/vx/ - Videogames and Paranormal

>>174401
Looking over to the backroom, High Sewn is still there, sewing something.

Amber hears the sound of something fall to the floor, and sees the stallion running for the door.

>>174402
She knew it! Amber gallops to beat him to the door and attempts a grapple.

>>174403
Amber has an advantage in trying to catch him, partly because she’s likely faster than him, but mostly because he has to stop to try to open the door.

Roll Grapple
Base attack plus strength

>>174400
>"One of ours. It’s beautiful."
"Glad to see you're still awake." Posey chides
"It looks like the Separatists have really settled in since the war cooled down. They're running the place now." Posey continues

>>174405
>>174405
NOT SEPERATISTS. Independent. Republicans.
The yelling is not only loud, it startles birds, causing them to rise.

”They are still here…Why are they still here?”

”Can it take us away from here?”

”That’s a two seater trainer. No.”

”We all fit in a bag now. Yes it can.”

The ghosts continue, with their voices becoming inaudible

>>174406
I think her grapple is better than that. Add base attack bonus.

[1d20+2 = (20+2) = 22]

>>174406
>>174407
But the stallion makes his way out the door, and closes it on Amber

>>174407
Posey continues toward the boat, letting the drowners go ahead of her as she observed the plane.
"Flying machines... I was never into them, but it looks like they're here to stay, for now at least."

>>174407
Amber opens the door, and chases after the shoplifter. "Stop, thief!" she cries out.

>>174410
The pony does not stop, but starts running. Amber could likely over take him in a straight run, and he can’t turn without Amber seeing. Does she chase? Run him off? Recover the dresses?

>>174409
The drowners, however, seem distressed by the sight of the planes.

They continue until they come to the river. The frisbees don’t need to be told where to go, they get in the water and turn left. She can see it from where she stands: the ship.

>>174411
Recovering the dresses is the important part, since it's her boss's livelihood. Running while holding a dress, let alone three, isn't easy, and she's confident she can get him to drop them.

>>174411
Posey observes the drowners as they board the ship.
She draws her compound bow.

>>174412
The dresses are strewn across his back, across his neck, and still held in his mouth. They lean towards the left, and may fall off or be thrown aside soon. The stallion looks back towards Amber, before looking forward again. He continues straight, though soon he may have the chance to run into the street, or an alley, or into another store.

The question is, what will Amber do?

>>174414
Well, she knows a little bit more of the area than she did last time. She gallops along the curb and tries to get alongside him to steer him into one alley which she knows to be a dead end.

>>174415
Hmmm…

Roll. Strength modifier

>>174391
Still smiling, Kira replies, "I'm from Southeastern Zebrica. I don't know where the 'Steps of the Gods' are or what gods you are referring to, but it sounds nice!"

>>174391
Silver grabs the toast and puts it on a plate for Khoi. Hmm...it doesn't seem like the crunchy, golden brown slices of bread are going to immediately attack her. And there's a nice smell coming from them...

Silver also presents her with the peanut butter, jam, and butter, with butter knives for all three options, explaining, "You can eat toast as is, but most ponies have it with one of these spread across a side. Foals especially love having one toast with peanut butter and one toast with jam as a sandwich."

>>174413
The drowners find the ladder going up the side of the ship, and then climb it

[1d2 = 1]
[1d2 = 2]

>>174421
Entering onto the deck, they move around to the door, and kick through

[1d20+2 = (10+2) = 12]

[1d20+3 = (5+3) = 8]
[1d20+3 = (6+3) = 9]

Can Posey see what's going on?

>>174439
As it is, the two drowners go through the door and disappear into the ship. It's only a few seconds before she hears an infernal growl, electrical charges, yelps, and then high caliber gunshots.

>>174440
>infernal growl
Gonna roll Knowledge (the planes) to see if Posey recognizes this otherworldly entity.
[1d20+3[

>>174444
Fuck
[1d20+3 = (18+3) = 21]

>>174439
There are screams. After about a minute, a lone drowner comes through the door, dragging a dying grey diamond dog, still wearing his jacket. The drowner is itself almost destroyed, having been sliced, shot, and with visible electrical burns.

>>174444
It’s the same water-ghast Posey has been dealing with

>>174446
"Excellent work. Now bring him here."

>>174447
The diamond dog is the same one from earlier that had the trident and fled. It is bit, has flesh dangling from its arms, and is likely to bleed out soon.

>>174448
"So, we meet again." Posey says, with a bit of a smug grin, her inner malice shining through.
>It is bit, has flesh dangling from its arms, and is likely to bleed out soon.
"Looks like we won't have time for a ceremony. Be a dear and hold him down." She commands the ghoul.
She looks down at the dying dog
"You wouldn't happen to be a virgin, would you?"

>>174417
Amber moves up a bit to the right, and not quite parallel to the stallion. She nudges him, but fails to push him into the alley

[1d3 = 2]

>>174449
He looks at her with horror, then disgust, then… bewilderment. He seems to intend to say “no,” if he intended to say anything at all.

The ghoul, which is clearly not doing well on its own, holds him down

>>174450
>>174417
Two dresses fall off of the back of the rapscallion

>>174446
F
>>174449
oh no

>>174450
>>174451
Amber stops, stares at the retreating stallion with contempt, and picks up the two dresses before heading back to the shop. She sighs in disappointment at being unable to catch the shoplifter, or even get all the dresses. At least she got something, and scared him off.

>>174450
>He seems to intend to say “no,” if he intended to say anything at all.
"Oh well."
>The ghoul, which is clearly not doing well on its own
Posey gives it a little boop on the snoot, healing it 2 hp with her charnel touch.

Posey draws her sword
"Let's get this party started!" she says, as she slowly plunges the blade into her own chest, shuddering at the exquisite pain
"Oh buck yes, that real silver!" She says, coughing up a mouthful of her own vile blood
[1d8+2 = (3+2) = 5]
"Blood for blood."
She grins at the dog, baring her razor sharp fangs
"Oh Great Goat, bless us with an audience! Blow the trumpet and begin the feast."
And sinks her fangs into the paralyzed dog's throat as a coup-de-grace.
[1d6+7 = (5+7) = 12] (double for crit damage)

Posey attempts a DC 25 sacrifice check to offer the diamond dog's life to the Bloated Goat and call an Ataaglith for one hour, as per Lesser Planar Ally. If she fails this check, well, it's a waste but he might still taste good.
[1d20+14 = (14+14) = 28] (+16 if a ghast counts as a creature important to Orcus)

>>174453
The ground darkens as a cloud moves overhead. Innumerable whispers from the ghosts fill the air, and something moves up in the water.

>>174453
Ataaglith's are goat-like demons devoted to Orcus. With their Clerical powers and ability to animate the dead, they are Orcus's perfect children.

>>174455
I mis-spelled it..

>>174452
You’ll get ‘em next time, little pony…

High Sewn is outside of the store when she comes back.
“What happened?!”

>>174454
"Ooh, I've always wanted to try this!" Posey says, giddy as she stares into the abyss, prancing on all fours

>>174457
Amber is still catching her breath and is trembling a little from the adrenaline of the chase. "Sorry…didn't have time to call you. That pony stole three dresses. I couldn't catch him, but I got these two back."

>>174454
Posey waits for the creature to appear

Anyway, while the Artaaglith takes it's time to get here, now that my other McSlave™ has been destroyed, I would like to take control of Sakar.
Posey brandishes her unholy symbol
Rebuke undead
[1d20+7 = (1+7) = 8]

>>174463
Well fuck.
It doesn't crit, but it puts me just below the level I need to control him, just awed.
Posey blinks.
"You're a tough one, aren't you?"

Rebukes left for today: 6

>>174419
“Oh… I thought you were from closer. Not that I’ve ever… seen one of you…” after an awkward pause, he says. “Anyways, we can ring you up, and have it delivered all for an extra 25.”

>>174420
Khoi looks at the strange bread with wide eyes, her ears fixed forward. She moves in closely, and Silver can see her nose twitch as she smells it. She extends her tongue, and licks it. Then she extends her muzzle, and tries to bite it, which she fails at when she can’t get her lower jaw underneath it, and instead simply pushes the bread forward until it almost overshoots the plate. Then she uses her magenta magic to pick up the bread, and silver can hear a nibble nibble nibble.

>>174459
“Two dresses is all you got?”
And to herself,
“I’ll wring that son of a bitch’s neck”
To Amber
“Did you get a good look at him?”

>>174460
What are you wanting exactly? A description of this thing?

>>174464
>rolls a 1
>”it doesn’t crit”
The drowned looks at Posey from the river with only its eyes above water. Like an alligator.

>>174465
>The drowned looks at Posey from the river with only its eyes above water. Like an alligator.
Posey gives it a sort of an awkward shrug. Pic related
>What are you wanting exactly? A description of this thing?
I guess the description doesn't matter, but I was waiting for confirmation that my summoning was successful.
Posey intends to use the necromantic powers of the Artaaglith to help animate the bones she's carrying.

>>174466
Forgot the pic

>>174465
Kira gives him the extra Bits, but is now curious.

"Have you heard of lamias here, in Equestria?"

>>174465
Silver waits for her verdict.

>>174465
Amber nods hurriedly, now disappointed in herself for mucking up such an easy pursuit. "I'd been watching him since he came in. He's a runt of a stallion, grey, and was–is–wearing a brown jacket."

>>174470
"Would have been nice if he got a kick in the flank... Teach him from ever coming around here again." Looking over "You couldn't get the last dress?"

>>174469
nibble nibble nibble

>>174468
"No... Is that what you are called? We have heard of snake monsters before. Not... Not quite like you. No."

>>174471
Amber looks at the floor, her expression now crestfallen. "I tried, but the two fell on the ground…I was worried if I left them, somepony else would have taken them away. I'm sorry for not catchin' him…."

Okay, once our unnamed priest of Orcus shows up, Posey greets him politely and requests that he help bolster the ranks of the Dread League using his innate ability to animate the dead.
An Artaaglith casts Animate Dead as a 6th level Cleric, meaning that with Desecrate it can animate 24 HD of undead (with a max of 12 HD per undead). However, we only have so many bodies available: an incomplete hydra skeleton, two diamond dogs, and one ghast/pony skeleton. The hydra skeleton is incomplete, so it sadly cannot be easily reanimated (in hindsight, I should have summoned the Artaaglith before having the ghasts eat the hydra, so I could have had a zombie... Oh well), as it was; however, it has plenty of bones to create the next best thing: an advanced Bone Lurker.
Using the Hydra skeleton, the diamond dogs, and the destroyed ghast, Posey requests the Artaaglith to give life to a beast of many bones: a Bone Lurker, of maximum advancement, and to order it to obey Posey's commands. This huge sized amalgam of bones will serve as a suitable mount and combat minion for Posey.
Pic related (this is actually a Boneyard, but a Huge sized Bone Lurker
Using the arms cast-off from the diamond dogs, we can animate two Dreads, the severed arms levitating in mid air and brandishing weapons.

If the diamond dogs had any worthwhile corpses in their base, Posey would like to make those into zombies too.

I'll produce the statblock in a little bit.

This only takes the Artaaglith two actions. The demon serves Posey for one hour hour per HD of the sacrificed diamond dog, although having already used its Desecrate and Animate Dead, Posey has everything she needs from it. Annoyingly, Artaagliths don't come with a list of typical Cleric spells prepared, so I can't ask it to cast any specific spells.
Posey thanks the demon for its service, and asks how things have been doing at the bottom of Tartarus. She invites the demon to stay in this world and sow the seeds of sorrow for as long as it wishes (it's normally difficult for demons to leave Tartarus/abyss without the aide of mortal magic).

Posey heals her remaining drowner over the course of one minute, and permits it to feed on the flesh of the diamond dogs or even the destroyed ghast. She then commands it to search the lair of the diamond dogs for any valuables (including bones) and bring them to her.

>mfw a lvl 5 Cleric can do all of this, but Posey has to wait 5 more levels before she can cast animate dead herself
Dread League calls for a Dread Necromancer, but still... Clerics are so freaking powerful.

>>174455
The black cloud settles in over Posey, and thunder crackles. A long black arm extends from the center of the cloud, moving downwards towards Posey, as a strong, chill wind blows on her location, spreading out in every direction, and blowing leaf and limbs from the adjacent trees. Were that plane still around - it probably isn’t, but if it were - they would see a rain cloud formed by the confluence of the moist air from the north, combined with the cool air from the westward mountains, a sight not at all uncommon in the late afternoon in the Kululu Forests, even in winter. And from this cloud, a microburst, with sudden winds and precipitation. They’d know better than to fly in such conditions, and return whence they came, presumably Baltimare.

Posey however, experiences this more directly. The chill wind is followed by the long black arm of the cloud touching the ground in a torrent of rain. The wind and rain blow, then wash away any lose items. Posey is drenched, and the blood of the sacrifice is washed away clean. The ghosts instinctively run from the downpour, even if they are immune to it, but the drowned welcomes it, looking up to the sky.

The rain only lasts a few seconds, and when it clears, Posey sees her expected guest near her on the river bank. He’s an off white color, standing on four limbs - though the thick hind legs could surely support its whole weight - with the expected curls and carvings cut into it as if it were decorative ivory. Posey can only make out a serpentine form. The goat has a small, well kept black beard and a black mane. Though its irises are red, its horizontal yellow slit eyes appear more alive than dead. It wears armor plating, bronze or dimly gilt in color, that may as well have come from an equestrian royal guard. Its peytral, likewise gilt, has ornate black decorations on the edges, that imply its design, otherwise built for function, has an origin not from Equestria, though very possibly from the living world.

The priest pulls up a lit cigarette of a variety like that Mason smokes, from under its frame, as if it were holding it there away from the rain. It has a still expression, not suggestive of the thralls of any strong emotion, but a mild irritation and boredom closer to ennui.

“And what do you want?” It asks Posey in a fairly deep voice, and is surely answered.

The priest places the cigarette in its mouth as it uses its hooves to perform the necromantic ritual.

>if the diamond dogs had anything worthwhile in their base
The priest looks down, then perks his ears up, and moves his eyes towards Posey, and pulling the muscles around his lips back in a smile.
“You didn’t check, did you?” And then mockingly
“Okay… I’ve never known necromancers so rich as to not even bother to check if there’s anything worth looting. Except this one pony. But that was a long time ago.”

>”Thank you for your service
“Finally, someone recognizes me as a veteran!”

>how is hell
“Damp. Cold. Noisy. Overcrowded.”

>sow seeds of sorrow
“Perhaps later, though the mortals are doing a well enough job of that themselves, and there is no one else around. But… it’s so peaceful here. And there’s a nice breeze. I think I’ll stay here for a bit.”

The drowner prefers the flesh of the diamond dogs to its fallen comrade - at least while such flesh is available. It goes back into the airship, and drags multiple items, including the rifle, multiple saddle bags, several large medical packets, this large trident-like pole arm that posey has seen before, a still-alive diamond dog, and a crocodile skull.

>>174475
Spectacular description. Very spooky.

>I’ve never known necromancers so rich as to not even bother to check if there’s anything worth looting.
Pic related
"They got in my way, and these are the consequences. Besides, I have help to check for loot." Posey says, clipping her hooves together to command the ghast to search faster
>Finally, someone recognizes me as a veteran!
"My little lamb Gloomy really appreciates what you do. He wants to be a priest himself when he grows up."
>multiple saddle bags, several large medical packets
Posey checks the bags for gold/items.
She then takes the largest saddlebag and and fastens the shock absorbers to it for her new Bone Lurker to carry.
>this large trident-like pole arm that posey has seen before
Does it appear to be magic or masterwork?
Posey gives it a swing.
>a still-alive diamond dog
Oh, so there was a survivor.
Posey looks down at the living diamond dog.
>does_this_look_like_the_face_of_mercy.png
"I've already had my blessing for today." Posey says wiping the blood from her lip
"So, let's try something new." she says, grinning
She turns to the drowner
"Tie him up my his ankles and wrists, and slowly lower him into the swamp."
She turns to the demon
"Oh priest, would you be so kind as to give us a sermon?"
Posey intends to sacrifice the second diamond dog as well, not for her own benefit, but for the purpose of perpetuating more evil through the ritual that creates a Bog Mummy (although I guess Drowners can be created in the same way).
Rolling a religion check, using the Artaaglith's modifier:
[1d20+6 = (11+6) = 17]
It's unclear how long it takes, but Posey doesn't bother checking if the ritual is successful (she has no intention of controlling the resulting monster), only that the last witness to her atrocity has been fully drowned.

>I think I’ll stay here for a bit.
Oh yes, and last but not least.
"Well, you know, seeing you arrive in that big cloud of miasma reminds me of the time when I was a filly and my aunts conjured the Aspect of Orcus for one of their... lavish parties... If you're interested in sticking around for a few hours, that ship would be a great place to... You know."
she bites her lower lip so hard it bleeds (this is apparently considered to be sexy in vampire cults) and shimmies her hips left a right as she looks away slightly shy.

I seduce the demon
[1d20+9 = (3+9) = 12]
She also shoots the ghosts a bit of a coy look, if they're visible.

>>174471
Kira nods with a tongue flick.

"That's what we're called, lamias! What are the snake monsters you've heard of like?"

>>174475
Did the diamond dogs have any diamonds on them?

>>174476
I'm guessing that a 12 on Seduction does not succeed, so in that case after taking everything that the diamond dogs have, Posey ties the loot-full saddlebags as well as the cylinders to the Bone Lurker and readies herself for a flight back to the place where Mason was parked.
A light load for the advanced Bone Lurker should be ~3192 pounds, so it should be able to carry Posey, the drowner, the artillery parts, and any loot from the ship while flying. The demon could hitch a ride too if it wishes. Sakar as well, although I doubt the uncontrolled drowner will willfully leave the swamp.
Posey adds the crocodile skull to the bone lurker, to make the amalgam look more frightening.

Would it be appropriate to update Posey's character sheet to lvl 4, since this quest is complete?

There was a typographical error in the description of the priest. His horns are carved kind of like you’d carve ivory, with figures carved into it in a shallow relief. The only one that Posey can clearly make out is a serpent.

>>174472
She sighs loudly, and lopes past Amber towards the door outside, looks to the left, and lopes back in. She continues moving, clearly pacing. “It was a mistake to go to the back. I should have been out here. I could have strangled him myself.” She looks back to Amber: “what type of dress was it?”

The dresses are not high end dresses for Galas. They are regular semi-formal wear used for normal occasions when leaving the home. Should Amber show the recovered dresses to High Sewn (perhaps she’d like to state what it was specifically, which with luck, she’d know), High Sewn says
“Well, that’s not too bad. Still. He better not come back. What did he look like?”

>>174476
>consequences
The priest tilts his head to the left, briefly closing his eyes, and raises his shoulders.
“Fair enough, I suppose.”

>my little lamb gloomy
“Oh it’s a long, hard way to wear I am. Not particularly pleasant smelling or well lit either. Best of luck to him. He’ll certainly need it.”

>bags
The diamond dogs took the most interest in drugs and medical supplies, besides weapons and ammunition. There is more, like sets of bullets, some strange armor, shackles, shoes, a pistol, and a few more rifles, but the gust took most interest in syringes and brown vials. There is some money, though not that much. It’s in multiple currencies. There are a few rings, things like cigarettes, lighters, playing cards, and odd things like ferry passes or movie tickets.

>pole arm
Pretty big for a pony. As Posey swings it, it makes electric sparks.

>survivor
The diamond dog is a female. She’s a tan color, vaguely golden retriever-like in appearance with a longer muzzle and longer, fluffier ears. Are can’t move much, and she breathes heavily, clearly scared. She can’t move her eyes much, but does open them, and moves her orange eyes to Posey. She’s covered in water, despite having been inside during the downpour, and being taken on the land-side by the guest who dragged her down. Posey can see that she’s covered in sweat. And it’s not just fear, or anything from the ghast. She must have been breathing heavily, immobilized, and sweating profusely long before Posey showed up.

The ghast takes little pieces of rope and ties, which are available, and goes up the diamond dog, moving her to the water as Posey commands. Actual slave shackles are available for this act if desired, but the ghast goes for tent-rope first. The diamond dog tries to scream, but her voice isn’t quite working, and her lungs don’t allow her. She floats, and needs to be weighed down to sink.

>sermon
The priest sighs, and it seems he even rolls his eyes and shakes his head. “And here I thought I enjoy a bit of leisure on this business trip. But nevermind that. I don’t have a sermon prepared… I suppose I can refuse a recent one. Very well. I’ll do that then.” He stands on his hind limbs, showing off the designs of the gilt armor over his belly, and he raises his split hooves.

“To He who was here before, and who shall be long after, we commend this sacrifice to you, so that we may honor you, and you may fuel your power, and your glory. And we never forget what you can do for us, as we share in that power, and in that glory…”
He does not raise his voice, and though his restrained tone is more suggestive of apathy than rapture, there’s a determination to it.

The ghast fails to fully weigh down the diamond dog, and so she lies on her back in the water, attempting to thrash about, though she may not able to swim even if she were untied. Her long muzzle stays above the water longer than her blond hair, or her eyes, and her rapid breathes, increasingly filled terror, continue for more than a minute, as she starts to spit out water, which flows into her mouth with every short and shallow breath.

The priest looks on at this scene. He has finished his cigarette and is clearly contemplating smoking a new one. Perhaps he didn’t carry a second.

>hip shimmying
The priest smiles, and shakes his head once.
“You were a charmer in your day, I am sure. But I’m not quite in the mood for a lavish party right now.”

From the air on the river bank, a blue light appears, and forms a vaguely equine shape. It becomes increasingly opaque, and Posey can make out the shapes of wings, hooves, and a tail, and eventually finer details like tufts on the ends of long, triangular ears, fangs on a rectangular muzzle, and blood veins on folded web wings. The form gains color, and though it retains a slight translucence and uncanny quality that distinguishes it from a real pony, Posey can see that it is a purple hued, otherwise charcoal colored bat pony stallion of maybe 25, with lavender-purple mane, tail, eyes and webbed wings, and playing cards for a cutie mark. It comes to Posey, looking into her eyes with his own supernaturally-lit purple eyes, and smiles widely and almost malign, showing off his teeth and fore-fangs that look oddly immaterial. Its fur touches posey, feeling like ice, and rough like sand paper. Then Posey feels it bite her ear before walking past.

It’s quite a few saddle bags, and Posry likely can’t get everything. The cylinder is too long to fit into a bag. All the same, Posey can try.

The priest raises a hoof, and lowers his head.
“No thank you. I think I’ll linger here, just a bit. It’s so… peaceful. So far away from everyone…”

>>174484
Sure, I guess

>>174477
Khoi twitches her nose, and stares into the air as she contemplates the toast.

“Crunchy… not burnt, but not soft.”

Khoi’s eyes go wide, and she looks towards Silver with immense curiosity.
“What is this ‘jam’ you speak of?”

>>174478
“Oh, well we have the feathered serpent. I don’t think it’s… quite so… pony like. But they are often helpful beings. And the most powerful are gods.”

>>174485
Silver pushes the jar of jam and the butter knife closer to her.

"Fruit preserves, little bits of fruit or berries in sweet syrup. Try some, it is delicious on toast."

>>174485
Kira has an awestruck look on her face that begs for more information on these winged serpents.

>>174485
>The diamond dogs took the most interest in drugs and medical supplies, besides weapons and ammunition. There is more, like sets of bullets, some strange armor, shackles, shoes, a pistol, and a few more rifles, but the ghast took most interest in syringes and brown vials. There is some money, though not that much. It’s in multiple currencies. There are a few rings, things like cigarettes, lighters, playing cards, and odd things like ferry passes or movie tickets.
Posey will take some time at some point to sort out what's valuable and resellable.
I guess I'll need to roll appraise to know how much it's all worth?
>As Posey swings it, it makes electric sparks.
Oooh, a magic weapon.
>And it’s not just fear, or anything from the ghast. She must have been breathing heavily, immobilized, and sweating profusely long before Posey showed up.
Wait a second, this was a prisoner.
>The diamond dog tries to scream, but her voice isn’t quite working, and her lungs don’t allow her. She floats, and needs to be weighed down to sink.
>The ghast fails to fully weigh down the diamond dog, and so she lies on her back in the water, attempting to thrash about, though she may not able to swim even if she were untied. Her long muzzle stays above the water longer than her blond hair, or her eyes, and her rapid breathes, increasingly filled terror, continue for more than a minute, as she starts to spit out water, which flows into her mouth with every short and shallow breath.
I have decided that this NPC is too interesting to murder just yet.

Posey cocks an eyebrow at the dog, and on a whim lifts her up with the glow of her horn, hoisting her up before she can go underwater.
"... On second thought..." Posey says, looking coldly at the hound
"I think I'll deal with her on my own terms." she says, looking the dog up and down like a piece of meat
"She's such a fine specimen. It would be a waste to do away with her in a bog, like this. The Goat would much prefer her on an altar..." she continues, dragging the dog out of the water and dismissing the Drowner who might be feeling very blueballed right now.
"I'll take her with me, and decide how to deal with her later."
>Sure, I guess
Yay!

I am choosing Kelgore's Grave Must as my first Advanced Learning spell.

>>174485
>From the air on the river bank, a blue light appears, and forms a vaguely equine shape. It becomes increasingly opaque, and Posey can make out the shapes of wings, hooves, and a tail, and eventually finer details like tufts on the ends of long, triangular ears, fangs on a rectangular muzzle, and blood veins on folded web wings. The form gains color, and though it retains a slight translucence and uncanny quality that distinguishes it from a real pony, Posey can see that it is a purple hued, otherwise charcoal colored bat pony stallion of maybe 25, with lavender-purple mane, tail, eyes and webbed wings, and playing cards for a cutie mark. It comes to Posey, looking into her eyes with his own supernaturally-lit purple eyes, and smiles widely and almost malign, showing off his teeth and fore-fangs that look oddly immaterial. Its fur touches posey, feeling like ice, and rough like sand paper. Then Posey feels it bite her ear before walking past.
Posey nearly drops the dog as this happens
"Wh-who are you?!"

>>174488
>roll appraise?
She can try, but most of the items are ones that Posey will not be able to easily discern the value of.

Posey lifts the diamond dog out of the water before she drowns - not a hard feat, as it was taking a while. The diamond dog coughs, then coughs more, and continues coughing as it tries to expel water.

The Priest has gone through a bag brought over by the drowned, and has removed a pack of cigarettes. He looks up to Posey.
“It doesn’t have to be an altar. A pile of smooth river rocks, or a flat stone surface can serve the sane purpose.”
He flicks open a zippo-lighter, engraved with the image of a deer’s skull, and lights a cigarette removed from the pack.
“Of course, you could also go old fashioned. Like a wicker-griff…”

The drowned doesn’t seem too disappointed. It has killed and eaten. If it understood its instructions to simply drag her below the water, it would have done so.

>>174489
The stallion smiles with its mouth now closed, and looks back towards Posey
“Like you don’t already know.”

Then he turns around and moves back towards her.
“I’m Turn Card”

>>174490
>most of the items are ones that Posey will not be able to easily discern the value of
I'm gonna have to try anyway. I need shekels for my army. I spent all my starting equipment on becoming undead, and momma wants a new Cape Of Charisma (Or Robe Of Bones, or Drake Helm, or Rod Of Undead Mastery, or Improved Unholy Symbol, or Kharas Stone Knife, or etc.), so there can't be any waste.
Gonna bloodlet again myself for a +2
[1d20+5 = (2+5) = 7]
>“I’m Turn Card”
Oh
"Ah, you look a bit different while manifested."

>>174491
I think your bloodletting set your roll to a 2, instead

>>174485
>>174491
>drugs and medical supplies
>syringes and brown vials
Anything worth keeping here? Maybe something that a fake-doctor might trade to some colleagues at the university for some extra bits?
>besides weapons and ammunition
What kind of weapons?
>sets of bullets
If any of these look like magic ammo, I'll check it out.
>some strange armor
Good armor? An upgrade to Posey's nommasterwork chain shirt?
>There is some money, though not that much.
How much money in total?
>a few rings
Ohh, that's treasure. How many is a few? Do they look valuable/magical? Posey checks these carefully.
>playing cards
Posey scrutinizes these very hard, believing them to be magical tarot cards at first. She looks at leach deck carefully, searching for a Deck Of Illusions, or a Deck of Campaign Derailment Many Things.
>ferry passes or movie tickets
... Well, are they still good? Posey might want to take Gloomy for a movie.

Posey uses her Detect Magic SLA to detect any magic in the ship or bags, scanning for magical items, arcane locks, or secret chests.

>>174491
Aye. Turns out cutting yourself in for sadomasochistic ecstacy isn't a reliable method of appraising salvage.

>>174485
Amber gives descriptions of both the purloined dress and the stallion (if additional details are accessible without a previous examination turn).

"Don't worry, I'd know it if he came back!" Amber sputters, eager to make it up to High Sewn for her apparent "failure." She knows, of course, that it's exceedingly unlikely since she nearly caught him.

>>174490
>The Priest has gone through a bag brought over by the drowned, and has removed a pack of cigarettes.
Based and deathpilled. Milk that poison immunity.
Have a vintage cigarette video, for what I assume is close to the period this is set in.

>>174491
>>174493
Posey looks through the items and tries to discern their value.

The diamond dogs seem to have placed a special emphasis on firearms, but Posey, for the death of her, cannot understand why. These weapons are designed to be used by anyone with minimal skill and training - any real warrior or mage needs special born skills and a decade of training. And the sights are calibrated out to 300 yards or more - how cowardly! Modern military grade weapons aren’t really in high demand anyways, nor are they very expensive. More importantly, these are illegal to possess. It’s basically the only thing the military forces care about, and won’t just wave through.

The second item they prize is drugs. Again, this is something that could only ever be valued by the living and us of no use to the undead. Morphine is the most common. Posey can just get that from the school if she needed it. Chloroquine and Sulfadiazine, as well as penicillin, plasma, and a couple varieties of anti-venom are also present besides simple saline solution, propanol and iodine.

There’s a can of bullets, a few magazines for multiple types of firearms, then a number of clips, with clips being the most common. Only two clips seem have magic bullets. However, there is a crystal that may have belonged to a magic rifle. Ammunition will also attract the attention of the military at checkpoints

Armor includes a few flak jackets (including ones damaged by Posey and the ghast), and a pair of what seems to be a kind of partial plate armor that obviously is not fitted for ponies. It does not seem to be magic.

It would be simple to say that Posey has found 247 bits and 186 dollarydoos, 24 Thalers and 38 Abyssinian Birrs. However, the bits especially are from several generations of currency. Only the dollarydoos are in paper; everything else is in coins, and the bits predate the occupation.

There are three rings. Two silver, one gold. There is one silver bracelet. None seem to be magical.

There are three sets of cards, though it must be noted that they have signs of water damage. The magical significance of the cards escapes Posey. However, Turn Card comes up, and picks up a set of cards. He pulls out the stack, and starts shuffling then, performing tricks in the air. He’s rather adept at it.

Turn Card says, with somewhat lidded eyes,
“Yes. I have a bit more… body.”
He presents the set of cards to Posey
“Pick a card”

The two ferry passes are from Hoovesplain to New Freedide, and from Starfall to Sunset. They seem to be used. The two movie tickets are stubs, respectively for Blue River Valley at 6:15 PM December 26, 1011, for the Nickelodeon in White Flower. The second is for [i]Island Breeze[i] at 2:00 PM for the Cinnamon Cinema in Mareaway, dated March 29, 1012. These are used.

>>174494
“Mhmmm. Now write it down so it can be used later, and inform Guy when he comes, so he can know who to look out for. I would file a police report, though I know they won’t do anything, if I didn’t have so much to do. Perhaps I still will. Put the dresses back up.”

>>174499
"Yes, ma'am," Amber answers, intending to do exactly that. She slowly shakes her head in disbelief at the crime rate in the city.

Where is Nadir? Is she... safe?

>>174499
>military cares about gunz
Posey is only proficient in simple and archaic weapons anyway, and the same would apply to non-intelligent undead she creates (unless made from soldiers), so she has no problem leaving them behind.
Also, Posey prefers to use her Compound Bow at a range to take better advantage of her supernatural strength, plus biblical myth.
>The second item they prize is drugs. Again, this is something that could only ever be valued by the living and us of no use to the undead. Morphine is the most common. Posey can just get that from the school if she needed it. Chloroquine and Sulfadiazine, as well as penicillin, plasma, and a couple varieties of anti-venom are also present besides simple saline solution, propanol and iodine.
So basically Healer's Kits: treasure under the Goods section. They're worth 50 for each, so each one sold is as much as the material components for a single skeleton/zombie each.
How many in total?
>Only two clips seem have magic bullets. However, there is a crystal that may have belonged to a magic rifle.
No magic weapon left behind.
Posey opens her guts and takes 20 to craft an internal pocket (DC 20) to store the items in, with her skin rapidly regrowing over the wound, aides by her damage reduction and charnel touch. This process takes about 10 minutes of cutting and rehealing.
>partial plate armor that obviously is not fitted for ponies
Non-humanoid Half-Plate? That's worth 1,200 gp, enough to Trade in for a lvl 1 wand, or other items. Posey takes it.
She leaves the flak jackets behind on the basis that they're more likely to be scrutinized as things taken from soldiers, while the archaic weapons and armor are "historic antiques".
>186 dollarydoos
How much is a dollarydoo worth? A bit is a gold piece, right?
>There are three rings. Two silver, one gold. There is one silver bracelet.
Reeeeeeee silver!
Posey takes them anyway. She'll resell them later, or possibly trade them for different jewelry.
>Pick a card
Posey picks the Ace Of Hearts.

>>174500
High Sewn moves around in the store looking at the shelves, and checks rows of dresses, especially near where Amber is now placing the recovered dresses back up
"With that lost dress, the window we had to replace last week, I don't think we're going to make our target for the month... not like it was going to happen anyways, with the price increases... And the new taxes..."
She looks over towards Amber
"I'd love to stay up here, but I have to finish these custom orders." And tilting her head
"Please guard the store, will you?"

>>174504
Amber nods. "You got it." She can't help but feel worried for the older mare, who seems dangerously close to falling on hard times. No wonder just a single dress matters so much to her.

>>174505
High Sewn, still looking distressed, goes into the back room, leaving Amber alone in the front. She already had the door to the back room wide open, but now she periodically gets up and looks into the main store. A middle-aged mare comes in, looking for semi-formal dresses - oddly similar to the ones involved in the previous incident - and a stallion comes in looking for children's undergarments. But the shift is more or less uneventful until the lunch break.

>>174506
Amber sighs. Is this what city life is really like, getting worked up over routine things because nopony is honest? She sullenly sits out her lunch break.

>>174507
Amber may want to use the lunch break to go out and walk the city, or converse with High Sewn, and in the future she may want to see if it’s possible to share the ex break with Mustard Trim. But if she wishes to stay, and wishes to sulk, she may certainly do so. High Sewn has expressed a desire for an early inventory check anyways.

High Sewn herself is not going out for lunch, and she has not brought a lunch with her (which of course Amber may also do in the future). She says she’s fasting as a part of a diet. Though she does not remain in one place, when her work takes her near Amber, she will volunteer opinions like a strong distaste for recent rules concerning the one-approved-union, and the ongoing supply shortages from a factory out in Fillydelphia.

>>174508
Amber may as well stretch her legs and trot around the block. She's spent long-enough in the store as-is. Before she leaves, though, she asks what a union is and what it has to do with the store.

>>174509
“Oh, don’t worry about it, dear. If it’s ever relevant, you’ll find out surely enough.”

>>174503
Posey loads all of the valuables that she's decided to take onto the Bone Lurker, the living bound dog, and and the ghast onto the bone Lurker as she readies to fly off.
>>174499
What does Turn Card do after Posey picks her card?