springs into action. Her axe freezes mid-swing and she leaps, springing from the ground as if she fears it may rise to swallow her. Your friend's legs carry her up to the lip of the crater before gravity reasserts its dominance, and as she descends her axe licks out once more. It is barely a glancing blow, but Fa does not pause to attack again. The moment her feet touch the ground she is airborne once more.

After a moment's inspection, Jai Shouxi gives his sister's efforts an approving nod before turning back to you. "As I was saying, it is not the dummy who has offended my dear sister. It is Gai Baisei."

You frown, fighting to put a face to the name. A moment's contemplation leaves you no further enlightened as to who Jai Shouxi is speaking of. "I cannot say I have had the pleasure," you respond.

"Fa would call you lucky," the refiner answers. "I have met him several times and found him congenial for the most part, but my sweet sister has found him less than polite. It seems he is a great proponent of the unarmed arts- to the point where he looks down on those who use weapons. He decided to express those views to Fa at length and so…"

"...she took exception," you finish, slightly bewildered despite the truth in Jai Shouxi's words. Fa? Act out of hot blooded passion? You suppose that such a thing is possible, but Fa is perhaps the most level-headed disciple in your courtyard. For her to take offense to another's words...

You shake your head and refocus, bringing your gaze back to the scene before you. Fa is still hopping and slicing, refusing to stay still for even as long as a breath. "His words must have been beyond the pale," you muse.

"They were so dire that Fa felt that there was no suitable response short of challenging him to a duel," Jai Shouxi answers, his head bobbing up and down with a nod. "And soon, they will put their philosophies to the test. Gai Baisei will bring his fists and soul against Fa's blade and spirit. The winner will be proven correct."

You nod slowly, digesting the news. "And this training is…"

"My own humble attempts to help Fa ape Gai Baisei's techniques," comes the answer. "His physical arts are no match for Fa's own, but his techniques are varied and hard to defend against. Through some small effort of my own, I was able to obtain an up to date list of what he is capable of. Now Fa drills to handle his most dangerous abilities."

Jai Shouxi considers something for a moment before brightening. "Ah, and it is good you found us!" he cheers. "I had meant to leave this by your bedside, but with the damage to the security charms, I thought it would be best to place everything directly in your hands."

He reaches into his robes and produces a small pill chute. Three taps of it leave three shimmering blue orbs in your palm. "A trio of low-grade wind pills, as ordered," Jai Shouxi states. "I do hope they are helpful in whatever your purpose for them is."

Pills Gained: Sylph's Kiss (Grade 1 Wind) x3!

You take the offered pills with a nod and slide them into your own pill chute. "My thanks," you respond. "I greatly appreciate all of the aid you have provided. But now, it is time for me to repay the favor. I've come by to give Fa something that belongs to her."

Jai Shouxi's brow scrunches up in confusion for a moment before it clears, eyes widening as he realizes what you are speaking of. "It's finished?" he nearly gasps.

"It is," you confirm with a nod. "All that is left to deliver it- which I would love to do if she would stop swinging her axe for a moment."

The refiner glances to where his sister is still hopping about and chuckles. "Of course. We wouldn't want you to lose your head. I will fetch her." Jai Shouxi turns to his sister and cups one hand over his mouth. "Fa! Take a rest! We've company!"

Fa offers one more strike to the dummy before rocking back on her heels. She reaches up to wipe sweat from her brow and turns, eyes widening fractionally as she catches sight of you. "Zhi," she greets you. "My apologies. I did not notice your arrival."

You wave off her words and nod. "Think nothing of it. You seemed most engrossed in your work," you answer. "In fact, it is I who must apologize."

Your friend cocks her head to the side at her words. "Why so?" she asks before freezing in place. "Zhi, what have you done now-"

"No, no," you interrupt, waving your hands as if to dispel whatever thoughts currently wander through her mind. "All is well. I am apologizing because you have been putting a great deal of work into your training- and now you have even more work to do."

Again, Fa answers only with a questioning look. In answer you reach out and flick your wrist, conjuring your latest work from the depths of the Wandering Estate. The heavy axe shimmers into existence over Fa. She reaches up and catches it moments before it lands on her head, letting her old axe plummet to the mossy floor.

You let out a satisfied sigh as you take in the sight of Fa inspecting her new weapon. While she looks at it, you give it another appraising glance yourself. Your finished work stands nearly as tall as Fa herself, with a heavy head of steel and brass fully as wide as your friend is. The rubies on the head glitter brilliantly in the light of the central pillar and the brass designs seem to pulse with power. But despite its size, Fa lifts it easily, testing its weight with a casual swing.

"In your hands," you state. "You hold the Weight of Winter. It is mostly comprised of steel and force, with the core of the head being the ice from the crab vestige. It should enhance your own offensive capabilities by a sizeable degree, but it's true strength will show itself as the battle drags on. The more you use it, the more-"

You cut yourself off as Fa turns back to the dummy, bringing the Weight of Winter to bear against her burlap foe. A quick swing relieves it of an arm while another finishes the job on its legs. Fa swings over and over, and as she does, the Weight of Winter begins it's work.

The handle seems to liquify around Fa's hands. Steel creeps up her arms with every blow, forming a pair of silver gauntlets. Another swing makes it go to her shoulders. A third forms a bulky chest plate while a fourth grows a collar. The more she swings, the more complete the armor around her body grows. Before long, Fa resembles nothing so much as a titan of steel, engulfed in thick armor that burns bright with ice blue runes.

Suddenly, the runes change from burning blue to a brilliant white. You are just able to shield your eyes before Fa lets out a grunt of effort, bringing the Weight of Winter down in a mighty arc. Thunder roars and the ground seems to shake- and when your eyes clear, Fa stands before a smouldering hole in the ground.

She eyes the axe appreciatively. "This will do nicely," she states. Then Fa turns back to you. "But… the name. Really?"

You roll your eyes in response. It's like she's never met you.

The corner of Fa's mouth twitches and she moves towards you. Your friend slings the Weight of Winter over her shoulder and leans forward, clapping you on the shoulder. "I suppose I have escaped from your naming sense with only light wounds. You have my deepest thanks," Fa intones, a faint note of gratitude clear in her normal monotone making it clear she is not talking about the name.

"None are needed," you respond. "This was long promised and long overdue. I can only hope that it will prove useful in your duel to come."

A wolf-like smile splits Fa's face. "Oh, yes," comes her answer. "He will never see it coming."

Skill Up! Craft (Weapon) +2!
Spent 5 Mundane Crafting Supplies!
Relationship Changed: Jai Shouxi +1 (3: Good Friend)!

 

[Vesvius]

A/N: A big thanks to the 48 people who have pledged to me on Patreon! If you'd like to join them, you can do so here. Or, if you'd like to support me without the monthly commitment, you can buy me a cup of Ko-Fi here.
--------------------------------
Fa is far from the only disciple hard at work. As you pull yourself from her chosen training crater, you are surrounded by dozens of other, similarly occupied spaces in the ground. All around you, disciples in black and white robes hone their craft. Sigils gleam on all of their hands as they work over the dummies and hone their techniques. You catch glimpses of the blue of the Stone Fist, the red of the Court of Preservation, and the white of the Grove while you start to make your way back home.

While the sigils are familiar, the faces of those who wear them are not. You do not recognize a single face throughout the entire complex of training craters save the Jai Twins. Some seem vaguely familiar, certainly, but only in passing. There is not one person you think you have spoken with once in the craters.

That includes the disciple who, mid-sidekick, spots you and nearly falls flat on the mossy stone. He barely seems to notice the clod of green earth that comes with him as he scrambles to his feet. As you pause, bemusement clear on your features, he rushes up the side of the crater as if the Ravenous Kraken itself lives in the floor.

"Lord Kong!" the disciple pants out as he skids to a halt before you. "I am glad that I have found you!"

You pause and look the disciple up and down once again. He has short, scruffy hair, a warrior's calluses on his fingers, and robes torn to shreds around his wrists- and you are even more sure than ever before that you have never exchanged a single word with him. "Have we met?" you ask.

The disciple seems to wilt. "Um… yes, Lord," he states. "I am Bu Ewai. Perhaps you may remember me? We met when I was assisting Lord Zhuan in his training efforts."

...assisting Zhuan Kun in his efforts? You cannot say you recall seeing this disciple there. There was Zhuan Kun, Yi Tai, and several others whose faces you did not get a chance to see because they were covered by Zhuan Kun's fists. Bu Ewai must be one of the latter, you suppose. Though it's not like you would know if you were wrong. "I see," you respond. "It is good to see you again?"

When the disciple doesn't speak up again, you fill the silence. "...is there something I can do for you?" you ask.

An awkward silence fills the air- until it is broken by the dirt clod falling from the disciple's robes.

"Uh, not I, Lord Kong," Bu Ewai responds. "But Lord Zhuan has made it known that he would enjoy the pleasure of your company at your soonest convenience. Whenever you have a moment, you will be able to find him in the greater training grounds."

You consider his words. "I see. Thank you for conveying the message. It is greatly appreciated."

Bu Ewai beams at you, prior awkwardness all but forgotten. "It was my pleasure, Lord Kong! And… um… when you see Lord Zhuan, could you tell him that it was I who conveyed it to you? It would mean... a great deal for… um, my standing."

The tattered disciple trails off at the end, barely managing to say his final piece. You are not sure why; it seems a simple enough request. You offer Bu Ewai a nod. "I do not see why not."

Your words are enough to put a new spring in Bu Ewai's step as he slides back into the training crater. You watch him as he resumes his efforts once again before shrugging and continuing on your way. What a strange conversation.

But it is not the last one you have. Before you can leave the training craters, you are approached again by another disciple with similar words on his lips. Then another, this one right as you are about to re-enter the main roads of the Heart. A third finds you there, again informing you of Zhuan Kun's desire to speak with you- then a fourth interrupts that conversation to say it again.

By the time yet another disciple approaches you as you near the Prospector's Courtyard, you are barely able to hold in a sigh. Zhuan Kun seems most insistent on a meeting 'at your earliest convenience'- and since he speaks from a position of power, that usually means right this very instant. While you are… a touch reluctant to speak with any noble at the moment after your recent experiences, it doesn't appear that you will be left alone until you heed his wishes. You stop at the Spire only long enough to wash the day's dust from your body before you turn and leave once more, making your way to the greater training grounds.

It's been quite some time since you visited any training areas in the Delving Heart besides the craters. The last time you visited the greater training grounds was months ago, when you went to attend Mei Daiyu's duel. Back then, in the midst of the organized chaos that was the duel, you barely got a chance to see the grounds themselves. But now that you are not quite as distracted, you find that you were not missing much.

The training grounds are a large expanse that takes up a cavern as large as the Prospector's Courtyard. The entire cavern floor has been smoothed to a flat plane and divided into several dozen squares separated by lines of light. Each square is large enough to hold dozens of disciples, and several are doing just that. As you watch, everything from simple hand-to-hand sparring to full-scale war games is playing out, with techniques vanishing as they cross the barriers.

Every disciple that you see here has shed the black-and-white of the Eighth Circle in favor of their own garb- every disciple save those in the square closest to the entrance.

Unlike the squares filled with full squadrons of warriors, this square is filled with only four occupants and Boli Guozao's Proving Ground. The charm's creator is one of them. He stands behind the charm, using it as a flat surface on which he has splayed a scroll and is making notes. Two of the other disciples are standing in front of the Proving Ground and… are throwing rocks into it?

The last disciple in the square is Zhuan Kun.

The noble is a blur of motion as he puts the charm through its paces. Blades of light shoot out at him from every angle, causing him to writhe and twist in midair to avoid getting pierced through. Even his quick reflexes don't allow him to escape unscathed; a spray of blood shoots from his shoulder as one edge slices it open. He trades the wound for one delivered to the charm, using his spin to launch a knife into the rune that just injured him. It sparks and sputters, it's attack losing cohesion.

It does not vanish all at once though. That is something the noble takes full advantage of. He grabs at the anam with one hand and pulls, ignoring how the lightning aspect burns at his skin even as he uses it to change direction. Zhuan Kun's muscles bulge as he propels his own body up with the strength of one arm, spinning even higher like a carnival performer. The rocks sailing at him are deflected with two fingers from his free hand and one shoots back, smacking into the forehead of one of his helpers and sending them tumbling back with powder on their face.

Eventually, gravity enforces its will. Zhuan Kun lands on both hands and spins, sending his feet hurtling into the empty faces of two light-forged assailants. He springs back to his feet with one fluid motion, a knife shimmering in his grip and becoming a sword that he runs another shimmering form through with.

But this attacker does not vanish right away either. Instead, it grabs onto the blade shooting out of its midsection, sending a sizzling crackle through the training grounds as lightning courses up the blade and into Zhuan Kun once again. The distraction is just enough for the noble to lose track of the bedlam around him for a split second, and that is all it takes. Another three attackers smash into him with the force of rampaging horses. The blow is enough to send Zhuan Kun sprawling- and more importantly, out of the Proving Ground. When the noble springs back to his feet, it is to find his charm already beginning to shut down.

"The next iteration needs resetting runes," Zhuan Kun orders. "And the arrays need to be able to reconfigure themselves. The patterns are beginning to grow predictable."

Boli Guozao makes several notes on his scroll. "Of course, Lord. Perhaps a quicksilver configuration as well? Such an array will diffuse the power somewhat, but it will make it harder for you to detect what will activate next."

Zhuan Kun ponders Boli Guozao's words for a moment before responding. "The added difficulty will be useful, but any power loss is unacceptable. What can you do to prevent it and still keep the quicksilver?"

Boli Guozao taps his finger on his lips for a moment. "I… am not certain, Lord."

"Find out," Zhuan Kun orders. Then he glances over his shoulder. "Yi Tai, help…"

"Boli Guozao," Yi Tai helpfully supplies.

"Yes, make inquiries on Boli Guozao's behalf. Have every resource made available to him so that we might hasten his search.."

"Of course, Lord," Yi Tai responds.

More could be said, but as Zhuan Kun turns back to Boli Guozao with further improvements on his lips, you cannot help but lose track of the conversation. The battle has actually caused Zhuan Kun to break a sweat. He has shed both his robes and his under robes, leaving him clad in only loose fitting pants and sandals. The top-knot he usually keeps his hair restrained in has failed, allowing it to cascade down to his shoulders, framing his-

You shake your head and glance away. No. Not now. You are here on business!

The motion causes Yi Tai to glance in your direction. A small smirk forms on the secretary's face and he turns back to his partner in throwing things at their lord. After a muttered conversation which leaves the other disciple looking far from pleased at his lot in life, Yi Tai nods in your direction. "Good day, Lord Kong," he greets you. "It is most fortuitous that you have arrived so quickly!"

"Fortune has nothing to do with it," comes your dry response. "Lord Zhuan's messengers were most persistent."

Yi Tai smiles almost fondly. "They are a good enough group, yes," he answers. "Tell me, who found you first?"

"Um… it was... " you mutter, fighting to remember the nondescript disciple's name. "Bu Ewai? Yes, Bu Ewai. He found me in the training grounds."

"Most wonderful," Yi Tai responds. A small charcoal stick appears in his hand along with a pad of paper, and he makes a quick mark on the sheet. The writing supplies vanish as quickly as they arrived, and Yi Tai looks back at you. "Now, do you have some free time? Lord Zhuan wished to have a word, but as he is currently otherwise engaged-"

Behind him, the Proving Ground whirls to life once again.

"-I would be more than pleased to meet with you in his stead."

You expected nothing less. You may not be well acquainted with how Zhuan Kun and his retainers work, but from your last encounter with them you've gotten the idea that when 'Zhuan Kun' wishes to speak with someone, it means 'Zhuan Kun wishes for Yi Tai to speak with someone' instead.

The two of you make your way back to the training ground. You offer a friendly nod to Boli Guozao, who bends so sharply at the waist that his forehead almost smashes into the ground. Then you turn away from the frenzied blur of activity that is the charm and begin walking after Yi Tai. When you are a safe distance away, Yi Tai flicks his wrist in a familiar motion to conjure a pair of chairs surrounding a table.

The table is not empty either. On it is a circular board cut into a hexagonal pattern. One segment of the board is covered with sapphire tokens, while the opposite section is festooned with emerald and gold. Yi Tai takes the seat behind the sapphire side and gestures for you to take the opposite.

"Are you familiar with the Garden of Beasts, Lord Kong?" Yi Tai asks politely.

You eye the game board with trepidation. "Only by reputation," you answer.

Garden of Beasts has… never been something that captured your interest. The game is a passion of your Uncle Fang's, and according to him it is something that every upstanding young person needs to master. In this game, the players take the roles of Sect Leaders, each with their own loyal following of disciples and Spirit Beasts. From there, they marshall their forces and clash against each other until only one side had pieces left on the board.

It seems fairly straight forward, but you can safely say that nothing has ever confused you more than Uncle Fang's explanation of the finer points of Garden of Beasts. No two Sects are the same, as each collection is retooled and tailored by its owner as time goes on. Some pieces can move multiple times per turn, while others can only move once the entire game. Each piece is worth a certain amount of gold, and capturing an opponent's piece allows you to ransom it back to them and then put down further reinforcements- but if you have a piece at the end of the game, you get to keep it except when sometimes you don't. This is but one way you can add to your collection, with other ways to supplement your forces including buying them from a small craftsman in Harmony or making your own- but if you do that, then it has to pass a seventeen point checklist to make sure it is in compliance with the Garden's standards.

All in all, it is something you have spent precisely no time mastering save for Uncle Fang's early attempts at teaching you. The only experience you have with Garden of Beasts since then is carving one of it's pieces in half to help create your Dance.

Yi Tai nods, as if understanding your thoughts from just that brief response. "It is not my passion either, " he responds. "But it is Lord Zhuan's preferred method of mental training, so I must keep my skills sharp. I will admit, it can make a pleasant distraction as we converse."

Fair enough. You grit your teeth and drop down behind the emerald sect. At least there are only two players. Uncle Fang has spoken of Garden encounters with over a hundred participants that took months to finish. If you were asked to take part in one of those, you might just rip out your hair.

The opening moves pass quickly and silently as the two of you establish your positions. You make a quick blunder by attempting to claim a hill without first establishing a supply chain which Yi Tai does not let go unpunished. In short order, you find yourself blind as he removes a full half of your scouts from the field with one well placed Hunter Ape.

As Yi Tai collects the emerald tokens, he takes it upon himself to break the silence. "Again, you have my thanks for your quick response to my Lord's request," Yi Tai states. "Considering how little we know of each other, I had thought that we might be waiting days yet."

"I doubt Lord Zhuan's adherents would have let me sleep peacefully if I were to keep him waiting that long," you respond, moving to capture the Hunter Ape. Losing so many scouts for a single feral unit is a poor trade, but it is one you have already paid for. You may as well complete the transaction. "I am not sure how Lord Zhuan rewards them, but they seem most eager to gain his favor."

Yi Tai's mouth cracks into a half-grin. "As I said, those that remain are a most dedicated group," he responds. "Lord Zhuan does reward faithful service well, but for most of them, the only reward they require is the knowledge that their labors have been fruitful."

You weigh his words in your mind even as you hone in on one turn of phrase. "Those that remain?" you parrot. "Has Lord Zhuan been suffering from a shortage of retainers?"

"Some… do not find what Lord Zhuan asks of them to be fulfilling," Yi Tai admits. "They go out in search of greener pastures, hoping that either Lady Mo or Lord Geng will have work more to their liking. But we are stronger for their loss. Every disciple that leaves allows the others to redouble their training."

Yi Tai makes a quick move that removes the rest of your scouts from the board. "Besides," he continues. "Without so many disciples to split Lord Zhuan's focus, we are able to turn our resources to more promising ends- like Boli Guozao, for example."

"His work has been satisfactory then?" you ask.

"Quite," comes the response. "Lord Zhuan is commissioning the next iteration of his Proving Ground personally. He has demanding requirements, but Sir Boli seems most invigorated by the challenge of meeting them. It is an attitude that will serve him well. Lord Zhuan is even beginning to show signs of learning his name!"

From Yi Tai's voice, that seems to be the highest compliment he can bestow. "I… see," you slowly respond.

"I do not think you do," Yi Tai answers. "Lord Zhuan is… he is an intelligent man. But his intelligence manifests in… different ways than it may in others. Names find little purchase in his mind, not when you compare them to bodies and fighting styles. Those he has no trouble memorizing. But names? Faces? Those things are like wind in his ears."

Yi Tai does not let you linger on that subject for much longer. "Should Sir Boli convince Lord Zhuan to engrave his name upon his soul, he will be only the second to do so since we came to the Heart. He is a rare talent, and you have my thanks for directing him Lord Zhuan's way."

You wave off his praise, but Yi Tai's eyes sharpen. "So now I must ask: what do you want?"

You pause at the bluntness of the question. "Excuse me?"


"My apologies for my uncouth demeanor, but sometimes it is better to simply state things openly," Yi Tai answers. Even as he speaks, he presses your lines, sending his Whisper Agent in to disrupt the lines of communication from your Holy General. "Sir Boli is a talented charmcrafter who needs only refinement and practice to excel at his craft. With some polish, he would have served abley in Lady Mo's court or even as your own assistant- something he would have no doubt welcomed, considering his open admiration for your skills. But you chose to direct him to us. What did you hope to gain through such a move?"

Yi Tai's eagerness to harry your support staff has finally betrayed him. His Whisper Agent has ended it's turn but a handful of spaces away from your War Elephant- and there is nothing quite like crushing a subtle piece with an elephant. "This may surprise you to know," you answer as you make your play. "But I did not wish to gain anything with such a move. As we are being candid, I can say in all honesty that I did not even intend it to be considered a 'move'."

The secretary leans back in his seat and takes his eyes from the game board for the first time since you say down. He studies you closely. "Oh?" he asks. "So you sent Lord Zhuan a talented and promising disciple simply out of the goodness of your heart?"

"I did not send him anywhere," you correct. "The facts were simple: for Boli Guozao to truly shine in the contest, he needed someone that could fully demonstrate what his charms were capable of. And for that, he needed a capable warrior, and I could think of no warrior more capable than Lord Zhuan. Was I in error?"

Yi Tai inclines his head slightly at your point. "I see," is all he says- before placing a Silver Phoenix down atop your War Elephant, crushing it utterly.

You can only shake your head. Now that he's made the move, you can only feel shame for being baited into the trap. "Your skills are kept sharp indeed," you state. With his Phoenix so prominently placed, you've no choice but to attack it with everything you have or else risk it destroying your general entirely. But while you are focusing on the Phoenix, the entire rest of his Sect will be unchecked and able to maneuver with impunity.

Even if you destroy the Spirit Beast, you will have no answer to the rest of the Sect without your War Elephant. You've lost this game. You reach over and flip your general, conceding the round.

Yi Tai takes your admission with grace. "You surprised me with several of your moves," he states. "You have a talent of your own. Should you receive more dedicated training, you could prove as deft a hand in the Garden as you are with your hammer."

"I doubt that very much," you respond with a chuckle. "My Uncle has done his best to plant the game in my mind and found it barren soil. Your words are too kind."

"Everyone learns in different ways," comes his response. "Perhaps you just need to find the right tutor. After all, not every plant blooms in the same light. Each one grows best under its own conditions."

"You may be right," you allow. "Still, I doubt I will seek out such tutelage. My time is in short supply."

"Perhaps you should make the time," comes a soft response. "You never know what boons one may gain from a good game. You could even find it very much to your liking." There is an undercurrent in his words, one that makes your ears perk up and your eyes lift from the table.

Yi Tai does not follow suit. His eyes are for the board as he resets it once more. "Of course, you should act as you think best," he states blandly as he places your scouts back in order. "But should you wish to join the Garden on a more regular basis, you will find me a most able teacher. I would not be displeased to share a table with you once more."

"And who knows what could emerge from such games?" Yi Tai asks, looking up to meet your gaze. "The Garden of Beasts is home to a great number of foes. It is treacherous, and impossible to survive alone. Perhaps a few rounds might allow us to gain a better understanding of our surroundings."

"Though if you are to play, you will need your own collection," he continues. He reaches out and plucks a piece from the board, sliding it over to you. A glance in it's direction reveals it to be the Hunter Ape you captured back at the beginning of the game. "No one can walk through the Garden unarmed, after all."

There is an offer here, and it only barely has anything to do with any game.

Yi Tai appears to be inviting you to spend further time with Zhuan Kun's court. What do you say?
[] You will take the piece and agree to future meetings. Perhaps Yi Tai is right, and you will learn more in different surroundings.
[] You will return the piece and walk away. You can think of very few things in this world you would enjoy less than spending more time with the games of nobility.

 

[Vesvius]

A/N: A big thanks to the 48 people who have pledged to me on Patreon! If you'd like to join them, you can do so here. Or, if you'd like to support me without the monthly commitment, you can buy me a cup of Ko-Fi here.

Spoiler: Previous Winning Vote

> You will take the piece and agree to future meetings. Perhaps Yi Tai is right, and you will learn more in different surroundings.

------------------------------
There are a thousand things being left unsaid in Yi Tai's offer. There is subtext that you are almost certain you are missing, there are undercurrents you can only guess at, and surely there could be another dozen hints that someone more attuned to the games of nobility could pick up on that are flying entirely over your head. If you were to stop and attempt to parse everything that Yi Tai is saying without words, it might very well drive you mad.

However, none of that matters right now. All that is important is what the offer is on the surface: what seems to be a genuine invitation. It is not an invitation to join Zhuan Kun's court; that, you suspect, would have to come from the man himself. It isn't even an invitation for a public association, such as the one Mo Hanying tendered to you with her competition. At face value, all Yi Tai is offering is an invitation to return to these private training sessions and get to know each other through another game or two.

Try as you might, you cannot see the harm in accepting such a request. After all, only two things are likely to result from the invitation. Either you will find that Zhuan Kun's court is a good fit for you or you will not. It is as simple as that.

And so you reach out and pluck the Hunter Ape piece from the table. "My thanks," you respond. "I look forward to our future matchups. Perhaps next time, I will be able to last more than twenty moves."

Yi Tai shakes his head disapprovingly. "That is hardly a healthy attitude, Lord Kong. One should not enter the Garden hoping to simply survive one's inevitable demise. One should venture into its confines with the need for victory burning in their heart and soul."

You barely hold back a snort but you nod, surrendering the point. "But victory lies in preparation," Yi Tai continues, a slight smile gracing his face. "If you wish to refine your game, it all begins with the proper construction of your sect. Take your Hunter Ape piece. It is powerful, but vulnerable to archers and skirmishers. It needs to be supported by the proper units."

...is this subtext, or is he just very enthusiastic about Garden of Beasts. "I-"

"Of course, you can always use our Sects when you are playing us," he continues. "But should you wish to assemble your own, I would suggest seeking out several Entrenched Spirits. They may not be able to move, but they allow you to dictate the terrain. You can use that to keep archers from being able to see your Ape and disperse the skirmisher's formation. They are hard to locate though. In lieu of the Spirits, you might wish to seek out..."

Half an hour later, you are finally able to extricate yourself from Yi Tai's table with a new certainty that while the secretary may be an expert on political doublespeak, he also greatly understated his… passion for Garden of Beasts. Between him and Uncle Fang, you are beginning to suspect that this game has a rather unsavory effect on certain people. You can only hope you avoid its clutches.

For now, though, you push Yi Tai, Zhuan Kun, and the Garden of Beasts from your thoughts. You shove them into the small little space in the back of your mind where you are also storing your feelings about Mo Hanying. For now, you are done with the games of nobility. All you want to do is go home and tinker with a project or two just for the fun of it. With Fa and Jai Shouxi still at the training craters, you might even have the chance to do so in peace!

That hope lasts all the way until you push open the door to your home. As you shove the bronze door closed behind you, having long since grown numb to the scraping sound it makes as it drags its way across the floor, a different sound entirely catches your attention: the sound of voices.

"-really do not need you to wait with me," a familiar voice is saying. "Or do you think that I have ill intentions for your home?" It takes a moment for the echoes of the door closing to leave your ears, but once you do you're able to clearly identify Mei Daiyu's lyrical voice coming from the kitchen.

"Not at all," Jai Shouxi's voice responds. "I would never even dream of accusing you of anything untoward. But my sweet sister took it upon herself, with our mutual friend's assistance, to plaster our home with an unseemly amount of protective charms. Even I only have the barest idea of where all of them are. I would not have you come to harm by stumbling across an ill-placed defensive measure."

The doubt in Mei Daiyu's voice is a palpable thing. "So it is not ill-intent that I am suspected of, but incompetence?"

"I accused you of no such thing," comes Jai Shouxi's answer. Mock offense is clear in his voice. Someone unfamiliar with your roommate might think him legitimately close to anger, but you can hear the laughter barely constrained in his words. Something about this whole situation is infinitely amusing to you friend.

Mei Daiyu may not know Jai Shouxi as well as you do, but even she can read the offense as the mask that it is. "By thinking I am not capable of avoiding mere charms, you throw aspersions on my competence," she responds. You can practically hear the arched eyebrow in her voice.

"Not at all," Jai Shouxi replies smoothly. "Perhaps I am being cautious, but my caution is well-deserved. I live with a charmcrafter, Mei Daiyu. I am well acquainted with how dangerous any fruits of their labor can be."

That is as good a cue for you as any. You stop standing in your doorway and begin making your way upstairs towards the ongoing conversation. As you do, Mei Daiyu seems to shake her head. "That is not it," she muses. "There is some other reason you wanted to wait with me. But what…"

"Do I truly need an ulterior motive?" your roommate responds. "You and I share a great number of mutual friends. Could it not be that I simply wanted to ensure you were adequately entertained while you waited for- ah, here comes the man himself!"

As Jai Shouxi speaks, you round the corner and step out onto the second floor. Your roommate is perched on a stool in the kitchen. His back is to the wall, giving him the best view of the entrance into the kitchen, with a small mug of water sitting in his hand. Mei Daiyu sits opposite him, her own mug held in her delicate fingers, back to you. Jai Shouxi lifts his hand in welcome and Mei Daiyu turns, mouth open to offer her own greetings-

Only, when she turns to face you, she freezes in place entirely. Whatever words she had prepared die on her open lips. Her eyes widen like amethyst plates and her mouth slackens even further.

You pause, confusion shooting through you like a snake's venom. Is Mei Daiyu alright? She seemed fine moments ago, but now she looks nearly paralyzed. You turn and glance behind you, searching for what has caught her gaze. When all you see is an empty wall you turn back around, only to find Mei Daiyu coughing vigorously into her hand and Jai Shouxi biting his lip so hard he risks drawing blood.

When her sudden coughing fit subsides, Mei Daiyu looks back up with her face in a carefully composed mask of politeness. "Kong Zhi," she greets you. Her voice sounds a touch faint, as if it is fighting to escape a strangled throat. A side effect of her sudden coughing fit, no doubt. "You look… much improved since last we met."

Oh. Right. Mei Daiyu has yet to see your new form and the completed Fractal View. You reach up and cradle your masterwork in your hand, proudly displaying it to your teacher-disciple. "Yes, thank you for noticing!" you beam. "I have been quite busy attempting to remedy my condition, and with this charm I have finally done so. I must admit, it has been quite a relief to have it done. Having both legs the same length is something I will never take for granted again."

"And on that note, I think my business here is concluded," Jai Shouxi interrupts. His voice is entirely too jovial as he rises to his feet. "I must return to Fa posthaste; she will repeat 'Heron Catches Fish' until I give her a new drill, and that is not the easiest technique on the body."

Displeasure flashes across Mei Daiyu's face. "You did not need to leave her at all," she practically puffs. "I could have waited for Kong Zhi without your assistance."

"I am certain you could have," your roommate interrupts. "But that would have been markedly less fun." He sketches a rather elaborate bow, first to you, and then to Mei Daiyu in turn, before leaving the kitchen and jogging away faster than you have ever seen him move before. In seconds, you hear the door scrape open and shut. As the last echoes of the door fade away, you hear the faint peals of his laughter.

"That was odd," you murmur to Mei Daiyu. "Is Jai Shouxi well? He seemed fine earlier, but he… tell me, while you were waiting with him, did he begin speculating on the nature of colors to you?'

"The nature of… colors?" Mei Daiyu repeats, shaking her head. "No, I cannot say that he did."

You nod slowly, turning to stare after Jai Shouxi. "That's good," you murmur. "That's very good. Still, I will speak with Fa. We must be wary, lest Jai Shouxi find himself in his Clarity and we find ourselves without a home."

That is no thought to dwell on, so you shake your head and move on. ""If he is concerned about Fa's training, he cannot be that far from his normal faculties," you state. "Either way, it is a matter for later. What brings you to the Spire, Mei Daiyu? Is all well?"

When you turn back to Mei Daiyu, she has leaned back around and is holding her mug to her mouth. "Oh, my apologies," you say. "I will let you finish."

"No, no, it is fine," Mei Daiyu answers. She hurriedly rips the cup from her lips and deposits it back on the table with a heavy clap of clay on wood. "It was… I did not want the water to get warm. Best to drink it when it's cold, no?"

Sense Motive Check: 4d10s7(1.0). Dice Rolled: 9, 6, 4, 1. 0 Successes!

Of course. That makes perfect sense. It's best to drink while the water is cool- and now that you think about it your own throat is rather parched. You move past Mei Daiyu, retrieving another mug from the cabinet and pressing it against the rune engraved in the side of the icebox. It flashes and a moment later, you have a cup of icy refreshment cradled in your hands. You take a sip and turn back around.

"My apologies for my distraction," you say between sips. "But you made me realize that I needed to quench my own thirst. Now that I have, is there something you require?'

Mei Daiyu fidgets for a moment. Then she stills and shakes her head slowly, her shoulders sagging minutely as she does. "It is not that I require something," she replies with a heavy sigh. "I simply thought that this task might capture your interest and that it might be more enjoyable if you were to come along."

Your curiosity piqued, you gesture for Mei Daiyu to continue. "I've had a new idea for a charm," she says without preamble, continuing on as if she has not just said the single most perfect sentence in the world. "I've done some research on how to achieve the effects that I am seeking, but they require a few temperamental materials. I was able to acquire most of them at the market or in the tunnels, but there is one more I need: frozen starlight. I had hoped that you might accompany me as I scale the Brightmaples to trap it."

You deposit your mug in the sink and sweep Jai Shouxi's in after it. "When do we leave?"

The answer is apparently right at this very moment. After finishing her own drink, Mei Daiyu stands and together the two of you head out of the Spire. In short order you're in the tunnels, and soon after you're scaling the sides of the Brightmaples as the sun begins to set behind you.

Months ago, the mere thought of climbing the Brightmaples' sheer sides would have filled you with dread. Now, it is simply a matter of routine. You barely need to think as you find handhold after handhold, leaving the ground behind one pull at a time. The challenge leaves your mind peaceful and almost empty, allowing you and Mei Daiyu to make conversation as you climb.

"Word of your recents deeds has been rushing through the courtyard on wings on wind," your teacher-disciple says idly as the two of you navigate a moderately annoying curve in the stone. "Tell me true, did the Scorpion Witch honestly attempt to choke you with her hair, or is that just a tale being told?"

You snort and scoff, nearly missing a handhold from the sheer silliness of the question. "No, Mo Hanying did not try to strangle me," you sigh out. "Nor did she attempt to stab me, poison me, lay a curse upon my clan, or do anything of the sort. We simply had a disagreement on the results of her contest."

"I thought as much," Mei Daiyu answers. She kicks her feet, leaping six feet straight up and landing on a ledge. Once her position is secure she turns and offers a hand to you. "Such direct action is not her forte. Twisting to harvest your reputation for her own ends? That seems like a tactic she'd be well acquainted with."

You grip the stone with one hand and reach up with the other, your calluses scraping against Mei Daiyu's impossibly soft skin. Her grip is steel however as she pulls, helping you reach her ledge, though with your new body you hardly need it. "It's possible that that was her goal all along," you respond blandly. "But I'm uncertain if that is indeed the case- and I suspect I will remain uncertain until next we speak."

Sense Motive Check: 4d10s7(1.0). Dice Rolled: 9, 8, 6, 6. 2 Successes!

Mei Daiyu bites her lip and looks away, shoulders stiffening slightly. Were you a betting man, you would wager every talent in your purse that she is restraining the urge to reiterate her thoughts on nobles in general and Mo Hanying in particular- perhaps while turning and bellowing about how she warned you about just such an occasion to the heavens. But to her credit, Mei Daiyu does no such thing. Instead she shrugs her shoulders and moves on, leading the way further up the mountain.

"Were I in your position I would take this as an opportunity," she calls back down. "From all accounts, even the ones without poison or strangulation attempts, there is clearly a rift of some sort. It will never be easier for you to simply walk away without any more noble hooks in you."

"We've spoken about this before," you sigh as you climb. "It is not that simple for me."

"I am well aware," Mei Daiyu responds. "But you have made the attempt. Not one person can deny that you have tried. Will your family truly hold it against you should your attempts falter just this once?"

Your silence is your answer, and Mei Daiyu shakes her head as she climbs. "I suppose it is just one of those things I will never truly understand," she responds. "I will not belabor the issue, but at least you've gained a respite. It will be some time before the... her ladyship pulls you back into her machinations. That leaves you free to go about your own business without any in the Purple looking over your shoulder, no?"

"Um… yes," you mutter, very consciously not thinking about your new arrangement with Yi Tai. "Some time away from nobility will be quite soothing. That is just what I need and will certainly be getting: time away from the scions of the Steadfast Court."

Mei Daiyu pauses again mid climb and sags. Her sigh is a loud and bellowing thing that echoes throughout the Brightmaples. "Which one have you been speaking with?" she asks, resignation heavy in her tone.

"I just finished playing Garden of Beasts with Zhuan Kun's secretary not two hours ago," you confirm.

Your friend stays motionless for a long minute. Right as you are about to ask if she needs a boost, she grunts and continues the climb. "Garden of Beasts… such a silly game," she sighs out. "Beware it's tiles and pieces, Kong Zhi."

She pauses here, turning to look at you, and there's something wistful in her eyes as she does, "In my troupe, I had a friend who took up the game to pass the time between Human Sculpture performances. Within two weeks, they were obsessed with finding the perfect strategy and pieces, seldom leaving the wagons unless pulled by their ears."

A smile comes across her face, but Mei Daiyu glances down at you and shakes her head, and the smile is gone. "Do not allow such a fate to overcome you," she informs you, finally. "I will not stand for it. If I am ever forced to dislodge you from a pile of notes and half-finished tokens, you will not enjoy the experience."

You can see the invitation to move the topic on from nobles and you decide to take it. You nod along and continue the climb. "Hopefully I will avoid such pain," you answer. "My Uncle has tried to tutor me in the game before, but it never seemed to stick. Perhaps I am immune to Garden Madness."

"But there is no need to dwell on the game," you continue. You press forward, moving to match Mei Daiyu's pace. With the endurance of the Autumn Hunter you are able to do so. "And what of you? What have you been up to as of late? Are you still locked away under the Hand's tutelage?"

"Do not remind me," Mei Daiyu groans. "I came out here to get away from Brother Tianbei's teachings. The last thing I wish is to think-" She stops midword and gestures to an outcropping above you. "Once we make it up there, there should be a path we can simply walk up."

"Excellent," you respond. "But do not change the subject. Training is difficult, I presume."

The two of you continue to climb. You make it up first, and this time it is your turn to offer Mei Daiyu a hand. With a slight heave you pull her up to your side and together, your feet begin to take the rough path heading toward the mountain's peak. "Difficult? No," Mei Daiyu answers. "That would imply some degree of challenge. I may not enjoy it, but if it were challenging, there would at least be some appeal. No, the work is simply tedious and mind-numbing."

"It can hardly be that ba-"

The look Mei Daiyu shoots at you freezes your words in your throat. "Do you know how many hours one must kneel for a tea service to greet the sun?" she asks. "Because I do. It is seven hours, in case you wanted to know- eight if you are performing the ceremony east of Marshall's Stand. Do you know how I learned this?"

"Through reading and lecture?" you answer dryly.

"By performing the ceremony, Kong Zhi," comes Mei Daiyu's response. "I learned it by performing the ceremony perfectly. I had to learn the proper blends to serve. I had to hand-craft each piece of tableware needed. I had to wash the pots and cups the exact number of times appropriate to the ceremony, steep and brew the tea for the precise amount of time each required, and I had to master eight different pouring styles. And then I had to meditate until, and I quote, 'such time that the sun's luster might find its way into my heart'."

Mei Daiyu's gaze is dead and flat when she looks back at you. "That was just one of the things the Imperial Hand deems important enough to teach. By the time we are done, I suspect I will have learned how to perform a proper tea service no matter where I am or who I am serving it to. And then, perhaps, they might let me move on to cakes."

Her gaze clears and she sighs, shaking her head. "My sole consolation is that soon, no matter how strenuously Brother Tianbey objets, I will get a respite."

"Oh?" you prompt. "And what could possibly interrupt such vital training?"

Mei Daiyu looks like she dearly wishes to shove you, but refrains only because of how high up you are. "The edicts of His Imperial Glory, of course," she responds, with a roll of her eyes. "When the Emperor has an itch, it is his hand that must scratch it."

"You've a mission from the Steadfast Court?" you nearly gasp. "They've asked something of you?!"

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Mei Daiyu responds. "Do you think that I am unworthy of such a high, high honor?"

Your answer is a flat gaze of your own, and Mei Daiyu turns away with a chuckle. "Yes, I would have doubted their senses too if they asked something of me specifically. But this mission is open to the entire Hand. All of the higher circles that can be spared have already been dispatched, so now they are beginning to ask for volunteers from the Eighth."

"And you volunteered… to carry out a mission from the Court," you slowly respond.

"When you put it like that, it sounds nearly mad!" Mei Daiyu answers, a broad grin splitting her face. "But at this point, I would volunteer for a tour of the Frozen Highlands if it would get me away from Brother Tianbei's etiquette lessons. Considering this mission will take me from the sect for a good long time, I could not sign up fast enough."

"Oh," you grunt out. Mei Daiyu leaving the sect for a long time fills your gut with an unpleasant sensation of emptiness. How many more of your friends will depart the Heart, leaving you here alone? First Kumi, now Mei Daiyu… at this rate, Fa will be called by the Stone Fist and Xu Yun will vanish into the tunnels for months. "That is… I'm glad you are getting the opportunity to stretch your legs."

"Such chances are the entire reason I chose the Hand," Mei Daiyu responds, heedless of your inner turmoil. "Most of the other Courts seem to stay in the Heart for their entire life unless rare business crowbars them from these tunnels. But the Hand? They get to see the Empire. They get to travel. And I cannot wait."

The sheer happiness in her voice does wonders to soothe your own disquiet. You dismiss your selfish feelings and nod, allowing yourself to share in Mei Daiyu's joy. "So, what is the mission?" you ask.

"The details have been sparse," Mei Daiyu admits. "Something about escorting imperial functionaries on a tour of the western reaches. It will be me, the toady, and a few others chosen by the Administration. All I can hope is that the Scorpion Witch will not be assigned to accompany me; lest she sour another sweet moment."

As Mei Daiyu mock shudders at the thought, your feet begin to find level ground. The path stops and you find yourself at the very peak of a mountain. The Forest of Pearls below you looks like nothing so much as an elaborate tapestry stretched out over the earth as the setting sun casts it in sharp relief.

"Ah, good, just in time," Mei Daiyu states. "Here, let's get this set up."

The next few moments are filled with preparation for the coming stars. A bottle is set in a small rut dug in the mountain top with pure, white cloth stretched out over its mouth. Above it, Mei Daiyu sets a series of lenses, all pointed towards the jar at their center. While she makes certain each of them are positioned just so, you busy yourself with the rest of the work, unwrapping several ice-aspected crystals from Mei Daiyu's pack and setting them in the cardinal directions.

"This never made any sense to me in my research," Mei Daiyu mumbles as she works. "Why do we need ice anam to capture starlight?"

You sigh, shaking your head as you straighten a crystal. "It's because starlight is ephemeral. You cannot touch it with your flesh alone; it would dance right through your fingers."

"Yes, I am aware," Mei Daiyu answers patiently. "I know how light works. But how does ice-"

"That's why you need to freeze the starlight," you continue. "That makes it more solid, allowing the lenses to capture and focus it into a less active state and thus make it more useable in charms."

"...of course. Freezing the light. I don't know why that was not instantly clear," comes Mei Daiyu's dry voice. "Clearly my inexperience is showing."

"That's alright," you answer absently. "These things come with practice."

You straighten up, ice crystals properly placed. "What is your charm idea anyway? Why does it need concentrated starlight?"

"I didn't tell you?" Mei Daiyu asks, surprised at her own lapse. "My apologies! Yes, after my last charm idea proved less effective than I desired, I began to search out other things I could do with my remaining materials. One such concept I found in the archives that appealed was a map that can be attuned to a certain location, allowing the reader to see things in that area as if they were there."

"Interesting," you say with a nod. "So you wish to make such a map."

"Not particularly," she answers. "I've no place that I care enough about to watch it all the time. But people? I could do with a way to find specific people whenever I needed to. With some work on the arrays, I could change the map design to fit in a compass and use it to point at people designated in the runes. With that, no matter where I am, I'll be able to locate… certain people."

What an intriguing twist on an existing concept. You've seen similar charms made before, but never in that kind of device and never with multiple targets. Mei Daiyu has a decent mind for this sort of thing. "And the starlight will be used as the guiding agent?" you ask.

"Indeed," Mei Daiyu nods. "It will use a link between the stars and earth to find the target. As long as the person I'm seeking is within range of the charm and beneath the light of the stars, I will be able to find them."

What follows is a rapid-fire exchange of ideas as you dig through Mei Daiyu's thought process. The more you learn, the more impressed you are. She's put real, honest thought into this charm that would put half the contestants in Mo Hanying's tournament to shame. But still, her knowledge is very spotty. She's clearly researched only the things she thinks she needs to know and is ignoring a few opportunities to improve her design.

Then again, she has yet to actually begin crafting the charm. Instead she has been focusing on gathering the needed materials first. You have an improvement or two in mind that could amplify her charm's power in a few different ways.

What improvement do you suggest for Mei Daiyu's charm?
[] The needle of the compass should be forged from a brass and lead alloy over the fires of day-old coals. That will infuse Mei Daiyu's compass with an additional method of tracing it's targets, allowing her to find them from further away.
[] The body of the compass should be quenched in a mixture of water drawn from the Emberflow Abyss, water drawn from the Laughingstar Sea, and water drawn from White Phantom Lake. That will allow it a greater breadth of effect, letting Mei Daiyu bind more people to the charm.
[] A secondary ring should be built around the edge of the compass out of white quartz hewn from the peaks of Sevenfold Cove. The additional height granted by the mountain peaks will give the charm more power, allowing the readings to come through even if other anam seeks to keep them hidden.

 

[Vesvius]

A/N: A big thanks to the 48 people who have pledged to me on Patreon! If you'd like to join them, you can do so here. Or, if you'd like to support me without the monthly commitment, you can buy me a cup of Ko-Fi here.

Spoiler: Previous Winning Vote

> A secondary ring should be built around the edge of the compass out of white quartz hewn from the peaks of Sevenfold Cove. The additional height granted by the mountain peaks will give the charm more power, allowing the readings to come through even if other anam seeks to keep them hidden.

-----------------
As you finish affixing the final lens to the array over the jar, an idea occurs to you. "What if you added an additional focus to the charm?" you ask.

Mei Daiyu pauses mid-motion, hand poised to remove a clump of very determined grass that could interrupt the starlight stream. "I… that is possible. I'd need to brush up on my linking runes to do it, but there's no reason I couldn't, I suppose," she muses. "But what purpose will that serve?"

"Using the needle alone gives the anam but a single avenue to work through. A second array, though, would allow the compass to seek it's target from multiple angles at once," you respond. "So if, for example, your quarry is beneath a ward of some sort, the questing anam will find the dead space instead of being stymied by the barrier. That way…"

"I might not be able to find who I am searching for, but I would be able to find a space suspiciously bereft of anam that happens to appear whenever I look for someone," Mei Daiyu finishes, admiration clear in her voice. "Fascinating. I can see the merits of such an addition, though it would still be far from foolproof. But what form could such a focus take?"

"A ring," comes your quick answer. "A directional ring similar to the ones on a ship's compass that rotates as you move. You would need to carve it from something lightweight though or else risk throwing off the compass' balance. Metal… or no, there are some peaks famous for their porous stone."

The concept begins to take shape as you and Mei Daiyu bounce ideas off of each other with increasing speed. You could go on all night, but finally the last dregs of the sun fade over the horizon and Mei Daiyu holds up a hand for silence.

"Apologies," she states after a moment's pause, perhaps realizing how another person might take being ordered to be quiet without a moment's notice. "I just-"

"No need," you answer, waving off her words with a small smile. "I understand completely."

And you do. Your own memories of similar moments are loud in your mind. You can still recall the first time Cousin Cui took you into a meadow to collect beauty anam from a glorious flower in bloom. You had known that the vessel you carved from the shell of a tortoise was perfect, and you knew the runes were without fault. But still, you had waited with bated breath for beauty to make its home in your cameo. If you had spoken… perhaps nothing would have happened, and yet your heart leapt at the thought of shattering the near-sacred atmosphere.

There is a weight to moments such as these. They should be spent in silence.

So you move over and sit down next to Mei Daiyu. Together, the two of you watch the jar with bated breath as the sky darkens from pink to purple to the pure blackness of night. You turn your gaze to the heavens together and search for the first pinpricks of light.

The Autumn Hunter is the first to appear, as he always is, bow drawn as he stalks his prey. The Eastern Tower is next, standing bold and defiant against the threat of a new day. The Tribe of Greed slinks out of the southern depths, the Ravenous Kraken stretches it's tendrils, and the Weighing Eye opens in full and peers down over them all. Slowly, the lights of the heavens reveal themselves to you, washing the land around you in their unearthly light.

You are so consumed with the stars that you almost miss Mei Daiyu's noise of excitement. Your eyes snap down as she leaps to her feet, moving to the side of her jar in one fluid motion. She barely makes it to the side without brushing one of the light blue streams that are now flowing from the lenses to the jar, but she makes it all the same. You shift to the side so that you can look around her, searching for what's captured her attention.

As you watch, the fabric stretched out over the mouth of the jar seems to bow. It bends slightly, as if a great weight is pressing against the top, and the fibers in the cloth shimmer and shine. The light runs down the fabric until it reaches the center and forms a miniscule bead of brilliance. It sits there for a long moment, quivering against unseen forces- and then falls.

The bead of starlight splatters against the bottom of the jar like a raindrop against the mountain. But it doesn't vanish into nothingness. Instead, it sits against the glass, casting the bottom of the jar into flickering shadow with it's dull radiance- radiance that only grows when another drop joins the first.

Mei Daiyu barely muffles a cry of joy with her closed lips and she spins, turning to face you with a smile on her face. Her eyes are wide, violet irises seeming to dance with glee, and her normally pale cheeks are an excited red. The growing glow of the jar seems to weave a crown of stars throughout her hair and casts a silhouette across the mountaintop.

For a moment, you do not see your friend, your teacher, or even your student. You simply see Mei Daiyu, bathed in the light of the heavens and brimming with excitement and joy..

"Look at it, Kong Zhi!" she beams, her tone breathless as the bottled starlight dances across her form. "Is it not wondrous to behold?!"

Your mouth, almost unbidden, curves into an answering smile. "It certainly is."
***
You stay with Mei Daiyu through the night. The angle on the lenses and the placement of the crystals both need constant correction to capture the starlight, and the pair of you are focused on making those corrections. Once the work is done and the sky begins to lighten once more, the two of you find yourselves with two jars full to the brim with freezing light. Mei Daiyu wastes no time and instantly covers them with a heavy blanket. After that, you assist her in disassembling her successful setup and accompany her back down the side of the mountain. But though she invites you to assist her with planning the changes to her compass charm, you make your apologies and leave.

After witnessing such a display of passion and enthusiasm, how could you not be moved to return to your workbench?

You may not have any ongoing projects right now, but that can hardly stop you from working on charms purely for the love of it- and now you have so many interesting ideas going through your mind. You've worked well with the stars so far, but what about shifting your focus to the sun? You could craft a torch that focuses and stores the sun's light, and then unleashes it as an archer technique! Or no, no, that is far too prosaic a design. You do need a better lantern for the deeps though. However, you are above using a simple torch. The sun aspect could work well for a lantern though. You just need a more fitting house to store it in… like a beehive.

Yes, that sounds perfect. A sun-aspected beehive that disgorges small glowing bee constructs which will light your path- and also attack your foes. But there have to be other charms you can work on- charms you can use your surplus of materials for. Like say a bracelet woven from the feathers of the Camel Turkey that will ensure that fresh air always swirls around you. Or you could grind up the poison sacs, turn the resulting powder into a paint, and then finally use that paint on a canvas crafted from the hide of the Phantom Point. What properties would such a painting exhibit? You have no idea, but it sounds like a fascinating experiment to try.

Your mind is awhirl with dozens of new ideas as you return to the Spire, each one adding another dash of haste to your steps. But as you approach your home, you quickly discover that you are not the only person to feel the clarion call of the workbench.

The windows of the Spire are dark and empty, but a figure stands outside the door. Your new caller is a small figure clad in the black-and-white of the eighth circle, with waist length mahogany-dark hair kept from her face only by a thick green ribbon. As she waits beside your door, you can see her nervously chewing her lip, her brow scrunched up in thought.

You recognize her immediately. "Good day, Siau Satai," you greet her, stopping next to the former finalist of Mo Hanying's charmcrafting competition. "What brings you to my doorstep?"

So deep in thought was Siau Satai that she seems not to have heard you approach; at least, that's the impression you get from the way she jumps two feet straight up in the air at the sound of your voice. When she lands, the momentum of her impromptu leap seems to carry her around until she's facing you directly. In one fluid motion she bows, her hair falling to wall off her flushed face from the world. "Good day, Lord Kong!" she greets you, voice high and breathy. "How does this morning find you?"

...it will never stop being strange that some people are nervous when they speak to you. "Well, thank you," you respond before repeating your question. "And what brings you to my doorstep today?"

"Oh!" Siau Satai squeaks out. She straightens up, seemingly caught off guard by the question. "I… um… I…"

You stare expectantly at the junior charmcrafter, waiting for her to find her words. When it seems like they may be lost forever, you nod encouragingly. "There is no need to rush," you tell her. "Take your time. I will wait-"

"LordKonghowmuchwoulditcostforyoutotutorme!"

You pause, her words hitting you in the face like a blunt object. They come out so quickly that they race by your ears instead of finding their home here. You can barely make any sense of them before they are gone entirely. "Breathe, Siau Satai," you instruct her. "Breathe deeply and try again- but perhaps try and speak slower this time."

Siau Satai heeds your orders, inhaling so deeply that you worry she may fall over. But the air all escapes from her in a large gasp before that happens and she breathes in once more. This time, she moderates her breathing, and when she speaks it is in a normal, if still high-pitched, voice. "Lord Kong, how much would it cost for you to tutor me?"

This time, you hear her question. Now it is your time to fall silent. She wants to know… what you would charge to tutor someone?

You are no stranger to tutoring people. You've been giving Mei Daiyu the occasional pointer for weeks. Charging someone though? Like a Seventh Circle tutor? That… the idea of doing so is a bizarre one. But it might not be without merit. If you could add to your purse with a few hours of basic instruction, it could be worth thinking about.

But you haven't the first idea about how one establishes themselves as a tutor in the Heart. So that is a thought for later, perhaps after you ask Sister Xiong for advice. For now, you will put the idea aside and focus on the more relevant situation at hand.

Siau Satai is inquiring as to your tutoring rates, which means she wishes to purchase lessons from you. You may not have prices established, but there's no reason not to give her what she wishes. After all, her ingenuity in the competition was impressive. Siau Satai has a raw talent buried in her slight frame. It would just take just a little training to unearth her potential, and you find yourself quite curious as to what she is capable of.

"I have not thought about charging for tutoring, Siau Satai," you tell her. "Perhaps in the future. But I see no reason why that should deprive you of a lesson or two. Please, make yourself welcome in my home. I would be pleased to give you a few pointers."

You step past Siau Satai and push the door open, activating the lanterns as you do so. When the Spire is illuminated you turn to close the portal to your home once more- only to see Siau Satai still lingering outside, a gobsmacked look on her face. "Please, come in," you say again. Perhaps you did not make yourself clear before. "It will be hard to exchange pointers if you remain on my threshold."

Still, Siau Satai makes no move to enter the Spire. "Lord Kong, I do not wish to spurn your good will," she responds. "But neither do I desire to take advantage of it. Are you certain I cannot recompense you for a lesson? Or is there some service you require that I could make easier for you? Or-"

You cannot help but roll your eyes. She seems very insistent on this. Perhaps allowing her to pay you in some way shape or form will assuage her pride.

Do you wish to accept Siau Satai's demands to pay you for services rendered?
[] You will grant her this lesson at no charge, and if she does not like it, she is welcome to leave the Spire forthwith.
[] She wishes to pay for tutoring? Very well. You will heed her demands. She can pay you <X> talents for your pointers. (Write number of talents in vote in place of X)
[] Siau Satai wishes to offer you suitable payment for lessons? Fine. You will take one anam rich material from her stockpile as payment for services rendered.
[] Write-In

 

[Vesvius]

A/N: A big thanks to the 48 people who have pledged to me on Patreon! If you'd like to join them, you can do so here. Or, if you'd like to support me without the monthly commitment, you can buy me a cup of Ko-Fi here.

Spoiler: Previous Winning Vote

> She asks only for a bit of your time. What could be more fair than a portion of hers in exchange? At some point in the future, Siau Satai will complete a task on your behalf.

-------------------
"Very well," you finally state. "If you insist on remunerating me, then I will oblige you."

A look of relief blankets Siau Satai's face even as her brow wrinkles in frustration- though the latter does not seem to be directed towards you. If you were to guess, you would suspect that no matter how loudly she may have protested receiving a free lesson, part of her is cursing her own stubborn nature. But to her credit, she nods solemnly. "It may take me some time to gather what you ask, but I assure you that-"

"Time."

Your interruption brings Siau Satai up short. "...I beg your pardon, Lord Kong?" she asks.

"Time," you repeat. "You are asking for a small bit of my time, and nothing seems more fair than asking for a portion of yours in exchange. So here is what I propose, Siau Satai: I will give you a few pointers today, and later I will ask a consummate service of you in exchange."

Siau Satai stares blankly at you for a long moment. "Um…" she stammers out. "What kind of service would you ask of me, Lord Kong?"

"I cannot say yet for certain," you answer easily. "But when I think of one that seems equal to the effort I expend today, I will waste no time in letting you know. Does that seem an equitable exchange to you?"

The junior charmcrafter's nod is slow and halting, but it picks up speed as the idea begins to take root in her mind. "Yes, sir," she finally states. "I stand ready to await your request whenever you care to dispense it."

You barely bite back a chuckle at the earnest enthusiasm in her voice. "I am glad to hear it," you finally respond. "But you may wait to begin standing ready until after the lesson. Now come; if we linger much longer in my doorway, we risk inviting shellrats into the threshold. Should that occur, you will be the one explaining it to my housemates."

Siau Satai does not need any further invitation. Together, the two of you enter the lower courtyard of the Spire, stopping only to pull the door shut behind you before leading her upstairs to the kitchen. Once both of you are seated at the table with a cool mug of water in your hands, you stop to study your prospective new disciple.

The green-ribboned girl stares up at you from over the lip of her own mug. "Lord Kong?" she questions after taking a healthy drink of water. "Should we not be at the workbench?"

"Practical work is indeed the best way to learn," you respond. "And we will get to it soon enough. For now, we must begin by exploring what you already know."

Siau Satai seems nonplussed by your answer. "But… I already know what I already know," comes her response.

You can't help but let out a snort of laughter at the plaintive question in her tone. "But I do not know what you know," you respond after recovering. "And until I do, any pointers I can give you have a chance of being meaningless- either because I am covering old ground or because you do not know enough to support what I tell you."

"So before we can begin with hammer and chisel, we must first explore the shape of your knowledge," you continue. "Only then can we truly begin to fill in the gaps. So let us get started. What experience do you have with charms before the competition?"

Siau Satai is already shaking her head before the words finish leaving your mouth. "None, sir, save for the lessons Elder Yixue graciously granted us during the induction period."

You remember those lessons well- and you remember the distinct lack of actual teaching that went on within them. "So… nothing aside from being given a material and told to get to it," you summarize. At Siau Satai's nod, you cannot help but continue. "And with that background you… decided to enter Mo Hanying's contest?"

"I did not think I would get as far as I did!" she chirps in response, seeming almost bewildered by her high placement.

You nod slowly. "And what did you do with the material gained from Elder Yixue?"

Your prospective disciple turns her focus to the floor. "...I ruined it," she mumbles after a moment.

...there's a story there, and you will hear it. "Tell me about your experiment," you instruct Siau Satai.

After a moment's hesitation, she obliges. "It was a horn clipped from a force-aspected Rout Beast- a young one, I suspect, as it was only the size of my hand. I cannot speak as to its strength, but it was one of the last materials left after the others in my group claimed their due."

Siau Satai lets out a long breath. "I knew very little about the actual creation of charms," she states. "Runes were entirely unknown to me, and the only thing I knew was that the most powerful charms are great works of art. So I-"

"-fashioned a great work of art from the horn," you finish.

The green-ribboned girl takes another sip of water, using the mug to hide flushed cheeks. "It seemed a logical conclusion at the time," she mumbles. "And I've worked with whale bone before when Father brought a piece home for me to practice on. So it-"

You hold up a hand, silencing her instantly. "Your father… brought pieces of bone home?" you question. Honestly, the idea does not sound too outlandish- for you, that is. Auntie Bi or Cousin Bowen would sometimes do just that, stopping by home and dropping the spine of a great lizard on your bed for you to practice your carving on. But if Siau Satai has as little a background in charms as it seems, then it seems likely that her family are Seated. If that's the case, the bone seems a touch outlandish.

Your suspicions are confirmed when Siau Satai nods and answers. "Father captains a merchant ship," she explains, "and travels the breadth of the Laughingstar Sea. Whenever he finds a curiosity, he brings it home for me to work with." You make a noise of understanding and Siau Satai continues on.

"But working with horn is an entirely different experience than working with bone. The resulting piece was certainly no great work of art. Still, I was happy with it- until Elder Yixue asked what it was supposed to actually do."

Siau Satai shakes her head. "I, of course, had no idea. So later, when we were allowed into the Archives, I began to research it, hoping to discover what effect my charm could have. That was when I discovered what charmcrafting actually entailed, and that my clumsy handling had rendered a piece of Rout Beast Horn into a small statue that looked almost like a horse with almost no anam worth speaking of within it."

Your prospective disciple's jaw firms. "I didn't want such a thing to happen again, so I continued my research. I learned what runes actually were and began learning how to sketch them. I found a treatise on basic design and read it cover to cover. And when Lady Mo announced her contest, I thought that I could at least put on a better showing than I did for Elder Yixue."

Siau Satai has no clue which school her treatise belonged to, but after teasing out some pearls of wisdom she gleaned, you are able to narrow it down to the Somber school of thought, which focuses on leaving large swatches of materials bereft of runes to better work with the anam's natural flow. Further prodding reveals her rune dictionary to have come from the same school, though she seems to have digested at least one codex full of Waidan runes. That would at least explain where she got the idea to transmute sound into growth.

All in all, her book learning, while not complete by any stretch of the imagination, seems sound enough. But her basic crafting skills… they leave a great deal to be desired. She's well-practiced with a brush and easel, but the rest of her repertoire is painfully underdeveloped. If she wishes to be a charmcrafter of any skill, she will need to broaden her horizons quickly.

But before she can even get that far, there is one other crippling weakness in her arsenal. Thankfully, it is one you are more than equipped to help her with.

After a moment of silent contemplation, you sit up and clap your hands. "I think I know where we must begin," you state. Your words make Siau Satai straighten up in her seat, her mug clutched between white knuckles as she hangs on your every word. "Charmcrafting is an ancient tree with gnarled branches that twine together and stretch towards the heavens. But those branches cannot grow without a trunk that supports the entire tree, and the trunk is naught but deadwood without living roots. So today, Siau Satai, we are going to work on the roots of your charmcrafting."

Your prospective disciple frowns as she absorbs what you are saying. "My roots? So I need to read more-"

"Oh, no," you interrupt. "Your academic knowledge, in this parable, is the trunk. You've put more than enough work into that for the moment. We must go even further down and focus on one of the fundamental elements of charmcrafting: your runes."

"My… runes?"

"Your runes," you confirm. "They are your greatest weakness, Siau Satai. Your rune library is painfully small, but we shall tackle that in due time. Right now, our focus is on your execution. You practiced writing them, but that will only help you if your charms are made entirely of paper or canvas. To truly master a rune, you must be able to scribe it perfectly into any medium."

With your piece said you stand, place your mugs in the sink, and lead Siau Satai back downstairs to your workbench. When she is safely away from anything breakable you turn and flick your wrist, the Wandering Estate shining on your finger. In response, the air above the green-ribboned girl begins to shimmer. She notices just in time to extend her arms, catching the object you've pulled from your stasis ring.

Siau Satai staggers under the weight of an enormous wooden board nearly twice the size she is. After a long fight, she is able to turn it so that her dark eyes peer mournfully over the lumber. "Lord Kong?" she asks. "What... what is this?"

"This is your new best friend and tutor…" you begin before pausing abruptly. When Auntie Bi put you through this, she called your wooden plank 'The Lord of Pine', but this board was born of the maples so common in the forest above. You can hardly call it by the wrong wood! "...Master Maple, and he is going to assist you in honing your craft."

Another flick of your wrist conjures an old worn chisel that lands on the floor near where Siau Satai is staggering beneath Master Maple's weight. "Pick your favorite rune," you instruct. "Make sure it is one you can see yourself scribing over and over for a thousand years. Picture it in your mind's eye. Meditate on its every last sweep and curve. Then, once you have it firmly etched in your mind, etch it onto Master Maple- and then do it again and again and again until it is perfect."

This training might not be exactly what Siau Satai had in mind when she asked for your pointers, but she quickly proves more than willing to follow directions. The last word has barely left your lips before she is springing to her new task with a will. Master Maple is placed against the wall of the spire, the chisel is clutched in her small hands, and she lays into the soft wood with a will. Her rune- which you quickly recognize as a Waidan transference rune- takes shape in seconds.

But her first attempt is too shallow in the wood. Her second is uneven. Her third has the sweeping spiral spaced poorly. Her fourth has an extra line towards the left of the glyph. Over and over again she copies the rune from her memory, each time with a new and interesting mistake.

For all her failures though, she never fails the same way twice. As she reaches the centerpoint of Master Maple, Siau Satai's runes begin to even out. The crooked strokes and rough etchings begin to smooth out as imperfections give way before a practiced hand. Two hours after she began carving the transference rune into the wood, she is able to etch a full column of identical glyphs.

She has it, and she knows it. Siau Satai straightens up. It is a small victory, but it is a victory nonetheless and her bright smile is one of a conquering hero. "Lord Kong!" she trumpets. "I have it!"

"You certainly do," you answer, nodding in acknowledgement. The gesture is enough to make Siau Satai's back straighten. She holds her head up high- until the air above her starts to shimmer once more.

Again, she reaches out, but this time you've conjured no simple board. Instead she staggers under the weight of an enormous stone carved from the tunnels of the Heart. "Now, do it again," you instruct her. "This time, you will be working under the steadfast tutelage of the Sophist of Stone. Learn quickly; should you run out of space, you will have to hew a new Sophist of Stone yourself."

Siau Satai's eyes are wide and pleading, but she does not beg for a reprieve. Instead, she asks, "...why were you carrying all of these things in your stasis ring? Did… did you foresee a need for a large stone?"

…amateurs. You do not deign to acknowledge the question. She will learn the value of preparation in due time. For now though, she is talking when she should be carving. "Best hurry, Siau Satai! We've another three mediums to get through before we can even think about moving on to your next rune!"

As she gets to work, you allow yourself a small smile. There's no tutor quite like your own body, and Siau Satai's will soon learn how to scribe the perfect runes- and then the fun can truly begin.
***
Of course, you are not immune to being taught via rote repetition. However, you suspect Siau Satai's teacher was far more tolerant of her than yours is of you.

"Ga-ruff!" Zhao grunts in your face. The bassy rumble almost shakes your bones. The enormous dog stares into your eyes with a look of absolute disgust on his canine face before reaching out and smacking your stomach with a heavy paw. You wince despite yourself, pulling your stomach away from the hound's blunt claws, and are rewarded with further pressure against your gut.

Nokai sits nearby, biting her cheek to hold in laughter. She says something in the Sunholder's gutteral tongue to Zhao, who barks back. You glance between them, your brow furrowing as you focus. Not but a few months ago it would have been gibberish to you, but you're pretty sure you caught a word or two there. They are definitely talking about you.

Nokai turns to you, her eyes dancing with laughter, "Zhao say howl from just above gut. Whole body help growl."
...well, you suppose the hound would know best when it comes to howling. You take a deep breath and follow his instruction, allowing your admittedly weak howl to echo through the tunnels.

It is the day after your instruction of Siau Satai. Your prospective disciple had worked for hours more before finally conquering the Sophist of Stone, only to falter when introduced to the Steward of Steel. You had sent her home with her new training aids before heading upstairs to catch up on some much needed rest- only to be awoken by the news that Nokai's foremost hound found your howling to be near insulting, and that you were 'encouraged' to attend remedial howling lessons.

Such an invitation… you could not refuse. The idea of a hound teaching proper howling etiquette? That's the kind of thing that cannot be missed. But now that you are sitting beside Nokai and suffering beneath Zhao's harsh tutelage, you can safely say that any novelty the situation might have had has worn off.

It is proceeding exactly as you feared getting tutored by Zhao might proceed: with harsh growls and ringing ears.

Still, at least your training is bearing fruit.

You breathe in again and let your voice rage free, putting your entire body into the sound. The resulting howl rings through the tunnels like a raging gale, filling the stone corridor with almost spectral cries. You keep it going for as long as you can, but your lungs can only hold so much air in them. Eventually you stop, nearly bending in half as you place your hands on your knees to brace yourself.

Nokai slaps your back before taking her own turn. "Howl stronger!" she cheers. "Good scout howl! Any hear, know prey near!"

After her own attempt fades away, you've recovered enough of your breath to respond. "There are different types of howls?" you ask.

Nokai shoots you a look that informs you that it's impossible for you to have asked a more foolish question. "...yes," she states in the same tone one would use to tell a grown man that water is indeed wet. "Use words speak, yes? Not use one word talk though. Howls same."

After a moment's study of your uncomprehending expression, Nokai sighs. "Listen," she instructs you. Your friend takes a deep breath and lets out another wail, one that cuts through your ears like a knife. After she stops, she says, "That aretek. Warleader howl. Tell pack where leader is, order all gather quick. Now listen more."

Her next howl is just as loud, just as keening, and ends with a violent pressure against your temples. "That istak. Defender howl," Nokai explains. "Hurt howl call help. First howl babes and pups taught."

"But… it sounded exactly like the first howl," you cannot help but answer.

Nokai rolls her eyes. "Need listen," she stresses. "Changes clear."

Zhao lets out a huffy grunt, clearly agreeing with his mistress that your ears are faulty. All you can do is listen as Nokai demonstrates the two seemingly identical noises over and over again. But even her distractions cannot grant you a long reprieve. Eventually, Zhao remembers that you are supposed to be practicing as well. A heavy paw presses down on the small of your back, reminding you to get back to it.

You do so with another painful screech. This one, Nokai claps approvingly at. "See?" she says. "Defender howl! Need work, but better!"

"I… I didn't do a single thing different this time than I did the last," you mutter. What is Nokai even talking about? Is this an elaborate prank on you? This seems like it could be an elaborate prank on you-

The skittering of claws on stone is your only warning before Xue tears through the tunnels, fur puffed up and eyes wide as he searches for a threat. The tiny dog lets out defensive sounding yips as he circles you and Nokai, tail held aloft like a flagpole while he looks to ward off danger.

Alright, perhaps there is something to this 'language of howls' after all. You inhale again, ready to try once more to memorize whatever it is you are supposed to be doing here… only to stop when Xue's fur seems to move on it's own.

A small green head grows from the fuzzy dog's back like a beast rising from the depths of the sea. Slowly, it rotates as it lifts up, scanning the surroundings with no less intensity than Xue himself is using.

...is that… is that Basil? Bihai's snake companion? Why is it riding along on Xue's back? What is going on? What even is today?

There is nothing you can do but sigh, swallow the Choir Note you've been saving for your howling training, and open your mouth to call once more.

+3 Beast successes to Warhound's Cry (Training), +5 Sound Successes to Warhound's Cry (Pill)!
Skill Up! Language (Sunholders) (INT) +1!
***
Of course, not all training is done via intensive repetition and memorization. Sometimes, when you are learning something new, it is best to be guided through with a gentle touch. That is the approach Sister Xiong takes when you enter the Warren for your next round of Caretaker duties.

She frowns as you walk into the room you usually meet in. As Sister Xiong stares at you, every hair on your body suddenly stands straight up as a ripple of cold passes through your flesh. Before the hairs have even fallen, Sister Xiong face sets itself into a stern frown.

"You've yet to cycle Royalty," she states firmly. "Why?"

You bend at the waist, not even certain why you are bowing but knowing that Sister Xiong seems displeased and that's probably not good. "I…" you begin, searching for the right words while having no clue what they are. "I have had other demands on my time, Sister Xiong."

"Of course you have," comes the immediate answer. "There will always be demands on your time, Kong Zhi, no matter how much of it you have. But out of all of your obligations, it is this one that you have let lapse. Why?"

You have no good response, and Sister Xiong knows it. She allows the silence to linger like a heavy stench before continuing. "You have already completed the most difficult part of your assignment. Some Artists may think that making such significant strides allows you to drag your feet on the easier portions. Those Artists are the pedestrian, Kong Zhi. They are the average. They mill about without direction, rising only as far as their mediocrity will carry them and crow about their pathetic achievements."

"Tell me, Kong Zhi, are you such an Artist? Do you think that allowing your own advancement to stagnate for 'other demands on your time' will be helpful in the future?"

Again, there is nothing you can say. All you can do is stand motionless as Sister Xiong sighs. "Perhaps closed door cultivation would suit you," she murmurs. "Consider attempting such at a later date. Removing distractions will do wonders for your Step."

Sister Xiong shakes her head. "But perhaps for now, this one time, it is for the best. Your lackadaisical approach to your cultivation has given us an opportunity to better prepare you for the unique challenges of Royalty Anam."

You are so busy focusing on the ground that you nearly miss her words. Once they register, you glance up at her once more. "I beg your pardon, Sister Xiong? Does that mean that… you will instruct me on how to best cycle Royalty?"

Your senior stares at you for another long moment, "You have set high expectations with your work so far Kong Zhi. Do not disappoint them. Now, conjure your treasure."

After that much chastisement, there is no arguing with Sister Xiong, not that you would want to if you could. Each aspect of anam presents it's own problems and takes time to learn how to properly cycle. If Sister Xiong, a master of Royalty Anam, is willing to guide you through the nuances of the aspect, you would be foolish to turn it down. You immediately flick your wrist, summoning the Scepter of the Moloth from deep within the Wandering Estate.

The artifact is just as you remember it. The body of the Scepter is made of tarnished silver, age working to ruin the elaborate engravings that once decorated this piece of regalia. It's head forms a small cage which surrounds a trio of amethysts, each pressed against the metal as if attempting to escape. Down at the scepter's foot, it tapers off into a jagged spike, the kind which would leave ragged wounds if brought to bear on flesh.

Only one thing has changed since you sealed the Scepter into the Estate. Before, the amethysts were dull and dark, closer to the tone of obsidian than their usual violet sheen. But now, time has restored them to their former glory, filling the air with a shining light that casts the briefing room in an ethereal glow. You can feel the anam rushing through the scepter with your fingertips, seeming to rush up and down the silver length in waves.

"Enter your breathing technique," Sister Xiong instructs you, eyes never blinking as she studies your Natural Treasure. "Begin to cycle and focus on my voice."

Cycling Check: 10d10s6(1.0). Dice Rolled: 9, 7, 7, 5, 5, 5, 4, 3, 3, 3. 3 Successes!
Cycling Check: 10d10s6(1.0). Dice Rolled: 10, 10, 10, 10, 9, 5, 5, 3, 3, 3, 7, 5, 2, 2. 6 Successes!

Again, you do as instructed. You slip into your breathing technique like the well-worn coat that it is and direct your focus downwards, to the scepter in your hands. The power within the simply cut metal is bright, glorious, and impossible to ignore. If it had not been in it's… previous home… you doubt it would have lingered in the caverns for you to find it. Some enterprising disciple would have scooped it up long ago to use as a foundation for their own cultivation.

But the rest of the Heart's loss is your gain. The scepter is yours now, and you will never relinquish things that are yours. All of this noble power… it will be turned to your own ends, allowing you to grow into the Lord you-

"Royalty is a seductive aspect," Sister Xiong states, her words breaking through your focus. "Merely by drawing it, before you even begin to actively cycle it, it begins to come into its own. Royalty cannot be contained for long once drawn, no more than a lord's command can be contained by covering your ears. By its nature, it will grow and fill the Artist that cycles it, fighting to display it's dominance over lesser aspects that might supplant it."

Sister Xiong's voice serves as a beacon, allowing you to break through the feeling of dominance that had engulfed you without notice. To your Sixth Sense, you are suddenly aware that you are flooded with violet anam that races from the scepter and through your body like the tides swallowing the shore. The energy ebbs and flows, going back and forth as you watch it with vigilant senses.

"This aspect cannot be ordered to do as you wish; not without holding greater standing than it," Sister Xiong continues. "Were you a Royalty Artist yourself, this would not be a concern. But since your own core lacks the purple, you must take a more subtle tact."

"Such as?" you pant out from between gritted teeth.

"You cannot command Royalty," she states. "But you can guide it through you with a subtle touch, one so slight that it barely recognizes that it has been manipulated at all. You can entice it. You can focus it on where it needs to be with indirect pressure."

Sure enough, Royalty slips through your grasp like water through your fingers. No matter how many times you try and manipulate it as you would Steel or Wood, your efforts are all for naught. But Sister Xiong's wisdom quickly bears fruit as your will attempts to grasp the power from every direction but the one you want it to actually go.

The anam takes the path of least resistance. It slowly pushes itself upwards, through your veins and into your throat- then out, and into your Sect Token. The moment the power touches the ivory stone, it seems to freeze- before racing forward, clearly finding something that interests it.

From there you barely need to focus at all. The anam emerges from the Token changed from the experience, seeping into your body with the collected knowledge of the Shadow of the Prince. Unlike the last time you worked with the Prince, where you drew Steel through the Token, the knowledge finds a home in your mind. The technique seems to seep into your very bones, becoming just as much a part of you as the other techniques you have cycled.

You open your eyes and change your breathing, cutting off the flow of Royalty before it risks consuming you once more. As the Amethyst dims you turn, glancing over your shoulder at your shadow. Your dark form still sits quietly in the violet light; at least, it does until your anam pulses through your feet and into the darkness alone.

Suddenly, your shadow seems far more solid than it once did. It grows even darker, gaining size and presence no normal shadow could ever hope to match. As it grows, you are filled with the certainty that if you were to do so much as twitch, your shadow would rip itself from the floor and lunge forward, striking at whatever you so desired.

But now is not the time for that- not when Sister Xiong is sitting before you. All you can do is allow the technique to lapse. There will be time for experimentation later.

"Good. It is quite simple when one applies themselves," Sister Xiong states, her words feeling far more like further chastisement than any type of praise. But she doesn't press any further. Instead, she turns and begins to rummage in a bin by her side.

"It is good you've learned to at least tap into the Prince's power," she continues. "It will be most useful in what is to come."

"What is to come?" you echo. "I… Sister Xiong, am I being given an assignment? I thought that my current task was to integrate my current techs."

"It is," she replies. "However, occasionally circumstances dictate that we disciples must labor through other assignments before completing our current tasks. This is one of those times."

Sister Xiong places the bundle on the table between you and pushes it, unrolling it like an enormous scroll. As each inch of fabric reveals itself, you can feel your eyes grow wider and wider.

Before you sits an enormous map of the Radiant Empire.

This… this can only mean one thing.

Your suspicions are confirmed a moment later when Sister Xiong speaks once again. "Enjoy this next week in the Heart, Kong Zhi, for it will be your last for a time. When it ends… you will be venturing beyond these tunnels in service of his Imperial Glory."

We are at the start of week 25! How do you spend your 25th week within the Delving Heart? (Pick Ten!)

You will receive your allowance in 2 weeks!
+5 Sect Points! (Caretaker Allowance)

NOTE: you may attempt to bring anyone you have met within the Delving Heart along on almost any of your actions, save your actions for the Caretakers. However, unless it is simply a social action, dice will be rolled to determine if they are available to accompany you, as they have their own lives and priorities to deal with.

Please cast all votes in PLAN FORMAT!
There is a twelve hour moratorium on this vote! There is no voting until twelve hours have passed! If anyone breaks this moratorium, if their vote still stands before it ends, their vote will be disqualified for the round!

Sect Actions
[] You are now a member of the Eighth Circle, and as such, your time is no longer your own. Elder Siani and his Caretakers require your service. (This action is mandatory.)
[] 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.
[] Your purse is light and your sect token even lighter, but there may be a way to remedy the last. You've recently mastered a technique of your own design and are able to pass it on. The Archives might be interested in acquiring such a technique for their own. You will approach them and attempt to strike a deal for further sect points.
[] The more familiar you become with the Caretaker's headquarters, the stranger it seems to you. It is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside. It has more rooms in it than any simple building should. Certain parts of it just feel… strange. It is time to begin solving some of it's mysteries. You will begin exploring the Warren in earnest.

Training Actions
[] You have discovered some talent in the physical arts, but talent is useless if not honed. You will find an empty training field and work on your martial skills.
-[] (Specify Technique Being Trained)
[] Eighth Circle Disciples no longer have to pay for entrance to the Archives, giving you unlimited access to knowledge of thousands of years. You will take advantage of this to further your studies.
-[] (Specify subject of interest. An Investigation Check will determine results.)
[] You now have nearly unlimited access to the Archives of the Delving Heart. You will take advantage of this to search for techniques.
-[] (Specify details of technique you are searching for. An Investigation Check will determine results.)
[] The Archives of the Delving Heart also offer to connect disciples with tutors in their discipline for a cost. You will take advantage of the wisdom of your seniors.
-[] (Select the level of the tutor you will hire. The choices are 7th Circle (3 Talents, Counts as 2 Actions, 1d3 training roll) or 5th Circle (6 talents, Counts as 3 Actions, 1d6+1 training roll).
--[] (Select the Skill you wish tutored.)
[] The only true way to walk your path is to cycle the anam of the world. You will do so.
-[] (Select the Natural Wonder and/or Treasure you will cycle.)
--[] (Select your cycling target (for healing, for a technique, for other purposes, etc.)
[] Those who have taken the Teacher's Step may allow you to cycle their power- thought it is not without cost to your body. (Costs 1 Box of Stress. The type of stress corresponds to what Aspect is cycled.)
-[] (Select which Teacher you will approach to Cycle from)
--[] (Select which Aspect you will cycle from this Teacher)
---[] (Select your cycling target (for healing, for a technique, for other purposes, etc.)

Craftsman Actions
[] Your fingers itch to begin work on a new charm. You shall begin planning one out.
-[] You will begin work on a charm for your own purposes
[] A true charmcrafter always has a ready supply of materials ready to go. You will go out and add to your collection.
-[] You will go scavenging for new materials.
-[] You will go hunting for new materials.
-[] You will go seek out new materials in the village market.
[] One of your materials is in a form which does not suit you. You shall refine it.
-[] Select which material you will refine
--[] You will refine it with a quick formation (No bonus, no further cost).
--[] You will refine it with an intense formation (+2 dice, -1 action next turn).
--[] You will refine it with the aid of a charmforge (+5 dice, -1 bronze talent).

Social Actions
[] Jai Fa's duel is nigh, and you've a great desire to see your creation in action. You will be in attendance as she brings the Weight of Winter to bear against her opponent.
[] Jai Shouxi seems to have carved out some rare free time and plans to use it. He has been putting together groups of disciples to serve as test groups. You would be a poor roommate if you did not offer your own services- though hopefully you will be able to avoid being dosed this time.
[] Xu Yun has been spending a great deal of time in the training grounds working on his techniques. You will pay him a visit; it will be interesting to see his mysterious core in action.
[] Bihai is putting his experience with the Court of Preservation to good use by planning a small trip through seldom explored tunnels. He is happy to have you along; after all, the more hands there, the more likely it is for someone to find something good! Bihai has vanished into the tunnels. Sometimes, if you listen well, you can still hear his voice.
[] Your howling lessons gleaned you some interesting knowledge on how the Sunholders communicate with each other. Perhaps Nokai could be enticed to share more of her culture if you ask properly. (Pack Mentality Roll: 16! Cost remains unchanged!)
[] With your insight, Mei Daiyu has new ideas she wishes to integrate with her charm concept. She has invited you to join her in the Archives, which is quickly becoming a home away from home for her Mei Daiyu is hard at work preparing for her journey. She has no time to spend on charmcraft today.
[] You have precisely no idea what just happened with Mo Hanying. There will be no more verbal sparring, no more cunning webs, no more hidden motives. You are going to track her down and get answers. Mo Hanying is nowhere to be found. When approached, her household states that she is occupied with her other contests, though you would be welcome to leave a message. You did not leave a message.
[] Ming Hui has been assigned a task that is thoroughly out of his area of expertise. He has been told to clean a building in the central cavern for a guest of the sect, some Spirit Beast member of another of the great seven. Though it is not your mission, he would be grateful for extra hands.
[] Sun Yijun has received the same warnings about the Warren that you have, telling you not to explore the darkened floors of the Caretaker's Headquarters without being fully prepared. What could fortify you better than working together? The two of you will begin poking through a quiet floor and see what comes next. Sun Yijun cannot be found. When he was last seen, he was pushing into the lower levels of the Warren, two floors deeper than you have visited before.
[] Kumi is preparing to leave the Heart for a mission of some sort, and she is gathering her resources. She would not say no to an extra pair of hands to carry bags as she gets ready to venture forth. Kumi is out of the sect on her mission. She will be back soon- with soup!
[] You have a standing invitation to join Yi Tai in standing vigil over Zhuan Kun's training, no doubt while playing a confusing game of Garden of Beasts. It is time to take advantage of such an opportunity, and learn more about Lord Zhuan's court as you play.
[] Wugui has proven both willing and able to assist you with training your altered limbs, though he does show a bit too much glee in the act for your comfort. You will seek him out and put yourself under his tender mercies once again. Your turtle-esque Senior has his own duties to attend to. He has no time to serve as your taskmaster this week.
[] Weeks ago, you besmirched your home with the abominations that are mass produced charms. But perhaps all hope is not lost. You've recently made the acquaintance of Boli Guozao, a charmcrafter specializing in architecture. Perhaps he could be called upon to assist in salvaging your Spire.
[] Ta Riou has expressed a great deal of interest in body modification techniques. As you have just finished your masterwork, she would welcome the chance to inspect it so as to better plan her own Path.
[] Siau Satai impressed you during Mo Hanyng's tournament. She has not a lick of formal training, but there is clear talent and potential there. With a bit of training, she can see how bright her jewel will shine. You can provide that training. Siau Satai is hard at work honing her runes. She was last seen scratching at the walls, carving a fresh boulder from them to serve as her canvas. You had best leave her be.
[] During the charmcrafting challenge, Song Douyan showed a talent with working jewels. But she is still a neophyte when it comes to judging their quality, and she has approached you to remedy that gap in her education. You will take her through the markets and help her learn to tell good gemstones from bad.
[] Xi Weixiao has already begun her next project: a large sculpture depicting wolves fighting skinks. She wishes to be as accurate with her work as possible, but sadly neither of the two subjects will consent to stay still for her. The artist would be greatly appreciative if you assisted her in rendering them insensate long enough for her to capture their form.
[] It is always good to stay in contact with your family. You shall pen them another letter. (Does not count as an action. -1 bronze talent).
-[] (Write-In the contents of the letter)
[] There are other disciples you have yet to meet, and you would like to change that. You'll mingle with your fellows.
[] You have heard of several disciples that you have not formally made the acquaintance of. You would like to expand your social circle, and so you will seek one of them out.
-[] (Write in which disciple you would like to speak with)

Other actions
[] The Delving Heart is a massive cave complex full of mystery. You'll seek that mystery out and find out more about the place you now live.
[] Recently, you have mastered the Stallion's Enclosed Garden, and with it, an enhancement to your sixth sense. Though it will be tiring and difficult, perhaps you can use this technique to refine your hunts through the tunnel. (Counts as Two Actions. Costs one box of mental stress.)
-[] (Choose what you are hunting for: Wonder, Spirit Beast, Kukuni, or Other. A roll will be made on a table made entirely of your choice.)
[] On your belt hangs a small hammer inhabited by a Kukuni of Steel you have dubbed Chui Dao. It seems to be an affable spirit with a passion for beating metal, but there may be more. You will experiment with Chui Dao and see what other secrets hide within his metal.
-[] (Write-In how you will experiment with Chui Dao.)
[] You've recently discovered the location of the Glorious Respite, or rather the Bathhouse as some of your seniors know it. You will head there and use it's refreshing springs to cleanse your mind of troubles. (Counts as Two Actions. Removes one box of mental stress. Up to two disciples may be invited on this trip, with a roll determining if they accept.)
[] During your travels through the Delving Heart, you encountered Tiaoyue, a Blood Kukuni of fearsome power. It was victorious last time and it left you greatly changed. This time, things will be different.
-[] You will hunt down the Kukuni to kill it.
-[] You will hunt down the Kukuni to speak with it.
[] You have talents and you have sect points. They burn a hole in your purse and token the longer you have them. You shall go to the sect market and seek to offload some of your wealth.
[] Jai Shouxi has recently indicated that his skills as a refiner are now available for purchase. While he may not have the backstock that the Inner Market has, he is a touch cheaper- if riskier. (Does not count as an option. Jai Shouxi can make you a maximum of 5 pills per action.)
-[] (Write-In what Pills you wish to purchase from Jai Shouxi. He charges 4 sect points per aspect per grade (i.e: a Grade 1 Earth pill will be 4 points, a Grade 2 Earth pill will be 8 points, a Grade 1 Earth/Fire pill will be 8 points, etc.), with rarer aspects costing more. For each pill, 1d20 is rolled. On a 1, there will be a delay, and your pill will not be available this next week. On a 20, Jai Shouxi has slipped into Clarity. Your commission will have interesting results.)
[] Jai Shouxi has begun selling cups of his new, energizing tea at the behest of Elder Yixue. It is guaranteed to energize and refresh you, but it is not without its downsides. (Cost: 1 Talent. Gain one extra action, fill one mental stress box.)
[] Write-In

 

[Vesvius]

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Spoiler: Previous Winning Vote

> Plan Smoke Bomb Exit
> You are now a member of the Eighth Circle, and as such, your time is no longer your own. Elder Siani and his Caretakers require your service. (This action is mandatory.)
> 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.
> The only true way to walk your path is to cycle the anam of the world. You will do so. x5
>> Firesnake's Coils
>>> Elegant Plume
>>>> Use Cloud's Breath and Wind/Smoke pills as often as you can
> The only true way to walk your path is to cycle the anam of the world. You will do so.
>> The Black Anvil
>>> Hummingbird's Dance
> The only true way to walk your path is to cycle the anam of the world. You will do so.
>> The Steel Thicket
>>> Hummingbird's Dance
> The only true way to walk your path is to cycle the anam of the world. You will do so.
>> A Second of Eternity
>>> Hummingbird's Dance
>It is always good to stay in contact with your family. You shall pen them another letter. (Does not count as an action. -1 bronze talent).
>> Letter
>>>

Spoiler: Letter

Honored Mother,

I received Father's letter. I hardly know what to say in return, but I will treasure his words, and I wait anxiously for news of his success at the Warlord's Step.

I hope all is well at the compound. Much has happened at the Delving Heart since last we spoke. Elder Siani continues to be baffling teacher at times, but both he and Sister Xiong have praised my work and given handsome rewards. My friends have been working under their Elders as well, and they have been given tasks as curious and difficult as my own. I have been told that, when I have proved myself, I will be elevated to the Seventh. It seems to be Siani's approach to teaching - to push one into the pool and expect one to learn to swim or drown. I believe I am up to the challenge.

I have completed the charm using the material that Father gave me. My skin and eye are now blessed by the presence of the Autumn Hunter, and I look forward to more changes in the future - I can sense I have barely scratched the Fractal View's potential. However I look, please know I will always remain your and Father's son.

As you know, I was recently asked to judge a charm contest by Mo Hanying. What I tell you now I tell you in the strictest confidence. She asked me to choose a lesser craftsman as the victor of the contest, one who produced a mere spatial charm. Another had created a training chamber designed with incredible complexity of runes, strong enough to challenge the strongest of our Circle, and another candidate created a complex work of sensory and Defender charm with an elegance that I can only describe as almost up to the standards of the Kong. I could not betray my principles, and chose her the victor. Since then, Mo Hanying has refused to speak to me. I do not know what lay behind her decision or what this means for the future, but I could not do otherwise.

As part of the events leading up to the challenge, I brought one of the contestants to the attention of Lord Zhuan. It seems I was rewarded for this by an afternoon playing Garden of Beasts with his secretary Yi Tai. I do not know where this path will lead, but I will attempt to walk it, for the glory of the Kong. If Uncle Fang has any spare pieces that he believes would work well alongside a Hunter Ape, I would appreciate the aid.

The reason I write this letter today is that I have been told I have been called for a mission outside the Heart, for his Imperial Glory's business. I do not know where I will be heading or any of the details, but I expect to be gone some weeks. I will write to you upon my return.

Love,
Kong Zhi

---------------------
After a moment's consideration, you pause and reach towards the side of your head. Your bronze nails make quick work of whatever obstruction had formed in your ear canals that caused you to mishear your senior sister. After shaking your head to jostle free any remnants, you let out a sigh of relief and look to Sister Xiong once again. "I beg your pardon, Senior Sister, but could you repeat yourself?" you answer. "I must have misinterpreted your words."

Sister Xiong's gaze is pitiless and her arched eyebrow alone is enough to send a chill down your spine. But she obliges you. "You have been called upon, Kong Zhi," she repeats. "Make yourself ready, for at the end of the week you will depart these halls by word of his imperial glory."

...oh. So you had heard Sister Xiong correctly before. You are suddenly very glad that you are seated. "I… what?" you manage to mumble out. "His Imperial Glory has tasked me with an assignment?"

A deep crease forms in Sister Xiong's forehead as she frowns at your words. When she answers though, her tone contains naught but it's usual businesslike briskness. "Not you, specifically," she states. "But the Heart as a whole, and the Heart has, in turn, selected you."

"But… but I…" you stammer. "I… I've not yet even climbed to the Seventh Circle!" You have no idea why that is the objection that leaves your lips, but it is the one that stands out the most in your mind. The Seventh Circle is comprised of those who are ready and willing to leave the sect for assignments. You are not yet a member of the Seventh Circle. Ergo, you are not ready to leave the sect for assignments.

Sister Xiong seems unmoved by your words. "Indeed, you have not," comes her answer, the vague disdain in her voice leaving no doubt who she blames that on. "But the Seventh is currently engaged. Now it is the Eighth's turn to rise."

"The Seventh is engaged?!" you cannot help but echo, your shocked tone bordering on open disrespect. "All of them?! What-"

"Enough," Sister Xiong interrupts, her voice as hard as iron. "I understand your reluctance, but you are a Caretaker, and you will conduct yourself as such."

You swallow thickly and snap into a bow. She continues as you do, "With the Seventh, Sixth, and much of the Fifth engaged as they are, it is time for those in the Eighth to answer the call. It is time for you to answer the call, Kong Zhi."

The blunt honesty in her words is enough to render you speechless. You rise from the bow and stare up at Sister Xiong, goggle-eyed, before slowly looking down at the map before you. "Sister?" you say, fighting and failing to turn your voice into anything but a high-pitched squeak. "What exactly is the assignment?"

There is silence in the briefing room as Sister Xiong gathers her words. After a moment's pause, she takes a seat on the opposite side of the table and looks at you over steepled fingers. "Tell me, Kong Zhi- what do you know about the relationship between the Seven Stars and the Radiant Empire?"

You can only blink owlishly at the complete non-answer to your question. Some small, foolish part of you wants to open your mouth and demand that Sister Xiong actually answer your very simple request for information, but it is beaten back by the rest of you, which is attempting to regain its equilibrium. You have been bordering on rudeness with Sister Xiong. It would be best to simply answer her and hope that your own answers will be revealed in time rather than continue to press your luck.

"Not a great deal," you answer. When Sister Xiong sends you a look of silent recrimination, you hold in a sigh and plumb the depths of your mind for any possible nugget of information that might satisfy your senior. "I know that the seven sects of the Radiant Empire- the Seven Stars- kneel before the Dawnstone Seat and no other. I know that at times, nobles of the Steadfast Court have attempted to shackle the Sect's freedoms and have been stopped by the Dawnstone Seat's command every time. I know that the Seven Stars can be called upon in times of strife to support His armies. But aside from that, I know nothing."

Sister Xiong considers your words. "A decent answer, and a better one than I expected," she answers, her head inclining in a slight nod. "Indeed, all of those things are true. The Seven Stars of the Radiant Empire answer to none but his imperial glory and have since the time for the Emperor-In-Radiance. The Sects and the Dawnstone Seat are intertwined in ways that most cannot fathom, and have been since before the Dawnstone Seat was even created. It is a most unusual arrangement."

"It is?" you echo, your curiosity piqued despite Sister Xiong's utter refusal to move the conversation closer to your original query.

"It is," she repeats. "In other lands, such an arrangement would be seen as barely constrained chaos at best. They would wonder why the Sects are allotted so much freedom, or they would wonder why the Sects have need of the Steadfast Court at all. But the Emperor-In-Radiance knew that for the talents of Artists to be best leveraged, the Sects could not be constrained by the earthly concerns of government, nor could they function properly were they to be shackled to Seated institutions."

"...and what service did the Emperor-In-Radiance wish to leverage the talents of Artists towards?" you respond. Somehow, you feel you are circling closer and closer to the point of this conversation.

A small smile is the reward for your question. "Nothing less than protecting the Empire itself from its greatest threats."

Her words draw another frown as you think on her words- which make very little sense to you. If the Sects were founded to war with the Empire's many foes, would it not be better to keep them in lockstep with the Steadfast Court? No one fights an enemy by deploying an army and telling them to wander around aimlessly, after all.

"The greatest threat to the Empire has never been Spirit Beasts," Sister Xiong continues after reading the look on your face. "It has never been Waste Barbarians, Northern Savages, or the monstrosities that crawl from the Laughingstar. They are threats to be sure, but they can be stopped. They can be and have been overcome with the force of arms. But our greatest threat? Our greatest threat comes from within. It cannot be fought off or bargained with. It comes from the citizens themselves. It is-"

"-Vestiges," you finish, mumbling the answer before Sister Xiong can speak it.

Your senior gives another graceful nod at your words. "Indeed. To trained Artists, a Vestige may be nothing more than a distraction, but to a mortal, it is an unconquerable terror. A single Servant's Vestige can eradicate an entire farming village in under a day. A Soldier's Vestige can strike terror in an entire city, and a Farmer's? One Farmer's Vestige can break a unit of the Glorious Vanguard."

"Hunting Vestiges may solve problems for a time," Sister Xiong continues. "But there will always be more. There will always be untrained Artists striving for greater power throughout the Empire, and when they fail, they wreak havoc on his dominion. To truly cut off the threat of Vestiges, there is only one solution: education."

"And so the Emperor-In-Radiance forged the Seven Stars. They were given freedom above all others, respect throughout the width and breadth of the Empire, power beyond the wildest dreams of mortals. And in return, the compact was forged, with one duty being given to the Seven Stars above all others: to test and train all those with the Spark that they find."

"It is this duty that his imperial glory thinks we have been lax in," Sister Xiong states with a huff. "It is his opinion that the testers and the Seven Stars that accompany them have been derelict in their duty to plumb the depths of the Empire for Sparks. And it is towards this duty that you are being dispatched."

Sister Xiong turns her focus to the map, and you follow her gaze. "A new wave of testers has been commissioned by the Emperor-In-Steel," she states. "And they are travelling the width and breadth of the Empire to find every single soul who carries the spark. Each of these testers is to be accompanied by a trio of Artists by his decree. You will be a member of one of the next trios to be dispatched."

She taps a spot on the map. You look at the indicated space, finding Sister Xiong's long fingers pointed at a city located deep within the Forest of Pearls. "Your team will depart from the Heart with all due haste and rendezvous with your tester here, in Mockingjay, at the House of Moon's Eye," she states, her finger tracing a route along the map as she speaks. "He will be accompanied by a trio from the Resolute March, so watch your words carefully. You will spend several days here as your tester goes through the underbelly of Mockingjay with a fine-toothed comb, searching for any souls with the Spark missed on previous passes."

"After that, you will head west," Sister Xiong continues. Her finger sketches out a new path, leading you away from Mockingjay, through the Brightmaples. "With stops in the Honeydrenched Hills and Jingyi's Summit. From there, you will continue south, stopping at each village you can find in the foothills of the Brightmaples, before reaching Twelve Fields. There, you will turn custody of the tester to disciples of the Whispering Jackal before returning to the Heart in the most expedient manner possible."

You trace the route with your own finger. A dozen questions flow through your mind, but only one manages to escape. "Sister Xiong? Why are they sending me?"

Your senior is silent, leaving you to elaborate. "I… I am no frontline combatant, trained in navigating through the Forest of Pearls. I am not skilled in the diplomatic arts. I am… I seem ill-suited for this task. So why is it being given to me? Is it not a better fit for the Imperial Hand or the Stone Fist?"

Sister Xiong studies you in silence for a long moment. Eventually, she shakes her head. "You think too little of yourself Kong Zhi, though I will concede that you have some small point," she allows. "And indeed, members of the Fist and the Hand are being dispatched as well. You will likely be assigned to a trio with members of those courts. But you are forgetting one key detail."

A ghost of a smile crosses Sister Xiong's face. "Sending the Eighth out on assignment this early… it is not usually done. Were the need not pressing, it would never even be considered. But if Elder Hotei is to be believed, it is not only a pressing need, it is a vital one- and that makes this a very unusual situation."

"And when there is an unusual situation, upon whom does the sect call?" Sister Xiong asks.

You let out a low breath, knowing where she is going with this. "They call on the Caretakers."

"Indeed they do," comes the answer. "Now, if you have any questions pertaining to your assignment, now is the time to ask them."

Do you have any questions relating to your assignment? (Vote for as many questions as you would like. The top three will be asked.)
[] Write-In

 

[Vesvius]

A/N: A big thanks to the 48 people who have pledged to me on Patreon! If you'd like to join them, you can do so here. Or, if you'd like to support me without the monthly commitment, you can buy me a cup of Ko-Fi here.

Spoiler: Previous Winning Vote

> How can I best make use of this opportunity to better myself while out of the sect?
> What do we know about the tester we will be escorting?
> What should my priorities be on this mission?

-----------------
You pause to consider before asking any of the dozens of questions floating through your mind. In the end, you do not give voice to any of them. You have tempted your fate enough with Sister Xiong, and you would rather not end this briefing before you have learned all you can.

After a moment's pause to gather your thoughts, you let out a long breath, and ask what seems to be the most pertinent question. "What do we know about this tester that we will be escorting?"

Sister Xiong offers you the shadow of what might one day grow to be an approving nod. "You will be escorting Tester Ni Weiyan," she informs you. "He is newly trained, and this is his first testing cycle. From all accounts though, Tester Ni Weiyan embodies every virtue that his imperial glory attempts to teach his servants."

"So he is…"

"Dedicated," Sister Xiong continues. "Driven to the point of obsession. He has little interest in anything that does not directly contribute to his duties. In truth, were he in possession of the Spark, he would make an exemplary Artist."

"He lacks the Spark?" you echo. "Is that unusual for His Imperial Glory's testers?"

"Unusual? Hardly," comes the response. "It is not only encouraged, it is mandatory. If one wishes to be trained in the use of the testing treasures, they must first prove that not a single drop of anam resides within their family. Should any one of their ancestors within five generations prove to have been even the least Artist, they are disqualified from service."

"That is…" you answer, trailing off as you struggle to find the words. "That seems… to me, it appears that the Imperial Testers have a most strenuous and dangerous task. To travel the width and breadth of the Empire is no safe feat. Even the least Servant would be far safer than the most skilled Seated. Would it not make more sense to have Artists test nascent Artists?"

"It would, were it not for one key facet of the testing: the testing treasures themselves."

Sister Xiong sits back on her stool and twists her wrist, conjuring a steaming cup of fine porcelain. As she sips her tea, she continues on. "The testing treasures are sensitive in ways that normal Natural Treasures are not. They must be if they are to be manipulated by neophytes without even the faintest hint of training. As such, their care and transportation becomes a rather delicate affair. The least amount of foreign anam can contaminate a treasure, rendering it unusable for generations."

After a moment's pause to savor the tea's flavor, Sister Xiong's eyes lock onto you once more. "The testing treasure is an imperial relic that dates all the way back to the Emperor-In-Tears. It, and the function it provides, is worth more than any single village in the entire Empire. Safeguarding it is your highest priority."

You nod, committing your senior's words to memory. "I see. What are my other priorities for this assignment?"

"Past safeguarding the treasure?" Sister Xiong muses. "Safeguarding yourself and your fellows, of course. Save for the treasure, there is no greater asset committed to this task than our disciples. We have high hopes for your Circle, Kong Zhi, and it would be a shame for them to fade because you were smeared beneath a boulder. And of course, keep your eyes and ears open. You are a Caretaker, after all."

You nod sharply. Xiong Eryu meets your gaze for a moment, before turning her attention back to her paperwork. "Beyond that, making a good impression on our new Ninth Circle is paramount. These neophytes will become your juniors in due time. They must come to the Heart with a drive to succeed planted deep within their soul, and there is nothing that implants such a drive quite like a respected Senior."

Your senior lapses into silence, savoring another sip of tea. When the quiet drags on for too long, you speak up once more. "Um… what about Tester Ni Weiyan?" you ask. "This assignment is to accompany him, no? Should… should I strive to ensure his well being?"

A half-shrug is the response. "Should it not conflict with your other priorities, I do not see why not," Sister Xiong states.

You… you are not certain what to make of that. It would likely be best for you to nod and move on. "Very well," you answer. "Will I be expected to be attending Tester Ni Weiyan at all times?"

"When traveling? It will be hard to avoid the man," comes the bland response. "But during your stays in cities and villages, you may find some opportunities for personal time. Take them when you can find them; they will be few and far between."

"And how would the Senior Sister suggest I spend my personal time?" you push. "There must be some ways to advance and better myself when I am outside of the tunnels. What would the Senior Sister do in my stead?"

Sister Xiong studies you carefully. "I suspect there is a great difference in how you and I would choose to spend our free time," she states. "But in truth? Something, Kong Zhi. You should do something."

After another sip, Sister Xiong elaborates. "The Radiant Empire is a beautiful land, with no two cities identical. There are libraries you can visit, crafts you can learn, sights to behold in every corner of our wonderful home. There will be tomes in the Archive of Mockingjay that are unheard of in Honeydrenched Hills, normal teachers in Twelve Fields that would be looked at in awe were they to venture to Locust Gallery, and far more besides. Seek out knowledge and experience wherever you can find it- you never know when the smallest scrap of information will come in handy."

From there, the briefing begins to dissolve. You ask Sister Xiong a few more questions about your route and the dangers you may encounter, all of which are answered to her satisfaction if not your own.

Soon enough, you're sent from the briefing room with a token in your hand- one that directs you down to the Requisition Hall. You've been granted a precious opportunity to call upon the resources of the Caretakers for this task. You had best not squander it.

Spoiler: A Refresher On Caretaker Requisitions

When Kong Zhi embarks on a mission for the Caretakers, he does not do so alone. He does so with the organizational might of the Eighth Court at his back- and as such, he is entitled to specialized weapons, tools, and charms that the Caretakers keep locked in their vaults.

Before every Caretaker Mission, Kong Zhi will be given the opportunity to spend a certain number of points on his requisitions. The number of points he is given will depend on how crucial this assignment is, how much he has contributed to the Caretakers in the past, and his reputation within the organization.

These Caretaker Requisitions that he can spend these points on can be be divided into five categories:

Infiltration: points spent on Infiltration requisitions become disguises to allow Kong Zhi to walk undetected through hostile areas, keys and talismans to open any locks, and traps to punish the unwary.
Combat: points spent on Combat requisitions allow Kong Zhi to better withstand a frontal assault. They become powerful weapons, protective armor, and useful charms to assist in the fine art of facepunching.
Survival: points spent on Survival requisitions allow Kong Zhi to function better outside of civilization. Travel rations, charms that create potable water, guides to local flora and fauna, and various items to assist in tracking creatures through the wilderness all fall under Survival.
Cultivation: points spent on Cultivation requisitions give Kong Zhi access to all sorts of pills and elixirs to assist in his missions. Be it healing medicines, emergency anam restoratives, local Natural Wonders when you are beyond the sect's borders, or tokens that grant temporary knowledge of powerful techniques, it is all at Kong Zhi's fingertips. (NOTE: Cultivation Requisitions are highly monitored for obvious reasons. Abuse of said requisitions is subject to harsh oversight, and any caught abusing them will be appropriately punished.)
Contact: points spent on Contact requisitions do not give Kong Zhi any physical items- no, they give access to something possibly more valuable. The Caretakers know many useful people the width and breadth of the Radiant Empire, some of whom assist them for favors, some of whom assist them for favors owed. Contact Requisitions give Kong ZHi access to those people, granting him their names, locations, and the authority to make debts or call them in.

Keep in mind that the number of items you recieve and the number of points invested in a requisition may not be the same. Points invested may instead increase the magnitude of the item you receive, or it may indeed result in more items being checked out. This time, you will be selecting what Zhi picks from the Requisition Hall yourself. An example requisition vote might look like this, only with the >'s replaced with vote brackets:

>Plan Example
>>Survival: 1
>>>A charm that creates fresh, potable water
>>Combat: 2
>>>A Suit of Lightning Infused Armor
>>Contacts: 2
>>>A guide to show us through the Brightmaples.

How does Kong Zhi spend his five (5) requisition points?
[] Write-In in Plan Format (Please suggest what Zhi's requisition points become.)

 

[Vesvius]

A/N: A big thanks to the 48 people who have pledged to me on Patreon! If you'd like to join them, you can do so here. Or, if you'd like to support me without the monthly commitment, you can buy me a cup of Ko-Fi here.

Spoiler: Previous Winning Vote

> Plan Eyes and Ears and Fists
>> Infiltration: 1
>>> Something that can alert us to ambushes or attempts to steal the Testing Treasure.
>> Survival: 2
>>> Travel rations
>>> A guide to local flora and fauna.
>> Contacts: 1
>>> Contacts to guide us through terrains difficult to navigate, and inform us about local opportunities.
>>Combat 1
>>> A charm that would allow for Hummingbird's Dance or other unarmed combat to do spiritual damage.

---------------------------
Your second trip to the Requisition Hall does go nearly as smoothly as your first. It is to be expected; Wugui is not here to guide you through the hundreds upon hundreds of shelves, leaving you to peruse the assorted aids by yourself. Still, you don't think you've made out that badly.

Mindful of Kumi's advice before her own mission, you narrow your focus to things that you can only easily obtain here in the Requisition Hall. You ignore the more comfortable travel robes, the well-worn maps, and the pedestrian, if well-made, bows and blades. Instead, you turn your focus to the musty walls of scrolls and tomes. If there is one thing that the Caretakers can provide that the general markets cannot, it is knowledge, and you aim to exploit that resource to its fullest.

The first scrap of knowledge you discover is buried in the middle of a scroll rack. You almost discard it out of hand, so beaten and weathered is the parchment, but a quick scan reveals it to be well-suited for your needs. It is a copy of The Moon Over Pearls, a volume of the travelogues of Guying the Wanderer. As per his self-styled epithet, Guying was a travelling Artist, known for venturing through the width and breadth of the Empire and the lands beyond while recording his seemingly fantastic journeys.

While you have some doubts of the veracity of several of his claims- the amount of times he seems to wander through a sect comprised only of beautiful female Artists seems a touch too numerous to be real- the words he writes about the world around him are beyond reproach. This particular volume details his journeys through the Forest of Pearls and the Brightmaple foothills. If you can get through his flowery prose, there are precious nuggets of information about the lands you will be travelling through to be found.

But written words are only some of the forms that knowledge comes in. After finishing your perusal of the scrolls, you move on to a small cabinet full to the brim with row after row of neatly organized folders. You pull one out and open it, looking through its contents to find that it contains a full dossier on Wen Chantai, a butcher who runs a brisk trade in Locust Gallery. It seems that years ago, Sima Tun kept her business from ruin, and since then she's served as a source of information whenever a Caretaker visits Locust Galley.

You glance from the folder to the cabinet, eyes widening as the full import of what you are looking at sinks in. Before you sits the collection- or at least, a collection- of contacts carefully cultivated and maintained by Caretakers past. This could very well be more valuable than any charm or technique.

Not all contacts are equal, however. As you browse through the cabinet, you quickly discover that they are organized by value. Lesser contacts are in white folders and can be leveraged for a paltry requisition cost. More valuable contacts are in different colors, with the darker the folder, the more important and hard to maintain the contact is. You cannot even read some of the dossiers tucked away in dark brown folders; the words simply seem to swim off the page when you try to lay eyes on them.

Eventually, however, you settle on a burnt red folder containing the information for Wu Ashin, a courier and scavenger residing in Honeydrenched Hills. The dossier states that he has been called upon fairly regularly by Caretakers venturing to the west, and the relationship has been a friendly one- an almost bizarrely friendly one. You count no less than three thank you letters sent to Wu Ashin expressing a Caretaker's sincere gratitude for the courier's stolid guidance.

Yes, Wu Ashin will be most useful in getting your bearings once you've made it through the pass and onto the White Daylight Fields. You make a mark on the folder and commit the dossier to memory.

Not all of your requisitions are immaterial, though. After memorizing the dossier, you turn your focus to the assorted charms festooning one large section of the hall. Though you are loathe to admit it, your hunt of the Phantom Point was aided greatly by the use of premade charms, and you cannot afford to turn down any advantage in your second official mission.

As luck would have it, one charm you are already familiar with is still available. With a barely suppressed shudder, you scoop up the armband that is Wolf Breaks Fast and slide it up your bicep. The almost feral nature of the charm should give even your most mundane attacks an edge, allowing you to fend off Spirit Beast or perhaps even Vestiges with your bare hands.

But you do not stop there. Though you think you are well-appointed for combat, there are other things charms can aid you with- such as security. Sister Xiong has said that your highest priority is the safety of the testing treasure after all. While you are sure that Tester Ni Weiyan will have his own methods of protecting his valued tool, there is no reason not to keep your own senses open and aid him in any way you can.

You find a suitable charm after another hour of searching. This one takes the form of a small silver ornament reminiscent of a horse's mane. The 'hair' seems to bend and twist with the wind despite it's heavy composition, and it is simple to twine it around your ear. It's nameplate proclaims it to be 'The Breath of the Wary', and it harnesses wind anam to bring even the softest sounds to your attention.

That covers all the needs that you can think of- well, save feeding your stomach. You've become accustomed to a certain quality of food here in the Delving Heart, and you are reluctant to give that up. You spend your final requisition point on a pack of travel rations created by an Immortal Chef of the Fourth Circle months ago that will keep for years more without ever losing their flavor.

Caretaker Requisitions Acquired! These will remain in Kong Zhi's inventory until he returns to the Delving Heart!

Spoiler: Caretaker Requisitions

The Moon Over Pearls: A Travelogue covering the Forest of Pearls and the Brightmaple Foothills. Grants basic familiarity with native flora and fauna, granting +2 to Survival while in those regions. Unlocks unique opportunities in these areas!

Dossier of Wu Ashin of Honeydrenched Hill! Call on him should you make it there!

3 Months of Travel Rations (Immortal Grade): Prevents penalties from poor diet and accommodations for three months! The first time you would gain fatigue in a day, you may ignore it.

Charms: Wolf Breaks Fast (Armband), The Breath of the Wary (Ear Ornament)!

Spoiler: Wolf Breaks Fast

Wolf Breaks Fast (Armband)
Warrior Charm 2 (Beast 15/Hunger 6/Bone 3)
This woven armband of silk and steel is formed around a long set of beastial teeth and practically vibrates with an animalistic need to rend and tear. Any offensive attacks or techniques used by the wearer gain Piercing 3.

Spoiler: The Breath of the Wary

The Breath of the Wary (Ear Ornament)
Sage Charm 2 (Wind 14/Sound 8)
This silver ear ornament resembles a horse's mane flowing in the breeze. When it is worn, the wielder gains +4 to Perception (WIT) when attempting to hear things

Spending all of your Requisition Points does not mean you are done preparing. While the Caretaker's stores are the most potent aid at your disposal, it is by no means the only one. You still have plenty of talents and sect points carefully hoarded away, and now you can finally use them for a worthy cause. You leave the Warren and weave your way through the Heart, finally emerging at the Inner Market.

After a brief moment to check on the exchange rate, you plunge into the stalls and shops. This is your last opportunity to prepare your supplies before leaving the Heart. You will not waste it.

You have 38 Sect Points and 14 Bronze Talents. Bronze Talents may be exchanged for 3 Sect Points each at the moneychanger and may not be changed back. Pills and Elixirs may be purchased multiple times, materials only once.

Please, in plan format, choose what Kong Zhi buys at the Inner Market.
THIS VOTE HAS A 2 HOUR MORATORIUM! PLEASE DO NOT CAST ANY VOTES UNTIL TWO HOURS HAVE PASSED FROM THE TIME THIS VOTE IS POSTED!

Spoiler: The Inner Market

Materials
[] A bundle of fresh Ifeagrass. (1 Point. Blood Aspected. +3 to development)
[] The Warped Lens. (9 Points. Light/Sun Aspected. +18 to Development)
[] The powdered beak of a crow. (1 Points. Wind Aspected. +2 to development)
[] The teeth of a Mauler Ape. (1 Point. Beast Aspected. +2 to development.)
[] A Skink's Heart. (5 Points. Beast/Life Aspected. +10 to development)
[] Hide of a Moontouched Lizard. (6 Points. Moon/Beast Aspected. +13 to Development)
[] A Writhing Lizard's tail (4 points. Force Aspected. +6 to development)
[] Bone Meal from a Lizard of Indistinct Origin (5 Points. Beast/Rage Aspected. +7 to Development)
[] Scales from a Lightbridge Trout. (1 Point. Water Aspected. +2 to development)
[] Blinking Eyes of a Northern Skink. (8 Points. Beast/Hunger Aspected. +16 to Development)
[] A hailstone. (2 Points. Wind Aspected. +3 to development)
[] Rotting Tongue of a Skink (3 Points. Blood/Disease Aspected. +6 to development)
[] An Everbloom. (3 Points. Life Aspected. +6 to development)
[] Glittering Skink Scales (5 Points. Beast/Diamond Aspected. +9 to development)
[] The Perfect Mirror. (7 Points. Light/Beauty Aspected. +13 to Development)
[] Fragments of a Gong. (4 Points. Sound Aspected. +7 to Development)
[] Freshly-Hewn Obsidian. (2 Points. Light Aspected. +4 to Development)
[] A Drop of Magma (4 Points. Fire/Earth Aspected. +7 to development)
[] The hide of a shellrat. (1 Point. Earth Aspected. +2 to development)
[] Bottled ash from experiments in the Creator's Garden. (2 Points. Fire Aspected. +3 to development)
[] Wool of a Verdant Ewe. (1 Point. Beast Aspected. +2 to development.)
[] Skink Claws (4 Points. Pain/Ice Aspected. +7 to Development)

Pills & Elixirs
[] Stagheart (14 Points. Grade 1 Wood/Earth Pill)
[] Lasting Remedy (6 Points. Grade 1 Force Pill)
[] A Kiss from Lightning (5 Points. Grade 1 Wind Pill)
[] Land Within (7 Points. Grade 1 Bear Pill)
[] Seabreeze (5 Points. Grade 1 Water Pill)
[] Nourishment (7 Points. Grade 1 Salt Pill)
[] Soldier's Requiem (9 Points. Grade 2 Earth Pill) Sold Out Due to High Demand
[] The Heart of Stone (5 Points. Grade 1 Earth Pill)
[] Proclamation (8 Points. Grade 1 War Pill)
[] The Seventh Nursemaid (6 Points. Grade 1 Blood Pill)
[] Ill Intent (7 Points. Grade 1 Fear Pill) Sold Out Due to High Demand
[] Hammerblow (7 Points. Grade 1 Steel Pill)
[] Heartbeat (6 Points. Grade 1 Beast Pill) Sold Out Due to High Demand
[] An Evening's Rest (15 Points. Grade 1 Healing Pill. Restores 1 Physical Stress Box.)
[] An Eye-Opening Experience (6 Points. Grade 1 Light Pill)
[] Hearthfire's Ember (5 Points. Grade 1 Fire Pill.) Sold Out Due to High Demand
[] Crucible (16 Points. Grade 1 Restoration Pill. +2 Anam Generation for one week.)

Natural Wonders for Rent
[] Lonespear Sanctuary (80 Points/week. Ocean/Force/Beast 200)
[] Last Stand of the Butcher (70 Points/week. Blood/Pain/Fear 200)
[] The General's Training Hall (60 Points/week. Force/War/Victory 200)
[] The Stables. (55 Points/week. Beast/Force/Sun 200)
[] Punishment Hall (50 Points/week. Blood/Pain 200)
[] The Stomping Garden (50 Points/week. Wood/Beauty 200)
[] Smouldering Kiss (45 Points/week. Fire/Earth 200)
[] The Heart of Snow (45 Points/week. Water/Ice 200)
[] The Immaculate Choir Hall (35 Points/week. Sound/Light 200)
[] Warsong's Embrace (30 Points/week. Earth/Sound 200)

Other
[] A High Quality Weapon (5 Points)
-[] (Write-In Weapon)
[] Mundane Travel Supplies (5 Points)
[] Mundane Crafting Supplies (1 Point/3 Units. Can be purchased multiple times.)