To Establish Peace - A Romance of the Three Kingdoms Quest
- Thread starter Gaz
- Start date
- Alt. History Historic
Origins by mpsoldier
- Pronouns
- He
I wrote a small Omake as thanks for this epic quest and ROTK journey. It takes place at the very start, as I have a great deal of reading to do to catch up with where the quest is at now. I hope everyone enjoys.
China; 184 AD
Liang Shu sat beside his fathers grave; shivering a little as the scant raindrops wet his back and began to slowly soak through his cloak. Despite the harsh wind and the intermittent raindrops Liang Shu did not mind the miserable weather; it was as if the land itself was crying for his father. The funeral was three days over; most of the guests had departed throughout the past two day's and for the first time since before the bandit raid a week ago their was quiet throughout the manor.
The quiet unnerved Liang Shu. While the various ceremonies and greetings had been going on he had been busy; so many guests, so many preparations, so many events. But now things had finally settled down. The business had occupied him; even pacified him, but now as the uproar died down reality fully set in and his adrenaline finally receded leaving him profoundly physically and emotionally drained.
The raindrops picked up in intensity. Splattering on his body, on his clothes, on his face. He could not quite tell what was rain and what was tears as he descended into sobs, bowing his head at last and making furtive prayers for this to all be some kind of twisted nightmare.
"Liang, it might be best to come inside." A voice called out from behind him.
"I think not. I'm staying out here." Liang Shu replied tersely; turning his head and spotting through his tear blurred vision the form of his Father's Steward, Xu Tong.
"You'll catch cold sitting out in this weather."
"I don't care. I'm staying here." Liang Shu practically spat the words. Xu Tong paused for several seconds; as if debating internally. Then the older man sat down wordlessly beside him, heedless of the wet ground and his own lighter clothing. For several minutes there was silence aside from the howling wind and the soft impacts of the rain drops.
"A man could be in his grey years when his father dies; and he would still feel lost." Xu Tong said at last. The raindrops pooled around his face and dripped from his nose and mouth, the water slightly slurring his words.
"Really?" Liang Shu replied slowly.
"Yes. Young or old, man or boy, when your father dies it is if a mountain you saw every day has disappeared. It is normal to feel lost, confused."
Liang Shu sat quietly, digesting the statement.
"I feel...that is a good description." He said at last. They settled into silence once more. Minutes trickled by, marked only by the intensifying raindrops hitting the land. "And what can a man do...to feel...unlost?" Liang Shu wondered.
"Mourn." Xu Tong said quietly.
"I am sitting beside my fathers grave."
"Freezing and sitting is sulking, not mourning." Xu Tong gently chided.
"Then how would you mourn?"
"It is different for each man." Xu Tong explained slowly. "Some cry publicly, some cry alone. Some seek comfort in the familiar, throwing themselves in work or play. Some crave activity, others reflection. Some drink heavily, some do not. Some crave company, some solitude." He shrugged. "Whatever the method; one cannot move forward until one mourns. You must seek the method unique to you; but be mindful that others are also on their own mourning journey. You need not take it alone."
Liang Shu considered this. "I...accept your council; Xu Tong." He paused. "I wonder if I might ask a favor of you."
"Anything."
"I'm...you...I...I wonder if I could impose upon you for a period to attend to the estate and my sister's as my Steward. I feel...the need to ride. Perhaps a short journey with Dappled Cloud would be in order."
"Of course. It would be an honor." Xu Tong gave a little smile. "Your horse is already saddled in the stables and provisioned for an extended ride."
"You...know me well, Xu Tong." Liang Shu said quietly.
"I know your father well; and his spirit is strong in you."
Liang Shu paused, forcing back more tears. He attempted to speak for several seconds; then gave up. He bowed and rose on unsteady legs to walk slowly to the stable.
China; 184 AD
Liang Shu sat beside his fathers grave; shivering a little as the scant raindrops wet his back and began to slowly soak through his cloak. Despite the harsh wind and the intermittent raindrops Liang Shu did not mind the miserable weather; it was as if the land itself was crying for his father. The funeral was three days over; most of the guests had departed throughout the past two day's and for the first time since before the bandit raid a week ago their was quiet throughout the manor.
The quiet unnerved Liang Shu. While the various ceremonies and greetings had been going on he had been busy; so many guests, so many preparations, so many events. But now things had finally settled down. The business had occupied him; even pacified him, but now as the uproar died down reality fully set in and his adrenaline finally receded leaving him profoundly physically and emotionally drained.
The raindrops picked up in intensity. Splattering on his body, on his clothes, on his face. He could not quite tell what was rain and what was tears as he descended into sobs, bowing his head at last and making furtive prayers for this to all be some kind of twisted nightmare.
"Liang, it might be best to come inside." A voice called out from behind him.
"I think not. I'm staying out here." Liang Shu replied tersely; turning his head and spotting through his tear blurred vision the form of his Father's Steward, Xu Tong.
"You'll catch cold sitting out in this weather."
"I don't care. I'm staying here." Liang Shu practically spat the words. Xu Tong paused for several seconds; as if debating internally. Then the older man sat down wordlessly beside him, heedless of the wet ground and his own lighter clothing. For several minutes there was silence aside from the howling wind and the soft impacts of the rain drops.
"A man could be in his grey years when his father dies; and he would still feel lost." Xu Tong said at last. The raindrops pooled around his face and dripped from his nose and mouth, the water slightly slurring his words.
"Really?" Liang Shu replied slowly.
"Yes. Young or old, man or boy, when your father dies it is if a mountain you saw every day has disappeared. It is normal to feel lost, confused."
Liang Shu sat quietly, digesting the statement.
"I feel...that is a good description." He said at last. They settled into silence once more. Minutes trickled by, marked only by the intensifying raindrops hitting the land. "And what can a man do...to feel...unlost?" Liang Shu wondered.
"Mourn." Xu Tong said quietly.
"I am sitting beside my fathers grave."
"Freezing and sitting is sulking, not mourning." Xu Tong gently chided.
"Then how would you mourn?"
"It is different for each man." Xu Tong explained slowly. "Some cry publicly, some cry alone. Some seek comfort in the familiar, throwing themselves in work or play. Some crave activity, others reflection. Some drink heavily, some do not. Some crave company, some solitude." He shrugged. "Whatever the method; one cannot move forward until one mourns. You must seek the method unique to you; but be mindful that others are also on their own mourning journey. You need not take it alone."
Liang Shu considered this. "I...accept your council; Xu Tong." He paused. "I wonder if I might ask a favor of you."
"Anything."
"I'm...you...I...I wonder if I could impose upon you for a period to attend to the estate and my sister's as my Steward. I feel...the need to ride. Perhaps a short journey with Dappled Cloud would be in order."
"Of course. It would be an honor." Xu Tong gave a little smile. "Your horse is already saddled in the stables and provisioned for an extended ride."
"You...know me well, Xu Tong." Liang Shu said quietly.
"I know your father well; and his spirit is strong in you."
Liang Shu paused, forcing back more tears. He attempted to speak for several seconds; then gave up. He bowed and rose on unsteady legs to walk slowly to the stable.
It's Tough To Be A God by copypastaanon
- Location
- America
It is funny, in all the years I have been around, always I am looked to as a hero of war, the likes of which even Brother Yide acknowledges. But, I think Brother does so because he sees his mirror. Perhaps not a full representation, for he, despite all is villainy is still a man loyal to the Han. But, in my growing age, I have come to realize something. The Han is dead. And I fear I must make a confession, I do not know how history will remember me for this.. But I was the one who slew the father of Liang Shu. Later, the gang leader took the credit, but it was my blade that slid into his chest, skated off his ribs and pierced his heart. At the time I thought nothing of it, just another unlucky victim. But then, then I heard of Liang Shu, the Soaring Hawk. His deeds and reputation grew and so too, did my shame. Surely Liang Shu was a man of great familial piety, the likes of which reminded me of my own family, I spent many a long night pondering if what I had become honoured them.
The answer was no. I showed up then, at night, hearing of his recruitment to defend Xinshen. I have stood by lord Liang for many a year now, adding my blade, spear and strength to his, not for some grandiose dream, but for Him, for Liang Shu. But all this treachery, this betrayal, it kills me inside. You say I am strong, because of my skill. You say I am wise, because of my age. But, I ask you this and implore you: You say I am strong, because of my victories in battle, but I say it means nothing. It was nothing more than a matter of survival. It carries no weight of worth, nor honor beyond what we ascribe to it. And if you truly wish to be wise, learn why brothers betray brothers, maybe one day you will unite not just the land, but the world.- A small crinkled note left over from a campaign lead by the then warlord Liang Shu, none know who it is written by, but speculation exists. It is currently housed in the National Museum, in Beijing, China.
Got bored and wrote something.
The answer was no. I showed up then, at night, hearing of his recruitment to defend Xinshen. I have stood by lord Liang for many a year now, adding my blade, spear and strength to his, not for some grandiose dream, but for Him, for Liang Shu. But all this treachery, this betrayal, it kills me inside. You say I am strong, because of my skill. You say I am wise, because of my age. But, I ask you this and implore you: You say I am strong, because of my victories in battle, but I say it means nothing. It was nothing more than a matter of survival. It carries no weight of worth, nor honor beyond what we ascribe to it. And if you truly wish to be wise, learn why brothers betray brothers, maybe one day you will unite not just the land, but the world.- A small crinkled note left over from a campaign lead by the then warlord Liang Shu, none know who it is written by, but speculation exists. It is currently housed in the National Museum, in Beijing, China.
Got bored and wrote something.
The Azure Flag Stands by ElleonXan
ElleonXan
Self-Proclaimed King of the Dumpster Fires
- Location
- USA
Oh good, I'm not the only one this happens to. That said:
The Azure Flag Stands, a (future) Xinshen lullaby
I feel the end is riding nigh,
A blood-stained banner cuts the sky,
A vengeful son's piercing cry,
When will it end?
I feel the march of bandit feet,
Lifeblood flows down an empty street,
Another village served defeat,
A message to send.
Yin and yang,
the dark and light,
Will clash together
in war tonight,
And when all is over,
We pray for a sight,
That the Azure flag stands.
I feel the battle at our door,
The Boar, the Hawk, and so much more,
Like old Huangdi and great xia of yore,
Will save us tonight.
The bandits come in waves of men,
To strike us again and again,
Until the end, we don't know when,
Liang Shu be our light.
Yin and yang,
the dark and light,
Are clashing together
in perilous fight,
And as we look out,
Our hope takes flight,
For the Azure flag stands.
I feel the battle almost done,
The bandits dead, we've almost won,
Tomorrow you'll be safe, my son,
Listen to my call,
In days that come with skies of blue
Or darkest nights, to see us through,
Remember who saved this for you,
Liang Shu saved us all.
Yin and yang,
the dark and light,
Did clash together
With all their might,
And when it was over,
A glorious sight,
The Azure flag stands.
Chasing Moths by Iceblocks
Meanwhile, in a world a few steps closer to Xianxia than Wuxia…
A servant interrupts your breakfast.
"Demons, my Lord Liang! There are Demons at the gates!"
Of course there is. Why wouldn't there be? The Ge clan is plotting your family's death, the Empire is in flames, the bandits threaten to overrun the whole province, and Lu Bu has been spotted riding this way. Why wouldn't demons come knocking at your door?
***
Three figures stand outside the boundary of the estate, furry, insectoid heads atop the bodies of men marking them as being real, live demons. Moth demons, to be exact, judging by the dusty, multicolored wings resting flat against their backs and the thick fluff that covers their bodies.
All three of them are clad in silk outfits, dyed in browns, greens, and whites, with wooden squares hanging from certain spots to act as some sort of armor. The apparent leader has his(?) arms crossed, his faceted eyes locked on you as he ignores the terrified onlookers gawking at him by the hundreds. A Jian hangs from his waist, and a short bow and a quiver hangs fastened to the small of his back.
The other two are standing behind the leader, flanking him. One is holding a Ji and has the same kind of bow and quiver setup as the leader, but the last one only has the bow and arrows. Its hands are occupied by a squirming rabbit.
You meet the leader's eyes and try not to react to the naked inhumanity you find in there. Your pause cedes the initiative to the demon.
"You are…the Hawk Lord. Liang Shu." He drawls, his mouth hidden by all the fluff covering his body. The antennas on his head sway gently as he introduces himself with a shallow bow. "I am Nongli Yi, chieftain of the Shangdang Deepwoods."
You don't recognize the forest he is talking about, so it must be that the demons have their own name for it. Whatever the case, now that introductions are out of the way… "I see you know me, chieftain Nongli." You reply with a polite bow in return. "Welcome to my estate. But you have me at a disadvantage: Why have you come here?"
The Demon chieftain wastes no time in answering. "It concerns the current troubles. Usually, bandits are nothing but a chance to get our hands on metal." Nongli Yi's face parts below his eyes as his mouth opens far enough to reveal rows upon rows of teeth. "And fill our cookpots."
Right. Demons are man-eaters. How could you forget? Your apprehension must show on your face, for one of Nongli Yi's companions, the one holding the rabbit, is smirking.
Nongli Yi himself continues unabated, his toothy smile disappearing as he speaks. "But this time there are too many to fight, not without unacceptable losses. We would keep our heads down and wait for you lot to sort this out, but…" An inhuman hiss escapes his mouth. "They are encroaching further into the forest, too close to the graves of our ancestors."
And the pieces fall into place. Normally you would laugh at how, well, mothlike*, they are, especially as the faces of the two silent demons fall at their leader's words.
"So you came here?"
You are answered by agitated nodding. "Yes. The Inspector is passive and has taken no action against the bandit army, and the other option ran into an ambush and died yesterday." The Demon shrugs. "You are close, you have a good-sized force, and you are already on a collision course with the tide of vermin. Seeking an alliance with you is…natural."
Ally with man-eating night horrors? The thought of Chu Yan, dragged screaming into the deepest, darkest forests to meet his end in a Demon's cookpot has its appeal, but…
You glance around at the people watching the meeting. Refugees, peasants, soldiers, gentry, and even officers of the Imperial Army. Openly allying with Demons? That is a different thing entirely.
Nongli Yi either doesn't suspect or doesn't care about your inner turmoil. "As proof of my good intentions I will lend you some of my warriors, provided you agree to an alliance. You would find them useful as scouts, messengers, saboteurs,-" He gives a signal to the Demon with the rabbit as he speaks, and the warrior obediently walks closer to its chieftain.
"-and assassins." As soon as he has said it does the Demon chieftain slide two fingers across his wing, coating them in a fine layer of powder before he presses them into the rabbit's face.
The effect is immediate. Within seconds the rabbit begins to shake, blood leaking from its eyes and ears as red froth is expelled from its throat. The Demon holding it drops it to the ground in front of Nongli Yi, who watches the display dispassionately as his underling returns to the warrior with the Ji.
You force yourself to remain expressionless as the rabbit breathes its last and glance over at Yu Zhong and Liang Mi. "We will need time to consider this. Won't you come in-"
"No." Snaps Nongli Yi, insect-lips parting to reveal the rows of those horrible teeth again. "No scheming, no stalling. I ask that you commit to a course of action, Hawk Lord, in front of all your followers. Right here, right now. We will discuss details after."
An ultimatum already? You click your tongue. But it is not like you do not understand his position.
[] Agree to an Alliance.
-800 Guanxi.
+200 Demon Guanxi.
Unlocks Estate and Renown options.
Unlocks Missions.
Gain a unit of Moth Demon Auxiliaries, led by a temporary Retainer.
[] Agree to help fight the Bandits with them, but nothing more.
-200 Guanxi.
+50 Demon Guanxi.
Unlocks Missions.
Gain a small unit of Moth Demon Auxiliaries, led by a temporary Retainer.
[] Refuse.
Numbers and Specialties are WIP.
*According to Wikipedia, moths in Chinese folklore are the spirits of one's ancestors, so I figured Moth demons would be big on filial piety.
A servant interrupts your breakfast.
"Demons, my Lord Liang! There are Demons at the gates!"
Of course there is. Why wouldn't there be? The Ge clan is plotting your family's death, the Empire is in flames, the bandits threaten to overrun the whole province, and Lu Bu has been spotted riding this way. Why wouldn't demons come knocking at your door?
***
Three figures stand outside the boundary of the estate, furry, insectoid heads atop the bodies of men marking them as being real, live demons. Moth demons, to be exact, judging by the dusty, multicolored wings resting flat against their backs and the thick fluff that covers their bodies.
All three of them are clad in silk outfits, dyed in browns, greens, and whites, with wooden squares hanging from certain spots to act as some sort of armor. The apparent leader has his(?) arms crossed, his faceted eyes locked on you as he ignores the terrified onlookers gawking at him by the hundreds. A Jian hangs from his waist, and a short bow and a quiver hangs fastened to the small of his back.
The other two are standing behind the leader, flanking him. One is holding a Ji and has the same kind of bow and quiver setup as the leader, but the last one only has the bow and arrows. Its hands are occupied by a squirming rabbit.
You meet the leader's eyes and try not to react to the naked inhumanity you find in there. Your pause cedes the initiative to the demon.
"You are…the Hawk Lord. Liang Shu." He drawls, his mouth hidden by all the fluff covering his body. The antennas on his head sway gently as he introduces himself with a shallow bow. "I am Nongli Yi, chieftain of the Shangdang Deepwoods."
You don't recognize the forest he is talking about, so it must be that the demons have their own name for it. Whatever the case, now that introductions are out of the way… "I see you know me, chieftain Nongli." You reply with a polite bow in return. "Welcome to my estate. But you have me at a disadvantage: Why have you come here?"
The Demon chieftain wastes no time in answering. "It concerns the current troubles. Usually, bandits are nothing but a chance to get our hands on metal." Nongli Yi's face parts below his eyes as his mouth opens far enough to reveal rows upon rows of teeth. "And fill our cookpots."
Right. Demons are man-eaters. How could you forget? Your apprehension must show on your face, for one of Nongli Yi's companions, the one holding the rabbit, is smirking.
Nongli Yi himself continues unabated, his toothy smile disappearing as he speaks. "But this time there are too many to fight, not without unacceptable losses. We would keep our heads down and wait for you lot to sort this out, but…" An inhuman hiss escapes his mouth. "They are encroaching further into the forest, too close to the graves of our ancestors."
And the pieces fall into place. Normally you would laugh at how, well, mothlike*, they are, especially as the faces of the two silent demons fall at their leader's words.
"So you came here?"
You are answered by agitated nodding. "Yes. The Inspector is passive and has taken no action against the bandit army, and the other option ran into an ambush and died yesterday." The Demon shrugs. "You are close, you have a good-sized force, and you are already on a collision course with the tide of vermin. Seeking an alliance with you is…natural."
Ally with man-eating night horrors? The thought of Chu Yan, dragged screaming into the deepest, darkest forests to meet his end in a Demon's cookpot has its appeal, but…
You glance around at the people watching the meeting. Refugees, peasants, soldiers, gentry, and even officers of the Imperial Army. Openly allying with Demons? That is a different thing entirely.
Nongli Yi either doesn't suspect or doesn't care about your inner turmoil. "As proof of my good intentions I will lend you some of my warriors, provided you agree to an alliance. You would find them useful as scouts, messengers, saboteurs,-" He gives a signal to the Demon with the rabbit as he speaks, and the warrior obediently walks closer to its chieftain.
"-and assassins." As soon as he has said it does the Demon chieftain slide two fingers across his wing, coating them in a fine layer of powder before he presses them into the rabbit's face.
The effect is immediate. Within seconds the rabbit begins to shake, blood leaking from its eyes and ears as red froth is expelled from its throat. The Demon holding it drops it to the ground in front of Nongli Yi, who watches the display dispassionately as his underling returns to the warrior with the Ji.
You force yourself to remain expressionless as the rabbit breathes its last and glance over at Yu Zhong and Liang Mi. "We will need time to consider this. Won't you come in-"
"No." Snaps Nongli Yi, insect-lips parting to reveal the rows of those horrible teeth again. "No scheming, no stalling. I ask that you commit to a course of action, Hawk Lord, in front of all your followers. Right here, right now. We will discuss details after."
An ultimatum already? You click your tongue. But it is not like you do not understand his position.
[] Agree to an Alliance.
-800 Guanxi.
+200 Demon Guanxi.
Unlocks Estate and Renown options.
Unlocks Missions.
Gain a unit of Moth Demon Auxiliaries, led by a temporary Retainer.
[] Agree to help fight the Bandits with them, but nothing more.
-200 Guanxi.
+50 Demon Guanxi.
Unlocks Missions.
Gain a small unit of Moth Demon Auxiliaries, led by a temporary Retainer.
[] Refuse.
Liang 1st Moth Demon Auxiliaries (Skirmishers).
Troop Count – 40 (20 if no Alliance)
Training – Veterans
-Halberds, Spears, Swords, Bows, Crossbows
Specialty –
Moonlit Forest Guardians – The Moth Demons have spent generations perfecting their Art of War to keep the unwelcome out of their forest. Large bonus when fighting in forests, at night, or when ambushing.
Flight – Moth Demons can fly, and will use their wings to disengage from losing fights/close combat or to relocate to other parts of the battlefield.
Demonic Resilience – Wounded Demons recover at the end of the battle.
Poisoned Weapons – Moth Demons coat their weapons in the poisonous powders that cover their wings. Even a small nick can be fatal if untreated. Enemies wounded by Moth Demons die at the end of the engagement.
Maneaters – Demons do not consume food supplies after a victorious battle.
Troop Count – 40 (20 if no Alliance)
Training – Veterans
-Halberds, Spears, Swords, Bows, Crossbows
Specialty –
Moonlit Forest Guardians – The Moth Demons have spent generations perfecting their Art of War to keep the unwelcome out of their forest. Large bonus when fighting in forests, at night, or when ambushing.
Flight – Moth Demons can fly, and will use their wings to disengage from losing fights/close combat or to relocate to other parts of the battlefield.
Demonic Resilience – Wounded Demons recover at the end of the battle.
Poisoned Weapons – Moth Demons coat their weapons in the poisonous powders that cover their wings. Even a small nick can be fatal if untreated. Enemies wounded by Moth Demons die at the end of the engagement.
Maneaters – Demons do not consume food supplies after a victorious battle.
Numbers and Specialties are WIP.
*According to Wikipedia, moths in Chinese folklore are the spirits of one's ancestors, so I figured Moth demons would be big on filial piety.
- Location
- USA
[
] Agree to help fight the Bandits with them, but nothing more.
Whaddya mean, I shouldn't be voting? This is a Quest, isn't it?
EDIT: I thought moths were malicious spirits? Hmm, maybe I'm mis-remembering.
] Agree to help fight the Bandits with them, but nothing more.Whaddya mean, I shouldn't be voting? This is a Quest, isn't it?
EDIT: I thought moths were malicious spirits? Hmm, maybe I'm mis-remembering.
Last edited:
- Location
- UK
This is too fucking good. Man, I love Xianxia, and this nails the feel of it. You guys are spoiling me lately.
- Location
- UK
No update yet (I know, I know) but might as well go over some paths not taken, for fun!
There was a Mission during one of the Military Turns that involved an attack on one of Chu Yan's camps, that Yu Zhong advised against. This was totally a trap, and would have resulted in a defeat unless rolls were pretty damn good and/or you really committed all your assets to it. Yu Du had an ambush placed. If you did go for it with your full might and rolled well, however, you could have actually killed Yu Du and dealt a real blow to the enemy.
The "Two Paths" decision regarding whether or not to save Yang Dian would have changed the war to a more offensive one if you picked the rescue choice. You would have had limited resources and no reinforcements from your estate, but you could have potentially saved Yang Dian, earning the favour of one of the most powerful and famous noble clans in all the Empire. It would have certainly been "Hard Mode" however.
If you would have done more anti-Yellow Turban missions and/or rolled higher when asking for Imperial Support, you would have gotten Yu Jin as a temporary retainer.
If Liang Shu would have personally lead the "Raid Bandit Encampment" mission, there would have been an update with him facing Chu Yan. Good rolls and/or choices could have resulted in slaying his father's killer, changing the war quite dramatically.
Marrying Liang Mi to Gongsun Ye would have eventually gotten you Zhao Yun as a retainer. The door is still semi open there, however!
Asking Dong Zhuo for help during a Military Turn would have resulted in Hua Xiong leading a detachment to help you.
The biggest one, which is from a while ago, is a result of my own shortcomings as a QM. Do you remember the Winter Tournament? Well, if you had not agreed to attend, another event would have triggered. Ge Maiyu would have requested Liang Shu help escort her to the capital, which would have resulted in a "Luoyang Intrigue Mini Arc" instead of a tourney arc. People like Ge Dejun would have been introduced early and Ge Maiyu would have totally been portrayed in a better light and gotten closer to Shu, with even a totally-staged-and-faked "rescue Ge Maiyu" story in place where she gets attacked by thugs totally paid off. She also would have placed doubts regarding Yu Zhong's intentions. In Luoyang, you would have met people like Yuan Shu who would have potentially acted as a potential patron and ally, like Dong Zhuo. Instead of Zhang Liao, you would have met Taishi Ci. You would not have met Dong Zhuo at all - however, the "potential waifu" appearance would have been his granddaughter, Dong Bai.
In hindsight, and possibly my biggest regret of the quest, is that I didn't have this arc and the tourney arc as binary choices in the same update. I instead planned on it coming up the next Estate Turn if you had voted to skip the tourney arc. If I got to do things over again, I would have included the choice of which to undertake in the same update.
There was a Mission during one of the Military Turns that involved an attack on one of Chu Yan's camps, that Yu Zhong advised against. This was totally a trap, and would have resulted in a defeat unless rolls were pretty damn good and/or you really committed all your assets to it. Yu Du had an ambush placed. If you did go for it with your full might and rolled well, however, you could have actually killed Yu Du and dealt a real blow to the enemy.
The "Two Paths" decision regarding whether or not to save Yang Dian would have changed the war to a more offensive one if you picked the rescue choice. You would have had limited resources and no reinforcements from your estate, but you could have potentially saved Yang Dian, earning the favour of one of the most powerful and famous noble clans in all the Empire. It would have certainly been "Hard Mode" however.
If you would have done more anti-Yellow Turban missions and/or rolled higher when asking for Imperial Support, you would have gotten Yu Jin as a temporary retainer.
If Liang Shu would have personally lead the "Raid Bandit Encampment" mission, there would have been an update with him facing Chu Yan. Good rolls and/or choices could have resulted in slaying his father's killer, changing the war quite dramatically.
Marrying Liang Mi to Gongsun Ye would have eventually gotten you Zhao Yun as a retainer. The door is still semi open there, however!
Asking Dong Zhuo for help during a Military Turn would have resulted in Hua Xiong leading a detachment to help you.
The biggest one, which is from a while ago, is a result of my own shortcomings as a QM. Do you remember the Winter Tournament? Well, if you had not agreed to attend, another event would have triggered. Ge Maiyu would have requested Liang Shu help escort her to the capital, which would have resulted in a "Luoyang Intrigue Mini Arc" instead of a tourney arc. People like Ge Dejun would have been introduced early and Ge Maiyu would have totally been portrayed in a better light and gotten closer to Shu, with even a totally-staged-and-faked "rescue Ge Maiyu" story in place where she gets attacked by thugs totally paid off. She also would have placed doubts regarding Yu Zhong's intentions. In Luoyang, you would have met people like Yuan Shu who would have potentially acted as a potential patron and ally, like Dong Zhuo. Instead of Zhang Liao, you would have met Taishi Ci. You would not have met Dong Zhuo at all - however, the "potential waifu" appearance would have been his granddaughter, Dong Bai.
In hindsight, and possibly my biggest regret of the quest, is that I didn't have this arc and the tourney arc as binary choices in the same update. I instead planned on it coming up the next Estate Turn if you had voted to skip the tourney arc. If I got to do things over again, I would have included the choice of which to undertake in the same update.
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- Location
- barking
its cool to see what could of happened and I hope to see Dong Zhuo soon
- Location
- UK
Fear not, the Dong is coming. The Dong is always coming.
- Location
- Vicksburg, MS
@Gaz What was the plan if we had chosen to marry Ge Maiyu? Were they going to try to find some way to integrate us in under their aegis so that their tides would ride with us and do a real thorough job of sweeping up the evidence and peeling us away from those at odds with them like Yu Zhong? Or would that be more of a stalling tactic to look sincere while they scrambled to find some sort of tragic accident to impact us. It seems like they've had at least a few different plans acting against us so maybe it was a combo/whatever seemed like could be effective at the time, especially if the Ge clan wasn't acting with complete unity.
Edit: Mostly I'd think it'd be really funny if we got all the way to the end where Liang Shu is emperor/prime minister/some corpse/whatever and you say btw your wife and your close in-laws were the ones that set up your dad's death.
Edit: Mostly I'd think it'd be really funny if we got all the way to the end where Liang Shu is emperor/prime minister/some corpse/whatever and you say btw your wife and your close in-laws were the ones that set up your dad's death.
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Kanata.EXE
Programmer
- Location
- Indonesia
Dong Zhuo: Don't worry Liang Shu! Grand-Papa is coming for you!
- Location
- Hawaii
Big Papa Dong is coming all over these bandits and Yellow Turbans! And more confirmation that Lu Lingqi is and has always been best girl.
- Location
- UK
To be honest, there were a lot of options on the table. For example, if you hadn't gotten The Dong's patronage, then his option to remove Leng Jun would never have come to pass. If you had chosen to romance Ge Mairyu, the Ge clan would have attempted in a subtle way to puppet you. Yu Zhong would have been the sole protest - but he would have been targetted heavily by the Ge, slander wise, so would have resulted in if the thread trusted him or not. Narrative wise, the Ge would have been presented as rather more trustworthy, and there would have been various Actions involving placing Ge agents in positions of regional power.
- Location
- barking
I still find it funny we didn't do anything really and the entire scheme fell apart
- Location
- UK
Lingqi's biggest flaw always has been (by intent) that her father carries a lot of historical baggage. I have tried quite hard to present her as a very valid romantic partner for Liang Shu "in quest" - but she always does carry the albatross of the fact that her father is Lu Bu who I hope anyone remotely familiar with him will realise is a bit of an issue.
- Location
- barking
Maybe if we throw a book at Lu Bu he might learn what a certain word means though I doubt it
Really, that's my favorite way to deal with large Conspiracies in Fiction: Despite the Heroes not knowing anything about them, their entire Scheme still collapses one way or another more or less by accident. It's hilarious when that happens!
Kanata.EXE
Programmer
- Location
- Indonesia
Just don't do it literally. You will die if you do it literally.
- Location
- UK
If you throw a book at him, he'd probably deflect it. And then throw it back at you. With enough force to kill you.
Really, that's my favorite way to deal with large Conspiracies in Fiction: Despite the Heroes not knowing anything about them, their entire Scheme still collapses one way or another more or less by accident. It's hilarious when that happens!
Liang Shu Wins By Doing Nothing
kinda like Luigi in Mario Party I guess