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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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OneArmedYeti said:
Oh dear.

Renxiang has unironically thought that's what we meant with Zhengui's name all alkng.
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Not "all along", since during Cai Renxiang's presentation to Cai Shenhua and her guests in Tournament 14;
yrsillar said:
Ling Qi bowed more deeply. "Zhengui is precious to me. I have raised him from his egg with diligent care. I do no not intend to give him anything but my best."

"Zhengui?" the rightmost brother asked, his stern voice sounding faintly bemused. "I see."

Ling Qi's cheeks flushed slightly. "It… ah, his name…" Suddenly the pun did not seem quite as funny.
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So she probably figured out which characters were used for Zhengui's name then (and in the Cai Renxiang negaverse, there was likely a bunch of wailing and gnashing of teeth over having to change every document referring to the Xuanwu from the superior "Proper Law" to "Real Turtle" by the readers).
 
So, given that it is likely we will go on an adventure in the Corrupted Caverns, my attention has turned towards RME as an art that might have a chance to really shine. And I'm really hoping that we are able to cultivate the art and achieve the next level before heading down into the depths because I'm seeing a couple of upgrades, especially to the Seeking Moon's Eyes that would be very useful. Two more wisps that ignore walls and twice the range can be a really big deal when we are fighting/exploring in twisting caverns.

I'm also interested in whether we can use the first tech of RME, Inquisitive Study, through our wisps. I don't think we've done that before, but it could be a really interesting synergy with the wisps allowing us to use Inquisitive Study through 100's of meters of rock and soil. Either way, I'm excited to see exactly how deep we'll be going down into the caverns and discover just what else is lurking beneath the depths.
 
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Turn 8: Arc 3-1 'Big Sister'
  • Threadmarks
    • Ling Qi skipped across the roiling ground, trailing a train of flickering images, ephemeral and dreamlike in her wake. All around her phantoms in dark and refined garb circled and danced in the mist to an eerie melody. Beneath her feet the dirt writhed and erupted spearing roots, smoking with superheated sap erupted, grasping and reaching only to catch the trailing hems of phantom gowns.

    A great bulk stomped through the mist, scattering phantom revelers around his trunk like legs. His shell glowed with a dull volcanic heat, leaving a wake of hissing steam in the mist, and a serpentine head wove above, molten eyes tracking her movement through the crowd. A boiling jet of liquid flame shot out, jetted from the serpents open maw, and splattered across the earth, melting dirt into glass.
    A voice rose in the mist, a young girls raised sweetly in song, and in unison, two reptilian heads flinched and turned to the new threat.

    "I''ll give her a hand, focus on your steps," the muse whispered.

    Around a slim young girl whose eyes glittered like chips of ice, the mist boiled with potential, dream images emerging, trailing the girls limbs and echoing her motions just a few moments out of step. A root grabbed for her bare foot, and caught only mist and laughing air. The girls voice rose, and frozen wind lashed the great beast, cooling and darkening his volcanic shell for a moment before a renewed burst of heat returned its glow.

    As they clashed, ling qi merely circled and continued her dance, leaping from one grasping rootlet to the next on light feet with only half of her attention. Between her revel and the muses illusions, she could feel the thinning in the air, the flows where dream was near the surface, touching on the waking world. It was still difficult, dream qi was slippery and ephemeral, and its flows resisted her manipulation more than any other qi she had tried. Even now, despite Sixiang's instruction, she couldn't quite grasp it.

    The earth shook as her toes briefly touched down on a patch of undisturbed dirt. They had been at this all morning now, and she was beginning to wonder if they should be ending the exercise. While Gui was taking the spar in good humor, she could feel Zhen's frustration, rising and boiling like the venom that dripped from his fangs. The task she had set him wasn't easy. While she was handicapping herself by only using Phantasmagoria of Lunar Revelry arts, she knew objectively that she was very hard to hit. Since she had renewed her devotion toward helping them improve, Zhen's accuracy had grown so much better, but it seemed that it still wasn't enough.

    As she mulled over calling an early halt to the exercise, her eyes widened. Something had changed. The flow of Zhengui's qi had shifted, and the heat of his body was growing. It shrank and condensed in a way that she had only felt during his practice of the rebirth inferno. She needed to stop him now, that was going way too…

    "Give him a second, it's not quite the same," Sixiang cut her off.

    She shut her mouth with a click. Sixiang was right, it wasn't exactly the same. She had promised to help him, stopping him from developing a new technique would hardly help that. She felt the heat condense again. It felt like a white hot sphere, a miniature sun churning with impossible heat. Then as Zhen glared with affronted dignity at Hanyi past the frost crawling across his scales, the sphere of heat dropped, passing seamlessly into the earth.

    Beneath her feet, Ling Qi felt stone boil. Instantly, shimmering green qi shrouded her and Hanyi both, just before the earth exploded. All around Zhengui, plumes of molten rock erupted in an expanding ring, pockets of boiling stone erupting upward under sudden and intense pressure.A wave of molten stone washed over Hanyi, and she yelped as her dream images shattered, and molten rock slid off of the verdant light that armored her.

    The hill rocked with explosions and noise, but Ling Qi's voice cut through the sound like the howl of a blizzard. "Zhen, stop."

    The young serpent startled as she materialized atop his other half's shell. Where her hand met his burning scales the air hissed and steamed, adding to the mist. "Big Sister, why…"

    "Look around you," she said dryly, and he did. The hill was positively ruined, for nearly two hundred meters all around, cooling magma lay burning on the ground. It had escaped beyond the protections the sect had lain down and even now she saw several fires smoldering in the underbrush. "Best not to set the forest on fire, I think."

    "Ugh, reckless Zhen should warn Gui," his other half complained. "Don't do weird things by yourself!"

    Below Hanyi vanished in a flurry of snowflakes, reappearing on one of the remaining islands of intact soil. "Be more careful," the snow maiden grumbled, eyeing the cooling droplets of molten stone still clinging to the hems of her gown..

    Zhen lowered his head, looking a little shamed. "Zhen apologizes to Big Sister, I just wanted to win."

    "That's fine, you just need to be a little more careful," Ling Qi encouraged. "Congratulations on figuring out a new technique!"

    "It was pretty cool," Hanyi huffed. "Dummy."

    "Still, why don't we take a little break and cool our heads," Ling Qi cut in. "Hanyi, go put out the fires. Zhengui can you start reseeding the hill?"

    Her spirits answered with a chorus of "Yes Big Sister," and got to work. Really, they were good children, when it got down to it.

    Zhengui Sixiang Hanyi
    • Cultivation Attributes Skills Derived Abilities Domain Equipment
      • - Appraisal Green(8)
        - Appraisal Bronze(8)
      • Physical
        Strength: B
        Dexterity: F
        Stamina: A

        Mental
        Intelligence: E
        Wits: D
        Resolve: A

        Social
        Presence: E
        Manipulation: F
        Composure: C

        Special
        Base Qi: B
        Domain: G

        Attribute bonuses
        +15 Stamina
        +15 Resolve
      • Mental
        -N/A-

        Physical
        Athletics: C
        Perceptiveness: C
        -Rootsense: B
        Stealth: D
        Survival: C
        - Qualified: +10 in plant-heavy regions

        Social
        Empathy: E
        Speech: D

        Martial
        Natural Weapons: C
        -Bite: B
        Projection: C
        -Earthflame: B
        Dodge: F
        Fortitude: C(Max)
        -Rejuvenation: B
        Fade: F
        Resilience: C
      • Weapons
        Gui Chomp: Damage D
        Zhen Bite: Damage C

        General:
        Base Health: B20
        - Damage Reductions: F vs Fire
        Available Qi: B3
        -5 Upkeep
        - F regen when not moving

        Speed: E
        Initiative: E

        Utility:
        Stealth: E
        Combat Perception: D10-C20 (+10 in plant-heavy region, +1 rank with LQ)
        Social Perception: F5

        Defense:
        Physical
        - Avoid: E
        - Armor: A25-38 (+3 w/ wood/fire tech active, +10 TRF aura)

        Spiritual
        - Avoid: E-D15 (+15 vs single-target, +1 rank with LQ)
        - Armor: A5-A8 (+3 w. wood/fire tech active, +1 rank with LQ up to LQ's own)

        Offense:
        Counts as two separate combatants for determining multiattacker bonuses.
        [VD] +5 Hit and Pen when both BB and BfA techs are used in the same turn.

        Physical (bite)
        - Hit: B18-23 (+5 VD)
        - Penetration: B-B20 (+15 fire +5 VD)

        Physical (projection)
        - Hit: B3-8 (+5 VD)
        - Penetration: C15-B5 (+15 fire, +5 VD)

        Spiritual
        -N/A-

        Counters:
        Volcanic Stone Shell
        - Fire/Projection based(?), Melee range

        Vengeful Serpent's Fangs
        - response to attack on allies in Near range
        - fire/Bite based, additional Short E rank poison

        Technique:
        Dispel: D (Intelligence E+Eternal Roots C)
        Resist: [C|C15|B] (Resolve B+[D|C|B] Rank tech)

        Health: (Stamina A, Qi B) = B20
        Qi: Base B + Equip 8 = B8
        Speed: (Dexterity F, Athletics C) E10 + Unqualified BFA -10 = E
        Initiative: (Dexterity F, Wits D) = E

        Utility
        Stealth: (Dexterity F, Stealth D) = E
        Combat Perception: (Wits D, Perceptiveness C) = D10
        - qualified bonuses: +10 in plant-heavy regions, +1 Rank with Ling Qi
        Social Perception: (Manip F, Empathy E) F5

        Physical Defense
        Avoid: (Dexterity F, Dodge F) = F
        Armor: (Stamina A, Rejuvenation B) = B20 + Unqualified Bonuses: Base 20, BfA 25 = A25
        - Qualified Bonus: +3 w/ wood or fire arts active, +10 TRF Aura

        Spiritual Defense
        Avoid: (Wits D, Fade F) = E
        - Qualified Bonuses: +15 vs. Single target, +1 Rank if Ling Qi is there (up to LQ's own)
        Armor: (Resolve A, Resilience C) = B + Unqualified Bonuses: Base 20, BfA 25 = A5
        - Qualified Bonuses: +3 w/ wood or Fire arts active, +1 Rank if Ling Qi is there (up to LQ's own)

        Offense:
        general qualified bonus: +5 Hit and Pen when both BB and BfA techs are used in the same turn.

        Physical (bite)
        Hit (Strength B, Bite B) = B + Unqualified Bonuses: BB 15, Sash 3 = B18
        Penetration (Strength B, Bite B) = B
        - Qualified Bonuses: +15 on Fire

        Physical (projection)
        Hit: (Strength B, Projection C) = C15 + Unqualified Bonuses: BB 15, Sash 3 = B3
        Penetration: (Strength B, Projection C) = C15
        - Qualified Bonuses: +15 on Fire
      • Way
        E rank Health Regeneration
        May use Stamina in Dispel Tests against physical arts and effects.
        May use Stamina in Resist Tests
        +10 to Physical Armor of Ling Qi and Hanyi when in the same scene
        Grants one grade increase to allied Stamina tests in scene
        Up to three times per scene, may change the target of a enemy spiritual effect to himself. This effect cannot be used on effects used by a cultivator more than two stages above Zhengui
        May reduce his size by up to two thirds and remain combat capable. All damage dealing techniques scaled down while reduced in size. (Max one rank at full reduction)

        • Base +20 Physical and Spiritual Armor.
        Blooming From Ash
        Passive Effects:
        +25 to Physical and Spiritual Armor
        +10 to perception and survival rolls in plant life heavy regions
        +15 Stamina and Resolve challenges
        F rank qi regeneration while not moving
        -10 to Speed

        Eternal Roots: C
        Duration: Long
        The endless vitality of the forest fills Zhengui, spreading his senses throughout his surroundings, as well as sealing wounds, restoring qi (E rank qi regen) and repairing broken and chipped shell and scales (E rank Health regen). While active, Zhengui's speed is reduced by one rank, but damage to his armor recovers at a rapid rate. Once during this duration Zhengui may attempt to dispel a negative effect from himself or an ally.

        Innocuous Hill: D
        A technique granted by Zhengui's bond with Ling Qi. Zhengui sinks into the earth and draws in soil and stone to cover his shell. Used out of combat or against unready targets, this effect boosts Zhengui's stealth by a full rank, and gives a significant bonus to hit on his first attack against unready targets. This technique is ineffective on targets who are not Unready.

        Paradise Bedrock: C
        Duration: Short
        Damage: E
        A technique representing Zhengui's mastery of the generation and manipulation of root systems. Within a close range, Zhengui may choose to either trap or attack any enemy within his range each time he has an action. The roots immobilize their target with strength equal to Zhengui's own, or deal the above listed damage.

        Paradise Rampart: B
        Duration: Persistent
        Zhengui taps into the vital, endless regrowth at the core of his being, and channels it into protecting a person or place of his choosing. On activation a wall of roots and boughs ten meters high and two thick sprouts from the earth between his enemies and the target Zhengui wishes to protect. The walls base length is one hundred meters. Sections of the wall have Armor D and Health B for the purpose of breaking through. Enemies attempting to climb or otherwise pass over the wall have their speed reduced by half a rank, unless their cultivation exceeds Zhengui's by two stages or one realm. Enemies adjacent to the wall suffer automatic attacks equivalent to Paradise Bedrock usage. Zhengui may extend the rampart 100 meters at the cost of increasing the cost by 10 for each segment.

        Roiling Forest Regrowth: B
        Duration: Short
        A technique arising from Zhengui's frustration at foes avoiding him to strike at Ling Qi. Zhengui throws a huge quantity of Qi into the earth beneath his feet, until grasping twining roots are erupting from every inch of earth within Close Range. These roots twine together to form walls, grab at limbs and otherwise make themselves impossible to ignore. Enemies striking at targets other than Zhengui have their speed, combat perception, Physical Hit and Penetration penalized. Effects with multiple targets are not penalized if they include at least half of the affected area in their range. While these roots can be destroyed so long as the technique is active they regrow too quickly for this to be effective.
        Blazing Blood
        Passive Effects:
        F Damage reduction vs. Fire
        +20 to Hit on Physical and Fire Attacks
        +20 to Penetration of Fire Attacks
        Use Strength for Hit

        Blood Boiling Venom: D
        Upkeep 5
        Damage: D(Bonus, poison)
        Zhengui strikes with venomous fangs injecting a terrible, deadly heat into the target. With the boiling venom flowing in their veins, the victim finds themselves weakened and slowed until the effect burns out. Alternatively this effect may be applied to the Paradise Bedrock technique

        Volcanic Stone Shell: C
        Duration: Long
        Response
        Zhengui infuses his shell with withering heat and stony resilience, burning bright with a volcanic blaze. Enemies who strike Zhengui with melee weapons suffer C rank fire damage. Enemies within Very Close Range suffer constant E Rank fire damage

        Ashfall: C
        Duration: Long
        Zhengui expels ash from both of his mouths, filling the sky with falling gray dust. The ash cloud extends out to Very Close range around him. While Zhengui and allies are immune to the effects, enemies within the ash suffer unavoidable burns. The particulates make it difficult for them to see as well, hanging thickly in the air. Zhengui may use this art multiple times to expand its area. Six stacks may be active at a time.

        Boiling Shot: C
        Damage: C(poison)
        Zhen gathers his venom and spits, launching a ball of corrosive superheated venom at a target within Far range. Alternatively Zhen may choose to target a cone shaped spray at up to Very Close Range. The secondary version deals damage to targets in its area equal at one rank down.

        Volcanic Shot: B
        Damage: B(Direct Hit) D (Splash)
        Gathering stone and soil in his stomch, Zhengui melts the energies into molten stone and glass before ejecting it as a missile as a distant foe. Zhengui cannot move while using this technique, but may target any enemy at up to distant range. However for each increment further than Far Hit is reduced by 10. Enemies within Near distance of the primary target suffer from the splash version of the techniques damage.

        Paradise Forge: B
        Instant:
        Damage: B
        Channels fire into the earth, awakening the latent volcanism in the memory of stone. The powerful flame qi pressurizes the molten stone forming beneath the surface until it explodes upward in a rolling ring of eruptions. Upon activation, enemies within close range of Zhengui are targeted, on Zhengui's next action enemies between Close and Far range are targeted. This technique has a significant bonus to hit and and penetration against any target in contact with the ground.
        Verdant Ash Duality
        Passive Effects:
        +15 to Spiritual Avoid vs single target attacks
        +5 on Hit and Penetration when techniques from Blazing Blood and Blooming from Ashes are used in the same turn.
        User counts as two separate combatants for determining multiattacker bonuses

        Minds Apart: C
        A Xuan Wu is two minds in one body and self, it takes age and long practice to function fully as two separate beings however. With this technique however, a young Xuan Wu may temporarily attain this ability.

        Ashfield Flowering: C
        Usable only while at least one instance of Ashfall is active, this technique consumes the ashfield to revitalize allies. On activation one instance of Ashfall is dispelled automatically, allied targets within the ashfall zone receive E rank health recovery and have their armor fortified.

        Rebirth Inferno:
        Special
        Damage: S
        When reduced to F rank health. Zhengui may instantly discharge all of his remaining qi into a roaring inferno that consumes all save Ling Qi within Close range. This massive explosion tears through defenses and moves with incredible speed. In the aftermath Zhengui falls unconscious, and cannot act, but receives a temporary Health Attribute of B Rank.

        Vengeful Serpent's Fangs: D
        When an enemy strikes at one of Zhengui's allies within Near range, they open themselves to a counterstrike. Zhengui receives a large bonus to hit for this attack, and deals damage via his Zhen Bite attack, with an additional E rank poison which repeats for a short time thereafter.
      • -N/A-
        1. This small sash is made from a single tropical leaf, and covered with enticing fire artwork that seems to dance as it moves. Physically worn by Zhen.

          +5 to qi. +3 bonus on Hit of Fire and Wood Arts.
        2. This thick necklace is shaped like a tangle of roots and vines, but on inspection is actually composed entirely of fused ash. A trace of it rubs off when you touch it, but it never seems to wear down. Physically worn by Gui.

          +3 to qi. They also gain a +3 bonus on Armor when a Fire or Wood Art is active.
        3. -Empty-
    • Cultivation Attributes Skills Derived Abilities Domain Equipment
      • - Appraisal Green(8)
        -N/A-
      • Physical
        -N/A-

        Mental
        Intelligence: D
        Wits: B
        Resolve: C

        Social
        Presence: B
        Manipulation: B
        Composure: B

        Special
        Base Qi: A
        Domain: F
      • Mental
        Government: F

        Physical
        Dance: C
        -Dream Step: B
        Perceptiveness: C
        -Colors of Mind: B

        Social
        Art: C(Max)
        -Poetry: B
        Beast Handling: C
        Empathy: C(Max)
        -Subconscious Cues: B
        Music: C(Max)
        -Vocals: B
        Speech: C(Max)
        -Socialize: B
        - Qualified: +5 with spirits, +3 with humans
        Spirit Ken: C(max)
        -Revelry A
        -Lunar B

        Martial
        Projection: C
        Fade: C
        -Dream Step: B
        Resilience: C
      • General:
        Base Health: B15
        Available Qi: B30

        Speed: -N/A-
        Initiative: C15

        Utility:
        Stealth: -N/A-
        Combat Perception: C25
        Social Perception: B25-35 (+10 with spirits)

        Defense:
        Physical
        -N/A- cannot be targeted by physical attacks

        Spiritual
        - Avoid: B10
        - Armor: C15

        Offense:
        Physical
        -N/A-

        Spiritual
        - Hit: C10
        - Penetration: C20

        Technique
        Dispel: - (Presence B+Tech Rank) + Unqualified Bonuses: EMP 10
        - Chaos Phase: B10 (defensive, LQ-only, 2 effects)
        - PRR: C25 (offensive, Close range, 1 effect, up to 5 targets)

        Resist: [D10|--|C15|B] (Composure B+[E|D|C|B] Rank)

        Base Health: (Composure B, Qi B30) = B15
        Qi: B30
        Initiative: (Wits B, Manipulation C) = C15

        Combat Perception: (Wits B, Perceptiveness C) = C15 + Unqualified Bonuses: ADB 10 = C25
        Social Perception: (Manipulation C, Subconscious Cues B) = C15 + Unqualified Bonuses: Base 20, EMP 10, AWB 10 = B25
        - Qualified Bonuses: EMP 10 with spirits

        Spiritual Avoid: (Wits B, ??? B) = B + Unqualified Bonuses: EMP 10 = B10
        Spiritual Armor: (Composure B, Resilience C) = C15

        Spiritual Hit: C10 (Manipulation C, Projection C) + C + Unqualified Bonuses: ADB 10 = C10
        Spiritual Penetration: C20 (Presence B, Projection C) = C15 + Unqualified Bonuses: ADB 5 = C20
      • Way
        • Base +20 Social Perception.
        Everchanging Moonlight Promenade
        Passive Effects:
        +10 Persuade and socialize with spirits
        +10 Social Perception with Spirits
        +5 Persuade and socialize tests with humans
        +10 Social Perception
        +15 on Spiritual Avoid
        +15 to Dispel

        Chaos Phase: B
        Drawing on the chaotic nature of the dreaming moon to easily slip through the base bonds of ordered qi, Sixiang may dispel up to two negative effects on themselves or their binder.

        Laughing Moonlit Maiden: D
        Instant
        Channeling through their bond with their binder, Sixiang may grant Ling Qi an air of amiable approachability, and make her words seem both more fair and agreeable. Grants Ling Qi Sixiang's passive bonuses to persuade and socialize challenges for a Short time.

        Phantasmal Revel's Regrets: C
        Releasing a pulse of chaotic qi into the environment at Close range to Ling Qi, Sixiang disrupts the flows and constructs of their foes. Soaking their meridians in qi designed to emulate the fogging effects of heavy inebriation, she causes their control of their techniques to slip. Attempts to dispel a single effect on up to five enemies within range.

        Lunatic Stirring B
        Duration: Short
        With dream qi thick in the air, the rules of the waking realm begins to blur. Creates a distorted realm in a Near radius to Ling Qi in which the muse may manifest for a time. Enemies within the field receive a half rank down debuff to one of Physical Hit, Physical Penetration, Physical Avoid, Physical Armor or Speed, at Sixiang's discretion which may change each time they take an action. Allows Sixiang to use techniques which require manifestation. While manifested, SIxiang acts as if they have physical cultivation one rank lower than their spiritual cultivation, and physical statistics equivalent to their mental counterparts at one rank down. While manifested Sixiang remains impervious to entirely physical damage.
        Awoken Dreamers Brush
        Passive Effects:
        +10 to Social Perception
        +10 to Combat Perception
        +10 to Spiritual Hit
        +5 to Spiritual Penetration

        Passage of Rustling Breeze: C
        Duration: Long
        Grasping the flows of the wind, Sixiang dulls sounds and the rippling wake of their binders qi, enhancing stealth and spiritual avoid. At increased cost, this effect may extend to cover the area Near Ling Qi.

        Cheerful Muse's Accompaniment: C
        When Ling Qi activates a non damaging music or wind art, if Sixiang has not already acted that turn, they may activate this technique and enhance one parameter of the art significantly. Valid parameters are Hit, Effect, Duration, or Resist.

        Whispering Muse's Mockery: C
        Duration: Short
        Mingling dream qi with the flows of wind, Sixiang distorts light and sound to create short lived illusory images, complete with sound. This technique may be used in a number of ways, but in combat it grants an ally a large bonus to Physical avoid or an attempt to enter stealth.

        Whirlwind Revel C
        Duration: Short
        Usable while manifested. Song, wind and lunatic abandon washes out all else as Sixiang focuses their attention on a single enemy in melee range of their manifestation. Using their derived Dance Skill, Sixiang draws the enemy further still into the shallows of Dream. If successful the target becomes unable to move in the physical world and may only target Sixiang with any attack or technique. Area of Effect skills may still hit multiple targets however, although their potency is reduced by one rank if physical. Similarly, any physical effect affecting the trapped target is reduced by one rank in effect. The targets own physical attributes are also penalized greatly.

        On failure the target is merely impeded by the dreamlike mealstrom while they remain in range, receiving a penalty to Combat Perception, Physical Avoid, and Physical Hit.
      • F
        +20 to Sixiang's Spiritual Avoid
        When attempting to Dispel, if Sixiang fails to dispel an effect the targets Resist is penalized by 5, this effect stacks up to 5 times. Stacks are removed upon a successful dispel.
      • -N/A-
    • Cultivation Attributes Skills Derived Abilities Domain Equipment
      • - Early Green(7)
        - Early Bronze(7)
      • Physical
        Strength: F
        Dexterity: C
        Stamina: D

        Mental
        Intelligence: D
        Wits: E
        Resolve: C

        Social
        Presence: B
        Manipulation: C
        Composure: C

        Special
        Base Qi: B
        Domain: ???
      • Mental
        Academics: F

        Physical
        Athletics: C
        Dance: D
        Perceptiveness: C
        Stealth: E

        Social
        Art: F
        Spirit Ken: E
        Empathy: E
        Music: C(Max)
        -Vocals: B
        Speech: F
        - Qualified Bonuses: +10 FPS

        Martial
        Unarmed: G
        Dodge: C
        Fortitude: E
        Fade: D
        Resilience: C
      • General
        Base Health: C20
        - Damage Reductions: D vs Cold, E vs Dark
        Available Qi: B

        Speed: C20
        Initiative: D10

        Utility
        Stealth: D
        Combat Perception: E10
        Social Perception: D

        Defense
        Physical
        - Avoid: C15
        - Armor: E10-D (+10 TRF aura)

        Spiritual
        - Avoid: D15
        - Armor: C20

        Offense
        Physical         (Unarmed)
        - Hit: E
        - Penetration: G5

        Physical (Dance)
        - Hit: D
        - Penetration: D10

        Spiritual (Vocals)
        - Hit: B20
        - Penetration: B20

        Technique
        Dispel: - (Presence B+Tech Rank)
        - no dispel techs
        Resist: [D10|C|C15] (Composure C+[D|C|B] Rank tech)

        Base Health: (Stamina D, Qi B) = C + LWM 10 + FPS 10 = C20

        Speed: (Dex C, Athletics C) = C+ FSC 20 = C20
        Initiative: (Wits E, Dex C) = D + FPS 10 = D10

        Stealth: (Dex C, Athletics E) = D
        Combat Perception: (Wits E, Perceptiveness D) = E10
        Social Perception: (Manip C, Empathy E) = D

        Phys defense:
        Avoid (Dex C, Dodge C) = C + FSC 15 = C15
        Armor (Stamina D, Fortitude: F) = E + Equip 10 = E10
        - Qualified Bonuses: TRF aura 10

        Spirit defense:
        Avoid: (Manip C, Fade E) = D + FSC 15 = D15
        Armor: (Resolve C, Resilience C) = C + Equip 10, LWM 10 = C20

        Offense
        Physical (Unarmed)
        - Hit: (Dex C, Unarmed G) = E
        - Penetration: (Strength F, Unarmed G) = G5

        Physical (Dance)
        - Hit: (Dex C, Dance E) = D
        - Penetration: (Presence B, Dance E) = D10

        Spiritual (Vocals)
        - Hit: (Manipulation C, Vocals B) = C15 + Equip 10, FPS 15, LWM 10 = B20
        - Penetration: (Presence B, Vocals B) = B + FPS 20 = B20
      • Way
        -N/A-
        Lonely Winter Maiden
        Passive Effects:
        +10 to Spiritual Hit
        +15 to Health
        +20 to Spiritual Armor
        +10 to Speech(conditional)

        Enrapturing Silhouette: C
        Using this technique Hanyi draws the attention of targets at Far range to herself. She may target up to five creatures. On success the targets must move toward Hanyi at full base speed and cannot attack her until after her next action. The target receives a large penalty to their Avoid while under this effect, which lasts for a Short time. This effect may be renewed freely on affected targets at E rank cost if uninterrupted.

        Mournful Lullaby: D
        Usable only against those caught in the effects of Enrapturing Silhouette, this technique receives a significant bonus to hit against such targets. Targets of this effect receive penalties to All Hit, Avoid, and Initiative, which stack with each application.

        Snow Maiden's Embrace: C
        With either full embrace or a clasping of hands, Hanyi draws a beguiled foe to their doom. As long as Hanyi maintains physical contact with the target, dealing D rank damage and C rank qi drain, and restoring a portion of that to Hanyi (E rank health restore, D rank qi restore), who can receive temporary qi or health exceeding her maximum by up to one letter grade. Enemies reduced to zero qi begin to suffer C rank damage each turn instead.
        Frozen Peak Serenade
        Passive Effects:
        +15 To Spiritual Hit
        +20 to Spiritual Penetration
        +10 to Initiative
        +10 to Health
        D rank damage reduction against Cold
        E Rank damage reduction against Dark

        Springs End Aria: D
        Duration: Short
        The first notes of the users song herald the end of warmth, draining the heat from the area and around them and crystalizing the moisture in the air into snow and ice. Enemies Close to the user find their qi growing sluggish, sapping their spiritual defenses and bolstering the singers own. Qi expended in failed assault of the singer drains away (F rank qi drain), flowing into the singularity of cold created by the singers voice. Those whose dantians have been fully drained find their flesh frosting over and their blood running cold as they are lulled into the final sleep.


        Hoarfrost Caress: C
        Duration: Immediate
        Damage: C
        The user's song rises into the howl of of a blizzard in the depths of winter as they focus the expression of their will upon a single enemy. The song tears and freezes the flesh of the singers enemy, and spreads through their blood and meridians, carrying the chill deeper still, like a frigid poison seeking the heart of its victims warmth.

        Winter Eternal Cadenza: C
        Duration: Immediate
        Damage: D
        The completing half of the Spring's End Aria, a song with it's roots in the bleak, frozen lands that lie beyond the Wall. Usable only while Spring's End Aria is active, this technique unleashes if only for a moment, the absolute cold of a winter without end. The singer's voice lashes all enemies within Close range, hungrily draining away their qi into the freezing emptiness within the singer. The flesh is not spared this assault, burning burning black and cracking under the frigid serenade. Those affected find their every action and reaction slowed and disrupted by trembling frozen limbs.

        Echoes of Absolute Winter: B
        Duration: Special
        A technique used in tandem with Aria of Springs End, if activated at the same time, the Aria carries an echo of true winter, stilling the very air around the singer with its freezing chill. Attacks targeting the user, or which have an area of effect overlapping with Aria's have their penetration reduced by one rank as the cold devours the energy of the technique or attack. Similarly, Cold or Dark techniques used by the singer against those in range of Aria have their Hit or Penetration enhanced by one rank, as chosen by the user.
        Fleeting Spring's Chill
        Passive Effects:
        +20 to Speed
        +15 to Physical Avoid
        +15 to Spiritual Avoid

        Ephemeral Frost: D
        Duration: Short
        Like the frost of a chilly morning melting away before the sun, the user fades back from violence and attacks flitting away in a swirl of frost and snowflakes. Grants a bonus to physical avoid and a small bonus to physical armor, as well as a significant bonus to speed.

        Mocking Winter Breeze: C
        Duration: Immediate
        Being struck with a decisive blow, the user's physical form shatters into a thousand crystals of ice and snow, only for them to reform unharmed within a Close distance. This technique negates the damage of a single technique of C rank or lower, and significantly reduces the damage of higher ranked techniques.
      • -N/A-
        1. +10 Physical and Spiritual Armor. Provides an additional +10 to spiritual Hit of Cold Arts.
        2. -Empty-
        3. -Empty-


    ***​


    "Sis, when are we gonna do some exercises where I can show off?" Hanyi complained as they sat down for a rest in the aftermath of the clean up. Zhengui took up much of the hilltop, and Ling Qi and hanyi sat on either side of him on flattened stones.

    "Sorry Hanyi, it's a little hard to think of a group exercise for your techniques. I promise we'll go out together later," Ling Qi replied.

    She had elected to work with Hanyi on something they had neglected. The effects they were working on, her ability to draw on others with a siren song and drain the life and energy from them were fundamental to her nature, but Ling Qi had trouble helping her with them. She had never learned the Lonely Winter Maiden art from Zeqing.

    She had been taking hanyi on trips up to the mountain peaks to practice though and it was paying off. Hanyi's voice and song were more confident and potent, able to ensnare more enemies, more efficiently, and her lethality had risen in accordance. That was what made it hard to train in a group. Like Zhen's new technique, Hanyi's techniques were quite lethal to their targets.

    "Mm, actually, you want to come to our little dance lessons snowflake? You might not be able to step into Dream like your Sis and I, but I think you'd benefit from a little grace," Sixiang said on the wind.

    'Is that fine?' Ling Qi thought silently.

    "Yeah, girl's feeling a little left out since her lessons are solo, I can share," Sixiang silently replied with a mental shrug.

    "I'm not clumsy," Hanyi snapped, unaware of the exchange. "I can move around just fine!"

    "Ah well, if you think you can't handle it," Sixiang trailed off, their voice echoing from the empty air.

    Ling Qi sighed. She really was going to have to work with Hanyi on that too, she was way too easy to manipulate. She left her spirits to talk and bicker for a time letting herself focus on cultivating the little scraps of insight into Dream Qi she had accumulated during the spar, she was making progress, but it was slow. However, that couldn't last forever, there was still business to see too today. Sixiang already knew, but now she needed to talk to the other two.

    "Zhengui, Hanyi, we're going to have a visitor today," Ling Qi explained calmly, having let them get the bickering out of their systems. "Obviously, I'm going to need you both to behave."

    "Huh? Who did Big Sis invite. Is the bright lady coming again?" Gui asked curiously.

    "Not this time," Ling Qi denied. Cai Renxiang had been sparring with her more often, which included her spirits at times. She was able to press the heiress a lot more effectively with the extra combatants. "I've invited Bao Qian, do you remember him?"

    "I Zhen, recall the shiny man," Zhen replied proudly. "He wanted to buy Zhen's ash, so that Big Sister could get more cultivation stones."

    "That's the one," Ling Qi replied, smiling. "We're going to be talking about some business like that today."

    "Ah, Gui will be good then, so that Big Sister can have more stones!" Gui agreed cheerfully.

    "You don't have to do this you know. I am getting by fine regardless," Ling Qi said. Even if her stock of Green Stones was steadily dwindling.

    "No, Big Sis will let Zhengui help," they both replied stubbornly, their voices emerging as one.

    "You've got some odd hang ups. Just let the Lil' Big Guy help," Sixiang chided.

    Ling Qi sighed and nodded her assent before glancing at Hanyi, who had been oddly silent. "Hanyi, something on your mind?"

    "Sis, that guy, he said he could sell your songs too, right?" Hanyi asked. "I saw you using that stone thingy to record."

    "Yes," Ling Qi said slowly. "I wasn't selling that though."

    "Well I wanna sell some songs! That way I can have stones myself, and buy pretty dresses and jewelry without having to get them from Big Sis," Hanyi said in a rush, leaning forward.

    Ling Qi blinked and immediately felt a pang of guilt. "Hanyi, we can go shopping sometime if you like, it's just been very busy lately."

    "But I wanna get my own stuff, you worry about enough things," Hanyi huffed. "C'mon, will you please talk to the guy?"

    Ling Qi hesitated.

    [] Agree to talk to Bao Qian [Gives Hanyi income. Owe favor to Bao Qian. Reduces asking power in Zhengui negotiations]
    [] Reassure Hanyi that you'll find another way for her to help. [Better negotiating position in Zhengui arrangement. Avoids further entanglements with Bao Qian. Sad Hanyi.]
     
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