Along the shores of Baltimare Harbor, in the halls of old 33 Hoebuck, our heroes have discovered a dark secret. What started as a mundane mission to stop illegal immigrant smuggling has uncovered something far more horrific - a cult from Griffonia. The party has successfully challenged and defeated many of the cultists and hired criminals, but in the process, has nearly died themselves. Now, low on health, they must both recover and put an end to the evils in 33 Hoebuck once and for all - before it puts an end to them first.
Way up north, in the Iron Range of Whinnysota, the ponies their inquire into exact who or what is damaging so many machines. Investigating and following leads, they may unveil the faults and problems of the Haysabi Iron Mine, and gain favor with Changeling authorities.
Damn it, I missed 123,000
1760 replies and 24 files omitted.
>>124430"Well, it's your choice. The morphine is safer, the diamorphine is stronger. The Amphetamine will make you wiser and more focused, even more intelligent, and the pervitin will keep you up for long, but make you confident and more aggressive. Given you are fairing better, I think the safer route may suit you more"
>>124431Silver nods.
"I defer this choice to you."
>>124432"Alright... Let me just inject some morphine and amphetamine then"
>>124433Silver nods again in confirmation.
>>124434"Alright. Hold still"
The Pegasus sits down next to silver, places a needle in a brown vial, draws out some liquid, and then pushes aside some fur on Silver's shoulder, then inserts the needle into his shoulder and inject the contents
"This is morphine. It will help with the pain, and should make you feel better"
She does the same with a new, white vial
"This is amphetamine. It will keep you awake, counteract the sleep inducing morphine, and will keep you focused, though it will do things like increase libido and make it harder to sleep tonight"
Silver now has temp HP and bonuses to wisdom and Intelligence
>>124435Silver raises an eyebrow at the mention of libido, but shakes it off.
"Huh...alright then. Thank you, Blue. Hopefully it will serve me well in fight."
>>124436"Within a minute you'll be glad you had it"
Already, Silver can feel the pain retreating, and he feels less tired now. More awake.
>>124437Silver stretches out his tired limbs, indeed feeling better already.
"Hmm...I think you are right."
>>124438She smiles back at him, first, in the close mouthed warm smile, then pulling her lips back to show more teeth in her devilish way
3 healing potions, lay of hooves, and drugs
Ponies should be ready to go soon
>>124443Agreed.
Does Iron feel anything worth mentioning mechanics-wise?
>>124444Iron is injected and then swallows a tablet.
Yes. Boost to Con +4, boost to strength +2, boost to attack, +1, +5 HP ontop of HP from Con bonus
Iron feels somewhat euphoric, a bit more aggressive, more confident, he feels no pain, and is energetic
>>124445Iron is back on the clip clopping mode from before their fight, now standing at full with a wide smile. "Alright!" he proclaims "I am ready to destroy the enemy!"
>>124445What about the boosts to Silver?However much it takes to get Iron healed up to full. Other than that, Silver is ready to go.
>>124447Silver gets +2 Con, +5 HP (and the con bonus HP), +2 Wisdom and +2 Int
Silver feels little pain, is more focused, and is more energetic. It's a nice change from how tired he was before
>>124446Jubilosa comes up to Iron
"Do you... want to wear my leather vest?"
>>124449Iron looks at the leather vest in mild confusion before staring at Jubilosa with a fiery glint in his eyes.
"You will need it more for the next fight, beaked one," he proposes "for I am feeling better than ever!"
Midnight quietly says some prayers to herself, in preparation of the coming battle.
Casting Cure light wounds on herself [1d8+5 = 11]
>>124450"O... Kay"
>>124451Midnight at 39 HP
>>124447>>124446Silver is at 30 HP now, and Iron at 18. There are three Cure Light Wounds potions. These will count for the full 9 points each, because it's kind of necessary
Figure out how these will be distributed
>>124452Iron can take all three, if he so chooses.
>>124452>>124453>>124454Why thank you, kind horses.
Iron, of course, doesn't really know where they are, so please place them in his mouth for transaction.
>>124456Gulping eagerly, Iron drinks all three potions in one go before wildly shaking his head and clip clopping even faster, similar to a starting car engine.
>>124457>>124454>>124456Iron: 45 HP
Midnight: 39 HP
Silver: 30 HP
Johann walks up, carrying his Mannilicher, and stands next to Blue Skies
"They heard the gunshots. They know armed forces are coming for them. Let us go"
Blue Skies and Johann move off, followed by Undertoe. Mala walks up, looks down to Maakie with somber curiosity, then walks by Silver's side. Khoi, Jubilosa, then Meadows and Loputu all follow in the rearguard. As the ponies pass by Maakie, they see him anxious and bleeding, moaning sometimes with pain. Behind him to the left is a Zebra bleeding on the floor, unconscious but sometimes trembling. To the right of him is a second Zebra whose shotgun fell to the ground next to him. His brains are scattered partly on the floor and partly on the wall.
The hallway is better illuminated now that the lantern - carried by Meadows in her mouth - has moved. The stairwell is at the end of the hallway, near where the administrative building connects with the dormitory building. It's worth noting that this stairwell is not the same as the one leading from the basement to the first and second floor. That stairwell is in the center of the building. The stairwell is closed off by a surprisingly thick, metal door. It's not only unlocked, but is a few inches open. Moving it aside, it's a feeling of walking into an older, decayed era, much the same as the fourth floor of the dorimitory building. The whole room - and the stairs only starts on the second floor - has flaking whitewash walls, or no white wash at all, replaced with an ugly brown. The stairs are wooden and don't look like they are in great condition.
Johann and Blue Skies take the vanguard, unless the party members do
>>124458Iron, obviously hooked to that magic drug he's been given, hustles to the front in a blind haze of excitement and aggression.
>>124458Silver looks to Loputu.
"Could you do me favor, Loputu, and tie up zebra?"
>>124464"Sure thing, Sir"
Loputu goes up to tie up the Zebra. It looks like he'll die there though, so he may not be that big of a threat
>>124464>>124463>>124454At the top of the steps is a big, steel door that looks more modern. It is unlocked, and opens simply. Opening the door, they enter into the Antechamber. It's a fairly open room some 20 feet or so wide, with little rooms off to the side. Something that looks like it used to be a bathroom in the back, a room that is open and has chains across from them, with scratches on the ground, and an open room with the frame of a bed in it nearer the wall on the left. It's all exposed concrete and unpainted, or the paint has worn off and the chips swept away.
On the left side, facing north up the long side of the third floor over the administrative building, there is a big doorway with double doors mostly open
>>124466"I think I found where we must go..."
>>124467>>124466>>124468Iron nods at Midnight, somewhat sure of her intentions of going over to the double doors, which promptly results in another hustle towards the double doors.
>>124466Silver
really does not want to think about what went on in this room.
Opening up the doors, they enter into a massive room, that is almost as wide as the building and takes up much of the length of it as well. It is immediately recognizable as the Sanctuary of a Chapel, in the old Celestial style.
The walls are high before arching upwards. with a dome in the center, and glass ceilings on the western, eastern, and northern faces forming an almost cross shape with a glass circle in the center. The glass is in panels three feet across and held in place by iron bars. On the floor are patterns of where the sun falls at what time of year, with little suns painted, and representations of the stars. There is a point marked to allow the first rays of sunlight on the summer solstice in, as well as the last rays of the winter solstice.
The room is equally favorable to the lunar cycle, as is abundantly clear at this moment. The full moon hangs almost perfectly down from overhead, shining onto the altar underneath it, and scattering its rays about the room in a light glow, so that though not a single artificial light is lit, everything is cast in dim light. The angle is just sightly off, indicating it must be past midnight. But everything indicates that when the moon is overhead, it all aligns perfectly.
This room has a fresher coat of paint on the walls, what seems to be a red or rust color, though some surfaces are a fresh white. It glows slightly in the moonlight, though this fresh coat of paint only extends up the 12 feet or so of the walls. The arched and angled ceiling has no such new paint, and white remnants of white wash occasionally show among exposed concrete. Hanging on the walls are little symbols that somewhat resemble Suns - seven legs emanating from a central point. Only on the sides of the dome, far above the floor, do sun and moon symbols remain, though these are faded.
The patterns of the solar cycle, Orion's Belt and so forth on the floor are faded, and often colored in a black and rust colored something. Further away, towards the other end are new painted symbols. New constellations and distant stars, stars that do not show in the night sky.
And of course, the room is far from empty
The room has some pews on the side closest to the party. These look strangely new or at least well preserved, though they seem to be classic church pews - they must at least have a new coat of veneer.
But nearer the center of the room in a semi-circle around the altar, is the congregation of this Black Mass. Dark Star and Silver would recognize it as more or less the same as they saw back at Sacred Heart. Griffins are a clear plurality or perhaps a majority, but there are zebras, diamond dogs, a couple gnolls, and ponies. A concerning number of ponies. They, like those in the dormitory, wear robes of red, brown or white. Unlike the griffins in the dormitory, they mostly do not completely close their robes, and normal clothes can be seen underneath. Sometimes a factory or dockworker's uniform, sometimes something professional like a suit, and sometimes something more leisurely or nothing at all. They stand there, turning their heads to the party members entering the room. Most of them seem concerned, worried, or anxious. There is a strong feeling of having interrupted something - or rather, having stumbled upon something already interrupted, placed on hold. Like they have been standing there in silence awaiting news for a few minutes now. Some of them whisper to each other... and some of them just whisper. Mumble. Rock their heads back and forth, rotate their ears, attuned to some more distance conversation that keeps them oblivious to the party entering the room.
Then in the center, there is a raised circle, upon which stand two stone slabs and a raised altar in the center. Shining white tempered marble glows in the moonlight, though it is dimming in many places by a coating of black and rust. Behind each stone slab is a creature. Not just any creature, but two persons Dark Star and Silver would recognize from before. To the left is the black griffin, Schwarzefeder Yeager, in a brown robe. He holds one of the wavy daggers, and wear an anxious expression. To the right is the Rottweiler Diamond Dog of black and white named Oreo, also wearing brown and holding a wavy dagger. He looks pissed.
And beneath each are sacrifices. Below Yeager is a reindeer or deer stag. Looks older, dark brown, with large horns still on his head, and hooves tied down. His chest and belly have been sliced open, showing the organs inside, and some blood drips down off the altar, onto the marble. Surprisingly, he is still alive, vivisected and cut open, heart exposed. But still beating. The stag breathes heavily, but seems to try to keep composure.
Below Oreo is a pony stallion. From the angle it's hard to tell if he is a unicorn or earth pony, but he looks younger, a greyish white color, and he tries to trash about, or scream through a gagged mouth. He too is cut open in what is like a live autopsy, with hide moved aside. A white griffin stands off to the side, partly on the stone platform, but with rear legs off.
And between the two is a pastel orange unicorn who is Silver's age, or possibly older. He wears a red robe, and looks directly at the incoming party members, before moving his head to the huddled congregation beneath him
"Looks like my contractor will not be joining us."
Then he looks back to the Party
"Nice of you to join us, again! I sort of figured you were infiltrators, even if I hoped otherwise. It's taken them quite a while to catch on, really. No matter."
His eyes start to glow, or at least, they catch the moonlight
"Everyone! We shall continue with the ritual. They came in at just the right time. Let them see what powers are contained within, and without."
>>124471>>124472Eeyup, it's a far worse sight than Silver thought it would be. It's then and there he makes a decision. He draws his greatsword, levelling it at the cultists.
"After everything we have seen: fuck you, and fuck your pussy god."
With that, he advances towards the cultists, taking point and keeping his sword ready.
>>124472>>124473Iron, for the fact he's considerably doped up and similiarly righterous anger, follows Silver along with alarming passion.
>>124474>>124473Midnight is speechless, but falls in behind, her eyes showing her anger
>>124473Some of the cultists may not have noticed Silver. They rock their heads, back and forth and mumble to themselves
Most of them looks over, and even step a bit back. So far Mala seems to have been proven right. But a few walk through the crowd, closer towards the ponies and their associates.
It's Oreo who screams:
"I am done taking orders from your society. You will die, ponies!"
He raises his curvy dagger, and Yeager - though more reserved - does the same. From the crown a few swords come up.
Mala walks in the main group, to the side of Silver and Between Dark Star. Johann tries to take the front, and Blue Skies is behind him. Behind all of the creatures, Undertoe, then Khoi and Jubilosa, and finally white sands act as the ranged, rearguard
Boek sighs
"We should have been done by now..."
Then his voice picks up
"No matter I suppose. More sacrifices for Maar"
A wind picks up inside of the chapel. A cold north wind. It brings with it the almost metallic smell of blood, fresh and old. Whether it's imagined or real, a slight red glow starts to take over the light, like blood slowly diffusing in water. It seems as if mists move about on the moon as it breaths, in and out, like some long slumbering beast
From beyond, a dog howls. And within the Sanctuary, there is a definite sound of Hyena cackling, "
He he he he!"
Boek's horn lights up blue, as a blue light extends around him.
"
For those of you who have not yet seen the power of Maar, who perhaps doubt his full power - let any doubt be forever erased"
>>124477"
MAAR IS PUSSY!"
Silver goes straight for Boek.
>>124477Seeing Silver gun for the big baddie, Iron decides this time to focus on Oreo, walking towards him
menacingly [3d20+5 = 35]>>124475>>124478>>124479"Su sep sort how! Hayeh! Hayeh!"
Boek chants in a strange voice, sounding almost as if the words he speaks are played backwards. They echo and reverberate in a strange, indescribable way. Black shadows leave his horn and materialize in the air, like a black tornado forming, until they run in three tendrils to the edge of the crowd. There they materialize to something big, and black.
Three very large black dogs stand abreast, looking towards the party. But these are no dogs of earth, as they have emaciated, ribbed chests, and in place of canine muzzles they have something more pointed - like a bat. Their ears, two, are ribbed like bats, and on their backs are big, bat-like wings, showing the bone underneath and hooks at the end. The three move their head up together in a single movement and
Howl in the chapel, before leveling their heads at the party. Their eyes are pure red, devoid of white or pupils, and they snarl with jagged, broken teeth.
Roll InitiativeEach party member fights one enemy, rather than a single combat with three enemies