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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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Remember when the Cai And Bai traded? if we play our cards right we can get arts from them and naturally well be on at least friendly terms with the Bao, not too mention were getting chummy with some of the ES nobility so there's potential there by making some deals.
Well so long as we don't almost die but progress am I right?
 
AbeoLogos said:
Meizhen won using a Bai-archive Earth element. Her issues were lack of advocacy and close and/or sympathetic training/guidance. People can and will fall through the cracks, always.

We also have no clue of the consistent outcome of Bai Meizhen vs Sun Liling match-ups, because as far as we know there literally haven't been any since the tournament. It also was fairly close.
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Yes, Bai used a Bai archive, again, I never disputed that nor did I blame her clan, I used a specific problem she had to make a point regardless of that problem's sources. I ever claimed that Ducal archives are a huge advantage because it allows people to circumsvent the problem I raised.

I never said "we shouldn't act like the other houses because other houses are wrong" I said "we shouldn't act like a house that pidgeonholes because here's some examples of characters that got dunked due to pidgeonholing, regardless of the why of that pidgeonholing, we shouldn't act in such a way that the chances of that happening to Biyu increase." I then argued that most houses pidgeonhole due to neccessity (well, that was more @veekie than me, but I agree with him) and/or calcified thinking. The ducals being stronger explicitly due to variety supports my actual argument while Meizhen being pidgeonholed for reasons other than her clan leaves it untouched.

And we do have a clue, because Meizhen consistently places above Liling in the ratings. Also, their first duel resulted in more loss to Meizhen, so the upset was relatively big.
 
storryeater said:
Yes, Bai used a Bai archive, again, I never disputed that nor did I blame her clan, I used a specific problem she had to make a point regardless of that problem's sources. I ever claimed that Ducal archives are a huge advantage because it allows people to circumsvent the problem I raised.

I never said "we shouldn't act like the other houses because other houses are wrong" I said "we shouldn't act like a house that pidgeonholes because here's some examples of characters that got dunked due to pidgeonholing, regardless of the why of that pidgeonholing, we shouldn't act in such a way that the chances of that happening to Biyu increase." I then argued that most houses pidgeonhole due to neccessity (well, that was more @veekie than me, but I agree with him) and/or calcified thinking. The ducals being stronger explicitly due to variety supports my actual argument while Meizhen being pidgeonholed for reasons other than her clan leaves it untouched.

And we do have a clue, because Meizhen consistently places above Liling in the ratings. Also, their first duel resulted in more loss to Meizhen, so the upset was relatively big.
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You remember we got a big slab of jade full of an arbitrary number of unnamed red/yellow arts, right? This is a good thing. For Biyu even. If you don't want to argue that resources are a bad thing actually, then stop doing so.
 
AbeoLogos said:
You remember we got a big slab of jade full of an arbitrary number of unnamed red/yellow arts, right? This is a good thing. For Biyu even. If you don't want to argue that resources are a bad thing actually, then stop doing so.
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The whole argument started because I replied to these two specific arguments, and then tried to defend my position

Asael said:
The problem with that is, the more divergent she is from LQ, the harder it will be for her to progress.

The Ling clan isn't exactly an old clan with a a large library. The corner stone arts of the clan will almost certainly be passed from LQ to the others in her clan. It's either that or work with mostly sub par arts.


Really though. This isn't a modern society. There isn't so much social mobility that you can basically just do whatever you want, the family you are birthed in will heavily affect your options in life.
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NullVoid said:
Comparing House Ling with House Cao at this point? One has just been created, its matriarch is Early Green/Early Bronze with a whole other cultivator at Early Red/Nothing; the other is the Ducal house for the Emerald Seas, its elder is a White and it has many cultivators, including CRX who is already stronger than our strongest (and I don't see that gap being bridged any time soon). I think we need to grow our strength before diversifying to shore up our weaknesses as a clan. The flute has the advantage of being part of family history, what with Qi have learned the basics from Qingge herself, so it helps in bonding. It's fine if she does pick up other arts, but I don't think we should be encouraging her to do the Loose Cultivator thing and have to piece her Way by herself. Leave that for when she reaches Green/Bronze.
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The first of those two quotes argued pretty heavily argues towards making Biyu Ling Qi 2 just so that she can use our core/strongest arts.

The second is less heavy, but it still implies that we should guide Biyu to be the same as us rather than her own person, at least until green, and by that point the damagee may allready have been done. It outright states, even that we should guide her so that the first parts of her Way reflect ours rather than just guiding her towards what she wants.

It was these sentiments that I deemed needed answering. I was never against giving her arts or helping her. I was against ONLY guiding her to fit our core arts, an idea that was expressed.
 
Inserted tally

Fancy dancing shoes it is!
Adhoc vote count started by naths on Jan 29, 2020 at 2:11 PM, finished with 319 posts and 114 votes.
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Tie if we consider the book votes as a block which may or may not have been people's intention. Also two stray shoe votes included.

The perils of write ins.
Adhoc vote count started by uiopion on Jan 29, 2020 at 2:27 PM, finished with 320 posts and 114 votes.
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uiopion said:
Tie if we consider the book votes as a block which may or may not have been people's intention. Also two stray shoe votes included.
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Yrsillar said on the Discord no combining votes unless it's just a misspelling. Six variants on the theme of "book" are not misspellings.
Manage Votes on the tally said:
[X] Big Picture Encyclopedia: Emerald Seas
[X] Big Picture Encyclopedia about Animals in Emerald Seas
[X] Illustration Book of Myths and Fables
[X] Emerald Sea Myths and Legends Story Book with a Focus on Dog Shaped Spirit Beasts
[X] Illustrated Emerald Seas Beasts Book
[X] Emerald Sea Fairy Tale Storybook with a Focus on Dog Shaped Spirit Beasts
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picklepikkl said:
Yrsillar said on the Discord no combining votes unless it's just a misspelling. Variants on the theme of encyclopedia are not misspellings.
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I guess what the QM says goes, but at the very least I'd think that the ones that vote "encyclopedia" and the ones that vote "encyclopedia but more specific" voted for the same thing. Fables illustrated is indeed a different thing, though, so this is a moot point.
 
Alright, I probably should have given this vote more structure. but yes, the shoes takes it. As @storyeater said, while you could make an arguement for the various flavors of encyclopedia being one thing the other books arent. Anywho commission in a moment
 
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Stepping Beyond the Third Realm
  • Informational
    • Of the Eight recognized realms of cultivation, it is the third which has perhaps been the subject of the most study. Some scholars argue that it is the first true realm of cultivation. That the first and second realms are merely preparatory steps. It is in some ways a reasonable standard. The first realm merely refines the human body and mind to it's peak condition while the cultivator begins to generate the first trickles of their own qi. It is possible for a very skilled mortal to outdo a first realm cultivator in their realm of expertise.

    The second is a mere expansion of capability. The body is stronger and more sturdy, and the mind more clear and acute than even the most and studied of mortals, It becomes possible to use techniques which lay wholly beyond mortal abilities in a sustainable fashion. However, the cultivators of the second realm have not yet truly begun to define themselves.

    The third realm is where this occurs and which has the most recognized discrete stages. It is the point where a cultivator truly begins to transform themselves, leaving mortal frailty and foibles behind. It is also, unfortunately the realm where the majority of even the skilled and talented in the world will end their paths. The trials of the green realm are many and intensely personal to each cultivator who climbs its steps.

    The paths up this mountain outnumber the stars, and it is this which is the greatest stumbling point to many who hope to 'solve' the problem of third realm cultivation. Many newly minted third realm nobles stumble and fail when raising their own children, thinking to simply have them follow their own path, which nearly always fails, or at the very least strands the child at the same level as the parent, with little ability to develop further. The great clans bypass this problem through sheer volume. In the archives of a ten thousand year old clan, there will surely be records of enough cultivators and their arts that even the most iconoclastic neophyte will find something of use.

    For those with more meager means however, there is only trial and error. Painstaking progress attained through meticulous and never ending effort. The reward is more than worth the effort. Among baronial clans survival and maintenance of ones title becomes almost certain if the fourth realm is achieved. Abilities which are impossible outside of incredibly expensive and rare talismans become possible once one has breached the final barriers of the third realm and taken the first step into the fourth.

    The most well known of these abilities is the power of unassisted flight. While many green arts can allow for some limited imitation through various means, it is only by stepping into the fourth realm that one is able to step beyond the shackles of the earth in true flight. As a cultivator rises further, this ability only grows as the cultivator masters the world around them such that matters of up and down are merely matters of personal discretion.

    The second and lesser known ability is that of multipresence. A cultivator of the fourth realm is capable of techniques which are not mere clairvoyance, illusions, or telepresence, but actually existing at multiple points at the same time. Although there are no instances of a fourth realm being able to maintain more than one additional presence at a time, even this is a tremendous boon to any lord or lady. However, this ability is of limited use for more violent endeavors. The act of splitting oneself is deeply draining even to the mightiest cultivator and such secondary presences lack much of their whole self's potency, which is also impaired while the ability is active.

    The third well known ability in the fourth realm is less exclusive and more an evolution of earlier abilities. Even those in the middling stages of the third realm may master some tricks involving the bending of space. Certain potent arts might allow even second realms to touch on this ability. Short range non material movement, the crafting of transport arrays and spatial rings, twisting of probability and distance. However, at the fourth realm, the more potent energies of the second dantian allow much greater expression of these abilities. To the Cyan or Iron cultivator, it becomes possible to directly alter the way in which one interacts with the world, here the difference between internal and external domains becomes more clear. External domains force lesser changes to physical law on the world around them. Internal domains instead directly alter the way way that the self interacts with the world. Of course these categories are somewhat academic, typically a cultivator expresses aspects of both.

    It should be known that overuse of these abilities can be dangerous. The world resist having it's laws trampled upon, and it is unwise to press this too far. The most obvious example is of what occurs when one attempts to go against the flow of time, rather than simply manipulating the speed of its forward flow. At best the attempt will simply fail, at worst, the unfortunate cultivator will simply cease existing, aging to dust in moments.

    In most cases the effect simply decays relatively quickly, or in the case of formations, crumble with each use, it is wise when experimenting with new effects to exercise caution. Unfortunately, save for a handful of unchanging axioms which will be discussed in later chapters, the exact nature of backlash is also intensely personal and this tome may offer only general advice.

    Along with the formation of heavenly pearls, it is these three fields which mark the fourth realm and as such it is a wise cultivator who plans for such in their rise through the third, and here this tome may offer more concrete advice. In the following chapters advice will be offered on how to develop a foundation for the above abilities, as summarized below

    Chapter 1: The miracle of flight, here we discuss the vagaries of leg and arm techniques and how their lessons on manipulation and movement can be integrated into ones mindset to smooth the transition to true flight.

    Chapter 2: Here matters of the mind will be discussed. Head or as some call them brain meridians are most important here as are spine meridians, and the cultivation of multitasking and clairvoyance arts and techniques.

    Chapter 3: Lastly matters of body and spirit will be discussed. Spine, Lung and Heart are the keys to this subset of cultivation with importance varying based upon ones personal style. For the formation of external domain effects, constructs and resonances are the most important to focus upon. For the Internal cultivator the spine is of course the most important point to focus upon.

    Lastly, this tomes appendix will list some other publicly available resources which may answer more involved questions.

    Foreword of the tome 'Ascension for the Common Baron' a popular tome distributed to new barons in the Alabaster Sands as part of the Ducal families educational programs
     
  • Informational
    • ImperatorV said:
    Well, now we have an excuse for Mini-Qi to appear more often. Ling Qi's praticing for multipresence!
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    It's actually Multipresence that seems to be the one we are practicing with the least. We already have very affordable flight and are comfortable with the idea of engaging in 3D space, and this may be helped even more with our next-level movement arts.

    Affecting space is something our domain already does, just naturally, when activated, so we are well on the way with that ability.

    Multipresence is really the only one we haven't really dealt much with, but hopefully, with our advancements of clairvoyance, we'll have some solid grounding in that field as well.
     
    Dunno about you guys, but I have been following One Piece for over 10 years, I can follow this quest until we reach White. Unless yrs drops it for one reason or another, but he has given a lot of signs that he is in for the really long haul .

    yrsillar said:
    The paths up this mountain outnumber the stars, and it is this which is the greatest stumbling point to many who hope to 'solve' the problem of third realm cultivation. Many newly minted third realm nobles stumble and fail when raising their own children, thinking to simply have them follow their own path, which nearly always fails, or at the very least strands the child at the same level as the parent, with little ability to develop further. The great clans bypass this problem through sheer volume. In the archives of a ten thousand year old clan, there will surely be records of enough cultivators and their arts that even the most iconoclastic neophyte will find something of use.

    For those with more meager means however, there is only trial and error. Painstaking progress attained through meticulous and never ending effort. The reward is more than worth the effort.
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    That feel where you have been arguing for a thing for a day and then the QM just comes and casually, almost incidentally, confirms all your points. 💚 🧡💛💙💜❤
     
    Mr.rodent said:
    ???? Cyans right after green , lq is talented enough and has enough recources to reach cyan by her 20s
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    oh you misunderstand, LQ will reach cyan but we'll never read about it unless it's in a summary or epilogue or there's a big timeskip - which would wreak havoc on characterization tbh and make it less satisfying
     
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    Thor's Twin said:
    It's actually Multipresence that seems to be the one we are practicing with the least. We already have very affordable flight and are comfortable with the idea of engaging in 3D space, and this may be helped even more with our next-level movement arts.

    Affecting space is something our domain already does, just naturally, when activated, so we are well on the way with that ability.

    Multipresence is really the only one we haven't really dealt much with, but hopefully, with our advancements of clairvoyance, we'll have some solid grounding in that field as well.
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    I disagree—flight for Ling Qi may be something she's used to, but she's not doing it through her own means. It's a real capability of hers, for certain, through the use of the gown, but the relevant experience that she has is not the use of a fancy (growing) talisman. Her primary relevant experience to the tasks listed in this bit of writing is her disconnection from continuous physical space via SCS, which falls into the third category, not the first, and her projection of herself through constructs in order to alter the world around her, which again falls into the third category.
    What is relevant for Ling Qi's development of flight under her own power is this passage:
    yrsillar said:
    the vagaries of leg and arm techniques and how their lessons on manipulation and movement can be integrated into ones mindset to smooth the transition to true flight.
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    For Ling Qi's suite of arts, SCS's lessons on absence/stillness, PLR's lessons on moving through dreamspaces, and FSS's lessons on stopping seem the ones with the most use. Ling Qi's style of flight is probably going to be more about stopping herself from falling, than anything like free movement, at least by my guess. ENM also provides lessons in manipulation and control, but is much less important to her.
    Multipresence experience probably mostly comes from RME and other sensory arts.
    Arts are the crutches that provide these abilities through structured patterns of qi. Not talismans.
     
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