[LP CYOA] 傳

[Smashing Axe]

Okay, time to give this speculation a rest. I'm going to look at this ignoring wild conspiracy theories perpetrated by myself and others.

Here's what I want:

• To win the tournament
• To complete Zhang's challenge
  
• To serve our bro prince loyally and exterminate his enemies
• To powergame like crazy and get 10/10/10/10/10/10/10 for our SPECIAL

This masked figure, while having no definite links to the Whore Conspiracy, is suspicious enough to warrant concern. It is possible that she is here for completely unrelated reasons, or that all of this is a Persian conspiracy to weaken the empire for invasion by initiating a civil war between the sects and the Emperor. (Need to check a map to see Persia's adjacency to China). Regardless of her intent here at the tournament, I know I want to win because it is a nice preliminary to challenging the best of our generation without having to jump through numerous hoops in the future.
So A for the first choice

Bai seems like an overly upright man intent on proving himself as the best of his generation. He has similar motivations to us, but lets his narcissism cloud his judgement.

The guy is already convinced he's superior to us, as such, he has no reason to poison us. He wants to show the rest of the world his grandeur, his motivation goes no further.

Therefore, the drugs are probably not poisoned and will only serve to aid our recovery, as well as our victory over Nameless.

Lastly, I don't give a shit about Bai right now. We should concentrate on the immediate challenge, and work on surmounting the later challenge once the first obstacle has been eliminated. I don't mind taking a small rep hit if we can emerge victorious over Bai later, preferably on our terms. Additionally, I'm not counting on it, but if we are not interrupted after the tournament tomorrow, we can then study Bai's techniques. If something interrupts us, then so be it, we'll bugger off and fight another day. Being the victor of the tournament, should surmount flaking out of a fight we never agreed to anyway, and if word later emerges that we've defeated Bai honourably, and forced him to eat dirt or whatever, it should mitigate most of the effect.
edit: AB>AA

 

[Nevill]

We have Cao'er and Quilin to identify and cure poisoning.

They didn't find any traces of poison. So?
Qilin says - if you don't know where it came from, do not ingest it. I'd be inclined to agree. Only I want to ingest it, but not use it as our 'benefactor' intended for it to be used.

Which is why I accounted for the possibility of a poison or drug, and even proposed to maybe wait until our arm heals on it's own before taking him on, to avoid this possibility and troll him in the process.

So which of the choices is it? I can propose to drop a nuke on Huashan sect, doesn't mean it can happen. The options we have are listed, and waiting isn't among them.

As for the champion title - I don't care about it one bit.

If we bail on this fight with Jiutian - and I strongly suggest we do - then it would require some sort of authority to challenge him again.
And we didn't plan to take him here and now, so it's not like we lose anything by refusing him.

 

[Zero Credibility]

Ok, let's be objective.

You are missing two points in your analysis:

1) The poison must be obscure enough that two best experts on poison in the entire generation don't recognise it. Remember, these girls used to play poison-and-antidote for fun. Furthermore, he has no reason to suspect we have such talent on hand, so why would he use such a rare poison?

2) The poison must act in a very specific manner. It must activate precisely during the fight between us, two days from now. If it does show even an hour early, we can always avoid fighting. If it shows late, it's waisted. This effect is also in opposition with point 1). Such a poison would be peculiar enough to be interesting for study and use.

These two points make poisoning a much less likely risk. It's still a possibility (two-part poison would be my guess), but much less likely.

 

[Nevill]

1) The poison must be obscure enough that two best experts on poison in the entire generation don't recognise it. Remember, these girls used to play poison-and-antidote for fun. Furthermore, he has no reason to suspect we have such talent on hand, so why would he use such a rare poison?

Suppose it's not a poison, it's a drug. That renders Qilin's expertise completely useless. At the very least he knows we have Cao'er, Yao's apprentice, on our team - the girl helped us when we collapsed after our fight with Guo Fu.

2) The poison mus act in a very specific manner. It must activate precisely during the fight between us, two days from now. If it does show even an hour early, we can always avoid fighting. If it shows late, it's waisted. This effect is also in opposition with point 1). Such a poison would be peculiar enough to be interesting for study and use.

The medicine takes effect in two days. Why can't the drug do the same? You didn't notice the effects of the Yuhua Palm either until you overexerted yourself against Nie Mudan. It stands to reason that - if it is subtle - you won't be able to recognize its effects until it is too late. Say, it slows your reaction down, but you do not move at your top speed outside of combat, so how would you notice that?

 

[Baltika9]

Smashing Axe nailed it.

The only reason I'm still going BA is because I'm confident our qi's special properties give us a winning edge against Faceless in the match. While she's trying fo use Zoro soul magiks, we're shrugging them off and kicking her ass. Otherwise, agreed 100%.

 

[Kashmir Slippers]

What I really want to know is if we have had our alone time with Yifang yet.

 

[Azira]

If we do the fight with "White knight" and win, we can scratch him from our list, as I'm pretty darn certain that our demands would mean he is utterly humiliated and has to concede that we are his better.

I'm with Esq here, we need to be at our top against our challenger, which means we need to get through the Nameless fight as unscathed as possible.

AA

Oh, and you're all welcome. About the last choice. My fault, remember?

Flopped to BA

 

[Zero Credibility]

Suppose it's not a poison, it's a drug. That renders Qilin's expertise completely useless. At the very least he knows we have Cao'er, Yao's apprentice, on our team - the girl helped us when we collapsed after our fight with Guo Fu.

Semantics. Poison, drug - the effect of both would be the same as far as our experts are concerned. When it comes to chemicals that negatively affect human body, these two wrote the damn book. And then Cao'er probably burned it. So, if there is a poison or drug here, it is a pretty damn obscure thing. Which leads to the question, why would he use something like that when he doesn't know about our little team?

The medicine takes effect in two days. Why can't the drug do the same? You didn't notice the effects of the Yuhua Palm either until you overexerted yourself against Nie Mudan. It stands to reason that - if it is subtle - you won't be able to recognize its effects until it is too late. Say, it slows your reaction down, but you do not move at your top speed outside of combat, so how would you notice that?

No way, it just can't work with that precision. What if we took the medicine just one hour early, or later? It would completely throw everything off. And yes, we would notice the effect. If it's so subtle that both we and our crack team of toxicology experts can't even notice it, then how much help could he have from it? We noticed the nausea from the WiB attack, and that had little to no effect on our performance in a fight. How much weaker would something that we completely fail to notice have to be?

No, I think that we are looking at this whole thing from the wrong perspective. The reason this choice is here in the first place is not because of a fear of poison. It's because of the effect that fighting him with our arm still broken would have. If we lose, he can't claim clean victory because of our busted arm.

 

[Jester]

BA for me
if needed we can drop tournament still i doubt that they know how good medical staff we got, hell it would be funny if he count on our misuse of herb rather than straight poison IMO. Whats more its hard to believe that they can accurately tell when possible effect will occur they even cant be sure when or how much we will take. If those herbs are trap its likely to involve those side effects to literally caught us with our pants down.
Huashan is high on my suspects list.

Still i dislike how this choice ended up it feel like we did intimidation check instead of persuasion trying to pressure our opponent instead of defuse situation and his claims.

Edit Guess we could give back herbs if we dont use them thanking him for his polite gesture, assuring him that our current shape is more than enough to deal with him.

 

[Nevill]

Semantics. Poison, drug - the effect of both would be the same as far as our experts are concerned. When it comes to chemicals that negatively affect human body, these two wrote the damn book.

A poison is something that affects the body negatively. A drug is something that alters the perception of the body. The difference is there, and Qilin specializes specifically in poisons.

No way, it just can't work with that precision. What if we took the medicine just one hour early, or later?

Doesn't matter if its effect only manidests itself under extreme circumstances.

And yes, we would notice the effect. If it's so subtle that both we and our crack team of toxicology experts can't even notice it, then how much help could he have from it? We noticed the nausea from the WiB attack, and that had little to no effect on our performance in a fight.

Really? We noticed it? I remember we didn't, even after a fight with Yiling:

It's not serious enough to affect your chances in this match, so nothing worth mentioning. You're not feeling it much for now.

We only started feeling it when Nie Mudan gave us a run for our money with her quick and relentless attacks. If the effect of the medicine is subtle like that, do you not think that it could become decisive in a prolonged fight where you'll go all out?

Two-part poison is always a possibility.

Thing is, you can't trust a guy from the committee, period. There is something to that medicine.

No, I think that we are looking at this whole thing from the wrong perspective. The reason this choice is here in the first place is not because of a fear of poison. It's because of the effect that fighting him with our arm still broken would have. If we lose, he can't claim clean victory because of our busted arm.

What, you think you can go back on your word if you lose with your arm still broken?

Whats more its hard to believe that they can accurately tell when possible effect will occur they even cant be sure when or how much we will take.

We barely have enough for one dose. They do not have to be geniuses to predict that we'll take it all.

 

[Tigranes]

Ok, we can be sure now that eithet BJ is behind our invitation and the plot on ZJ, or hes being directly manipulated by those who are. I told you that he would show up and use anything we give away to his advantage.

Its safe to say that both N and BJ will give us a real challenge. Would Yifang or Guo Fu have beaten BJ in a fair fight? Who knows, but the guy didnt win all those tournaments by luck or cheating. With N theres still a risk of something funny happrning at the fight too.

It might even be the best to beat N but ensure that we have a big showy wound to show for it, making BJs generosity pointless. If we ditch BJs fight without some very clear reason everyone is going to think less of us. They will start to think, if MTP is scared of BJ does it mean his earlier victories were fake, luck, tricks? He pulled all those jokes as a way to win because ZJs disciple cant win fairly? Some will correctly point to our prowess against Guo Fu and possibly N, but doubt will remain. Meaning Zhang will not.consider our mission done until we asdress this by beating BJ spectacularly later.

Im sure i missed it but wmedicine will heal our arm? Or just help us with all other conditions?

 

[Kipeci]

I think I somehow managed to avoid voting... anyway, I'll vote AB. It's not because I think that the medicine is tainted, it's because we're going to need to learn how to fight with only one arm when we ask Zhang to tear the other off for us.

 

[Omicron]

Going with BA, as I think it will give us the best chances against White Robes, and defeating him advance our assignment.

Besides,

We barely have enough for one dose. They do not have to be geniuses to predict that we'll take it all.

Good thing Quilin's toad ate some of it, no?

 

[Nevill]

Tigranes, the update says the medicine will heal our arm by the time we have to fight BJ (love the nickname).

And yes, my plan is to bail on BJ to fight him at a later date - and grab the title of the champion in the meantime. Whatever people will say, the official title can not be ignored.

Good thing Quilin's toad ate some of it, no?

Dude, it was one leaf. Don't be greedy.

 

[Tigranes]

Ok, AA. For two simple reasons.

If we lose to N then BJ cancels his challenge for whatever reason - your defeat shamed you already, the rest ofbthe committre forbade the fight, i am being called to rescue a prinvess - we are up shit creek. Hes slimy enough. If we beatN at least we are champions amd get the manual then we have options to run or whatever else.

If medicine is jinxed would BJ risk giving it to us openly in full view of crowd?

 

[Nevill]

If medicine is jinxed would BJ risk giving it to us openly in full view of crowd?

Not if the jinx is subtle enough to sabotage our fight without visibly harming us. We are not going to drop dead once we drink it down.

 

[Zero Credibility]

Nevill
Sorry man, aside from the idea of a two-part poison possibility (and I think our team would know to look even for something like that), I doubt it is poison we have to worry here. Call it a drug or poison - for herbalism experts like these two in this setting there really is no difference.

The real advantage of not using the medicine he gave us is to deny him what he clearly wants - an apparently clean fight with us. It gives an excuse to deny his challenge - you want a fight? Wait until I'm better and I'll give you a fight. You didn't really think I would use something you just threw at me, did you? And why can't you wait, what are you fighting for, the honour of your sect or the cheers of the public? He can hardly call us a coward if he himself then insists on fighting us while we have a broken arm. It would perhaps allow us to take initiative in our conflict with him. I might even consider it based just on this.

 

[Nevill]

The real advantage of not using the medicine he gave us is to deny him what he clearly wants - an apparently clean fight with us.

There is another way to do this, and that is not fighting him at all right now. Hell, we all knew the whole thing was a setup by the committee, we had all seen that our reaction was within their expectations, and they used it to their own advantage. Why are we going along with their plan?

 

[Zero Credibility]

Actually we still haven't decided to fight him at all. All B here means is that we take the opportunity to learn something that would help us against him in the future. Who knows if Murong Yandi would be here tomorrow or ever again to help us then. Since I give that fight a higher priority over the Nameless, I'm definitely voting B on first choice. I might reconsider the second choice however, as not using the medicine gives us a possible way to delay the fight and rob him of what he wants the most - a large audience. I suspect that many of our peers wont be in the city for much longer, and that is the reason for the medicine and him rushing this fight.

Also, if there is even a chance that voting B on the second choice can result in the "Are you questioning my honour?!" exchange similar to the one in the Game of thrones (I've been watching it recently so it stuck me as particularly funny, sorry), I'm definitely going to flop to 2B.

 

[Nevill]

Well, it is better to decide now whether you accept his challenge or not.

If you do, I told you alredy why I think it is a bad idea.
If you don't, then you have all the time in the world to do your research. Ask the masters! Ask the Abbess, who had Yiling fight against BJ in the last tournament. But more importantly, you have to concentrate on winning the tournament, because if you don't fight BJ now, you have to have a solid reputation backing you up against possible slander. If you lose to Nameless and run away from BJ at the same time, you are just a talentless hack.

 

[Zero Credibility]

I'm afraid it's going to be difficult to get 20 participants in a CYOA like this one to follow some chosen plan. Expecting them to decide now on what is still a couple of choices away, I just don't see that happening.

Me, I just don't care about the tournament at all. In fact, I'm for withdrawing from the fight altogether, preferably with some choice words for the committee - at this point for me it's just a distraction that could end with us even more weakened. Or we could even lose, since we still wont be up to 100% tomorrow even if we take the medicine (and that is something you do not want), and that would do much more damage to our reputation than just not showing up because we apparently don't give a shit about the finals now that the main event is our fight with BJ.

 

[Nevill]

Or we could even lose, since we still wont be up to 100% tomorrow even if we take the medicine (and that is something you do not want), and that would do much more damage to our reputation than just not showing up because we apparently don't give a shit about the finals now that the main event is our fight with BJ.

Yes, losing the tournament is no good. But if you want to skip town, there is C. B means you stay and fight Nameless.

You want to fight her and win, choose A. Odds are against us, but this isn't hopeless yet.

 

[Tigranes]

There's no question that if we don't fight BJ we will be labelled a talentless and cowardly hack. Unless N rips out our arm or something. If we beat N, then people ask, were some of our previous victories dubious and reliant on rules? Or mayb ehe's good but he's clearly not as good as BJ, the REAL chaampion. If we don't beat N, even worse - we can't even win one tournament, of course we're runnin gaway from a provven winner!

So if we don't fight BJ that's the price, and that is a kind of reputation that does count for ZJ's mission. The only reason to run away is (1) if we really believe we will lose here, or some other bad thing, i.e. some other kind of setup, is in place, which is possible; (2) if we think we can get the drop on BJ and embarrass him in a public showdown at a later point.

Both are credible, but IMO, if we don't fight BJ now,all the more reason to AAitup and just win the tourney; if we do fight him now, then AB will never work - we can't not study BJ and not take his medicine and then hope to beat him AND nameless. So, I say, AA.

 

[Nevill]

There's no question that if we don't fight BJ we will be labelled a talentless and cowardly hack.

Not if we beat Nameless. We'll be the champion among youths. How we compare to the previous one would be open to debate, but there would be no doubt that we are the best there is among those who have not reached 20 years. This reputation alone is enough to challenge BJ to a rematch later.

If we run away now, then we'll be a talentless hack, because we will have nothing to show for our victories.

 

[Zero Credibility]

Yes, losing the tournament is no good. But if you want to skip town, there is C. B means you stay and fight Nameless.

You want to fight her and win, choose A. Odds are against us, but this isn't hopeless yet.

I don't think so - C just means that we don't do A or B, we would still be facing Nameless tomorrow only without any benefits of learning anything about her or BJ (aside from perhaps some progress on our actual mission). I'm guessing that the choice of how to proceed with our fight against the Nameless would come after this one. Since I consider learning everything we can on BJ our top priority, I just can't vote A, even if it costs us the victory against the Nameless. That's why I'd prefer to not even fight her.