/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?

>>174371
Tentatively looks real, or at least, more real than other obviously plastic options

>>174370
She lowers her head
"Bread?"

>>174372
Hmm...is the leather set one of the ones Neela pointed out?

>>174373
The set pointed out was... not very clear, as she pointed in the general area of several sets, but she seems to have pointed at a pure wood set

>>174372
"Hmmmm...just bread? What about toast, with something spread on it like peanut butter or jam?"

>>174375
She blinks, and then tilts her head
"Peanut butter... I have not heard of that. And this jam... it is... fruit preserves?"

>>174374
Kira nods in agreement after some short deliberation on the subject. So, with what Neela has picked out, and the chest that Kira picked out, *and* the longest couch they have, what's the total so far?

>>174376
Silver nods.

"Indeed it is. Peanut butter is basically just mashed up peanuts, which are, well, nuts. Or, they are like nuts but are actually something else? My daughter told me once long ago. Anyways, very simple ingredients, nothing that would violate your beliefs, and they are very good on toast."

>>174377
The stallion starts to add it all up
"At... 611 bits" He answers

>>174378
She moves her head closer, still tilting.

And this "toast." This is... baked bread?"

>>174379
"Well, I suppose all bread is baked. It is more like...lightly burnt bread. That probably sounds weird to you, but it makes it amazing. It gets crunchy and it adds this very nice flavor to it, it really is like it transforms bread into something completely different.

>>174379
"Great! We'll take it! Uh, do you happen to offer some kind of delivery service?"

>>174381
The stallion actually smiles

"Yes, we do."
He pulls out a notebook and places a pencil in his mouth, which he moves to the side and speaks with perhaps surprising clarity,
"To what address will this be delivered?"

>>174380
She looks at Silver with an immense skepticism, narrowing her eyes more so
"Burned bread is bad."

>>174365
>Sakar
Posey nods
"Very well. I go by Rosey Ring." she replied
She turns to the other drowners
"And you two. I take it you were soldiers in life?"

>>174383
Kira gives the kind stallion the address of their new home.

>>174383
"No no, it is good actually! Here, let me make you some so you can see for yourself."

Does the house have a toaster?

>>174353
Perhaps Mustard could come to her...

The pony is a stallion, oddly small looking, with a grey coat and a brown jacket. He is rifling through shirts. He doesn't notice Amber at first, but then he looks back to her.

"Huh? Um... No..." And he goes back to it

>>174384
"I was" replies one, the one Posey first encountered

But the other,
"I was not"

>>174385
The stallion seems a bit more possitive
"Oh, I know that area. We can move it, yes."

Then he asks
"I don't think I've seen you around here. Are you new?"

>>174386
"Uh, sure..."

If not, it would be a good idea for a wedding present Just kidding. Silver is staying unmarried

Yes, there is a toaster

>>174388
Kira nods, now smiling as the pony seems to be relaxing around her.

"I just got here today. I've always heard Equestria is a place of friendship and harmony!"

>>174388
Silver takes a couple slices of bread, slots them into the rectangular slots in the top of the toaster, sets the doneness such that they'll be slightly toasted (a nice golden brown color across the toast), and pulls the small level down to start the toasting process. It doesn't take long, a minute or two, before they pop up as toast. Khoi may or may not be startled by the toast popping up.

>>174389
“Are you…” now more reticent

“From the South. Or… from the Steps of the Gods?”

>>174390
Yes. Khoi is indeed startled from the toast popping up

gasp from a sitting position, she jumps onto her hooves and moves back, arching her back.

>>174388
OOC: while I was interested in small-talking with these drowners who might become recurring characters, I would like to wrap up this quest because it has been over two months, so I'll the dialogue for now. Also, Posey is supposed to be evil, uncaring and manipulative, so she logically shouldn't extend the same friendliness to drowners she already controls as she did to the ghosts she does not.

Posey decides to test out her undead-controlling abilities through some remote-violence and teach the diamond dogs a lesson for getting in her way. Posey telepathically orders the two drowners she controls to march/swim over to the large ship the diamond dogs inhabit and to do what to do what they do best, pull them from the ship and bring their bodies back to her, preferably still alive, but not necessarily.
One of dogs is badly wounded, so it shouldn't be difficult for two ghasts to defeat them. If they're destroyed in the process.... Well, I could always just rebuke the third one.

>>174392
Awww, but small talk is fun…

The commands must be communicated verbally. While the drowners have enough knowledge of the area to carry out her instructions without needing much detail or hoof holding, Posey is likely to need to follow closely behind, lest they stray too far, and she lose control of them.

The friends hesitate, but they obey.

combat dice rolls may need to wait

>>174393
>friends
*drowners

>>174388
Amber might be new to the concept of dating, but although she considers it, she's pretty sure it would be rude to ask someone out for lunch on short notice and then have him hoof the bill.

After that experience with the window from a couple of days ago, Amber is a little cautious. She keeps an eye on him to see what he does.

Meta warning.
>>174393
>The commands must be communicated verbally.
>she lose control of them.
I don't mean to be pushy, but
>A commanded undead creature is under the mental control of the evil cleric. The cleric must take a standard action to give mental orders to a commanded undead
Cleric commands are wordless; it's different from the Wizard spells such as Command Undead or Control Undead. This may become relevant later if Posey tries to use controlled undead to cause chaos without drawing attention to herself.
https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Turn_or_Rebuke_Undead
Furthermore, there is no maximum range for controlled undead. In some novels/modules evil Clerics command their undead minions from other planes of existence or different continents, usually to carry out some ritual at the correct time.
This would be relevant if Posey wants to cast spells that require contacting an undead hundreds of miles away, such as Door Of Decay:
https://dndtools.net/spells/complete-champion--57/door-of-decay--596/
>If you do not know the precise location of the destination undead, you can select the undead creature you control nearest your desired exit point.
>Both undead creatures must be your size category or larger and either willing or under your control.
>(Mindless undead are considered willing only if you control them).
Which is is a Cleric spells specifically accessible to Dread Necromancers.

That being said, Posey has no problem commanding them verbally at this point, particularly if detailed descriptions and instructions are only convenient through word of mouth. I just wanted to note it for the future if it becomes relevant.
The only reason why I specified that she commanded them mentally is because this would be Posey's first time mentally controlling intelligent undead outside of Magehold, besides the spectres in the barn, so she's testing the scope of her powers.
>combat dice rolls may need to wait
No problem, take your time.
>Posey is likely to need to follow closely behind
Posey is going in that direction anyway, so she'll tag along s few hundred feet behind. She follows them them closely as they haul the bones, before removing the bundles and she sicks them on the dogs.
She invites Sakar to come as well, although she has no power to compel him to. Then again, do drowners normally need a reason to drown people?

>>174396
I don’t believe the command in “rebuke undead” is intended to be simultaneously indefinite in duration and distance

Sakar:
“I know that airship. They are holed up above the water. There is risk. They have weapons.”

>>174395
The stallion continues going through clothing, moves around to another part of the store, and then picks up one, two, three dresses.

>>174397
>There is risk. They have weapons.
Posey laughs and trots off after the other drowners, brandishing her sword.
"You won't catch any good prey with that attitude. Anyway, you're welcome to tag along if you like."
She proceeds towards the location of the boat.
>I don’t believe the command in “rebuke undead” is intended to be simultaneously indefinite in duration and distance
I mean, I could reference ~25 years of precedent and forum discussions that says they are, but you're the DM so I'm not going to push to hard. I have no use for commanding undead in different countries at this level, but I'm going to want to in the future.
Usually if an effect has a duration or a maximum range, it's stated in the body of the text.

>>174392
>wrap up a quest after only two months
You're in here for the long haul, >pic related.

>>174397
"Do you think she'll like those?" Amber asks. It's a good amount of clothes, and after the experience from a couple of days ago she feels a bit nervous.

>>174399
“Huh?” The pony seems confused. “Oh. Sure.” He picks up the dresses and moves to another new location

>>174398
Still not rest for dice rolls
Posey can hear a sound she’s heard a few nights before. It’s the Tatar of propellers bearing loudly against the air. Through a break in the canopy, a silver plane can be seen

Posey can hear
"One of ours. It’s beautiful."

>>174400
Amber keeps an eye on him as she tidies up, and looks to see if High Sewn is busy at the moment.

>>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?