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

Voted best in category in the Users' Choice awards.
Personally, I'd been putting it down to Xuan Wu being naturally territorial and Xuan Shi being the closest thing to another Xuan Wu around. The issue is that there are a lot of different potential explanations for it that could be right and we haven't had good opportunities to narrow the field.
Maybe we'd have found out if we'd gotten his viewpoint this update, maybe we wouldn't have. But to settle the issue once and for all, I vote that next turn, as part of the turn plan, we add a write-in of "ask Zhengui what his problem with Xuan Shi is."
 
I found the look at Zhengui this chapter to be quite interesting. Maybe I was just oblivious, but I don't recall ever seeing him actually get properly upset about something before. It seems like he has more of temper than I realised, he just doesn't get angry when he's with Big Sis.

Hanyi leapt from the stone to Zhengui's back, leaving the boys to bicker, she rested on hand on the glittering curtain that enfolded her sister. Sixiang was a jerk who always acted like they were older and better. Look at them now.
I also liked this insight into Hanyi and Sixiang's relationship. Sixiang seems more mature in a lot of ways and pretty quickly started helping with parenting the others due to being privy to Ling Qi's internal monologue. It's interesting, and completely understandable with her history, that Hanyi wouldn't appreciate Sixiang taking on a parental role. Sixiang's nature also means that there hasn't been a good opportunity for Hanyi to really talk to them about this, since Ling Qi is always present.
 
Zhengui's beef seems SO crystal clear to me that I legitimately didn't realize anyone saw any ambiguity to it? Xuan Shi considers there to be a familial relationship, Zhengui doesn't, even now that Xuan Shi has learned to stop TALKING about it Zhengui is smart enough to understand Xuan Shi still thinks that, and he dislikes that this guy who is not family, thinks he's family.
That doesn't really explain the "fishy" talk, and wouldn't really make sense to persist past the one encounter with Ling Qi being chill with the dude.
 
I found the look at Zhengui this chapter to be quite interesting. Maybe I was just oblivious, but I don't recall ever seeing him actually get properly upset about something before. It seems like he has more of temper than I realised, he just doesn't get angry when he's with Big Sis.


I also liked this insight into Hanyi and Sixiang's relationship. Sixiang seems more mature in a lot of ways and pretty quickly started helping with parenting the others due to being privy to Ling Qi's internal monologue. It's interesting, and completely understandable with her history, that Hanyi wouldn't appreciate Sixiang taking on a parental role. Sixiang's nature also means that there hasn't been a good opportunity for Hanyi to really talk to them about this, since Ling Qi is always present.

Zhengui actually acted sorta similar when talking to the Ugly River Eel. He wasnt as angry at the time, but the situation was much milder.
 
what would be the consequences of the partial dream transformation of ling qi. I don't think she will get out of this with only her hair color changed. since it damaged the spine more as it flooded the meridians unrelated to this art with dream qi, the consequences could be in this area could have only a cultivation penalty but could a physical change occur? I'm not saying that she will grow a wing or a tail but it is worth speculating
 
Yeah, the fact that Xuan Shi smells of the ocean wouldn't be surprising, since standard xuan wu are water/earth... but the fact that Zhengui calls out fishy is weird.

...maybe Xuan Shi's dark secret is that he isn't just xuan wu spiritblooded, but that there is another kind of lineage closer in his past? One that would smell like fish to Zhengui?
 
At least on their first encounter, I would almost be surprised to learn Zhengui was aware of that fact. It's not like we've ever given him history or geography lessons, and he doesn't interact with other people.
We already know that Zhengui perceives people more by their elements and qi, so it's not that much of a stretch for him to notice possible Water qi or just the spiritual presence of the northern sea or whatever on Xuan Shi.
 
Well yeah, as noted in Ling Qi's internal narrative the last time it came up, Xuan Shi personally is overwhelmingly Earth, not Water. So it'd have to be something with his blood/lineage, a weird mutation, or some other odd thing that isn't noticeable to Ling Qi. It's a ~mystery~.
 
The simplest explanation is Zhengui has Fire instead of the usual water, and thus Xuan Shi spells of "salt"/water, which is what Zhengui said Xuan Shi smelled of in their first encounter on RR. Furthermore due to Zhengui being a child who wants his mother big sister to spend more time with him instead of others he tries to push Xuan Shi through claiming he wasn't a brother, and calling him a "Fish" as that is something Xuan Shi considers offensive culturally(?)... hopefully Cui didn't teach him about that terminology.

At a minimum Zhengui is a child, has empathy E, and considers a Bai to be a role model.
 
ALL PART OF THE INSIDIOUS PLOT TO NEVER HAVE DARKNESS MONTH OL ORKUS IS ON TO THIS CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE
The math cabal, after running some more calculations, has decreed that Darkness Month shall be pushed back another month! Everyone rejoiced at the news! Everyone except Old Man Orkus, who lived on the outskirts of town, that is.

"What's all this racket?" Orkus grumbled, "When shall the promised time occur, when the Darkness shall descend and devour you filthy maggots?"

"Not for another month, sir," said a young boy passing by.

Old Man Orkus froze still. It would later be discovered that he had died of a heart attack.

Ling Qi, even in her sleep, applied an unconscious hug.
Ling Qi's domain now has hugs as a passive effect.
 
Imo this entire situation is yrs' fault. At character creation we picked music. Then yrs gave us wind (innate), then water/dark/music/cold (moon arts), then wood/fire (zhengui). While we did get a good wood art (TRF), our character has become defined by music. And by extension, cold/water/dark due to their inclusion in the signature arts. Hanyi and Sixiang help with our core build (music/cold/water/wind/darkness) and are easy to show narratively, Zhengui not so much. He does get lots of screen time, but LQ doesn't cultivate with him anymore. Or bring him to many of the social events, etc. This is not the fault of the thread for playing favorites, but a quirk of how yrs has set up the story.
Continually voting for more Zhengui, or Zhengui themed utility arts will do little to change that.
Thinking about our companions and themes, Hanyi is winter, Zhengui is autumn and spring, Sixiang is summer. Moon is change, we can use this, and make it all work. But it's not going to get there while we're at the sect.

I may have an idea for an art that (with a lot of tweaking for balance) might work.
Seasons of Change:
Inspired by her companions, and the cyclic nature of the moon. Ling Qi has composed a song of seasons and their change.

Key words:
- Water, Fire, Wood, Wind, Balanced.
- Music, Dream, Cycles

Passive Effects:

Spring: (physical disable)
Duration: Short
A huge quantity of wood qi is thrown into the earth, 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 the caster 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.

Summer: (spiritual disable)
Duration: Short
Mingles dream qi with the flows of wind, to disrupt the flows and constructs of foes. Soaking their meridians in qi designed to emulate the fogging effects of heavy inebriation, it causes their control of their techniques to slip. Attempts to dispel a single effect on up to five enemies within range.

Autumn: (physical damage)
Instant:
Damage:
Channels fire qi 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 are targeted. On the second stanza, 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.

Winter: (spiritual damage)
Duration: Immediate
Damage:
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.
 
The math cabal, after running some more calculations, has decreed that Darkness Month shall be pushed back another month! Everyone rejoiced at the news! Everyone except Old Man Orkus, who lived on the outskirts of town, that is.

"What's all this racket?" Orkus grumbled, "When shall the promised time occur, when the Darkness shall descend and devour you filthy maggots?"

"Not for another month, sir," said a young boy passing by.

Old Man Orkus froze still. It would later be discovered that he had died of a heart attack.


Ling Qi's domain now has hugs as a passive effect.
No spits blood emoji :mad:

We already know that Zhengui perceives people more by their elements and qi, so it's not that much of a stretch for him to notice possible Water qi or just the spiritual presence of the northern sea or whatever on Xuan Shi.

I think the only ones he calls by name are Hanyi, Cui, and kinda CRX
 
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From what was mentioned on discord by yrs, LQ dreamstepped so hard she flooded her unrelated spine meridians and partially dream converted herself.
Kind of like Xiulan's arm partly turned into electricity?
I, for one, worry that Zhengui's dual persona — much further from a humans' than half-human Hanyi — would be quite confusing. Add that to the generally confusing nature of the liminal realm, and a possible Zhengui PoV chapter in this situation would be quite confusing. Although I do agree that we could have gotten some meta-information on his beef with beefcake if that choice had won...
Yeah, the fact that Xuan Shi smells of the ocean wouldn't be surprising, since standard xuan wu are water/earth... but the fact that Zhengui calls out fishy is weird.

...maybe Xuan Shi's dark secret is that he isn't just xuan wu spiritblooded, but that there is another kind of lineage closer in his past? One that would smell like fish to Zhengui?

Well...
She… would need to think on that though, for now, Zhengui needed his morning meal, which meant a trip to the market. He didn't particularly like the fish cores after all, so she would have to see if she could do some trade for something more palatable.
Zhengui just doesn't like fish, since before he could talk.
 
Zhengui just doesn't like fish, since before he could talk.
Sure, but that misses my point: why does Xuan Shi smell of fish at all? His spirit blood should be from turtles.

Like, maybe it's just Zhengui saying "your earth/water xuan wu heritage makes you smell like the ocean, which is where fish are, therefore I am comparing you to a fish." That's absolutely possible! But maybe there's something else going on.
 
Sure, but that misses my point: why does Xuan Shi smell of fish at all? His spirit blood should be from turtles.

Like, maybe it's just Zhengui saying "your earth/water xuan wu heritage makes you smell like the ocean, which is where fish are, therefore I am comparing you to a fish." That's absolutely possible! But maybe there's something else going on.
Its speculated Xuan Shi has gills or something.
 
My theory of what is going on here is:

1. Xuan Shi is half human half fish demon. He is the old enemy of turtle snakes and Zhengui is picking up on that history. Would also explain why such a talent person isn't considered very important in his clan as his peers dislike him as well. He seems to be roughly equal in power level to Meizhen and Cai, so it is unexpected he isn't more impotant in his clan.
2. The blonde person is the fox demon in human form.
3. The fox demon is a nightmare they just fought and killed.

The third point makes me think, if we are part dream now and do stay that way, can we now turn into people's nightmares when we fight them? That would really add to the horror show that is our fighting style.
 
I worry about friends and family reaction when Ling Qi gets back home. Think of this from their point of view.

Ling Qi's first sect military mission, saves Xuilan but returns injured from what would be a mortal wound if she were still mortal and severe poisoning.

Ling Qi's second sect military mission, saves everyone but returns with soul damage.

...at least she's exceeding herself?

Good thing the rule of 3 isn't a thing in Forge-verse or I would be very worried about mission three.
 
Good thing the rule of 3 isn't a thing in Forge-verse or I would be very worried about mission three.
Well, 3rd time could be both, or it could be Way damage/heart demon.

Though I hope that lessons will be learned well enough that the damage will instead be shared among her spirits (and maybe her dress spirit as well?).
 
Good theme for a Hanyi POV, and entertaining that she's the one keeping her... cool.
I do agree the PoV was pretty appropriate, and that reading about Hanyi forcefully keeping her cool was pretty great.
Maybe we'll get a Zhen/gui PoV next?

I kinda suspect Zhengui doesn't know why he dislikes "Fishy guy".
Of course he knows why. Just look at him, he's way too fishy! That's more than reason enough! :V

Kinda makes him a pretty poor Tank huh?
:V
Having been playing main tank for a while now i can not overstate how incredibly frustrating it can feel to have your charges get wounded (in-game:killed) while you're doing your best, and it's still not enough. You might know it's not your fault, but your feelings don't really give much of a shit about what you "know".
And when they die saving your sorry ass it feels so much worse...
 
I know what you mean. Having the Tank (or support, as is my usual role) as the last man standing on your team is just a horrible feeling (barring some specific extreme examples).

I actually am glad that we didnt pick Zhengui's PoV right now. He's not in good headspaces (you know, since he has 2).
 
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Having been playing main tank for a while now i can not overstate how incredibly frustrating it can feel to have your charges get wounded (in-game:killed) while you're doing your best, and it's still not enough. You might know it's not your fault, but your feelings don't really give much of a shit about what you "know".
And when they die saving your sorry ass it feels so much worse...
Healers and Tanks agree - People who suck at aggro management, suck.
 
Just to be sure, Zhengui is some sort of hybrid that end up looking and being like a Xuan Wu but isn't actually a natural Xuan Wu?

Maybe Zhen and Gui will split and are in fact "twin" brothers, something of a conjoined birth
 
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