/vx/ - Videogames and Paranormal

"Diet dependents... They go too long without eating, and they become completely feral, and start rotting."
She looks at one of the nearer drowners, aka mudnixers.
She looks at it in the eyes.
"Speak." She orders, firmly
>>174269
> The command won't last forever though
Command Undead has indefinite duration.
>The third keeps its distance but does not seem to have been a pony at all, but something bigger.
"You too, if you're still able to."

>>174270
>Command Undead
Pardon, Commanding through rebuking has indefinite duration. The Command Undead spell is days/level.

>>174271
The rebuke lasts 10 turns

>>174270
With a gurgling sound, Posey can make out "Why are you here"

>>174272
>The rebuke lasts 10 turns
The Rebuked condition lasts for 10 rounds (just like being turned). Commanding is indefinite, but has a limit for how many an evil cleric can command at once.
Just like undead destroyed though
>"Why are you here"
"I am here on a mission, from Dread League beyond the sea. We seek powers to bolster our undying ranks."

During the minute which the ghast is rebuked, Posey decides to make a Diplomacy check. She can see that these Ghouls are in poor condition mentally and physically, probably from not having eaten anything in weeks. She appeals to this to gain a bonus to her diplomacy check.
"I'm looking for new recruits, and I'm sure you're tired of eating catfish. I have a rather large hunk of meat on the other side of this swamp that I can't drag home by myself, so why don't you join me for a stroll and we can have ourselves a picnic?"
Diplomacy, on the ghast
[1d20+11 = (6+11) = 17]

>>174273
"Can I swim?" It replies

>>174273
I messed up this post, but it doesn't really matter.
It's midnight for me, and I'm pretty tired. I'm going to need to sleep soon.

To sum up my intentions, Posey realized that despite having always wanted to slay a Hydra and make a hydra zombie, she can't possibly drag it's corpse back by herself, so she's better off taking its bones. She intends to lead the ghouls to the hydras corpse so that they can devour it and return their bodies and minds to a more ideal state of preservation (since ghouls maintain their bodies through feeding), and possibly make friends in the process.
The ones she's commanded are under her control and she'll take them with her whether they like it or not, but since controlling the ghouls uses up her command pool, she'd rather they followed her.
>>174274
"It depends how well you know the swamp. I don't know if there's a direct water route."

>>174275
"Where"

I think Posey needs an intelligence roll for her ability to find her way back to the lake

>>174276
>dry ability checks
REEEEEEEEEE.
[1d20+3 = (12+3) = 15]

"On the other side of a battlefield, not far from a damaged airship."

>>174277
"Airship. He knows where that is. Down the river. There?"

>>174278
"Yes. You'll smell blood in the water once you get to the lake, and you'll find your pride on the shore. We'll meet again there."
She looks to the other ghouls, who remain telepathically under her command
"The two of you, pull yourselves out of the water and carry this gun, you should remember how to. If you do a good job you'll be allowed to feed as well." She orders, strolling off
"And if you do an excellent job, you might even get to bite a chunk out of me, as a treat." She continues, trotting off with a swing of her hips

>>174279
>pride
*prize

I need to sleep now

>>174279
Technically, the airship is ion a different part of the swamp than the hydra. Also, the creature Posey is speaking to is counted as one of the "controlled" ones. Of the other two, one is awed, and only one is controlled.

>ambiguously either offering herself sexually to the drowner, or literally offering her flesh to be eaten with sexual overtones.
Don't think I've forgotten about that seduction roll on the ghost. There will be consequences.

>>174230
Amber brushes her teeth, brushes her hair (with different brushes of course), and debates to herself on whether she has time to scrub her sheets once again or whether she should put it off until the evening. She decides that there's nothing worse than sleeping under a wet blanket in winter and does so anyway, if hurriedly.

>>174282
Okay, well, let me just retcon whatever Posey just said to a version of itself that actually makes sense in canon.

>>174282
>>174282
>>ambiguously either offering herself sexually to the drowner, or literally offering her flesh to be eaten with sexual overtones.
>Don't think I've forgotten about that seduction roll on the ghost. There will be consequences.
Posey is a degenerate.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RNFKveZnk2U

>>174287
T confirm, is Posey trying to get one to go to the hydra, and two to… move the entire artillery piece onto land?

>>174290
She wants them to carry the shock absorber for her, so she can bring it back to Mason's truck more quickly.

>>174283
Though it may be only a few extra minutes, Amber does have time to scrub the sheets. Amber completes her preparations.

Some coffee would be nice...

>>174291
The one that is "awed" is a bit different from the other two, so is it all three, or just one to eat the hydra and one to carry the shock absorber?

>>174292
She intends to bring them all to the hydra to restore their bodies and strip the flesh off of the carcass so she can recover its bones. The "awed" one would probably prefer to swim its way there, since Posey has no control over it. The other two Posey commands to follow her, to carry the shock absorber and defend her from any additional dangers she might face on her way back. Once she gets to the hydra, she'll watch the ghouls feed and maybe strike up conversation.

>>174292
Some coffee would be nice. Unfortunately, Amber has nothing for it or even breakfast at the moment, so she just makes a mental note to get a coffee grinder and something to percolate with when she has a small amount of money squared away. She puts on her dress and heads straight to work.

>>174295
Well, that's something to look forward to in the future. The ability to have breakfast. Or at least have coffee. Or lunch. Or dinner. Or being able to afford any meal at all would be nice, really. Anyways, best to get in early to help open the store. It's chilly, and it looks like there may be rain.

>>174296
Amber probably won't starve to death before her first payday, but that doesn't mean it will be comfortable. At least the dress helps to keep her warm as she hurries down to the nicer part of town where the store is.

>>174227
"Uh...that is pretty intense line of conversation that is better had outside of breakfast. I will just say, whatever fears you have, they are unfounded."

>>174227
"Well how much is it?"

>>174293
"And the rest of you can come out anytime you wish." Posey calls into the ether, as she walks back to where she left the Hydra

>>174290
>>174293
>>174301
Okay, so, I've laid out Posey's intentions as eloquently as I could.
Posey has completed her mission, having recovered two shock-absorbers in varying condition. She has also made several friends, which was what she actually set out to do in this country.
Is she able to make it back to the Hydra corpse?

>>174289
The Monkey's Paw curls
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUCB9EOl-4M&pp=ygUaeW91IHVuZGVyZXN0aW1hdGUgbXkgcG93ZXI%3D

>>174303
pets friendship pony

>>174289
>>174291
>>174302
Posey doesn't get a full view of the third one, nor does it speak. But it is large, furry, and with long claws. It moves off into the water, evidently nearer the hydra. The other two, however, slowly come out of the water.

Flesh has slightly "regrown" around the mouth around otherwise exposed bone. Algea grows along the back - or maybe that's remnants of an original green color in the fur, since bleached out and greyed. The creatures limp out of the water, with the hooves not quite bending right. They carry the cylinder by Posey's command.

The ghosts remain reticent to come out. Before, Posey would regularly feel a chill wind as they moved by, sometimes touching her. At least once, even biting her. Now they keep a distance, though she can hear their whispers, speaking over each other and in a tone not meant for physical ears.

Posey back tracks, down the road, past the site of the shelling and the ruined truck, then into the woods along the animal trail, and onto the little islands.

>>174299
"... Okay then" She answers

>>174300
"Well this one is 35 bits" He answers

>>174305
"Oh, p'shaw," she exclaims with the wave of a hoof. "That's not a problem at all. I just need to see how my roommate is doing looking for the furniture she needs."

Speaking of, how is Neela doing with her shopping?

>>174305
"Anyways...what are you going to eat if not pancakes?"

>>174304
>The ghosts remain reticent to come out. Before, Posey would regularly feel a chill wind as they moved by, sometimes touching her. At least once, even biting her. Now they keep a distance, though she can hear their whispers, speaking over each other and in a tone not meant for physical ears.
Well look at that: Posey has spooked the spooks.
Posey takes note of this, but doesn't seem bothered by it.
Posey gallops back to where she left the hydra, humming a ballad of victory as she goes.

>>174309
The sun declines in the sky, and now the tree line leaves long shadows, casting much of the forest floor in darkness. Though it isn't Posey's first time through these areas, finding her way back amongst so many similar looking trees and little lakes is not easy. The sight of the backpack-tree, anomalous and eerie as it is, is perhaps welcome as a familiar site. The ghouls do not move fast, and move towards water, preferring it at almost every opportunity, though at one point they flee from it, or rather, at some unseen something within it.

But after some minutes, Posey comes across the tiny little lake that she believes is where she encountered the hydra. The whispers are ceaseless, and the ghouls need no order to enter the water.

>>174297
Dark clouds move over the city as Amber walks to work, and though it seems that it will rain today as it did the day before, it does not. A cool wind accompanies the clouds, and Amber may be glad she wore her dress, though it may not be quite cold enough to be completely comfortable. Amber surely would like coffee or breakfast, and several shops along the route offer such, but Amber likely can't spare the change.

Amber sees High Sewn standing outside in a tasteful green and gold dress. She stands next to the window as if she were smoking a cigarette, although she clearly isn't. She looks over to Amber and says
"Oh good, you're here. We need to do some restocking this morning. And mare the desk in the late morning, I have some sewing to do."

>>174323
>though at one point they flee from it, or rather, at some unseen something within it.
Posey telepathically orders the ghouls to report whatever they detected in the water.
>The whispers are ceaseless, and the ghouls need no order to enter the water.
She silently orders them to drag the hydra carcass to shore and begin stripping the flesh off the bones.
"Usually I'd be mortified to tear up such a coveted cadaver, but I can't drag this thing home anyway. I'll have to go hydra hunting another day."

>>174324
One day Amber will have to ask her mother why she has a wool dress in southeast Equestria, where it's almost always too humid and warm to wear comfortably. She starts looking at the dresses of other pedestrians and daydreams of what she can get when she finds her fortune. As-is she is flat broke, unable to buy a coffee, food, or even a taxi in an emergency. She dreads the possibility of having to beg before her first paycheck.

Amber greets High Sewn and looks approvingly at her dress for a while, before realizing she's staring and cuts it out. She feels and probably looks sluggish from lack of energy, but smiles nonetheless. "Happy to help."

>>174325
"Big reptile. In the water."

The third one must have found it already, and the two dive into the water, better at swimming than shambling. They strip before moving it to shore, and there is danger of losing some bones.

>>174326
Amber need scarcely daydream. She works in a store that sells dresses, at once so exquisite they are to be worn only for once in a lifetime special occasions, but within the affordability range of the average pony. And if this is too cheap, High Sewn is happy to show Amber pictures in the magazines of higher-class dresses that cost more than Amber could hope to make in a year - so long as Amber doesn't imply the store is beneath the level of these greats.

High Sewn doesn't seem to mind the staring at all, and actually moves around to show it off.
"There's a set of sweaters on the table. I need those placed on the shelves near the front on the left, next to the stockings. There is more in the back. Remember to put the price tags on.

>>174327
"Yes, ma'am. Sorted by size, right?"

>>174328
Amber is from further inland, perhaps the mountains. It's colder there in winter

"Within each row, yes. However in the display I need items to be sorted by material and appearance rather than type. Hence why the grey wool stockings are to be placed along with the wool sweaters rather than the remainder of the stockings."

>>174329
"We're looking to get ponies to buy sets of clothing?" Amber replies.

She starts heading back to fulfill these instructions, carefully balancing the clothes on her back to take them to the front.

>>174330
"Oh, but you need a matching set when travelling west for the Winter." She goes to the desk and evidently starts doing paperwork. Amber is left alone for the time being

>>174331
While passing by with clothing, Amber asks with some confusion, "Why would so many ponies be headed west? That's closer to the bugs."

>>174332
"It's... not as popular this year" she says, and uses a hoof to move some hair on her mane from around her face.

"But many ponies have family out west. Many of them are from further west, and are returning home around Hearths warming." She smiles

"Of course the ponies we really want to capture are those who visit the mountains for skiing and other holiday making."

>>174333
"Sorry for the dumb question, I should have realized," she replied. "It must be nice to go skiing, I've never been…."

>>174334
"Oh, I went a couple times. With an old business partner. Must have been a decade ago by now. Out even further west. Only got on the skis once and then never again. Can't say you're missing much. But other ponies like it, for, some reason. And we're here to make sure they stay warm and look good doing it. Or stay warm and look good while their coltfriends do it and they stand by watching in the snow, wishing they could go back inside and drink coco. All the same to me, really."

>>174335
The filly can't help but wonder if High Sewn is downplaying skiing simply out of personal taste. She can't imagine the highfalutin, would-be fashionista enjoying any sort of outdoor sport. But it's no time to argue, so she shrugs and arranges the nice clothing in stacks with their price tags on top.

>>174336
Amber manages to do so, then place up the clothing items, then check the stocks.

Annoyingly, Amber finds more clothing that has been moved around within the store by customers. Amber has to find out where these belong, and put them up.

>>174337
Amber especially doesn't like clothing that was sloppily dropped on the floor or thrown over the racks. I bet it was those ziggers the other day, she thinks to herself. She might have to go to the back and get more hangers.

>>174338
>those racist thoughts
oh my, little pony...

And then there are items that somepony had tried on that have to be put back up, and a few shirts that are not entirely on the hangers... And then this set of hangers, right here. The thin wire ones. Wouldn't wood work better for these coats? They are of above average weight. You know what, it's probably best just to rehang this row on more appropriate hangers.

>>174339
Amber wishes there was somepony else to clean up the dressing rooms. Anyway, she tidies things up as much as she can. A good-looking store will make customers happy, which will hopefully make her boss happy.

>>174340
The store is opened, and while it's not a busy morning, the first customers come in. These include a mare with a filly who loves to bounce around, pick up dresses, and then her mother makes her put them back... on the wrong rack.

>>174341
It's impossible to be mad at a filly like that. Amber wordlessly puts the dresses back in the correct positions just after the filly, if at all possible.

>>174342
The little orange filly with a pink bow in her mane has more energy than Amber could dream of having.

High Sewn intervenes
"Oh, she doesn't need to put that back. She'd be the queen of the ball in that. And it's surprisingly affordable with our layaway program."

>>174343
"It is a really pretty dress," Amber affirms. She makes a mental note to ask what "layaway" is.

>>174344
The mare is pressed into buying something...
[1d20 = 5]

>>174345
>>174344
But she has the little filly put the dress back. (on the wrong rack. Again)

>>174346
Awww…
Well, there's always another buyer around the corner, at least in non-depression times. Amber will just have to keep herself busy.

>>174347
You'll get 'em next time, little pony.

High Sewn has to go in the back to begin sewing, leaving Amber to hold down the store for the next hour or so.

>>174348
Amber keeps within eyeshot of the register while she tries to finish stocking various items. Her hunger makes her realize that selling candy bars at checkout would be a nice way to earn extra money.

>>174349
Perhaps she can make use of that lunch break...

A customer comes in. And another.

>>174350
She would…if she could physically afford lunch. Amber starts to worry over starvation and becoming an unsightly bag of bones. At least the new customers can distract her.

>>174351
Perhaps it's worth asking somepony, like Mustard Trim, to pay for lunch.

Both customers kind of just look around. Amber may not be sure if she should be suspicious, helpful, or hooves off

>>174352
Mustard Trim is at school, and not only is it rude to keep mooching off him, but wouldn't it be odd for her to show up if she's not a student? Ponies would be asking questions, and making fun of Mustard, and it would be just awful!

She decides to ask one of the customers, "Is there anything you're looking for in particular?"

>>174327
>"Big reptile. In the water."
"Hmmm, could be another hydra."
>They strip before moving it to shore, and there is danger of losing some bones.
Once they're done stripping the flesh off of the carcass, Posey orders them to gather, stack, and bundle the bones.

Posey watches the display with a blank expression. She picks up a hydra skull and looks into it.
"These would make for a half-decent Bone Lurker, perhaps several. It's a shame I didn't bring equipment to transport the entire cadaver, but it can't be helped." she says, mostly to herself
She looks towards the third ghoul, the one she does not control.
"You, what was your name when you were alive?"

>>174354
The ghouls obey.

The skull is elongated, thin, with a small bend down, and over all perhaps smaller than expected.

Posey doesn't have a great view of the ghoul, but what she can see is that it is certainly not a pony. It's large, presumably bipedal, more or less primate-form in appearence, with a naked (if rarely visible from this angle) near-flat face, and hair that spreads in the water. Its shoulders are wide, and its forearms are large.

With a rough and gruff voice, it replies,
"Sakar"

>>174307
"I... I'm not sure" She answers, ears briefly moving down, then back up

>>174306
She wants this bed and this dresser and this set of chairs would be lovely but also there is this set of chairs, and wouldn't a love seat in the living room be nice? What about a couch?

>>174366
Well, first off, they also need a dining room table if they're getting chairs. What do each of the chair sets look like? Kira also comments that the superior length of the couch means even she could potentially use it.

>>174366
Silver tilts his head at the kirin.

"Anything you are hungry for?"

>>174368
She looks down

"Maybe"

>>174367
"A table. Oh, yes. We need that. Oh, and maybe little coffee tables. Or end tables. And a table in the bedrooms."

Mostly permutations of wood, though she can get them with leather or synthetic backs.

The longest couch is perhaps 9 feet... not quite big enough to fit Kira if she doubles back

>>174369
"Well, what are you hungry for, silly?"

>>174369
Real leather or fake leather?