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

Voted best in category in the Users' Choice awards.
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yrsillar said:
Eventually, the trail led them to a grey and withered valley, filled with bubbling muck. The grasses and plants within were twisted and grey, save for tumorous patches of color that marked the bark of some trees. They had not been able to investigate peacefully. Blighted and glowing insects had swarmed out the moment Mo Lian had stepped over a seemingly arbitrary line, and it was only a swift activation of the Forgotten Vale Melody that had driven the bugs back.

From there she had stayed with the group, her melody driving back the veritable carpet of chittering, sickly beasts that would have otherwise threatened to overwhelm them with sheer numbers. The sickness in the soil ran deep here, welling up from a depth far beyond the ability to sense. At the very center of the tainted valley, the mud gleamed with vibrant color from all across the spectrum, glowing and pulsing eerily under the darkening sky.

Even Ling Qi had little desire to linger once they had found the center of the phenomenon. They dug for a time, to see if the source could be unearthed, but it resulted only in a growing nausea among her subordinates. Even Ling Qi found her skin prickled under the strange glow, and perhaps it was only her imagination, but her gown rustled unnaturally, the trailing hems seeming to shy away from the sickly light. She had ordered the withdrawal after that, and ordered the three of them to set fire breaks around the valley. Once it was done, she had Zhen spray his venom across everything even vaguely flammable. When in doubt purifying by flame was rarely wrong. That done she resolved to mark down both the valley and trail of poison in her report and let someone more qualified deal with purging the taint.
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That's some Color Out of Space shit there, and I suspect that burning everything down to bedrock with the strongest, holiest fire they have is going to be the solution.
 
Neshuakadal said:
I really disagree with going out on our own. We have been warned not to seek glory. Going off on our own towards Barb land sounds a lot like glory seeking.
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Ditto. May come off as glory-seekling as well as reckless and overconfident. Wouldn't be good for our rep and it was all but explicitly stated that this is above our ability to handle. Which means if we get caught scouting by barbarians, we may end up in very hot water.
 
Neshuakadal said:
I really disagree with going out on our own. We have been warned not to seek glory. Going off on our own towards Barb land sounds a lot like glory seeking.
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Lena27 said:
Ditto. May come off as glory-seekling as well as reckless and overconfident. Wouldn't be good for our rep and it was all but explicitly stated that this is above our ability to handle. Which means if we get caught scouting by barbarians, we may end up in very hot water.
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It's trying to investigate after hearing of creepy warnings from a hill spirit and finding a fragment of a fallen star poisoning the entire area around it.

That's not glory-seeking and even if it was considered that by others, we're the only person even inclined to consider that the barbarians might have a Sublime Ancestor instead of laughing them off as primitives.

We know OOC that a barbarian invasion is coming soon and one specific barbarian braved the lethal (probably due to Stellar Qi inside it) tomb of their founder to become the next Ogodei and now we have ghosts of barbarian victims coming back after already being pacified for centuries.
 
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Neshuakadal said:
I think it is just celestial qi. The sun blocks it with it's radiance while the moon purifies it into lunur qi.
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I think the sun actually changes it into a more safe yang variant, but during the night there's no such major agent except the moon, and that can only do so much.

If I remember right, LQ can actually draw on tiny amounts of unaffiliated starlight qi.
 
I can't really see how Ling Qi would justify picking one subordinate over the other here. She could presumably help all three of her subordinates tremendously. I suppose that with her flight, she would be better suited for working with Mo Lian than the other two, but I'm not sure how choosing one of the other two would be explained in story. She might go with Chang He to learn from his experience, maybe? I don't know what explanation she would have for going with Chun Yan.

Searching the southern border seems like the most IC option for Ling Qi by a good margin. She is used to undergoing trials by herself and she won't have to choose one subordinate over another if she does this. I don't think the line about seeking glory applies very well either. Scouting out lands is our primary job, and that is what Ling Qi will be doing if we select the fourth option. We have also seen no signs of barbarian activity so far. Realistically, with Ling Qi's current skills, we should not expect to run into an ambush or encampment without any prior warning whatsoever. Avoiding the last option because of this risk reeks of paranoia.
 
'O Father, whose radiant eye abhors all evil, your children entreat you, Rise high and tarry long, burn away pestilence[...]

'O Thousand faced daughter, eye of the lost Mother, weep for your frail siblings, that your cleansing tears might bring purity in tainted night[...]

It has long been posited that the sun and the moon were among the very earliest of the Great Spirits formed in the aftermath of the world's creation formed from the last remnants of our Divine creators, and their original role was a very simple one. These spirits were empowered by a desire to survive the remaining hostility heaped upon us from the enemies of our spiritual progenitors. It is known that stellar qi is, unfiltered by the heavens, a terrible poison to human and beast alike. In these ancient days, it seems that very poison shone upon the world each night, mollified only by days of rain, where clouds shrouded the sky from that baleful light.
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From the world history interlude last thread. Both Moon and the Sun was first born as protectors from the deadly stellar qi.

It is stellar qi that we use with EPC. Got the stellar qi keyword even. Though it seems like the words like "celestial qi" (EPC description) and qi stars and moon (latest RR chapter 54) can be used to describe it also. We filter it to a useable level where it wont outright kill LQ. Probably why she also where by far the least effected by the Fallen Star.
 
[] Leave them to their individual tasks and search the southern border for signs of barbarian activity.

Leaning towards this one currently. I agree with Diomedon on this. I also think it's not really all that big on glory-seeking, not to mention our subordinates are pretty experienced enough to carry their weight. A quick lookaround won't hurt. Also looks like stealth option to me.

Also man, Liao Zhu's family sounds decently ranked up to perform that surgery.(I think)
 
If the 'star' was emitting Steller Qi Radiation wouldn't Ling Qi (and Moon-sempai) notice it since she uses it to cultivate?
 
Ooooh, methinks that there is some spicy plot foreshadowing going on here.

yrsillar said:
Ling Qi hummed in thought. She just might have the seed of an idea.

"...Yeah that's a you idea all right," Sixiang laughed.
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Starting off on a high note with a patented Ling Qi Idea. Guaranteed to solve your problem and then some, or your money back.

yrsillar said:
"Alright then," Ling Qi said, slipping out of her authoritative tone as she grinned. "Zhengui, make this fellow stop for a moment."

"Yes!" he announced cheerfully, turning toward the hill so very slowly moving toward them. He stomped forward, and qi flooded into the earth. Grass and shrubs gleamed with emerald light as unnatural roots churned the soil growing downward and anchoring the earth as Zhengui rammed his head into the stony hillside.

"My Big Sister wants to talk, so you had better listen," Zhen announced, eyeing the great pile of earth and stone imperiously. Behind him, Ling Qi silently breathed out, and activated the Thousand Rings Unbreaking technique, enhancing the roots laid down and making her little brother truly immovable.

For a time, there was no sound save for the growl of effort made by her little brother as the stone he had pressed his head against pushed harder and against him. Ling Qi grimaced at the expense of activating the expensive technique a second time, but she was soon rewarded as stone splintered with an audible crack and the hill shook, a noise like a sub-sonic groan rattling her bones. For the first time, she felt the weight of the hill's qi shift, changing from a dissipate half awareness to a focused attention on the obstacle in its path.
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Excellent job, little brother.

When the earth and the trees and the sentient animated hill is telling you to move, you look right back at him, and you say "No, you move".

yrsillar said:
'the winter winds would awaken the crumbling titan'
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That sounds like that one mega-spirit rustling around in the Cloud Tribes in the interlude, but it's been ages since I read that.

yrsillar said:
"Perhaps a powerful spirit beast died in the south and its blood is poisoning the earth."

"Seems more likely," Chun Yan agreed.

"...Yes, that seems more likely. Should we search for the source then Ma'am?" Mo Lian asked.

"That would probably be for the best," she agreed. "You'll lead us then. Focus on the ground and look for unusual traces. The rest of us will keep watch while you search."

The clear order seemed to snap them out of their thoughts, and once again Ling Qi was treated to three simultaneous 'Yes Ma'ams.'
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Huh, I think Qi's performance and treatment of them has earned her a measure of respect in their skeptical eyes.

yrsillar said:
"I didn't like it either," Hanyi said, speaking up for the first time in awhile. "The mountain was being creepy, I don't like it."

"Do not worry, I Zhen, will frighten away the scary lights for Hanyi," Zhen hissed teasingly.
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Now this is even more of a sibling relationship.

yrsillar said:
She left the subdual of the former to Chun Yan, who was quick and competent about striking and cutting down spirits with strong thrusts of the spear she carried on her back. The three of them worked well as a team, strengthening her suspicion that the three were quite familiar with each other. Chun Yan was the spear, Chang He was the shield. Mo Lian was the odd man out, acting to support the other two with a more varied set of skills.
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It is very nice to have a group that is experienced, professional, and already have great teamwork within the group.

yrsillar said:
As Ling Qi seated herself atop a flat rock to meditate however, she saw movement out of the corner of her eye.

"Senior Brother," she greeted calmly, refusing to rise to his bait.

"Junior Sister," Laio Zhu greeted in turn, seated on the trunk of a tree that hung crookedly from the cliffside on which she was perched. "I am glad to see your nerves remain in good condition."

"Of course," she replied dryly, she was not really in a joking mood though. "Senior Brother, what do you make of what we found today?"

"Ah but that would be telling, Junior Sister, I am disappointed that you would seek to use your Senior Brothers unmatched experience to pad your score," he replied lightly. She turned her head just enough to give him a flat look.
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Oh these two are always great. He's willing to tease and poke fun, and Qi is willing to call him on it.

yrsillar said:
He laughed at her, but his gaze sharpened. "It is somewhat concerning. This is not a matter for Inner disciples, I think. You did well."
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Oof, yeah this is a major matter that may require the Big Boys to take a look at it. Think it is very safe to say that our decision was correct.

yrsillar said:
"Why my father told me that she performed the operation to deliver your liege herself!"
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Alright, that's admittedly pretty funny.

yrsillar said:
"Perhaps," he agreed, the grin fading from his tone. "But… I have spent many long hours watching and infiltrating the Cloud Tribes," he said gravely. "There is an old tale, which they speak of in the same way that we do our Fishers, Diviners, and Conquerors. They say that, pitying the plight of the men who toiled under the dragons, Father Sky summoned the brightest star in the sky, his daughter, to free them of their bondage. Before the star, the artifice and mighty works of the dragons crumbled like dust. When the dragons fell, the star elected to remain on earth and took a husband from among the freed tribes, she bore a son who would be their first leader. However, while the star was the daughter of Father Sky, she was not born of Mother Earth, and so they and their descendants be denied the blessings of earth and live their lives in the Sky and the Mountains."

Ling Qi shifted uneasily at that no doubt abridged legend. "...Do you think the Cloud Tribes really have a Sublime Ancestor, somewhere in the Wall?"
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That's slightly terrifying.

yrsillar said:
"There is no proof of such a thing," Laio Zhu replied. "And you will be laughed at if you suggest it. Imperial scholars have long debunked their primitive myths, and the living dragons scoff at such stories," she couldn't help but feel that he was being a bit disingenuous with that statement. "But… Your Senior Brother is perhaps a touch paranoid."

"...You're pretty bad at setting the mind at ease, you know?" Ling Qi replied.

"I am no such thing," he denied, in a voice full of wounded pride. "For that was not my intent. Be careful on the morrow, Junior Sister."

Before she could reply, he was gone.
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Another great thing about Liao, he has successfully chipped away at the Imperial Supremacist mindset, and recognizes that Barbarian legends are not automatically inferior to our own "obviously true" origin stories.

Also, I felt a bit surprised at the level of IRL duties that Liao has taken up while being an Inner Sect student. That "you must make a significant contribution to the Sect" restriction on the Top 500 and up might be more significant than I thought. I guess I see why he is all the way up at #2, he actively infiltrates the Cloud Tribes.
 
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[X] Leave them to their individual tasks and search the southern border for signs of barbarian activity.


So if I'm reading this right the Cloud Tribes potentially have a Sublime Ancestor who us for all intents and purposes... King Ghidora...
 
I see two ways to spend our time.

Either the mapping action, which will provide an overhead view of the area that will probably be the best seen in a while, solely because we can fly and essentially no other Green Scout can do that. Aerial reconnaissance doesn't beat actually walking on the ground, but the two go very well together. Excellent maps should enable the main force to move through the area more efficiently.

Or the scout/patrol option. We've gotten a lead. It isn't much of a lead, but it is a lead... and if it turns up anything at all that might be relevant it was time well spent. So long as we manage to avoid a fight, it'll be time well spent.

If it turns up nothing, or we get into a fight we can't successfully flee from, the gamble turns sour, no matter how well we do in said fight. And turning up nothing at all seems... odd, given that we can track Qi traces.

We would speed up the kill-rate of unfriendly and dangerous spirit beasts, and probably clear out far more than otherwise (allowing the main force to move through the area more quickly), while our strength may give spirits enough pause to give time for Chang He to pacify more powerful spirits (allowing the main force to move through the area more quickly), but the maps allow us to maintain a semblance of overwatch on everybody. Not a good overwatch, but we should be relatively visible.
 
So the Cloud Tribes may have a Sublime Ancestor or an equivalent? Well it seems the Emerald Seas will suffer quite a bit in the decades to come, with the Cloud Tribe invasion and such.

To fulfill her scouting duties, Ling Qi should either map the region or investigate barbarian activities. Mapping the region is a simple but necessary duty so we can't go wrong with that choice. Plus it means Ling Qi will be relatively close to her subordinates and can help them fast if there is a problem. By contrast scouting for barbarians is riskier because Ling Qi isn't the stealth girl she was in the beginning and the barbarians will probably be closer to her level than to the soldiers so she may be discovered. Plus there is the risk of being seen as a glory hound for going on her own chasing Ignorant Foreigners' Fairy Tales. It's the only lead but our senior brother said that it was outside of Ling Qi competences so doing something simpler should be better for her score.
 
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Hmmm, the way I see it, Qi's subordinates are competent in their tasks. We've scouted out the area, and they aren't going to stumble into something that would need a third realm cultivator to handle.

Either we go with one of them to fill a hole in our education on scouting, or we trust them to handle their own responsibilities and do something productive with our time, IE checking the border. Just in case.

Frankly, scouting out the border makes the most sense since we're, y'know, a scout.

[] Leave them to their individual tasks and search the southern border for signs of barbarian activity.

Is my choice unless someone has a really good argument against it.
 
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Did not expect Color Out of Space with the moving hills, I was thinking that the underground Impurity things were bubbling up somewhere and causing everyone else to haul ass. But I actually like this development more, really reinforces that pure Celestial energy is bad juju.

Anyone else think that the Star is a spirit and something/someone woke it up? And is now having a jolly good time mulching all other energies for breakfast.
 
He's the one I most want a relationship with.

[X] Work with Chang He to pacify or disperse spirits as necessary.
 
zernach said:
Did not expect Color Out of Space with the moving hills, I was thinking that the underground Impurity things were bubbling up somewhere and causing everyone else to haul ass. But I actually like this development more, really reinforces that pure Celestial energy is bad juju.

Anyone else think that the Star is a spirit and something/someone woke it up? And is now having a jolly good time mulching all other energies for breakfast.
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yrsillar said:
Chang He spoke the words even as she mulled them over in her thoughts. "The fallen star stirs. Destruction burns below," the old man said slowly, sounding troubled.
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yrsillar said:
Further questioning proved mostly useless, and they received only fragmented answers and vague references. There was 'Poison rising from the deepest depths', and the 'the winter winds would awaken the crumbling titan'. All very ominous, none of it very helpful. The longer they forced the hill to remain still the more agitated it was becoming too.
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yrsillar said:
"There is an old tale, which they speak of in the same way that we do our Fishers, Diviners, and Conquerors. They say that, pitying the plight of the men who toiled under the dragons, Father Sky summoned the brightest star in the sky, his daughter, to free them of their bondage. Before the star, the artifice and mighty works of the dragons crumbled like dust. When the dragons fell, the star elected to remain on earth and took a husband from among the freed tribes, she bore a son who would be their first leader. However, while the star was the daughter of Father Sky, she was not born of Mother Earth, and so they and their descendants be denied the blessings of earth and live their lives in the Sky and the Mountains."
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It was Stellar QI that was said to be dangerous to cultivate without being filtered via the Moon or Sun iirc?

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And Ling Qi'd a few times over.
 
You guys.....really need to holdback during a moratorium....

[X] Leave them to their individual tasks and search the southern border for signs of barbarian activity.

moratorium's over now
 
I don't think this would be seen as glory seeking or any other dereliction of duty
from Discord
AlectaiToday at 2:08 PM
Basically, I want to confirm "Hey is the area Ling Qi wants to scout in her area of responsibility"

YrsillarToday at 2:09 PM
yes that is what the last option implies
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Scouting for barb activity would probably be on the to do list anyway, and our paying a bit of extra attention isn't seeking glory, its following up on a possible lead
Nothing wrong with a scout following up on delivered info
 
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