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 188 files omitted.
>>113963I'm sorry to hear that, friend.
>>113967Midnight stops and grabs Iron's tail, whispering to the stallion.
"I hear voices ahead."
>>113969>>113967This provokes a slight jump from the stallion, but nods with the tiniest of blushes.
"Right," he whispers back before continuing, but turns his flashlight off, hoping he won't crash when arriving at a T section.
>>113970Where is he going? It's perfect darkness without the flash light on
>>113971Can he keep moving forwards like when before he turned on the flashlight?
>>113973Well, he does so.
If he crashes, he crashes.
>>113974>>113973Midnight confidently strolls forward in bat.
>>113974Iron does so. There's really nothing to say about what follows, because Iron has deprived himself of all sensory input
>>113975Midnight strolls forward. A light flickers on, and illuminates just barely the tan brick walls. Iron seems to be a little in front, but far enough ahead to not really be distinguished in the darkness. The path lazy tilts slightly off to the left, then curves back to the right, then bends at a slightly sharper but still natural angle to the left, all in the span of maybe 50 or 70 feet
>>113975>>113976(I cannot see anything.)
"Midnight!" he whispers as he walks a bit slower. "Do you still hear the sounds of talking? Is it getting closer?"
>>113977Have a horse to make you happy
>>113978"Shush and I will tell you"
[1d20+5 = 20] bat radar
>>113978Though the path may be straight, Iron's walking cannot be perfectly so. He grazes into a wall, though at this angle it's hardly a harsh bump
>>113980At first as she winds along the path, a single whisper. Then another. Then silence. Towards the ends, a couple together at once. Another bulb flickers on as she moves forward
>>113978>>113982"The voices are getting closer"
>>113983>>113982"Alright. Get ready."
Iron decides to turn on the flashlight now to see if he can spot anything beaked in front of him.
>>113985There is nothing in the dark. Only a brick hallway that proceeds straight onwards, eventually culminating in an end. There are some doorways and entries
>>113987Hides>>113983A light turns off behind her, a cylindrical light turns on ahead of her, and... she walks right into Iron
>>113988>>113983H-hey!Iron feels the soft body pressing against his back, making him jump slightly.
(Oh boy.)
>>113986Iron decides that the end doorway should be where the possible griffons Midnight may have heard should've come from the door furthest from them.
In any case, he tries using his ears to try and guess at what door Midnight's hearing the whispers as he goes, stopping if he can pinpoint any other door he passes through.
[1d20 = 19]<Inferior Earth Poner Ears>>113987DARGH! NO! STOP!
>>113989Iron hears nothing. It's eerily silent
>>113988>>113968i think i've composed myself enough to continue,if you guys want to.
>>113987Pls, no more boops. My poor snoot.
>>113988"Eep! S-sorry Iron."
She steps back, blushing and looking embarrassed.
>>113991Alright. Can't guarantee I'll be of much use at this hour, but I'm ready.
>>113990Iron scratches his head.
(Strange. No sounds anywhere.)
>>113992He coughs heavily, blushing himself.
"No problem. It was an accident. I completely understand."
(Gods. I do not want to be flustered right now...)
A lingering threat of impulse threatens Iron's otherwise stable thought process.
>>113990He goes to the furthest door available, beckoning Midnight to follow, and opens it.
>>113993Y-you big meanie! >>113995She follows, uttering a silent prayer that they'll start having good luck on this mission.
>>113994>>113991Okay, it looks like the two of you have agreed to keep Skies in the scene. Skies gave an explanation (with a high bluff check) that the two of your are nostalgic and lost, and partly intoxicated
"Very well... Let us continue"
An orange stallion, appearing to belong to the generation seperating Dark Star and Silver, perhaps a little closer to Silver's age, walks up to the two. He is well dressed, has on reading glasses, and a has a short, trim mane with both white and blue aspects
"Hello. Would you like to join us?"
He asks
The speaker (priest?) continues speaking, often using a free claw or less often his wings to add emotion
"The arimaspi tore through the outer edges of the city, leading up to the top. The Knights of Archturus - shining in their ancient armor, and decorated with the medals of a thousand campaigns - stood there, in guard of their great city. Each carrying the bravery of a hundred generations. Each believing themselves to be blessed by Arturus himself, and believing that light shall triump over darkness. And each one of them fell by the Arimaspi. Smashed by his giant club. Limbs torn off and sundered. No matter who or how, all fell. And so the griffins of Griffinstone looked on as one by one, their faith in the might of the Griffonian Empire, of the Impregnability of their city, and in the deliverance promised to them by their gods, was smashed before them, just as had so many knights, and the city gates"
>>113996>>113995This opens to... a relatively bare room. Not all of it can be seen. Brown stone floor, and stone walls
>>113997>>113996Iron huffs in disappointment.
(At this point we will never find them.)
He walks a bit further inside the room, hoping to least hear the whispering Midnight heard beforehand.
"Maybe they are on the big place with many valves," Iron whispers to Midnight.
>>113997"Ya we do dat."
He says to the orange pony his words slurring slightly
>>113997>>113998"There is no harm in going back to see."
>>114003>>113999The Unicorn pony tilts his head and gives a partial frown at Dark Star, but leads the two (three) to a set of seats
"Alright, follow me. Now he's speaking of the loss of the Idol of Boreas"
>>114001>>113998The room is rectangular and fairly bare, Judging from the stone ground, and walls covered in simple mortar, this room is either used for storage, or whatever occupied it has long since been stripped away and removed. There is a door on the far right
>>114004>>114001He shakes his head.
"Nothing here," he whispers to Midnight. "Alright. Check for whispers before we go back."
>>114006>>114003I take it they just sit back and listen?
>>114004Silver keeps his voice low, so as to not disturb the speaker. "Griffonia's very own religious artifact, and symbol of power, wealth, and rightful rule."
>>114008Forgot to mention that he sits down.
>>114010>>114009He continues
"From his throne high on top of the tree of Griffinstone, Guto the Sixth watched the Aramaspi tear through his knights, and slog his way towards his throne. From that Throne room, Guto the Sixth could peer out over his vast domains, and by decree rule a territory that spanned all of Griffin kind from East to West, only hemmed in by Pony Spear and Magic. Everygriffin, rich and poor, old and young, had for centuries lived under Griffinstone's holy rule, and appealed to Griffinheim's courts. All of the power, glory, and wealth of a continent was concentrated in that room, and he was surrounded by treasures vast and deep of gems and swords of conquered creatures and coins of every mint, baring the images of a thousand conquered kings and two dozen imperial predecessors. And chief in the center of it all was the divine idol of Boreas, said to be minted by Boreas himself, the physical manifestation of the principle of law and order. It's presence in that room gave he who sat on the throne the divine right to rule. So it was claimed anyways.
That, all that - all the gold, all of the knights in armor, and Arcturus and Boreas themselves - could do naught even to save themselves in that moment. For Aramaspi carried on, through the Knights of Griffinstone, through Guto's personal guard, and into the Throne room. And as the century old dark wooden doors, engraven with the scene of Grover's coronation, cracked in two, and came crashing down, scattering across the floor and taking a knight with it... In that moment, Guto's eyes made contact with the firery red eyes of Aramaspi. And he knew... He knew that Aramaspi was sent by none other than
Maar. He came to take away that Idol, and the law and order of all Griffonia in the process. And Guto the sixth - brave, stupid griffin - rose up. Pulled out his sword, a sword given him by his second uncle, the previous emperor. And he charged for Aramaspi... Like swatting flies. With a slash of his claw, so ended the life of Emperor Guto the Sixth of Griffinheim. The Cyclops grabbed the idol, pushed his way through so many knights on the bridge connecting the palace to the town, and knocking them over into the winds, before plowing his way back through the snaky roads of the city"
>>114011Silver listens intently, personally curious about griffon history.
>>114011Dark Star Fakes looking interested.
he thinks to himself about how nice that tree the griffon was talking about,would look on fire.
Darn it. Foiled by time yet again.
I'll roll for Iron to at least try to listen for any griffin activity.
[1d20 = 16]
<Big Ears sonar
>>114014And now, Iron himself can hear it. Vaguely, only, but he can start to hear it
A movement of air that may just be air flowing between old and long sealed rooms, but it might just be a distant whisper
>>114013>>114012"Aramaspi - red eyed, satisfied in his mission and purpose, ran out through the smashed gates, chased by a slew of knights. He dived, deep into the gusty canyons beneath the ancient tree of Griffinstone. And it is said that there, he met his fate, and joined with Maar in the spirit realm. But not - not - before taking half a dozen more knights with him, brave enough, gullible enough, to follow him into those winds from which no creature breaks free.
So the city was left in mourning for the chaos and destruction caused by Aramaspi. Buildings set ablaze by tipped over lanterns, roofs torn off, street vendor carts tossed several leagues and several streets over. And terrible carnage in loss of life, mostly of those who resisted. But most of all... They mourned the loss of their claim. Their claim to rule over a fourth of the world. To make every griffin bend the knee to them. And they understood, then and there, just how fragile their power and their glory were. Just how impotent their wealth, their spears, and their prayers had been against one sent by Maar. And they trembled. And they cried. Because far more was lost them than any funeral oration for their dead emperor, or any portrait of the destruction, or any wailing in loss over the idol, could possibly capture"
>>114015Can he relatively pinpoint its location? Does it lead to the door behind him? Maybe on the other door available? Above?
I think I have an idea but I want to make sure. >>114016Unfortunately, this is one of those sounds that is fairly difficult to discern its origins
Maybe after a roll