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
1424 replies and 93 files omitted.
>>110262I trust you, but you're still getting the increased fee to contract her. There's still more ponies to heal than just Iron, and each potion costs quite a bit. 500 GP each if we go for cure medium wounds potions.Look in the bright side. You'll get more options from her the more money you give her!
>>110263Dark Star Hugs her back
Then finishes his Whiskey
"I Need to head to the weapon store."
>>110266Hopefully she sticks to Cure Light Wounds potions, or other types of potions of similar cost. 2,500 Bits is a lot for five (or less) healing potions.
>>110270Simply covering her expenses to ensure she gains something from this exchange.
I'll totally buy her magic item gifts later if the pay is good enough. >>110273I understand, part of the reason I hope she sticks to cheaper potions. Well, that, and we'd simply have better options with cheaper potions.
Hey, maybe they'll come across some more gold bars. That'd be nice. >>110273>>110276You guys do realize you could buy a house with 2.5k right?
>>110281Potions are hard work, Star. Take a glance at the price of potions.
>>110281No, but this is still my first and so far only game. I don't know how much most things cost. All I know is that Silver has 12,441 Bits and that it's the largest amount I've seen so far.
Are we up for continuing tonight?
>>110288Is Spark up for it?
>>110287Yes, Silver is swimming in money, as he received a huge pay out on a quest that lasted more than half a year
>>110290Actually maybe that's almost right, for a small house in the country >>110289Try not to compare our currency with imaginary currency pls. It's going to halt the game's pace.
>>110287Don't mind him, use the SRD for the items actually in there to see how much they cost.
>>110293some other autist has calculated it already.
>>110295>>110293There are fourms dedicated to that kind of thing.
>>110285Silver suddenly looks over at Skies. "I suppose it might be silly asking you, but you have still been in Baltimare longer than I have. Do you have any idea what housing costs here?"
>>110292Compared to the ~750 he started with? Eeyup.
>>110299Iron does not like where this is going.
(Oh no.)
>>110299"Haha"
Skies starts laughing, and even slams a hoof on the table
"I don't pay for my drinks, I have never paid for a dinner (with money, anyways), and I don't pay for my housing"
>>110304Silver can only laugh and roll his eyes. "You do indeed have it made. Like I said, it was silly, so no big deal. I will find somepony else to ask that."
>>110301No idea why Iron would be worried about that, but okay. >>110304I guess I'll see if the captive changelings are going to attack me since they are nervous.
>>110306Boring math that he doesn't care about~
OoOoOo~>>110304Iron can't help but snicker at her response.
>>110306Is the eye rolling a "please bitch" or what?>>110308They are still spooked by Brie yelling at them
>>110312Spark tries to signal to the changelings to calm down.
"Sorry about that. Let's just calm down. It's all ok."
Onyx pets the colt, wondering what to do next.
Fuck it, I'm'a post the first part. Maybe this will force me to complete it
As the trio sits together at the bar table, they have the chance to take a closer look at the last portion of the dossier, the portion that concerns the recent history of the structure in question, and how it came to the attention of the civil administration.
In 984 the East Baltimare Poorhouse came under criticism for poor working conditions, somewhat similarly to the laundry before it. Moreover, the site was failing to break even at a time when the city was already needing to contract bonds to cover the cost of expanding services. Thus enters Sweet Boek. Sweet Boek, now a fairly old unicorn, is the latest in the line of an old Baltimare Family dating back to the earliest settlement of the city by the Amstel Unicorns. As the family had controlled a number of farming interests, it controlled lands that were managed and later carefully sold, with Sweet Boek’s father in particular expanding the family wealth through careful investment. Though Sweet Boek was and is more academically inclined, he made an investment by exchanging the 33 Hoebuck site for a set of lots in the west city that the city intended to use to build a new school and fire station. The site reopened in 990 by being leased in part to multiple renters. It was around this time that the latest wave of immigration came into the city, and the site has since spent most of its history being leased out as cheap housing for those staying a length of time less than that normal for an apartment length, but more than would be appropriate for a hotel.
Trouble with the location began before the second coming of Nightmare Moon, with police who were called out to the site in 998 in reference to an aggravated assault reporting a fairly hostile response from those inhabiting the building. A structural change occurred to the building, where the subterranean floors, and also the uppermost floors were sectioned off to reduce the total size of the building, a change that began in the latest years of the operation of the poorhouse and was complete during its time as a set of leased units. The workshop portion had been leased to a separate interest as a shoe factory, while the middle portion was retained by the Hostel operating the dorms. In 1002 the shoe shop was transferred to a local Baltimare corporate interest, while the Hostel came under the control of an owner in Nova Griffonia in 1004. The neighborhood declined in quality over this period of time, and many police patrolling the area noted coming upon different groups of griffins and zebra on many occasions, which was no cause for alarm as it is in the nature of Hostels to become home to transients. These encounters were less on the road than where groups were seen on the side, or on those occasions officers or medical services came to the scene. Griffins inside looked on anxiously with the arrival of authorities, pressing them to leave even when their presence was essential, such as in the case of a call of medical help in 1005.
One of the most important interactions took place in 1006 when a public utilities worker investigating the portion of the property between the buildings and the water front, discovered what was found to be a mass grave. The mass grave, containing perhaps 130 skeletons of ponies, dated back at least 80 years to the time that 33 Hoebuck operated as an asylum for lost mares. The discovery of the site did cause the opening of an investigation into the handling of the asylum, but not of the present operations, given the prevalence in those days of a high infant morality rate for foals born to single mothers, the sleeping sickness, and various other diseases, as well as the high tendency of those who died while at the asylum, the poorhouse, or the earlier debtors prison, to be without families to claim the body. What did however, give cause for concern was the way in which the inhabitants of the buildings on the site reacted. Griffons would often give strange looks to the excavators, detectives, or urban archaeologists responding to the front part of the property, and said ponies were denied entrance into any part of the building, even for needs like water or bathroom usage, and griffons often tried to deny access to the waterfront altogether on certain days, general weekend days. Police were required to force entry on two separate occasions. Perhaps understandably, the number of residents encountered on the Hostel portion of the property seemed to decrease during the three week total period of investigation in which ponies were found in or around the site, and the area on the waterfront was abandoned altogether by anycreature using the hostel. The investigation confirmed what was known from the time of the city acquiring the poorhouse, which was that the structure included an underground portion dating back to the time of the old fort from the waterfront to the main structures, as stone was hit by excavating shovels.
At around this time, investigators on the property made contact with the actual lessee of the hostel, a suave white and grey feathered Griffon who introduced himself as Stormfeather Maakie, a businessgrif originally from Skyfall who had long operated a set of hotels in Nouvelle Aquellia. He expressed a concern that the negative press coverage and the excavation behind the hostel would scare away customers, and indeed there did seem to be a drop in activity during that period. However, the situation as a whole returned to normally after the investigation was concluded 22 days after the initial discovery.
>>110319The colt is pet. He still has this look of wonder in his eyes, thinking about whether this strong old crystal veteran really can make his dreams come true
>>110316They look at Spark confusedly, not understanding him
>>110313>>110315She resumes, smiling
"Well, let's take another look at what we are facing"
She opens the dossier, and reads what approximates
>>110321 >>110322Spark continues to try to calm them with soft, reasuring tones of voice.
>>110322"Seems as if that part of city is cursed to always have trouble in one form or another. Griffons seem to just be most recent cause of trouble." He scratches the underside of his muzzle. "That is griffon nature for you, however. It is sadly rare exception when griffons and ponies can live side-by-side without one group growing distrustful of other."
>>110322Iron raises an eyebrow.
"They sure sound like scaredy cats."
>>110326"You're damn right it is," Skies says, shaking her head
>>110328"heh heh, 'cause they're cats... But no. The cockroach runs from the light for a good reason, and it makes them that much harder to find and remove"
>>110324They are calmed somewhat
>>110333Iron nods.
"So this is why we are going undercover. No announcing we are from your faction to see what is going on, right?"
>>110321"this building has an impressive history. i feel i appreciate it more now."
>>110337"Correct."
>>110322"But that's enough about me and my crazy ideas, how about you kid?"
>>110333 (checked)
"I only hope my connection to Severyana is enough to let me blend in. It does seem griffons get along swimmingly with communists."
>>110342Nope, Onyx isn't free yet
"Well I've just been attending grade school... and helping out on the farm. tell me more about these places we will visit!"
>>110337"We can..."
>>110339D'aww, thanks
There's more comming>>110343"Griffins don't really get along swimmingly with anything. The community may have changed significantly in that time"
>>110357Oh boy
"Well, there's Canterlot. With the palace of Celestia and Luna that can be toured.... Pleanty of fun things to do there."
>>110356>>110357"Okay,
compared to other groups, they get along better with communists than others."
I liked the dossier, too... >>110360"And you will take me there? What if the fascists try to stop us?"
>>110357Iron shakes his head.
"It is not about we can or cannot, rather whether we should, and it does not sound like we should, unless we want to get barred from everywhere there without resorting to violence from what I understand on this paper thing."
>>110362"I wonder how would they react to natives?" he wonders aloud.
>>110364"As I said before, it is probably good idea we avoid any altercations with locals. I can patch up wounds, but I do not know any healing spells, nor do I have many healing potions."
>>110365"Trust me. I am not going to interact with the locals unless I have to."
(I bet these ponies steal. Good thing I do not have my bit pouch on me.)
>>110363"I think I know ponies that could get us through"
>>110372He pats the colt
"Then I'm sure we can find you a way. But until then, we'll help you here."