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

Voted best in category in the Users' Choice awards.
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Always lovely to see new arts.

yrsillar said:
Mysterious Night's Obscurity

The hidden moon taught men the value of secrets, of the advantage held by he who controlled knowledge. The piercing light of curiosity can be evaded and misdirected, fed false truths and fooled. Using this technique, the user shrouds their meridians and the flows of their qi in half truths and misdirections, distorted lunar reflections that beguile those who seek to unravel their works.

Potency: Green 1
Potency Growth: Green 2(3), Green 3(5)
Max Level: 5
Needed Meridians: Spine x2, lung(1), Spine(3), Lung(5)
Keywords: Moon, Secrets, Stealth, Resist, Wind, Wits, Yin
Experience: 100, 150, 200, 300, 400

Passives
+10 to Resist
+5 to Spiritual Avoid
+5 to Stealth

Shadowed, Secret and Safe: D
Duration: Long
The user channels lunar qi throughout their body. This has no visible effect, but to spiritual senses, their form grows indistinct and distorted, like a wisp of mist or a fleeting reflection. Gives the user a bonus against all dispel attempts, and penalizes any perception attempts against the user not relying on the physical senses.

False Truths: D
Duration: Immediate
Evading the seeking light of truth, the user throws of false images and forms to distract from their secrets in the spiritual realm. Used only in opposition to a dispel attempt, provides a significant bonus to Resist. If the Dispel is still successful but fails to exceed the users resist by a significant margin, the users lowest rank active technique is dispelled instead at random..
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Wow, a Long tech to enhance spiritual stealth and resist Dispels, and an Immediate that not only hugely buffs Resists but ensures we don't lose our important stuff. Great candidate for our current search for dispel resistance.

yrsillar said:
Imperturbable Manor's Hearth
It has long been tradition for certain households in the Emerald Seas to keep shrines to the moon of mothers near the hearth of their households. This art seeks to replicate the Great Spirits protection, warding off malignant influences upon the users spirit, just as the sacred hearth protects the well kept home.

Potency: Green 1
Potency Growth: Green 2(3), Green 3(5)
Max Level: 5
Needed Meridians: Heartx1, Spinex1(1), Spine(3), Heart(4), Spine(5)
Keywords: Composure, Fire, Hearth, Moon, Resilience, Resolve, Wood, Yang
Experience: 100, 150, 250, 350, 500

Passive
+10 to Spiritual Armor
+5 to Spiritual Avoid
+5 to Spiritual Armor of allies in Close range

Cold Evening's Comfort: D
Duration: Long
The user fills their meridians with vitality and warmth, bolstering their spirit against intrusion. Enhances spiritual armor for the user and all allies at Close range.

Malignance Cleansing Hearth: C
Burning their qi in a bright display, the user bolsters both spiritual avoid and armor. In addition, using this technique activates a dispel clash against the lowest ranked debuff affected the user or allies in close range with a significant bonus
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Boi, have to admit, the thing about this that immediately caught my attention is that Hearth keyword. I didn't know that existed, but it will be a critical piece in the domain concept I wish to construct. Warmth and safety to those that we love, while all others are lost in a cold, dark blizzard.

yrsillar said:
Evanescent Anthem of the Nights Parade
On the storm washed shores of savage seas, there are legends among certain hinterlands villages that on nights when the stars are right, spirits gather for a grand parade or on certain terrible nights, to go to war. Created by a traveling scholar in reflection of these legends, this art allows the user to call forth shades of those raucous spirits to bolster the formation of their own allies

Potency: Green 1
Potency Growth: Green 2(3), Green 3(5)
Max Level: 5
Needed Meridians: Heartx1, Lungx1(1), lung(3), Heart(4), Lung(5)
Keywords: Fear, Darkness, Presence, Manipulation, Music, Summons, War, Yang
Experience: 100, 150, 250, 350, 500

Passives
+10 to Spiritual Penetration
+5 to Resist of Music Arts
+5 to Spiritual Avoid of Allies within Far range

Stolid Guardian Pipers: D
Duration: Long
From the users own shadows twin squat humanoid figures with bulging eyes and distorted limbs emerge, chirping an eerie piping song from their bird-like mouths. The figures bob and dance in time with the Anthem, or any other song the user plays, enhancing its potency, as well as any musical arts used by the players allies within Close Range.

In addition the pipers can be direction to throw themselves in the path of attacks which would strike the user or their allies. Taking damage in their stead. This can fail if the attackers Hit exceeds the original targets avoid by too great a degree

Statblock
Yellow/Silver 3
Base Attributes: D
Health: D, Qi: D
Speed: D, Initiative G, C. Perception: D
Hit: H, Penetration: H, Damage: -
P. Armor: C, P. Avoid D
S. Armor: C, S. Avoid D

Cackling Sunset Drummers: C
Duration: Long
On the second stanza of the anthem, the user calls forth the the cackling spirits whose drums set the tempo of the Nights parade. A twisted figure shaped like a dogs who walk as a man, dressed in mockery of human finery dance forth from the shadows, beating their wardrums with batons of bone. In an area extending out to Far Range, the sky dims and it is as if a moonless night has fallen. Under the darkness enemies suffer from penalties to avoid and hit as dancing shadows tug at the edges of their senses, distracting and filling them with unease.

Each turn the drummer beats their instrument, attempting to inflict additional penalties to the Hit and Avoid of enemies within Close range.

Statblock
Yellow/Silver 3
Base Attributes: D
Health: C, Qi: D
Speed: D, Initiative F, C. Perception: D
Hit: C, Penetration: D, Damage: -
P. Armor: E, P. Avoid C
S. Armor: E, S. Avoid C

In addition, when suffering damage that would otherwise destroy it, the drummer instead splits into two identical constructs, with H rank health, unless the attack which destroys it is B rank or higher. The resulting constructs do not split again.
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Don't have super strong feelings on this one, people have complained about how the summons we've got so far haven't been that worth it, and idk if these are different. It sure is fucking creepy, and seems to make the battle arena even more hazardous, so it looks fine to me.

yrsillar said:
Storm Enduring Seedling
A song written by a musician of the capital, chronicling his observance of a seedling growing from a storm wracked cliff. Its struggling roots clung to weak soil, and though it teetered many times, it never fell, growing tall and strong until its roots could burrow into the very mountain rock itself.

Potency: Green 1
Potency Growth: Green 2(3), Green 3(5)
Max Level: 5
Needed Meridians:Spinex2(1), Spine(3), Spine(4), Spine(5)
Keywords: Composure, Music, Resist, Resilience, Resolve, Wood, Yang
Experience: 100, 150, 250, 350, 500

Passives:
+10 to Resist
+10 to Spiritual Armor

Intractable Roots: D
A short piece full of stubborn obstinance, this technique significantly bolsters the users Resist against a single dispel attempt. Even if the dispel succeeds, unless it exceeds the users resist by at least a full rank, the technique dispelled persists until the users next action.

Heaven Scarred Trunk: C
Duration: Short
Extending the short piece into a full stanza, the musician refuses to be moved. The user gains G rank Damage Reduction against purely Spiritual Arts, and reduces the effects of any spiritual debuffs targeting them for the duration.
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A Resist art that follows the legacy of TRF more than the Moon. Doesn't seem quite as focused as the MNO art above, and I also don't know how much I wanna keep going with Wood arts.

yrsillar said:
Darting Labyrinth Shadow
In days far past there was once a bamboo grove sacred to the Grinning Moon, filled with laughing shadows that danced and darted under the pale moonlight. In that labyrinthine grove, an incautious person could be lost for years, grasping for a light that they would never reach. Though the grove is long gone, this art preserves the lessons once taught to those who aspire to the favor of the Grinning Moon

Potency: Green 1
Potency Growth: Green 2(3), Green 3(5)
Max Level: 5
Needed Meridians:Spinex2(1), Spine(3), Spine(4), Spine(5)
Keywords: Fade, Darkness, Resilience, Resolve, Wind
Experience: 100, 150, 250, 350, 500

Passives
+10 to Spiritual Avoid
+5 to Spiritual Armor
+5 to Resist

Phantom of Bamboo Forest: D
Duration: Short
In the twisting realm of the labyrinth, the first lesson taught to navigate its depths is presence without presence: Emulating this mastery, the user enhances their spiritual avoid and armor, dispersing the whole of the their spirit beyond the strict bounds of the body. When active this technique also penalizes perception that is based on non-physical senses.

Thus Scattered: C
Duration: Immediate
In the moment before a spiritual attack would strike home, though user's spirit and dantian scatters into a thousand wisps of shadow, reforming after the attack has passed through. Enhances spiritual avoid, and reduces damage from a successful attack significantly.
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Thus Scattered looks pretty sick, and I am very curious as to whether further mastery will create Darkness Labyrinths on the battlefield to double down on the utter confusion. Because it sounds hilarious.
 
- Darting Labyrinth Shadow
Looks pretty nice defensive option, and i am kinda predisposed towards anything that involves the Grinning Moon.
But...
-Evanescent Anthem of the Nights Parade
Our own ghost band, how can we not take this.
I so want to end up with us leading a parade of demons, everyone dancing, singing or playing an instrument.
 
Valmond said:
Our own ghost band, how can we not take this.
I so want to end up with us leading a parade of demons, everyone dancing, singing or playing an instrument.
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I ship our ghost band with our spirit party. Ghosts can buff our spirits, then spirits can joyously toast ghosts lol.
 
Man, IMH Is gonna be real easy to train, huh? It has both Wood AND Fire, so big boost from Zengui(not to mention fire qualifies it for Imperial 8), it also has Moon, so that's another big multi, not to mention it's a heart art, so another bonus.

I actually think we learn it at double rate, now that I add the bonuses up......

Edit:Specifically, if I haven't fucked up the math(with each specific bonus only applying once) we learn it at a x2.15 rate!

Edit edit: Whoops, forgot Silent Stones, which adds another .3 because why would we not train it there? so make that at a x2.45 rate!!!!!!!!
 
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tryrar said:
Man, IMH Is gonna be real easy to train, huh? It has both Wood AND Fire, so big boost from Zengui(not to mention fire qualifies it for Imperial 8), it also has Moon, so that's another big multi, not to mention it's a heart art, so another bonus.

I actually think we learn it at double rate, now that I add the bonuses up......

Edit:Specifically, if I haven't fucked up the math(with each specific bonus only applying once) we learn it at a x2.15 rate!
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There is also a site, so it's 2.45. So yeah, it goes quite fast. 2AP for IMH3 (once we have EPC7), and 4AP (total) for IMH4. Might or might not be worth grabbing it turn 4, depending on whether we train SES or we train ENAP turn 3 (because spine meridians).
 
Arkeus said:
Might or might not be worth grabbing it turn 4, depending on whether we train SES or we train ENAP turn 3 (because spine meridians).
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I'm hoping that EPC or AG will give us another stopgap to the Meridian blues in the next few levels, but there's a chance we just need to use those efficiency actions on stuff like FVM and SCS we'll always want up and are likely getting successors for, then bite the bullet and get a sideboard like our peers.
 
I am interested in alot of these arts. The parade seems really good if a bit creepy. But just having two buffs to fvms finally could just blow people up.

I am also interested in in the bamboo maze art. It buffs our stealth against non physical senses which pairs nicely with SCS helping against physical senses and it allows us to avoid spiritual attacks which seems very strong.

The hearth art acts a lot like our domain and levels up super fast so it's interesting but I am not super excited for it.
 
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OneArmedYeti said:
Whoah,

Mother Moon is Yang?!

Interdasting.
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Well, yeah? Yang covers creation, and the Mother Moon governs the secrets of the creation of new life, so...

That is, the Moon in general is Yin, because it's soft and ethereal and all. But the act of making is very Yang, which leads to the Mother Moon having more Yang in her nature, thus arts of the Mother Moon are more likely to be Yang. IMH in particular is about the hard defense, so it is Yang in nature.
 
Hmm, initial thoughts:
  • Mysterious Night's Obscurity
    • Feels like the most Resist focused option in some ways?
    • Gives us good stealth utility as well
    • Pushes Hidden Moon themes more for those who have a crush on Xin. Feels kinda counter to AM's themes - though for some that may be a pro
    • Would kinda reinforce ENM if taken together?
    • Unfortunately due to being resist/stealth means that we'd need another art for s.def
  • Imperturbable Manor's Hearth
    • Basically the spiritual TRF some of us have been hoping for (though obviously of lower quality)
    • Nice support-y themes
    • Similarity to TRF gives a degree of conceptual reinforcement of those themes and style, giving us greater coverage and power without pulling our arts in a completely new direction
    • Downside is being focused on s.def, and giving no resist. Provides us with a support option here in exchange for poorer coverage in terms of what we want right now.
    • Group s.def may already be covered to some degree by Harmony, reducing the "need" for this
  • Evanescent Anthem of the Nights Parade
    • Kinda cool and interesting. Clearly inspired by our recent trials. Narratively kinda acts as doubling down on "PLR-style", giving us more power and spirits to summon.
    • Tbh is the worst option here. Does not provide good resist. Does not provide s.armor or resiliance. Functions overlap massively with what PLR and FVM are already doing, and thus doesn't really expand our capabilities well.
    • Also Yang Darkness? Blerkkk
  • Storm Enduring Seedling
    • Clearly the most efficient option. Gives us basically everything we want for our build here in one nice package. Themes build off FVM's perseverance in a TRF-like way.
    • Pure spine gives huge scope for compression.
    • Mechanically perhaps the main thing I'm sad about here is that it's not support. That being said given we really really want good resist that isn't necessarily bad.
    • Thematically one could say that it might be playing a bit more into the "immobile tanking" idiom that we don't like about TRF, which may be an issue.
  • Darting Labyrinth Shadow
    • Builds upon SCS and its style, reinforcing it and giving us a lot more s.def. Great if we're wanting to be the shadow.
    • Gives a bit of stealth, which is cool.
    • Not sure if this gives sufficient Resist on its own though
 
It is sort a shame that we are not joining the army. Our build is awesome for punching down stealing their qi and building momentum as we go along.
 
Arkeus said:
There is also a site, so it's 2.45. So yeah, it goes quite fast. 2AP for IMH3 (once we have EPC7), and 4AP (total) for IMH4. Might or might not be worth grabbing it turn 4, depending on whether we train SES or we train ENAP turn 3 (because spine meridians).
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All we need now is a Moon/Wind(possibly music as well) art that combines aspects of TRF and FZ to give a speed art that gives great physical avoid as well as secondary resist/armor, and our defenses are set!
 
If our fief is in fact a wilderness full of wild spirts then we should be able to really demonstrate power. Go along draining the Qi of everything that opposites us growing our parade ball.
 
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fictionfan said:
It is sort a shame that we are not joining the army. Our build is awesome for punching down stealing their qi and building momentum as we go along.
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We're already a member of the Sect's National Guard analogue, in that we're obligated to defend the Sect from attack.

Since the Sect is on the border, this means that if barbs attack the general vicinity of the Sect, we'll be deployed in SOME capacity, though likely as a matter of respect they would have us with CRX instead of doing scouting work unless Renxiang wanted otherwise.

Even after we graduate, the Cai have an army, and we will be an officer in it.
 
AE6 from Yrs on discord - earthwyrms (mwahaha pun) gets its main upgrade here with realm increase and alt option.
For those of us ae fans here. :)
 
I'd like to remind everyone of our Objective here.

Our goal is this: pick the Best Fitting Set of Arts.

This means:
  • Not being maximally "AP-optimal" with next turn's music arts, not at the cost of locking us in on less well-fitting arts.
  • Not taking everything:
    • We do not have the room for it in Meridians, training AP and in-combat time/Qi cost.
    • Thematic fit should be a factor, but not an overwhelming one; being more in-theme is not a good enough reason to replace an art that still fits thematically but is significantly better build-wise.
  • Arts should be considered as Sets, and of those, the best set should be chosen and pursued.
We have our build weaknesses that were a primary cause of going for the archive in the first place; resist, resillience, fade, perception, stealth. Let's make sure we have at least those bases covered in all proposed sets of arts.

That said, here's a side-by-side view of the new arts: link
And here's a link to my planner: link
It has the new arts input and allows one to look at xp costs, multipliers/dice, and meridians (AP estimator tab).
 
I don't think that music is going to be trained the next turn either way? EPC still needs to be finished so that Ling Qi will get the virtual GSS (plus moon mission); so if the optimal choice to use the music pill it's best to delay training music arts to turn 4 anyhow?
 
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