Aranfan
Team Plasma Grunt
Which makes sense considering the Moon is the Great Spirit who renders the Stellar Qi into something non-toxic for the humans.
Threads Of Destiny(Eastern Fantasy, Sequel to Forge of Destiny)
- Thread starter yrsillar
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Which makes sense considering the Moon is the Great Spirit who renders the Stellar Qi into something non-toxic for the humans.
Pretty much yeah, as far as we know, the Greater spirit doesn't really need to intervene for the most part, just spin off lesser forks with certain flavors, who themselves spin off more forks as they grow. Xin seems to have started out as a potent but only mid range spirit, but grew with Jiao beyond what she'd have been on her own. Sixiang started out as a bit of Ling Qi's own dreams, recycled through countless people past and future, then instantiated at the party with a bit of extra power.
Also, I'd note that the Moon operates heavily in the Liminal realm, which may not have the same constraints on Great Spirit activities.
Alphaleph
The Firstiest of First
Huh, wonder if LQ would end up interacting with the rest of them as well. Lean harder on being called "little sister" by the moons.
Turn 11: Arc 3-1 First Leg
The marriage ceremony is past us, fraught as it was, but I find that my misgivings have not faded. Although the High King's effort to blend our ceremonies with those of the mountain folk seemed to have not roused any spirits of ill fortune, it displeased the people.
Few have kind words to speak of the mountain prince. His shrinking womanly demeanor earns no respect among the warriors and his foreign traditions bring much dislike from the mystics. How can a man be a husband if he cannot even provide his wife with the marriage dinner using his own hands? The dissatisfaction among the lesser kings who had hoped for the princess' hand is immense.
The High King pays too much mind to foreigners.
~~~
The High King has, I suspect, worsened this matter in his attempt to reach reconciliation. The Mystic's of the Five Sun's Temple will not be mollified that Prince Erkin's foreign rites do not conflict with their rituals nor demand participation from outsiders. They say that the spirits will be confused and angered by the disorder foreign rituals will bring.
On this at least I am ambivalent, having spoken to the Prince and observed his rites. Although the worship of the seasons manifested through the sun and moon is strange and backward, I do not see the point of conflict. This Spring Sun seems an aspect of Dawn to me. There is no wrong in the propitiation of lesser aspects, so long as the Five maintain primacy in the state rituals.
Despite my misgivings then, I will need to advise the High King that this matter has likely been instigated by less spiritual concerns. Prince Erkin, disagreeable as his personage may be, is simply a pretense to undermine his legitimacy. The Conclave of Kings is but a few decades away, and it seems likely to me that he will meet challenge for his seat there.
Despite how helpful the prince's people have been in curbing the threat of the cloud tribes, I begin to wonder if this alliance has been in error, if it exposes such faults among our people.
***
Ling Qi grimaced, setting down the sheet of paper on which the journal entry had been transcribed. The page was a study in contrast the elegant script of modern imperial written above the simpler characters of the old weilu dialect. "You know, I'm not sure your findings bode all that well for our mission," Ling Qi grumbled.
"It does seem that relations were quite fraught," Meng Dan agreed, peering at her over his spectactles. "This was in the period leading up to the Mason's War, and this was so far as I have been able to discern, the last time the Weilu would reach out to outsiders before the Sage Emperor brought the Conclave of Kings to heel."
Ling Qi rubbed her temple with one hand. And wasn't that a weird idea. She knew that new emperors were chosen among the previous emperors children, or if necessary siblings by the imperial clans elders, but having what were basically the counts all come together to choose who among them would be duke seemed like it could only end in war.
"I'm really not sure how this fits with what we were told about the land they live in either," Ling Qi admitted, reaching out to place the page back atop the others. Meng Dan was still working out the chronology of the entries, the fragments he had found had been scattered out of order. "This prince seemed like he was very soft."
She had expected an account of a domineering sort of man, a gender flipped image of the imperious woman she had met in the caldera.
"Not all members of a given society match it's archetypes," Meng Dan pointed out with a chuckle, "Although soft is not the word I would use. You recall the seventeenth fragment?"
Ling Qi thought back a moment, that was the one… The one with the duel. Some high ranking warrior had challenged the prince, and he'd just stood there and accepted a beating until the challenger gave up. The journal writer had seemed somewhere between disgusted and impressed.
"...Crazy then," Ling Qi grumbled under her breath. She genuinely could not fathom a mindset like that. Enduring hardship sure but just accepting hurt without trying to retaliate or escape?
That was alien.
"As you wish," Meng Dan replied. "But I believe such appellations are futile when applied to those who cultivate. All of those who are drawn to the peak of power are mentally aberrant."
"That must be a popular opinion," Ling Qi said dryly. Meng Dan smiled mysteriously.
She sighed, glancing back down at the sheaf of papers, should she reread a few and try to glean more from the scraps.
"It's time to go," Sixiang's voice put an end to her thoughts.
"Is it so late already?" Meng Dan asked curiously. He glanced around at the empty carriage, now cleared of all his things. She had originally come here on the pretense of helping him pack, and to pick up Hanyi, since she had been hanging around Meng Dan pestering Yinhui, but it had turned into a shared study session in the wee hours of the morning.
Well, it had still been productive enough, even if she's gotten side tracked from getting to know him.
"It seems so," Ling Qi said. "Thank you for giving me access to your notes."
"It is always a pleasure to share with someone genuinely interested in the past," Meng Dan replied as he stood, smoothing his robes. "Hopefully we might discern more of use as I continue piecing things together."
"Opportunities might be a little thin, but I agree," Ling Qi said. "I will see you at the rendezvous."
***
The main Sect force had reached its stopping point for now, camped on a low mountainside that seemed like a hill among the immense peaks of the Wall, construction on a new fortress were already underway, dirt and stone were being shaped and foundations laid.
From here, the second leg of their journey would be setting out. Joining one of the dozen odd scouting forces that would be ranging out, they would hopefully slip without significant notice further to the south. Collecting her spirits, Ling Qi met Cai Renxiang and the others at the foot of the mountain.
The heiress looked strange, wearing the presence damping cloak of the Sect's scouting fortress. Cai Renxiang seemed so small without the radiance reflecting from Liming's glittering threads. The others wore them too, but even on Gan Guangli it didn't seem so odd. The only one going without was herself.
Her skill at stealth had surpassed the cloaks ability to enhance.
"Lady Cai," Ling Qi greeted, putting the thoughts from her mind as she touched down on the beaten dirt of the staging ground.
"Ling Qi," Cai Renxiang acknowledged, glancing up from the unrolled map which Xia Lin was helpfully holding out. "You have acquired the rest of our supplies?"
"I have," Ling Qi said, holding out her hand. In it was a white jade ring. Inside it were the groups supplies for the mission, medicines to help with recovery from battles or exhaustion, a short range escape talisman for each of them, the reagents for a temporary emergency shelter, environmental protection talismans and more. In addition, it contained diplomatic tokens, gifts to provide to envoys, and guidelines for a transport agreement and a treaty of nonaggression.
Cai Renxiang accepted the ring with a simple nod.
"Then, we may move to the main discussion, I think?" Meng Dan said, toying idly with his sleeves."
"Indeed," Gan Guangli rumbled. "We must determine which scouting route best serves our interests."
"Have you all come to any conclusion on that?" Ling Qi asked.
"Lady Cai has narrowed the choices," Xia Lin replied.
She glanced to Renxiang, who turned back to the map. "Based on the movements that the Sect has shared with us, I have discerned the paths least likely to lead to discovery by Cloud Tribes Forces?"
Ling QI leaned in as Renxiang traced her finger along a circuitous path leading west and then south "This region is known to be at the edge of the territories of conflicting tribes, which are not known to have entered confederation, but with current hostilities the barbarians are keeping to their camps. Still, while the land is tame, it would present us more risk of discovery."
"The tribes in that region are quite weak, it is likely that with our abilities, any hunting parties which happened upon us could be eliminated without difficulty, and our group gone before their disappearance could be investigated," Xia Lin said
"Perhaps," Cai Renxiang said, shifting her finger to the eat, where a black line indicated a deep pass between two mountains. "This is another. It is the lair of a fifth realm underworld dragon, and the barbarians avoid it. The creature has been amenable to speaking with imperials in the past. We may be able to negotiate passage."
"The pride of dragons is quite a thing however, and the beasts of the underworld are more prone to whim than most," Meng Dan pointed out. "The last reports available are two decades out of date as well."
"That is a deterrent, but new scouting does at least indicate the creature still lives," Cai Renxiang replied. "The last route which seems viable is this valley here."
Her finger moved down, tracing a path due south and then west. "This region is heavily forested for the Wall, but the spirits are wild, not well inured to human contact and poorly documented. The terrain is however much to our advantage."
"Hm, it seems to me that it would be the shortest route as well," Gan Guangli mused. "It may behoove us to quickly move out of region. I doubt the barbarians will leave the Sect uncontested for long."
"A good point," Cai Renxiang said. "Speak freely now, what do you believe is the best path?"
Ling Qi frowned and considered along with the others. What was the best route?
Together, they decided on...
[] The Contested Lands
[] The Underworld Pass
[] The Cold Forest
Few have kind words to speak of the mountain prince. His shrinking womanly demeanor earns no respect among the warriors and his foreign traditions bring much dislike from the mystics. How can a man be a husband if he cannot even provide his wife with the marriage dinner using his own hands? The dissatisfaction among the lesser kings who had hoped for the princess' hand is immense.
The High King pays too much mind to foreigners.
~~~
The High King has, I suspect, worsened this matter in his attempt to reach reconciliation. The Mystic's of the Five Sun's Temple will not be mollified that Prince Erkin's foreign rites do not conflict with their rituals nor demand participation from outsiders. They say that the spirits will be confused and angered by the disorder foreign rituals will bring.
On this at least I am ambivalent, having spoken to the Prince and observed his rites. Although the worship of the seasons manifested through the sun and moon is strange and backward, I do not see the point of conflict. This Spring Sun seems an aspect of Dawn to me. There is no wrong in the propitiation of lesser aspects, so long as the Five maintain primacy in the state rituals.
Despite my misgivings then, I will need to advise the High King that this matter has likely been instigated by less spiritual concerns. Prince Erkin, disagreeable as his personage may be, is simply a pretense to undermine his legitimacy. The Conclave of Kings is but a few decades away, and it seems likely to me that he will meet challenge for his seat there.
Despite how helpful the prince's people have been in curbing the threat of the cloud tribes, I begin to wonder if this alliance has been in error, if it exposes such faults among our people.
***
Ling Qi grimaced, setting down the sheet of paper on which the journal entry had been transcribed. The page was a study in contrast the elegant script of modern imperial written above the simpler characters of the old weilu dialect. "You know, I'm not sure your findings bode all that well for our mission," Ling Qi grumbled.
"It does seem that relations were quite fraught," Meng Dan agreed, peering at her over his spectactles. "This was in the period leading up to the Mason's War, and this was so far as I have been able to discern, the last time the Weilu would reach out to outsiders before the Sage Emperor brought the Conclave of Kings to heel."
Ling Qi rubbed her temple with one hand. And wasn't that a weird idea. She knew that new emperors were chosen among the previous emperors children, or if necessary siblings by the imperial clans elders, but having what were basically the counts all come together to choose who among them would be duke seemed like it could only end in war.
"I'm really not sure how this fits with what we were told about the land they live in either," Ling Qi admitted, reaching out to place the page back atop the others. Meng Dan was still working out the chronology of the entries, the fragments he had found had been scattered out of order. "This prince seemed like he was very soft."
She had expected an account of a domineering sort of man, a gender flipped image of the imperious woman she had met in the caldera.
"Not all members of a given society match it's archetypes," Meng Dan pointed out with a chuckle, "Although soft is not the word I would use. You recall the seventeenth fragment?"
Ling Qi thought back a moment, that was the one… The one with the duel. Some high ranking warrior had challenged the prince, and he'd just stood there and accepted a beating until the challenger gave up. The journal writer had seemed somewhere between disgusted and impressed.
"...Crazy then," Ling Qi grumbled under her breath. She genuinely could not fathom a mindset like that. Enduring hardship sure but just accepting hurt without trying to retaliate or escape?
That was alien.
"As you wish," Meng Dan replied. "But I believe such appellations are futile when applied to those who cultivate. All of those who are drawn to the peak of power are mentally aberrant."
"That must be a popular opinion," Ling Qi said dryly. Meng Dan smiled mysteriously.
She sighed, glancing back down at the sheaf of papers, should she reread a few and try to glean more from the scraps.
"It's time to go," Sixiang's voice put an end to her thoughts.
"Is it so late already?" Meng Dan asked curiously. He glanced around at the empty carriage, now cleared of all his things. She had originally come here on the pretense of helping him pack, and to pick up Hanyi, since she had been hanging around Meng Dan pestering Yinhui, but it had turned into a shared study session in the wee hours of the morning.
Well, it had still been productive enough, even if she's gotten side tracked from getting to know him.
"It seems so," Ling Qi said. "Thank you for giving me access to your notes."
"It is always a pleasure to share with someone genuinely interested in the past," Meng Dan replied as he stood, smoothing his robes. "Hopefully we might discern more of use as I continue piecing things together."
"Opportunities might be a little thin, but I agree," Ling Qi said. "I will see you at the rendezvous."
***
The main Sect force had reached its stopping point for now, camped on a low mountainside that seemed like a hill among the immense peaks of the Wall, construction on a new fortress were already underway, dirt and stone were being shaped and foundations laid.
From here, the second leg of their journey would be setting out. Joining one of the dozen odd scouting forces that would be ranging out, they would hopefully slip without significant notice further to the south. Collecting her spirits, Ling Qi met Cai Renxiang and the others at the foot of the mountain.
The heiress looked strange, wearing the presence damping cloak of the Sect's scouting fortress. Cai Renxiang seemed so small without the radiance reflecting from Liming's glittering threads. The others wore them too, but even on Gan Guangli it didn't seem so odd. The only one going without was herself.
Her skill at stealth had surpassed the cloaks ability to enhance.
"Lady Cai," Ling Qi greeted, putting the thoughts from her mind as she touched down on the beaten dirt of the staging ground.
"Ling Qi," Cai Renxiang acknowledged, glancing up from the unrolled map which Xia Lin was helpfully holding out. "You have acquired the rest of our supplies?"
"I have," Ling Qi said, holding out her hand. In it was a white jade ring. Inside it were the groups supplies for the mission, medicines to help with recovery from battles or exhaustion, a short range escape talisman for each of them, the reagents for a temporary emergency shelter, environmental protection talismans and more. In addition, it contained diplomatic tokens, gifts to provide to envoys, and guidelines for a transport agreement and a treaty of nonaggression.
Cai Renxiang accepted the ring with a simple nod.
"Then, we may move to the main discussion, I think?" Meng Dan said, toying idly with his sleeves."
"Indeed," Gan Guangli rumbled. "We must determine which scouting route best serves our interests."
"Have you all come to any conclusion on that?" Ling Qi asked.
"Lady Cai has narrowed the choices," Xia Lin replied.
She glanced to Renxiang, who turned back to the map. "Based on the movements that the Sect has shared with us, I have discerned the paths least likely to lead to discovery by Cloud Tribes Forces?"
Ling QI leaned in as Renxiang traced her finger along a circuitous path leading west and then south "This region is known to be at the edge of the territories of conflicting tribes, which are not known to have entered confederation, but with current hostilities the barbarians are keeping to their camps. Still, while the land is tame, it would present us more risk of discovery."
"The tribes in that region are quite weak, it is likely that with our abilities, any hunting parties which happened upon us could be eliminated without difficulty, and our group gone before their disappearance could be investigated," Xia Lin said
"Perhaps," Cai Renxiang said, shifting her finger to the eat, where a black line indicated a deep pass between two mountains. "This is another. It is the lair of a fifth realm underworld dragon, and the barbarians avoid it. The creature has been amenable to speaking with imperials in the past. We may be able to negotiate passage."
"The pride of dragons is quite a thing however, and the beasts of the underworld are more prone to whim than most," Meng Dan pointed out. "The last reports available are two decades out of date as well."
"That is a deterrent, but new scouting does at least indicate the creature still lives," Cai Renxiang replied. "The last route which seems viable is this valley here."
Her finger moved down, tracing a path due south and then west. "This region is heavily forested for the Wall, but the spirits are wild, not well inured to human contact and poorly documented. The terrain is however much to our advantage."
"Hm, it seems to me that it would be the shortest route as well," Gan Guangli mused. "It may behoove us to quickly move out of region. I doubt the barbarians will leave the Sect uncontested for long."
"A good point," Cai Renxiang said. "Speak freely now, what do you believe is the best path?"
Ling Qi frowned and considered along with the others. What was the best route?
Together, they decided on...
[] The Contested Lands
[] The Underworld Pass
[] The Cold Forest
Pretty sure this should be a statement, not a question. Specially since it's Cai Renxiang speaking.
fictionfan
Please sir, may I have some Meows?
- Location
- Tempe, AZ
Most likely obstacle barbarian scouts. Given that we lack group stealth techs if we encounter them we will likely have to kill them all to keep them from reporting back.
Wish we had more details on the level of cultivation of the dragon.
Little bro and little sis would likely have to help with the cold wood diplomacy. Guess we could call it practice?
Hmm.
A diplomatic mission slaughtering its way to the meet strikes me as questionable.
Cold Forest has obvious uses for Ling Qi and Zhengui's cultivation, but negotiating with many spirits could be much more fraught than negotiating with one.
Underworld dragon is a dragon, and that's neat. Also gives us potential for intel on shishigui activities, maybe.
A diplomatic mission slaughtering its way to the meet strikes me as questionable.
Cold Forest has obvious uses for Ling Qi and Zhengui's cultivation, but negotiating with many spirits could be much more fraught than negotiating with one.
Underworld dragon is a dragon, and that's neat. Also gives us potential for intel on shishigui activities, maybe.
- Location
- US
Just once I want to see Ling Qi voice SV's chosen option only for the other characters to collectively call her an idiot and choose something else.
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I'm inclined towards the Underworld Pass, myself. I think making contact with a fifth realm dragon with a history of being approachable to Imperials would be the optimum outcome. At least it would be useful intelligence to know if it still lives. And frankly after the commission with the dragons in the sect a couple weeks ago I think the dragon race has some juicy history re the Dragon Gods that will be good to learn about for future development.
Best case scenario, we make contact with a friendly fifth realm dragon and learn some really juicy information and secure a potential ally to fall back to if the diplomatic mission is attacked or betrayed. Worst case, the dragon is dead and we proceed relatively unimpeded. There is no indication that it will be hostile. The other two options present far more opportunity for conflict that may reflect badly on our diplomatic mission.
Best case scenario, we make contact with a friendly fifth realm dragon and learn some really juicy information and secure a potential ally to fall back to if the diplomatic mission is attacked or betrayed. Worst case, the dragon is dead and we proceed relatively unimpeded. There is no indication that it will be hostile. The other two options present far more opportunity for conflict that may reflect badly on our diplomatic mission.
- Location
- Somewhere.
Worst case is that the dragon is hostile and we, a bunch of third realms, have to deal with a fifth realm dragon trying to eat us.
We know its fifth realm, aka. Way Stronger Than Us. We really don't need more details, if a fifth realm creature wants to eat us then it'll eat us.
There's no reason to think the dragon is hostile, though. In fact the situation is the opposite, the dragon was noted as being willing to negotiate with Imperials. By contrast, the tribals bring the certainty of conflict, and the spirits in the forest are a complete unknown.
- Location
- US
Worst case isn't a hostile fifth realm dragon. Worst case is a dead fifth realm dragon. And whoever (or whatever) was strong enough to do so is still there.
- Location
- Charlton, NY
I'm thinking option 3, the Cold Forest. Mere third realms can't do anything against a realm 5 dragon if it decides against us for whatever inscrutable reason, and I'd rather not get harassed by barbarians, even if they're weak enough to not pose a true threat, because word of us might get out to stronger tribes that way.
True, but we could run into something like that on any of the paths we choose. It's not like we're guaranteed to only find Green or lower spirits or barbarians on the other paths.
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NoxOfUmbra
Shadow of the night
- Location
- Colombia, South América
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
[X] The Cold Forest
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- Location
- CA
The "underworld" part of "underworld dragon" feels like the important bit here. The Starstones are underground, aren't they? And our filth-cultivating underground friends.
Considering that seems to be the most hostile and most unknown faction in this whole thing, I'd like to know if they're either a) killing or b) making diplomatic approaches to past imperial contacts. That seems like important information, and I'm not sure that any other path can give us comparative intel.
Considering that seems to be the most hostile and most unknown faction in this whole thing, I'd like to know if they're either a) killing or b) making diplomatic approaches to past imperial contacts. That seems like important information, and I'm not sure that any other path can give us comparative intel.
Best path is the cold forest as it is the shortest path, we will be able to gain information about the area that the empire doesn't have, and although we are unlikely to pass uncontested it is possible. Also a bunch of weaker enemies that won't call stronger reinforcements is the best match up for Ling Qi if it comes to a fight, unless they have cold and drain resistance.
- Location
- Location: Location!
The first one seems a bit iffy, considering our collective skill set and LQ's in particular; convince me otherwise, if you have any light on the subject. I'm fine with either of the other two options. The main difference between those two is whether we want to diplomance a single threat or try to cajole, sneak and fight our way through a bunch of small threats.
Well, they are living in an icy forest that's grown up on land left behind by a glacier's retreat.
There's also no reason to think the icy forest's inhabitants are weak.
fictionfan
Please sir, may I have some Meows?
- Location
- Tempe, AZ
Don't really know what we could offer to a 5th realm. All the spirit stones we have ever used likely seems a small sum to it.
Ironically enough, culture might be an option. Dragons like art, and we've access to stuff that one who spends all their time in the Underworld won't.
Information, possibly. The war with the Shishigui is likely to be causing splash damage.