This week, in "Occupied Equestria":
Wondering through through the Changeling lands at night on the road between Bales and Whinnyapolis, Onyx, Brie, and Spark have stumbled upon a set of farm ponies trying to hide their cattle in the forest, away from their changeling occupiers. While rescuing a cow, Onyx and Brie have taken heavy damage, and so they followed them to the cabin of a local woodspony. But they found the woodspony and a farmer replaced by changelings, and after a skirmish are alone and wounded in the cabin in the woods.
Over in Baltimare, Dark Star has decided to give up his life as Dark Star, the Earth Pony farm colt, to become Tyrel Jackson, or "Gold Chains," a zebra and aspiring rap artist. Through the magic of Valmorification, it is possible. Iron is freaking out after possibly having received a message from God herself. That, and his usual social awkwardness. Silver is cashing out on a long standing set of projects, and is readying himself for the next phase
1374 replies and 93 files omitted.
>>109805>>109826>>109827"Anypony ever used a bow before?"
>>109828Iron shakes his head.
"My tribe does not use them. At most they use slings or simply buck rocks against anything that is too fast."
>>109828"Once. I could not get hang of it. Though there might be hoofbook for archers in some local bookstore."
>>109830"I'll probably check, i needed to go to a book store anyway."
I swear, it's coming SoonTM
>>109827"There may be, yes"
>>109828"I trained with one when I was a filly"
>>109834I think I'm free to play today.
>>109834Iron nods, but as he pats his body for the bit pouch, he remembers it being left at Cauldron's house.
(Should I go back now or do this part of the mission first?)
He hopes the Gods give out the answer to him.
>>109834"Wow, what other weapons can you use?"
He puts his foreleg around her.
>>109836Uh
>>109837"Well.... they trained us for use in the bow, mostly shorter bows, swords, short swords, various knives, javelins, and most of all in the spear. I later learned how to work lighter crossbows, breach action rifles, and even the submachine gun. And of course my favorite, the pistol"
>>109838With the gods' silence, he has to choose himself.
"A scouting mission does not need a lot of armor. I think I will be fine with my current inventory."
>>109839"The question is, can you get away with just a scouting mission?"
>>109840"that's why i've been hoping brie would show up."
>>109840Iron nods.
"I suppose I can, but it will be a long time of healing afterwards if it goes sour and we have to either retreat or fight."
>>109841Iron is a bit confused, since he has a rogue marefriend in front of him.
How much is Skies' sneak attack damage again? >>109842"The danger is always that they will not be there when we return"
As a level 5 rogue? 2d6. As a level 5 rogue, level 1 assassin? 3d6
>>109843Iron nods again.
"I am afraid I do not have any sort of currency on me, and fetching it could take a long time."
As a fifth level rouge, Skies already has 3d6 Sneak Attack Damage, so the extra assassin level if it's there adds it up to 4d6. Just something worth mentioning.
https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Rogue >>109844"How much would it cost?"
>>109845Iron shrugs.
"I have no idea. Never used these thin armors. Perhaps from 5 to 200 bits?"
>>109845>>109846"Whatever it costs, I will pay for it."
>>109847Iron is a bit uneasy over Silver's charitable hoof.
"Are you sure? I know it is a small price, but I could be wrong, costing a lot more than expected."
>>109849This does not ease Iron's unease.
>>109848Silver waves it off. "I am absolutely sure. Do not worry about it."
>>109849"I will not stop you if that is what you want, but it will not be necessary. I still need to pay you back for helping me purchase this armor...actually..." Silver reaches in his bags, pulling out a small roll of notes which total 300 Bits. "Here, take this before I forget. It should be enough to pay you back in full, as well as something for you to treat Skies with later."
>>109851"Thanks. i had forgotten about that. i'll still be covering half though."
He slides the notes into his bag.
>>109852Silver nods. "I do not like leaving debts behind, be it in money or blood. It is small weight off my chest."
>>109851Iron scratches his hoof.
(What are these two planning?)
>>109838"What do you like about pistols?"
>>109853"that's quite honorable."
>>109859Oh shit, the bat!
While Brie has been resting in the cabin, Onyx and Spark have returned. Onyx looks a bit like pinkie pie in Yakkity Sax, drained of what little color he has. He carries not one, or two, but three separate ponies who look petrified and themselves drained. Spark follows behind with two
changelings wearing military uniforms that are tattered, and at least one of them is burned. Both are wounded. Spark leads them off to a bedroom and locks the door.
There is a sticky note on Brie’s head that says “translator needed”
>>109863"Oh dear, what have you gotten yourselves into this time?"
>>109864I'm here if you go into the bedroom. Not sure if the bartender is though.
>>109864This is what happens when you leave the Spark Rock to it’s own devices
Onyx is pretty seriously wounded but bandaged, and greedily hogging the only supply of alcohol in the cabin, there is a fourth pony - a small bright red colt whose coat has thoroughly dulled - who is still about, and thankfully was kept away from the prisoners. There are two stallions and a mare laying on the ground on their backs, looking stiff and forelegs crosses over their chests, two of them with their eyes wide open. They are laid next to the fire. Spark has brought at least one bed into this room, evidently intending for every pony to sleep in there together. Meanwhile, the bedroom has been entirely surrendered to the prisoners, who speak only Wechselbalg
>>109867Brie stands there for a moment with his mouth agape. "Whatever do we do with them? What has happened?"
>>109868"Those bucking bugs that you insisted we help"
>>109869"I expressly did not agree to anything that might get us killed in the manner that is apparent. The venture I am enacting would have resulted in far more grievous injuries, and out of sight."
>>109857“Small enough to conceal or fly with. They pack quite a lunch, and also have a great intimidation factor”
>>109870It’s probably worth mentioning that the two little nymphs are not present
>>109870Spark is evidently in the other room with the prisoners
>>109875Either they were left in the back of the wagon, have wondered off, or were taken by a bear
>>109877>>109876"The lings, where are THEY?"
>>109880Brie storms off toward the wagon muttering something
>>109875>>109877>>109879This is golden
>>109881Outside, the full moon glows down, there is a slight, cold breeze, the ground is covered in snow and it’s not too far below freezing. The night is mostly quite besides some insect noises. Speaking of insect noises....
The car is parked unglamorously a bit diagonally, carelessly left to itself. There is a loud cicada like sound coming from it until Brie comes much closer. When Brie opens the door, there is nothing visible at first. Then from a shadow further in the cart, first Wesley in his Pegasus form, then Kerr in his bat pony form, come towards Brie at the open door of the cart, each abreast of the other. Both are shivering, and look cold and miserable
>>109882"Was machst du Jungetiere hier? GET INSIDE SIE Schwuchteln!!"
>>109884They look more than s little startled, and are shivering. They hop into the ground, and their hooves sink a couple inches into what they have to assume is volcanic ash from a nearby active volcano. They are worried for a moment, but try hooping through it towards the cabin, with Wesley tripping and face planting into the snow, before getting up and walking back to the cabin
>>109885"Was hast du dir dabei gedacht???" Brie chides, ushering the lings into the cabin. "Und wo sind deine Mäntel? Sie hätten dich wärmer gehalten als du jetzt bist!"
>>109887His snout covered in snow, Wesley retorts
“Die Ponys haben uns dort eingesperrt”
Kerr rushes forward past Wesley, towards the heated building. He gives a retort if his own
“Das hilft nicht kaltblütig zu sein”
The little Pegasus and bat pony colt enter through the door of the cabin, and meet the dulled-grey Earth pony colt inside, who sees two new colts of around his age entering
“Hello. Who are you? Where did you come from?”
He looks past them and outside
“Is that your dog outside?”
The two little colts cannot respond, but Wesley smiles mutely and timidly, while Kerr has an expression midway between shock and annoyance
\r
>>109892The little colt looks past the colts outside, towards the car. A large black dog.... a lab, maybe - sniffs around the cart
>>109893"Wenn dies jemandes Hund ist, sagen Sie es jetzt"
>>109895Wesley:
”Dieser Hund ist schon eine Weile draußen und herum”
Kerr:
“Ich glaube, ich habe ihn in der Stadt gesehen. Ich weiß nicht, ob er uns gefolgt ist.”
The little colt is startled by this alien language
“What is going on? Why are you speaking like that?”
>>109896"Entspann dich, wir bringen ihn bald um"
"What are you talking about? Surely I don't need to remind you where you are?"
>>109898The little colt looks up, afraid and confused, and bites his lip. He either does not understand Brie, or understands him too well
“Uh. Uh. Okay....”
>>109899"Don't worry, you will overwhemingly not be harmed or maligned." Brie announces with an unconvincing smile
>>109902The colt gives Brie a scared look that implies that he is not wholly convinced of Brie’s claim. The other three ponies are still unconscious if they are alive, and Kerr and Wesley are already scurrying over to the fire, walking over the petrified bodies to place themselves closer.
Spark is missing from the room
>>109904>>109902"Hey! Be nicer to the kid"
>>109905"No clue"
>>109905Spark was seen removing himself from the room by placing himself in the room with the prisoner changelings. So Spark is either watching over them, is lying on the ground next to broken windows, or is being wrapped in silk
>>109907The colt looks over to Onyx, who he quickly runs towards, and sits himself beside the couch where onyx is laying
>>109907"What? I told them they wouldn't be harmed, what else should I say?"
>>109909Brie face-hoofs
"This really isn't the time to wander off on 'things',...."
>>109909Onyx looks at the colt and slowly blinks-
>>109910before looking at brie with a blank expression
>>109910What isn't trustworthy about Brie's smile?
Anyways, Spark is off in the bedroom. With the Changelings.
In the bedroom with the bugs>>109911The colt is staying next to Onyx in a way almost like a dog startled by New Years Eve fireworks. He looks up to Onyx
>>109912Brie is distracted. The bugs can have their way.
>Brie's SmileIndeed, there should be a RULE goddammit
>coltFine, he can be a scaredy pants
>>109912Onyx pats the colt's head before adrssing brie
>>109913"So, now what is you
master plan?"
>>109918"Oh yeah we're just gonna....
WE'RE GOING TO WHAT?" [3d20 = 38]>>109913Well, brie leaves Spark to the bedroom while Kerr and Wesley sit by the fire, trying to regain heat.
>>109915Poner's head is pat
He doesn't feel too cold, but his ears go down a little, as he is relieved
>>109919"Did I stutter? Its perfect. On the one hand we draw resources to us, on the other hand we bolster the resources we have. What's the problem?"
>>109923"For one, I am NOT staying here that long"
>>109924"Neither am I, this is a venture for when we're back in Baltimare"
>>109925"I guess that's a relief. But seriously? an orphanage?"
>>109926"Yes, an orphanage." Brie gives slight emphasis as though it should be obvious.
>>109921>>109913>the bugs can have their wayWell, since Spark is a lost cause, he will try to fix this alone for now.
Spark searches the room for means to secure the bugs, in case they decide to escape or overtake the lone pony.
>>109930I mean.... bedsheets? There might be rope in the other room
>>109933Dark Star drinks his whiskey
>>109933Darn it.
Spark thinks for a moment.
>>109926Spark opens the door for a moment, just enough to communicate.
"Hey Onyx! Do you see any rope there? Also, has the bat woken up yet?"
>>109938"What the hell did you ponies do?!?"
>>109938"Negative, but the bat is up"
>>109936Silver looks like he doesn't know anymore if he should order another drink for himself or hold out for the mission. The whiskey Dark Star is enjoying looks damn good right now to the unicorn.
>>109942"Want another? im buying."
>>109942>>109936Skies takes another sip of her hopefully new drink
Then she asks
“What will you do if they only congregate tonight?”
>>109940"Just because you are a bat doesn't mean you can exclude yourself from pony kind when it is convenient. We had a bit of an issue from ARMED CHANGELING SOLDIERS. Perhaps you heard the gunfire?"
>>109941"Good to hear. Get him in here. I got some questions for these two."
>>109948"Capture one of theier lackys and get the information out of him."
He Grins
>>109949Sighs observably "No, I did NOT hear the gunfire,...."
>>109949>>109940"Hey bats for brains, Spark-plug wants to see you. In there"
he points with a hoof
>>109952"Well, we got changelings in here that surrendered from our shootout. Can you help me talk to them? They could help us get through this place one way or another."
>>109947"...yes please."
>>109948"It is only as likely as them
not congregating tonight. But, if that is case, then we will observe, and wait. This is obviously ongoing operation by them. They will be back, if not tomorrow, then some day very soon."
>>109956"Lead the way,...." He sounds less than enthusiastic
>>109958Spark hooves the bat into the bedroom.
"I don't know why you are in a bad mood. We might just have our ticket through the changeling patrols here. If they can provide maps of patrol patterns or maybe areas we can better slip through, we might just make it out of this place alive."
>>109957>>109948>>109951"My hooves are perfectly capable of taking prisoners without medical aid, so we are good on that front."
>>109962"We already HAVE a ticket through all the changeling patrols HERE." Brie brandishes the authorization to move with weapons.
>>109966"You really think that thing is going to work the whole way? There is bound to be a limit a pony can freely move before they halt us for possible terroristic plots or just decide it is our turn to be fed upon. We need a plan B."
>>109948yeah its new dark star ordered a new round a few turns ago
>>109964"Fantastic!"
>>109957"get what ever you would like."
>>109970Silver orders himself a whiskey. "So, you
look like zebra. Can you
act like zebra?"
>>109969e_e
"We are the terroristic plot, except we're on the changeling's side."