The Baltimare group proceeds in their task of investigating a strange group of creatures, mostly Griffins, who seem to be involved in creature smuggling. Up on the Boulderfield,-Whinnysota line, the northern group settles in for a cold night along with their new friends and prisoners.
Soon to welcome our Swedish player and his character
Since new thread...
>Boops everyone
>>15001 →You are
really lucky that didn’t land on the millennial post
>>115002Midnight can be made,
surgically into an Earth Pony you know
>>114998 →Daww, I missed you too, Starry boi.
>>115007Joins in group hug with floofster and the racist>>115008Hugs and heils>>115005Excludes from hugging
>>115012Oh no... I think I missed the hugs.
>>115013Aww
Includes Spark into group hugStill excludes Ancap flag>>115014GOOD
>>115015Yay!
Sneaks a hug to the ancap flag
>>115016>hugs in EEEEEEEEEE
Alright everypony, who wants to play tonight?
>>115023If Midnight is ready, then sure.
Although I have no idea what to do with the prisoners. I do want them captured by Black Hooves members for questioning.I'll try to take them out of the building at least.
>>115023I'm always up for it.
>>115023I think I can make it actually
>>115024>>115025>>115026>>115027Well... does everypony want to declare their next actions?
>>115028I don't know what else to declare except that he continues to explore the dark dank tunnel.
>>115028... uhhhhh, last I recall Brie was trying to ease the party (or at least Onyx) into the idea that "Hey, you know those bug enemies you were fighting earlier? Who wants to make some new friends!"
>>115028Welp, I was going to place all three beings on Iron's back to haul them off.
Direct testimony should be resourceful for intel.
>>115028Spark turns to look at Dawson.
"You sure you aren't interested?"
I'll play on one condition.
Hugs
>>115036>>115035>>115033So this was your plan? Get the hug monopoly centered on you?You're a big colt.
>>115037No, I wish for GM to ammend for his offenses of this morningWhat are Midnight and Iron up to?
4u>>115035>>115034>Is hugged>>115036>Is booped
>>115038Was getting booped part of the plan?Not much. Just sent out the order for Iron to round up the prisoners to take the fun ride back to one of Black Hooves 'rehab centers' if possible, since we don't know the language and I'm hoping they can get something out of them.
Big Earth Pony Stud uses magic hoof on Sub Griffs while Batpony watches.
>>115039of courseSmart, we'll see where that takes us.
that's heccing lewd
>>115000i did three whole covfefes.
>>115040Madlad!I hope there's a Black Hooves agent to escort them off to. I fear a harder separation may happen if we go too far.
I honestly expect there to be at least a small Black Hooves outpost in the area to try and attract the pony stragglers in the neighborhood.
I've been out for a while, so... reply to me if you have something new
>>115030>>115030It looks like Spark has taken to that well. Spark stands in front of the changelings for a while, before eventually petting and hugging them. Spark has since left the room, gone out and fetched the pail and placed it over the fire, and is now standing near the fire. Onyx is a bit more reticent, going into the room but barely acknowledging the prisoners. He has since moved to the floor of the adjacent room and is lying next to the door.
>>115032"In what? Leaving?"
>>115043"Think of it as heading for a safer place for a while."
>>115031I don't know about Iron
carrying three griffins, but he can certainly drag that many if he has some way of doing that...
Where would he take them to? How is he even going to get out?
>>115046You know what? Scratch the "where would he take them to?" It might be interesting to see where this goes.
>>115029>>115041Silver shines his light further down, revealing still more tunnel. In a way it's not
that long. At the end is a slightly wider section that ends in set of illuminated stones
>>115048Silver turns his light off and sneaks forward towards the wider area.
>>115043>Rock noises>>115047As am I, let's just say Midnight is definitely just following Iron for now.
>>115046>>115047>>115051That's admittedly surprising of you, although I have this feeling Imma look like a big fool for it.Let's start easy, then.
Iron puts one griffin on his back first to feel his weight first, clearly visible to Midnight.
Sensual hair/feather rubbing~
>>115052*Iron rubs the griffin’s feathers sensually for the full ‘it’s 1013’ progressive experience*
The griffin is heavy. Very heavy. Not so heavy that Iron could not carry him - Iron feels he could, and in fact could probably carry slightly more - but certainly heavy enough that Iron’s really not getting by with three of them
>>115050>>115041The area widens to have a little pocket room off to both sides, and in the left pocket room is the boat, though not much can be seen in the darkness. But in front, is a red brick stair well with an open door. The stairwell is white(ish) stone, going up. There is light from above
>>115053Iron huffs, taking the fully unconscious griffon's weight on his bare back.
"These birds are heavy."
He then uses the power of his mouth and knowledge of catbird anatomy to carefully place the tips of their tails next to eachother, being sure to keep them the fully conscious griff's tail stuck with a hoof to avoid being dodged, and then gently not to cause damage but firmly grabs them with his mouth.
>>115055With Iron’s powerful mouth and love of griffin anatomy, he gets under the rails of these two drakes. Their tails are the bony ones of cats
Iron has two problems. First, that it’s difficult to bite hard enough to have traction without, well, biting clean through flesh and bone. The second one is that it isn’t clear that these tail have enough tactile strength to support these creature’s body weight. They might just rip right off
>>115056After carefully nibbling enough to assess the strength and endurance of griffon tail, he lets them out of his exploring mouth.
"Not going to work," he utters out loud.
He decides that there could be a way to tug the semi conscious and conscious griffons around by the scruffs, fueling his sudden desire to place their heads next to eachother from the back.
>>115044>>115056Spark hopes he can convince the family.
>>115057Uh... what?
Actually, maybe the tails do have sufficient tensile strength to be pulled...But damn, that would probably wake them up and piss them off>>115058Well, he can try
Perhaps I should clarify.
I as a player am waiting for the Ling group to continue the venture. Brie as a character is waiting for the group to take care of whatever needs (rest, food, healing, etc.) they have, so they can continue the journey.
Having said, there's no actions for me to declare.
[1d20+5 = 8]>>115048>>115050>>115054Dark Star tries to peer through the darkness to see anything in the boat
>>115061Silver just shines his flashlight inside it.
>>115059Something like this. Basically drag them by the back of their necks instead of their tails.
Although if possible, I could drag them by their manly tails.I know, masterwork art piece worth all of the bits.
>>115063.....
.....
Why not just go get a different cart and place them in it or something
>>115062>>115061Roll luck
>>115064Can he even drag a cart down here without breaking the staircase or the cart?
>>115067Don't worry, I'll make sure Dark Star gets out of this alive.
>>115051Help Iron
>>115068Maybe not? Does he think he is going to drag two Griffins by the tail up flights of stairs, across floors, across pavement, for several kilometers?
>>115066>>115065This could take a minute
>>115070>>115040True enough.
Alright, let's go cart searching.
Iron decides that dragging griffons along a staircase is a bad idea for near-dead prisoner recovery, shaking his head.
He lays the fully unconscious griffon to the ground next to the other two, then picks the conscious griffon up instead, then jots down 'find a cart' in his leaf of a mind.
He proceeds to explore the previously unexplored hallway to see if any doors may lead him to find a cart around here, beckoning Midnight to follow him.
>>115070He can if Midnight drags one
>>115071>>115072Open doorway, to his right
>>115066There is a folded paper inside of the boat, underneath one of the seats
>>115065There is a name on the side of the row boat
>>115073What does it say?
>>115072>>115071Iron huffs along as he enters the open doorway to his right
"These birds sure are well fed."
>>115075>>115073>>115071Midnight follows
"So, how do you wish to move them? It is not going to be easy"
>>115074A name
"HMSS Laurel Forest"
>>115071>>115077Off to the left is a raised section with a simple wood covering. Maybe kind of like an ice boc, but built into the ground with stone There is a shelf further over, and still another doorway through. The room has a beige - tan coloration to it, probably from stone covered in simple mortar
>>115078Dark Star still as that camera,right?
>>115077>>115078Iron looks at the room for a bit.
"I can only carry one of them at a time, so I will have to use some sort of wheeled thing for transport."
He walks over to the shelf, deciding that they could skim the room for a bit before going to the other room.
>>115079Sure?
>>115080This section seems almost like going back in time. It wouldn't make much sense for there to be a wheeled cart like what he saw earlier down here.
On the shelf is a box, a long knife with a sort of curved and bent blade and hardwood handle and some other details to it, a ceramic pot, a couple candles, several rags, and more than a few cleaning agents like bleach
>>115060>>115058Well, they can end the night and proceed on to the next day
>>115082Only if everyone else in the group is ready
>>115081Iron ponders curiously, but can't seem to grasp how important they are.
He does nab the knife for later inspection before he goes through the second doorway.
>>115081He takes a picture of the name.
>>115085"Why not just take note?"
>>115084Hmmm... I need to rethink something here
>>115085It is so
>>115086So... what does spark do or what to do?
>>115088Well, since nopony wants to talk, he goes back to watch the changelings.
Spark takes an empty can and steps outside once more to gather some snow inside of it.
>>115091Nopony wants to talk? Spark Hasn't even said anything. If you want to skip the line-by-line at least indicate the direction of the conversation with a persuasion or sense motive check as appropriate
Well, today has been very long, and I am too tired to concentrate. Goodnight
Well, the op isn't wrong. It is soon done like my first chracter sheet attempted will be posted within hours.
>>115098Can't wait to see what it entails.
>tfw your waifu will never bring you a piece of cloud
>>115106I wish that were me.
>>115106That’s what you get for having a non Pegasus waifu
So yeah, I haven't worried about grammar or spelling in this document. I just got my thoughts down on paper.
Also, if you are a pc and don't want to spoilers for my character, then don't look at this doc. It is up to you how you like to play.
>>115109I would also like to know the religious factions in your world so that I can easier chose which one she will be a memeber in.
>>115109Also, I have been thinking this all the time but ain't the point buy points too many or is it that one ablity score can't pass 20. What i am saying is try to llok out for any mistakes I have done. I do not understand this system well after all.
>>115110This is really hardly an exhaustive list, but the General Equestrian orthodoxy has:
A harmonists universalist strand sees harmony as a universal life essence, and Celestia as the utmost paragon of it (Catholicism-ish)
A permutation of the same with a few cultural changes practiced mostly in the North (orthodoxy parallel)
A more austere version of harmonism that greatly deemphasizes the princesses, practiced mostly on the east coast and in New Mareland (Calvinist parallel)
A version of Harmonism that worships the sun and is of questionable orthodoxy, practiced by natives (sort of like Central American Pentecostalism and their added rituals to Catholicism)
And a version of Harmonism that emphasizes Luna as the foremost paragon, alongside slightly different virtues, practiced mostly by batponies.
Griffins have their own pantheon with at least three deities and a church structure, the deer have their own pantheon and practices, the Eastern ponies and Changelings have distinct practices, and the ancient Equestrians had religions that are now extinct or hidden
>>115111Here is a point buy calculator
http://www.propelled.de/extern/chargenYou can adjust your scores to make them work as such until you reach 29 points
Also, because your character is a wizard, she doesn’t need to have a religion as a part of her gameplay mechanics, although of course you can role play a religious character if you desire
>>115112>A harmonists universalist strand sees harmony as a universal life essence, and Celestia as the utmost paragon of it (Catholicism-ish)Thanks for the quick reply. This one works for me.
>Also, because your character is a wizard, she doesn’t need to have a religion as a part of her gameplay mechanics, although of course you can role play a religious character if you desire
Good to know. I will know spoil part of her chracter again.
She losesly cares about the teachings of >harmonists universalist because she sees alicorns as something divine but she doesn't really contemplate the doctrines much. She thinks due to her experinces, that she was choosen by the gods/god to get rid of the changelings andthat something divine stepped in to save her in her dire moment of need.
>>115109>>115115Sounds interesting.
>>115113>Here is a point buy calculatorhttp://www.propelled.de/extern/chargenYou can adjust your scores to make them work as such until you reach 29 points
I don't get that one, sorry. Are my calculations on the sheet wrong?
>>115116Thanks!
>>115109>>115115Looks like you're 'bout ready to join, eh?
>>115117What that means is, you can raise stats for 1 point each up until 13. From 14-16, its 2 points each, and beyond that is 3 points each.
Example, it costs 5 points to raise the base Int of a character to 13, and another 4 points to raise it to 15. So, to raise that Int stat to 15 would cost 9 points. Raising a stat to 18 (not including racial and other modifiers) costs 16 points. AFAIK, you're not allowed to lower stats to gain more points, unless GM allows it
>>115118We will see what the GM says but yeah, I'm closer to anyway.
>>115119Yeah, okay. I thought I broke the game the way I went about it, lol.
>>115117I don’t know how you got an ability score of 29, but there is no reason any level 5 character should have any ability score above 20 even with racial adjustments or bonuses
>>115109Alright, I’ve read the back story you’ve provided. There are a few small things to change, but I can make suggestions to change it slightly to keep with the setting. I can also try to incorporate parts of this into the story
>>11511929 in Int iss a bit too much and it does have a very domino effect for learning skills, lol.
>>115122>I don’t know how you got an ability score of 29, but there is no reason any level 5 character should have any ability score above 20 even with racial adjustments or bonusesWell, know I know how the system works with the exception for pointbuy, which i might learn from here
>>115119 .
I will return and when I have removed a couple of things and re-done the ability scores.
> but I can make suggestions to change it slightly to keep with the setting.Such as?
>>115122Okay, I fixed my ability scores now with the help of this
>>115119Here are the new scores:
Str 8
Dex 8
Con 13
Int 18
Wis 14
Chr 10
and then add the unicorn racial scores: Str: -2 and Int +2 a and you get that two of my scores are actually:
Str 6
Int 20
>>115125
Final ability scores
Str 6
Dex 8
Con 13
Int 20
Wis 14
Chr 10
>>115124>>115109Alright, let's take a look at this:
> When the changelings attacked, her father was killed and her mother and her wastaken prisoners in a hive. In the hive or somewhere on the way, she and her mother were raped by changelings. She and her mother were seperated later in the hive. She lived there for a couple of years until one day she got angery at the changelings and threw a fireball at them...
>The changling hive she was kept in, was a smaller one or whatever it was and it was built on inflammable ground or partially by such material so it caught fire. The whole thing burnt down and most of the changelings in this minor hive died or whatever. Rosy escaped during this and took away from this experince that it was her destiny to destory the changelings so she changed her name to something that she hoped changlings would come to fear.>She was later found by a black hoof squad that were out on a mission. They had the mission of rescuing her father since he was great or maybe not regardless they see her potential or.... The point is she ends up in the Canterlot universitety as a student. This is pretty good, as it provides a motivation for Rosy (to hate changelings), a missing loved one who could appear later (her mother), and some trauma that could cause emotional problems (the rape, hostage situation, and loss of mother). Now it's just about squaring it to the time line. The issues are that the most recent big changeling war was only six months to a year ago, and only started at most something like 2 years before (not the many years implied here). Second, the Blackhooves have never been at war against the Changelings. These are of course easily rectified. Perhaps the encounter with the changelings took place a little more than a year ago, when the Changelings invaded western Equestria. Or maybe this didn't happen in the Great War. It happened 10 years ago, when they first attacked Canterlot. Or it happened in some unnamed skirmish along the border when Rosy happened to be living there. The ponies that rescued them were Equestrian military who raided across the border. maybe special forces. Or maybe it was during the Great War, when a New Mareland group "peacefully" forced an exchange of hostages that freed Rosy.
>>115126Eh... add more to strength
>>115127>taken prisoners in a hive. In the hive or somewhere on the way, she and her mother were raped by changelings. She and her mother were seperated later in the hive. She lived there for a couple of years until one day she got angery at the changelings and threw a fireball at them…OOF
>>115127>Or it happened in some unnamed skirmish along the border when Rosy happened to be living there. The ponies that rescued them were Equestrian military who raided across the border. maybe special forces.This is the best one for my character.
>Eh… add more to strength
Do I have to? I wanted her to be weak. Is she too weak? I guess i don't want ther to be disable either.
>>115130Well, just a
little less min maxing would be nice. Though I should say that you don't want to neglect your dexterity score as a wizard
>>115130It's probably just a precaution. If she's caught without any combat magic and there's no other players to tank incoming damage, then she's gonna have a bad time.
>>115130To my understanding, you're allowed to play an exceptionally weak
or other low stats, however the GM
does have final say in the matter.
Additionally
another thing for GM to rule on if necessary is that wizards as a class are scholarly, learned magic users, where as sorcerers are innate magic users. Technically therefore, a character cannot be a wizard without training and education, which would/could not have occurred while enslaved to Changelings. I mean, Fireball is a 3rd level spell, and not something (assumed) at the time 1st level magic user could accomplish,... however its also a compelling plot hook to establish the character by and is not technically
impossible,... meh, forget I said anything
>>115131>dexterity score I read that part about initiative but does it really matter? I won't likely start first anyway with a medium Dex score.
>Well, just a little less min maxing would be nice.I guess it is min maxing but it is not like I play her for optimization since as you said low Dex but also I have want her to have hight Int since I want to play her as a prodigy in magic. But like, I can still increase the Str and Dex scores and still get Int 20 so if you want me to lower my Int tell me that then I will do so.
>>115132I'm okay with that.
>>115133> Technically therefore, a character cannot be a wizard without training and education, which would/could not have occurred while enslaved to Changelings.Well, change it to just a magic missfire that started a fire then. She later learns magic on the university. The point isn't that she learns magic there but that she finds "her destiny" there and that this is basically confirmed to her when she gets her cutie mark for it.
But the GM does have the final say in everything.
>>115134I say technically its possible later because there are a number of elements that might *allow* a fireball (though burning hands would make more sense) that with circumstantial bonuses and 1-2 really good dice rolls, it could actually happen. And since its back-story (and a decent one) I
NOT Gm would say just go with it as is
>>115134Well, the dexterity thing maters because many of the magical spells (scorching ray, for example) require ranged touch attacks to hit, which are aided by higher dexterity and hindered by lower dexterity, and dexterity bonuses add to armor bonuses, which is useful when you can't wear proper armor. But I guess you can design her as you like. That should work
>>115128>>115135>OOF>(and a decent one)Thank you sirs!
>>115135>(though burning hands would make more sense) Yes, it would I will use that instead.
>>115136I increase her Dex if only to avoid to constantly miss with her limited spells. Thanks for the advice.
>>115137Any comments on her personality or motivations?
I see she doesn't have much reason to like Changelings
>>115137Any Idea of when you will available next? Unfortunately I have to go to sleep now as it is after midnight here, and I have to work tomorrow. Please continue posting anything you think is relevant as I will read it tomorrow. I should also offer more feedback on your character tomorrow
>>115138>I see she doesn't have much reason to like Changelingshehe
>Any comments on her personality or motivations?I got a sense for her personality. You will see it when I play her. I don't wanna expose more of her character than what has already been done
I'm not trying to be passive-agressive here btw just don't want to also i want to show her personality rather than explain it.
>>115139Thanks.
>>115140I get that you are asking that just to make me think about her personality but you don't have to worry i have one.
>>115140>also i want to show her personality rather than explain it. based
>>115139Also,
What did you think about the npc supervision part? Or like the rest of the backstory. Do you think it makes sense for New Mareland to act as they do in the backstory? And can you create supervisor npc that supervises my character? Or do you ahve a better idea?>>115139Yeah, sleep well.
>>115142You make me feel like >pic
It occurs to me that the Swede never mentioned a time when he'd be on.
>>115154Did we ever say that?
>>115155The GM asked him, yeah.
Hello everypony!
*contemplates the merits of blog posting*
>>115157What do you mean by blog-posting?
So... who wants to play this weekend?
>>115159Talking about work
>>115160I think I have a smol idea on hoe to carry the griffs with the shelf items, thankfully.
>>115160I want to, but I probably won't be able to long tonight.
>>115160>>115162Tonight, probably not. This weekend, I'll be here
>>115160Back from the dead and reporting for duty.
So, how was work?
>>115160i just woke up like an hour ago...
>>115166
Why the hell do most attornies just seem lazy and incompetant?
>>115169
Sounds stressful.
>>115169
Damn thats a lot.
>>115156>>115139I be on on the weekends and about the same time this post,
>>115159 , were posted.
I can't promise I can always show up. If I miss a session or during the week either pretend my chracter doesn't exist or play her passively in the background or do whatever.
>>115175
So I don't really feel like writting a big post explaining myself on why I disagree with your assessment. I will probably anyway.
But the reason this is in her backstory at all is what's important. She is a character who has a personal hatred for Changelings and wants to take back the lost lands of Euqstira and free ponies under changeling rule. However, I as a player wants to be part of the group and they are on the other side of the map. Therefore there must exist something that forces her to be there along side the rest of the group since she wants to be somewhere else.
So another idea for accomplish this would be to just simply have the military see that conflict is not happening in canterlot so they move her to a place where she can be useful.
>politically rebellious pony
I thnk you have misunderstood or I have been bad at explaining myself
Her opinion is this: Due to the black hooves attacking Equestria at the same time as the changelings, they caused Equestria to fall on their border against the changelings. Therefore it is their fault. However, that doesn't matter right now. What matters is to free the ponies under captivity and get back their lands. The ruling can be change afterwards.
If I were the leader of the black hooves and the one deciding what to do with a pony like this, I would keep her close but away from position of power in my organization. She is a useful reasource if anything as a fotsoldier. It is actually good that she has exposed herself. There is more to worry if someone who only pretends to be on your side is in your orgnisation be cause they go under the radar and can gain info and influence from within easier.
This works in my benfit in both ways. Since she has told us her opinion I can justify why she won't get to rise in the ranks and why her information is limited. To add to this, she is part of my organization and I am her superior. I can much better keep track of and have an insight into what she is doing because of this. I can even have her report or have other spy on her and report to me. Comaprre that to if she worked outside the system and created her own little orginization, then I would need to get infiltrate that or even learn about it first.
The other way this works in my favor is that she is actually woring for me. As in if she builds me a bridge than I have a bridge extra than I would have if she didn't.
And as her opinions go, like her focus is clearly not on overthrowing them.
Anyway, regardless of what you decide upon, what I want is for her to meet these conditions: I want her to be part of the group even though she wants to focus on the changelings.
If you can make that happen, I will be satisfied. If it is not possible, then I will have to deal with it somehow.
I don't wanna complain at you but like I would have prefered it if you put your answers in spoilers when discussing the details of the backstory. At this point it doesn't matter so I guess it is just a tip for the future.
>I can make a handler, but it probably won't be a spellcaster
That's okay.
>>115176O... Kay then.....
>>115177Hey GM. How's it going?
>>115178Hello. Okay
Never thought I would attend s campaign rally for a Democrat... but we had a photo shoot for the DA’s re-election campaign
>>115179Doesn't seem right for a politician to use the legal system to advance their own reelection campaign.
>>115181What? He’s just having a photoshoot in front of the courthouse on a Saturday morning, and of course most of his employees attend
>>115182Why would you all be called out for a photoshoot if it wasn't going to be used in his campaign?
>>115183Well, we weren’t “called out,” I was just told by a coworker that he was having a re-election campaign photoshoot on Saturday, and you might gain favor with the boss by attending
I wonder when Starry boi will be on next.
>>115186unfortunately i havent been asleep
Fortunately im staying awake all day.
>>115187Okay then, I guess. Make sure you get some sleep sometime.
>>115188im up to play if everypony is here.
>>115189And I'm just always ready.
>>115189>>115190Last I recall, Dark Star was taking a picture of boat, and Silver was standing there
>>115191I prefer to call it "standing guard".
>>115191>>115192"This Could help us identify the owner."
>>115193"Likely it is name of vessel this boat was launched from."
>>115194"Even better. "
>>115191Have we searched the boat yet?
>>115195Silver continues to keep an eye and ear out for any approaching griffons while Dark Star does what he needs to do.
>>115195Yes. It is empty save for a piece of paper under one of the seat-planks
>>115197Dark Star reads the paper
if we didnt read it already
>>115198The paper itself seems to have a headnote, belonging to what might be a church or community center. On the paper is a handwritten set of words. Everything on it is in a foreign language
>>115199Dark star takes a picture of the document
>>115196"Let's keep going."
[1d20+4 = 16]>>115200Move Silently: Silver nods and sneaks up the stairs.
>>115201Silver can see light coming from the area up the stairs
[1d20+4 = 14]>>115200>>115202Hide: Silver motions for Dark Star to stay quiet while he peaks into the next room. He tries to remain hidden while doing so.
[1d20+5 = 21]>>115202>>115203Dark star hides
>>115202>>115204I'll be right back, dinner. Dark Star has full license to control Silver's actions until I get back.
>>115205inb4 he makes him offer pony rides to the guards.Is joek. Don't worry.
Back.
>>115206Don't think Silver's quite strong enough for that.
>>115204>>115203Dark Star’s slim figure moves into the shadows alongside the walls and under the top steps. Silver is not quite as easy to hide, but he manages. There are definitely creatures there
[1d20+4 = 10]>>115208Spot: Silver tries to make out what he can about them and what they're doing.
>>115209Fuck, wrong modifier. That's supposed to be 3, not 4.
I am just barely back myself>>115209Silver really does not get a great look at the entirety of the interior of the room, but this much is evident immediately: two guard creatures towards the end of the room, definite “cells” like that of a jail, and at least one creature in a cell, the most readily visible one being a gold-shaded Kirin in a cell on the far side left near the door
I’ll add more description later
>>115211How far away are the guards?
Want to pause so you can describe it further, or do you want to describe it a bit later so we can continue?
>>115212You can do eitherAt least 40 feet. It isn’t immediately obvious from this perspective how wide the room is either
>>115213Let's continue for now.Черт. That is quite distance.>>115204Silver relays this information using hoof gestures to...wherever that sneaky pony got off to: two guards, prisoner cell, 40 feet away, your call.
>>115214Dark Star Whispers
"Just 2?"
>>115215Silver looks a bit startled, not hearing or seeing Dark Star until he got within whispering range. He whispers back: "As far as I can see. You are more than welcome to look for yourself."
>>115216"Think we can take 2?"
>>115214>>115215At the moment they seem to be doing something involving a still different cell. They are speaking to each other in either a forgone language, or at a volume too low to be readily understood. The door at the far end is closed. There is another door over to the left past the Kirin holding cell
>>115219Dark Star readys his Bow.
"Let's get to it.... wait,maybe we can use a rock to lure one out?"
>>115220>>115218"Keep eye on what they do." Silver goes back down the stairs to look for a rock or a piece of rubble with which to lure one of the guards over with.
>>115221Dark Star keeps tabs on them
>>115221If Silver wants to fish the water for stones or something...
[1d20-1 = -16]>>115223I suppose Search would be prudent.
>>115224In the water, he feels an object under the water with his hoof. It’s a brooch, or other decorative object of female jewelry, that is rather large and includes tarnished and corroded metal portions. It must have been relatively nice some time ago, but now it is corroded and faded. It’s kind of dense, and though of an oblong shape, it should be fit for throwing
[1d20+9 = 10]>>115225"Yes, this will work." Silver aims for the (presumably) metal staircase, and throws the brooch at it.
>>115226>>115228Prior to throwing the brooch, both creatures had been distracted, thoroughly, by their workings with the cell. But when silver tosses the brooch upwards, it goes high, hits the top of the doorway, bounces down, clings against the top step (which, like everything else in this structure is made of stone or brick), then against a step two down, then the bottom step, then a “plop” as it hits the water. Both creatures look back
>>115229...That works, I guess?
[1d20+5 = 12]>>115229Dark Star looses the arrow at the guard closest to the door
>>115231The armor hits against what seems to be a vest worn by the creature, but fails to penetrate
>>115233Silver whispers to Starry boi: "If they are coming, then let us trade places."
>>115235"Sounds good."
Dark Star moves to here silver is.
>>115236And Silver likewise moves to where Dark Star was.
>>115235>>115233It is at this point, and maybe only at this point, that Silver and Dark Star get a good look at the two creatures
They are four legged creatures that look more or less like dogs, or wolves, if perhaps with slightly shorter muzzles and weaker muscles around the thighs, but with great arched backs full of muscles on the fore legs. Their coats are brown, a darker shade of brown than the beige stone and mortar walls, with spots of blacks just a little bigger than silver dollars coloring their bodies. Along their spines are short sets of black hair proceeding from their top, sort of like a mane, but neither does it stand out that much from their fur. They both wear simple vests and have spear-like weapons attached to their backs, and they keep their hateful, black tipped muzzles closer to the ground. Their orange eyes are fixed on the doorway now
\r
>>115238"...Those are not griffons..."
>>115239"......I...No they aren't."
>>115240>>115239One peers on into the doorway like a dog on the hunt, but the other one slowly develops a malign grin on his face. It's an expression that has an air of familiarity to it, but even as the creature appears less alien, the menace doesn't quite dissipate. Then, it speaks with a bit of an unidentifiable accent, and a voice similar to, yet deeper than that of a Diamond Dog
"Who" raising the pitch of the "oo" at the end there
"are you?"
>>115240>>115241Silver looks back to Dark Star for some sense of what they should do.
[1d20+8 = 24]>>115242"I Figure we're the Dog Catchers."
He makes >Face related. at the Lycan beasts.
"And who might you be?"
Intimidate
>>115243>>115242The one looks back to the other, then back to the doorway. She responds, in a subtlety frightened tone
"We're with the transcontinentals"
>>115246"What that thing ya got over there in your cell?"
He motions to the kirin in the cage
>>115247"Are you looking to buy?" she asks back
>>115248"Perhaps. what is it?"
>>115249She nods once, and the grin returns. Her ears are rounded, and there is a ring through the right of the pair. The other one moves over, slightly.
She taps a bar on the fairly open cage, like a holding cell in a police station, and the kirin stands up and moves away. She looks frightened, though she did already.
"I don't really know. Why don't you step into the light?"
[1d20+8 = 21]>>115250>>115242Dark Star motions at silver to get ready
"Why don't you and your friend open the cell, let that thing out then you both get in the cage."
Intimidate
>>115251Silver nods once at him in acknowledgment.
>>115251>>115252Both are taken aback, and shaken. They step a step back, but neither do they act
>>115253Silver takes a step forward into the light, unsheathing his greatsword. He readies it at the dogs, the large blade making a distinct sound as it cuts through the air. "I would advise you do as he says."
>>115254They begrudgingly move back towards the cage, and unlock the hinge, slowly starting to open the door
>>115255He says to the kirin
"Get out of there,you're free now."
>>115255>>115256Silver keeps his sword levelled at the dogs. "Do not leave building just yet, kirin." A jerking motion with his head behind him informs the kirin to get behind the two ponies and stay there.
>>115256The kirin is silent, but stays towards the back. Then the doors open, She remains there, frightened, unsure. Now either she doesn't understand Silver, or she didn't want to follow him, but she
bolts out of that door, flinging it open, running down the open ground, and right towards Silver and Dark Star
[1d20+3 = 12]>>115258Sense Motive: Silver watches the kirin's intent.
Hmm...is she trying to escape past us, or will she follow order?
[1d20+8 = 9]>>115258Dark Star Says to the lycans
"it's time time get into your jail cell, or things could get very bad for you 2."
"Oh and to make sure there's no hijinks going on, Give us the keys."
Intimidate.
>>115260I think we might have to roll initiative.
>>115260>>115259Well....it's time to massacre some lycans before they do it to us.
>>115262i hope they weren't important npc's....
>>115263If need be, I can patch them up to keep them from dying.
>>115260>>115259She's startled now. But more to the point, she's about to make physical contact with Silver. Might need roll strength or reflex to avoid getting trampled by the creature
But ahead of them, the two dog bear cat things' round little ears shoot up. Then their eyes narrow, and their black tipped muzzles come closer to the ground, revealing a dense row of sharp, yellowed teeth. She giggles in a sharp, high pitched but short laugh
"He he he he"
Then he laughs in kind
"he he he he"
And like a contagion it comes back to her in a mad sort of way
"he he he he"
Their eyes slightly reflex the obnoxiously yellow light of the incandescent bulb tied to the ceiling, making their orange eyes look as if they are holding yellow flames
She says to him in a voice as masculine as feminine
"I don't think I will"
[1d20+2 = 17]>>115265Strength: Silver tries to catch the kirin.
>>115266Silver extends a hoof, and quickly the creature runs into him. Her body is small, and feels like a cross between a fur covered horse and a pangolin. Her eyes light up in obvious surprise, but she remains silent. She is in his hooves now
[1d20+5 = 17]>>115265"I Don't Think you understand, this is your only choice, if you don't want to end up in tartarus. Help me, Help you."
She can hear the sincerity in his voice.
Diplomacy
>>115267For what little time they have left until combat starts, he keeps a hold of the surprisingly soft dragon-horse and tries to calm her down. He rubs her scaly back. "It is okay, it is okay, I got you."
>>115268"Step into the light" she demands
>>115268The wide eyed expression on the kirin's face suggests that she misinterprets Silver's intent rubbing his hoof down her back
Unless she correctly surmises his intent, in which case, carry on
>>115270The look on Silver's own face goes from confused to embarassed pretty quickly. "Oh...sorry, I do not mean...'that'." He tries to smooth things over with a friendly smile. "You speak ponish?"
>>115270Dark Star Does So with a grin on his face
"Well? am i what you were expecting?"
>>115271She smiles back at him, awkwardly
“Little”
>>115273A grin forms in her face, while the companion, with less regard for politesse, licks his lips
“One of the local gangs, I take it?”
>>115275Silver continues his friendly look. "Good. What is your name, might I ask?"
[1d20+8 = 10]>>115275He chuckles
"You Could Say that."
His voice turns serious
"Now be good doggies and get in the cage."
Intimidate
[1d20+2 = 8][1d20+1 = 3]>>115276She hesitates for more than a moment. Then she says something that sounds like “Khoi Lua”
>>115277>>115279Roll initiative
[1d20+4 = 23]>>115280Silver sees the incoming battle, and looks to the kirin. "Pleasure to meet you. I am Silver. Now, Khoi, stay behind us, and out of fight. I would like to talk with you bit more after we deal with these two."
With that, he releases the small, surprisingly soft kirin, his face going hard as he readies his sword against the doggos.
>>115281>>115282Well, it looks like the order is:
Sereby
Zekker
Female weird dog thing
Male weird dog thing
[1d20+5 = 11]>>115283Charge, Power Attack: Silver opens with with a powerful charge against the female dog with intent to impale her on his greatsword.
>>115284A bit of surprise in her eyes, but she jumps over to the side, dodging Silver’s attack
[1d20+5 = 21]>>115285Dark Star looses an arrow at the fem doge
[2d6 = 2]>>115286Fem doge is hit
Doesnt Dark Star have an ability that can let him shoot twice in a round?
>>115287only on fire arms
[1d20+5 = 11]>>115287>>115286The shot lands in the creature’s shoulder. But she quickly launches at Silver with her spear
[1d20+4 = 19]>>115289>>115284>>115288Even now, Silver manages to dodge
The male dog creature charges forward, straight at Zekker, and stabs at him with his spear
[1d8+2 = 3]>>115288Zekker is hit in his barrel
[1d20+3 = 13]>>115292"Zekker!"
Power Attack: Silver brings his sword around and over his head, then strikes with an overhead aimed at the female.
>>115294She sees this, tries to move out of the way, then her vest takes a glancing blow from Silver Sword’s sword which fails to penetrate it
[1d20+5 = 18]>>115295Dark Star takes a five foot step
And fires into the male with his bow
[2d6 = 12]>>115296This one hits as well
[1d250+5 = 117]>>115294She pulls back, pushes forward, and angrily stabs at Silver again with her spear
[1d20+5 = 9]>>115298>>115299>>115298>>115294She charges forward, but her spear becomes lodged between the bars of a holding cell on the opposing side
>>115296>>115297>>115296The creature is hit squarely through his vest, and a pinkish zap of magic can be seen, by that doesn’t stop it. He presses forth yet again with his spear
[1d20+8 = 13]>>115298>>115299>>115300I like how even with a 1d250, she still rolled a 7.Also, just going to assume that was a miss on the male's part, so...This isn't working...alright, сука, let us see if this works against you.Silver switches to a broad sweeping attack, with less power but more focus behind it.
>>115302Again, Silver swipes. Again, she moves just enough for her vest to take and deflect a glancing blow
>>115296Star’s turn
[1d20+5 = 12]>>115303Dark star shoots an arrow at the female's head
>>115303>>115304I think GM is sleep, so I'm gonna hit the hay. Good night!
>>115306You manage to get some proper sleep, buddy?
[1d20+5 = 23]>>115304From the corner of her periphery, she sees the readied bow, ducks and moves. The arrow is let fly, glances against her vest, scratching it, then continues onward deflected a few degrees until it lands and settles into the door
>>115302She is left without a spear, and a hint of the unfavorable situation reflects in her eyes. But she is not wholly discouraged, as her grin becomes toothier, wider, then reveals a full set of sharp canines, and a jaw built to crush bone. She opens her mouth, lunges forward, and tries to bite into Silver
[1d6+2 = 4]>>115309>>115302She bites down into Silver’s back, and Silver feels a bite that is stronger than any simple wolves’
>>115177I don't get your response.
But anyway, come off as agressive. I just wanted to give you my input.
Anyway, do you have an idea for solving this problem with my character?
>>115311*I didn't want to* come off as agressive
[1d20+4 = 14]>>115304Although Dark Star may be igniting the creature attacking him in favor of a more distant aggressor, he certainly is not ignoring him. The creature stabs again at Dark Star
[1d20+8 = 26]>>115310I know you haven't yet determined if Dark Star's taken damage, I'm just leaving this here so you know what Silver's next action is when his turn comes up."ARGH!"
Her teeth manage to pierce through Silver's armor, drawing blood as they tear into his flesh. He rears up and turns his sword around towards his attacker, stabbing at her.
>>115313How to get Inferno to the rest of the group. Do you agree with my idea of simply having her get moved due to militaristic reasons to the front in the north or do you have something else in mind?
[1d20+2 = 9][1d8+2 = 10]>>115315For only the second time in the battle, the larger of the two creatures is hit, and it’s a hell of a hit. It tears through her vest, into the area below her chest, and very possibly ripping her stomach, her liver, or other internal organs apart. She has a definite look of fear and pain in her eyes, as she releases her bite
>>115314 (You)
>>115306Dark Star jumps and almost dodged the spear. Almost… it lands into him
>>115315>>115304From the doorway, far behind Silver, and barely behind Dark Star, a new magenta glow fills the room. Khoi Lau has turned char and black, with purple eyes and red purple flames enveloping but not consuming her, and giving off a definite heat that Dark Star can feel.
“Lấy cái này con thú gớm ghiếc!”
She turns her hind legs the the male creature
>>115318Well, the problem with placing her in the northern group now is that her purposes and their purposes don’t and won’t entirely work together well, at least for the mission they are on now. They are also 100 miles within Changeling territory, rather than simply bear it. The Southern group suits Inferno’s temperament better, and I have a more immediate idea about how to use an NPC “handler” for her. But they are something like 700 miles away from the Changeling border and frankly are more likely to fight Ponies than changelings. However, if she’s been recently transferred from Griffonia, Baltimare is not an unlikely place for her to arrive
>>115319Dang you. You bamboozled me with that (you)
>>115319>>115306Khoi’s magenta glow display is impressive, but her hind legs miss their mark, with the creature flinching at the purple and red fire streaming out of split hooves
The damage to Dark Star is as bad as it could have been. He’s stabbed right through deep into the chest
Taking another 10 HP damage\r
[1d20+8 = 10]>>115322I need to finish this before Dark Star is dog kibble!"I am going to turn you into dog shishkabab!" With some proper distance between him and his opponent, Silver tries once again to impale the female hyena.
>>115320>The Southern group suits Inferno’s temperament better, and I have a more immediate idea about how to use an NPC “handler” for her. But they are something like 700 miles away from the Changeling border and frankly are more likely to fight Ponies than changelings. > The Southern group suits InfernoThat's fine. She can be there.
>However, if she’s been recently transferred from Griffonia, Baltimare is not an unlikely place for her to arriveI guess she is. I don't know. She is from the Canterlot university so I guess she is from canterlot? And therefore I don't know if she is >from Griffonia but yeah, that probably works.
>>115322He's sandbagging his awesome powers, of course.>>115323And... well then. This seems to be quite problematic.Good thing bad rolls always happen twice in a row.
>>115325That isn't good, since Dark Star is up next.
>>115324.... You said she was impressed into military service in Griffonia by New Mareland before being transferred back
>>115323The sword goes wide of the wounded creature
>>115326Aw fuck. Well he's gonna get the replacement of that one changeling's shotgun shot.
>>115327>You said she was impressed into military service in Griffonia by New Mareland before being transferred backNo, I didn't. But doesn't matter. Forget that part in such a case. If we do foreget taht part, how will her story look then?
Talented mage in canterlot university. How do we get her to the others?
>>115329So where would she start? At the university in Canterlot? What does she want to do, or is trying to do?
>>115331> What does she want to do, or is trying to do?I guess she wantss to convince the black hooves to take back the rest of Equestria.
>So where would she start?If you can get her close to the group in the south so I have a higher chance of joining up with them, that would be perfect.
Hope I am not being too needy.
>>115332Alright, let’s try this:
Inferno is a fairly precious student at the Canterlot School for gifted unicorns, but, rather than continue on into a graduate program at graduation, she feels drawn to do something about the Changeling menance, and joins the newly formed security forces of the Central Equestrian Autonomy. She is only there a few months before she is expelled thanks to a few “indiscretions.” She would have been punished, but a superior convinces higher ups to simply let her go. She now decides to either:
Get back to the Changeling border so she can be present at the scene directly. She joins the customs branch of the caretaker government in the hopes of being assigned to the border. Instead she’s assigned to a port city... Baltimare.
Or
She decides to try to locate Changeling infiltrators. She tries to join the internal security branch of the Blackhooves’s State Security Administration. Rather than send her to a fresh and “hot” district like Manehattan, she’s sent to a backwater as a trainee... Baltimare
>>115333I'll seen the post will get back to you.
>>115333>Inferno is a fairly precious student at the Canterlot School for gifted unicornsDoes this mean she still hass the backstory of being in captivity in changeling hive? It is okay if it doesn't work I suppose.
>She decides to try to locate Changeling infiltrators. She tries to join the internal security branch of the Blackhooves’s State Security Administration. Rather than send her to a fresh and “hot” district like Manehattan, she’s sent to a backwater as a trainee… BaltimareI will take this one.
Thanks for solving her backstory and for providing options. I will get back to you with a better character sheet until the weekend.
>>115336>captivity in the Changeling hiveYes... didn’t you say she was in captivity, escaped, became a student, then did something that got her in trouble?
>>115338Yes, that is the chain of events. Although, the trouble part isn't necessary to her character as the first parts are.
But okay, so that part is included. I just wanted to make sure there weren't any miscommunication that's all.
>>115338You happen to know how much health Dark Star has left?
>>115341Alright, I think I have enough information about your character to let her begin. Because of the scattered nature of the Southern group it might take a while to unite her with the PCs... or for that matter, to unite the PCs with the other PCs
>>115342Uh
>>115343*shrugs*
Just wondering.
>>115344Um... want to start now or later?
>>115343>it might take a while [...] to unite the PCs with the other PCsIt doesn't
have to
>>115346With whom should this new mare group up with first, tho?
>>115347For the Northern group it's a matter of figuring which, if any NPCs they want to take along for the ride and which to leave there, then they can proceed to their destination, then if all goes well, back home
For the Southern group.... it's going to be a real struggle to figure out how to unite them back together without it being contrived
>>115349Surely it can't be
that hard to group back up.
>>115306>>115308Yep, just woke up. sorry im late.
[1d20+5 = 13]>>115323"UH! Buck! You're Bucking dead fido!"
Dark Star shoots an arrow at the mutt's face.
>>115351No need to apologise, bro.
[1d20+2 = 22]>>115352Dark Star shoots at the creature, and it tries to move out of the way before releases the arrow. He moves such that an arrow otherwise pointed at his face now points towards his lightly armored chest. It hits in a lightly armored spot and sticks in... Just barely not going through, but still stopped. The arrow releases a discharge upon the top of the brown vest, which prevents the creature underneath from being shocked
Khoi remains pissed and glowing hot. She bucks at the creature again
>>115353At the far end, the heavily wounded and unarmed female looks on at Silver, and does a set of math in her head. Finding the numbers not in her favor, she runs to the door, quickly unlocks it, and begins to open it
[1d20+2 = 19]>>115354>>115352The creature may have moved out of the way to avoid being shot in the face by Dark Star. But this movement came at a price. It positioned itself perfectly to be kicked in the face with flaming, split hooves that may as well be from the devil herself
[1d4 = 2][2d3 = 4]>>115355
[1d20+10 = 18]>>115354You are not getting away that easily!Silver is very intent on having dog-on-a-stick. He charges the female, hopefully before she can escape and alert the whole building to their presence.
>>115355>>115354Get fucked doggo
[2d6+4 = 9]>>115357Surely this must be a hit.
>>115356>>115355>>115354>>115352With an arrow of stunning magic in his chest, and a kick to the face with burns to his muzzle and ears, the male falls to the ground. Barely out, and in a way in better condition than the female leader, but he's out
>>115357>>115359I'm not sure what Silver is trying here, but it worked
>>115358Doggo isn't quite fucked.
But that can be changed
>>115360Silver is charging the female doggo trying to down her before she can leave and alert the whole building.
Also, BRB, dinner.
[1d20+5 = 7]>>115360Dark Star Smiles as he coughs up some blood
He then turns his attention to the female dog silver is currently stabbing and shoots her.
>>115360>But that can be changedS-sheesh, don't tease me like this.
>>115362This close to shooting Silver in the ass for a second time.
>>115364it would have been fine.
>>115361>>115362The door at the end of the room opens slightly, and continues moving open at a slow pace. The paw of the creature reaches through the doorway as she collapses to the ground, bleeding from two massive wounds. Dying.
An arrow flies through the air
“Ôi trời!“
It hits a bar on a cage, bounces off, flies past Sipver’s rear cutting off a pair of hairs, and hits an opposite wall after going through another set of bars.
The female leader’s blood, deep red but shaded by the obnoxious yellow light, as well as the ghostly blue, red, and purple of the magic fire, is joined by the blood of the wounded Zekker and Sereby. The male too, lies upon the ground, and though he has a slightly smell of burning hair, he gives an appearance of less lethal wounds
The battle is won
[1d20+7 = 13]>>115366You do not have permission to die yet. We still have use of you.Silver moves her paw just out of the way of the door so he can close it. Then, with not a moment to lose, he gets out his medical supplies.
Heal: Silver does his best to stabilize the female with what he has and keep her from dying.
>>115366Dark Star Looks over at the Kirin
"A-Are you Ok?"
>>115367Silver does not seem to have success stemming the internal bleeding
>>115368She seems to have an excited emotional state, as she screams in a foreign language
“Lấy cái đó đi, đồ khốn! Bạn quái vật! ... Tại sao bạn lại giúp cô ấy? Cô ấy là tồi tệ nhất trong tất cả!”
Let’s just say it’s a good thing there are no barrels of gasoline, nor shelves of flammable material in a tight enclosed area
>>115369"Silver bring some rope. this dog is still alive."
He motions at the male.
>>115369>>115370Dark Star motions for kioh to calm down
[1d8+1 = 8]>>115369Damn. Did not want to have to waste my supplies on you. Hopefully this works to stop bleeding. He takes a potion of Cure Light Wounds, one of the weaker ones from the potion shop, and guides the healing substance down the dog's throat.
Noticing the combination of anger and confusion in the kirin/nirik's voice and putting two-and-two together, he looks over to her. "She has information which we need. Do not worry, Khoi, she will face justice."
>>115370He levitates over his rope, as well as the potion Iron gave him and the taver (Potion of Cure Light Wounds, +3)
>>115372>>115371*tavern
Also forgot: "Drink this. I will come take look at you after I am finished with this bitch."
>>115373"Thanks."
Dark Star chugs the potion
[1d8+3 = 11]>>115374And let's see how much you heal.
>>115375Dark Star is still pretty hurt but the hole in his chest gets significantly smaller
>>115372Before Silver gives her the potion, her body is under assault from several forces. Her stomach has been slashed open. With that, the most powerful acids possessed by any talking creature save perhaps dragons, leaks out and onto her internal organs, slowly digesting and dissolving her insides even as she is still alive. She is more likely, however, to die from drowning in her own blood as her lungs fill up from the internal bleeding. But the healing potion, expensive to buy for Silver, and soon to be dearly missed, stood this process. The bleeding stops, and the most serious wounds in the organs are sealed, even if not completely healed.
Her eyes open rappidly, looking up at first to Silver, then to the very much open door. She wasn’t expecting this second chance, but she will sure as hell take it
She gets up, stumbles a bit, and tries her best to bolt through the open door
>>115372>>115371Khoi is not persuaded
“No. What you doing? Kill her!”
>>115375>>115374With this, Dark Star is healed, completely or nearly so. If only the same could be said for Silver’s giant wound
[1d20+2 = 6]>>115377Strength: Silver tries to jump on her and tackle her to the ground.
>>115378I'm actually getting fucking
pissed off at these rolls, now.
[1d20+5 = 16]>>115377>>115378Dark Star shoots her in the ankle
>>115380the dog not the kirin
[2d6 = 5]>>115378Silver jumps for her... and fails
>>115380Hit
[1d20+2 = 6]>>115382Trying again...
>>115383OH FUCK OFF, DICE, YOU PIECES OF SHIT!
>>115382He rushes over and attempts to slam the door closed
>>115383>>115380And so the creature runs through the door, Silver lunges at her but falls short, and Dark Star lands a shot somewhere around her hind leg, and the purple magic stuns her and causes her to fall outside the door. Silver lunges again, with identical results
>>115385She’s a little outside of the door, so it can’t quite be closed
[1d20+2 = 14]>>115386I don't care if it kills me, I
will roll something
higher than 10 and drag the bitch inside.
[1d20 = 14]>>115387Dark Star grabs any part of her that are still inside the door and trys to drag her back in
>>115388Things are looking up for Silver. He drags the butch inside. He’s still bleeding badly though. She might have broken a rib at its base
>>115390>>115389Who exactly is bleeding?Silver looks to Dark Star as he drags the female into the jail cell. "Hurry up with tieing other dog up. I do not want this one bolting again."
>>115391Silver is bleeding
>>115389Dark Star helps Silver drag her in
>>115392Dark Star kicks her in the rib that looks broken then he Ties up the other Dog.
>>115392Ah. Well, I've failed enough rolls to last a lifetime in these past 24 hours. Gimme a minute before I fail another. Silver will live while I take a break and talk with the kirin.Silver searches the female hyena's person for any possessions, as well as the cell door key.
>>115393Think the GM is talking about Silver having the broken rib.
>>115393Silver is the one with the potentially broken rib. The dog is slowly tied up. But the female is kicked
>>115394It’s almost strange, but she is nearly devoid of any kind of possessions. The most she has is a small amount of coins in a pouch, a small number of ties, a relatively large set of keys, and her vest... which is pretty well damaged.
>>115395He leaves the vest, but he does take the rest of the items. He begins talking to Khoi as he looks through both the money and the keys. "Thank you for helping my friend, even when you did not need to. You have my gratitude for saving him."
>>115396It takes her a moment, more than a moment, really, to finally cool down. Literally
“Those... bad creatures... thank you”
>>115397He nods at her, smiling. "I am glad that we could help you." He starts trying the various keys to see which one fits the cell door. "What happened to put you in this situation? It sounded like they were going to sell you off as slave."
>>115395Dark Star ties the Male dog up.
>>115399He is tied up
>>115398I’m so tempted to have you roll for luck on language
>>115400>forcing me to fail another roll so soon after that entire ordealDemand it if you must, just please don't toy with me.
>>115401you get used to failing rolls>>115400He walks over to silver and the khoi.
What does khoi look like?
>>115402Her coat is rather a golden color, not very bright, but a little pale, and her scales are a sort of grey shaded brown. Her mane is poofy but messy, and is a cooper or brownish color
[1d20 = 1]>>115403I'll take your silence as my cue.
>>115403"Are you ok kirin? what's your name?"
>>115398Eventually, one of them fits. Khoi starts talking, and doesn't stop
"I was looking to come to Equestria because I was told the pay is better here, and there was this stallion that said that yes I could get on the boat and come over. And I did, I bought a ticket on a steamer to come over and when I got to the harbor they said that they reach their...."
>>115404Or should I stop typing?
>>115406"My name Khoi Lua"
>>115407Fair warning, I don't care what it's for, I am not making any more rolls for the rest of the day. For the past 24 hours only something like 10% of my rolls have been 10 or more, fail or no, and I'm tired of it.
Do what you wish, whether you keep typing or stop.
>>115408Should I come back later?
>>115407"It's nice to meet you, my name is Dark Star. What stallion sold you the ticket?"
>>115409I'm still going to play, especially since this is one of the rare times when all three of us are on at the same time, but fuck me, I am seriously questioning who has the worst luck between all of the players: me or Iron. I've just failed way too many rolls in such a very short, critical amount of time to want to make any more and cost everyone the mission or, worse, get someone killed like what almost happened with Dark Star.
Personally, yes, it would be very nice of you to continue to type out what Khoi was going to say if you were already typing when I made that roll, but I won't hold it against you if you decide to accept the result of that nat 1.
>>115411"... reach their quota. So I come on the ship all the way and they turn me away. They say there are too many or I didn't have my papers or something. But they turn me away and I stay there and there is this cat, and he tell me he can get me through, so I say 'okay, get me through.' And I give him my money though I do not have much, and he take me off the boat to another boat. But then they take me and they put me here. They lock me up and for what? They do not feed me much and I have to go to bathroom in bucket......... And these hyenas I see they are mean to the other ones. They bring in others, mostly cats, and they take them through here. I don't know what they do with them. Slaves, I guess"
>>115410"Some Kirin. He sold it to me at the docks"
>>115413Silver nods, this information lining up with what he already knows or believed. "Are there any others here who are also imprisoned, or are you only one?"
>>115411You think your rolls are bad, you should've seen another guy ITT once upon a time
>>115413"He Didn't have a name?"
>>115415This.
[1d2 = 1]>>115414"Yes! Yes! They just brought some through. There were cats. I have seen pony and zebra"
>>115416"I did not ask and he did not tell me. This happen in Ngua Nam"
>>115415What, you mean Iron? Yeah, his rolls are pretty bad. He's almost drowned twice because of them.
>>115417"Alright then. I have request of you. Something to help keep these bad people from doing this to anyone else."
>>115418"That's near zebrica right?"
>>115419Three times if you count the lake
>>115419"What you need?"
>>115421I know about the bay and the lake. What's the third?"My friend and I have been asked by government to put stop to these people and their activities. It would mean lot if you would help come forward, and share what you know with government. You would be helping stop all of this and saving many others, and both me and my friend would be sure to help you become citizen, so you could live in Equestria without fear of being hunted down and sent back."
>>115423Dark Star Nods at this statement.
>>115423"I can stay? Then I will come"
Was it Iron or just Onyx who jumped off the boat?
>>115425Oh, right, almost forgot about that.Silver nods, and hooves her the sack of coins he got off the hyena. "Here, I think you are more entitled to these then I am."
>>115427She takes it, inspects it, and looks at Silver
"Thank you... Thank you... Thank you"
>>115428"You are welcome. Now, what are you going to do? Come with us through building, stay here in this room? There is also Eastside Tavern where we will meet up after we are finished, if you decide you do not wish to stay here any longer."
>>115438Were we going to play tonight?
>>115439If enough ponies are here to play
>>115429“I don’t.... I don’t know... can you help me?”
>>115441Um... of you’re Dark Star... declare an action
>>115443So.... were you trying to get one or more of the other ponies to come with Spark?
>>115444Yes.
"So, how does it sound? Would you be interested if I was to get you over the border?"
>>115444"Hmm...you coming with us might actually be safest bet. Just remember, be quiet, and let us," Silver looks over at Dark Star's condition, "er, me, handle any fights. We will keep you safe."
>>115445“What would I do if I got there?” He says
>>115446“Where... where are you going?” She asks
>>115444Checked
>>115446>>115447"I agree, this part of town isn't the safest."
>>115447"We are going through this building. We will do our best to save others and stop griffons in charge. We are also going to join up with friends who are elsewhere in building."
>>115447"I'm sure there are farmlands out there we can get a hold of if you want. Wouldn't it be nice to not have to hide your cattle all the time?"
>>115449>>115448She nods, not really sure what to think
“What you doing here?”
>>115450“They haven’t ventured out into the woods that much...”
>>115451"Saving My City, And Saving the poor souls like you who were tricked."
>>115452Silver nods in affirmation.
>>115453>>115452Somewhere between understanding and misunderstanding thank to poor language translation, she nods slowly
“It is too dangerous for me to go. I will follow you”
>>115453"What should we do with the dogs? i think we should interrogate the female, she seems like she is in charge."
Where's GM, I'm gonna boop the shit outta him.
>>115455"Personally, I would lock her up with her friend, there, and come for them later. They will wait; others may not."
>>115457>>115458"True we should make sure they don't have anymore keys though."
Dark Star Walks over to the male and searches him
>>115460Followed by a flanking boop
>>115461>>115460>>115459It looks like the female was indeed the leader. All he had of note was a small paper fold of mint leaves
>>115462"Who just carries around
mint?"
>>115462Dark Star takes it and reads it
>>115464It’s rather small, a square about the length of a cigarette wrapping paper. There is something on the paper. It’s a symbol that approximates a sun, or something with 8 rays. On top of that is some phrase is some foreign language. This creature was clearly using the paper merely to hold the mint leaves, and didn’t seem to have any interest in the paper itself except for that purpose. The mint is surprisingly fresh, has most of its water still in it, and most has not been squeezed out into the paper. The paper helps to this end by being less water absorbent than wood paper. Maybe flax paper, or something like that. Most like a candy wrap.
>>115463>>115465Dark Star Shows silver the sun symbol
"Does this mean anything to you? a symbol of celestia maybe?"
>>115466Silver shakes his head. "It is not uncommon for companies to base their brands on princesses. I am more confused on who would wrap mint inside cigarette paper."
>>115467"Yea that struck me as odd as well."
Dark Star puts the mint inside the cigarette paper and rolls it closed.
"Let's get into the next room we can think about it later."
"Help me shove this male in he cage."
Dark Star starts dragging the male towards the cell.
>>115468Silver assists in dragging the male hyena.
>>115469>>115468They fairly quickly place him inside the enclosure
>>115470And to finish, Silver locks both hyenas up in the cell. "What even were these things? Where did they come from?"
>>115469Dark star walks over to the door that the hyena tried to escape through.
>>115471"No Clue, i've never seen anything like them."
>>115472A hallway. At least a door over to the left, to the right, and in front of them
>>115472"Your call on what we do now, captain."
>>115474>>115475"Let's Head to the right first."
>>115476>>115474Silver nods, and motions for the kirin to follow them.
>>115476>>115477They open the door...
On the other side is a room with a couple bunks, a lantern on a bed shelf, a celled off area, a seat that looks kind of like toilet, a sink with pipes that are exposed, a couple cabinets, and closer to the entrance on the left are two large things that are probably freezers. But perhaps most interesting of all is what is on the floor and slightly behind one of the right cabinets. It picks its head up and...
Silver and Dark Star see another creature, actually a lot like the two they just encountered. Thicker neck and back near the forelegs, thinner rear. Paws, vaguely canine appearance, a brownish coat... but slightly smaller than the other two ,a bit fatter, and most different of all, vertical stripes rather than spots. He’s clearly seen the two (three) enter
>>115478Dark Star waves at it.
"You know da way to Griffions?"
Is Silver kill for the night?
>>115486AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
So, um..... does anypony want to play tonight?
>>115489I'm always up for it.
>>115491>>115490I was waiting for Silver’s reaction (if any) to the scene
>>115489Think I should wing it with only Iron?
>>115489I'm free for a while.
>>115492I'm just kinda letting Dark Star be the face, you know, since he's a lot better at it than Silver. The floof poner will stick to being sneak and stabbing/bashing anything that comes by.
>>115478“Oh...”
His voice is higher and softer even than the last female. He ducks his red muzzle behind the counter, and raises a paw to it
“They are either with their captives, or they went further in”
>>115496"Whats yo name? and what is you i ain't never seen nuthin like you befoe."
>>115494So, I think Spark was trying to convince one or more of the farmers to follow him. Which ones?
>>115495Eh...
>>115498He sits down, causing the belly to sort of bulge outwards, and he places a paw to cover his mouth as if it were impolite to show it
“My name is Mala... I’m guessing you’re with the society. I am a hyena... I guess ponies call us by the old name of “gnolls”... I’m not from around here... did you family not tell you about hyenas?”
>>115499"Nice meetin you mala."
He gingerly trots over showing no sign of hostility and extends his hoof for a hoof
ClawShake.
"Naw i a'int ever hear'd of no gnolls befoe. my maamy passed away when i wuz lil."
>>115500As Dark Star nears him, he quickly gets up to try to meet Dark Star part of the way past the cabinet, as if in some urgency. With one paw on the ground, he extends the other paw to shake. He has something like blood around his muzzle, or at least something coloring it, which can only briefly be seen before he points his head down. He has an almost worried expression. The paw is softer than a hoof, and takes Zekkers hoof in kind. He looks down, and does not quite make eye contact.
“I don’t... well, it’s a different place here.
>>115499I though all of them eventually, but for now he was talking with Dawson about the possibility.
>>115501Does it smell like blood?
>tfw going undercover as a zigger is really fun.
>>115503The paw? Well, Dark Star has actually not sniffed his paw yet
“Oh... right. What’s your name?”
He will not look at Zekker, and places a paw on the counter and draws it back to him as if to try to grab something without looking
>>115502That’s about what I figured. Dawson seems kind of resistant to leaving his farm
>>115504The muzzle. or just the room in general.
"My name be zekker. wou you mind tellin me more about yo people?"
>>115505"I don't want to force you to do anything you don't want to, but I just want to look out for you. I don't wanting anymore of what happened tonight happening to you again."
>>115506There’s a definite smell in the room, possibly of blood, meet, rotting meet, but also of things such as mildew or the perspiration of stone.
“I don’t know very much... I’ve lived here most of my life. I know we were a proud people, living in cackles... We could raid even the Storm King’s Dominion... I don’t think the ponies like us much
>>115507“It hasn’t happened before...”
He kind of trails off
>>115508"What if they expand out to your farm? Will they leave you be to work your cattle?"
>>115509“They don’t go into the woods. They leave these areas alone”
>>115508"Fo real, y'all raid da storm king?You no dem ponies dey be Specist."
>>115510"Well, I would guess as they expand, they would cut the forests down if they avoid them so much. It's just a question of how long. Where do you think you will have the most time?"
>>115511“Is that what it is called? I haven’t seen very many live ponies, or at least ones that are out and about, anyways. But yes, they would raid the Storm King’s empire when it expanded close...”
He pulls down a rag with the free paw, sits, wipes his muzzle with both paws and the rag, and looks up at Zekker
“What brings you here.... Zekker”
He reaches over again, and pulls to his mout a set of what looks like mint leaves. He starts chewing on them, though his teeth look improper for plant matter.
>>115512“They can’t... they can’t expand forever. We are safe here”
>>115513"Sheeeeeit i wuz thinkin bout buyin some pony slaves, wha bout you?"
>>115513"Those changelings wandering here and capturing you speaks to the contrary. I think that you are in more danger than you realize. If they could find you, what is stopping a swarm searching for more food?"
>>115514“Oh... pony slaves? Is that what you are here for?”
>>115515“They have their own organized system for finding ‘food’”
He says that last part disgustedly
>>115516"Yea, y'all got any of dem?"
>>115516"And as you can see, they aren't always so orderly."
>>115517“Oh... I didn’t know they were selling. I suppose they probably do. A new group is arriving tonight, or has arrived tonight. I heard shouting. That’s probably them, with a rowdy prisoner”
>>115518“Well... where would I go except here?”
>>115519"There are a whole lot less changelings across the border."
>>115519"Prob a mud hoove, dey be hard headed."
>tfw i want to ask about the society but im not sure how to go about it.
>>115521Ask them how goes it back overseas. You have family there.
>>115520“... But I’d have to leave my farm. My dad said I could have it when I was married. And here I am. I am trying to raise a family”
He looks over at Rose, a little worried
>>115521He shakes his head lightly
“Bone can shatter”
>>115523"Bone what bone? head bone?"
i kinda feel like im hogging the spotlight here.
Is Silver Kill?
>>115524“You said that their heads are hard”
>>115523"I understand. I don't think staying in hostile lands is a great idea, but I will respect your decision. I just want you and your family to be safe."
>>115525"Yea iz mean dey don follow rules good."
>>115522Hmmmmmm that could work.
>>115526“O... Kay”
>>115527“They say I don’t follow rules...”
He looks back down
>>115528"Naw iz sure you iz good at it, better than me at it. you is great at bein you."
>>115529Whats silver doing?
>>115530Watching, mostly.
>>115529>>115531You want to join?
>>115532Not sure what to add, honestly. Dark Star's doing alright, and that's fine by me.
>>115533i feel like im hogging the spotlight tbh
>>115534Hey, I'm fine with that. This is Dark Star's mission, after all. Silver is just meat.
>>115533>>115535That’s disappointing
And for the record it’s not “Dark Star’s mission” nor is he like some kind of divinely appointed leader. Those words were only said by Blue Skies as her way of saying “I am not the leader,” and she chose him because he’s the only pony in the group who is a member of the organization, and thus the only actually eligible representative. But then Blue Skies
didn’t back out of the mission, meaning that she, and not Dark Star, would be the government representative
Is this boring for you? Do you not want to be here or not want to play this mission? Do we need to try something different?
>>115536im pretty tired. i've been awake for around 20 hours. i think im gonna call it here for the night.
>>115536That's...not what I was trying to get at. I've actually been enjoying the stealth part of this mission, aside from last night when the Universe decided that I had pissed in its eye socket in a previous life.
As for the leader thing, I don't know. Dark Star accepted the mission in the first place, he's the one who asked Silver to help him, he was the one to make the plan we followed, and as you said he's the only other representative of the government in this mission. Other than that, I don't know, except that it feels to me that Silver is most definately not the leader of this particular mission, so I'm looking to Dark Star for guidance on what we do, and I'm perfectly fine with following his orders.
From a more practical stance, it kinda makes sense considering how each of our characters are built. He's flimsy, Silver's sturdy; he's charismatic, Silver's uncharismatic. Dark Star is far better at talking things out or prying information from people, Silver's far better at taking punishment in fights, and they're both at least competent at being stealthy.
It kinda sucked in that last battle when the male hyena decided to focus on Dark Star rather than Silver, though.>>115537Damn, man, get some sleep! Sleep well, I'll see you tomorrow.
GM, if you haven't created that npc handler yet, hold off on it.
I'm thinking of dropping my character for another. The reasons is that my character is such a serious character and I won't have the time to invest to make her justitice. The few times I will be gaming with you guys I'll simply play with this new characcter instead.
Now that I know how to create character I don't think it will be a problem. It won't be an overpowered characcter at all justa stupid character. I won't spoil it anymore but its backstory is something I already know you will accept. It doesn't effect anything. It is just silly and doesn't cause any changes to the rest of your world.
Sorry, about making you create that unnecessary npc for me.
>>115540Or rather I will drop my current chracter for this one.
>>115540>>115541Okay...
That's disappointing, but Okay
>>115540>>115541Awww...I was getting excited to meet Inferno...
Well, I suppose we'll get to see who you decide to replace her with.
>>115540>>115541Saddening,But Understandable.
>>115540It's a noble sacrifice on your part.
Don't click: this shit is too lewd!
>>115547I was expecting
hoofholding tbh
That stuff is tame in comparison.
Maybe it’s worth continuing?
>>115550What, the game? If you're up to it, hell yeah!
>>115550I dunno.
Can I keep going?
>>115551Are
you up to play?
>>115552Last Iron was doing something, for some inexplicable reason, he was carrying, or trying to carry, unconscious Griffins even deeper into the ancient parts of the structure
>>115554Of course, why wouldn't I be?
>>115554Hey! I wanted prisoners for the Black Hooves to play with.
It has a reason...
>>115556So instead of just walking straight down the hallway, which is a way he knows damn well leads to carts, a ramp, and a door to exit the facility, he goes deeper into an obviously older portion of the structure?
>>115555Then what is Silver’s next or current action?
>>115557Silver speaks up for the first time in this conversation. "Mind if I ask what you were eating?"
>>115557Well, ya got me there.
I'll send Iron over there, carrying one prisoner per trip then.
>>115558“Eating?” He gives an awkward smile
>>115559To the laundry room?
>>115560"You had what looked like blood on your muzzle."
>>115562“... Did I? I didn’t mean to”
>>115561The cart is a little light for all three Griffins. It’s barely big enough if that, it’s made for a lighter load causing the wheels to grind, and the edges are almost bursting from the weight. On the plus side, there are the clothes to help hide them
>>115563Hopefully it holds for a bit.Iron checks the room for any one of those pull doors to use his big muscles to open/'lockpick' and go outside in this room.
>>115564He is still underground. The laundry room at least has a straight line hallway to the worshop building, and back through another room is a ramp to the first floor of the center building
>>115565Sounds like a plan.Iron decides to follow the obvious path presented, latching himself to the second cart for the second time this night.
Some could say he's
pulling his weight.
>>115563"I am just curious what you ate. Unless it is uncooked or severly undercooked, most meats do not have that much blood in them."
>>115568THAT'S SPECIST, YOU CAN'T SAY THE Z-WORD!
>>115567His eyes are wide, and it’s pretty obvious that he Durant want to admit to eating meat in front of two (nominal) herbivores
He speaks very softly, as if almost whispering
“Under cooked...”
>>115566So where is he going?
>>115571Silver doesn't look like he's judging, he's just curious. "What was it, if I may ask?"
>>115570TRIGGERED>>115571Hm... I want Iron to exit the premises, obviously looking for Skies, who should be at the church still.
Of course he's not gonna enter it, since it'd be conspicuous as fuck, but he wants to send these griffs and the clothes back to HQ or an outpost before going back.
Perhaps it should also allow the two to reunite with Starry and Silver while we're at it. Win/Win right?
>>115573There are a minimum of two possible exits. Is he going up to the first floor of the center building, or to the workshop loading bay?
>>115572He smiles, his black triangular ears (on a mostly tan head) go up for the left, and back on the right ear
>>115574Iron'll have to go out from the loading bay he just entered, which I assume is the second option.
The second option is my final answer.
>>115574Silver smiles at him. "I mean, you do not seem like type to eat ponies, at least. I will not judge."
>>115576He only nods slowly
>>115575Iron pills it up, through the hallway, up the ramp, towards the loading bay. It’s a hell of a lot noisier than Iron May like, traversing the cement floor. The door at the end of the room is closed
>>115577Iron tests the door and see how close it is
aka if locked or not.
>>115577Seeing that this is going mostly nowhere, he changes subjects. "What kind of mint was that you took earlier. I have never seen mint come in cigarette paper."
>>115579“Oh, it’s... it’s mint. I didn’t know mint cane in types. We use them to help our breath. The paper is just a holder.”
>>115581Iron decides to 'persuade' the door with a little nudge with his forelegs.
[1d20+5 = 9]<Iron's being pushy
>>115582The door is unpersuaded
>>115580"Just was strange to me. Where did paper come from though?"
>>115584“ I think they make it somewhere. They use it for somethings, most distribute it to members. But they give it to us sometimes as well. We use it for matches or mint or things like that”
>>115583Iron tries again, trying to make the door move.
[1d20+5 = 18]<Iron can't seem to take no for an answer
I wonder where Dark Star went.
>>115588I ran out of things to ask without advancing the plot.
>>115589We should ask about the society(GRU) he mentioned earlier.
>>115585"...Admittedly, I am not as clued in as my friend here, I think. You mentioned something about society?"
>>115599Ur late.
I hacked the dice, GM! Now the next five rolls will be below 5!MUAHAHAHAHA
>>115599Pink cowgirl pone a cute
Okay, I’ll consider advancing action tonight
>>115604I await your readiness, mister.
Cat awaits its blins.
>>115604Noice. We await your decision.
>>115591>>115588“You know, the group here. Were you not with them? Or invited by them? I think there’s a griffin who does some of their dealings across the sea, and a pony who does a lot of their work with the city. They try to stay self sufficient. They stay upstairs mostly. They keep me down here....”
He pulls away slightly, and closer to Silver and Dark Star. At this point, a small tether can be seen attached to his left rear leg
“I don’t get many visitors down here...”
>>115586The door finds this more persuasive, buckling
>>115608Thanks, GM-sama. I reduce the amount of dice rolling less than 5 to 3 times today.Iron uses this momentum to finally open the door the REAL way it's meant to be opened.
Hinges? Locks?
Pfft. Iron only needs
holes.
>>115609Hello bat pony. Iron’s is looking for holes.
>>115610Iron has finally found a use for his body, as the door is pressed open. It opens into an area that is pitch black
>>115609By the by, Midnight is with Iron. He has the three griffs on a cart with non-fancy clothing.Don't worry. No more ghey stuff happened during these events, but I plan to meet Skies/other Black Hooves officials to extract the goods.
>>115608Silver looks a little concerned about the existence of this tether. He points to it. "Why are you tethered?"
>>115611Iron takes out his flashlight, turning it on and seeing what
horrors this big hole of a room hides.
>>115611Hopefully not mare holes, because midnight isn't offering.
>>115612Gotcha, I guess she'll continue following until something happens.
>>115614A blank walk that seems to be plywood and added onto the building more than a century after its initial construction, and essentially just provides weather protection - and secrecy, if you want it - to the loading bay. There is a large pull-up door similar to a garage door over to Iron’s left
>>115613“They don’t want me leaving or wondering around...”
>>115608"muh pony friend here, don't member stuff good."
>>115616"I suppose then I would have to ask: why?"
>>115615Roger that. By the way, cart makes some noise while moving so stealth is going to be hard.
Fuck you E-mare, You just hate us nice colts! Why are you always like this? Whywon'tyouhavesexwithme! It's not fair!>>115616Iron seems intrigued by the room, walking over to the garage door and attempts to open it.
>>115617>>115617“Did you say you... were here to buy ponies?”
>>115618“Well, they don’t really consider me a member... and they say I owe them money for food and shelter and taking me in...”
>>115619It’s to pull up. It seems locked anyways
>>115620"Sounds like you are not so loyal to cause."
>>115620>>115615>LockedIron huffs, turning to Midnight
"We'll check this out after we send our friends off."
I assume Iron can walk to the loading bay from here, so he goes there.
(I think the boss should be near the church.)
>>115621“... to what cause?
>>115622He has exited the loading bay, the door is to the outside. Yes, it was unlocked before
>>115623Oh. Well shit. My reading comprehension is off.Iron decides that no hole can prevent his entrance, using his thick forelegs to pull the door up regardless of locks.
[1d20+5 = 23]<Jeez, this pony needs to be in the sexual offender registry
>>115623"Why they are bringing foreigners to Equestria. Or, at least, you do not have loyalty to those in charge here."
>>115622"Okay, just lead the way."
She looks around, quickly following
"I hope we can find the others soon."
>>115626Iron nods, while now pulling the door with his might.
"I think it will happen sooner than you think, if my intuition is correct."
He stares blankly at nothing in particular.
"Hopefully..."
>>115624And this, he violates the lock, pulling the door up after breaking something with a definite metallic “crack”
>>115625“Well... I’ve mostly been here with the other two hyenas. They call them my “siblings.” They are not my siblings.”
>>115628Silver's head tilts at an angle, as if asking for more clarification.
>>115629“They are mean to me. They keep me down here most of the time.”
He blinks, then looks away
“... I probably shouldn’t say that... I can get frustrated sometimes”
>>115628Iron sighs contently, having taken a lot more doors' locks than he anticipated.
All this violation is going to plant him in a registry at this rate."There we go."
He opens the door up, eager to get the clothing and prisoners off his back and into safe pony contractor hooves, as well as figure out how's the other side of the operation going.
>>115630"I see..."
>>115617Silver looks to his friend for guidance. He whispers to him. "Think we should let him go?"
>>115631This leads him back outside of the structure, to the same place he entered a while before
>>115633Iron nods to himself, walking to the hidden clothes stash he smuggled out of the violated building.
"Alright. Church... thing."
He looks around for any sign of Griff Skies as he goes to fetch the fancy clothes.
>>115634No sign of her, at least not immediately. There may be Griffins walking along the street
>>115620>>115632Sorry i was gone.
go on without me. im a failure at life.
>>115635Iron stops his walking, unsure of his predicament.
(I should wait on fetching the clothes if the boss is not here.)
How far is Iron from the church?
>>115636I can tell you from my own personal experience: you aren't.
>>115637It’s some blocks over, about three south and one west, but it’s a long block west as the road kind of forks off diagonally as it goes south
>>115639How conspicuous is a large Earth Poner holding a cart almost about to burst with 'clothing'?
>>115636Besides, if you go, then Silver will be all on his own.
>>115640Rather high. But they might just think he’s homeless, mentally ill, or just burglarized somewhere
>>115642>mentally illI may have to pull out the 'you're a mare/chick/female all along' spiel again
:3
Iron decides to
test his luck and walk over to the church.
>>115641i'll continue, i just need a few minutes to compose myself.
>>115644Okay, but I have to go to sleep. Feel free to make a response so I can see one tomorrow
>>115644Alright, buddy. Hope you get better soon.
>>115645oh ok. Goodnight
>>115646i'lltry
>>115630"How they mean? they hurt you?"
>>115632"They cruel."
Um... does anypony want to play this weekend?
>>115657I Drank Some covfefe so yes.
>>115657Sure. I'm up for it
Alright, so I think Iron (and Midnight?) are going for the church, and Silver and Dark Star have been talking to Mala
>>115661Correct. I wanna see Griff Skies. Ask remaining party's whereabouts as well as extraction of clothing and griffon prisoners.
>>115663This feels like a luck role issue
>>115661What did it look like the tether was made out of?
>>115665It’s black and flat, looks approximately closest to a black cotton dog least, maybe it’s a leather belt
>>115664Alrighty, let's test luck
[1d20 = 7]<Trying to reach the chick through happenstance
>>115666Alright then. Now, all we need to do is wait for a response to what Dark Star said...if there is any.
>>115658>>115665In the three or so minutes Dark Star and Silver have been conversing, the general body language of Mala evidences that he is of some sort of lower social standing. He acts generally intimidated, and that he sonehow expects the visitors of his room to have more privileges than he.
>>115649“Well... sometimes, if I don’t do my work like they want me to... they live here with me and make me clean things up. The creatures in the society kind of just lump us together though. They assume we are a family, and that they are my older siblings.”
>>115670Um, you thinking about it?
>>115670"I iz sorry. dat must make yous mad huh?"
>>115670"You mind if I have closer look at that tether?"
>>115672“Well, it’s not really all that bad. I am not living out on the streets.”
>>115673“Uh... I’m not entirely sure they would like it... but okay”
>>115674>>115672Silver trots up to him, looking at the tether keeping him where he is. He is still looking to Dark Star for guidance on what they should do.
>>115674"But they treat you like slave... you deserve betta."
>>115677>>115676“....”
He is silent for this
>>115675When he realizes Silver’s intent, he moves forward, and moves his back and rear sort of towards Silver, as if blocking him from advancing much further
>>115677>>115679Silver just gives him a slightly-annoyed look in response.
>>115679>>115675He's presenting, Silver. Unzip the sword
>>115680>>115681“What? No.”
At least the thethered leg is nearer Silver now
>>115682No, he is facing Silver, he just turned his body almost sideways
>>115683"Would you like to be free from here?"
>>115685“Well... where would I go? I don’t think the others would approve. And Equestria isn’t exactly the most welcoming place for a gnoll”
>>115686"Well you could come with us."
>>115687>>115686>Come with usinsert wiggly eyebrows here
>>115687He tilts his head at Zekker, and repeats back to him in the form of a question something Zekker told him earlier
“Pony slaves?”
>>115667>>115677It doesn’t seem like Iron is likely to be very successful
>>115689"Well i haven't been entirely truthful with you and i'm sorry for that. I'm not a zebra this is just a disguise. i work for the government and i'm here to shut these slavers down. i'm willing to bet that if you help us here that the government would welcome you with open forelegs. im sure a strong fella like yourself could do a lot of good by helping us free some slaves."
>>115690Darn.
Iron huffs, deciding that he could
wait until Griff Skies approaches.
(I hate wait times.)
[1d20 = 1]<Here goes Iron tempting fate again
>>115692Welp, we're fucked
>>115693Midnight may have more success
>>115694"its a lot to take in i know. but you would have to live like a slave chained up in a Dank Dark sewer."
>>115695Let's hope...
[1d20 = 10]
>>115696He has a look of pure terror. Whereas before he seems guarded but willing to come physically close to the two ponies, he now
runs under the nearest bed over to the right. Or tries to, anyways
>>115697Does midnight have any special plans of ideas on what to do?
“[b]Yoo-weep. Yoo-weep!”
>>115698Iron is confused.
(What is that noise?)
...No clue here either
>>115698Nope, Midnight really hasn't a clue on what they should do
>>115699sigh>>115701Dark Star (and Silver if he’s still here) hear Mala make a loud “yoo-weep, yoo-weep” yelping sound
[1d20+5 = 13]>>115702"Mala, stop,we can be friends."
Diplomacy
>>115702Oh, so that's what the noise was. I only knew that Skies should be able to extract clothing and prisoners, which was my idea, but luck isn't on my side, sadlyIron's ears swivel.
"I hear some sort of strange sound."
He wonders if he should follow with a cart full of clothes and prisoners.
Do either silver or Midnight wish to do anything????
>>115704Iron doesn’t hear shit. The spacing on a phone and linking posts just works weirdly
>>115705Well alright then.
Nevermind my actions, then.
Can I roll luck to get Griff Skies to my position? It's not like he's hidden.
>>115705I dunno what to do
[1d20-1 = -7]>>115705I mean, I could make a diplomacy roll, I guess, but there'e a reason I try to leave those to other players.
>>115706He isn’t, but Skies should be mobile or have moved away(because I knew what would have happened if Silver and Dark Star has stayed)
>>115707Pretend like griff Skies is a mango
>>115708Or you can roll play the interaction. Diplomacy, bluff, or something more physical
>>115710Silver backs away, trying to look as non-threatening as possible in order to get him to stop.
>>115703>>115712His black muzzle and head appear from under the bed frame, and his ears flick up as well, no longer restricted by the shirt stature of the bed. He looks directly at Dark Star
>>115713"i promise you a better life than this, i swear on my mother, she's not with us any more. i take this vow very seriously."
Dark Star makes eye contact with him.
>>115709>>115707I know!
Iron decides that being loud is probably the best solution to attract all kinds of attention.
"God forbid!" He points to the sky. "Look, the Skies are Blue! WOAH!"
He starts walking in circles.
"I cannot believe the Skies were Blue all this time!"
He forcefully takes a hold of Midnight with a foreleg while still pointing at the sky.
"Look! Blue Skies! Have you heard?!"
>>115715Midnight looks at him like he's lost it.
"Iron, are you okay? The skies are always blue..."
>>115715>forcefully takes hold of midnight with a foreleg
>>115716Iron smiles, then whispers to her.
"It is a secret way to summon the boss of this operation."
>>115717Iron points at the sky, yodelling with the lungs of a trained Earth Pony
"Blue Skies! Blue Skies! Look at the Blue Skies!"
>>115714He looks up at Dark Star with big, brown eyes, not seening to fully believe that Dark Star and Silver will take his interests to heart
>>115718A griffin walks by, looks at the pony dragging a large laundry cart down city streets yelling “blue skies!” Into the air, and then continues walking along
>>115718"I... I do not see how this is going to work..."
>>115719>>115720Iron frowns.
"I had faith that would work..."
He ponders a bit, then smiles.
"Ah ha! Let us scream specist pegasi remarks. That will surely drag her to us."
>>115719Dark Star kneels down a few feet away from the bed to give him space.
"I Swear to you,mala. i have no intentions of harming you."
"Think of all the Good that can be done, you can save innocent lives. you'd be a hero."
>>115721"Iron... That is a
terrible idea"
>>115719Silver smiles softly at him. "We will not force you into anything. We only ask that you show us same trust we are showing you."
>>115723Iron frowns.
"The debriefing never talked about pony immigrants being a majority here. It is not like there are other pegasi living here, right?"
>>115725"Yes, but what
griffon is going to respond to those remarks?"
>>115726Iron ponders a bit, looking forwards.
"We could flatter any griffon bystanders by remarking their positives, like claws, being stronger than pegasi and overall stating griffons are pegasi but better. That kind of stuff."
>>115722When Dark Star approaches closer, he nearly lunges out towards Dark Star, and Dark Star could be forgiven for thinking he intended to bite his face. But he does not pull himself entirely out from under the bed, nor does he close the distance between the two entirely, once he stops Dark Star from walking too far. He keeps his body close to the ground. It’s kind of an unsettling posture, like a cornered animal, and in this position he is threatening in a way he hasn’t been before.
At Dark Star’s words (and Silver’s he mouths something back, though he seems unwilling to put it into words
“Will the ponies... really be willing to let me go?”
>>115728Dark Star doesn't flinch
"I Will make them if i must, but it won't come to that. ponies are nice."
>>115728>>115729Silver nods. "Give them chance. We will do best we can to help you."
>>115729>>115730He comes out and stands up, clearly terrified
“Okay...”
>>115731Dark star calmly, non Threateningly stands up and gives him space
>>115727"Hmmm, Okay. That might work... Maybe..."
>>115732He stands up and moves nearer Dark Star and Silver, and he moves his brown, almost black eyes behind the cabinet than to the large freezers on the left, then to Silver, then to Dark Star.
“What are you proposing?”
>>115734>>115733Iron nods, then takes a big breath.
"I cannot stop thinking these griffons are better than pegasi these days!" he says loudly to Midnight.
"They can fly, use claws and have way stronger bodies than puny pegasi! They are no match to them!"
Let's see if I am a good Skies reader.
>>115734>>115735Silver nods. "We are trying to put end to what these griffons are doing on civilian government's orders. Your perspective on what they have been doing would be invaluable to that objective. In exchange, we would do best we can to get you normal life."
>>115735>>115737He walks forward, and almost between the two. In most of the time talking, he has been kind of physically assertive with his body, coming rather close. At this point, he nears the end of his tether, which is stretched out to the bed
“... Alright” he sounds skeptical, but accepting
>>115736Hmmm...
>>115738Silver nods at him, and pulls out his survival knife, using the seration to cut the tether.
>>115738Ds extends his hoof for a hoof shake slowly and non threateningly.
i don't know how much longer i can stay awake.
>>115738>>115733I'll just spout out more Skies-angering words just to add some more bait on the table."Unlike those pegasi weaklings, the griffons are some of the toughest, bravest winged folk I have had the pleasure of meeting! I bet even the strongest pegasi would rather fly away in fear before facing the mighty griffon head on!"
Maybe another post or two, but I am going to sleep soon
>>115740He hesitates for a moment, then shakes paws with Dark Star
>>115739He lifts the rear leg up slightly, and sort of flinches, but the tether is cut and his paws return down
>>115741Iron shall face the consequences of his words soon enough
>>115742How about I make it
worse?"Pegasi are the most distrustful ponies I have ever seen! Once, they hit me in the neck after being severely wounded and ran away! Only cowards would dare strike opponents unawares!"
I'm surprised no one has come out yet.
I expected peeps to be less busy.
I've got a thing I need to do today around 4, yeah.
>>115745>>115744Hey fellas. i fell asleep last night my bad.
>>115746Is good. Nothing else happened last night.
Although Iron's really playing with fire right now. All for a good cause, of course.
>>115748Heyo GMo
Ready to beat this iron into a sword?
>>115748Heyo!
Wish me luck, going to have a job interview later.
>>115751Huzzah! Good luck!
Any action to declare in response to the last I responded post?
>>115752Nothing really substantial, just waiting on Dark Star to get ready to continue.Silver takes a deep breath, wincing as he feels his broken rib.
>>115747Hmmmmmmmm>>115742"I Hope we Can be Friends for a long time mala."
Dark Star shakes back
>>115754>>115755Mala takes a ragged breath, then responds
“But the others. They are around, or should be back from their rounds soon”
>>115749Uh
>>115756You mean
zero sight from Skies?
I'd assume she'd at least pretend to be
so into it if griff, lure him into an alleyway and then asking what the
bleep was that specist remarks all about?
>>115756"Oh we caged them already."
>>115759"You mean the other gnolls right? they had a kirin in a cell earlier. we got her out of there and locked them up."
>>115760“Oh... okay... you say you are from the government?”
>>115762“Are they okay? What will happen to them?”
>>115763Back, sorry
"They Atacked us. so we fought back. the female almost died, so my friend here gave her a potion and now they're locked up."
>>115763>>115764Silver points to his back. "She bit me good. Might have even broken rib, from way it feels."
>>115765Dark Star motion to the hole the spear left.
>>115765He looks over at the bite wound
“That must have been Mohlokomeli. She really got you there... I’m surprised you got this far.”
>>115766He looks at the hole
“That one looks as if partly healed. Did you take that a while ago?”
>>115767"yea around the same time that silver got bit. i got stabbed, i drank a potion that helps wounds heal."
>>115768“Oh... Who is Silver?” He asks
>>115766>>115765“There were more of us, but the army stormed the building upstairs a while back... They did not survive”
>>115767"I have gotten worse. I will live." He motions to a sightly older wound on one of his rear legs where it looks like somepony took a chunk out of his leg with a hoof. It hasn't healed yet, but it's not bleeding anymore.
>>115769Silver raises his hoof. "That would be me."
>>115769""I'm sorry to hear that."
Dark Star looks at him knowingly
"were they all like the other 2?"
>>115770>>115771>>115772Mala comes closer, probably uncomfortably closer, and extends his muzzle towards Silver. He is sniffing Silver. And Mala himself seems to exude some odor that is probably unique to that creature
>>115772“If you mean they were strong and trusted, yes. One of them was Crocuta, like Mohlokemeli and Mohlabani, while one of them was Kaftar, like me.”
>>115773>uniqueYou mean smelly?
Onion smelly or lemon smelly?
>>115773Silver seems curious and maybe just a little weirded out, but he lets him. "Part of your culture, I suppose?"
>>115775“No.... It’s not infected. But that one on your back might”
>>115773"Were you friends with them?"
>>115777“They were, but they survived”
>>115776Silver raises an eyebrow, and turns his head around to look at the wound.
>>115778"They survived? where are they now?"
>>115780He is silent for a second, and then says
“Oh. I misunderstood. You meant the two that died. I was kind of more of... comrades? Coworkers? I don’t know about ‘friends’ with them”
>>115779It’s still untreated, and pretty bad, showing bad on Silver’s back
[1d20+7 = 19]>>115781Heal: While there's a lull in the action, Silver gets out his medical supplies, and attempts to treat the wound.
>>115782Wipe the wound, a bit of painful rubbing alcohol... does Silver want to go through the trouble of stitches? Because he needs them
>>115783If the others can keep an eye on things, I suppose. It'll be unpleasant, but at least he has a bottle of whiskey with which to numb himself.
>>115783>>115784The real question is if it'll be another roll or if the previous roll will cover it.
>>115781"Who were you speaking about?"
>>115784>>115785Now enters Khoi Lua. She’s been silently, or mostly silently, emoting as the ponies in front of her experiment with an inclusive interpretation of ‘friendship.’ She was shocked to see the hyena, comfortable to keep a distance, disgusted by parts of the room and his evident meat eating, a bit afraid he may try something when he jumped out from under the bed, and remains suspicious of the new ‘friend.’ But she actively approaches Silver as Silver pulls out needles
“Let me help you”
‘Help’ sounds a bit like ‘hell’ in her accent, but with purple magic, she picks up the needles, and goes to Silver’s back
>>115786“... I’m confused”
>>115787Silver steels himself. "You have experience with this sort of thing?"
>>115789“I have done before, yes. To sisters in village”
>>115790"Alright. I trust you."
>>115791This she goes about carefully placing a needle into Silver’s skin
“You have lot of fur” she says, seeming to have some difficulty, but proceeding nevertheless
>>115792"Yeah...winter coat..." He's trying to focus and keep from flinching.
>>115788And so ends that conversation unless Dark Star wants to add anything or do anything
>>115793She continues. It hurts. It already hurt, but now he can imagine what is going on, a small needle in his skin.
“Does it get cold here?”
>>115794That's it. im not sure what else to say to mala for now.
>>115794Being stitched up in the middle of a situation like this isn't new to him, though it is the first time in a long time someone else has done it for him. As he focuses on blocking out the pain, he tries his best to speak. "Here, no. Where my people are from, yes."
>>115796“Where you from?” She asks, trying to make talk as she does her work
>>115795Mala has a question for Dark Star
“So... what exactly do we do from here?”
>>115799"St. Petershoof, Severyana, to Northeast of Equestria. It can get very cold in winter, up there."
>>115799"Continue heading through the tunnels, to end the traffickers stealth-fully."
>>115801“End them?”
>>115800“Oh, I have never heard of it”
Almost done
>>115802Silver isn't focused on when it will end, only on keeping calm. "I miss my home. It has been lost for long time."
>>115803“I can understand...” she says. Softly. Sadly
>>115802"Yes, end them or their business. i'm fine with either. as long as the trafficking stops and the ponies of Baltimare will be safe from them."
>>115804Silver nods, letting Khoi finish up.
>>115805He nods, with a look showing that he expects the task to be challenging
“So what are you going to do with me?”
>>115806“Okay... and there. Let me wipe it again so it does not get infected.”
>>115807"Ah, thank you." He turns his head around to look at the results.
>>115807"What do you mean?"
>>115809“What happens to me?”
He points to himself with his right paw
>>115808His fur is still bloody and messy, but she has sewed up a somewhat jagged line of white stitches across the deep bite mark. She soon adds a pad to try to cover it
>>115810He nods. Given the circumstances, she managed rather well. "Thank you Khoi. You did well."
>>115810"What ever you want to happen to you. you can roam Equestria or if you want you could come with us after e get out of here. or you might even be able to get a job helping the government."
>>115812“... What is the plan tonight?”
>>115811She places a hoof to her chest, and does a small bow
>>115813Silver copies the motion, trying to show her some respect.
>>115813"Well, we can always use more Hoov- er claws. im sure there are more hostile creatures ahead. how can you handle yourself in a fight?"
>>115815“I don’t know...”
He goes back to the bed, and pulls something out. Another moment, and he has what looks to be a... scimitar? In a sheath
“Is... this necessary for... what’s the word? ‘Amnesty?’”
>>115814She smiles at Silver, then gives an unpleasant look over at the gnoll with the sword
>>115816Silver puts a hoof on her shoulder. "Please, give him chance. He was victim of those two gnolls like you were."
>>115816"Nice Sword. You can bring it if you wish."
>>115818He looks at Dark Star, not entirely understanding how to ask the question he desperately wants to ask
“Do I have to fight?”
>>115817“No victim. One of them. They are no good in Zebrica, they are no good here”
>>115819"Well i suppose not if you don't wish to. i'm not sure how many hits silver can take though."
>>115819"So, they are from Zebrica?"
>>115820"I will be fine. It is probably best that I handle any fights we get into. I am much sturdier than other."
>>115821“So, what am I supposed to do?”
Asks Mala
>>115821“Yes. At least their kind is from Zebrica”
>>115822"Simple: we follow Dark Star's orders, we incapacitate any griffons we see, and we save any other captives."
>>115823He looks at Silver for a lament, blinks, and says
“And that will get me amnesty?”
>>115824"If you help, yes."
>>115825“Okay... then I will help”
>>115825>>115820And with this, the ponies are presumably ready to go on to the next area
>>115826Presumably. Now to wait on Dark Star.
>>115826Wheres the next door?
>>115828Across from their current position, and to the right
>>115829>>115827Dark star motions to the door
>>115831the one to the right
the one we havn't been through.
>>115832Dark Star has also not been immediately across. They came from the left
[1d20+5 = 22]>>115833Dark Star listens at the door
>>115835the one straight ahead.
>>115838Dark Star whispers to the party
"I Hear Voices."
>>115839Silver gets his sword ready. "It is your call."
>>115840>>115838Dark Star looks at Khoi and Mala
"Are you two ready?"
>>115841They both look back at Dark Star with anxious expressions. Khoi Lau is curious but concerned, while Mala is more fearful. Neither volunteers anything immediately. After a couple seconds, Mala (a sheathed curved sword on his back), answers
0Sure?”
>>115840>>115842He nods at silver
"Let's go."
>>115842>>115843Silver cracks open the door and peaks inside the doorway.
>>115844Dark Star readys his bow
>>115844>>115845A few bars, a stone floor, a vile or two, and something vaguely resembling a dark spiderweb. No living creatures are visible through the slim crack
>>115846Silver opens it further, properly stepping into the room.
>>115847>>115845Silver opens the door, exposing all of the contents of the room, and notices all of the following in approximately reverse order. The walls are a yellowish tan color, presumably the original mortar. Half of the room, to Silver’s right, has a set of cells, looks like at least three of them connected. The base of the cells are wrought iron, sometimes painted black and sometimes rusted. The bars are more often a new looking, shinier, grey-er zinc-coated steel. The floors inside the cells are darker grey, probably covered in cement or mortar. There is a pail near the center, and on the left is a table with a set of bikes, labels, and a jar or two. Even a safe.
But whatever is on the left is positively alien or horrifying. There is a large black
object of hardened gossamer and silk, or whatever other organic matter. Some of this is simply strewn across the floor, some in a drained tube, but some in a large cocoon-like object. Through transparent gossamer exterior, and suspended in green-tinted translucent liquid is a pony. Maybe pony isn’t the right word. She’d be tall if she could stand, bigger than a normal pony and with slimmer built features. She has a longer horn and a longer muzzle, and a beige-cream coat that is almost white in color. Her hair is a light brown in color and floats in the liquid. Her eyes are wide open and are a bluish color. Not a healthy, natural blue, like it were the color she was born with, but a the sickly milky blue of the blind. If she is aware, it’s not reflected in movement, as she does not react in any kind of way as Silver enters.
And yet, even that scene is not the first any pony entering the room was notice. Over in a cell is a pony, a small mare. Her cells is distinguished by a red painted band overtop of it, but otherwise is indistinct as the central cells. She’s a unicorn, a milky white color coat, and a light red mane bordering on pink. Something in her pale coat looks almost like a crystal pony, and her mane is held together in braids. She has light green eyes that look right at Dark Star.
“Are you here for me?” She asks, in an accent that is present but hard to classify. She stands up and moves over with hooves that are each chained down by steel.
>>115848Silver's eyes go wide upon seeing the monstrosity to his left. He knows exactly what that is. He turns to the captive in the room.
"Why is there changeling cacoon in this room?"
>>115849There’s almost an exasperation to her voice as she tries to move forward, but is stopped by the restraints
“I do not know. I think they are draining ponies.”
>>115848Dark Star's jaw is agape as he takes in the room
As she speaks to him it snaps him out of the Semi-Trance he was in
"Uh yea,Whats going on here?"
>>115850"Hmm...if you would, hold still please." To be sure, he gets out his flashlight, shining it in the mare's eyes to make sure she's not a changeling.
>>115851“I do not know. They imprisoned me. I think they will harvest me as well”
>>115852She flinches and blinks when he tries to shine light directly into her eyes, trying to pull up a hoof to protect her eyes, and failing. She pulls her muzzle to the side and says
“Why you do that for?”
>>115853"No they won't we're getting you out of here."
>>115853"I just need to make sure you are not changeling. I know, it is quite annoying and I apologise, but it works."
>>115851"Dark Star, take picture of that cacoon, then get that poor pony out of there.
This is something civilian government will want to know about."
>>115855She looks at him with big, sad eyes, and says
“I want to get out of here!”
>>115856Silver nods. "I know, and you will. Can you give me clear sight of chains? I will try to break them."
>>115855>>115853"i'm on it."
Dark Star photographs the cocoon and the "Unicorn" inside.
>>115856"Don't Worry sister we won't let them hurt you."
>>115858The alleged unicorn inside of the cocoon is photographed
>>115857“You can come in and break the chains, yes”
[1d20+7 = 27]>>115859Silver pulls out his railroadmare's hammer, lines up a shot at the chain holding the mare, and swings for it.
>>115859Dark Star examines it closer.
[1d20+7 = 27]>>115860I have no idea if I can crit against a chain, but I'm going for it anyways.
>>115860>>115862Actually, the chains are separated from Silver by a steel-bar door which is thoroughly locked. Somehow I feel Silver manages to break the chains anyways
>>115862>>115864He broke them psychicly
>>115864Alright. I'll be right back, dinner's here.
Back.
>>115864Silver has an epiphany (accompanied by a facehoof) that he is, in fact, not a very smart pony. He proves this by getting out the keys he picked off the female gnoll, and seeing which one fits the cell door the mare is locked in.
>>115868Does not work, does not work, does sort work, does... wait, jingle it a little more. Maybe? No, it does not work. Does not work... hey, this one works! A black almost L-shaped key fits in and turns, opening the door. A horseshoe hung over head on a rail jingles as it hits the door
>>115869"Hmm. Strange. Some kind of alert for any watching guards?" Now, he tries to unlock the shackles on the mare.
>>115870I’m guessing Silver will use the two twenties to break her chains
>>115871I suppose so, if none of the keys will unlock the shackles.
Dark Star?
>>115872Well... either way, it looks like he breaks her out of the shackles, with her jumping and clearly relieved to be out of the restraints
>>115873"Do you mind if I ask you some questions, now that you are free?"
>>115874She moves past, and tries to rush past Silver
>>115875"Hey, where are you going!?" Silver rushes forward, trying to stop the mare.
>>115876Though she does not acknowledge Silver’s question, it seems the answer is “yes, I mind.”
>>115877And so Silver frees the mare in the cage, who promptly tries to leave without word
>>115878Ultimately, he lets her go, though he is left rather annoyed by this outcome. "I hope this will not become running theme."
>>115879>>115878"Where are you going? you do know you are in the most dangerous part of balimare,right?"
>>115880She stops near the door but sort of blocked by Mala and Khoi, looks back to him, and smiles
“What was it you had in mind? Did you want to take me home?”
>>115881Dark Star looks a little shocked by this response
"I'm just looking out for another pony is all, I Guarantee if you get captured by a local gang it'll be a lot worse than the changelings."
>>115882“I can manage” she says
>>115883""It's not safe for ponies around here. especially females.
Just...Be safe ok? I Don't want to read about anything terrible happening to you in the papers. try to get out of here as fast as you can if you are set on leaving."
>>115884“What else you want me to do?” She asks
>>115879Silver can also do things
>>115885"I Don't suppose that you would like to help free more ponies and others from their bondage?"
>>115887“No. How do I get out of this place?”
>>115888He points her in the direction they came through
"Be careful going through there. there are 2 gnolls we caged at the beginning of the sewer."
>>115889She gives a malign grin
“Oh there are?”
>>115888While Silver begrudgingly accepts this answer, he still gives her a judging look for leaving without even answering any questions.
>>115890I noticed you never commented on whether or not she showed up as a pony or a changeling. So, what is she?
>>115890>>115879Dark Star glances over at silver as she smiles
"Yes there are, i would suggest you hurry through there, those 2 are very dangerous. they put up a very tough fight."
>>115892Invalid test. She blinked.
>>115893She nods and proceeds to go that direction, Mala now looking concerned and Khoi confused and offput by the scene in front of her
>>115894Silver moves to block her, put off by the way she acted. "One thing, before you go: I still need to make sure you are not changeling."
>>115895She moves back, looks at Silver indignantly, then tries to go around him
[1d20+5 = 10]>>115896"my Friend here is kind of a stickler for these kinds of things. it would be easier just to allow him to do it. you have my word nothing bad will happen."
Diplomacy
>>115896Silver simply blocks her again, not having any of her shit. "You take test, I let you go. You refuse, I put you right back in that cell, because I still have no explanation for that cacoon and who made it, and you have been wholly uncooperative so far."
>>115897>>115898She nods to Dark Star, then looks to Silver, and says
“I am no Changeling. I am pony. I do not know where Changeling go that make cocoon. Let me go.”
>>115899Silver gets into a combat-ready stance. "One."
>>115899"You swear you are a Pony? and that you don't know anything about this place?"
Dark Star watches her body language
>>115900“I was kidnapped and brought here. I do not know except these are bad creatures”
Mostly indignance with a hint of fear
>>115900She definitely tries to walk around him
>>115902Silver will not let her. It is probably best she just gives in and accepts the test.
A telekinetic sheath forms around the hilt of his sword as he begins to draw it. "Two."
>>115902"I See, Kidnapped from where exactly?"
He continues to watch her body language.
"The flashlight test is a significant part of Equestrian society these days. it won't hurt at all i promise, just hold your eyes open please and then my friend will move so you can leave."
>>115903“Let. Me.
Go.”
>>115904She seems determined to leave
“Tell him to let me go”
[1d20+4 = 8]>>115905Silver draws his sword. "Three."
Unless she gives in or Dark Star orders Silver otherwise, the mare should probably roll initiative.
>>115906>>115905"Silver stop. Just let him shine the light in your eyes and you can go."
>>115907Silver holds, but it's only on Dark Star's orders.
>>115908>>115907So... pony does not begin combat with Silver. She tries to walk around him
>>115909Silver is still not letting her through until either she takes the test or Silver is ordered to stand down.
[1d20+2 = 18]>>115910She tries to jump over Silver
[1d20+4 = 7]>>115911Jump: Silver tries to counter-jump and block her.
>>115912It's not very effective.
>>115910>>115910From her position on the ground, she jumps up, lands hooves on top of Silver’s back - which gives an unambiguous sting because this tugs on the stitched skin - skirts the low hanging ceiling, and lands before Mala and Khoi. Khoi looks offended
“His back is injured”
She still has to get past Khoi and Mala, but she has jumped over Silver
>>115912Silver presses her up, and while she may well skirt the ceiling more than if he did not, it does not stop her. It does strain his back more though
>>115914"Stop her! she's a changeling!"
[1d20+2 = 12]>>115914The pain she causes Silver only serves to make him more angry.
Strength: Silver tries to tackle her to the ground.
[1d20 = 9]>>115916Opposed
>>115915Mala is still for a moment, wincing in fear of the happening before him. Khoi is not, leaning down, and blocking off the route past the idle Mala
>>115916She falls down onto her side, she moves her hooves to try to get up, and she moves out her mouth with a definite
”HISS!” towards Silver
[1d20+8 = 19]>>115918Silver attempts to use his sword's pommel to bash the changeling's head until they fall unconscious.
>>115919Fuck, that was meant to be a nonlethal strike and I forogt to take the penalty to the roll.
>>115919>>115920She is hit in the head with the strong butt, and a slight crack is heard.
Then, a fire of sorts envelopes her, and consumes her. It leaves behind a small, almost charred black colored beatle-skinned creature with blue hair, blue dragon fly wings, and green, whiteless eyes
>>115922Is she still conscious?
>>115923She is borderline on the conscious, unconscious range. Best not to risk anything
[1d20+4 = 19]>>115924True. And she did piss him off with that whole ordeal. He aims another pommel strike at her cranium.
>>115925>>115926"Don't kill her. i have some questions."
>>115927Silver holds midway in his swing.
>>115925>>115928He cracks the skull with that second pommel strike. She’s sure as shit not preying on any ponies tonight, he can be sure of that....
Or maybe not. I guess Silver can hold his swing
Either way,
Khoi jumps the hell back, started by the alien creature
“Mot kohimo!”
Mala comes closer to the creature, and looks at it with sober fascination
“So they did have one. An Obanje”
[1d20+2 = 6]>>115929"If that is your word for changeling, then yes."
Strength: Dark Star might have ordered Silver to hol his last swing, but silver will still try to pin the stunned bug so she can't escape.
>>115930It’s less than a convincing pin, and if anything it opens him up to vampirism
>>115931There's not many other options for Silver if Dark Star is going to want her conscious. Maybe Silver could try again? He just needs to get it so he can tie her up.
>>115932“Yes, an Obanje. They say they will sneak in and steal children from their huts. Shapeshifters”
>>115933He could just try to tie her up. She is wearing a black collar as well, which may help... something
[1d20+4 = 14]>>115934Use Rope: Silver attempts to tie the changeling up.
>>115934"Yes that is indeed an obanje then. they are called changlings in ponish."
>>115936“I heard they existed... I never saw one before. I’m not sure I would know I saw one though”
Khoi inserts herself,
“Kumiho. Shapeshifters that, how you say... ‘trick’ stallions into following them, then eat them”
>>115935She is tied up fairly well
>>115937"I suppose you could say they 'eat' you. They feed off of life force of other living beings, stallion or female." Silver drags the changeling back into her cell, and locks her up.
Is the cacooned pony still trapped.
>>115938“Is not pleasant. Creatures can disappear” she says
Yes, the cocooned pony is still trapped.
The Changeling is locked up with the L-shapes key, if with fewer restraints to her
>>115940"There are many ponies who have disappeared, after war..." Silver says this with a melancholy air. He goes over to the cacooned pony, testing the surface of it with a hoof to see how hard it would be to break or cut through it.
>>115937"They can be hard to spot, if you shine a light in their eyes, you can spot them. the tales that both of you have heard are most likely true."
>>115942Khoi has an expression of wonder and fear, while Mala seems concerned
Khoi:
“What I’ve heard... these are very dangerous”
Mala:
“It’s not quite like a fairy tale, living here...”
>>115941“This, even before the wars.”
The surface is flexible, giving way at Silver’s hoof. It can be cut, though it’s too soft to break easily.
[1d20+7 = 8]>>115943"Even in best of times, I would not consider Equestria to be fairy tale land. And this is especially bad time, for all of us." Silver gets out his survival knife, and attempts to cut through the cacoon and release its occupant.
>>115943>to mala "It's more like a tragedy. but that's why i fight them so someday my Foals will be able to live in peace.">To Khoi "You are very correct to think that,because they are Very Dangerous. maybe even more Dangerous than you thought."
>>115946Khoi nods, left somewhat fearful by his words
Mala nods, looking away, left somewhat saddened by his words
>>115944Silver goes at it with his knife. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have a very good grip, and the knife flies out of his magical hold and back towards his face. He would sure as hell flinch
>>115947Is that a request for a roll?
>>115948Nah. But he fails on his first attempt, in such a way that Khoi places her hoove to her mouth to hide a soft giggle, before Mala looses a high pitched laugh that sounds unnerving
“Hahaha”
[1d20+7 = 23]>>115949Silver grumbles a little, looks around for his knife, and tries again.
>>115950This one slices. He is able to cut it down without hitting the creature inside. A goo seeps out. It’s very liquid, but still kind of gross. Khoi moves away from it and Mala comes to sniff it
>>115949>>115950"don't let it get to you,silver."
[1d20+5 = 9]>>115951Heal: Silver pulls the pony out as soon as he is able. Once freed, Silver tries to assess the pony's current condition.
>>115952Silver is a little confused.
>>115953them laughing at you
>>115954I know, but Silver doesn't.
>>115954>>115955Poor Silver. Those mean old non-ponies are laughing at you? Show them pony supremacy
>>115953Silver cannot ascertain very much, except that she must be in some kind of torpor
>>115956How heavy is she, per chance? Could Silver carry her with the group?
>>115957She’s heavier than a normal pony. At least as big as Dark Star
[1d20 = 16]>>115958"Hmm...it is good idea that we take her with us. We will need to keep eye on her until she wakes up."
Strength: Silver attempts to put the mare on his back so they can take her with the group.
>>115959Forgot the +2 modifier.
>>115959>>115960Whelp, she’s picked up
>>115959Dark Star examines her now that she's out of the pod
>>115961The big, strong unicorn with the heavy load on his back flashes a self-satisfied grin at the two non-ponies.
>>115962The unicorn is of a larger build than a normal pony. She’s not as big as an alicorn, but the body structure - a leaner, taller physique is present. It’s possible she’s just malnourished. The life has slowly been drained out of her, and she looks weak and deteriorated. Maybe her beige coat would be darker under normal conditions. Maybe not
>>115963They look a little surprised the pony can carry all of that
>>115964"She could probably use some Food and water."
>>115965Silver nods. "I should have water ration in my bags. I do not know about food, though, not until she wakes."
>>115964"I am strong pony."
>>115966"Hoof it here, i'll give it to her."
>>115967Silver fishes around in his bags for a water ration, and hoofs it to Dark Star.
>>115968>>115964Dark Star opens her mouth with his hoof and brings the canteen up to her lips and tilts her head back with the other hoof.
"Here Drink. we're here to help you."
>>115969She is not immediately responsive to the water, nor really to any external stimuli
>>115970"No Response. hmmmm"
He rubs her throat so she'll be able to drink it involuntarily
>>115971She does so, drinking the liquid.
[1d20+3 = 15]>>115972is there anything else in the room?
perception
>>115973Yes. The afformentioned viles, a pair of jars, a pair of pliers, a battery, a safe, another of what looks like a cocoon but busted open, a veil, and perhaps other assorted items
>>115974Dark Star examines the jars
Do they have anything inside?
>>115974Silver inspects the safe.
>>115976Rather small, and sitting on the ground. It’s about what you could have in a private home. It’s clearly a more recent model
>>115975Yes. Yes they do. It’s a jelly-like substance with a reddish hue
[1d20+7 = 24]>>115977Silver takes his hammer, and tries to bust the safe open.
>>115978Dark Star opens one of the jars and smells it.
>>115980A vaguely flower like smell, closer to rose
>>115979The lock on the door shatters, allowing the door to slightly drift open
>>115981Silver opens it as far as it will let him, and takes a look as to what was inside.
>>115981"Strange. Mala can you tell me what you think this is?"
>>115983He comes over and sniffs it
“I think I know what this is... this is a drug”
>>115982Strangely, it’s mostly another set of small jars, along with a couple hypodermic needles and a distinct set of medical containers
>>115983>>115984"What kind of drugs would they be producing?"
>>115985“Ones that mane you feel happy. Fill the emptiness”
>>115986"...Eh? You make it sound like alcohol." He thinks on it a bit. "Is that why they had cacooned pony? They needed something from her to make drugs?"
>>115987“I think so” he says
>>115984"Really?"
Dark Star looks down at it like its Cute but Deadly animal, with a longing look in his eyes.
>>115985Didnt Blue give you some of that?
>>115989Is he looking at the contents of the jar, or any of the three (now four) cute but deadly non-pony animals he has around him?
>>115988>>115989Silver suddenly puts two and two together to figure out what they were making. "Oh, they are making
that. No wonder this mare looks malnourished, they have been draining her dry this whole time. Dark Star, it would probably be good idea to take pictures of all of this."
>>115990the former.
the drugs that make you feel less empty.
>>115991Dark Star doesn't respond and He can see Dark Star's expression
>>115992"Dark Star." His voice takes on a sharper tone.
>>115993"Huh? What did you say? i...was thinking about something."
>>115994"I could tell. It would be good idea to take pictures of all of this, jars and such like."
>>115995Dark Star's expression returns to normal
"Right."
He takes out his camera and photographs everything in the room
>>115996And thus, he does so
>>115997Dark Star examines the other pod
Which way does it look like it has been busted? in wards or outwards?
Okay... I have to sleep now
>>115998Outwards. Cut open
>>116009How are you tonight? You wanna join in Cytube?
https://cytu.be/r/Nelumbo
>>116010Whatcha doing in the Cytubes?
>>116011Watching things. Right now it’s an Equestria at War playthrough. Maybe later WW1 videos
>>116012Sounds nice. Playing KotoR right now, but I might pop in and see what's what.
>>116013KoToR? NICE! Whats the playthrough like so far?
>>116014So far so good. I'm at Tatooine right now, talking to the Sand People.
>>116015Yea talking to the Arabs was always the worst part.
>>116016That's one way of putting it.
>>116017Xp
You gonna go (((Jedi))) or sith?
>>116018Haven't yet decided. We'll see what happens.
Um... Would anypony like to declare any continuing actions?
>>116020Sure.
>>115999"This looks like it was cut open from...the inside?"
>>116020I don't remember where the conversation left off, but I assume I'm not going to make them budge, right?
>>116021"Hmm. That is odd."
>>116021... Inverted. Cut from the outside
>>116025ooops>>116023Pretend i said from the outside
>>116024Spark keeps at it.
"This is the future of your family we are talking about. You can hide for now, but what will you do? Grow old here, caged by the forest? Will your colts marry staying here? What about friendship? Ponies need to be part of a community."
>>116027He looks back at Rose, then shakes his head
"What would I do if I left?"
>>116025Are there any doors in this room other than the one we entered from?
>>116028"I would get you over that border first, then you are free. You can set up a new farm near a nice community perhaps. OR you can keep some distance, but still have the option to go to market once in a while. You can leave a future for your colts. I'm sure your family is ready to meet some other ponies and make some friends. And I bet you are as well."
Is anypony here tonight? And wants to play?
>>116042Um... How do you like things so far? I'm still not sure about the pacing or the story. Argentina has been absent a lot.
>>116043>>116030Dawson sits in silence for a moment, again looking at rose, and now stroking her long, pink mane.
"I'll think about it"
from on top of the couch, Red Wine leans into Spark, and starts to whisper to him
"He's kind of stubborn. He's been safe out in these woods in a way that most ponies are not. Until tonight."
>>116044Spark pats Red Wine's head and whispers back.
"He will make the right call. He seems to have done a good job so far."
>>116045He is pat, but looks past Spark towards Rose and Dawson.
"I hope the Changeling Drain doesn't cause her to miscarry..."
>>116046Spark has a look of concern.
"I'm sure she will be fine."
Spark never even considered that to be a possibility. He heads over to Rose and Dawson.
"Anything else I can get you?"
>>116044I've been liking things so far. Pacing is only an issue so far as it's apparently difficult to get even two of our schedules to line up. It might cause things to drag out, with as many rooms as we'll have to search through, and if we manually declare each and every single action going forward. Story so far has made sense, so I'm not seeing an issue there.
I just assume Iron's inactivity is just scheduling, like with a lot of the other players. I imagine if he had an issue he'd raise it.
Also, might as well declare Silver's next action while I'm here:
Silver takes a couple of the jars of Changeling Honey for evidence, and turns to Mala. "Something you said just minute ago, you made it sound like rumors of something like this operation have been making rounds. How long have these rumors been around?"
>>116047He is silent a moment, then looks back to Spark, and is silent for a moment. Then he speaks
“Guard the doors”
>>116048“... Rumors?”
>>116049"Yes, or at least it is what it sounded like."
>>116049Spark nods and sits by the door. He sits the pistol beside himself, ready to pull it on an intruder.
>>116050"Rumors about what?" He asks
>>116051Alright... May be worth going to the next day
>>116052"About this changeling being here."
>>116053"I had not seen it before... but I thought they had one..."
>>116054Silver nods. "For how long? And why did you think that?"
>>116052Sure. Spark falls asleep on guard duty I suppose.
>>116055"I don't know... eight months, I think... I would hear of the honey being sold... I would see drained prisoners, sometimes..."
>>116056Hmmm....
>>116057"Terrible...this has been going on for while, then..." He contemplates this for a moment before looking again at Mala. "Do you have any idea where prisoners are kept?"
>>116058He nods, and looks over to the right
"Deeper inside the structure..."
>>116059Silver nods in turn. "As soon as my companion is ready, we should try to find them. If
this is first thing we have found inside here, then I do not have high hopes for what has been done to captives elsewhere in building."
He looks over to the changeling, looking on how she is currently fairing.
>>116060Uh, change the last line of dialogue to be "deeper inside the building"Mala nods, slowly, looking back at Silver
When Silver looks back to the Changeling, it's a dark black creature, difficult to make out its individual features. It has one big eye open, and though it's impossible to say exactly what the green sphere is looking at - it may as well be looking at everything in the room all at once - somehow, it has the air of staring unblinkingly directly at Silver
>>116061Silver, unsure if the changeling is even cognicent, waves at her.
>>116062The creature does not respond. The chest does seem to be rising up and down in breathing motions
>>116063"At least she is alive. I think I might have given her concussion, however. If changelings can be concussed."
>>116064Khoi:
"You want keep it alive? Kill it"
>>116065He looks back at Khoi. "That seems to be common answer for y
>>116066Goddammit, I wasn't ready to post.
*you."
>>116066She shakes her head
"This is nest of vipers."
>>116068"Still, she is more useful to us alive than dead."
>>116069"For what? She will attack you"
>>116070"She is eyewitness to what has happened here. She is valuable source of information as to who they have been bringing in, and perhaps with that information we can find those who have been sold off as slaves.
"As for attacking me, let us hope she is not that stupid. She has tasted what fighting me results in. If she tries to attack, she will only get hurt worse."
>>116071The creature interjects after Silver’s statement, in that kind of creepy multi-tonal echoey voice that is common for her race
“Typical pony...”
She sounds tired. Or otherwise “out of it”
Then Khoi herself looks at Silver with a sort of worried expression
“If that is your best lead...”
>>116072Silver looks back again to the changeling. "Oh, you are conscious...sort of."
>>116073Again, the one eye is open, looking towards Silver
“No thanks to you...”
>>116074"It is not as if I did not give you choice in matter. But...I do apologise for hitting you. Sorry." He sits down facing her, hoping he's out of the range of any life draining abilities.
>>116075Unlike its position when they entered the room, the creature is unrestrained within the cage. It could move around and even come next to the edge, if only it were orientated. But it doesn’t get up. She lays there in her side. It’s difficult to read its expression. The one green eye is open, and a fang hangs out. It says nothing
>>116076"I imagine you have one hell of headache. I could try to help you get rid of it if you do not attack me."
>>116077"
Now you want to finish what you started? No, pony. I will suffer through it."
>>116078"Eh...through healing, I mean. Properly try to heal your headache."
>>116079"Is this about the 'questioning'?"
>>116080"No, just...little guilty about bashing your head in, I will admit. Plus I would want help with something like that, if our positions were reversed."
>>116081"You've done enough tonight"
The words barely come out of her mouth, and she does not move from her position laying on her side. The eye has not blinked once, and it is impossible to tell whether she is staring Silver down, or is blind in that eye. She sounds tired, and her voice has an erie quality to it, owing to its quality of being delivered in two tones at once. But there is more than a little resentment in it, and skepticism towards any good will
>>116082"...Alright..." He seems a little disappointed in himself, and doesn't push the issue.
>>116083If Silver doesn't want to push itI have to go to sleep now
>>116082>>116083He does, however, levitate a health potion between the bars of the cell. "At least have this."
>>116085It's not perfectly clear she is capable of sitting up at the moment. At least she doesn't seem inclined to do so if she is
I have absolutely no idea anymore of when GM gets online.
>>116092But seriously, I’m here most hours that I am not sleeping or in court. Including weekends (which tend to be silent during light hour s for some reason)
>>116093Ah. I can't speak for the others, but I normally wait for signs that you're on to start posting. Anyways...
Silver levitates the health potion so it's right in front of the changeling's face. "Please?"
>>116094Her head moves ever so slightly, as if to orientate her field of vision, not that it's really easy to tell where she is looking.
"I'm not drinking your truth serum, or whatever that is. You're going to have to come in here yourself and force my mouth open"
>>116095"I really would much rather not. It is healing potion, I promise you. I bought it from potion store here in Baltimare, 2 Strong 4 You. Personally, I have seen stronger potions, but it is servicable."
>>116096Her thin lips pull back, and for the briefest of moments it looks as if she is smiling in acknowledgement of the joke. Then it recedes, and she picks her head up to lift more towards Silver. Her eyes, light blue-tinted green, can now be seen to have a lighter point in them that was not obvious before, and is directed towards Silver
"What is it you want, pony? Was there a 'friend' of yours you wanted back, or something?"
She does not take the potion, nor is it obvious that her magic or limbs would allow her to do so
>>116097"I would like for you to take healing potion. I would also like to ask questions about what you saw here, but even if you did not want to answer them, I would still offer you this potion."
>>116098I don’t want to direct your character or anything... but the Changeling’s injuries are of the non-lethal type, whereas Silver himself has like 12 HP of damage, and he’s not done fighting for the night
>>116099Yes, that thought has crossed my mind before. Yes, I am certain of this decision. Even injured, Silver is still heaalthier than anypony else with him.
>>116098>>116100Okay...She looks over at the potion, then to Silver, then back to the potion, and tries to turn from her side onto her recessed, greyhound-like belly. She succeeds only in getting her forelegs out from underneath her and propping her head up. She then presses a hoof to her head in evident pain, and it seems parts of the wall can be seen straight through her leg.
A green aura of light, and it looks like she is trying to grab the potion with her magic, but the aura fails, just as well since if she had wrestled harder and
then failed she would have dropped the potion. She leans her head closer towards it
>>116101A blue telekinetic sheath forms around the potion, pulling the stopper off of it and assisting in lifting it to her lips.
>>116102Her head pulls back at Silver pushing the potion forward, and for a number of seconds she seems to be rejecting the potion. Then she opens her thin, long muzzle, grips part of the bottle with a long, snake-like tongue, and tries to avoid her saber-fangs pushing the glass away as she grabs the potion with her mouth, and starts to drink it
[1d8+1 = 5]>>116103The healing, positive energy liquid moves down her throat, reducing her headache in ways normal painkillers could only dream of.
>>116104She drinks it, drinks it, places the glass aside...
Her eyes go wide, and start to glow almost, looking nearly like slightly dimmer and smaller versions of green traffic lights. The white point within the eyes is clearer now, and looks off to the wall, then back to Silver.
Instantly, she jumps up, back arched like a startled cat, looking at Silver. She levels her chipped horn towards him in a more or less combative posture. There is a grimace upon her face
>>116105Silver for his part doesn't flinch, assuming she's just startled. He does smile at her though. "Feeling better?"
>>116106She stands there, hooves spread apart, small chopped horn lowered, and almost barred fangs in what is pretty clearly a combat pose
“Not as well as I did earlier.” She says.
Her voice is slightly deep but unambiguously feminine, delivered in two tones as if by two separate voices delivered at once. The accent she spoke with when she took the mask of a pony is absent, an accent indeed that seemed to belong to a culture of ponykind Silver never before encountered. The whiter points of her eyes are fixated on Silver
>>116107"Yeah..." He rubs the back of his neck in a clear sign of guilt or embarrassment, oddly calm for the situation he's in at the moment. "...not my greatest moment. Again, I am sorry." He looks around for a moment before picking up a jar of the changeling honey/jelly/whatever it's called with his magic, and offering it to the changeling. "Here, are you hungry? I would not blame you if you were sick of even looking at this stuff after being forced to make it for so long, but it should still be fine for you to eat."
>>116108Her eyes, it rather the lighter spots, move over towards the levitated vial, and the growling expression disappears off her charred black face, until her whole expression comes changes from a growling dog to that of a dog fixated on a sandwich.
She watches it, then sallies forth towards the end of the cage. Green Magic’s envelops the vial, pulling it forward, hitting a bar with a high pitched “clink,” then turned and pulled in. Her hooves grab it, then she tries to pull it with her mouth, and she sits down bites on it until she finally pulls out the stopper. Her thin tongue enters the vial up and down like the tongue of an ant eater, allowing her to slowly pull out and swallow little bits of the pink jelly.
>>116109Silver looks actually kind of impressed at the dexterity and length of her tongue. If there was such a thing as tongue envy, it very well would be caused by this.
He lets her eat for a few moments before speaking up again. "Perhaps we could do our introductions again: my name is Silver Sword. Who are you?"
>>116110He gets to see the tongue in action a little while longer as it descends down into the vial.
She has placed the vial inside of one of the holes of her leg, so that she just holds her hoof up and the vial stays in place in her leg. She looks up to Silver from her position sitting, and says to him with less hostility than before
“My name is Arbeiter Zwölf Zweiundneunzig Von Lycidae und Sturmwind“
>>116111He sits there for a couple seconds, working out what it means in Wechselbalg to himself. "Worker Twelve...Ninety-Two? One Thousand Ninety-Two?" He looks over to her. "Is Lycidae your Queen?"
>>116112Now she looks up to him directly, or seems to
“Yes.”
>>116113God dammit, looking through the old threads is a pain. What was the name of Kerr and Wesley's Queen?
>>116115Any help at all? Lycidae sounds familiar to me, but I can't remember exactly if it was the drones' Queen.
Also, hello!
>>116116That’s a strangely insistent reply... Okay...
The mother of Kerr and Wesley is something like “Lacinia”. I think both may be from the same “State,” but they are different creatures
>>116117It's just a pain in the ass to look through the old threads. Sorry.
"I met pair of young drones not too long ago underneath Queen Lacinia, or something along that line. Do you know of her?"
Will anyone be here this weekend?
>>116123I don’t think there is anypony here but us, and maybe Spark
>>116124I wonder where Dark Star ran off too. I miss him.
>>116124So...how are you?
>>116128Oh. I'm sorry to hear that, man, life can be rough sometimes. Hope things turn out better for you soon. What's got you so down?
>>116129People at work are either insulting me directly, or behind my back, as I’ve been told
>>116130I have had co-workers report me to the boss for no reason a few weeks ago. People are getting worse I swear.
>>116143Um... wanna join the Cytube?
>>116144The one you invited me to before?
>>116146Do you want to do one of those dream things with Spark, or just move on to tomorrow?
>>116151Is bapped.
Your bounty has increased.
https://youtu.be/OCsMKypvmB0
>>116154Still my favorite Elder Scrolls game.
>>116155I like Morrowind more for that crazy spell maker and world, but Oblivion was more wacky fun, I have to admit.
https://youtu.be/4Ow5lGFju1c
>>116158*ruffles the fur of the floofy one*
>>116157How are you doing today?
>>116159*the floof is ruffed, and becomes extra floofy*
*floof pone is now floof ball*
>>116160Okay-ish
>>116161That’s a lot of floof
>>116161That's much floof.
>>116162Awwwww. What's wrong?
>>116161Touches the floof
>>116165Okay, but touch it gently.
>>116166Touches the floof gently>>116163I was transferred at my job today. I still don’t know what it quite means. It happened suddenly, and didn’t make much sense because we were preparing for trials in less than a week and much of that prep work is more or less gone
>>116167*the floof is touched, gently*
*the face of a kindly old stallion looks up through the parted floof*
>>116168D’aww
Hugs the floofy pony
>>116167I hope the transfer works out well for you. Maybe you will get more action there. What do you think?
>>116169*the floof pony pony hugs back, or at least tries to*
*there is a
lot of floof to hug through*
>>116170I don’t know
>>116171Um...
Tries to hug the possibly excessively floofy pony
>>116172*the floof and the pony inside the floof is hugged*
>>116173But the floof and the pony are not the same...What does this mean? The pony is not his floof, nor the floof the pony?
>>116178From behind,
“Are you having fun roaming streets?”
>>116179Iron turns around, hoping he attracted the right attention.
(Come on. These sort of words should attract her easily.)
>>116180It looks like he has. Probably. Actually frankly he can’t remember well what she looked like, but it’s a griffin who is behaving like she met him before, so close enough.
“What are you doing out here? Good job by the way on your ‘mentally ill homeless guy’ disguise. Very convincing.”
>>116181Iron cocks an eyebrow, a bit suspicious of this griffon. Mostly just to make sure.
"What species is your coltfriend?" he whispers to the griffon mare.
>>116182She just looks back at him with an unamused look
“Don’t fuck with me Iron”
>>116176Iron! You're alive!
>>116183Iron nods, breathing a sigh of relief
"Thank the Gods I have found you," he exhales out, then points his snout at the cart. "I have 'things' to extract out of here. They speak in strange languages, but they seemed to be guards. Take a look. I also have extracted some clothing, but I need to fetch them first. Frilly looking. Had some city destinations on them."
>>116184Rumors of my death have been greatly exagerated.
>>116186Blue Shekels looks up and around, evidently surveying for who may be watching, before carefully picking the sheet and looking under
“By Poseidon, it looks like you’ve captured a couple aliens. And their dry cleaning.”
>>116187>Blue ShekelsGood meme right there.
Iron nods.
"Indeed. They might know something, but they speak strangely. The clothes are along for the ride."
>>116184Does the floofster want to continue talking to the giant parasite?
>>116188“Probably aliens. Maybe we can retroactively get a warrant on them for illegal entry. I am skeptical as to how much they know. I don’t think we’ll have enough time to fully interrogate them before every other creature there becomes wise to us.”
>>116189Iron nods.
"I figured we would not have the time. Perhaps there is a way to temporarily hold them for later questioning back at the place where ponies usually get interrogated on? The building itself was rather empty as far as I saw during my run in and one of them was awfully calm after seeing his two brethren get bucked."
He pauses for a bit.
"The clothing could help with identifying where is the cargo being sent back at the land on the other side of the water. Some of them had names on them."
>>116191Hiss!
>>116190She picks up a coat, still on the hanger. It’s a fine fur coat, and she examines the pattern on it, a set of stripes.
“I guess we could take them to a customs outpost. It’s their problem to begin with, really. But they should be able to hold them. Maybe they will come to before the end of the night and tell us something... but that’s kind of beside the point. I know why the building is empty.”
>>116189Sure.
"Are numbered names common for changelings? Do you have any names you like to go by becides?"
>>116192Iron cocks his head.
"What is taking up all their ponypower away from their money maker?"
>>116193To answer Silver’s earlier question about Lycinia,
The creature looks up at Silver with wide eyes. Well, she always looks kind of like that, but her mouth closes, lips curled around fangs that hang out, and she has altogether a more serious expression than a moment before
“Yes... I know of her... Numbered names are the standard at birth for Drones and Workers.”
>>116195She looks at him with her slit green eyes. Forest green, not her old turquoise.
“A gathering. In the church. But they are moving back to the main building, or will be shortly”
>>116196No u-er
Do you not want to play as midnight? Iron found Blue Skies
>>116197Sure, can I get the lowdown?
>>116197Iron hums.
"The lights were turned off recently, mostly by Midnight and I, so they will definitely be suspicious when they enter. I assume the job is not done yet?"
His mouth forms into a grin.
"I can keep kicking griffon flank... and beak."
>>116198That’s... kind of it. Iron summoned her, and has shown her the cart full of captives and clothing
See
>>116192 >>116190 >>116189 >>116188 >>116187
>>116197Silver tilts his head at her. "I suppose from your expression it is serious thing to talk about other Queens."
>>116200hmmmm
"So, is there something else we need to plan on?"
>>116199“Well, if things go sour, let’s hope you can kick enough of it. We are certainly not done. Dark Star and Silver kind of wondered off.”
>>116201“No...”
She blinks from eyelids that close diagonally, almost horizontally,
“You named a queen... and understood my name...”
Though she speaks and ends in pauses, her words are stated with far more force than Mala, who would lower his volume at the end of his sentences, and had a strong tendency to lower his head and look away. Zwolf looks straight on, though she tilts her head slightly
>>116202“Plan on happening?”
>>116203Iron nods.
"What else needs to be done?"
>>116203"Yes, as in when the griffons notice the prisoners we took are missing"
>>116204“R&M want is to arrest every creature in that building either committing a crime or here illegally. That’s a bit...
optimistic. A more manageable goal might be to collect evidence of some bad shut going on there, deliver it to R&M so they can get some of their stallions to form a perimeter, then go in and take down the leaders, and let the rest flee and get captured, or chase them out.”
>>116205“Yes, that can end badly. They will notice it getting cold, too”
>>116206"I see. Did you happen to hear where these illegal ponies are stored in and how to get there? They should be more than enough evidence to properly set a perimeter and arrest the folk."
>>116207She shakes her head slowly, lightly
“No. They talked about their gathering. No admission of anything illegal.”
>>116208Iron grumbles.
"Figures."
He ponders for a bit, looking at his surroundings
"What about a safe place to store the items in the cart?"
>>116203"Ohhhhh..." A look of comprehension spreads across his face. He starts speaking in Wechselbalg, though with his thick Severyanan accent making it sound different from it being spoken by a changeling. "Ich habe die Sprache während des Krieges gelernt. Die jüngste Praxis hat geholfen."
He slips back into Ponish, working his jaw a little from speaking the foreign tongue. "I do not mean to assume, but from looks of things, but have been captured for while, now. Also looks like they have been forcing you to make jelly from captured ponies. What happened?"
>>116209“Do you want to tie them up and place them in a dark room? A back alley? Or find R&M and dump them off there?”
>>116210She nods, still with a look of almost concern. Then she says
“I was working in Baltimare, recently arrived and in one of those cheap nightclubs, minding my own business, when somepony found a body I left in a bathroom stall. Normally I would slip out through the front, perhaps after changing masks, but this time they stalked me. Jumped me. I wonder if they were planning to do that regardless because I made out with the wrong stallion. Anyways, they managed to subdue me. Put a ring on my horn.”
She looks away from Silver, pacing lightly across the small cell, and even whips her tail in evident annoyance at one point, the ragged thing having more in common with a rolled up cobweb than a horses tail so far as appearance goes, but in movement more like the later.
>>116211He strokes his chin.
"I'd say find R&M and dump them with the clothing, then come back here to gather more evidence. I am pretty sure they want more than three griffons and some fancy clothes."
>>116211"Food collection." He looks a bit concerned at her wording. "I suppose by 'body' you do not mean dead body...right? Just...unconscious stallion from having been drained?"
>>116213She tilts her head in a shrug
>>116212“Well, Alright then.”
>>116214"...you do know where one of those places are, do you not? Otherwise we might as well settle for an alleyway."
>>116214This doesn't exactly put him at ease, but he also considers that perhaps she doesn't always have the chance to check the vitals of ponies she's draining. He weighs his options as he poses one last question to her. "Say I let you free, what then? Do you continue gathering food? Try to return back home? Something else?"
>>116215“Not precisely, but there should be one along the shoreline somewhere, likely north. Customs outposts. They often patrol the water.”
>>116216“Away from here. I can tell you that.”
>>116217Iron ponders for a bit, shaking his head.
"Do you have anything sturdier than clothing to tie these griffons up? I would rather not waste time by looking for them, as by causing a big disturbance, they should come in play, right?"
>>116218“I have some ties, yes”
>>116218“They are not the Police, no. They will not respond to disturbances. BPD might, but they won’t necessarily believe that
we are on the good side.”
>>116219Iron nods.
"An alleyway sounds good."
He inspects the area around him, hoping there is a secluded place to have the griffons in bondage.
>>116217"...Just promise me you will try not to kill ponies when you drain them in future. I do not relish thought of innocent deaths on my conscious." He looks through his keys for the one to the cell, then unlocks it. He offers a hoofshake to Zwolf once it's opened. "Again, I am sorry for hitting you earlier. You were innocent captive in all of this and I reacted rather harshly. I offer you my dearest apologies."
>>116222Khoi Lua
“What?! She is lying! You cannot let her go!”
>>116221There are a number of alleyways and little sections where there is a stairwell and walking area next to a building below ground level. How secluded they are is another question. There are dumpsters.
>>116223He looks back at Khoi. "Do you know she is lying?"
[1d20 = 9]>>116223I'll let the dice decide.
Choosing an alleyway at random, Iron does his best at hiding the cart from most eyes.
Skies and Midnight can assist.
>>116224“She is Kumiho. Even when she tell the truth, she shows her fangs. Prey upon stallions. And she is like the villain of fairy tale, but caged. Of course she would lie to you.”
>>116225Well, the cart doesn’t look
that different from a dumpster. There is an alleyway and the cart can be placed behind a dumpster.
“Well, let’s hope no pony stumbles upon it here, or tries to sleep in it if it’s a homeless creature”
>>116226Iron nods.
"Tie the creatures up with the ties you have, please. Their previous binds are not really that sturdy."
[1d20+3 = 4]>>116226Sense Motive: Silver looks back at Zwolf, looking for any sign of deceit in her expression.
>>116228So, I've heard that Email dice are pretty stingy when it comes to dice rolls, so I'm just going to test out a roll using comment dice. Feel free to ignore it, I just want to see if it's any better.
[1d20+3 = 23]
>>116229>>116230Hell, that pretty much settles it: I'm not using Email dice any more. I'm just gonna use the comment for dice rolls.
>>116228She wouldn’t harm a soul. If ever there were an innocent soul, it’s her
>>116229Nevermind deceit,
She explicitly told him she is a slutty vampire stalking stallions at night clubs.>>116231The email dice looks prettier...
>>116227“I can tie a griffin up”
She produces bands and a black rope like material from her jacket, and ties the creatures up with her own claws
>>116234Iron nods to himself, unlatching himself of the cart and making sure the fancy clothing is hidden in the pile of normal clothes. He turns to Skies.
"How long did they change position from the church to the factory?"
>>116232True, but I do kinda like it when the dice don't fuck me."And if she is telling truth, I would be leaving innocent person here to rot. I can not leave that chance."
>>116235“They were there for a while, but started to leave not long before I heard you”
>>116236“Would you risk innocent victims of hers?”
She pleads
>>116237He sighs. "I do not know. It is hard question."
>>116237Iron ponders.
"Perhaps they have not closed my entrance just yet. Follow me. We are going hunting these illegal ponies and I know where they might be."
He proceeds to start his trek from the entrance he recently opened
Current destination: Boiler Room Different colored wall. Objective updated: Break the wall.
>>116239Different colored wall?
>>116240You know, the one that I mistook for a doorway, hinting at there being the old building, and possibly the captives.
Well, I have to go to sleep now
>>116241Oh, that one
>>116238I think Dark Star might say it’s an easy question
>>116242Sleep well.
Just goes to show the different in moral beliefs between Dark Star and Silver Sword.
>>116249*presence is presented to*
>>116250J-jeez Anon, you don't have to tease me like that.Iron is on standby, awaiting the flow of time to resume
>>116251Well, I believe Iron is reentering the structure. He finds that the door to the external cover over the loading bay has not been closed
[1d20 = 15]>>116252UnfIron inspects the area surrounding the door, particularly inside the building just in case.
"See any movement, boss?"
>>116253Iron sees no obvious signs of activity in the loading bay since he last left.
“Some entering the dormitory area. I don’t think the workshop will be very active tonight. I don’t know though.”
>>116254Y-you tease.Iron nods at Skies before comitting to the act of breaking and entering, beckoning Skies to follow, through the path visible to him.
Don't worry. Midnight is still with us.
>>116255Iron goes through, then Sheckles scurries along after him, and herself surveys the surroundings. As before, there are doors and pathways leading to the workshop floor, the main hallway, the underground access tunnel, and the storage area.
>>116256B-baka~ S-stop your teasing.But a princess turned rogue would be good waifu material for the native boiIron ponders for a bit
"We should go back to the giant steam machine. Most likely there are griffons investigating the thing, but I believe it holds another room behind a rather flimsy wall. I believe the slaves are on the other side."
With that in mind, he takes the underground access tunnel, expecting the other two to follow.
>>116257“O... kay”
For the moment, it appears that no creature has come back down underground, although sounds of activity from beyond and above can be heard, taking the form of clawsteps and occasional muffled talking.
[1d20 = 6]>>116258Now even princess poner is teasing mehIron hums in thought.
"Probably wondering why the magic lights are off."
He attempts to hear bits and pieces of conversation, particularly if it's somegriff that he can understand as he reminds himself how to get to the steam engine room from here.
>>116259Straight down and one left turn. The lights are still on in the building. What has changed is the temperature. It is much colder now
[1d20 = 5]>>116260UnfIron can't help but slightly shiver.
"I thought caves were supposed to be hotter than this."
He turns on his flashlight, following through the motions as he tries to reach the off-putting wall that may or may not lead into a well of slaves.
(They must be underground to make escaping harder. I know my intuition is correct. Just need to find that path there.)
His ears scan for any enemies as he goes.
>>116261"Midnight, ears up. Griffons are patrolling the area above us, which means they might be at around any corner from spotting us."
>>116262He cannot hear anything approaching, but he does reach the steam room. It’s dark and hard to see, but the lighter patch of wall is over to the right
>>116263He goes over to the lighter patch of wall, giving it a firm series of knocks with a foreleg.
(Maybe something will stir up and answer.)
>>116264The knocking sound is a bit lower pitched, like it is hollow. No reply or other sounds on the other side
>>116265Hello
>>116265boops>>116262Listen check?
I think that means listen check.
[1d20+5 = 14]
>>116266Alright, now, where did we leave off...
Silver looks at Zwolf. "I do not suppose you might be willing to agree to compromise?"
>>116267Help! Police! I've been booped!
>>116266Humming deeply, he turns to Skies, hoofing over his flashlight
"Hold this for me. I'm opening up a path."
With that, he places his hindlegs in the optimal bucking position, hooves lightly trailing the ground in search for leverage as his back properly accomodates the upcoming action.
First, he attempts an accurate buck to test the strength of this hollow wall.
[1d20+11 = 19]<Buck this wall in particular!
>>116268She sighs, loudly
“To
what?”
>>116267Whispers
>>116269A clinking sound, and sone of the bricks seem to move. They are not quite dislodged, though the wall does not seem impervious
>>116270Iron smiles to himself before trying his luck, going for a far more powerful buck
[1d20+6 = 18]<Hotblooded Stallion Bucks Wall
>>116270"If you would be willing to wait little bit longer, or else come with us, we will see what can be done about getting you processed through Customs, get you sent back to Western Equestria through official channels. That might calm at least some fears of my comrades."
>>116272"'Processed through customs'?"
>>116273He shrugs. "I do not know term for it. Basically, we would let government send you back to Western Equestria."
>>116271And with that, Iron should be able to crack down the wall onto the other side. I am not sure I want to explore that yet without Midnight
>>116274"So deportation? She says
>>116277This is the circumstance I feel that Dark Star's input is most missed. Maybe he'd be fine with just deporting the Changeling Succubus. Maybe he'd interrogate her more and ask her more questions. Maybe he'd blow her head off then and there. Maybe he's draft her into a small army, composed of all of the creatures the Maakie and his henchgriffins have ever oppressed and pissed off, which he'd lead in a pitched battle against them. But I know he'd have a strongly worded and asserted opinion on the matter
>>116278I know. I really wish he were here.
GM won't stop sending me the lyrics of In the Arms of an Angel, so apparently we're playing?
>>116290I assume we're entering combat, which is why your presence is needed.
>>116290SHE LIVES!
We don’t have to play right now... I’m actually still at work. I just wanted anted you to show up eventually
>>116296For you Starry boi, I'll accept the boop. It's great to see you.
>>116299H-hey!
M-my snoot is private, b-baka!
Good to see you back.
>>116302is nudgedMake Midnight come
>>116305There you are. See
>>116270. It's a very simple and non-descript answer, but an answer to a listen check never the less
>>116303God damn, that's lewd.
I wonder when Iron will get around to it.
>>116307To be fair, he can't even manage to get zebra puss. It's going to take a big while.But soon, the marem shall form.
>>116308>>116307The murder list grows>>116306Midnight turns to Iron and Skies
"Do we have an actual plan?"
>>116309"He wants to kick down a wall" she says
>>116311Midnight stares at Iron, slowly blinking
"That is a terrible idea"
>>116312Iron shrugs
"Seems like a safe option to follow, and possibly the fastest and easiest."
He proceeds to buck the wall again
>>116313>>116312Looks like a "ready or not, here I come"
Skies moves off to the side, and the wall goes tumbling down. Or at least the set of bricks in the doorway move and fall away
>>116314Iron turns around, eager to see what's on the other side.
(Come on, secret slave hiding room.)
>>116314>>116315Midnight just stares, wondering how she got here of all places.
>>116316>>116315I though Dark Star would have responded by now...
>>116317Probably should've pointed out the latest response. He's been out for a while.
>>116081"You know It wouldnt help you. these things are monsters."
>>116102"What in the buck do you think you are doing?"
>>116107Would dark star know the accent?
>>116222>>116223>>116224>>116238>>116237>>116276>>116277"What the buck? why would we let this life stealer back to the occupied zone to drain our brothers and sisters untill they are dead?"
>>116317to be fair i had to look through 8 days worth of posts.
>>116319"She is innocent in all of this. So are ponies she would drain. One can not help one without hurting other, as much as I would like it otherwise."
>>116320"Why are you so sympathetic to these...things?"
>>116319HE’S BACK!
>>116316>>116318Well, for starters, it leads into another room.
>>116319>AccentProbably not, but a wisdom or intelligence roll might help
>>116319>>116321*innocent Changeling noises*
She frowns at Dark Star
[1d20+1 = 18]>>116322wis roll
>>116322Dark Star sneers at it
"How long have you been here,bug?"
>>116323He has difficulty placing it precisely, but as best as he can tell from depiction in a radio broadcast he heard a while ago, it’s an accent of the Northern Ponies, particularly of Griffonia
She snaps her tail
“How could I know? I don’t exactly get days and nights down here. It must have been months. How are you ponies holding off the invasion, by the way?”
>>116321"Empathy. I can put myself in her horseshoes, even if I have never been in her situation, and I know that even if I would not expect it, I would hope that I would be helped, if I was in her position, or if our positions were reversed. And I have found that you can bring best out of others, even those you would otherwise dislike, by treating them with same kindness, dignity, and respect you would expect for yourself.
"Besides, how could I claim to be follower of Harmony if I did not follow its most basic tenets?"
>>116324He smiles
"We're doing just fine. i uncovered one of you friends earlier this morning. Blew her head off."
>>116325"they aren't like us silver. they can't feel like we do. they are monsters that do nothing but take and give nothing in return. you should know that by now..."
>>116322Iron has nothing else to go other than that so of course he strolls into it without worry.
>>116326She wrinkles her lips in disgust
“Very well then”
She stands up
>>116325Mala walls slightly closer to Silver
>>116326Khoi walls slightly closer to Dark Star
>>116326"I believe they have many similiar things to say about us in turn. Does that make us monsters?"
>>116329"When we need to be,yes."
>>116329Mala nods
>>116331Khoi Lua nods
>>116330Hey! Just let me flesh it out to an extreme degree
>>116331"Very well then." He sits down. "It is ultimately your decision to make. But you know my feelings on matter: helping her will not make things worse in long run, neither will harming her make things any better."
>>116332"What do you think khoi?"
>>116333The gnoll comes over, and sits down next to Silver
>>116335She says,
“Pay evil unto evil”
>>116336He looks over to Mala with an inquisitive look. "Something to say?"
>>116336Dark Star looks over at the Changling
"Tell me,bug. how many Ponies have you drained the life completely out of?"
>>116336>>116337DO IT. DO IT. KILL EVERYONE!insert flanders microphone meme here
>>116337He looks over briefly, then a way, and he opens his mouth as if to say something. For more than a moment, the words evade him, and whatever he wanted to say he fails to say it.
After a while, he conquers whatever was inhibiting him, and speaks in a set of words that are fast and forced, as if he has given up hope of the words having impact, and now hopes only that they are heard at all
“She was caged here, you know? She collaborated with them to be sure, but... it’s easy to collaborate when you’re kind of forced to”
>>116338“Completely? I don’t know. I don’t imagine many. They always found a few drops more could come out even when it seemed the last bits were gone. That’s why they kept the cocoons here.”
>>116340"What do you know about your so called captors?"
>>116340He nods. "It takes strength to speak out, and risk everything. I do not entirely blame those who do not. Some just need to see others speak out first to find courage to join them."
>>116338She looks way, and answers almost indifferently
“That they were cruel. Even by pony standards. They saw these creatures as completely disposable to them. They thought of me as a machine to extract magic from any number of creatures I never knew existed, and to make into honey. They would force feed me, make me cocoon prey. I don’t think they really understood the process. They didn't understand that a creature must find something it loves to be harvested effectively. I don’t think they really cared. They wanted to honey. I suspect they had other uses for these creatures. Conditions are horrible here. Always trapped in this tiny cell. No room to move. I cannot fly. None of my brothers or sisters to see or talk to. A dim, obnoxious yellow light that’s on almost all hours of the day, and total darkness when it isn’t. They chain me down with multiple restraints that ache and chafe. They won’t come near me without sone kind of magical inhibitor - they know better than to do that. There is nothing to do all day. Endless boredom. Not even tiles on the ceiling to count. The temperature is never right, always too hot or too cold. It’s too moist.”
She looks down to the floor
“And then they force me to regurgitate honey... I don’t want to, but if I don’t they will shock me, so I do it without being told now. But they often don’t believe me and shock me again...”
>>116342He looks at Silver, silent for more than a moment, then slowly makes a half nod
\r
[1d20 = 11]>>116343She can see pity flash in his eyes before returning to the cold gaze of before.
sense motive on her story.
"Ponies? we know your captors are griffons. what is wrong with the pony we found in the cocoon?"
>>116343Silver looks back at Mala, and smiles. "While there is lull in action, why do you not tell me your story? How did you come to work for these griffons?"
>>116344“ they extracted her. What else?”
he creature - Zwolf - comes closer towards the bar, standing up, and walking forward, low to the ground, in a manner almost like a stalking lion. She has a big, malign grin on her face that shows off her fangs - not to imply those could be hidden.
“Tell me, pony, how many of the Race have
you drained the life completely out of?”
>>116345“I...”
Alright, I need to go to sleep
>>116347Night fren
>>116346which race?
>>116353"I am the police."
Does anypony want to play this weekend?
>>116356I'll be there. Remember to give me a (You) when the time is right.
>>116356Will cookies be provided?
>>116359There are cookies and punch by the door
>>116345Mala looks as if he's suffering something along the lines of stage fright, or fear of public speaking. He opens his mouth, lets out some sound, looks away, quickly looks back to Silver, then looks away, swallows, and then speaks to his audience of one pony:
"I-I came to Equestria when I was a cub. maybe four. My father disappeared, or left maybe a year later. I don't actually know what happened. My mother was strong, assertive. But some times she got frustrated. She got angry. And then some years ago, she got melancholia... It was hard. I got a job and lost it. Mom died... I lost the studio apartment. I was homeless for a while. I found the three gnolls. I had seen them before, during that time I went to school. But they let me do work, and it seemed like a good thing. I had food. Somewhere to sleep where the wind did not blow."
At this point, he looks on into the distance, and tilts his head, in evident contemplation
>>116361>>116361"Did you say... three gnolls? We only encountered 2 down here."
I have resorted to phone posting because my pc refuses to co-operate.
>>116362Mala looks over, and is a little startled and surprised to see his audience grow to two ponies and a kirin. Maybe even a changeling.
"As I said to.... Silver? Silver here, there was a third. The others have been vague, but he must have died when the military raided here."
\r
>>116362F for Edgy Boi's computer.
>>116363"Were you two friends?"
>>116365"I don't think it was a pony's version of friendship. He would yell at me if I did something wrong, and occassionally mock me. I didn't like that. But we were together often. We ate together, we slept together, we worked together. He was Kaftar, like me. The griffins, who do not know gnolls very well, thought we were brothers. In some ways it was like that."
>>116366"Kaftar, is that different kind of gnoll, or nation of them?"
>>116366"You're right thats not what we would consider to be friendship."
Dark star looks slightly saddend by mala's story.
>>116367"I don't know the word. Race? That could be it. It's a group of gnolls further to the south. Near the mountains of the Karkadann. It was its own country for a while. I think. I don't know, I didn't finish school. I wasn't good at school while I was there. Not that they said anything about gnolls anyways... I am just repeating what other gnolls told me. It is a part of Hyenia now. I think it was conquered by the Storm King, and that is why my mother left."
>>116368He looks down
>>116369He nods, understanding. "Hard to imagine that Storm King managed to build empire with airships, only to get instantly annhilated as soon as he came up against Equestrian aircraft."
>>116369"The storm king needs to be executed."
>>116371Silver looks over to Dark Star. "Storm King is dead. Tempest Shadow killed him before she gave herself up to Equestrian authorities. You did not hear about that?"
>>116370He looks at Silver, blinks, then tilts his head, one ear flopping down.
“Is that what happened?”
With a paw, he takes a step back
“Well... my mother said something about the strength of Equestria once. Protecting the weak.... I’m not sure she believed it when she died.”
>>116371“I thought he was?”
>>116373"Да. It used to be something our country believed in, once. Somewhere along line, that stopped being case. So much of mess we are in now might have been avoided, if we still believed in such."
>>116374Mala looks up at Silver, head pointed down slightly, and seems to acknowledge, but does not comment on, Silver’s political statement
Khoi Lua on the other hoof...
“Yes. I thought Equestria protect weak too. What happen?”
>>116372"No i hadnt. I assumed he was still terrorizing Everypony."
>>116375"That is question we have all been trying to find answer to. It might have been we grew too weak, ourselves, in our complacency. It might be we have forgotten what Harmony truly means. It might be something infected our country from inside, rotting it out. Or, it might very well be something else, or any combination of them."
>>116377"Whatever it is, it must end tonight. I came here because Equestria is supposed to be land of harmony and opportunity. I wanted to raise my foals in a place where they could have more hopeful and brighter future than my parents. I come here and what is this? This must stop."
>>116376"Well, rest assured, he is long dead by now. His empire has been reduced to ashes by infighting."
>>116378"I am afraid you picked rather poor time to come to Equestria, war-torn and divided as it is. We are all doing our best to return things to normal, but it will take great effort for us to do so. It is part of reason why we are here."
>>116379"But is Equestria. And the war is over, I heard they are doing something about the communists, and there is full employment now"
>>116381His mood darkens slightly upon hearing about the communists. "I certainly hope they are. I have lost one home to Reds already, I will not lose another."
To the rest he offers a sigh before his answer. "Story is bit different from truth, I am afraid. I do not know what things are like in Ngua Nam, and we will do our best to make sure you have opportunity in Equestria, but know this: it is not paradise here."
>>116381Dark Star smiles
"I've dealt with a few communists myself."
>>116382She looks at him, holding her muzzle upwards slightly, and seeming to squint her eyes... or maybe they are just like that normally. But to Silver's second comment, something in her resists
"Ngua Nam is majestic land... but Equestria is - was supposed to be - the Shining Castle upon a Hill. It is supposed to be better."
>>116383She looks to Dark Star, then smiles, and nods appreciatively
"We could use some Stallions like you back in Làng Chống Cháy"
\r
>>116384"Canterlot's splendor does not reach so far. I agree, it is supposed to be, could be, better. But it is not."
>>116385Now, she closes her eyes, looks down and shakes her head slowly
“I do not know... I could go back to my mother and father. They would be disappointed.”
>>116386He tilts his head at her. "Disappointed?"
>>116386I smell waifu potential.
>>116384He smiles back
"After i get Equestria back in order i might take you up on that offer."
>>116384He smiles back
"After i get Equestria back in order i might take you up on that offer."
>>116384He smiles back
"After i get Equestria back in order i might take you up on that offer."
>>116384He smiles back
"After i get Equestria back in order i might take you up on that offer."
>>116389She nods at him, still smiling
>>116387"Yes. Disappointed. I was supposed to go to Equestria and eventually bring them over. They were happy to see me go. They thought I would come back well off. Instead I would be going back to them not long after I left. With no money, no job, no stallion, no child, no visa, and no photographs of Canterlot Castle to show for it."
>>116393He nods, thinking that over. "Well, we see what we can do to help you here, if you do not want to go back."
>>116393HMMMMMMM.Sounds like a job for the thirsty native.We'll see if she's able to help Cauldron in the potion business.
>>116344“they extracted her. What else?”
The creature - Zwolf - stands up, and walks forward. She comes closer to the bars on the door of the cage, closer than she likely could have gone with the restraints she wore before, and she walks with her shoulders pushed to the side and her body kind of low to the ground, like a stalking cat. She has a big, malign grin on her face that shows off her fangs - not to imply those could be hidden.
“Tell me, pony, how many creatures have
you drained the life completely out of?”
>>116394"I am still in shock over all of
this. I cannot make big decisions yet."
>>116396"Only the ones that deserved it."
He matches her grin with one of his on.
>>116397She comes even closer, right up to the bars. Mala, who unlike Khoi Lua, has not shown any strong desire to keep his distance from the changeling, now backs a foot away.
"Then consider us the same" She says
>>116398"We aren't even in the same leauge,bug."
>>116399"If that is true, then what do you have to fear?"
>>116400"You misunderstand, i don't fear you are any other member of your kind. I hate you and them because of your actions."
>>116396"Understandable, given circumstances. We shall focus on here-and-now for now."
Silver watches the back and forth going on between Star and Zwolf.
>>116401"My actions? When I was free, I did nothing other than take love from those far too willing to give it out of wedlock.
They were looking for loose mares. If they had listened to their elders, they never would have been vulnerable. And here, well, I am a captive. If anything, I am more of a captive. I've done no more than the hyena has done, and they don't need to electro-shock him to make him do it."
>>116403"Your actions are subversive you,degenerate. You and your precious queen chrysalis are both terrible cretures."
>>116402Khoi Lua seems unsettled by the hole-ridden creature in the cage. She stays on the other side of Silver away from the cage. Mala seems more accustomed to the creature, and in any case less afraid. But he keeps a set distance between he and the creature, back up when she comes closer.
>>116404“I am subversive? Degenerate? Quite the opposite. I can only harm degenerates, and when they are degenerate. I help to enforce moral behavior. Not unlike how I imagine you are an enforcer.”
>>116405"You have quite the silver tongue huh? I can see how you were able to seduce the drunkards."
He frowns
>>116406She continues with a big grin, and cones up slightly placing a black leg through the bars
“If all I’ve done is convince you of my skill... are you
sure you have no use for me? If you’re after these drug manufactures it seems you could use some help.”
>>116407"Help? What could you help us with?"
>>116408She does her best equivalent of raising an eyebrow
“Your Griffin problem, of course.”
>>116409"Oh? And how would you go about doing that?"
>>116409>>116410"There is no other species as skilled at deception, stealth, and subterfuge, her ability to drain life energy would be very valuable utility in combat, and she has already demonstrated she is skilled orator. And, if she will forgive me for assuming, I imagine there are some Griffins she would
very much like to 're-introduce' herself to."
>>116410And now she does a full malign grin
“Just like you, I can hold a weapon. Unlike you, I can do magic. I can also act.”
>>116412"Oh i assure you i can act,bug."
He pulls back his jacket slightly to reval his shotgun
"Who's to say you wont just stab us in the back at your lesiure."
>>116411"Shes also an enemy silver, she would kill any of us as soon as those griffions."
>>116413"It would be suicide to try to attack us, and it is too dangers to try to go it alone. Besides all of that, she has not given me reason
not to trust her. I am willing to trust her if she is willing to trust us."
>>116414"You put your trust in the wrong species,silver."
>>116415"I would far sooner trust changeling like her than pony like Comte."
>>116416"Comte gets the rope."
>>116417"On that, we agree."
>>116412"How can we be sure you won't betray us?"
Mala's the female kirin, right?
>>116421Male, actually. I know it's a female ending in his name, but that's how it is.
>>116422Darn. Sounded too good to be true.
Oh well, guess the hunt is still on.
>>116423You'll make your waifu harem someday.
>>116424>mfw almost fell for a trap
>>116425Who says ya fell for it?
>>116426Me. I almost went out of my way to snag the fellow into my schemes.Good thing I can't act yet.
Hello everypony! I didn’t know you all were up so early
>>116419“Well, I’m not going anywhere without you, am I? And be assured that, however bad of an impression our brief acquaintance has left upon me tonight, my experiences with this dungeon’s owners have left an impression far deeper and stronger”
She turns to her side. On her emaciated barrel there is an area of black chitin stained a deep blue color.
>>116422>female name ending>implying Indo-European language>>116421Khoi Lua is the female Kirin. Mala is the male gnoll
>>116428Oh phew. For a second there I thought I got trapped on.
Glad I was wrong, tho. Can't wait to know her skills.
>>116428Silver takes interest in this apparent wound on Zwolf. "Do you mind if I have closer look at that? I have some experience as healer."
>>116428"Make no mistake, if i detect a hint of betrayl while we let you out of that cage and untill we are done down here. I will not hesitate to end you,bug."
>>116430“If you are brave enough to come so close.
I won’t bite.”
She brings her side closer to the bars, though not pressing against it. She’s still on the other side of a steel door
>>116431“You’re such a charmer”
>>116429.... Are you already trying to waifu her?
>>116432"Thanks, i try."
He smiles at her.
>>116432Maybe~
Don't worry. Iron doesn't have the guts to commit yet. Most likely he'll offer a better paying job working for him instead of asking her out on the spot, rutting her into bliss and getting a restraining order after the fact.
Maybe I could sink into the mademare business. That should be a good goal for easier waifu harvesting and nurturing. Iron would make a good manager, me thinks.
>>116432Since the matter seems to have been decided, be unlocks and opens the door. He places his trust in her to not bite him.
Heal: [1d20+7 = 25] Silver attempts to diagnose and, if possible, treat her injury.
>>116435The door opens, and leaves the exposed creature there standing upright, nothing separating the two of them.
She continues standing there, but both Mala and Khoi take several steps back. Silver can see the wounded area in more detail, or rather a set of smaller discolored areas, some of which have coalesced into one larger discoloration. Part of the dislocation appears to be electrical burns, similar to what was previous seen on Kerr and Wesley. Some of the discoloration, including discoloration on the legs and neck, are bruises. The bleeding of blue blood under the layers of chitin gives the black chitin a bluish color. Silver cannot do much, but he can add some cream to bruises and burns, and cover them in simple medical cloth
>>116436Сволочи! He is silently yet visibly fuming, recognizing the types of burns and bruises, and recognizing their origin. He does what he little he can, thankful at least he can do something. "There. I am sorry I can not do more to help, but only time and rest can heal these wounds."
>>116436>>116437"Hey those wpunds look familiar."
Dark star grimaces.
>>116437She smiles. Not maliciously. Almost smuggly.
“A true Gentlepony. Thank you.”
She steps out of the cage, back into the long, slender room
>>116439>>116438He nods in response to both of them. "Alright. May I ask if any of you know where other captives are being kept?"
>>116440Mala calmly, slowly, points his head to the right, and tilts it
“Deeper inside the structure”
Mala does not trail off on his sentence before a pause in his speech
“You will not like what you find”
>>116441Silver looks around at everything around him right now. "You say that as if I do not already expect it."
Well, I'm ready to proceed. Just waiting on Dark Star, now.
>>116441"I already don't like what we've found. The buckers runing this place are going to get theirs."
Alright.... time for me to actually figure out what the layout is. See if we can get Midnight fit this
>>116442Male looks at him with solemn brown eyes, and slowly shakes his head to Silver, as if to say “No. you don’t”
>>116443He turns his head away slightly, slowly, then nods slowly. It seems as if Dark Star’s answer has him concerned
>>116444That doesn't exactly instill a feeling of hope, but it does instill a feeling of fear and urgency.
>>116444>>116445Dark Star looks at silver and the bug.
"After you."
>>116444>>116446Silver nods, and motions for the group to follow. He takes the unconscious pony with him as he follows Mala's directions.
>>116447>>116446Mala moves forward, cautiously, taking them back to the narrow a d short hallway where the four doors meet. He presses down on the door handle with his paw, and then pushes it open
>>116448Dark star readies his bow, also hes in the back of the party where he can see the changling.
>>116450The creature looks back to him, with a bit of an unpleased look
>>116449Don’t worry, we’ll get back to Iron soon enough
>>116447>>116451When the door is opened, it reveals a large room with tan mortar walls and some brick archways that is more empty than occupied. But over to the left is a griffin, brown and white, and off to the right side is a smaller animal cage with what looks like a pony inside
>>116448Silver waits for either an all clear, or some other signal from Mala.
>>116454No such signal either way is forthcoming
[1d20 = 8]>>116453Dark star squints at it
>>116453Perception on the inside of the room
>>116456The Room is more or less clear, except for a griffin, looks to be female and tied down on the right rear leg, and an older colt in a relatively small animal cage on the right side.
The room looks relatively more modern, and from its rectangular design, does not seem to have been constructed with a specialized purpose
\r
>>116457>>116454Dark Star pounts out the griffion to silver
>>116458Silver looks, and whispers to him. "She is tied down, like Mala was. You think she is in same situation as him?"
>>116459"Potentially, im not sure. Im more worried about our brother over there."
He motions to the pony
>>116460He nods.
>>116457Silver looks over to Mala. "Do you know that griffin?"
>>116462"Hmm...strange..."
>>116460"Your call on what we do. Should we go in loud, try to sneak in and grab colt, see if we can talk things out?"
>>116463"Lets just walk in like we belong here."
>>116464"Alright. Let us go."
>>116465The two creatures stare at the five (six) entering, looking worried
>>116466Dark star trots over to the cage.
>>116467The colt stands up and moves back, his rear hoof hitting a bar with a “clank”
>>116467>>116468Silver stands guard over the group, serving as its muscle. He looks over at the colt with pity.
>>116468"Hey don't worry. we're here to help you. My Name is Dark Star. Whats yours?"
>>116470He doesn’t know why this Zebra is talking to him, but after a moment, he answers
“... Lõputu Sügis”
>>116471"Where are you from?"
>>116472He looks up at Dark Star with soft, purple eyes the shade of lavender petals. His fur is a deep blue, almost liquorish color, and it shimmers in a way similar to a Crystal Pony. His dark grey mane has a vague purplish hue, and is tied up, as is his tail, in a single bundle. He appears to be adolescence aged, some years, but not that many years, younger than Dark Star. He pauses for more than a moment, then answers
“I am... born in Bluffhead... but I live in Baltimare”
>>116473Wisdom: [1d20+3 = 20] Silver tries to place the colt's accent.
>>116473"I'm not Familiar with bluffhead."
>>116474I think culture is intelligence based, not wisdom based.
>>116476*shrugs*
The GM is more than welcome to correct me if it is, but I think a 16 would pass either way.
>>116474Northern Pony, most likely Skynavian
>>116475“It is in the Hail Forest, in Skynavia”
>>116478"Where is the key to your cage?"
>>116478>>116477It falls into the Knowledge Skill, related to Local Knowledge, so yeah.
Next time, you should roll Intelligence.
>>116478"So, it is true that they are foalnapping local ponies..." He looks over at Loputu. "Do you want out of here?"
>>116481“Yes” he says without hesitation
>>116479“ I do not know...”
>>116482Silver does not even wait for the queue to pull out his keys and start trying them in the cage door.
>>116482"Have they hurt you?"
>>116484“..... No”
>>116483No, no, no, maybe? Let’s see if it fits.... No. No, no, no, Yes!
“Click”
[1d20 = 6]>>116485Sense motive
>>116485He gladly opens the cage, and motions for Loputu to come out. "Come, little one. Let us get you back to your family."
>>116487"Hmmmm ok."
>>116488"What should we do?"
>>116488He looks around from side to side, and slowly walks out, almost falling down when his rear left leg nearly collapsed under him. He comes out into the room
“Are you from the ghetto?” He asks the white mare towards the back of the room. She hesitates for a moment, but answers
“Yes, your parents sent me to find you”
He smiles and actually starts to wag his tail
>>116489"We take him with us. When we are finished here, one of us, probably me, will escort him back to his parents."
>>116490Silver turns to the otherwise silent griffin. "Who are you?"
>>116491"Yea but what about the danger of him being down here?"
>>116493"We do not have much choice in matter. He will have to stay back and let us handle it, if we come across any."
>>116492“Yo soy.... Volador Jubilosa”
>>116491>>116493“I can take you back, little one” says the unicorn mare standing behind Dark Star. Loputo walks past Silver towards her, limping slightly
“Are you with the elderly care? I’m trying to think of if I have seen you before”
“Yes, I am with the elderly care. I went out for an errand, and managed to find these ponies, who knew you were here”
>>116495Wait, what's the current DS and S party composition? I'm kinda lost here.
>>116496its the changling.>>116495"What are you doing?"
>>116495"Hmm. Well, good to meet you, Jubilosa."
The colt's limping doesn't pass by Silver. "Hold up, little one. You are hurt. Let me take look."
>>116498Jubuliosa isn’t done with Silver
“Why am I here? What are you going to do with me?”
Loputo looks back to Silver
“Maybe a little...”
>>116497She smiles awkwardly
“I’m Helping.”
Khoi glares judgmentally at her, and Mala just observes
>>116499"We have couple questions for you, Jubilosa, do not worry."
Silver gets down low to be more at eye-level with Loputu. "I am healer, little one. I can help fix wound, make it not hurt. Would you like that?"
>>116499Dark Star Also Glares at the "Unicorn"
>>116500Jubliosa still presses forward wanting to talk, but Silver doesn’t have to hear it
>>116500He looks away from the white unicorn mare, and now to Silver, with his lavender eyes
“Okay...”
>>116501She now backs up a step, and looks almost embarrassed
“Grrr” Khoi bares her teeth and growls at her
Then the mare says
“Well, it looks like the other two ponies want to help you more now, if that is okay”
>>116502Silver makes it clear to Jubilosa that he has something he needs to take care of first, real quick.
Heal: [1d20+7 = 19] Silver is real careful to see what's wrong with Loputu, and do what he can to heal him.
>>116503Upon examination, the problem seems to lie in the lower half of the metatarsal bone on his left leg. There are two problems. First, the presence of a circular cut that wraps around the front half of that leg, maybe an eight of an inch wide and deep enough to let out blood. Second, the bone appears to be damaged, probably fractured - not that it’s possibkr to know for sure without an x-ray.
The best guess as to a course of treatment is to carefully apply an anti-biotic ointment, wrap a bandage around it, find a splint or some object to serve as one, and then tie the splint above and below the fracture and cut.
>>116504"There, any better?"
Sense Motive: [1d20+3 = 15] In line with the other discussion being had by the other members of the party, Silver looks for anything in pony-Zwolf's face that would suggest she'd harm the colt or his family.
[1d20 = 13]>>116505Assist
>>116505>>116506She seems to be a caring enough member of the community
>>116507>>116506Silver smiles at her. "I do not see any reason why she shouldn't escort Loputu back to his family. She can even let them know what we are doing, ask if she can have their names and addresses for somepony to come later and question them about this ordeal for when she returns. I trust her."
>>116507"Khoi would you escort our friends to make sure they'll both be safe?"
>>116509She looks surprised at this
“To where?”
>>116508She nods, smiling
>>116510"To his parents house."
He whispers to her
"I Don't trust it."
>>116511“I don’t either. But I don’t [i]know[i] where this kid’s parent’s house is”
>>116510With a nod, he turns back to Jubilosa. "Sorry about that. Now, where were we?"
>>116512he asks the colt
"Where do your parents live?"
>>116515“In the ghetto in the southern part of Red Heart. On Wipperwill street”
>>116513“What is going on here?”
>>116516"I suppose there is no point in hiding it. We are with civilian government of Baltimare. They tasked us to put end to activities at 33 Hoebuck."
>>116517“Baltimare... so that is where I am... You can help me?”
>>116518This gets him interested. "Help? So, you are captive, like others here?" He motions to the tether holding her to her position.
>>116518"Of course we can. Thats what we're here to do."
Dark Star smiles at him
>>116519She nods while her beak hangs open in disbelief
“Si. Yes.”
>>116520She looks back to him
“So... you are a zebra with the Baltimare government? What is going on here?”
>>116521"How did you get here?"
>>116522“Some Griffins told me I could leave Midoria for Aquelia onboard a freighter ship. When we got here instead some griffins took me and tied me up. They placed me on a boat and took me through a tunnel to here. I remember seeing her” pointing to Khoi
>>116523"These Griffins have been everywhere...so, want to help us put end to everything happening here?"
>>116524“.... What is happening here?”
>>116521"Im not really a zebra, im an earth pony."
>>116525"What does it look like? We are freeing captives, gathering evidence of wrongdoing, and dealing with those responsible for this organization."
>>116527“This is... Equestria, right? You are not with the Political Police, are you?”
>>116528HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.I am feeling the good feeling.
>>116528"Black Hooves? Well, no, I am not. We are here on orders from goverment."
>>116530>>116531Jubiliosa appears confused but somewhat very relieved by Silver’s answer. That relief disappears when Dark Star speaks
>>116532"Do not worry about him. He is only very recent hire by Black Hooves, and they are not involved in this. This is just operation for local, civilian government."
>>116533“I have enough experience to know there is no such thing as ‘local government’ when it comes to the Colonists”
>>116534He shrugs. "Might be Equestria is different. I do not know, but they have kept out of most government business. Perhaps not for lack of trying, though."
>>116535“O-Kay?”
She says, relaxing and moving forward, but still looking worried
“I guess it wouldn’t be any different than it is for me now if you were...”
>>116536Silver uses his knife to cut her free from her tether. "You were trying to get into Aquieia, right?"
>>116539"I think we can arrange something for you if you help us out. Your side of story would help government in hammering last nail in coffin of those responsible."
>>116540She nods slowly, still untrusting
Fortunately, somepony trustworthy is around to help inspire confidence
The white unicorn speaks
“Allow me... Don’t worry, we have nothing to do with the Fascists. This one here is a bit... happy to have done something once he thought was cool. We are all either natives, refugees, or migrants. We are not of the Colonists, we have nothing to do with the colonists except sometimes receiving some help from them. We are here to stop a set of organized criminals. They were going to abuse you as they abused so many Others. And we are going to put an end to that forever”
She bates her teeth at the last part of that for emphasis, strangely holding up her lips as if she had fangs
>>116541>>116541I don’t know where every pony went
Well... Iron opened his way up into another room... odd shaped, no creature seems to be there
>>116542Life.Iron clips clops inside, exploring the room while his flashlight uncovers the darkness.
>>116542Silver nods, affirming her story.
>>116542dark star squints at the "Unicorn" again
>>116544>>116545The unicorn smiles and nods
“Yes, you could help us by providing information or even fighting. But I assure you we having nothing at all to do with the Colonist government.”
Jubliosa:
“Well... Perhaps...”
>>116546"That could be helpful i suppose."
>>116547The unicorn nods and smiles at Dark Star’s acknowledgement of how she’s helped
>>116548Dark Star still seems on edge around her but he slightly smiles at her.
>>116549Okay, so what is Dark Star trying to do now?
>>116550Can i roll another perception to find any hidden things?
>>116553Silver assists.
[1d20+3 = 13]
>>116552OOF brb i ate some spicy gumbo and my intestines feel like they are being stabbed.
>>116554>>116553Door at the end, and some sort of door that looks most like a garbage chute
>>116556Back
Dark Star examines the Garbage chute.
>>116557For some reason, it’s either locked or rusted shut
>>116558"Hmmmmmmm"
He tries to open it up.
>>116559It’s not budging. It should be worth mentioning that it’s a cast iron door with metal trim that slide upwards, approximately rectangular in shape
>>116560Pfft! Foal's play.
>>116559"Need any assistance?"
>>116560is there a keyhole?
>>116562"Maybe. come take a look."
>>116563>>116560Strength: [1d20+2 = 7] Silver comes over the the garbage chute door, and attempts to use his Earth Pony heritage to open the door.
>>116561You know what? Fuck it. The area opens to what looks like a small slender hallway with a door towards the end, and on the left something like a bread baking oven
>>116565anything inside the oven?
>>116565I'll assume this is for me.Iron walks over to the door, trying open the door in front of it.
>>116563Mala comes up to it, uncomfortable
“Let me see the keys”
>>116564It does not open
>>116567Iron is going to the door at the end of the hall?
>>116568Correct.
I want to see where it leads, then I'll check on the oven thing.
>>116568Silver doesn't understand why he's uncomfortable, but he does loan Mala the keys.
>>116566Dark Star does not see an oven
>>116568"silver has the keys."
>>116572>>116570Mala sits down, breathing heavily and quickly, and with one paw holds the key ring while flicking through it in the other
>>116573Dark Star readys his bow
>>116575in case anythings on the other side.
>>116576>>116570Mala is still messing with the keys, going back and forth
I'd like to leave my message after the beep.
>>116576>>116570A different door, however, opens over to their left
>>116578*beep*
Just in time
whispers
>>116579Dark Star swivels towards that door.
>>116579So, what is the bat experiencing at the moment?
>>116581At this point, I have no idea.
We're still experiencing the room entering, I think.
>>116582>>116581They entered into a narrow room which had some items, like a large bread-baking over off to the left, and what looks like a couple shelves, and a doorway (actually more than one doorway) towards the end. Iron is going through the different door
>>116579Silver looks over, muscles tensing up.
>>116583Hmmmm, Midnight is content to follow the stallion, staying alert for my change that mightbe coming.
>>116580>>116584And thus, the door opens, and Dark Star and Silver can see Iron and perhaps Midnight
>>116582>>116585Iron, and maybe midnight, can see Zebra Star and Silver in a long room. Silver has an unconscious creature on his back, there is some kind of dog feline creature there sitting, a golden kirin, a white female unicorn, a blackish-blue colt, and a griffin
>>116582>>116585>>116586Silver's muscles relax upon seeing the face of his friends. "Thank Celestia, it is you two. We were worried you were in trouble."
>>116586"Celestia! you two scared the horse apples out of me!"
>>116588>>116587Khoi:
"These two are with you?"
Mala looks up at them entering
>>116589He nods. "Iron and Midnight. We split up upon getting to this location."
>>116587>>116586>>116589Don't forget Skies.Iron is surprised to see his partners down here already, but it quickly dissipates into a shrug.
"It was not really that hard. Punched some griffins and stole some clothes."
He turns his eyes on the extra passengers.
"It seems you got to the slaves before us. Good work, you two. Unless you hired extra ponies while I was not around."
Scanning the mares in the room, Iron can't help but ponder.
(A lot of mares within the group. I hope they were only used for sewing.)
>>116590>>116588From behind those two, Blue Sheckles gently and casually walks into the room
"How did you two get over here, and who are they?"
>>116591"Good to see you too"
>>116592Dark Star smiles as she walks in
"We came in through the sewer. they were captives."
>>116593She tilts her head
"Okay... Why did you run away from the church?"
>>116594"What do you mean? the service was over. and i thought you had left."
>>116591"Only tip of iceberg of captives, I feel. Mala here," he motions to the dog-cat-thing, "has been our guide so far. Apparently, worse is coming up."
>>116592Silver is startled by Blue Skies' appearance, taking a second to remember what her griffon form looked like. "What Dark Star said. We were worried something had happened to Iron and Midnight, and ended up having to take alternative route. Meet Mala, Khoi, Loputu, Jubilosa, annnnnnnnd..." He gestures to each person in order, stopping at pony-Zwolf since he realizes he doesn't have a name for her.
>>116593Iron passively waves at Dark Star.
>>116596He nods at Silver.
"Good. With their testimonies, I am sure we can call in the backup."
>>116594Glancing at Mala, he simply nods stoically and politely.
"Iron."
He turns his attention to the two mares and the colt.
"Who is who between you three?"
>>116595"They were moving to a different location"
>>116596Zwolf opens her mouth, as if to provide a name herself. Then her eyes go wide in the realization she hadn't thought that part out. She closes her mouth, and after a moment says
"You can call me Miss Sands"
>>116597Mala nods back with an expression as if concerned
The golden Kirin:
"I am Khoi Lua"
The Unicorn:
"Sands... White Sands. Or Valge Liiv"
The Griffin - whether asked for or not
"Volador Jubilosa"
The Colt:
"Loputu Sugis"
>>116598"Oh,oops. sorry about that. i was really worried though."
>>116598He nods.
"I assume you three mares were wronged by the griffons above us and want to take them down in whatever way possible for making you work 18 hours a day and forcing you to sleep in poor conditions?"
Glancing at the colt, he feels a slight pity.
"Not to mention mistreatment of others."
>>116600Sands:
"Absolutely"
Jubilosa:
"They did what now?"
Khoi:
"I was in cage for long while. They would have done worse to me, and to many other. Yes, I will take them down."
>>116599"I continued talking to them for a while. I was going to infiltrate, then they said something that spooked me, so I left. And found this one' He points to Iron
>>116601"What did they say?"
He looks concerned
>>116601Iron nods the Sands and Khoi, but looks inqusitively at Jubilosa.
"I assume you are a new slave? They were probably going to use you to make clothes as an illegal worker, most likely to save bits, and who knows what else."
Glancing at the other two mares, he shrugs.
"As far as I can tell, the two mares have a strong resolve against these griffs and I hope it is only due to neglect."
>>116602>>116596"Well, I was talking to them. They claimed that they were a sect of the Griffin Pantheon that views Boreas, Eyr, Arcturus and whatever to be facets or faces of the same god, and they didn't follow the central church in Romau. I figured they might be lying to me, but whatever. I followed them and kept talking. They say they left Griffonia because the Inquisitorial Service in the Empire would infiltrate and shut down their churches, and arrest them just for their worship. They say it got much worse after The Empire put down the secessionists in Feathesia where most of them are from, and annexed it. The new Archon is apparently pretty repressive. They like Equestria much better because there was no secret police here, and even now that there is, they don't care about Griffin religion and just leave them be. That's what spooked me. It kind of sounded like they were hinting that they knew I was not a normal visitor. Their tone was rather normal, but you two were gone, so I really didn't have any backup in case anything
did go wrong. So I left rather than risk it."
>>116603Jubilosa:
"What? I am no Griffin's slave, nor any pony's or other creature."
Sands turns to her side, and shows that she is wearing a bandage. She's rather thin around the waste in a manner not unlike an alicorn.
"Not Just neglect"
Khoi only nods, and she looks angry
\r
>>116604He hugs her
"I don't really understand the significance of their operation. what are they trying to do?"
>>116604Iron tightens his lips as Sands presents her patched up wound and the kirin's response.
"I expect as much from cocky species who nab slaves. Think they can tread on them because there is a cage separating them. Despicable."
He turns to Jubilosa
"Then I must ask: Why are you down here?"
>>116604"Hmm...how odd...you do not suppose some griffin saw you from their apartment and reported it to them, right?"
I can't fend off the sleep anymore. I'll see you guys tomorrow. Feel free to control Silver as you need to, to keep the action going.
>>116605*griffin is hugged*
*griffin likes the hugs*
"They told me they were a religious sect. Then again, they didn't actually claim to have much or anything at all to do with 33 Hoebuck, so who knows how much overlap there is. They were certainly meeting together for
something. R&M thinks that they are creature traffickers, who claim to help smuggle immigrants, but really force them into indentured servitude and make profit off their labor. There is the ever present fear of weapons smuggling or the smuggling of foreign special forces who could train rebels - if you remember that being a serious thing."
>>116607"I don't even know. It's possible. More likely they are just suspicious of new people asking questions. Or maybe they seriously meant to say that they like that even the New Marelander's don't bother them with an Inquisition. I don't know."
>>116606"I was taken, placed on a small boat, and made captive here."
>>116608"i can confirm that's what they are doing. iv'e seen evidence of it happening. these mares and this colt were in bondage before we got them out."
>>116608Iron stares at the griffon like she's blind.
"As I said, a soon-to-be-made slave. You are lucky my partners got you before your captives did, or else you would have suffered like the colt and the other two mares around you."
He looks over to Khoi and Sands
"Are you both sure you are well? Being stranded in a cage does make a pony hungry, thirsty and tired."
>>116610She squints her eyes and looks at rom. Her beak hangs open slightly and her tongue is pointed up.
Khoi answers
“I am somewhat hungry, but I can manage”
Sands, however, seems intrigued
“Did you have something in mind?”
>>116611Iron nods at Khoi but when Sands actually seems interested in his offer, he blinks.
"I must say I have nothing on me particularly to give aside from random scraps of clothing I took, but if I can be of assistance, I will gladly help out."
>>116612“Any assistance you can give would be greatly appreciated”
She smiles at him
“It’s nice to have a big, strong stallion around to help us. It’s been a bad day for us, you know? Until you all showed up to rescue us.”
>>116613Iron can't help but puff his chest out and stand a bit taller at the clear flattery presented to him.
"It is no problem, Sands. I am glad to have helped against these griffons that dare hurt, neglect and abduct mares like you three like objects."
>>116614“I hope you don’t mind, but...”
She trots yo to him, then jumps her forelegs around his neck. She is hugging him. Her coat feels long haired but not fluffy. Close to the skin
\r
>>116615Iron closes his eyes, smiling to himself at the clear sign of affection presented to him, with the slightest of blushes on his cheeks.
"I was not really expecting that, but I do not mind. Heh."
>>116616She jumps off of him, and looks up at him with an almost mischievous smile
“Give and receive. You've been doing a lot of giving, so I wanted to give back in kind.”
>>116617Iron smiles abashedly, chuckling while blushing a little harder
"Oh, you do not need to worry about giving back, Sands. I am glad to help."
Okay, I am going to sleep
>>116618She giggles, and places a hoof to her mouth. Her coat is white with the hint of a bluish tint, and get braided mane is light red
“Well, I hope to see you help me a bit more through out the night, if that’s alright with you”
>>116619Night
Iron nods with a smile on his face.
"Fret not. I will be there."
He turns to Khoi and Jubilosa, realizing he's probably neglecting them, smiling awkwardly.
"Sorry about that. I got caught by surprise."
Focusing on Khoi, he smiles sheepishly.
"So how did you end up here?"
>>116619>>116621Silver can only shake his head. He turns back to Blue. "They have indeed been trafficking, with rather wide reach. Khoi here is from Ngua Nam and was looking to migrate to Equestria. Jubilosa is from Midoria, looking to migrate to Aquileia. Not only that, but we can now confirm they have been foalnapping locals. Loputu here is from Skynavian family living in Red Heart."
>>116623"I can confim this story. Its....bad down here."
>>116609"What is it you can confirm they are doing?" She asks
>>116623>>116624Despite Silver's words being more or less consistent with what they were told to expect, Blue Skies looks surprised and concerned at these words
"Well fuck me..."
After a pause, she responds
"Well, if they are kidnapping locals, then it is more serious than we thought. At least that means we can also get BPD involved. Maybe even a local militia. It also looks like they are probably working with other traffickers"
>>116621She shakes her head and makes an angry sigh
"Damn lairs told me they could get me into Baltimare after I was rejected at Locust Promontory"
>>116625He cocks his head, curious.
"Locust Promontory?"
>>116626"Or whatever they call it. The..."
Seeing that Khoi's comprehension of the ponish language and Baltimare Governate are reaching their limits, Blue Skies, with a remarkable ability to eavesdrop on ever conversation she is not a part of, fills in the gaps
"It's the migration processing facility in Baltimare"
>>116627Nodding at Skies in appreciation, he returns his gaze on Khoi.
"Why did you take the chance?"
>>116628"I didn't think it would be like
this!"
>>116629Iron nods.
"I do not blame or judge you. I probably would have done the same if I wanted to traverse the endless waters."
He gives a smile.
"I assume you were seeking a new life here?"
>>116625"Among other activities they have been participating in, no doubt. I feel this is just tip of iceberg. We should keep investigating."
>>116631She has a disbelieving look on her
"As if this isn't bad enough... What are you anticipating?"
>>116630"Yes, I was."
>>116632" im anticipating a comte scenario, or something on the same level of horror as that."
>>116633She nods
"I think this is a bigger scale... Well, we probably have enough to get R&M to send a task force"
>>116632Iron nods yet again, pondering.
"What skills were you hoping to use in order to achieve a stable living?"
>>116635She shakes her head
"Whereever there is work"
>>116634"There might not be enough time for that."
>>116637She nods, understanding, with grave expression
>>116636Iron strokes his chin with a small grin.
"I see," he responds with clear interest. "I might have something for you to do after this ordeal, but I need to consult with some ponies first. Are you up for it?"
>>116639"I am up for anything... But it sounds like the night is not over"
>>116640>>116637>>116631Iron nods.
"Agreed."
Before moving his gaze at his coworkers, particularly at Skies
"I assume we are going to release all of the prisoners before calling the backup, right?"
>>116641“Do you mean these ones? It looks like Silver and Dark Star think such a delay may be unwise”
\r
>>116643Iron hums.
"They will most likely feel something is amiss, specially after shutting down the heat and light of the building..."
He ponders for a bit.
"How would you go about contacting the backup?"
>>116641"you are 100% right."
>>116644“Go find a customs station along the shoreline”
>>116645Iron nods.
>>116646He turns to Skies.
"Seeing how we are staying and look for more slaves down here, we will have to wait on that idea."
>>116647EEEEEndeed, my bat fellow. We recently have met up with Dark Star, Silver and the prisoners of this facility they have released and ready to fight/tell on the police. Dark Star has proposed that we release the other slaves before calling for backup.
>>116647Eeeeeeeeee!
Right now, the ponies are mostly talking and planning
>>116648>>116649"Does anypony have some fruit? Or have wounds that need healed?"
>>116650Iron points to Sands and Loputu, the former having a bandaged wound on her barrel while the colt has a limp leg.
>>116647Well that's just fucking adorable
>>116650The pony introduced earlier as White Sands turns her side and replies
“The older unicorn helped me earlier”
>>116638"Besides, our small task force might just be more effective than any reinforcements could be. They might underestimate us, and let us take them by surprise." He motions over to Loputu. "Before anything, it would be good idea to get little one back to his family. White Sands volunteered to do so, get family's names and address, then come back."
>>116654Skies blinks, and looks over to Sands
“And who is she?”
>>116655>>116654Iron can't help but blush a bit.
"She seems like a nice enough pony."
>>116653>>116654>>116655Midnight simply blinks at the exchanges before looking over Sand's bandaged barrel.
"Does it hurt very bad?"
>>116655"She is local, like Loputu."
>>116656“Uh Huh”
>>116657“It’s more of a long standing ache... I am okay though”
Loputu speaks up
“What can you do?”
>>116659Blush still present on his cheeks, he continues.
"She looks like an innocent pony who got roped into a tragic fate more than a dangerous individual."
>>116660White Sands smiles and tilts her head at him
Blue Skies is a little less pleased
“Innocent pony or not, should she really be leaving and wandering through the streets unescorted by armed ponies?”
>>116661"Hmm...good enough point. Who else should we send?"
>>116655Dark Star looks down
>>116661Iron hums in thought, mulling over the possible fates of the poor mare that he believes is mostly defenseless.
"You are right. Red Heart is a dangerous place at night."
His blush reddens a bit.
"I do not want to put her in danger."
>>116662>>116663>>116664Sands gives a fake pout, but bats her eyes at Iron
Skies sighs
“Alright, if you
really think we need to put the teenager away, I can escort him back, and contact Customs in the process”
She looks over at the colt, and shakes her head
“Damned near old enough to carry a gun”
>>116659"I guess you could say I am a healer. I help protect and take care of ponies."
>>116665Iron's blush goes even redder as he smiles at Sands
"Hehe."
>>116666“That’s great! Can you help protect me?” He asks
>>116667Sands giggles at Iron, again placing her hoof to her mouth
>>116668Midnight stifles a giggle before patting his head
"Of course"
>>116669He doesn’t exactly like the patting - he’s an older colt, adolescent age, but he does ask
“Can you help my leg?”
>>116668Iron's eyes stay fixed on the mare, with a dazed expression.
(Woah.)
>>116665"Thanks Blue. we'll keep looking for prisoners."
He hugs her
>>116670Midnight doesn't care that he doesn't like the pets
"Let me check it for you"
Rolling heal to see what's wrong with him.
[1d20+11 = 15]
>>116672>tfw still having slight pc problems
>>116672*lower-pitched coo*
*griffin is hugged*
“Okay... are you sure you wouldn’t rather conscript him?
>>116671Now, she places her hoof down, and nods with a more confident smile. She walks over towards Iron
>>116672>>116662>>116671>>116674White Sands walks up and stands next to Iron
“Alright, I’ll stay here and follow you all”
>>116679>>116672>>116662Iron puffs his chest out and stands taller when she walks next to her, standing at attention with the usual tinge of blush.
"Ready to move out."
>>116679>>116680"Alright. I am ready as well."
He looks over to Blue. "Hmm...it would not be good idea to split up again. He should probably stay out of any danger, however."
>>116679"If he is willing to. perhaps."
>>116683>>116685>>116680“Do you have any extra weapons for your... Voluntary Assistants?”
>>116679>>116685>>116680>>116683"I am ready, just tell me what to do."
>>116686"I have hammer and shortsword. Not best selection, I know. We could also take spears from pair of gnolls we incapacitated."
>>116688I switched to phone posting.
"I do. But tge weapons i have arent exactly subtle."
>>116686He simply smiles
"With my body, I can withstand their blows. After that, it is all about taking their weapons and giving them to our..."
She glances at Sands, familiar blush reddening.
"...companions."
>>116687>>116688>>116689>>116691“Hmmm... Well, if you want to proceed with the group we have now, without either dropping off these civilians or seeking reinforcements, it would probably be wise to distribute melee weapons to those you want in the front of the action, and give firearms to the creatures you’d rather keep in the back as reserve. Let it be a secret that they are armed, and keep them out of the fight unless necessary.
Designate where you want each creature, and distribute said weapons if you have them”
Didn’t Dark Star buy a bow for Skies?>>116691Sands blushes, but Skies says
“That’s nice, but it will take more than one body to absorb the blows these creatures can put out”
>>116692yes"I have an extra revolver. And if anypony knows how to use a bow you can use this one."
"Where is your bow,blue?"
>>116693by this one i meant mine.[s/]
>>116692He turns to the others. "I have hammer, shortsword, and rifle. Take what you think you would be best with, if you do not have weapon."
>>116692Iron waves his hoof dismissively, with his usual stoic and firm tone.
"Only for one skirmish, not for the whole ordeal. It is not like we are going to fight all of the griffons now."
As she turns to see Sands, his voice becomes mellow.
"I will protect you, do not worry."
He turns his attention to the two other female 'companions' "I assume both of you as well as Sands would like to have ranged weapons, correct?"
>>116696Silver grins at the young Earth Pony. "One skirmish? Those are rookie numbers, youngster. Try to keep up."
>>116697Iron turns to Silver with a defiant glint in his eye.
"Do not get me wrong. I expect much more."
His gaze goes to the mares resuced as well as the gnoll, his demeanor softening.
"But one skirmish against a couple of griffons should allow us to stock up on weapons for the captives we released around us."
>>116687>>116688>>116690>>116691At this time, a creature stirs. It's the Unicorn Silver had on his back. She moves, pushes to the side, pushes over, and.... falls down on the floor when one of the small ropes tying her to Silver's back comes undone. She mumbles and tries to stand up.
She is rather large. Actually quite possibly as big as Silver, rather tall and with a long horn. Her white coat is a light beige color, the color of desert sand. Her mane is rather long and full, a wood brown color. She mumbles
>>116693She blinks
Did h already give her the bow?/>>116693>>116695Mala shows again that he has the sword, a single edged slightly curved weapon with a hook - a scimitar, or at least a sword of some exotic design
"I could take a rifle too, but if we are short on weapons..."
Sands comes over, and seems to like the idea of having a revolver
Khoi looks at the choices
"Am I strong enough for a hammer?" she asks, trying to pick it up
>>116696Sands is already examining a revolver, then she turns to smile at Iron with a malign grin, holding a revolver in a green, magical glow
Khoi Lua says
"I can handle melee"
Blue Skies says to him
"I think the traffickers might disagree with you on that. This place has only ever been attacked successfully twice. The first time by dozens of Equestrian Royal Guards, and in that case much of the leadership was probably tipped off and fled before hoof. the second time a platoon of Army Soldiers - 40 ponies - forced their way in, and several of those were in killed in the process, before they figured it wasn't worth it and withdrew"
>>116699"Эй, вау!" Silver quickly moves to prop her up against him. Her relative height to Silver making it a straightforward. "Easy, easy. Do not push yourself, you are in bad way."
>>116700She looks around her area, and speaks back to Silver something not really easy to comprehend
"من کجا هستم?"
>>116701Silver looks like he didn't understand a bit of it. He takes a guess as to her nationality from her rather large stature. "Saddle Arabian?"
>>116699"I remember," he responds to Skies
Iron cocks an eyebrow over her grin, but ultimately shrugs, knowing it should guarantee her safety, giving back a smile of his own.
He turns to Khoi, helping her measure her hammer-holding strength, placing a hoof on one side.
"Alright, try to pull it up."
He gazes at the giant unicorn, before returning to his helping.
>>116699yea i belive so.
Dark star looks at the unicorn falling with a bit of a shocked expression.
>>116701
"Is that saddle arabic?"
>>116704Oops that 2nd one shouldnt be spoilerd
>>116702>>116704She looks up back to Silver. Or rather, past Silver, as her eyes miss his head. They are a blue color, but not really a natural blue, as they have a whiteness to them
"No?" she responds
>>116704Blue Skies:
"Yes, I have the crossbow"
>>116703She pulls on it, and is able to get it into the air with difficulty
>>116706"Hey, focus." He waves a hoof in front of her vision. "Who are you? Can you tell me your name?"
>>116706Iron grimaces.
"We will have to change weapons when we get the chance."
He points to an empty cage if there is one. If not, simply the wall.
"Try hitting that."
>>116706Oh yeah i have that dagger i had made.
Dark star pulls out the blade that is Engraved with "the blue skys will always lead me home."
"Want to use it?"
He asks blue.
>>116707Her eyes vaguely track the hoof, but cannot keep focus on it
"I am... Highland Meadow... from Karkardannistan..."
>>116708She takes it with her hoof, and a glow of golden magic, and slams in against the cage Loputu was formerly in. It hits with a
CLANG that is much louder than would be desired
>>116709She places a hoof on the knife and Dark Star's hoof, with an almost loving look and smile
"D'aww. I'll have fun slicing this through a griffin's throat"
>>116707The griffin, Jubilosa picks up the short sword, and examines it
>>116711He smiles back at her
"That makes me happy."
He hugs her again.
>>116711Iron looks at this with mixed feelings, but ultimately nods at her
"...you seem capable enough. Alright, hammer is yours. Be sure to use my body as cover, then you jump out and clang the enemy."
He smiles.
"Basically watch my flank."
Turning his gaze to Jubilosa, he nods at her option.
>>116712*low-pitched coo*
*griffin is hugged*
>>116713She shakes her head
"Somecreature needs to bash their skulls in"
Jubilosa seems to more or less fit the short sword
"I wasn't expecting to use a weapon here... But if the males must serve in the militia to fight for their freedom, so must I"
>>116713The "zzzzz" sound of a spinning, clicking cylinder ends with Sands pressing the revolver cylinder back in place, as she hovers it in the air in her magical embrace
"I'll watch your flank"
>>116711"It is good to meet you, Highland Meadow. I am Silver Sword. My companions and I have rescued you from captivity, here in Baltimare."
>>116716She speaks with some kind of accent
"I do not... remember much. There was some horrible monster..."
She tries to stand, and wobbles a bit
"I cannot see good"
>>116717Silver keeps her supported. "You were in dire straits when we found you. You need rest."
>>116718"I have been... resting for... a long time... I don't know how long. What I need... is to wake up..."
Blue Sheckles comes up to Silver
"What's her deal?"
>>116714He chuckles at Khoi's response.
"I admit that is true."
He nods at her implicit proposal
"Be careful."
Iron has to keep the possible remark about Jubilosa's comment hidden for now, as he hears the sounds of the cylinder
>>116715He turns to see Sands with a smile and a deep shade of red on his cheek.
"Hehe. Alright, Sands."
>>116719Heal: [1d20+5 = 11] With Meadow awake, he tries to get a bit idea of her current condition.
>>116719"How do you take your cofee?"
>>116722>The fighter is healingO, okay
>>116720They nod, respectively
>>116724Or Midnight could. This creature is a bit more gone
>>116723"You have... Coffee?"
At this, she is almost joyful
>>116722She definitely appears drained of life essence. She seems to be weak, partly blinded, and fatigued
>>116725"Yep we have a pot of it. Its a little cold though."
>>116725Oh! Then Midnight looks over the pony, trying her best to help.
[1d20+11 = 28]
>>116725To Blue Skies: "She has been severly drained by her captivity."
To Meadow: "Here, eat. It is not much, but it will help." He offers her a chocolate bar, made of dark chocolate.
>>116725He decides that now the mares mostly picked up their roles, he decides to ask some questions in the meantime to Sands.
"How did you end up here?"
>>116727She is suffering from the general effects of having her life force largely drained from her, then placed in a torpor in a saline solution where her body started to very slowly disintegrate. She is partly blind, weak, has a discolored coat, and is fatigued. Only gradual healing over time, or magical replenishment can help her. Re-infusing love magic is the simplest and quickest way to help, but it can be difficult to find said love. Friendship helps.
>>116728Blue Skies is confused
Meadow chomps at the air next to Silver's hoof, waits until Silver places the bar in her mouth, then starts slowly eating it
>>116726She smiles
"Can I have some?"
>>116729She stands up, and walks close to Iron, gentle grazing him with her long haired coat
She whispers into Iron's ear
"I told the young one over there, Loputu, that I was sent by his parents and found this place by happenstance. But that was a lie to shield him from the truth. I was abducted and held captive here. I was abused..."
>>116730"You poor thing"
Midnight moves on her other side, wrapping one wing around her and sandwiching the mare between her and Silver.
>>116730"It is, ah...complicated..."
He strokes Meadow's mane while she eats...or he feeds her, as seems more appropriate.
>>116732>>116731Thus she is sandwiched between the two as she nibbles on the chocolate, which she seems to enjoy. Her coat is characterized by short hair, and her ribs are not far under the surface, though that may be from emaciation. She is noticeably taller than Midnight
Without magical infusement, it's a slow but steady road to recovery
>>116733Midnight winces when she feels the mare's ribs.
"Hold on, I hope this will help you."
She presses her snoot against the mare's neck, before uttering a short prayer to Luna for healing.
Casting Cure Light Wounds. I don't know if I should actually roll for hit points recovered.
>>116733He lets her eat, thinking of ways to help her in the meantime. As well as wondering if White Sands would object to them filling Iron, Midnight, and Blue in on her secret.
"Sands, do you mind if we discuss something in private, once I am finished helping Meadow?"
>>116730"Sure."
He pours a cup and hoofs it to her.
>>116730At first, Iron's cheek redden from the subtle contact between their coats, but as he hears her story his resolve to beat these griffins down increases. His brow furrows further and his mouth tightens.
"I understand. Your bandaged wound clearly show that."
He ponders for a bit, trying o change into a hopefully happier note.
"What did you do before you were taken away by these savages?"
I love using irony.
>>116734I mean, if that is what you want to do. I think that healing Silver, unless he already healed himself, would be better from a logistical standpoint, since there is actually a different magical treatment the party can give Meadows>>116736Her hoof shakes, but she gets the end of the handle around the edge of her hoof, and eventually gets it to her mouth. She does not use magic
>>116737"Oh.... I helped to take care of elderly ponies. It's a more communal style of living in that community than ponies are used to"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oEWA7UglB4>>116735She narrows her eyes at him, not pleased with the likely possibility
>>116738"You do not have to."
>>116739Sands comes over to Silver and sighs
"Is this about the big, grey, hornless, wingless pony?"
>>116738Okay nevermind then. Also, Silver is injured?
>>116738He nods, convinced that the answer given is truthful.
>>116739>>116740However, when Silver calls over Sands to talk in private, Iron of course gets a bit suspicious, staring at the two.
(Did something happen before we got here that I do not know of?)
>>116741She sighs with annoyance
>>116743Sand walls up and whispers to Iron
“I am not sure your compatriots want us traveling together”
>>116742I mean, don’t let me stop you. You can do it if you want. Silver was injured, though I cannot recal if he used a healing potion on himself
>>116744His head moves back, ears folding down. "Celestia, okay. Forget I said anything."
>>116745She looks back over at him, really not expecting that response
>>116744Iron cocks his head, unsure of why would SIlver, a pony who basically told him that he should confess his feeling to Cauldron in a snap, does not want them travelling together.
"Why not?"
>>116746Silver doesn't force the issue, deciding he'll roll with whatever comes.
>>116747“You just stay here. I’ll go talk to him.”
>>116748She goes from Iron, over to Silver, pats him and directs him to move further away, then whispers angrily into Silver’s ear
“For the love of Chrysalis,
what?”
>>116749He gives her a deadpan look, whispering back. "Our new companions. Should we keep your secret until you are in clear or should we tell them?"
>>116750“Oh. Is that all you wanted to talk about? Well...”
This was not the conversation she was expecting
“Keep it secret. I do not expect most ponies would react well to it. Also, I told the colt that I had just arrived here, but I told the grey stallion that I was a captive here...”
>>116744Nah, I'll wait to use the spell.
>>116751He nods. "Good, I just wanted to know your stance. If anypony asks, I was just letting you know that Iron has interest of somepony...er, somezebra else."
>>116753She laughs
“Hahaha, that’s never stopped me before, and it won’t be a problem now”
>>116752The hyena walks to midnight, and awkwardly says
“Hi”
>>116749Iron is obviously confused, suspicion levels increasing.
"I see..."
(This is some strange stuff going on.)
>>116754"Hello, are are you?"
>>116754He can't help but smile, even with the implication. "Just cover story for when we get back. But do be careful. I do not want either of you getting seriously hurt. Especially you, if Iron remains conscious after his lesson."
>>116756There are whispering sounds. The creature before her is a little bigger than her, and looks like kind of a strange dog-cat thing. He had a brownish-tan colored fur with big black stripes, triangular ears and brown eyes. He had a sword in a sheath on his back and a kind of smell
“My name is Mala. What is yours?”
>>116757Suffice it to say that this is
absolutely not the conversation she was expecting. Her eyes go wide, and there’s an almost joyful smile
“Don’t you worry. We have secret reserves of magic that help us incapacitate our prey. It’s not an issue so long as we are alone”
\r
>>116758He nods, knowing of some of their abilities. "Just do not underestimate him. He is surprisingly hard-headed, strong pony."
>>116758She hopes the worry isn't showing on her face
"I am Midnight Lily, it is nice to meet you."
>>116759She nods, starts to walk away, and says “I can handle it, just please don’t blow my cover”
>>116760Don’t worry little Midnight. He probably does eat ponies, probably. He definitely could though. If anything, the teeth and jaw are oversized
Over the sounds of multiple whispered conversations, he says
“It is nice to meet you too....”
He trails off, and sits in front of her, kind of awkwardly
>>116761Uh... that was supposed to say “doesn't”
>>116761"No worries." Silver trots back with her, satisfied in their discussion.
>>116761>Screaming>>116762Oh, okay.
"Are you okay? You seem troubled."
>>116761Iron blinks as she comes back, obviously a bit confused and suspicious of the exchange.
>>116765Assuming she is coming back, that is.
>>116765She comes back to Iron and smiles awkwardly at him
“Oh, he just wanted to talk to me. Something about a zebra. Everything is fine”
>>116764For some reason, he looks around
“A little... it’s kind of a troubling night”
>>116767Midnight moves closer and rests a batty wing across his shoulder
"Do you need to talk about it?"
>>116767Iron cocks his head. looking behind her at Silver before returning her questioning gaze.
"A zebra?"
(Silver always has this knack of sticking his nose in the most uncomfortable things.)
>>116767"Did anything else happen after we left?"
>>116769Silver can only grin at him.
>>116768“I’ve been living here for years.... now the police are raiding it, or something... I’m afraid about my future...”
>>116769“Oh, it’s nothing. He was just asking me about my situation tonight, whether I would come and all, since I was supposed to walk back with the juvenile before. But I will go with you”
She walks past him, and flicks her light red tail into his face
>>116770Assuming this is Dark Star asking BKie Skies about the church, since I can’t imagine what else that question would be about,
“Not particularly. They left the church, but it does seem most are coming here. Iron his some unconscious Griffins”
>>116772"You poor thing. I am sure everything will be okay. I am sorry about the stress you are feeling though."
>>116771>>116772Iron can only stare as she dodges the question and Silver's grin, but her strut and playful flick of the tail does redden his cheeks enough not to question it, his mouth curling into a small smile.
"Oh alright. That makes sense."
>>116772"Coming here? from which direction?"
>>116774She smiles back at him
“I’m not concerned about
her. I will guard your flank tonight”
She pulls out the revolver again
>>116773“I am not as sure... this was my only home... my only friends... I do not want to go back to jail... I am also afraid they might try to find me...
>>116775“From the church”
>>116776"Which entrance do you think they'll try using?"
>>116777“Probably a front door on either the central or south most building. But I don’t know. If they went underground they haven’t come through this way.”
>>116776"Well, I am sure some of the fine ponies that brought me here could make sure you stay out of prison."
>>116776Iron chuckles, with the same blush on his cheeks.
"I will be sure to guard yours as well, Sands."
He walks next to her, rubbing his coat against her, planting himself in front of her and turns his neck to see her face, flashing her a coy smile.
"We will take down these scrawny weaklings."
>>116780*down those scrawny weaklings that hurt you."
>>116779He just nods slowly
“What of the griffin gangsters?”
>>116781>>116780Now, a look of malice comes upon her face. It’s not playful or mischievous, but genuine anger
“Oh, I’ll make sure of that”
She pulls the revolver up to her face as the green magical aura illuminates her
Off in the distance, Khoi, who has looked upon these ponies with disdain, before now, nods in agreement
>>116778"was the entire congregation coming?"
>>116782"I will not lie, I am not sure. That is not something I was told about before the mission."
>>116782Iron shares their look as he stands upright, awaiting orders alongside Sands and Khoi
who is obviously not alongisde them right now, but she will when the fighting starts given both Iron and Khoi's current fighting styles..
"We will make them pay for what they have done to both of you. One feather at a time."
>>116782>>116783>>116784>>116785"Well then, let us get moving. We have lot of ground to cover."
>>116783“I think so?”
>>116785They nod, appreciating his words. Even the more distant Jubilosa joins along
>>116785>>116784>>116783>>116771>>116786Blue Skies says,
“Alright, where to next”
How ever, Mala stands up, and
yells out something. In a rather demanding tone, he says
“Hold on. Before we go any further, I want to be promised something. I want to be guaranteed.,,” he searches for the term, “I want immunity. I want to not be prosecuted for anything here.”
Something in his demeanor makes it obvious that, when he planned this out in his head, it was intended as an ultimatum
>>116787Silver is a little taken aback by the sudden change in tone, as well as the volume.
"...I figured that was obvious part of deal already."
>>116787>>116788Dark Star looks over at blue
>>116787Midnight flinches at the sudden change in attitude.
>>116787>>116788Iron shrugs at Mala's demand, not really caring or having a say on this, before turning to the far away mares he believes he has a sway in the common interest of beating the griffons up.
"Khoi, Jubilosa. Form up near me. Cover the sides, I will go at the front." He turns to Sands, his blush and smile replaced with determination. "Sands, Cover the rear."
>>116788>>116789>>116790He inhales and exhales a tense breath
“I need to be sure... and I need something more... I think I will need protection from...” he pauses not as his normal way of trailing off, but again because he seems to need the time to think of a word. “Protection from retaliation. From them. And I need to not go to jail...”
Now he trails off again
Blue Skies shrugs back to Dark Star
>>116791Khoi and Jubiloda are more shocked at the situation. Only Sands can say
“I’ll cover your rear”
>>116792"We can do that, one way or other. Do not worry."
>>116792"I promise you will be fine if you help us mala, even if i have to protect you myself."
>>116793>>116794He can only nod, breathing heavily from nervousness
>>116793>>116791>>116790>>116790>>116789At this point, Sands, looking over, starts to as well
“And I also want immunity”
Her eyes dart around
>>116796She backs down, awkwardly
>>116797"Well, if that all is taken care of...shall we continue? Mala, if you know where to go, could you please serve as our guide?"
>>116798>>116794>>116791>>116790Mala takes another breath, and holds up the keys
“Unless you wanted to check the garbage chute... the stairs are over there”
\r
>>116800He nods. "Okay. Garbage chute, then stairs."
>>116801>>116802“Okay...”
He swallows, looks through the key ring, finds a key, places it in his mouth, unlocks a padlock, then opens the chute
>>116803Silver looks inside the chute, using his flashlight if it's too dark.
>>116792>>116795>>116800Iron processes this whole ordeal, overall being confused at most of the things mentioned, but decides not to question it out loud and instead mull it over to himself.
He gestures Khoi and Jubilosa to follow, obviously wanting to have a reliable formation to increase their odds of success, and moving into the garbage chute mentioned and points his flashlight at it.
>>116803Dark Star readys his duel revolvers
>>116806>>116804>>116805When Silver sticks his head into the chute, he is assaulted with a bad smell. It's hardly as bad as it could be, nor is is it unexpected for a supposed disposal of trash. It's what he sees next that is unexpected
Bones. Piles and Piles of Bones. They are all together in a room maybe 10 feet by 12 feet and of an unknown depth. All belonging to an unknown number of creatures, but surely the bones of several dozen are represented in this topmost, visible layer. Skulls of Equine creatures, probably ponies or Zebras. At minimum two seem to have the bases of sawed off horns, and another has a thicker sawed off horn. A kirin maybe? Another has two sawed off horns to each side, as does another larger skull. Several have birdlike beaks. Humerus bones, ribs, femurs, spatula bones, tarsus bones, cervical vertibrea. The remnants of hooves, paws, and wings, both avian and bat-like.
At least half of the bones are charred or partly destroyed by fire, and indeed many are unrecognizable because of it. But there are so many that
are recognizable.
\r
>>116807Looking down with Silver, his interest with exploring this watery graveyard dissipates almost immediately.
"I am pretty sure we should not go down there unless we are planning on escaping now, and even then it should be an emergency situation."
>>116807"...What the fuck have they been doing here?" He motions for Blue to come over and look. "What the fuck...
>>116807"I-I told you so."
>>116809Skies comes over and looks.
She instantly regrets it, moving off
"What the fuck"
>>116811"I know! Sweet Celestia, government is going to have field day with this." He looks some more. "So, presense of kirin and griffon-or hippogriff-skeletons means this likely started after Stormfeather Maakie took over. And couple of horned skulls are missing their horns...think they sold those on black market, like what you saw in Zaphzia?"
>>116811Dark Star snaps out of his semi daze
He snaps a few pictures from a few different angles.
>>116812“Hellsword basin... yes...”
>>116808>>116809>>116810>>116812Mala is sitting down, looking away, and staring far off into the distance. He did not look inside.
“The most recent one in there must be two years old. That’s from before they found out that gnolls can digest bone...”
\r
>>116814Silver suddenly understands why Mala wanted immunity so badly. "...Not going to lie, that is fucked. You are still going to get immunity after this, but...that is
fucked."
>>116814Iron now understands why Mala asked for that immunity thing as his face contorts in disgust.
"At least this will make it easier to convince the authorities to stop this nonsense."
He glances towards Sands
(Now why would she want this immunity thing, too?)
>>116815"Like he had a choice."
>>116816"Nevermind authorities: even if I have to do it myself, this ends
tonight.
>>116818"That makes 2 of us."
Dark Star has a look of determination on his face as he stares down into the pit.
>>116818Iron nods, still with the determination to right the griffons' wrongs of taking advantage of ponies then dumping them as garbage.
>>116816Sands, like most of the creatures in the room, did not stick her head in the chute. But she had heard the others talking. It’s enough to leave her face in an expression of twisted and silenced horror
>>116815>>116817Mala’s head hangs low. It’s a look of shame, and one he’s worn in most of the short time they’ve known him.
>>116820The total number of bodies there is hard to measure. It looks like a few dozen, but who knows how deep it goes. There could be many more. Many of the bones are burnt. Clearly, they tried to cremate rather than bury the bodies first.
>>116822Iron, obviously worried about Sands and the other mares, walks back to the unicorn and wraps a foreleg around her, lightly squeezing her in an attempt to comfort her.
>>116822Dark Star pets mala
>>116790>>116820>>116821>>116822"So, how about it, my friends?" Silver draws his greatsword, holding it in a ready position. "Who wants to help me on this mission? Who wants to rain down punishment on this entire organization like this world has never witnessed before? Who wants to show Stormfeather Maakie what his Gods' Judgement really look like?"
>>116823She’s still a little bit more than disturbed, though somehow less surprised than Khoi, who looks almost ill.
Sands is hugged
>>116824Mala is pet. His fur is surprisingly soft, being short and mostly standing upright.
>>116825>>116824When they first met Mala, he was eating something. Something that left his mouth bloody, and which he hid behind a counter. He physically blocked Silver and Dark Star from entering deeper into the room after that point.
>>116825Mostly, there is silent nodding. Not quite yet an outburst of anger
>>116825"I Don't know about all that Divine judgement stuff, but im ready to fry some birds. maybe we can take maakie alive stuff him in this furnace."
>>116826Oh, Silver already put two-and-two together on that one.
>>116827"Oh, I have something
special in mind for Maakie that will really make clear gravity of this situation."
>>116826Iron whispers to her ear.
"Do not worry. We will make sure these scum will never try this again. Together."
He smiles, before turning his head to the other two mares with a serious, determined look.
"Khoi! Jubilosa! Let us rise up against these abominations that dare toy with the lives of ponies! We will cut their monstrous claws off of them and send them to the depths of fire!"
>>116825Iron stands up, determined.
"I am. We will break their beaks and cut their claws against these monsters in griffon's skin and feathers."
>>116828Dark Star has an almost gleeful smile on his face
"what did you have in mind?"
>>116830"Oh, you will see. I want to keep it surprise for now."
>>116829>>116828>>116830At this point, Khoi Lua literally explodes into magenta flames, her body now black as coal. She screams in anguish
”RAHHHHHH!”Jubliosa is taken aback and moves back, and Sands moves back a step in shock. It is Loputu who reacts the most strongly, turning away and running back several feet, before again facing her. Mala also moves back and tries to hide behind Dark Star out of line of sight
>>116832"Yes Cleanse this place with your flames! but only after we save all of the innocents in here."
>>116832Silver is about the opposite of surprise: he's rather elated to see the nirik come out. "
That is what I am talking about. Want to go hunt some griffins, Khoi?"
>>116832Iron, having experienced the whole Nirik transformation, obviously walks towards her, stopping at around 5 meters.
"Now that is the fighting spirit to demolish the enemy!"
>>116833He glances at Star, shaken out of his frenzy.
"Right."
>>116833>>116834>>116835It’s fortunate the walls and ceiling are made of stone, mortar, and brick, and not wood or anything flammable
”Bằng ánh sáng của sự hài hòa, tôi sẽ thấy rằng những con quái vật này bị đốt cháy!”
>>116836Silver might not understand a word of that, but he gets the drift. He looks over to Mala. "Mala, if you would please, lead us to some griffons to punish, or prisoners to free."
>>116836Iron can't help but watch in awe the fiery passion Khoi unleashed, like a moth to a flame.
However, he knew that she had to be able to be stealthy for now.
"Khoi, listen to me. First we have to release the others before we commence our purging, and we do not want to scare them into a quivering mess."
He points at Loputu, who ran away the moment she caught herself on fire.
"I ask for the sake of the prisoners to settle down. You will get your chance to end the lives of these horrendous ponies soon enough."
Hooves crossed hoping this works.
>>116837He blinks
“There are probably some prisoners upstairs, and maybe some in the workshop... Griffins, I think some may be in the dormitory, but I think they will be congregating at the top of the middle building...”
>>116838She sighs, and the flame slowly lessens
>>116839Iron nods.
"You will get your chance soon enough."
He places a hoof on her shoulder.
"Do not worry. You will give them their punishment soon enough."
>>116839"Well, let us free those prisoners."
>>116840>>116841"Let's get to it."
>>116840>placing a hoof on the shoulder of the nirikNot sure that’s wise...
She nods
>>116841>>116842“I don’t exactly know where any prisoners would be... but they might be up the stairs in the dormitory...”
>>116843"Lead way, my friend." He looks over to Meadows, to check up on how she is doing.
Okay, I have to go to sleep now. It was really fun this weekend, and worth it to take the time to flesh out the characters. I think it’s progressed well thus far, and I hope we can enough ponies together to advance soon
>>116844She is still weak and not quite recovered. She doesn’t seem as phased by all of the news, and that might be a sign that she’s not comprehending or feeling. She is drinking the last of the cold coffee
>>116843I guess he hovers his hoof near her shoulder, then. :p
With a nod of his own, he beckons her, Jubilosa and Sands to move, preferrably in the position he requested.
>>116844>>116842"I am ready to head out."
>>116845Sleep well, GM. This weekend has been fun.
>>116851*Angry Whinnying Sounds*
A recap for Midnight, for when they get back so they don't need to scroll through every post they missed:
The group opened the garbage chute in the room they're in, discovering that the griffins in charge of this operation have been using it to dispose of bodies. Hundreds of ponies, kirins, griffins, and perhaps even hippogriffs have been thrown in here, left to decay into skeletons for an unknown amount of time, with the most recent having been two years. They bear the marks of a failed cremation attempt by the griffins to try to hide their dirty work. The skulls of unicorns and kirins are missing their horns, each sawn off and likely either sold on the black market, or taken by the griffins here as trophies. Mala explained that the most recent skeleton in there is around two years old, as he explained to his greatest shame and remorse that it was just before the griffins discovered that gnolls can digest bone. The implication should be obvious.
Silver, Star, Iron, and Khoi are furious, and more determined than ever to free the prisoners here and punish every griffin responsible for this travesty. Mala is understandably filled with remorse and shame for his part in this, but is still committed to helping the group in their mission. Loputu, Sands, Jubilosa, and Skies have been stilled by what they found, only offering subdued responses to the others. Meadows has not had much of a reaction either way, though that is due to her condition more than anything else.
>>116852Silver looks over to Blue Skies. "So, what do you think civilian government would send over, now that we have found this?"
>>116853Awwww, thanks for that.
Now I gotta decide if Midnight becomes unhinged at the sight or just pukes.
Hey GM, for now can we just say that Midnight hasn't jumped down but decided to wait a minute?
>>116853“... That would convince them to do something, alright... I wish we had those sealed records from when the royal guard raided this place, or at least any witness interviews from when the EDF stormed it... That would have been helpful. As it is, we probably wouldn’t have to worry about using the NMAC garrison on this place, unless there’s something else we don’t know...”
>>116854Uh... hasn’t jumped down into what?
I hope no pony is actually going into the chute...
>>116855Not Iron, that's for sure.
>>116855Oh, I misread. Forgive me.
>>116853>>116855"Hooves crossed they don't have any dragons."
>>116855Silver nods. "We shall proceed, and try to make as many unknowns known as possible. With luck and our combined skills, we will have enough to make sure entire world knows what happened here."
>>116858She looks over with something of a frown
>>116859She nods with uncertainty
>>116859>>116858>>116857>>116856Meadows continues sipping coffee, though now with a definite look of fright and concern, and a facial expression generally of “why did that scaly equine just spontaneously combust?”
It’s Loputu however, who reacts the most, now screaming
“Ahhh!”
He runs off, it’s not really clear where he could go though
>>116860Iron, knowing his luck with traumatized small ponies and unsure of how to properly speak with the big horse Meadows, he decides that holding still is a valid option.
He glances at the enraged Khoi and the morose Sands, wondering to himself with a pensive twist of the mouth
(Khoi did not seem to ask about this 'immunity' thing. Mala at least ate bones of the ponies to feel the need to call it out. Was Sands part of the security? Why would she have a big wound to bandage her midsection? Something does not fit.)
Midnight steps over and looking into the chute. Her eyes twitch at the sight before she steps back.
"I pray to Luna for souls of the ponies, and I hope can we send the griffons who did this to Tartarus."
>>116860"Buck! sompony get him back here."
>>116861Sands herself has a concerned, twisted expression, as she stares off at the other ponies
>>116862Suffice it to say,
it’s bad. At least it looks like all of the flesh has already been removed, burned away, or decayed.
>>116864He continues. Running, screaming, turning around when he reaches an end of the room
>>116865Dexterity: [1d20+4 = 20] Silver tries to catch the panicked colt so he can calm him down.
>>116865Iron stares intently at the mare.
(She always seems to be a lot more separated to the rest, as if she is actively trying to avoid attention. What secret does she have?)
[1d20+5 = 6]>>116866Dark Star walks over to them calmly
Diplomacy
"It's fine young colt. kirin arent hurt by the fire. she's ok. and if you are worried about her hurting you. i give my word she won't."
>>116866>>116868The little colt, the color of that dress suit jacket that you thought was black, until you put it under the light and actually it’s blue, so you’re going to have to try harder to find a matching set of slacks.... where was I? Oh. Yes, the colt is captured by Silver when he runs fairly nearby. He flails his legs, and he is
not calmed down
>>116867Now, she’s startled by the colt being captured, and the colt screaming, and...
She turns around and looks at Iron with annoyance
“Is something the matter?”
>>116870"Shhh, shhhhhhh, it is okay, nopony is going to hurt you. We are all friends here." Silver keeps Loputu close to him and strokes his back, despite the risk of being hit. He uses a fatherly tone, a calming one he has used before to calm his foals out of their nightmares.
>>116870After one more second of staring, he decides that asking about it now is not wise.
"Your mane looks rather nice," he offers to her, with a small smile.
>>116871While it would be undeservedly demeaning to compare Loputu to a crayfish flailing its pinchers while being held from behind the thorax, that’s basically the situation, with Silver holding him from behind and his legs kicking forward
“I was just looking around the waterfront. I didn’t want to be involved in any of
this”
He’s almost crying
>>116872She smiles back
“Thanks”
And looks on with the scene with Loputu
>>116873"I know, little one, I know." He keeps a hold of him, trying to serve as a comforting presense, though he doesn't know how well he's doing.
>>116874>>116873With a nod, he turns back to the scene bemusedly.
(Now how would a stallion be able to calm down a colt?)
He hums to himself, listening to the small one's words, walking forwards to the scene.
"I assume you have a place to go back to, yes?" he sasks Loputu, hoping either him or Silver can respond.
>>116875"Yes, he has family here in Red Heart."
>>116874>>116875>>116868>>116862He’s clearly terrified
“I was just looking around!”
And now, because it, he too could have ended up inside of the chute. Or more likely, but not more pleasantly, inside of Mala’s stomach.
The scene has entirely shaken Khoi out of it, and now she too looks concerned. Jubilosa is also concerned and walks closer. Even Meadows stands up now, and walks over
Loputu speaks again, evidently in answer to Iron’s question
“Yes, I live in the city”
>>116877"I promise you, little one, you will get back to your family, and we will make sure griffins that did this will never be able to hurt anypony else ever again."
>>116877Midnight somberly looks at the gathered creatures, wishing she knew how to calm them all.
"What will be our next move?"
>>116877>>116878"What he said," Iron confirms. "Be strong for your family, young one."
>>116879He turns to Midnight.
"Most likely we will send the colt home through Skies and then move to where the prisoners are."
>>116877Dark Star trots back over to blue shekels looking rather perturbed.
>>116878>>116879Jubilosa comes up to him, and speaks in a strangely jovial tone
“Don’t worry little one. You’re a pony. They will go out of their way to help you, and they will never blame you”
Mala and Sands slowly and subtly move their heads in nods
>>116879They don’t entirely seem to know
>>116881“Well... I must admit that is not what I was anticipating when I was assigned to take an immigration case”
>>116882Silver looks at Jubilosa. "It is not because he is pony. It is because he is innocent victim in all of this, same as you."
>>116882>>116883Iron nods to confirm Silver's words are true.
>>116882"Yea me neither. i'm glad to be able to help anypony who is trapped down here."
>>116883>>116884Jubilosa nods, not seeming entirely convinced
>>116885“So then what do you want to do now?”
>>116886(It is a good thing she is not really agreeing with her being a victim,) Iron thinks to himself. (At least she did not suffer what the others had.)
He awaits the moment to finally move out to the places Mala mentioned it had prisoners, potentially through the hole underground.
>>116886"we'll have to wait until he calms down."
He motions at loptu
"i really want to fry some griffons."
>>116888He looks at Zebra Star blank faced
“How are you going to do that?”
To him, it must be an obvious question.
>>116887So.... where?
>>116889If I recall correctly, Mala said to visit the workshop and upstairs for some prisoner rescuing, so upstairs it is.
>>116889"Well...."
He looks over at the furnace.
"This would probably work well."
>>116891If you’re talking about the large over, that’s in the room over, and the boiler is two rooms over“... Is this like a gang ‘turf’ war?” He asks in almost disbelief
>>116890Sure, they can all move out to a place when you feel ready. Just be very specific about where you are trying to go because an answer than is even vaguely ambiguous will just be rejected with “where are you trying to go?”
>>116892I know, but I couldn't have Mala's suggestions in the 50 post limit, so I had hoped that'd be a good substitute.
In any case, I don't have many more ideas on how to interact with any of the ponies currently, so I hope we're ready to move out.
>>116892"I suppose you could look at it that way. if you think about it, aren't all governments just organized gangs?"
>>116894He blinks
“You’re the one with the weapon here...”
>>116895Who is this talking to me?
>>116892Silver looks a little amused at Loputu. "We are not gang, so no. We are just good people doing right thing. It just so happens that right thing is stopping these griffins."
>>116896Loputu, who I’ve assumed this conversation was to
>>116897This vague, non-offensive platitude is better received by the diverse audience in the basement, with Loputu, Jubilosa, and Khoi nodding, and Sands shrugging
>>116898The older unicorn lets go of Loputu. "You feeling better, little one? Can you be strong for your family?"
>>116899“Y-yes. I can be strong”
He has a cutie mark of a fish, which oddly is a lighter shade than his coat
>>116900He pats the colt's shoulder. "You are strong colt." Silver points out his cutie mark. "I take it you are good at fishing?"
>>116898"Do you want your family to be safe?"
>>116902Was that remark intended for Blue Skies?“... Yes. You’re... not going to hurt them.... Right?”
>>116901“Yes. I fish out in the harbor. It’s not really good for fishing here, maybe on Locust Promontory. Sometimes I find a boat to go out on, or go to the Peninsula”
>>116903no that was to loptu"Of course im not. but these griffions are terrible bastards."
>>116903"Huh. I never was very good with fishing, myself. How about a fishing tip?"
>>116903“They seem pretty terrible to me”
>>116905“That would be great, if I can ever get out of here”
>>116906"Of course we will get you out of here. Do not worry about that."
>>116906"These griffions are monstrous slavers. where were you when they took you prisoner?"
>>116908“I was walking past the boat repair shop, along the shore, trying to walk back and maybe see if there was a spot along the shore to fish. Not that there is really much to catch by the shore but I had the extra time.I could see them chasing after a griffin who fell down after leaving some truck, got up, and tried to run away as they chased her with a machete, and she fell again. I’m not sure if they stabbed her or not. This was about dusk. I tried to jump down to the sea, but they saw me. I ran, but they flew after me. I got to a pier next door where there was a boat I was going to hide in, or under. But my rear leg got caught in a wire thats used to tie smaller boats. It cut into my leg and caused me to fall. They caught me...”
>>116907He nods
>>116909Silver's blood boils, listening to Loputu's story. "These griffins..."
He looks over to the leg wound Silver patched up. "I suppose that explains where you got that. You have to be very strong colt, indeed, to even be limping along after that."
>>116909Dark Star gently pets him nonthreateningly
"It's ok , boy. Doesn't that make you angry though? that they would just take you like that?"
>>116910He looks down at it
“It doesn’t hurt that bad”
>>116911“Yes, it does”
>>116912Silver smiles. "Proving my point."
>>116912Dark Star kneels down and looks him in the eyes
"You know i can relate to your situation. i was almost where you are now."
>>116914“How... how so?”
>>116913He lowers his head
“I’m just afraid my parents will be angry I did not come home...”
>>116912>>116913>>116914Iron lightly stomps the floor with one of his forehooves.
"Wrap it up, you two. The more time we spend here, the more time they will notice something is amiss and reinforce. You two can have all the time in the world to have a chat with the colt after we take down the ones that dare use him as a tool."
>>116915"I'll tell you the story after we Finish this. but rest assured its....painful. tell me,colt. Down you know how to use a weapon?"
>>116917“No... my older brother does, but I do not”
>>116915"Angry? After they are told what had happened, they will just be happy to see you again."
Silver gets up, and looks to his companions. "Iron is right, however. We have been idle long enough. We need to move out."
>>116918"Alright just stay safe then."
>>116919>>116916"Lets roast some turkey."
>>116920Iron nods.
>>116921I have no snoot and I must neigh
Okay, where is the party going now?
>>116921*Angry Whinnying*
>>116923The stairs Mala pointed to, where it should lead to more prisoners.
That way, we eliminate any possible leverage and maybe tear this building down.
Going through that door leads into a small hallway, the same one Iron and midnight saw earlier. Off to the right leads back into the access tunnel, off to the left are two rooms, and there is the stairwell kind of near the center
>>116925Midnight quickly follows after him.
"Let us hope this mission is quick and clean."
>>116926Midnight scurries along. Things would probably be nicer for her if everyone
would just shut the fuck up
>>116925>>116920>>116926>>116919Iron points to the left side to the rest.
"Let us check for prisoners over at the left side. Right side is where the machine thing that gave light and heat."
>>116919
>>116928Obviously, he goes there, expecting the rest to follow, opening up the closest door relative to his position.
Silver goes with the group, wherever they decide to go.
>>116928>>116930>>116927Dark star follows behind sands
>>116929>>116931>>116930Over to the left are two rooms on the right side of the hallway. Each has a faded black metal sign over the doorway with old white lettering that is chipping away. The closer one says "records," the further away one says "morgue"
>>116932"Records might be promising. Unless it is records of when this was Home for Wayward Mares. Or even before that."
>>116932>>116933"I guess there is only one way to know."
Midnight trots over and enters the room with the records sign.
>>116932>>116934>>116933Iron nods at Silver's comment, mimicking Midnight's actions of apporaching said door and attempting to open it.
>>116933>>116935>>116934Dark Star points his pistols at the "Records" Door
>>116933Skies shakes her head
"I think this whole area was sectioned off by the city after they took it over from the nuns... They didn't want to pay for heating all of this area"
>>116934>>116935>>116936They enter the room. It's... not entirely as advertised. There are a couple cardboard boxes. A Zebrican style shield. Several other items over in the corner. The room is not quite perfectly rectangular, as there are small walls that section off nooks, and one set of metal shelves that remains is in the center of the room, and has some items on it
>>116937Midnight steps over and carefully opens one of the boxes, using her knife if it's needed.
>>116937Silver looks at the items on the metal shelves.
>>116937Iron's brow rises, deciding to rummage the other items in the corner, also studying the zebra shield as he moves.
[1d20 = 13]>>116937Perception on the room for anything hidden
>>116941Might as well assist.
[1d20+3 = 8]
>>116940The zebra shield has a black and white pattern kind of like a Holstein cow
>>116942I mean... there are boxes
>>116941Roll luck
>>116943Iron decides to pick up the defensive tool, wondering if this is an actual shield.
>>116944There are some items of interest. Many cartons of Cigars, Blackjack Whiskey, several Kirpan style knives, a portrait painting, some polished stones that are likely onyx or topaz, some actual old records in boxes, a new cardboard box with paperwork, a few furs, some jackets, a jewelry box, a wooden griffin statue, and a set of robes
>>116945 It looks as if it is. Oval in shape, mostly wooden with leather covering it. Fairly large, but not huge
>>116946Iron nods to himself.
(Looks good.)
He takes it for himself, equipping it on his off-hoof.
That description is pretty mouth-watering.
>>116946Dark Star Grabs the whiskey
>>116948Blackjack Whiskey from a Skyfall brewing company
>>116947He decides to check out the pile of items in the corner as well.
[1d2 = 2]>>116950Same as in
>>116946>>116942See
>>116946>>116938There are papers inside
>>116951"Hmmm, well the sign was not wrong."
She looks at the papers a bit before leaving the box and looking to see what the others have seen.
"But I do not think we will find anything too useful here."
>>116951Silver looks in the new cardboard box, and its paperwork.
>>116952A shipping record out of Rottendamn, some correspondence, a few financial statements... nothing interesting
>>116951He decides to pick up the Kirpan style knives as well as the polished stones, stuffing the rocks in his clothes and proceeds to turn around.
"Anypony wants some of these knife-looking things? They should be silent and possibly a ranged option."
>>116955Skies and Sands are the first to volunteer
"Sure"
"Let me take a look at those"
>>116956>>116949How much whiskey?
>>11695712 bottles in a crate
>>116956Iron, seeing Skies has a more or less silent weapon, gives the knives to Sands, hoping she knows how to use them, with a small smile on his face.
"Here."
>>116959Sands has a confident look as she receives the knife, which has a twisted, backwards facing blade.
"Thank you"
Skies and Sands exchange hateful glances, then Sands examines the knives more
>>116958he whistles then puts all 12 in his bag
>>116960He nods, a tiny blush on his face, before turning back to the pile.
He inspects the jackets, considering how much protection it could give to a potential user.
>>116961Oh Dark Star, you can't carry ALL the whiskey
>>116962Some are fancy fur coats, at least one may hold more protective value
>>116963>file nameKek
he puts half in his satchel if he can fit it.
>>116963Iron hums in thought, then decides against it, only having the passing thought to give one to Cauldron as a gift that is quickly squashed by the possible heat she'd get from wearing that.
He assumes the jewelry box may have something else inside, as well as the wooden griffin statue.
>>116965aka he opens the jewelry box up to see what's inside and inspects the wooden statue.
>>116965A couple rings, err... bracelets. The griffin looks strange, with slimmer features, not quite skeletal but close to it
Is Silver kill?
>>116964He can, it just creates the risk of "clank" sounds that are not conducive to stealth
>>116967He decides that Jubilosa may know something of the statue, turning towards her.
"Does this statue look familiar to you?"
>>116968in that case lets try 3
for now
>>116968I'm still here, just waiting on the response to
>>116953
>>116953Similar essentially to
>>116953. Looks like accounting data essentially
>>116970Possible. Still risky
>>116969"Not..."
She looks at it more closely
"I am not sure..."
She looks uncomfortable
>>116972Iron cocks his head.
"That is a strange answer."
He holds out the statue for her to take it.
"Do you want it?"
>>116972Dark Star puts the bottle back in the crate except 1, which he puts in his bag.
He thinks to himself
"I'll be back laater for you "
>>116973I believe he means this.
>>116954
>>116975Dark Star shall meet his true love again, some sunny day...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHcunREYzNY>>116974She looks almost worried, and shakes her head in the negative
>>116977Uh, yes. He is correct
>>116978Iron raises an eyebrow, before placing it back in the pile, checking out the portrait painting.
"I assume it is some form of evil god back in griffonland?"
>>116978>"Till the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away."Nice
He Grabs a second bottle and trots over to blue.
"Hey i found something you might like."
>>116978Well, not sure what else Silver can do in this room that the others haven't. I guess he can grab the stones if no one else has. Maybe look at the robes.
>>1169812slow! Iron got stones!
Jewelry is still up for grabs tho.
>>116982Thought someone else already grabbed the jewelry.
Alright, guess Silver's down to the robes.
>>116981the cigars are still there.
>>116983Nope. They're still there for u.
Iron only looked at it.
*bat noises*
Not quite sure if there's really anything for Midnight to do.
>>116979"I... don't know. I am not familiar with... whatever is represented by that. But a smaller idol would be about that shape"
>>116980"Hmmm"
She looks pleased
>>116981It approximately resembles what the lead speaker was wearing back at Sacred Heart
>>116983If he's lost interest in the papers, sure
>>116986There is
always something to do
>>116987Well no disagreement there, but that doesn't mean my brain can think of anything.
>>116987Iron nods at Jubilosa's comment, but wonders why is this statue down here where nopony could ever see it.
He decides to take the statue with him in case it causes some sort of distress for the griffon cultist folk.
He decides to try out the toughest jacket/fur suit he can find in the pile.
(Maybe Khoi can have it.)
>>116984Unfortunately, Silver thinks cigars taste like ass. He'll pass.
>>116985Er...thanks for the hooflets?
>>116987Silver just leaves the robes where they are.
I mean, if there's anything of particular note related to the investigation, maybe, but you made it sound as if there wasn't really anything of interest.
>>116991It should have a good price to sell.
Maybe it can help you afford an actual place to live if you're lucky enough.
>>116991It was a joke to Midnight
>>116987>>116993Dark stat hugs her
"I've never had this kind of whiskey. i'm sure it good though."
>>116992...Maybe?
>>116987Appraise: [1d20-1 = 16] Silver thinks on what the jewelry Iron passed over might be worth.
>>116993...Okay?
>>116995200 bits if they are not infused with magic, more if they are
>>116994*Griffin is hugged*
"Would you like to share your first time with me?" She asks
Reeeeee yes he has! He ordered the Blackjack Whiskey from Glistening Glass a while ago
>>116996Unfortunately, he's not very good at detecting magic. He still takes them though, one step closer to breaking even on this venture. "I suppose that is 200 Bits more than I used to have."
So, is there seriously anything of interest in the paperwork?
>>116990It's a tough fit, but it fits
>>116998As stated before, there is like a couple shipping records, some letters, and financial statements that are closest to being receipts and inventories
>>116999Iron takes it off, then turns to Khoi.
"Here, wear this. It seems sturdy to stop some of the damage these griffons may try to inflict you."
>>116996"I would be honored."
He smiles
Ooops he forgot about it.
There's a new bread, guys.