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.
Ling Qi made friends with one dragon by offering singing. The team is a pretty cultured group, heck, we could even do a gardening display with Zhenggui.
- Location
- US
You must learn three water arts and like it!
Black Noise
Curious
- Location
- About 1AU from Sol
Much as I'd like to meet a 5th realm dragon (slowly filling out our dragon-witnessing collection, already got 2nd, 3d and 6th covered by the gold noodle, heizui and his mom respectively; we've seen the 7th realm dragon king that's with Yuan He but haven't actually met him), the aesthetic of "The Cold Forest" just fits LQ+Zhengui+Hanyi just so much better.
Thematically, passing through untamed wildlands filled with alien spirits that live and endure the harsh cold of eternal winter seems a lot more appropriate than either of "probably cause more bad blood with unaffiliated clans" and "attempt negotiation for passage with a powerful spirit beast that doesn't actually have any special connection to the south".
Thematically, passing through untamed wildlands filled with alien spirits that live and endure the harsh cold of eternal winter seems a lot more appropriate than either of "probably cause more bad blood with unaffiliated clans" and "attempt negotiation for passage with a powerful spirit beast that doesn't actually have any special connection to the south".
- Location
- United States of America
People keep doomsaying the dragon option going "oh no well have to fight a 5th realm" but forgetting that the forest option is literraly the mystery ootion with unknown level spirits , unknown kinds of spirits, and to top it off spirits that have not been socialized with humans so very much have that wild alien mindset "yeah killing babies and wearing their skin is fine, why wouldnt it be? Morals? Is that a food?"
But not to worry guys, the forest is perfectly safe, and also the shortest route
. No let's not check in on the dragon thats been known to actually talk to imperiala and might have very useful info on the bordering territory and what's been going on recently. Becuase scurrryy
But not to worry guys, the forest is perfectly safe, and also the shortest route
. No let's not check in on the dragon thats been known to actually talk to imperiala and might have very useful info on the bordering territory and what's been going on recently. Becuase scurrryy
Would we know in character if the dragon is male or female? Because that actually makes a difference because we'd be the most likely to negotiate with it, and female dragons hate human women.
Edit:
[X] The Cold Forest
For now.
Edit:
[X] The Cold Forest
For now.
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[] The Cold Forest
1. Advantageous terrain.
2. LQ pretty good at negotiating with wild spirits.
3. Fastest route.
I think this choice has a lot going for it.
1. Advantageous terrain.
2. LQ pretty good at negotiating with wild spirits.
3. Fastest route.
I think this choice has a lot going for it.
LucidProp
Pocky Eating MafiaDoka
[] The Cold Forest
This would be my first choice, followed by the Dragon. We're gonna have to tame frontier lands eventually, so might as well get some practice. Besides, Ling Qi has alaways been good at dealing with spirits.
This would be my first choice, followed by the Dragon. We're gonna have to tame frontier lands eventually, so might as well get some practice. Besides, Ling Qi has alaways been good at dealing with spirits.
Dragons acknowledge no equal. A hierarchy must be established instantly.
People keep doomsaying the dragon option going "oh no well have to fight a 5th realm" but forgetting that the forest option is literraly the mystery ootion with unknown level spirits , unknown kinds of spirits, and to top it off spirits that have not been socialized with humans so very much have that wild alien mindset "yeah killing babies and wearing their skin is fine, why wouldnt it be? Morals? Is that a food?"
But not to worry guys, the forest is perfectly safe, and also the shortest route
Yeah I have no idea why people think the Cold Forest is the safer option here. We know literally nothing about it. If anything, the most straightforward option would be to just speed rush through Contested Lands. The dragon at least offers the possibility of a friendly, while Cold Forest is a complete unknown. For all we know we'd be waltzing into some Violet or Prism's backyard.
They're really proud and you need to show dominance were I believe the two salient points.
I might be remembering wrong though it's been a while.
EternalObserver
eYe Gaze baCk
- Location
- The Void
Either be Dominant or Subservient
Considering that it's a 5th realm, we kinda have no choice but to go with the latter
Does anyone *really* wanna go the subservient route though? Seems like an awkward scene all around.
Edit: Then again showing humility, foreshadowing important traits for the actual negotiations with a foreign polity... it's not the worst idea.
Edit2: Still not a big fan.
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Low risk of running into forces that are too much for us to handle, but high odds of putting a hard time limit on negotiations.
Given the Cloud Nomads history with dragons the complication is liable to be payment for passage, and/or running into a hunting party targeting the dragon.
The latter would normally be impossible, but a combination of desperation to gain an edge from killing something rare i.e earth dragon, and allies to force it out of the earth make it possible.
The probable lack of human interaction makes it a dice roll over how alien the spirits mindset is, and all it would take is a peer who ends up being hostile to make a mess of things.
Alternatively they're completely benevolent, but negotiations are slow due to them operating on a different time scale compared to humans i.e the ent problem.
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The mystery box could be anything! It could even be a dragon 
!
!
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Sure, why not? We're only third realm. If we make Ling Qi avoid everything that involves her being subservient we're going to have a REALLY rough time. We've been taking Ling Qi in the direction of a supporter and a political character anyways. There's going to be a lot of situations we can't solve just by overpowering others with our superior cultivation base.
Black Noise
Curious
- Location
- About 1AU from Sol
Dragons can play ball if there's someone stronger than them at the table. Take the birthday party Xin threw LQ with Heizui's mom (6th realm), Elder Su's ape (5th), Zequing (4th) and Xin herself (7th).
Of course, that was a civilized dragon lady that's been partner with a sect elder for probably-centuries and confident in her place on the hierarchy.
This is essentially a hermit dragon that the local tribes avoid. We can fairly confidently expect this one to behave like a king entertaining potentially edible subjects. Only reason this option is even on the table is because imperials have negotiated with it decades ago and lived.
This is probably an advantageous stance for us anyways. If we established dominance over the dragon and went on to get betrayed, the dragon would likely interpret that as a sign of weakness. If we're the dragon's "subordinates" and the barbarians betray us, the dragon might take that as an affront and come to our aid. If we have a the pretense of a nearby Fifth Realm backer, that might cause some barbarians to hesitate or refuse to attack to give the dragon face.
- Location
- Colorado
Just because the spirits aren't used to imperial contact doesn't mean they aren't used to human contact. Travelling through that area and negotiating with the spirits could give us valuable information about our destination. And some experience dealing with actual wild spirits rather than the mostly tame ones in the sect will be useful in the future.
- Location
- PA
...TBH given how Realm interaction works I'm leaning towards Cold Forest.
I mean, to begin with Ling Qi's elemental synergy with the region should equate to EZ unless Gan can't help but SUNSHINE FLEX right in the middle of a cave full of darkness bats or something.
Meanwhile, if the Dragon say, demands tribute in the form of a wheelbarrow full of gold and then gets cranky we are not making that negotiation roll.
As for the Barbearians? Eh, we could take them but I see no reason to try and provoke the rise of the next guy who's going to be the Seventh Sky.
That's Ling Qi's penultimate job, to be the Seventh Sky of Unification, that allows the Barbearians to enjoy their traditions while joining the Empire!
I mean, to begin with Ling Qi's elemental synergy with the region should equate to EZ unless Gan can't help but SUNSHINE FLEX right in the middle of a cave full of darkness bats or something.
Meanwhile, if the Dragon say, demands tribute in the form of a wheelbarrow full of gold and then gets cranky we are not making that negotiation roll.
As for the Barbearians? Eh, we could take them but I see no reason to try and provoke the rise of the next guy who's going to be the Seventh Sky.
Black Noise
Curious
- Location
- About 1AU from Sol
... Exceedingly stupid ideas aside (no, we're not gonna make a reputation play using a random 5th realm that isn't even aligned with our faction, and while we're here for diplomacy, it's over shared ancestral roots and cultural exchange. Best we've got with LQ here is an inheritor of the laughing wind thief with a distant descendent of the beast gods, or someone who would react about as well to an embodiment of mocking superiority).
I have a meta reason for going with the cold forest here (two actually):
Edit: moratorium over
[X] The Cold Forest
I have a meta reason for going with the cold forest here (two actually):
- Getting first hand experience with the local spirits (and the south in general). Experience that can be later inspire music or introspection, both to develop and enrich LQ's own themes (FVM was based on a similar experience), and those of her spirits ("forest of those that endure", and "spirits of the hungry cold" fit Zhengui and Hanyi quite well).
- MoSS and the general thrust of becoming an accomplished spirit mediator means getting exposed to many different alien mindsets and being able to understand and negotiate all the same (see also: the theme of this diomatic arc).
Edit: moratorium over
[X] The Cold Forest
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TimEd
Meteor maker
I like these two
This, because it would be good for Ling Qi to get more experience with Spirit Diplomacy. We might even be able to entice Hanyi to learn and help.
This because its more of a group thing, where Ling Qi, Hanyi, and Zhengui would all probably need to team up to clear the way. This also has the benefit of being exactly what Zhengui wanted, in that he would get a good taste of what an untamed area entails. Maybe he'd get Inspiration?
- Location
- The Star Kingdom of Manticore
Personally I think the cold forest will play with everyone's strengths. Contested land will be a lot of combat, something Xin Lia will enjoy. Underground will be a lot of diplomacy, something Ling Qi has a handle on. Cold forest seems to offer both. I think it is foolish to think we can charm and be diplomatic with every spirit there, just as I think it's unlikely that every spirit will be hostile. So to me cold forest spreads out responsibility and this decreases the chance for a terrible fumble.
- Location
- somewhere over there.
- Pronouns
- They/It
Depending on how old this dragon is, it makes sense that they'd be more friendly with Imperials than cloud tribes. The cloud tribes hate dragons because dragons used to eat them, consider them targets for powerful hunters, and have an oral history implying they were the ones to throw down the old dragon gods. Meanwhile in the Empire, they're powerful spirits to be respected, and strongly associated with the throne. Walking in, bowing, and going "hey, fuck the cloud tribes, amirite? We're here to make life harder for them by allying with some people who live too far away to have bothered you, mind if we walk through your truly beautiful lair to do it, awesome dragon who's super powerful and amazing?" could very well be enough to buy us passage for a token tribute.
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