/vx/ - Videogames and Paranormal

>>170738
Amber grimaces. "It appears that the Reichsbahn office in Katerinburg made an error and gave us an incomplete manifest," she lies. "The dummkopf responsible will pay dearly for costing the company so much time," she continues with a shake of her head. "Any further delay is inexcusable, so let me get back to my work."

>>170739
He sighs loudly
"Of course they made an incomplete manifest. They run the Reichsbahn like they run... everything else... Well a census would work better than a manifest anyways. But make them present Identification! Passngers must have it anyways to go through customs."

[1d2 = 2]

>>170740
>>170739
No other problem thrusts itself into the situation... yet, and Amber is allowed to close the door.

>>170740
>>170741
Breathing a sigh of relief, Amber quickly continues her census, making sure to ask for identification. One of her companions not assigned to the tally, and who hopefully is looking for the actual manifest (though that is a forlorn hope), might be nearby, and Amber would request to ferry the identification requirement to the others.

>>170743
Annoyingly, most passengers do not have their identifications out, and fumble about for it, while others have it "with their bag"

Helder replies to the identification request
"Oh. We were supposed to ask for ID?"

And Erich,
"What does it matter if they are lying or not to us? I don't care."

Federkleid...
[1d20 = 15]

And now, a new problem:
A familiar griffin is trying to open the door to the locomotive to get out

>>170744
"They will need to present it when going through customs, so it would be ideal. We should be avoiding mistakes as much as possible."

The familiar griffon had been in the back of Amber's mind for a while now. She quickly runs to stop him.

>>170745
It's a good thing, as the door is unlocked. Evidently he was still hiding in the bathroom when the train stopped and crowds blocked off the exit. He must have only just now realized there were officers there.

"I have to get off!" He yells, still trying to open the door

>>170746
"Stop! They'll catch you immediately. You don't have a chance out there," Amber exclaims, trying to restrain him.

>>170747
"I don't have a chance in here!" he says, although attempting to open the door with less enthusiasm.

>>170748
Amber tries to think of some counterpoint. "We can…hide you, yes. Or else smuggle you out. You cannot leave without being seen," she nearly whispers.

>>170749
He blinks, and turns to her/him
“How?”

>>170750
Amber resorts to the most obvious solutions. "We could put you in some luggage. Or maybe there is a hole in the floor somewhere to exit through…."

>>170751
He nods
"Yeah! That'll do!" The young griffin is eager to cooperate.

Where Amber recieves less cooperation is from a few griffin passengers pouring in from cars further back. Helder and Erich seem to have largely reduced the flow of passengers from the rear to the fore, but a small number of stragglers make it through, spreading panic rumors about an invasion of the rear most cars by bandits or worse. Like an indefatigable hydra, these passengers always appear to cause problems, however many are placated.

>>170752
Amber acts sternly towards these passengers, physically barring them from going any further. "Go back to your seats and stop spreading rumors. You are completely safe and nothing bad will happen, but we are required to remain on the train until we complete a census. Thank you for your cooperation."

>>170755
https://youtu.be/d6MMX4MYIys?si=EI-FbmLIa-Sfqx-5

Whatever may be, the passengers fully believe that Amber works for the Reichsbahn. They shut up for long enough for Amber to get back to work.

>>170756
Amber wastes no time to finish up her part of the census before the others complete theirs.

>>170757
Amber is allowed to complete the census, but the griffin fugitive is impatient. “What about me?” There are no small number of questions from passengers about what is going on.

Erich is the first to come back to Amber with a hastily scribbled set of pages. Helder is the last, with much better claw writing. Federkleid comes back with pages from the locomotive. “I found an earlier passenger list from Griffinheim. It won’t include the passengers from Kronburg, but this is most of them.”

>>170758
"Do you have your ID? Are you supposed to be here? No? Then shut up while we think of something," Amber says irritably to the fugitive.

"Thank you, Federkleid. This is exactly what I needed," Amber says warmly. With a second thought and a gesture to the fugitive, she asks, "Could you calm down the passenger who's 'misplaced' his ID?" She finds a wide, stable surface and sets to work adding those names not present on the old list, and crossing out those who had evidently disembarked.

>>170759
The young fugitive blinks.

Amber can hear that Federkleid counsels the young griffin something along the lines of “shut the fuck up”

There is a small table at the end of the car, likely always intended as a crew “office.” Amber is allowed to do her work in relative peace. Amber can notice a couple inconsistencies, like a passenger was missed or managed to get off. Then again, these may have gotten off at Kronburg. Hard to tell, really.

>>170760
kek

Amber tries to work around these inconsistencies, which at least aren't her fault this time. The thought occurs to her that she doesn't quite know how she'll continue her escape after handing over the manifest, but she dismisses this thought and continues writing like her life depends on it.

>>170761
Take it one day at a time, little pony. Like the alcoholics

Well, there are a few missing but... Let's just say they got off at Kronburg. Probably better than having excess passengers anyways.

It's taken longer than Amber really would have wished, but her work is done.

>>170762
Amber proof-reads it one more time before hurrying to hand it to the officers, straightening up before opening the door to look official.

>>170763
There are a few mistakes. One of Amber's companions, who shall not be named, other than to say that his name rhymes with "numeric," has misspelled names, despite having the resource of the correct spelling right in front of him.

The more worrying error is where names do not match. Amber can deduce that this is caused by use of maiden names, aliases, or middle names instead of first names. The original manifest has full, ID correct names, but someone decided to only use a simple first and last name format, relying, evidently, on self-reporting, which of course leads to minor inconsistencies.

Still, it's as close as she can get.

>>170764
Amber, in her fatigued, sleep-deprived state, can't help but grind her beak in anger at her uneducated oaf of a companion. Still, there is no time to lose and whatever she can, she quickly corrects, but otherwise hands over the completed list.

>>170765
Somehow, Amber always knew that Erich would get them killed...

Anyways, she goes to the door, claws over both the old manifest and the new census to the officer, and waits.

The officer goes down the list, and checks it, looking between both lists. He complains at the minor inconsistencies.

Then he asks
"And your name?"

>>170766
Amber had an alias ready for such a situation, right? "Rudolf Hofstadter, sir," she answers after just a moment.

>>170767
He looks her directly in the eyes.

"We received a request from the Imperial Government for four griffins. These are Erich Sóbányász, Federkleid Engel, Hedler Von Neuestadt, and Schwelle Wildemann. Are these griffins onboard?"

>>170768
For a brief moment Amber entertains the thought of handing over the young fugitive as one of the four. But to betray another's trust…. "They are not aboard. We have completed this census and there are no four griffons with inconsistent information."

>>170769
You know what is coming

Roll Bluff

>>170771
Not... Great

Roll luck

>>170773
AHHHHHHH

>>170774
>>170773
>>170771
The Officer looks at Amber with his serious expression

"You lack confidence in your delivery. What exactly are you not telling me?"

>>170775
"Well, you see…" Amber says as she shifts uncomfortably. "There is one passenger who would not show us his ID and who seemed intent on avoiding sight. He is a stowaway."

>>170776
The officer narrows his eyes

“A stowaway?!?!”
He reaches for his pistol.

“Well, we will have to deal with him. Where is he?”

>>170777
"He is in the next car over," Amber answers (if this is the case). "One of the staff has him cornered."

>>170778
He’s actually in the same car. The officer moves Amber aside, and goes towards where Amber tells him.

>>170779
A pang of intense guilt stabs Amber's heart as she looks on. But this was her last resort. If it wasn't for the one, then it would be the four of them. If only she could have been more convincing.

>>170780
Entering into the car, Amber can see the fugative griffin with Federkleid next to him. "Is this the one?" The officer asks

The griffin's heart sinks, and Amber can see him physically sulk down, before turning around, and again going for the door, trying one last effort to escape. Whether it was because he had sense enough, or because the situation left him silent, he does at least remain mostly quiet. Federkleid has a claw on him to restrain him. This will not be enough, both because the young griffin is panicked, but also because Amber can see that Federkleid has kept a claw inside of her coat, almost certainly holding onto a hidden gun. Federkleid looks back at Amber confused, and looking for direction.

>>170781
Amber subtly waves downward in a tacit instruction to Federkleid to not cause trouble and to let this happen. "Yes it is, officer," Amber answers the police glumly.

>>170780
>>170782
Federkleid attempts to move aside and let the officer arrest the fugitive, letting go of the gun. It’s only when the griffin spreads his wings and tugs on the handle of the door that she realizes she cannot stand still, and she commits to grabbing into him. Federkleid holds him down, as the officer grabs him. He cries out “No! Not like this! I can’t go back to my master!” And struggles against the officer, forcing him to through the fugitive down on the ground. More officers come, and hold him down. Meanwhile, passengers look on, spooked by the action. “What’s going on? Are there infiltrators among us?” They ask

>>170783
"There was a stowaway, and that's all. Just stand aside," Amber answers the passengers, wringing her talons.

>>170784
Amber watches the griffin struggle, scream, and cry as he’s tackled onto the very narrow walkway of the center of the car. He almost pulls himself away by grabbing onto a seat, but fails. This goes on for more than a minute

>>170785
"I need to play some music…" Amber mutters to herself. She goes to get her violin and come back.

>>170786
The officer looks up toward Amber strangely, and says "Now? We are arresting a suspect, and the train must remain sealed." Evidently he doesn't quite appreciate the need for music in the situation. Federkleid states,
"It will calm the passengers down."

He relents
"Very well. Go get it."

Amber's violin is very close, being in the locomotive. Just go through the door, and across to the locomotive, and she has it. But in this narrow band of time, all pandemonium is let loose upon the car.

"Is this about the bandit?" A passenger asks
"No, that was an imperial officer." Another says
"Disguised as an officer." The first says
"No, it was a rebel looking to take hostages. They burst in disguised as an officer!" a third says

The officer shoots up, with another two officers left with the hard task of securing the fugative

"A rebel?! by the Imperial border? Where did this happen?"

First passenger "As you said, by the border."
Officer: "No, where in the train?"
Second passenger: "In the back of the train. They came through the back door of the last car. Busted through with a crowbar."

The officer speaks to a different officer
"Rebels by the Imperial border"
Other officer
"I thought they would have remained in Longsword"
Officer:
"They cross the border sometimes, or are locals, inspired to rebel by their kin in the south. They must be using the Imperial lands as a safe base to launch their attacks."
The officer looks over towards a passenger, and asks him
"Tell me, what did these rebels look like. Were they short? Brightly colored? Kind of cute? With hooves?"
Third passenger:
"No. They were two griffins. One grey, one white. Both were wearing Imperial District police uniforms, including with the caps."
Officer:
"Griffin colloboraters. That's worse. Either thieves, or traitors within the imperial ranks. So that's what the Imperials were trying to warn us about. If only they were not too ashamed to tell us the truth. Would have saved us trouble, and let us know how serious this is." Then the officer announces to the car,
"It looks like this train was targeted by pony rebels that are using the Imperial District as a base to attack our lands here in Hellquil. With all the chaos and poor management over there it is a wonder they haven't done it before. They must be attacking the train because they know that many of you are immigrants, and they want to take Hellquil for themselves."

Federkleid, not knowing when to be silent, says
"Heh, ponies? Like the cute, colorful things that make our toasters?"
Officer
"It is not a joke! They are weak, yes. Cowardly too. But a stab in the back is deadly all the same. Especially if they have manipulated griffins into their cause."

Second passenger:
"The staff fought them off. They captured one."

And now he turns to Amber:
"You captured one? Where is he? Why was I not told before? I must get to this at once!"

No one notices that Amber has armed herself, as she now has her viol in claw.

>>170727
Cool.

Silver is first down the hall, with Spectral Streak by his side, the white pegasus officer just behind, the purple pony behind him, the cream medic, the grey medic, and the two wounded ponies - Azelea and the orange stallion - in the rear. They shuffle along with haste. Though they do not know just precisely where they are going, they understand why they must get there quickly. Silver is on the second-floor walking down a hallway that forms the left/western edge of the courtyard. To Silver's left, the walls are plaster, painted white with ever so subtle shade of grey, so as to avoid inducing madness. To his right, above waist level are row after row of glass windows, allowing a view into the courtyard below. Looking down, is a fountain without water, a couple seedling trees, and freshly planted grass. The hallway rings around the courtyard like the cloister of a monastery, but it is a cloister made of glass and plaster rather than granite, and the harmony the ponies within dedicate themselves to is not that of ponies and nature, but making trains running on time and off-loading cargo ships.

The morning sun has the perfect angle to shine through the window and onto the wall, with the few clouds to the north not blocking the light. The evil clouds that tower far beyond the east horizon and stretch into space are too far away to cloud the skies of Baltimare, though the tails of what seem to be comet fragments, visible in the daylight, hang in straight, grey streets across the sky. To the ignorant it must surely appear as if the end of times has come, and to the educated, evidence to contrary is increasingly wanting. The light that shines through the windows and onto the opposing wall is oddly dim for an unclouded spring morning sun. To Silver, it likely looks as if the sun is in partial eclipse. The blue sky has a slight grey-black tinge, as if obscured by smoke from distant fires, or the dust of distant sandstorms.

Commercial advertisement posters adorn the left wall, decorations for the air travel wing of the building. They depict voyages to a world that may now have ceased to be. The idyllic scenes within are displayed in colors that alternate between calm and vibrant and have an impressionistic style that gives the scenes a dream-like quality, even as the text insists that these are but windows into a world that is increasingly within the grasp of the average pony.

The first poster is of an island, with crystal waters, cotton ball clouds, "v" shaped sea birds, and white sands. In the background and to the left are coconut laden palm trees that hang over the edge of the shore, with small, white-walled cottages with blue-tile roofs dotting the tree line. The shore wraps around to the foreground, with the front right of the poster depicting a family of ponies on the beach. A white pegasus mare - they are all pegasi - sits under a red and white umbrella, looking towards the ocean wearing a straw hat and sunglasses, with her tail wrapped around her. A yellow stallion lies, wings spread, on a towel on the sand. An older green foal is in the water just past where waves break on the shore, holding onto a round floating tube styled like a rubber duck complete with a head. A smaller pink foal makes "angels" with her wings in the sand, while a still younger filly uses a garden shovel to make a small castle. Other ponies, just a little more distant and to the right, likewise lie on bamboo chairs or swim in the crystal waters, though little detail can be discerned save for the bright red, orange, and pink colors of the ponies. Above the island is an airplane, white with a blue-stripe livery and blue globe on the tail, quadruple props, and angled as if coming in for a landing. Over the scene is text in a slanted, cursive font stating "Get away to the Summer Isle with Pan Equus."

The next scene is a bit more realistic, though with an impressionistic blur that still makes it appear as if viewed through fogged glass, or the haze of memory. This depicts a city, though not like Baltimare, nor quite like any city of Equestria. In the foreground are apartment buildings close together, mostly bright red, but pink and yellow as well, with little balconies that open up with half circular doors, and perches without rails that stick out like tongues. Further back are great temples with big, white, marble lined domes, and gilded spiral minarets, and granite, crenellated turret tower that looks like a rook chess piece. In the extreme fore, below the line of apartments, indeed physically below the level of the street, are white ruins - columns, and the remains of what are presumably houses and a temple - that surely must have been ancient when the first Hearthswarming was celebrated in Equestria. Perhaps oddly, no ponies, nor any living creatures, are depicted. Above the minarets and the apartments is a sky where clouds blend into the horizon. To the right the sky is blue, and to the left, orange twilight of a setting or perhaps rising sun peers in. The city scene is completely lacking in any vehicles, save one - a grey-white rigid airship approaching the city - though it appears smaller than the dome of the temple, or even the granite base of the ruined temple at the bottom of the poster. The text at the top of this poster is in a stern, straight-lined font. It says "Visit Karthin with the New Mareland Overseas Airways Company."

The third poster is not the last, though it is the last Silver sees along this line. This poster is more straight forward: amongst the clouds, and high above green fields, is a single passenger plane with white paint on the top, a dark green striped livery, and an aluminum grey belly. Its big, aluminum wings are swept back, and have no visible props, but rather two holes visible along the left wing near the fuselage. The text says "Jet Air Travel is coming to the New Mareland Oversees Air Company starting July of 1022, with the new Meteor Jet plane."

>>170794
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrsR4GFlAyI&pp=ygUbam9obm55IHdvbid0IGJlIGNvbWluZyBob21l

The posters are well lit by the direct, dim sunlight, rather than reflecting an expected glare. As Silver passes these posters on his left, and glances at them, his radio turns on, and broadcasts the following. It's from the familiar voice of the Magister Manis, the "Master of the Ponies." But his voice, so weak in his public broadcast before, is much more confident, even angry and demanding, in this more limited broadcast.

"This is Magister Manis Long March. All units in Baltimare are ordered to eliminate any and all Changeling cells, and to prioritize securing the city above all else. The Changelings are willing to die to destroy our cities and our ponies, and I expect nothing less than the same devotion from my ponies to save them. All activity in the Baltimare region is subordinate to the commander of the Republican Guard."

The line becomes filled with static, and tones out, then increases in volume, until another, likewise familiar voice:
"This is Brigadier General Circling Camp of the 78th Republican Guard Reverses. We have received intel from a survivor of the Transit Ministry. The survivor is confirmed to be a pony, and to have been an electrician employed within the ministry. Infiltrators had placed themselves among the guard crew and workers of the ministry building. This morning, they killed the pony guards, then went around hunting down what ponies were in the building. As the building is still under construction and the attack happened around 7 AM, the number of ponies inside was low enough for the take over to be easy. The entrances were locked, and more infiltrators, disguised as work crews, came in and secured the building. The plumber managed to hide in a closet, evade patrols, and jump out of a window, eventually encountering Homeguard forces. The electrician did not view the device himself, but claims he believes that the device was likely already within the building, either hidden in the central hall, or the basement beneath it. These are the areas first secured and prioritized by the changelings.

We know based upon the story of the electrician, and from the accounts of our own soldiers, that the changelings are sending patrols around the building. Most likely this is to move them from exterior windows to other exterior windows to make it harder to enter the building, and make them seem to be greater in number than they are. This may also be to search for anypony who entered the building. However, the electrician offered a third reason that would explain why the device has not been detonated yet. The electrician reports hearing a firefight around the central hall between the infiltrators and surviving guards. The guards lost, but the electrician postulates that the device was grazed by a stray bullet that damaged it. The damage has prevented the device from being activated. However, the infiltrators have since gone through the trouble of both reinforcing this position, and also of obtaining the activation codes. The electrician suspects that the damage is likely simply a severed wire or broken circuit board, or something simple to fix, and the teams patrolling the building are looking for replacement parts. He suspects they will likely get the device working shortly; certainly less than an hour. We know they have the activation codes from the WMARE broadcast station, and they wouldn't be here if they did not have a device. We must find that device before they can activate it.

Though the exact location is unknown, it is likely to be in center of the building, close to or below ground level, and certainly around the largest concentration of changeling forces. You'll know it when you see it.

Eliminating the patrolling forces may increase the amount of time remaining by making their repair more difficult, preventing them from reinforcing the device, and allowing our forces to enter the building. Flanking may be wiser than a head-on attack, as they are well armed.

Disable that device with all haste."

>>170794
>>170795
Silver looks to the ponies following him, and addresses them as a group.

"Alright ponies, we know where to look. We find that bomb, we secure it, and we kill any changelings guarding it. They are fighting because their Queen demanded them to. We are fighting because this is our home, and we will not let those insects destroy it. And we. Will. Win. On me."

He barely waits for a response before he heads in the direction of the central hall. The ponies are on a timer before destruction, and they need to beat it.

>>170796
Directly in front. Roll spot.

>>170787
Amber mulls over these words. It is indeed good, maybe very good, that suspicions are directed away from Amber's party, if only for but a moment. Still, major risks existed, especially if they were to talk to the "rebel." But dare she refuse…?

"He is restrained in the back. Follow me." Amber leads the officer to that location, still holding the viol.

>>170799
The officer obliges, readily following Amber. He is eager to get to the back and follows closely behind her, sometimes physically contacting her viol. The only reason he does not over take her - besides the walkway being wide enough only for a single griffin abreast save at connections - is that he does not know where Amber is taking him. Moving within the train is not easy. This is not only because of the doors that separate cars and the narrow space of the walkway, but also because of the passengers, who have become restless and often crowd the doors, connections, or simply stand in the walkways. The officer considers going around, but the doors will only open from the inside. Amber's viol is massive, and in the crowded, narrow walkway, becomes conspicuous. The officer asks
"Why do you bring that?"
Of Amber, not the officer, is ultimately in charge of the train.

They arrive at the small bremserhaus at the front of the rear car, to find the griffin tied up on the floor. He has moved around, and is conscious. He trashes back and forth when the light is turned on, and extends his wings, though the bremserhaus is much smaller than the full length of his wings. He is at least gagged. He turns and looks up at Amber and the officer, and actually seems kind of relieved by the sight of the officer, with his yellow eyes softening. He mumbles something, attempting to speak. He is white-grey in coat, with mostly white plumage on his head, and is wearing a blue Imperial police uniform. He has the cap, though it has fallen off of his head.
"Well, that's a convincing outfit" the officer - the Hellquill officer - says

>>170800
"Careful, careful…" Amber cautions, uneasy of her most prized possession being amongst a crowd.

Replying to the question regarding the viol, Amber answers, "As you can see, this is stressful work, and this is how I soothe my nerves. The locomotive is a good place to practice where I will not bother anyone during our trips."

"Yes," Amber says with disdain to the officer's last remark. "Even the Imperial police can be outwitted by rebels at times–" Amber is aware of the double meaning of what she just said "–and there is no better disguise to take to hijack a train."

>>170801
"I see..." The officer says in response to the remark about the viol.

But it's with regards to the other officer that Amber may have cause for more concern

"Well, we should ask him who he is and why he's here" says the officer, moving to remove the gag

>>170801
He speaks almost absent mindedly as he inspects the other officer
"I'm sure you heard of that incident a few decades back when a con artist stole a lieutenant colonel's uniform, went into a barracks and ordered all of the pay for the unit delivered to him, said he was 'transporting' it... stole quite a bit of money that way, and would have gotten away with it if he hadn't tried to order the same on the civil administrators down the road..."

>>170802
>>170803
"Oh, yes, yes…it's amazing what one can get away with just by wearing a uniform. That's just the incident we know about," Amber remarks with an odd chuckle.

"Wait, wait," Amber says with barely disguised alarm as the other tries to remove the gag. "Isn't it procedure to move suspects to headquarters for questioning first?"

Amber tunes her viol, getting it ready to sing once more.

>>170804
He stops, and looks directly back at Amber

"No, not necessarily. If we are just asking for a name it may be done in any safe and secure environment." He ponders for a moment. "Unless he's being formally questioned as a suspect, then there need to be at least two officers present and he must be formally detained."

>>170805
Amber thinks for a moment. "Let us move him forward to the rest of your squad then."

>>170806
He pauses
"Better to move them to him. Wouldn't want to parade him through the cars."

>>170807
"If you must. I can keep an eye on him while you get the others."

>>170808
Amber is left alone with the hostage, though with the promise more officers will come and question him

>>170809
Without wasting any time, and staring into the hostage's eyes, Amber starts playing music. Her intent is quite ambitious: to change his very identity to what she wills. Can she do it?

>>170812
>>170813
To alter appearances is one thing. But to alter a person, and more fundamentally, to alter a person's identity - that sum of all choices, that expression of the universal will - is quite another. It may be done only by subverting another's will to one's own.

In the battle of wills, Amber barely edges out, giving Amber the room to modify something. But not much

>>170814
Amber does not have to change much. She plays an enchanting, undulating tune that captures one's mind and introduces thoughts it did not yet possess. Anomie, the sensation of not belonging here, the fear of capture for wrongdoing…. The music evokes, perhaps, the carefree double life of a rebel agent, one who'd been in the Imperial Police and perhaps genuinely believed in it, but whose sympathies for the ponies became too strong one day to resist making a difference in Hellquill.

GM, I've basically inferred by now that you're not ready/willing to allow my incantation shenanigans miniquest in your game, so I just wanna say I'm okay to shelf/cancel that side quest for now.

So, concerning other priorities, Posey would like to talk to Licorice Lament about his contacts with the League, and how she could devise a means to covertly establish a line of communication with the League. The reason being is that Posey still has to tithe to her master every now and then so long as she's bound to him, and I feel like a secret committee of correspondence could also let the League give Posey orders and missions to fulfill their dark ambitions and maybe give me some quest structure.

That aside, before Posey can do any kind of necromancy or incantations, she needs money for spellcasting components, particularly black onyx gems of lustrous quality, so her next ambition would be to look for treasure.

"Black Onyx... So pretty, so rare. The Society of Bones had skeleton quarries operating constant shifts, but even then it was scarce. I wonder if the League will actually go through with nationalizing the mines for the war. Politics, politics..."

>>170815
Amber stands there outside of the bremerhaus, door open and peering in. The tied-up griffin thrashes about with greater intensity now that the officer has gone and tries to yell through his tied up and stuffed beak. Amber sets her viol down on the wooden floor and readies her bow.

This mind will need to be broken before it may be deceived. Amber begins. The very first semblance of a note has an ethereal, high pitched quality to it, and the listener may imagine the dancing colors of aurora in the twilight. But this changes as the note progresses, and lingers, to something far more concrete. The colors fall to earth, to a location that changes in some details every time it is viewed, yet always more or less the same: a green grass meadow under a twilight sky, with scattered trees behind and to the sides of the scene. The colors have taken shape as robed griffins, all the same color - red - all with faces obscured by their cloaks. There are somewhere around six of them, and they form a semi-circle, with several great stone blocks behind them. They are looking at a wicker griffin - a great statue of a griffin with a hollowed core made of wood and straw. Between the robed griffins and the wicker griff are revelers who dance in a circle around the statue clockwise. The police officer prisoner is tied up and inside of the wicker statue.

Amber needs a drum for this. And some supporting music. Where is Erich when you need him? A violin would be perfect. But a drum is essential. Amber has to take the wrench out of the bremerhaus, place it on the floor, and kick it into the thin sheet metal wall in order to get a decent beat. It matches well enough to the clanking of the spears and axes held by the revelers as they dance in the twilight.

A robed griffin approaches the wicker statue with a torch, and slowly, deliberately, lights it on fire. The prisoner tries to scream, but he should know by now that his efforts are to no avail. The flames advance up the wicker statue, illuminating his blue officer's uniform, and his yellow eyes begin to reflect the orange fire. The scene changes as it rotates through the eternal return. Once, the surroundings are a forest, with a great stone temple. Then the temple is ruined, and the forest is replaced with so many fields. Sometimes there are the blades of a wind mill, or the spires of a church, or in one grim scene, concrete slabs to the left in the fore, and rectangular, glass monstrosities towering over the horizon. The revelers change, sometimes with robes, sometimes woven clothing. Sometimes there is a diamond dog, or even a pony among them. The prisoner is always Amber's prisoner, but sometimes he is naked with the green triskelion of the Gelgae painted on his coat, wearing the lamellar armor of the lost Karthinian legion, or the white undershirt of a griff-at-arms of the House of Carmine, or a cockade of the orange, yellow and orange tricolor of the Revolition, or that frankly ridiculous pixelated camoflouge of a solider of the Second Republic. And sometimes he wears his Imperial District uniform, but always, always he is the same griffin. Amber takes the view of the robed griffin closest to the wicker griff, watching the flames slowly climb higher, and envelope the statue - until the revelry and the music reaches crescendo, and the first task is complete.

Amber's first song is finished, but she cannot stop there. The next song - if Amber can refrain from crying out at the horror - takes her down through the clouds into a cold, perpetually overcast city, filled with aging and decaying apartment slums and filled with solitary characters. Amber follows the officer through his decrepit, cold apartment to a desk overflowing with papers, in a world of byzantine regulations, a rotation of corrupt and uncaring bosses, and an inescapable loneliness and disconnect. To plant the actual thoughts, Amber uses headlines and an article she read about the mistreatment of ponies in Longsword. It'll be what that Hellquill officer is expecting anyways. The article could incite sympathy, easily enough. And the risk and adventure of participation in seditious plots has a strangely understandable appeal.

Amber is still playing by the time the officer arrives with his companions. She's more or less accomplished what she needs to.

>>170816
Also, I would like to purchase several canaries (or similarly small birds with the stats of a Raven)

>>170820
Actually, is there a dumpster behind an animal shelter, or pet store or race track, full of slow, unadoptable greyhounds that Posey could get access?
I just need the body of a small or tiny animal. A bird or a small dog would be best.
I have just enough gold to afford to buy fresh ones though.

>>170819
And so dark, hopeless, yet also timeless thoughts press down on the poor griffon, wearing down his will. In better times, Amber, despite her griffon nature, would abhor such direct tactics, as they are the nullification of the thin veil preserving the civilized self from what is real. But Amber cannot doubt herself now, and her wholehearted playing renders the poor officer a useful asset rather than an enemy. It is horrible, yes, but necessary–an oft-quoted phrase by the Inquisition the officer serves.

When Amber finishes she winds down the tune just as the others approach. The viola player is shaking as she comes out of the trance, and gives a nervous smile. "Hello, I hope you don't mind my entertaining the guest."

>>170822
The prisoner is likely not Inquisition, nor local Kronburg police, but rather National police. That Germar Grismonde will certainly be calling in to Soldau, and telliing a different story... But if Amber is lucky, she will be in Hellquill by the time that happens. This is will almost certainly cause a dispute, and mistrust, between the Imperials and the Hellquill police, though how long it will last, no one can be sure.

The officer has a serious expression
"Entertain? Guest? He is a potential suspect, and an important witness regardless. Not the audience of a street performance. Now I have questioning to do."

>>170823
Amber has a weary look to her. Even if she bought herself time, will her energy hold up?

"Of course, of course. I won't get in your way," Amber replies, looking on.

>>170827
Amber should certainly be tired; she's scarce gotten any sleep at all, she's not young anymore, and the entire ordeal has been exhausting.

The officers want a bit of space to ask some "preliminary" questions.

Amber may want to move things along a bit

>>170828
"Sirs, may I disembark the train at this point?" Amber asks, exasperated at how long this is taking.

Also I realize I could have brought up the hijacker and not given up the fugitive, but then again maybe there wouldn't have been time for the music

>>170829
Oh yes. Hi

>>170667
>>170665
So. Posey using mad science to reanimate corpses and create her own undead in a way that her creations may attack her? That's interesting. Introducing a definitely mechanically game breaking and somewhat setting breaking new element on the basis of an extremely questionable interpretation of the rules? Just... No. First of all, Lament would not agree to it, because he wishes to keep a low profile, and a vampire is the opposite of subtle. Posey's master would be even less interested in it for reasons I don't think I need to explain. If I thought that having a vampire around would work, there would already be one in the game.

I don't mean that the spell is a terrible idea. Posey creating a mummy - which is already an entity so powerful that it's appropriate as a boss - is a maybe. But Posey has gone into the city once, and has defeated like... four enemies? Even if you count diplomacy, it's still only about seven. She's never met with the Doctor character waiting for her in Baltimare. She's never interacted with the zebra voodoo village that is literally 200 feet from her cottage except to look in a church at night. She hasn't been gone to a haunted hotel, or fenced stolen items to the mafia, or tracked down enemies of the dread league like an Arcturian migrant, she hasn't looked for secreted away treasure, or searched for the remains of a battlefield of long ago filled with many dead, or entered the catacombs of a cathedral, or raided the grave of a pirate, or really gained much experience of the world.

>>170816
>Posey still has to tithe to her master every now and then
That's a neat idea

>needs money
Can't do shit if you're broke; I can agree with that

>>170818
>Black Onyx
Posey can recognize instantly that she hasn't seen any in Equestria yet

>>170820
Sure

>>170821
>is there a dumpster behind an animal shelter, or pet store or race track, full of slow, unadoptable greyhounds that Posey could get access?
D'awww, that's so wholesome

>I want their bodies
... Okay then

>>170830
He looks back to her
"Sure. I'm sure you must report back to your superiors in Griffinheim."

>>170832
"Of course," Amber says without enthusiasm. She doesn't drag her paws though, as the passengers clamoring to be let off must finally be allowed to disembark, and in an orderly manner. Amber wishes she was being paid for doing the work of a conductor semi-decently, but freedom is a prize good enough.

>>170831
>Just... No
Okay.
>vampire is the opposite of subtle
Vampires are masters of subtlety, or at least the ones that survive, but I get your point.

The vampire shenanigan is not really important to me though. I just wanted to try something cool.
>Posey creating a mummy - which is already an entity so powerful that it's appropriate as a boss - is a maybe. But Posey has gone into the city once, and has defeated like... four enemies? Even if you count diplomacy, it's still only about seven.
Yeah... I guess she hasn't done very much. I'd like to do more though.
>She's never met with the Doctor character waiting for her in Baltimare.
Wait... there was a doctor waiting?
Well, that's going to be my next priority then.
>She's never interacted with the zebra voodoo village that is literally 200 feet
I missed this too because I'm retarded. I guess that's where Day Low Rain would currently be.
>She hasn't been gone to a haunted hotel, or fenced stolen items to the mafia, or tracked down enemies of the dread league like an Arcturian migrant, she hasn't looked for secreted away treasure, or searched for the remains of a battlefield of long ago filled with many dead, or entered the catacombs of a cathedral, or raided the grave of a pirate, or really gained much experience of the world.
That all sounds like lots of fun. I'd love to get into any of those things.
Thing is, I'm kind of at a loss about where to go next or how to start it, and as I sit around I can't help but think of crazy ambitious plans for world domination.
I completely forgot about the doctor, so that should be Posey's next immediate priority. Could we set up for that to happen next?

>Sure
>... Okay then
I'll subtract a few silvers from my funds to account for the bodies.

>>170833
Freedom is well worth it.

Amber didn't technically ask if she could let all of the passengers disembark, but the officer's can't entirely stop her, and I don't imagine Amber cares.

Amber tosses an apple of discord into the mix, and opens the doors.
[YouTube] Opening Damn Flood Gates Is Satisfying [Embed]

>>170834
Posey is technically in Equestria on a sort of student visa. "Dilligent Debride" is technically her supervisor.

>as I sit around I can't help but think of crazy ambitious plans for world domination.
Morrowwind starts off with the imperial guard telling you that you should wonder around and get to know the place better by taking on simple tasks before addressing the rot and the literal god in the mountain. One of the first quests you get is simply clearing a basement of rats.

>>170836
Amber watches the griffons leave, only intervening when there's a danger of somegriff getting trampled or holding up the flow. She hopes her associates are doing the same.

>>170836
>basement full of rats
"Ah, reminds me of aunt Lily's parties..."
>"Dilligent Debride" is technically her supervisor.
Well, that's news to me. I guess I should meet him. I do want to get into this "Necrologist" gig.
After introducing Baka to Lament (idk if you want me to RP this or if we can just skip it), Posey would arrange to visit Dr. Debride.
If she's visiting the doctor, she'd take Gloomy with her, and would make sure he's ready for an outing.

>>170837
There is basically almost immediately a danger of somegriff getting trampled over. This would frankly be true of even a normal stop at a train station at a minor city, as there is small amount of time to get off of the train. But it appears that more griffins are attempting to leave the train than originally intended to get off at Soldau. Her companions do attempt to organize the exodus. Erich is rather good at it. Helder can manage it. But Federkleid is having difficulty, perhaps because she was least in a position to respond.

>>170838
>After introducing Baka to Lament (idk if you want me to RP this or if we can just skip it)
probably should RP it but... that's hard. The important things to note are:
Lament and Bakka know each other through correspondence. In fact, they were corresponding up until not long before Leto Pannolovich was killed... I mean, killed more so.
Bakka and Lament don't perfectly mesh, as Lament is more easy going, and Bakka more proud and uptight
Lament is surprised that Posey was able to bring Bakka back

>take gloomy
Should probably bathe him. Maybe hose him down

>>170839
>Lament and Bakka know each other through correspondence. In fact, they were corresponding up until not long before Leto Pannolovich was killed... I mean, killed more so.
Oh. Posey is surprised to see they knew each other.
>Bakka and Lament don't perfectly mesh, as Lament is more easy going, and Bakka more proud and uptight
Lament is surprised that Posey was able to bring Bakka back
Good. More drama = more fun.
>Should probably bathe him. Maybe hose him down
I kind of thought that goes without saying, but yeah, she'll give him a good bathing in a tub full of suds and bubbles, embalm him in shampoo and conditioners, dry him off with a warm towel, and make him look extra fluffy for the outing.
Posey takes her grooming very, very seriously.

>>170839
Amber steps in to help the unfortunate griffon, blowing the whistle if necessary to get through the crowd. Then, Amber would assist Federkleid in directing passengers.

>>170841
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmuWwmdb-48&pp=ygUOYnVubnkgc3RhbXBlZGU%3D

As the two are on opposite ends, Amber has to fight through a horde to get to the front of the train. But through perseverance, she manages to get to Federkleid to relieve her.

A passenger on the train - a young female - asks "will this train be going to Hellquill?"

>>170842
This scene is still gold.

"Yes miss, we will be underway to Hellquill shortly," Amber replies. "This delay was terrible but the issues we've had are mostly resolved."

>>170843
An older griffin, who slowly steps onto the platform after the main horde has passed through, sighs.
"In the old days, we wouldn't let a simple robbery hold up things this much." She shakes her head. "How far the Reichsbahn has fallen..."

The first griffin answers
"Okay..."

When both griffins are a bit further away, Federklied leans in towards Amber
"We've got to get out of here."

>>170844
"It's not our policy but Hellquill's, sir," Amber replies to the first. "We will be boarding as soon as the suspect is arrested."

To Federkleid Amber whispers, "I'd like to but I'm not running all the way to Hellheim on these legs. The police got what they think they were looking for and the train will be at Hellheim before they suspect anything differently. Don't worry, our 'guest' won't spill the fish, I made sure of that. Just stay calm."

>>170845
"That Inquistor is still trying to call them. To tip them off. Helder better not be exaggerating about his connections here." She says.

It's another minute, maybe, before the officer comes back to Amber
"What in Hel are you doing, letting so many witnesses go?"
He seems unpleased.

>>170846
Amber looks slightly annoyed. "I asked if I could disembark the train, and I did so after the go-ahead. Had I waited any longer the passengers would want to start a riot and somegriff would be injured. Can't have that, can we? Besides," Amber tries to be more accommodating, "they are disembarking into your jurisdiction and you will have plenty of time to question them off the train. But the train must run on time, and, considering we failed that, it must run at all. Now can we please embark our passengers to Hellheim and depart?"

>>170849
>>170847
The griffin stares silently at Amber for a moment, then speaks
"Very well. We don't need every witness. We will take our two suspects, and the train will be on its way."

>>170850
"Thank you," Amber replies woodenly. She waits for the suspects to be carried off and silently bemoans her betrayal of the fugitive's trust–somehow feeling more guilty over this than actively chicknapping and brainwashing an innocent police officer–before giving the signal for outgoing passengers to board.