Threads Of Destiny(Eastern Fantasy, Sequel to Forge of Destiny)

Voted best in category in the Users' Choice awards.
So, there are a couple of differences between the two CDE successors. Here are the arts for quick purview, with some differences highlighted.

Roaming Moon's Eye

Potency: Green 2(1) Green 3(3), Green 4(5)
Max Level: 5
Required Meridians: Head x3, Lung x2, Lung(3), Head (5)
Keywords: Academics, Clairvoyance, Intelligence, Perceptiveness, Projection, Moon, Secrets, Water, Yin

The arts of the great diviner have spread far and wide with time, their secrets no longer held in trust. This art has been said to be a descendant of the impeccable arts of the great horned sages. With the first lessons mastered, the student is able to choose a branch of divination to develop their paths along. This art is the path of the scholar and the seeker of secrets, who casts their eyes wide and far in search of knowledge.

Passives
+10 to Combat Perception
+10 to Social Perception
+5 to both Perceptions when using remote viewing techniques
+10 to Spiritual Avoid

+10 to Formations when deciphering arrays
+15 to Academics

Inquisitive Study: D
Duration: Persistent or Upkeep 2
The user's eyes gleam briefly with a silver sheen as they study the object of their curiosity. The users perception increases greatly for up to two tests in a single scene, allowing them to discern many details that they might otherwise miss.

Seeking Moon's Eyes: C
Duration: Persistent
Conjures three reflective silver wisps the size of a coin. Expressions of the Diviner's curiosity, these wisps seek their parents interest eagerly. The wisps ignore wholly physical obstacles but cannot travel further than Far distance from their creator. The creator may see from the wisp's position as if they stood there themselves, though only in one direction at a time. This greatly increases their combat perception in the areas within which this sight overlaps.

Statblock
Health: G
Speed: B, Initiative: C
Avoid: B, Armor H


Watchful Moon Analysis: C
Duration: Immediate
Used in tandem with an damaging art, allows the users thoughts to far outspeed their limbs, greatly slowing their perception of the world, and allowing the user to pick out minute details that might otherwise be missed in the flows of an enemy or obstacles qi, and adjust the course of their blow. Through this the user ignores the effects of a single defensive technique of C rank or lower, or if none are active, penalizes the targets armor or avoid at the users discretion.

Initiate's Viewing Pool: B
[Non-Combat]
Requiring a surface of calm water at least two handspans wide, the user concentrates on a familiar person or place within ten kilometers of their current position. The user is able to view the person or location in clear detail with both sight and hearing with perception equivalent to their own base Perception. This viewing may be opposed by arts or talismans of various types, in which case the users combat perception is used to determine success. With sufficient surfaces, the use may view up to three targets with a single use of this technique.

Casual Diviner's Poise

Potency: Green 2(1), Green 3 (3), Green 4(5)
Max Level: 5
Required Meridians:Head x3, Lung x2, Head(3), Headx2(5)
Keywords: Academics, Intelligence, Precognition, Perceptiveness, Projection, Moon, Secrets, Water, Yin

The arts of the great diviner have spread far and wide with time, their secrets no longer held in trust. This art has been said to be a descendant of the impeccable arts of the great horned sages. This art focuses upon precognition, the ability to divine the actions of the immediate future in great detail.

Passives
+20 to Combat Perception
+15 to Spiritual Avoid
+15 to Physical Avoid

+10 to Formations when deciphering arrays

Inquisitive Study: D
Duration: Persistent or Upkeep 2
The user's eyes gleam briefly with a silver sheen as they study the object of their curiosity. The users perception increases greatly for up to two tests in a single scene, allowing them to discern many details that they might otherwise miss.

Seeking Moon's Eyes: C
Duration: Persistent
Conjures three reflective silver wisps the size of a coin. Expressions of the Diviner's curiosity, these wisps seek their parents interest eagerly. The wisps ignore wholly physical obstacles but cannot travel further than Close distance from their creator. The creator may see from the wisp's position as if they stood there themselves, though only in one direction at a time. This greatly increases their combat perception in the areas within which this sight overlaps. For each line of site beyond the first the user has on an opponent, they receive a small bonus to physical hit and avoid.

Statblock
Health: E
Speed: C, Initiative: D
Avoid: C, Armor D


Watchful Moon Analysis: B
Duration: Immediate
Used in tandem with an damaging art or in response to an attack, allows the users thoughts to far outspeed their limbs, greatly slowing their perception of the world, and allowing the user to pick out minute details that might otherwise be missed in the flows of an enemy or obstacles qi, and adjust the course of their blow. Through this the user ignores the effects of a single defensive technique of C rank or lower, or if none are active, penalizes the targets armor or avoid at the users discretion. Used defensively, it allows the user to ignore the effects of one single target attack of C rank or lower, or significantly increase their own avoid against a higher ranked technique

Initiate's Viewing Pool: C
[Non-Combat]
Requiring a surface of calm water at least two handspans wide, the user concentrates on a familiar person or place within five kilometers of their current position. The user is able to view the person or location in clear detail with both sight and hearing with perception equivalent to their own at a one rank reduction. This viewing may be opposed by arts or talismans of various types, in which case the users combat perception is used to determine success.

These are some of the differences between the two arts.

RME is more focused on seeking out information from the surrounding area, hence the change in the wisps distance from the user and their stats as well as the viewing allowing multiple instances running with a single activation.

CDP is more focused on battlefield precognition which is indicated through the bonus to multiple lines of sight on a target and the increased defensive attributes for the watchful moon analysis (as well as the increased cost).

These are further compounded by the difference in passives granted, RME giving bonuses to social perception, academics, and remote viewing while CDP is pretty heavily focused on combat with combat perception, spiritual avoid and physical avoid.
 
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Moon Sprite's Inquiry

Seems to be our interrogation Art but it also seems like it would help us make close friends by making people share parts of themselves as we do ourself. Could be a useful way not just to find out what a person intends but also who they are at their core. It's focused less on being a socialite and more on finding out if people are with us or against us. Very nice mix of 'Black left hand of the Cai' and 'Good few friends' while being passable in a court.

Playful Muse's Rapport

This feels like a powerful counter to many deceptive Arts others may use against us. As long as we are okay with always being Sincere we can drag people down to our level and beat them with experience and overwhelming social offence. Would be effective in making people like the Inner Sect Nobles like us and keep our social standing safe. I'm worried about our own secrets though, our mysterious presence would be greatly diminished and how are we supposed to keep our secret non-love affair with Meizhen a secret if everyone can tell when we aren't being genuine?

Moonless Saboteur's Smile

This is our court Art. If we want to ingrain ourselves in complex politics this is the Art to do it. I'm not sure if this is something we're interested in at this time though. It's never to soon to start playing the Game but this is not our strong suit and it doesn't have to be. Maybe it's something we want to change but I'm not sure about it.

Melodies of the Spirit Seekers

This is definitely something we should cultivate, though maybe not as a priority. It's perfect for Ling Qi since it's exactly what she has been doing to great effect. If we want to continue calling ourselves good with spirits we need this Art.

Casual Diviner's Poise

Precognition or Clairvoyance. Combat or intelligence. Do we want be safe from any surprises or do we want to be nerds with Xuan Shu and Li Suyin? Do we want to be able to know unnaturally quickly if something is wrong or do we want to be able to detect exactly what is wrong when we become aware of it?
 
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I'm thinking this is the thing we're missing. I think we'll get a much better picture once the cultivation for SSC and AG is done this turn.

We aren't cultivating SSC this turn, and AG ends in Green 3, just like EPC. The likely permanents there are very promising, pulling from a few facts we know already. First, Argent Soul has some spectacular permanents, and AG is the successor to that Art. Second, EPC also has useful permanents, if geared in a different direction than AG's likely permanents.

We can see the first level of SSC, and it does have some nice pieces - the trickle of bonus xp to domain xp is very good, and so is the reduction in Spirit upkeep. While the flat dice of the first level of SSC are worse than the last level of EPC, we should manage the first two levels of SSC in one turn, which is likely to even that out without us noticing much of a difference.

I don't think we'll get anything really cool out of SSC until Green 4, unless we trip into another Moon Quest at the second level, which may well be the case.

****

Also, those social Arts. It's a damn shame we only really have time for one of them, and that we almost certainly want to squeeze the Spirit/Beast Ken Art in too. I'm drawing knives against myself to come up with a useful opinion.

CDE successor... ignore an offensive technique sounds very good, except for Sable Crescent Step Technique allowing us to guarantee a dodge. However... they probably stack, allowing Watchful Moon's analysis to negate a technique that could otherwise negate or disable SCS, making Casual Diviner's Poise fairly potent. Conversely, the extra range and flexibility of Roaming Moon's Eye's Initiate's Viewing Pool is fairly potent in it's own right.

Casual Diviner's Poise is heavily combat oriented, dropping the non-combat aspects entirely in favor of more combat perception and avoid (including physical avoid), while Roaming Moon's Eye prefers non-combat pursuits, placing more emphasis on Academics and scrying.

Both make Inquisitive Study persistent or Upkeep, which is useful.

Here it's definitely a 'pick one' scenario, and I'm not at all certain what to get.
 
I was somewhat worried about the arts with the delay, but PMR and MoSS are perfect and everything I ever wanted

...and I suppose the other arts are good too
 
Precognition or Clairvoyance. Combat or intelligence. Do we want be safe from any surprises or do we want to be nerds with Xuan Shu and Li Suyin? Do we want to be able to know unnaturally quickly if something is wrong or do we want to be able to detect exactly what is wrong when we become aware of it?

There's a fair bit of give and take between the two options.

While Clairvoyance is always useful, Precog tends to be a useful tool for a GM to drop hints or plot hooks in my experience.

I'm personally inclined towards Clairvoyance, but Precog is a valid choice.

Also worth noting, Oppression Mom probably has a fair few Clairvoyance Arts we could pick up later if we want/need them but we'd likely have to spend some time juryrigging the elements and keywords to fit us better.
 
I really like Playful Muse's Rapport and Moonlit Saboteurs Smile... Dammit, I want both of them.

Melodies of the Spirit Seekers is fantastic, and we definitely want it. Not urgent though, and arguably more something to focus after the sect. I would suggest though that a quick dip to get a level or two when we have time could pay dividends, as we saw in our recent military exercises. Also uses the same meridians as MSS,making them very swappable!

CDE successors... Tricky. The WMA upgrade in CDP is less useful than one may think mechanically since it overlaps with SCS. Will cost increase is a bit bleh, otoh it should mean that it would actually trump C rank perfects instead just contesting them?

RME also annoys me for having bleh passives. +5 to scrying basically may as well not exist and is massively inferior to +10 combat perception all the time.

Also, on the subject of the current vote: @yrsillar can you comment on people's Yu Nuan concerns? I assume she's locked in and we aren't ditching our promise to her?
 
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I'm going to talk about my favorite art from this set, and that is Melodies of Spirit Seekers. While all the other arts are great in my opinion (such as it is given my history of loving all the arts) I especially resonate with this art. For reference purposes, I have quoted the art below.
Melodies of the Spirit Seekers

Long out of fashion among the nobility of the empire, arts such as this nonetheless remain valuable for cultivators who must deal with matters of spirits in a less high handed fashion. Developed in the late days of the Xi from the collected practices and rituals of many clans. Conflict between man and spirit often stems from misunderstanding. To a spirit meaning is constant, but to human folk, the meaning in words is a fluid thing, changing from generation to generation. Thus, in seeking accord with wild spirits words are as often a hindrance as they are a help.



Potency: Green 3
Potency Growth: Green 4(3), Green 5(5)
Max Level: 5
Needed Meridians: Head x3, Heart x1(1), Heart(3), Head (5)
Keywords: Beast Handling, Composure, Manipulation, Spirit Ken
Balanced, Bargaining, Beasts, Music, Spirits, Sincerity, Understanding
XP: 200, 400, 700, 1000, 1300

Passives
+10 to Beast Handling
+10 to Spirit Ken
+10 to Poise
+10 to Social Perception

Mediators Swift Composition: C
Duration: Immediate
This technique allows the user to swiftly comprehend the ways in which a beast or spirit thinks, and how it differs from the ways of humankind, allowing them to compose a short piece which correctly conveys their intentions to a single spirit. This understanding gives the user a bonus to spirit ken and beast handling tests when seeking to improve a targets disposition, based on their skill in music or a derived skill thereof. This bonus extends to all allies engaged with the social encounter.

Rhythm of Exchange: C
Duration: Long
To a practitioner of the musical arts, rhythm, metere and tone are more than simple notation, they are the underpinning of all thought, emotion and expression. In immersing oneself in the melody of a spirits self, one can divine the most effective methods of persuasion and form lasting agreements without giving offense or mistaking a spirits meaning. The user receives a bonus to social perception while bargaining with intelligent spirits or beasts while this technique is active. In addition they receive a bonus based on musical skill to Spirit Ken when seeking to make exchanges or agreements.
First, let's deal with the major problem this art. The reason I won't push for it insistently in the short term, and possibly even in the medium term. And that is, simply, it does not help solve our current social problems. Our current social problems are with those nasty human hierarchies and Machiavellian machinations. Navigating those obstacles will require arts that actually help us deal with the people who influence those circles. Melodies does not do any of that. It focuses on spirits, not people.

With that being said, this art holds an incredible amount of potential for us in the long term. It is the only pure music art we have and as such strips all other elemental influence and focuses on the ability to express oneself, be understood, and understand others (spirits) through the medium of music. This art seems to point towards misunderstandings as being a core component between spirit and human conflict, by addressing this the art hopes to facilitate better human/spirit relations.

We have somewhat of an incentive to do just that through SSC. Which states
The cultivation art rewards feats of daring, self expression, and dealings with the spirits of the world.
This art literally works with self-expression and dealing with the spirits of the world. It's fantastic!

As if we needed any more incentive for this art, it also has some crazy synergy with our music skill. All of the techniques receive bonuses based on our music skill, and so this art is a very literal way to more ably turn our prodigious music skill into something more than combat or party tricks but as a very viable means of communicating with spirits our intentions as well as understanding those spirits.

I find this art to be fantastic, and it dims the joy in my heart to know that cultivating it will have to wait for a better time.
 
In light of further consideration of my update. I have decided that the previous vote was generally kind of pointless, given narrative progression, the end of the update has been edited, and the choice changed as follows.

Ling Qi considered, between her cultivation, her family, and her other obligations, her time was limited. Had she been asked a week or two ago, she might have considered begging off, but given her recent resolution to improve her interactions with the rest of the nobility, it seemed foolish to refuse. However... she still was not wholly sure she liked the idea of going off alone with a man she had just met, and he had given her an opportunnity to make it a group affair...

[] Convince Li Suyin to come along. It would ease things along a good deal.
[] No, she did not want to use her friend as a crutch or a shield.


Please vote on the new choice, the this threadmark will be left in for tallying purposes.
 
[X] Convince Li Suyin to come along. It would ease things along a good deal.

It's not all about Ling Qi, adventure like that would be good for Li Suyin too.
 
[X] No, she did not want to use her friend as a crutch or a shield.

Ehhh, not a huge fan of dragging Suyin and Dong Fu on something they might not want to go on. I'm willing to be uncomfortable to spare friends.
 
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