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

[Erebeal]

What happens if they don't, for whatever reason?

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Well, then I'd certainly be keen on tutoring. We've got time before that though.

The immediate thing I'd say we want to check with Sect Points is pills. We need to know what kind of stuff we can get there so we can work out how to abuse it asap.

 

[BungieONI]

Well, then I'd certainly be keen on tutoring. We've got time before that though.

The immediate thing I'd say we want to check with Sect Points is pills. We need to know what kind of stuff we can get there so we can work out how to abuse it asap.

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That sounds like a case of looking around in adventure mode. Doesn't make a whole load of sense to need to spend money just to walk in and window shop.

 

[Erebeal]

That sounds like a case of looking around in adventure mode. Doesn't make a whole load of sense to need to spend money just to walk in and window shop.

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Well, that's how it works right now:

Cultivation aids purchase a single 'rare' pill will individual effects which will be determined in the narrative after purchase.

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Which really raises the question: how is this supposed to work? Is what we get supposed to be somewhat unreliable?

 

[BungieONI]

Well, that's how it works right now:


Which really raises the question: how is this supposed to work? Is what we get supposed to be somewhat unreliable?

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We'd have to spend a loooooot to get a good idea of what we have on hand. So it seems that it is supposed to be nebulous more than unreliable, though given Ling Qi isn't an idiot I expect it to be helpful

 

[Erebeal]

We'd have to spend a loooooot to get a good idea of what we have on hand. So it seems that it is supposed to be nebulous more than unreliable, though given Ling Qi isn't an idiot I expect it to be helpful

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Given how critical drug optimisation and planning is to our progression, I don't think we have a choice really.

Besides, if rare pills do reliably return more than they cost in AP then we basically want to be grabbing them all the time.

 

[BungieONI]

Given how critical drug optimisation and planning is to our progression, I don't think we have a choice really.

Besides, if rare pills do reliably return more than they cost in AP then we basically want to be grabbing them all the time.

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You probably don't mean this but does this override what you said about domain tutoring?

 

[yrsillar]

Well, that's how it works right now:


Which really raises the question: how is this supposed to work? Is what we get supposed to be somewhat unreliable?

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It means that if you choose to purchase one I will generate a randomized shoplist from a pool of rare pills in adventure mode for you to pick a pill from. You'll also be able to choose to cancel the transaction if nothing appeals.

 

[Erebeal]

You probably don't mean this but does this override what you said about domain tutoring?

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Not really.

It means that if you choose to purchase one I will generate a randomized shoplist from a pool of rare pills in adventure mode for you to pick a pill from. You'll also be able to choose to cancel the transaction if nothing appeals.

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So are we limited in the number of purchases we can make a month?

In terms of potency, what are you looking at as a general rule? Should pills be cost effective on their own with two or three arts? Or do you intend for them to require complex combination shenanigans to be useful?

As an example, something like Su Ling's Silverblood Pills would need about ~2 applicable arts to be worth it.

(use 8 AP on arts, get +80 dice x typical multiplier of ~1.5 (yes, I know we have more on Argent) ~120 = 1 AP. 10% to physical/spiritual = 20% to base = 1.6 AP + bonus = 1.8 AP. Total = ~2.8 AP returned for 2 AP invested.)

 

[Theo Promes]

I think we should wait for elder lessons first. That sounds like the kind of thing they'd be covering at an intro green level here.

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What happens if they don't, for whatever reason?

E: I'm sceptical because the lack of info has been very surprising before imo.

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If it isn't covered very soon in an elder lesson, I propose that we go and ask Bai Meizhen. She has given us excellent cultivation advice before, and clearly knows what she's doing when it comes to domains.
I generally agree with the thought that we need to learn how to domain.


Also, I'm still slightly heartbroken about LQ rejecting best snek, so I'm all for hanging out with her, all the time.

 

[AbeoLogos]

So, I thought I would try my hand at doing a couple art mock-ups. Mostly focused on the 'backstories', general themes, and what I thought were fun techs for the arts. Screw trying to come up with passives. Tell me what you guys think!

Potency: Green 1
Potency Growth: Green 2(2), Green 3(5)
Keywords:
-Control, Rain, Storm, Unity, Water, Wind, Yin
-Manipulation, Music, Resolve, Survival
Current Meridians: Heart(Wind), Arm(Water), Leg(Wind)
Next Meridians: Heart(3)(Water), Heart(5)(Wind), Arm(6)(Water)
Max Level: 6

A branch family settled on the outskirts of the Wall once repelled a cloud nomad raid, forcing the barbarians to retreat under cover of their shared storm, only to have the invaders pause over a select peak and spill rains that ran together and crashed through the valleys leaving devastated holdings and shattered defenses in its wake. This art is the composition of a young scion who survived the nomad hunting parties to reach the safety of her mother clan, where she trained and prepared for the day she could deliver retribution. In meditating on her experiences, she realized the terrible potential the smallest drips of strength can hold when bound into a single force by a guiding hand with ruthless purpose.

Pooling Wind Canon: D
Duration: Persistent/Short
As the storm's winds blow the rain into drenching sheets, the opening tune drives their forces forwards as a greater whole. Allies within Close range experience a significant speed increase when moving towards enemies, and are partially shielded from enemy projectiles and slowing effects by the overlapping winds if Adjacent to another ally.

Rainwater's Weight: C
Duration: Long
The completing half of the basic form of the song, the musician's notes swell with heavy purpose, sharing their insight into the collective might of the storm with those embodying its strength. Within Close range, any group of 3 or more allies who are Near each other gain a moderate increase to Physical Penetration and a chance to knock down targets they strike.

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Here, I wanted to make a Music art that didn't have Lung meridians, and so doesn't have the typical technique hierarchies, but I didn't want to abandon techniques setting each other up entirely either. Rainwater's Weight can only target allies who group up, but it doesn't require the first tech to have been used. Instead, Pooling Wind Canon gives a speed boost so that allies can group up in their pursuit of enemies, and incentivizes them to cluster by having the defensive benefits conditional on doing so. Between the low-ish rank and Persistent duration, the first technique is also intended as a low-cost option for chasing down evasive or fleeing enemies in addition to its use as an opening closer.

This art is designed around larger engagements than we've traditionally been involved in, and assumes you have soldiery under your command for much of it. It's a pretty ruthless art, overall. Also not a super old one, compared to some of the others we've been getting lately, so it is supposed to have some rough edges. For instance, tech ranges are pretty lackluster at the first level for what it's supposed to do, and that's something that rises as it's mastered.

Potency: Green 2
Potency Growth: Green 3(4), Green 4(7)
Keywords:
-Balanced, Darkness, Shadows, Shelter, Wood
-Fade, Manipulation, Wits
Current Meridians: Lungx2, Heart
Next Meridians: Heart(2), Heart(4), Lung(6)
Max Level 7

The Sun and Moon have bathed the world in their mercy since ancient times. So great is their favor to the earth's children that they nurture the many growing things, that one might find respite from his radiance in soothing shade. The user of this art carries this truth with them and breathes its shelter into the world wherever they go.

Shadowing Canopy: C
Duration: Long
The first and foundational construct generated by the art. The user expels their qi to create a floating spectral canopy that casts all beneath it in gentle shifting shadows that shield from the brilliance of spiritual attacks. Within Close range of the user, allies gain a moderate increase to Spiritual Avoid and a minor increase to Spiritual Armor. The user my use this technique as a B rank technique to increase the range to Far. Technique still counts as C for the purpose of contests with opposing arts or the effects of other techniques.

Pillars in the Dark: B
Duration: Long
Only usable under the Shadowing Canopy. The user fills their sanctuary with qi in the form of shadowed trunks, silently supporting. Extends duration of allied techniques by approximately half. Moderate increase to resist dispel attempts for allied techniques. This tech cannot be targeted by dispels unless it is the user's only active technique of B rank or higher.

Twisted Path: C
Duration: Short
The sanctuary offers protection from terrestrial threats as well, hindering any that do not know its shaded pathways. The user sinks their qi into the earth, sprouting into unseen tangled, tripping roots on an intruder's passage. Enemies within the technique suffer environmental penalties to movement and physical hit.

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This art was my crack at trying something a bit more Weilu. I am bad at writing all fancy like, but what I _hope_ is clear is that the art uses the concept of a forest's shade to protect against the metaphorical sunlight of an opponent's spiritual attacks. Spiritual defense and dispel resist have both been common desires in the playerbase, and it inspired me to do something a bit different but not unfitting with our themes and elements. It's also fun to "grow" a tree starting from the top and ending at the roots.

It starts with 3 techniques because it's supposed to be pretty built-up over the ages, and I thought starting at Appraisal might mean an art can fit a bit more on the first level. Pillars in the Dark is a quirky technique because it 'hides' behind other B rank techs, but doesn't (at the first level of the art anyway) stand in the way of the C rank tech that it depends on.

 

[BungieONI]

So, I thought I would try my hand at doing a couple art mock-ups. Mostly focused on the 'backstories', general themes, and what I thought were fun techs for the arts. Screw trying to come up with passives. Tell me what you guys think!


Here, I wanted to make a Music art that didn't have Lung meridians, and so doesn't have the typical technique hierarchies, but I didn't want to abandon techniques setting each other up entirely either. Rainwater's Weight can only target allies who group up, but it doesn't require the first tech to have been used. Instead, Pooling Wind Canon gives a speed boost so that allies can group up in their pursuit of enemies, and incentivizes them to cluster by having the defensive benefits conditional on doing so. Between the low-ish rank and Persistent duration, the first technique is also intended as a low-cost option for chasing down evasive or fleeing enemies in addition to its use as an opening closer.

This art is designed around larger engagements than we've traditionally been involved in, and assumes you have soldiery under your command for much of it. It's a pretty ruthless art, overall. Also not a super old one, compared to some of the others we've been getting lately, so it is supposed to have some rough edges. For instance, tech ranges are pretty lackluster at the first level for what it's supposed to do, and that's something that rises as it's mastered.


This art was my crack at trying something a bit more Weilu. I am bad at writing all fancy like, but what I _hope_ is clear is that the art uses the concept of a forest's shade to protect against the metaphorical sunlight of an opponent's spiritual attacks. Spiritual defense and dispel resist have both been common desires in the playerbase, and it inspired me to do something a bit different but not unfitting with our themes and elements. It's also fun to "grow" a tree starting from the top and ending at the roots.

It starts with 3 techniques because it's supposed to be pretty built-up over the ages, and I thought starting at Appraisal might mean an art can fit a bit more on the first level. Pillars in the Dark is a quirky technique because it 'hides' behind other B rank techs, but doesn't (at the first level of the art anyway) stand in the way of the C rank tech that it depends on.

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I like the 'Hurry up let's go!' From Inevitable Rainstorm Orchestration and really like the quirky synergy of Verdant Sanctuary. The last technique of Sancturary is a bit odd though and seems a bit of an odd duck when it affects the physical and not the mental or spiritual like the others.

But further thought makes it kinda fit the story the Sanctuary is telling.

 

[Arkeus]

So, I thought I would try my hand at doing a couple art mock-ups. Mostly focused on the 'backstories', general themes, and what I thought were fun techs for the arts. Screw trying to come up with passives. Tell me what you guys think!


Here, I wanted to make a Music art that didn't have Lung meridians, and so doesn't have the typical technique hierarchies, but I didn't want to abandon techniques setting each other up entirely either. Rainwater's Weight can only target allies who group up, but it doesn't require the first tech to have been used. Instead, Pooling Wind Canon gives a speed boost so that allies can group up in their pursuit of enemies, and incentivizes them to cluster by having the defensive benefits conditional on doing so. Between the low-ish rank and Persistent duration, the first technique is also intended as a low-cost option for chasing down evasive or fleeing enemies in addition to its use as an opening closer.

This art is designed around larger engagements than we've traditionally been involved in, and assumes you have soldiery under your command for much of it. It's a pretty ruthless art, overall. Also not a super old one, compared to some of the others we've been getting lately, so it is supposed to have some rough edges. For instance, tech ranges are pretty lackluster at the first level for what it's supposed to do, and that's something that rises as it's mastered.


This art was my crack at trying something a bit more Weilu. I am bad at writing all fancy like, but what I _hope_ is clear is that the art uses the concept of a forest's shade to protect against the metaphorical sunlight of an opponent's spiritual attacks. Spiritual defense and dispel resist have both been common desires in the playerbase, and it inspired me to do something a bit different but not unfitting with our themes and elements. It's also fun to "grow" a tree starting from the top and ending at the roots.

It starts with 3 techniques because it's supposed to be pretty built-up over the ages, and I thought starting at Appraisal might mean an art can fit a bit more on the first level. Pillars in the Dark is a quirky technique because it 'hides' behind other B rank techs, but doesn't (at the first level of the art anyway) stand in the way of the C rank tech that it depends on.

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I really like the themes of those arts, but man, you really are of the nerf everything faction

 

[AbeoLogos]

I like the 'Hurry up let's go!' From Inevitable Rainstorm Orchestration and really like the quirky synergy of Verdant Sanctuary. The last technique of Sancturary is a bit odd though and seems a bit of an odd duck when it affects the physical and not the mental or spiritual like the others.

But further thought makes it kinda fit the story the Sanctuary is telling.

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Yeah, Twisted Path is basically a 'high quality' bonus tacked onto the side of the art even though it's a bit of an aside from the primary focus of the art. That being the dreaded day star.

I really like the themes of those arts, but man, you really are of the nerf everything faction

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Okay fine, I un-nerfed Rainwater's Weight.

Spoiler: Previous version, for anyone curious

Rainwater's Weight: C
Duration: Long
The completing half of the basic form of the song, the musician's notes swell with heavy purpose, sharing their insight into the collective might of the storm with those who embody its strength. Within Close range, a group of 3-5 allies who are Near each other gain a moderate increase to Physical Penetration and a chance to knock down targets they strike. Up to 2 additional groups can be affected for additional qi cost.

Spoiler: New version, for anyone too lazy to check

Rainwater's Weight: C
Duration: Long
The completing half of the basic form of the song, the musician's notes swell with heavy purpose, sharing their insight into the collective might of the storm with those who embody its strength. Within Close range, any group of 3 or more allies who are Near each other gain a moderate increase to Physical Penetration and a chance to knock down targets they strike.

 

[BungieONI]

Yeah, Twisted Path is basically a 'high quality' bonus tacked onto the side of the art even though it's a bit of an aside from the primary focus of the art. That being the dreaded day star.


Okay fine, I un-nerfed Rainwater's Weight.

Spoiler: Previous version, for anyone curious

Rainwater's Weight: C
Duration: Long
The completing half of the basic form of the song, the musician's notes swell with heavy purpose, sharing their insight into the collective might of the storm with those who embody its strength. Within Close range, a group of 3-5 allies who are Near each other gain a moderate increase to Physical Penetration and a chance to knock down targets they strike. Up to 2 additional groups can be affected for additional qi cost.

Spoiler: New version, for anyone too lazy to check

Rainwater's Weight: C
Duration: Long
The completing half of the basic form of the song, the musician's notes swell with heavy purpose, sharing their insight into the collective might of the storm with those who embody its strength. Within Close range, any group of 3 or more allies who are Near each other gain a moderate increase to Physical Penetration and a chance to knock down targets they strike.

Click to shrink...

And now with no upper cap to ally number, if you can cram an army into near, they benefit!

 

[Arkeus]

Yeah, Twisted Path is basically a 'high quality' bonus tacked onto the side of the art even though it's a bit of an aside from the primary focus of the art. That being the dreaded day star.


Okay fine, I un-nerfed Rainwater's Weight.

Spoiler: Previous version, for anyone curious

Rainwater's Weight: C
Duration: Long
The completing half of the basic form of the song, the musician's notes swell with heavy purpose, sharing their insight into the collective might of the storm with those who embody its strength. Within Close range, a group of 3-5 allies who are Near each other gain a moderate increase to Physical Penetration and a chance to knock down targets they strike. Up to 2 additional groups can be affected for additional qi cost.

Spoiler: New version, for anyone too lazy to check

Rainwater's Weight: C
Duration: Long
The completing half of the basic form of the song, the musician's notes swell with heavy purpose, sharing their insight into the collective might of the storm with those who embody its strength. Within Close range, any group of 3 or more allies who are Near each other gain a moderate increase to Physical Penetration and a chance to knock down targets they strike.

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To explain my criticism of the previous version in more detail, this comes down to my (biased) understanding of how the AC/TRF or the FZ/AP? type arts works:
- AC/TRF have techs strongly bolstering the user but effect less allies/enemies
- FZ/AP? have techs not bolstering the user by default but effect all allies/enemies

Previous IRO version kinda did: have effect not bolstering the user but effect less allies/enemies.

 

[AbeoLogos]

And now with no upper cap to ally number, if you can cram an army into near, they benefit!

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My carefully cultivated art balance

More seriously, with the switch, the minimum number to qualify should probably be bumped up to 4+ or 5+, at least for level one, but I'm not gonna mess with it again.

Reminds me though, @yrsillar I actually had a question about Wood. I originally envisioned Verdant Sanctuary as a Yin art with the same overall theme, but I realized that the yin/yang divide for wood was pretty stark, with yin wood being decomposition/decay/poison/etc. Could there be a Yin art that used Yin Wood as a structural aspect like in the art, or is the Balanced yin/yang alignment that I settled on the way to go? The sun/moon origin story made the transition pretty painless so whatever, but now I'm curious if there's yin wood interpretations that aren't gross we just haven't seen yet.

 

[Ayashi]

(use 8 AP on arts, get +80 dice x typical multiplier of ~1.5 (yes, I know we have more on Argent) ~120 = 1 AP. 10% to physical/spiritual = 20% to base = 1.6 AP + bonus = 1.8 AP. Total = ~2.8 AP returned for 2 AP invested.)

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As i'm reading it we need to spend an action going to the market to check what's up to sell. So the base cost is 2AP gathering the sect points and +1AP on market browsing.

 

[yrsillar]

As i'm reading it we need to spend an action going to the market to check what's up to sell. So the base cost is 2AP gathering the sect points and +1AP on market browsing.

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No if you buy a pill I will just include a market vote in the adventure mode for the turn

 

[Ayashi]

Oh, great that helps.
It does means we need to add a market vote on each monthly plan so we trigger a pill roll and see if there's anything interesting. I mean, I don't think anyone wants to miss out on a (better?) 8fold pill, for example.

 

[AbeoLogos]

Man, screw that. I for one have little interest in constantly rolling the dice on pills if our only real intention is to see what's available. Either do it with a reasonable degree of commitment, or not at all. That doesn't mean picking a pill no matter what, we have a right to be discriminating in what we choose, but let's not waste everyone's time.

 

[Alectai]

Man, screw that. I for one have little interest in constantly rolling the dice on pills if our only real intention is to see what's available. Either do it with a reasonable degree of commitment, or not at all. That doesn't mean picking a pill no matter what, we have a right to be discriminating in what we choose, but let's not waste everyone's time.

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To be fair.

Even a single pill on the level of a Highsun/Darkmoon/Eightfold Path would be worth the price of admission, that stuff is big--and I'm pretty sure that for the price we're looking at here, we get at least enough for a full month of training.

 

[BungieONI]

@yrsillar is it possible to alter a spirit's development and/or health by the binder intentionally increasing the amount of qi they are devoting to a bound spirit?

 

[yrsillar]

@yrsillar is it possible to alter a spirit's development and/or health by the binder intentionally increasing the amount of qi they are devoting to a bound spirit?

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No that isn't how it works

 

[Erebeal]

Alright, here are lots of pills as generated from my patented rare pill generator!

Spoiler: Rare pills

[1] "Adds 10 dice to Imperial Element cultivation. Triggers 5 bonus Spiritual cultivation roll(s) with a bonus of 10"
[1] "Adds 10 dice to Thunder and Earth and Moon cultivation. Adds 5 % of successes from such arts to Spiritual and Physical cultivation."
[1] "Adds 10 dice to Argent and Meridian cultivation."
[1] "Adds 5 dice to Lake and Spiritual cultivation. Adds 10 % of successes from such arts to Spiritual and Physical cultivation."
[1] "Adds 25 % of successes from Mountain cultivation to Physical cultivation."
[1] "Adds a 0.25 multiplier to successes for Sun and Music and Spiritual cultivation."
[1] "Adds 20 dice to Meridian cultivation. Triggers 1 bonus Physical cultivation roll(s) with a bonus of 10"
[1] "Adds 15 dice to Moon cultivation. Adds 15 % of successes from such arts to Spiritual cultivation."
[1] "Adds a 0.2 multiplier to successes for Wind and Moon and Physical cultivation. Triggers 1 bonus Spiritual cultivation roll(s) with a bonus of 4"
[1] "Adds 5 dice and a 0.4 multiplier to Physical cultivation."
[1] "Adds 15 dice to Argent cultivation."
[1] "Adds 5 % of successes from Music cultivation to Physical cultivation. Triggers 1 bonus Physical cultivation roll(s) with a bonus of 2"
[1] "Adds 5 dice to Water and Earth cultivation. Adds 5 % of successes from such arts to Spiritual cultivation."
[1] "Adds 5 dice and a 0.1 multiplier to Yang cultivation. Adds 10 % of successes from such arts to Physical cultivation."
[1] "Adds 15 dice to Meridian cultivation."
[1] "Adds 5 % of successes from such arts to Spiritual and Physical cultivation. Adds a 0.05 multiplier to successes for Spiritual and Meridian cultivation. Triggers 1 bonus Spiritual cultivation roll(s) with a bonus of 2"
[1] "Adds 45 % of successes from Argent cultivation to Physical cultivation."
[1] "Adds 20 dice to Wind cultivation."
[1] "Adds 10 dice and a 0.15 multiplier to Sun and Mountain and Earth cultivation."
[1] "Adds 5 dice and a 0.05 multiplier to Combat and Physical cultivation."

... ok, so some of them are better than others

I can generate hundreds if you want though @yrsillar

 

[hyperspacemage]

[X] Invite Xuan Shi to help you with building his breakthough nest. Surely his knowledge will improve it
[X][M] Ask Cai Renxiang to put it up for auction

I hope the vote hasn't been called
I really enjoyed the last thread and hope to participate more in this one

I do have a question what Theme are we going for? Like it seems like all the high level cultivators are very focused in element and style I see wood moon ice wind and song how does all that come together or is the plan to discard some of these themes.
Cultivators seem to be basically baby gods figure out what section of reality to rule over so where are we heading?