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Weapon settings just mean different styles of weapons right? So we'd get to transform it into a club or an axe or whatever? Wouldn't it make more sense to train in a single weapon style? A
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Jul 29, 2019 03:38
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B We're short on time, but we might as well figure out how to use it properly, and we might be able to apply the same principals to the metal shaping technique and develop a fighting style based on fluidly changing equipment.
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Jul 29, 2019 04:09
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My bloodlust for Decavo is dissipated, but without someone to hate, I don't know what to vote for. Could someone please tell me who Pumie hates now? [Insert Name Here] delenda est.
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Jul 29, 2019 04:57
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Bato and Aracato and the Crystal Butterfly Elder all seem like jerks. But I’d reserve our enmity for the Marbles Polecat tribe as murdering sentient animals like Wotjeo on a regular basis appears to be an integral part of their culture.
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Jul 29, 2019 05:30
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Mr. Prokosch posted:B B This - we need to see if we can take the lessons we get and gain insight into metal shaping from it. Alternately, combine metal shaping with it somehow. Put the gem in a metal hilt, create a weapon of metal with an edge of light.
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Jul 29, 2019 07:35
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chin up everything sucks posted:B How about we learn how to use the basics before trying to create entirely new techniques? Walk before you can run, yo.
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Jul 29, 2019 08:04
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JosephWongKS posted:My bloodlust for Decavo is dissipated, but without someone to hate, I don't know what to vote for. Could someone please tell me who Pumie hates now? Aracato seems like a lovely target to despise. Bato is some beta bitch, we'll mop the floor with him soon.
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Jul 29, 2019 13:43
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JosephWongKS posted:My bloodlust for Decavo is dissipated, but without someone to hate, I don't know what to vote for. Could someone please tell me who Pumie hates now? [Crystal butterfly elders] delenda est
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Jul 29, 2019 14:23
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Slaan posted:[Crystal butterfly elders] delenda sunt ftfy
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Jul 29, 2019 15:30
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crystal papiliones eunt domus
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Jul 29, 2019 16:44
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Shogeton posted:ftfy Elders is a singular group not plural people! 
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Jul 29, 2019 17:00
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LLSix posted:"Has anyone told you, you have lovely ears?” He reaches out as if to touch them, but Suena’s spirit companion growls, and he snatches his hand back. So, the Crystal Butterflies are the 'freaky deaky' Clan? LLSix posted:1) How much time do you want to spend on learning your new weapon Vote: B. I want to learn how to use all the weapon settings. Mama will look for a trainer for me. Let's fully unlock this skill tree. LLSix posted:“Sleep with Arely by the fire tonight Pūmič. We’ll check on you in the morning, don’t bother us before then.” Easy Killer, she's all battered and bruised.
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Jul 29, 2019 20:49
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B
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Jul 30, 2019 01:49
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Chatrapati posted:Weapon settings just mean different styles of weapons right? So we'd get to transform it into a club or an axe or whatever? Wouldn't it make more sense to train in a single weapon style? Yeah, weapon settings does mean different styles of weapons. Yes, you'll be spreading yourself thin trying to learn lots of different weapons and will progress slower than someone devoting the same amount of time to one weapon. Cannon_Fodder posted:B but the trainer better not be a total oval office. "It's good of you to be concerned about me, growllita. Anyone who agrees to teach you will be making a major sacrifice. They'll be nice." LLSix fucked around with this message at 17:14 on Jul 31, 2019 |
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Jul 30, 2019 03:21
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"mama, do you know the trader?"
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Jul 30, 2019 03:46
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You eagerly tell Mama that you want to learn everything that you can about your new weapon. “Yes, Mama! Please get me a trainer! Also, I want to...” You were about to ask Mama about learning Light Madra gathering and techniques, but Papa scoops her up in his arms and carries her towards the sleeping cave. Mama giggles and wraps her arms lovingly around his neck, pulling his shaggy head down for a kiss. Papa calls over his shoulder as he carries Mama into the sleeping cave. “Sleep with Arely by the fire tonight Pūmič. We’ll check on you in the morning, don’t bother us before then.” You are too excited by the thought of learning how to use your topaz hilt and all the different kinds of attacks you can do that it is a long time before you get to sleep. Even so, Mama is still making happy sounds when sleep finally claims you. *** The next morning Mama does your hair again. You walk beside Papa like a big girl, while he carries Mama, so she doesn’t have to limp all the way to the arena. You’ve been bursting with eagerness to ask Mama about learning Light Madra gathering and techniques, but Mama has been busy all morning, and you haven’t wanted to bother her since you promised Papa you’d help take care of her. She doesn’t seem busy now, though! “Mama, can you teach me how to use Light Madra from my weapon?” “We agreed last night that I would find you a good teacher. I’m not a very good fighter, and I’m not familiar with crystals like yours. Did you change your mind?” “No! I really, really, really want to learn how to use my topaz hilt to make all the weapons!” Papa’s laugh booms out, interrupting you. “That’s my girl!” You’ve tried interrupting Papa, but nobody can hear anything else when he talks, so you wait impatiently for him to finish before continuing. “I want you to teach me how to use Light Madra techniques so I can be more like you.” “That’s sweet of you growllita, but we’ve talked about this before. I can teach you how to gather vital essence, but Wotjeo can’t convert it into Light Madra for you.” You stamp your foot impatiently. Why is Mama being so stupid! You’ve already thought of that. You’re not an idiot child. “I knooooow Mama. The trader said my topaz hilt converts Light vital essence into Light madra when exposed to sunlight. Wotjeo is great! I don’t want to replace him.” You feel a little guilty for saying that because part of you does want a Crystal Butterfly too, but you’re sure you don’t need one. You just want one. Maybe a Water Leopard or Corazon Chamois too. Hector was pretty awesome, and you want to be even more awesomer. “Since my topaz hilt has Light madra, I want you to teach me how to use it to do the techniques you do!” Mama’s voice sounds uncertain for the first time you remember. “I don’t know, growllita. I don’t think it works that way. When cultivators learn techniques, we don’t learn them alone. We learn them with our spirit companions. I don’t think I could form a technique without her assistance.” Papa interjects: “Why not? Arely and I usually form techniques at the same time.” Mama pats Papa’s cheek. Her slender hand looks like a child’s compared to his enormous bushy beard. “Yes Guarnicio, but you’re a prodigy in battle. Have you ever tried to do that when someone isn’t trying to carve up your handsome carcass?” Papa blinks, bemused: “Huh, you’re right. How’d I get so lucky as to marry someone as smart as you, warmth of my heart?” Mama smiles up at him and caresses his cheek again. “You saved the lives of my parents, remember?” A light flush spreads overs Papa’s face just ahead of his grin: “That’s right. I’m awesome. Which brings me back to my original point. Pūmič is my daughter. Your’s too. She’s at least twice as awesome as me. She might be able to form techniques on her own.” “You may just be right. Put me down for a moment.” Papa backtracks a little ways so he can sit Mama down on a small boulder poking up through the barren winter forest floor. Mama beckons you over, “Come here, Pūmič.” You walk over to her, your eyes level with her neck because of the way she’s sitting. She takes your hands in hers and bends over a little so she can look you seriously in the eyes. “I don’t want you to get your hopes up. I’ve never heard of anyone using techniques without a spirit companion. Azuria and I will try to teach you, but you’d have to be ten times as awesome as Guarnicio for this to work. What I think will happen is you’ll be able to learn how to gather Light vital essence to rechange your topaz hilt, but nothing else. That alone is no small thing. I only know how to gather two vital essences, and you’ll know how to gather three. I think you would at least be able to replenish your topaz hilt faster than it can on its own. The trainer I’m going to look for today will know more. We’ll talk more about what you’ll learn in the coming months after the festival is over.” Cannon_Fodder posted:"mama, do you know the trader?"
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Jul 30, 2019 04:17
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LLSix posted:
Now there's an idea. Step 1 - We get Papa riled up. Step 2 - Papa kills the trader. Step 3 - We seize all of the trader's goods as salvage. Step 4 - We await the trader's family members' revenge attacks, kill them too, and claim their equipment as salvage. Step 5 - We convert any surviving Crystal Butterfly spirit companions into our own companions. Step 6 - Profit!
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Jul 30, 2019 04:50
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LLSix posted:"What I think will happen is you’ll be able to learn how to gather Light vital essence to rechange your topaz hilt, but nothing else. That alone is no small thing. I only know how to gather two vital essences, and you’ll know how to gather three. I think you would at least be able to replenish your topaz hilt faster than it can on its own. The trainer I’m going to look for today will know more. We’ll talk more about what you’ll learn in the coming months after the festival is over.”
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Jul 30, 2019 05:33
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LLSix, is there a precedent for warriors to be able to use multiple sources of Madra without a secondary or tertiary spirit companion? Any stories of a warrior that used multiple types and techniques in battle? Loving the growth of our character.
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Jul 30, 2019 07:15
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^^Nice, I'm basically asking the same thing. I'd love to know whether having a second spirit companion is an actual possibility. We know you can be re-bound, but not if you can be bound to multiple. If Wotjeo snuffs it somehow, are we doomed to perish as well, or does it only work that way if we're young/babies like Decavo?
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Jul 30, 2019 18:00
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OfChristandMen posted:LLSix, is there a precedent for warriors to be able to use multiple sources of Madra without a secondary or tertiary spirit companion? Any stories of a warrior that used multiple types and techniques in battle? There are lots of stories about spirit animals using other types of madra, but always just their type, whatever it is. I think what you really want to know is if there are any stories of people using out-of-clan madra. As it happens, you hadn't heard any stories about that until the festival. When Suena bought you lunch in the market there was a Water Leopard poet chanting a tale you had never heard before or since. Fortunately, you arrived just as the poem was starting “Speak now O spirits of forgotten past, Tell the tale of how we gained your helping hand, Make known she who gave us birth in this valley vast, Shelter spirits offered, but sacrifice they did demand, Descending from o’er the mountain tops she came, Down into the valley as a stranger in a strange land, Alone and friendless with the sky above aflame, Shelter spirits offered, but sacrifice they did demand, Shrew, Leopard, Bear, Butterfly, Goat, and Polecat, aid did bestow, Protection, Strength, Sight, Cunning, Health and Swiftness hers to command, Valley spirits fought and won victory over pursuing foe, Shelter spirits offered, but sacrifice they did demand,” At this point the poet abruptly stops chanting and leaps over the tent behind him. Your sharp hearing tells you he doesn't stop there and continues fleeing at top speed. Another man chases after him, moving too fast for you to pick out details as he zooms down the market alley in just two bounds and after the escaping poet. You ask Suena who that was. "The poet was from the Water Leopard Clan and the pursuer is Elder Xino of the Corazon Chamois. I suggest not repeating what you heard. The elder's silence anyone caught repeating it. Unless the poet is unusually quick or clever he won't survive the day." If you squint at the story just right, you could convince yourself it kind of implies someone had several spirit companions. Cannon_Fodder posted:I'd love to know whether having a second spirit companion is an actual possibility. Cannon_Fodder posted:If Wotjeo snuffs it somehow, are we doomed to perish as well, or does it only work that way if we're young/babies like Decavo? LLSix fucked around with this message at 18:53 on Dec 29, 2019 |
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Jul 30, 2019 19:47
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I love Mama and Papa. People in love are the best. Rather than getting another companion, we should teach our brother to be a butterfly.
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Jul 30, 2019 20:05
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Chatrapati posted:I love Mama and Papa. People in love are the best. Dance like a butterfly, punch like a bear
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Jul 30, 2019 20:08
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LLSix posted:The elder's silence anyone caught repeating it. Unless the poet is unusually quick or clever he won't survive the day." So then . . . 1) The Elders all share in hiding some horrible secret about the nature of this style of cultivation, and the sacrifice it demands from their people. 2) There is some sort of 'rebel' faction within the clans; for that matter, how does the poem survive the retelling? There must be a repository of forbidden lore somewhere. 3) Our Matriarch holds some special consideration for our Mama as she allowed the Crystal Butterflies to stay on Silver Bear Lands past the Tournament.
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Jul 30, 2019 20:50
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Or it's just her way of preventing a feud over what Decavo did.
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Jul 30, 2019 21:21
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By the way, LLSix, I want to personally curse you for introducing me to Cultivation stories. Now I've read through all the Cradle series and what parts of Forge of Destiny have been web-novelized and I'm still hungry for more. But most of the good stuff is either stiff chinese translations or just straight up in chinese.
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Jul 31, 2019 13:29
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Infinity Gaia posted:By the way, LLSix, I want to personally curse you for introducing me to Cultivation stories. Now I've read through all the Cradle series and what parts of Forge of Destiny have been web-novelized and I'm still hungry for more. But most of the good stuff is either stiff chinese translations or just straight up in chinese. You're welcome  That's part of why I'm writing this. I wanted more good Xianxia and couldn't find it so I decided to try to run my own. I don't think I've always succeeded in writing good anything, but what's that Xianxia saying? If at first you don't succeed, mug someone who did and try again with their stuff. Something like that I think... You could try Mother of Learning or Threadbare next. They're kind of like Western Xianxia.
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Jul 31, 2019 13:43
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Infinity Gaia posted:By the way, LLSix, I want to personally curse you for introducing me to Cultivation stories. Now I've read through all the Cradle series and what parts of Forge of Destiny have been web-novelized and I'm still hungry for more. But most of the good stuff is either stiff chinese translations or just straight up in chinese. The next Cradle book comes out TOMORROW If you believe his April Fools release dates
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Jul 31, 2019 20:16
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Next update is written but it needs an editing pass first. All ten pages of it. Should be up sometime tomorrow.
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Aug 1, 2019 03:32
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LLSix posted:All ten pages of it.  Is Pumie an orphan at the end of this update?
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Aug 1, 2019 04:00
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Pumie is a good child from a happy family and we will grow up big and strong with alive parents and no particular troubles, nevermind cultivation genre. 
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Aug 1, 2019 06:17
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I mean, yeah, obviously our destiny is to one day be as strong as Papa, replace him as a guard, maybe distinguish ourselves in a Lucha Madra tournament or two. Surely no dramatic events will occur that drive us to travel the world seeking greater and greater power. That's silly.
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Aug 1, 2019 07:06
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Captainicus posted:Pumie is a good child from a happy family and we will grow up big and strong with alive parents and no particular troubles, nevermind cultivation genre. The most prolific / well-known author of wuxia novels is Jin Yong (also known as Louis Cha), and every single protagonist in his novels had at least one parent dying during infancy or early childhood. Some of them even had their next set of adoptive parents die as well. Ergo, in order for Pumie to reach the heights of pugilistic power, we must get our parents killed off while we are still young.
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Aug 1, 2019 11:10
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But Mama and Papa are so great 
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Aug 1, 2019 11:30
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You know what movie I like? The original Drunken Master. The mentor figure does not die in that.
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Aug 1, 2019 11:49
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Your family attracts a few stares as you arrive. All of you are wearing your finest clothes for the festival. In your case, that means a child-sized rabbit-skin robe with a few tears from your tournament fights and subsequent adventure in the forest. Papa has neatly mended the tears, but your robes are obviously neither as new nor as spotless as they were when you got them at the start of the tournament just a few days ago. Mama is wearing a lot of sparkly jewelry and a lovely dress split high up both sides. Papa’s best clothes are just his least dirty clothes, a deerskin jerkin that leaves his arms bare and deerskin leggings that come down to his knees. Papa is extremely hairy, so most of his exposed skin is covered in dull black hair. Your family makes for an odd sight, all wearing different kinds of clothes and of wildly different sizes. Papa’s huge bulk towers over you and everything nearby; reducing Mama to the size of a child and you to a baby. Mama, slender and elegant as a flower, strolls slowly beside him to conceal her limp (she asked Papa to stop carrying her just before leaving the tree line and coming into view). And finally you, a child only five winter’s old who is still shorter than her mother’s hip. Two bears, one large and one small accompany you. Only the most sharp-sighted of observers are likely to be able to pick out Azuria, who is currently perched on top of Mama’s head, looking for all the world like a particularly beautiful hair ornament. As you settle into your seats, you look longingly towards the field where you played with the other kids, but there are no kids there now. It’s just like the trader said, everyone is going to be watching the Iron tier fights today. You can hear people in the seats around you making small talk to each other, but the only thing anyone says to you or Papa are carefully polite greetings, and Papa looks content with that, not seeking to engage his neighbors in conversation. You look around for Mama and see her heading towards the Water Leopard stands. You sigh. How come Mama gets to wander all over the place while you have to stay in your seat? Looking back at the arena, you see that it has been transformed since you saw it last. The lines on top that divided it into four quadrants for your matches are gone now, as are most of the stairs leading up to it. Now there are only two sets of stairs leading up to the arena top which stands a good meter above the ground around it. Surrounding the arena proper a series of three walls of increasing height and thickness divide the space between the arena and the seats. The tallest walls being closest to the seating stands. You wonder how they built those walls overnight. You don’t have long to wonder, it looks like almost everyone has found their seats now and Mama is hurrying back. Unlike the earlier rounds that you watched, Only one match happens at a time, and Elder Minaro is referring. Beside him on the stage and holding a metal cone open at both ends is Elder Herejo. Elder Herejo is from your clan. You recognize him as the leader of the Dreamkeepers and healers, but you’ve not interacted with him outside of the times he leads morning meditation. At opposite ends of the arena, the two fighters for the current match wait at the bottom of the steps. Before beckoning them to take their places, Elder Herejo walks over to stand next to them and talk with them briefly. He then introduces them by name with the small end of his metal cone in front of his mouth. He doesn’t sound like he’s shouting, but his voice reverberates loudly from the seating around the arena. After saying their name, he also recites a short speech about their abilities that Papa tells you the fighter just told Herejo. The Elder also recounts their accomplishments as well as any defeats they’ve suffered at the hands of the Silver Bears in a dry, dusty voice. Mama whispers, too quietly for anyone else to hear you hope, “That man could make the end of the world sound boring.” The fighter’s clan cheers and boos loudly in the places you would expect as Elder Herejo dryly recites. Even the initial rounds of the Iron tier matches are clearly in a whole new level from anything you’ve seen before. You remember watching Rubia’s fights. She moved so quickly her movement were a blur. You thought you knew what fast was. The Iron tier fighters, even the relatively slow-moving Silver Bears, move so quickly that it looks like they’re teleporting. First on one side of the stage than the other in the time of a single blink. You can’t make out individual moves or techniques. It’s just a riot of motion, lights, and sounds. After every match, the arena is cratered from the explosive power of their movements, even though it is a solid block of metal a meter thick. Between bouts, Copper clan members and a few talented Leads, including Rubia, scramble onto the arena and smooth out the damage and repair the surrounding walls. Almost as marvelous is Papa’s running commentary. The fighters are moving too swiftly for you to follow with your eye, but Papa somehow has time to narrate everything. Not only that, but he accurately predicts the winner of the matches more often than not. The crowd of Silver Bears that had largely ignored Papa before the first round now leans in to listen to his commentary on the fight. Between matches, they eagerly discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the fighters. You are so caught up in the excitement and pageantry of it all that you hardly notice Mama slipping away between rounds and returning. The worst parts of the day for you is watching Bato, Chuno, and Decavo cheering as Bato’s Papa, Aracato, wins match after match. Aracato’s preferred weapon is a pair of axes. The axes are not the largest you’ve seen, but the cutting edge is still as big as Aracato’s head, and they have chains trailing from their bases to metal bands wrapped around his wrists like bracelets. Much to your dismay, Aracato makes it all the way to the final match of the tournament. Aracato is introduced first. He bounces eagerly on the balls of his feet and his spirit companion, Ataqa paces just as energetically around him while the other finalist is presented. Aracato’s opponent is a Water Leopard named Seguna and her spirit companion, Otro. Seguna and Otro already defeated two other Silver Bears to make it this far. She takes her place confidently and Otro yawns theatrically as the referee, Elder Minaro, reminds them of the rules of the match. As soon as the referee is finished, Seguna beckons Aracato to come and get her, but before she can complete the motion, he has already hurled both of his axes at her. That’s the last move you see clearly. Everything else is a blur of light and motion. Papa’s narration at least gives you some idea of what is happening though as the black and blue blurs clash. “Seguna smoothly ducked under both axes. Aracato is reeling them back in, he should have held one in reserve because, yes, there she goes, Seguna has grabbed hold of one of the chains and is stealing the movement from it to quickly close the distance. Aracato stopped reeling that chain in, and just barely in time too. He’s got the other ax up to block Seguna’s clawed gauntlet, but she followed the chain from his other ax back to the wrist of his dominant hand, and she’s got a hold of him now. Water is flowing up his arm, if he doesn’t get free soon, she’ll suffocate him. Ataqa is rearing up to crush her under his weight, where’s her spirit companion? Why’s Otro so far behind, a water leopard is usually faster than their human partner. O ho, well done Ataqa. Aracato’s spirit companion formed part of the metal arena floor into razor-sharp blades. Otro managed to leap clear of most of the trap but not before slicing open his front paw. In any case that slowed Otro down enough to give Ataqa a clear shot at Seguna but it looks like it didn’t connect. Seguna was quick enough to spin Aracato into the path of his spirit companion’s attack, but it cost her. She lost her hold on him and is now desperately dodging both their attacks. She doesn’t have to last long, though. If Ataqa doesn’t want to find a couple hundred kilograms of furious leopard on her back, she’s going to have to turn to face Otro, and there she goes. Can Seguna take advantage of the opening as Ataqa turns her back? Nope! Not the first opportunity Seguna failed to take advantage of either, this is her first Iron tier Luchamadra but Aracato’s second. His experience is really showing here, look at him push her back with rapid swings of his axes, not giving her a chance to regain her balance even though it is just one-on-one again. She’s not leaving any openings for him either though, wait there’s one, and again. That’s too regular to be real, has to be a trap. Will Aracato fall for it… oof. He went for it, and it was a trap. She’s got him up off the ground already. In another half-second, it’ll be all over, but wait, Aracato got his chains around her neck. Will she notice in time? Looks like she did, the chains are passing through her neck like she’s made of water, that’s one hell of a technique, but this isn’t the first tournament its been used in Aracato should have been watching for it. There goes Aracato, she got enough force into that throw it looks like he’s going to hit one of the safety walls. Look at that! Aracato is throwing his axes while flying through the air. There’s no way they’re going to hit Seguna though, the angle is all wrong. Spirits! He was aiming for Otro all along and got both of the water leopard spirit companion’s legs on this side. That back one looks like it’s almost cut off. What a fantastic throw!” At this point, Papa’s commentary is interrupted by the thunderous thud of Aracato hitting the safety wall and then the ground. “That’s Aracato out of the fight, and there’s the signal from Seguna to Elder Minaro. Otro is out of the fight as well. Attendants are moving in to carry both to the healers, but Aracato is already sitting up and waving them off. Ataqa is trying her razor floor trap again, but Seguna isn’t falling for it. She’s forming water javelins. Ataqa is trying to dodge and close the distance. She dodged the first water javelin, but now she’s blocked by her own trap. There’s a hit by Seguna. Ataqa is one tough bear, she’s still pressing on even with a javelin sticking out of her hide. She’s rounded her own trap and is closing the distance even as Seguna backs up and throws another javelin. Ooo, this one got her in the shoulder, but she’s not giving up. Seguna is closing in for the kill. That’s a bad decision, but she might be out of madra now, that water javelin technique takes a lot of juice. Wait, she’s circling around and picking up Aracato’s axes, looks like Elder Minaro is going to follow precedent from the tournament 14 winters ago and allow it. He’s even signaling Aracato to detach his chains so he can’t use them to alter the flight path. Her throws are going wide, anyone care to guess why? That’s right, Ataqa knows the technique to guide metal projectiles, Seguna is never going to hit her with metal weapons she knows are coming. There’s one more thing Ataqa can do if she’s not in too much pain to think of it, keep an eye on the chains. There we go, see how those chains and whipping around? If Seguna pulls the axes back and tries just one more time, poor woman, she really should have paid more attention to the Silver Bear hunter matches. Look at how her arms are tangled up in those chains. Ataqa is limping towards her determinedly, is Seguna going to do the smart thing and fold or… guess not. That looks like it hurt. She’s down, but she’s struggling back to her feet despite the gashes in her side from Ataqa’s claws. Ataqa’s got Seguna’s leg between her jaws now, and she’s shaking her back and forth even with Seguna kicking her in the face. How much longer, ah, there’s the chains again, wrapping up her free leg. That’s enough for Elder Minaro, he’s signaling the end of the match.” The tail end of Papa’s narration is drowned out by jubilant cheers from the members of your clan all around you. Virtually everyone is standing up and cheering. You don’t want to cheer for the father of your chief bully, but Mama is nudging you to stand up, so it doesn’t look like you have a choice. Reluctantly, you stand up and clap and cheer for Aracato. You guess you are happy that a Silver Bear won instead of a Water Leopard. Even if you don't like the Silver Bear. Aracato hops up the steps and to the center of the arena. His other leg is bent at an odd angle, and an attendant moves forward to help him, but he angrily waves the attendant back. Elder Minaro is holding the hollow cone now, and his voice reverberates through it “The winner of this Luchamadra tournament is Aracato and Ataqa of the Silver Bears. Everyone remain seated as representatives from each of the clans present their gifts to the triumphant champion.” A hush falls on the crowds as a cloud of darkness drifts down from the Marbled Polecat seats. One of their Elders steps out from inside the cloud and lifts his clan’s gift into the air so all can see it. “The links of this necklace are made from the breastbones of six greater boars! The pendant is the skull of a deadly spirit beast that I hunted on the far side of the mountains that make up our valley! Yes, that’s right! I went outside the valley to secure a gift for this year’s champion. Three brave Marbled Polecats died in the hour we were outside the valley, but this charm will protect the wearer from age’s deathly touch until the next Luchamadra tournament!” The arena grounds echo with the sounds of clapping and cheering for a long time. The rainbow of light surrounding the Crystal Butterfly Elder who steps onto the stage next feels like dawn driving back the night after the Marbled Polecat presentation. The EElder lifts a bundle of javelins above his head. His crystal earrings and the jewels on the rings of both his hand draw some of your attention away from the javelin’s metal shafts and crystal tips. “These javelins will pursue their target and hit it without fail. After the second strike, expose them to strong winds for a day and a night, and they will be ready for use again. They are sturdily built and unless lost in combat will outlast you, making a fine legacy to leave to your successors. We did not anticipate that the champion this year would have aim so excellent as yours. In acknowledgment that these are perhaps less useful for you than any of the other fighters this year, we also present you this!” He beckons forward another member of his clan who empties a bag into his hand. A crystal as big as your head tumbles out, and for a moment when it is first revealed, it outshines the sun. The Silver Bear behind you grumbles. “Lucky I wasn’t looking right at it. He should have warned us first.” The spots still dancing in your vision incline you to agree with the grumbler. The Crystal Butterfly Elder continues. “This crystal holds within it enough Light for even an Elder such as I to cultivate for a year. It can be forged into an unparalleled weapon or traded as you choose.” Greed burns in your heart. That crystal is no use at all to Aracato, but if you had it… Your head swims with possibilities, and you miss both the thunderous applause and the arrival of the next Elder. A female Elder of the Water Leopard tribe holds a pearl as big as her eye aloft. “This is the dantian of a great Sea Eel. It too was slain beyond the reaches of the valley by my daughter, and none of my clan died when they dared to venture outside the valley. You have all seen or heard of the Sea Eel steaks she sold in the market. Many of you have tasted it’s succulent flesh and gained its strength. There is much meat left yet, and she will be selling it again tomorrow. You all know what power a mere piece of meat grants, imagine what power this pearl grants to its possessor. We give it to the champion of the tournament with our blessings.” The Water Leopard Elder holds the pearl aloft with one hand and points to the fisherwoman who you saw selling Sea Eel steaks with the other as the assembled clans howl their approval. The Corazon Chamois Elder leaps spryly from her seat onto the stage in a single bound. She raises a simple clay bottle above her head. “As you all know, only the Corazon Chamois know the secret of preparing potions that can improve the drinker’s cultivation without side-effects. In this bottle is a potion that can be used by any cultivator of any stage without ill-effects. There is enough liquid here for three drinks. Each drink will double the effectiveness of cultivation for a month. It is also tremendously effective at raising a peak cultivator to the next stage. All without any side effects as long as doses are taken at least two months apart. Its efficacy is attested to by both of our new Elders, who each benefited from it.” Whatever else she intended to say is lost in a babble of noise as her proclamation of a genuinely useful cultivation aid stirs the crowd into a near riot. It is a long time before Elder Minaro can calm the crowd enough to present the Silver Bear gift. “As is traditional, each of the clans has presented the Luchamadra champion with a gift. Also as tradition dictates, we of the Silver Bear clan are so pleased that the champion is of our clan, we have set aside our intended gift and instead ask of the champions, Aracato and Ataqa to name their heart’s desire. As long as their request is within the clan’s power to grant, we will do so.” Elder Minaro hands a hollow metal cone like the one he has been speaking through to Aracato. Bato’s father speaks into the small part of the cone, and now his voice reverberates in your ears “My request is a small one, and well within the clan’s power. Honored Elder, the value of your instruction is well known. I ask only that you provide my son, Bato, with six month’s of your personal instruction.” Bato’s childish voice rings out, high and clear as a bell, “And both my friend’s, father.” The Silver Bear sitting next to you, rolls his eyes. Aracato repeats his son's words: “Six month’s personal instruction for my son and his two friends sequentially.” Elder Minaro’s face twists with revulsion so palpable you can almost taste the barely restrained spit on his tongue as he sighs and replies. “That is three requests, but, granted.” Mama keeps telling you it is unladylike to groan, but you just can’t help yourself this time. The one advantage you had over Bato and his cronies was your lessons from Elder Minaro. Now, just like that, it’s gone. Soon, they will each have had half again as much personal instruction from an elder as you’ve gotten. The bad news doesn’t stop there, though. Oh no, you’re not that lucky. Instead of taking his gifts and leaving, Aracato resumes speaking through the hollow cone, “I have one more, minor request, honored Elder. As you know, Decavo was one of the Tin-tier quarterfinalists this year. He has been challenged by one of the contestants he defeated.” Both Mama and Papa turn and glare at you. Papa growls: “What were you thinking, Pūmič! I told you to avoid Decavo, and you go and challenge him the moment my back is turned?” You would have loved to explain everything to your parent, really, you would have, but their attention is yanked back to Aracato as he continues speaking. “ I request that he be allowed to use the arena tomorrow for this duel. Someone is spreading rumors that he was badly beaten by this contestant and he should have the opportunity to prove the lie of these rumors on his slanderer’s body!” Elder Minaro is in obviously bad humor and is clearly on the verge of denying the request purely out of bile, but the Matriarch responds first: “Granted, so long as the other clans do not object.” The Water Leopard Matriarch responds first: “It is in all our interest to see the sanctity of the Luchamadra preserved. The Water Leopards agree to the request and urge the other clans to do so as well.” The Crystal Butterfly Matriarch quickly adds “We agree, but if the match is being allowed to preserve the sanctity of the Luchamadra, then the usual rewards for being a quarterfinalist should go to the challenger if they defeat Decavo.” The Marbled Polecat Matriarch’s smile is bloodthirsty as she replies, “If Aracato’s pupil Decavo must wager something than it’s only fair the challenger does as well. Since they have endangered the sanctity of the Luchamadra with their rumor-mongering, then their clan must exile them and their family should their words be proven false.” The Corazon Chamois matriarch’s reply is short and to the point: “We do not object.” Elder Minaro looks apoplectic at being talked over, but he manages to calm down enough to bite out a few words that bring this terrible afternoon to a close. “The Matriarch’s have spoken. There will be one more match this year. When the sun is at its highest, Decavo of the Silver Bears will duel…” he looks at Aracato. Aracato, in turn, looks right at you as he says your name “Pūmič Halfbreed, liar and coward.” All you can do is look down at your nerveless right hand. You’d wanted to fight Decavo, yes, but not until your hand was working again. Not under the pitiless eyes of an anonymous referee from another clan instead of with Mina’s merciful protection. The vision of the Crystal Butterfly girl Decavo brutalized flashes before your eyes. Mama and Papa, both clearly furious, hurry you back to the cave mouth as quickly as Mama can walk. Papa can’t carry her the way he did this morning because people keep coming up to give you advice on how to win or just to let you know they hope you win. Some of the well-wishers are wearing jewelry that looks a lot like Mama’s. Mama is only wearing a pair of simple silver earrings. Was Mama wearing more jewelry this morning? Most of the well-wishers are stopped from following when you walk through the main entrance to the cave and the rest head for their own caves during the long walk back to your home. As soon as you get there, Mama and Papa nail you to the floor with their glares. Papa shouts at you: “What were you thinking Pūmič! Why would you challenge Decavo? Saving his life was dangerous enough, but why would you challenge him afterward? You kill your enemies, not nurse them back to health! I warned you Decavo was dangerous and so you put yourself back in the exact same situation I told you to avoid! Were you thinking at all?” Before you can answer, Mama takes her turn to cut into you verbally: “Yes, Pūmič. What were you thinking? You asked me for my help, and I gave it. The situation was contained. Did you not trust me? Is that why you challenged Decavo? Because you thought your parents were fools? Clearly, you must have thought us idiots, if you thought you could keep challenging Decavo a secret from us.” 1) What do you tell your parents? Pūmič's decisions have been a bit schizophrenic, and that's partly my fault for allowing you to challenge him to a duel so soon after backing out of one. I will try to do better in the future. In the meantime, I'm hoping someone can provide a coherent line of reasoning for her behavior. Write in Mama and Papa take turns shouting at you and guilt-tripping you until it is full dark outside the cave. Their anger winds down, and Papa carries you to the sleeping cave then tucks you into your bed furs. “Sleep well, Pūmič. You need to be well-rested for tomorrow.” You can’t sleep, though. Instead, you listened to your parent’s whispers. They probably think you can’t hear them, but they still aren’t used to accounting for how sharp your hearing is now, and you can hear them clearly. Papa voice still rumbles with anger and frustration “What do you want to do?” Mama’s voice is resigned. “I’m not sure there’s anything we should do. There are only three possible outcomes: accept exile and be killed by the monstrously powerful spirit beasts that live outside the valley; Pūmič fights and loses which brings us right back to exile and death; Pūmič fights and wins the resources she needs. Only one outcome doesn’t lead to certain death. If she wins, we’ll look back on this as a lucky break.” 2) What do Pūmič's parents decide to do? H. Let Pūmič fight in the tournament I. Flee out of the Valley tonight with Pūmič before the fight. J. Flee into the Deep Tunnels tonight with Pūmič before the fight. K. Publicly apologize and accept exile out of the Valley in the Spring when there will be at least some food. L. Publicly apologize and accept exile to the Deep Tunnels in the Spring, so you and Mama have time to heal. write in Papa’s whisper is thick with frustration “I don’t think she can win. I’ve fought people like Decavo before, and it is always a nightmare. He’s not going to stop unless she breaks his body badly enough that he can’t move anymore. He doesn’t think he has anything to lose and doesn’t hold anything back. It’s his attitude that makes him way more dangerous than a child with his age and training should be. Pūmič doesn’t have the killer’s drive she’d need to deal with him yet, thank the Spirits. She can’t even rely on tricking him out of bounds now. Aracato won’t settle for that.” Mama sighs. “I know, and neither will the Marbled Polecat Matriarch. She wants her liter of blood and doesn’t care who it comes from. We might be able to delay our exile to Spring if we make a public apology tomorrow. At least then I’ll be able to walk without slowing us.” Papa replies, “That would improve our chances from none to nearly none. At least you’d be able to hold Pūmič so I’d have my hands free to fight. We could try the deep tunnels instead. Elders venture into them when the need is great, and our need is pretty great.” You can’t see Mama, but you can hear her earrings chiming as she shakes her head in negation: “From what I hear, that’s nearly as dangerous as going outside the valley. There’s abundant metal in them for you and Pūmič, but there’s no light and little wind which would make me nearly helpless. Besides, I thought there wasn’t any food down there?” “There are monsters. We can eat them and probably whatever they eat. Whatever that is. What I don't understand is why Aracato is forcing this now. Decavo still needs weeks to heal.” Mama sounds tired “Why is simple, Aracato envies your prowess and hates my presence. He probably was only hoping to shame us, but the Marbled Polecat Matriarch gave him everything he wanted. For the timing, the Corazon Chamois healers can heal Decavo just like they did Hector. They'll demand an outrageous price, but any one of the gifts Aracato won today would satisfy them. Or he may find some other way to weight things in his favor." There is a pause then mama continues, “Does she have a chance if she fights?” Papa’s voice rumbles gently: “The worst fighter can beat the best. There’s always a chance. She has a slim chance. A very slim chance.” Mama's voice is thin with despair: How did this happen Guarnicio? Where did we go wrong with our daughter? What are we going to do?” You hear the rustling of Papa’s furs as he wraps Mama in his arms, “I don’t know, light of my life; but whatever we do, we’ll do it together.” Mama and Papa don’t speak again after that, but they are not entirely silent. You fall asleep to the sound of water steadily dripping in the next cave. LLSix fucked around with this message at 04:19 on Sep 18, 2019 |
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Aug 1, 2019 15:05
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Not sure what to say to mama and papa. They're pretty upset and I don't think "We were trying to be friends!!" is going to fly :/ May edit if I see a better response though. My vote is to H I think we might as well try to fight for our !exile. I was tempted by the apologize and hope for a better time to exlie, but as Papa said: quote:Papa’s voice rumbles gently: “The worst fighter can beat the best. There’s always a chance." Figure a shot at no exile is better than certain exile even if we can plan for it.
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Aug 1, 2019 16:27
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Buggering hell. Did not expect this kind of update after the shopping trip update. 1. Let's just cry. This is way more complicated than we'd thought it would be, and how could we have known the consequences of our actions if we've never had to deal with a situation like this before? I don't know how else our parents would expect us to respond. I, as part of Pumie's decision making process, was split between ignoring Decavo because his situation is complicated, and beating him up because he sucks. I don't know how other people were thinking during this period. Did you guys want to mend their relationship? I'll probably change this vote if someone has a good answer. 2. Bremma posted:My vote is to H Yep, I agree with this. It seems like the only response really considering the other options almost seem like certain death. Maybe Pumie can ask Felero's family to help us out with some magic potion or something.
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Aug 1, 2019 16:53
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LLSix posted:You fall asleep to the sound of water steadily dripping in the next cave. ohhh poo poo. Water Leopard deathsquad is here!  H. We're no cowards. We will handle ourselves with pride. Fall asleep determined to win, doing our best to move our hand and loosen it up. Cannon_Fodder fucked around with this message at 17:09 on Aug 1, 2019 |
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Aug 1, 2019 17:07
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Admit we made a mistake. H. Decavo was recently injured badly enough to have trouble standing so our odds should be better than they were in the duel. I don’t feel great about beating up an injured and abused child to take their stuff but the alternative sounds deadly enough that we need to go all out.
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Aug 1, 2019 18:40
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