[LP CYOA] 傳

[Baltika9]

Well, after we free them up, we can lend a hand in moving Guo Fu, and not necessarily with violence. He trusts us and likes us, we can try to talk him out of it (just guilt-trip him) and if that fails, we can move him physically without killing him, as Vahista probably would in his mad rush to evacuate the place.

 

[Nevill]

Well, after we free them up, we can lend a hand in moving Guo Fu

No, you have to choose one or the other. By the time you help them out, the situation will change. Either Vahista will do BJ in, or BJ overwhelms him with numbers, or Sword Saint moves Guo Fu by himself (best case scenario), or Zhang arrives, or something else comes up.

and not necessarily with violence.

No chance. Unless you want to kill and maim those 50 men, of course:

If you want to have them stand down without fighting you, best way is to clear their foes for them then talk.

 

[treave]

Yup. Guo Fu is an honest lad. Just because he's friends with you doesn't mean he won't take his duty seriously. And it'd be hard to talk him down if he's defending himself from the cultists at the same time. You'd have to talk them down too, and you don't have anywhere near the relationship points with them for that. Maybe if you had gone to the Fire Cult back then.

Is there an option to sacrifice Vahista while the rest of the cult flees with Yunzi?

No, that won't be possible. As long as Yunzi remains here most of the rank-and-file will continue fighting.

 

[Baltika9]

Either Vahista will do BJ in, or BJ overwhelms him with numbers,

That'spart of the point of D2: we take the Kunlun and Taishan out of the game so that they cannot help against Vahista or Yunzi. And Vahista is slowly overpowering BJ. Barring any sudden reinforcements, he will pass the dude and grab Yunzi.

 

[Nevill]

Barring any sudden reinforcements, he will pass the dude and grab Yunzi.

...and get the fuck out of here, and that will be the end of the remaining cultists. All of them, young and old.

The Saint does not employ lethal techniques against the foes that he considers to be beneath him. Since he thinks about stopping the slaughter, maybe he can go and move Guo Fu? I mean, what else if there to do for him if he wants to achieve this goal?

 

[Azira]

My AA vote should've been A3A, but I wasn't clear on the numerical vote being for option D only or for all the options. Will try to wade through the last 10 pages of DISCUSS, to find my original vote and amend it properly.

I've amended my original vote.

 

[treave]

Oh, right, it's not impossible to stop Vahista from running (if he does try it) if you join in B, even if it is B3.

 

[Absinthe]

Sticking to D2, and I think that that is the best course of action here, unless someone else has a better way to help the Fire Cult escape out of here ASAP.

It won't be necessary if we force both sides to stand down. We still have Cao'er and Qilin on the sidelines helping us out, and Murong Yandi is probably going to assist us, since he's put down a 3 vote himself. If the Sword Saint jumps in to prevent casualties (which he most likely would), then this is probably the best solution. Also, if the Sword Saint has our back, Bai Jiutian is going to shit bricks when he gets his side gets their asses handed to them. He wont even be able to call us out on it, because the Sword Saint would have our back.

B3A, do it.

 

[Nevill]

So, basically, there are two plans to choose from:
1) Contain the fighters in the pass until the Sword Saint beats everyone into submission.
2) Protect the cultists, move Guo Fu out of the way (preferrably with the help of the Saint) and allow the cultists to flee.

 

[Baltika9]

Nah, D2A: get Cult rep points, get Yunzi rep points, save some innocent younglings, kick in Kunlun and Taishan teeth and get ourselves into a good position on the battlefield. By removing the assholes beating down on the cultists in D we deny the orthodox sects some of their numeric superiority and get a group of cultist we can send to, say, reinforce Yunzi or help move Guo Fu out of the way (those fity are already straining him, another dozen will do the trick).

D2A, doo eet. Repent for your poparoll!

 

[Baltika9]

So, basically, there are two plans:
1) Contain the fighters in the pass until the Sword Saint beats everyone into submission.
2) Protect the cultists, move Guo Fu out of the way (preferrably with the help of the Saint) and allow the cultists to flee.

Pretty much, except for the fact that Shagguan is extremely whimsical and may not even join the fight at all in the first place, and there where are we?

 

[Kipeci]

Sticking to D2, and I think that that is the best course of action here, unless someone else has a better way to help the Fire Cult escape out of here ASAP.

It won't be necessary if we force both sides to stand down. We still have Cao'er and Qilin on the sides helping us out, and Murong Yandi is probably going to assist us, since he's put down a 3 vote himself. If the Sword Saint jumps in to prevent casualties (which he most likely would), then this is probably the best solution. Also, if the Sword Saint has our back, Bai Jiutian is going to shit bricks when he gets his side gets their asses handed to them. He wont even be able to call us out on it, because the Sword Saint would have our back.

B3A, do it.

You still haven't explained why B3A would be better than B2A properly.

 

[Zero Credibility]

Well, D2 still seems like a better option than B3 or A3. If we go with B3 Vahista will make a run for it and we will be stuck with BJ. Meh, let them fight. A3 at least sounds fun, but we really should stop the killing before going for the girls, it doesn't look like that fight is going anywhere at this time. So let's help the youngsters before they get killed. Then we can decide what to do next, maybe spilt up in two teams, one to take out the girls, other to take out all the combatants in C?

 

[Baltika9]

Sounds good.

 

[Nevill]

Pretty much, except for the fact that Shagguan is extremely whimsical and may not even join the fight at all in the first place, and there where are we?

If he will not join the fight there would not have been a choice, would there?

And a dozen of youngsters will not help move Guo Fu. They can't even surround him with these numbers. If he can hold his own against 50, he can do so againts 50000 for a while - it is just a question of when he would start to tire out. And somehow I think that won't be soon.

If we go with B3 Vahista will make a run for it and we will be stuck with BJ.

That can be prevented:

Oh, right, it's not impossible to stop Vahista from running (if he does try it) if you join in B, even if it is B3.

 

[Baltika9]

If he will not join the fight there would not have been a choice, would there?

treave said that Shagguan is entirely unpredictable in what he will do, if he'll do anything at all. Because he can definitely say "meh, too much of a bother, I'll just chill here and have a beer." So gambling on his support isn't the best plan.

 

[Absinthe]

You still haven't explained why B3A would be better than B2A properly.

I did say this:

Because we don't want to be fighting the Sword Saint (which is what a 2 vote seems to be leaning towards). And because if we knock both their heads and say "settle down" that's very different from knocking just Bai Jiutian's head and declaring victory for the Fire Cult. In the former case, both sides can be made to stop fighting. In the latter case, they'll be pissed and we're in for the battle and hoping for victory. At the same time, we alienate the fuck out of the Orthodox sects if we go with 2 (and we kinda like the frathouse, the Emei, Song Lingshu, etc.; Jing is strangely on good terms with a lot of Eight Sects heads despite his massive unorthodox rep).

Also, a B3 vote is most likely to be in line with what Zhang Jue wants, which is important not just because it'll make him happy down the road that we're proving our skills, but because if he does show up (as the Sword Saint is expecting) he might boss us around and/or join the fray if we he doesn't like what we're doing.

While the cultists seem to be trying to make a break for it at the present, they might just as easily try to push for victory if they see the opportunity. In that case, it's still best for us to be on our own side because it decreases the chances of the two sides wanting to defeat the other (because we'll be in the middle).

If Vahista does make a break for it with our assistance, then it could quite possibly result in Guo Fu getting killed, which is also not an outcome we want. And even if they make an escape, there is no guarantee the Eight Sects wouldn't chase them and inflict more attrition during the escape.

Our goal is to get both sides to back down from the fight, it seems. In that case, I'd rather vote B3. With our new skills, their battle-worn conditions, and our allies, it should be doable to get both sides to back down.

Then there is the fact that Murong Yandi is voting 3, and, well, bros.

 

[Nevill]

Then we can decide what to do next, maybe spilt up in two teams, one to take out the girls, other to take out all the combatants in C?

Let's not delude ourselves - the outcome of the battle is decided in this choice. We are not prompted to choose the course of action every 5 minutes.

reave said that Shagguan is entirely unpredictable in what he will do, if he'll do anything at all. [...] So gambling on his support isn't the best plan.

If you want to stop the fight, you'll be gambling on his support either way. You can not do it alone - unless you help the orthodoxes curbstomp the cultists, of course. That will stop the fight alright.

The Saint will have a goal in mind. How he will go about it is what is unknown, not the fact if he will do it or not.

 

[Baltika9]

I did say this:

Also, a B3 vote is most likely to be in line with what Zhang Jue wants, which is important not just because it'll make him happy down the road that we're proving our skills, but because if he does show up he might boss us around and/or join the fray if we he doesn't like what we're doing.

We have entertained LORD Zhang with a trip to Nippon and a new Celestial gardener, I am sure our beneficent Master will indulge us this once.

If you want to stop the fight, you'll be gambling on his support either way. You can not do it alone - unless you help the orthodoxes curbstomp the cultists, of course. That will stop the fight alright.

Securing the Holy Maiden and opening up their escape route will work just as well, which is why I'm with D2: the plan can stand on it's own legs without Shagguan's lazy ass. The dozen youths we free can be employed elswhere on the field, like helping Yunzi while we get the retreating path open.

 

[Nevill]

I did say this:

The nature of the Saint's actions is determined by your stance. If you go with 2, you'll be asking him to help the underdogs.

Zhang Jue [...] might [...] join the fray if he doesn't like what we're doing.

As if he is not going to join into the fray if he likes what we're doing.

While the cultists seem to be trying to make a break for it at the present, they might just as easily try to push for victory if they see the opportunity.

There is no victory for them here. They are fleeing after their god has been killed. They are panicking.
Even if Vahista kills BJ, he is not going to rally them, he'll just grab Yunzi and run for it.

If Vahista does make a break for it with our assistance, then it could quite possibly result in Guo Fu getting killed

The chances are slim. Guo Fu is made out of titanium. You don't kill such a man easily, especially not if your goal is not to kill him, but to get past him.

Securing the Holy Maiden and opening up their escape route will work just as well

Ok, but who will secure Yunzi and who will open the pass? Vahista?

The dozen youths we free can be employed elsewhere on the field, like helping Yunzi while we get the retreating path open.

Look, Yunzi does not need their help. It is a dozen of extremely weak fighters who are fleeing for their lives. They are more like non-combatants than a resourse that will change the course of the battle. That's why we are trying to save them in the first place.

 

[Absinthe]

We have entertained LORD Zhang with a trip to Nippon and a new Celestial gardener, I am sure our beneficent Master will indulge us this once.

This is Zhang Jue. He appreciates entertainment, but he lives for combat, and he wants his disciple to prove he's on top. His amusement means he might not particularly punish us for pussy-footing, but he will still have "suggestions" for our course of action, and/or he might decide that since he's having no fun observing his disciple, he will just go and enjoy himself.

Securing the Holy Maiden and opening up their escape route will work just as well, which is why I'm with D2: the plan can stand on it's own legs without Shagguan's lazy ass. The dozen youths we free can be employed elswhere on the field, like helping Yunzi while we get the retreating path open.

Opening the escape route means going through Guo Fu. If Vahista does this, that probably means death. If we do it, then we'll have to beat up Guo Fu (and lose a bro).

 

[Baltika9]

This is Zhang Jue. He appreciates entertainment, but he lives for combat, and he wants his disciple to prove he's on top. His amusement means he might not particularly punish us for pussy-footing, but he will still have "suggestions" for our course of action, and/or he might decide that since he's having no fun observing his disciple, he will just go and enjoy himself.

I dpubt that beating up the panicking underdog is amusing. LORD Zhang can have a duel with Shagguan if the battle is boring for him.

Opening the escape route means going through Guo Fu. If Vahista does this, that probably means death. If we do it, then we'll have to beat up Guo Fu (and lose a bro).

Then having Jing move him is the best course of action, i'd rather he live and I'd rather the Cult survive as well.
Guo Fu is sweetheart, he'll understand. He's been given a job to do, so it's nothing personal between us. We'll buy him a beer later.

 

[Baltika9]

Look, Yunzi does not need their help. It is a dozen of extremely weak fighters who are fleeing for their lives. They are more like non-combatants than a resourse that will change the course of the battle. That's why we are trying to save them in the first place.

Yunzi and the Nie are at a perfect stalemate. Having a dozen fighters rush to her aid will give her the advantage she needs. If the twins are focusing on evading the dozen youths, that gives Yunzi all the openings she needs. It's an eady job that they can handle. More than that, they'll be happy to do it.

 

[Nevill]

Then having Jing move him is the best course of action

Then you'd have to vote C.

If you are helping the cultists, of if you are fighting Bai Jiutian/Vahista, you are not dealing with Guo Fu. That much is obvious.

 

[Tigranes]

I must have missed something, but what's the rational for D? I'm inclined to move from my current B vote after treave's outline, but seems like if we want to hit the heads, it's B, if we want to help the escape, it's C (maybe C3 to play traffic cop), if we want to troll, it's A. But why bother with the least important characters?