Okay so I agree that we're taking actions to fit our narratives.
So for our cultivation actions, this is what I see:
- FSS+ with Hanyi and Idols and Ancestors
- Since we've finished Dreaming, Laughing Wind pairs well with Skelunckle so that we can continue lessons with him since we're done with ALL our Dream arts apart from Dreaming Songstress, which is our Tribulation. LFWT Skelunckle is also a cultivator of Wind and LFWT; it's one of the reasons why he recognized us iirc. Sure, LFWT can work with others, but that's another thread, and we did tell him another story, and he owes us another, so I just think it works best with him.
- Raising the Bastion paired with either the Survey or Sea of Dreams. I agree that Bastion works well with Cathedral of Winds, but I've already explained why I think it works best with the final Survey, based on how dangers increase with higher tiers. We have also used MoSS, though that was more the spirit seeker trait line when we visited the Beavers to talk to them.
Even if Bastion does not fit with Kongyou and Xuan Shi's relationship, there are other reasons to work on it. We're still going into the Dream, and there's a good chance we'll run into high realms there. Like with Su Ling's LQ Adventure and Madame Grey and the adventure where Ling Qi first used the compass and was nearly swallowed up by a time-loop and other spirits at the revelry.
- And all this is ignoring Bastion, MoSS, and its emphasis on understanding between parties fit in with Ling Qi. I've already quoted them, and I'll do so again here, but first, I'll try to explain why it works so well.
Ling Qi wants to reach the Peak of Cultivation. She is starting to find what she wants to change in the world. But after looking at so many high realm cultivators, she understands that what she wants cannot be done alone. She understands that Isolation is the worst thing one can experience, and want to work toward bringing people together. You can see it in her Concepts. Isolation and Want, for Ling Qi, are primarily about reaching out to connect with people.
So over Threads, she's been developing her Way focused on Family, Community, and connecting with others. But she knows herself. She knows she is selfish and cannot care for everyone. So, she settles on bringing people together, to ensure that they fully express themselves and do not have to suffer Isolation due to misunderstandings. Enter Isolation IV:
So where am I going with all this? Well, Bastion is an excellent way to continue that line of thinking on our Way and actually apply it to another art and how we deal with spirits. MoSS works with that and continues that thread. It's about communicating clearly to prevent conflict between man and spirit that stems from misunderstanding. Bastion works with it. Higher spirits don't understand the effects of their actions. Raising the Bastion is focused on helping them understand that, thus mitigating their harmful environmental effects. LQ has been working towards her final goal throughout Threads, and now that we've reached the latter half of Green, I think it's best if we continue working towards that focus on Understanding and Expression bridging Isolation and Community.
- We only have 3 turns left in the Sect, and without the Greater Argent Vent, we won't be able to cultivate MoSS without spending omake points. It's not a case of us doubling down. It's simply a matter of completing the action. And MoSS has another project after Bastion which has a high chance of requiring 8 XP to finish. This is one of the only times where we can actually fit in well during those 3 turns. I'm ignoring the Spirit Seeker quest because that's the social art trait line and Yrs said we're done with those.
Sure, there's Cathedral of Winds, but that's linked to Diviner's Eye, so Meizhen and going on an adventure with friends. I believe Grinning Wind works best with that. We'll also have to complete FSS+, which will have like 4-5 available projects
minimum. Then there's our tribulation, which we really shouldn't put off, and Hidden Scribe, which pairs nicely with Paying Respects. So this is one of the last turns where it can really fit while not wasting a lot of omake points.
And lastly, Bastion will finally finally FINALLY let us crystallize our understanding of Protection.
I also want to add VOID to our Domain, but once we get it, we really don't have any way to get XP for it. However, Protection has already been added to our Domain. We already have thoughts on it. I believe we should finally crystallize them and gain concept levels from them, as we did recently with Home.
Now, onto Ripples. Ripples does not fit with our Endings concept. It's not about how we affect other people. It's not about Endings. Rather, it's about Isolation.
Ripples is from SNR, which is about Lake Hei. Lake Hei is a mirror, reflecting the sky and Earth in its infinite depths. Ripples references this, and how to find meaning in the darkness if Lake Hei when you embody it and become such a mirror. It's asking "Where does meaning rise when you are Lake Hei, a mirror, a dark VOID. What meaning of the Isolation it brings?
Well, we already have an understanding of Isolation, when you're Cold on the STREETS, from our G5 breakthrough: The meaning behind the suffering that's Isolation is to build connections formed from Understanding so that you won't be lonely again. So doing Ripples and Void to bring yet another understanding when we just got a really good one for FSS+ will just muddy things up. It'll ignore what we've already reached to go find a new metaphor for Isolation and its meaning so that VOID can be part of it. Just like with SoI and FSS+ and our understanding of Winter.
To LQ, Isolation is tied to Cold and Winter, we already have an understanding of that (Isolation) and how it connects to our burgeoning Way. We're bringing said understanding to the creation of FSS+ to crystallize it. Trying to add yet another interpretation of the meaning of Isolation, one related to the Lake Hei and the Isolation you feel as you embody such an implacable mirror, when we're already using the one from our breakthrough to work on FSS+ would be a disservice to Isolation IV.
And really, adding a whole new understanding and approach when you're about to start a project is not proper planning. You either expand the meaning BEFORE you work on something, to have a richer understanding to work in during development, or you do it AFTER when you've set your baseline and done what you planned so that you can fully explore things with an original goal in mind. Fortunately for us, we expanded our understanding of Isolation and its meaning for FSS+ BEFORE its creation this turn, with the Turn 15 finale. So Ripples and the meaning of Isolation it brings should come AFTER we've created FSS+.
That's why I think it's best to work on Bastion and MoSS, which will build on Isolation IV and the idea of reaching out to others to fight Isolation and suffering (negative effects) with understanding (showing spirits how their actions affect things) and connections, instead of doing Ripples while we're creating FSS+
But I digress. The point is, Ripples is about Isolation and not even our understanding and context for Isolation. It's not Endings. If you want Endings, rather pick [] Plan Meaning Is Depth.
So vote []Plan Chilly Winds of Change!!!
Edit: Changed some things because I was unhappy with how I worded things.
