I would agree, but I think the earth spirits and worms are definitely related, and the worms (with their 'worryingly large' tunnels) provide a very solid lead
In short, I think investigating the worms will solve the earth spirits problem faster
Threads Of Destiny(Eastern Fantasy, Sequel to Forge of Destiny)
- Thread starter yrsillar
- Start date
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I would agree, but I think the earth spirits and worms are definitely related, and the worms (with their 'worryingly large' tunnels) provide a very solid lead
In short, I think investigating the worms will solve the earth spirits problem faster
The major issue with the worms is that they are a little too suited to Ling Qi's skill set.
Honestly, unless the whole 'are they living creatures deserving of the same consideration as humans' pops up it's going to be pretty boring. And, much as I love the character growth, I am not super into revisiting that theme right this second, it'll start to overshadow all the other themes.
The rocks: cool, lots of asking questions and problem-solving with an elemental flair. Plus, the scale of it sounds epic; these are crags and cliffs restlessly moving about while Ling Qi and her plucky minions try to get to the bottom of this. Ling Qi's had a pretty good track record when it comes to these sorts of terrains, it should be fun.
The undead: for the reasons I've enumerated prior, besides, the ghosts occupy a very known ethical space without any complex moral dilemmas when interacting with them. Still, because they are the ghosts of past people, there's a lot of inherent flexibility to how the story can be told.
The worms... like, I'm just not feeling this option. Killing them is grunt work, narratively we need to revisit a known moral quandary that we kind of talked about to various people for the past few updates... like, it's a little too straightforward. Any twists you would see coming a mile away. I mean maybe you could argue leaving this for others to face will power up Yan Renshu just like the ice wolf powered up Kang, but I'm not against that.
Honestly, unless the whole 'are they living creatures deserving of the same consideration as humans' pops up it's going to be pretty boring. And, much as I love the character growth, I am not super into revisiting that theme right this second, it'll start to overshadow all the other themes.
The rocks: cool, lots of asking questions and problem-solving with an elemental flair. Plus, the scale of it sounds epic; these are crags and cliffs restlessly moving about while Ling Qi and her plucky minions try to get to the bottom of this. Ling Qi's had a pretty good track record when it comes to these sorts of terrains, it should be fun.
The undead: for the reasons I've enumerated prior, besides, the ghosts occupy a very known ethical space without any complex moral dilemmas when interacting with them. Still, because they are the ghosts of past people, there's a lot of inherent flexibility to how the story can be told.
The worms... like, I'm just not feeling this option. Killing them is grunt work, narratively we need to revisit a known moral quandary that we kind of talked about to various people for the past few updates... like, it's a little too straightforward. Any twists you would see coming a mile away. I mean maybe you could argue leaving this for others to face will power up Yan Renshu just like the ice wolf powered up Kang, but I'm not against that.
Sundancer
Always drifting~
- Location
- Germany
Our job is to scout ahead of the main force. Removing threats on the way, *find* said way and make sure the main force neither gets lost nor ambushed.
[x] Investigate the migrating earth spirits. Together you can try to tease out the source of their agitation, and save the cartographers some work.
'Save the cartographers some work' is actually exactly what we are supposed to do. Our job is to findda wey the way. Ideally, securing it but at least finding the dangers along it. So, this fits our assignment to a t and also fits Ling Qi's capability well. Best option by far.
[] Exterminate the worms. Though there were some third realm specimens, it is something that you are sure can be handled easily.
Classic combat assignment for a squad of meat heads. Totally wrong deployment for a team of scouts and not even remotely part of our assignment.
[] Seek to quell and disperse the malicious spirits gathering at the Old Watch, and find what is causing the quelled spirits to rise again.
Partly a combat assignment, but also involving some investigative work and a lot of spirit ken and 'occult'. Ling Qi is good at those, so it's a good mission for her on paper. It's not part of our assignment though. The main force can dispatch someone to do it or we can come back to it later when we have done the rest of our work. Wrong priority.
[x] Investigate the migrating earth spirits. Together you can try to tease out the source of their agitation, and save the cartographers some work.
'Save the cartographers some work' is actually exactly what we are supposed to do. Our job is to find
[] Exterminate the worms. Though there were some third realm specimens, it is something that you are sure can be handled easily.
Classic combat assignment for a squad of meat heads. Totally wrong deployment for a team of scouts and not even remotely part of our assignment.
[] Seek to quell and disperse the malicious spirits gathering at the Old Watch, and find what is causing the quelled spirits to rise again.
Partly a combat assignment, but also involving some investigative work and a lot of spirit ken and 'occult'. Ling Qi is good at those, so it's a good mission for her on paper. It's not part of our assignment though. The main force can dispatch someone to do it or we can come back to it later when we have done the rest of our work. Wrong priority.
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Also I just think the whole "the mountains are moving around lol" is such a cool image.
Also also, @AbeoLogos pointed out that we get EPC successes from playing music to the fish. We should keep doing this, and go and serenade the earth spirits!
Also also, @AbeoLogos pointed out that we get EPC successes from playing music to the fish. We should keep doing this, and go and serenade the earth spirits!
Except we wouldn't be investigating the worms? Like, they're not a mystery - they're pretty explicitly a pest control issue that's been left a little too long. The worm option is just "run in and cull these things".
Anyways, if we're on a schedule then the main group probably is too, so it's useful to compare how long each of these issues would take for the patrol force. From that perspective the rock spirits are definitely a better choice than the worms (battles are quicker than the extra overland travel from needing to backtrack and find an open path) but I'm not quite sure how difficult the Old Watch would be for the army to handle.
EternalObserver
eYe Gaze baCk
- Location
- The Void
[X] Investigate the migrating earth spirits. Together you can try to tease out the source of their agitation, and save the cartographers some work.
- Location
- Canada
[X] Investigate the migrating earth spirits. Together you can try to tease out the source of their agitation, and save the cartographers some work.
- Location
- Canada
As a reminder
We should deal with the earth spirits and get a good idea of the land that is no longer constantly moving first
Afterward we can worry about identifying and possibly dealing with the locations with threats in them
Our primary concern is mapping out the path ahead and informing the advancing army of threats and other points of interest
We should deal with the earth spirits and get a good idea of the land that is no longer constantly moving first
Afterward we can worry about identifying and possibly dealing with the locations with threats in them
[X] Investigate the migrating earth spirits. Together you can try to tease out the source of their agitation, and save the cartographers some work.
yes they are a mystery. It explicitly says "Something been letting them grow beyond their normal numbers and size"
what is that something? Keep killing them and they will lead you back through their giant tunnels to the source , which is coincidentally what is also disturbing the earth spirits
think of it this way, if something is disturbing earth spirits, it is likely deep underground. How are you going to get deep underground? Through giant tunnels
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fictionfan
Please sir, may I have some Meows?
- Location
- Tempe, AZ
[X] Investigate the migrating earth spirits. Together you can try to tease out the source of their agitation, and save the cartographers some work.
[X] Investigate the migrating earth spirits. Together you can try to tease out the source of their agitation, and save the cartographers some work.
[x] Seek to quell and disperse the malicious spirits gathering at the Old Watch, and find what is causing the quelled spirits to rise again.
[x] Seek to quell and disperse the malicious spirits gathering at the Old Watch, and find what is causing the quelled spirits to rise again.
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- Location
- Canada
We could risk following a thread like that
Or we could just investigate the earth spirits, if the worms are causing it, which I wouldn't be so sure of, then we can deal with that too
- Location
- The Star Kingdom of Manticore
But there is no proof that there is a connection between the earth spirits and what is allowing the worms to grow out of control. The only connection that we know about is that the worms live in the earth and rocks are also earth. That is an incredibly weak link. I really don't see how you can make the logic jump that what is allowing the worms to grow is also irritating the rock spirits without more supporting evidence.
[x] Seek to quell and disperse the malicious spirits gathering at the Old Watch, and find what is causing the quelled spirits to rise again.
I bet it's barbarians again.
I bet it's barbarians again.
occam's razor
What is more likely, two incredibly powerful underground disturbances that just happen to be really close together, or one powerful underground disturbance that manifests as several issues?
also, this is a story, so of course everything is related
this also sets up a neat finish where they solve the underlying problem, then she sends the scouts off to do their map thing while she solos Old Watch
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I take your argument and raise you a Wind Comb, that's a plot hook that has yet to hook anythingalso, this is a story, so of course everything is related
on a more serious note, while I agree the worms and earth spirits are probably connected, it might simply be the result of a third-party, removing the worms' traditional predators and attacking the earth spirits, also, I've always seen the worms as scavengers so they could be following something bigger.
- Location
- Australia
[X] Investigate the migrating earth spirits. Together you can try to tease out the source of their agitation, and save the cartographers some work.
Something is causing problems in the area and i think we would get clearer answers from the more neutrally aligned earth spirits than the hostile works or skeletons.
Let's use the hopefully less aggressive problem to gain info before we get into a fight
Something is causing problems in the area and i think we would get clearer answers from the more neutrally aligned earth spirits than the hostile works or skeletons.
Let's use the hopefully less aggressive problem to gain info before we get into a fight