Baltika9
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She doesn't have our shitty luck stat, though.
-
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[LP CYOA] 傳
- Thread starter treave
- Start date
Nevill
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As in first love? It is quite fitting here, love have many facets.treave said:
She does not have nearly enough information or experience to base her decisions on. What else does she have?
If you want to dig the luck debate out of its grave... she travels WITH us. If we are fucked, so is she. If she dies, that's our luck for you.Baltika9 said:
Baltika9
Arcane
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2012
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Which is why I'm hoping C will lead to this:
Besides... why assume the answer she comes up with will be either A or B? C was meant to be a wildcard from the start (aka am I in a trolling mood and can I justify it?)
Clearly she will get up, scream I NEVER LOVED ANY OF YOU and leave, not to be seen again for a decade when she resurfaces as the Killer Physician 2.0.
You speak as if she has no mind or will of her own. She's capable and can take care of herself. I've flopped.
Nevill
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Yes, if we bug treave about "C is just another B", I hope it riles him enough to put her somewhere safe. :D
Kidding, kidding.
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Her experiences before she met Jing, after, and in the time he was gone. Jing learnt plenty during that time. So has she. If it was as simple as following her emotions, she wouldn't be thinking about it.
She might still decide to follow you, but to paint it as a decision made solely out of blind love might be doing her a slight disservice.
In C she challenges you to a duel.
Nevill
Arcane
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Oh, I am not seeing her as some sort of one-dimensional lovestruck bird. Sorry if I came out this way.
But I do think that her feelings for Jing would be prevalent in the decision she is about to make. Well, for now all I can hope for is that she chooses wisely.
But I do think that her feelings for Jing would be prevalent in the decision she is about to make. Well, for now all I can hope for is that she chooses wisely.
I hope it would be a butt slapping contest?treave said:
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Baltika9
Arcane
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Oh, so that's why she was crawling all over Jing in his sleep? Whew, I was afraid she was checking him out. That would be creepy.In C she challenges you to a duel.
Last edited:
Baltika9
Arcane
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- Jun 27, 2012
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She tried to stick powdered tiger dong in our mouth(?)?
Eww.
Eww.
We dun goofed, then?After the update:
That should probably read "she", not "he".After the update:
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You never know, do you? Could be he, as in Jing, as in all of us.That should probably read "she", not "he".After the update:
Choices... and consequences! 
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To the Tournament
You decide to allow Cao’er to give her own opinion about the matter. With a gentle shove, you push her to the front, encouraging her to say what she wants. She nods at you gratefully.
“...I want to see the world like Grandfather says…” says Cao’er. Yao gives a loud, satisfied “Hah!”.
“…but I also want to see what it’s like at Emei with Grandmother…” she continues. Miecao grins at Yao triumphantly.
“…but I don’t want to be a nun, because…” Cao’er says, giving you a shy glance.
The Abbess frowns at her granddaughter. “What is it that you want, then?”
“…can I just stay at Emei for a while? I have things I want to learn from you, Grandmother, but there are also things I can learn by wandering the jianghu…”
“The girl makes sense. She would be safer if she could learn Emei techniques for women in addition to the skills I have already taught her. Can we do anything about her request, Lihua?” Yao asks. Abbess Miecao just sighs, casting him a reproachful eye. “I blame you for this, Shunshi. Well, I suppose I shouldn’t judge too much. After all, Cao’er would never have been born if I wasn’t something of a adventuress myself. I would be a hypocrite to say that there wasn’t a certain charm to being unburdened by duties and obligations.”
“You could always retire and run away with me,” says Yao with a chuckle.
“The problem with you is that you are too free,” snaps the Abbess, smiling despite herself. “I swear, you used to be the level-headed one who had to hold me back! Anyway, Cao’er?”
“…yes!” The girl goes rigid as she looks at her grandparents nervously.
“I could take you in as a guest of Emei. It is not an uncommon practice for the convent, but what we can impart to you will be limited. There are many techniques that we only teach to the nuns. Perhaps in time you may find you like life at Emei, and join us officially. At that time you need only ask. Is this alright?”
“…yes!” goes Cao’er again. Then, she looks at me. “… could I ask you a favour, Jing?”
“Since you’re being uncharacteristically chatty today, go ahead,” you smile.
“Would you be willing to journey with me? Not today, no… perhaps in three months or so? It should not take me that long to learn what I need… I think?”
The Abbess looks scandalized that Cao’er thinks that she will be able to master what she has to teach in three months. Yao only laughs confidently. “She is a fast learner, Lihua. In her fifteen years of life she has learnt what it took me more than fifty years to know.”
“I can’t promise you that,” you say honestly. “I might be somewhere I cannot leave, or I might be crippled or dead by that time. My journey isn’t a safe one. But I promise you that if I am able, I will come to Emei in three months’ time. If you still want to leave with me then, I will bring you along.” Besides, you do plan to visit the mountain anyway. You’ll just have to schedule it ahead of some of the other sects.
“…that is fine.” Cao’er makes a satisfied sigh. “…if you don’t appear, I’ll come find you…” A slight chill runs down your back, but you do not know why.
And with that, the issue is settled.
“I suppose this is where we part ways, Xu Jing,” says the Abbess as the four of you leave the hut. Yao takes Cao’er aside and begins giving her some last instructions. “I will be bringing Shunshi and Cao’er with me to settle them down. There are many preparations I need to make before heading to Luoyang for the Young Tigers Martial Arts Tournament, so I will need to take my leave now.”
“The tournament, eh?” you respond absent-mindedly before realizing what you just blurted out. Miecao looks at you with slight surprise. “Are you going too? Did you win one of the qualifying competitions for a crest? I suppose Zhang Jue would like to show off his disciple once in a while…”
You look back at her, deciding whether or not to lie. Still, it is strange that she would assume you had won one of the competitions, instead of using the crest that had been sent to you. You decide to tell the truth about your invite and trust her. After all, they did confide in you about Cao’er and Yifang’s true identities. If news gets out that the Abbess of Emei is raising her granddaughters on the mountain, it would be a great scandal for the sect; she would be seen as partial and unfit to lead. Besides, even if you didn’t tell her the truth now, she would definitely recognize you during the tournament. You doubt you could hide from the Abbess.
“Actually, Master Zhang received an invite from the committee.” You take out the crest and letter, handing it over to her. If Miecao doesn’t know, it could be a fake. Better to get her to check it here, lest it turn out to be some form of trap. “Is it the real thing?” you ask. She looks at it, turning it over with her thin fingers.
“It does not appear to be an imitation. The seal on the letter is also genuine. I doubt it is forged,” she concludes. “None of the leaders of the sect are on the committee, and we do not decide who to invite. They are made up of senior disciples from all Eight Sects. Still, they had not told us of their intentions to invite the disciple of the Southern Maniac. This is not usual.”
The Abbess hands it back to you. “I will not tell you if you should participate or not. That is entirely your choice. If you do, however, be careful about it. Luoyang is under our protection, and besides me, Grand Taoist Zhengchong of Wudang, Abbot Fangzhang of Shaolin and Taoist Cuishan of Kunlun will be there. I dare say that you should be safe, but there are no certainties in life. As a contestant we are obliged to protect you, but as the Maniac’s apprentice there will be those that hate and fear you.”
“That is a given,” you say. “My master does not have the best of reputations.”
“Indeed, he doesn’t. He is a brutal and savage man, and has killed many fighters – he deserves the reputation he has. You are not a naïve boy, so I will not order you around like one of my nuns, or preach to you like silly Yifang did. But still, a grandmother must look out for her granddaughter, even if it is not proper thoughts for a nun to hold. So, boy, take care of yourself. If anything happens to you my granddaughter will be sad, foolish girl that she is.”
You give her a respectful bow, grateful for her advice. It changes little; you have always known that the tournament would carry some risk. “Thank you, Abbess Miecao. I will take your words to heart. If I may, could I ask that you keep my identity a secret to those who do not know it, should you see me in Luoyang? I would prefer to introduce myself on my own terms.”
“Do not worry. I am a nun, not a gossip.” There is a twinkle in her eye. “Now, about the Yuchang Sword…”
***
You rub your bruises on the caravan, having hitched a ride to Chang’an from Chengdu. Before you had parted ways with Yao’s family, the Abbess had made you fight her. It did not take you long to realize the gap in power between you and the masters of the Eight Sects – with her graceful and intelligent movements, the Abbess had replicated the six-man Guihe Formation just by herself. According to her, this was possible against a lone enemy for a true master, and in a duel it would appear to the opponent as if he was fighting six people at once. You ended up not being able to land a single hit, while she gave you some rather punishing smacks with her horsewhip.
You came close, however, desperately performing a move that broke the Guihe Formation. Even then, in your hastiness you ended up landing head first as Miecao countered with ease. The Abbess had stopped the duel with a nod of approval while you were still groaning on the ground. She left you with the words, “A fish hiding in water is closer than it looks,” asking you to reflect upon that and the final move you executed that had almost hit her. That is something you plan to analyse and practice when you have time. She had let you leave with the sword, stating slyly that it will give Sister Miaozhu and her team something to do in their old age – it’s the most excitement they have had in years.
Afterwards, Yao had gave you some tattered notes as a parting gift. It was a brief collection of notes from when he was younger; nothing too advanced, but still enlightening – they were still writings of the Killer Physician. The notes were mainly regarding acupuncture, with a slight sprinkling of herbalism. You would be able to improve your medical skills further if you studied this. He told you to keep your chin up and remember that craftiness will get you out of more trouble than relying on brute strength.
Cao’er gave you nothing but a great big hug, causing Abbess Miecao to frown with great displeasure.
***
You can only watch the Imperial Palace from afar in Chang’an. You wonder if Shun is there. You have heard troubling rumours when you reached the capital; apparently the army has been sent out to pacify the northwest border. You were sure that your visit to the Ashina was to prevent anything like this from happening. Still, you had no time to linger in Chang’an to find out more – you had to catch the next boat down the Grand Canal to reach Luoyang in time for the tournament. Unfortunately the caravan had overturned halfway, forcing you to hike the remainder of the journey. At least there were no bandits this time.
You have time to visit one of the Imperial retreats on the outskirts of the city before you left, however. Once upon a time, Shun and you would come here every year. In the absence of the Imperial family, the place is lightly guarded. Even in the day-time you found it easy to sneak over the walls. You make your way to the back of a familiar old building.
As expected, you find Shun’s messages carved into a wooden pillar in your mutual secret code. You have been away for more than two years now, going on three. There were two messages, one for each year he visited.
After translation, the first one read that everything was fine at the palace, and that he hoped you were fine too. Choosing to wander off was a choice that worried him, as he would not know how you ended up. He carved this as a means to settle his mind as he can only hope you would come across it some day. He regretted agreeing to let you run off instead of insisting you go to a proper, safe school.
The second one read almost the same, though he added that he had heard some vague rumours of a person with your name from some wandering pugilists. He hoped that it was truly you, though he dared not wish for too much lest your jinx is doubled. The message is rather weathered, so you expect that Shun will come here soon to carve his third.
Taking out your dagger, you leave a reply in code.
Your faithful servant is still alive. When we meet again, I’ll kick your ass with all my powerful techniques for being such a worrywart and not having faith in me.
That is the last thing you had to do in Chang’an. Your next stop is Luoyang, and the Young Tigers Martial Arts Tournament.
***
On your journey to Luoyang, you choose to practice or learn some non-combat skills that you are not particularly good at. You only have time to practice two.
I. Artistic skill
II. Sleight of hand
III. Traps
IV. Drinking
***
You have dyed your hair black, and also coated the Yuchang Sword in paint to obscure its identity, following Miecao’s advice. Registering for the tournament aside, there is still the matter of how you want to present yourself while in the city…
A. You do not hide your identity. There is no need to. Revealing yourself will more easily lure out those that mean to do you harm, if they exist. Besides, it is easier to let them have the false impression that you are arrogant like your Master, rather than give them the idea that you are sly and cautious when they inevitably find out about your presence here.
B. You conceal your identity when about town, taking on the persona of a young merchant’s son interested in martial arts. Better safe than sorry; you prefer to put as many layers between yourself and any lurking elements in the competition if possible.
(These choices have no bearing on the registration for the tournament itself, just how you go about the city. You can still sneak about at night to spy or steal calling yourself the Real Shadow Wolf or something. Besides you can always pretend to be someone hired to pretend that he is the disciple of the Southern Maniac who is pretending not to be said disciple, if that is how you fancy things.)
You decide to allow Cao’er to give her own opinion about the matter. With a gentle shove, you push her to the front, encouraging her to say what she wants. She nods at you gratefully.
“...I want to see the world like Grandfather says…” says Cao’er. Yao gives a loud, satisfied “Hah!”.
“…but I also want to see what it’s like at Emei with Grandmother…” she continues. Miecao grins at Yao triumphantly.
“…but I don’t want to be a nun, because…” Cao’er says, giving you a shy glance.
The Abbess frowns at her granddaughter. “What is it that you want, then?”
“…can I just stay at Emei for a while? I have things I want to learn from you, Grandmother, but there are also things I can learn by wandering the jianghu…”
“The girl makes sense. She would be safer if she could learn Emei techniques for women in addition to the skills I have already taught her. Can we do anything about her request, Lihua?” Yao asks. Abbess Miecao just sighs, casting him a reproachful eye. “I blame you for this, Shunshi. Well, I suppose I shouldn’t judge too much. After all, Cao’er would never have been born if I wasn’t something of a adventuress myself. I would be a hypocrite to say that there wasn’t a certain charm to being unburdened by duties and obligations.”
“You could always retire and run away with me,” says Yao with a chuckle.
“The problem with you is that you are too free,” snaps the Abbess, smiling despite herself. “I swear, you used to be the level-headed one who had to hold me back! Anyway, Cao’er?”
“…yes!” The girl goes rigid as she looks at her grandparents nervously.
“I could take you in as a guest of Emei. It is not an uncommon practice for the convent, but what we can impart to you will be limited. There are many techniques that we only teach to the nuns. Perhaps in time you may find you like life at Emei, and join us officially. At that time you need only ask. Is this alright?”
“…yes!” goes Cao’er again. Then, she looks at me. “… could I ask you a favour, Jing?”
“Since you’re being uncharacteristically chatty today, go ahead,” you smile.
“Would you be willing to journey with me? Not today, no… perhaps in three months or so? It should not take me that long to learn what I need… I think?”
The Abbess looks scandalized that Cao’er thinks that she will be able to master what she has to teach in three months. Yao only laughs confidently. “She is a fast learner, Lihua. In her fifteen years of life she has learnt what it took me more than fifty years to know.”
“I can’t promise you that,” you say honestly. “I might be somewhere I cannot leave, or I might be crippled or dead by that time. My journey isn’t a safe one. But I promise you that if I am able, I will come to Emei in three months’ time. If you still want to leave with me then, I will bring you along.” Besides, you do plan to visit the mountain anyway. You’ll just have to schedule it ahead of some of the other sects.
“…that is fine.” Cao’er makes a satisfied sigh. “…if you don’t appear, I’ll come find you…” A slight chill runs down your back, but you do not know why.
And with that, the issue is settled.
“I suppose this is where we part ways, Xu Jing,” says the Abbess as the four of you leave the hut. Yao takes Cao’er aside and begins giving her some last instructions. “I will be bringing Shunshi and Cao’er with me to settle them down. There are many preparations I need to make before heading to Luoyang for the Young Tigers Martial Arts Tournament, so I will need to take my leave now.”
“The tournament, eh?” you respond absent-mindedly before realizing what you just blurted out. Miecao looks at you with slight surprise. “Are you going too? Did you win one of the qualifying competitions for a crest? I suppose Zhang Jue would like to show off his disciple once in a while…”
You look back at her, deciding whether or not to lie. Still, it is strange that she would assume you had won one of the competitions, instead of using the crest that had been sent to you. You decide to tell the truth about your invite and trust her. After all, they did confide in you about Cao’er and Yifang’s true identities. If news gets out that the Abbess of Emei is raising her granddaughters on the mountain, it would be a great scandal for the sect; she would be seen as partial and unfit to lead. Besides, even if you didn’t tell her the truth now, she would definitely recognize you during the tournament. You doubt you could hide from the Abbess.
“Actually, Master Zhang received an invite from the committee.” You take out the crest and letter, handing it over to her. If Miecao doesn’t know, it could be a fake. Better to get her to check it here, lest it turn out to be some form of trap. “Is it the real thing?” you ask. She looks at it, turning it over with her thin fingers.
“It does not appear to be an imitation. The seal on the letter is also genuine. I doubt it is forged,” she concludes. “None of the leaders of the sect are on the committee, and we do not decide who to invite. They are made up of senior disciples from all Eight Sects. Still, they had not told us of their intentions to invite the disciple of the Southern Maniac. This is not usual.”
The Abbess hands it back to you. “I will not tell you if you should participate or not. That is entirely your choice. If you do, however, be careful about it. Luoyang is under our protection, and besides me, Grand Taoist Zhengchong of Wudang, Abbot Fangzhang of Shaolin and Taoist Cuishan of Kunlun will be there. I dare say that you should be safe, but there are no certainties in life. As a contestant we are obliged to protect you, but as the Maniac’s apprentice there will be those that hate and fear you.”
“That is a given,” you say. “My master does not have the best of reputations.”
“Indeed, he doesn’t. He is a brutal and savage man, and has killed many fighters – he deserves the reputation he has. You are not a naïve boy, so I will not order you around like one of my nuns, or preach to you like silly Yifang did. But still, a grandmother must look out for her granddaughter, even if it is not proper thoughts for a nun to hold. So, boy, take care of yourself. If anything happens to you my granddaughter will be sad, foolish girl that she is.”
You give her a respectful bow, grateful for her advice. It changes little; you have always known that the tournament would carry some risk. “Thank you, Abbess Miecao. I will take your words to heart. If I may, could I ask that you keep my identity a secret to those who do not know it, should you see me in Luoyang? I would prefer to introduce myself on my own terms.”
“Do not worry. I am a nun, not a gossip.” There is a twinkle in her eye. “Now, about the Yuchang Sword…”
***
You rub your bruises on the caravan, having hitched a ride to Chang’an from Chengdu. Before you had parted ways with Yao’s family, the Abbess had made you fight her. It did not take you long to realize the gap in power between you and the masters of the Eight Sects – with her graceful and intelligent movements, the Abbess had replicated the six-man Guihe Formation just by herself. According to her, this was possible against a lone enemy for a true master, and in a duel it would appear to the opponent as if he was fighting six people at once. You ended up not being able to land a single hit, while she gave you some rather punishing smacks with her horsewhip.
You came close, however, desperately performing a move that broke the Guihe Formation. Even then, in your hastiness you ended up landing head first as Miecao countered with ease. The Abbess had stopped the duel with a nod of approval while you were still groaning on the ground. She left you with the words, “A fish hiding in water is closer than it looks,” asking you to reflect upon that and the final move you executed that had almost hit her. That is something you plan to analyse and practice when you have time. She had let you leave with the sword, stating slyly that it will give Sister Miaozhu and her team something to do in their old age – it’s the most excitement they have had in years.
Afterwards, Yao had gave you some tattered notes as a parting gift. It was a brief collection of notes from when he was younger; nothing too advanced, but still enlightening – they were still writings of the Killer Physician. The notes were mainly regarding acupuncture, with a slight sprinkling of herbalism. You would be able to improve your medical skills further if you studied this. He told you to keep your chin up and remember that craftiness will get you out of more trouble than relying on brute strength.
Cao’er gave you nothing but a great big hug, causing Abbess Miecao to frown with great displeasure.
***
You can only watch the Imperial Palace from afar in Chang’an. You wonder if Shun is there. You have heard troubling rumours when you reached the capital; apparently the army has been sent out to pacify the northwest border. You were sure that your visit to the Ashina was to prevent anything like this from happening. Still, you had no time to linger in Chang’an to find out more – you had to catch the next boat down the Grand Canal to reach Luoyang in time for the tournament. Unfortunately the caravan had overturned halfway, forcing you to hike the remainder of the journey. At least there were no bandits this time.
You have time to visit one of the Imperial retreats on the outskirts of the city before you left, however. Once upon a time, Shun and you would come here every year. In the absence of the Imperial family, the place is lightly guarded. Even in the day-time you found it easy to sneak over the walls. You make your way to the back of a familiar old building.
As expected, you find Shun’s messages carved into a wooden pillar in your mutual secret code. You have been away for more than two years now, going on three. There were two messages, one for each year he visited.
After translation, the first one read that everything was fine at the palace, and that he hoped you were fine too. Choosing to wander off was a choice that worried him, as he would not know how you ended up. He carved this as a means to settle his mind as he can only hope you would come across it some day. He regretted agreeing to let you run off instead of insisting you go to a proper, safe school.
The second one read almost the same, though he added that he had heard some vague rumours of a person with your name from some wandering pugilists. He hoped that it was truly you, though he dared not wish for too much lest your jinx is doubled. The message is rather weathered, so you expect that Shun will come here soon to carve his third.
Taking out your dagger, you leave a reply in code.
Your faithful servant is still alive. When we meet again, I’ll kick your ass with all my powerful techniques for being such a worrywart and not having faith in me.
That is the last thing you had to do in Chang’an. Your next stop is Luoyang, and the Young Tigers Martial Arts Tournament.
***
On your journey to Luoyang, you choose to practice or learn some non-combat skills that you are not particularly good at. You only have time to practice two.
I. Artistic skill
II. Sleight of hand
III. Traps
IV. Drinking
***
You have dyed your hair black, and also coated the Yuchang Sword in paint to obscure its identity, following Miecao’s advice. Registering for the tournament aside, there is still the matter of how you want to present yourself while in the city…
A. You do not hide your identity. There is no need to. Revealing yourself will more easily lure out those that mean to do you harm, if they exist. Besides, it is easier to let them have the false impression that you are arrogant like your Master, rather than give them the idea that you are sly and cautious when they inevitably find out about your presence here.
B. You conceal your identity when about town, taking on the persona of a young merchant’s son interested in martial arts. Better safe than sorry; you prefer to put as many layers between yourself and any lurking elements in the competition if possible.
(These choices have no bearing on the registration for the tournament itself, just how you go about the city. You can still sneak about at night to spy or steal calling yourself the Real Shadow Wolf or something. Besides you can always pretend to be someone hired to pretend that he is the disciple of the Southern Maniac who is pretending not to be said disciple, if that is how you fancy things.)
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- Joined
- Dec 29, 2011
- Messages
- 2,835
I, II > III >IV A
I may flop from II to III, since I'm starting to really see the value of having a few traps in one's room. That said, sleight of hand and laxatives... a natural combination if ever there was one. I'm undecided about whether to go A or B yet. I do like the idea of acting arrogant, whilst really taking a number of precautions.
I may flop from II to III, since I'm starting to really see the value of having a few traps in one's room. That said, sleight of hand and laxatives... a natural combination if ever there was one. I'm undecided about whether to go A or B yet. I do like the idea of acting arrogant, whilst really taking a number of precautions.
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TOME
Cuckmaster General
- Joined
- May 25, 2012
- Messages
- 1,820
I
III > II
B
I doubt traps will be getting many votes but I would like learn some traps just in case. In life or death situations it would be stupid not to use them just because it isn't honorable. Though laxatives and sleight of hand does sound good. May flop to II.
III > II
B
I doubt traps will be getting many votes but I would like learn some traps just in case. In life or death situations it would be stupid not to use them just because it isn't honorable. Though laxatives and sleight of hand does sound good. May flop to II.
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