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Those Blessed with Talent

Reader mode
[X] That's not how this works. First, don't fuck with people and their family when you're asking for a favor. Second, if you want anything then you apply yourself, prove yourself, to earn it. I'm not giving out free rides.
 
Whelp, still tied. If there's no last votes in the next hour or so, I'm going to call it at the tie and try to fuse both write-ins as much as I can.
 
[X] That's not how this works. First, don't fuck with people and their family when you're asking for a favor. Second, if you want anything then you apply yourself, prove yourself, to earn it. I'm not giving out free rides.
 
Getting to Know Them
  • Threadmarks
    • [X] That's not how this works. First, don't fuck with people and their family when you're asking for a favor. Second, if you want anything then you apply yourself, prove yourself, to earn it. I'm not giving out free rides.


    This is a dominance play: a way of pushing you down and showing that whatever the collar she wears, Miren's the top dog. Caving would be the worst thing you could do here. Instead you bare your teeth and growl at the ogre while your dark hair flashes into angry green vines.

    "That's not how this works," your voice is frozen cold and as commanding as you can make yourself sound scared out of your mind, but you don't let that show. Miren doesn't look that perceptive, so it's as likely as not she doesn't know your level and condition.

    Your assailant tenses, more and more visibly worried. She gambled big on this, came out swinging as aggressively as she can; but nothing good happens to her if she goes through with any of those threats. You don't give her time to find her ground.

    "First," the word sounds as indisputable iron, a claim of fact so self-evident that even doubting would be absurd, "You don't fuck with people or their families when you're coming to beg for a favor. I haven't done anything to you. I haven't hurt you, I haven't even thought about you at all," your words are brutal and harsh. That's right, to those snobs up there, a street-rat like you were or a slave like Miren isn't even worth hurting.

    The world doesn't revolve around her, and even if she came here to stop you before you could start thinking about her, you can still hammer this home, push her even more into the wrong. She tenses a bit, chastised. That's right, Miren seems big and scary and she out-levels you by a mile, but she's not really that much older, and you don't think her scars could be that much worse.

    Miren opens her mouth to respond, to take back the initiative. You don't let her.

    "Second," you try to soften your tone, wincing as your weakened throat catches and you dissolve into coughs. No, Elder Mu Feng wouldn't let a weak throat or sickness stop him from being absolutely in charge of a room and you won't either. You channel the weak old man and wear your infirmity as proof of your authority.

    "Second, if you want anything then you apply yourself, prove yourself, to earn it. I'm not giving out free rides. If you want me to leave you alone, show that you can be left alone without running off or starting a fight or making problems."

    Miren tenses, tightening her grip around your neck almost to the point of choking you. Despite Mountain Peak Blossom's efforts to stop her, the ogre's terrifyingly strong. She could snap you like a twig. You don't let the panic reach your face.

    "Show me that you're not a dumb brute, that Quiet Willow is wrong about you and then we'll talk. Is that understood?" For a few terrifying moments, Miren tightens her grip to the point where you genuinely can't breathe. She stares at you, desperately hoping to intimidate you, to make you look away, to give her a sign of submission. You manage not to flinch.

    Finally the pressure eases and the ogre pulls herself free of Peak as if the plant isn't there.

    "Yeah, yeah. Geez you're ballsy," there's a hint of scorn in Miren's words, but you let it pass for now, "Like I said, just don't fuck with me and I won't cause you any problems."

    You let the slave save a little face and tacitly ignore that she's downplaying what she just did by a wide margin. Autumn Shade growls, tensing to leap until the door's shut behind Miren. You stare at her till you're sure she's gone, then sink back into your bed gasping for air. You've seen a lot of punks on the street that never learned when to duck their head and turn away from the guards, but Miren takes the cake. What kind of slave threatens her owner during their first real meeting? Fuck, are all ogres that crazy?

    --------

    You sleep in after the journey, but of course Quiet Willow makes the chefs just stand around waiting for you to arrive. Worse all of them are subtly staring at your hair. You managed to fall asleep without turning the tentacles back yesterday and now it's draped down to your ankles again.

    Stone Soul wanders in while you're eating, hung-over like someone sneaked into her room last night and strangled Soul until she promised to do whatever they wanted. She won't admit it to you, but it's not like you never managed to filch some awful-tasting liquid when you were with the gang. After that, Quiet Willow insists on taking your arm and walking you the grounds at length. Autumn follows, yipping at your heels while Peak hugs your neck for its own late breakfast.

    Most of the estate is fairly boring in a classy expensive kind of way. The library is beautiful though, with stacks of dusty books and scrolls piled around on all sorts of shelves from floor to ceiling. The titles are full of words you haven't learned yet, but you can't sense any kind of rhyme or reason in the way they're laid out.

    You're not sure if Miren is avoiding you or Quiet Willow. Twice you catch her turning away before Quiet Willow can lead you by her. The one time you do she dips into a polite enough bow though, so you guess you must have made an impression.

    Finally, just before a quiet lunch of delicious sweet fish cooked with apples, you finished Quiet Willow's approved tour of the grounds.

    Soft Crash approaches, politely but eagerly, and insists on showing you 'something cool' in front of Quiet Willow's disapproving eyes. Partly out of curiosity, but mostly just to get past Willow, you allow Soft Crash to lead you outside into a small shack near the back. She stops outside, letting go of your arm to work the door's lock. Then she throws it open with a flourish.

    "This," she says with such excitement that you can hear the exclamation points in her words, "is my workshop!"

    Something crashes to the ground inside and your quick step back turns into an awkward fall, your weakened legs failing to catch your weight in the shock.

    Wincing silently, you push Autumn's considered nuzzling away and accept Soft crash's apologetic hand up.

    "S-sorry about that! Really ma'am. It won't happen again, I didn't mean to shock you like that, I just wanted to show off a little and.."

    "It's fine." You push out the words through clenched teeth. She's ages older than you, so why are you the one calming her down?

    Then she pulls you inside and all your irritation vanishes. You stare at the strange interlocking grooved wheels made of metal, a crank that's slowly unwinding and a small pot of water whose steam seems to be spinning a small wheel.

    Bold brush strokes around the walls mark the places where Soft Crash wrote down plans she couldn't wait long enough on to find paper.

    "W-what is all this?" you pick up a round metal tube and stare through it.

    "It's my class! Umm, I mean, inventors tend to have a skill called insight that gives us ideas from time to time depending on our specialty. Usually it's enough to work, but, no one's ever heard of mine before, and I can't really put anything together that works yet, but..."

    She begins to dig through the mess of half-finished projects, pulling out a metal box with a crank at one side and begins to wind it, producing a flurry of miniature lightning bolts dancing around the sides of the box.

    "I'm sure it's going to be amazing when I actually make something that works... It's just.."

    "Just?" you meet her eyes curiously.

    "Well, just one little accident and now Quiet Willow's cut off all the money that the owner sends and refuses to let me do anything, and I was hoping maybe you could talk to her for me and...."

    An owner? If even the Mu clan's resources haven't heard of Soft Crash's specialty it has to be something really rare, though her rank shows that it can't be that powerful. Still, between her and Miren and now you, someone's been sending interesting people here. The Idiot?

    You push the thoughts aside, not because the thought that you've been put away and forgotten like a broken toy hurts. It's just that Soft Crash said something a lot more immediately dangerous.

    "One little accident?" you narrow your eyes. Mountain Peak Blossom slips a few curious tendrils toward Soft Crash.

    "Eh, ha ha ha, did I say something like that? I mean, it was a pretty small fire really, if you look at it on a national scale."

    Only the fact that Soft Crash pulled you here and you don't have your cane keeps you from walking out of the shed as fast as you can.

    In the evening Quiet Willow cuts your hair to something a little more manageable, then Stone Soul examines your arm and your body at length. She doesn't share any observations with you though.

    And then you get up in the morning and drift around aimlessly. There's no training, no responsibilities or goals. You spend your time freely as you wish. A day passes peacefully, then another. You count the rare XP you earn as surely as any inmate counts down the end of their sentence.

    How do you spend your time? (Choose 5)
    [ ] Play in the orchards with Autumn
    [ ] Relax in the sun with Mountain Peak Blossom
    [ ] Try to get to know one of the servants
    -[ ] Who?
    [ ] Reading in the library
    -[ ] Whatever book catches your fancy
    -[ ] Choose a topic to study
    [ ] Try to talk Stone Soul into teaching you some basic first aid
    [ ] Visit the nearest town (takes two slots)
    [ ] Write-in
     
  • Threadmarks
    • [X] Play in the orchards with Autumn

    [X] Relax in the sun with Mountain Peak Blossom

    [X] Try to get to know one of the servants
    -[X] Miren

    [X] Try to talk Stone Soul into teaching you some basic first aid


    [X] Reading in the library
    -[X] Look up how monster tamers or other similar classes get their monsters XP besides straight combat.
     
    Last edited:
    [X] Play in the orchards with Autumn
    [X] Relax in the sun with Mountain Peak Blossom

    [X] Reading in the library
    -[X] More information about the various clans and their relations. We are now working for the Mu Clan and it is important to know what its place is. We don't want to blunder and make more enemies like Han Wei.
    -[X] Books on beasts.

    [X] Try to talk Stone Soul into teaching you some basic first aid

    I hesitated to put Miren there, but she seems like she would best be left alone for a little while so she doesn't feel we are messing with her. Beside, Stone Soul is fun.
     
    Arkeus said:
    I hesitated to put Miren there, but she seems like she would best be left alone for a little while so she doesn't feel we are messing with her. Beside, Stone Soul is fun.
    Click to expand...
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    It has been 2-3 days since our encounter with her. I also imagine that the current vote is going to cover a larger amount of time then just 1 day given how many options we can pick.
     
    [X] Write-in: Write to the idiot young master, aside from being good practice, we chose this path for a reason. Also, while we are at it, I am a bit sad that winter has been deceived like that, unnecessary animosity towards the clan.
     
    redaeth said:
    It has been 2-3 days since our encounter with her. I also imagine that the current vote is going to cover a larger amount of time then just 1 day given how many options we can pick.
    Click to expand...
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    Mmmh, you know what, fuck it, we are a charisma class. While the Library is super important social interactions probably trump that. Also, there were hints that we were assigned to this manor as some sort of test of our abilities.

    [X] Play in the orchards with Autumn
    [X] Relax in the sun with Mountain Peak Blossom

    [X] Try to get to know one of the servants
    -[X] Miren

    [X] Reading in the library
    -[X] More information about the various clans and their relations. We are now working for the Mu Clan and it is important to know what its place is. We don't want to blunder and make more enemies like Han Wei.

    [X] Try to talk Stone Soul into teaching you some basic first aid
     
    [X] Play in the orchards with Autumn
    [X] Relax in the sun with Mountain Peak Blossom
    [X] Reading in the library
    -[X] Look up information on elements
    [X] Try to talk Stone Soul into teaching you some basic first aid
    [X] Try to get to know one of the servants
    -[X] Miren

    Spending time with Autumn Shade and Mountain Peak seems likely to increase their happiness, and let us get closer to them. Hopefully choosing the options will let them get a bit more XP as well.

    Trying to get to know the servants is clearly a social option. That will likely give us more allies, but not likely any XP.

    Having Stone Soul teach us first aid will probably count as a studied skill, but I think it is still good to get, and potentially leads to having her teach us about our life element later.

    Visiting the town seems like it would also be good for social skills, but also a chance to get random encounters that could give XP or even possibly more options. That said not worth doing at 2 actions for me.

    The library is good for studying skills, but also gives good potential for information. I choose to look into something that we said we needed to before- elements. This way we can decide if we want to take Shadow and Earth elemental affinities eventually, as well as learn more about what each element can do.
     
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    [X] Play in the orchards with Autumn
    [X] Relax in the sun with Mountain Peak Blossom

    [X] Try to get to know one of the servants
    -[X] Soft Crash

    [X] Reading in the library
    -[X] Whatever book catches your fancy
    -[X] Study animal husbandry
     
    Even if we don't purchase First Aid now, it'll almost certainly combine with something in our Life tree, and skill ranks cost much, much less than abilities.
     
    [X] Play in the orchards with Autumn
    [X] Relax in the sun with Mountain Peak Blossom
    [X] Try to get to know one of the servants
    -[X] Miren
    [X] Reading in the library
    -[X] More information about the various clans and their relations. We are now working for the Mu Clan and it is important to know what its place is. We don't want to blunder and make more enemies like Han Wei.
    [X] Try to talk Stone Soul into teaching you some basic first aid
     
    [X] Play in the orchards with Autumn
    [X] Relax in the sun with Mountain Peak Blossom
    [X] Try to get to know one of the servants
    -[X] Quiet Willow
    [X] Reading in the library
    -[X] Whatever book catches your fancy
    -[X] Books on fashion and cosmetics

    Edit: I guess I'll add a bit of reasoning.

    Fashion and cosmetics appeal because it's something as inwardly as outwardly focussed, and helps with noble social stuff. Not to the strategic extent of researching the politics themselves, but I figure it's just a different approach to the same (very) general skillset. Also, why can't Little Bee have nice clothes and makeup and stuff? She's not vain! She's just seeing what all the fuss is about, that's all.

    Also, we can do amazing stuff with our hair.

    Quiet Willow is in my vote because I'm honestly curious about her, but she's also the "key" to advancing aspects of our relationships with Soft Crash and Miren. Possibly others as well. She's the head honcho, so it makes sense to figure out what her deal is, especially if we want to learn more about the estate, and its backer(s?), itself. Could provide an angle at administrative skills, and she seems most likely to be equipped to assist in scholastic matters too. I'm not too concerned that she seems to have the personality of a dead fish.
     
    Last edited:
    I can't see what thunder calling hero could be other than an artillery inventor (maybe just explosives in general?). Maybe the reason why it is only C- is because it's specifically artillery spotter inventor?
     
    DOOMPOTATO said:
    I can't see what thunder calling hero could be other than an artillery inventor (maybe just explosives in general?). Maybe the reason why it is only C- is because it's specifically artillery spotter inventor?
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    I'm thinking electricity actually.
    LeoAbogos said:
    [] Try to get to know one of the servants
    -[] Quiet Willow
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    What is your goal there? That as the main Housekeeper she probably is best to be known/integrated with quickly, and that she can properly provide context for everyone/everything that is happening in the mansion?

    -[] Books on fashion and cosmetics
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Mmmh. I do think that it's more important to first get a better context of the political landscape before we try to improve our knowledge of fashion/etiquettes, but on the other hand we were being taught fashion/etiquettes before at the Mu clan....

    Can you explain why this is your first priority?
     
    Edited my post with some reasoning.

    I like the fashion option because it can be seen as as vain and self-indulgent as it is preparatory. Preparing for the future is important, but so's enjoying the moment. Indulging a bit of curiosity and latent girliness seems fun to me. Admittedly, largely because of how at odds it is with Little Bee's established character, or the pretenses she projects anyway. The rationalizations she'd feed herself have me smiling already.
     
    LeoAbogos said:
    I like the fashion option because it can be seen as as vain and self-indulgent as it is preparatory. Preparing for the future is important, but so's enjoying the moment. Indulging a bit of curiosity and latent girliness seems fun to me. Admittedly, largely because of how at odds it is with Little Bee's established character, or the pretenses she projects anyway. The rationalizations she'd feed herself have me smiling already.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    ... I am such a fickle, fickle creature.
    Hesitating to keep having two socializing actions with members of the household, but it's true that having LB reading for 'pleasure' is good, too.

    Quiet Willow... I am unsure it's "safe" to try to talk to her yet. I was thinking she was one of those that we would need better charisma for. Still, she is going to procure much needed 'grounding' in the mansion so we know better what not to do.

    [X] Play in the orchards with Autumn
    [X] Relax in the sun with Mountain Peak Blossom

    [X] Try to get to know one of the servants
    -[X] Quiet Willow

    [X] Reading in the library
    -[X] Whatever book catches your fancy
    -[X] Books on fashion and cosmetics
     
    [X] Play in the orchards with Autumn
    [X] Relax in the sun with Mountain Peak Blossom

    [X] Try to get to know one of the servants
    -[X] Miren

    [X] Reading in the library
    -[X] More information about the various clans and their relations. We are now working for the Mu Clan and it is important to know what its place is. We don't want to blunder and make more enemies like Han Wei.

    [X] Try to talk Stone Soul into teaching you some basic first aid
     
    [X] Play in the orchards with Autumn
    [X] Relax in the sun with Mountain Peak Blossom
    [X] Try to get to know one of the servants
    -[X] Soft Crash
    [X] Reading in the library
    -[X] Whatever book catches your fancy
    [X] Try to talk Stone Soul into teaching you some basic first aid
     
    [X] Play in the orchards with Autumn
    [X] Relax in the sun with Mountain Peak Blossom
    [X] Try to get to know one of the servants
    -[X] Soft Crash
    [X] Reading in the library
    -[X] Whatever book catches your fancy
    [X] Try to talk Stone Soul into teaching you some basic first aid
     
    [X] Play in the orchards with Autumn
    [X] Relax in the sun with Mountain Peak Blossom
    [X] Try to get to know one of the servants
    -[X] Soft Crash
    [X] Reading in the library
    -[X] Book on tamers
    -[X] Book on local beasts
     
    [X] Play in the orchards with Autumn
    [X] Relax in the sun with Mountain Peak Blossom
    [X] Try to get to know one of the servants
    -[X] Miren
    [X]soft crash
    [X] Try to talk Stone Soul into teaching you some basic first aid

    two servents two actions
     
    [X] Play in the orchards with Autumn
    [X] Relax in the sun with Mountain Peak Blossom
    [X] Try to get to know one of the servants
    -[X] Soft Crash
    [X] Reading in the library
    -[X] Whatever book catches your fancy
    [X] Try to talk Stone Soul into teaching you some basic first aid
     
    This vote was a bit of a mess. Did my best to try and clean it up from the tally program so if I misplaced your vote tell me and I'll fix it.

    Vote Tally : Those Blessed with Talent | Page 32 | Questionable Questing
    ##### NetTally 1.1.5
    [13] Play in the orchards with Autumn : (redaeth, Anaerobie, Arkeus, BFldyq, Falconis, hunter09, john doe, LeoAbogos, Minion #Q, mrttao, Pandemonious Ivy, Smyter, wayne82444)
    [13] Relax in the sun with Mountain Peak Blossom : (redaeth, Anaerobie, Arkeus, BFldyq, Falconis, hunter09, john doe, LeoAbogos, Minion #Q, mrttao, Pandemonious Ivy, Smyter, wayne82444)
    [8] Try to talk Stone Soul into teaching you some basic first aid : (redaeth, Anaerobie, BFldyq, hunter09, john doe, Minion #Q, Pandemonious Ivy, wayne82444)
    [14] Try to get to know one of the servants :
    -[6] Soft Crash: (Falconis, Anaerobie, hunter09, Pandemonious Ivy, Smyter Minion #Q)
    -[5] Miren : (redaeth, BFldyq, john doe, Minion #Q, wayne82444)
    -[3] Quiet Willow : (LeoAbogos, Arkeus, mrttao)
    [12] Reading in the library :
    -[4] Whatever book catches your fancy : (LeoAbogos, Arkeus, mrttao Falconis)
    -[3] Books on fashion and cosmetics : (LeoAbogos, Arkeus, mrttao)
    -[2] More information about the various clans and their relations. We are now working for the Mu Clan and it is important to know what its place is. We don't want to blunder and make more enemies like Han Wei. : (john doe, BFldyq)
    -[1] Look up how monster tamers or other similar classes get their monsters XP besides straight combat. : (redaeth)
    -[1] Look up information on elements : (wayne82444)
    -[1] Study animal husbandry : (Falconis)
    -[1] Book on tamers : (Smyter)
    -[1] Book on local beasts : (Smyter)
     
    [13] Play in the orchards with Autumn
    [13] Relax in the sun with Mountain Peak Blossom
    [8] Try to talk Stone Soul into teaching you some basic first aid : (redaeth, Anaerobie, BFldyq, hunter09, john doe, Minion #Q, Pandemonious Ivy, wayne82444)
    [-] Try to get to know one of the servants :
    -[6] Soft Crash:
    -[5] Miren


    At present, the winning votes would come to this.
     
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    .. So library doesn't win because it is by research topic? Damn. Mmmh.
    [X] Play in the orchards with Autumn
    [X] Relax in the sun with Mountain Peak Blossom
    [X] Try to get to know one of the servants :
    -[X] Soft Crash
    [X] Reading in the library :
    -[X]Whatever book catches your fancy
    -[X] Study animal husbandry

    "[] Study animal husbandry" Seems like it is also roughly similar to:
    -[1] Look up how monster tamers or other similar classes get their monsters XP besides straight combat. : (redaeth)
    -[1] Book on tamers : (Smyter)
    -[1] Book on local beasts : (Smyter)

    Except that, as we have been told tamers are super rare, especially A-rank ones, it's probably better to begin with a broader topic.
     
    Arkeus said:
    Except that, as we have been told tamers are super rare, especially A-rank ones, it's probably better to begin with a broader topic.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    We were told Bestial Adepts were rare. Animal Tamers are going to be something else, and my guess is much more common.
     
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