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
Dark Star and Silver are preparing a task for the Civil Administration. Iron is drowning in a Lake. Brie has just gotten approval to speak with a Changeling agent about acting as a collaborator, and Spark is petting the weird cat things.
1324 replies and 103 files omitted.
>>108666“No... actually I don’t think it’s been washed since yesterday morning. Thank you, though”
>>108667"Huh. I like it."
He rubs coats with Cauldron for a second before letting go, allowing her to put some distance if she so desires.
"Was there anypony else who tried to do something bad to us? Did we talk about anything that piqued your interest?"
>>108668She does not pull away, but seems comfortable
“What do you mean? There was this other professor guy who wanted the money, and tried to challenge us”
>>108669Seeing she likes holding her, he continues with the holding, coat to coat.
"A professor? He does not sound like he knows how to fight."
He chuckles.
"As for what I mean, maybe we talked about anything in particular. Hopes, dreams, desires, fears and the like. I do not think I
always punch anything that moves without talking."
His mouth forms into a grin.
"Most of the time, at best."
>>108670She seems almost lost in trying to remember
“He didn’t... he had a submachine gun he tried to use... I remember there was money. Lots and lots of money”
[1d20+3 = 17]>>108671I'm back. I guess I'll use the magic fire on the owl... but it better not start a forest fire or something dumb like that.
>>108671Iron turns into a frown, remembering how hard he got angry from his spiel.
"That colt sounds weak."
But he turns into a ponderous look.
"Strange. Did we end up killing him to ensure the money?"
[4d6 = 18]>>108672The touch attack hits
A beam of fire shoots out of Spark’s horn in a single concentrated beam, almost like a flame thrower, lighting up the night and hitting the owlbear. It gives a pained cry
“RAA!”
>>108662>>108659A faded, yellowed letter in an envelope. It reads:
"To Tall Mast and Midnight Maelstrom, I hope you are unharmed and well in the manor house by the sea. Your old lover, Whipperwill, has formed a posse against me, and he has recruited other sailors and local militia to aid them. I think that an old compatriot of mine, Cinnamon Corn, has joined them, and turned against me. He wants access to some of what I had studied before I met you. They will be approaching the farm house shortly. My servants here have abandoned me. I am not sure that this letter will ever reach you. I want you to know that I love you. Midnight Maelstrom, see to it that Tall Mast is sent to a good school, and raised correctly. Tall Mast, it is your duty now to take on the family business, as I did from my father in law. They are approaching. If I do not meet you at the manor, or at the safehouse in the woods, may we see each other again in Elysium.
Joseph Curwhinny"
>>108673"No... I shot him, but he was tied up"
>>108675Iron nods.
"I see. Let us not talk about that further."
He huggles Cauldron for a bit.
"Did anything happen after you 'died'?"
>>108676*Zebra is huggled*
Her ears fall down, and she looks forward
"... Yes"
>>108677He cocks his head, surprised.
"What happened?"
>>108678She is quiet, and strangely worried
>>108679He rubs Cauldron's back.
"It is quite alright. You do not have to tell me if it makes you uncomfortable."
>>108680Her back is tense, but his hooves ease it
"Did... did you experience anything?"
>>108681Iron ponders a bit, his face filled with doubt.
(Do I tell her the truth?)
After a few tense seconds, he nods.
(She should not feel alone with that heavy weight on her shoulders.)
"I did. I had the same dream as you."
>>108682Okay, now she's definitely scared
>>108684Iron inhales deeply, feeling a deep sense of regret and fear for her now fragile ego.
"Let me guess what happened. A silhouette talked to you about how you are a pony that can stop what happened in the dream. Am I wrong?"
Perhaps you could tell Cauldron at what approximate date will happen. Maybe a month or a year for now so as not to disturb the group for a long time. >>108687Iron blinks, feeling stupid now for coming out like an idiot.
"What happened, then?"
>>108688“Did I... did we... I think I might have...”
>>108675"Curwhinny…" Silver regards the skeleton with respect. "You and I knew same pain. Under different circumstances, I can imagine myself trotting very same path you yourself took. You lost something very near and dear to your heart, and went to great lengths to mend that pain you had felt. And yet, you learned to move on in end, to find new meaning in life beyond those you had lost, to find new love and live again." He holds the letter as if it were a valuable treasure. "You, Curwhinny, were good pony, even if you did evil things in your life. I will take those lessons you learned, and I shall take them to heart. If, by some reason, your soul is watching me now, I wish you are resting now, in Elysium, in Paradise, reunited with your beloved Midnight Maelstrom, and your son Tall Mast...and, if you are listening...if you can, let my own long-departed know I am alright. My Storm Warning. That even though I miss her still, and that she will remain in my memories to day I die, I will not give up living my own life. For her, I will live on, like as how you Curwhinny lived on for your departed Wood Hill."
>>108689Iron cocks an eyebrow, hopeful that Cauldron skipped over his previous assumption.
"Did what?"
(Does she mean... the confession?)
>>108691Then she says it:
“Receive a visit from Princess Luna”
>>108690Awwwww >>108692Iron blinks.
"Princess Luna? Who is she? I thought there was only one princess."
Oh thank god I was right. For a second there I thought I fucked up big time again. >>108692Silver once again regards the skeleton of Joseph Curwhinny in front of him. "I will not leave you like this, your body exposed to elements. I will find those who can give you and others here proper funeral, and if nothing else, I will give you proper funeral by pyre myself. I will treat your body with all respect it deserves. I promise." Silver pockets the undelivered letter, and heads back on his way outside to the front office. He thinks to himself he might have one more request of Father Maren, if he's willing to offer him aid once again.
>>108694D’awww....
Silver is bound to the front office?
>>108693“She’s the former Princess of the Night... over all of ponykind... but she was captured... and being visited by her is serious business...”
>>108695That's where he's headed, to tell whoever is there that the job is officially, entirely, completed.
>>108695"Princess of the Night..."
(That does sound like that silhouette with her talk about harmony and being the the protector of dreams.)
Iron nods.
"What did she say to you?"
>>108697“Something about stopping that Earth pony bitch”
>>108696Past a t-intersection, a couple blocks over, is the small house with red-tile roof that forms the office for the Silver Lake development
>>108698Silver knocks on the front door, or if it is already open, he enters. "Excuse me, anypony home?"
>>108698Iron nods, now
finally able to reveal his part, too.
"A silhouette told me the same thing. I think she
was Princess Luna, but I could not see her. Only hear her voice."
>>108699“Come in, we’re about to close for the night”
>>108700Her ears fall down
“Oh...”
>>108701Iron nods.
"I know. She never told you
when it is going to happen, did she? Because she did not tell me."
>>108701He indeed does so. "It is good I caught you, then. That job you had posted, clearing quarry and catacombs of all undead: it is finished. Not one undead soul is left in entirety of area. Even Joseph Curwhinny himself, who had been lich, has been put to rest."
>>108702“She said ‘the expedition has not left yet’.”
>>108703The white unicorn mare with red, puffed mane has clearly been moving around about to set up for the end of the day. She stops, and has a wide expression
“Did you say
lich?”
>>108704"I do believe I did, yes. And as I said, he has been put to rest."
>>108705She looks startled, and blinks at him
“... Let me call in the developer...”
She goes to the rotary phone on the desk
>>108704He nods.
"We should keep an eye out when it goes out. Since you have the best connections to bars and the like, could you do that for me?"
>>108706One of those telephones, like Father Maren used...what technological marvels will we come up with next. Silver is content with waiting.
Don't worry. Just making sure we can have the possibility open for a group quest, which should make the campaign a lot more bearable
And quick, too, depending on how things go.
>>108708She calls the phone, and has a short conversation
"uh huh. He says there was a lich.
I don't know what that means...."
She hangs up, and tells Silver "He'll be here shortly"
Silver continues waiting there. He doesn't wait long - perhaps five minutes - before a pony comes through the door. It's a tan unicorn in a blue business suit. His mane is greyed
"Well hello, my name is Glass Horizons."
He offers a hoof to shake
"You say you're here for clearing out the quarry? You're a different pony than I spoke to a couple days ago."
>>108707"I... I can do that, sure"
>>108710Iron nods.
"Hopefully, it will not even pop up and somepony else will stop that expedition before us, but we must remain cautious."
He huggles Cauldron.
"I would hate to lose you to those
things."
>>108710Silver takes the offer and shakes his hoof. "It is pleasure to meet you. My name is Silver Sword. You spoke to Shimmering Spark, young unicorn stallion, yes? I was member of his group when he first came here. He could not be here today."
>>108711She still seems concerned
"What do you mean?"
>>108712He shakes his hoof. Firmly, a little too firmly
"Shimmering Spark" He looks up and off to the side
"That sounds about right... So, what is the situation with the quarry?"
>>108713Iron looks at Cauldron.
"She did tell me we are not the only ones who have been called. There are far more ponies who may or may not go to the Forbidden Jungle to stop the expedition."
He smiles.
"Meaning you may not need to risk your hide."
(Perhaps I
could call that damaged pegasus and that lonely unicorn to help me out when the time is right, but my pockets will feel so empty...)
He shakes his head,
(Remember. The money is for Cauldron. Not you.)
>>108713"Quarry has been 100% cleared of all undead. Well over two, perhaps over three dozen of them, including pony, zebra, and wolf skeletons, chimera skeleton, ghouls, ghasts, aquatic ghasts, mummy, other type of undead which is as-of-yet unidentified, and Joseph Curwhinny himself, who had been lich before I put him to rest today. That bomb in quarry has also been detonated, and some further progress has been made on draining quarry."
>>108715>>108715He looks surprised
"I understood it was a few zombies"
>>108714She blinks
"And what if everypony else thinks that way?"
>>108716Iron keeps his smile.
"That is why we have the bars to our advantage. If the expedition lead by that Peer Review fellow commences according to rumors of 'great treasure', we will go there as well."