Set six years after season 6, Occupied Equestria presents an alternative history where the Changelings have conquered half of Equestria, while a former Equestrian colony - soured to Princess Twilight's notion of harmony with all creatures because of their encounters with griffins - Invaded and took the other half. In Baltimare and the Equestrian Southeast, the magic of friendship has weakened, as Communists, Changeling infiltrators, Fascists, gangs, and corrupt creepy politicians threaten the city. This role play is based in large part upon the Equestria at War mod for Hearts of Iron 4, and uses D&d 3.5e mechanics.
The long train ride to Bales is over, with Brie, Onyx, and Spark reaching their destination a little bruised but not dead or arrested. Before them lies a new and unfamiliar city and world, at the crossroads of Equestria's past and present, and also the Changeling Occupied Zone and East Equestria. In Baltimare, Dark Star prepares to set out on a mission to track down and arrest unfaithful and unreliable local law enforcement that have been leaking information to rebel forces. Silver may finally have a new toy he can use to clear the Catacombs of their undead presence. Iron, meanwhile, has drifted further into an temple in his search for a treasure sough by an archaeological expedition that was ambushed by bandits.
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>>101363“Perhaps a box or two may be lost in transit” he says
>>101364“Well, they are cops. They would head back to station, do paperwork there, then leave if they aren’t called into action again”
>>101365"You never know when logistics will make mistake like that." Silver gives the notes to the stallion, and pulls out another 100 to show him. He nods to the pony, hoping his intentions have been made clear. "Never know when something might just simply
disappear into ether..."
>>101367He nods
“How many are we talking about?”
>>101368"Two, if you can. One will be fine if it is not possible, but I will throw in bonus for both."
>>101369“Two then”
He brings out two boxes, weighing at least 5 pounds each, of the silver spheres
>>101370Silver takes the boxes gladly and gives the worker an additional 200 Bits, bringing the total for this acquisition to 300. Probably more than he would need to spend, but he has the Bits, and a little generosity shown to such a diligent worker never hurt anypony. "Here, you look like you have worked hard today. Treat yourself when you get off for me, okay?"
>>101366"Perhaps we can Ruse them, Maybe We Can Trick one into thinking that i have been stabbed. Then we can interrogate one."
>>101371“Yes sir”
>>101372“Tell me what you want to do”
>>101373"You have yourself good day, now." Silver sets the ball bearings in his cart with his other recently-acquired equipment. Now all he needs is to buy the rest of the materials he needs for these bombs, and buy the materials he'd need for some wooden barricades.
>>101374Okay, so what shall he buy?
>>101375For the bombs: high-nitrate fertilizer, diesel, plenty of nails, and four coffee cans.
For the barricades: a set of basic construction tools (hammer, screwdriver, saw, tape measurer, etc.), nails, screws, railroad spikes, l-brackets, and enough 2x4s for three different barricades.
He's also going to buy two bottles of whiskey: one to steady his nerves before, and one to celebrate after.
>>101376Oh, and the stuff he'd need to make the detonators for the bombs, so they go off when the tripwires they're attached to are tripped.
>>101373"I'll Go Act Like i've Been Stabbed you Go in and lead Them out to me. Bring Only one if you can."
>>101309He turns to Pear with that pensive expression, thinking there's a connection. "Is it simply a 'belief', Pear, or is it a hidden power these idols have? If the bandit knew about this power, it would explain even further why he would want to pursue something that might as well be a myth to the average pony. Do you not think so?"
>>101376Well, that’s quite a lot of material. Approximately 100 bits
>>101379“Well, if they believe it, it doesn’t matter if it is true or not. It would affect them all the same.”
>>101378“Sp you want to encounter them before they go to the station?”
>>101380Iron nods with a worried expression.
"I fear that they may be right in believing they have this amount of power. We are still missing some of them, and they may both have it and know how to use them. It could spell doom for everypony."
>>101381“The scholars don’t take the old gods seriously, saying they are nothing more than superstition. Certainly my colleagues didn’t. And the Marexica certainly didn’t believe they could be directed around like peasant levies marched by a feudal lord. They believed the dark gods to see themselves above Equines, they themselves the lords over serfs. They act for their own pride and power.”
>>101382Iron hums to himself.
"I shall take your word on the matter. Hopefully you are correct in asserting they cannot use their power."
He decides to look around some more for any ways to continue further into the cavern or anyother eyecatching thing in this tomb.
>>101380Indeed it is, but it's all part of the plan. 100 Bits it is.
Silver has one more stop to make: the Cathedral. He's going to stop there and meet with the Father, ask for some last bits of information that might help him.
>>101383Inside of the sectioned off room, some cases exist to the side, as well as the remains of a sword - the wood rotted away by time, but the obsidian flakes as sharp as they were centuries ago - some other pieces of military fanfare like a shield (rotted in the center, but with gilded edges remaining - and far in the back, a gold idol upon a pedestal
>>101385Silver is able to walk in simply. A certain fairly chubby older colt in religious clothing comes in, and immediately starts to smile wide
“It’s you again!”
He continues smiling with his mouth open in part in excitement
“Uh, what was your name again?”
>>101386Iron's eyes focus on the far away gold idol on a pedestal, wondering if it's one of the set he currently has two of.
He closes the distance carefully, as to not disturb anything else along the way.
(Maybe this is the third idol that can be used to call upon powers.)
>>101386Silver smiles at remembering the energetic colt. "It is Silver, Silver Sword. I was hoping to speak with Father. I have couple questions I hope he can help with."
>>101387The idol is fairly ornate, more so than the others, made of Gold, or at least, is entirely gilt. It is a statuette of an Equine Skeleton, with open rib cage and eye holes
>>101388"Let me go get him!"
Slow Burn bounces off
"Father! That sword pony wants to see you again!"
"Alright alright, I'm here"
From the door in the back, Father Maren walks slowly into the room, and takes his glasses off his face, carefully placing them in the pocket of a robe. He addresses Silver
"And what brings you back, dear child?"
[1d20 = 16]>>101389Iron thinks he remembers Pear saying that one of the idols was of an equine skeleton back when they cleared the bandit camp.
He decides to check the pedestal for anything that could be identified as a trap.
Spot roll
>>101390The idol seems to have been placed there carefully as a respectful hiding place - or resting place - to sit indefinitely. No trap is apparent
>>101389Silver bows to the pony in front of him. "Thank you for seeing me, Father Maren." Standing up, Silver pulls out Curwhinny's silver locket. "I wanted to know what you know about liches, and phylacteries, as you seem to be quite knowledgeable on these sorts of matters."
>>101391Iron decides not to grab the idol out of respect.
(Perhaps I could find the other resting places for the other two idols we have in our inventory. That should be more than enough to grab some of the gold here in exchange.)
He smiles and nods over it, eager to get some of this precious, Cauldron-saving gold.
>>101393Again, the options for treasure don't quite look like they are quite up to the level of a proper treasury. But even with that, there are more than a few items of obvious value. Vases and chalices of gold. Pendants and ear rings studded with emeralds, turquoise, and topaz. Golden face masks. A larger circular... something, that is gilded and covered in a large amount of writing. There is one empty pedestal
>>101392His eyes go wide at this
“And what am I looking at”
Referring to the locket
>>101395"This...is Joseph Curwhinny's phylactery. He is still around, albeit sealed away in stone coffin. He did indeed manage to turn himself into lich, before group of militia ponies raided catacombs underneath his farmhouse and sealed him away in that dark, dank place. Even I, who was raised like Earth Pony and did not receive much training in magic, can feel his presence near where he lay."
He holds the locket out for Maren to inspect, should he so choose. "I am hoping to put him to his long-overdue rest, so that he might be reunited with his beloved family he lost long ago."
>>101394Iron understand this is not the main crypt but the prospects of getting gold are not lost on him.
(Maybe we could drop most of the guns we picked up. I only need my precious hooves.)
His head leans forwards, kissing one of his forelegs in a narcisstic display of self-affection with a cocky grin on his face.
He looks to the empty pedestal.
(Perhaps I can place the dog idol there.)
Walking over there to do so, he attempts to remember what was the second idol retrieved by Pear.
>>101396Father Maren nods, but he does not pick up the locket
"We'll put him to rest, if such a thing can indeed await him, however we have to do it."
>>101397The second idol is a large Jade Turkey, seemingly made out of a single giant glob of Jade, or at least, several pieces well put together.
>>101398Figuring that the dichotomy between the golden equine skeleton with the dog idol works better than a turkey in his head, he pulls out the dog idol and places it on the pedestal.
>>101399The Stone Dog (black Marble) sits well on the pedestal
>>101400Iron smiles to himself.
(That should make the gods happy. I should keep on searching for the main treasury before I grab any gold though, including beating down the bandit leader threatening us currently.)
>>101398Silver nods right back, taking back the locket. "Do you have any ideas on how that may be done, or any general information on liches and these phylacteries?"
>>101401There cavern continues slightly, but definitely narrows
>>101402"Aye. Burn incense to repel the harshest of the evil spirits, then, destroy the physical entity of the phylactery with with a magical sword. Then, the real work of cleansing with Holy Water and prayer may begin.
To become a lich is to separate one's soul from one's physical body, and to bind one's soul with the physicality of another object. It is a terrible, cynical prospect that often shatters what parts of your soul you could otherwise take to the other world. I don't know
precisely how it is done, as that information is kept deep under lock and key in the Canterlot archives. It is often said that in order to split your soul from your body, you must commit a horrific act to fracture yourself. Some say you must shatter yourself spiritually and emotionally by sacrificing what you love. In some versions of the stories, the process is magical and available only to the most practiced of unicorns. In other versions, an alchemical process is involved. What is certain is that the process binds the spirit to the physical realm in a vessel generally less corruptible than the equine body, but at a cost."
>>101403Iron calls over to his mare companions as he walks further in the cavern.
"Let us keep moving. We must still deal with the bandit leader."
(Hopefully my body can squeeze through this narrow path.)
>>101380"Yes, it would most likely be better, and assuming they leave their weapons at the station, it would be safer.
>>101403Silver nods again. "Joseph Curwhinny lost entirety of his family to plague, in event that would lead to him originally pursuing necromancy in first place, and he was quite skilled with both magic and alchemy if numerous alchemical materials I found in catacombs and process he used to create ghasts are anything to go by. I can see how he originally became lich in first place." He glances back to his beloved greatsword. "While my sword is not in-and-of-itself magical, I do have couple of vials of Magic Weapon oils. Should I coat its blade blade in oil prior, will it suffice in destroying this phylactery when I am ready?"
>>101404>>101404Not so narrow, but when he goes through, he can see what this area is. To both left and right are holes carved into the cavern walls in small arches, some of them sealed. On the ground are vases, these ones being fired clay pots.
There are some treasures here that have clearly been lost to time. Decayed bits of organic matter are strewn along the floor in little piles, and one may speculate that they were once ornate robes, tapestries, wooden statuettes, or rolled up rugs. Bronze and copper have not fared much better. Small cups and head pieces of metal have been reduced to crusted blue-green flakes. Even silver earrings and statuettes are now coated in an unsavory black tarnish. Gold alone shines pristine in among the cave, in some areas the sole survivor of centuries of moist stasis. It alone testifies to the artistic mastery and wealth of the civilization whose last patriots are entombed here.
At the far end, leaning against a wall, is a number of obsidian shards around a pile of dust. Over top the pile is a set of hairs and decayed organic matter.
>>101405"Alright"
The taxi lets them off near the police station, a relatively modern building of beige stone facade walls, rectangular in shape and a couple stories tall, with a rectangular pyramid of bronze color in the center of the top.
>>101406The hell are weapon oils?
>>101408Iron is quite saddened by all of this wealth rotting away.
(Imagine how much more these items will sell for money?)
The eye catching obsidian shards around a pile of dust is a sight worthy of closer inspection.
(What kind of person would set shards like these around an ash pile? Maybe there are traps in here?)
He walks closer to it in an attempt to better see the scene.
>>101409blunt on one edge, sharp on the other edge. They are all something like 5 centimeters wide, 4 centimeters long, and maybe 1 thick on the think side. There must be twenty of them. Some of the pile is recognizable as one wood, but it crumbles in the hoof and is covered in fungi. Ontop are a few scattered hairs and dried up animal skin
>>101406"Few ponies who turn to necromancy ever do so without some sort of strong provocation... You wouldn't rather use the order's sword?"
>>101408"Nice Architecture."
He Hugs Blue
Dark Star looks for an acceptable Area down the street a little to Feign being stabbed in
>>101411The closer inspection doesn't help much to poor Iron.
"What is this in front of me?"
>>101411"That would be useful, yes." Silver looks to the Father. "Father Maren, I seek to clear undead from Catacombs on this day, and put them to their final rest. I fully expect to either return victorious...or not return at all. When I return,
if I return, I would ask for your aid in putting Joseph Curwhinny to rest."
>>101412The area is not quite perfect for rape in a dark alley, at least in the mid morning. Never the less, there are some alleys nearby that go behind shops, and some backyards behind abandoned, artillery damaged homes
>>101413Pair walks right up to it and inspects it
“Looks like the remains of a sword, with something... animal skin? Draped over it