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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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If I were the frame the reasons for the different options here - possibly somewhat unfairly - I would frame them like this:

[] The river villages.
  • Is the responsible thing to do
  • Makes use of Zhengui
  • Gives us good information about how villages like this work, and how raiding etc. is dealt with - which is important to our future career
  • Protecting people works well into Ling Qi's domain, and builds nicely nicely off her failures in the King of the Forest arc
  • Overall makes a good amount of sense
[] The front line.
  • Feels like the kind of thing a protagonist is dragged into
[] The messenger cadre.
  • Ok, tbf our flight etc. might make us very well suited here
  • has a lot of flexibility for us to be dragged into whatever
  • Huh, wait. Looking at the messenger description, we're not the messenger. Rather, we'd be the officer in charge of the squad on duty. In that sense, the potential value of our scrying becomes more apparent in terms of checking up on our minions, and making sure we know where people are. That being said, our range is still kinda limited, and we'd be much better if we had RME...
  • hmmm, we might be underestimating this option
  • Might be particularly hampered by our relatively low War though...
  • yrsillar said:
    I will also require a squad to act as rangers and messengers, remaining on the move between all points to maintain communications between myself and the Captain here," she concluded.
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Erebeal said:
If I were the frame the reasons for the different options here - possibly somewhat unfairly - I would frame them like this:

[] The river villages.
  • Is the responsible thing to do
  • Makes use of Zhengui
  • Gives us good information about how villages like this work, and how raiding etc. is dealt with - which is important to our future career
  • Protecting people works well into Ling Qi's domain, and builds nicely nicely off her failures in the King of the Forest arc
  • Overall makes a good amount of sense
[] The front line.
  • Feels like the kind of thing a protagonist is dragged into
[] The messenger cadre.
  • Ok, tbf our flight etc. might make us very well suited here
  • has a lot of flexibility for us to be dragged into whatever
  • Huh, wait. Looking at the messenger description, we're not the messenger. Rather, we'd be the officer in charge of the squad on duty. In that sense, the potential value of our scrying becomes more apparent in terms of checking up on our minions, and making sure we know where people are. That being said, our range is still kinda limited, and we'd be much better if we had RME...
  • hmmm, we might be underestimating this option
  • Might be particularly hampered by our relatively low War though...
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The messenger cadre is the only option with enough flexibility for Liao Zhu to give us a personal off the books fact-finding mission in furtherance of the info he picked up in the interlude, while he's stuck babysitting a mountain. It's the only choice where we'd be able to meet him face-to-face while events are unfolding.

Now, I won't claim this is likely to happen, but it would be cool, retroactively ease some narrative structure/pacing problems. And there's only a possibility at all on one path.
 
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[X] The river villages.

We tried to be the big bad badass when the Forest King bit happened, and some didn't like how that all turned out.
 
[x] The front line.

I'm voting this because I expect that there will be enough trouble that Cyan might have to delay opposition and send a messenger - Ling Qi in this case. I assume that this might be a first strong foray by barbarians into Imperial lands within the story that might change gears of the story somewhat - in that case being a young and promising officer that *can* help in front lines even if it is by being a messenger seems pretty good story position to be. I do think that Ling Qi has enough stealth (and survivability) to do exactly that.

While defending a river village would probably be representative of what Ling Qi as a noble would do I am inclined to think that being ambitious is not exactly a bad thing in Shenhuas eyes. I'm sort of getting a feeling that going over and above is exactly what she expects everybody she has eyes on to do. Choosing a (comparatively) safe option might be a slight disappoitment for her.
 
My main reservation with the river villages is whether it's the best use of this event in particular. Like, is it taking advantage of the distinct opportunities of the mission?

I like the probable narrative themes, especially the Zhengui aspects, but "defend village from possible barbarian raiding" seems like it's common enough, I wouldn't really see skipping it here as a loss. Mortal babysitting is basically the number one most basic duty if nobles. There should be a lot of opportunities.

Coordinating messenger relays in semi-hostile territory and doing a frontline tour with a Cyan are just... a higher level. Not things we can automatically expect as options available to us from any campaign event.
 
River Villages seems to be a traditional 'this is a lot of what you'll do in the future' choice, and is good for that. It's also a non-ambiguous good choice that we are well suited for.

[X] The messenger cadre.
However, this also seems interesting, and also seems something we are well suited for.... and that less people would tend to be well suited for, compared to defence of villages (which should be a traditional ability of nobles).
 
AbeoLogos said:
My main reservation with the river villages is whether it's the best use of this event in particular. Like, is it taking advantage of the distinct opportunities of the mission?

I like the probable narrative themes, especially the Zhengui aspects, but "defend village from possible barbarian raiding" seems like it's common enough, I wouldn't really see skipping it here as a loss. Mortal babysitting is basically the number one most basic duty if nobles. There should be a lot of opportunities.

Coordinating messenger relays in semi-hostile territory and doing a frontline tour with a Cyan are just... a higher level. Not things we can automatically expect as options available to us from any campaign event.
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I agree and I am considering adding messenger relays to my vote. I do still prefer The front line because of Shenhua support - since we have more resources we should not be content with mediocrity and doing the same as everybody else.
 
AbeoLogos said:
Coordinating messenger relays in semi-hostile territory and doing a frontline tour with a Cyan are just... a higher level. Not things we can automatically expect as options available to us from any campaign event.
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Mmm, I mean as things build there are going to be more and more opportunities for frontline scouting, so that I would be less worried about?
 
Erebeal said:
Mmm, I mean as things build there are going to be more and more opportunities for frontline scouting, so that I would be less worried about?
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The other issue is one of context, and when and to what degree we have it for the conflict at large. My preference would be to get it early, because the context of our involvement should cement over time. Holding the line is something we can reliably expect to appear throughout the meta event. Probing the mystery of it all feels potentially more time limited and missable.
 
Erebeal said:
Gah, the messenger cadre is tempting me now.

CDE would be so much better for it if we had RME :(
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It's what, twice the range, three times the targets, and no penalties? Yeah, it'd be swell. I'm not entirely convinced it takes Ling Qi longer to fly 5km than scry it given the "non-combat" tag on the technique....


However, you should also consider that "cadre" is a good word. A very good word.
 
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