[LP CYOA] 傳

[Baltika9]

I also suspect that if we go there, we might be given the option to off her dad and her uncle directly and bring their heads to the palace, in order to prevent outright genocide... soooo yeah. Not going there, thank you very much.

If A happens, I'd rather take the route that has the Wudu and Cao'er jack us up on combat stimulants, potions and adrenals and deploy us as a heavy hitter in the inevitable imperial rush. We will cover their retreat and litter the field with corpses in true Zhangian fashion, fighting side-by-side with Tulu Huodu. Think of the prestige!
Edit: and with our demon toad toxin immunity, we'll be able to metabolize it better, just like we do with poisons.

 

[Nevill]

Anyway, wouldn't that be something Jing would have known given his history with the Prince?

People may change drastically in three years. Jing did. If the situation warrants it, Shun may just want to keep the status quo. It was the Emperor that brought the country to the state it is now in, after all.

We can learn all that from Qilin when she returns.

Look, Qilin may not return. We might not return. It is quite easy to imagine a set of circumstances that would prevent our reunion.
Since the problem can be tackled from both ends, I choose the one that I am more comfortable with. I came here for Qilin, and that's whom I want to stick with.

I agree that the most likely cause of the emperor's poisoning is his so-called "immortality pills", and I don't think there's anyone more qualified to help him than Cao'er, except for Yao himself.

There was that talk about the Divine Physician. Of course, it might have been brought up as a hypothetical antipode of Yao.

I also suspect that if we go there, we might be given the option to off her dad and her uncle directly and bring their heads to the palace, in order to prevent outright genocide... soooo yeah

And I expect this to be the option if we go to the Palace now and tell Shun we have an in with the Wudu... and nothing else. So I am not going there.

 

[Anabanana]

What would we learn from the Wudu Cult? There's little we can learn there save for what Qilin already told us. Our three theories behind the poisoning are: her father and uncle are the culprit (allegedly impossible), the entire court are in on it (unlikely), and the emperor did it himself (likely). What's her father and uncle going to tell us, confirm that they definitely wouldn't do it no matter what?

Besides, if our little training with Yao allowed us to figure out his pills were toxic, Cao'er's probably going to have the insight into the poisoning itself that we need.

Meeting with Shun, on the other hand, might help us determine whether or not the court is indeed against the emperor, and if the main motive behind this war is exterminating the Miao people.

 

[treave]

I also suspect that if we go there, we might be given the option to off her dad and her uncle directly and bring their heads to the palace, in order to prevent outright genocide... soooo yeah.

Attack one of the Five Great Pugilists and the second in command in their own base? When you can't even best Bai Jiutian? What are you going to use to tilt the odds, poison?

 

[Anabanana]

I also suspect that if we go there, we might be given the option to off her dad and her uncle directly and bring their heads to the palace, in order to prevent outright genocide... soooo yeah.

Attack one of the Five Great Pugilists and the second in command in their own base? When you can't even best Bai Jiutian? What are you going to use to tilt the odds, poison?

Laxati- oh wait

 

[asxetos]

B2.
We dont know how close Shun is to launching an attack, so we should rush to him to prevent/stall it until we get more info.

 

[Nevill]

Keep in mind, though, that the current choice will decide if not your allegiance, then how it will be viewed by the sides in the conflict. Qilin has trouble believing that you are here for her as it is - she thinks you came with her for Shun alone, and you would be reinforcing her opinion.

You might want to consider this when you suggest the following course of action:

In B2 I want to reassure Qilin that we're going to do all we can to resolve this problem peacefully.

Actions speak louder than words, and if the first thing you do is running to Shun's side... well, it shows whom you will support in a moment of crisis. Whatever may have happened, at the moment Shun's side is the one that intends to exterminate Qilin and her clan to the very last man.

If you want to support the Wudu Cult, or, rather, if you want them to think you'll be supporting them, you are better off going with Qilin.

 

[Anabanana]

My boner rises for Shun. Sorry, not changing my vote because you like Qilin.

 

[Rex Feral]

B2.
We dont know how close Shun is to launching an attack, so we should rush to him to prevent/stall it until we get more info.

We don't know how close are the Wudu to sending someone to poison him. We should rush to prevent them from doing that. Plus we can assume that they are going to poison him before the attack, no during of after it.

If they haven't already done it, in which case we should go with Cao'er as soon as possible to him.

 

[treave]

Kipeci - A
TOME - A
Nevill - A
Elfberserker - B2
Baltika9 - B2
Jester - A > B3
Azira - A
The Brazilian Slaughter - A
Fangshi - B2
Absinthe - A > B2
ERYFKRAD - B2 > A
Anabanana - B2
Mystiknight - B2
Grimgravy - A
asxetos - B2
LWC1996 - B2
Rex Feral - A
XenomorphII - B2
Esquilax - B2
Kashmir Slippers - A

***

Current tally:

A - 10
B2 - 10

***

So, when should I close the voting? It's a tie!

 

[Nevill]

B2.
We dont know how close Shun is to launching an attack, so we should rush to him to prevent/stall it until we get more info.

We don't know how close are the Wudu to sending someone to poison him. We should rush to prevent them from doing that. Plus we can assume that they are going to poison him before the attack, no during of after it.

Pretty much. The fuse is lit from both sides, we don't know where it will expode first. It is hard to guess where we might be of 'better' use - whereever we go, our absence in the other camp will likely make things worse there.

So it is a question of where you want to be. And I'd rather support the people that were unjustly accused.

 

[LWC1996]

B2.

 

[Rex Feral]

Yeah I get you. I'm leaning toward A myself.

We can't just go to Shun be all like "Yo bro, recognise me? We used to be tight a while ago. Yeah anyway, you know that Exterminatus you were about to carry on the Wudu. Don't do it bro, I swear you they're innocent. Proof? No of course I don't have proof, but man, I give you my word it's so, and totally not because I have a friend among them that swears they're innocent."

Yeah fuck it, A.

 

[asxetos]

We don't know how close are the Wudu to sending someone to poison him. We should rush to prevent them from doing that. Plus we can assume that they are going to poison him before the attack, no during of after it.

If they haven't already done it, in which case we should go with Cao'er as soon as possible to him.

Considering that we are on the same team with Quilin, we can get her to prevent/stall any assassination attempts from Wudu's side to buy us time.
Splitting up with Quilin at this moment is the right way to approach the situation imo.
Also, if Shun is already poisoned then Cao'er should be there to help him.
Please consider Flopping to B2 guys.

 

[Rex Feral]

I'm still waiting for Esquilax to vote. And to provide some good arguments.

 

[LWC1996]

Jeezus, why can't we talk to Shun first instead of assuming all kinds of shit?

Give yourself a chance to touch base with your BFF before jumping to conclusion and making hasty decisions that can get us killed already. Have we forgotten the lesson when we got Jing killed the first time??

 

[Rex Feral]

First time Jing got killed was because a completely retarded choice we made of thrasing a criminal city.

These choices are a lot more sensible. They are mainly for us to decide what path do we set on first as well as to further develop Jing's character by choosing between Qilin and Shun. The choice we make now would shed light on his motivations. Did he came here mainly for Shun, to protect him believing he is in danger? Or did he came here for Qilin, and to save her unjustly accused sect?

 

[Nevill]

So, when should I close the voting?

Usually we have 25 or so voters. That should be a good sample size.

Or you can just announce the deadline.

Considering that we are on the same team with Quilin, we can get her to prevent/stall any assassination attempts from Wudu's side to buy us time.

If they do not believe we are here to help them, why would they?

Also, if Shun is already poisoned then Cao'er should be there to help him.

Shun is already dead, it's the fox spirit that rules the Empire. Don't go there, bros, it will possess you!

Jeezus, why can't we talk to Shun first instead of assuming all kinds of shit?

I don't know, maybe because whom you talk to first matters and I believe it is more important I feel compelled to speak with the other side?

Have we forgotten the lesson when we got Jing killed the first time??

What was it, exactly?

 

[asxetos]

First time Jing got killed was because a completely retarded choice we made of thrasing a criminal city.

These choices are a lot more sensible. They are mainly for us to decide what path do we set on first as well as to further develop Jing's character by choosing between Qilin and Shun. The choice we make now would shed light on his motivations. Did he came here mainly for Shun, to protect him believing he is in danger? Or did he came here for Qilin, and to save her unjustly accused sect?

We came here to help Shun AND Quilin AND Wudu Cult (if they are inoccent) AND fix an alliance between them. Jing always aims high.
To achieve all these things we have to difuse the situation so that both sides calm down. I bet Quilin trusts us enough to try to buy us some time, while nothing we may say can convince the Wudu leaders.

 

[Nevill]

I bet Quilin trusts us enough to try to buy us some time, while nothing we may say can convince the Wudu leaders.

And I bet she thinks a bit differently:

A fleeting emotion crosses Qilin’s face for an instant before dissolving into her familiar, mischievous look. “Well, I was just kidding. You wouldn’t come for my sake, I know that. It must be the Crown Prince… I can think of no other reason.”

Qilin does not trust anybody. This is where you can prove her wrong... or right.

 

[asxetos]

I think at that point she was just provoking us to say that we like her.

 

[Rex Feral]

If we go to Shun what reason does she have to trust us? We'd be pretty much Shun's lapdog, from her point of view, who came quickly to make sure his master isn't poisoned or killed any time soon.

What is she going to say to her uncle. "Hey I got a friend of the Crown Prince, yeah the same one sent to exterminate us, and he promised me he'll work things out, so cancel any plans on escape or assassination you have. We should all stay here and wait for this guy you know nothing about (or worse know him as Zhang's apprentice) to do his stuff."

 

[Nevill]

I think at that point she was just provoking us to say that we like her.

You can't expect a heir to the sect of freaking poisoners to be a trusting person. Just... no!

She likes us, but don't think for a second she trusts us. Her confusion about our reasons to come with her is genuine... and she has an explanation ready.

Where we go next will have an impact on our relationship with her and with her people.

 

[LWC1996]

Well since we are determined to be hero to a damsel in distress, isn't a hero's duty to go beard the lion in its den (in this case it's Shun.)

We've practically grown up with Shun for more than a decade. Do we not owe it to ourself, our brotherhood to talk to Shun to find out what's going on and in case he's poisoned, be there earlier with help if he so needs it.

We shud deal with our own shit with Shun and let Qilin find out what she can from her family. And compare notes if treave so wills it.

Are we basing our decision on sentiment for a future concubine of your harem?

As for the lesson we learnt from Jing's death before, I thought we vowed, so to speak, to stop jumping into every sidequests, crazy impossible scenarios?

 

[Nevill]

We've practically grown up with Shun for more than a decade. Do we not owe it ourself, our brotherhood to talk to Shun to find out what's going on

Not if he sent us out to figure shit on our own, we don't.

and in case he's poisoned, be there earlier with help if he so needs it.

Not if we can avert the poisoning, we don't.

Are we basing our decision on sentiment for a future concubine of your harem?

Qilin is a friend, and she is the one in danger, and from no other than Shun. If Shun walks away, the situation is resolved, if Qilin does, her family will be hanged and she will be hunted until her death. It is pretty obvious who needs our help more.