[X] She would tell a tale of triumph and connection(+1 Community XP, Secondary effects of Beast God techniques are powerful group and individual buffs)
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.
Threnodist
occupying Haudenosaunee & Osage land she/her/hers
- Location
- Pittsburgh
[X] She would tell a tale of triumph and connection(+1 Community XP, Secondary effects of Beast God techniques are powerful group and individual buffs)
- Location
- the internet
The only ones we'll have to choose from? Doubtful. This quest is going to continue for a long, long time. We know that LQ'S value as a partner will increase the higher she gets in cultivation. We can take our time and see what Yrsillar comes up with.Some thoughts on four of the top husband options
Bao Qian
Meng Dan
Xia Anxi
Xuan Shi
Politically:
Bao Qian and Meng Dan are both from within the Emerald Seas
Xia Anxi (Thousand Lakes) and Xuan Shi (Savage Seas) are both external.
Narratively:
Bao Qian and Xuan Shi have most of their interactions with Ling Qi preoccupied with one of her bonds (Hanyi or Zhengui).
Meng Dan and Xia Anxi both share scholarly pursuits being their main focus.
This pattern leads me to suspect that baring a surprise addition, these four will be the only ones we will have to choose from.
- Location
- Philippines
[X] She would tell a tale of triumph and connection(+1 Community XP, Secondary effects of Beast God techniques are powerful group and individual buffs)
- Location
- United States
[X] She would tell a tale of triumph and connection(+1 Community XP, Secondary effects of Beast God techniques are powerful group and individual buffs)
The Court of the Dragon
It was atop the greatest of the Celestial Peaks that they met. Not the tallest of them, but the one which burned with power unimaginable, the great locus of the dragon lines, the rivers of power that criss crossed the angular mountains of their home. Here was abundance unmatched in all the mountains, terraces and manors surviving from the long lost ages of paradise, ruled over by the wise dragon kings before the mad beasts of the low lands had plunged all into war and ruin.
It was a land only century before, forbidden to human feet, the land of the last great patriarch of dragons, grandson of the fallen Celestials.
Now a man held the peak and the dragons bowed in his presence. Mighty Qin, who named himself Sage and Emperor, master of elements, lord of both heaven and earth. His court was held in the open air, in the shadow of the colossal fortress and city even now being constructed upon the higher slopes. On a throne born on the backs of subjugated kings he sat, and all who saw him could feel his mastery of the land. The power of the Dragon lines, the power of the Celestial Peaks flowed through him, and all who had the eyes to see could perceive that he was their master, a conduit for their nigh infinite power.
And so to those who had knelt or been knelt, the chiefs and kings of the peaks it was no surprise to see the last independents of their number come to kneel before the Sage Emperor Qin.
Qin Sui looked upon the ragged band kneeling there before the high rock formation on which the Emperor's throne was placed, behind his mother, the Great Medicine Saint. Who, as Father's favored wife, sat upon a smaller throne of jade at his side, enclosed by curtains of fine cloth and beads, that no other man could look upon her beauty.
He knelt with his brothers and half brothers, proud to be among the twenty allowed to sit at their Father's side. He may not have the exalted genius of his eldest brother, but Qin Sui had won many small battles for his Father.
"It is pleasing to I, Qin to see that the sons of my oldest foes have at last found wisdom," spoke the Emperor.
Kneeling there Qin Sui allowed himself a smile, looking out over the court, the hundreds of gathered chiefs and petty kings and champions of the Celestial Peaks. It was no wonder that his exalted father was in so whimsical mood as to jest!
The lords of the north remained there before the throne, faces pressed to the stone. There Qin Sui saw the king he had defeated, and wondered idly, which of the man's daughters he would take for himself. Father had already granted him the privilege of first choice for his victory.
He listened with half an ear as father took their new subjects oaths and obeisances. With the fall of these hold outs the whole of the Peaks belonged to the Qin, some bandits might hold out in the shadows and caves, but none could say that the Celestial Peaks was not a grand kingdom, worthy of standing shoulder to shoulder with the warlords of the rivers or the Queens of the lakes!
While he might never have a true chance for father's throne, he could already envision a life of luxury, filled with all the pleasures of the world governing one of the peaks. Why, if he only…
"Let it be known then, that all of the Celestial Peaks are the land of I Qin, under the earth and into the sky, from the river Hu in the east, to the foot of Mount Rei in the west, all of this land is the dominion of Qin, and all who live in these bounds will give unto me their tribute or be crushed."
Qin Sui straightened up, not daring to daydream as Father began to speak in earnest, his voice echoed with the power of the land, easily audible across the sea of the defeated that filled the slope below.
"The Kingdom of the Celestial Peaks is now born in truth! The Jewel of the World, returning the lost order so cruelly torn from us in the Age of Madness!" Spoke the Emperor, and his words were fire, a passion that filled the heart. "And so, that is why we must prepare ourselves further still. The Kingdom is only the first step on my road to the reordering of the world. We are still surrounded by cruel and barbarous peoples, who must be shown the same light of civilization, the light of order, which I have granted here."
Qin Sui blinked, and tried very hard to school his expression. What in the world was Father doing?
"We enter now a time of building, my people. A time of arming, and training, to ready ourselves for our glorious future. I will come to the ones who dream themselves lords and kings, and as I have shown you, I will show them that the only future is one under my rule."
A cheer tore itself from Qin Sui's throat, quite without his own will, and he had to wonder how many of his brothers were the same, and how many were raising their voices with only a little buoying.
The voices rose from below as well, first and most loudly from those who had joined without resistance, bowing to the great emperor on demand. In their place of honor at the front of the congregation the approving roar of voices rose like a wave, rippling back through the court of Qin, like fire taking hold in dry kindling. And like fire, once it began to burn, it took even less suited fuel, burning among the reluctant and the conquered as well.
Qin Sui found his fear sweeping away. Of course his Father would have such ambition! It was only he, too small to see how high the heavens truly were. Had they not come to great victory again and again? The foes might be mightier, but the result would be the same!
The day would come when all the world knelt before Qin. His doubts were dust, there could only be victory.
AN: Missed one last week, but here's another commissioned snippet.
It was a land only century before, forbidden to human feet, the land of the last great patriarch of dragons, grandson of the fallen Celestials.
Now a man held the peak and the dragons bowed in his presence. Mighty Qin, who named himself Sage and Emperor, master of elements, lord of both heaven and earth. His court was held in the open air, in the shadow of the colossal fortress and city even now being constructed upon the higher slopes. On a throne born on the backs of subjugated kings he sat, and all who saw him could feel his mastery of the land. The power of the Dragon lines, the power of the Celestial Peaks flowed through him, and all who had the eyes to see could perceive that he was their master, a conduit for their nigh infinite power.
And so to those who had knelt or been knelt, the chiefs and kings of the peaks it was no surprise to see the last independents of their number come to kneel before the Sage Emperor Qin.
Qin Sui looked upon the ragged band kneeling there before the high rock formation on which the Emperor's throne was placed, behind his mother, the Great Medicine Saint. Who, as Father's favored wife, sat upon a smaller throne of jade at his side, enclosed by curtains of fine cloth and beads, that no other man could look upon her beauty.
He knelt with his brothers and half brothers, proud to be among the twenty allowed to sit at their Father's side. He may not have the exalted genius of his eldest brother, but Qin Sui had won many small battles for his Father.
"It is pleasing to I, Qin to see that the sons of my oldest foes have at last found wisdom," spoke the Emperor.
Kneeling there Qin Sui allowed himself a smile, looking out over the court, the hundreds of gathered chiefs and petty kings and champions of the Celestial Peaks. It was no wonder that his exalted father was in so whimsical mood as to jest!
The lords of the north remained there before the throne, faces pressed to the stone. There Qin Sui saw the king he had defeated, and wondered idly, which of the man's daughters he would take for himself. Father had already granted him the privilege of first choice for his victory.
He listened with half an ear as father took their new subjects oaths and obeisances. With the fall of these hold outs the whole of the Peaks belonged to the Qin, some bandits might hold out in the shadows and caves, but none could say that the Celestial Peaks was not a grand kingdom, worthy of standing shoulder to shoulder with the warlords of the rivers or the Queens of the lakes!
While he might never have a true chance for father's throne, he could already envision a life of luxury, filled with all the pleasures of the world governing one of the peaks. Why, if he only…
"Let it be known then, that all of the Celestial Peaks are the land of I Qin, under the earth and into the sky, from the river Hu in the east, to the foot of Mount Rei in the west, all of this land is the dominion of Qin, and all who live in these bounds will give unto me their tribute or be crushed."
Qin Sui straightened up, not daring to daydream as Father began to speak in earnest, his voice echoed with the power of the land, easily audible across the sea of the defeated that filled the slope below.
"The Kingdom of the Celestial Peaks is now born in truth! The Jewel of the World, returning the lost order so cruelly torn from us in the Age of Madness!" Spoke the Emperor, and his words were fire, a passion that filled the heart. "And so, that is why we must prepare ourselves further still. The Kingdom is only the first step on my road to the reordering of the world. We are still surrounded by cruel and barbarous peoples, who must be shown the same light of civilization, the light of order, which I have granted here."
Qin Sui blinked, and tried very hard to school his expression. What in the world was Father doing?
"We enter now a time of building, my people. A time of arming, and training, to ready ourselves for our glorious future. I will come to the ones who dream themselves lords and kings, and as I have shown you, I will show them that the only future is one under my rule."
A cheer tore itself from Qin Sui's throat, quite without his own will, and he had to wonder how many of his brothers were the same, and how many were raising their voices with only a little buoying.
The voices rose from below as well, first and most loudly from those who had joined without resistance, bowing to the great emperor on demand. In their place of honor at the front of the congregation the approving roar of voices rose like a wave, rippling back through the court of Qin, like fire taking hold in dry kindling. And like fire, once it began to burn, it took even less suited fuel, burning among the reluctant and the conquered as well.
Qin Sui found his fear sweeping away. Of course his Father would have such ambition! It was only he, too small to see how high the heavens truly were. Had they not come to great victory again and again? The foes might be mightier, but the result would be the same!
The day would come when all the world knelt before Qin. His doubts were dust, there could only be victory.
AN: Missed one last week, but here's another commissioned snippet.
- Location
- United States of America
This makes me even more excited for Zhengui and their natural connection to the leylines. Well, assuming that the Dragon Lines are analogous to leylines.
Dragon mentality is a hell of a drug
Oliver_Twister
Idea-Man, He Who Shits Ideas
- Location
- West Africa
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Me too! Especially since the Dragons liked to do some large-scale, long term geomancy projects that involve them.
Edit: Once we hook Zhengui up to the Liminal so that he can work while asleep, the Ling Clan is going to have so many good cultivation hotspots. And new forms of geomancy that others can learn from too!
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Though I hope we can do it without the not-so-subtle brainwashing from being connected to the land's ley-lines.
Zhengui is too nice for that. It's good that Zhen is pondering about being a ruler instead of just a provider. Talking with Cui about that can be good as long as he doesn't learn too much from the Bai's old way of ruling.
Oliver_Twister
Idea-Man, He Who Shits Ideas
- Location
- West Africa
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I don't think they brainwash? Unless I'm forgetting something, it seems like it's just natural dragon arrogance and pride to me.
And agreed.
EternalObserver
eYe Gaze baCk
- Location
- The Void
[X] She would tell a tragedy of stubborn prides failing (+1 Isolation XP, Secondary effects of Beast God techniques are powerful group and individual debuffs)
[X] She would tell a tragedy of stubborn prides failing (+1 Isolation XP, Secondary effects of Beast God techniques are powerful group and individual debuffs)
- Location
- the internet
No it was deff brainwashing. First the son said that his own cheering was against his will and then we see his doubts and aversion to Qin's new plan. And then there's the sudden turnaround, him not just accepting but embracing that plan with enthusiasm. There was no reason or thought process behind his change of heart. As the Emperor forces people to cheer, we see Qin Sui's 'fear sweeping away'...totally the Emperor's doing.
Oliver_Twister
Idea-Man, He Who Shits Ideas
- Location
- West Africa
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I meant that I don't think Zhengui will get brainwashed by connecting to the leylines. What the Sage Emperor did during his speech was definitely brainwashing or at least very intense manipulation
- Location
- South Africa
[X] She would tell a tale of triumph and connection(+1 Community XP, Secondary effects of Beast God techniques are powerful group and individual buffs)
Oliver_Twister
Idea-Man, He Who Shits Ideas
- Location
- West Africa
- Pronouns
- He/Him
You just jinxed us all 💀💀
Having the ability to mind-control the people you conquered would explain why he was so confident about his "followers" loyalty and why the betrayal that killed him utterly blindsided him.