[X] Promotion in the capital (High boost to Hanyi popularity, no change in reformer support)
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.
EternalObserver
eYe Gaze baCk
- Location
- The Void
Think its like:
Weilu Reactionary - They want things to be like the good old days. There's probably sub factions that think it was okay back in Hui days, and some who want to go all the way to the Mason's war.
Weilu Conservative - They don't want change, things should go on as they have been when they were raised. The sub factions probably fractionally distill by their era, and on another axis by the reason they don't want change, as some simply resist change out of inertia, and some for fear that things might get worse.
Weilu Reformist - They want things to be better, but are distinguished from Imperial bloc by the cultural basis. The sub factions split by what things they see as better, and what costs are worth it.
Side note, before modern politics took the terms and ran with it, it should be a breakdown as:
-Reactionary - The movement forming as a result of a change. They dislike elements of a change and thus want to undo the change.
-Conservative - The 'base' state, people who like things as they are and frown on unnecessary changes.
-Reformist - The movement forming as a result of dissatisfaction with the status quo and want to go further.
Except modern conservatives have gotten increasingly reactionary over time.
-Conservative - The 'ground' state, people who want things to be like they were in the times
Tiangong is also literally the chinese word for Heaven.
Celestial Palace/Manor.
The big difference with Tiangong is that its still largely material, its just that the layout of the city shifts and changes, a long time resident, even a mortal, will generally know how to navigate for the most part though. This is also part of its defense against both spirits and enemies.
But disregarding that, can I get the tally?
But disregarding that, can I get the tally?
- Location
- some computer lab
- Pronouns
- He
It'll be always misty.
TimEd
Meteor maker
If we have mist on the ground, raijuu booming on the ash clouds above, maybe we can have flowers lighting the ways of our fief.
Heck, maybe we can make bioluminecent flowers can be the secret language of our fief, lighting the way and signposting warnings of danger or shops and the like.
Heck, maybe we can make bioluminecent flowers can be the secret language of our fief, lighting the way and signposting warnings of danger or shops and the like.
Last edited:
Hang on, wasn't Meng Dan her grandson?
yrs forgot again. Just send him a message about it.
Tasoli
Life is for Living
- Location
- Behind the Keyboard.
Speaking of, how hard would it be to make CKII(I) mod for this game? I feel like it would either be very fun or very frustrating.
Make years the basic unit of time. People's max age varies wildly based off traits. Breakthroughs are events and run off a "Talent" trait. Most stuff can use money to give you better odds and money is made through taxes/hunts.
Realms are characteristics (like Temperate or Proud) that dramatically improve base traits. I'm not sure how war would work.
LQ would be someone really lucking out with "Present Debutante"
Dominions is another good choice to model the empire. You could probably make the various provinces into nations.
Thousand Lakes: more snake-ish Patala
Western Territories: plant Lanka, lots of monster summons
Heavenly Peaks: MA Tien Chi but with Jomon's dragons
Golden Fields: MA Marignon but with more Air and Water instead of Astral
Grave of the Sun: Fire themed MA Ermor, but with immortal commanders
Cloud Nomads: LA Tien Chi, lacking chinese soldiers but having lots of flying cavalry
Alabaster Sands: Sailing raiders (I don't know much about their cultivation so its hard to say what their elements would be)
Savage Seas: LA Jomon but with a Xuan Wu multihero.
Emerald Seas: A nation much like MA Ind, but with the non-capital stuff based around the various Counts instead.
Ebon Rivers: MA Bandar Log, but with unrest boosting thugs and super combatants.
LQ Pog
CedeTheBees
Probably high right now
- Location
- Somewhere
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Ling Qi when she finds new drugs:
- Location
- The Space Between
I mean. MA Ermor has plenty of living people making up the backbone. LA Lemuria probably makes more sense. Freespawn on Freespawn on Freespawn
You are thinking of MA Sceleria. MA Ermor is nothin but Skellie Bois. LA Lemuria is lots of Ghostie Bois
- Location
- The Space Between
mm. Still think it's more like Lemuria. Lemuria has native access to commanders with immortality, and you need to bring the counters to them or they'll run you over
rmrf
professional procrastinator
This is so cursed, I love it! Good stuff
Turn 13: Arc 7-5
"I think I would like to work the southwest into our plans," Ling Qi said, inclining her head. "It will be some time before we can afford regular trips to the capital, I think."
"The road to Xiangamen is long," Meng Diu agreed, sounding pleased. "I will speak to those who make such decisions and put them in contact."
"Thank you Lady Meng," Ling Qi said. "Might I have another question?"
Meng Diu silently gave a small nod.
Ling Qi as silent for a beat as well, working out in her head with Sixiang precisely how she wished to phrase her question. "What vision do those who seek reform have for the future? What makes them differ from what people call moderates of the weilu tradition."
"A fair query. One which I could answer for the remainder of the day. The ones you speak of are best represented by the Luo clan. They have their pride, they maintain their traditions," Meng Diu said slowly. "But they are content with that, they lack conviction. And so they are worn away, year by year, as a mountain in the face of the wind."
Ling Qi didn't say a word, remaining silent as the older woman spoke.
"So too, those you would call conservatives. They are more fierce in the defense of our way, but they have long ceased to seek to turn the minds of others. They stand in a dying garden and declare 'No more' but they have not sown a seed in a thousand years. As for the other's," Meng Diu's lips curled in contempt. "Time's hand cannot be turned back. A burned grove is gone. It can never be restored, only replaced. What we wish for is simple young Lady, we wish to restore the vigor of our people to remind them of why our traditions were once followed, and why they are still worth following."
She smiled humorlessly. "But I speak in sweeping words. In the immediate term, baroness, our goal is to restore the honor of our faith, the Pure Way to acceptability, after the debasement of the Hui. And to drum up support for repair and investment in our southwestern territories. The south of the province is still in flux, all these centuries later. It is there where we might reverse our decline."
"I admit, I am a little uneducated on those matters," Ling Qi said. "You do not see yourself in opposition to the Duchess in any of that."
"I am in opposition to her pet killer certainly," Meng Diu said with a frown. "But in my century serving at the court, I have found that this is not the same. The stars of her great followers rise and fall in the Duchess' consideration."
Ling Qi nodded silently. Her mind flashed to the cold expression of the Heron General Xia Ren. She did not think she would ever like that woman. She reminded Ling Qi of burning forests and the taste of blood on her tongue. "I see, I will need to speak to my liege, but I would like it if we could correspond in the future. I would like to know more of the ways in which I have apparently stumbled."
The older woman nodded. "Of course, It is important to cultivate the youth after all. Perhaps we will have time when you come north for your auction. Until then, allow me to introduce you to viscount Rui."
Ling Qi gave a short bow of gratitude, and folded her arms behind her back, following after meng Diu as the older woman began to introduce her to the various worthies at the little gathering.
"Look at you, being all uncouth," Sixiang laughed, the ghostly image of their face appearing over her shoulder. "Tut, tut, what would everyone think."
"There's no one around to complain," Ling Qi said dryly, shaking out her sleeves to make them hang properly again as she lowered her arms. She paused for a moment, considering. "No one who could politely admit it anyway."
There were probably a lot of perception focused cultivators around after all. She began to walk again, leaving the pavilions further behind as she headed toward the hills. She had flown this far, but she had felt like strolling the last little bit.
"Seriously though, you've gotten better," Sixiang said idly, their phantom weight resting on her shoulder.
Ling Qi let her gaze wander up to the afternoon sky. "So have you. Do you remember that first party?"
Sixiang cringed theatrically. "Ugh, we were both a couple of bumpkin's huh?"
"A bit," Ling Qi chuckled."It was disrespect on my part though."
"...Yeah," Sixiang agreed.
There had been a certain contempt, Ling Qi thought, for the idea of nobles. It was still there in the corner of her heart, if she was honest, every time she saw a display that could have fed a city if it was sold. But, it was just the way things were. The strong do as they will, the weak do as they must. That was life.
"It doesn't always have to be like that," Sixiang said idly.
"Sure, I believe in Renxiang after all. But its always going to be a struggle not to revert to the resting state, even if we succeed at everything," Ling Qi mused. She smiled faintly. "My original point was, all these displays and rituals… they're not so different from what the priests do with spirits huh? This stuff, it's all carefully constructed to discourage us from staving each others heads in with rocks."
"You'd all probably be more flashy about it," Sixiang chuckled.
"A fancy rock is still a rock," Ling Qi chuckled. And that was what she was doing now, trying to extend those rituals, that acknowledgement to a whole other people. That they might all avoid painting the mountains crimson.
When in the world had she begun to think that she had any business taking on such a problem?
"When you decided you were gonna reach the peak of cultivation," Sixiang said
Ling QI didn't reply, they had arrived.
She saw Xuan Shi and Wang Chao up on the hill, but there was someone else here too. Luo Zhong stood at the top of the hill with them, smiling easily as he chatted with the animated Wang Chao. Zhengui watched them all with what she recognized as polite befuddlement, which probably meant they were talking politics.
"Hello honored guests," Ling Qi said politely as Sixiang's image blew away on the wind. "It looks like we have picked up one more."
"Sect brother Luo met us on the way, and I didn't see the harm in bringing him along," Wang Chao declared cheerfully. "We already intended to invite him to our gathering after, no?"
"I am sorry for the intrusion, but this sounded quite interesting," Luo Zhong said in a conciliatory tone. "Naturally I will leave if our host wishes."
It would be rude. Not unacceptably so, but just enough. It reminded her of why Luo Zhong irritated her just a little. "I don't mind your presence. Although… Sect brother Xuan?"
"This one has no objections," Xuan Shi said placidly. "If Sir Wang and Lady Ling believe brother Luo's integrity."
Of course not.
"Do you know what we were intending, Luo Zhong?" Ling Qi asked politely.
"Some casual technique and formation demonstrations," Luo Zhong said, straightening up from his bow. "Sect brother Xuan's innovations are impressive, or so I hear."
"Sect brother Luo is too generous," Xuan Shi said, shrugging his broad shoulders. "And this is merely a casual meeting."
Ling Qi blinked at the hard emphasis Xuan Shi put on that word, and she knew Luo Zhong caught it too, from the way he straightened up marginally.
"Huh, Turtle-boy doesn't usually stand up for himself like that," Sixiang mused.
"Yeah, Big Sis said this was just for fun," Gui said haughtily, it really didn't suit him.
"Haha, of course it's just for fun sir Ling," Wang Chao chuffed. "I think we've all had enough of serious concerns for the day. You would not believe how my sister grilled me over my performance in these last months."
Ling Qi smiled. "I am sure your Elder sister is merely showing affection in her own way, she only wishes for you to excel.."
"Bah, she's gotten to you already!" Wang Chao said, throwing up his hands.
Luo Zhong watched them pensively in silence. Xuan Shi did so with an unreadable air.
Ling Qi watched Luo Zhong out of the corner of her eye, considering. How did she want to handle his presence?
[] Be polite, but no more, as he had let her feel her own way along, he could do the same, if Luo Zhong has a concern, he is free to bring it up.
[] You can afford to be more gracious, as a minor power move if nothing else, and you are curious what he is up to.
"The road to Xiangamen is long," Meng Diu agreed, sounding pleased. "I will speak to those who make such decisions and put them in contact."
"Thank you Lady Meng," Ling Qi said. "Might I have another question?"
Meng Diu silently gave a small nod.
Meng Diu Bond Gained, set to 1
Labyrinth Lords Questline Begun
Labyrinth Lords Questline Begun
Ling Qi as silent for a beat as well, working out in her head with Sixiang precisely how she wished to phrase her question. "What vision do those who seek reform have for the future? What makes them differ from what people call moderates of the weilu tradition."
"A fair query. One which I could answer for the remainder of the day. The ones you speak of are best represented by the Luo clan. They have their pride, they maintain their traditions," Meng Diu said slowly. "But they are content with that, they lack conviction. And so they are worn away, year by year, as a mountain in the face of the wind."
Ling Qi didn't say a word, remaining silent as the older woman spoke.
"So too, those you would call conservatives. They are more fierce in the defense of our way, but they have long ceased to seek to turn the minds of others. They stand in a dying garden and declare 'No more' but they have not sown a seed in a thousand years. As for the other's," Meng Diu's lips curled in contempt. "Time's hand cannot be turned back. A burned grove is gone. It can never be restored, only replaced. What we wish for is simple young Lady, we wish to restore the vigor of our people to remind them of why our traditions were once followed, and why they are still worth following."
She smiled humorlessly. "But I speak in sweeping words. In the immediate term, baroness, our goal is to restore the honor of our faith, the Pure Way to acceptability, after the debasement of the Hui. And to drum up support for repair and investment in our southwestern territories. The south of the province is still in flux, all these centuries later. It is there where we might reverse our decline."
"I admit, I am a little uneducated on those matters," Ling Qi said. "You do not see yourself in opposition to the Duchess in any of that."
"I am in opposition to her pet killer certainly," Meng Diu said with a frown. "But in my century serving at the court, I have found that this is not the same. The stars of her great followers rise and fall in the Duchess' consideration."
Ling Qi nodded silently. Her mind flashed to the cold expression of the Heron General Xia Ren. She did not think she would ever like that woman. She reminded Ling Qi of burning forests and the taste of blood on her tongue. "I see, I will need to speak to my liege, but I would like it if we could correspond in the future. I would like to know more of the ways in which I have apparently stumbled."
The older woman nodded. "Of course, It is important to cultivate the youth after all. Perhaps we will have time when you come north for your auction. Until then, allow me to introduce you to viscount Rui."
Ling Qi gave a short bow of gratitude, and folded her arms behind her back, following after meng Diu as the older woman began to introduce her to the various worthies at the little gathering.
***
Ling Qi stretched her arms over her head and let out a sigh of satisfaction."Look at you, being all uncouth," Sixiang laughed, the ghostly image of their face appearing over her shoulder. "Tut, tut, what would everyone think."
"There's no one around to complain," Ling Qi said dryly, shaking out her sleeves to make them hang properly again as she lowered her arms. She paused for a moment, considering. "No one who could politely admit it anyway."
There were probably a lot of perception focused cultivators around after all. She began to walk again, leaving the pavilions further behind as she headed toward the hills. She had flown this far, but she had felt like strolling the last little bit.
"Seriously though, you've gotten better," Sixiang said idly, their phantom weight resting on her shoulder.
Ling Qi let her gaze wander up to the afternoon sky. "So have you. Do you remember that first party?"
Sixiang cringed theatrically. "Ugh, we were both a couple of bumpkin's huh?"
"A bit," Ling Qi chuckled."It was disrespect on my part though."
"...Yeah," Sixiang agreed.
There had been a certain contempt, Ling Qi thought, for the idea of nobles. It was still there in the corner of her heart, if she was honest, every time she saw a display that could have fed a city if it was sold. But, it was just the way things were. The strong do as they will, the weak do as they must. That was life.
"It doesn't always have to be like that," Sixiang said idly.
"Sure, I believe in Renxiang after all. But its always going to be a struggle not to revert to the resting state, even if we succeed at everything," Ling Qi mused. She smiled faintly. "My original point was, all these displays and rituals… they're not so different from what the priests do with spirits huh? This stuff, it's all carefully constructed to discourage us from staving each others heads in with rocks."
"You'd all probably be more flashy about it," Sixiang chuckled.
"A fancy rock is still a rock," Ling Qi chuckled. And that was what she was doing now, trying to extend those rituals, that acknowledgement to a whole other people. That they might all avoid painting the mountains crimson.
When in the world had she begun to think that she had any business taking on such a problem?
"When you decided you were gonna reach the peak of cultivation," Sixiang said
Ling QI didn't reply, they had arrived.
She saw Xuan Shi and Wang Chao up on the hill, but there was someone else here too. Luo Zhong stood at the top of the hill with them, smiling easily as he chatted with the animated Wang Chao. Zhengui watched them all with what she recognized as polite befuddlement, which probably meant they were talking politics.
"Hello honored guests," Ling Qi said politely as Sixiang's image blew away on the wind. "It looks like we have picked up one more."
"Sect brother Luo met us on the way, and I didn't see the harm in bringing him along," Wang Chao declared cheerfully. "We already intended to invite him to our gathering after, no?"
"I am sorry for the intrusion, but this sounded quite interesting," Luo Zhong said in a conciliatory tone. "Naturally I will leave if our host wishes."
It would be rude. Not unacceptably so, but just enough. It reminded her of why Luo Zhong irritated her just a little. "I don't mind your presence. Although… Sect brother Xuan?"
"This one has no objections," Xuan Shi said placidly. "If Sir Wang and Lady Ling believe brother Luo's integrity."
Of course not.
"Do you know what we were intending, Luo Zhong?" Ling Qi asked politely.
"Some casual technique and formation demonstrations," Luo Zhong said, straightening up from his bow. "Sect brother Xuan's innovations are impressive, or so I hear."
"Sect brother Luo is too generous," Xuan Shi said, shrugging his broad shoulders. "And this is merely a casual meeting."
Ling Qi blinked at the hard emphasis Xuan Shi put on that word, and she knew Luo Zhong caught it too, from the way he straightened up marginally.
"Huh, Turtle-boy doesn't usually stand up for himself like that," Sixiang mused.
"Yeah, Big Sis said this was just for fun," Gui said haughtily, it really didn't suit him.
"Haha, of course it's just for fun sir Ling," Wang Chao chuffed. "I think we've all had enough of serious concerns for the day. You would not believe how my sister grilled me over my performance in these last months."
Ling Qi smiled. "I am sure your Elder sister is merely showing affection in her own way, she only wishes for you to excel.."
"Bah, she's gotten to you already!" Wang Chao said, throwing up his hands.
Luo Zhong watched them pensively in silence. Xuan Shi did so with an unreadable air.
Ling Qi watched Luo Zhong out of the corner of her eye, considering. How did she want to handle his presence?
[] Be polite, but no more, as he had let her feel her own way along, he could do the same, if Luo Zhong has a concern, he is free to bring it up.
[] You can afford to be more gracious, as a minor power move if nothing else, and you are curious what he is up to.
CedeTheBees
Probably high right now
- Location
- Somewhere
- Pronouns
- They/Them
I'm leaning towards the first option. I'm a big fan of pettiness.
Also, considering how dickish he was to Qingling and the fact that he somehow managed to annoy Xuan Shi, I don't really wanna give him an easy in.
Also, considering how dickish he was to Qingling and the fact that he somehow managed to annoy Xuan Shi, I don't really wanna give him an easy in.
Last edited: