1357 replies and 94 files omitted.
>>174510"If you say so…" Amber replies, though she doesn't like being kept in the dark. She's not a foal, she should know all this already! Maybe she could ask a passerby during her trot.
>>174512The center of the city, where Amber works, is nicer, cleaner, and (feels) safer than the more easterly section where Amber lives. It’s pleasant enough for a noon-trot.
There aren’t a whole lot of ponies about, but the city feels very far from empty. Amber is periodically tormented by smells like baked bread or boiled cabbage from restaurants and bakeries she passes.
>>174513She'll have a taste of all of them…soon. She keeps reminding herself that. Amber saunters into a bakery and looks over the products.
"It's a nice day today, isn't it?" she remarks to the baker.
>>174485>It’s quite a few saddle bags, and Posey likely can’t get everything.I would like to estimate the number of Healer's Kits by their combined weight. How much does the medical equipment weigh in total?
The Bone Lurker can fly carrying over 3000 pounds.
>>174514The bakery has is mostly white on the inside, with a black chalkboard displaying prices, and glass display cases with a few kinds of pastries as well as large loafs of bread. Amber could get a sandwich if she had the money.
A tan colored earth pony stallion with a white uniform and hat takes a moment to reply to Amber
"Indeed. Especially compared to the rain we've been having."
>>174517If."Well, it's winter. That's just how it is," she says in her podunk accent, still eyeing the food.
"Say, you heard about the 'one-approved-union' that's been mentioned around? I don't know much about it or what it does." >>174502No. She is caught in eternal limbo.
>>174503>>174515Turn Card smiles widely, and sits down in front of Posey
"Ace of Hearts. And here I thought you'd go for the queen." Raising his eyebrows, "Fitting all the same."
He takes the card out, shows it to Posey, then places it in the middle of the stack. Then, he begins to shuffle it with his hooves, flipping through the cards in a display. He moves his wings out and extends his wingtips, and moves the cards from his hooves to the fingers at the end of his wings, and stands up. Flipping the cards, he moves the cards over his head and behind on his back, shuffling the cards and flipping them outside of his range of vision, back and forth between the wing tips. He smiles, making eye contact with Posey. After flipping and shuffling the cards several times, he sits back down and moves the deck back to his hooves, placing the stack on his open left hoof, and with his right hoof, takes the card on the top of the stack and flips it over, smiling widely and showing off his fangs. It's the Ace of Hearts.
"Was this your card?"
>healers kitsSeven of them, weighing about 100 lbs in total.
>dollarydooPosey doesn't exactly trade foreign currency in her day job; she doesn't know.
>Posey opens her guts and takes 20 to craft an internal pocket (DC 20) to store the items ino... kay then...
>>174518"Oh, yeah." He says
"So uh... I'm guessing you're not from around here? How long have you lived here?"
>>174520"Oh. So you
are new here. Well, so, in Baltimare, much of the work force had unionized. More so in the docks and warehouses and the factories, less so in the... in the bakeries and food industries, but it was a majority of the workers in the city who would be a part of the big unions like CANT and TER, and they would organize strikes and bargain against the big companies and the factory owners for better hours and wages. Then the Fascists came in - the, the uh, the New Marelanders - and they shut all of the unions down. Then they made the 'Baltimare Labor Council' which is supposed to be the one union all workers are a part of, qualifying workers anyways, which approves strikes and bargains with the permission of the government here. They say they are focused on 'Improving production' which of course means they let the companies do whatever they want. About what you would expect, really."
>>174521Amber tries to process all of this.
"Okay, I see. What are the recent rules that have been passed for the union? My manager doesn't seem to like them." >>174522"I don't really know... it doesn't apply here... Production targets, price limits. That's a big thing. Compliance with the occupation government. Something like that, I think."
>>174523Amber is a little disappointed that he doesn't know the specifics. Then again, the stallion said that bakery workers weren't usually part of the union. "Why is it mainly dockworkers and factory workers that are in the union, and not other ponies?" she asks curiously, being ignorant of the controversial implications of this topic.
>>174524"There were thousands of them, working together for big, wealthy companies, and not receiving much pay. Equestria depended on them, and they worked long, hard hours. It was from their ranks that CANT was formed, and the same with the other big unions. As for now, well, small businesses don't have to have their workers join, though they change the rules periodically. But mostly it doesn't apply to the small restaurants and shops."
>>174526"Oh well that's the Fascists who did that. You see, uh, the big unions were wrapped up in politics, with their leaders and many of their members into far-left politics like syndicalism. Also the old unions were supposedly tied with crime but that's a whole other thing. This was a big issue back in the days of Governor Ash and the Princesses. And the Fascists, of course, shut down all of the unions in Baltimare. There was a revolt afterwards... They didn't win. The Fascists don't like anything that isn't controlled by the State anyways. So they replaced all of the unions with one that's supposed to be controlled by the local government but really controlled by them. Of course that means that they don't like their members engaging in Anarchist politics and they try to cut down on that, and on company heads who yearn too loudly for the days of the princesses. It's about control, mostly. That, and production. They want to keep factories running and keep the workers working."
>>174527"So union ponies are the ones who are breaking windows and stealing dresses?" Amber asks with a shocked expression.
"Why would ponies who make stuff ever want to break and steal what other ponies have made?" She looks quite uncertain and conflicted.
>>174528He shakes his head and closes his eyes.
“What?”
>>174529"Well, recently a window was broken and the owner told me that whoever did it was an 'anarchist,' and she might've mentioned syndicalism too. Just today some dresses were stolen from that very same shop too. Could there be a link to those old union members?" She asks this question with more focus and looks at the stallion in the eyes.
>>174530"Uh, oh. Well I don't really know. Maybe? It could be an unemployed stallion, or maybe someone who lost something or someone in the revolt. There have been windows broken around here. I think some ponies blame businesses for the revolt failing, as they think the owners sided with the fascists over the anarchists. And the thief, well, I'm guessing that was just a thief. But I don't really know."
>>174531The little pony narrows her eyes in irritation.
"What's a stallion gonna do with three dresses? It ain't right to steal anyway. And how can they go about blaming every little business for somethin'?" She takes a deep breath to calm down, concludes,
"Thanks fer the chat but I oughta go. Have a nice day," and turns to leave. If the stallion has nothing more to say she will head back to the clothing shop.
>>174532He presses his own lips together and moves his head back
"I don't know. I don't have any use for one dress! I just sell pastries."
He has absolutely no desire to say anything else. The little pony may go on her merry way.
High Sewn is sitting in a chair with a glass of what may or may not be water on the table next to her.
>>174534She looks over towards Amber, with her long muzzle. She raises an eyebrow
"Hmmm? And who might that be?"
>>174485>It’s quite a few saddle bags, and Posry likely can’t get everything.I already said the Bone Lurker can fly carrying over 3000 pounds.
Posey leaves the weapons (except for the electric polearm) and useless items behind.
How much do the medical supplies, and just the medical supplies, weigh in total?
>>174519Pardon, I missed this post.
>"Was this your card?"Posey's golden eyes widen at this magical display that has seemingly no verbal components.
"What Sorcery is this?!"
Pointless spellcraft check
[1d20+16 = (8+16) = 24]>Seven of them, weighing about 100 lbs in total.Ah, not as many as I hoped, but money is money.
>Posey doesn't exactly trade foreign currency in her day job; she doesn't know.I'll just mark it on my sheet to trade in for later.
>>174537For the record, a healer's kit (usually consisting of just gauze, stitching equipment, and a bottle of dubious tonic), weighs one pound, so 100 pounds of them would be 100 kits, which if sold would bring Posey back up to her proper WBL.Posey loads all of the creatures and loot onto the Bone Lurker, ties the cylinders securely, hers on top of it, and orders it to fly off.
The Dreads (floating severed diamond dog arms) pick up weapons they wielded in life and fly alongside, keeping watch for any dragons, Rocs, or other monsters that might attack us while flying.
>>174535"It's probably a former member of the big unions. Apparently they're known for such nasty things. It gives us something to start from." Amber is unreasonably excited for how broad the category is.
>>174538If you haven't picked up yet, this is not a straight dark-fantasy setting. This is a heavily WW2 inspired setting. The medical kits are intended to be like the medical kits carried by combat medics in WW2, and who were embedded one to each platoon, or in the division field surgical hospital. These kits are
not the first aid kits an individual soldier may carry. They have opiate painkillers, anti-malaria medications, and other elements that cannot be found in any medieval setting. I could not find a weight for these kits anywhere, however as their contents are large (like 50 malaria tablets) I assume they must be reasonably heavy.
>>174539She raises an eyebrow
"Really now?"
And takes a sip, levitating her drink with her magic up to her muzzle
"I suppose that's plausible, as about half the working population of the city would have been in one."
>>174537Turn Card smiles and shakes his head
"A good magician
never reveals his tricks"
The magic displayed to Posey by Turn Card evades her understanding. The best guess is that he memorized and kept track of the position of the Ace of Hearts.
>>174486She starts to spread some of the jam onto her toast.
"Preserves? We have those too. For storing fruits." She takes the toast, places it up to her mouth, and tastes it
And then her pupils grow in size twice over. And she forces the toast into her mouth
"It's... so... sweet!"
>>174487"Yes. We were told the stories from our elders when we were young. I don't remember all of the stories. But the feathered serpents were more common in the old days, especially before the northerners came. Some of the serpents were as gods. Some lived with the land. Most could fly. Maybe all of them. They were great, majestic beings that lived in the forest. They lived
with the forest and were
of the forest, like they were its emissaries to the ponies. I don't know, I've never seen one. I don't know if they were ever real. But when I saw you, I thought of them."
>>174542Silver chuckles at her reaction.
"Us Equestrians like our sweets and our sugary foods, and we produce so much, well, produce that we can afford to make preserves extra sugary and sweet for better flavor. It is good, right?"
>>174542"D'awwwww. You think I'm great and majestic?" She smiles and blushes slightly, before also asking, "Who were the northerners? Other ponies, or were they different creatures?"
>>174544The stallion's eyes widen, and he takes a step, then a second step back.
"No, I uh, what I meant is uh, I... uh I thought of you and, uh... The northerners are the other ponies who come from the north, the Equestrians."
>>174543nibble nibble nibble"Myah"
>>174545Kira is a little bit crestfallen that he's trying to backpedal from the compliment rather than owning up to it, but she keeps talking.
"I thought all of the ponies here were Equestrians."
>>174545"Heheh. Well, you enjoy your toast, feel free to make some more if you want it, just feed bread slices into top slots, press lever down, and wait for them to pop up. I am going to wake up Mint Marine and Mala."
>>174540>This is a heavily WW2 inspired setting.Okay, I'm checking the reference tables.
>The medical kits are intended to be like the medical kits carried by combat medics in WW2That would be a medical kit.
>or in the division field surgical hospitalSurgical kit.
>They have opiate painkillers, anti-malaria medications, and other elementsThat would be a pharmaceutical kit.
>I could not find a weight for these kits anywhereThe DMG says to reference the d20 modern core rulebook for contemporary and 20th century settings. I went and found the tables:
Medical Kit: weighs 5 pounds; Purchase DC is 15 (25 gp)
Surgery Kit: weighs 5 pounds; Purchase DC is 16 (32.5 gp)
Pharmaceutical Kit: weighs 6 pounds; Purchase DC 17 (45 gp).
Overall, they have a cost equivalent to the d&d medieval item (gauze used to be expensive, as it came all the way from Gaza). They just weigh ~5 times as much.
Regardless of how much loot Posey actually has, she sets off to rendezvous with Mason, her mission complete.
>>174541>"A good magician never reveals his tricks"Posey's ears droop a bit
"I've heard that before, from my masters. Oh well, keep your secrets."
>>174548Dude I don't care, it's one of these. Leaning towards Medical Officer's kit
https://www.med-dept.com/articles/medical-kits-contents-kits-of-medical-personnel/>>174546Awww..."Well, yes, but no. In the south we ponies were here before the Hearthswarming ponies came from the north. We had our own civilization and legends. But we've since joined."
>>174547"Oh, uh, okay."
She takes bread, places it in the toaster, and stares at it. A few second later she presses the letter down.
>>174549Well, here's hoping she doesn't find a new way to burn the house down, as he heads back upstairs and looks inside Mala's room.
>>174549"Huh. Neat! I guess I'll have to learn all about the different groups of ponies here."
After a second or two of silence, combined with her rubbing the tip of her tail between her hooves, Kira comments, "...are you
sure I'm not great and majestic? I thought it was a really nice compliment..."
>>174549Are there any complications with Posey's trip back to Mason?
>>174551"I, uh" He looks back, and then has that wide smile that shows teeth, until he slowly closes his lips, and looks back towards Kira
"Well... Maybe a little great and majestic."
>>174550Hopefully those stereotypes about Kirin managing to burn down houses and even burn their bread are greatly exaggerated.
Mala and Mint Marine have shifted a bit in the bed. Mala is still perpendicular in the bottom two thirds of the bed, but he's flipped himself over, from lying on his belly, to on his back. Mint Marine has also shifted. He's still at the head of the bed, but instead of lying on his side perpendicular to the length of the bed, he's now lying on his side with his head towards the bottom. His head is lying on Mala's white, fat, and fluffy belly. Mint Marine's mouth is open and his tongue is hanging out, while Mala's head is upside down and at the edge of the bed.
>>174553Kira's smile returns, and she continues to rub the tip of her tail.
"Thank you..."
Kira looks over to Neela.
"So, everything's been bought and paid for. I think next we need to go get some food to put in our kitchen. What do you say?"
>>174553They are still very cute, but unfortunately Silver has to break up the sleeping duo. He knocks on the doorframe with some volume.
"Wakey wakey!"
>>174552No. The Priest gives a slow wave goodbye.
Turn Card:
"Oh, we'll get to know each other better. The secrets will go away in time."
Attempting to tie the items to the bone lurker is awkward, but not impossible.
>>174554"You're welcome" the stallion says
Neela looks surprised, almost scared. It takes her a couple moments to answer
"I, I think so. You... Think we should remain in the house the next few days, or...." She tilts her head
>>174557Mala's eyes go open, and directly look at Silver. His ears shoot up, but they hit the bed beneath him, and bend against the mattress. His hind legs shoot up as well. The right one scrapes against the wall, the left is in the air, but hits the curtains and bounces off.
He raises his forelegs, but they are folded in the middle joint. He then turns on his side, which pushes Mint Marine's head up
"mhhhhhmm"
Mint Marine is slower to get up, but does start.
>>174553Posey takes 20 to securely tie down all of the loot, particularly the cylinders.
As the bones Lurker approaches Mason, Posey makes sure to wave friendly to him, to make sure he's not
too alarmed by the site.
"~Yoohoo! Mason! I got the cylinders, and then some." she calls out from atop the huge flying amalgam of animated floating bones.
>>174560"Something like that. CANT alone had 8%. Every dock worker and truck driver in the city. At least I think it was 8%. Don't quote me on that. It was very popular to announce oneself as a member of the unions. Still is, sort of."
>>174561"Do you think there's somepony in the unions we could ask who could point out who's breaking and pilferin' stuff?" Amber asks, trying to remain hopeful.