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

Voted best in category in the Users' Choice awards.
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Humbaba said:
I would have loved to spend more time on formations, and pushed for it a few times but they generally sufferd from being worse than anything we coud do ourselves by the time we got them and huge time crunch to improve them. Like forget getting them good enough to punch up they couldn't even punch down.
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But the whole basis of your analysis is built around assuming that the purpose of Formations is to Punch. That is, to go up against other Cultivators in opposed rolls.

What about using Formations to add capabilities that Linq Qi simply doesn't have right now? Or as an alternate way of gaining resources or learning insights?
 
yrsillar said:
The spider silk wrapping them was now stretched over something, giving them the impression of moving musculature, and their empty eye sockets had been fitted with fiery rubies that glowed with inner light.
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Anyone think that with Li Suyin looking more and more villainous she'll opt for an evil eye replacement? Rather than using arts like CDE to increase her perception and inspection she could make a eye talisman that serves to complement her remaining eye. One eye sees the physical world the other senses qi and sees formations with the added benefit of making people feel like she's looking into their souls and being displeased with what she sees.

yrsillar said:
"Your companion seems to have a highly vitalizing effect on the earth. It is one of the things I suspected could be turned to a profit about you, and it seems I was correct, if the effect can be distilled, we will have a tidy little seed business on our hands," Bao Qian said.
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This is definitely my vote after the discussion in the last page. We've been worrying about running out of funds and this lets us focus on both Zhengui and Bao Qian. Li Suyin can wait until we can ask her about her villainous plans and I doubt we're going to get much out of inquiring about Bao Qingling, we readers already know what her deal is except her evil plans which probably won't come up here or affect us that much in the long run.
 
Briefvoice said:
But the whole basis of your analysis is built around assuming that the purpose of Formations is to Punch. That is, to go up against other Cultivators in opposed rolls.

What about using Formations to add capabilities that Linq Qi simply doesn't have right now? Or as an alternate way of gaining resources or learning insights?
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The point of formations is to be useful "Punching down" was used to indicate how useful they were(n't). Scouts would theoretically be great as a way to better complete explore actions, but at present they'd be seen and murdered by any passing wildlife. Never mind spying on actual cultivators.*

The guards just aren't particulalry useful because we don't really have anything we need to guard.

We don't actually know any other formations and using the ones we do know as examples it would take a tonne of AP to learn anything of a level relevant that it could meaningfully contribute to Ling Qi's resources.

I don't know what else you mean by insights.

EDIT: Same with additional capabilities. Generally I expect it to take too long to get anything of a level that might be of meaningful use.

*The only other use is something like where we got argent liquid, where we simply cannot go due to size limits.
 
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This chapter is mostly setup, but that's fine. It's nice to see what Suyin's been up to, and I like the characterization of Bao Qian via dramatic irony: we, the audience, know things that he does and Ling Qi does not. As a neurodivergent person myself, it's endearing to see him close ranks around his kinswoman's difference, rather than treating her as a source of shame or scandalous gossip. It's also nice, as Grigori pointed out, that he misstepped with regard to Zhengui, noticed, and apologized: he is paying attention to Ling Qi and treating her attitudes with respect without dropping the things he himself cares about.

Anyway, I ain't saying I'm a pill digger, but I ain't messing with no broke broke. Cultivation aids are hugely powerful and we need to stay flush with green stones to keep on track for the tournament. While formations are neat (I'm a sucker for magical theory and more freeform/creative ways of doing magic), we've got a deadline: Shenhua's set us a task that is just barely possible and we're going to need to bust our ass to get there. This is an opportunity to do more with our little buddy Zhengui, learn more about our most serious suitor to date, and possibly establish a very nice source of passive income.

EDIT: Also, I love this badger already. She's got a no-nonsense attitude and a very dry sense of humor.
 
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I mean, the biggest reason to speak to Bao Qian is that either option attempts to get his measure, but only one attempts to do it in a forthright manner which fits with what would be Ling Qi's social approach judging by the arts that we voted on.

Trying to get a roundabout read on him using Li Suying and Bao Qingling strikes me as being in opposition to Ling Qi trying to tie her social act to sincerity.
 
[] Li Suyin, her current projects and relationship with Bao Qingling. Bao Qian seems to know her, and you can learn more about him obliquely.
[] Zhengui, and matters of profit. Try to learn more about Bao Qian's intentions and what exactly he is doing down here and why.

Hmmmm.....As much as I want to get to know about Qingling (in accordance to my "not-so-concrete" plan), I think the direct approach is for the best. May as well turn the topic to profit gains and losses
 
Moratorium's up.

[X] Zhengui, and matters of profit. Try to learn more about Bao Qian's intentions and what exactly he is doing down here and why.
 
[X] Zhengui, and matters of profit. Try to learn more about Bao Qian's intentions and what exactly he is doing down here and why.
 
[X] Zhengui, and matters of profit. Try to learn more about Bao Qian's intentions and what exactly he is doing down here and why.
 
[X] Zhengui, and matters of profit. Try to learn more about Bao Qian's intentions and what exactly he is doing down here and why.

Firstly, it's clear that this is an issue close to the Bao's heart(s). If we're trying to grt to know them, getting an understanding of this is important. Secondly, Ling Qi clearly has issues here. She's hyperalert to anything that could be expoitative. However, it also isn't viable to just ignore the issue of economics. Thus, she should attempt to tackle it head on to gain some sense of control over the issue.
Thirdly, probing about Bao Qingling is a bit off given this update, and is kinda tangential besides. The second option seems to me to be more focused on Ling Qi's issues and learning about the things she's going to have to deal with and Bao Qian - which is what the update should be focused on. Not Suyin.
 
[X] Zhengui, and matters of profit. Try to learn more about Bao Qian's intentions and what exactly he is doing down here and why.
 
[X] Zhengui, and matters of profit. Try to learn more about Bao Qian's intentions and what exactly he is doing down here and why.
 
[X] Zhengui, and matters of profit. Try to learn more about Bao Qian's intentions and what exactly he is doing down here and why.

He's been pretty forthright all things considered, and it would be better to meet that forthrightness rather veiling it with hostility and unknown intentions.
 
[X] Zhengui, and matters of profit. Try to learn more about Bao Qian's intentions and what exactly he is doing down here and why.
 
[X] Li Suyin, her current projects and relationship with Bao Qingling. Bao Qian seems to know her, and you can learn more about him obliquely.
 
[X] Zhengui, and matters of profit. Try to learn more about Bao Qian's intentions and what exactly he is doing down here and why.
 
[X] Zhengui, and matters of profit. Try to learn more about Bao Qian's intentions and what exactly he is doing down here and why.
 
[X] Zhengui, and matters of profit. Try to learn more about Bao Qian's intentions and what exactly he is doing down here and why.
 
[X] Zhengui, and matters of profit. Try to learn more about Bao Qian's intentions and what exactly he is doing down here and why.
 
[X] Zhengui, and matters of profit. Try to learn more about Bao Qian's intentions and what exactly he is doing down here and why.
 
[X] Zhengui, and matters of profit. Try to learn more about Bao Qian's intentions and what exactly he is doing down here and why.
 
I think our friend could use some confidence boosting.

[X] Li Suyin, her current projects and relationship with Bao Qingling. Bao Qian seems to know her, and you can learn more about him obliquely.
 
[X] Zhengui, and matters of profit. Try to learn more about Bao Qian's intentions and what exactly he is doing down here and why.
 
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