Anyway, Domains.
This is something we want to think about considering that we're going to be mastering FVM and FSS this month. What are we aiming for? What would good combinations of Domain slots be?
A problem here I think is that people get too often distracted by superficial elements like simplistic imagery or mechanical effects. The core of Domain development, however, it seems to me is as a character building exercise - and not in the mechanical sense. It is about forging one's Way. Piecing things together to form a life philosophy that governs how one sees the world, and how one approaches it.
For example, to understand Meizhen's Domain the best place to look is not in Qi's observations of her presence. The effects of her Domain are not irrelevant of course, but the most important place to look I think is her conversations with us about life philosophy.
Meizhen strongly believes in being feared. It's not about her having +10 to intimidate or whatever, it's that she believes that the best way to be a cultivator is to be an aristocratic icon of power and fear who no-one will dare challenge. It is her Way.
In many ways, I think that Domain slots being given quantified mechanical effects is kind of a distraction from what they're really about.
In addition, the strength of Domains is really important. They are not just "I think this Art taught me some valuable lessons" it's more "this Art speaks to me on a fundamental level and I want to live my life following these tenets". To make a medieval metaphor, mastering an Art is like reading the whole Bible, understanding it, and maybe taking some useful guidance from it. Slotting that Art is deciding to become a monk. Lots of arts can provide useful experience and skills without necessarily meaning we want to make them an integral part of our Way.
The question to ask ourselves is what kind of philosophy would we forge from different combinations of arts? What do we like? Where do we want to go? It's easy to look at individual arts and go "that's cool", but at the end of the day they have to come together as a coherent whole, and that requires us to actually think about the big picture.
For example, looking at FVM + FSS and our recent song fight, what I see is a kind of Existentialist philosophy? Everything ultimately Ends, and has no inherent meaning. However, the correct response is not to despair and give up, but to persevere and forge your own story anyway. It doesn't matter if it's going to end someday and have no greater meaning - what matters is that it's meaningful to you.
Building on that with, say, PLR + TRF + HDW then highlights what Ling Qi considers a fun meaningful life. Bringing friends together, supporting each other, and having fun. AM could highlight the importance of awareness of the Truth, and of knowing oneself in order to work out how to have a fulfilling life - as well as perhaps the importance of honest communication.
That's just one idea though, and there are lots of other possibilities that we should discuss. For example, sticking all those stealth and perception arts (SCS + MNO + DLF + CDE + HDE + AM) could be a very Jiao "invisible shadow seeking out all the secrets" kind of person. Personally not a huge fan, but it is a possibility.
So, what kind of ideas do people have here? Where would they like to aim?
Fun stuff.
