Ji Rong always does everything the Hard Way, but that's why the people that do like him, like him so much.
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.
I feel like the way to integrate the grandmasters is to learn how to play in each of their styles and then have some sort of synthesis where LQ figures out what she wants to take from each of them. This would probably be an ongoing process that would repeat several times during her life.
However I think it would be more productive for LQ to do the same thing for her own cultivation instead: she has a number of different traits that she could interrogate her Music with and then see what does and does not make sense. Does Dreamwalker fit in with Woodwind? What about Unbroken Will? Winter's Heart? Liminal Carver? LQ's cultivation has a bunch of different pieces that almost fit together but don't quite. The goal should be some sort of coherent story of who LQ is. This would presumably culminate in either a personal Art, a name quest, or something of the sort.
The reason I think focusing on the grandmasters is a mistake is that they add more stuff to LQ's cultivation which is already stuffed to the gills. Do we really want another four Arts (one for each grandmaster and then one for the synthesis)? That is a big time commitment for very little in the way of reward.
However I think it would be more productive for LQ to do the same thing for her own cultivation instead: she has a number of different traits that she could interrogate her Music with and then see what does and does not make sense. Does Dreamwalker fit in with Woodwind? What about Unbroken Will? Winter's Heart? Liminal Carver? LQ's cultivation has a bunch of different pieces that almost fit together but don't quite. The goal should be some sort of coherent story of who LQ is. This would presumably culminate in either a personal Art, a name quest, or something of the sort.
The reason I think focusing on the grandmasters is a mistake is that they add more stuff to LQ's cultivation which is already stuffed to the gills. Do we really want another four Arts (one for each grandmaster and then one for the synthesis)? That is a big time commitment for very little in the way of reward.
And this is just the passive plant life!
Glorious perfect murder jungle , lol , how is everyone not already dead and compost.
I'm getting the feeling there's not a lot of mortals around , or reds , or even yellows; greens are probably the weakest people that can walk around the jungle.
this place reminds me of Gourmet world from Toriko, just not as delicious
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Yeah you're pretty much right. Almost the entire population of Sun Shao's kingdom resides within the craters, but mortals not really leaving the cities they live in isn't particularly different than the rest of the empire, just much more immediately deadly.
Tasoli
Life is for Living
- Location
- Behind the Keyboard.
Like Anatolian Rock IRL. That kind of fusion is always fun.
This was the moment when LQ felt a shiver run down her back the first time since cultivating cold arts and not in a battle, and looked west, for she sensed someone challenge her over the domain of headpats.
- Location
- Leeds
Gotta admit, I was confused for a moment why he wanted to see Ling Qi.
Turn 13 Arc 7-6 Part 2
The texture of the concept expressed through these talisman's felt strange compared to her own understanding, embedded now forever in the blade she had a part of herself. It was privation of a sort, but the closest she could come to articulating the difference here and now was that she cultivated loneliness in scarcity. The deprived wasteland of deepest winter. His seemed more like that of a starving man surrounded by a feast he couldn't touch, to be alone even in the densest crowd.
Familiar in its way, but not quite intersecting?
"Sister Ling?"
Xuan Shi's voice broke her from her thoughts. She raised her head and put on a smile. "Apologies, I lost myself in thought for a moment. I think that's enough of an initial test for me."
"As Sister Ling wishes," Xuan Shi said, bowing his head.
Ling Qi returned the gesture and turned away. "Shall you give it a try Sir Luo?"
"My host is gracious," Luo Zhong said, turning away from Wang Chao. "I may have a technique or two to try."
"Feel free, son of Luo," Xuan Shi said.
Ling Qi moved back from the cleared area and moved to stand beside Zhengui, resting a hand on his head as Luo Zhong took up the field. "Thank you for preparing the ground Zhengui," she said absently, brushing her fingers over smooth scales.
"Zhen was pleased to help," his other half said snootily, bumping his broad head against her shoulder. Ling Qi chuckled and reached up to rub the serpents brow ridges as well.
"It's kinda boring with everyone busy," Gui said quietly. "But that is good too, 'cause it gives Zhen and Gui time to think."
"It gives I, Zhen time to argue with thickheaded Gui perhaps," the serpent hissed.
Ling Qi gave a small hum of acknowledgement, she knew Zhengui needed time to contemplate and work through things too, beast cultivation was narrower, but not so different really. As she watched, Luo politely bowed to Xuan Shi before a flick of his wrist brought a paper talisman into his hands.
"Well I'll find time to talk to you if you need it," she said. She wasn't going to be overbearing but she would be available.
Zhen gave a happy hiss as she gave his head one last pat and returned her hand to the top of Gui's head.
Qi burned across the characters inked on the talisman in Luo Zhong's hand, and Ling Qi cocked her head as she felt threads of qi extending into the spiritual realm, calling, or rather, pulling on something, like a leash or a tether. Crimson fire bloomed within the circling tiles, right between Xuan Shi's feet.
The whirling tiles slammed down in a solid dome, cutting Xuan Shi off from the outside entirely. A breath passed and then they came apart, the fire was gone.
"Well it would have been disappointing if it was really so easy," Luo Zhong chuckled.The same fire burned on one character of the paper talisman, fitful and sparking.
"It was an obvious solution, to create a construct within the defenses," Xuan Shi agreed. "But one would be more foolish not to try, if the option is there."
Ling Qi cocked her head to the side a little as she watched Luo Zhong nod and sweep the talisman held between his fingers through a few rapid, sharp movements. The light burning in the characters changed,red bleeding to silver, lighting up new characters. Again she felt a pull on threads extending out of the material.
"What fun," Wang Chao said loudly as he reached her side. He watched with interest as a horse sized hound of silver fire erupted from the earth under Xuan Shi's feet, carrying him skyward on the platform formed of the barrier panels that had snapped into place under his feet. The talisman in Luo Zhong's hand swept through the air vertically, trailing glittering blue light, and a second hound wrought of Clouds and lightning coalesced from the mist left behind by her own arts, diving down to strike like lightning against the dome forming over Xuan Shi's head. "It seems like brother Luo is taking this a bit seriously!"
Ling Qi glanced his way. "It does seem so. What is the art he is using, those aren't bound spirits, I can tell that much."
"Luo contract techniques," Wang Chao said. "He used them in our tournament too."
That jogged Ling Qi's memory. In studying the clans of Emerald Seas she had seen that mentioned that the Luo had retained a somewhat unorthodox spirit binding and relations tradition from their branch of the Weilu. She'd not put much thought into it before.
Green light burned on the talisman, the silver wolf dissolved and the wind picked up with an animal howl, a nigh invisible green flash the only sign of the third 'spirit' summoned it felt like sharp edges and spring wind, and she saw chips of ceramic go flying as it struck innumerable times in quick succession at the whirling panels.
"So that's why I can feel his qi pulling at something out of sight," Ling Qi mused.
"Pretty costly from the feel of it," Sixiang whispered.
"Right, contract arts don't allow the full spirit to be drawn on, but only a certain fraction determined by negotiations," Wang Chao said, putting on his knowledgeable voice. "And only to do certain specific things."
"Is that so," Ling Qi said, offering a smile. Push and pull, give and take, that explained what she was feeling from those weird liminal connections. It was not too unlike what she'd done with the river spirit, offering power for a service or boon.
Transaction, it was not completely alien to her own thoughts of community and communication, but the way Luo Zhong employed it felt… coarse to her, that was the best word she could find. Impersonal perhaps.
The lightshow on the hill ended as Xuan Shi crashed back to earth. There was a single tiny chip in the brim of his hat. "An Impressive trick. Such a small thing, slipping in amidst the bright and flashing threats. "This one will have to adjust the formations threat detection."
Luo Zhong smiled faintly, raising his hand to allow a glittering dragonfly seemingly made from glass to alight on his fingers. "Against powerful techniques, your work is truly superlative, Brother Xuan. This little trick could hardly change the course of a battle."
"Perhaps not alone," Xuan Shi said inclining his head. "Nonetheless, this one humbly thanks Brother Luo for providing this consideration."
"Well that was a fine demonstration!" Wang Chao said loudly, walking off toward the two of them. Ling Qi sighed, and giving Zhengui one last pat on the head, followed after.
"A good opening," Xuan Shi agreed. "Thou must all be considering paths toward circumventing mine technique by now."
He sounded pleased by that. It surprised her a little. It seemed that Xuan Shi did have something of a competitive streak, if pushed.
"Maybe, maybe," Wang Chao said with a grin. "What sort of form do you think the game should take going forward?"
"Perhaps paired contests?" Luo Zhong suggested carefully. "My own cultivation advantage does weight things, but Brother Xuan's mastery is great."
"I do believe we were thinking of something similar, a few scenarios with more complex objectives might be enjoyable," Ling Qi said.
"True, the wide world is no dueling arena," Xuan Shi said.
"Ah, game objectives, how fun," Wang Chao chuckled. "Well I'd object to Ling Qi and sir Xuan teaming up. I can't imagine dealing with that to be less than obnoxious."
Ling Qi cocked an eyebrow. "Am I to be insulted, sir Chao?"
"Hah, as if. I know you feel complimented by that sort of thing," Wang Chao said.
Xuan Shi chuckled. "I and sir Wang then?"
Ling Qi hummed to herself looking over at Luo Zhong.He still wore an expression of pleasant interest. She thought she might have a better grip on the older boy now if only a little. She doubted they would ever be friends, but it was unrealistic to imagine that she could be friends with everyone.
[] Accept the team up, it could be a workable coalition. (Luo Zhong dialogue and community insight speculation.)
[] Decline, a little hardship is good for the soul Wang Chao. (Xuan Shi dialogue and isolation insight speculation.)
Familiar in its way, but not quite intersecting?
"Sister Ling?"
Xuan Shi's voice broke her from her thoughts. She raised her head and put on a smile. "Apologies, I lost myself in thought for a moment. I think that's enough of an initial test for me."
"As Sister Ling wishes," Xuan Shi said, bowing his head.
Ling Qi returned the gesture and turned away. "Shall you give it a try Sir Luo?"
"My host is gracious," Luo Zhong said, turning away from Wang Chao. "I may have a technique or two to try."
"Feel free, son of Luo," Xuan Shi said.
Ling Qi moved back from the cleared area and moved to stand beside Zhengui, resting a hand on his head as Luo Zhong took up the field. "Thank you for preparing the ground Zhengui," she said absently, brushing her fingers over smooth scales.
"Zhen was pleased to help," his other half said snootily, bumping his broad head against her shoulder. Ling Qi chuckled and reached up to rub the serpents brow ridges as well.
"It's kinda boring with everyone busy," Gui said quietly. "But that is good too, 'cause it gives Zhen and Gui time to think."
"It gives I, Zhen time to argue with thickheaded Gui perhaps," the serpent hissed.
Ling Qi gave a small hum of acknowledgement, she knew Zhengui needed time to contemplate and work through things too, beast cultivation was narrower, but not so different really. As she watched, Luo politely bowed to Xuan Shi before a flick of his wrist brought a paper talisman into his hands.
"Well I'll find time to talk to you if you need it," she said. She wasn't going to be overbearing but she would be available.
Zhen gave a happy hiss as she gave his head one last pat and returned her hand to the top of Gui's head.
Qi burned across the characters inked on the talisman in Luo Zhong's hand, and Ling Qi cocked her head as she felt threads of qi extending into the spiritual realm, calling, or rather, pulling on something, like a leash or a tether. Crimson fire bloomed within the circling tiles, right between Xuan Shi's feet.
The whirling tiles slammed down in a solid dome, cutting Xuan Shi off from the outside entirely. A breath passed and then they came apart, the fire was gone.
"Well it would have been disappointing if it was really so easy," Luo Zhong chuckled.The same fire burned on one character of the paper talisman, fitful and sparking.
"It was an obvious solution, to create a construct within the defenses," Xuan Shi agreed. "But one would be more foolish not to try, if the option is there."
Ling Qi cocked her head to the side a little as she watched Luo Zhong nod and sweep the talisman held between his fingers through a few rapid, sharp movements. The light burning in the characters changed,red bleeding to silver, lighting up new characters. Again she felt a pull on threads extending out of the material.
"What fun," Wang Chao said loudly as he reached her side. He watched with interest as a horse sized hound of silver fire erupted from the earth under Xuan Shi's feet, carrying him skyward on the platform formed of the barrier panels that had snapped into place under his feet. The talisman in Luo Zhong's hand swept through the air vertically, trailing glittering blue light, and a second hound wrought of Clouds and lightning coalesced from the mist left behind by her own arts, diving down to strike like lightning against the dome forming over Xuan Shi's head. "It seems like brother Luo is taking this a bit seriously!"
Ling Qi glanced his way. "It does seem so. What is the art he is using, those aren't bound spirits, I can tell that much."
"Luo contract techniques," Wang Chao said. "He used them in our tournament too."
That jogged Ling Qi's memory. In studying the clans of Emerald Seas she had seen that mentioned that the Luo had retained a somewhat unorthodox spirit binding and relations tradition from their branch of the Weilu. She'd not put much thought into it before.
Green light burned on the talisman, the silver wolf dissolved and the wind picked up with an animal howl, a nigh invisible green flash the only sign of the third 'spirit' summoned it felt like sharp edges and spring wind, and she saw chips of ceramic go flying as it struck innumerable times in quick succession at the whirling panels.
"So that's why I can feel his qi pulling at something out of sight," Ling Qi mused.
"Pretty costly from the feel of it," Sixiang whispered.
"Right, contract arts don't allow the full spirit to be drawn on, but only a certain fraction determined by negotiations," Wang Chao said, putting on his knowledgeable voice. "And only to do certain specific things."
"Is that so," Ling Qi said, offering a smile. Push and pull, give and take, that explained what she was feeling from those weird liminal connections. It was not too unlike what she'd done with the river spirit, offering power for a service or boon.
Transaction, it was not completely alien to her own thoughts of community and communication, but the way Luo Zhong employed it felt… coarse to her, that was the best word she could find. Impersonal perhaps.
The lightshow on the hill ended as Xuan Shi crashed back to earth. There was a single tiny chip in the brim of his hat. "An Impressive trick. Such a small thing, slipping in amidst the bright and flashing threats. "This one will have to adjust the formations threat detection."
Luo Zhong smiled faintly, raising his hand to allow a glittering dragonfly seemingly made from glass to alight on his fingers. "Against powerful techniques, your work is truly superlative, Brother Xuan. This little trick could hardly change the course of a battle."
"Perhaps not alone," Xuan Shi said inclining his head. "Nonetheless, this one humbly thanks Brother Luo for providing this consideration."
"Well that was a fine demonstration!" Wang Chao said loudly, walking off toward the two of them. Ling Qi sighed, and giving Zhengui one last pat on the head, followed after.
"A good opening," Xuan Shi agreed. "Thou must all be considering paths toward circumventing mine technique by now."
He sounded pleased by that. It surprised her a little. It seemed that Xuan Shi did have something of a competitive streak, if pushed.
"Maybe, maybe," Wang Chao said with a grin. "What sort of form do you think the game should take going forward?"
"Perhaps paired contests?" Luo Zhong suggested carefully. "My own cultivation advantage does weight things, but Brother Xuan's mastery is great."
"I do believe we were thinking of something similar, a few scenarios with more complex objectives might be enjoyable," Ling Qi said.
"True, the wide world is no dueling arena," Xuan Shi said.
"Ah, game objectives, how fun," Wang Chao chuckled. "Well I'd object to Ling Qi and sir Xuan teaming up. I can't imagine dealing with that to be less than obnoxious."
Ling Qi cocked an eyebrow. "Am I to be insulted, sir Chao?"
"Hah, as if. I know you feel complimented by that sort of thing," Wang Chao said.
Xuan Shi chuckled. "I and sir Wang then?"
Ling Qi hummed to herself looking over at Luo Zhong.He still wore an expression of pleasant interest. She thought she might have a better grip on the older boy now if only a little. She doubted they would ever be friends, but it was unrealistic to imagine that she could be friends with everyone.
[] Accept the team up, it could be a workable coalition. (Luo Zhong dialogue and community insight speculation.)
[] Decline, a little hardship is good for the soul Wang Chao. (Xuan Shi dialogue and isolation insight speculation.)
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I'd rather not have a new Luo. I like that Luo is a prickly sort, I like that he's an active character who will seek to involve himself in storylines for good or ill, and I like that he has history with us. As is, we've "rehabilitated" Wang Chao, we basically ditched Meng De, and now, we're potentially putting Luo Zhong on a bus out too? I just don't find it interesting (from a meta perspective) that Ling Qi basically refuses to work with people unless they fall into our (as a thread) narrow likability standards.
- Location
- latvia
Pretty much. He is okay as a work acquaintance not a freand as QI said but we can work with him. Besides having a prickly one has value can't have it all be too one note positive.
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- Location
- Spain
I think Ling Qi's initial wariness/dislike for Luo Zhong had skewed my opinion on him as a character. But now that I think about it, he is a good enough character. There is no need to boot him out, just because he's not well-liked. Some characters are meant to be rooted against, and if Xiulan is any indication, warming up to him is a possibility.
This is a tough one as while I would never tell somebody to not vote what they want to see in a quest I'm very much against the narrative precedence of only interacting with people we find agreeable or don't have behavior objections to.
- Location
- Leeds
"Ah yes, now that we've established that defense is near unbreakable by our current techniques, lets pair him with the other control cultivator."
I don't really care about Luo Zhong either way so I'm just gonna talk about the cool team up we have ahead.
If Qi and Xuan Shi do team up and were given a bit of prep time they can probably be an amazing defense even against two higher cultivation count scions, between his formations, Zhengui being a defensive beast and Qi's mist and construct army we can probably make a point practically unassailable by anyone who isn't a ducal of similar cultivation. It really would be obnoxious as Wang said
If we team up with Luo Zhong it will be interesting to see more of his contracts and stuff. They sound really cool.
Also on a completely unrelated note it would be really cool if Xuan Shi or his clan can make us Xuan Wu specific talismans for Zhengui eventually.
Edit: Now that the vote isn't as important, I wanna see how we work together with Xuan Shi a bit more. Our combo sounds absolutely atrocious (in a good way)
[X] Decline, a little hardship is good for the soul Wang Chao. (Xuan Shi dialogue and isolation insight speculation.)
If Qi and Xuan Shi do team up and were given a bit of prep time they can probably be an amazing defense even against two higher cultivation count scions, between his formations, Zhengui being a defensive beast and Qi's mist and construct army we can probably make a point practically unassailable by anyone who isn't a ducal of similar cultivation. It really would be obnoxious as Wang said
If we team up with Luo Zhong it will be interesting to see more of his contracts and stuff. They sound really cool.
Also on a completely unrelated note it would be really cool if Xuan Shi or his clan can make us Xuan Wu specific talismans for Zhengui eventually.
Edit: Now that the vote isn't as important, I wanna see how we work together with Xuan Shi a bit more. Our combo sounds absolutely atrocious (in a good way)
[X] Decline, a little hardship is good for the soul Wang Chao. (Xuan Shi dialogue and isolation insight speculation.)
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[X] Accept the team up, it could be a workable coalition. (Luo Zhong dialogue and community insight speculation.)
Feel his character could bring some nice narrative, don't need to anything but point of contact and acquittance, but he does have some nice drama to drawn upon.
Feel his character could bring some nice narrative, don't need to anything but point of contact and acquittance, but he does have some nice drama to drawn upon.
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- Location
- scrabbling
I'd rather see more of Luo even if LQ can't be friends with him, even if I like the Luo.
Besides, his transactional nature is something inherent to their style. We won't get away from that by ditching him alone.
Besides, his transactional nature is something inherent to their style. We won't get away from that by ditching him alone.
He's definitely shown himself to be a bit more interesting in this update imo. I'm not super attached to him by any means but, like, he's also fine?
Honestly if I voted against him the main reason would just be to not add any more elements/people to our already problematically overloaded/paced schedule
Honestly if I voted against him the main reason would just be to not add any more elements/people to our already problematically overloaded/paced schedule
Yeah alright, I think I jumped the gun here, so I'm gonna fix it before we leave the lockdown period. Vote will remain the same, but more for the fluff you want to see. It really doesn't make sense to just drop the character at this point in the narrative. I let myself be influenced by conversation a little too much
Honestly I'm inclined to accept as when we'd get another Luo contact is a big uncertainty as we didn't grab the relevant action, and more importantly any future Luo contact has to be introduced into the narrative whereas Luo Zhong is somebody who can be much more integrated using Wang Chao's gatherings.