[LP CYOA] 傳

[treave]

I'll take a look at the votes again in about 3 hours time.

Perhaps I should stick to offering two choices in each update from now on, make it binary to save you guys the time of maneuvering around to get what you think is the least bad choice.

 

[Ifeex]

B2 sounds a bit more interesting to me.

 

[Baltika9]

I'll take a look at the votes again in about 3 hours time.

Perhaps I should stick to offering two choices in each update from now on, make it binary to save you guys the time of maneuvering around to get what you think is the least bad choice.

Popamole incoming, will there be a dialogue wheel with short summaries?

 

[TOME]

“Do not be angry, madam. My master wishes only to help. He understands that issues between men and women can be rather delicate, and that is why he sent me. He has heard of Madam Jiang, the dutiful wife who lifts the famed scholar Jiang Du to greater heights, and expresses his utmost respect. In return for a kind word in Master Jiang’s ear, he would be willing to perform a simple favour.”

“A favour?” Madam Jiang laughs again, her demeanour suddenly relaxing. “Hm, you certainly are tactful about it. Are you going to poison all the harlots he’s brought into the house? He never follows my advice on that part. I suppose rumours have spread so far that even the mountain-dwelling hermit physicians have heard of it. What a disgrace!”

You pause momentarily. Her candour is unexpected; you had only been fishing in the dark from what little you could observe. It appears that she has much resentment against her husband. You might have stumbled across something that could be risky. “Well, I… no, that would go against my code, madam. All I was expected to do was to offer you a cleansing medicine that would purge your body of ill humours and increase your considerable beauty, or some private physician’s lessons on the nature of the human body.”
There is a sudden predatory gleam in Madam Jiang’s eyes. A faint blush colours her cheeks. You don't like the way she's suddenly looking at you from head to toe. “Private lessons, you say? It's funny you should say that. I have not had any lessons in a while. My useless husband certainly doesn't teach me what he knows. What manner of lessons are we discussing here?”

How do you get from this to voting C1 or C2?

 

[Nevill]

Nah, I much prefer a series of votes, like those we had in a contest. Makes for much more interesting fuck-ups, and the best combination is harder to guess.

TOME, "You don't like the way she's suddenly looking at you from head to toe", that's how.

 

[TOME]

But it is the best way to obtain the invitation. A little dislike is much more preferable than getting hanged for thievery.

Also some of you whined a while back how you would rather sacrifice Jing than to resort poisoning. But do consider that Jing is utmost loyal to the prince and failure in his mission is not an option. I mean the guy was willing to die rather than abandoning prince. Concepts like honor and fame doesn't matter to him if he won't be able to fulfill his mission to prince.

This isn't 'do or die' moment when Jing's sense of duty and loyalty to prince will override his sense of honor, but do consider it when you are voting.

Also.

“Of course! Do you actually think I’d be interested in her? Give me an older lady of experience any time,” you snort.

 

[ScubaV]

B2 sounds a bit more interesting to me.

Eeeeeeexcellent. Jing will fuck the pussy in the story and all the pussies in this thread. Suck it! And don't forget to swallow or it's going in your eye!

 

[treave]

 

[Azira]

Laxative?

[EDIT]
Alright. Sorry. This is taking a turn to the unhealthy. I shall try not to mention laxatives again. At least for my next 10 posts in this thread.

 

[Jester]

I'm not making any statement on the difficulty of C1, but you are attempting a very fallacious argument.

Either the risk is high, and you have a chance to increase your skills and learn something new, or the risk is low, and you don't.

You can't have it both ways. What you're doing here is downplaying the risk of the choice, yet choosing to claim that you will get a skill increase for doing something... not risky.

Emm that is bit odd for me shouldn't level till average be able to be increased by normal achievements too? I mean i can understand high level tiers need extraordinary things to be increased but for person who has little experience in doing something even one normal attempt should be beneficial for improvement. Course i dont say that its insta lv up but could earn some exp in skill.

 

[Azira]

Treave's lp, his rules. You can advance to normal levels through rigorous training. Not by doing one simple job. At least as far as I understood it.

 

[treave]

Pretty much. You can't advance a skill rank upon doing something easy, but by doing it consistently over a period of time. One normal attempt can't be beneficial for improvement if you don't know what mistakes you made with that attempt. It might have worked, yes, but it might have worked despite your errors. Or it might have failed purely because of bad luck, not through any fault of your own. If you don't have someone by your side to point out your mistakes, what you did wrong and what you did right, it will be a long process of trial and error where you're building the theory and practical knowledge from scratch.

This ties into the 'experience' you mention, yes, but I don't track that. I'll account for it throughout the LP, but if you want a process of very gradual growth reflected, the system isn't designed for that due to the division into ranks and levels.

This slow process is mitigated somewhat by perception and intelligence - those stats make you more capable of analyzing your own faults and perhaps learning from them on your own, but fundamentally, if you want a skill to advance quickly and visibly, you'll need a mentor, or at least someone better to work with.

Either that, or constantly throw yourself into dangerous situations where you have to constantly innovate and improvise your approach or die.

edit: I think B2 still wins? :/

 

[Nim]

edit: I think B2 still wins? :/

Let's make sure it stays that way B2

 

[treave]

Well, update in progress.

 

[treave]

Arrival at Luoying Manor

“Well, that was rather impressive,” murmurs Madam Jiang as she looks up at the ceiling. “You’re… strong. And so nimble.” She shivers slightly. “That was an educational session. You are unexpectedly experienced,” chuckles the woman.

The maids in the palace had trained you – in secret, away from prying eyes – when you came of age. The chambermaids often complained to you that most men cared only for their own pleasure, and so they were rather pleased to get their hands on a eager, confident and charming young male that they could thoroughly mould into a satisfying, attentive lover. Your meticulous training to become their perfect companion in bed had been interrupted before it could come to fruition, but all that was really left was to keep practicing what you had learnt. You might not be able to go all night without rest, but you had learnt plenty of techniques that capitalized on your strength and agility.

Of course, you aren’t about to reveal that to Madam Jiang.

Besides, she had come with a surprise of her own – her commanding aggression in pushing you down, and the experienced, shameless hunger with which she moved against your body from the start told you that Madam Jiang was someone who wasn’t a stranger to participating in ‘lessons’ with other men besides her husband. Halfway through, you had to wonder if you were the one being used up for her benefit here, and if you had been mistaken to come. Certainly, right now your body aches badly, as if you had been mauled lovingly by a devious beast.

“So, how much do you want?” asks Madam Jiang nonchalantly.

“Pardon me? I don’t-”

“Do you think I’m like those simpering young maids?” she laughs, a sly glint in her eyes. “I can tell when a boy has another motive in mind. You are not one of those romantic fools, are you?”

You cannot do anything but shake your head wordlessly. “Of course not,” she says scornfully. She does not seem to respect you much. “So, shall I consider this a free favour, or would you like to be rewarded for your sizeable performance? Unlike my husband, I don’t like to receive without giving in return.”

“Ah, well…” If there’s a chance here, you are going to take it. Damn the consequences. “Perhaps, the invite for my master?”

She frowns. “That’s all you want? That useless piece of paper? You are really a dutiful apprentice, aren’t you?”

***

You leave the Jiang house in the middle of the night with what you had come for, escorted out quietly by the maidservant that you had met. From her casual, polite expression, you get the idea that this is probably not an uncommon occurrence despite Madam Jiang telling you that it has been a while. It is probably mistaken to assume that what is ‘a while’ to you will be the same amount of time to another person.

When you get back to the inn, you find that Cao’er is still awake and waiting for you. She stares at you for a while, and to your surprise, begins sniffing you all over. “…did you do it?” she asks, in a tone you have never heard her use before. You gently push her away – having her crawl all over you like that is stirring your mood up a bit despite your prior exertions; you're a healthy young male after all – and affirm her suspicions. There’s no point in lying. She puffs out her cheeks, looking sullen. Without another word, she goes off to her bed and curls up under the sheets in a huffy manner.

The next morning, Master Yao sits you down at the table. His face is sombre and serious as he places a small jar of ointment in front of you.

“Open it,” he says.

You do so. A pungent stink assails your nostrils. The jar contains a foul-smelling, oily ointment. In the middle of the ointment floats a strange, long tube, closed off at one end. You poke at it and pick it up – it’s stretchy, probably part of a some animal’s intestine. You look at Master Yao.

“If you’re going to go around doing anything that moves, it is best to be protected,” he says with an entirely straight face. “This is my latest medical creation, based off the preventive caps they hand out in the brothels. Of course, it is far superior to those little toys. I call it Yao’s Protective Sheath. The special ointment makes the lamb’s intestine a lot more reliable for vigorous use without compromising on sensitivity. It also wards off illnesses a lot more effectively. I think it will be a good addition to the herbal wares we have.”

“Master,” you say calmly, looking at the dripping sheath. “This will never take off.”

“What, why not?” He looks genuinely surprised.

“It stinks,” you say.

“Hmph,” snorts Master Yao. “They all stink by the end anyway. That is merely a minor detail. Its performance is unparalleled.”

“Not like this,” you shake your head ruefully. “Why are you showing me this anyway?”

“Do you think I don’t know what you were up to?” he asks, raising his eyebrows. “Now, I couldn't care less who you tumble into bed with, but you should always be mindful of health considerations as well as the possibility of sowing your reckless wild oats. Keep it with you. I will teach you how to make the treating ointment – you should be able to handle the lamb intestine extraction by yourself. Perhaps you will find a way to reduce the smell, if that concerns you. You are my apprentice after all, you should be able to manage that much.”

You look at the surprising gift again. Is this his way of looking out for you? “Thank you, master. I did not know you cared so much.”

“What, of course not,” he mutters, grumbling. “It would trouble Cao’er if I had to take a knife to you to heal some more persistent illnesses of the genitalia. Now, have you gotten what you came to Xuzhou for?” Master Yao changes the topic quickly while you are still wondering what Cao’er has to do with this.

“Yes, I’ll be boarding the boat tomorrow. The conference will last for three days – I may be there up to four days, if I manage to enter the inner court. Do you need me to get anything for you?”

Yao shakes his head, stroking his beard. “No, I don’t think so. Search for what you deem interesting. It’s your journey to make, not mine.”

You nod and bow to your master. Dropping the protective sheath back into its jar, you wipe your fingers before storing it away carefully.

***

The boat ride to the manor was relatively uneventful – you had half been expecting the boat to spring a leak and sink. Perhaps your luck is turning for the better? Thankfully, Cao'er had not sulked for long, having seen you off with a tight hug at the jetty in Xuzhou. She whispered something about Yao's gift, and told you to protect yourself. You're not sure what type of image the girl has of you in her head now, but you're sure she's mistaken. You'll have to correct that misconception when you return.

As the boatman steers his vessel through the icy mist of the lake, the outline of the manor looms out at you. You disembark together with the other passengers. Three of them were the winners of the poetry competition – two middle-aged, one young. There was the mountain man who had been the indirect cause of your defeat in the tournament, and then two strangers you have not seen before. Then, there was that damned girl.

Chi Qilin winks as she leaps onto the pier ahead of you. She had spent the boat ride chatting animatedly with the other men, gaining their attention. That suited you fine – it just meant you didn’t have to put up with her. She opens her mouth to speak to you, but thankfully the white and pink-garbed servants of Luoying Manor arrive to save you from the girl. They begin checking the invitations. After completing the checks, you are led to the manor house itself. The trees lining the pathway are barren in winter, but would probably prove to be a splendid sight when spring arrives. Luoying Manor is larger than you expected, and more luxurious. Shun would probably not feel out of place staying here.

The servants take your little entourage to a large banquet hall, decorated with long silk banners. Here the air is warm, though you see no fire in the hall. It is already filled with people; there are probably a hundred guests. Some are seated at the numerous tables, while others are mingling and engaged in conversation. At the front of the hall is a raised dais for the mistress of the manor who has not yet arrived.

All of the attendees are older than you are – the ones your age only number two: the poison girl, and the young scholar. You are shown where to sit, and just as you do so…

“It looks like I’m sitting here too,” says Qilin cheerfully as she slips into the empty seat next to you. When you do not respond to her, she continues, “What, are you still mad at me?”

***

A. Nothing good will come of ignoring her – she might just keep pestering you. You give up and engage her in conversation. Since her father is a fellow, she should know more than you about this conference. She shouldn't be entirely useless.

B. You stand up and search for an obvious candidate to talk to. The young scholar is nearby, looking pensively at the garden outside. Perhaps you could talk to him instead. If he won the poetry competition at his age he must be a rather good scholar.

C. Even in the mingling crowd, there is one man who seems to have been given a very wide berth, sitting alone near the center of the hall. He has come without a shirt in winter, revealing his powerfully built and scarred body. You attempt to approach the lone, dangerous-looking man.

 

[Azira]

Good thing he's able to protect himself now.

So, the young poisoner, the young poet or the positively dangerous looking (unorthodox master?) man?

Must ponder this.

 

[Nevill]

We totally should've gotten this instead:

 

[ERYFKRAD]

C>A.

Feels like such an obvious bait that it's hard to resist. Likely to flop, however.

 

[Smashing Axe]

B2 payed dividends, I'm glad we went with it.

As for the current choices, all three seem decent. For some reason I'm interested in what the young scholar has to say. We already have our waifu, poison girl isn't worth the attention, let's try to make another bro our age. (In before he turns out to be the Shulgi to our Ean)

B

 

[Ifeex]

A>C.

 

[Baltika9]

Huh, that wasn't so bad. Debating between a new Bro or a new Master.

B2 sounds a bit more interesting to me.

Eeeeeeexcellent. Jing will fuck the pussy in the story and all the pussies in this thread. Suck it! And don't forget to swallow or it's going in your eye!

Well,since we already started down that road, let's do it.

 

[Kipeci]

We're going to be super poisoned, but, eh. A.
I hope our recent indiscretion hasn't totally screwed up things with Cao'er, but then again she'd already known that we used to do this sort of thing rather often.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

Hopefully Jing's adultery combined with our loss earlier will be enough keep the naive among us from thinking we're larping some fair-fighting, honor-bound dickweed. I mean, how the hell were we supposed to win a fair tournament with our luck anyway?

Votan A

 

[Zero Credibility]

Heh, I guess we underestimated madame. I hope there won't be any consequences later on from this, although given our luck...

Anyway, I vote B. Young scholar seems like a likely source of some good info. Maybe we can also ask him about the lone man in case we want to approach him later. We already know the girl is a pest.

 

[Nevill]

Hopefully Jing's adultery combined with our loss earlier will be enough keep the naive among us from thinking we're larping some fair-fighting, honor-bound dickweed. I mean, how the hell were we supposed to win a fair tournament with our luck anyway?

Votan A

So now we can larp some fair-fighting, honor-bound, dick-thinking manwhore.

A, of course. We've got our amulet of poison protection, let's put it to use.