...I'm pretty sure you're connecting dots that aren't there
Ying Yang leaning is not determined by gender, Xiulan was already way Yang to begin with, and I don't see how training in fields that the Gu traditionally consider male dominated would cause any cultivation complications
Let alone the spiritual equivalent of testosterone therapy
This isn't going to be any more complicated than it'd be for any woman taking to field not traditionally associated with her gender
Less actually, since Yrs has specified that while it does lean a bit one way or another depending on local culture discrimination based on gender never gets as bad as it does IRL
A woman trained in war is not going to blow any minds, or cause any cultivation issues
She's already got long-term gender role hang-ups and she's switching sides in an unusually strict gender divide. Would this usually have direct effects on someone not in her situation? Probably not, for the reasons you stated. But she's not in that neutral, simple place.
The talk about the "male/female split so ingrained in reality" wasn't me saying "she's going to see direct metaphysical consequences for this" so much as "people are aware metaphysical consequences exist, and there are corresponding effects on gender role awareness, and gender roles awareness is what's probably going to mess with her here." Which was... clear as mud, sorry about that, I'm still thinking about this and I'm not communicating all that clearly.
At the far end of the room was a scalloped stairway, carved from rose glass, and at the top, a burning curtain of white flame concealing Father's throne and guarding him against assault.
Yet he seemed satisfied with the admission. "Then, training. Training in war. Training to harness your reckless nature, such that you might only burn yourself when you choose to. If I must treat you as a son to maximize your chances of survival, so be it. I am willing to endure your Mother's wrath for that."
Three great oasis watered the city at the foot of the palace hill, and the canals that lay between spread soft greenery through the reds and whites of the city's structures.
The Gu had done much to alleviate that, in the millenia that they had sheltered here. Glass had been reheated, and metal recast, shaped by a thousands of craftsmen over the centuries into something fit for habitation
Once, before the cataclysm, it had been the summer palace of the Lu. A great sprawling complex built upon an artificial hill, overlooking some of the richest farmland in the province. Now, dunes stretched as far as the eye could see, and only the faint scent of salt in the northern wind hinted that they ever ended.
But they were clean dunes, white and pale pink sand rather than clinging gray ash or blackened corruption. Three great oases watered the city at the foot of the palace hill, and the canals, that lay between, spread soft greenery through the reds and whites of the city's structures. Roads spread out from the city's walls like a web, carrying stone and metals out and bringing foodstuffs and organic goods in.
But Gu Xiulan did not have eyes for the city, only the palace above. In the Cataclysm the high and fluted towers and aerial paths of the Lu had been destroyed, melted really. What had remained was a great multihued mountain of fused glass and metal, a jagged and ugly mound of raw material.
The Gu had done much to alleviate that, in the millennia that they had sheltered here. Glass had been reheated, and metal recast, shaped by thousands of craftsmen over the centuries into something fit for habitation. Gu Xiulan allowed her eyes to wistfully trace the thin spires of rose pink glass and shining gold.
"A bit fragile innit," commented Zheng Nan said, shading his eyes.
Gu Xiulan's eyebrow twitched.
However handsome he was, the Zheng scion had begun to wear on her nerves during the trip. He was so utterly, unrelentingly crass, and not even in the charming accidental way that Ling Qi managed. Zheng Nan knew his manners. He just chose not to employ them.
"Many enemies have thought so as well," Gu Xiulan sniffed, pulling her head back inside the carriage. They were currently moving slowly, having joined the city's incoming traffic. It would be unbecoming to disrupt the cities lifeblood without an emergency to justify it. "Yet still the Palace of Dawn stands."
"That's just walkers though isn't it? Hardly a thought in those empty skulls," Zheng Nan said idly. "You need some good solid stone and earthwork in a fortress. That's why the hill is good. You featherheads always did like your shiny nests and sparkly bits though."
Gu Xiulan shot him a scowl from behind her golden veil. "We have seen off more than a half dozen incursions from organized forces, headed by long dead generals," she sneered. "You might know that, if you bothered to read, or if the Zheng ventured out of their little play zone to fight real battles."
She had long lost her reticence to insult this irritating man.
"Now that's just mean," Zheng Nan mused. "It's not like we don't want to fight you know? We just won so hard that there's no one left, and our vassals are a bunch of sissies."
Gu Xiulan huffed. Only the Zheng would be disappointed that their vassals held no pretensions of rebellion. As if they had not stamped out dissenters with savage glee in the past. "Barbarian."
"That I am," Zheng Nan said flippantly.
Annoying man, Xiulan thought.
"It's okay, I think your nest is really pretty," Linhuo chirped cheerfully in her head. "It's so warm and nice here! I just want to fly around and dance in the fires!"
At least someone was appreciative, Gu Xiulan thought. She would have to make arrangements for Linhuo to visit the Subterranean Sun's nest. The ancient sun crow's energies were as invaluable to the cultivation of spirits and spirit beasts as they were to powering the Palace's defenses and purifying the surroundings of creeping taint.
They proceeded in silence for a time, approaching the city gates. "Any ideas on how long I'm going to be waiting to meet with your old man?"
"I can't imagine that you will have to wait at all," Gu Xiulan replied. "You bear a message from…" Duke wasn't the right word for the Zheng. "The leaders of Ebon Rivers."
"Nah," Zheng Nan dismissed, waving a meaty hand in dismissal. "S'not right to favor foreigners over family. I'll keep for a bit. How long's your meeting with your old man going to be. Think I have time to grab a bath? Heard you have some real nice mineral springs around here."
She eyed Zheng Nan dubiously. How convenient of him to offer an excuse to hold off his meeting in a way that wouldn't offend any sensibilities. After all, it would be rude to force a guest to a meeting immediately if they requested hospitality. That was one reason she found him so very irritating. Zheng Nan was clearly intelligent enough. He simply chose to act the ruffian.
"I am sure something can be arranged. The Palace springs are open to the guests of the Gu," Gu Xiulan replied airily.
"Haha! Very good," Zheng Nan laughed. "Hear that boys! I bet I can score at least one of you a guest invite! Who wants to come get wet with me!"
Gu Xiulan's eyebrow twitched as he catcalled her retinue. She drew the shutter on her carriage window down.
It seemed she was going to be meeting Father sooner than she had anticipated.
***
The doors of the throne room closed slowly behind her.
The hall was a veritable cavern of steel, gold and glass. Twelve great pyres burned along the walls, and the pale blue fires rose almost to the ceiling twenty meters overhead. A thick carpet of crushed velvet, imported from the Celestial Peaks covered the tiled floor. At the far end of the room was a scalloped stairway, carved from rose glass, and at the top, a burning curtain of white flame concealing Father's throne and guarding him against assault.
Normally this place would throng with courtiers, tradesmen and soldiers, attending to her Father and matters of court. Today, it was empty.
She was alone here, Linhuo had been left to gorge herself and undergo evaluation by the clan's experts in spirit health. There was only the shadow behind the fire, Father's silhouette.
Gu Xiulan held in her trepidation with admirable aplomb, but still, in the back of her mind, she felt some dread. Mother and Yanmei had both disapproved of what she had done. Mother had been angry, and that had hurt. Even if she knew that it was out of concern for her, it had hurt.
Gu Xiulan didn't regret what she had done. She would not be irrelevant. She would not be mediocre. She would not fall behind. She refused that fate. Under the fabric of her gown, Ling Qi's gift was cold against her skin.
But Father had always been distant, not cold precisely, but detached. Yet despite that Mother had said that she had upset him as well. If…
Straightening her shoulders, Gu Xiulan cast out her doubts and moved forward. Her footsteps were near silent on the soft carpet, yet they seemed to echo in the vast, empty hall. She stopped precisely eight paces from the base of the stairs and clasped her hands to bow to the silhouette behind the fire.
"The returning daughter greets her august Father, and presents herself for inspection," Gu Xiulan said crisply, her voice seeming quiet compared to the crackle of the pyres.
Her response was silence. Then, the quieting of the fires. She felt the heat of the curtain recede, and heard the quiet yet purposeful sound of footfalls on glass. Gu Xiulan maintained her posture, even as she prepared her arguments defending her actions.
The footfalls descended the steps, one by one.
"Raise your head," said Father. His voice was that of a commander of men, stern and brusque.
Gu Xiulan took a deep breath and straightened up. Father wore his robes of state. Many thick layers of fabric and silk, patterned off dancing flames. On his brow was a thin circlet of platinum, with a single ruby inset at his brow. It burned with the power of the sun. It held back his dark hair, which fell to his shoulders.
Father's aristocratic features were blank as he observed her, but she could feel the weight of his attention in her channels. Studying and judging. Gu Xiulan prepared herself for reprimand.
She was not prepared when his arms wrapped around her.
For a moment, Gu Xiulan stood stiffly in her Father's gentle embrace, but as he stroked her hair, as he had in only her oldest memories. The tension bled out, she returned the embrace
"My daughter. I am sorry for your suffering," Father's stern voice was soft, and tinged by regret.
"I am not," Gu Xiulan said, any sniffle in her voice muffled by Father's robe. Her arm still burned and ached, but Father was careful not to jostle it. "I-I do not regret it."
"Of course you do not," Father said, and she was startled to hear understanding in his voice. "You are my daughter."
She didn't understand.
"Do you know, Xiulan, why only two of your uncles live and have public lives?" Father asked quietly.
"I had thought them lost on campaign," Gu Xiulan muttered, embarrassment at her position was starting to reassert itself, but she couldn't quite bring herself to let go of him yet.
"Some were," Father said, his voice distant with remembrance. "But Xiulan, the men of the Gu burn bright, but so many of us burn quickly."
"I'm not-" Xiulan began. An old bit of shame, long unspoken entered her voice.
"You are not. Yet you are my daughter all the same. There is more of me in you than there is in your sisters. It is my failure that I did not recognize that," he finally stepped back, unruffled by the embrace. There was a hint of fire and affection in his eyes. "Your sisters take after your Mother, even Yanmei, whose flame burns so coldly. We had agreed that she would raise our daughters in accordance with her ways, and until now I had no reason to think wrongly of that."
Gu Xiulan felt unsteady. But she felt a spark of something in her chest, pride or delight or hope she wasn't sure.
Father's expression was blank once again. "Tomorrow Xiulan, I have cleared time for us in the Cloudflame spire. You will show me what you can do, and after…" He closed his eyes for a moment. "Soon I will embark on the annual perimeter march of our lands. You will attend as well. It is past time that I teach one of my children to campaign."
"Mother always said that sort of thing was not suited to a young lady," Gu Xiulan said slowly, but she didn't object.
"And your Mother and I have already had this argument," Father said, observing her again. "You will continue to do dangerous things, seek trials and challenges to feed the fire in your blood. Am I wrong? Should I forbid it, will you obey?"
Gu Xiulan looked away, unable to meet his piercing eyes. "…No Father."
Yet he seemed satisfied with the admission. "Then, training. Training in war. Training to harness your reckless nature, such that you might only burn yourself when you choose to. If I must treat you as a son to maximize your chances of survival, so be it. I am willing to endure your Mother's wrath for that."
"I- Father," Gu Xiulan stumbled on her words a little. There were a hundred things she could say, but none of them seemed right. Except one.
Her body cultivation always lagged behind her soul. She brokethrough to Yellow before Silver, she was at Mid Silver body when her soul was Peak Yellow iirc. So she would need to favor her body cultivation a fair bit more to get Iron Body, which was what she needed for her arm to heal iirc.
Surprised at the dad's humility in accepting he was wrong in his detachment and resolving to change his parental strategy. Also interested to hear it was a joint parental decision. Really wasn't expecting him to win me over so easily. Gu family's looking interesting, I hope this won't be the last we hear form them.
That's because it's not him saying he was wrong, it's him saying I WAS RIGHT IN THE FIRST PLACE. The detachment wasn't his idea, you see!
Well, maybe handling their joint agreement with his wife with detachment was his idea, but clearly the agreement ITSELF is at fault and not how he handled it! Totally. He was right all along, and should have just done the thing he WANTED to do!
People are great at admitting other people's mistakes, usually ~
Okay, so far, your modified art is looking like this.
Potency: Green 3
Keywords:
- Communication, Connections, Wind, Music, Yang.
- Empathy, Perceptiveness, Manipulation, Music.
Meridians: Head x5, Heart x1; 2 music 4 wind
Max level: 5
Passive Effects:
+10 to Social Perception
+20 to Combat Perception
+10 Physical Avoid
Step 2 of art modification is determining your arts new effects. Due to stripping out the Presence Keyword, only the Spring Breeze Canto will remain in recognizable form. The other two techniques will have to be designed from the ground up. Now, I was originally looking into building a point buy system for techniques, but as I worked, I realized that I was essentially trying to design the Mutants and Masterminds power system from scratch, and realized that I am not in fact completely crazy. So instead, what I am going to do is open up tech design to you, the voters. Each person may submit 1 technique for consideration. Techniques will have to be approved by me, but at the end of a design period I will take the techniques I like the most and put them to vote.
Hard limitations are as follows: Techniques are C rank. Techniques must be focused on perception effects, or the obscuring thereof. Techniques may not have a range greater than 'Very Far' due to meridian numbers. Techniques may not give more than 'small bonus' to allies due to limits of Heart meridians. Techniques must follow the themes of music, wind, and communication.
The altered Spring Breeze Canto below is an example.
Spring Breeze Canto: C
Upkeep 5
The song of the breeze whispers softly in the users wake, echoing off of those in range, and carrying their voices to the users ears. While using any Music Art the user and any allies may communicate silently with short messages and images. This effect extends out to Very Far Range. While in communication the user and allies receive a small bonus to Combat Perception and Physical avoid, thanks to their coordination.
In addition, this effect offers the user an additional bonus to combat perception against enemies who can perceive their music.
So! Right now, we aren't voting, just submitting tech designs, have at it!
Four Winds Convergence: C
Short
The Winds travel between all lands, picking up sounds and secrets from across the world, one who has learned to listen to their song can gain valuable insights on their rivals. Requires Spring Breeze Canto to be active, and temporarily provides a large bonus to Combat Perception and Physical Avoid. If this bonus should result in an incoming attack moving up a grade of Awareness, provides a large bonus to the next attack or effect applied to the one so discovered
Design Logic: Active sonar ping that keys off of Canto, if it detects something that went undetected before, provides a bonus to Doing Something About It.
Inspired by MSS's Timely Misdirection (MSS only has one Heart meridian so I assume this is okay):
Warning Wind: C
Duration: Immediate
What use is knowing something that could help an ally if you cannot communicate it to them? The user may activate this art when an ally fails a combat perception test. A small breeze brings their ally's attention to the relevant area, allowing them to retry the test with a +30 bonus.
Here's some tech spec ideas + what we might want from them:
Canto:
upkeep aoe tech
+combat perception to LQ and general awareness (primary effect)
apparently good enough to include basic comms (everyone-to-everyone via short message burst is fine)
+a bit ally buffing via coordination
translation:
self explanatory, low priority
Alectai's sonar pulse
big instant buff to perception
primarily to get a high-res awareness of the area, and potentially uncover stealthed targets
more?
better comms channel:
single-target higher throughput comms
usable while in stealth <-- core aspect
bonus-wise some sort of buff via shared vision/senses, low priority
multiple channels at multiple tech casts?
EDIT: much as a sonar pulse would be nice, my priorities are:
1. canto
2. single-target comms channel we can use while stealthed
3. (tied) translation effect + sonar pulse
Reason sonar pulse is low is because RME and our talisman should cover us for mid-range combat perception vs stealth.
EDIT2: another thing to keep in mind is that Six can buff any of the techs and are supposedly working on something of their own.
Not sure how you'd word it but how about something using spring canto as base that gives a perception boost by sharing perception across those connected by spring canto.
Not by anything as overt as sharing vision but by adding up all the small details they individually notice in the background. A kind of shared group awareness of the background that lets the group notice things an individual would miss
Mechanically say a small perception bonus granted to everyone connected
that grows proportionally to the number of people involved
It would work well for ling qi because thanks to her spirits she's always got a small group she's closely connected to to ramp the bonus
Maybe some sort of data dump technique? Quickly and securely transferring a complex piece of information like a strategic map or something known to Ling Qi to a single target.
So, the idea i want to post here is basically a translator.
Spring Breeze's Whisper: C
Duration: Long
Requires Spring Breeze Canto to be active.
Mastery of the melody helps carry both words and meaning through the wind. The musician and willing listeners can understand each others words within Spring Breeze's Canto's Range regardless of language. This translation effect is not perfect. In addition the musician gets a small bonus to Speech.
This has a restriction to willing listeners, so it is an easily contestable effect and it wouldnt be perfect, but it should still make communication with friendly non-imperials a lot more convenient for us. I think this could be a cool effect if we meet those more often.
Btw. I am still open to name suggestions for the tech or for improvements on the narrative description of the effect.
Does this require our allies to be using a Music Art, or just us?
Common-Breath Zephyr
Duration: Scene
Words can be easily carried upon the breeze, but the skilled practitioner may carry understanding as well, trusting in the wind which knows no boundaries of land or tongue. Within a peaceful social context, the user may activate this technique to accurately interpret statements made in another language, either a few simple sentences at a time or one more complex one, or to likewise communicate understanding of their own words to another person or group.
EDIT: To be clear, the intended limitation on this is the bit about "peaceful social context": this tech can aid people achieve understanding when everyone involved wants to speak and be understood, but it is explicitly not a tech for spying. You can't steal understanding like a heist with this, you can only aid the sincere intent to communicate.
Something to listen in on others such as when the Ice Lady was whispering to the pegasus guy, could probably double as a translation tech as well.
Maybe something for the Physical Avoid. The enemies movement through the breeze provides meaning and meaning can be understood.
Four Winds Convergence: C
Short
The Winds travel between all lands, picking up sounds and secrets from across the world, one who has learned to listen to their song can gain valuable insights on their rivals. Requires Spring Breeze Canto to be active, and temporarily provides a large bonus to Combat Perception and Physical Avoid. If this bonus should result in an incoming attack moving up a grade of Awareness, provides a large bonus to the next attack or effect applied to the one so discovered
Design Logic: Active sonar ping that keys off of Canto, if it detects something that went undetected before, provides a bonus to Doing Something About It.
I like the idea, but I think as described is trying to do too many things.
It involves Combat Perception, physical avoid, the stealth mechanic, and an offensive buff all in one C tech. It just seems to me to be a bit too much to pack into a single tech.
Does this require our allies to be using a Music Art, or just us?
Common-Breath Zephyr
Duration: Scene
Words can be easily carried upon the breeze, but the skilled practitioner may carry understanding as well, trusting in the wind which knows no boundaries of land or tongue. Within a peaceful social context, the user may activate this technique to accurately interpret statements made in another language, either a few simple sentences at a time or one more complex one, or to likewise communicate understanding of their own words to another person or group.
Putting some fluff around the single-channel comms tech (name subject to change):
Hidden Wind's Breath: C
Duration: Long
The wind connects all beneath the sky, mastery of wind and music allows the singer to weave a connection between two souls into the tapestry that may go unnoticed by all save their target.
Upon use, the user establishes a connection with an ally within Very Far range across which senses and thoughts may be shared, familiarity with the target increases the clarity of communication. While a connection is active, either side may use the other's combat perception <at a half-rank penalty> if it is higher than their own.
The connection requires perception rank equal to the user's stealth to identify it's presence, and a rank above to identify the user and target's locations. Duration may be refreshed instantly at D cost upon the effect's end. Up to 3 channels may be active at the same time.
Not attached to tech refresh or channel limit. Effect priorities are:
1. range
2. stealth-secure channel
3. channel throughput, perception stat share.
4. max simultaneous open channels
5. action econ (channel refresh+cost)
Stolen Breath Comprehension: C
Long
There is much more to speech than just the spoken syllables. Intonation, context, body language, and much more contributes to what a person means when they speak. This technique bypasses the need for words entirely with a single willing person, smothering meaningless sounds with a soft melody instead conveying the raw intent hidden behind them. Communication through this technique requires no shared language, but is unmistakably more limited than normal dialogue.
Translation technique, themed around a more precise form of conveying information with music. Fairly sure I got all the themes down.
Suggestions welcome.
edit: removed second tech (missed the part about only one, sorry)
I think translation tech will be hightly useful, not just because we will be going to a diplomatic mission with a foreign power, but also because the opportunity to understand the older and ancient songs and cultural fact we discover in the future as a songseeker
