Remove ads

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

Voted best in category in the Users' Choice awards.
Reader mode
The inner probably knows of him but the most they can do is hope to get picked on tutoring the outer students and say the river eel is a thing, they themselves can't go grab him cause its restricted from them since their not in outer anymore.
 
Bakkasama said:
Isn't his valley in the outer sect though? Inner sect shouldn't be allowed on those grounds, even if people are more lax about that with the war going on.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I thought it was more they can't meet each other.

RebelYell said:
The inner probably knows of him but the most they can do is hope to get picked on tutoring the outer students and say the river eel is a thing, they themselves can't go grab him cause its restricted from them since their not in outer anymore.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Oh so that's why we didn't collect them all...
 
Well it seems like this vote's decided. I doubt the Invite option will get 50+ voters before the vote is closed and even then, that just makes it a tie.

On a different note, does anyone know what turn the Inter-Sect tournament will be? I heard that its still gonna happen even though there's a war on, it'll just be different. Also, what about the Inner Sect Tournament for the outer-sect kids? Or Outer Sect tournament, whatever you call it...
 
Both tourney's are still on, I believe the outer will be on turn 11-12 and inner 15-17
Don't remember quite when their at but roughly that time
 
Lena27 said:
On a different note, does anyone know what turn the Inter-Sect tournament will be? I heard that its still gonna happen even though there's a war on, it'll just be different. Also, what about the Inner Sect Tournament for the outer-sect kids? Or Outer Sect tournament, whatever you call it...
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Turn 18 is our last turn before the Inter-Sect Tournament starts. Unclear whether the tournament will replace our Turn 19, be in addition to it, partially replace it, or something else. Math cabal is planning through T18 at the moment.

The promotion tournament for Outer Sect joining the Inner Sect is in T13, because it's yearly and we have 13 4-week months in a year.
 
Last edited:
yrsillar said:
It was only then that Ling Qi noticed the mist curling around the floorboards and the distorted shadows dancing in the corners. The light was dim, and the air was heavy, and a faint ghostly tune mingled with the sound of surf on a stony shore.

...They were both on edge. Somehow, that helped her calm her nerves, just a little.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Oh hey, did we get Xuan Shi's domain on screen before?
 
[X] Invite Su Ling to the training group. As the co-organizer, inviting a few close friends was allowed.

Pushing one's friends to do things they're uncomfortable with but have clear value is something friends do. Besides, at this point I'm confident Ling Qi will respect Su Ling's boundaries if she really doesn't want to go.
 
So, does anyone else feel bad for what serving girl just went through? I hope she got the day off after that cause that could have been pretty traumatic.

We did pretty much what happened when we first met Xuilan's mother:

yrsillar said:
Stepping forward, Ling Qi parted the curtains and stepped inside, to find herself in a richly appointed sitting room, not too dissimilar than what she had seen in the Bao residence. She did not let her attention linger long on the decor though, because the woman seated comfortably on the other side of the small polished table that served as the rooms centerpiece demanded attention.

Her first thought was that Xiulan's mother looked like a porcelain doll brought to life. Ai Xiaoli was a small woman, even shorter than her own mother, and was petite and elegant in appearance, She was pale, but not unnaturally so, like Meizhen, and her raven black hair shimmered like silk in the light of the room. There was a faint chiming as the woman turned her head to look at her, from the dangling ruby earrings and jade ornaments in her hair.

She stood before a mirror-like oasis, it's azure water's reflecting the clear desert sky, and all around golden sand stretched into infinity. The waters were surrounded by a riot of green, and colorful fish darted through the clear waters… and yet the surface was still, unmarred by a single ripple. Then Ling Qi blinked and she was simply looking at soft brown eyes beneath long eyelashes.

Hastily, Ling Qi bowed respectfully, struck by a nagging inadequacy now that she stood before what seemed like the living image of what she had been taught a woman should be. It was irrational she knew, but it really did seem unfair, this was a woman who had five daughters? She barely looked older than Xiulan's elder sister. The Duchess' beauty had been harsh and inhuman, but unthreatening for that, how could she…

Ling Qi squeezed her eyes shut, why was she panicking over something so superficial?

"My apologies," her host said, in a soft voice like the chiming of bells. "That was terribly rude of me."

"Ah…" Ling Qi began, clearing her throat, but not raising her head, as she scrambled to get her thoughts in order, helped along by a prod from Sixiang. "You have my gratitude for allowing me this meeting, Lady Ai… may I ask what that was though?"

"I minor slip on my part," Xiulan's mother replied evenly. "My previous meeting was somewhat aggravating." After a beat of silence she continued, "You may raise your head Miss Ling, please have a seat, and I will send for tea. I am interested in speaking with the girl who has made such an impression on my daughter."
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

The cultivation difference between ourselves and Ai Xiaoli back then and a mortal and us now is probably pretty similar, except that we were more used to cultivation matters than the poor 17(?) year old serving girl is and I imagine to most our domain is a lot scarier feeling than a blooming oasis, and we certainly did more than just released some mists:

yrsillar said:
Ling Qi hurriedly turned and found herself staring at the pale and wide eyed face of one of Mothers girls. She held a tea tray in her hands, trembling.

It was only then that Ling Qi noticed the mist curling around the floorboards and the distorted shadows dancing in the corners. The light was dim, and the air was heavy, and a faint ghostly tune mingled with the sound of surf on a stony shore.

...They were both on edge. Somehow, that helped her calm her nerves, just a little. With an effort of will, she dispersed her own domain manifestation and put on a smile. "Ah, the tea is ready? Thank you. Just set it on the table, we will serve ourselves."
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

This isn't mentioning that the relative power situation between us and Ai Xiaoli, us being the retainer of the Cai meaning that it likely would have been difficult for Xiaoli to harm us even if she were inclined to, and her being Xuilan's mother meaning we likely have a positive impression going in, as opposed to the servant girl who we effectively own, with the household being fairly scared of us in the first place.

I just feel kinda bad, especially because this seems to be something of an actual faux pas in immortal society. Hope we didn't just legit traumatise her.

We might not be able to apologise at our station but hopefully we can explain to Qingge what happened if she brings it up, it being similar to an incident we had in the past and to pass onto the girl that she didn't do anything wrong.
 
Last edited:
angelofwhim said:
Still, nothing stops just asking him if he wants to join up. Not actually Pokémon.
We should encourage fenfen to try
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

*Considers*

From what we've seen, the Bai LOVE Water, and Heisui is probably the best long shot bindable Water spirit available in the Outer Sect.

They're(The Bai) also probably the single Clan who's ideas of dominance and stature most closely align with Dragons.

If she can be in charge, she should go for it, but she is rather behind at this point, and having a subservient relationship with him probably wouldn't be ok given her relationship ship with Meizhen no matter how good the cultivation bennies are.
 
OneArmedYeti said:
Yeah, honestly the impression I get of the whole situation is less about getting to Green and more about having good chances of making Cyan so let's give them resources.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
That, and also "if they have talent like that, we want to co-opt them before they grow into something that might actually be problematic. Better a Baron than a bandit lord."

OneArmedYeti said:
*Considers*

From what we've seen, the Bai LOVE Water, and Heisui is probably the best long shot bindable Water spirit available in the Outer Sect.

They're(The Bai) also probably the single Clan who's ideas of dominance and stature most closely align with Dragons.

If she can be in charge, she should go for it, but she is rather behind at this point, and having a subservient relationship with him probably wouldn't be ok given her relationship ship with Meizhen no matter how good the cultivation bennies are.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Dragon women react really poorly to the idea that human women are trying to steal their men.
 
angelofwhim said:
Still, nothing stops just asking him if he wants to join up. Not actually Pokémon.
We should encourage fenfen to try
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Your initial post was about hunting him. I suppose Xiao Fen could give it a shot, but a dude like Gan Guangli would be less likely to offend his mom. I don't remember him having a spirit and Xiao Fen is more likely to be able to get one from her family.
 
Gan Guangli was mentioned briefly of having a spirit lately, nobodies sure what it was however it's believed to be sneaky like a wind or dream spirit.
 
OneArmedYeti said:
Doubt.

This is a deathworld where status is based off of personal cultivation or generally capacity for violence.

While they're certainly people with social primary builds, those people will mostly be battlefield commanders, spiritualists, or intrigue specialists.

Everyone has a combat toolkit because everyone needs one. Everyone has a social toolkit becayse everybody needs one.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Eh, not necessarilly.

Everyone can fight to an extent because strong cultivation and arts give strength, so even the most combat incompetent Cyan possible would be a serious threat for a Green, but apart from that? We know of at least 1 person who goes crafting and medical on their arts, and we know that people in the central dukedoms are less battle ready and focused in combat than those on the border dukedoms, so while one cannot NOT have a combat toolkit due to the way cultivation works (unless their way is pacifism or something) not everyone necessarilly has a build that is battle-with-peers ready.

This goes for social builds too. While for people on the center most battles could be curbstomps one way or another, meaning they'd focus on social, people living very close to the border likely do not care as much about social, neglecting this toolkit. Again, due to the way cultivation works, "neglect" translates into "suboptimal, loses against peer" rather than "nonexistent", but the spirit of the thing remains here.
 
Grigori said:
That would actually make for a fun scene. Definitely worth voting for :evil:

Really though I think the talk of babysitting and the implication that Su Ling is incapable of making up her own mind (we're inviting her, not forcing her) is pretty uncharitable. Especially after that grand moment at the end of the mission where LQ rejected the nightmarish whispers and her own sometimes controlling nature to trust in the agency of her companions. To go from that to the idea that Su Ling can't say no to her and is unable to talk to/work with nobles, when that's going to be a major part of her duties in the war effort, is just jarring.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I was being a bit flip with talk of "babysitting", yeah. But I don't think the comparison to Ling Qi's realization of trusting in others actually applies in this circumstance.

When we're taking the initiative to invite Su Ling to a gathering we know she's ill-prepared for, with the intent of helping her out, then we're taking on the commitment to aid her in the endeavour. I have doubts that's a commitment we can take on in good faith considering the training exercises' complexity and existing objectives, though. We're already trying to get in good with Wang Chao by improving his social platform, socialize Zhengui, learn combat tactics appropriate for use with Zhengui, and benefit from an ambiguous mass of other social contacts and training exercises. I'm already skeptical we can actually accomplish our current set of goals, frankly.

It's like, I dunno, inviting your first-timer friend mountain climbing when you don't have a spare harness for them.
 
Last edited:
AbeoLogos said:
I was being a bit flip with talk of "babysitting", yeah. But I don't think the comparison to Ling Qi's realization of trusting in others actually applies in this circumstance.

When we're taking the initiative to invite Su Ling to a gathering we know she's ill-prepared for, with the intent of helping her out, then we're taking on the commitment to aid her in the endeavour. I have doubts that's a commitment we can take on in good faith considering the training exercises' complexity and existing objectives, though. We're already trying to get in good with Wang Chao by improving his social platform, socialize Zhengui, learn combat tactics appropriate for use with Zhengui, and benefit from an ambiguous mass of other social contacts and training exercises.

It's like, I dunno, inviting your first-timer friend mountain climbing when you don't have a spare harness for them.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
We have been in such situations before, and it was kind of not the case at all though? Xiulan didn't hold our hands in social situations, nor did Meizhen or CRX.

... We didn't hold Su Ling's hand when literally the same thing happened with Golden Friend group, and she ended up talking to Han Fang the whole time( iirc?).

Like, I don't understand this insistence that when we open a door to Su Ling we'd shoot her in the feet by hovering around her. Not only would it make it harder on her to actually make connections, but it would also make it harder on Ling Qi as she is 'vouching' for her, so that would contradict the whole point.
 
Arkeus said:
We have been in such situations before, and it was kind of not the case at all though? Xiulan didn't hold our hands in social situations, nor did Meizhen or CRX.

... We didn't hold Su Ling's hand when literally the same thing happened with Golden Friend group, and she ended up talking to Han Fang the whole time( iirc?).

Like, I don't understand this insistence that when we open a door to Su Ling we'd shoot her in the feet by hovering around her. Not only would it make it harder on her to actually make connections, but it would also make it harder on Ling Qi as she is 'vouching' for her, so that would contradict the whole point.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Xiulan, Meizhen, and Renxiang are bad friends :V

More seriously, with the Golden Fields group, Ling Qi had no idea what she was doing and was unable to manage things, leading to mediocre to bad results in the end. Everything fizzled out and nobody really liked anyone more by the end. Ling Qi also had no other objective but introducing her friends. Our current situation is one where we have a number of prescribed goals already in place.

And I never suggested we hover around her, "babysitting" was not entirely serious, only that we should be available to actually help smooth out issues that come up. And I'm super skeptical that we can do that while handling our other obligations, because I'm already super skeptical that we can handle our other obligations on their own merits, because people wrong voted and ruined everything forever.
 
AbeoLogos said:
Xiulan, Meizhen, and Renxiang are bad friends :V

More seriously, with the Golden Fields group, Ling Qi had no idea what she was doing and was unable to manage things, leading to mediocre to bad results in the end. Everything fizzled out and nobody really liked anyone more by the end. Ling Qi also had no other objective but introducing her friends. Our current situation is one where we have a number of prescribed goals already in place.

And I never suggested we hover around her, "babysitting" was not entirely serious, only that we should be available to actually help smooth out issues that come up. And I'm super skeptical that we can do that while handling our other obligations, because I'm already super skeptical that we can handle our other obligations on their own merits, because people wrong voted and ruined everything forever.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
OK, assuming your current wording is not an exaggeration that you don't mean, why do you think Ling Qi should be available to help smooth out issues that come up? Certainly, if there is huge issues, I see the argument. Are you thinking there is going to be anything huge here?

Because if it's not a huge issue... Ling Qi shouldn't be available to smooth out issues. Inviting her would be to open the door and let her learn how to do the annoying socialising required of her in a safe environment when she has a ++++ popularity bonus going on. Smoothing out issues goes against the reason for inviting her, and it would both screw Ling Qi and Su Ling over if Ling Qi did it.

Have I missed something about a potential huge issues that can come up? Because I don't think there is any chance of that happening, especially considering what we know of Wang Chao and Liang He's relationship.

I'm genuinely not sure of any legit scenario where Ling Qi should be smoothing out anything for Su Ling here, unless you mean "Ling Qi telling the group who she is takes too much time".
 
Then we'd be feeding her to the metaphorical wolves to unknown nobles, this isn't a safe environment for her to actually get to know her way around politically we hardly know about them and no idea who they'll bring. Theres just too many goals and moving parts.
 
RebelYell said:
Then we'd be feeding her to the metaphorical wolves to unknown nobles, this isn't a safe environment for her to actually get to know her way around politically we hardly know about them and no idea who they'll bring. Theres just too many goals and moving parts.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
There isn't, though.

We'd be opening a door to extremely low risky when she is riding a high popularity wise and she'd be coming in a capacity that is understood by everyone to be low risk. There would not be any wolves or anything.

Su Ling isn't a damsel in distress here, and it's been a consistent thing before that people have agency, and opening door means they get their own opportunities. We have had multiple such occasions like this one- literally like this one- and we don't have to micro manage other people to do what they said they wished to do.

Su Ling asked us how to learn to deal with this, and inviting her will mean that she will be in a safe place to learn it.... and will be able to help us in return in a few months once the group is better established.
 
Here's the thing, she's not a damsel or a sweet talking merchant she's a prickly fox girl with a temper who doesn't like nobles.
mid we could introduce her to Someone like mud boi sword boi for their wavelength that's fine but she'll be disrespectful regardless of intent imo due to her personality
 
Reader mode
You must login or register to reply here.
Remove ads
Back
Top