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Threads Of Destiny(Eastern Fantasy, Sequel to Forge of Destiny)
- Thread starter yrsillar
- Start date
- Original Users' Choice!
Voted best in category in the Users' Choice awards.
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completely and utterly fine
[X] Stick to the original plan, you can chat with Alingge when she inevitably comes to see Zhengui, but there's really no need to complicate things. Approach Wang Chao, greet and chat politely, ask for his help.
Let's just be upfront for once instead of trying to trickery our way into Wang Chao's friendship
Let's just be upfront for once instead of trying to trickery our way into Wang Chao's friendship
[] Approach Alingge first with a friendly greeting. You did say you would introduce her to Zhengui after all. Make a point to discuss what you're trying to work on within hearing of Wang Chao, and then greet him as if you weren't expecting him.
So, I think there's actually valid reasons to take this approach in order to mitigate a variety of potential wrinkles in this social encounter. Recruiting some social backup is prudent if we're expecting a reflexive cold shoulder, to balance the numbers and dilute any potential animosity from Liang He in particular given the state we left him in when we last met, or minimize the chance of curveballs like Wang Chao angling for an apology to Liang He for our brutality, which would be more awkward for the latter's likely refusal than for Ling Qi's adamant inability to offer one of substance.
But Liang He's a good place to start with why backup is less than necessary: he didn't give the impression of someone to hold a grudge; there might be some caution, but walking up with an ally in the wings wouldn't make Ling Qi less threatening. However, that brings us to maybe the primary issue with the plan of grabbing Alingge first. That is, that we're just acquiantances, so we don't really have the relationship where we can count on pick-up social backup on even low-level maneuvers. We don't know each other's broader agendas. We don't even know whether Alingge knows the others, and if so whether past associations have been positive or negative.
That's not to say I don't think it would work. Wang Chao seems the type to barge into an unveiled conversation relating to an area of his expertise. So that's fine. It's just that the main reason to want to grab a second are speculative at best, and the available second isn't a known reliable advocate. About the only reason remaining to greet Alingge first is because you like her better and want more of a focus slash update on her and maybe the riding practices of her clan/tribe. Nothing wrong with that, but not really the thrust of the exercise here.
[] Stick to the original plan, you can chat with Alingge when she inevitably comes to see Zhengui, but there's really no need to complicate things. Approach Wang Chao, greet and chat politely, ask for his help.
This is the plan for boring nerds, so naturally I approve.
[X] Stick to the original plan, you can chat with Alingge when she inevitably comes to see Zhengui, but there's really no need to complicate things. Approach Wang Chao, greet and chat politely, ask for his help.
I do have a measure of the same disquiet @Arkeus has where the options provided, and some of the player response, makes this feel like we're rebuffing sneaky manipulative social approaches when the factors on the ground just don't favor it at the moment. It appears to increase the risk of the situation(Wang overhearing goes wrong or Alingge has preexisting conflict with one or the other of the boys which sours the encounter when it's not happening in the context of her approaching to look at Zhengui) for no payoff that isn't process easing that appears unnecessary at the moment.
Having a mildly sneaky manipulative choice available is really nice, and I hope to see them again moving forwards.
So, I think there's actually valid reasons to take this approach in order to mitigate a variety of potential wrinkles in this social encounter. Recruiting some social backup is prudent if we're expecting a reflexive cold shoulder, to balance the numbers and dilute any potential animosity from Liang He in particular given the state we left him in when we last met, or minimize the chance of curveballs like Wang Chao angling for an apology to Liang He for our brutality, which would be more awkward for the latter's likely refusal than for Ling Qi's adamant inability to offer one of substance.
But Liang He's a good place to start with why backup is less than necessary: he didn't give the impression of someone to hold a grudge; there might be some caution, but walking up with an ally in the wings wouldn't make Ling Qi less threatening. However, that brings us to maybe the primary issue with the plan of grabbing Alingge first. That is, that we're just acquiantances, so we don't really have the relationship where we can count on pick-up social backup on even low-level maneuvers. We don't know each other's broader agendas. We don't even know whether Alingge knows the others, and if so whether past associations have been positive or negative.
That's not to say I don't think it would work. Wang Chao seems the type to barge into an unveiled conversation relating to an area of his expertise. So that's fine. It's just that the main reason to want to grab a second are speculative at best, and the available second isn't a known reliable advocate. About the only reason remaining to greet Alingge first is because you like her better and want more of a focus slash update on her and maybe the riding practices of her clan/tribe. Nothing wrong with that, but not really the thrust of the exercise here.
[] Stick to the original plan, you can chat with Alingge when she inevitably comes to see Zhengui, but there's really no need to complicate things. Approach Wang Chao, greet and chat politely, ask for his help.
This is the plan for boring nerds, so naturally I approve.
[X] Stick to the original plan, you can chat with Alingge when she inevitably comes to see Zhengui, but there's really no need to complicate things. Approach Wang Chao, greet and chat politely, ask for his help.
I do have a measure of the same disquiet @Arkeus has where the options provided, and some of the player response, makes this feel like we're rebuffing sneaky manipulative social approaches when the factors on the ground just don't favor it at the moment. It appears to increase the risk of the situation(Wang overhearing goes wrong or Alingge has preexisting conflict with one or the other of the boys which sours the encounter when it's not happening in the context of her approaching to look at Zhengui) for no payoff that isn't process easing that appears unnecessary at the moment.
Having a mildly sneaky manipulative choice available is really nice, and I hope to see them again moving forwards.
- Location
- The Space Between
Wang's family does Emerald Seas architecture/hardpoints and he isn't in full plate. My guess is that they're Tree Builders and not stone workers, since Stone Buildings are heresy. Did you know hardpoints are significantly more difficult to break if they have a little flexibility compared to more brittle Too Hard points? The original "ironside" American Naval ships in the Revolution had wood that happened to bend and dent instead of immediately splinter. One of the first forts under fire in the American Civil War had a lot of sand shoring up the walls that caused the cannon fire to go *whump* instead of breaching properly. The roots and growth of Emerald Seas probably understands the small yin flexibility within the Big Yang Hardbody.
but if he is stone I'm hoping for a stage-turret. That sounds like a mobile "The Wall" concert haha <3
but if he is stone I'm hoping for a stage-turret. That sounds like a mobile "The Wall" concert haha <3
I kind of wonder how much money goes into making paper and furnishing for higher cultivation handling. Thats quite a bit of accidental energy discharge from even a bit of emotional agitation.
Maybe they work with the spiritually touched byproducts of talisman and elixer craft? After you extract the cores I suppose a giant spirit boar is worth quite a lot of pigskin parchment that's at least durable enough to require deliberate efforts to damage it.
Fire for Passion and Attachment.
Thunder for Action and Initiative.
Heaven for Vision and Creativity.
Upgraded from Rebel Without A Cause to Visionary huh?
Sempai flirts like other people breathe.
Family woes huh?
Underlying the root of his reluctance to advance into prominence perhaps?
Reminds me of Moon Sempai's reciprocal answers technique.
That was neat.
His answer suggests this is something he's already considered a lot himself.
The difference between your clan as a polity bound by bonds of blood, and your family as a group bound by bonds of the heart.
Needs and wants are another pitfall for cultivators who rise young, since its really hard to distinguish even with a great deal of life experience.
To Ruan Shen, the in, out and about groups are almost an afterthought.
Boundaries to define connections I think.
A connection is meaningful for the gap they bridge between dissimilar things.
You could ask Bao Qian: Connections between dissimilar things are the most profitable and beneficial ones. Bring the surplus, meet the deficiency.
Oh hey, forgot all about Inner Sect trials existing.
And Yu Nuan's still working on her demonstration piece huh?
Good to see the joy in those lives.
Still, if life is a loom, what a horribly tangled work it is.
All things are linked, some at greater remove, some at greater significance. It'd take a god's eye view to pry meaning from that.
Somebody need to introduce Ling Qi to the idea of a steering wheel.
She's running a linear race, not seeing that she'd advancing towards other objectives when she thought she was slowing down. A diagonal parh my bring you further yet than sprinting headlong.
If they are connected enough to hurt and hinder, they're connected enough to aid as well. A pull is but a push from the other perspective.
Fun fact: Quite a LOT of Feng Shui principles are about building a safe dwelling resistant to assault and other such misfortunes, which were then encoded in rule of thumb mnemonics.
E.g. the most firm foundation lies in a home backed by a hill, with a river to the front. The slope prevents some accretion of waste matter and debris, on top of making it a literal uphill assault, the river ensures fresh water and food, but also makes all comers clearly visible and unable to approach either swiftly or unseen.
If he's prickly about his talents then I think the whole "talk to Alingge first so he comes over" might suffer a tad from visibly valuing somebody else more even when seeking a favor of him.
Thats a good think, though I wonder how often they had to deal with mobile, field deployable fortresses. That are yeetable.
Ling Qi, no, this is a social Interaction, not a social combat!
How heavy was Gan's armor anyways?
Also oof, Ling Qi didn't even remember his face.
#savage
...hey, Sixiang can take photos!
And dang, those be fine abs.
- Location
- United Kingdom
In all fairness he was wearing a mask for most if not all of the match.
On the other hand, cultivators recognize each other from other stuff beside how they look. Aura, domain etc.
- Location
- The Maple Syrup Mountains
[X] Stick to the original plan, you can chat with Alingge when she inevitably comes to see Zhengui, but there's really no need to complicate things. Approach Wang Chao, greet and chat politely, ask for his help.
- Location
- Third planet from the star named Sol
- Pronouns
- He/They
Not that specific one. We've joked about how there are no safe 'innocuous' boulders and about yeeting a fucking turtle at people, but nothing TMNT related.
- Location
- Greece
Since we are talking about Zhengui... monthly reminder that we must eventually visit his father and show him his son.
- Location
- United States of America
YOU MEAN VISIT HIS DEADBEAT FATHER IN PRISON AND ASK WHERE OUR DAMN CHILD SUPPORT IS AT?!
But our child is supporting us?
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- Location
- Greece
Eh, there is predecent for such things being approved.
Taking the same strategy used by Liling?
Seems she had picked up some insights regarding the opinions of others and how little it could matter.
Say...this particular phenomenon sounds uncomfortably familiar when put along side the Cloud Nomad situation isn't it?
Certainly the terrain sounds a lot like they should have been able to see and start pecking away at any attacking force at range long before they reached the walls.
Its the best kind of retainer - one whose loyalty is beyond reproach but remains able to doubt without insubordination
Ponyta!
Such is the way of cultivators, I think, and we can see that he DOES care, or he wouldn't have made time to teach personally, its just that his time is so disproportionately valuable that spending time doing nothing much is too wasteful.
What little I recall of Xiulan's arts was that they were basically a qi reactor thing, takes an input, turbocharges it, at the risk of using up more energy than you can spare if you fail the gamble.
The Vermillion Formation seems to take the whole squad's qi and dump it into the reactor to have everyone get the same boost without everyone needing to learn the difficult cultivation art.
Yin Fire. Consumption without radiation.
Probably good odds that the Walkers are literally fueled by the ambient heat, not that theres anything which could be done about that. Water arts might have some conceptual advantage to dealing with that but again, good luck cultivating Water in the desert which is also on fire.
I recognize this one! Cataphract charge!
Advance with covering fire, then transition into lances applying shock and penetration into the disrupted ranks.
Albeit not usually with attacs that resemble light artillery
Hivemind, I think this was mentioned before, but it bears to keep in mind that it favors indiscriminate kills applied onto as many targets as possible for the opening salvos, rather than the usual decapitation strategies sensible in a world of cultivators.
Really rocking the Sun Wukong look, with a few small differences
-Headband - I suppose in setting the Zheng clan founder probably would be the lady who put the free spirit under bondage and nookie rather than the ascetic monk binding him against violence.
-Staff - Its supposed to be red gold and ornamented with gold hoops, but that probably seems a bit impractical for most.
Also hell, his name. Zheng Nan literally is "Handsome Guy" and Sun Wukong always loved to introduce himself as the beautiful monkey king.
Odd that a Zheng is approaching Golden Fields through Emerald Seas border though, isn't that in the wrong direction? Or for the matter, having a better plan for making contact with the provincial leader than just approaching on foot?
It definitely feels a lot like the Reveler's gigs. He certainly wouldn't care too much about the political implications.
Sirrocco
Pedantic
I was reading over the archives, and I have had a thought. Se saw a note, when we decided not to send Mom away, that Ling Qi could feel a snarl in her psyche unsnarling and relaxing away. It was a heart-demon dodged. We've had another case where there's dissonance between some of our principles, and we've had an insight that at least helps with one of them. Okay. So one of the big things going on here is that Ling Qi needs a coherent worldview, and a vision of her place in that world that fits in with that world view. It's a thing she *needs*. So... maybe we should work on coming up with one? Or at least a rough pathway forward? It's gotta help, right? If nothing else, it'll let us spot when insights and things of like nature help things move along mroe smoothly or snarl things up worse. We're going to have more decisions in the future that could go either way, after all.
At a basic level, our current dissonance is between Ling Qi's need to continually drive forward (and by now it *is* a Need. She has chosen it willingly. She will never be rid of it) and her embrace of a family - many of whom simply cannot keep up with her. Her Mom is vanishingly unlikely to ever make it out of Red/Gold. Most of her allies will not be able to maintain her rate of advancement. At some point she will marry, and it is highly likely that whoever she does marry won't be able to keep up with her either. She will have children, and most of those children will not show the same talent she has, nor the desperate, hungry drive. Her sister... who knows how much talent she has? Still, though, all of these people are her family. Her dissonance is fundamentally that if she does not make them part of her life, then they're not really family, but if they can't give her back something important, then all they are is barriers on the path to cultivation, and she's already decided that she refuses to be drowned in those. So... how can they give back? Her mom, her sister, her children, those of her friends that she slowly outstrips - what's the payoff at the core that makes the relationship more than one-sided, that makes it worthwhile for her hypermotivated cultivation aspect to spend the time to maintain and nurture those relationships?
I don't think that Ling Qi has thought of it that way, consciously, because it's a kind of cold way to think of your family, but that's what she needs, I think, to make it all work. I imagine it's the sort of insight/precept/realization/approach that would result in having allies in her aura also give benefits back to her.
Thoughts?
At a basic level, our current dissonance is between Ling Qi's need to continually drive forward (and by now it *is* a Need. She has chosen it willingly. She will never be rid of it) and her embrace of a family - many of whom simply cannot keep up with her. Her Mom is vanishingly unlikely to ever make it out of Red/Gold. Most of her allies will not be able to maintain her rate of advancement. At some point she will marry, and it is highly likely that whoever she does marry won't be able to keep up with her either. She will have children, and most of those children will not show the same talent she has, nor the desperate, hungry drive. Her sister... who knows how much talent she has? Still, though, all of these people are her family. Her dissonance is fundamentally that if she does not make them part of her life, then they're not really family, but if they can't give her back something important, then all they are is barriers on the path to cultivation, and she's already decided that she refuses to be drowned in those. So... how can they give back? Her mom, her sister, her children, those of her friends that she slowly outstrips - what's the payoff at the core that makes the relationship more than one-sided, that makes it worthwhile for her hypermotivated cultivation aspect to spend the time to maintain and nurture those relationships?
I don't think that Ling Qi has thought of it that way, consciously, because it's a kind of cold way to think of your family, but that's what she needs, I think, to make it all work. I imagine it's the sort of insight/precept/realization/approach that would result in having allies in her aura also give benefits back to her.
Thoughts?
I don't claim to have any kind of solution, but I have been thinking about a related problem, though it's one that hasn't blown up in our face yet.
It's been mentioned before that Cai Renxiang is irritated by the diversity of different familial relationships and inheritance systems across the Empire. Her aspect that she decided to put first and above all others was her desire for purity.
Without any kind of counterbalance to this, I wouldn't be surprised if CRX was to decide to rationalize inheritance systems within the Emerald Seas, and that could get bloody.
... Which is why I'd really like to get an insight out of a [Contrasts] Art, something about different and distinct elements working to strengthen each other.
We... can't really trust CRX to balance her domain healthily entirely on her own, or we wouldn't have had to have that discussion with her about it not being a disaster that she's not a clone of her mother. But by the same standard, she listened when we had that discussion, so there's certainly room to maneuver on the issue.
- Location
- A place
How to ..... Okay I don't even know how to answer that? How do you get a desperate girl from the streets thrust into high level politics and philosophy to realize the best way forward?
Honestly this seems like the kind of insight that would come from spending time with others instead of seeking it.
I don't know. Seek new relationships become a social butterfly, spend more time on consulting on her arts maybe pick up a profession or formations as a hobby? There is an argument to be made that maybe she should slow down a little and pick up some other skills and arts and work to polish them?.
About how high does her cultivation have to be by the tourney or by any other point in time? Is the tourney in 2 years?