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

[Blademaster]

Yay LQ lived with a new ability.

That drop in cultivation is really harsh tho when you consider that cultivation will be slowing down to even more of a crawl with the switch to the new system. So it is actually more like 1 or 2+ years of cultivation we lost from this which feels very harsh for doing everything right.

Hopefully the reward for completing the summit is a talent+ to compensate.

Click to shrink...

why do you think cultivation slows down? all Im getting is that turns will be longer. presumably xp gains will be changed accordingly. and in the past, no system change resulted in such a drop in cultivation rate- aside from removing the random aspect for it, we didn't actually suffer any major drop in the rate of cultivation.

that said thats still painful, its several months of cultivation lost and several months before we can keep cultivating. but given that, once we do, we have the insights needed to speedrun all the way to completion, we should be able to still get to Cyan before 20

 

[The Laurent]

If you wanted to sit at home twiddling your thumb, there was a vote for that. We all voted for, "Fuck me up, fam" and we got fucked up good and got an amazing Advanced Insight, the new Domain ability, and all sorts of street cred from it.

[ ] She did, Shu Yue had said it, the best battlefield they could ask for was the liminal. She could not fight on this level… but perhaps she only needed to facilitate.

[ ] She did not, this was much too far above her to step into even at the edges, surely Shu Yue could handle coordination with one such as Xia Ren better than she.

Click to shrink...

"Do you want to be fucked up doing amazingly heroic and awesome things?" Ysrillar asked.

To which the thread replied, "Hell fucking yeah."

 

[DragonWyrm]

You may be heard and understood by any being you are aware of, regardless of language, cultivation, obstacles or techniques. You hear and understand any being attempting to consciously communicate with you, if you so choose. This ability may be bypassed by effects which use Shen.

Click to shrink...

Remember fighting is a form of communication. Most of the time it is to say: "mine", "go away", "me strong" or "DIE!!!!".
At other times it is to say things more useful to Ling, such as: "You hurt my love, I will kill you", "I only fight because X is" or "I am only fighting to protect Y".

Wait a second... regardless of cultivation.... Ling Qi can speak to the gods and understand what they say back without going insane or the gods limiting what they say!?

So if we keep this new ability into the upper tiers, it's going to be insane. Being able to actually understand people of much lower cultivation could be huge. Emissary indeed

Click to shrink...

It could be even more groundbreaking than that. We should technically be able to communicate our insights. Which is huge, even on this level. Mass produce weak low level cultivators that wouldn't have had a chance to break through otherwise.

Yeah, and on the, like, "boring" spymistress side of things, Ling Qi can probably still go through letters and do information gathering/diplomacy as long as she has someone somewhat trusted to help her, until she's well enough to handle it herself, which shouldn't take that long (compared to the time it'll take to be running around Cultivating.)

Click to shrink...

Wait a second. How would the new ability affect this. Could Ling Qi understand any secret code used in a letter addressed to her, no matter how stupid or unwieldy? Including understanding that the paper being crooked by 1 degree is meant to communicate the entire enemy plan. Spy mistress Ling being able to read any code that is sent to her, is pretty insane if you think about it. Then we should also consider maths, does this ability allow Ling Qi to be perfect at doing mathematical equations since maths is just a translation of certain principles.

Now I am just imagining this conversation from the outside:
- mathematician: Tripple integration of this formula is required.
- Ling Qi: The answer is the colour of infinity!
- mathematician: That was a quick calculation, how did you know the values of the unknown variable?

And aren't formations a form of communication. That guard formation is obviously trying to tell you that if you step on that section you will be in great pain!

Our Mom might end up pushing our wheelchair quite a bit.

Click to shrink...

Or Ling will heal enough to use her travel ability with the wheelchair. So there will be a creepy injured little girl in a wheelchair that appears where you don't look with no obvious path to her current location... Ling Qi the horror movie monster.

We currently have two unopened concepts: Courage and Growth. I'm hoping we unlock and meditate on them during the recovery arc.

Click to shrink...

Growth seems perfect for recovery.

 

[Vanguard_D]

why do you think cultivation slows down? all Im getting is that turns will be longer. presumably xp gains will be changed accordingly. and in the past, no system change resulted in such a drop in cultivation rate- aside from removing the random aspect for it, we didn't actually suffer any major drop in the rate of cultivation.

that said thats still painful, its several months of cultivation lost and several months before we can keep cultivating. but given that, once we do, we have the insights needed to speedrun all the way to completion, we should be able to still get to Cyan before 20

Click to shrink...

All system changes has had as a partial aim to slow LQs progress down out of a fear that she is growing to fast, by things like removing powerful cultivation aids and overall slowing down the amount of spiritual and physical cultivation that LQ can get in a given time. The precedent is therefor set that system changes mean slow downs in cultivation. In this case with the turns taking longer we will be seeing a slow down in what LQ will be able to cultivate inside that frame of time.

In short I looked at how it worked before and expect that it will work like that now also.

 

[CuriousRaptor]

I don't think the new ability can be used offensively like that.
It seems like a pure Communication skill.

Click to shrink...

Real communication between most great spirits seems to be Violence. It's a universal language for a reason.

Remember fighting is a form of communication. Most of the time it is to say: "mine", "go away", "me strong" or "DIE!!!!".
At other times it is to say things more useful to Ling, such as: "You hurt my love, I will kill you", "I only fight because X is" or "I am only fighting to protect Y".

Wait a second... regardless of cultivation.... Ling Qi can speak to the gods and understand what they say back without going insane or the gods limiting what they say!?

Click to shrink...

Issue is why intent and information is communicated clearly, some things are probably too heavy for a LQ to handle without damage. Things mankind (or cultivators of insuffiicent power) were not meant to know. So they might still be circumspect if only to spare us pain, or try to use it to inflict pain if we're an enemy.

 

[The Laurent]

All system changes has had as a partial aim to slow LQs progress down out of a fear that she is growing to fast, by things like removing powerful cultivation aids and overall slowing down the amount of spiritual and physical cultivation that LQ can get in a given time. The precedent is therefor set that system changes mean slow downs in cultivation. In this case with the turns taking longer we will be seeing a slow down in what LQ will be able to cultivate inside that frame of time.

In short I looked at how it worked before and expect that it will work like that now also.

Click to shrink...

...the turns won't take longer, particularly? The point is that there won't be turns because the month by month turns made the story as a whole take longer and also created some restrictions as to how the story/Quest was run.

 

[Vanguard_D]

...the turns won't take longer, particularly? The point is that there won't be turns because the month by month turns made the story as a whole take longer.

Click to shrink...

Longer as in length of time covered. Like for example we get a turn that covers three "months" we will get less phys/spiritual cultivation out of those "months" then we would get in the previous system.

This is all based on the general fact that each system changed has slowed LQ down.

 

[The Laurent]

Longer as in length of time covered. Like for example we get a turn that covers three "months" we will get less phys/spiritual cultivation out of those "months" then we would get in the previous system.

This is all based on the general fact that each system changed has slowed LQ down.

Click to shrink...

That wasn't an example? That was my speculation. Speculation that was then disputed by the QM himself, or rather he outlined how it would work and it was not at all like what I suggested as a possibility. I'm sorry that you're somehow mistaking me for the QM, but I am not him.

 

[Vanguard_D]

That wasn't an example? That was my speculation. Speculation that was then disputed by the QM himself, or rather he outlined how it would work and it was not at all like what I suggested as a possibility. I'm sorry that you're somehow mistaking me for the QM, but I am not him.

Click to shrink...

Why would I think you are the QM? Been in this quest since the start so would be a very silly thing to think. I have no idea who you are tbh.

My example was more that an arc/turn or what it will be called will be worth less compared to before.

 

[Wiadi]

This is all based on the general fact that each system changed has slowed LQ down.

Click to shrink...

Not really a sound argument when we have access to more information on why that was & the current circumstances. If, as you say, past slowdowns were aimed at checking unreasonably rapid growth, then that only justifies expecting another slowdown if the current pace of growth is still considered unreasonably rapid. I don't think I've seen much indication that that's the case, unless I missed it somewhere - if I did let me know, but otherwise it doesn't seem particularly warranted to assume that different conditions will nevertheless lead to the same outcome somehow.

 

[The Laurent]

Why would I think you are the QM? Been in this quest since the start so would be a very silly thing to think. I have no idea who you are tbh.

My example was more that an arc/turn or what it will be called will be worth less compared to before.

Click to shrink...

But you used literally the example I gave, as if it was in any way representative of what was actually being planned. So if you're not confused on me somehow being the QM, then you're just... being kinda silly to take my word as indication of anything, especially against the counter-indication of the QM.

 

[Elsecaller]

Yeah yrs said the point of this one wasn't to slow things down and all, rather the opposite. Just because things have happened that way before doesn't mean they will again, especially when the gm has a completely different goal this time. From what he's said, the only thing about the system changing will be the art projects, not the XP we'd get per month.

 

[Vanguard_D]

But you used literally the example I gave, as if it was in any way representative of what was actually being planned. So if you're not confused on me somehow being the QM, then you're just... being kinda silly to take my word as indication of anything, especially against the counter-indication of the QM.

Click to shrink...

Ok lets go over this. What you said was:

...the turns won't take longer, particularly? The point is that there won't be turns because the month by month turns made the story as a whole take longer and also created some restrictions as to how the story/Quest was run.

Click to shrink...

I guess what you call your "example" in this is that it wont be month turns because that made the quest take longer correct?

My example was:

Longer as in length of time covered. Like for example we get a turn that covers three "months" we will get less phys/spiritual cultivation out of those "months" then we would get in the previous system.

Click to shrink...

As in the lenght of time In Game. It has nothing to do with irl time. So not sure why you are saying that I am using your example?

 

[Killer_Whale]

That is a very weird way to spell Xuan Shi

Click to shrink...

All the boys are all going to have to get past Bai Meizhen first.

 

[The Laurent]

Ok lets go over this. What you said was:

I guess what you call your "example" in this is that it wont be month turns because that made the quest take longer correct?

My example was:

As in the lenght of time In Game. It has nothing to do with irl time. So not sure why you are saying that I am using your example?

Click to shrink...

Okay, I get the confusion.

This here: "Like for example we get a turn that covers three "months" we will get less phys/spiritual cultivation out of those "months" then we would get in the previous system."

Is similar to something I mentioned off-hand as a possibility a few pages ago, so I assumed you were basing it on that. It's clear now that you were not.

In both my case and your case, we were both factually completely dead wrong and our examples were not actually representative of what the QM intended, and the QM has chimed in to make this known in general quite recently.

 

[Elsecaller]

I mean it literally wouldn't make sense for it to take 1-2 years to recover the XP needed to get halfway through green 5 since green 6 by 18 is known to be easily achievable and basically all of our suitors are already there along with Meizhen. Qi isn't gonna languish in the fifth stage of green for 3 years in game. That already doesn't make sense with the lore. The XP looks like it's staying the same rate from what has been said but maybe @yrsillar can clarify.

 

[Elsecaller]

Nevermind he's already clarified.

In regards to mechanics going forward I intend to keep the same system but move to a looser system of time passing, keeping track of base cultivation as time passes in uiverse rather than tying it to turns. The only big change is that I intend to rejigger projects. I want to aim for few but more high impact projects and rather than an unchanging slate, when an arc starts I will probably come up with a slate of projects tailored directly to that arc or arcs.

This should be more dynamic and also less constraining for me.

Click to shrink...

Cultivation XP is explicitly being tied to time passing so should stay consistent. There should be any sort of big slowdown whatsoever.

 

[Swimmingly]

Bonus 8: Observation - Forge of Destiny

Sima Jiao tapped his foot to the beat of the music echoing through his chambers. It was all horns and drums, full of a frenetic energy. The recording tablet (...)

www.royalroad.com

"That Ling girl is doing well so far," Xin interrupted again. "She's begun to master both of her arts and won a duel. She was out shopping with a friend using her spoils while the rest were scrabbling. It was quite adorable."
He grunted in response. That one was talented, but so were all the commoners brought in, the ministry wouldn't have bothered otherwise. Heavens knew that was one policy he had supported whole heartedly. Left to fester in squalor those sorts inevitably became trouble, shaping themselves into engines of ever greater destruction and chaos the longer they survived. Much better to nip it in the bud and bring them into the system early, before one needed an entire squad of Ministry Agents to bring the boot down on some power mad would be neo-sage emperor. With the conscription program they could get suppressed, snapped up by a clan, or made new nobility.
"Nothing particularly special about that one. If she doesn't end up a retainer to the Bai, she'll spend her life building up a village somewhere in the back end of the province," he added, knowing that his wordless reply wouldn't be sufficient.
"That is hardly fair," Xin protested. "She has the potential to be a core disciple in the future with a little good fortune."
She got like this sometimes, attaching her attention to a disciple. They always ended up a disappointment.

The wifely gloating is going to be off the charts after this.

Click to shrink...

I mean. She's been building up a village in the back end of the province all right. It's just that the back end of the province is also the front end of a mostly uncontacted peer power to the Empire, and she's taking point on the negotiations. So.

 

[Varder]

Does this mean we can talk to Xiulan finally? Been a while she we've seen her.

When we tell our enemies [YOU ARE LOST] [END], they were already understanding that on a spiritual level. Now? Now they'll be understanding us from the range we're [COMMUNICATING] from. Whatever range we're at when we're Aware of them. My goodness.

Click to shrink...

Understand doesn't mean agree. The way I read this, we can talk to/with/at people through distances, barriers, language problems; but it doesn't help with punching people. I don't think there was ever a problem with getting our "END" message across in a fight, most enemies just reject it.

 

[Blademaster]

All system changes has had as a partial aim to slow LQs progress down out of a fear that she is growing to fast, by things like removing powerful cultivation aids and overall slowing down the amount of spiritual and physical cultivation that LQ can get in a given time. The precedent is therefor set that system changes mean slow downs in cultivation. In this case with the turns taking longer we will be seeing a slow down in what LQ will be able to cultivate inside that frame of time.

Click to shrink...

thats... not quite true? the aim was to reduce load and complications and simplify stuff. but consider that, before system change, we were getting about 800 xp per turn. after system change we get 660 but can get more from projects and if we achieved requirements- bringing us up to 990 with each or 1440 with both.

and the first system change didn't change base cultivation at all aside from turning it to action point based

 

[Yun]

She was going to be very cross with Ling Qi if she was conscious.

Click to shrink...

In things I can't believe I missed in the first read through... Ling Qi has finally managed to afflict Renxiang with irrational thoughts like being cross with Ling Qi for being conscious while playing taxi for a Sovereign in a Sovereign tier battle instead of being happy she is relatively unharmed.

 

[DeadmanwalkingXI]

Yay LQ lived with a new ability.

That drop in cultivation is really harsh tho when you consider that cultivation will be slowing down to even more of a crawl with the switch to the new system. So it is actually more like 1 or 2+ years of cultivation we lost from this which feels very harsh for doing everything right.

Hopefully the reward for completing the summit is a talent+ to compensate.

Click to shrink...

This is not correct.

In regards to mechanics going forward I intend to keep the same system but move to a looser system of time passing, keeping track of base cultivation as time passes in uiverse rather than tying it to turns. The only big change is that I intend to rejigger projects. I want to aim for few but more high impact projects and rather than an unchanging slate, when an arc starts I will probably come up with a slate of projects tailored directly to that arc or arcs.

This should be more dynamic and also less constraining for me.

Click to shrink...

Emphasis added. The turn timeline is changing, but the Cultivation XP is still tied to in-universe months.

 

[Glau]

And aren't formations a form of communication.

Click to shrink...

Mmm. I feel like you are trying to stretch communication into meaning something like 'understanding' or 'comprehending'.

Everything contains meaning. But it's an attempt to get meaning across to a second party that is communication. Gravity, for example, means 'down' but it's not a thing that's really communicated, just applied.

 

[GeshronTyler]

It's not going to happen, but imagine if Xuan Shi built us some sort of mech-walker to help us get around.

Click to shrink...

Suyin totally would though.

Click to shrink...

So, an interesting question will be, who did Hanyi comission the wheelchair ("wheel"chair?) from? Renxiang being the facillitator, rather than the comissioner is pretty interesting on its own merits, deliberately allowing Ling Qi's "sister-spirit" to fill a need that Renxiang would have normally been expected/obligated to cover as Ling's lord, and no doubt out of her own desire to show her appreciation for exemplary service.

So, perhaps Lin Hai (iirc), though a "wheelchair" isn't exactly the kind of fashion accessory they deal in...

Li Suyin would be a nice choice, but her design esthetic would lean towards some kind of self-propelled spider walker/bone chariot, or at least a bone construct to push the chair. Though Li Suyin making an attendent could still be on the table, to support Hanyi in caring for Ling, adding physical strength that she might lack. I wouldn't doubt Suyin would jump at the chance to do something for Ling.

I also like the idea of Xuan Shi building a floatchair that Hanyi could push around, since he's got that kind of "tech". He'll at least be quite glad he was able to have provided Ling support with his guantlets. I'm also hoping that if anything is left of those gauntlets, that they've aquired ptoperties that make them usefull components for a new crafting project.

 

[adaer]

I'm also hoping that if anything is left of those gauntlets, that they've aquired ptoperties that make them usefull components for a new crafting project.

Click to shrink...

He'll have to wait for them to not be Six's life support first. But yeah, the haven for a dream spirit that sheltered them through a firestorm well above their level, then supported their life after... It sounds like it could be made into a cool talisman for his nightmare.