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

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naths said:
Regrding how vague the system can be: I think that depends a lot on how relevant we want our formation work to be for fighting. If our formation work would be purely non-combat, I could see this working with a vague system, but if our formations compete with our arts for an application, then I think the Formation system would need to be as specific as the art system to make the balancing work.
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This is one reason why I want to just focus on Security formations.

Also, if we want to be able to ninja around secured locations we kinda need to be able to deal with formations. If we don't level formations then we'll be giving up on that - which I'm fine with, but which should be thought about.
 
Timewinders said:
Yikes. If that's the case, it doesn't make sense to teach teenagers how to cultivate in the middle of their formative years. By middle age people's personalities are more fixed, so it'd be easier for them to form a solid foundation.
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Unfortunately, age makes cultivation harder, plus cultivators are the main part of the arms race no one wants to be left behind on...
 
If we were to start pursuing formation work again, I feel that dealing less with the physical world and more with the spirit world would be a cool direction to go. Using security formations to trap intruders in dreamless slumbers or even make them forget about the additional security we have around a place.
 
I feel like trying to make formations "interesting" is exactly the thing we want to avoid though. Keeping it as a background secondary skill, useful for supporting stealing/spying and giving LQ a certain degree of skill in being able to protect her things keeps things simple, and means it doesn't really need to be embellished in anyway.

Giving it focus, and trying to do complex things with it however creates challenges.
 
Erebeal said:
I feel like trying to make formations "interesting" is exactly the thing we want to avoid though. Keeping it as a background secondary skill, useful for supporting stealing/spying and giving LQ a certain degree of skill in being able to protect her things keeps things simple, and means it doesn't really need to be embellished in anyway.

Giving it focus, and trying to do complex things with it however creates challenges.
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Conversely, if we don't want to make it interesting, then shouldn't we be pursuing things that are actually interesting? Let other people do formation stuff if we don't want it to be interesting, we have a lot more interesting things to be doing.
 
Thor's Twin said:
Conversely, if we don't want to make it interesting, then shouldn't we be pursuing things that are actually interesting? Let other people do formation stuff if we don't want it to be interesting, we have a lot more interesting things to be doing.
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Note I'm totally not opposed to that. My general feeling is that for most formations stuff we're better off paying people.

The main thing that would actually justify us in particular having specific formations knowledge would be for bypassing security formations. I'm personally also not overly attached to being able to steal stuff etc., but others seem to be more attached to #GrinningMoon so 🤷

Depends, I guess, on what kind of value we think there is in our stealth skills, and what we want to be using them for - remembering that the less value we get out of them the less justification there is for investing in them.
 
Thor's Twin said:
Conversely, if we don't want to make it interesting, then shouldn't we be pursuing things that are actually interesting? Let other people do formation stuff if we don't want it to be interesting, we have a lot more interesting things to be doing.
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I think doing uninteresting things should happen. It breaks my SoD if everything has to be super special and interesting.
 
Yeah, but at the same time we know very well that the "boring" act of cultivation is part of the journey that leads to interesting things. I propose that we use "boring" formations and add them to our supplemental skills and let the story organically provide interesting variations if they come up. We never got more interesting arrow/archery stuff, so it died to the superior dootdoots.

There are three major upsides to Formations over bow or other "splashes" to our build.
First: We are a moon cultivator, and have three patrons (four if you count cranky uncle Jiao haha xP) that love formations! Formations are a force of creation and medium of creativity that Dreaming loves, Formations are made to guard secrets and hide knowledge in ways Black Madam loves, and knowledge of Formations is very helpful when avoiding or dismantling them like Grinning loves. It's great, they're great, we're great.

Second: Formations are functional! We are going to get a lil holding at some point and we know from the formation's sidestory that we will probably need to hire a mastercraftsman of defensive runes regardless of how much we know (unless we were a cyan static-formation focused cultivator, but that has never been us). Importantly, these formations require maintenance. Being versed in them will help us figure out our formation needs better than if we didn't have background knowledge. We're a direct subject of CRX so maybe we don't have to worry much about getting scammed by contractors, but you know. Should result in a better and more specific deal.

Third: Formations are *very* important to the core of the setting. There's some sort of connection between Shenhua's object spirits and The Mother That Was who made hollow dolls that ultimately had no free will. Not only that, but the fact that formations within objects can create an object spirit over time and use seems important. My rough hypothesis is that the purity and efficiency of formations lent themselves to functional puppets but without an accrual of qi from inefficiencies these puppets of She Who Was never gained sentience. It was only through the introduction of chaos and impurity that mankind truly gained freedom of will. The further we cultivate, the more efficient and effective we are at channeling Qi and the more able we are to have power over the world. Yet, we start having to worry about behaving as our Way/Nature dictates lest we damage ourselves with out-of-Way actions.

(Four: Formations can let us make personalized lil gifts for all our friends and that's fluffy and wholesome <3 <3 <3 <3 <3)

just as production cultivators find out that production can be combat, and Six is finding out that dream can be reality, Formations seem like one of those things that can be very versatile and flexible with the reality of this world. Down here in green we'll probably only gain insights into sneaky stuff, but it's possible it'll help us create the transient constructs we blow into existence with our Lungs and Music. Dreams are transient, constructs are transient, you construct Formations, maybe formations are the root of transient constructs too? Just, not understood as such?

In any case. I think learning these skills is practical and helpful for our path in life, and am personally subjectively excited about the possibilities. I'd be willin to sack something else to make sure we're p competent in formations by the time we're at our holding. I like formations in concept a lot, and I want to see more of what they do in setting. Like that formation-guild that tried to pull power from the venomous filth of Celestial Court? That's cool as hell. Show me more <3
 
The more you guys argue about it, the more I become not a big fan of training Formations in general. It's not really that I'm so unwilling to train Formation, since knowing about it is indeed useful, as a Grinning Moon cultivator. However, I'm against the idea of "sacking" our other priorities for the sake of this one skill. "We want to see what kind of system formation is gonna be in", why now? when we're already set on the path to be a musician. I'm not saying we can't use formation in our music. I'm saying someone else can do the job instead of us.
 
Okay guys letting you know that I've made some changes to the new PLR. This is not a nerf, it is just a clarification and tweaking of some of the mechanics involved. The main change is that the allied movement effect has been moved and turned into a sub effect of ephemeral dreamlit dancer with its costs adjusted accordingly. Lesser changes are an adjustment to how that techniques miss chance is calculated and an alteration to Lunatic Whirl's maximum number of targets
 
yrsillar said:
Ephemeral Dreamlit Dancer: C
Duration: Short
Having begun to understand the nature of the dreams, the user flits from place to place, shrouded in the phantoms of paths not taken. While active the users speed is increased significantly. Techniques which would still hit the user have a 50% chance to simply fail (+15% for each rank of Combat Perception above the user's derived stealth) to simply fail, shattering instead some of the dreamlike phantom images the user is shrouded in. Each use of this technique generates three 'charges' which do not stack with additional uses. Each charge provides a small stacking boost to Physical Avoid.
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UHHHHH, *gulp*. That's a.....that's a really high bar (note: Ling Qi's Stealth, depending on the conditions, can scale up to S rank now)
 
@yrsillar might've gotten some drafts mixed up, currently there's a "lunatic wake" under LW and a "teleport others if used in IPF" second part to EDD (also is that +15% intended or should that be a - or ±)
 
Erebeal said:
I feel like trying to make formations "interesting" is exactly the thing we want to avoid though. Keeping it as a background secondary skill, useful for supporting stealing/spying and giving LQ a certain degree of skill in being able to protect her things keeps things simple, and means it doesn't really need to be embellished in anyway.

Giving it focus, and trying to do complex things with it however creates challenges.
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I mean, I want to do boring stuff with it too, I just also want some capabilities that fit Ling Qi's theming specifically. Not even soon, necessarily. And also not super OP nonsense things.

What I'm interested is more funky cantrip stuff. A little bag of tricks to add some pizazz to out of combat efforts. Ideally something Sixiang could get in on to some degree. Arts don't lend themselves to traps and tricks, especially not remotely, hence formations.
 
For those who have missed it, here are the edited changes to PLR6 (incoming PLR level), not including the previously talked about IPF changes:
yrsillar said:
--Lunatic Whirl: B
Duration: Persistent
Activates automatically at no additional cost when Illustrious Phantasmal Festival is activated. The ghostly dancers gather around an intruder in the festival, laughing, singing and demanding a dance, forcing them to join the revelry. The dancers seize their arms and hands, dragging them through the chaotic revelry. Though the dancers will do no harm to their captive, the frenetic pace of the revelry is highly draining, and victim finds their qi dribbling away(D rank qi drain), siphoned to the user while the sights and sounds of the revel cloud their minds and steal the strength from their limbs. So long as their hands lie in the grasp of the dancers, they will also find the meridians in their arms blocked and unusable. Each usage of Lunatic Whirl may target up to 5 targets. The user may target a maximum of fifteen enemies of lower realm or five of equal realm (mixed groups are counted at a 3:1 ratio).

[...]

Ephemeral Dreamlit Dancer: C
Duration: Short
Having begun to understand the nature of the dreams, the user flits from place to place, shrouded in the phantoms of paths not taken. While active the users speed is increased significantly. Techniques which would still hit the user have a 50% chance to simply fail (-15% for each rank of Combat Perception above the user's derived stealth) to simply fail, shattering instead some of the dreamlike phantom images the user is shrouded in. Each use of this technique generates three 'charges' which do not stack with additional uses. Each charge provides a small stacking boost to Physical Avoid.

If used while Illustrious Phantasmal Festival is active, the user may use this technique to pull others into the shallows of Dream. When the revel next relocates in material space, up to three targets in addition to the user move with it. Targets position within the space of the revel is unchanged, this movement ignores terrain and intervening space. Unwilling targets may resist this effect, but are disoriented and receive a penalty to Avoid and Perception until their next action. The technique must be activated again each time the user wishes to move other targets. Doing this in quick succession is taxing upon a user of the third realm, and so the techniques cost increases by one rank after the second use of this variant, and one additional rank after the fourth.
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The tl;dr it of it is that, for Lunatic Whirl, it is B ranked and targets 5 people at once, but is limited per realm: up to 15 yellow/5 green totals if you recast the tech (3:1 ratio). I personally consider the jump to B rank from C rank is in order to justify it having a significant overall impact in a battle at our level, though I might be wrong.

Epheremal Dreamlit Dancer had the biggest changes, and why those newest changes were a immense buff.

First, the 50% being modified by the result of a clash over stealth rather than flat perception means that it now scales with Ling Qi's own capabilities rather than being "stand alone", which in practice means that an opponent needs SS effective perception to bring EDD to 35% and as such we can expect it to have an effect against any but someone who is stronger than us and perception focused, or someone who completely overwhelms us.

Second, and more importantly, the teleport function when the revel moves of allies/enemies being decoupled from Lunatic Whirl and instead being coupled to EDD means that not only do we not have to 'waste' LW dancer slots on allies, but it also gives very significant Quality of Life to both repositioning allies but more importantly to kidnapping enemies. It is now very possible to teleport from the middle of an enemy formation to the middle of an allied one, taking the leader with us, without showing signs beforehand that we captured said leader.

PS: @yrsillar
Techniques which would still hit the user have a 50% chance to simply fail (-15% for each rank of Combat Perception above the user's derived stealth) to simply fail,
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'To simply fail' is on both sides of the parentheses.
 
Arkeus said:
Second, and more importantly, the teleport function when the revel moves of allies/enemies being decoupled from Lunatic Whirl and instead being coupled to EDD means that not only do we not have to 'waste' LW dancer slots on allies, but it also gives very significant Quality of Life to both repositioning allies but more importantly to kidnapping enemies. It is now very possible to teleport from the middle of an enemy formation to the middle of an allied one, taking the leader with us, without showing signs beforehand that we captured said leader.
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Propr term is probably Spirited Away
 
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Turn 7: Arc 4-1 First Farewell
  • Threadmarks
    • "What?" Ling Qi asked. They stood among the crumbling stones.

    "Hmph, have you grown moss over your ears while cultivating?" Xiulan asked with a scoff. The other girl rested her hand on her hip, and tapped her foot against the dry brown grass. "I said that I am going home."

    Ling Qi stared at her friends haughty expression. She hardly even needed her recent training to see the lie in it. Distress welled in her thoughts, and lessons and speech exercises fled from her thoughts. "Why though? Your ranking has been rising quickly, and so has your cultivation. You fought really well at the village too. Why would your family…"

    "It is because I have been doing so well," Xiulan smirked, but there was a bitter edge to it. "There is a war brewing Ling Qi, in case it has already slipped your mind. The Gu family cannot risk both myself and Yanmei."

    Ling Qi fell silent, staring at her friend. She fought down the urge to clench her fist, and the urge to make denials. She wanted to make plans to find a way to convince her friend's family to change their minds but…

    "You can see that you wouldn't be able to convince even her, huh," Sixiang murmured sadly. "She's sad, but proud too."

    Ling Qi closed her eyes for a moment, she didn't need to respond to acknowledge Sixiang's words. "...What does this mean for you then? You say they can't spare the both of you but, don't you have many older sisters?"

    "And none of them save Yanmei have shown my talent. Father believes that my growth can best be guided from home," she replied, tossing her hair. She gave Ling Qi an irritable look. "Hmph, where are my congratulations you rude girl? I know your standards are skewed thanks to that liege of yours, but it is quite an achievement to receive this kind of acknowledgement at my age you know."

    "I'm sorry Xiulan," Ling Qi said shaking her head slowly. "I just…" For a moment, she restrained herself. Propriety and her own nerves held her back. It didn't last, she had learned that too much restraint could be harmful. She stepped forward, and before her friend could do more than widen her eyes in startlement, Ling Qi had wrapped her arms around Xiulan. "I don't want to see you go."

    Xiulan squirmed uncomfortably in her grip, not quite pushing her away, but stiff and surprised nonetheless. The difference in their height probably didn't help. "I… you… What in the world are you doing you uncouth barbarian," her voice was muffled by Ling Qi's gown.

    "Sorry Xiulan," Ling Qi chuckled, feeling moisture forming in the corner of her eyes. "You'll just have to bear with it and give me a second."

    "...It's not as if I want to leave you behind either, you foolish girl," Xiulan grumbled at last. Though she did not return Ling Qi's hug, she did manage to awkwardly pat Ling Qi on the back. "Now release me already, what in the world has gotten into you?"

    "It's my fault I think," Sixiang said as Ling Qi released her, their voice carrying on the wind. "Sorry about that."
    Xiulan glanced around sharply as she smoothed the wrinkles in her gown before relaxing. "...Your other spirit, the moon one. I forgot about them."

    "What can I say, I'm a lil' shy," Sixiang murmured. "Sorry to interrupt."

    Ling Qi glanced away, her cheeks darkening a bit. She folded her arms across her chest, a little embarrassed by her impulsiveness now that it was over. She would have to meditate a little more it seemed. "...Sorry Xiulan."

    Xiulan glanced away, blinking rapidly. "Apology accepted. Honestly, doing something like that outside."

    Ling Qi smiled wanly in apology and didn't comment on the wetness she spied in the other girls eyes before it curled away into steam. She frowned then. "Wait, what does that mean for your betrothal, I thought you were supposed to marry into the Fan family."

    Xiulan smirked. "That is certainly a side benefit of being in line for the heirship."

    "Does that mean Fan Yu is going to marry into the Gu then?" Ling Qi asked. Noble marriage practices still felt odd to her. It was strange to talk about a man marrying into a woman's family.

    Xiulan gaped at her and then shook her head rapidly, the ornaments in her hair jingling. "No of course not. The Fan would never agree to such a thing. Honestly Ling Qi."

    Right, the Fan were a count clan, and even if Fan Yu wasn't anywhere near the heir position, he was still part of the main family, Ling Qi was pretty sure. That had been a silly question. "Congratulations then," she said, giving her friend an honest smile. The thought of her leaving still hurt but knowing that one of the things that had been burdening her most was gone helped, at least a little.

    "Indeed," Xiulan preened.

    "When will you be leaving?" Ling Qi asked tentatively, she hoped there would still be some time.

    "The first of the month," Xiulan replied, her cheer fading a little as she glanced away. "Father already has my carriage and guards on the way."

    "I wouldn't think you would need them," Ling Qi teased half heartedly. She should have expected that.

    "It's not as if a Lady can be expected to handle every little beast on the road herself," Xiulan replied haughtily. "Would you have people imagine the Gu to be so poor?"

    "Of course not," Ling Qi said, lowering her eyes. "Xiulan…"

    "In any case, I must soon get back to my sister. I sought you out today to extend an invitation. Can I ask if you will you see me off? It has been some time since we have had one of our little ladies nights,," Xiulan asked, a touch stiffly, speaking over her.

    Ling Qi looked at her friends face, studying the emotions she saw there. "...Of course, I will make time. Just make sure there are plenty of sweets."

    Xiulan huffed, but looked pleased. "Really, still a ruffian at heart. I remember you scraping the bowl with your fingers the first time."

    "Don't pretend you don't have a sweet tooth," Ling Qi chuckled. "...Just tell me the day, Xiulan. I'll be there."

    "The last day of the month. I already received approval from my sister to take the evening off from training," Xiulan replied.

    They exchanged their goodbyes, and as her friend left the field of silent stones, Ling Qi sat down heavily on her boulder, staring at the ground.

    "What are you going to do?" Sixiang asked quietly. Ling Qi was thankful for the faint pressure of hands on her shoulders.

    "There's nothing I can do," Ling Qi replied with a bitter smile. "It's not my choice." Saying the words felt like ripping off a scab, but she couldn't say that she didn't feel better afterward. Something that wasn't quite contentment settled in her stomach. All she could do was see her friend off. Well, that and bombard her with letters at every opportunity. She would not allow her connection to one of her best friends to fray. They would see each other again.

    "Heh, that's a scary look on your face," Sixiang chuckled. "I kinda like it."

    "Hush you," Ling Qi huffed. Still, it didn't feel right. She wanted to do something now. She wanted to help her friend, give her something, but…

    "It's not wrong to give someone your parting from a gift, right?" Ling Qi asked aloud.

    "Mm, I don't think so," Sixiang hummed. "What are you thinking?"

    "I'm not sure," Ling Qi mused. She traced patterns of frost on the stone with her finger as she thought. Her most immediate thought was jewelry, Xiulan did love her shiny things, and a matched pair would… well she would have to work to hunt down something that didn't have romantic implications, but she could do it.
    A second thought recalled something she had heard some time ago. That Bao Qian, he had mentioned something about recording formations. She had balked at the idea, disliking the idea of selling her work and compositions, but if it was just for Xiulan… she still had a few days, she could compose something. She wasn't sure how it would come across though, she was unfamiliar with the etiquette around that sort of thing.

    The more practical part of her wanted to give her friend something useful, but there wasn't time to commission a proper talisman, nor did any of hers particularly match Xiulan's aesthetic. She could offer her an art slip, Thousand Rings perhaps? It didn't match the girl properly, but it hadn't matched Ling Qi either. She thought Xiulan might benefit from the endurance though. That sort of thing had gotten her into arguments with friends before, and Xiulan's family certainly didn't lack for arts. She could all too easily see Xiulan getting herself into a huff at that kind of 'charity', she was always a little touchy about her family's wealth.

    Please select a going away present

    [] Set of matching jewelry of some kind [Negligible cost. No possible offense]
    [] A new composition, recorded just for Xiulan [1 Green Stone cost, may be inappropriately intimate to some eyes]
    [] A jade slip recording Thousand Rings Fortress [2 Green Stone cost. May result in Xiulan taking offense]
     
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    • [] A new composition, recorded just for Xiulan [1 Green Stone cost, may be inappropriately intimate to some eyes]

    It's the most personal of the options and some may take offense but we have the shield of being of common birth to hide behind if a lot of people take offense.
     
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    [] A new composition, recorded just for Xiulan [1 Green Stone cost, may be inappropriately intimate to some eyes]
     
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    Vanguard_D said:
    ... The "We need to give Xiulan TRF or else she dies" bullshit actually made it in? ... I got nothing to say to that, just shock.
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    You're actually continuing this "Ling Qi wanting to try helping Xiulan stop being suicidally reckless with a Way that's killing her in a practical way is evil and patronizing" bullshit? ...I got nothing to say to that, just shock.

    [X] A jade slip recording Thousand Rings Fortress [2 Green Stone cost. May result in Xiulan taking offense]
     
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