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
Shimmering Spark, Onyx Steel, and Brie Achtungsex now make the perilous crossing into the Changeling Lands. In Baltimare, Dark Star prepares for his next big assignement, while Silver concludes his mentoring of traumatized foals. Much further away, Iron stands under jeweled nighttime skies, preparing his next move
1624 replies and 95 files omitted.
>>106435To try? He has maybe two hooves on thin ice and they are not at a desirable angle
>>106433She gets out of her chair, and comes over to Silver
“You filled her up again? Nice”
>>106436He sets the books in his hooves down and nods to her. "You want to take look? Maybe you could tell me little bit about what they are about."
>>106436Well then. I guess it's swimming time.
Iron futilely grasps at the ice in order to have some sort of leverage and not fall into the water. With the pots on him, he might just drown like the story Pear said.
(Nono
nononono. Wirraway, help me!)
He can't help but feel like he's another example of greed killing a pony.
>>106437Skies comes out.
“Sure, I will take a look”
She does not answer Silver’d second question
>>106438Cauldron stops, looks around, and runs back to Iron
“Iron!” She goes behind him, and tries to pulls his tail with her mouth to keep him from going in. He slips further regardless, into the water.
The water is actually not that cold. It’s cooler than it would normally be at this time of the year, but the ice and snow have insulated it, and keep most of its heat from being sucked away
>>106439Iron concedes that it's not that bad. However, he needs to hurry.
Iron uses his small brain to speculate the amount of distance left between his position and the other side of the lake while hopefully not be dragged down into the abyss.
>>106439Not exactly like he was desparately wanting that question answered. He leads the way out to the cart. "So, I heard Dark Star was injured on that mission of his. He said he almost died."
>>106440A few hundred feet, but iron is being pulled down, deeper
>>106441“He did! He was! He was shot three times by that worker”
[1d20 = 2]>>106442Okok!
Iron struggles to go back to the surface, trying to go the furthest.
Rolling swim without mods.
>>106443Hmph.
Dumb dice, ruining my future of making Cauldron a successful mare.
>>106443He sinks, quickly, to the bottom. It’s not very deep, but it is deep enough
>>106442"It is good to see he pulled through so well." He grabs a bunch of books when they get out to the cart. "What was mission about, even?"
>>106446"We were trying to locate a leak"
[1d20 = 20]>>106445>deep enoughAt this point, a simple water level just atop the head is deep enough.
Iron, feeling the slow, periodical entrance of water in his nostrils, decides to simply start walking in the water towards the other side while also trying to rise up.
Rolling swim again to speed things up.
>>106447"Hmm. You think this changeling Dark Star found was source of whatever leak it was?"
>>106449"I don't know... Honestly I was expecting it to be some pony else back at the station. It could have been her partner too"
>>106450"Whatever reason they were there, I imagine there were other infiltrators in that department, who are likely running for hills now that one of their own has been killed."
>>106451She shakes her head
"That won't be enough to scare them off. Maybe if they think all officers will be tested now. But otherwise, they stay in place until they themselves are caught"
>>106453Silver gives her a disbelieving look. "You think there is even remote chance they would not test all of their officers?"
Okay, I have to sleep now...
Somewhere, an autist is stuck at a bus station, while a bat “Eeeeeeeeeeeeee”s inside his head
>>106461At least you have company.
>>106462Yep, a whole LOTTA new niggers. I had to try and explain (simply) what I was watching (4cc) to one lady
>>106464Is she enjoying it, or is it secretly calling the cops?
>>106465She took it well. It was during the /ck/ /y/ match (hey, that’s funny, cky) and I could tell that “that’s the cooking team, and that team is a into gay comics” was not what she was expecting
>>106466Noice
>>106469Of course it is, GM is fancy
>>106470>GM is at pool>Iron is underwaterI'd say it's a funny coincidence.
WATER IS TRYING TO CONQUER ALL OF THE REALITIES. WAKE UP SHEEPLE >>106467>CKYNow That's A Name i Haven't heard in awhile.
>>106466that changling should be in a pool
>>106473>>106472He obviously means relaxing on one of those floaty chairs.
Also hi Darkest of the Stars. >>106470>>106469It is very nice. My friend from high school is paying for it
>>106472HE LIVES!
>>106476Nice to hear. Only the best for the best GM.
>>106478That is a cute!
Okay, I may be able to proceed with some stories
>>106480Last I recall, Brie was waiting for the officer drone to accede to his demands to enter the Hegemony with weapons
>>106483He adds
“Operations in East Equestria have become... more difficult. There’s the crackdown in Manehattan, and in the Baltimare area one of our operatives was discovered. Can you handle it?”
>>106484“Baltimare is my current base of operations, so naturally.”
>>106485“But can you avoid getting caught? Being caught does not merely mean a death sentence for our agents. It means a danger to the hive. This can entangle international relations.”
>>106488Dark Star is at the catacombs, but silver has gone to pick up the books and then deliver them to Blue Skies
>>106487“You’re missing out on the elegant simplicity of my plan. I don’t plan to hide at all. I plan to become a bombastic and ominous figure in the Baltimare society. The criminal that everyone knows about but no one can catch, stop, or obstruct. And that’s where your infiltrators come in (the ones replacing Comte and his lot, I think Kerr and Wesley said there were 6 in total). They - while subtly and carefully replacing those ponies who are already secretive and criminal - are going to oppose and combat my efforts with the legitimacy of their respective positions! The presence of a new power in the underworld will supply countless opportunities for further infiltration!”
He visibly tones it down. “It will be easy. And since I’m the one who will stick out like a sore thumb and can pass any changeling detection test, all I have to do is not get convicted.” He finishes with a smirk.
>>106489Are the doggo's skeleton's Dead yet?
>>106490“Very well... You may continue”
>>106491Yes
>>106492Dark Star Heads Back to the library
>>106492"Splendid. Of course, there are logistics to work out, methods of relaying information and all that, but then the first step for me would be to return to Baltimare and start making some noise, am I correct?"
>>106494there's more than 1? i think the only one he knows about is the burnt one. so that's where he goes.
>>106495>>106495“Perhaps you misunderstand. I do not have the authority to approve any measures across the border. I mean that you are approved to speak to somebug who does have the authority.”
>>106496It has hardly been touched. Most books are reduced to ashes, some remain. The smell of the burnt books lingers in the air
>>106497"Ah, very well then. I assume there is some sort of notice or letter, or something of that nature to take with us as we venture? To prevent us from being accidentally killed."
[1d20 = 16]>>106497Dark Star looks through the ashes
Perception
>>106498“Yes. My secretary shall write up a letter. It may also be possible to speak through phone, but she may not accept that”
>>106499Perhaps one quarter of the contents survived, mostly on lower levels
>>106500"I prefer to conduct business in pony,... in carapace? anyway."
>>106500Dark Star Grabs the reaming books and looks at the titles
"I will have to get a better idea of references and terms. The best I've managed so far is Jungetiere for the young ones."
>>106501“That can be arranged. There is a colony outside of what used to be known as ‘Whinnyapolis,’ up the road. You can meet with a higher ranking official there.”
>>106502The outsides have been burned away, even in those books where the insides have survived
>>106503“Nymphs for younger changelings that have lost their larval characteristics, hatchlings for newly born larve, Workers for.... Well, there isn’t really a gender in ponies to compare them to. I guess, ‘infertile female’ is the closest equivalent. Drone is the term for a male, and females, egg-laying females, are Queens. And when speaking with a queen.... be sure to use all of your well learned pony politesse when speaking to then. They do not tolerate any slights.”
>>106504Dark Star looks for the title pages. if there is one on them.
>>106504"Thank you my good drone, I shall be on my best behavior."
>>106506“As you should. Carry on”
>>106505Within the cover? “Arcane magic.” “Potions and other things” “the practices of the worshipers of Mar” “The gods of the gnolls of Hyenia”
>>106508He Flips through the practices of the worshipers of mar
>>106508Assuming their business and meeting is concluded, Brie gets up to leave (did he sit? I think he would have sat at some point).
>>106509The Griffin Pantheon includes a number of gods. Boreas, god of winds and chief among them. This god is the official god of the more theocratic governments. Arcturus is the god of light. This god is favored by paladin orders. The god Mar is the god of madness and death, who may grant favors to certain worshipers... worship of him is banned in almost all jurisdictions
>>106510Yes, he would have been sitting. The drone nods, and he goes out. The secretary is typing up the document, takes it out of his typewriter, and hands it over with a hateful expression
>>106512"hmmmm why is it banned i wonder?"
He Flips to the appropriate section to find out.
>>106512Brie winks playfully, accepting the document. "I trust all my possessions and those of my entourage are in good keeping?"
>>106514The creature looks at him
“Ich spreche kein Pony”
From through the still open door
“Yes, they have not been touched. Unless they went on some ‘adventure’”
>>106513Well, the preeminent reason would seem to be the god’s thirst. Specifically, the god’s thirst for the blood of sacrifices. Innocents preferred. He also may induce madness in his followers, as well as endowing them with a range of magical powers
>>106515“Mein Shlect.”
“Danke schon” he calls out, nodding to the drone and with an obvious degree of satisfaction, waltzes back to acquire his equipment.
>>106516>>106517The secretary has a look of... is it confusion? His bug eyes don’t convey much emotion. But he doesn’t look angry or hostile, which is an improvement
All of Brie’s equipment is there, as are the two other ponies. And the ‘pony guards’ are returning through the front door
Ive got some non-bus transiting to do, so I’m gonna adjourn here for now
>>106515"disgusting."
Dark Star looks through the Gods of gnolls of hyenia
>>106519Have a good trip!
>>106520The text is in Ann unidentifiable language. All that can be understood are images of hyenas around fires in dances, rituals involving smoke, and the carcass of a... zebra, with ribs cracked open and organs removed. An organ - probably a heart, possibly a liver - is offered by a hyena to what looks like a very large hyena standing on its hind legs in an unsettling way
>>106521"Hmmmm this one is pretty cool."
>>106523More hyenas standing, carrying spears... this book is fairly well damaged
>>106524"Hmmmm maybe i can find a copy at one of the libraries around town? i would like to read this one."
>>106525He Flips through Arcane magic
>>106526Weird unicorn shit. Spells include transmutation if common objects, water creation, illusion magic, and so forth
>>106527he looks through potions and other things
is silver here?
Is Silver alive?
>>106529Similar. Growth potions. Invisibility, strength...
>>106530"these ones are pretty boring."
Dark star brings the books to the cart. he slips the gnoll one into his vest before he leaves.
>>106530Don't think so, tbh. It's kinda late. Perhaps in an hour.
>>106531I don’t believe Dark Star has a separate cart of his own. Silver’s cart is gone
>>106533"Well horse apples."
He lies them down in the library
Can i see the map?
>>106534Of the catacombs? No, I am on mobile, and it is on my laptop
>>106535>>106536I would not begrudge anyone who questioned if I was liv.
>>106541I'll be ready to play in an hour or two, if you need to know.
>>106546*ruffles the fur of the Silver pony*
>>106547*floofy fur is ruffled*
This makes the Silver pony happy
*nibbles ears*
Cower before me!
>>106575WTF, filly doesn't want to take a bath?
>>106454Blue Skies shakes her head by half, and responds
"Maybe, but it's not necessarily so simple. There are a great number of officers that would need to be tested. Something like a thousand in Baltimare PD, a equal number in other jurisdictions in the Baltimare department, about as many officers as that combined amount in Moonlight shores and Duskaway, besides a large number of support staff. And who would do the testing? About a third of our own IS police have been siphoned off by the Manehattan collaborationist government for their own little frolic. We've lost our area's pony territorial gendarmes for the same reason, besides the consistent problem of the Army mobilizing the new territorials who volunteer. Baltimare PD itself, despite its size, is short staffed, since so many of them either volunteered into the Equestrian Army - they were exempt from conscription - or quit after the war, because they did not want to be indirect collaborators. And then, not just any pony can administer the test. They have to be specially trained to administer it and interpret the results. And you need to have two of them together to administer the test because of the possibility of one of them being replaced or otherwise compromised. Plus you have to a couple armed guards in case you
do find a changeling, and she reacts. And then if you have the ponies there to test them, you still have to get the officers there to be tested. Many of them will be out on patrol.
There's also the issue of willpower to do the tests. Baltimare PD finds changeling infiltration embarrassing, and might want to cover it up rather than risk exposing more. The Caretaker government might rather not risk antagonizing a large foreign government by trying to expose changelings. And then, there may be ways of getting around it. For instance, its known that ponies with certain eye conditions, or even just iris colors on the blue green spectrum - by far the most common changeling eye colors - can show up as false positives. There are other tests to verify whether a suspected pony is a changeling, but it still gives the opportunity to try to wiggle your way out of it."
>>106448Iron rights himself in the water, and presses his hooves down in the mud. The bottom is a bit odd feeling, as much dead plant life ends up here, and who knows what else is in this lake and on its bottom. From above, a sound and a diving figure. It's Cauldron, diving in for Iron, and trying to tug him up, with little success. Iron is able to paddle and walk forward to some real degree, with the weight of the gold on him giving him traction he would otherwise lack
>>106582Darn. This is not good.Iron, deciding not to jeopardize Cauldron's possibilities of having water-free lungs, points to the edge of the lake opposite of the temple, moving his forelegs in a punching motion and then pointing at the ice.
(I go to edge underwater and punch my way through the ice. I hope I made that clear.)
After this, he points at Cauldron and the opening available, followed by the water punching and pointing the ice again.
(You go outside and try to help break the ice.)
>>106580"Hmm...well, I suppose one would not have to test
all of their employees. You could make public-enough showing of changeling testing using only small sample size to give
appearance of complete testing. You would not catch them in act, but it might be enough to dislodge them and remove one more threat to stability in region." Silver carries a bunch of books to Blue Skies' office. "I do not know fix for willpower issue, but I do know that Chrysalis would not dedicate group of her valued infiltrators for just
any high-risk long-term job, especially not something as simple as reconnaissance. If there were infiltrators in Baltimare PD, then it is clear there was something in Baltimare PD that Chrysalis wanted done, something very important to her and her cause."
>>106583She looks at him with massively wide eyes, and a definite expression of fear. She points a hoot up, then down at the pots, the a swiping motion, then back up at the opening
>>106584"Who knows... It could be as simple as wanting to safeguard honeybees from getting caught by monitoring the police situation. I can tell you though infiltrators running away isn't really the desired outcome. It's catching them"
[1d20 = 12]>>106585Godangit. I want a Cauldron potion business!Iron uses the magic of empathy to try and understand if she means he needs to leave the pots or Cauldron is saying she'll take the pots off one by one and getting them to the surface.
[1d20 = 9]>>106587Dangit, I knew she'd say that, specially after the whole blossoming of romantic interest.Before committing to the action Cauldron wants to do to ensure Iron's well-being, he attempts to swim up towards the opening in case he has the strength to do it.
I roll a swim check for it.
>>106588He definitely cannot swim away
>>106585"To pick their brains, so to speak, for what it is they were looking for and how much they have sent back to hives. From personal experience, watching Equestrian Army deal with infiltrators in their ranks, that is always preferred outcome, but it is difficult to do, even on small-scale. At scale of entire army division, or entire police department, it feels almost impossible, so most settled for plugging leaks."
Silver continues to bring books from the cart to the office. "Traditional methods will not work to catch them. You will need to find way to either quarantine small groups of them at time for testing, or to test them all
at once."
>>106589Stomping his hoof on the ground in frustration, he decides to accept Cauldron's offer in order not to risk her drowning as well.
However, he places his foreleg over three of the pots, trying to at least get something out of it.
(Cut the ones that are out of the foreleg's cover. That should lighten the load enough to maybe make it out of here.)
Since I go from heavy load to medium load by losing about 160lbs if I'm not mistaken. >>106591How many pots do you think he has?
Iron can also just proceed anyways
>>106590"And that's part of why testing won't likely happen now. They'll hope that more agents will be available later, and put it off in the hopes they can test them all at once"
>>106592Silver is silent for a bit while he considers this. "Do you believe they would be willing to cooperate with Black Hooves, should you all decide you are ones to administer testing?"
>>106592The amount is 5 pots maximum, each weighting 80lbs each. 1 pot would be light load, 2-3 is medium and 4-5 is heavy load. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to walk at all.
As for the option to go with it...
Iron, instead of complying with the extremely worried zebra and confident of his ability not to drown in a pool of water, starts the trek towards the edge.
Something worth mentioning. I have either 13 or 1 round/s of not drowning depending on what character score means. After that it's a fort save not to inhale the water, which should be helped by endurance. >>106595Iron dismisses the neurotic zebra, and tries to walk on along the bottom
>>106596“The current police chief was confirmed in place after the surrender, and while the administration has not been loyal enough to be reliable as an instrument of the caretaker government, neither have they been rebellious. Besides, if they didn’t comply, we could just dissolve the current administrative structure and replace it with a new one. The SSA has ultimate authority to do pretty much anything in the occupied regions, so long as it is in keeping with its mission.”
>>106597Iron does so, maintaining a straight line towards the edge furthest from the temple and the scary things that spawned with it.
(I cannot say whether it is safer down here or above ground where everything bleeds from the eyes.)
>>106597"Perhaps I am wrong in my assessment, but I do not think it would be outside of abilities of Black Hooves to take over administration of changeling testing, should Black Hooves determine it to be severe enough security threat and they get complete cooperation of police administration."
>>106598More dice rolls!
>>106599“Again, we’re more than a little short staffed at the moment, and the same with Baltimare PD, so it’s less than perfectly certain they’ll take... however long it would take to get it done now”
[1d20 = 5]>>106600nervous sweatingAnything in particular or just swimming rolls?
I'll go with just one swimming roll to play it safe.
>>106601Suffice it to say that he is less successful in pulling himself forward now than he was earlier
[1d20 = 11]>>106602Oh I see now.Iron perseveres in his stubborn decision.
(I have to give it my all! I must prove myself worthy!)
>>106600"Through traditional methods, perhaps, but there are multiple ways to find changelings as you said. Skilled mage could use magic to divinate location of any disguised changelings inside department. You could covertly put specific chemicals into department's water or coffee supply to force them to drop their disguises; even infiltrators have to maintain appearances, including participating in traditional workplace rituals like normal ponies do. I heard they found special kind of electrical pulse that is harmless to ponies but extraordinarily painful to changelings during war, but I do not know how substantiated those rumors are."
>>106604“Pfft! There is no such easy way.”
>>106605Silver can only shrug. "In truth, I do not know if there is. But I do know that best solutions to problems tend to be simplest. At very least trying something is better than doing nothing." He gives a half-joking smile. "Perhaps solution is waving bright light throughout department for changelings to follow?"
>>106606She looks at him with open mouthed astonishment, and steps back
>>106607Silver remains confused about this reaction. He tilts his head at the appearant astonishment. "Something wrong?"
[1d20+3 = 13]>>106611Sense Motive: "You certain? You know you can tell me anything, right?"
>>106612It’s a vague sense of offense, and in any event she seems not to have understood the joke
>>106614"Well, in any case, I apologize for any offense taken. I did not mean any when I spoke."
>>106621"Ah, yes. I suppose you know about this new mission Dark Star has been given?"
>>106622“Yes... some task for the caretaker government”
>>106623"He has asked me to help him in his endeavors. I was hoping you had more information on people or groups of interest, or other relevant information which might prove useful. Or that you knew who to go to for such information."
>>106624“Oh. Yes. Let me look”
Skies goes back to her office, and peer support through files on her desk. Then she looks through a black file folder of Manila files, also on her desk. She moves over to the counter space by the wall, looks over files, then through her shelf, and at last over to her couch, where she moves her jacket and finds a file
“Here it is. This is the file with more information”
>>106625"Ah, Спасибо! This should help tremendously." Silver sets his current load of books down to look through the file.
>>106626Does he want to read the whole thing?
>>106627That would probably take too long. A quick flip-through for now.
"Would it be against regulation for me to take this with me? It seems like expansive read."
>>106628“Normally, no. Unless you are bringing it for the mission itself.”
>>106629"No, that would be ridiculous. I simply wish to be able to go through this before mission. Lower chances of somepony getting seriously injured, or worse."
>>106632Silver does so, sitting down in an available seat. "At least this time, Dark Star will have me to take bullets for him, should it come to blows."
>>106633She smiles
“I take it you’re interested?”
>>106634"In helping him? Of course." He nods at her. "He is friend."
>>106636Heyo friendo. It's good to see you.
>>106634She nods, smiles, and comes closer him
“That’s nice of you”
>>106636Hello
>>106639Silver smiles at her. "Thank you, but I know I am just doing for him what he would do for me. I will do my best to ensure that next time you see him will not be in hospital."
>>106640*pets the edge poner*
>>106641>>106641“Well, that would be an improvement over this morning...”
>>106642"Yes, I am still sorry to hear what happened." He reaches over and pets the blue Pegasus. "I have not told him as much, yet, but should it come to either saving my life, or saving his own, I hope he will make right choice, and leave me behind."
>>106643She closes her eyes, and leans into the pets. She is otherwise silent
>>106640You wanna join up?
>>106644"That is not to say I have any plans of dying." Silver continues to pet her. He tries to think of ways to change the subject so he does not depress Skies. "I hope work is treating you well."
>>106644i dont know, im kinda sad today.
>>106647Can Poner make you more happy?
>>106648Those are some cute poners.
>>106648That blush is quite nice.
>>106651Then come hug Poner!
Also, don’t forget a griffin hunting mission soon enough