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.
- Location
- The Star Kingdom of Manticore
What zhengui gardening arc will train ?
It looks like we will train Art and Woodwind.
Our temp family house gonna have the tastiest pizza trees ever
We need to create a succesor art. However, if it counts for it, we could do it with a darkness art, and use ebon spirit elixir to get about 5-7 spiritual AP free, and we still have some AP for physical and art. There is also a good chance to get an advanced insight from creating or cultivating the art we get( assuming we use a slotted art.) Also, we spent half our time from the tournament to the intersect tournament, so we have a good chance to get those insights through arcs and events while keeping pace.
Black Noise
Curious
- Location
- About 1AU from Sol
Front page inventory isn't up to date, we used the ebon spirit pill last turn (along with midnight essence pill), which got us enough spirit AP to reach G4. Currently we should only have trench swimmer to be used on turn 12, with a broad consensus of picking up the gushing spring pill to go along with it as soon as we're presented with the option to vote for it.
Other than that we might pick up another pill for base either next turn or the turn after even if they're less efficient than usual because we're currently a bit behind on projected progress and might miss turn 13 g5 without (which we can deal with, just means less wiggle room since it's an extra turn worth of 4gss).
EDIT: and for completeness sake, if the trend of semi-frequent "expedition" events that cost AP (as we know next turn's diplo envoy will) but give back significant gains then using at least some of those gains on drugs for AP saving makes sense, with the usual caveats about doing the math/analysis on the value tradeoff against other options for those points.
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Damn. Do we have some knowledge on when will it be available again for buying(or something similiar for another good element)? It combines greatly with creating a succesor, which is needed and could greatly strenghten us. Ebon spirit is great because FSS is one of the best option for succesor, I think
The pills we are allowed to buy are given to us randomly by yrs based on a dice roll. The only pill that the math cabal has found to be worth it is a water element pill called the gushing spring pill which will likely be used in the water turn that is coming up. The current plan for a successor art is FSS+ starting on turn 13.
I'm cautiously optimistic about Zhengui's arc.
The renewed focus on Zhengui in this thread was prompted by critique Ling Qi didn't spend much time doing things with him in particular and the lack of exploration of his nature, with aside-critique even fighting together was awkward which was a shame since it was pretty much the one thing she did do with him. Since efforts started there have been a... number of delays and setbacks but there's been some hints and development regardless, but the most prominent development of all has been the introduction of the mother/son issue.
This plot thread has value, but in terms of the originally highlighted issues it's something of a non-sequitor; it's an additional, parallel problem with its own answers, rather than an answer to the starting concerns. It's not like there's zero overlap, but for example Ling Qi and Zhengui's feelings towards each other has very little explanatory power for Ling Qi not exploring his nature as a spirit beast or spending time with him- she was simply busy and distracted in her obsession with meeting Cai Shenhua's objectives in self-interested/individualistic terms which clashed with her other priorities/obligations in ways she didn't recognize at the time and still struggles with seeing.
Obviously, there's room for both (all?) of these threads. Which is why I'm cautiously optimistic. Gardening is a good opportunity to examine concrete manifestation of his philosophy of self, rooted in his Growth and Renewal aspects. We appear to be in a good place to make some progress.
The renewed focus on Zhengui in this thread was prompted by critique Ling Qi didn't spend much time doing things with him in particular and the lack of exploration of his nature, with aside-critique even fighting together was awkward which was a shame since it was pretty much the one thing she did do with him. Since efforts started there have been a... number of delays and setbacks but there's been some hints and development regardless, but the most prominent development of all has been the introduction of the mother/son issue.
This plot thread has value, but in terms of the originally highlighted issues it's something of a non-sequitor; it's an additional, parallel problem with its own answers, rather than an answer to the starting concerns. It's not like there's zero overlap, but for example Ling Qi and Zhengui's feelings towards each other has very little explanatory power for Ling Qi not exploring his nature as a spirit beast or spending time with him- she was simply busy and distracted in her obsession with meeting Cai Shenhua's objectives in self-interested/individualistic terms which clashed with her other priorities/obligations in ways she didn't recognize at the time and still struggles with seeing.
Obviously, there's room for both (all?) of these threads. Which is why I'm cautiously optimistic. Gardening is a good opportunity to examine concrete manifestation of his philosophy of self, rooted in his Growth and Renewal aspects. We appear to be in a good place to make some progress.
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That sounds like a Shenhua related insight.
Ling Qi is working on it but she's really not familiar with unusual sexualities huh?
Oh hey, thats a neat diagnostic art.
Future Ling Qi's apprentice may have similar reactions
Her thoughts lie beyond the realm of mere immortals.
Dress-chan is just hungry. Fully primed and hungry.
Awakening spirit could be felt!
That needle is [Menacing]
Mistakes May Have Been Made.
Oh she's going for the hot swappable eyes. And that looks like an eye laser with...beam containment failure.
Xuan Shi: "?!?"
Suyin, you look like you just executed a nemesis with an experimental laser.
Hmm, when was the last time they met? Year 1?
Ling Qi: "Is this what Su Ling feels when she gets into one of my adventures?"
Also I'm pretty sure the spiderwebs weren't aesthetically intended, but just put up as storage hammocks.
Xuan Shi: "What have this one gotten himself into."
Li Suyin, I have to tell you that you dress like a supervillain.
Especially while wearing asymmetric doom claw and an eyepatch.
She looks like someone's chuunibyou fantasy.
The clawed glove was the poison injector right?
Whats the other one?
Witness two excessively humble individuals try to out humble each other!
Also that sounds like fractal work is involved. The tiles linking up to form a distinct effect from the base.
Nerdtalk.txt
Hmm, Kongyou seems to be sabotaging subtly?
Hard to gauge.
Vehicular formations. Bigger than personal formations, more portable than structural formations, and also prone to damage.
Implying that other Imperial explorers tended to be of the looting variety, which doesn't engender much goodwill amongst the contacted peoples being looted. Its fairly common for close neighbors, if you think you could loot it and book it, you would, but the open seas are too large for such an endeavor to be anything but a terrible waste.
Also I imagine a Sublime Ancestor is...distinctive to perception arts, and acts as an excellent lighthouse.
Renxiang's corruption proceeds apace. Ling Qi has become a Tea Snob.
Adamant as in the mythical metal or adamant as in diamonds?
Banu is Not-Africa I think, so I think it might be diamonds.
Suyin's Imperialness is showing. And most people faced with a living ancestor the size of a country would not think "Meh we can take them"
Also oof, he was like, six?
Divinations could tell, but eh, explorers vanish for decades even in the normal course of things, and a Cultivator explorer may find no issue with going on a hundred year journey.
Ling Qi-ness strikes!
I'm curious about Shi's explorations. Did he try sailing off to find his father once(and then get hauled back once somebody realizes there's a kid on board)?
Probably more common than Ling Qi thinks, should be fairly prevalent dress in the hotter parts of Thousand Lakes given its RL equivalencies, though I suppose being part snake would make the population enjoy the heat better.
Originally thought Pemmican, but a bit of research found Biltong, which is specifically prepared with spices(pepper) and stems from the African region, which is likely to spread to Khem given the conditions.
Its also used explicitly as a snack.
And it'd be appropriately exotic since the chinese equivalent would be smoked and definitely not used as a snack. Too oily.
Oh hey they got rubber.
Though we should be able to get rubber too, the Red Garden and Thousand Lakes are the right biome.
All those piercings make me wonder what role they play, children rarely get piercings due to growth interacting oddly with those.
The important part is to not LOOK for offense.
Just seek understanding.
And secondly to repeatedly seek consent for even the most trivial of actions.
Spirits can only be what they are, with variations within what they are, at least, without the hand of humanity changing them.
People are varied indeed.
TimEd
Meteor maker
Biltong seems to be a better fit than jerky or some sort of spiced meat cube/thing, though the bloody taste doesnt quite fit it, unless we handwave it to more potent blood persisting despite or due to the process of making it.
And whilre reading about Biltong, I came to some conclusions that due to its high protein content, there is a high chance that Not!Africa is Abs Country. Which then made me question which exact body type Ling Qi prefers, or maybe she's an equal Abs oportunist?
And whilre reading about Biltong, I came to some conclusions that due to its high protein content, there is a high chance that Not!Africa is Abs Country. Which then made me question which exact body type Ling Qi prefers, or maybe she's an equal Abs oportunist?
- Location
- All around you.
- Pronouns
- Lord/Master/God
I thought Khem was Not!Egypt Not!Pillarmen :Ü™
Thebigpieman
I've got this, I think.
- Location
- United States
Though Egypt is northern Africa it's not that hard a stretch to see something spread that far when they share a continent. Hell the concept of building pyramids was something that transcended continents.
Hmm again, due to time constraints reasons, the quest will never go beyond the empire borders and with ling qi beyond third realm right?
- Location
- United States of America
I mean... we already are going past the Empire's borders. We are journeying south of the wall to meet up with a culture that hasn't had contact with the Empire before.
As for going beyond other borders of the Empire, I don't know. I guess we'll see just how much the Duchess is pleased with our diplomatic efforts. As for having Ling Qi going beyond the third realm, I don't see why we wouldn't. It'll just take a bit of time, and maybe some time skips.
- Location
- Greece
Eh, Yrsillar, and he should correct me if I am wrong, seems to have taken this professionally rather than as a hobby. I am pretty sure the quest will eventually go to White, we just should treat it like a long running story, rather than a quest that can be dropped at any time.
Heck, there are hobby quests that have gone on for a very long time, long enough to reach White at our pace. Even if there weren't, Ling Qi would reach at least Cyan.
Though to be fair, you could be technically correct... in that Yrsillar could change threads, change mechanics and rename the quest upon us reaching the point when we go with longer turns, like he did last time this happened.
Edit: confused QM names.... thanks god I dodn't @ anyone. You guys saw nothing.
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- Location
- The Star Kingdom of Manticore
Your sin is recorded and remembered.
I think that there will be stages in the story where there are less arcs in many of the turns,or even many turns that will be skipped save for cultivation arcs and some small things that happen and are mentioned, so we will go much faster
I wouldn't be surprised if we moved to seasonal turns after the Sect.
I like the month system! So far each completed month in Threads has taken 63.44 real time days to complete on average. I believe we'll be below 18 at turn 12. That means, assuming we make it up to white, that's around another 982 years we could be kicking around. Assuming we maintain our current rate that's 747,629.33 days or ~2046 years more content to enjoy!
- Location
- New Brunswick, NJ
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
Pssst, there are 13 months to a year
This quest will be passed down for GENERATIONS!
Or just three generations as standard with legacy stuff.
Or just three generations as standard with legacy stuff.
Turn 10: Arc 4-1 Tentative Steps
Songseekers Ceremony | 1596 Dice
4 7 8 8 4 3 9 7 9 6 2 3 10 4 5 5 3 9 3 9 7 5 4 5 9 1 9 6 9 6 8 7 1 3 3 10 2 8 7 8 10 1 8 8 7 7 1 5 2 9 6 4 8 4 7 3 10 2 3 8 8 7 9 1 10 1 7 10 10 9 3 7 5 3 9 5 3 10 9 7 10 8 4 6 2 2 10 6 3 5 10 1 2 3 2 7 5 6 4 2 6 7 9 5 3 4 10 6 8 7 3 8 3 10 3 6 2 5 3 8 5 8 4 8 6 4 8 7 1 4 8 1 6 5 6 10 2 7 4 5 3 3 9 4 4 8 4 8 8 5 5 2 6 4 7 10 2 6 4 9 2 6 4 1 5 10 9 5 5 3 4 7 5 6 5 10 1 5 4 1 4 5 6 3 8 9 10 5 3 7 2 4 6 10 5 2 2 7 7 1 5 2 5 8 10 2 6 4 9 3 5 8 3 8 8 3 2 8 6 1 9 4 6 2 10 7 2 8 8 1 7 6 6 9 10 4 8 5 8 2 7 4 2 10 7 6 2 5 7 7 1 8 9 3 4 2 2 4 7 2 1 8 6 4 5 10 6 7 6 10 7 10 1 9 9 4 1 9 2 3 7 6 3 3 4 9 7 9 10 5 7 3 1 5 8 1 5 10 4 6 5 1 8 6 10 6 2 3 6 2 9 8 2 9 3 1 6 10 1 5 8 2 2 2 9 7 9 8 5 1 2 2 8 8 1 6 3 2 9 7 2 8 8 10 7 2 3 4 2 5 3 2 8 6 1 9 9 8 9 5 8 5 8 7 2 9 8 6 10 10 10 8 5 4 10 6 1 9 3 10 9 6 8 6 4 10 1 7 6 8 9 1 5 5 3 2 5 6 4 7 9 5 1 2 2 7 6 2 9 2 4 3 6 5 5 9 4 4 9 10 8 7 9 3 5 10 7 10 1 3 2 4 8 5 3 10 1 7 10 6 4 6 2 7 5 3 9 9 4 4 4 7 9 3 5 9 5 8 7 1 1 7 3 9 7 1 4 4 7 5 2 8 4 10 3 10 3 7 5 7 2 6 6 8 8 3 8 1 3 7 10 9 2 10 10 8 4 9 10 8 3 2 8 4 1 7 1 6 1 5 4 7 9 6 3 8 1 2 6 6 4 9 6 2 1 7 7 7 3 5 5 9 9 1 9 7 3 10 5 3 9 5 5 10 1 6 8 6 7 6 4 4 7 4 2 8 9 1 3 4 10 4 8 2 6 4 9 6 7 1 6 8 9 8 6 7 6 9 7 5 5 6 4 8 6 7 10 10 5 7 8 7 6 9 10 2 6 7 4 9 1 6 10 1 1 2 2 8 5 7 3 9 9 8 8 5 8 9 5 6 6 7 4 7 2 10 5 5 9 10 7 2 6 10 9 9 2 6 4 10 9 3 1 7 9 3 5 7 6 9 10 8 9 5 2 3 10 2 7 9 7 1 3 4 8 2 7 5 1 9 4 8 3 8 10 6 8 10 7 1 1 5 5 4 7 3 6 7 6 7 8 10 8 7 10 6 2 7 7 1 10 10 7 8 3 6 8 7 5 7 8 8 7 2 3 5 10 6 10 2 6 5 8 6 4 5 6 6 7 9 2 1 1 3 5 6 4 6 4 2 10 6 1 10 1 9 8 2 4 10 1 10 9 8 4 1 2 4 8 8 6 6 6 4 7 1 7 7 6 5 8 5 3 2 2 1 2 6 7 7 7 9 8 3 5 4 10 10 7 9 8 2 2 4 4 6 2 2 3 7 5 10 6 1 6 4 8 7 8 9 7 4 4 2 5 8 8 6 2 10 7 7 3 3 6 4 2 1 5 4 1 4 4 6 4 2 4 3 3 10 7 2 6 3 4 9 10 9 3 10 9 6 10 4 6 4 4 7 6 10 5 8 3 10 5 9 1 10 8 9 6 8 2 6 9 7 8 10 7 7 7 9 2 3 1 1 6 9 5 4 4 2 7 6 7 4 9 7 6 6 8 2 6 3 1 10 1 5 3 7 5 5 4 6 10 6 8 1 7 4 2 3 3 3 9 9 9 7 1 7 10 3 1 10 1 4 8 9 5 1 8 4 1 1 6 7 3 8 5 3 5 8 4 8 4 9 9 2 9 4 3 3 1 7 9 1 3 4 5 2 7 10 9 4 3 10 3 9 1 10 3 8 7 10 8 7 9 7 1 10 8 7 6 9 7 3 8 9 1 10 8 3 4 1 5 3 7 1 4 7 9 9 4 1 10 4 2 10 2 4 4 1 1 9 9 7 5 6 6 6 7 2 5 9 4 6 3 4 1 9 10 7 7 9 4 8 1 7 9 8 10 2 8 1 5 8 8 4 3 7 8 2 8 9 1 3 4 3 7 4 4 8 3 8 2 7 5 4 10 8 2 3 10 3 2 9 10 3 7 2 4 2 8 7 7 8 10 9 1 7 5 3 9 10 8 4 10 9 7 10 3 1 6 3 8 10 7 5 8 8 7 10 5 10 1 1 2 3 10 2 10 6 6 6 8 1 10 10 4 2 7 4 3 10 1 6 8 3 3 3 9 5 4 7 3 2 8 3 5 6 10 5 3 7 5 4 2 3 10 1 2 3 4 8 10 4 5 4 2 9 1 4 3 2 4 10 10 1 9 2 2 3 5 5 4 6 6 1 4 2 1 3 7 9 5 4 10 3 4 6 10 8 3 9 10 10 3 3 1 4 5 3 2 8 7 8 6 2 10 6 4 8 4 5 8 10 4 3 8 5 3 2 8 10 10 4 7 2 5 5 10 4 1 3 1 10 8 10 2 2 7 2 8 9 2 2 3 4 6 5 1 2 1 3 3 10 3 7 8 6 6 1 4 4 3 6 5 6 10 3 6 9 5 5 6 9 9 4 8 10 1 7 5 3 3 1 4 7 10 10 9 2 6 2 6 3 9 5 10 10 10 10 10 4 9 6 2 4 8 9 3 6 8 6 1 5 5 1 8 9 8 2 4 6 4 4 10 8 7 7 6 1 10 6 7 10 8 5 6 2 9 7 5 1 5 4 7 10 7 5 3 5 4 2 3 4 2 10 2 7 5 6 8 9 1 8 9 6 1 9 5 7 1 3 9 2 5 4 5 9 2 1 2 6 7 9 10 2 10 7 8 8 5 8 6 4 6 2 7 4 7 5 9 5 7 2 1 2 1 4 7 1 4 4 6 2 1 1 7 4 6 4 10 4 2 8 1 10 7 6 10 6 8 1 3 8 10 2 6 5 10 4 8 3 5 10 5 4 4 9 2 5 1 2 9 10 9 3 9 4 8 3 4 3 7 7 4 6 8 1 8 10 4 4 9 8 2 8 3 8 6 6 2 5 7 7 1 6 1 5 8 10 2 3 3 7 8 8 2 5 4 1 10 4 1 5 6 8 3 4 1 9 4 10 5 8 3 3 10 2 10 2 10 1 2 6 1 1 8 10 8 9 8 8 3 8 9 3 5 10 10 9 1 3 1 4 10 2 7 5 10 7 2 2 10 8 7 8 6 6 7 6 9 2 10 8 4 1 8 10 2 7 8 6 8 8 | 764 Successes
Rerolling 139
7 9 7 5 5 8 4 7 4 2 3 6 8 6 9 4 1 6 5 6 1 2 3 3 10 7 9 8 7 1 2 1 4 5 10 6 8 2 9 10 5 5 3 10 4 5 7 10 7 3 7 7 8 3 2 9 2 9 6 8 7 4 8 8 4 4 3 8 4 1 4 3 6 9 10 5 9 9 10 6 10 9 10 1 10 3 10 1 1 5 7 9 2 10 10 10 7 2 2 3 1 4 7 2 10 7 3 7 6 2 6 1 8 8 8 1 1 4 5 7 6 2 10 9 7 1 2 3 9 10 9 10 10 9 9 4 5 2 6 | 63x2=126 Successes
890x2=1780 Successes
1786/700 Third Song Achieved
1086/900 Fourth Song Achieved
186/1100 Fifth Song
Physical Cultivation | 354 Dice
4 4 3 8 5 8 5 8 7 7 5 8 10 6 6 8 2 8 4 5 5 10 2 10 10 4 5 2 3 8 6 10 8 8 6 10 3 10 8 8 7 7 10 5 7 9 4 8 1 9 2 5 3 6 8 7 10 1 2 4 9 8 3 8 8 2 8 2 1 7 2 6 9 4 8 8 9 9 5 9 1 1 2 4 6 6 9 1 2 10 3 6 7 3 2 8 6 6 5 1 7 8 10 10 4 1 8 1 1 5 6 5 8 5 10 10 9 8 2 3 10 9 4 3 3 3 4 1 5 3 2 1 3 2 5 8 3 1 1 4 9 6 6 10 6 7 10 8 3 10 3 6 5 3 1 8 1 5 2 9 10 1 4 2 8 1 10 1 2 3 9 2 4 1 2 7 9 6 8 4 1 9 7 8 9 3 5 6 1 9 7 9 9 3 5 6 7 7 5 5 9 5 4 5 4 2 1 3 10 4 5 10 10 10 7 2 1 10 5 6 7 1 7 8 2 2 1 10 10 1 3 3 10 7 1 5 7 5 9 4 10 5 8 2 10 4 4 9 10 10 8 4 3 10 6 10 5 9 9 6 1 4 4 6 10 7 6 8 10 2 3 2 4 5 10 3 3 1 8 5 3 5 5 8 7 4 1 4 2 6 3 7 5 2 6 9 8 8 6 2 7 9 4 1 2 5 8 8 2 7 4 3 5 8 4 3 8 3 2 3 2 8 7 4 2 10 2 8 8 10 1 1 10 6 8 3 8 10 1 6 5 3 2 6 9 7 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 3 | 179 Successes
Rerolling 35
3 7 7 5 8 5 4 8 9 4 6 1 9 5 4 6 4 10 5 7 4 2 2 8 3 10 1 1 9 2 10 9 5 4 7 | 19x2=38 Successes
217x2.3=499 Successes
551/400 Second fantasy
151/700 Third fantasy
4 7 8 8 4 3 9 7 9 6 2 3 10 4 5 5 3 9 3 9 7 5 4 5 9 1 9 6 9 6 8 7 1 3 3 10 2 8 7 8 10 1 8 8 7 7 1 5 2 9 6 4 8 4 7 3 10 2 3 8 8 7 9 1 10 1 7 10 10 9 3 7 5 3 9 5 3 10 9 7 10 8 4 6 2 2 10 6 3 5 10 1 2 3 2 7 5 6 4 2 6 7 9 5 3 4 10 6 8 7 3 8 3 10 3 6 2 5 3 8 5 8 4 8 6 4 8 7 1 4 8 1 6 5 6 10 2 7 4 5 3 3 9 4 4 8 4 8 8 5 5 2 6 4 7 10 2 6 4 9 2 6 4 1 5 10 9 5 5 3 4 7 5 6 5 10 1 5 4 1 4 5 6 3 8 9 10 5 3 7 2 4 6 10 5 2 2 7 7 1 5 2 5 8 10 2 6 4 9 3 5 8 3 8 8 3 2 8 6 1 9 4 6 2 10 7 2 8 8 1 7 6 6 9 10 4 8 5 8 2 7 4 2 10 7 6 2 5 7 7 1 8 9 3 4 2 2 4 7 2 1 8 6 4 5 10 6 7 6 10 7 10 1 9 9 4 1 9 2 3 7 6 3 3 4 9 7 9 10 5 7 3 1 5 8 1 5 10 4 6 5 1 8 6 10 6 2 3 6 2 9 8 2 9 3 1 6 10 1 5 8 2 2 2 9 7 9 8 5 1 2 2 8 8 1 6 3 2 9 7 2 8 8 10 7 2 3 4 2 5 3 2 8 6 1 9 9 8 9 5 8 5 8 7 2 9 8 6 10 10 10 8 5 4 10 6 1 9 3 10 9 6 8 6 4 10 1 7 6 8 9 1 5 5 3 2 5 6 4 7 9 5 1 2 2 7 6 2 9 2 4 3 6 5 5 9 4 4 9 10 8 7 9 3 5 10 7 10 1 3 2 4 8 5 3 10 1 7 10 6 4 6 2 7 5 3 9 9 4 4 4 7 9 3 5 9 5 8 7 1 1 7 3 9 7 1 4 4 7 5 2 8 4 10 3 10 3 7 5 7 2 6 6 8 8 3 8 1 3 7 10 9 2 10 10 8 4 9 10 8 3 2 8 4 1 7 1 6 1 5 4 7 9 6 3 8 1 2 6 6 4 9 6 2 1 7 7 7 3 5 5 9 9 1 9 7 3 10 5 3 9 5 5 10 1 6 8 6 7 6 4 4 7 4 2 8 9 1 3 4 10 4 8 2 6 4 9 6 7 1 6 8 9 8 6 7 6 9 7 5 5 6 4 8 6 7 10 10 5 7 8 7 6 9 10 2 6 7 4 9 1 6 10 1 1 2 2 8 5 7 3 9 9 8 8 5 8 9 5 6 6 7 4 7 2 10 5 5 9 10 7 2 6 10 9 9 2 6 4 10 9 3 1 7 9 3 5 7 6 9 10 8 9 5 2 3 10 2 7 9 7 1 3 4 8 2 7 5 1 9 4 8 3 8 10 6 8 10 7 1 1 5 5 4 7 3 6 7 6 7 8 10 8 7 10 6 2 7 7 1 10 10 7 8 3 6 8 7 5 7 8 8 7 2 3 5 10 6 10 2 6 5 8 6 4 5 6 6 7 9 2 1 1 3 5 6 4 6 4 2 10 6 1 10 1 9 8 2 4 10 1 10 9 8 4 1 2 4 8 8 6 6 6 4 7 1 7 7 6 5 8 5 3 2 2 1 2 6 7 7 7 9 8 3 5 4 10 10 7 9 8 2 2 4 4 6 2 2 3 7 5 10 6 1 6 4 8 7 8 9 7 4 4 2 5 8 8 6 2 10 7 7 3 3 6 4 2 1 5 4 1 4 4 6 4 2 4 3 3 10 7 2 6 3 4 9 10 9 3 10 9 6 10 4 6 4 4 7 6 10 5 8 3 10 5 9 1 10 8 9 6 8 2 6 9 7 8 10 7 7 7 9 2 3 1 1 6 9 5 4 4 2 7 6 7 4 9 7 6 6 8 2 6 3 1 10 1 5 3 7 5 5 4 6 10 6 8 1 7 4 2 3 3 3 9 9 9 7 1 7 10 3 1 10 1 4 8 9 5 1 8 4 1 1 6 7 3 8 5 3 5 8 4 8 4 9 9 2 9 4 3 3 1 7 9 1 3 4 5 2 7 10 9 4 3 10 3 9 1 10 3 8 7 10 8 7 9 7 1 10 8 7 6 9 7 3 8 9 1 10 8 3 4 1 5 3 7 1 4 7 9 9 4 1 10 4 2 10 2 4 4 1 1 9 9 7 5 6 6 6 7 2 5 9 4 6 3 4 1 9 10 7 7 9 4 8 1 7 9 8 10 2 8 1 5 8 8 4 3 7 8 2 8 9 1 3 4 3 7 4 4 8 3 8 2 7 5 4 10 8 2 3 10 3 2 9 10 3 7 2 4 2 8 7 7 8 10 9 1 7 5 3 9 10 8 4 10 9 7 10 3 1 6 3 8 10 7 5 8 8 7 10 5 10 1 1 2 3 10 2 10 6 6 6 8 1 10 10 4 2 7 4 3 10 1 6 8 3 3 3 9 5 4 7 3 2 8 3 5 6 10 5 3 7 5 4 2 3 10 1 2 3 4 8 10 4 5 4 2 9 1 4 3 2 4 10 10 1 9 2 2 3 5 5 4 6 6 1 4 2 1 3 7 9 5 4 10 3 4 6 10 8 3 9 10 10 3 3 1 4 5 3 2 8 7 8 6 2 10 6 4 8 4 5 8 10 4 3 8 5 3 2 8 10 10 4 7 2 5 5 10 4 1 3 1 10 8 10 2 2 7 2 8 9 2 2 3 4 6 5 1 2 1 3 3 10 3 7 8 6 6 1 4 4 3 6 5 6 10 3 6 9 5 5 6 9 9 4 8 10 1 7 5 3 3 1 4 7 10 10 9 2 6 2 6 3 9 5 10 10 10 10 10 4 9 6 2 4 8 9 3 6 8 6 1 5 5 1 8 9 8 2 4 6 4 4 10 8 7 7 6 1 10 6 7 10 8 5 6 2 9 7 5 1 5 4 7 10 7 5 3 5 4 2 3 4 2 10 2 7 5 6 8 9 1 8 9 6 1 9 5 7 1 3 9 2 5 4 5 9 2 1 2 6 7 9 10 2 10 7 8 8 5 8 6 4 6 2 7 4 7 5 9 5 7 2 1 2 1 4 7 1 4 4 6 2 1 1 7 4 6 4 10 4 2 8 1 10 7 6 10 6 8 1 3 8 10 2 6 5 10 4 8 3 5 10 5 4 4 9 2 5 1 2 9 10 9 3 9 4 8 3 4 3 7 7 4 6 8 1 8 10 4 4 9 8 2 8 3 8 6 6 2 5 7 7 1 6 1 5 8 10 2 3 3 7 8 8 2 5 4 1 10 4 1 5 6 8 3 4 1 9 4 10 5 8 3 3 10 2 10 2 10 1 2 6 1 1 8 10 8 9 8 8 3 8 9 3 5 10 10 9 1 3 1 4 10 2 7 5 10 7 2 2 10 8 7 8 6 6 7 6 9 2 10 8 4 1 8 10 2 7 8 6 8 8 | 764 Successes
Rerolling 139
7 9 7 5 5 8 4 7 4 2 3 6 8 6 9 4 1 6 5 6 1 2 3 3 10 7 9 8 7 1 2 1 4 5 10 6 8 2 9 10 5 5 3 10 4 5 7 10 7 3 7 7 8 3 2 9 2 9 6 8 7 4 8 8 4 4 3 8 4 1 4 3 6 9 10 5 9 9 10 6 10 9 10 1 10 3 10 1 1 5 7 9 2 10 10 10 7 2 2 3 1 4 7 2 10 7 3 7 6 2 6 1 8 8 8 1 1 4 5 7 6 2 10 9 7 1 2 3 9 10 9 10 10 9 9 4 5 2 6 | 63x2=126 Successes
890x2=1780 Successes
1786/700 Third Song Achieved
1086/900 Fourth Song Achieved
186/1100 Fifth Song
Physical Cultivation | 354 Dice
4 4 3 8 5 8 5 8 7 7 5 8 10 6 6 8 2 8 4 5 5 10 2 10 10 4 5 2 3 8 6 10 8 8 6 10 3 10 8 8 7 7 10 5 7 9 4 8 1 9 2 5 3 6 8 7 10 1 2 4 9 8 3 8 8 2 8 2 1 7 2 6 9 4 8 8 9 9 5 9 1 1 2 4 6 6 9 1 2 10 3 6 7 3 2 8 6 6 5 1 7 8 10 10 4 1 8 1 1 5 6 5 8 5 10 10 9 8 2 3 10 9 4 3 3 3 4 1 5 3 2 1 3 2 5 8 3 1 1 4 9 6 6 10 6 7 10 8 3 10 3 6 5 3 1 8 1 5 2 9 10 1 4 2 8 1 10 1 2 3 9 2 4 1 2 7 9 6 8 4 1 9 7 8 9 3 5 6 1 9 7 9 9 3 5 6 7 7 5 5 9 5 4 5 4 2 1 3 10 4 5 10 10 10 7 2 1 10 5 6 7 1 7 8 2 2 1 10 10 1 3 3 10 7 1 5 7 5 9 4 10 5 8 2 10 4 4 9 10 10 8 4 3 10 6 10 5 9 9 6 1 4 4 6 10 7 6 8 10 2 3 2 4 5 10 3 3 1 8 5 3 5 5 8 7 4 1 4 2 6 3 7 5 2 6 9 8 8 6 2 7 9 4 1 2 5 8 8 2 7 4 3 5 8 4 3 8 3 2 3 2 8 7 4 2 10 2 8 8 10 1 1 10 6 8 3 8 10 1 6 5 3 2 6 9 7 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 3 | 179 Successes
Rerolling 35
3 7 7 5 8 5 4 8 9 4 6 1 9 5 4 6 4 10 5 7 4 2 2 8 3 10 1 1 9 2 10 9 5 4 7 | 19x2=38 Successes
217x2.3=499 Successes
551/400 Second fantasy
151/700 Third fantasy
There were more pieces of advice, both from Xuan Shi and from loaned books. Avoid assuming their intentions and clarify your own, cut idioms out of your speech where you could, be observant and try to decipher body language as well as speech. In the end, it mostly boiled down to being mindful and observant. The same sort of skills she had been working to polish for interacting with other nobles.
The stakes were just higher, in this case. It really helped to shake off her lingering dislike for the subject.
To that end, she continued to cultivate the Playful Muse's Rapport art, it's lessons on presentation would be helpful, and refining her speech couldn't hurt. Similarly, she had always intended to continue cultivating the Songseekers Ceremony art now that her cultivation had advanced, but now, she had even more reason.
Sitting on a high cliff, meditating upon her cultivation art, Ling Qi could not help but feel a tiny bit of dissatisfaction. She had not ventured out on her own in awhile. She wasn't… well, seeking songs. Her schedule was too rigid, the needs of Sect and duty, friends and family used what free time she had.
Of course, she had quite a trip planned, didn't she? Surely, she could find a song in that?
It wasn't as if she didn't have plans either, Zhengui and Hanyi, she had plans with both coming up… and she had something of an idea, a song that needed writing, for the lost and the hurt and not-quite friends.
One way or another, Ling Qi had a feeling that things were going to be changing. It felt like standing on the precipice of a high tower under the moon, without the wind to catch her.
***
"So you see, those are the relations between the common visible colors, and what they represent. There's more complicated stuff, once you jump off the normal visible spectrum and get into spiritual colors, but you should probably master the easy part first. Any questions?" Sixiang asked, clapping his hands to punctuate the sentence.
Sixiang 'sat' on a fallen log, silhouette shimmering under the dappled sunlight. He was wearing a masculine shape, taking a few cues from Lin Hai, if she had her guess. Sixiang was getting better at projecting images and maintaining them. Proper manifestations were too tiring still though.
Ling Qi leaned back, resting her hands on the warm stone beneath her. She did kind of like this look for the muse. Slighter wider shoulders and a less effeminate face, a little more muscle on their chest, visible through the open robe of shimmering colors 'he' wore. Sixiang was clearly having fun anyway, going by the number of times the cut and shape of their clothing had changed since the start of the lesson.
Unfortunately, she wasn't sure if that fun was being shared. Zhengui lay belly down on the grass beside her, shrunk to only a couple meters long. He was listening intently enough. Zhen had been bobbing his head in time with Sixiang's speech and Gui's gaze had only occasionally wandered to the pile of fresh fruit she had ordered delivered for their lunch. However, she got the distinct sense that his heart wasn't entirely in it.
His words confirmed it. "Is it really okay for Gui to distract Big Sis like this? Gui is not a baby who will get mad if Sister needs to do other things."
Ling Qi shared a look with Sixiang before looking back to Zhengui. "Zhengui, we planned this out ages ago, I don't have anything else I need to be doing right now." Well, observing Sixiang's speaking was technically part of cultivating Playful Muse's Rapport, but that was just being efficient.
"I Zhen, think that simple Gui is not speaking well," Zhen hissed. "Should Sister and I not be training? War is at the Sect."
Ling Qi was silent. Zhengui had done well, more than that really. He had done everything that she could have expected of him. She thought he was satisfied.
"Hm, do you really think being stronger would have helped much back there?" Sixiang said, resting his chin on his hands. "Realistically stronger I mean."
Zhen flicked his tongue irritably but didn't respond.
"I think focusing wholly on fighting is a mistake," Ling Qi said thoughtfully, having taken the chance to assemble her thoughts. "I was helping Mother with her cultivation earlier today. She's not going to be able to fight though. Does that make that a mistake Zhengui?"
Ling Qingge was never going to have the temperament for combat, Ling Qi thought. Not outside the utmost extreme of desperation. She didn't resent spending time with her in the garden, working through the simple physical exercises of her cultivation art though, even if Ling Qi had mastered the thing in a few days. Mother was advancing slowly, but she was advancing. Ling Qi thought she might reach gold physique by the end of the year.
"Gui doesn't think so," her little brother said after a moment. "Is playing around really okay?"
"Don't think of it as playing around, think of it as taking care of yourself," Sixiang said. "If all you do is fight, then what are you going to do when the enemies are gone? There has to be more to you than violence."
"I agree," Ling Qi said quietly, twisting a strand of her hair between her fingers. She didn't think she would much care to live that way. Her memory wandered back to the court, and the woman she had seen at the foot of Shenhua's throne, with eyes as sharp as a blades. That she thought was what someone who had nothing but violence looked like. She didn't think she wanted to ever see that in the mirror.
"So c'mon Zhengui, any questions about what Sixiang actually said?" she asked, leaning over to pat him on the shell.
"Um, Gui does not see all of the colors, but Zhen does, so it should be fine," he responded leaning into her touch.
"Hmph, I Zhen have understood the lesson," he said haughtily. Ling Qi saw the slight hopeful tilt of his head though.
Ling Qi flicked him a beast core. He snapped it out of the air with a happy hiss.
"Well, in that case, we should probably move on," Sixiang chuckled as Gui gave Ling Qi a pleading look. She flicked him a core too. "So next thing we need to talk about is theme."
"Theme?" Zhen asked. "Like Sister's songs?"
Sixiang nodded. "Right, song or painting or poem, you gotta think about what your trying to say with your project. It's fine to be spontaneous in execution, great even, but you have to have a vision, a goal in mind, or your just gonna end up with a mess."
"Ah, Gui was just trying to make something pretty before, but that isn't right," Gui muttered.
"You have to be a little more specific than that," Ling Qi said wryly.
"So, the question to ask is, what do you want your art to say," Sixiang asked, leaning forward.
AN: Choose a theme, theme will effect the final reward for the arc as well as Zhengui and Ling Qi's development from it.
[] Life Endures the Winter (Wood and Ice)
[] Valley in the Shadow (Wood and Darkness)
[] First Sun of Spring (Fire and Ice)
+60 dice to Spiritual Cultivation until Green 5
+60 dice to Physical Cultivation until Green 5
+55 dice to the cultivation of Yin Arts
+50 dice to the cultivation of Moon Arts
1/8 of XP gained through permanent cultivation bonuses added to Domain XP
Grants the user 2 virtual Green Stone per week(8 per turn)
Allows the User to Bind Spirits up to Grade Three
Reduces Upkeep of Spirits by 4 per spirit
10 Qi cultivation dice per turn up to S Rank
-Increases growth rate of bound spirits(effects increasing with Bond Level)
+60 dice to Physical Cultivation until Green 5
+55 dice to the cultivation of Yin Arts
+50 dice to the cultivation of Moon Arts
1/8 of XP gained through permanent cultivation bonuses added to Domain XP
Grants the user 2 virtual Green Stone per week(8 per turn)
Allows the User to Bind Spirits up to Grade Three
Reduces Upkeep of Spirits by 4 per spirit
10 Qi cultivation dice per turn up to S Rank
-Increases growth rate of bound spirits(effects increasing with Bond Level)
+70 dice to Spiritual Cultivation until Green 5
+70 dice to Physical Cultivation until Green 5
+60 dice to the cultivation of Yin Arts
+55 dice to the cultivation of Moon Arts
1/8 of XP gained through permanent cultivation bonuses added to Domain XP
Grants the user 3 virtual Green Stone per week(12 per turn)
Allows the User to Bind Spirits up to Grade Three
Reduces Upkeep of Spirits by 4 per spirit
10 Qi cultivation dice per turn up to S Rank
-Amplifies growth rate of bound spirits(effects increasing with Bond Level)
Grants up to 50xPotency bonus successes to spiritual cultivation when creating or modifying arts with the music keyword.
+70 dice to Physical Cultivation until Green 5
+60 dice to the cultivation of Yin Arts
+55 dice to the cultivation of Moon Arts
1/8 of XP gained through permanent cultivation bonuses added to Domain XP
Grants the user 3 virtual Green Stone per week(12 per turn)
Allows the User to Bind Spirits up to Grade Three
Reduces Upkeep of Spirits by 4 per spirit
10 Qi cultivation dice per turn up to S Rank
-Amplifies growth rate of bound spirits(effects increasing with Bond Level)
Grants up to 50xPotency bonus successes to spiritual cultivation when creating or modifying arts with the music keyword.
Passive Effects:
+10 to Initiative
+15 to Social Perception
+10 to Speech
+15 to Empathy
Carefree Mantle: C
Duration: Long
It is not enough to merely follow the basic exercises of this art, to learn tricks of speaking and the use of humor as a smoothing and contrasting element in their rhetoric. To truly emulate the muse, one must defy certain ingrained social behaviors and learn to wear their emotion, their intent, their very self as a cloak. Though such openness can seem frightening to the neophyte, few methods are superior in conveying the sincerity of your intent. While active, the user receives a large bonus to speech tests when speaking honestly or attempting to convince others of their sincerity, and a similar bonus to poise and empathy tests
Deceiver's Foil: C
Duration: Short
The muse is a creature of pure expression, and many tales speak of the humorous humiliations which they sometimes heap on the dishonest and insincere. Though this art does not teach such excessive methods, through this technique, one may indeed suss out those who lie to the users face and find the inspiration to trip up and foil those with dishonest intent. The user receives a bonus to large Social Perception when attempting to detect lies and a bonus to speech when attempting to counter lies and misinformation. When used in conjunction with Carefree Mantle, this technique functions as if it were B rank for one test.
+10 to Initiative
+15 to Social Perception
+10 to Speech
+15 to Empathy
Carefree Mantle: C
Duration: Long
It is not enough to merely follow the basic exercises of this art, to learn tricks of speaking and the use of humor as a smoothing and contrasting element in their rhetoric. To truly emulate the muse, one must defy certain ingrained social behaviors and learn to wear their emotion, their intent, their very self as a cloak. Though such openness can seem frightening to the neophyte, few methods are superior in conveying the sincerity of your intent. While active, the user receives a large bonus to speech tests when speaking honestly or attempting to convince others of their sincerity, and a similar bonus to poise and empathy tests
Deceiver's Foil: C
Duration: Short
The muse is a creature of pure expression, and many tales speak of the humorous humiliations which they sometimes heap on the dishonest and insincere. Though this art does not teach such excessive methods, through this technique, one may indeed suss out those who lie to the users face and find the inspiration to trip up and foil those with dishonest intent. The user receives a bonus to large Social Perception when attempting to detect lies and a bonus to speech when attempting to counter lies and misinformation. When used in conjunction with Carefree Mantle, this technique functions as if it were B rank for one test.
Passive Effects:
+10 to Initiative
+20 to Social Perception
+15 to Speech
+15 to Empathy
Carefree Mantle: B
Duration: Long or Upkeep 5
It is not enough to merely follow the basic exercises of this art, to learn tricks of speaking and the use of humor as a smoothing and contrasting element in their rhetoric. To truly emulate the muse, one must defy certain ingrained social behaviors and learn to wear their emotion, their intent, their very self as a cloak. Though such openness can seem frightening to the neophyte, few methods are superior in conveying the sincerity of your intent. While active, the user receives a large bonus to speech tests when speaking honestly or attempting to convince others of their sincerity, and a similar bonus to poise and empathy tests
Deceiver's Foil: C
Duration: Short
The muse is a creature of pure expression, and many tales speak of the humorous humiliations which they sometimes heap on the dishonest and insincere. Though this art does not teach such excessive methods, through this technique, one may indeed suss out those who lie to the users face and find the inspiration to trip up and foil those with dishonest intent. The user receives a bonus to large Social Perception when attempting to detect lies and a bonus to speech when attempting to counter lies and misinformation. When used in conjunction with Carefree Mantle, this technique functions as if it were B rank for one test.
Cheerful Muse Accompaniment: B
Duration: Long
Some people can be quite rude, seeking to listen in on things that are not for their ears. Activating this technique, the user shrouds themselves and up to five other willing targets in a shroud of cheerful but inane speech, that at first seems important until eavesdroppers notice subjects and sentences alike circling back to their beginning in an endless loop of noise. Offers defense against social techniques, offering a significant bonus to the users poise when attempting to defend against outside listeners.
+10 to Initiative
+20 to Social Perception
+15 to Speech
+15 to Empathy
Carefree Mantle: B
Duration: Long or Upkeep 5
It is not enough to merely follow the basic exercises of this art, to learn tricks of speaking and the use of humor as a smoothing and contrasting element in their rhetoric. To truly emulate the muse, one must defy certain ingrained social behaviors and learn to wear their emotion, their intent, their very self as a cloak. Though such openness can seem frightening to the neophyte, few methods are superior in conveying the sincerity of your intent. While active, the user receives a large bonus to speech tests when speaking honestly or attempting to convince others of their sincerity, and a similar bonus to poise and empathy tests
Deceiver's Foil: C
Duration: Short
The muse is a creature of pure expression, and many tales speak of the humorous humiliations which they sometimes heap on the dishonest and insincere. Though this art does not teach such excessive methods, through this technique, one may indeed suss out those who lie to the users face and find the inspiration to trip up and foil those with dishonest intent. The user receives a bonus to large Social Perception when attempting to detect lies and a bonus to speech when attempting to counter lies and misinformation. When used in conjunction with Carefree Mantle, this technique functions as if it were B rank for one test.
Cheerful Muse Accompaniment: B
Duration: Long
Some people can be quite rude, seeking to listen in on things that are not for their ears. Activating this technique, the user shrouds themselves and up to five other willing targets in a shroud of cheerful but inane speech, that at first seems important until eavesdroppers notice subjects and sentences alike circling back to their beginning in an endless loop of noise. Offers defense against social techniques, offering a significant bonus to the users poise when attempting to defend against outside listeners.
This ones a little short, but the next one will be a bit meatier.
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