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
1810 replies and 123 files omitted.
>>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...
>>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?)
>>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.
>>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>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.
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?”