Welcome back to the Latest Thread of Occupied Equestria
Onyx, Spark and Brie settle down for the night in a cabin in the woods along with a set of recently rescued ponies, saved from Changeling cocoons, as well as the changelings who sought to take them captive, who are themselves locked away as captives.
In Baltimare, Silver, Dark Star, Iron, and now Midnight Lily do their last preparations before seeking to take on a creature smuggling operation in a port-side neighborhood
2527 replies and 192 files omitted.
>>112645Midnight can’t see shit
>>112644>>112643Iron and Silver can see that there is one door that looks as if it has been permanently closed. However, this side has a large door with steel grating that a cart could probably go into, and a covered area a cart could definitely go into that probably has an entrance of its own. There is no main entrance not connected with freight on this side of the building. Remember that they are looking at one side of only one of the three buildings. The three buildings run north to south, and thus they are looking at the narrow side
[1d20+5 = 11]>>112646I guess that is standard for a bat. Can she hear anything?
>>112643>>112646Silver moves to the large, steel grated door. He speaks to Iron in the same low voice. "Iron, help me with this. I want to at least get peak inside."
>>112648>>112646Iron nods.
"I had the same idea," he responds quietly.
>>112649>>112648Midnight sneaks beside them
"Would either one of you like some extra strength?"
>>112650"You mean by helping us lift, or something of that sort?"
>>112647There are some sounds coming from the facility. Sounds like a fan.
>>112650“Wait until we make contact with a hostile presence, first”
>>112648This requires traversing across a large amount of grass, and through brown limbed trees
>>112652"More of a blessing, to help you lift."
>>112653I don't think it's a problem, right?
Should Iron or Silver roll anything?
[1d20+4 = 16]>>112654"Well, that could help. Though like Skies said, it might be most useful when used in combat, rather than just lifting doors."
>>112653First risky Move Silently roll of the mission, then?
>>112654“If you have a limited number of blessings, you’d be more useful if you just helped lift”
>>112656It’s a full moon. Who knows if any pony did or did not see them approach, from Hoebuck or any other property
>>112658>>112656>>112657I guess I'll roll for it, too, albeit with more clumsiness.
[1d20 = 1]<Move Silently[1d20 = 2]<Hide >>112659Nothing like making noises similar to a gunfight with my hooves to wake up the whole block.
>>112660Big oof, hopefully Midnight has better luck.
[1d20+2 = 5] Hide
[1d20+2 = 21] Move Silently
>>112660While traversing the grounds, Iron stumbles forth into an area of lower ground that is presumably a drainage ditch, where he falls into a couple cans a the bottom, making a crashing sound, and knocking into the base
of a tree that shakes on the way down
>>112661Midnight is silent, eeeeing only in her mind
[1d20+3 = 19]>>112659>>112662Listen: Silver both internally and externally cringes at Iron's mishap. He listens from the (hopeful) safety of being right next to the building for any signs of movement or griffons talking.
>>112662>>112663>>112661Iron curses to himself, quickening his pace and distancing himself from the noise while desperately going for a place to hide.
I suppose I'll use the trees as cover against anypony who decides to investigate the noise.
[1d20 = 4]<Hide >>112664At this point, I'm sending Iron as an escaped workshop worker.
>>112662The internal eeeeeing never ends.
Midnight freezes at the sound of Iron falling, hoping nopony is alerted to their presence.
>>112663Nothing can be heard that sounds like life
>>112667>>112665>>112666Silver lets out a quiet sigh before motioning for the others to come over the grassy area.
>>112669Iron follows, tail tucked inbetween his legs.
>>112669Midnight obeys, looking around cautiously
>>112672>>112671The covered area has a door itself over it that is mostly closed, but partly open
>>112674>>112675Iron decides to check if the underside of the door can be seen into. If not, he aids Silver in his spotting process.
[1d20 = 14]<Spot check [1d20+5 = 14]
Oh boy! More rolling!
Spot check to assist
>>112675>>112674A rephrase of “door”: it’s a vehicle bay, with a pull down steel door that is 15 or so feet across. It’s at least open two feet above ground. The inside is black from lack of illumination
>>112676>>112677Iron and midnight can see a concrete floor that has a slightly higher loading bay, which is rather small, but still kind of like the loading bay you’d see at a warehouse or distribution center, except there is only one of them
>>112676>>112677>>112678The unicorn looks to his compatriots. "It is clear this is our primary objective. Before heading in, I would like to get better idea of not only other ways we could enter, but also other buildings connected to this complex."
>>112681>>112678>>112680"I have no idea what I am looking at," Iron whispers. "But rest assured, if we try to enter, we will be trapped easily."
He stands back up, nodding.
"I agree. We should use another way to enter this place."
>>112681>>112682Midnight looks at her back and flaps her wings a few times
"Could me and Blue Skies fly into a window and open another door?"
>>112681>>112681>>112680“The buildings are connected in such a way as to basically be a single, large building. The center building and the dormitory are both south of here. The church is south and to the west, over on horseman avenue.”
>>112683“On this building? It doesn’t look like any of them are open, or that any of them have ledges or balconies, unlike the apartments around here. It’s kind of more like a hospital”
\r
>>112632"Ah This reminds me of the place i used to live after i was kicked off of my land."
>>112641sorry im late i didnt go to sleep until 11 this morning.>>112659..... OOF
>>112685"You should drink that potion now, a beautiful pony like you will be a target if you are seen."
>>112682>>112683>>112684Silver shrugs at Blue Skies' response. "Looking in church before we try warehouse could be useful."
>>112683>>112685"It does not look like it. But you both could fly up to roof for light scouting of upper areas."
>>112685>>112686>>112687>>112683"Do keep in mind the second story magic lights are on. There must be ponies or whatever else inside them and in viewing distance."
He ponders for a bit.
"Perhaps if one pony enters the warehouse by himself to set off any possible traps inside, maybe it would create an opening."
“... Alright”
Skies pulls out from her brown, leather jacket, a vile of a green-blue substance. She grimaces at it, looking closely at it. Then, she pulls the top off, and drinks it down like a shot. She places the vile back in her jacket. For several seconds, nothing happens. Then, it is like a green flame catches fire over her, first over her hooves, then rising up her body, until her slim Pegasus figure is consumed by it. When the green fire flashes over and dissipates, it leaves behind a slim figure: lion-like body with slim belly, a dark golden coat, off white feathers on folded wings and around her neck, and an orange long, kind of hooked beak
>>112690Iron simply nods at the display.
"Looks quite convincing."
>>112688"That seems rather dangerous for the pony that will walk inside."
>>112690Dark star pokes her slightly
"Wow, i wasn't expecting it to work this well."
>>112688Silver's deadpan look suggests that he thinks such a plan isn't very satisfactory.
>>112690After the initial worry of "did anypony see that" passes, he looks over her new form. "Very similar to changeling magic, that potion. Makes me wonder what kind of ingredients would need to be pulled from one to make it."
>>112688>>112689>>112687“Well, it looks and sounds like the lower level of the workshop at least is unoccupied, whatever that means for us”
>>112690"That is certainly some... Unique magic."
Midnight seems stunned by the transformation.
>>112694"Then I would assume that is our best course of action."
>>112693"Probably a changeling heart or something weird like that"
>>112692>>112693>>112694>>112695"I can go first to enter through. I am the one most likely not to be shot on sight due to my lack of proper equipment aside from a belt with a pouch if they hid well enough."
Skies’ voice has changed as thoroughly as her physical appearance, transforming from an unidentifiable foreign accent, to a different unidentifiable foreign accent
>>112692The skin on the coat is rather loose, and he can feel the ribs under the fur. They feel like they could belong to a cat. Then again, she kind of felt like that before
“It can work wonders”
>>112691She looks at Iron and says “Thank you”
>>112693She then looks to Silver and smiles. At least, the ends of the beak pull up in a way that resembles a smile, as her eyes narrow in a malicious way that looks less out of place on the eagle-faced cat bird.
“I think you just answered your own question”
>>112695“It’s hardly unique, just rare in these parts”
>>112697“You do look less menacing. They might think you are homeless and trying to get out of the cold, rather than an armed burglar”
>>112697>>112698"If you're going to do it..."
Midnight places a hoof on Iron's back, before bowing her head and muttering a few quiet words. Her pendant glows a bit in response, before she removes her hoof and smiles.
"I thought a small blessing could help you."
She has cast guidance upon Iron, giving him the ability to add +1 to an upcoming roll of his choosing.