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

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[X] Remain in your current place and maintain your current goals.

It is definitely going to lose. I honestly wouldn't vote for it if I thought it might actually win, because I really like the idea of the Ice Ladies arc. But it does kind of feel like a bait-and-switch from our original task.
 
[X] Take a central role in diplomacy with the White Sky
 
Slummocky said:
I've come to this quest after having caught up with the edited version on Royal Road. I felt that the climax of the first novel and the hook for the next was Shenua's challenge to her daughter and Ling Qi to achieve a certain sect rank and win the intersect tournament before their time in the sect is over.
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The challenge regarding the intersect tournament was for CRX to put together a team and win, LQ does not have to be on that team.

White Sky route LQ defs won't be involved, but I don't think we've had confirmation that this would also effect CRX's involvement.
 
Omniatrix said:
It is definitely going to lose. I honestly wouldn't vote for it if I thought it might actually win, because I really like the idea of the Ice Ladies arc. But it does kind of feel like a bait-and-switch from our original task.
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I've seen this idea before, but ultimately it's a logical outgrowth of the options picked.

Baaaasically at every turn where we could have directly benefited ourselves, we prioritized the creation and maintenance of a relationship with White Sky - with one glaring exception. We picked the genealogical tome instead of the musical works mostly because it would help with diplomacy, we picked to share a story of ourselves rather than uncap a skill or deal with the heart demon, and when it came time to possibly leaving Meng Da behind as diplomat-ambassador we said no - largely, it seemed, because we wanted to do it ourselves.

Like, if I were QM I would also assume this is the route players wanted to take and offer them the option.
 
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[X] Take a central role in diplomacy with the White Sky

I'm still fine with either route but with the full info I'd like this one more.
 
Also I feel like our original task was honestly, like, kinda not something anyone (i.e. Renxiang, LQ, or Shenhua) was wildly invested in? Like, it felt more like a basic "by default" option Shenhua went with because there was nothing more interesting available to her at the time.
 
People are being way too quick to dismiss diplomacy route as abandoning certain characters or sacrificing influence in the empire. It does sacrifice some of those things, but less than everyone's claiming. This hurts us with imperial conservatives, but it's the fast-track to getting a lot of cred with the Bao. This takes us from 'Bao want a closer connection to the Cai, this Ling Qi girl is the closest convenient way to get that' to 'wait we blinked and Ling Qi turned into the gateway to a massive new trading partner on top of the Cai connection.' Next time we meet Bao Qian he's probably going to be giddy, this is an opportunity beyond even his wildest expectations.

And this is also just about the only thing we could have done to get even more interest/regard from the Xuan. They will be watching our career with great interest, and might even encourage Xuan Shi to follow us. He's hardly glued to the Sect, he only went there to read 1 book in the first place.

[X] Take a central role in diplomacy with the White Sky
 
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FixerUpper said:
Probably not exactly how it will go, but anthropologists tend to report a 'stranger im a strange land' at first when doing fieldwork in foreign places, only for it to be replaced by 'stranger in my own strange land' type feeling when they return home and I am all about that plus a wuxia scramble for power and prestige.
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It doesn't help that Ling Qi didn't exactly grow up already enmeshed in imperial politics/nobility, so she's going to be influenced relatively more by this position than a hypothetical diplomatic noble peer of hers.
 
[X] Take a central role in diplomacy with the White Sky

I'm Ok with both options but I'm much more excited about the ice diplo. We've analyzed costs and benefits extensively but on a selfish note, I love cultural exchange story-lines and I'm sick of tournaments.
 
Safe:
Renxiang
GG
LQ
Biyu + Qingge
Meizhen
Fefe (the question being whether she also stays at Sect, or immediately leaves to follow Meizhen)

Maybe:
Li Suyin (strong sect route, but will have more interesting rare things and free time away from being overworked by Sect. Likely to stay, but might leave. Especially if Qingling is going too. Even if she returns to the Sect afterwards, the opportunity is pretty juicy)
Su Ling (Sect is strong, but I'm sure we could pitch her on Renxiang's Justice. She has a heart for the commoner like nobody in the current circle has. She'd make it better)
Bao Qingling (following our group would pursue personal goal of Duchess' Attention and Bao clan interest in new trade)
Bao Qian (following our group would pursue personal goal of new prospects and Bao clan interest in new trade)
Wang Chao (Scion of relevant Border Count, might be regular visitor might drop by rarely)
Xuan Shi (by all accounts should be a definite yes, but because he is who he is he might just choose to stay home)

Not happening:
Ruan Shen and Bian Ya, who won't forget we saved his life.
Jiao and Xin
ThunderPupper gal and the concert in the sky
Alingge (well. Maybe. But I doubt she'd be coming)
Guan Zhi
Ji Rong and Sun Liling
Hypothetical Imperial Contacts From Someplace Relevant
Happy Sect
Luo boy (I would assume, but he could probably get in. If Qingling is coming though . . . well it might be better for Luo to send someone else)

people that are already gone:
Broken Fields Group (Han Jian, Han Fang, Fan Who)
Ma Sisters
Xiulan (who might be able to show up wherever we are anyway)
Liao Zhu (in a coma and dying)


I duno. The only part of our social group tied inextricably to Sect is Music Club. Everything else has a shot of staying relevant, or a personal choice on the other person's part. Everybody else is getting picked up and yeeted to !notRussia with us, lol
 
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[X] Take a central role in diplomacy with the White Sky
yrsillar said:
"I can only assume. I am not privy to her methods," Cai Renxiang said. "I do know that I am unable to form normal spirit bonds, and that Liming cannot be attuned to any other person. I cannot even be very far from it for long periods of time."
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...isn't that the Cloud tribe thing?
But instead of merging with a spirit beast you craft a person and a spirit out of a person and then bind them to themselves.
 
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