[LP CYOA] 傳

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

The Taoist will instantly know we are Man Tiger Pig by recognizing our chaotic qi. Thus we'd risk losing our advantage of anonymity we've worked so hard to maintain.

What anonymity? Dude, Bai Jiutan already knows who we are.

Probably, yes. He doesn't know about our qi though and he only suspects us of being Zhang's apprentice. I also doubt he has shared this with the other sects. Just because they are orthodox, doesn't mean they share everything. It's important to keep our secrets as secret as we can so that as little info about us as possible becomes common knowledge to all our enemies.

As for the "bigger things" you talked about, consider that the WiB are likely a small part of a larger plot (IF they are directly related to the prince's enemies and not some off-shoot as their varied palm technique suggests). Even if we defeat them all here, we'll still have their masters and the rest of the plot to deal with and for that we will need skills to rival the masters of the sects. Skills Zhang can teach us, but ONLY if we complete his challenge - which, again, will be a lot more likely if our secrets are kept secret. Think long-term, bro.

 

[Nevill]

Bloody fucking bluetooth keyboard + chrome, it's weird how it only fucks up in browsers.

Hey, I type my messages in notepad. Much easier to edit when they aren't in a tiny window.

[...] but people don't seem to trust her for things where she HAS proven herself, i.e. an uncanny ability to identify people and to take advantage of it without blowing covers.

If you trust Qilin with the covert ops, why the hell are you trying to help her? Why not leave it to the professional?
I like the direction Qilin's character development is going. Maybe for the first time in her life she agreed to help without asking for anything in return. And she had brought Guo Fu and Puo'er to you for some reason, though Jing being Jing still denies that she can be anything but trouble.

In which case, investigating them is still to our advantage because it gets closer to us uncovering the troothz.

I still maintain that cooperation with the Sects, even a temporary one, would bring us even close. Three masked fighters just do not have the same resourses that several hundred men do.

And possibly warning the Persians should it turn out they're being framed just like we are.

Very likely.

 

[Zero Credibility]

Fact remains, these guys are shady as fuck: show up from a foreign land hundreds, if not thousands of miles away, participate in masks for some reason (really, Lantu and the Tibetan dude had no problem participating openly, even if they were foreigners) and suddenly there are assaults all over the city from the WiBs.
Or maybe someone lured them here to be scapegoats for them (masked fighters, masked people, mysterious and deadly techniques on boths sides; people will get suspicious). In which case, investigating them is still to our advantage because it gets closer to us uncovering the troothz. And possibly warning the Persians should it turn out they're being framed just like we are.

Yeah, but that's speculation based on just the fact that they are masked and here. That's all we are working on. For all we know, they could be here as a test of their abilities and would prefer to hide their identities from the locals for some reason. So A might not lead us anywhere as far as our mission is concerned. C on the other hand seems like a much more solid lead to go on. If anyone would have at least some concrete information on what is really going on, the head honchos here would. So let's go ask them. What do we have to lose? They already know who we are (well, up to a point), the Abbess would have told them - we wouldn't be having an audience with some of the most powerful men in the country if all they thought we were was just another victim of the attackers.

 

[Baltika9]

And possibly warning the Persians should it turn out they're being framed just like we are.

Very likely.

Then establishing contact with them will be very prudent. Short of Leonidas popping out of nowhere, no one here has an effective counter, or enough experience with their fighting styles, to combat them. If they are being used as pawns, that gives us a common enemy to work against. And maybe we can butter them up to teach us something later.

In which case, investigating them is still to our advantage because it gets closer to us uncovering the troothz.

I still maintain that cooperation with the Sects, even a temporary one, would bring us even close. Three masked fighters just do not have the same resourses that several hundred men do.

That's jsut it, though, they already are aware of what's going on, thanks to Yifang, and are working to counteract it, their "hundreds of men" are already at work. If there's anything they need us for, it's wetwork that they can't be seen doing. Which can put us in a horrible position down the road, because they don't owe us shit and value their schools' reputations more than our's and Zee-Jay's. We also can't neglect the fact that these guys and their schools are our targets in the future, so I'd rather not be in their field of vision longer than we absolutely must.
The Grand Taoist is master on all things qi and neiggong, give him enough reason to suspect something and pique his curiosity and our Yuanshan Hundun is known. I would also be much more comfortable if it were just the Abbess, you say that the other Three Masters will afford us some security from scrutiny. Why? If anything, they will be just as interested in learning about us and our talents as the Grand Tao will.

For all we know, they could be here as a test of their abilities and would prefer to hide their identities from the locals for some reason.

"For some reason" doesn't quite absolve them in these circumstances. Look, the sects are already on high alert, thanks to Yifang, they are already curbing this shit and investigating it. let's look into the things they are overlooking. That way, we're covering much more ground (plus, y'know, investigating foreign allies for our Khandom). With Yifang's gullibility and open personality, we can taunt some clues about what they find out at a later time, say this evening or tomorrow.

QUOTE="Tigranes"] [...] but people don't seem to trust her for things where she HAS proven herself, i.e. an uncanny ability to identify people and to take advantage of it without blowing covers.

If you trust Qilin with the covert ops, why the hell are you trying to help her? Why not leave it to the professional?
I like the direction Qilin's character development is going. Maybe for the first time in her life she agreed to help without asking for anything in return. And she had brought Guo Fu and Puo'er to you for some reason, though Jing being Jing still denies that she can be anything but trouble.
[/quote]Because two heads and four hands are better than just her working alone, because we're also one creative fucker. This will be a trolling duo, I'm sure they'll synergize well.

 

[Kipeci]

We've already discussed that our secret techniques aren't likely to stay that way for long. We'll still be going from mountain to mountain to face off against the mightiest orthodox sects' strongest disciples, and we're probably going to need to face off against the weaker disciples first. If we ever have a need to use a technique, that's shown and probably going to spread to the others. Even if not from there, we've already used most of our techniques against a number of foes (notably the Emei) and any gossip one might have with the Castration Squad about us can reveal basically all of our techniques. If we never use the moves, we can't really add to their power either, so I don't have the foggiest idea why we're all about wrapping everything up when our character has less compunctions about use and the information will naturally flow anyway.

In the short term it's fine if for no reason than to keep our ultimate foe here in the tournament in the dark about us, but the sects are going to inevitably find out.

 

[Absinthe]

Voting C.

Reasons:

1. Jing needs to establish a good reputation with the sects. Not just for Shun's mission, but also because if he wants to announce himself as Zhang Jue's apprentice when he wins the tournament, it's good to have the sect leaders back him up against accusations of ambushing people in the middle of the night, which would disqualify his victory.
2. As Esquilax said, the Grand Taoist will most likely recognize Jing's condition. They're probably going to look at his qi to see the not-Yuhua Duqing palm. Considering we need specific events to improve Jing's qi and the Grand Taoist is one of the biggest experts on qi, this can open up a good opportunity.
   
3. You just got invited by three of the sect leaders. It's not exactly something you turn down, and if anything does happen it's hard to have a better reason for not being there than this.

treave, is it possible to send Yifang to Guo Fu and Murong Yandi while heading to the abbess?

 

[Nevill]

That's just it, though, they already are aware of what's going on, thanks to Yifang, and are working to counteract it, their "hundreds of men" are already at work.

Yes, they are aware. We are not. We want that information. And they want to act upon it. Mutual benefit.

The presence of the Abbess ensures they won't dump us after they use us. At the very least she would honor her part of the deal.

Not to mention I have a much better opinion of these guys than you do. I don't believe they will try to swindle us. But let us not talk about beliefs, it never ends well.

I would also be much more comfortable if it were just the Abbess, you say that the other Three Masters will afford us some security from scrutiny.

I am sorry, what? I never said such a thing. What scrutiny are you talking about, anyway? Why would we care?

 

[Kipeci]

Treave already confirmed that we can send off Yifang and the nuns to see about them, bit warned that they'd probably be less effective than us if the two were in trouble.

 

[Zero Credibility]

You just got invited by three of the sect leaders. It's not exactly something you turn down, and if anything does happen it's hard to have a better reason for not being there than this.

This, so much. These are the top players in this game calling us to present ourselves to them. And we are going to say fuck that, I have better things to do? There's a difference between being independent freethinker and being an idiot. We better have a damn good reason for snubbing the most powerful people in the country, both in personal combat and the power they wield through their sects.

 

[Nevill]

Pah. We are not their lap dog, and will never be. I am not running up to them because they've blown their whistle.

I am going because they have a damned good reason to summon a disciple of Zhang Jue before them despite their grudges to our master.

Shit is getting real.

 

[Baltika9]

We don't give a fuck, we're not their supplicant or one of their lbediant sectarians. We don't answer to them at all.

What are they gonna do? Throw a hissy fit at being snubbed by us? Write a strongly-worder letter to Zhang? Oh please, if we don't come, they'll write it off as arrogance on our part and get back to what they were doing. They've bigger fish to fry.

 

[Tigranes]

They arent going to hate us or refuse to work with us or screw uz over for not coming.the very idea is ridiculous. Again this is not fucking kindergarten. Think about theproper context.

 

[Zero Credibility]

So the reason we will not even bother finding out what they know and how (and if) they could help us is simply that we don't care about being summoned by them? Because in this situation I find that counterproductive.

 

[Nevill]

They did get over their pride when they called for you. Get over yours and go talk to them.

 

[Baltika9]

So the reason we will not even bother finding out what they know and how (and if) they could help us is simply that we don't care about being summoned by them? Because in this situation I find that counterproductive.

Sorry, I thought you meant that we must go to them because "oh god, the Masters have summoned us. We must get to them posthaste and assist their celedtial selves as best we can! We are not worthy!"
No, I'm going with A for the reasons I've already stated: we cover more ground that the orthodoxes can't reach by helping Quiling with her Xerxes problem before the matches start (we are on a timetable here) and we let the sects handle things on the legal side. Later tonight, we pry some of their results from Yifang or Cao'er. They're pretty high to the top, they'll definitely know some of the results of today's investigations.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

Voting C.
Reasons:

1. Jing needs to establish a good reputation with the sects. Not just for Shun's mission, but also because if he wants to announce himself as Zhang Jue's apprentice when he wins the tournament, it's good to have the sect leaders back him up against accusations of ambushing people in the middle of the night, which would disqualify his victory.
2. As Esquilax said, the Grand Taoist will most likely recognize Jing's condition. They're probably going to look at his qi to see the not-Yuhua Duqing palm. Considering we need specific events to improve Jing's qi and the Grand Taoist is one of the biggest experts on qi, this can open up a good opportunity.
   
3. You just got invited by three of the sect leaders. It's not exactly something you turn down, and if anything does happen it's hard to have a better reason for not being there than this.

treave, is it possible to send Yifang to Guo Fu and Murong Yandi while heading to the abbess?

1. Why would we announce ourselves when/IF we win? Our goal is to beat each of the sects disciples, not to win the tourney. If we don't beat EACH of them (we didn't/won't fight most of them in the tourney), Zhang won't train us and we won't be able to reach our full potential. Better to keep our secret now, so we can achieve a greater and more useful glory later.
2. The Taoist won't see the palm because we've just been healed of the effects. Even if he could, would we want him to see one of our weaknesses?
3. It IS something you turn down if your are about to piss them off by facing their disciples anyway. (I kinda think that will outweigh missing or attending one frick'n meeting.) We can impress them with our heroics AFTER we kick their asses, otherwise it's rather pointless.

 

[Baltika9]

As Esquilax said, the Grand Taoist will most likely recognize Jing's condition. They're probably going to look at his qi to see the not-Yuhua Duqing palm. Considering we need specific events to improve Jing's qi and the Grand Taoist is one of the biggest experts on qi, this can open up a good opportunity.

Wait, you want to show Grand Tao our qi, our ace in the hole, to cure a condition that has already been cured?

C looks like the probable winner, so I at least hope there will be tea.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

Baltika, Absinthe said that, not me.

Also: ffs, bros, A is a choice Esquilax and I actually agree on.

 

[Absinthe]

As Esquilax said, the Grand Taoist will most likely recognize Jing's condition. They're probably going to look at his qi to see the not-Yuhua Duqing palm. Considering we need specific events to improve Jing's qi and the Grand Taoist is one of the biggest experts on qi, this can open up a good opportunity.

Wait, you want to show Grand Tao our qi, our ace in the hole, to cure a condition that has already been cured?

No, I want to show it so that we can find a way to do more stuff with it and get +1 to Neigong.

 

[ScubaV]

C

 

[Kipeci]

Why would we announce ourselves when/IF we win?

Because this would go a ways towards allowing us to skip/spend less time challenging the people we've faced off against at the various sects? We've discussed this plenty of times before.

 

[Baltika9]

It will be hilarious when we deliver our awesomely villanous call-out, playing on all the times we acted the jackass in this tournament, only to have all the four Masters come down and start thanking us profusely for saving everyone present and being an all-around stand up guy.
"Naw, he's just joking, people, Jing is actually a pretty cool guy. Stops conspiracies and doesn't afraid of anything."
"Aw shucks, it was nuthin'."

 

[Kipeci]

You're the only one who's ever talked about any sort of call-out, though.

 

[Baltika9]

Gotta give a grand taunt as Xu Jing, Disciple of Zhang Jue, to acomplish this:

Why would we announce ourselves when/IF we win?

Because this would go a ways towards allowing us to skip/spend less time challenging the people we've faced off against at the various sects? We've discussed this plenty of times before.

And have the sects ready to take our challenges when we come to knock down their gates. That's what I mean by call-out, wether we make housecalls or challenge them to fight us all-on-one. Of course, after we help the Masters, they'll be quietly laughing in the bleachers, "oh you little scoundrel, you" as we taunt their students and challenge their sects.
Because the victory doesn't mean much if we don't unmask ourselves and claim it.

 

[Kipeci]

I haven't seen any indication that we'd need to taunt them. It's enough to declare ourselves as the maniac's disciple and pop by them later from what treave has said, there's no reason to get insulting about it.