The next big quest with everypony in it is coming soon (TM)
/vx/ - Videogames and Paranormal
File (): 2E4324648AA9FBD4F94434534FCF244E-4063524.png (3.9 MB, 2560x1440, 7020980.png)
>>174999 →
"Well, that's helpful! Nopony should bother making fake IDs when there's something so conclusive to test for."
"Well, that's helpful! Nopony should bother making fake IDs when there's something so conclusive to test for."
>>175003
"Indeed" He says, with a smile.
He takes the completed Identification Card, which includes a photograph of Amber on plastic-laminated paper with a green edge, and levitates it to Amber in an aura of purple magic.
"Here you go, Amber Sunset."
"Indeed" He says, with a smile.
He takes the completed Identification Card, which includes a photograph of Amber on plastic-laminated paper with a green edge, and levitates it to Amber in an aura of purple magic.
"Here you go, Amber Sunset."
>>175004
Amber breathes a sigh of relief at this issue being received, and picks up the card with both hooves. "Thank you, sir! How much do I have to pay you?"
Amber breathes a sigh of relief at this issue being received, and picks up the card with both hooves. "Thank you, sir! How much do I have to pay you?"
>>175005
The unicorn pauses, as if needing to contemplate this question. Then he answers.
"There is no charge."
The unicorn pauses, as if needing to contemplate this question. Then he answers.
"There is no charge."
>>175006
Amber hums a little, surprised that this whole procedure was free considering how much trouble it was and how she got a shiny card out of it. But she won't look a gift–uh, monkey?–in the mouth. "That's wonderful. I'm much obliged!"
She pockets the ID securely, before turning to thank High Sewn for all the help and to leave the building. She'll won't waste any more time to head to the restaurant.
Amber hums a little, surprised that this whole procedure was free considering how much trouble it was and how she got a shiny card out of it. But she won't look a gift–uh, monkey?–in the mouth. "That's wonderful. I'm much obliged!"
She pockets the ID securely, before turning to thank High Sewn for all the help and to leave the building. She'll won't waste any more time to head to the restaurant.
>>175007
The card is at least shiny, colorful in a few parts, and waterproof.
High Sewn looks at Amber with an expression that hides her feelings, although one aspect is clear:
"You owe me"
The little filly presumably canters off, making her way past the bat pony stallion from earlier, and onto the streets.
The card is at least shiny, colorful in a few parts, and waterproof.
High Sewn looks at Amber with an expression that hides her feelings, although one aspect is clear:
"You owe me"
The little filly presumably canters off, making her way past the bat pony stallion from earlier, and onto the streets.
>>175009
Amber will have to make it up to High Sewn somehow. She knows she can, just not how yet.
In the encroaching twilight she hastens to the restaurant, hoping to get there before her shift officially begins.
Amber will have to make it up to High Sewn somehow. She knows she can, just not how yet.
In the encroaching twilight she hastens to the restaurant, hoping to get there before her shift officially begins.
>>175010
The little pony trots, lopes, canters, or gallops to the restaurant. When she arrives, she goes through the door, towards the bar area... and finds Salt Mixer staring at her.
"Do you know what time it is?"
The little pony trots, lopes, canters, or gallops to the restaurant. When she arrives, she goes through the door, towards the bar area... and finds Salt Mixer staring at her.
"Do you know what time it is?"
>>175011
"Time for me to work?" Amber answers with an awkward smile. "I had to pick up an identification card, if I didn't I could get in serious trouble after my shift," she elaborates hastily.
"Time for me to work?" Amber answers with an awkward smile. "I had to pick up an identification card, if I didn't I could get in serious trouble after my shift," she elaborates hastily.
>>175012
“Good answer.” She says. “How do you not already have one of those?” She asks, as if asking herself. “And put on your work clothing.”
“Good answer.” She says. “How do you not already have one of those?” She asks, as if asking herself. “And put on your work clothing.”
>>175013
"I never had one, and didn't know I needed it until I was told…" said Amber. She hurries to put on her hostess garb so as to be presentable.
I forgot that she had work clothing
"I never had one, and didn't know I needed it until I was told…" said Amber. She hurries to put on her hostess garb so as to be presentable.
I forgot that she had work clothing
>>175014
But Salt Mixer didn’t
“None of us needed it until we were told. It’s just… how were you not told?” She says. By this time, Amber is likely towards the back, picking up her garb. Amber gets a look at a clock. It’s only barely after 6 PM. She could hardly be considered late, unless she was expected to be early.
But Salt Mixer didn’t
“None of us needed it until we were told. It’s just… how were you not told?” She says. By this time, Amber is likely towards the back, picking up her garb. Amber gets a look at a clock. It’s only barely after 6 PM. She could hardly be considered late, unless she was expected to be early.
>>175015
I know being on time is virtuous, but I didn't think she'd be so strict, Amber ponders to herself.
When she hurries back to the front she replies, "I arrived in the city only about a week ago. I never needed a card before." She puts on a pleading expression and continues, "You're not really mad, are you? I got here as fast as I could."
I know being on time is virtuous, but I didn't think she'd be so strict, Amber ponders to herself.
When she hurries back to the front she replies, "I arrived in the city only about a week ago. I never needed a card before." She puts on a pleading expression and continues, "You're not really mad, are you? I got here as fast as I could."
>>175016
Presumably Salt Mixer wanted the extra time for changing into the garb and other tasks that need to be done.
Amber can see her melt and turn away when bombarded by Amber's cuteness
"Someone has been asking for you" She answers
Presumably Salt Mixer wanted the extra time for changing into the garb and other tasks that need to be done.
Amber can see her melt and turn away when bombarded by Amber's cuteness
"Someone has been asking for you" She answers
>>175018
"How did you know?" Salt Mixer asks rhetorically.
As if waiting to be called, Amber feels something, presumably a muzzle, rub along her lower back, then around her shoulder, and then a nip on the ear, as Mustard Trim moves along the right side of her body, ending up to her right and a bit in front of her.
"Hi Amber!"
He wears his waiter garb over his jacket.
"How did you know?" Salt Mixer asks rhetorically.
As if waiting to be called, Amber feels something, presumably a muzzle, rub along her lower back, then around her shoulder, and then a nip on the ear, as Mustard Trim moves along the right side of her body, ending up to her right and a bit in front of her.
"Hi Amber!"
He wears his waiter garb over his jacket.
>>175019
Amber giggles at the display of affection, embarrassed yet impressed by his boldness. "It's felt like forever since I've seen you, even if it's just yesterday. How was your day? she asks as she nuzzles his neck.
Amber giggles at the display of affection, embarrassed yet impressed by his boldness. "It's felt like forever since I've seen you, even if it's just yesterday. How was your day? she asks as she nuzzles his neck.
>>175020
"So in home room Literature, Miss Poppy Smith was late so the Tinsel Twins decided to pull a prank by removing half of the chairs from the classroom-" He talks on and on, and reciprocates Amber's nuzzling by nuzzling her shoulder, rubbing his chin and the side of his head against Amber's ear and cheeks in the process.
"So in home room Literature, Miss Poppy Smith was late so the Tinsel Twins decided to pull a prank by removing half of the chairs from the classroom-" He talks on and on, and reciprocates Amber's nuzzling by nuzzling her shoulder, rubbing his chin and the side of his head against Amber's ear and cheeks in the process.
>>175021
"You can tell me all about it after work. We had best not keep the customers waiting," she replies, looking up with a nervous smile at Salt Mixer. To herself, though, she mulls over how Mustard is talking like a younger schoolcolt and how it clashes with her expectations.
"You can tell me all about it after work. We had best not keep the customers waiting," she replies, looking up with a nervous smile at Salt Mixer. To herself, though, she mulls over how Mustard is talking like a younger schoolcolt and how it clashes with her expectations.
>>175022
"Right." Mustard raises his head, looks at Amber, and then moves back to his position
"I'll see you later!"
He's disappointed most everypony else. It was only a matter of time before Amber was added to that list.
"Right." Mustard raises his head, looks at Amber, and then moves back to his position
"I'll see you later!"
He's disappointed most everypony else. It was only a matter of time before Amber was added to that list.
>>175023
There's plenty of room to improve, but also plenty of time. Right now, Amber has work to do, and she makes up for what little lost time she has.
There's plenty of room to improve, but also plenty of time. Right now, Amber has work to do, and she makes up for what little lost time she has.
>>175024
With that unpleasant experience grounding dragging her imagination back to reality and stifling the fantasies that occupy the mind in moments of downtime, Amber begins her work in taking ponies to their tables. Guests are already lining up, and Amber has a chart to abide.
With that unpleasant experience grounding dragging her imagination back to reality and stifling the fantasies that occupy the mind in moments of downtime, Amber begins her work in taking ponies to their tables. Guests are already lining up, and Amber has a chart to abide.
>>175025
She hopes for that happy medium where business is good, but not so much that she is swamped. She maintains a cheerful demeanor as she tries to remember which kinds of customers prefer which seating. Tables with few seats are given to solo ponies or small parties while she reserves larger tables for major groups.
She hopes for that happy medium where business is good, but not so much that she is swamped. She maintains a cheerful demeanor as she tries to remember which kinds of customers prefer which seating. Tables with few seats are given to solo ponies or small parties while she reserves larger tables for major groups.
>>175026
Does the work provide structure and something to do, or does the rote mundanity become oppressive? Placing customers in just the right area is harder than it may seem. Melon Mangrove actually comes to Amber to complain that there are now too many in her section.
Does the work provide structure and something to do, or does the rote mundanity become oppressive? Placing customers in just the right area is harder than it may seem. Melon Mangrove actually comes to Amber to complain that there are now too many in her section.
>>175027
"I'll see about easing up there!" Amber replies, quietly chiding herself for letting it get so out of hoof. At least the work is something she enjoys through interacting with different ponies–as long as they aren't the disreputable sort. Other species strange to Equestria might cause a little stress.
"I'll see about easing up there!" Amber replies, quietly chiding herself for letting it get so out of hoof. At least the work is something she enjoys through interacting with different ponies–as long as they aren't the disreputable sort. Other species strange to Equestria might cause a little stress.
>>174997 →
"I'm getting nothing, just herbs and chili powder. You smell like cumin though, for some reason. Have you cooked with it recently?" She looks through the spices that are actually available. "Well at least I know some of these. Salt, pepper, poppy seed, those are common enough. Don't know what citric acid is. This red pepper looks like it's just dried out and crushed chili peppers. I think I've heard of garlic before, I think it grows far to the west of the tribe. Oregano, thyme, rosemary, basil...those are all just dried out herbs and leafy stuff. Still though, wouldn't hurt to give these a try."
"I'm getting nothing, just herbs and chili powder. You smell like cumin though, for some reason. Have you cooked with it recently?" She looks through the spices that are actually available. "Well at least I know some of these. Salt, pepper, poppy seed, those are common enough. Don't know what citric acid is. This red pepper looks like it's just dried out and crushed chili peppers. I think I've heard of garlic before, I think it grows far to the west of the tribe. Oregano, thyme, rosemary, basil...those are all just dried out herbs and leafy stuff. Still though, wouldn't hurt to give these a try."
>>174997 →
"Coming right up!"
Silver returns to the kitchen and gets to work making more pancakes and gator steaks. It's an interesting cooking combination to be sure. He makes a smaller amount of pancakes since he's only making them for Clip, and he makes sure to make enough so he himself can have at least a couple.
A short few minutes later, Silver places the newly made food in front of their prospective diners, along with their utensils and all of the pancake fixings. Silver also sits down at the table with his own plate of pancakes, adding some syrup and butter to them before digging in and enjoying the fruits of his own labor.
"Coming right up!"
Silver returns to the kitchen and gets to work making more pancakes and gator steaks. It's an interesting cooking combination to be sure. He makes a smaller amount of pancakes since he's only making them for Clip, and he makes sure to make enough so he himself can have at least a couple.
A short few minutes later, Silver places the newly made food in front of their prospective diners, along with their utensils and all of the pancake fixings. Silver also sits down at the table with his own plate of pancakes, adding some syrup and butter to them before digging in and enjoying the fruits of his own labor.
>>175029
"... No?" She says, frowning slightly. "Maybe a week ago..?" She backs up one, then two hoof steps. Kira is left with the spice rack to herself. And it appears Kira intends to clear it out, or at least take one of each.
>>175030
"Oh, nice!" Clipping says, greedily taking syrup. Jubilosa likewise looks pleased, and Mala moves over, as if wondering if he too may sit at the table.
"... No?" She says, frowning slightly. "Maybe a week ago..?" She backs up one, then two hoof steps. Kira is left with the spice rack to herself. And it appears Kira intends to clear it out, or at least take one of each.
>>175030
"Oh, nice!" Clipping says, greedily taking syrup. Jubilosa likewise looks pleased, and Mala moves over, as if wondering if he too may sit at the table.
>>175031
Indeed she does, taking one container of each. She turns around and smiles at Neela.
"Huh, I guess I forget sometimes how strong my sense of smell is. Alright, what else do you want to get? You're more of an expert in this food stuff than I am."
Indeed she does, taking one container of each. She turns around and smiles at Neela.
"Huh, I guess I forget sometimes how strong my sense of smell is. Alright, what else do you want to get? You're more of an expert in this food stuff than I am."
>>175031
Silver swallows a bite of delicious pancakes, before smiling at Mala. He motions to the free seat at the table. "You are more than welcome to sit at table, Mala."
Silver swallows a bite of delicious pancakes, before smiling at Mala. He motions to the free seat at the table. "You are more than welcome to sit at table, Mala."
>>175032
"Well, let me get it" She says. She turns around in place by twisting her rear end and legs, and jumping her forelegs 140 degrees over to the left, basically turning around in place. As she walks away, she says "And get me one of those little hoof-baskets."
Kira, meanwhile, has everything she needs. Or at least, that she can get out of the store.
"Well, let me get it" She says. She turns around in place by twisting her rear end and legs, and jumping her forelegs 140 degrees over to the left, basically turning around in place. As she walks away, she says "And get me one of those little hoof-baskets."
Kira, meanwhile, has everything she needs. Or at least, that she can get out of the store.
>>175033
Mala moves up and sits at the table. Paper Clipping moves away, while Mint Marine - who must have been sitting just out of sight, thanks to his lower height - is happy to see him there.
Khoi, however, walks up towards Silver, wearing a net over her mane, which is back, and a white outfit down to her shoed hooves. She looks up at Silver.
Mala moves up and sits at the table. Paper Clipping moves away, while Mint Marine - who must have been sitting just out of sight, thanks to his lower height - is happy to see him there.
Khoi, however, walks up towards Silver, wearing a net over her mane, which is back, and a white outfit down to her shoed hooves. She looks up at Silver.
>>175035
Silver looks over at Khoi, and examines her new change in wardrobe. He swallows another bite of pancake that he was chewing before speaking.
"Oh, are you going to your work?"
Silver looks over at Khoi, and examines her new change in wardrobe. He swallows another bite of pancake that he was chewing before speaking.
"Oh, are you going to your work?"
>>175034
What a very deer-like behavior. Kira wonders if Neela often does little hops and prances like that as she gives Neela a cute little salute with a giggle. She goes over to grab a hoof basket for Neela, waving at any ponies both customer and employee alike she comes across.
What a very deer-like behavior. Kira wonders if Neela often does little hops and prances like that as she gives Neela a cute little salute with a giggle. She goes over to grab a hoof basket for Neela, waving at any ponies both customer and employee alike she comes across.
>>175037
Khoi is dressed in a white coat, with a kind of netting over her forelegs between the ends of the coat and her shoes. Her tail is tied up as well.
"Yes." She answers, sitting down in front of Silver, and looking up at him.
>>175038
Neela goes to the end of the aisle and turns to the right. Kira doesn't see anypony else in the store. Not another customer, and no employees. This is odd, as Kira is pretty sure there was a clerk at the counter... who seems to have run away screaming... Kira finds a basket near the door.
Khoi is dressed in a white coat, with a kind of netting over her forelegs between the ends of the coat and her shoes. Her tail is tied up as well.
"Yes." She answers, sitting down in front of Silver, and looking up at him.
>>175038
Neela goes to the end of the aisle and turns to the right. Kira doesn't see anypony else in the store. Not another customer, and no employees. This is odd, as Kira is pretty sure there was a clerk at the counter... who seems to have run away screaming... Kira finds a basket near the door.
>>175039
That is weird. Where did they all go to? Or is this just a really slow day? Kira grabs the basket and returns to her deer companion.
That is weird. Where did they all go to? Or is this just a really slow day? Kira grabs the basket and returns to her deer companion.
>>175039
Silver smiles at Khoi. "Have good day at work! You need anything before you go? Something to eat for your lunch? Even hug to send you off?"
Silver smiles at Khoi. "Have good day at work! You need anything before you go? Something to eat for your lunch? Even hug to send you off?"
>>175028
The customers were requesting booths, which in part are concentrated in Melon Mangrove's section. What else was Amber to do? Best to put them in Cream Pop's section. He doesn't complain, and he has almost as many booths. Or send more to Mustard. Amber already knows she can damn near kill that colt with work and he won't complain. She may have been hesitant to give more customers to Mustard since, you know, that's basically giving him more money and it could look bad but... the mare is literally asking for it at this point. It's not a very busy night. Larkhaven and De Sew are not here, nor, does it appear, is the little zebra colt in the kitchen staff named Xanadoo.
The customers were requesting booths, which in part are concentrated in Melon Mangrove's section. What else was Amber to do? Best to put them in Cream Pop's section. He doesn't complain, and he has almost as many booths. Or send more to Mustard. Amber already knows she can damn near kill that colt with work and he won't complain. She may have been hesitant to give more customers to Mustard since, you know, that's basically giving him more money and it could look bad but... the mare is literally asking for it at this point. It's not a very busy night. Larkhaven and De Sew are not here, nor, does it appear, is the little zebra colt in the kitchen staff named Xanadoo.
>>175040
She's already trying to take things off of shelves. She takes the basket out of Kira's hooves - which oddly, is possibly the closest Neela has come to Kira, and to physically touching her - and then starts placing items inside. Unfortunately, she sees that Neela has selected rice. shudders
>>175041
Khoi looks up at Silver with her magenta eyes, and her enigmatic kirin face.
She's already trying to take things off of shelves. She takes the basket out of Kira's hooves - which oddly, is possibly the closest Neela has come to Kira, and to physically touching her - and then starts placing items inside. Unfortunately, she sees that Neela has selected rice. shudders
>>175041
Khoi looks up at Silver with her magenta eyes, and her enigmatic kirin face.
>>175043
Unfortunately "not very busy" isn't necessarily an antonym of "understaffed" as the management tries to save money. Amber doesn't begrudge Salt Mixer for that, as it's just an aspect of business. Mustard didn't look too tired today so she sends more customers his way, though she gives Cream Pop some as well to keep things balanced. These are her coworkers, after all.
Unfortunately "not very busy" isn't necessarily an antonym of "understaffed" as the management tries to save money. Amber doesn't begrudge Salt Mixer for that, as it's just an aspect of business. Mustard didn't look too tired today so she sends more customers his way, though she gives Cream Pop some as well to keep things balanced. These are her coworkers, after all.
>>175045
Salt Mixer comes up to Amber and confirms what Amber surely suspects: kitchen staff is the bottleneck of the restaurant tonight, and though it's not enough to require a wait, be mindful. There are a couple ponies that try to seat themselves, especially while Amber is walking other customers to their seats, but mostly it's uneventful. Mostly. There is a lone griffin asking to be seated. He doesn't speak ponish very well, so it's hard to understand him.
Salt Mixer comes up to Amber and confirms what Amber surely suspects: kitchen staff is the bottleneck of the restaurant tonight, and though it's not enough to require a wait, be mindful. There are a couple ponies that try to seat themselves, especially while Amber is walking other customers to their seats, but mostly it's uneventful. Mostly. There is a lone griffin asking to be seated. He doesn't speak ponish very well, so it's hard to understand him.
>>175046
"Excuse me, did you say you're waiting for company? I can get you a table for two if you'd like." Unfortunately ponies have single digits and can't indicate any number higher than one very well.
"Excuse me, did you say you're waiting for company? I can get you a table for two if you'd like." Unfortunately ponies have single digits and can't indicate any number higher than one very well.
>>175050
"Glad that's settled!" She assigns him one of the tables for two, presumably run by Cream Pop. She hopes he can handle his inability to speak Ponish.
Forgot if Cream Pop is male or female.
"Glad that's settled!" She assigns him one of the tables for two, presumably run by Cream Pop. She hopes he can handle his inability to speak Ponish.
Forgot if Cream Pop is male or female.
>>175051
Male, like Mustard Trim. Larkhaven, De Sew, Melon Mangrove, and Salt Mixer are female, and the kitchen staff and absentee owner are male
And... that's that griffin taken care of. Now thankfully there aren't too many more non ponies. There's a zebra... Anyways...
Amber does actually get a diamond dog. He has on a shirt, he's well groomed with black ears and most of the head, with a tan chin and belly. Not bad for a non-pony, almost looks like Amber's seen him before.
Male, like Mustard Trim. Larkhaven, De Sew, Melon Mangrove, and Salt Mixer are female, and the kitchen staff and absentee owner are male
And... that's that griffin taken care of. Now thankfully there aren't too many more non ponies. There's a zebra... Anyways...
Amber does actually get a diamond dog. He has on a shirt, he's well groomed with black ears and most of the head, with a tan chin and belly. Not bad for a non-pony, almost looks like Amber's seen him before.
>>175052
Diamond dogs that are gussied up look funny instead of scary. I can't complain.
She directs her amusement to a friendly smile, as she greets, "Hello, sir. Table for one or will you be having company?"
Diamond dogs that are gussied up look funny instead of scary. I can't complain.
She directs her amusement to a friendly smile, as she greets, "Hello, sir. Table for one or will you be having company?"
>>175053
He even has a hat he hasn't taken off.
"Table for two. My friend's just behind me." He says in a voice that's pretty well adjusted to Equestria. He looks at Amber fairly intensely
He even has a hat he hasn't taken off.
"Table for two. My friend's just behind me." He says in a voice that's pretty well adjusted to Equestria. He looks at Amber fairly intensely
>>175054
There was one place where she met a diamond dog, and she was hoping to never have to recall it. She pretends nothing is wrong though and leads him to one of the high tables.
"I can get your hat for you if you'd like," she says, glancing at him briefly before pretending to show concern towards another customer.
There was one place where she met a diamond dog, and she was hoping to never have to recall it. She pretends nothing is wrong though and leads him to one of the high tables.
"I can get your hat for you if you'd like," she says, glancing at him briefly before pretending to show concern towards another customer.
>>175055
"Oh, no, -" He turns around, and says "Oh, he's here" and is soon joined by a pony - a dark red pegasus stallion with a casual shirt on. He walks up, looks over to Amber, and smiles.
"Oh, no, -" He turns around, and says "Oh, he's here" and is soon joined by a pony - a dark red pegasus stallion with a casual shirt on. He walks up, looks over to Amber, and smiles.
>>175056
Amber's heart sinks. "H-hi," she mumbles. "Here is your table, uh, a waiter will be with you shortly." She returns to her post, worried about what this could mean.
Amber's heart sinks. "H-hi," she mumbles. "Here is your table, uh, a waiter will be with you shortly." She returns to her post, worried about what this could mean.
>>175057
The stallion turns to Amber and addresses her
"Oh hey, I remember you!"
Then the diamond dog turns to him
"Oh, so that is the mare. She's rather young looking,"
"She's 18."
"You sure?"
"Yeah, she's 18. What, too young for you? You'd rather that mare that was like fifty?"
"Why do you keep hounding me about that?"
The two exchange laugh as they talk with each other
The stallion turns to Amber and addresses her
"Oh hey, I remember you!"
Then the diamond dog turns to him
"Oh, so that is the mare. She's rather young looking,"
"She's 18."
"You sure?"
"Yeah, she's 18. What, too young for you? You'd rather that mare that was like fifty?"
"Why do you keep hounding me about that?"
The two exchange laugh as they talk with each other
>>175058
She can't help but stare as she's being addressed. When the duo get more distracted, she gives the stallion a dirty look and snorts as she trudges off. With her luck Mustard will be angrily questioning her just from overhearing.
She can't help but stare as she's being addressed. When the duo get more distracted, she gives the stallion a dirty look and snorts as she trudges off. With her luck Mustard will be angrily questioning her just from overhearing.
>>175059
Red Scabbard: "Nice to see you filly. Didn't know you worked here. But we don't need to be seated, we're going to the bar."
Trakr: "The bar? No, I want to actually sit down for a while and eat. And not at the bar."
Red Scabbard: "You want food here? I thought we were going to Tiffany's"
Trakr: "No, let's eat here. The food here is good. It's like what I had growing up."
Red Scabbard: "Okay, let's go out side." He looks right at Amber "table for two outside"
Amber's not sure if or how he could have known that Mustard Trim has the outside section again. As for Mustard himself, well, he's on the other side of the bar right now, probably doing the job of bussing food himself.
Red Scabbard: "Nice to see you filly. Didn't know you worked here. But we don't need to be seated, we're going to the bar."
Trakr: "The bar? No, I want to actually sit down for a while and eat. And not at the bar."
Red Scabbard: "You want food here? I thought we were going to Tiffany's"
Trakr: "No, let's eat here. The food here is good. It's like what I had growing up."
Red Scabbard: "Okay, let's go out side." He looks right at Amber "table for two outside"
Amber's not sure if or how he could have known that Mustard Trim has the outside section again. As for Mustard himself, well, he's on the other side of the bar right now, probably doing the job of bussing food himself.
>>175062
There goes that excuse. She's not sure why anypony would want to be seated outside in the cold winter night, but it's not her job to protest. She gives them a table and hopes against hope that it somehow turns out alright.
There goes that excuse. She's not sure why anypony would want to be seated outside in the cold winter night, but it's not her job to protest. She gives them a table and hopes against hope that it somehow turns out alright.
>>175044
Sense Motive: Silver attempts to divine meaning from her unreadable facade.
[1d20+3 = (11+3) = 14]
Sense Motive: Silver attempts to divine meaning from her unreadable facade.
[1d20+3 = (11+3) = 14]
>>175044
Kira gulps, only imagining how badly that rice will stick in her throat.
"So, uh...do you cook?"
Kira gulps, only imagining how badly that rice will stick in her throat.
"So, uh...do you cook?"
>>175068
Don't worry Kira. You don't have to eat the rice. You have other food options in theory.
She continues just shoving items into the basket
"Yeah. Kind of. Sometimes. When I have to. Usually one deer will do the cooking, not usually me."
>>175067
The enigmatic kirin remains hard to read. Silver can, however, discern one thing: she wants something. Specifically from Silver.
Don't worry Kira. You don't have to eat the rice. You have other food options in theory.
She continues just shoving items into the basket
"Yeah. Kind of. Sometimes. When I have to. Usually one deer will do the cooking, not usually me."
>>175067
The enigmatic kirin remains hard to read. Silver can, however, discern one thing: she wants something. Specifically from Silver.
>>175069
Kira looks at the various items Neela grabs off of the shelves, interested in learning what it is exactly that the prey animals eat.
"What do you cook?
Kira looks at the various items Neela grabs off of the shelves, interested in learning what it is exactly that the prey animals eat.
"What do you cook?
>>175063
Amber gets some answer as to why when she sees they are loud, and intend to pony watch, commenting on a mare passing by. There's heaters and in any case the weather is better than over the weekend. Amber takes them to their seat, presumably, and walks past Mustard on the way back as he is moving plates of food.
>>175071
Kirin looks up at u
>>175070
Basics like flour and sugar, and a few tomato's and what have you.
"Well, I know a little about how to make the traditional dishes, like the pufe and galuski, but also a few equestrian foods like hayburgers." She answers
Amber gets some answer as to why when she sees they are loud, and intend to pony watch, commenting on a mare passing by. There's heaters and in any case the weather is better than over the weekend. Amber takes them to their seat, presumably, and walks past Mustard on the way back as he is moving plates of food.
>>175071
Kirin looks up at u
>>175070
Basics like flour and sugar, and a few tomato's and what have you.
"Well, I know a little about how to make the traditional dishes, like the pufe and galuski, but also a few equestrian foods like hayburgers." She answers
>>175072
She looks at Mustard and shakes her head in exasperation as she walks by, perhaps to warn him of how rowdy they can be. She is thankful that they are on the other side of the restaurant from her as she resumes her hostess duties.
She looks at Mustard and shakes her head in exasperation as she walks by, perhaps to warn him of how rowdy they can be. She is thankful that they are on the other side of the restaurant from her as she resumes her hostess duties.
>>175073
Amber does have the misfortune of overhearing the following:
Trakr:
"But did you? With her."
Red Scabbard:
"I'm not telling."
Trakr:
"Come on! What does that mean? Yes? No?"
Red Scabbard:
"Don't worry about it."
Trakr:
"She's not actually eighteen, is she?"
Thankfully Amber can't make out any more than that before she returns to her post.
Amber does have the misfortune of overhearing the following:
Trakr:
"But did you? With her."
Red Scabbard:
"I'm not telling."
Trakr:
"Come on! What does that mean? Yes? No?"
Red Scabbard:
"Don't worry about it."
Trakr:
"She's not actually eighteen, is she?"
Thankfully Amber can't make out any more than that before she returns to her post.
>>175074
Amber could strangle that stallion–if she knew how to do that with hooves, and if he wasn't a detective and under somewhat greater legal protection. She mulls over the unpleasant conversation she is bound to have with Mustard after work, and tries to think of different things to say that wouldn't make him more upset while protecting her own oath of silence. Of all the restaurants in Baltimare, and that playcolt had to stop at this one!
She looks to see how possible it might be to sneak into the kitchen.
Amber could strangle that stallion–if she knew how to do that with hooves, and if he wasn't a detective and under somewhat greater legal protection. She mulls over the unpleasant conversation she is bound to have with Mustard after work, and tries to think of different things to say that wouldn't make him more upset while protecting her own oath of silence. Of all the restaurants in Baltimare, and that playcolt had to stop at this one!
She looks to see how possible it might be to sneak into the kitchen.
>>175075
Amber could learn how to.
Sneaking into the kitchen is not very difficult. The only, or at least main chef is a lone stallion, and he pays less attention to Amber than that zebra did. There aren't that many customers coming in for Amber's absence to be noticed, the waiters regularly come up to the kitchen, and one entrance is near the bathrooms. The only difficulty is that Amber would have to pass near Salt Mixer on either side of the bar.
Amber could learn how to.
Sneaking into the kitchen is not very difficult. The only, or at least main chef is a lone stallion, and he pays less attention to Amber than that zebra did. There aren't that many customers coming in for Amber's absence to be noticed, the waiters regularly come up to the kitchen, and one entrance is near the bathrooms. The only difficulty is that Amber would have to pass near Salt Mixer on either side of the bar.
>>175077
Amber could time it to wait until Salt Mixer is distracted, or perhaps, like Amber is going to the bathroom.
Amber could time it to wait until Salt Mixer is distracted, or perhaps, like Amber is going to the bathroom.
>>175078
She chances it to see if Salt Mixer will be distracted right when Mustard is coming back with the order; otherwise, she will ask to get a drink of water from the kitchen (so as to not interrupt her).
She chances it to see if Salt Mixer will be distracted right when Mustard is coming back with the order; otherwise, she will ask to get a drink of water from the kitchen (so as to not interrupt her).
>>175079
So long as Amber is willing to wait for possibly several trips by Mustard to the kitchen, this is guaranteed to eventually be successful.
So long as Amber is willing to wait for possibly several trips by Mustard to the kitchen, this is guaranteed to eventually be successful.
>>175080
Why rush a good plan? The perfect is the enemy of the good, or so somepony said; she's not sure who. Amber is not a vengeful mare by nature but Red Scabbard has caused enough grief for her.
Why rush a good plan? The perfect is the enemy of the good, or so somepony said; she's not sure who. Amber is not a vengeful mare by nature but Red Scabbard has caused enough grief for her.
>>175072
Kira giggles at pufe and galuski, believing them to be very silly words. At hayburgers, she tilts her head. "Hayburgers? Those don't actually have hay in them, right?"
Kira giggles at pufe and galuski, believing them to be very silly words. At hayburgers, she tilts her head. "Hayburgers? Those don't actually have hay in them, right?"
>>175081
Kek
Roll hide for any specific approach. Or bluff if she wishes to be pretending to get water, helping in bussing or what have you.
>>175084
It may
>>175082
squeaky
kylan is hugged
The soft fur and general feel of the kylan is a bit blunted by the separation of the clothing. Her tail moves side to side, and Silver can hear - he can feel - her purr.
>>175083
"Well, yes. Sometimes it's alfalfa, or some other fiber."
Kek
Roll hide for any specific approach. Or bluff if she wishes to be pretending to get water, helping in bussing or what have you.
>>175084
It may
>>175082
squeaky
kylan is hugged
The soft fur and general feel of the kylan is a bit blunted by the separation of the clothing. Her tail moves side to side, and Silver can hear - he can feel - her purr.
>>175083
"Well, yes. Sometimes it's alfalfa, or some other fiber."
>>175085
D'awwwwwww. Silver might not know why Khoi has decided to be so affectionate, but he's gonna take advantage of the situation. He gives her a friendly squeeze, and even tries stroking her back scales like petting a cat.
D'awwwwwww. Silver might not know why Khoi has decided to be so affectionate, but he's gonna take advantage of the situation. He gives her a friendly squeeze, and even tries stroking her back scales like petting a cat.
>>175088
Somehow, it seems lewd to do so, but Silver does just that to get full hoof-to-scale contact petting action.
Somehow, it seems lewd to do so, but Silver does just that to get full hoof-to-scale contact petting action.
>>175089
purr
Silver undresses the kylan, and can feel those smooth scales that move in as he pets, and reflect light slightly differently as they move with the movement of his hoof. Silver may also have access now to her chest floof, and possibly even her belly.
purr
Silver undresses the kylan, and can feel those smooth scales that move in as he pets, and reflect light slightly differently as they move with the movement of his hoof. Silver may also have access now to her chest floof, and possibly even her belly.
>>175088
"But it's not like rice or wheat where you eat the grains from the plant, it's just like eating like, well, a grazer!"
"But it's not like rice or wheat where you eat the grains from the plant, it's just like eating like, well, a grazer!"
>>175090
Silver uses his other hoof to play with her chest floof, no doubt the softest part of her body. It's so unlike his own floofy body, as hers is almost like an extension of her mane.
Silver uses his other hoof to play with her chest floof, no doubt the softest part of her body. It's so unlike his own floofy body, as hers is almost like an extension of her mane.
>>175093
Silver continues to play with his kirin, one forehoof stroking her back scales as the other plays around with her chet floof, twirling it and fluffing it and overall just taking the moment to examine it and appreciate this very unique opportunity.
Silver continues to play with his kirin, one forehoof stroking her back scales as the other plays around with her chet floof, twirling it and fluffing it and overall just taking the moment to examine it and appreciate this very unique opportunity.
>>175093
Kira scrunches, and her tongue flicks out. "I dunno, it just seems weird to eat hay and stuff. Like it's something an animal would do." She looks around her at the store. "Especially when you have such a wide variety of options available for food."
Kira scrunches, and her tongue flicks out. "I dunno, it just seems weird to eat hay and stuff. Like it's something an animal would do." She looks around her at the store. "Especially when you have such a wide variety of options available for food."
[dead horse noises]
>>175085
She hugs the wall to minimize her visibility as she approaches the kitchen, hopefully while Salt Mixer is not looking.
[1d20+2 = (11+2) = 13]
She hugs the wall to minimize her visibility as she approaches the kitchen, hopefully while Salt Mixer is not looking.
[1d20+2 = (11+2) = 13]
>>175000
Does this include the cheese in the fridge, and if so, how?
(not so secretly wanting villain, with option to redeem as antihero. Some loki shit, but different specifics)
Does this include the cheese in the fridge, and if so, how?
(not so secretly wanting villain, with option to redeem as antihero. Some loki shit, but different specifics)
>>175098
Maybe
For a bit more clarity, the specific quest in mind is one with the following premise: the New Mareland Navy is contracting mercenaries to try to rescue the crew of a an airship that crashed while following a Stalliongrad Freighter in the rocky sea up north, on a deserted island that is disputed territory between three nations. I feel like you have something a bit different in mind. Feel free to share here or in the comments
>>175096
The last post for Posey was the first part of >>174963 →
>>175094
purr
The floof is long, and directed away from her body. She almost feels like a fluffy pillow, and she puffs it out like she's proud of it, or likes it being fondled.
>>175095
I don't think I've included it before, but paprika is among the spices available, and Neela picked some up independently of Kira.
Neela's ears go down, then back up, and she places all four legs firmly down.
"Normal creatures eat clover, rye, alfalfa, lettuce and so on. I mean, sure, griffins don't but... Most creatures do. We do. It's nice and fibrous. Not everything has to be baked and boiled."
Maybe
For a bit more clarity, the specific quest in mind is one with the following premise: the New Mareland Navy is contracting mercenaries to try to rescue the crew of a an airship that crashed while following a Stalliongrad Freighter in the rocky sea up north, on a deserted island that is disputed territory between three nations. I feel like you have something a bit different in mind. Feel free to share here or in the comments
>>175096
The last post for Posey was the first part of >>174963 →
>>175094
purr
The floof is long, and directed away from her body. She almost feels like a fluffy pillow, and she puffs it out like she's proud of it, or likes it being fondled.
>>175095
I don't think I've included it before, but paprika is among the spices available, and Neela picked some up independently of Kira.
Neela's ears go down, then back up, and she places all four legs firmly down.
"Normal creatures eat clover, rye, alfalfa, lettuce and so on. I mean, sure, griffins don't but... Most creatures do. We do. It's nice and fibrous. Not everything has to be baked and boiled."
>>175100
If you need to keep it secret... maybe. Or just message me on discord
>>175097
Makes me think of https://youtu.be/YccozjEe9f4
Amber is successful, as Salt Mixer turns back to make a drink. It helps that Amber is almost the same color scheme as Mustard Trim, and not very far from Cream Pop, and therefore could be confused for them if only viewed from the periphery
If you need to keep it secret... maybe. Or just message me on discord
>>175097
Makes me think of https://youtu.be/YccozjEe9f4
Amber is successful, as Salt Mixer turns back to make a drink. It helps that Amber is almost the same color scheme as Mustard Trim, and not very far from Cream Pop, and therefore could be confused for them if only viewed from the periphery
>>175103
Then Posey begins interrogating her as soon as she in in condition to answer questions.
She prepares for this my attending to her mane and making sure her only black cape is well cleaned. She sharpens her implements and polishes her jewelry as she prepares to question the dog.
She enters Sasha's chambers, failing to resist the urge to habitually knock before she quickly invites herself in, walking inside with a flutter of her cape, her golden eyes glowing with their sharp predatory aura, as her entropic aura tangibly sucks the energy out of the room with an ominous chill.
"And so we meet again, bitch." She says
Behind her, the Dreads, animated from the severed arms of the diamond dogs, guard the exit behind her, brandishing her magic sword and polearms.
"It appears that you've survived your stay so far. I'll have to extend my thanks to Baka."
Then Posey begins interrogating her as soon as she in in condition to answer questions.
She prepares for this my attending to her mane and making sure her only black cape is well cleaned. She sharpens her implements and polishes her jewelry as she prepares to question the dog.
She enters Sasha's chambers, failing to resist the urge to habitually knock before she quickly invites herself in, walking inside with a flutter of her cape, her golden eyes glowing with their sharp predatory aura, as her entropic aura tangibly sucks the energy out of the room with an ominous chill.
"And so we meet again, bitch." She says
Behind her, the Dreads, animated from the severed arms of the diamond dogs, guard the exit behind her, brandishing her magic sword and polearms.
"It appears that you've survived your stay so far. I'll have to extend my thanks to Baka."
>>175105
>>175104
The bitch is propped up against the wall, sitting upright with the wall behind her. She looks better than before, not having visible sweating. However, her breathes are still hard and fast. This may be the result of illness, but it could be fear. She looks at Posey with somewhat angry eyes and does not speak in reply.
>>175104
The bitch is propped up against the wall, sitting upright with the wall behind her. She looks better than before, not having visible sweating. However, her breathes are still hard and fast. This may be the result of illness, but it could be fear. She looks at Posey with somewhat angry eyes and does not speak in reply.
>>175106
>sweating
Do Diamond dogs normally sweat?
>She looks at Posey with somewhat angry eyes and
As soon as eye contact is made, Posey attempts to charm her with her gaze.
DC 19 Will
"I'll spare the nonsense with you, Sasha. I would like you to know that you are fortunate more fortunate than you may feel for the fact that you are breathing right now. Despite that, you and I find ourselves at an impass. You've witnessed a number of things that few would live to tell the tale of: you've seen my forces in battle, you've witnessed my magic, and you've even found yourself sitting here in my hideout. Protocols from my superiors say that I should eliminate you, but I am deciding to give you a chance to vouch for your own life, and see if your luck takes you any further." Posey says
"So, let's get to know each other. Who are you, exactly?"
>sweating
Do Diamond dogs normally sweat?
>She looks at Posey with somewhat angry eyes and
As soon as eye contact is made, Posey attempts to charm her with her gaze.
DC 19 Will
"I'll spare the nonsense with you, Sasha. I would like you to know that you are fortunate more fortunate than you may feel for the fact that you are breathing right now. Despite that, you and I find ourselves at an impass. You've witnessed a number of things that few would live to tell the tale of: you've seen my forces in battle, you've witnessed my magic, and you've even found yourself sitting here in my hideout. Protocols from my superiors say that I should eliminate you, but I am deciding to give you a chance to vouch for your own life, and see if your luck takes you any further." Posey says
"So, let's get to know each other. Who are you, exactly?"
>>175102
She slips through the knobless kitchen door without much incident and attempts to stay out of eyeshot of the cook(s) without making it obvious she's hiding. She also takes stock of the area. Are there any waiters in the room? Is there any way to see what orders have been placed (presumably she has a decent understanding by now of how tables are numbered)? And, where are the spices kept?
She slips through the knobless kitchen door without much incident and attempts to stay out of eyeshot of the cook(s) without making it obvious she's hiding. She also takes stock of the area. Are there any waiters in the room? Is there any way to see what orders have been placed (presumably she has a decent understanding by now of how tables are numbered)? And, where are the spices kept?
>>175108
>Do they normally sweat?
shrugs
The point is that she is shivering, panting, or otherwise displaying signs of a fever or elevated body temperature.
"I have told you. I am Sasha." After a few seconds, "Who the fuck are you?"
>Do they normally sweat?
shrugs
The point is that she is shivering, panting, or otherwise displaying signs of a fever or elevated body temperature.
"I have told you. I am Sasha." After a few seconds, "Who the fuck are you?"
>>175110
>I have told you. I am Sasha.
Posey elaborates
"Is Sasha your full name? What is your occupation? Where are you from? Why were you being held captive by members of your kind? What were you worth to them?"
>"Who the fuck are you?"
Hmmm, not sure if charmed
"I am Rosey Ring, a sorceress, something that someponies might call a black magician. I was traveling through the big on an important mission, and those... other dogs got in my way."
>I have told you. I am Sasha.
Posey elaborates
"Is Sasha your full name? What is your occupation? Where are you from? Why were you being held captive by members of your kind? What were you worth to them?"
>"Who the fuck are you?"
Hmmm, not sure if charmed
"I am Rosey Ring, a sorceress, something that someponies might call a black magician. I was traveling through the big on an important mission, and those... other dogs got in my way."
>>175111
Wait, why did I just tell the prisoner my real name? I didn't need to do that... I guess that's Posey's vanity speaking.
I guess she could always just kill her.
Wait, why did I just tell the prisoner my real name? I didn't need to do that... I guess that's Posey's vanity speaking.
I guess she could always just kill her.
>>175109
There are no waiters at the moment. There is a little counter near the door where orders are placed and food waits for pick up. Orders are placed by means of paper notes. There are two ponies in the room. One is the marmalade-colored unicorn that Amber could guess is probably the head chef. He is tending to a pan on the stove. The other is a sand colored earth pony colt on the other side of the rectangular room opening a pantry and taking out a bag of potatoes. Amber hasn't seen him before, and it isn't clear if he's been here on the previous days or if he is filling the same role as the zebra colt, who is not here. Both ponies are distracted... for the moment. Amber is at the entrance, and again, could easily be mistaken for Mustard Trim or Cream Pop if you didn't bother to look directly at her. Amber can tell what orders are placed, and yes, she has enough familiarity with the table numbering system that she can more or less visualize where specific orders came from. Mostly.
The spices are presumably kept on one of the high shelves. It appears they are most likely above a shelf opposite where the marmalade unicorn is working. There is an island in the center of the kitchen. Technically two, as there is an open space in the middle.
>>175111
"Sasha Bearing. I was a stacker at a plantation before I joined Rudy and Marlow. I was not 'captive'. They were helping me. I was lover to Rudy and friend to Marlow. And they were not in any bitches way. Not the damned unions, not the fascists, and not any 'magician'."
>>175112
There's a clip from Archer that's perfect for this, but I can't find it on youtube.
But I completely believe that Posey gives up her real name easily.
There are no waiters at the moment. There is a little counter near the door where orders are placed and food waits for pick up. Orders are placed by means of paper notes. There are two ponies in the room. One is the marmalade-colored unicorn that Amber could guess is probably the head chef. He is tending to a pan on the stove. The other is a sand colored earth pony colt on the other side of the rectangular room opening a pantry and taking out a bag of potatoes. Amber hasn't seen him before, and it isn't clear if he's been here on the previous days or if he is filling the same role as the zebra colt, who is not here. Both ponies are distracted... for the moment. Amber is at the entrance, and again, could easily be mistaken for Mustard Trim or Cream Pop if you didn't bother to look directly at her. Amber can tell what orders are placed, and yes, she has enough familiarity with the table numbering system that she can more or less visualize where specific orders came from. Mostly.
The spices are presumably kept on one of the high shelves. It appears they are most likely above a shelf opposite where the marmalade unicorn is working. There is an island in the center of the kitchen. Technically two, as there is an open space in the middle.
>>175111
"Sasha Bearing. I was a stacker at a plantation before I joined Rudy and Marlow. I was not 'captive'. They were helping me. I was lover to Rudy and friend to Marlow. And they were not in any bitches way. Not the damned unions, not the fascists, and not any 'magician'."
>>175112
There's a clip from Archer that's perfect for this, but I can't find it on youtube.
But I completely believe that Posey gives up her real name easily.
>>175113
If Amber was a little less focused on what she was doing, she would take note of how many ponies working at the restaurant are varying shades of orange and yellow.
Getting to the spices is a tough task. She is not a unicorn, and her short stature means she needs something like a stepping stool. Standing on one of the islands, besides being unsanitary, would be quite noticeable, and simply asking the chef would arouse suspicion. A small stool should be easy to find though, right?
If Amber was a little less focused on what she was doing, she would take note of how many ponies working at the restaurant are varying shades of orange and yellow.
Getting to the spices is a tough task. She is not a unicorn, and her short stature means she needs something like a stepping stool. Standing on one of the islands, besides being unsanitary, would be quite noticeable, and simply asking the chef would arouse suspicion. A small stool should be easy to find though, right?
>>175113
>I was not 'captive'.
"Oh." Posey says, turning her head to glare at the ghoul behind the corner, seemingly infuriated at being caught off guard by this information.
And here I thought I had a captive princess or noblewoman I could use for political bargaining or favors. Darn...
>And they were not in any bitches way. Not the damned unions, not the fascists, and not any 'magician'."
Wait, am I ... THE BAD GUY?! Oh no.
Posey pauses for a moment. She seems mostly uncomfortable that she mistook an ally of her enemy for a captive.
"Well, Sasha, I think I've heard all I need to hear from you for now. I'll return to tell you your fate in due time." she says, turning to leave
"Oh, and don't bother trying to escape. The hex I put on you won't let you get far without me knowing. For now, just rest, and try keep yourself in good condition." She says, coldly
"Don't let her leave the room." She says to the Dreads, the animate severed arms hovering in mid-air like sentinels by the door
As Posey leaves the room, she trots down the halls and shakes her head in disappointment.
"What a waste of time. I guess I do still owe the Kaftars a favor though... Yes, she'll do nicely... I should tell Baka about it."
>I was not 'captive'.
"Oh." Posey says, turning her head to glare at the ghoul behind the corner, seemingly infuriated at being caught off guard by this information.
And here I thought I had a captive princess or noblewoman I could use for political bargaining or favors. Darn...
>And they were not in any bitches way. Not the damned unions, not the fascists, and not any 'magician'."
Wait, am I ... THE BAD GUY?! Oh no.
Posey pauses for a moment. She seems mostly uncomfortable that she mistook an ally of her enemy for a captive.
"Well, Sasha, I think I've heard all I need to hear from you for now. I'll return to tell you your fate in due time." she says, turning to leave
"Oh, and don't bother trying to escape. The hex I put on you won't let you get far without me knowing. For now, just rest, and try keep yourself in good condition." She says, coldly
"Don't let her leave the room." She says to the Dreads, the animate severed arms hovering in mid-air like sentinels by the door
As Posey leaves the room, she trots down the halls and shakes her head in disappointment.
"What a waste of time. I guess I do still owe the Kaftars a favor though... Yes, she'll do nicely... I should tell Baka about it."
>>175115
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToKcmnrE5oY&pp=ygUSYXJlIHdlIHRoZSBiYWRkaWVz
"Really? That's all you want?" She says
>>175114
checks history
Four ponies. Mustard and Amber are yellow, the chef and Cream Pop are orange, De Sew is black, Salt Mixer is green, Larkhaven is white, Xanadu is either grey with black stripes or black with grey stripes (hard to tell), Melon Mangrove doesn't seem to ever be described, the absentee owner is... absent, and the kitchen help is sand colored, which is either brown or a fifth orange/yellow pony.
>>175114
Roll spot
Please note that at this moment, Amber is not very conspicuous because she looks, to the inattentive, like Mustard Trim coming back to check an order sheet to make sure he didn't screw it up... which is probably not an uncommon occurrence. But if she moves into the kitchen, or if another waiter comes into the entrance, she is likely to be noticed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToKcmnrE5oY&pp=ygUSYXJlIHdlIHRoZSBiYWRkaWVz
"Really? That's all you want?" She says
>>175114
checks history
Four ponies. Mustard and Amber are yellow, the chef and Cream Pop are orange, De Sew is black, Salt Mixer is green, Larkhaven is white, Xanadu is either grey with black stripes or black with grey stripes (hard to tell), Melon Mangrove doesn't seem to ever be described, the absentee owner is... absent, and the kitchen help is sand colored, which is either brown or a fifth orange/yellow pony.
>>175114
Roll spot
Please note that at this moment, Amber is not very conspicuous because she looks, to the inattentive, like Mustard Trim coming back to check an order sheet to make sure he didn't screw it up... which is probably not an uncommon occurrence. But if she moves into the kitchen, or if another waiter comes into the entrance, she is likely to be noticed.
>>175116
>That's all you want?
"Do you have anything left to say? I'm a very busy mare, you know; my patience is in short supply." Posey replies
>That's all you want?
"Do you have anything left to say? I'm a very busy mare, you know; my patience is in short supply." Posey replies
>>175117
>>175118
>my rolls
https://youtu.be/IPFiKEm-oNI
Okay, well is there a basket or something instead that could be used?
>>175118
>my rolls
https://youtu.be/IPFiKEm-oNI
Okay, well is there a basket or something instead that could be used?
Rolling Intimidate to very subtly imply "this is the last call to convince me not to kill you" as Posey leaves the room.
[1d20+15 = (2+15) = 17]
[1d20+15 = (2+15) = 17]
>>175121
She'll grab it and nonchalantly place it down before standing up on her hind legs to get to the shelf. Her heart is pounding in her ears, since if she messes up badly this could mean the end of her job.
She'll grab it and nonchalantly place it down before standing up on her hind legs to get to the shelf. Her heart is pounding in her ears, since if she messes up badly this could mean the end of her job.
>>175123
"Nothing I want to tell you. But I'll give you one little tip. Be mindful of the Swamp Fever. It will kill you far more slowly, and far more surely than any foe. And indeed it has killed more than all foes... there were more than three of us when we started..."
>>175124
And crumple
It collapses, evidently made of plastic.
"Nothing I want to tell you. But I'll give you one little tip. Be mindful of the Swamp Fever. It will kill you far more slowly, and far more surely than any foe. And indeed it has killed more than all foes... there were more than three of us when we started..."
>>175124
And crumple
It collapses, evidently made of plastic.
>>175125
Alas, better plastic won't be around for another decade or so. She descends to all fours, grinning with an embarrassed look about her at the chef, who surely has turned around.
Alas, better plastic won't be around for another decade or so. She descends to all fours, grinning with an embarrassed look about her at the chef, who surely has turned around.
Now that the interrogation with Sasha is over, I think I would like to move forward with Posey's original plan before starting downtime. Posey will later need to arrange to meet with Di Bin Milyaketan and confide her plan to resurrect Agire as a shoosuva through an offering to the Angel.
She also has to mail those haunted objects to their respective addresses, before the ghosts get restless.
But for now, I must slumber, as Posey retreats to snuggle up beside Gloomy.
She also has to mail those haunted objects to their respective addresses, before the ghosts get restless.
But for now, I must slumber, as Posey retreats to snuggle up beside Gloomy.
>>175126
He does indeed turn around.
“What are you doing here?!”
https://youtu.be/Q72SKGvCwAw?si=Bt7_ElgbBOpsGNR0
He does indeed turn around.
“What are you doing here?!”
https://youtu.be/Q72SKGvCwAw?si=Bt7_ElgbBOpsGNR0
>>175128
"Oh, hello, I didn't mean to bother you. I just…um, have a sore throat, and need just one thing for a folk remedy."
"Oh, hello, I didn't mean to bother you. I just…um, have a sore throat, and need just one thing for a folk remedy."
>>175129
He shakes his head
"Folk remedy? Why are you back here for that?" He pauses
"You're that new hostess that's dating Mustard Trim, right?"
He shakes his head
"Folk remedy? Why are you back here for that?" He pauses
"You're that new hostess that's dating Mustard Trim, right?"
>>175130
"Hm? Oh, yes, yes. I'm Amber Sunset. I don't think we've met," she says, glancing up at the shelf.
"Hm? Oh, yes, yes. I'm Amber Sunset. I don't think we've met," she says, glancing up at the shelf.
>>175131
"I'm Price Run..." He looks at her strangely. "What are you doing back here? Trying to get something to make tea? You're not supposed to be back here. You could get your fur in the food, or start a fire."
"I'm Price Run..." He looks at her strangely. "What are you doing back here? Trying to get something to make tea? You're not supposed to be back here. You could get your fur in the food, or start a fire."
>>175132
"Sorry, I was trying to be careful," she says, as she slides the crushed plastic crate away from herself. "I just need something spicy, the spiciest thing we have in the house. That'll help my sore throat."
"Sorry, I was trying to be careful," she says, as she slides the crushed plastic crate away from herself. "I just need something spicy, the spiciest thing we have in the house. That'll help my sore throat."
>>175133
He sighs.
"You shouldn't even be coming to work if you are sick" And after a pause "But I get it. Let me get some of our hotter chili pepper..." He moves to a cabinet and opens it, then finds a can, which he dispenses a little of a red powder into a paper cup. "But it's very hot, and I'm sure you'll need water."
He sighs.
"You shouldn't even be coming to work if you are sick" And after a pause "But I get it. Let me get some of our hotter chili pepper..." He moves to a cabinet and opens it, then finds a can, which he dispenses a little of a red powder into a paper cup. "But it's very hot, and I'm sure you'll need water."
>>175134
"Please, sir, may I have some more?" she pleads. "I want to make sure I don't get sick after all. Can't take half-measures."
"Please, sir, may I have some more?" she pleads. "I want to make sure I don't get sick after all. Can't take half-measures."
>>175135
"Really? This will burn your asshole on the way out." He stares at her. "Just... whatever." He doubles the amount of chili powder.
"Really? This will burn your asshole on the way out." He stares at her. "Just... whatever." He doubles the amount of chili powder.
>>175136
"Thanks. Speakin' of burning, look out for the food!" she exclaims, pointing behind him. Hopefully this buys her time to check the tickets and find the table she's looking for.
"Thanks. Speakin' of burning, look out for the food!" she exclaims, pointing behind him. Hopefully this buys her time to check the tickets and find the table she's looking for.
>>175137
"Oh, shit!"
He immediately turns around and goes to the frying pan, and is completely consumed by that. The other pony likewise pays attention to that, pausing the cutting of cabbages to see the status of the frying pan and the stove.
But, though Amber has free reign to look at the orders, she has a problem. While she sees an order for a table outside, it doesn't seem to be for Red Scabbard's table.
"Oh, shit!"
He immediately turns around and goes to the frying pan, and is completely consumed by that. The other pony likewise pays attention to that, pausing the cutting of cabbages to see the status of the frying pan and the stove.
But, though Amber has free reign to look at the orders, she has a problem. While she sees an order for a table outside, it doesn't seem to be for Red Scabbard's table.
>>175140
Amber hasn't exactly memorized the outside table layout, as it varies day by day, but it seems much too far to the left (or the right, going out the door) to be the table Amber seated them at.
Amber hasn't exactly memorized the outside table layout, as it varies day by day, but it seems much too far to the left (or the right, going out the door) to be the table Amber seated them at.
>>175141
If only she'd been there a few more days! Then there wouldn't be such uncertainty. Best not to take any chances, since customers can take their time to order. She takes her cup and goes back to her hostess stand, keeping an eye out for Mustard.
If only she'd been there a few more days! Then there wouldn't be such uncertainty. Best not to take any chances, since customers can take their time to order. She takes her cup and goes back to her hostess stand, keeping an eye out for Mustard.
>>175142
This is harder than it seems, because the bar blocks the view for much of the path from the door to the kitchen. Amber could roll die to keep an eye on Mustard, or check in some other way...
This is harder than it seems, because the bar blocks the view for much of the path from the door to the kitchen. Amber could roll die to keep an eye on Mustard, or check in some other way...
>>175143
With the rolls I've been getting, I think I'll call it tonight and try to think of something tomorrow.
With the rolls I've been getting, I think I'll call it tonight and try to think of something tomorrow.
>>175099
Kira tilts her head, as she follows along Neela's shopping.
"Normal? I mean...I guess it's more normal here. I don't know how many creatures there are like me over here. I'm sorry if I was rude, I just don't think hay, clover, or others like that are really in the average lamia's diet."
Kira tilts her head, as she follows along Neela's shopping.
"Normal? I mean...I guess it's more normal here. I don't know how many creatures there are like me over here. I'm sorry if I was rude, I just don't think hay, clover, or others like that are really in the average lamia's diet."
>>175099
And indeed she should be proud of it! Silver admittedly doesn't have much experience with kirins, but something tells him she has some very prestigious floof. Silver fluffs it to its peak floofiness, making it stand very proud and prominent from her body.
And indeed she should be proud of it! Silver admittedly doesn't have much experience with kirins, but something tells him she has some very prestigious floof. Silver fluffs it to its peak floofiness, making it stand very proud and prominent from her body.
>>175145
Neela moves forward and presumably past Kira, looking back at her with her eyes and head turned slightly back, before facing forward and moving towards the exit with the basket on her back.
With a tone of sarcasm, she says,
“Really? And here I thought you only ate plants.”
>>175146
Her eyes go wide, surprised by the floofening. But there is no stopping it.
Neela moves forward and presumably past Kira, looking back at her with her eyes and head turned slightly back, before facing forward and moving towards the exit with the basket on her back.
With a tone of sarcasm, she says,
“Really? And here I thought you only ate plants.”
>>175146
Her eyes go wide, surprised by the floofening. But there is no stopping it.
>>175147
That gets Kira to giggle a bit before she replies. "Yeah, yeah. Alright, let's buy our stuff."
That gets Kira to giggle a bit before she replies. "Yeah, yeah. Alright, let's buy our stuff."
>>175147
No stopping it indeed, and by the time he's done her chest floof rivals his own floof. She might find that it will make her shirt look a bit odd when it's properly worn again.
No stopping it indeed, and by the time he's done her chest floof rivals his own floof. She might find that it will make her shirt look a bit odd when it's properly worn again.
Is the main quest with everypony in it actually going to happen soon, or should Posey go ahead and start working on her plan to reanimate the kaftar priest?
>>175150
Mission success! Silver puts her shirt back on her, where her now even more prestigious floof can be seen distinctly through the silhouette of the shirt.
Mission success! Silver puts her shirt back on her, where her now even more prestigious floof can be seen distinctly through the silhouette of the shirt.
>>175156
"Surely there's still someone here. Even then, maybe we can at least leave the money for the food up here?"
"Surely there's still someone here. Even then, maybe we can at least leave the money for the food up here?"
>>175159
Kira drops her pony body closer to the ground, partially hiding her snake body. She looks at Neela with big eyes, flops her ears, and flicks her tongue as she says, "Pleaaaassssssssssssssssssssssssssssse?"
Kira drops her pony body closer to the ground, partially hiding her snake body. She looks at Neela with big eyes, flops her ears, and flicks her tongue as she says, "Pleaaaassssssssssssssssssssssssssssse?"
>>175161
Neela sighs, turns her left ear up but keeps her right ear down, and turns her head to the right, breaking eye contact with the snake pony, and moving her forelegs back.
“Fine. It’s your money, anyways.”
>>175160
Khoi is clearly snoring much more than before, and might even think she’s communicating something. But she remains difficult to read.
Neela sighs, turns her left ear up but keeps her right ear down, and turns her head to the right, breaking eye contact with the snake pony, and moving her forelegs back.
“Fine. It’s your money, anyways.”
>>175160
Khoi is clearly snoring much more than before, and might even think she’s communicating something. But she remains difficult to read.
>>175162
Kira lifts her pony half back into the air, smiling and clapping her hooves together excitedly. She calls out across the store.
"Helloooooooooo? We're ready to buy our food now!"
Kira lifts her pony half back into the air, smiling and clapping her hooves together excitedly. She calls out across the store.
"Helloooooooooo? We're ready to buy our food now!"
>>175166
Silver decides to experiment first by smooching the kirin on the cheek to judge her reaction.
Silver decides to experiment first by smooching the kirin on the cheek to judge her reaction.
>>175169
Hmm, strange. Kira calls back to this mystery mare.
"What's gone? Please ma'am, I'd really like to buy my groceries."
Hmm, strange. Kira calls back to this mystery mare.
"What's gone? Please ma'am, I'd really like to buy my groceries."
>>175166
Well, Posey did say I'm her applications to the securities school that she specialized in corpse-retrieval and dealing with supernatural events in a battlefield setting. She would have been looking for jobs related to that, especially lucrative jobs that could fund her army.
Does the military normally requisition Warmagi or arcane experts from the securities department of the university?
Well, Posey did say I'm her applications to the securities school that she specialized in corpse-retrieval and dealing with supernatural events in a battlefield setting. She would have been looking for jobs related to that, especially lucrative jobs that could fund her army.
Does the military normally requisition Warmagi or arcane experts from the securities department of the university?
>>175171
The Kirin does not reply. She is clearly needy. She stares up at Silver, demanding something.
>>175170
The top of the head of a small, orange mare with a pink mane and green eyes peaks over the edge of the counter.
“The monster.”
>>175172
From what Posey can gather, the attitude towards the military at the university is rather… antagonistic. While the military will advertise recruitment and especially informant work, they don’t go there.
The Kirin does not reply. She is clearly needy. She stares up at Silver, demanding something.
>>175170
The top of the head of a small, orange mare with a pink mane and green eyes peaks over the edge of the counter.
“The monster.”
>>175172
From what Posey can gather, the attitude towards the military at the university is rather… antagonistic. While the military will advertise recruitment and especially informant work, they don’t go there.
>>175173
Hide: "Uh..." Kira attempts to hide her snake tail out of sight of the mare so only her pony half is visible. "...monster? I haven't seen any monster around."
[1d20+13 = (17+13) = 30]
Hide: "Uh..." Kira attempts to hide her snake tail out of sight of the mare so only her pony half is visible. "...monster? I haven't seen any monster around."
[1d20+13 = (17+13) = 30]
>>175173
Posey well, Posey's job is in part to investigate the military, especially how they're able to recruit mages, so she would be interested in the advertising. She checks fliers if there are any while she's at work or shopping in town.
I guess this could be a Gather Information check.
[1d20+6 = (17+6) = 23]
Posey well, Posey's job is in part to investigate the military, especially how they're able to recruit mages, so she would be interested in the advertising. She checks fliers if there are any while she's at work or shopping in town.
I guess this could be a Gather Information check.
[1d20+6 = (17+6) = 23]
>>175176
Hmm...she wants more affection, but she doesn't want kisses...Silver pets the kirin between her ears.
Hmm...she wants more affection, but she doesn't want kisses...Silver pets the kirin between her ears.
>>175177
Posey is able to get a decent amount of information. The military takes volunteers for several different kinds of formations and jobs. Historically volunteers have little to no control if they remain in Equestria or are deployed overseas, but there is more choice now. Customs likewise will hire volunteers, for career and even for one offs. Posey has learned that some important raids, like the recent one that took out Day Low Rain’s sister, were hired mercenaries.
>>175178
Khoi’s ears go to the side and she looks forward, moving her tail around her body, and semi-scrunching.
>>175175
The mare looks over at Kira.
“Yeah. It had a snake tail. I think it might have been a cockatrice, but I can’t tell.”
Posey is able to get a decent amount of information. The military takes volunteers for several different kinds of formations and jobs. Historically volunteers have little to no control if they remain in Equestria or are deployed overseas, but there is more choice now. Customs likewise will hire volunteers, for career and even for one offs. Posey has learned that some important raids, like the recent one that took out Day Low Rain’s sister, were hired mercenaries.
>>175178
Khoi’s ears go to the side and she looks forward, moving her tail around her body, and semi-scrunching.
>>175175
The mare looks over at Kira.
“Yeah. It had a snake tail. I think it might have been a cockatrice, but I can’t tell.”
>>175183
What Silver knows for sure is that he's very close to getting it... he's just barely off the mark
Khoi looks frustrated, but also a bit sad, looking back into Silver's eyes longingly.
>>175182
"Dangerous monsters with the body of a chicken and the tail of a snake, and wings. They will turn you to stone if you look into their eyes!" The mare says, shaking
What Silver knows for sure is that he's very close to getting it... he's just barely off the mark
Khoi looks frustrated, but also a bit sad, looking back into Silver's eyes longingly.
>>175182
"Dangerous monsters with the body of a chicken and the tail of a snake, and wings. They will turn you to stone if you look into their eyes!" The mare says, shaking
>>175179
>Customs likewise will hire volunteers, for career and even for one offs. Posey has learned that some important raids, like the recent one that took out Day Low Rain’s sister, were hired mercenaries.
Posey is definitely interested in this. She investigates further, looking for leads of potential targets of such raids. She considers participating herself, looking for a job with an appropriate price for a warmagus of her power level.
>Customs likewise will hire volunteers, for career and even for one offs. Posey has learned that some important raids, like the recent one that took out Day Low Rain’s sister, were hired mercenaries.
Posey is definitely interested in this. She investigates further, looking for leads of potential targets of such raids. She considers participating herself, looking for a job with an appropriate price for a warmagus of her power level.
>>175187
"Uh.... maybe?" Pause, "Are there more reptilian monsters out there? Look out!"
>>175188
Posey is aware of a few targets. The military, and especially the secret police associates of the military - "The Blackhooves" - have made several raids and arrests over the past week or so, targeting alleged arms traffickers and communist conspirators. What might be more interesting for Posey, however, is the actions of "R&M," The Revenue and Migration Service, better known simply as "Customs." Customs has raided a number of apartments and houses looking for creatures, especially non-ponies, tangentially related to the non-celestialist worshipers at Hoebuck.
>>175189
Silver may regret this. As soon as Silver does this, Khoi moves her head even closer to his, forcing their lips together, sticks her tongue into his mouth, and tries to wrap a leg around his neck.
"Uh.... maybe?" Pause, "Are there more reptilian monsters out there? Look out!"
>>175188
Posey is aware of a few targets. The military, and especially the secret police associates of the military - "The Blackhooves" - have made several raids and arrests over the past week or so, targeting alleged arms traffickers and communist conspirators. What might be more interesting for Posey, however, is the actions of "R&M," The Revenue and Migration Service, better known simply as "Customs." Customs has raided a number of apartments and houses looking for creatures, especially non-ponies, tangentially related to the non-celestialist worshipers at Hoebuck.
>>175189
Silver may regret this. As soon as Silver does this, Khoi moves her head even closer to his, forcing their lips together, sticks her tongue into his mouth, and tries to wrap a leg around his neck.
>>175190
"Mmph!"
Silver is initially caught off guard by this: never before has she acted so forward or needy. He does ease into it, kissing back despite any awkwardness of doing so right in front of Jubilosa.
"Mmph!"
Silver is initially caught off guard by this: never before has she acted so forward or needy. He does ease into it, kissing back despite any awkwardness of doing so right in front of Jubilosa.
>>175190
"Oh, no, it's just really similar to a legend from my home. There's no monsters out here, reptilian or otherwise." She folds her ears as she looks at the scared mare. "Can I please purchase my groceries now?"
"Oh, no, it's just really similar to a legend from my home. There's no monsters out here, reptilian or otherwise." She folds her ears as she looks at the scared mare. "Can I please purchase my groceries now?"
>>175191
She moves her thin lips around to connect with Silver's a little more firmly, holding onto him.
She moves her thin lips around to connect with Silver's a little more firmly, holding onto him.
>>175192
"Home?" She seems confused.
"Oh, yeah. What have you got?"
She doesn't seem willing to raise her head very far
"Home?" She seems confused.
"Oh, yeah. What have you got?"
She doesn't seem willing to raise her head very far
>>175190
Posey investigates both parties, looking for whicheverleads her to the main quest pays better, suits her skills, or might have relevant information that she can leak back to the League.
Posey investigates both parties, looking for whichever
>>175193
While Silver is into this, he does wonder if she really has been replaced with a changeling. Or if all of this affection is going to make her late for work.
While Silver is into this, he does wonder if she really has been replaced with a changeling. Or if all of this affection is going to make her late for work.
>>175198
Perhaps. While Silver may not know it, there is very likely an undead mare somewhere in the city who is growing impatient at how long it's taking for the others to arrive.
Perhaps. While Silver may not know it, there is very likely an undead mare somewhere in the city who is growing impatient at how long it's taking for the others to arrive.
>>175198
Kira pays for the items once they're counted and rung up, and asks the mare if she knows where they can get a radio.
Kira pays for the items once they're counted and rung up, and asks the mare if she knows where they can get a radio.
File (): 5BBE3BBDC0776D5EEC5C2652B0369CC8-2272016.png (2.2 MB, 1810x1720, 2665732.png)
>>175204
Well, either we wait for Kira... or if Posey doesn't take that long for her mission at the church... She might be able to do that before starting.
Mostly it'll depend on how active the players are
Well, either we wait for Kira... or if Posey doesn't take that long for her mission at the church... She might be able to do that before starting.
Mostly it'll depend on how active the players are
>>175203
"Thank you!"
Kira pays for the items, then leaves the store with her deer. Whether the mare sees her snake tail as she slithers out the door, she doesn't know. Either way, she looks both ways before crossing the street to go to the electronics store for a radio.
"Thank you!"
Kira pays for the items, then leaves the store with her deer. Whether the mare sees her snake tail as she slithers out the door, she doesn't know. Either way, she looks both ways before crossing the street to go to the electronics store for a radio.
File (): BCF9AC3679E867C4DC6A7ADBB7594F53-687416.png (671.3 KB, 766x672, Shoosuva_3e.png)
>>175205
>if Posey doesn't take that long for her mission at the church...
Okay, GM, this was my plan:
Step 1: find Di Bin Milyaketan (the chief kaftar priest)
Step 2: capitalize on the power vacuum created by the gap in priesthood succession to propose reanimating Agire, and convince Di Bin Milyaketan
Step 3: explain the ritual of sacrifice to offer the Angel a life in exchange for Agire, which involves a sacrifice check of a DC between 35 (greater planar ally) and 40 (limited wish), to summon Agire's spirit back from the grave to inhabit his body as a Shoosuva
Step 4: procure skill boosting magic (150 gp Divine scroll of Guidance Of The Avatar) and tools (masterwork Karas stone knife) to make the necessary check. If possible, employ Di Bin Milyaketan's clerical magic to boost the skill check.
Step 5: perform the ritual in the kaftar temple, sacrificing Sasha
Step 6: The ritual calls Agire and warping his body into that of a Yeenhogu-blooded, Lemurian Shoosuva (would look like a large undead hyena)
Step 7: Agire in this form would only obey us for about one hour. In that time, we have him undergo the rites of succession to become the new Chief Priest, swearing himself to defend the temple forevermore.
Step 8: cannibalistic blood-orgy (this step is optional)
Step 9: check and see if the newly reanimated demonic Agire doesn't go on a rampage to the Kaftar's and surrounding city (if he does... not our problem; cast Hide From Undead and run like heck)
Oh, and if a Shoosuva is too much to deal with, bringing him back as a Gravetouched ghoul (Yeenhoghu also has dominion over ghouls) would be fine too. A friendly ghoul cleric NPC is actually more useful (and probably more appreciated by the kaftar community), I just wanted to create a Shoosuva because reasons.
Shoosuva:
https://www.realmshelps.net/monsters/block/Shoosuva
Gravetouched Ghoul (template):
https://www.realmshelps.net/monsters/templates/gravetouched.shtml
How long this takes depends on how much GM is willing to streamline it. I just spent three months walking through a swamp, but this could be resolved quickly in theory.
>if Posey doesn't take that long for her mission at the church...
Okay, GM, this was my plan:
Step 1: find Di Bin Milyaketan (the chief kaftar priest)
Step 2: capitalize on the power vacuum created by the gap in priesthood succession to propose reanimating Agire, and convince Di Bin Milyaketan
Step 3: explain the ritual of sacrifice to offer the Angel a life in exchange for Agire, which involves a sacrifice check of a DC between 35 (greater planar ally) and 40 (limited wish), to summon Agire's spirit back from the grave to inhabit his body as a Shoosuva
Step 4: procure skill boosting magic (150 gp Divine scroll of Guidance Of The Avatar) and tools (masterwork Karas stone knife) to make the necessary check. If possible, employ Di Bin Milyaketan's clerical magic to boost the skill check.
Step 5: perform the ritual in the kaftar temple, sacrificing Sasha
Step 6: The ritual calls Agire and warping his body into that of a Yeenhogu-blooded, Lemurian Shoosuva (would look like a large undead hyena)
Step 7: Agire in this form would only obey us for about one hour. In that time, we have him undergo the rites of succession to become the new Chief Priest, swearing himself to defend the temple forevermore.
Step 8: cannibalistic blood-orgy (this step is optional)
Step 9: check and see if the newly reanimated demonic Agire doesn't go on a rampage to the Kaftar's and surrounding city (if he does... not our problem; cast Hide From Undead and run like heck)
Oh, and if a Shoosuva is too much to deal with, bringing him back as a Gravetouched ghoul (Yeenhoghu also has dominion over ghouls) would be fine too. A friendly ghoul cleric NPC is actually more useful (and probably more appreciated by the kaftar community), I just wanted to create a Shoosuva because reasons.
Shoosuva:
https://www.realmshelps.net/monsters/block/Shoosuva
Gravetouched Ghoul (template):
https://www.realmshelps.net/monsters/templates/gravetouched.shtml
How long this takes depends on how much GM is willing to streamline it. I just spent three months walking through a swamp, but this could be resolved quickly in theory.
>>175210
I should elaborate that this plan was written for a Shoosuva (gotta stay ambitious), and that creating a Gravetouched ghoul would probably be a lot easier.
I should elaborate that this plan was written for a Shoosuva (gotta stay ambitious), and that creating a Gravetouched ghoul would probably be a lot easier.
>>175203
Well, since for the moment it seems that we've got some time...
After a rather surprisingly intense makeout session, Silver pulls back once Khoi allows him. He looks pretty blown away
"Wow...that was new."
Well, since for the moment it seems that we've got some time...
After a rather surprisingly intense makeout session, Silver pulls back once Khoi allows him. He looks pretty blown away
"Wow...that was new."
>>175209
Poor traumatized mare.
Kira marvels at the electronics abound on the shelves, none of which were available in her tribe. "Wooooooooooow...this. Is. Amazing!"
Poor traumatized mare.
Kira marvels at the electronics abound on the shelves, none of which were available in her tribe. "Wooooooooooow...this. Is. Amazing!"
>>175215
"Wha...animal? No no, I'm a lamia. And a paying customer, too."
She does marvel at the pegasus' wings as they're open, causing her to grow a bit distracted.
"Wha...animal? No no, I'm a lamia. And a paying customer, too."
She does marvel at the pegasus' wings as they're open, causing her to grow a bit distracted.
>>175215
Silver chuckles and smiles back at her.
"Definitely quite change from how you normally act. I did not know you had it in you to be so formal."
Silver chuckles and smiles back at her.
"Definitely quite change from how you normally act. I did not know you had it in you to be so formal."
>>175218
Kira pouts, flops her ears, and looks at the stallion with big eyes. "Pleeeeeaaaaassssssssssssssssse mister," she flicks her tongue as she says please, "all I want is a radio for my deer friend. I have money to pay for it, and I'm super friendly."
Kira pouts, flops her ears, and looks at the stallion with big eyes. "Pleeeeeaaaaassssssssssssssssse mister," she flicks her tongue as she says please, "all I want is a radio for my deer friend. I have money to pay for it, and I'm super friendly."
>>175223
Silver chuckles a bit. "No, forward as in being direct. Getting straight to point, no messing about."
Silver chuckles a bit. "No, forward as in being direct. Getting straight to point, no messing about."
File (): 45BA9012AB4CB6B70182405E7DD2B71E-5257780.png (5.0 MB, 1800x3600, 6981620.png)
>>175227
Rain starts just before entering the car on the trip into town. the journey is not unknown to Posey, but neither is it wholly familiar, with both familiar landmarks, like the brick factory near the river, and elements that before had gone unnoticed, like the firehouse at the edge of Locust Promontory. It's later at night than the previous visit, and there are far fewer ponies populating the night than before, and what few there are in a zombie-like state, like the soldier, wrapped in a trench coat, who sleepily checks Posey's ID at the first stop. Only a lone truck driver that Posey sees going the other way seems acclimated to the night. What Posey does see, however, is a number of batwinged ponies, whose eyes reflect golden in the dim light, and who most populate the streets so late at night. They form the majority of the military garrison and even the police patrols, and they can be seen in the lit loading bays of factories and warehouses as they wait for trucks to load.
Most of the city is closed, with near every tenement block window unlit and curtains closed, and every schoolhouse dark. Most of the shops are closed, save a few late night cafes and coffee shops whose few patrons form dark silhouttes against a bright background. And yet the city is far from dormant, as the machinery of the city drones on. The whistling of steam, the rotation of lathes, and the idling of diesel engines can be heard long before the edges of distillation towers, or the looming brick facades of manufactories can be seen in the dark, clouded night.
Passing a second checkpoint, Posey sees more creatures on the streets, and these are mostly the kaftar, the crocutta, diamond dogs and a cat-creature Posey isn't sure she's seen before, though even these stay close the sides of buildings so as to best avoid the rain. Posey passes a large armored truck with a machinegun on the top, with soldiers who hide in their trench coats from the rain, but keep watch on the darkness, firmly holding their rifles. But it cannot be the rain alone that causes such furtiveness, as even those inside are more tense than the last time Posey came through.
Mason parks the car. There is something off an issue: it appears there are soldiers by the entrance used the last time to get into the enclave.
Rain starts just before entering the car on the trip into town. the journey is not unknown to Posey, but neither is it wholly familiar, with both familiar landmarks, like the brick factory near the river, and elements that before had gone unnoticed, like the firehouse at the edge of Locust Promontory. It's later at night than the previous visit, and there are far fewer ponies populating the night than before, and what few there are in a zombie-like state, like the soldier, wrapped in a trench coat, who sleepily checks Posey's ID at the first stop. Only a lone truck driver that Posey sees going the other way seems acclimated to the night. What Posey does see, however, is a number of batwinged ponies, whose eyes reflect golden in the dim light, and who most populate the streets so late at night. They form the majority of the military garrison and even the police patrols, and they can be seen in the lit loading bays of factories and warehouses as they wait for trucks to load.
Most of the city is closed, with near every tenement block window unlit and curtains closed, and every schoolhouse dark. Most of the shops are closed, save a few late night cafes and coffee shops whose few patrons form dark silhouttes against a bright background. And yet the city is far from dormant, as the machinery of the city drones on. The whistling of steam, the rotation of lathes, and the idling of diesel engines can be heard long before the edges of distillation towers, or the looming brick facades of manufactories can be seen in the dark, clouded night.
Passing a second checkpoint, Posey sees more creatures on the streets, and these are mostly the kaftar, the crocutta, diamond dogs and a cat-creature Posey isn't sure she's seen before, though even these stay close the sides of buildings so as to best avoid the rain. Posey passes a large armored truck with a machinegun on the top, with soldiers who hide in their trench coats from the rain, but keep watch on the darkness, firmly holding their rifles. But it cannot be the rain alone that causes such furtiveness, as even those inside are more tense than the last time Posey came through.
Mason parks the car. There is something off an issue: it appears there are soldiers by the entrance used the last time to get into the enclave.
>>175228
>There is something off an issue: it appears there are soldiers by the entrance used the last time to get into the enclave.
Posey casually approaches the entryway and wordlessly strolls past the soldiers. If they try to stop her, her first response is to lift her head from beneath her hood and try to charm them with her gaze, in order of closest to furthest.
Bluff check, to appear inconspicuous
[1d20+14 = (13+14) = 27]
>There is something off an issue: it appears there are soldiers by the entrance used the last time to get into the enclave.
Posey casually approaches the entryway and wordlessly strolls past the soldiers. If they try to stop her, her first response is to lift her head from beneath her hood and try to charm them with her gaze, in order of closest to furthest.
Bluff check, to appear inconspicuous
[1d20+14 = (13+14) = 27]
>>175229
They do indeed try to stop her, going so far as to place hooves on her if necessary.
"Sorry ma'am, this establishment has a check point on it. You see it's connected to the underground, so we have to search you and check your passport."
This is a Pegasus stallion of a white color. He smiles at her. The other stallion doesn't make direct eye contact.
They do indeed try to stop her, going so far as to place hooves on her if necessary.
"Sorry ma'am, this establishment has a check point on it. You see it's connected to the underground, so we have to search you and check your passport."
This is a Pegasus stallion of a white color. He smiles at her. The other stallion doesn't make direct eye contact.
>>175230
Posey shows her ID, and the equipment she brought, which only amounts to her spell component pouch and some mundane scribing and research materials (she left her weapons and armor at home; not wanting to malign the Kaftars).
DC 19 Will vs Charm for the Pegasus who made eye contact.
Posey shows her ID, and the equipment she brought, which only amounts to her spell component pouch and some mundane scribing and research materials (she left her weapons and armor at home; not wanting to malign the Kaftars).
DC 19 Will vs Charm for the Pegasus who made eye contact.
>>175231
“I don’t think you’d want to go this way. That’s a very dangerous neighborhood. Especially for a pretty mare like you. You must have the wrong door.” He says to her
“I don’t think you’d want to go this way. That’s a very dangerous neighborhood. Especially for a pretty mare like you. You must have the wrong door.” He says to her
>>175232
"I know where I'm going. We all have to take our chances in these trying times. It's just to speak with the relatives of a recently deceased friend." Posey replies
"I know where I'm going. We all have to take our chances in these trying times. It's just to speak with the relatives of a recently deceased friend." Posey replies
>>175226
Kira "oooo"s as she observes how the feathers on his wings move.
"What if I do this?"
Hide: Kira attempts to hide her snake tail right in plain view of the stallion, to show how she can sort of "disguise" herself by having her tail be not visible.
[1d20+13 = (16+13) = 29]
Kira "oooo"s as she observes how the feathers on his wings move.
"What if I do this?"
Hide: Kira attempts to hide her snake tail right in plain view of the stallion, to show how she can sort of "disguise" herself by having her tail be not visible.
[1d20+13 = (16+13) = 29]
>>175226
This elicits another chuckle from Silver.
"You sure did come out of your shell between breakfast and changing into your work clothes. You did not get replaced by changeling, did you?" The tone of his voice makes it clear this is intended as a joke, but a small part of him does wonder...
This elicits another chuckle from Silver.
"You sure did come out of your shell between breakfast and changing into your work clothes. You did not get replaced by changeling, did you?" The tone of his voice makes it clear this is intended as a joke, but a small part of him does wonder...
>>175234
Posey shows her license
"I am a certified necrologist. It is my duty to investigate and alleviate haunts and supernatural encounters surrending the deceased, which naturally involves operating at night, when such events occur."
She adds
"Besides, the creatures in this neighborhood are largely nocturnal. It would be rude to intrude upon them during the day."
Posey shows her license
"I am a certified necrologist. It is my duty to investigate and alleviate haunts and supernatural encounters surrending the deceased, which naturally involves operating at night, when such events occur."
She adds
"Besides, the creatures in this neighborhood are largely nocturnal. It would be rude to intrude upon them during the day."
>>175236
"I'm an expert hider," she boasts proudly, sticking out her pony chest. "See? I won't scare anypony." She leaves out that she's already inadvertently scared a couple ponies already without trying.
"I'm an expert hider," she boasts proudly, sticking out her pony chest. "See? I won't scare anypony." She leaves out that she's already inadvertently scared a couple ponies already without trying.
>>175239
"Oh..." The stallion seems somehow uncomfortable with this, and is uninquisitive about more details.
"Be very careful, ma'am. These gnolls 'll eat ponies alive."
The stallion steps aside, and out of her way.
>>175240
No, of course not. Changelings are black and chitinous, and she is golden and fluffy. Then again, she doesn't have fur along her back... her horn is kind of crooked... and she's small, like one...
>>175241
The stallion moves back
"Okay just... don't go too far... or stay too long..."
"Oh..." The stallion seems somehow uncomfortable with this, and is uninquisitive about more details.
"Be very careful, ma'am. These gnolls 'll eat ponies alive."
The stallion steps aside, and out of her way.
>>175240
No, of course not. Changelings are black and chitinous, and she is golden and fluffy. Then again, she doesn't have fur along her back... her horn is kind of crooked... and she's small, like one...
>>175241
The stallion moves back
"Okay just... don't go too far... or stay too long..."
>>175242
Kira claps her hooves together happily, before asking the stallion, "Where in the store are your radios?"
Kira claps her hooves together happily, before asking the stallion, "Where in the store are your radios?"
>>175242
Hmmmmmmmmmmm...nah, she's good.
"So, do you need anything else before you head off to work? I want to make sure you are set, but also I do not want to make you late."
Hmmmmmmmmmmm...nah, she's good.
"So, do you need anything else before you head off to work? I want to make sure you are set, but also I do not want to make you late."
>>175248
Yes of course we need to RP it. I'm checking with the notes to make sure the descriptions are consistent
Yes of course we need to RP it. I'm checking with the notes to make sure the descriptions are consistent
>>175250
Posey goes down a tunnel, through a dark, poorly lit tunnel until she comes out of a stairway in a building that directly meets the street. On the street one block over is La Fete. And then just across this is the church. It occupies a small property with a brick wall around it. It is rectangular, with a painted wooden door directly at street level, contrasting against the more normal use of steps. There are windows to either side, narrow and rectangular and fairly low. It has a high angled roof, with a black rooftop, and a painted white wooden steeple. It's an odd shape altogether; clearly intended to be tall, yet oddly stubby and close to the ground. The door is closed, and there is no outward information.
Posey goes down a tunnel, through a dark, poorly lit tunnel until she comes out of a stairway in a building that directly meets the street. On the street one block over is La Fete. And then just across this is the church. It occupies a small property with a brick wall around it. It is rectangular, with a painted wooden door directly at street level, contrasting against the more normal use of steps. There are windows to either side, narrow and rectangular and fairly low. It has a high angled roof, with a black rooftop, and a painted white wooden steeple. It's an odd shape altogether; clearly intended to be tall, yet oddly stubby and close to the ground. The door is closed, and there is no outward information.
>>175251
Posey steals herself, trying not to look to close at the sacred geometry of the church, and knocks on the door.
I gotta sleep though.
Posey steals herself, trying not to look to close at the sacred geometry of the church, and knocks on the door.
I gotta sleep though.
>>175143
Amber changes up her ploy. While there's a lull in new customers, she decides to just ask Salt Mixer if she can use the restroom, and if approved will go into the kitchen the more hidden way. Of course she takes her cup of spice with her.
Amber changes up her ploy. While there's a lull in new customers, she decides to just ask Salt Mixer if she can use the restroom, and if approved will go into the kitchen the more hidden way. Of course she takes her cup of spice with her.
>>175253
She narrows her eyes and shakes her head.
"What? You don't have to ask, just go. And don't take too long."
She narrows her eyes and shakes her head.
"What? You don't have to ask, just go. And don't take too long."
>>175254
"I just didn't want you to wonder where I was. I won't be long." Can she see where Mustard is before she slips into the kitchen?
"I just didn't want you to wonder where I was. I won't be long." Can she see where Mustard is before she slips into the kitchen?
>>175256
Then Amber will wait for him in the kitchen. What could possibly be a better answer than directly from the horse's mouth?
Then Amber will wait for him in the kitchen. What could possibly be a better answer than directly from the horse's mouth?
>>175258
Whatever doubts she could have regarding her coltfriend get drowned out by his chipper energy, which is certainly much more than she has outside her burning dislike of Red Scabbard. "Hi. I just needed to catch a breather."
Whatever doubts she could have regarding her coltfriend get drowned out by his chipper energy, which is certainly much more than she has outside her burning dislike of Red Scabbard. "Hi. I just needed to catch a breather."
>>175259
"Over here?" He says, breathing in and out as if he's exerted himself. "Who is watching the door?"
"Over here?" He says, breathing in and out as if he's exerted himself. "Who is watching the door?"
>>175260
"Salt Mixer is watching it, and she doesn't have a problem if I'm not too long."
She leans against a nearby object, pauses, and looks away as if thinking what to say before turning back to Mustard. "Say, did you see that diamond dog who came in a little while ago? He looked very well dressed fer one o' them, don't you think? Do forgive me, I found it a little funny."
"Salt Mixer is watching it, and she doesn't have a problem if I'm not too long."
She leans against a nearby object, pauses, and looks away as if thinking what to say before turning back to Mustard. "Say, did you see that diamond dog who came in a little while ago? He looked very well dressed fer one o' them, don't you think? Do forgive me, I found it a little funny."
>>175261
He sighs
"That's a police detective, apparently. Really wanted me to know that... Two of 'em, off duty."
He sighs
"That's a police detective, apparently. Really wanted me to know that... Two of 'em, off duty."
>>175262
She blinks as if in surprise. "Could be worse. They could be food inspectors," she then replies with a small smile. "I hope the two of them didn't order too many courses."
She blinks as if in surprise. "Could be worse. They could be food inspectors," she then replies with a small smile. "I hope the two of them didn't order too many courses."
>>175263
"Heh heh..." His smile fades and he doesn't make eye contact.
"No, it's goulash, the dumplings, and the paprikash... And beer... more beer..."
"Heh heh..." His smile fades and he doesn't make eye contact.
"No, it's goulash, the dumplings, and the paprikash... And beer... more beer..."
>>175264
Sense motive: is there more than what Mustard is letting on?
(Unskilled)
[1d20 = 15]
Whatever the case may be, she doesn't address it now but focuses on her totally-not-petty mission. "Diamond dogs like goulash? That's news to me. I thought they liked meatier dishes."
Sense motive: is there more than what Mustard is letting on?
(Unskilled)
[1d20 = 15]
Whatever the case may be, she doesn't address it now but focuses on her totally-not-petty mission. "Diamond dogs like goulash? That's news to me. I thought they liked meatier dishes."
>>175266
Maybe, just maybe they'll be out a little sooner than expected.
"I've never had that before, is it any good?" she asks, starting to get anxious again. "I'm guessin' you're picking it up now?"
Maybe, just maybe they'll be out a little sooner than expected.
"I've never had that before, is it any good?" she asks, starting to get anxious again. "I'm guessin' you're picking it up now?"
>>175269
Amber feels a sudden surge of dread. Is she too early? "Some ponies handle spice better than others," she says, trying to play it cool. "Is it one of those dishes that takes a long time? I ain't the most familiar with the cooking here, or how the food gets prioritized."
Amber feels a sudden surge of dread. Is she too early? "Some ponies handle spice better than others," she says, trying to play it cool. "Is it one of those dishes that takes a long time? I ain't the most familiar with the cooking here, or how the food gets prioritized."
>>175270
"Not really, the order was just placed. As for priority... I haven't figured that out, exactly." He blinks. "Are we limiting seating because of the kitchen?" He looks around at the set of orders. "I don't think it's too much of a backlog?"
"Not really, the order was just placed. As for priority... I haven't figured that out, exactly." He blinks. "Are we limiting seating because of the kitchen?" He looks around at the set of orders. "I don't think it's too much of a backlog?"
>>175271
She is too early, she realizes with a sinking realization. Her eagerness proved to be her downfall. Well, maybe not late. She does some filly maths and comes to the conclusion that going back and leaving later again is less likely to cause trouble than spending over twenty minutes in the "bathroom."
"Actually, how do waiters know if a dish is ready?" she asks.
She is too early, she realizes with a sinking realization. Her eagerness proved to be her downfall. Well, maybe not late. She does some filly maths and comes to the conclusion that going back and leaving later again is less likely to cause trouble than spending over twenty minutes in the "bathroom."
"Actually, how do waiters know if a dish is ready?" she asks.
>>175272
"Ideally there would be a busser here to wait until it's ready and then send it... but really we just have to check in. It helps to combine it with turning over the new orders." He answers
"Ideally there would be a busser here to wait until it's ready and then send it... but really we just have to check in. It helps to combine it with turning over the new orders." He answers
>>175273
"Well, it ain't a busy night, all things considered. Maybe you could show me the dish when it's ready in the kitchen? I don't think it's made too often and I'd like to see what it looks like, since it sounds interestin'." Amber has a soft, easy smile that suggests innocence, provided he is not too suspicious and tests this.
"Well, it ain't a busy night, all things considered. Maybe you could show me the dish when it's ready in the kitchen? I don't think it's made too often and I'd like to see what it looks like, since it sounds interestin'." Amber has a soft, easy smile that suggests innocence, provided he is not too suspicious and tests this.
>>175274
"Yeah, sure but-" He looks at the adorable little filly, who would never lie to or deceive him. "Okay... Should I come to you?"
"Yeah, sure but-" He looks at the adorable little filly, who would never lie to or deceive him. "Okay... Should I come to you?"
>>175275
"You're a waiter and move around a lot. I can't just roam around without Mixer gettin' mad at me," she replies, her ears drooping a little.
"You're a waiter and move around a lot. I can't just roam around without Mixer gettin' mad at me," she replies, her ears drooping a little.
>>175276
"Awwww, but she likes you." He pats her head. "Alright, I'll come to you. Just... I don't want her to see me in the wrong area either, but... I'll come to you." he smiles and pets her head more.
"Awwww, but she likes you." He pats her head. "Alright, I'll come to you. Just... I don't want her to see me in the wrong area either, but... I'll come to you." he smiles and pets her head more.
>>175277
Filly is pet
"Thank you! Now don't let me keep you."
Amber debates leaving the cup of spice in the kitchen. She figures that although the chances are slim, there's a worry it could be tossed since it's unhygienic to leave a cup around (not that she knows if anypony cares.) She takes the cup and leaves by the same door she came in from, heading to her workstation from the direction of the bathroom.
Filly is pet
"Thank you! Now don't let me keep you."
Amber debates leaving the cup of spice in the kitchen. She figures that although the chances are slim, there's a worry it could be tossed since it's unhygienic to leave a cup around (not that she knows if anypony cares.) She takes the cup and leaves by the same door she came in from, heading to her workstation from the direction of the bathroom.
>>175278
"I'll see you Amber!"
Amber does, however, have the disadvantage of being clearly seen by Salt Mixer, who watches her as she trots past.
At the door is an impatient elderly couple.
"I'll see you Amber!"
Amber does, however, have the disadvantage of being clearly seen by Salt Mixer, who watches her as she trots past.
At the door is an impatient elderly couple.
>>175279
Her anxiety has not really subsided since now she has to deal with these customers. "Hello, how can I help you today? Will that be a table for two? Would you prefer to be seated inside or outside?" she asks hurriedly.
Her anxiety has not really subsided since now she has to deal with these customers. "Hello, how can I help you today? Will that be a table for two? Would you prefer to be seated inside or outside?" she asks hurriedly.
>>175280
"Table. Inside. It's too cold outside." The stallion says grumpily, looking over the mare as if consulting with her.
"Table. Inside. It's too cold outside." The stallion says grumpily, looking over the mare as if consulting with her.
>>175281
"Absolutely! We hope you'll like the food here." She leads them to one of Cream Pop's tables. "A waiter will be with you shortly," she says.
"Absolutely! We hope you'll like the food here." She leads them to one of Cream Pop's tables. "A waiter will be with you shortly," she says.
>>175282
May have made more sense to place them in Mustard Trim's portion of the indoor section, but Cream Pop is the most senior of the waitstaff and can handle it. Next up, a family of... five?
May have made more sense to place them in Mustard Trim's portion of the indoor section, but Cream Pop is the most senior of the waitstaff and can handle it. Next up, a family of... five?
>>175283
Good thing Mustard loves serving families with foals. Well, he might not, but it would be good for him to gain experience regarding this anyway since he intends on having foals himself. She asks if they'd prefer being indoors or outdoors. If indoors she gives them one of Mustard's booths.
Good thing Mustard loves serving families with foals. Well, he might not, but it would be good for him to gain experience regarding this anyway since he intends on having foals himself. She asks if they'd prefer being indoors or outdoors. If indoors she gives them one of Mustard's booths.
>>175284
>Amber will use her hostess job to demonstrate to Mustard that he better either learn to pull out or start using condoms
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plzw1NWVYSM
Mustard only has tables, but it works all the same.
>Amber will use her hostess job to demonstrate to Mustard that he better either learn to pull out or start using condoms
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plzw1NWVYSM
Mustard only has tables, but it works all the same.
>>175286
After making sure nopony else is coming, she smiles back at him. "If they'll be ready soon, then sure thing. Don't worry about any of it, the kitchen staff can give us an alibi."
After making sure nopony else is coming, she smiles back at him. "If they'll be ready soon, then sure thing. Don't worry about any of it, the kitchen staff can give us an alibi."
>>175247
Silver would say she succeeds fairly well at that goal.
"Hmm. How much longer until you have to get to work?"
Silver would say she succeeds fairly well at that goal.
"Hmm. How much longer until you have to get to work?"
>>175247
"Thank you!"
Kira slithers past while trying to maintain her current hidden status. She wonders and marvels at all of the advanced technology that she passes by, so much more advanced than anything her tribe had. She wonders to herself how it is anyone could have had the thought to make any of this.
"Thank you!"
Kira slithers past while trying to maintain her current hidden status. She wonders and marvels at all of the advanced technology that she passes by, so much more advanced than anything her tribe had. She wonders to herself how it is anyone could have had the thought to make any of this.
>>175287
He continues smiling, though more awkwardly.
"Alright, I'll go first."
The two little ponies go in tandem, one after the other, to make it look more like they are going back independently of each other, and not to, you know, have sex during restaurant hours. They arrive in the kitchen entrance.
>>175290
She looks down, then back up again.
"Not long..."
>>175291
On either side of a carpet floor are a number of radios and phonographs. Some have stands and sit on the floor. Most are on shelves and are intended to sit on tables. Most are wooden. Some have various forms of plastic frames. Neela takes the lead after giving the pegasus stallion a dirty look.
>>175252
knock knock
No response. At least, not yet. Through the window, Posey can see that at least a candle light is on, though any electric lighting - if it exists at all - is off. From windows and the dim, dark corners of buildings and alleyways, golden eyes stare back.
He continues smiling, though more awkwardly.
"Alright, I'll go first."
The two little ponies go in tandem, one after the other, to make it look more like they are going back independently of each other, and not to, you know, have sex during restaurant hours. They arrive in the kitchen entrance.
>>175290
She looks down, then back up again.
"Not long..."
>>175291
On either side of a carpet floor are a number of radios and phonographs. Some have stands and sit on the floor. Most are on shelves and are intended to sit on tables. Most are wooden. Some have various forms of plastic frames. Neela takes the lead after giving the pegasus stallion a dirty look.
>>175252
knock knock
No response. At least, not yet. Through the window, Posey can see that at least a candle light is on, though any electric lighting - if it exists at all - is off. From windows and the dim, dark corners of buildings and alleyways, golden eyes stare back.
>>175292
"Woooooooooooow...imagine how long it took someone to make these. Especially all of these little numbers in the front!" Kira plays with the dial on one, watching as the needle moves back and forth on the display. Nothing is currently playing as the radio is unpowered, but Kira is still amazed. "Ooooooooooooo!"
"Woooooooooooow...imagine how long it took someone to make these. Especially all of these little numbers in the front!" Kira plays with the dial on one, watching as the needle moves back and forth on the display. Nothing is currently playing as the radio is unpowered, but Kira is still amazed. "Ooooooooooooo!"
>>175292
"Alright, I suppose we better head off then. I will drive you to work. At least you'll be able to show me who was lucky enough to employ you!"
"Alright, I suppose we better head off then. I will drive you to work. At least you'll be able to show me who was lucky enough to employ you!"
>>175298
Posey knocks a third time, making her persistent tenacity clear to anyone ignoring her
"Pardon me for intruding on your sanctuary in these trying times, but it's imperative that I meet with Di Bin Milyaketan, on the matter concerning Agire's passing."
She pauses for a moment
"You've probably heard a story of me from Sevberk by now. I'm a friend of a friend, and I've come to discuss a service in response to his passing."
Posey knocks a third time, making her persistent tenacity clear to anyone ignoring her
"Pardon me for intruding on your sanctuary in these trying times, but it's imperative that I meet with Di Bin Milyaketan, on the matter concerning Agire's passing."
She pauses for a moment
"You've probably heard a story of me from Sevberk by now. I'm a friend of a friend, and I've come to discuss a service in response to his passing."
>>175296
Unless Khoi or any of the others need something, all Silver needs is the car key and then they can be off.
Unless Khoi or any of the others need something, all Silver needs is the car key and then they can be off.
>>175296
Even the clicky knobs are interesting to the lamia. Kira looks over at Neela.
"Neela, look! I'm doing the radios!"
Even the clicky knobs are interesting to the lamia. Kira looks over at Neela.
"Neela, look! I'm doing the radios!"
>>175292
Why, Amber would never. She can't be sure though if that would be more or less acceptable than intentionally making a customer's food inedible. She has her spice with her and waits to see the dish in question.
Why, Amber would never. She can't be sure though if that would be more or less acceptable than intentionally making a customer's food inedible. She has her spice with her and waits to see the dish in question.
>>175299
One of the wooden double doors open, revealing a rather light in color creature that Posey can be fairly sure is probably a Kaftar. It's eyes are dark, if anything, in the light of the nearby streetlight, and it wears a white turban.
"Who are you?" The creature asks in a male, heavily accented voice. Posey can feel that if she looked behind her, she'd likely see one or more other creatures.
>>175300
Just a quick trip upstairs to get the car keys, White Orchid asks "where are you going?" and "can I go?" Mala looks over at Silver and it's a reminder that Silver had an idea to hide the car, and Jubilosa looks just a little bit jealous. Khoi goes out the door, and sits down next to the passenger side car door, evidently waiting for Silver to open it.
>>175301
"Yeah yeah, I see it." Neela says, ears going back as she tries to navigate around the giant snake that's occupying much of the floor. She's also looking at radios but is not turning the knobs.
One of the wooden double doors open, revealing a rather light in color creature that Posey can be fairly sure is probably a Kaftar. It's eyes are dark, if anything, in the light of the nearby streetlight, and it wears a white turban.
"Who are you?" The creature asks in a male, heavily accented voice. Posey can feel that if she looked behind her, she'd likely see one or more other creatures.
>>175300
Just a quick trip upstairs to get the car keys, White Orchid asks "where are you going?" and "can I go?" Mala looks over at Silver and it's a reminder that Silver had an idea to hide the car, and Jubilosa looks just a little bit jealous. Khoi goes out the door, and sits down next to the passenger side car door, evidently waiting for Silver to open it.
>>175301
"Yeah yeah, I see it." Neela says, ears going back as she tries to navigate around the giant snake that's occupying much of the floor. She's also looking at radios but is not turning the knobs.
>>175302
Given that workers going off and having sex when they are not on company time is tolerated, poisoning a customer is probably the more serious issue.
Mustard Trim is happy to show Amber the dishes. he holds up a plate of four or so white balls.
"Here, we have pierogi. It's bread balls filled with mashed potatoes."
Then a bowl of soup.
"Goulash, a soup with potato, onion, and especially paprika."
And then another orange brightly colored dish
"Parpikash, with Spatzle, a kind of dumpling, onion, tomato paste, and even more paprika."
Given that workers going off and having sex when they are not on company time is tolerated, poisoning a customer is probably the more serious issue.
Mustard Trim is happy to show Amber the dishes. he holds up a plate of four or so white balls.
"Here, we have pierogi. It's bread balls filled with mashed potatoes."
Then a bowl of soup.
"Goulash, a soup with potato, onion, and especially paprika."
And then another orange brightly colored dish
"Parpikash, with Spatzle, a kind of dumpling, onion, tomato paste, and even more paprika."
>>175304
"Ooh, colorful! Before the dishes get cold, it'd be best to make sure there's space on their table first. You said they were drinking lots of beer," Amber gently suggests.
"Ooh, colorful! Before the dishes get cold, it'd be best to make sure there's space on their table first. You said they were drinking lots of beer," Amber gently suggests.
>>175305
“Oh yeah, you make room on the table as you take it out. You live empty bottles if you have to.” He answers
“Oh yeah, you make room on the table as you take it out. You live empty bottles if you have to.” He answers
>>175306
Amber is getting a little exasperated. "Okay, but if your tray is full, and the table is full, where are you going to put stuff to make room? The floor? That'd just look bad."
Amber is getting a little exasperated. "Okay, but if your tray is full, and the table is full, where are you going to put stuff to make room? The floor? That'd just look bad."
>>175307
"Well, you can carry a little foldable tray holder that you can place the tray on while you place the plates on the table. But I usually just keep the tray on my back. Sometimes you can use a nearby empty table. But in this case, there should be plenty of space as it's only two patrons, and the table is designed for about four ponies." He answers
"Well, you can carry a little foldable tray holder that you can place the tray on while you place the plates on the table. But I usually just keep the tray on my back. Sometimes you can use a nearby empty table. But in this case, there should be plenty of space as it's only two patrons, and the table is designed for about four ponies." He answers
>>175303
>"Who are you?"
"I am Rosey Ring, emissary of the Dread League." Posey proudly declares, clearly, but quietly.
She pays no heed to any beings stalking her from behind, as though she has no fear of being attacked.
>"Who are you?"
"I am Rosey Ring, emissary of the Dread League." Posey proudly declares, clearly, but quietly.
She pays no heed to any beings stalking her from behind, as though she has no fear of being attacked.
>>175102
Oh, I missed this one!
>discord
I lost track of you when all the 'ebil nazi' purge happened. I know what the name was, but shenanigens. Suffice it to say, you are correct that your planned event would not mesh with my prospective event. My target is more local ^_~
Oh, I missed this one!
>discord
I lost track of you when all the 'ebil nazi' purge happened. I know what the name was, but shenanigens. Suffice it to say, you are correct that your planned event would not mesh with my prospective event. My target is more local ^_~
>>175309
"We are not expecting any 'Ring', nor does this 'Dread League' mean anything to us. We have no nee-"
The Kaftar is pushed aside, and in his place, a darker, golden colored Kafter in robes and a turban moves in his place.
"Come in." He says firmly, almost demandingly
>>175310
I figured as much. I recall an old plan of yours. It being local is okay, as the next event is only temporary and the action will come back to Baltimare in time
"We are not expecting any 'Ring', nor does this 'Dread League' mean anything to us. We have no nee-"
The Kaftar is pushed aside, and in his place, a darker, golden colored Kafter in robes and a turban moves in his place.
"Come in." He says firmly, almost demandingly
>>175310
I figured as much. I recall an old plan of yours. It being local is okay, as the next event is only temporary and the action will come back to Baltimare in time
>>175308
Things are getting desperate, but Amber isn't out of the fight yet.
"Look, this is soup, and it'd be a bad idea to try to balance all that together, wouldn't it? I'm sure you could normally do it, but it's been a long day, and imagine if you spilled something. You wouldn't want to risk that, would you? Give the dapper dog his soup first, and come back for the rest. It'll only take a moment."
Things are getting desperate, but Amber isn't out of the fight yet.
"Look, this is soup, and it'd be a bad idea to try to balance all that together, wouldn't it? I'm sure you could normally do it, but it's been a long day, and imagine if you spilled something. You wouldn't want to risk that, would you? Give the dapper dog his soup first, and come back for the rest. It'll only take a moment."
>>175313
If it means anything to Amber, she ought to be able to discern that the Paprikash: 1., is already a spicy meal with a large amount of spice, and 2. Uses a very similar kind of spice to what Amber has
"Uh..." He looks at Amber, and then the food, with uncertainty. "Okay, sure." He takes the goulash and starts to go. Then he turns back, and also grabs the pierogi.
If it means anything to Amber, she ought to be able to discern that the Paprikash: 1., is already a spicy meal with a large amount of spice, and 2. Uses a very similar kind of spice to what Amber has
"Uh..." He looks at Amber, and then the food, with uncertainty. "Okay, sure." He takes the goulash and starts to go. Then he turns back, and also grabs the pierogi.
>>175314
See? She's merely enhancing its flavor. Amber dares not breathe a sigh of relief just yet.
"Ain't that much easier? Two trips are better than one."
When Mustard is away, she carefully holds the cup with two hooves and shakes it onto the paprikash, attempting to get a balanced distribution instead of just one pile.
See? She's merely enhancing its flavor. Amber dares not breathe a sigh of relief just yet.
"Ain't that much easier? Two trips are better than one."
When Mustard is away, she carefully holds the cup with two hooves and shakes it onto the paprikash, attempting to get a balanced distribution instead of just one pile.
>>175315
poof
The whole dish is covered in the red chili pepper. But there’s an issue: it’s a bit too obvious, with the bright red powder.
poof
The whole dish is covered in the red chili pepper. But there’s an issue: it’s a bit too obvious, with the bright red powder.
>>175317
There is indeed a spoon and forks. Amber should be aware that there is no way that Price run doesn't know she's there, and what she does may be noticed.
There is indeed a spoon and forks. Amber should be aware that there is no way that Price run doesn't know she's there, and what she does may be noticed.
>>175318
Amber considers her actions for a moment. She could probably stir it around with the excuse of really wanting a bite, but it would be a bad look regardless. Instead she blows off the excess spice, with hopefully enough bonding to the sauce to accomplish her purpose.
Amber considers her actions for a moment. She could probably stir it around with the excuse of really wanting a bite, but it would be a bad look regardless. Instead she blows off the excess spice, with hopefully enough bonding to the sauce to accomplish her purpose.
>>175320
What a beautiful dish! Amber almost wishes she could taste its horror, as a way of testing herself and deriving schadenfreude from the fact an icky stallion will suffer the same fate. That's normal, right?
With the hard part done, she waits for Mustard to come back, which should be soon.
What a beautiful dish! Amber almost wishes she could taste its horror, as a way of testing herself and deriving schadenfreude from the fact an icky stallion will suffer the same fate. That's normal, right?
With the hard part done, she waits for Mustard to come back, which should be soon.
>>175311
>"Come in." He says firmly, almost demandingly
Posey does not need to be told twice. She enters the building as soon as she is invited.
>"Come in." He says firmly, almost demandingly
Posey does not need to be told twice. She enters the building as soon as she is invited.
>>175303
Kira's finding it hard to believe that anyone could resist the call of the knobs. While the plastic ones look fancy and modern, the wooden ones feel just a tad bit more natural if not for the varnish that's been applied to them. She looks to Neela to get her opinion.
Kira's finding it hard to believe that anyone could resist the call of the knobs. While the plastic ones look fancy and modern, the wooden ones feel just a tad bit more natural if not for the varnish that's been applied to them. She looks to Neela to get her opinion.
>>175323
The Kaftar moves back into the candlelit room. Posey can see that pews have been removed, the floor is wooden with carpet, and there are paintings and items on the walls. But Posey isn't paying attention to that. The Kaftar looks directly at Posey, and allows the other to close the door.
"You are the pony who asked for Agire. Why do you speak his name?"
>>175321
Mustard does indeed come back after the passage of only seconds. He's somewhat exasperated.
"And then the final dish, to the very waiting pony..." And he takes it, stopping only if Amber addresses him.
>>175324
"Oh... okay..." The little kylan is waiting for Silver, sitting down, looking up at the passenger side door, waiting for Silver to open it.
>>175325
Neela: "Yeah, it's... these are nice, sure, but... why are you playing with those?"
The Kaftar moves back into the candlelit room. Posey can see that pews have been removed, the floor is wooden with carpet, and there are paintings and items on the walls. But Posey isn't paying attention to that. The Kaftar looks directly at Posey, and allows the other to close the door.
"You are the pony who asked for Agire. Why do you speak his name?"
>>175321
Mustard does indeed come back after the passage of only seconds. He's somewhat exasperated.
"And then the final dish, to the very waiting pony..." And he takes it, stopping only if Amber addresses him.
>>175324
"Oh... okay..." The little kylan is waiting for Silver, sitting down, looking up at the passenger side door, waiting for Silver to open it.
>>175325
Neela: "Yeah, it's... these are nice, sure, but... why are you playing with those?"
>>175326
"Agire was our friend, one of a kind. His passing a a great disappointment to us, and I'm sure a great predicament to your temple as well." Posey says
"But where I come from, we believe that the bonds of friendship need not end, and so I come to make a proposal to you, one for which I humbly request your assistance." she continues, bowing her head politely
"Agire was our friend, one of a kind. His passing a a great disappointment to us, and I'm sure a great predicament to your temple as well." Posey says
"But where I come from, we believe that the bonds of friendship need not end, and so I come to make a proposal to you, one for which I humbly request your assistance." she continues, bowing her head politely
>>175326
Amber won't slow down the waiter, instead waving him off and returning to her own station. She still has to worry about being spotted by Salt Mixer, but that worry is minor compared to everything else that came before.
Amber won't slow down the waiter, instead waving him off and returning to her own station. She still has to worry about being spotted by Salt Mixer, but that worry is minor compared to everything else that came before.
>>175326
"Because it's fun and they're interesting, of course!"
The snek appears fully engrossed with the devices.
"Because it's fun and they're interesting, of course!"
The snek appears fully engrossed with the devices.
>>175326
"Are you really sure you want to come? It is nothing exciting, and we may have to trot for quite bit during trip."
"Are you really sure you want to come? It is nothing exciting, and we may have to trot for quite bit during trip."
>>175328
Amber goes back to her station to find it quiet and with no pony waiting. This may mean some ponies slipped through and seated themselves, but it could just be a normal lull. Amber has time alone with her thoughts. Well, maybe not. Better check the status of the seating to see if anything has changed since she left.
>>175327
"Indeed it was, but what right have you to call hi-" He stops
"Need not end? What? What do you have? What could you have? He is dead. I will not see him again until the next life."
>>175329
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St8iEpkcDJc&pp=ygUcYmVjYXVzZSBpdCdzIHNvIG11Y2ggZnVuIGphbg%3D%3D
Neela scrunches
"Okay, that's enough"
>>175330
"Okay... I guess it didn't go so well the last time. I'll wait here." He answers, slumping down a little
Amber goes back to her station to find it quiet and with no pony waiting. This may mean some ponies slipped through and seated themselves, but it could just be a normal lull. Amber has time alone with her thoughts. Well, maybe not. Better check the status of the seating to see if anything has changed since she left.
>>175327
"Indeed it was, but what right have you to call hi-" He stops
"Need not end? What? What do you have? What could you have? He is dead. I will not see him again until the next life."
>>175329
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St8iEpkcDJc&pp=ygUcYmVjYXVzZSBpdCdzIHNvIG11Y2ggZnVuIGphbg%3D%3D
Neela scrunches
"Okay, that's enough"
>>175330
"Okay... I guess it didn't go so well the last time. I'll wait here." He answers, slumping down a little
>>175333
>"Need not end? What? What do you have? What could you have?
"With Agire dead, the line of succession for this temple is broken: that's bad for both of us..." Posey continues
"I propose to you, a ceremony to make an appeal to The Angel to raise Agire from the grave." Posey says, with a blank, serious expression.
>"Need not end? What? What do you have? What could you have?
"With Agire dead, the line of succession for this temple is broken: that's bad for both of us..." Posey continues
"I propose to you, a ceremony to make an appeal to The Angel to raise Agire from the grave." Posey says, with a blank, serious expression.
File (): A25C1B64178A2B7BCA703FD692EBF4AF-294637.png (287.7 KB, 813x683, 2395050.png)
File (): F0887F4E0E5A10958A60D2E8DE1A0C36-726226.png (709.2 KB, 600x556, 7InbZTI.png)
>>175335
"We make an appeal to the other side by offering them a life in exchange for Agire. Depending on the result of our appeal, we may be blessed with a miracle, through which he could return to us." Posey says
Posey opens her satchel and flips through her grimoire, stopping at a page that roughly illustrates the process.
"I'm sure you're familiar with the concept, being a seasoned priest yourself."
She continues
"To do this, it will take some cooperation. Appealing to a higher power for rewards of this magnitude isn't simple, it would require divination, and guidance, the sort of the priestly variety. I myself have a suitable candidate that we could use for the ceremony, but I'll need your assistance, and your approval, to carry it out."
"We make an appeal to the other side by offering them a life in exchange for Agire. Depending on the result of our appeal, we may be blessed with a miracle, through which he could return to us." Posey says
Posey opens her satchel and flips through her grimoire, stopping at a page that roughly illustrates the process.
"I'm sure you're familiar with the concept, being a seasoned priest yourself."
She continues
"To do this, it will take some cooperation. Appealing to a higher power for rewards of this magnitude isn't simple, it would require divination, and guidance, the sort of the priestly variety. I myself have a suitable candidate that we could use for the ceremony, but I'll need your assistance, and your approval, to carry it out."
>>175336
"I have not heard of such a ceremony" He replies, though perhaps without firm conviction,
"The Angel does not give life back. Not even for life. Were it so easy..."
"I have not heard of such a ceremony" He replies, though perhaps without firm conviction,
"The Angel does not give life back. Not even for life. Were it so easy..."
>>175337
Posey shrugs
"I'm doing this because we, no I, wish to stay on good terms with the future of the kaftar temple. It's only with your blessings that I can proceed in the appeal; if not, I will be on my way..."
Posey shrugs
"I'm doing this because we, no I, wish to stay on good terms with the future of the kaftar temple. It's only with your blessings that I can proceed in the appeal; if not, I will be on my way..."
>>175339
"I, no, we could try." Posey says, her paralyzed face softening in a sympathetic manner
"With your blessing."
"I, no, we could try." Posey says, her paralyzed face softening in a sympathetic manner
"With your blessing."
I guess this is the part where I roll Diplomacy.
[1d20+8 = (12+8) = 20]
[1d20+8 = (12+8) = 20]
>>175333
As with baking a pretty cake, Amber knows she can't be lazy. She checks to see what's happened.
As with baking a pretty cake, Amber knows she can't be lazy. She checks to see what's happened.
>>175333
Silver gives the crestfallen colt some headpats.
"There will be more opportunities, and when there are we will make sure to do plenty of things more fun than taking Khoi to work."
As for the jealous Jubilosa: does she want a kiss, too?
Silver gives the crestfallen colt some headpats.
"There will be more opportunities, and when there are we will make sure to do plenty of things more fun than taking Khoi to work."
As for the jealous Jubilosa: does she want a kiss, too?
>>175333
"Awwwwww..." Kira, though disappointed, complies to the deer's order as if she were her fawn, and stops playing with the radio dials. "Which one do you like best, Neela?"
"Awwwwww..." Kira, though disappointed, complies to the deer's order as if she were her fawn, and stops playing with the radio dials. "Which one do you like best, Neela?"
>>175347
The knobs are still there, though. In reach... so many of them....
"This one" She pokes at a semi-random wooden radio with a half-oval tower design, and vertical stripes of wood covering what must be the speaker on the lower, more rectangular portion.
>>175346
"Okay..." the colt lowers his head
scrunchy griffin looks away
Maybe
The knobs are still there, though. In reach... so many of them....
"This one" She pokes at a semi-random wooden radio with a half-oval tower design, and vertical stripes of wood covering what must be the speaker on the lower, more rectangular portion.
>>175346
"Okay..." the colt lowers his head
scrunchy griffin looks away
Maybe
GM, if Posey is going to carry out her plan, she's going to want to buy a couple items, so I would like to appraise the value of Posey's jewelry (3 rings, bangle, necklace, bracelet). Posey should be able to hit a 15 DC taking 10 with all available bonuses.
>>175370
This is fine, but I strain to believe she can get it done at 3 AM… perhaps a multi-night plan
This is fine, but I strain to believe she can get it done at 3 AM… perhaps a multi-night plan
>>175373
Sure.
>>175374
Sure, but the non-bat/non-gnoll shop keepers of Baltinare are not.
>>175342
Elsewhere in the restaurant, ponies are about to find out what happens when you don’t do the cooking by the book.
Amber, however, has discovered that two young stallions have slipped through and seated themselves. Melon Mangrove’s section
Sure.
>>175374
Sure, but the non-bat/non-gnoll shop keepers of Baltinare are not.
>>175342
Elsewhere in the restaurant, ponies are about to find out what happens when you don’t do the cooking by the book.
Amber, however, has discovered that two young stallions have slipped through and seated themselves. Melon Mangrove’s section
>>175341
>>175340
He walks past Posey in a half circle that seems almost predatory or threatening, but with his head visibly locked forward and down as he walks through the dim yellow light of the converted building, it is more likely he is thinking.
"Agire was willing to meet with the outsiders. He was willing to converse with other faiths. No. He loved to meet with the outsiders. No, he wasn't in favor of integration, but he did join that... Society... And it killed him..." He looks to Posey holding his head below his shoulders, such that he is looking up towards her. It doesn't make him look smaller, but more like a cat ready to pounce.
"But Agire was indeed wise. He did trust in the Angel. And he trusted in The Society. I know of no way to bring him back..." Now he looks away, even lifting a paw as if unable to look at Posey. "But I have to take that chance... To get him back." And then his head turns back to Posey, and with a sniffle "Yes. I will take your... offer..."
>>175378
Her section is not equally crowded. The booths along the wall are full, the tables are not. It appears that the interlopers have gone to a booth that was just freshly cleaned - at least hopefully it is cleaned - and was the lone open booth in her section. Hard to say if this is "too" crowded. The tables are far from full.
>>175340
He walks past Posey in a half circle that seems almost predatory or threatening, but with his head visibly locked forward and down as he walks through the dim yellow light of the converted building, it is more likely he is thinking.
"Agire was willing to meet with the outsiders. He was willing to converse with other faiths. No. He loved to meet with the outsiders. No, he wasn't in favor of integration, but he did join that... Society... And it killed him..." He looks to Posey holding his head below his shoulders, such that he is looking up towards her. It doesn't make him look smaller, but more like a cat ready to pounce.
"But Agire was indeed wise. He did trust in the Angel. And he trusted in The Society. I know of no way to bring him back..." Now he looks away, even lifting a paw as if unable to look at Posey. "But I have to take that chance... To get him back." And then his head turns back to Posey, and with a sniffle "Yes. I will take your... offer..."
>>175378
Her section is not equally crowded. The booths along the wall are full, the tables are not. It appears that the interlopers have gone to a booth that was just freshly cleaned - at least hopefully it is cleaned - and was the lone open booth in her section. Hard to say if this is "too" crowded. The tables are far from full.
>>175368
"Oooooo! Great choice, Neela!" Not that Kira would know, she knows next to nothing about radios other than that they pull sounds from the air. But, she does enjoy the nice semi-natural feel and look of the wooden radio as opposed to the more manufactured feel of the plastic radios. She takes the radio, and looks to Neela if she has anything else she desires.
"Oooooo! Great choice, Neela!" Not that Kira would know, she knows next to nothing about radios other than that they pull sounds from the air. But, she does enjoy the nice semi-natural feel and look of the wooden radio as opposed to the more manufactured feel of the plastic radios. She takes the radio, and looks to Neela if she has anything else she desires.
>>175385
Hey, knobs are important, Neela shouldn't be knocking Kira's enthusiasm for them.
"Aww, well maybe some other day then." Kira takes their new prospective purchase up to the counter, excited to delve into this new technology.
Hey, knobs are important, Neela shouldn't be knocking Kira's enthusiasm for them.
"Aww, well maybe some other day then." Kira takes their new prospective purchase up to the counter, excited to delve into this new technology.
>>175386
There’s a mare at the counter, but that mare is willingly replaced by the stallion encountered earlier, who also seems to want to keep a distance from Kira, but is content to remain behind the counter. He looks at the radio chosen.
“Just this?” He asks
There’s a mare at the counter, but that mare is willingly replaced by the stallion encountered earlier, who also seems to want to keep a distance from Kira, but is content to remain behind the counter. He looks at the radio chosen.
“Just this?” He asks
>>175385
Silver wraps his forelegs around his griffon and pulls her in tight. He fully embraces the passion and skill she shows, and attempts to match his griffon goddess despite the difficulty in doing so.
After she has given at least as much as Khoi, Silver breaks the kiss despite how much a part of him wants to continue. He's running late enough as is. "Love you, Jubilosa. I will be back soon, okay?"
Silver wraps his forelegs around his griffon and pulls her in tight. He fully embraces the passion and skill she shows, and attempts to match his griffon goddess despite the difficulty in doing so.
After she has given at least as much as Khoi, Silver breaks the kiss despite how much a part of him wants to continue. He's running late enough as is. "Love you, Jubilosa. I will be back soon, okay?"
>>175387
Kira tilts her head at the stallion, curious by what he means. The façade of her being a pony is only slightly broken by a tongue flick. "What do you mean? Is there more we need for the radio to work?"
Kira tilts her head at the stallion, curious by what he means. The façade of her being a pony is only slightly broken by a tongue flick. "What do you mean? Is there more we need for the radio to work?"
>>175388
She’s a bit more tender than Khoi, oddly, despite not having Khoi’s soft lips. Her tongue is also softer. She smiles to him with half lidded eyes.
“I’ll be here.”
She waves a claw to wave him bye.
>>175389
“Well, I understand if you don’t want or need a phonograph, a second radio, or a television. The Fillydelphia Electric model 8 is a very good radio.”
She’s a bit more tender than Khoi, oddly, despite not having Khoi’s soft lips. Her tongue is also softer. She smiles to him with half lidded eyes.
“I’ll be here.”
She waves a claw to wave him bye.
>>175389
“Well, I understand if you don’t want or need a phonograph, a second radio, or a television. The Fillydelphia Electric model 8 is a very good radio.”
>>175390
Kira looks over to Neela. "Do we need any of those? I mean, you said we don't have any records, but like what about another radio or...television, whatever that is?"
Kira looks over to Neela. "Do we need any of those? I mean, you said we don't have any records, but like what about another radio or...television, whatever that is?"
>>175390
Okay, that should take care of everyone. He waves bye to Jubilosa as well as to the other creatures present before he goes out to the car, opening the passenger-side door for the patiently waiting Khoi. Once she's in, he gets in the driver's side.
"Okay, got everything? Ready to go?"
Okay, that should take care of everyone. He waves bye to Jubilosa as well as to the other creatures present before he goes out to the car, opening the passenger-side door for the patiently waiting Khoi. Once she's in, he gets in the driver's side.
"Okay, got everything? Ready to go?"
>>175391
Neela is at a loss.
The stallion says,
“The Fillydelphia Electric 8 is 82 bits… we have televisions for around 500.
Neela is at a loss.
The stallion says,
“The Fillydelphia Electric 8 is 82 bits… we have televisions for around 500.
>>175393
Oof, ouch, eee. That's a big price tag, even for Kira who has less of an idea of the actual worth of Bits.
"Hmmmm...I think we'll just take the radio for now, if we need more later we'll be such to come back here!"
Oof, ouch, eee. That's a big price tag, even for Kira who has less of an idea of the actual worth of Bits.
"Hmmmm...I think we'll just take the radio for now, if we need more later we'll be such to come back here!"
>>175382
>"Yes. I will take your... offer..."
Posey nods respectfully
"I appreciate your willingness to trust me, after everything that's happening."
She continues
"Appealing to the other side is no simple task. Even after exhausting all of my own powers, I have only a one in four chance of succeeding; but together, we could raise our chances."
Posey then explains her plans for the ritual.
She explains that she has a "prisoner of war" (Sasha), a diamond dog, that she's willing to offer for the ritual. She assures the priest that it's unlikely that anypony will come looking for her, because nopony knew she was here in the first place.
Since the ceremony involves sacrificing a creature, it needs to be done in secret, but the chance of success increases if it can be done in front of ten followers and on an altar. If the priest can offer Posey any assistance in bringing the sacrifice into the city unnoticed, she says it would be much appreciated.
Finally, Posey inquires if Di Bin Milyaketan is willing to assist her with spellcasting to increase chance of success. I feel it's safe to assume he has Cleric levels, because his presumed successor was affiliated with the Society Of Bones, and was therefore likely a Cleric capable of casting Necromancy spells. She inquires the scale of his powers (what level spells he can cast), with the presumption that he's unable to raise the dead. If Di Bin Milyaketan is unwilling or unable to assist Posey with spellcasting... Well, she could try to seduce Baka to help her out.
I'll stop here, GM, because I just want to point out that although I mentioned Guidance Of The Avatar in my rough draft, it is a Web archive spell and is considered by some to be kind of cheap (+20 circumstance bonus to any skill check), so I get it if you don't want to include it in your game.
The plan without Guidance Of The Avatar is to buy a scroll of Imbue With Spell Ability and give it to Di Bin Milyaketan, and have him imbue Posey with the spells Sacrificial Skill (1st) and Lore Of The Gods (2nd). Posey intends to sell the scrolls she never uses alongside the rings she can't wear to afford this.
Posey is trying to hit a DC 35 Religion check, which could call a Lilitu and have it cast Raise Dead. The DC 40 check for Limited Wish is pretty much unaffordable without the spell mentioned above.
>"Yes. I will take your... offer..."
Posey nods respectfully
"I appreciate your willingness to trust me, after everything that's happening."
She continues
"Appealing to the other side is no simple task. Even after exhausting all of my own powers, I have only a one in four chance of succeeding; but together, we could raise our chances."
Posey then explains her plans for the ritual.
She explains that she has a "prisoner of war" (Sasha), a diamond dog, that she's willing to offer for the ritual. She assures the priest that it's unlikely that anypony will come looking for her, because nopony knew she was here in the first place.
Since the ceremony involves sacrificing a creature, it needs to be done in secret, but the chance of success increases if it can be done in front of ten followers and on an altar. If the priest can offer Posey any assistance in bringing the sacrifice into the city unnoticed, she says it would be much appreciated.
Finally, Posey inquires if Di Bin Milyaketan is willing to assist her with spellcasting to increase chance of success. I feel it's safe to assume he has Cleric levels, because his presumed successor was affiliated with the Society Of Bones, and was therefore likely a Cleric capable of casting Necromancy spells. She inquires the scale of his powers (what level spells he can cast), with the presumption that he's unable to raise the dead. If Di Bin Milyaketan is unwilling or unable to assist Posey with spellcasting... Well, she could try to seduce Baka to help her out.
I'll stop here, GM, because I just want to point out that although I mentioned Guidance Of The Avatar in my rough draft, it is a Web archive spell and is considered by some to be kind of cheap (+20 circumstance bonus to any skill check), so I get it if you don't want to include it in your game.
The plan without Guidance Of The Avatar is to buy a scroll of Imbue With Spell Ability and give it to Di Bin Milyaketan, and have him imbue Posey with the spells Sacrificial Skill (1st) and Lore Of The Gods (2nd). Posey intends to sell the scrolls she never uses alongside the rings she can't wear to afford this.
Posey is trying to hit a DC 35 Religion check, which could call a Lilitu and have it cast Raise Dead. The DC 40 check for Limited Wish is pretty much unaffordable without the spell mentioned above.
>>175392
Khoi hops into the seat, and fiddles around with the seatbelt.
“Yes.” She says, still trying to figure out the seatbelt.
>>175394
Kira now has her one and only radio.
“82 bits.” The stallion says.
>>175395
“No one here will make any fuss of a dog being slain. I do not just mean the Kaftar. To smuggle in, I am… less sure. Perhaps among equipment, or a delivery. As for location, here in the church, or better, in the crypts beneath it. I will certainly help in any ritual. Where I am most skeptical, is that the angel will accept a trade, but…I am willing.”
Khoi hops into the seat, and fiddles around with the seatbelt.
“Yes.” She says, still trying to figure out the seatbelt.
>>175394
Kira now has her one and only radio.
“82 bits.” The stallion says.
>>175395
“No one here will make any fuss of a dog being slain. I do not just mean the Kaftar. To smuggle in, I am… less sure. Perhaps among equipment, or a delivery. As for location, here in the church, or better, in the crypts beneath it. I will certainly help in any ritual. Where I am most skeptical, is that the angel will accept a trade, but…I am willing.”
>>175397
"I appreciate your cooperation. Agire was an asset to the Society, and his death is a great loss to us. I'll do everything in my power to undo his untimely deaf, even if the chance of success is low." Posey replies
"I'll make haste. The window to bring him back in good condition is closing."
"I appreciate your cooperation. Agire was an asset to the Society, and his death is a great loss to us. I'll do everything in my power to undo his untimely deaf, even if the chance of success is low." Posey replies
"I'll make haste. The window to bring him back in good condition is closing."
>>175397
Now that Kira can definitely handle, and she still has a good amount leftover after she places the required Bits on the counter and takes her new radio out of the store. Before she slithers towards home with her radio and her deer she waves bye to the store workers on her way out.
Now that Kira can definitely handle, and she still has a good amount leftover after she places the required Bits on the counter and takes her new radio out of the store. Before she slithers towards home with her radio and her deer she waves bye to the store workers on her way out.
>>175397
Using his magic, Silver helps her out with the seatbelt. It's likely just a simple lapbelt, and it gives a satisfying click as it snaps into place. He makes sure to adjust the tightness to fit the kirin.
"So, where did you find emplyment, anyhow?"
Using his magic, Silver helps her out with the seatbelt. It's likely just a simple lapbelt, and it gives a satisfying click as it snaps into place. He makes sure to adjust the tightness to fit the kirin.
"So, where did you find emplyment, anyhow?"
>>175400
Kira presumably carries it on her back, which is to say, over her stomach on her snake body. It needs to be tied up. The pony stallion mentions home delivery but Neela says it’s unnecessary. Kira walking along the sidewalk is still awkward, with ponies generally wanting to give her room. Crossing the street becomes harrowing when the light turns green as Kira is halfway across. Neela walks behind Kira.
They make it back.
>>175401
She smiles to Silver.
“A restaurant in Eastside. It’s down this road, then turn left on Secretariat, and it’s down four blocks.”
Kira presumably carries it on her back, which is to say, over her stomach on her snake body. It needs to be tied up. The pony stallion mentions home delivery but Neela says it’s unnecessary. Kira walking along the sidewalk is still awkward, with ponies generally wanting to give her room. Crossing the street becomes harrowing when the light turns green as Kira is halfway across. Neela walks behind Kira.
They make it back.
>>175401
She smiles to Silver.
“A restaurant in Eastside. It’s down this road, then turn left on Secretariat, and it’s down four blocks.”
>>175382
Well, darn. At this point it would be rude to seat them somewhere else, but she doesn't really have any other option or else others will get upset. She approaches them.
"Erm, excuse me. This booth is reserved"–a half truth, as she's indeed reserving it for a larger group–"But I can seat you at another table."
Well, darn. At this point it would be rude to seat them somewhere else, but she doesn't really have any other option or else others will get upset. She approaches them.
"Erm, excuse me. This booth is reserved"–a half truth, as she's indeed reserving it for a larger group–"But I can seat you at another table."
>>175399
"I can try..." Posey says
Does he say anything about his spellcasting abilities? That might be helpful.
After this is discussed, Posey discusses an intended time tomorrow (at night), and leaves the church to begin preparing for the ritual.
"I can try..." Posey says
Does he say anything about his spellcasting abilities? That might be helpful.
After this is discussed, Posey discusses an intended time tomorrow (at night), and leaves the church to begin preparing for the ritual.
>>175402
He smiles back, before turning the car on and getting it moving.
"That sounds familiar...is it run by zebras?"
He smiles back, before turning the car on and getting it moving.
"That sounds familiar...is it run by zebras?"
>>175402
Yay! Kira excitedly goes inside, and ponders where to put their new radio. She is very much wanting to try it out as soon as she can.
Yay! Kira excitedly goes inside, and ponders where to put their new radio. She is very much wanting to try it out as soon as she can.
>>175403
The two colts scrunch at Amber.
“There’s no sign.” One says.
Table options exist for all three active waiters. Booth options exist for Cream Pop.
>>175404
“Oh yes, I have eight levels in-“ No, he does not say that. He alludes to this not-proven-to-not-be-a-government-informant that he has magical powers, but he is vague on the specifics.
>>175405
“Yes…” she says, with reservation.
>>175406
“Just put it in the living room. And plug it in.” Neela says. She actually comes up to the radio, trying to fiddle with it.
The two colts scrunch at Amber.
“There’s no sign.” One says.
Table options exist for all three active waiters. Booth options exist for Cream Pop.
>>175404
“Oh yes, I have eight levels in-“ No, he does not say that. He alludes to this not-proven-to-not-be-a-government-informant that he has magical powers, but he is vague on the specifics.
>>175405
“Yes…” she says, with reservation.
>>175406
“Just put it in the living room. And plug it in.” Neela says. She actually comes up to the radio, trying to fiddle with it.
>>175407
"I do apologize for the inconvenience. I can get you another booth right over there," she says as she gestures in the direction of Cream Pop's booths.
"I do apologize for the inconvenience. I can get you another booth right over there," she says as she gestures in the direction of Cream Pop's booths.
>>175407
Kira does so. It takes her a moment to look between the plug and the wall outlet to figure out what she needs to do to plug it in. There's a tiny snap from the electricity as the plug is inserted, causing Kira to jump back lightly with a startled hiss.
Kira does so. It takes her a moment to look between the plug and the wall outlet to figure out what she needs to do to plug it in. There's a tiny snap from the electricity as the plug is inserted, causing Kira to jump back lightly with a startled hiss.
>>175407
"And one of them is named Black Cauldron, right?"
If Kira is worried that Silver is going to judge her for working for zebras, it so far appears that she's safe.
"And one of them is named Black Cauldron, right?"
If Kira is worried that Silver is going to judge her for working for zebras, it so far appears that she's safe.
>>175407
"Excellent. I'll get started right away, and give you some time to make your own preparations." Posey replies
With this, she leaves
"Excellent. I'll get started right away, and give you some time to make your own preparations." Posey replies
With this, she leaves
>>175409
I don’t think Kira even hissed at Free Rover when he tried to yoink her
Neela jumps back, hoping on her front legs first, then her rear legs, perfectly hopping backwards away from the hissing and presumably rebounding snake. Kira is, well, hopefully not electrocuted, providing she doesn’t hold it on both metallic prongs, which would be difficult with hooves anyways. If she is electrocuted… at least it isn’t fatal.
Noise jumps out of the box. A bit of static, but then music. A sound of trombones, then the saxophone.
>>175410
“Yes, she’s… well she is head chef, more or less.”
>>175412
Posey leaves the church and into the rain, still watched by eyes cloaked in the darkness from the edge of poorly-lit streets.
>>175408
The scrunchy ponies do at least obey Amber in her relocation of them.
I don’t think Kira even hissed at Free Rover when he tried to yoink her
Neela jumps back, hoping on her front legs first, then her rear legs, perfectly hopping backwards away from the hissing and presumably rebounding snake. Kira is, well, hopefully not electrocuted, providing she doesn’t hold it on both metallic prongs, which would be difficult with hooves anyways. If she is electrocuted… at least it isn’t fatal.
Noise jumps out of the box. A bit of static, but then music. A sound of trombones, then the saxophone.
>>175410
“Yes, she’s… well she is head chef, more or less.”
>>175412
Posey leaves the church and into the rain, still watched by eyes cloaked in the darkness from the edge of poorly-lit streets.
>>175408
The scrunchy ponies do at least obey Amber in her relocation of them.
>>175413
"Oh, I know her! She's nice, and she knows how to brew potions. Her coltfriend introduced me that night just before we came to Hoebuck."
Silver makes sure to keep his eyes on the road, as he continues to talk with Khoi and navigate his way to Black Cauldron's restaurant.
"Oh, I know her! She's nice, and she knows how to brew potions. Her coltfriend introduced me that night just before we came to Hoebuck."
Silver makes sure to keep his eyes on the road, as he continues to talk with Khoi and navigate his way to Black Cauldron's restaurant.
>>175413
Phew! "Thank you very much. Cream Pop is your waiter and he'll be with you shortly."
She goes back to her regular duties.
Phew! "Thank you very much. Cream Pop is your waiter and he'll be with you shortly."
She goes back to her regular duties.
>>175413
Admittedly, electricity is more starling than a silly/handsome pony trying to pick you up.
No electrocution, just a startling noise and a rebounding snake. Once she's calmed and starts to hear music, her mood completely changes. She lowers herself down, looking at the radio with big, wide eyes, and her ears excitedly turn towards the source of the music.
"Wooooow..."
Admittedly, electricity is more starling than a silly/handsome pony trying to pick you up.
No electrocution, just a startling noise and a rebounding snake. Once she's calmed and starts to hear music, her mood completely changes. She lowers herself down, looking at the radio with big, wide eyes, and her ears excitedly turn towards the source of the music.
"Wooooow..."
>>175414
“Yes.” She nods, closing her eyes. “He was the one who set me up working there. She is… a little demanding. She knows how it is to be, and wants it done that way.”
>>175416
The little box secretes the sound of a whole band, with a bit of static. Neela comes up to it, turns a knob slightly, and with that the sound is clearer.
>>175415
The time moves on. Amber may either focus her full attention on her duties, or the… other portions, if the restaurant.
“Yes.” She nods, closing her eyes. “He was the one who set me up working there. She is… a little demanding. She knows how it is to be, and wants it done that way.”
>>175416
The little box secretes the sound of a whole band, with a bit of static. Neela comes up to it, turns a knob slightly, and with that the sound is clearer.
>>175415
The time moves on. Amber may either focus her full attention on her duties, or the… other portions, if the restaurant.
>>175417
What is there to focus on? It's mainly standing there and waiting for ponies to arrive. She looks around the restaurant a little to pass time.
What is there to focus on? It's mainly standing there and waiting for ponies to arrive. She looks around the restaurant a little to pass time.
>>175417
Keeping her ears turned towards the radio, the awestruck Kira looks at Neela.
"And all of this music is just in the air all around us?"
Keeping her ears turned towards the radio, the awestruck Kira looks at Neela.
"And all of this music is just in the air all around us?"
>>175417
"It could be how she was raised. When your parents train you in something they are good at, there are times when they demand perfection from you, and it can rub off onto your own personality."
"It could be how she was raised. When your parents train you in something they are good at, there are times when they demand perfection from you, and it can rub off onto your own personality."
>>175418
There’s a bit of speed and back and forth with Mustard Trim. Sone pony watching.
>>175419
“Uh…” she looks up, and to the left, then turns her head to the left, and her right ear flops down and out before she turns her head to look back at Kira. “I guess so.”
>>175420
“Yeah…” she looks down. “She wants it done right,”
The drive is short, and it’s not hard to see why Khoi thought this was a walkable distance. It’s only a few minutes.
>>175421
Oddly… the rain feels refreshing. Posey is not harassed on the way back, not even by the soldiers, who seem to recognize her.
There’s a bit of speed and back and forth with Mustard Trim. Sone pony watching.
>>175419
“Uh…” she looks up, and to the left, then turns her head to the left, and her right ear flops down and out before she turns her head to look back at Kira. “I guess so.”
>>175420
“Yeah…” she looks down. “She wants it done right,”
The drive is short, and it’s not hard to see why Khoi thought this was a walkable distance. It’s only a few minutes.
>>175421
Oddly… the rain feels refreshing. Posey is not harassed on the way back, not even by the soldiers, who seem to recognize her.
>>175422
Silver stops the car in front of the restaurant when they arrive, but as it seems she's still got at least a couple minutes before she has to go inside, Silver turns towards to Khoi to continue talking.
"That was nice surprise you gave me back at home, but I do have to ask where that came from. Not that I minded, of course."
Silver stops the car in front of the restaurant when they arrive, but as it seems she's still got at least a couple minutes before she has to go inside, Silver turns towards to Khoi to continue talking.
"That was nice surprise you gave me back at home, but I do have to ask where that came from. Not that I minded, of course."
>>175422
Mustard looks to be doing well. What surprises her more than anything else is that she hasn't heard anything of Red Scabbard.
Mustard looks to be doing well. What surprises her more than anything else is that she hasn't heard anything of Red Scabbard.
>>175423
“That was… um…” she looks down and at her hooves, which she clops together. Then looks up towards Silver with an awkward smile. “Heh heh.”
>>175424
“Well, that’s equestrian music. It’s pretty popular here.” Neela answers.
Kira counts… three instruments?
>>175425
Oh, but listen closely. Or look outside. The little pony will find out soon enough.
“That was… um…” she looks down and at her hooves, which she clops together. Then looks up towards Silver with an awkward smile. “Heh heh.”
>>175424
“Well, that’s equestrian music. It’s pretty popular here.” Neela answers.
Kira counts… three instruments?
>>175425
Oh, but listen closely. Or look outside. The little pony will find out soon enough.
>>175426
"It was nice." Silver smiles at Khoi, and reaches a forehoof over to touch her side. "I do hope it happens more often in future. We can work on practicing your kissing."
"It was nice." Silver smiles at Khoi, and reaches a forehoof over to touch her side. "I do hope it happens more often in future. We can work on practicing your kissing."
>>175422
>who seem to recognize her.
Hmmmmm, Posey would have preferred to avoid that, but it can't be helped seeing how she's so powerful and beautiful.
>who seem to recognize her.
Hmmmmm, Posey would have preferred to avoid that, but it can't be helped seeing how she's so powerful and beautiful.
>>175426
She doesn't want to move from her spot, but pony ears are sensitive and she swivels them to the source of the sound.
Listen: [1d20+3 = (6+3) = 9]
She doesn't want to move from her spot, but pony ears are sensitive and she swivels them to the source of the sound.
Listen: [1d20+3 = (6+3) = 9]
>>175427
She may have. It can be hard to count and distinguish.
Neela takes a moment to reply
“No. Not really. No.”
>>175428
“Heheh” she lowers her head even more, blushes, and looks over towards Silver, with a very wide, toothy smile that shows off her small fangs. Her side is nice and soft, and she seems to react positively to the touch.
“Maybe… maybe tonight…” she says
>>175429
In fairness, it’s the same ones who saw her go in. But yes, she isn’t entirely inconspicuous, either.
>>175430
Behind. Middle of the restaraunt around the door to the patio.
She may have. It can be hard to count and distinguish.
Neela takes a moment to reply
“No. Not really. No.”
>>175428
“Heheh” she lowers her head even more, blushes, and looks over towards Silver, with a very wide, toothy smile that shows off her small fangs. Her side is nice and soft, and she seems to react positively to the touch.
“Maybe… maybe tonight…” she says
>>175429
In fairness, it’s the same ones who saw her go in. But yes, she isn’t entirely inconspicuous, either.
>>175430
Behind. Middle of the restaraunt around the door to the patio.
>>175431
She creeps back to the middle of the restaurant to better understand what's going on. She might be needed anyway to keep the peace.
She creeps back to the middle of the restaurant to better understand what's going on. She might be needed anyway to keep the peace.
>>175431
"I would like that." Silver uses his magic to undo her seatbelt. He also leans in towards her if she would like to give/receive a goodbye kiss.
"I would like that." Silver uses his magic to undo her seatbelt. He also leans in towards her if she would like to give/receive a goodbye kiss.
>>175431
Okay.
Posey returns home. She explains to Mason her intent to bring Sasha back to the church.
Okay.
Posey returns home. She explains to Mason her intent to bring Sasha back to the church.
>>175431
Kira continues to listen to the music for another couple of moments before resuming talking.
"So, if you were forced to stay here for a bit while I went out on my own, would you be all set? Is there anything else you need?"
Kira continues to listen to the music for another couple of moments before resuming talking.
"So, if you were forced to stay here for a bit while I went out on my own, would you be all set? Is there anything else you need?"
>>175432
[1d100 = 24]
>>175434
Mason seems a little uncomfortable with this new request, but says nothing. He calmly and carefully backs the car up, and starts the drive home.
>>175433
“Well…”
Looking out back at the restaurant, Silver sees a young zebra mare . She is mostly white in color, with thin black stripes and a bit of black at the end of the muzzle. Her coat is well groomed. Her mane is a short black, combed to the side. Her body has the slight dip in the back, wide barrel, and wider flanks of the typical zebra. Her eyes are a bright blue, and she wears a necklace and earrings. She looks at the vehicle curiously.
>>175435
“I… think so.” She tilts her head. “Are you going somewhere?”
[1d100 = 24]
>>175434
Mason seems a little uncomfortable with this new request, but says nothing. He calmly and carefully backs the car up, and starts the drive home.
>>175433
“Well…”
Looking out back at the restaurant, Silver sees a young zebra mare . She is mostly white in color, with thin black stripes and a bit of black at the end of the muzzle. Her coat is well groomed. Her mane is a short black, combed to the side. Her body has the slight dip in the back, wide barrel, and wider flanks of the typical zebra. Her eyes are a bright blue, and she wears a necklace and earrings. She looks at the vehicle curiously.
>>175435
“I… think so.” She tilts her head. “Are you going somewhere?”
File (): 78D51A0B4550BE85FA4E194602852713-38941.jpg (38.0 KB, 1098x963, AmberLookingUp.jpg)
>>175436
"Well, I was hoping to get some proper sustenance for myself. I...don't think you'd want to be around for that, it sort of creeps out non-lamias. And then I was going to go to R&M to follow that lead from the Customs ponies for a job."
"Well, I was hoping to get some proper sustenance for myself. I...don't think you'd want to be around for that, it sort of creeps out non-lamias. And then I was going to go to R&M to follow that lead from the Customs ponies for a job."
>>175436
The zebra mare distracts Silver from his attempt to smooch the kirin some more. He rolls down his window and looks over at the zebra mare, who likely works at this establishment.
"Hello there, ma'am. I am Silver, Khoi's ride. She will be inside very shortly."
The zebra mare distracts Silver from his attempt to smooch the kirin some more. He rolls down his window and looks over at the zebra mare, who likely works at this establishment.
"Hello there, ma'am. I am Silver, Khoi's ride. She will be inside very shortly."
>>175438
“It’s kind of late in the day for trying to do work… though they are probably open. I can’t imagine they’d let the sun going down get in the way of harassing creatures. I still don’t understand why you’d want to work for them.” She pauses, and looks at Kira. “Shouldn’t you have a witness for when you eat? Someone to say it wasn’t a pony?”
>>175439
She walks up slowly towards Silver. She’s reasonably attractive in her own right.
“Ah. I didn’t know she had a…” she looks over at Silver. “I’m just with the wait staff.”
“It’s kind of late in the day for trying to do work… though they are probably open. I can’t imagine they’d let the sun going down get in the way of harassing creatures. I still don’t understand why you’d want to work for them.” She pauses, and looks at Kira. “Shouldn’t you have a witness for when you eat? Someone to say it wasn’t a pony?”
>>175439
She walks up slowly towards Silver. She’s reasonably attractive in her own right.
“Ah. I didn’t know she had a…” she looks over at Silver. “I’m just with the wait staff.”
>>175440
Hmmmmmm...nah, those thoughts are definitely best kept out while he's with his kirin. He turns to look back at Khoi, and though there is now an audience he does still lean in for a kiss if she should choose to do so.
Hmmmmmm...nah, those thoughts are definitely best kept out while he's with his kirin. He turns to look back at Khoi, and though there is now an audience he does still lean in for a kiss if she should choose to do so.
>>175440
"It's the only way I can get recognized by the governor, and he's the pony who can get my tribe safely settled here. Though, I did hear that one pony mention a mayor..."
After her pause, Kira tilts her head at Neela. "I mean, I could have one, but...why would I eat a pony?"
"It's the only way I can get recognized by the governor, and he's the pony who can get my tribe safely settled here. Though, I did hear that one pony mention a mayor..."
After her pause, Kira tilts her head at Neela. "I mean, I could have one, but...why would I eat a pony?"
>>175441
“He’s my Fiance” Khoi lies. This may be the first time he’s heard her lie, at least that he could recognize. Then she leans in for another kiss. A hard kiss, like before.
>>175442
“Because you’re big enough to do it.” She answers bluntly. “Do you want to just assume the ponies will take your word for it? Or would you like somedeer to back you up on it?”
“He’s my Fiance” Khoi lies. This may be the first time he’s heard her lie, at least that he could recognize. Then she leans in for another kiss. A hard kiss, like before.
>>175442
“Because you’re big enough to do it.” She answers bluntly. “Do you want to just assume the ponies will take your word for it? Or would you like somedeer to back you up on it?”
>>175443
Kira is still a bit confused as to why she would, but she can sort of sees Neela's point.
"Alright. You don't have to watch me actually...you know, but I suppose it would be good ot have some backup."
Kira is still a bit confused as to why she would, but she can sort of sees Neela's point.
"Alright. You don't have to watch me actually...you know, but I suppose it would be good ot have some backup."
>>175443
Damn, that's certainly an interesting path for her to take. Silver accepts the kiss, but he tries to use his own mouth and tongue to try to guide her, showing her how to not be so hard and rough and instead how to be soft and tender while kissing, taking their time to explore each other's mouths and enjoy the moment.
Damn, that's certainly an interesting path for her to take. Silver accepts the kiss, but he tries to use his own mouth and tongue to try to guide her, showing her how to not be so hard and rough and instead how to be soft and tender while kissing, taking their time to explore each other's mouths and enjoy the moment.
>>175447
I suppose this makes sense, as she's trying to sell a story rather than prove something. Still, Silver does take this opportunity while he has it to at least slightly messed with Khoi.
"Love you, honey. Have great day at work!"
I suppose this makes sense, as she's trying to sell a story rather than prove something. Still, Silver does take this opportunity while he has it to at least slightly messed with Khoi.
"Love you, honey. Have great day at work!"
>>175447
scrunch
"I'm not ashamed of it, I just know how the zebra workers back in Dhamaji reacted whenever they saw how a lamia eats. Anyways, let's go, maybe we can find a farm not too far away that would be willing to sell a goat or something."
scrunch
"I'm not ashamed of it, I just know how the zebra workers back in Dhamaji reacted whenever they saw how a lamia eats. Anyways, let's go, maybe we can find a farm not too far away that would be willing to sell a goat or something."
>>175449
“Oh. Goat. That’s your meal of choice.”
She has a very wide, sly, closed mouth smile, and moves along with Kira.
>>175448
She blushes, lowers her head even further, and her ears move back. She places both hooves together, bending her legs in and placing them in front of her chest. She whispers. “Really?”
“Oh. Goat. That’s your meal of choice.”
She has a very wide, sly, closed mouth smile, and moves along with Kira.
>>175448
She blushes, lowers her head even further, and her ears move back. She places both hooves together, bending her legs in and placing them in front of her chest. She whispers. “Really?”
>>175450
Kira nods, as she slithers towards the outskirts of the city, figuring that any farms would probably be further out.
"Oh yeah, it's part of the lamia diet. You don't need a whole lot of room to raise goats, they're filling, and you can get milk from them."
Kira nods, as she slithers towards the outskirts of the city, figuring that any farms would probably be further out.
"Oh yeah, it's part of the lamia diet. You don't need a whole lot of room to raise goats, they're filling, and you can get milk from them."
>>175451
“Ah, that makes sense.”
She follows, lowers her head, and then asks
“Would you… like some help? In finding a farm?”
>>175452
She smiles in a display of happiness, again showing off her fangs. “Hehehehe.” She almost squeaks. Then she moves closer, places her nose against Silver’s, and nuzzles him, closing her eyes.
“Ah, that makes sense.”
She follows, lowers her head, and then asks
“Would you… like some help? In finding a farm?”
>>175452
She smiles in a display of happiness, again showing off her fangs. “Hehehehe.” She almost squeaks. Then she moves closer, places her nose against Silver’s, and nuzzles him, closing her eyes.
>>175453
D'awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. Khoi really is just the cutest thing. Silver closes his own eyes and nuzzles back.
D'awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. Khoi really is just the cutest thing. Silver closes his own eyes and nuzzles back.
>>175453
Kira comes to a stop, perhaps forcing Neela to dodge out of the way if she was following immediately behind the lamia.
"Oh, uh...sure, if you know where one is. Lead on!"
Kira comes to a stop, perhaps forcing Neela to dodge out of the way if she was following immediately behind the lamia.
"Oh, uh...sure, if you know where one is. Lead on!"
>>175455
“Nope! But I might be able to find out.” She says.
Gather information, with secret modifier. Neela pretends to be looking for work as a farm hoof.
[1d20 = 4]
>>175454
The little Kylan is nuzzled
“Hehehe.”
Unless Silver has something else he wants to do with her, she hops out. Or waits until Silver opens the door, and hops out.
“Nope! But I might be able to find out.” She says.
Gather information, with secret modifier. Neela pretends to be looking for work as a farm hoof.
[1d20 = 4]
>>175454
The little Kylan is nuzzled
“Hehehe.”
Unless Silver has something else he wants to do with her, she hops out. Or waits until Silver opens the door, and hops out.
>>175456
>>175457
"Here, let me try."
Survival: Taking a deep breath and trying to clear her mind, Kira takes in a deep sniff and tastes the air for any sign of agriculture. Though she gets many unpleasant smells related to urban and suburban areas, she hopes that somewhere underneath them all she can pick out something familiar of farms and animals.
[1d20+10 = (10+10) = 20]
>>175457
"Here, let me try."
Survival: Taking a deep breath and trying to clear her mind, Kira takes in a deep sniff and tastes the air for any sign of agriculture. Though she gets many unpleasant smells related to urban and suburban areas, she hopes that somewhere underneath them all she can pick out something familiar of farms and animals.
[1d20+10 = (10+10) = 20]
>>175456
Silver doesn't have anything he needs to do with her, and though he would love in that moment to spend more time with his kirin/kylan, he knows she has to go to work. He gives her a brief kiss and wave goodbye as he opens the passenger side door for her to get out.
Silver doesn't have anything he needs to do with her, and though he would love in that moment to spend more time with his kirin/kylan, he knows she has to go to work. He gives her a brief kiss and wave goodbye as he opens the passenger side door for her to get out.
>>175459
Khoi smiles, and hops right out, with a sound of tapping as her cloven hoofs meet the pavement.
>>175458
Moving out unpleasant smells like diesel and asphalt, Kira can pick up on some tasty smells. Deer, although Neela seems to be upwind, and… yes. Goats. Across the river. To the south. South and south west.
Khoi smiles, and hops right out, with a sound of tapping as her cloven hoofs meet the pavement.
>>175458
Moving out unpleasant smells like diesel and asphalt, Kira can pick up on some tasty smells. Deer, although Neela seems to be upwind, and… yes. Goats. Across the river. To the south. South and south west.
>>175460
What beautiful music those hooves make. He watches his kylan as she goes around the car and towards the restaurant, not leaving until he's seen her safely enter the establishment.
What beautiful music those hooves make. He watches his kylan as she goes around the car and towards the restaurant, not leaving until he's seen her safely enter the establishment.
>>175460
"Okay, I think I have it. Follow me!"
Perhaps Neela is a bit disturbed by the strength of Kira's sense of smell, as Kira follows the trail she picked up leading her across the river and towards those mythical goats.
"Okay, I think I have it. Follow me!"
Perhaps Neela is a bit disturbed by the strength of Kira's sense of smell, as Kira follows the trail she picked up leading her across the river and towards those mythical goats.
>>175461
After making sure her mane net and her jacket are secured, she trots towards the entrance, looking back at Silver with a smile. The zebra mare continues to watch both creatures.
>>175462
Neela and Kira go a few blocks south and then over, across an iron bridge. It’s still a bit urban, but progressing further, the buildings thin out.
After making sure her mane net and her jacket are secured, she trots towards the entrance, looking back at Silver with a smile. The zebra mare continues to watch both creatures.
>>175462
Neela and Kira go a few blocks south and then over, across an iron bridge. It’s still a bit urban, but progressing further, the buildings thin out.
>>175463
While following the trail, Kira decides to engage in some small talk.
"Where else have you been, besides Baltimare?"
While following the trail, Kira decides to engage in some small talk.
"Where else have you been, besides Baltimare?"
>>175463
Silver smiles back, happy to see his kylan in such high spirits. He waves at her some more until she enters the restaurant, and then looks over at the zebra mare once more.
"Do you know Black Cauldron, by any chance?"
Silver smiles back, happy to see his kylan in such high spirits. He waves at her some more until she enters the restaurant, and then looks over at the zebra mare once more.
"Do you know Black Cauldron, by any chance?"
>>175466
"Oh! Alright, can you just tell her that I said 'hello' and hope she is doing okay? I have couple of things to do, otherwise I would just come in and do so myself."
"Oh! Alright, can you just tell her that I said 'hello' and hope she is doing okay? I have couple of things to do, otherwise I would just come in and do so myself."
>>175470
Dang, how long has it been? Kira checks her pocket watch for the time.
"All of the buildings are tall and made of different materials, you have all of this technology like cars and stuff. There's also a lot less nature here in the city then I'm used to."
Dang, how long has it been? Kira checks her pocket watch for the time.
"All of the buildings are tall and made of different materials, you have all of this technology like cars and stuff. There's also a lot less nature here in the city then I'm used to."
>>175470
"Oh, well, whenever you see her." He smiles and waves at the pretty zebra mare. "Have good day!"
"Oh, well, whenever you see her." He smiles and waves at the pretty zebra mare. "Have good day!"
>>175472
She smiles and waves back
“I will!” A pause “And… have a good day, Silver, Khoi’s Fiance!”
>>175471
I mean, she’s been continuously doing stuff all day. Does she have a watch? It’s like 5:30.
“Well, yeah. It’s a city. A big one. The biggest in the region… I am told. Of course there isn’t any nature in it.”
She smiles and waves back
“I will!” A pause “And… have a good day, Silver, Khoi’s Fiance!”
>>175471
I mean, she’s been continuously doing stuff all day. Does she have a watch? It’s like 5:30.
“Well, yeah. It’s a city. A big one. The biggest in the region… I am told. Of course there isn’t any nature in it.”
>>175473
Silver rolls up his window and heads off. He sees if he can navigate the care to Curwhinny's old farmhouse, hoping that such a remote location for the car will keep the gang off their trail until his business is finished.
Silver rolls up his window and heads off. He sees if he can navigate the care to Curwhinny's old farmhouse, hoping that such a remote location for the car will keep the gang off their trail until his business is finished.
>>175473
Yeah, she got a packet watch from the nice ponies at the pawn shop.
"It's a great city full of amazing things, but I do wish there were more trees and dirt in the city."
Yeah, she got a packet watch from the nice ponies at the pawn shop.
"It's a great city full of amazing things, but I do wish there were more trees and dirt in the city."
>>175474
That location is more northerly, close to the road Cherry Hill is on, but much further west. The location is not remote, but is in the middle of new construction. Silver can of course drive there.
>>175475
“Well… it’s a city. There’s a few parks and trees, and a little dirt, but… of course there’s not going to be many trees or dirt.” She trots a few more feet. “That little yard uh the back is the most I’ve seen since I left Lushi.” She says. “In a private yard, I mean. Like on someone’s apartment.”
The two have reached the end of where navigating by dead reckoning can take them. It isn’t clear where they need to go.
That location is more northerly, close to the road Cherry Hill is on, but much further west. The location is not remote, but is in the middle of new construction. Silver can of course drive there.
>>175475
“Well… it’s a city. There’s a few parks and trees, and a little dirt, but… of course there’s not going to be many trees or dirt.” She trots a few more feet. “That little yard uh the back is the most I’ve seen since I left Lushi.” She says. “In a private yard, I mean. Like on someone’s apartment.”
The two have reached the end of where navigating by dead reckoning can take them. It isn’t clear where they need to go.
>>175476
Survival: Another sniff, another tasting the air, as Kira attempts to figure out the correct path to take to get to the food.
[1d20+10 = (20+10) = 30]
Survival: Another sniff, another tasting the air, as Kira attempts to figure out the correct path to take to get to the food.
[1d20+10 = (20+10) = 30]
>>175476
It's a good thing he can drive there, otherwise it would be hard to hide the car there. Even if it's not super remote, hopefully it's far enough away where they'll be safe.
It's a good thing he can drive there, otherwise it would be hard to hide the car there. Even if it's not super remote, hopefully it's far enough away where they'll be safe.
>>175477
There’s no question at all. The smell is unmistakeable. Down the road, to the left, and then the equivalent of a few blocks. Goats and perhaps even lambs. And besides that, Kira now knows there are cervines in the wilderness. Also Neela is still there.
>>175478
One way to find out! Silver can indeed drive there. The lot is a lone semi-wild lot surrounded by new-constructed houses.
There’s no question at all. The smell is unmistakeable. Down the road, to the left, and then the equivalent of a few blocks. Goats and perhaps even lambs. And besides that, Kira now knows there are cervines in the wilderness. Also Neela is still there.
>>175478
One way to find out! Silver can indeed drive there. The lot is a lone semi-wild lot surrounded by new-constructed houses.
>>175479
Ooooo. Kira's going to have to remember this place for future hunting plans. She excitedly leads the way towards the farm full of food.
Ooooo. Kira's going to have to remember this place for future hunting plans. She excitedly leads the way towards the farm full of food.
>>175480
Silver finds it. The quarry is still an archeological site, but the farmhouse is untouched. A random carry wouldn’t look out of place, with the archeological survey still going on.
>>175481
They’ve left the rows of houses and have entered the woods. The trees break for a meadow behind a barbed wire fence. There’s a smaller enclosure, a henhouse, a barn, and a farm house. Kira can hear the baying of goats.
Neela
“Oh I should have brought wire cutters…”
Silver finds it. The quarry is still an archeological site, but the farmhouse is untouched. A random carry wouldn’t look out of place, with the archeological survey still going on.
>>175481
They’ve left the rows of houses and have entered the woods. The trees break for a meadow behind a barbed wire fence. There’s a smaller enclosure, a henhouse, a barn, and a farm house. Kira can hear the baying of goats.
Neela
“Oh I should have brought wire cutters…”
>>175482
Kira once more tilts her head at the deer. She's going to get a sore neck if she keeps doing that too much.
"Why do we need wire cutters? We just go over to the farm house and pay for a goat."
Kira once more tilts her head at the deer. She's going to get a sore neck if she keeps doing that too much.
"Why do we need wire cutters? We just go over to the farm house and pay for a goat."
>>175482
That sounds good. Silver parks the car by the farmhouse, hopefully out of sight, and turns off the engine. He makes sure to grab anything left inside the car to take with him as he trots back towards home. Though, as he passes by the quarry, he gets curious and decides to see if Pear Faucet is still there.
That sounds good. Silver parks the car by the farmhouse, hopefully out of sight, and turns off the engine. He makes sure to grab anything left inside the car to take with him as he trots back towards home. Though, as he passes by the quarry, he gets curious and decides to see if Pear Faucet is still there.
>>175483
She half scrunches, rolls her eyes upwards, and moves her ears back.
“Okay fine, we’ll buy the goats. Have you lived your whole life make to just buy everything, miss money bags?”
The farm house is right there. The lights show it is occupied.
>>175484
Looking in, Silver can see that Pear is indeed in the quarry. She is sitting down, with a hat and jacket on, and her tail curled up next to her, looking down at a set of paper items, presumably cataloguing or examining them.
She half scrunches, rolls her eyes upwards, and moves her ears back.
“Okay fine, we’ll buy the goats. Have you lived your whole life make to just buy everything, miss money bags?”
The farm house is right there. The lights show it is occupied.
>>175484
Looking in, Silver can see that Pear is indeed in the quarry. She is sitting down, with a hat and jacket on, and her tail curled up next to her, looking down at a set of paper items, presumably cataloguing or examining them.
>>175485
"I just don't want to steal from them. They're honest farmers, and they provide a very valuable service to creatures like me."
Kira slithers around to the farm house, and knocks on the front door.
"I just don't want to steal from them. They're honest farmers, and they provide a very valuable service to creatures like me."
Kira slithers around to the farm house, and knocks on the front door.
>>175486
Silver is seen by a couple familiar stallions, who seem as if they will stop him, but evidently decide against it. They busy doing other things, after all. Pear is looking at pages from books. She’s looking at them fairly intently, and using her hat to block the sun from her eyes. She does not notice Silver, even when he comes close.
>>175487
Kira knocks on the door, and a brown mare answers.
“Hi… Ah!”
She runs away
Silver is seen by a couple familiar stallions, who seem as if they will stop him, but evidently decide against it. They busy doing other things, after all. Pear is looking at pages from books. She’s looking at them fairly intently, and using her hat to block the sun from her eyes. She does not notice Silver, even when he comes close.
>>175487
Kira knocks on the door, and a brown mare answers.
“Hi… Ah!”
She runs away
>>175488
"Hi, uh..." That's all she can get out before the brown mare runs off. Kira calls after her. "W-wait! I'm friendly!"
"Hi, uh..." That's all she can get out before the brown mare runs off. Kira calls after her. "W-wait! I'm friendly!"
>>175488
I suppose they don't have fond memories of Silver after he made off with an enchanted sword. Silver politely clears his throat to announce his presence to the unaware mare.
I suppose they don't have fond memories of Silver after he made off with an enchanted sword. Silver politely clears his throat to announce his presence to the unaware mare.
>>175444
“How will you get the diamond dog in?” He asks
>>175489
A grey stallion comes up. He’s an earth pony, although zebra striping around the legs may be a feature or hybridization. He comes to the door, cracking it open.
“Who are you?” He asks. He looks back and says “It’s just a mare.”
>>175490
“Gasp”
She turns around, startled.
“Silver Sword? What are you doing here?”
“How will you get the diamond dog in?” He asks
>>175489
A grey stallion comes up. He’s an earth pony, although zebra striping around the legs may be a feature or hybridization. He comes to the door, cracking it open.
“Who are you?” He asks. He looks back and says “It’s just a mare.”
>>175490
“Gasp”
She turns around, startled.
“Silver Sword? What are you doing here?”
>>175491
Hmm. Perhaps it's best for Kira to keep her snake tail out of sight if just for the moment.
"Oh, hello there mister! I was hoping I could make a purchase of one of your goats."
Hmm. Perhaps it's best for Kira to keep her snake tail out of sight if just for the moment.
"Oh, hello there mister! I was hoping I could make a purchase of one of your goats."
>>175493
“Oh yeah, we have many goats. What are you looking for? A kid, a doe, a buck? Are you looking for a pet, a breeder, a milker, or maybe even for the foreigners?” He answers happily. “A little late to come out here. Who is your friend here?”
>>175492
“In the area? Wha? Uh, hello? I’m going through book pages.”
“Oh yeah, we have many goats. What are you looking for? A kid, a doe, a buck? Are you looking for a pet, a breeder, a milker, or maybe even for the foreigners?” He answers happily. “A little late to come out here. Who is your friend here?”
>>175492
“In the area? Wha? Uh, hello? I’m going through book pages.”
>>175494
"Oh, this is my friend Neela, she's been showing me around the city." She looks back at Neela, then again to the farm stallion. "What do you mean for the foreigners?"
"Oh, this is my friend Neela, she's been showing me around the city." She looks back at Neela, then again to the farm stallion. "What do you mean for the foreigners?"
>>175495
“Well, I mean they will eat the… well never mind, you’re not here for that. What do you need?”
He looks over at the Deer
>>175496
“A book of esoteric magic spells. I believe they are spells of the old ponies of Paradise Valley. Hard to say though. It seems most of the pages are lost, and I can’t say I am familiar enough with the language.”
“Well, I mean they will eat the… well never mind, you’re not here for that. What do you need?”
He looks over at the Deer
>>175496
“A book of esoteric magic spells. I believe they are spells of the old ponies of Paradise Valley. Hard to say though. It seems most of the pages are lost, and I can’t say I am familiar enough with the language.”
>>175497
"Huh, that is odd, seeing language you are not familiar with. But it would make sense with what else I found looking through those catacombs so many times."
Silver looks around them to make sure nopony is within whispers range, and lowers his voice.
"Actually, can I, uh...tell you something?"
"Huh, that is odd, seeing language you are not familiar with. But it would make sense with what else I found looking through those catacombs so many times."
Silver looks around them to make sure nopony is within whispers range, and lowers his voice.
"Actually, can I, uh...tell you something?"
>>175497
Kira blinks, once, then twice, before replying to the stallion.
"That's, uh...actually exactly why I'm here..."
Kira blinks, once, then twice, before replying to the stallion.
"That's, uh...actually exactly why I'm here..."
>>175498
“Well, there’s both an old ponish, and comparatively modern ponish note, but…” she moves her tail to the other side. “What is it?”
>>175499
“What is?” After a second, “Oh, for the… griffins? The cats? No matter. It’s alright, that’s actually where most of our goats go. The dogs, the cats, the gnolls, the bears, the griffins and wolves, they love goat meat. What are you looking for? A buck? Kids?” Then he says. “Actually, would you like to come to the pen and see what we have?”
“Well, there’s both an old ponish, and comparatively modern ponish note, but…” she moves her tail to the other side. “What is it?”
>>175499
“What is?” After a second, “Oh, for the… griffins? The cats? No matter. It’s alright, that’s actually where most of our goats go. The dogs, the cats, the gnolls, the bears, the griffins and wolves, they love goat meat. What are you looking for? A buck? Kids?” Then he says. “Actually, would you like to come to the pen and see what we have?”
>>175500
Silver checks again to make sure nopony is in earshot before leaning in and whispering to her.
"So, reason I am in area. To make long story short, I may or may not have stolen car from Waterfront Gang and I may or may not have hidden it away up by Curwhinny's farmhouse so they can not find where I live."
Silver checks again to make sure nopony is in earshot before leaning in and whispering to her.
"So, reason I am in area. To make long story short, I may or may not have stolen car from Waterfront Gang and I may or may not have hidden it away up by Curwhinny's farmhouse so they can not find where I live."
>>175491
>how
"I will hypnotize her, and then I will tell her that she's going to be volunteering at the Kaftar temple to pay off a debt I have to her, and eventually released." Posey says
"If she knows what's good for her, she'll avoid making a scene. It's not the first time I've brought her through military checkpoints." She adds
>how
"I will hypnotize her, and then I will tell her that she's going to be volunteering at the Kaftar temple to pay off a debt I have to her, and eventually released." Posey says
"If she knows what's good for her, she'll avoid making a scene. It's not the first time I've brought her through military checkpoints." She adds
>>175501
He blinks.
“Why would I freak out? No, we have many ponies who buy for restaurants here-“
Neela:
“She isn’t a pony.”
Stallion:
“Huh.”
Neela:
“You are not talking to a pony.”
The stallion looks a little concerned
“What?”
>>175502
She blinks
“What?”
And then a laugh
“Heh”
>>175503
“So make her think she’s being released? Go in willingly?” He looks into the rear view mirror, looking back at Posey.
“If you can pull it off, it’ll work. Just don’t let ‘er guess the truth.”
He blinks.
“Why would I freak out? No, we have many ponies who buy for restaurants here-“
Neela:
“She isn’t a pony.”
Stallion:
“Huh.”
Neela:
“You are not talking to a pony.”
The stallion looks a little concerned
“What?”
>>175502
She blinks
“What?”
And then a laugh
“Heh”
>>175503
“So make her think she’s being released? Go in willingly?” He looks into the rear view mirror, looking back at Posey.
“If you can pull it off, it’ll work. Just don’t let ‘er guess the truth.”
>>175505
Silver laughs with her.
"Heh, yeah. There is longer story around that, but that is core idea. I just do not want others in your team to overhear, I do not think they like me after last time I was here."
Silver laughs with her.
"Heh, yeah. There is longer story around that, but that is core idea. I just do not want others in your team to overhear, I do not think they like me after last time I was here."
>>175508
The stallion walks out, looks over, then jumps back a couple feet.
“A snake?!?!” After a pause “That’s a big snake…” he looks up at Kira with worried, focused eyes. “Is that you?”
>>175507
“Yeah… Critical Theory has not forgotten you… Not every day somepony comes and… takes a sword.” She blinks. “A big, silver sword.”
The stallion walks out, looks over, then jumps back a couple feet.
“A snake?!?!” After a pause “That’s a big snake…” he looks up at Kira with worried, focused eyes. “Is that you?”
>>175507
“Yeah… Critical Theory has not forgotten you… Not every day somepony comes and… takes a sword.” She blinks. “A big, silver sword.”
>>175510
Kira nods, then smiles embarrassed at the stallion.
"Yup, that is me. I'm a lamia." She extends a hoof for a hoofshake. "I'm Kubana Kirafiki, by the way, but you can call me Kira."
Kira nods, then smiles embarrassed at the stallion.
"Yup, that is me. I'm a lamia." She extends a hoof for a hoofshake. "I'm Kubana Kirafiki, by the way, but you can call me Kira."
>>175510
"Heh, that is me. Big Silver Sword." He chuckles some more, before looking around at the quarry. "It looks lot better here now, at least. No undead clawing at my throat, nor body parts flung around, not even giant Rocs come to fight mummies and undead knights over smelly bait."
"Heh, that is me. Big Silver Sword." He chuckles some more, before looking around at the quarry. "It looks lot better here now, at least. No undead clawing at my throat, nor body parts flung around, not even giant Rocs come to fight mummies and undead knights over smelly bait."
>>175515
Awww.
"I promise I'm really friendly, mister, if you took the chance to know me."
She gives the stallion a sad look with big, sad snakepony eyes and folded ears.
Awww.
"I promise I'm really friendly, mister, if you took the chance to know me."
She gives the stallion a sad look with big, sad snakepony eyes and folded ears.
>>175515
"Did I not tell you? To lure undead out from catacombs I used some really smelly bait I got from hunting store, and it was so smelly that it lured Roc to quarry. You know, those giant dragon-eating birds? It fought mummy and undead knight over bait and won. It is why that mummy was in such poor condition."
"Did I not tell you? To lure undead out from catacombs I used some really smelly bait I got from hunting store, and it was so smelly that it lured Roc to quarry. You know, those giant dragon-eating birds? It fought mummy and undead knight over bait and won. It is why that mummy was in such poor condition."
>>175516
He shakes
“You you - you’re a snake?” He asks, as if that question hadn’t already been answered by Kira - as if the answer weren’t already in front of his eyes.
Neela
“Don’t worry. She won’t eat your chickens.” She rolls her eyes “Not without paying for them first.”
>>175517
“Oh. Right. Heh…” her ears go back. “And now you’re… hiding a car stolen from the gang?”
He shakes
“You you - you’re a snake?” He asks, as if that question hadn’t already been answered by Kira - as if the answer weren’t already in front of his eyes.
Neela
“Don’t worry. She won’t eat your chickens.” She rolls her eyes “Not without paying for them first.”
>>175517
“Oh. Right. Heh…” her ears go back. “And now you’re… hiding a car stolen from the gang?”
>>175518
"Lamia, actually. And Neela's right, I wouldn't ever dream of eating any of your livestock without paying for it. You're honest farmers, and you provide an invaluable service for all sorts of creatures!"
"Lamia, actually. And Neela's right, I wouldn't ever dream of eating any of your livestock without paying for it. You're honest farmers, and you provide an invaluable service for all sorts of creatures!"
>>175519
Her ears go back up, and she looks up towards Silver. She’s still sitting down, but she twists her body towards Silver to have a direct look at him. Her eyes are green, ever so slightly yellow-green.
“So why would you want to hear about old books that aren’t even complete books.
>>175520
“So…” his smile shows every tooth. He’s actually missing a couple on his upper jaw. “You want to see the goats? Or do you know what you want?”
Her ears go back up, and she looks up towards Silver. She’s still sitting down, but she twists her body towards Silver to have a direct look at him. Her eyes are green, ever so slightly yellow-green.
“So why would you want to hear about old books that aren’t even complete books.
>>175520
“So…” his smile shows every tooth. He’s actually missing a couple on his upper jaw. “You want to see the goats? Or do you know what you want?”
>>175521
Kira actually finds that a bit interesting, though she's not going to stare at a pony's missing teeth.
"No, I hadn't looked at the goats yet. I'd like to see them, if you please."
Kira actually finds that a bit interesting, though she's not going to stare at a pony's missing teeth.
"No, I hadn't looked at the goats yet. I'd like to see them, if you please."
>>175521
"Because old books are interesting, they tell tales of our history that sometimes have been lost to us for ages." He smiles at Pear. "Rocs, and mummies, and gangs...those are like regular Tuesday."
"Because old books are interesting, they tell tales of our history that sometimes have been lost to us for ages." He smiles at Pear. "Rocs, and mummies, and gangs...those are like regular Tuesday."
>>175522
Still smiling. “Oh, oh, uh, okay. F-follow me. If you could, keep a little distance. When we get to the pen, the goats might be afraid of you.” He blinks, and finally takes a step forward “Stay downwind if you can.”
>>175523
“Hehehe” she smiles, and wraps her tail even more. “I think so. That’s why I’m so happy we have these archeological studies. Just…” she looks down “It’s a shame these books have been damaged and so much is missing. And it’s a shame it’s taking time out of our expedition…”
Still smiling. “Oh, oh, uh, okay. F-follow me. If you could, keep a little distance. When we get to the pen, the goats might be afraid of you.” He blinks, and finally takes a step forward “Stay downwind if you can.”
>>175523
“Hehehe” she smiles, and wraps her tail even more. “I think so. That’s why I’m so happy we have these archeological studies. Just…” she looks down “It’s a shame these books have been damaged and so much is missing. And it’s a shame it’s taking time out of our expedition…”
>>175524
"It is unfortunate, and sad. It makes you wonder what has been lost to time forever." He looks down at the pages he can't read, then back up to Pear with a smile. "There is silver lining to how long it is taking, at least...pun not intended. It means I get to see you just little bit longer."
"It is unfortunate, and sad. It makes you wonder what has been lost to time forever." He looks down at the pages he can't read, then back up to Pear with a smile. "There is silver lining to how long it is taking, at least...pun not intended. It means I get to see you just little bit longer."
>>175524
"Can do!" Kira graciously slides out of the way of the stallion's path. She seems friendly, or at least she hasn't lunged out at him to eat him as soon as he stepped out of his door.
"Can do!" Kira graciously slides out of the way of the stallion's path. She seems friendly, or at least she hasn't lunged out at him to eat him as soon as he stepped out of his door.
>>175526
Kira may get the feeling that the pony genuinely does feel that she could lunge out and eat him. He must not genuinely believe it. If he did, he would have gone back inside and locked the door. Instead, he walks in front of her and turns his back to her. Yet still he turns back towards her periodically, and he keeps his distance. Indeed, virtually every creature Kira has encountered, from various sales ponies to Neela, have kept a distance from Kira. Perhaps it’s a distance that they think would let them dodge a lunge from Kira, though Kira thinks the real distance is longer than that. Surely they don’t actually think Kira would lunge at them - if they did, they wouldn’t come near her at all… right? Right?
The stallion leads them to a pin. Kira can hear the baaing of sheep and goats inside.
>>175525
“Yeah,” she says, sullenly. Then when silver says his line.
“Hehe” she giggles, looking up at silver with a blush, a tooth-showing bashful smile, and one ear going back while the other moves to the side.
“D’awww, that’s sweet” she says
Kira may get the feeling that the pony genuinely does feel that she could lunge out and eat him. He must not genuinely believe it. If he did, he would have gone back inside and locked the door. Instead, he walks in front of her and turns his back to her. Yet still he turns back towards her periodically, and he keeps his distance. Indeed, virtually every creature Kira has encountered, from various sales ponies to Neela, have kept a distance from Kira. Perhaps it’s a distance that they think would let them dodge a lunge from Kira, though Kira thinks the real distance is longer than that. Surely they don’t actually think Kira would lunge at them - if they did, they wouldn’t come near her at all… right? Right?
The stallion leads them to a pin. Kira can hear the baaing of sheep and goats inside.
>>175525
“Yeah,” she says, sullenly. Then when silver says his line.
“Hehe” she giggles, looking up at silver with a blush, a tooth-showing bashful smile, and one ear going back while the other moves to the side.
“D’awww, that’s sweet” she says
>>175527
These thoughts worry the friendly lamia. Surely if they took the time to get to know her, to follow through on the promises of friendship and Harmony that she had heard some much about with regard to this land, they would realize that she's one of the nicest, kindest creatures they could befriend.
Of course, these thoughts are chased away as soon as they get to the pen. Kira suddenly realizes how hungry she is, all of that pony food earlier wasn't really what he body was needing. She flicks her tongue, getting a taste of the scent of the food inside.
These thoughts worry the friendly lamia. Surely if they took the time to get to know her, to follow through on the promises of friendship and Harmony that she had heard some much about with regard to this land, they would realize that she's one of the nicest, kindest creatures they could befriend.
Of course, these thoughts are chased away as soon as they get to the pen. Kira suddenly realizes how hungry she is, all of that pony food earlier wasn't really what he body was needing. She flicks her tongue, getting a taste of the scent of the food inside.
>>175527
"I hope not every day you are here in Baltimare will be spent in this quarry. I would like to spend some more time with you."
"I hope not every day you are here in Baltimare will be spent in this quarry. I would like to spend some more time with you."
>>175529
She continues her bashful smile, tilting her head.
“What do you - what do you have in mind? Is it a shootout with gang members? A dash into an old mill overtaken by rum runners? Maybe a jaunt through a haunted hotel?”
>>175528
There’s still a barbed wire fence in the way. Kira can see a kid, an adult goat, and a few more off in the distance, including sheep and lambs. The adult goat is white, while the kid has alternative white and black, black more so on the top and white around the belly. Kira can hear many “baas,” and smell the delicious smell of goats, sheep, and a chital deer.
She continues her bashful smile, tilting her head.
“What do you - what do you have in mind? Is it a shootout with gang members? A dash into an old mill overtaken by rum runners? Maybe a jaunt through a haunted hotel?”
>>175528
There’s still a barbed wire fence in the way. Kira can see a kid, an adult goat, and a few more off in the distance, including sheep and lambs. The adult goat is white, while the kid has alternative white and black, black more so on the top and white around the belly. Kira can hear many “baas,” and smell the delicious smell of goats, sheep, and a chital deer.
>>175530
"Heh heh, those are some good ideas. Part of me was thinking about gallivanting through some forsaken ruins sometime."
"Heh heh, those are some good ideas. Part of me was thinking about gallivanting through some forsaken ruins sometime."
>>175530
Oh yeah, Kira is definitely hungry now.
"Which ones are for sale? Or, I guess, which ones would you recommend for, uh...you know..."
Oh yeah, Kira is definitely hungry now.
"Which ones are for sale? Or, I guess, which ones would you recommend for, uh...you know..."
>>175531
“Heh heh” she smiles, but her expression slowly changes with her lips coming down.
“Are you serious?”
>>175532
“They are…” the pony is sweating, and both the stallion and Neela keep an even greater distance from Kira than before. They actually would have time to react if Kira lunged at them. The stallion speaks loudly to communicate with Neela.
“There’s a ewe in the back that I am breeding but…” he swallows. “Any of those that are roaming free, that you see here, those uh, those are for sale, yes, I uh, the does are in the barn… these are all free of disease, and internal and external parasites, if that’s what you are asking.” He swallows again. “I’ve had them de-wormed.”
He doesn’t comment on how to best feed your lamia.
“Heh heh” she smiles, but her expression slowly changes with her lips coming down.
“Are you serious?”
>>175532
“They are…” the pony is sweating, and both the stallion and Neela keep an even greater distance from Kira than before. They actually would have time to react if Kira lunged at them. The stallion speaks loudly to communicate with Neela.
“There’s a ewe in the back that I am breeding but…” he swallows. “Any of those that are roaming free, that you see here, those uh, those are for sale, yes, I uh, the does are in the barn… these are all free of disease, and internal and external parasites, if that’s what you are asking.” He swallows again. “I’ve had them de-wormed.”
He doesn’t comment on how to best feed your lamia.
>>175533
"Ah, good, no one likes parasites." She looks over her options, before settling her eyes on one of the largest ones available. She points it out to the pony. "What about that one?"
"Ah, good, no one likes parasites." She looks over her options, before settling her eyes on one of the largest ones available. She points it out to the pony. "What about that one?"
>>175533
Silver initially smiles back, but as she asks the question he tilts his head.
"Well, sort of. I would take you to one if I knew of any at moment. Gang shootout happened yesterday, so...whoops..." Silver looks around to see if anypony else heard that slip.
Silver initially smiles back, but as she asks the question he tilts his head.
"Well, sort of. I would take you to one if I knew of any at moment. Gang shootout happened yesterday, so...whoops..." Silver looks around to see if anypony else heard that slip.
>>175534
“The uh” he swallows “going rate is a bit less than one bit a pound. “That’s uh, a 201 pound buck so, so he’s uh, worth about 175, I would say.”
Kira knows that she could swallow any creature here. There are likely some ewes or bucks or cattle elsewhere that are too big, but not here. The largest will be the most filling, and last her the longest between meals - maybe two weeks. These animals will be the hardest to catch and will need to be killed or drugged before being eaten. Kira may have difficulty being active after eating them, and the bulge may be mistaken for being an eaten pony. The smallest prey will last her an only a few days before needing to eat again. At worst, the smallest prey will require her to eat again before digestion is complete. These will be easier to catch, may not require drugging or killing, and should be less noticeable on her body. They may also have minimal effect on her ability to move.
>>175535
“Shootout?” Her eyes widen
“The uh” he swallows “going rate is a bit less than one bit a pound. “That’s uh, a 201 pound buck so, so he’s uh, worth about 175, I would say.”
Kira knows that she could swallow any creature here. There are likely some ewes or bucks or cattle elsewhere that are too big, but not here. The largest will be the most filling, and last her the longest between meals - maybe two weeks. These animals will be the hardest to catch and will need to be killed or drugged before being eaten. Kira may have difficulty being active after eating them, and the bulge may be mistaken for being an eaten pony. The smallest prey will last her an only a few days before needing to eat again. At worst, the smallest prey will require her to eat again before digestion is complete. These will be easier to catch, may not require drugging or killing, and should be less noticeable on her body. They may also have minimal effect on her ability to move.
>>175535
“Shootout?” Her eyes widen
>>175536
"Uh...yes, shootout, related to stolen vehicle. They started it, if that is what you were worried about."
"Uh...yes, shootout, related to stolen vehicle. They started it, if that is what you were worried about."
>>175536
These are very salient points being brought up, and these are ones Kira is considering. She looks at one of the smaller ones. "And what about that one?"
These are very salient points being brought up, and these are ones Kira is considering. She looks at one of the smaller ones. "And what about that one?"
>>175538
“There’s a newborn kid I’ll part with for about 25 bits. He’s only about 15 pounds… but there’s one around 3 months old that’s 55 pounds and 50 bits. I have a couple that size.”
“There’s a newborn kid I’ll part with for about 25 bits. He’s only about 15 pounds… but there’s one around 3 months old that’s 55 pounds and 50 bits. I have a couple that size.”
>>175537
“… Oh… No, uh, I’m not worried just… I can’t say I remember the last time I’ve been involved in a shootout, heheh, the closest was that time I was with you, and the griffin tried to stab you. The books don’t really try to stab me.”
“… Oh… No, uh, I’m not worried just… I can’t say I remember the last time I’ve been involved in a shootout, heheh, the closest was that time I was with you, and the griffin tried to stab you. The books don’t really try to stab me.”
>>175539
Kira notices that the larger the animal, the more food she goes for what she pays. 15 pounds seems a little on the low side, so...
"Okay. I'll take one of the 3 month old ones, please!" She gets out 50 Bits for the farm stallion.
Kira notices that the larger the animal, the more food she goes for what she pays. 15 pounds seems a little on the low side, so...
"Okay. I'll take one of the 3 month old ones, please!" She gets out 50 Bits for the farm stallion.
>>175543
Kira looks very sad that he won't even get close enough to her just long enough to take the Bits. It's not like she would eat him or even bite...
Kira looks very sad that he won't even get close enough to her just long enough to take the Bits. It's not like she would eat him or even bite...
>>175545
He leans in a little further, then moves a little closer, then leans in a little further, then moves a little closer, then Neel takes the bits from Kira and gives it to the stallion.
“Do you uh, want me to get the kid for you, or would you like to go take the kid?” He asks.
He leans in a little further, then moves a little closer, then leans in a little further, then moves a little closer, then Neel takes the bits from Kira and gives it to the stallion.
“Do you uh, want me to get the kid for you, or would you like to go take the kid?” He asks.
>>175546
Somehow, it makes Kira even more saddened that Neela had to do it for him, especially when she resembles food-shaped creatures far more than any pony.
"I think it would be best if you were to get it. Maybe you could set it at ease. Maybe..."
Somehow, it makes Kira even more saddened that Neela had to do it for him, especially when she resembles food-shaped creatures far more than any pony.
"I think it would be best if you were to get it. Maybe you could set it at ease. Maybe..."
>>175547
"Ah, yes, that is uh...well that is not my fault, but I know what happened there." Silver awkwardly rubs the back of his neck.
"Ah, yes, that is uh...well that is not my fault, but I know what happened there." Silver awkwardly rubs the back of his neck.
>>175548
The stallion opens the door, closes it behind him, and goes up to the black and white kid. It tries to run from him, but he quickly catches it and picks it up with a “bah.” He holds it under a foreleg, trying to limp along on three legs of his own. His leg is under its forelegs, letting its hind legs hang down. It “bah’s” again, and once he goes through the door, closing it behind him, he starts petting it. Its ears, one black and the other white, go down, then back up. The pony looks at Kira, sits down, and keeps petting it.
>>175549
She perks up
“What happened there?”
The stallion opens the door, closes it behind him, and goes up to the black and white kid. It tries to run from him, but he quickly catches it and picks it up with a “bah.” He holds it under a foreleg, trying to limp along on three legs of his own. His leg is under its forelegs, letting its hind legs hang down. It “bah’s” again, and once he goes through the door, closing it behind him, he starts petting it. Its ears, one black and the other white, go down, then back up. The pony looks at Kira, sits down, and keeps petting it.
>>175549
She perks up
“What happened there?”
>>175550
"Well, first time we came through here to try to clear undead, we brought entire group. There were mostly ponies with us, but there was also one kirin. Kirin nun, to be exact. Me and one other pony went down to this exit to try to seal it with dynamite we found on body of unfortunate quarry worker who had decided to explore this ruin while it was still occupied. We figured we did not need any other unfortunate souls to try to explore from this direction, and we did not want any undead wandering outside into city. While we did that, rest of group came upon library, and when kirin saw books she immediately thought 'evil books' and went full nirik. By time fuse had been lit and we had returned to group, most of library was up in flames and it was too late to try to stop fuse on dynamite, so we ran back way we came as fast as we could. When dynamite went off, it sealed catacombs and that fire immediately ate most of oxygen inside. We barely made it out.
"I suppose benefit of that is that fire was snuffed out before it could claim everything. It ate through all of oxygen too fast. As for this exit...well, our original plan did us no good. When it was just me I had idea to lure undead out here to kill them with unexploded bomb, and ended up having to reclear all of debris our dynamite made."
"Well, first time we came through here to try to clear undead, we brought entire group. There were mostly ponies with us, but there was also one kirin. Kirin nun, to be exact. Me and one other pony went down to this exit to try to seal it with dynamite we found on body of unfortunate quarry worker who had decided to explore this ruin while it was still occupied. We figured we did not need any other unfortunate souls to try to explore from this direction, and we did not want any undead wandering outside into city. While we did that, rest of group came upon library, and when kirin saw books she immediately thought 'evil books' and went full nirik. By time fuse had been lit and we had returned to group, most of library was up in flames and it was too late to try to stop fuse on dynamite, so we ran back way we came as fast as we could. When dynamite went off, it sealed catacombs and that fire immediately ate most of oxygen inside. We barely made it out.
"I suppose benefit of that is that fire was snuffed out before it could claim everything. It ate through all of oxygen too fast. As for this exit...well, our original plan did us no good. When it was just me I had idea to lure undead out here to kill them with unexploded bomb, and ended up having to reclear all of debris our dynamite made."
>>175550
Oof...this is the hardest part of the transaction...it's always so hard, seeing the farmer get ready to part with their livestock for the final time, especially when they've spent time raising and caring for it. She knows she needs to eat, but still...
Oof...this is the hardest part of the transaction...it's always so hard, seeing the farmer get ready to part with their livestock for the final time, especially when they've spent time raising and caring for it. She knows she needs to eat, but still...
>>175550
>>175552
He continues petting the kid, which has calmed down significantly
“We call him ‘Nippy’ because he likes to nip at your fetlocks.” He says. He does not move closer to Kira. It’s not easy to carry the kid and walk, and he certainly can’t pet it. He continues sitting down.
Kira is likely going to need to come to him. Don’t move too fast, or he’ll run away.
>>175551
“Ugh….” She shakes her head “So much lost. Maybe I should expect that from a kirin… so many don’t appreciate old knowledge and faiths. They just dismiss it as ‘evil,’ not willing to recognize that the spirit is above good and evil.” She says, clearly holding back a much longer rant.
>>175552
He continues petting the kid, which has calmed down significantly
“We call him ‘Nippy’ because he likes to nip at your fetlocks.” He says. He does not move closer to Kira. It’s not easy to carry the kid and walk, and he certainly can’t pet it. He continues sitting down.
Kira is likely going to need to come to him. Don’t move too fast, or he’ll run away.
>>175551
“Ugh….” She shakes her head “So much lost. Maybe I should expect that from a kirin… so many don’t appreciate old knowledge and faiths. They just dismiss it as ‘evil,’ not willing to recognize that the spirit is above good and evil.” She says, clearly holding back a much longer rant.
>>175553
D'awwwwwwwwwwwwwww. But also...aaaaaarrrrrrgggghhhh why did they have to name him? And why did he have to tell her? That just makes it ten times worse...
"...nnnnngh...Aaauuugh..." Kira looks down, defeated. "...I can't do it. I can't eat something that cute, not him."
D'awwwwwwwwwwwwwww. But also...aaaaaarrrrrrgggghhhh why did they have to name him? And why did he have to tell her? That just makes it ten times worse...
"...nnnnngh...Aaauuugh..." Kira looks down, defeated. "...I can't do it. I can't eat something that cute, not him."
>>175553
While Silver does have other tasks for the day...it's not as if he needs to get to them right that minute, if she wants to share more with him.
While Silver does have other tasks for the day...it's not as if he needs to get to them right that minute, if she wants to share more with him.
>>175554
“Yes. You can.” Neela says. But she doesn’t want to come up to pet Kira.
The stallion continues petting Nippy, who, true to his name, tries to nip at the stallion’s hoof on one pass by his mouth.
>>175555
She blinks.
“I just… it’s a longer story but… ‘good and evil’ apply to ponies and are terms for behaviors that are good and bad within society. But outside if civilization those terms don’t have much meaning. Nature and spirit aren’t really good or evil. Hurricanes aren’t really evil, nor is fire. They kind of just are. I think burning the books of magic and lore just because the ponies who made them did not have good intentions is a bit short sited, and it shows a deep lack of trust for your fellow pony who would receive that knowledge.”
“Yes. You can.” Neela says. But she doesn’t want to come up to pet Kira.
The stallion continues petting Nippy, who, true to his name, tries to nip at the stallion’s hoof on one pass by his mouth.
>>175555
She blinks.
“I just… it’s a longer story but… ‘good and evil’ apply to ponies and are terms for behaviors that are good and bad within society. But outside if civilization those terms don’t have much meaning. Nature and spirit aren’t really good or evil. Hurricanes aren’t really evil, nor is fire. They kind of just are. I think burning the books of magic and lore just because the ponies who made them did not have good intentions is a bit short sited, and it shows a deep lack of trust for your fellow pony who would receive that knowledge.”
>>175556
"To be honest, it seems as though most of those books were not even really made with bad intentions. Sure, most had to do with occult or legends and myths from other societies, but none actually seemed to have been 'evil' by our sense."
"To be honest, it seems as though most of those books were not even really made with bad intentions. Sure, most had to do with occult or legends and myths from other societies, but none actually seemed to have been 'evil' by our sense."
>>175556
"I can't, he's just too cute, plus he's been given a name..." Her ears fold down, and she looks up at the stallion. "May I pet him?"
"I can't, he's just too cute, plus he's been given a name..." Her ears fold down, and she looks up at the stallion. "May I pet him?"
>>175557
I hope this is obvious, but a particular NPC’s opinion an event is not the same thing as an objective and correct assessment of an event
“Exactly!” She says with exasperation, breathing outward and looking down.
“Just… why would you burn this? There’s so much history. So much… esoteric knowledge of magic, and spiritual creatures…”
>>175558
He holds out the kid with both forelegs extended. It bahs.
“Pet him? You can take him. He’s yours.”
He then adds.
“Don’t put too much stock in the names. We just give them that to tell which is which. He was being raised to be eaten anyways.”
I hope this is obvious, but a particular NPC’s opinion an event is not the same thing as an objective and correct assessment of an event
“Exactly!” She says with exasperation, breathing outward and looking down.
“Just… why would you burn this? There’s so much history. So much… esoteric knowledge of magic, and spiritual creatures…”
>>175558
He holds out the kid with both forelegs extended. It bahs.
“Pet him? You can take him. He’s yours.”
He then adds.
“Don’t put too much stock in the names. We just give them that to tell which is which. He was being raised to be eaten anyways.”
>>175559
"Aww, but he's just so...so...argh, come on, Kira..." She shakes her head, still being conflicted on what to do. "Ponies really just make everything around them so much cuter. I never had this much trouble back in Zebrica..."
"Aww, but he's just so...so...argh, come on, Kira..." She shakes her head, still being conflicted on what to do. "Ponies really just make everything around them so much cuter. I never had this much trouble back in Zebrica..."
>>175560
The stallion smiles, and continues holding out the kid with both hooves.
“If you’d like to buy another one, or maybe a lamb…”
Neela scrunches, and both ears are back.
The stallion smiles, and continues holding out the kid with both hooves.
“If you’d like to buy another one, or maybe a lamb…”
Neela scrunches, and both ears are back.
>>175559
Unless it's Best Pony
"Well we did delve into lair of long-gone necromancer or lich. It is just...very unfortunate she immediately took assumption that it was all evil."
Unless it's Best Pony
"Well we did delve into lair of long-gone necromancer or lich. It is just...very unfortunate she immediately took assumption that it was all evil."
>>175561
"Maybe, maybe..." Since he keeps holding the kid out, Kira slowly slithers up to him, and begins to pet the kid between his ears. "Maybe I'll take one of the bigger ones instead, after all. I'll be sluggish for a time, but...maybe it will be easier to actually get over any cuteness."
"Maybe, maybe..." Since he keeps holding the kid out, Kira slowly slithers up to him, and begins to pet the kid between his ears. "Maybe I'll take one of the bigger ones instead, after all. I'll be sluggish for a time, but...maybe it will be easier to actually get over any cuteness."
>>175562
“Neigh”
She looks away and whips her tail.
“Very much so…” she shakes her head “Of course the fire was started by a Kirin…”
>>175563
He continues holding the kid up. Nippy bahs, and squirms when Kira touches him, but he’s held in place. The head is kind of soft, and the fur kind of stands up from his head.
So soft. So… Juicy…
“Neigh”
She looks away and whips her tail.
“Very much so…” she shakes her head “Of course the fire was started by a Kirin…”
>>175563
He continues holding the kid up. Nippy bahs, and squirms when Kira touches him, but he’s held in place. The head is kind of soft, and the fur kind of stands up from his head.
So soft. So… Juicy…
>>175564
Such helpless prey, too...gosh, if only he didn't have a name...she continues petting him, though.
"Is the big one still on offer?"
Such helpless prey, too...gosh, if only he didn't have a name...she continues petting him, though.
"Is the big one still on offer?"
>>175564
"It probably did not help she was nun, as well." He chuckles. "Again, it could have been much worse. Had that fire been allowed to continue, not even these pages would have been left. All would have turned to ash. At least something can be salvaged and saved."
"It probably did not help she was nun, as well." He chuckles. "Again, it could have been much worse. Had that fire been allowed to continue, not even these pages would have been left. All would have turned to ash. At least something can be salvaged and saved."
>>175565
“Oh yeah, that’s Hopper. He’s a two and a half year old buck. We thought he would be a good breeding buck but… No, didn’t quite make the cut. Sure, I can go get him for you. 175 bits. Be very careful with him though. We have to keep him on a rope. He will jump the fence.”
Nippy’s helplessness is actually a good thing. Kira can simply hold him like burger. A goat like Hopper, however, will need to be constricted, have his throat slit, or drugged.
>>175566
“Yeah” she nods, and looks down at the pages.
“It’s something. But something that hints at something more substantial.”
“Oh yeah, that’s Hopper. He’s a two and a half year old buck. We thought he would be a good breeding buck but… No, didn’t quite make the cut. Sure, I can go get him for you. 175 bits. Be very careful with him though. We have to keep him on a rope. He will jump the fence.”
Nippy’s helplessness is actually a good thing. Kira can simply hold him like burger. A goat like Hopper, however, will need to be constricted, have his throat slit, or drugged.
>>175566
“Yeah” she nods, and looks down at the pages.
“It’s something. But something that hints at something more substantial.”
>>175567
Constricting is something she can do, though she does have one more question.
"I already gave you 50 for this little guy." She pets the little burger. "If you keep him, do I still have to pay another 175 for Hopper, or just 125?"
Constricting is something she can do, though she does have one more question.
"I already gave you 50 for this little guy." She pets the little burger. "If you keep him, do I still have to pay another 175 for Hopper, or just 125?"
>>175570
"Trust me, I'd like to keep this lil cutie as a pet, but I just don't have the space to take good enough care of him."
Kira smiles, and pays the stallion the 125 Bits she still owes for Hopper.
"I only have one request, if possible. Is there a place where Hopper would have trouble escaping?"
"Trust me, I'd like to keep this lil cutie as a pet, but I just don't have the space to take good enough care of him."
Kira smiles, and pays the stallion the 125 Bits she still owes for Hopper.
"I only have one request, if possible. Is there a place where Hopper would have trouble escaping?"
>>175571
He looks up and around. Then he takes the money.
“I think so. There’s a pen just a little back that has wooden walls that are high, a wooden roof and chicken wire in between.”
He looks up and around. Then he takes the money.
“I think so. There’s a pen just a little back that has wooden walls that are high, a wooden roof and chicken wire in between.”
>>175572
"Okay, that sounds like it will work. Thank you. Just put him in there, and I can do the rest."
"Okay, that sounds like it will work. Thank you. Just put him in there, and I can do the rest."
>>175573
“Okay.” Holding Hopper in his foreleg, he turns around, carefully opens the door, moves away the new born with his hoof, then closes it. He sets Nippy on the ground, and Nippy immediately runs off and away.
“You know, I’ve had ponies buy goats for a manticore before. Can’t say I saw what it was they did with them. But I can imagine.”
Hopper is across the pen, tied up on a long set of twine to the fence. The goat is white and as big as the stallion, more or less. As the stallion approaches, Hopper moves towards him, leaning his head in toward’s the stallion’s hoof.
In a kind of baby voice, he says
“No, I don’t have any food for you. There’s no food for you. Now come along. He unties the twine, and pulls on it, pulling the goat along. The buck tries to jump, but the stallion pulls taught.
“I’m sorry, Hopper.” He pets the goat. “Time’s up.”
He goes a little further, through a door and into an enclosed pen that must be the one in question. He ties the goat in there, and leaves him. He comes back to Kira.
“You can enter through this pen or go around the long way through another door. He’s in there for you.”
“Okay.” Holding Hopper in his foreleg, he turns around, carefully opens the door, moves away the new born with his hoof, then closes it. He sets Nippy on the ground, and Nippy immediately runs off and away.
“You know, I’ve had ponies buy goats for a manticore before. Can’t say I saw what it was they did with them. But I can imagine.”
Hopper is across the pen, tied up on a long set of twine to the fence. The goat is white and as big as the stallion, more or less. As the stallion approaches, Hopper moves towards him, leaning his head in toward’s the stallion’s hoof.
In a kind of baby voice, he says
“No, I don’t have any food for you. There’s no food for you. Now come along. He unties the twine, and pulls on it, pulling the goat along. The buck tries to jump, but the stallion pulls taught.
“I’m sorry, Hopper.” He pets the goat. “Time’s up.”
He goes a little further, through a door and into an enclosed pen that must be the one in question. He ties the goat in there, and leaves him. He comes back to Kira.
“You can enter through this pen or go around the long way through another door. He’s in there for you.”
>>175568
Pear starts to talk… and talk, and generally ramble. She does not maintain eye contact, and moves her hooves about as if the motions of her hooves somehow aid in communicating what she’s talking about.
“Well, looking here, you can see a work religious poetry that references a condition after the universe consolidated into an orderly form. You see, in some traditions, the universe was at first without form and chaotic, then order is placed upon it and it becomes something more familiar to us. Still in an ancient age of gods and heroes, but there are things like, for example, time and three dimensional space, which didn’t necessarily exist in the primordial chaos. So. There’s a fight between the god of chaos and god of order or what have you, order wins, chaos is banished, the primordial essence is ordered. Thats not what this is about. This is about creatures - I guess ‘creature’ is the closest word I can find because they behave like living things - creatures that live in the proposal chaos, or maybe are created as the darkness withdraws. These things are not primary gods, so almost no source ever names them. Well, except Erebus, god of primordial chaos, who is referenced here. Anyways, this document references those… things…”
“Now here’s why this document is so interesting, and why you should care. This document is about the religion of the Crystal Ponies. The Crystal ponies don’t have a story of creation. They don’t have a story of the implementing of order. They don’t have a beginning. To the Crystal ponies, the universe has always existed and always has. It’s like Celestialism in that way. These ‘primordial entities’ are ideas in some of the oldest pony religions. They are in the changeling and the First Nation religion like the wolves, though not the buffalo…” Even Pear can sense this is a tangent, and she pulls herself back. “But basically this document describes things in an honestly kind of purple prose, that have no business being there. Now, we know that the Crystal Ponies have similar concepts. Like the Umbrum, demons and shadows and darkness long locked away in deep caverns and vaults beneath the earth. But it doesn’t have a beginning of the universe.”
“So.” She manages to look at Silver again “what caused this discrepancy? Now, the easiest answer is that the interpreter, who was a modern equestrian, added or misinterpreted material in the original text that’s being transliterated here, so that an idea that’s not from the crustal ponies is being misattributed ti the crustal ponies. I would never say that ‘Erebus’ and ‘the Ubrum’ are the same entity. But I don’t know, others disagree. Maybe this interpreter decided to refer to the Umbrum as Erebus? It’s a poem after all. That’s the most boring answer. But a more interesting answer would be that what we are seeing here is an older strain of the Crystal religion before it was influenced by the Equestrian religion. What if earlier versions of the religion did have a beginning if the universe? Or what if this is a lost strain? Or what if this is actually an older religion, now lost? I think a lot of these questions could be answered if we had the whole book. But we’re not going to know, because we are not going to find it.”
She places her hooves over her face, and seems sad.
Pear starts to talk… and talk, and generally ramble. She does not maintain eye contact, and moves her hooves about as if the motions of her hooves somehow aid in communicating what she’s talking about.
“Well, looking here, you can see a work religious poetry that references a condition after the universe consolidated into an orderly form. You see, in some traditions, the universe was at first without form and chaotic, then order is placed upon it and it becomes something more familiar to us. Still in an ancient age of gods and heroes, but there are things like, for example, time and three dimensional space, which didn’t necessarily exist in the primordial chaos. So. There’s a fight between the god of chaos and god of order or what have you, order wins, chaos is banished, the primordial essence is ordered. Thats not what this is about. This is about creatures - I guess ‘creature’ is the closest word I can find because they behave like living things - creatures that live in the proposal chaos, or maybe are created as the darkness withdraws. These things are not primary gods, so almost no source ever names them. Well, except Erebus, god of primordial chaos, who is referenced here. Anyways, this document references those… things…”
“Now here’s why this document is so interesting, and why you should care. This document is about the religion of the Crystal Ponies. The Crystal ponies don’t have a story of creation. They don’t have a story of the implementing of order. They don’t have a beginning. To the Crystal ponies, the universe has always existed and always has. It’s like Celestialism in that way. These ‘primordial entities’ are ideas in some of the oldest pony religions. They are in the changeling and the First Nation religion like the wolves, though not the buffalo…” Even Pear can sense this is a tangent, and she pulls herself back. “But basically this document describes things in an honestly kind of purple prose, that have no business being there. Now, we know that the Crystal Ponies have similar concepts. Like the Umbrum, demons and shadows and darkness long locked away in deep caverns and vaults beneath the earth. But it doesn’t have a beginning of the universe.”
“So.” She manages to look at Silver again “what caused this discrepancy? Now, the easiest answer is that the interpreter, who was a modern equestrian, added or misinterpreted material in the original text that’s being transliterated here, so that an idea that’s not from the crustal ponies is being misattributed ti the crustal ponies. I would never say that ‘Erebus’ and ‘the Ubrum’ are the same entity. But I don’t know, others disagree. Maybe this interpreter decided to refer to the Umbrum as Erebus? It’s a poem after all. That’s the most boring answer. But a more interesting answer would be that what we are seeing here is an older strain of the Crystal religion before it was influenced by the Equestrian religion. What if earlier versions of the religion did have a beginning if the universe? Or what if this is a lost strain? Or what if this is actually an older religion, now lost? I think a lot of these questions could be answered if we had the whole book. But we’re not going to know, because we are not going to find it.”
She places her hooves over her face, and seems sad.
>>175574
"I don't know what a manticore is, but I doubt they eat like lamias do."
She watches and waits patiently as he ties up Hopper and returns to Kira. Even with an older goat, the pony still makes him cute, and there does exist some hesitation within the young lamia seeing him interact with his goat he's spent so long caring for. She needs to eat, though, and deep within a primal part of her lends her the resolve to not back down. In this world, there are predators and prey, and it is the natural order of things for the predator to consume, and the prey to be consumed. She nods to the farm stallion as he returns.
"Do you need any more time with him before? It will be quick, when it happens, I promise you."
"I don't know what a manticore is, but I doubt they eat like lamias do."
She watches and waits patiently as he ties up Hopper and returns to Kira. Even with an older goat, the pony still makes him cute, and there does exist some hesitation within the young lamia seeing him interact with his goat he's spent so long caring for. She needs to eat, though, and deep within a primal part of her lends her the resolve to not back down. In this world, there are predators and prey, and it is the natural order of things for the predator to consume, and the prey to be consumed. She nods to the farm stallion as he returns.
"Do you need any more time with him before? It will be quick, when it happens, I promise you."
>>175575
Silver reaches over with his hooves and wraps up the adorkable mare in a hug. He gives her a friendly squeeze to try to console her.
Silver reaches over with his hooves and wraps up the adorkable mare in a hug. He gives her a friendly squeeze to try to console her.
>>175577
squeaky
“Umph!”
The little mare is squeezed
With Pear sitting and Silver standing, this means he leans over her. Her hat is tilted, nearly coming off. She is smaller and thin, fairly lacking in muscles. Her construct is closer to a unicorn or Pegasus than an earth pony. Her coat and mane are both soft and well groomed.
>>175576
The stallion looks at Hopper - almost straight in the eyes because they are almost the same height - and gives him a scritch on the top of his head between his ears.
“No.” He answers. He looks at the goat a little longer, then turns back to Kira.
“Do you need his horns removed?”
The buck has horns of moderate length several inches long that are curved back and recurve at the end. These will not get stuck in her throat, now would they tear her if the goat moved its head back and forth in Kira’s stomach. But they would make regurgitation very difficult if, for whatever reason, Kira needed to. She’s almost never needed to. Kira also needs to know that while yes, this goat will go down easily enough, and yes, he’ll digest easily enough, he is definitely going to immobilize Kira for some time, he is definitely big enough that his presence in Kira’s gut could inspire unwanted speculation as to her diet, and even getting back home from the farm may not be easy. But if she does choose this goat, this will be the last time for at least 10 days, maybe longer, she’ll need to do this. It isn’t too late to choose the kid, or maybe some third animal instead.
squeaky
“Umph!”
The little mare is squeezed
With Pear sitting and Silver standing, this means he leans over her. Her hat is tilted, nearly coming off. She is smaller and thin, fairly lacking in muscles. Her construct is closer to a unicorn or Pegasus than an earth pony. Her coat and mane are both soft and well groomed.
>>175576
The stallion looks at Hopper - almost straight in the eyes because they are almost the same height - and gives him a scritch on the top of his head between his ears.
“No.” He answers. He looks at the goat a little longer, then turns back to Kira.
“Do you need his horns removed?”
The buck has horns of moderate length several inches long that are curved back and recurve at the end. These will not get stuck in her throat, now would they tear her if the goat moved its head back and forth in Kira’s stomach. But they would make regurgitation very difficult if, for whatever reason, Kira needed to. She’s almost never needed to. Kira also needs to know that while yes, this goat will go down easily enough, and yes, he’ll digest easily enough, he is definitely going to immobilize Kira for some time, he is definitely big enough that his presence in Kira’s gut could inspire unwanted speculation as to her diet, and even getting back home from the farm may not be easy. But if she does choose this goat, this will be the last time for at least 10 days, maybe longer, she’ll need to do this. It isn’t too late to choose the kid, or maybe some third animal instead.
>>175578
He keeps her locked in a hug for a few seconds longer, enjoying the warmth and softness of the mare while he cane before he lets her go. He looks back down at the pages.
"Hmm...does your university have spellcasting unicorns? I am certain there are spells for this specific circumstance, to restore damaged book pages or even completely reverse damages and reconstruct entire books."
He keeps her locked in a hug for a few seconds longer, enjoying the warmth and softness of the mare while he cane before he lets her go. He looks back down at the pages.
"Hmm...does your university have spellcasting unicorns? I am certain there are spells for this specific circumstance, to restore damaged book pages or even completely reverse damages and reconstruct entire books."
>>175578
No, Kira has waffled about for too long already. If she doesn't go along with it now, she might not be able to at all. She looks at the tied up goat, destined for her dinner.
"Does it hurt the goat at all?"
No, Kira has waffled about for too long already. If she doesn't go along with it now, she might not be able to at all. She looks at the tied up goat, destined for her dinner.
"Does it hurt the goat at all?"
>>175580
“Bah!”
Hopper moves back, as if sending something wrong, so the stallion pets him more.
“It does, yes. The horns are a part of the skull bone and partly alive.”
>>175579
squeaky
The little mare is hugged. She almost falls over when Silver releases her, until she catches herself with her forehooves.
“There is restoration magic, yes, but the problem is that entire pages and parts of the book are missing.” She answers
“Bah!”
Hopper moves back, as if sending something wrong, so the stallion pets him more.
“It does, yes. The horns are a part of the skull bone and partly alive.”
>>175579
squeaky
The little mare is hugged. She almost falls over when Silver releases her, until she catches herself with her forehooves.
“There is restoration magic, yes, but the problem is that entire pages and parts of the book are missing.” She answers
>>175581
Kira shakes her head.
"Better not, then. I'm not here to make the poor thing hurt and suffer." She sighs. "Alright. When you've spent enough time with him, you can go. I'm not sure you'd want to be around for this." Looking back at Neela, Kira continues, "I know you said you can serve as a witness so that ponies don't think I actually ate, well, a pony, but you don't have to physically watch, either."
Kira shakes her head.
"Better not, then. I'm not here to make the poor thing hurt and suffer." She sighs. "Alright. When you've spent enough time with him, you can go. I'm not sure you'd want to be around for this." Looking back at Neela, Kira continues, "I know you said you can serve as a witness so that ponies don't think I actually ate, well, a pony, but you don't have to physically watch, either."
>>175581
Silver does try to help steady her, when he notices how off-balance she is.
"Perhaps there are spells for that, too, to find missing parts of same object. Or, at least I would think so. Magic has never really been my specialty."
Silver does try to help steady her, when he notices how off-balance she is.
"Perhaps there are spells for that, too, to find missing parts of same object. Or, at least I would think so. Magic has never really been my specialty."
>>175582
“Hokey dokey” the stallion says, wrapping the twine around a hoof and walking backwards. Hopper complies, and trots along. The stallion takes the goat to the pen, not that many feet away.
Neela waits until the stallion is away, and moves to the edge of the imaginary ring around Kira. She looks at Kira with both ears up to address her directly.
“Why wouldn’t I want to watch?” She asks in a venomous, mocking tone. “You’re just a normal pony, right? Like any Equestrian pony, right? You come up to restaurants and eat your stuffed peppers, you buy your spice at the market. What is there to hide? What is unusual? You’re not a monster, right?” She tilts her head and has a smile that suggestive of anger.
“This morning, I was sold for a bribe to a monster with the suggestion that I be eaten as food by the masters of this land. Oh they were joking, sure, but I know that they were also dead serious. This is all just a game to them. A game of which stallion can prove they are the bravest and who can handle reptiles. They could have just sent you back. That’s probably what they would have done if their supervisors were looking over their shoulder. But instead they let you go because they thought you’d be a great pet, or a mascot maybe, while those of us without paperwork are set to become slaves.”
She tilts her head with a maddened smile.
“And then, for the first time in my life fortune smiles upon me, because someone - someone - thought I was cuter than a goat. Not as cute as a baby goat, no, but cuter than an adult. So I get to live instead of being eaten by the master’s mascot.”
She leans in, lifts a fore hoof and narrows her eyes at Kira, not in anger but a sort of gleeful examination.
“But those customs ponies were right. The old Nagini, the monster of the stories of my youth, requires a sacrifice. And so long as you live, some creature must die.” She tilts her head the opposite direction, ears flopping in the process. “That’s not going to be me.” Turning her body to the side, as if to follow Kira. “Let’s see what a Nagini really is. How you really live.”
Neela breathes out, evidently done.
>>175583
squeak
“Well, yeah but… it’s been burnt.” She says, presumably no longer cradled by Silver.
“Hokey dokey” the stallion says, wrapping the twine around a hoof and walking backwards. Hopper complies, and trots along. The stallion takes the goat to the pen, not that many feet away.
Neela waits until the stallion is away, and moves to the edge of the imaginary ring around Kira. She looks at Kira with both ears up to address her directly.
“Why wouldn’t I want to watch?” She asks in a venomous, mocking tone. “You’re just a normal pony, right? Like any Equestrian pony, right? You come up to restaurants and eat your stuffed peppers, you buy your spice at the market. What is there to hide? What is unusual? You’re not a monster, right?” She tilts her head and has a smile that suggestive of anger.
“This morning, I was sold for a bribe to a monster with the suggestion that I be eaten as food by the masters of this land. Oh they were joking, sure, but I know that they were also dead serious. This is all just a game to them. A game of which stallion can prove they are the bravest and who can handle reptiles. They could have just sent you back. That’s probably what they would have done if their supervisors were looking over their shoulder. But instead they let you go because they thought you’d be a great pet, or a mascot maybe, while those of us without paperwork are set to become slaves.”
She tilts her head with a maddened smile.
“And then, for the first time in my life fortune smiles upon me, because someone - someone - thought I was cuter than a goat. Not as cute as a baby goat, no, but cuter than an adult. So I get to live instead of being eaten by the master’s mascot.”
She leans in, lifts a fore hoof and narrows her eyes at Kira, not in anger but a sort of gleeful examination.
“But those customs ponies were right. The old Nagini, the monster of the stories of my youth, requires a sacrifice. And so long as you live, some creature must die.” She tilts her head the opposite direction, ears flopping in the process. “That’s not going to be me.” Turning her body to the side, as if to follow Kira. “Let’s see what a Nagini really is. How you really live.”
Neela breathes out, evidently done.
>>175583
squeak
“Well, yeah but… it’s been burnt.” She says, presumably no longer cradled by Silver.
>>175584
"Okay, but...what if you used both of those spells?"
She is not current being cradled, but if that's what she wants...
"Okay, but...what if you used both of those spells?"
She is not current being cradled, but if that's what she wants...
>>175584
Kira blinks, not fully able to unpack everything of what Neela said and meant in her rant. Even though it hadn't been invented yet, it is as if she had been flashbanged by words, unable to really form much of a response, not even so much as a rebuttal, to what Neela has said as it still processes through her mind. Only one thought manages to make its way through the mess of thoughts to the surface to be spoken by Kira:
"Who said you weren't cuter than a baby goat?"
But the rest of her thoughts will have to wait. In Neela's own words, the sacrifice is ready, and her hunger needs to be sated. She waits for the stallion to finish his work, to tie up the goat inside the pen, and leave before she slithers forward into the pen with the goat, taking the opposite side of him. She looks at Hopper with sad eyes, knowing what is about to happen, what must happen.
Kira blinks, not fully able to unpack everything of what Neela said and meant in her rant. Even though it hadn't been invented yet, it is as if she had been flashbanged by words, unable to really form much of a response, not even so much as a rebuttal, to what Neela has said as it still processes through her mind. Only one thought manages to make its way through the mess of thoughts to the surface to be spoken by Kira:
"Who said you weren't cuter than a baby goat?"
But the rest of her thoughts will have to wait. In Neela's own words, the sacrifice is ready, and her hunger needs to be sated. She waits for the stallion to finish his work, to tie up the goat inside the pen, and leave before she slithers forward into the pen with the goat, taking the opposite side of him. She looks at Hopper with sad eyes, knowing what is about to happen, what must happen.
>>175585
The little pony remains uncraddled. Hard to say what she wants.
“Well…” she tilts her head, and ear flopping down. “I don’t really know. I can’t say magic is my specialty…”
>>175588
Neela scrunches, and flops her ears down.
But the goat is ready. Kira must either slither around the pen, or through it.
The little pony remains uncraddled. Hard to say what she wants.
“Well…” she tilts her head, and ear flopping down. “I don’t really know. I can’t say magic is my specialty…”
>>175588
Neela scrunches, and flops her ears down.
But the goat is ready. Kira must either slither around the pen, or through it.
>>175587
>The jewelry is maybe 90 bits
Oh.
>Which equipment?
The Healer's Kits. The armor she looted. The silver holy symbol. Some of her scrolls.
Mostly just the things I know the market value of, but probably won't use.
>The jewelry is maybe 90 bits
Oh.
>Which equipment?
The Healer's Kits. The armor she looted. The silver holy symbol. Some of her scrolls.
Mostly just the things I know the market value of, but probably won't use.
>>175589
Well, nothing for it other than to cradle her and see how she reacts. As Silver resumes the cradling of the small mare, he continues chatting with her.
"What about old, ancient magics?"
Well, nothing for it other than to cradle her and see how she reacts. As Silver resumes the cradling of the small mare, he continues chatting with her.
"What about old, ancient magics?"
>>175590
Actually, I'm going to keep the holy symbol. It could be useful for impersonation in the future.
Actually, I'm going to keep the holy symbol. It could be useful for impersonation in the future.
>>175593
“Eep!”
The little pony is cradled. She looks up at Silver with an awkward, toothy smile, and a blush.
“Eh heh, yeah…” she looks away, and then uses her hoof to move her mane, and her hat, out of her eyes. “What I study is all religious in nature.” Moving her eyes up and around and using her hoof to gesture, “rituals, prayers, things like that.” Still smiling awkwardly. “Not really… practical magic. Unless asking a spirit to bring rain or put a hex on your neighbor is your idea of ‘practical’.
>>175591
The rings were the only thing counted in that.
>>175592
Kira slithers the wrong way around, to come to a door on the enclosed pen. The stallion opens it and walks through it.
“Uh, lift the latch to get in or out. You can untie the goat, if you want.” He has a toothy smile, nods at Kira, and moves past her. He isn’t sticking around. Neela follows Kira
>>175594
Do it.
“Eep!”
The little pony is cradled. She looks up at Silver with an awkward, toothy smile, and a blush.
“Eh heh, yeah…” she looks away, and then uses her hoof to move her mane, and her hat, out of her eyes. “What I study is all religious in nature.” Moving her eyes up and around and using her hoof to gesture, “rituals, prayers, things like that.” Still smiling awkwardly. “Not really… practical magic. Unless asking a spirit to bring rain or put a hex on your neighbor is your idea of ‘practical’.
>>175591
The rings were the only thing counted in that.
>>175592
Kira slithers the wrong way around, to come to a door on the enclosed pen. The stallion opens it and walks through it.
“Uh, lift the latch to get in or out. You can untie the goat, if you want.” He has a toothy smile, nods at Kira, and moves past her. He isn’t sticking around. Neela follows Kira
>>175594
Do it.
>>175595
>The rings were the only thing counted in that
Posey still has a necklace, bangle, and bracelet from her adventures, but she likes gold jewelry so she'll wear it unless she needs to sell it.
Selling the armor would put a divine scroll of Imbue With Spell Ability within Posey's budget... but thinking in character, she would just trust the hyena to come up with whatever spells he wants to expend to buff her for the ritual himself.
She does sell her scroll of Hide From Undead, because it's worthless to her (she can already cast the spell with a higher DC) and idk why I put it in my starting equipment.
Posey meditates for her spellcasting during the day, so after her shopping she spends 8 hours relaxing in the manor with Gloomy.
I guess that would be all that Posey is able to do within this day.
>The rings were the only thing counted in that
Posey still has a necklace, bangle, and bracelet from her adventures, but she likes gold jewelry so she'll wear it unless she needs to sell it.
Selling the armor would put a divine scroll of Imbue With Spell Ability within Posey's budget... but thinking in character, she would just trust the hyena to come up with whatever spells he wants to expend to buff her for the ritual himself.
She does sell her scroll of Hide From Undead, because it's worthless to her (she can already cast the spell with a higher DC) and idk why I put it in my starting equipment.
Posey meditates for her spellcasting during the day, so after her shopping she spends 8 hours relaxing in the manor with Gloomy.
I guess that would be all that Posey is able to do within this day.
After doing her daily preparations, Posey will make sure that her offering is still alive.
"Good evening, Sasha." Posey declares, as she enters the room
"I have decided what I will do with you. You will be doing some charity work at the local kaftar church."
"I owe a favor to the Kaftars, and you won't stand out too much in their neighborhood, at least not at a glance. Do your job well, and the Kaftars will see to it that you're released peacefully."
Bluff check
[1d20+14 = (16+14) = 30]
>inb4 1
"Good evening, Sasha." Posey declares, as she enters the room
"I have decided what I will do with you. You will be doing some charity work at the local kaftar church."
"I owe a favor to the Kaftars, and you won't stand out too much in their neighborhood, at least not at a glance. Do your job well, and the Kaftars will see to it that you're released peacefully."
Bluff check
[1d20+14 = (16+14) = 30]
>inb4 1
File (): A47BE3AC1490614EE4C6F13512AC9EF4-74792.gif (73.0 KB, 250x241, IMG_0694.gif)
>>175437
>>175436
>>175432
acute!
The sounds of angry pony, occasional shouting, Mustard Trim talking, and howls of laughter
>>175597
>>175598
The skin, in those few places where it shows through the fur, like the nose and the edges of the eyes, is black. She looks oddly stiff, with yellowing eyes, pupils that "bleed" black into her irises. Her eyes are open, and there is a small smile on her face. She does not shiver nor shake, but her chest rises and falls almost normally.
"Okay." Is her only reply
>>175598
You did.
>>175596
>8 hours relaxing in the manor with Gloomy.
lol no
The colt pleads with Posey
"Weren't you going to take me into town? You said there was chocolate sprinkles and pretzels?!"
Pic very much related
>>175436
>>175432
acute!
The sounds of angry pony, occasional shouting, Mustard Trim talking, and howls of laughter
>>175597
>>175598
The skin, in those few places where it shows through the fur, like the nose and the edges of the eyes, is black. She looks oddly stiff, with yellowing eyes, pupils that "bleed" black into her irises. Her eyes are open, and there is a small smile on her face. She does not shiver nor shake, but her chest rises and falls almost normally.
"Okay." Is her only reply
>>175598
You did.
>>175596
>8 hours relaxing in the manor with Gloomy.
lol no
The colt pleads with Posey
"Weren't you going to take me into town? You said there was chocolate sprinkles and pretzels?!"
Pic very much related
>>175608
Kind of, though if she comes too close she could be visible to Salt Mixer (if she decided to not look at the commotion... which seems unlikely). She could also go outside to see
Kind of, though if she comes too close she could be visible to Salt Mixer (if she decided to not look at the commotion... which seems unlikely). She could also go outside to see
>>175609
Though it's probably more of a breach of work rules than idling within the establishment, she decides to go outside and look in at the patio.
Though it's probably more of a breach of work rules than idling within the establishment, she decides to go outside and look in at the patio.
>>175610
Amber can see Mustard Trim awkwardly responding to a table, Trakr bending over about to die of laughter, and Red Scabbard, alternating between hacking up and trying to complain.
Amber can see Mustard Trim awkwardly responding to a table, Trakr bending over about to die of laughter, and Red Scabbard, alternating between hacking up and trying to complain.
>>175611
Poor Mustard! But if he knew why she did this, he would have found the same amount of glee she's feeling. She can't help but stick around for a few more seconds before going back inside.
Poor Mustard! But if he knew why she did this, he would have found the same amount of glee she's feeling. She can't help but stick around for a few more seconds before going back inside.
>>175612
Trakr manages to compose himself for just long enough to struggle out the phrase
"Excuse me. My goulash isn't spicy enough."
Then he goes back to laughing
Trakr manages to compose himself for just long enough to struggle out the phrase
"Excuse me. My goulash isn't spicy enough."
Then he goes back to laughing
>>175613
Trakr does seem to have a good sense of humor regarding the whole thing, and Amber is glad she didn't spice up his dish. Anyway, she knows better than to be missing for an extended period of time and goes back to the hostess stand, wondering if Red Scabbard will leave.
Trakr does seem to have a good sense of humor regarding the whole thing, and Amber is glad she didn't spice up his dish. Anyway, she knows better than to be missing for an extended period of time and goes back to the hostess stand, wondering if Red Scabbard will leave.
>>175606
>The skin, in those few places where it shows through the fur, like the nose and the edges of the eyes, is black. She looks oddly stiff, with yellowing eyes, pupils that "bleed" black into her irises. Her eyes are open, and there is a small smile on her face. She does not shiver nor shake, but her chest rises and falls almost normally.
Fucking hell, I thought Baka cured her.
Oh well, it won't matter soon.
Posey narrows her eyes.
"Very well then."
She telepathically calls the ghast that she still controls.
"Bring her to the car. Tell Mason that I will be there as soon as I have Gloomy."
And with a bippity boppity boop, she casts Disguise Undead, to transform the ghast into a handsome, still-living, elegantly-dressed version of itself.
>One cannot just march a ghoul into the Duke's Court. But as the fumes issuing from the cocoon surround the creature, the form of the ghoul is replaced with that of a stately courtier armed with a rapier. Of course, it will have to keep its mouth shut.
I love that spell's description.
"And do try to freshen up a bit; we'll be meeting important guests. Do well on this trip, and I'll see to it that you are rewarded appropriately." Posey punctuates, sending the ghast on its way as she trots off to comb Gloomy 's mane.
"And you two." She says, referring to the Dreads."
"Drop your weapons, and remain inanimate in this room until I return. Do not pay any regard to those who enter the room." Posey says, functionally putting the Dreads on idle mode.
She trots off
"~Oh Gloomy! I've got such a splendid lesson for you..." She says in her sing-song voice as she finds her little sweetie
>The skin, in those few places where it shows through the fur, like the nose and the edges of the eyes, is black. She looks oddly stiff, with yellowing eyes, pupils that "bleed" black into her irises. Her eyes are open, and there is a small smile on her face. She does not shiver nor shake, but her chest rises and falls almost normally.
Fucking hell, I thought Baka cured her.
Oh well, it won't matter soon.
Posey narrows her eyes.
"Very well then."
She telepathically calls the ghast that she still controls.
"Bring her to the car. Tell Mason that I will be there as soon as I have Gloomy."
And with a bippity boppity boop, she casts Disguise Undead, to transform the ghast into a handsome, still-living, elegantly-dressed version of itself.
>One cannot just march a ghoul into the Duke's Court. But as the fumes issuing from the cocoon surround the creature, the form of the ghoul is replaced with that of a stately courtier armed with a rapier. Of course, it will have to keep its mouth shut.
I love that spell's description.
"And do try to freshen up a bit; we'll be meeting important guests. Do well on this trip, and I'll see to it that you are rewarded appropriately." Posey punctuates, sending the ghast on its way as she trots off to comb Gloomy 's mane.
"And you two." She says, referring to the Dreads."
"Drop your weapons, and remain inanimate in this room until I return. Do not pay any regard to those who enter the room." Posey says, functionally putting the Dreads on idle mode.
She trots off
"~Oh Gloomy! I've got such a splendid lesson for you..." She says in her sing-song voice as she finds her little sweetie
>>175615
>>175606
Wait... A minute...
>She looks oddly stiff
>yellowing eyes, pupils that "bleed" black into her irises
>Her eyes are open, and there is a small smile on her face
>She does not shiver nor shake, but her chest rises and falls almost normally.
...Is she dead?
Posey takes 10 on her religion check to identify undead, for a modified 21, to check if this dog is undead.
>>175606
Wait... A minute...
>She looks oddly stiff
>yellowing eyes, pupils that "bleed" black into her irises
>Her eyes are open, and there is a small smile on her face
>She does not shiver nor shake, but her chest rises and falls almost normally.
...Is she dead?
Posey takes 10 on her religion check to identify undead, for a modified 21, to check if this dog is undead.
[1d100 = 10]
[1d20 = 18]
>>175614
Amber faces an elderly couple that's a bit... too talkative. There's a bit of back and forth, but mostly there are long pauses of not much going on.
>>175615
The ghast obeys
The little colt's tail wags
>>175616
Well, it's breathing, which implies life, and it's lacking in the typical animating magic of the undead.
[1d20 = 18]
>>175614
Amber faces an elderly couple that's a bit... too talkative. There's a bit of back and forth, but mostly there are long pauses of not much going on.
>>175615
The ghast obeys
The little colt's tail wags
>>175616
Well, it's breathing, which implies life, and it's lacking in the typical animating magic of the undead.
>>175631
So long as she still has an int score of 3 (ability to speak) and is still alive, she'll do.
It doesn't take long for Posey to get Gloomy ready.
So long as she still has an int score of 3 (ability to speak) and is still alive, she'll do.
It doesn't take long for Posey to get Gloomy ready.
>>175634
>even if he does smell of mesquite wood
I don't think I get the reference.
Posey sniffs Gloomy for a bit, wondering why his familiar scent of faint charnel miasma and abyssal smog has changed.
Nevertheless, she gets ready to leave.
>even if he does smell of mesquite wood
I don't think I get the reference.
Posey sniffs Gloomy for a bit, wondering why his familiar scent of faint charnel miasma and abyssal smog has changed.
Nevertheless, she gets ready to leave.
>>175635
Salt Mixer says they can send the overly spicy spice-based dish back to the kitchen, and give him a new plate that's a bit more within his tolerance levels, free of charge. Trakr commentates on this.
>>175636
Oh no, the charnel miasma and the abyssal smog are still there, just with a bit of a wooden smell added. All the same, they are ready
Salt Mixer says they can send the overly spicy spice-based dish back to the kitchen, and give him a new plate that's a bit more within his tolerance levels, free of charge. Trakr commentates on this.
>>175636
Oh no, the charnel miasma and the abyssal smog are still there, just with a bit of a wooden smell added. All the same, they are ready
>>175640
Well that's disappointing! At least it made his experience moderately more inconvenient. Amber won't risk doing it all a second time, and goes back to work.
Well that's disappointing! At least it made his experience moderately more inconvenient. Amber won't risk doing it all a second time, and goes back to work.
What racial bonuses should a griffon PC get? One should be flying, obviously. Griffons are also large and geared more towards fighting, so a physical ability might get a bonus. On the other hand (claw?) a charisma malus would be appropriate.
>>175645
What stats did pegasi get?
Griffons should get flight, and maybe a natural claw attack.
Note that claw attacks are especially useful for flying characters.
Conversely, you could just stat them as 3.5e Raptorans (Races Of The Wild), which are a very powerful and popular race in 3.5e. If you use Raptoran stats, you might want to bump up flight to level 1.
What stats did pegasi get?
Griffons should get flight, and maybe a natural claw attack.
Note that claw attacks are especially useful for flying characters.
Conversely, you could just stat them as 3.5e Raptorans (Races Of The Wild), which are a very powerful and popular race in 3.5e. If you use Raptoran stats, you might want to bump up flight to level 1.
>>175595
Heh heh, ain't she just the cutest? Silver continues cradling the little mare.
"I imagine there are plenty of cultures where those really are practical skills. Spirits bringing rain does make me think of how pegasi can manipulate weather. Maybe some cultures saw this occur and assumed it was weather spirits that were responsible."
Heh heh, ain't she just the cutest? Silver continues cradling the little mare.
"I imagine there are plenty of cultures where those really are practical skills. Spirits bringing rain does make me think of how pegasi can manipulate weather. Maybe some cultures saw this occur and assumed it was weather spirits that were responsible."
>>175595
Alright, Kira heads into the pen. Once inside, she looks at the goat with her sad eyes that look so much like a bat pony's.
"I'm sorry Hopper, but it has to be this way."
She closes her eyes, clearing her mind and preparing herself for what's to come. From deep inside, her instincts begin to call out and reach for the surface. That part of herself which most would consider to be ponylike is slowly quieted as a more primal, animal-like side drowns it out. She is no longer Kira the lamia, facing Hopper the goat. She is now a predator, facing her prey.
Kira opens her eyes, the pupils and irises contracting to be far more slitted, far more snake-like. Gone is the sadness with which she looked upon the goat, replaced with the intense focus of a predator. Her tongue flicks out of her mouth, getting a taste of prey in the air. Her mouth reflexively opens up, a small pop ringing out as her false pony jaw gives way. The skin around her mouth seems to morph and stretch unnaturally as it opens far wider than it should on a normal pony. Her fangs extend fully, and if it weren't for the few remaining pony features such as the ears and mane, Neela would have a hard time believing Kira could have ever looked like an equine.
Raising her upper half into the air as tall as she can given the limits of the enclosure, the lamia looks down at the goat, opens her mouth up fully, and with a small hiss strikes at the goat's head, intending to wrap her jaws around it to start a grapple.
[1d20+8 = (10+8) = 18]
Alright, Kira heads into the pen. Once inside, she looks at the goat with her sad eyes that look so much like a bat pony's.
"I'm sorry Hopper, but it has to be this way."
She closes her eyes, clearing her mind and preparing herself for what's to come. From deep inside, her instincts begin to call out and reach for the surface. That part of herself which most would consider to be ponylike is slowly quieted as a more primal, animal-like side drowns it out. She is no longer Kira the lamia, facing Hopper the goat. She is now a predator, facing her prey.
Kira opens her eyes, the pupils and irises contracting to be far more slitted, far more snake-like. Gone is the sadness with which she looked upon the goat, replaced with the intense focus of a predator. Her tongue flicks out of her mouth, getting a taste of prey in the air. Her mouth reflexively opens up, a small pop ringing out as her false pony jaw gives way. The skin around her mouth seems to morph and stretch unnaturally as it opens far wider than it should on a normal pony. Her fangs extend fully, and if it weren't for the few remaining pony features such as the ears and mane, Neela would have a hard time believing Kira could have ever looked like an equine.
Raising her upper half into the air as tall as she can given the limits of the enclosure, the lamia looks down at the goat, opens her mouth up fully, and with a small hiss strikes at the goat's head, intending to wrap her jaws around it to start a grapple.
[1d20+8 = (10+8) = 18]
>>175644
Yes. Though the soldiers are inquisitive tonight, and there are more of them out than the night before. There are more of every creature out than the night before, as the rain has passed. Posey isn't especially harangued, but she isn't necessarily unseen.
>>175645
Uh... let me get back to you on that
>>175649
Still blushing, and still craddled, she looks away and says "Not, heh, not in front of my coworkers. They already think you and I slept-" but then breaks off mid sentence and looks directly into Silver's eyes, and says "Saw what? Pegasi moving clouds? No, that's not it, most of these are far away from any ponies. Or at least there were." It's at this point that her eyes start wandering around again "But anyways it's not quite the same thing. Well, it is, kind of. I mean, the magic is the same, or the magical mechanism is... similar? But philosophically it's an entirely different worldview. Incredibly different. Under Celestialism, ponies are stewards over the natural order. You could say that ponies hold a higher place within the machine of the universe we understand as Harmony, well, a higher place than most creatures. Basically all creatures. And there are a few faiths sort of like that. Like the Changelings. Well the changelings aren't very much like Celestial harmony at all, but I mean, they see themselves as kind of above nature as its kind of top predators, able to take advantage of things, if not necessarily tasked with the responsibility of, well, maintaining it." At this point, Silver probably regrets sparking this tangent. "But, I mean, in these other faiths. The ones where they pray to spirits for rain, they see themselves as below a whole class of spiritual creatures and gods. Well, Celestialism has Harmony as a Spirit and Changelings have the Great Mother that are above them, but, you know" She starts gesticulating as if this aids in communication. "These faiths don't think they have the power to change the weather. They have to ask another spirit to aid them. And that spirit is not as high as, well, being the universal essence of magic and order itself. Or the creator god. But anyways, these spirits manipulate the weather directly themselves by magic. Sometimes these are understood to be singular gods, but sometimes these are more like regular creatures that happen to be made entire out of magic and are immortal. Well, okay, that's not a regular creature, but I mean, it's a level below a god and above the practitioner."
>>175650
Hopper makes it easy for her. The goat doesn't seem to recognize Kira as anything other than a pony at first. Just as he did with the farmer, he walks towards Kira going out to the end of his twine, and stretching his muzzle and neck out towards her, to sniff or lick her, and focusing on her hoof.
With Hopper's head nearly in the center of the enclosure, Kira's full body likely doesn't enter inside the enclosure, at least not until she curls up later. Rather, a little part of her tail remains outside through the still open door. The farmer has walked away, evidently busy with other tasks. Neela stands near the open door, looking intently at the scene through the 2 by 4s and chicken wire that make up the walls of the pen, designed, presumably, to keep the foxes and coyotes out.
Kira finds that the enclosure is shorter in height than she can stand upright, but is still able to loom over the goat. Hopper is not small at all. He is massive for goat sizes, and is as big as the farmer stallion.
Kira easily bites into Hopper's head.
Yes. Though the soldiers are inquisitive tonight, and there are more of them out than the night before. There are more of every creature out than the night before, as the rain has passed. Posey isn't especially harangued, but she isn't necessarily unseen.
>>175645
Uh... let me get back to you on that
>>175649
Still blushing, and still craddled, she looks away and says "Not, heh, not in front of my coworkers. They already think you and I slept-" but then breaks off mid sentence and looks directly into Silver's eyes, and says "Saw what? Pegasi moving clouds? No, that's not it, most of these are far away from any ponies. Or at least there were." It's at this point that her eyes start wandering around again "But anyways it's not quite the same thing. Well, it is, kind of. I mean, the magic is the same, or the magical mechanism is... similar? But philosophically it's an entirely different worldview. Incredibly different. Under Celestialism, ponies are stewards over the natural order. You could say that ponies hold a higher place within the machine of the universe we understand as Harmony, well, a higher place than most creatures. Basically all creatures. And there are a few faiths sort of like that. Like the Changelings. Well the changelings aren't very much like Celestial harmony at all, but I mean, they see themselves as kind of above nature as its kind of top predators, able to take advantage of things, if not necessarily tasked with the responsibility of, well, maintaining it." At this point, Silver probably regrets sparking this tangent. "But, I mean, in these other faiths. The ones where they pray to spirits for rain, they see themselves as below a whole class of spiritual creatures and gods. Well, Celestialism has Harmony as a Spirit and Changelings have the Great Mother that are above them, but, you know" She starts gesticulating as if this aids in communication. "These faiths don't think they have the power to change the weather. They have to ask another spirit to aid them. And that spirit is not as high as, well, being the universal essence of magic and order itself. Or the creator god. But anyways, these spirits manipulate the weather directly themselves by magic. Sometimes these are understood to be singular gods, but sometimes these are more like regular creatures that happen to be made entire out of magic and are immortal. Well, okay, that's not a regular creature, but I mean, it's a level below a god and above the practitioner."
>>175650
Hopper makes it easy for her. The goat doesn't seem to recognize Kira as anything other than a pony at first. Just as he did with the farmer, he walks towards Kira going out to the end of his twine, and stretching his muzzle and neck out towards her, to sniff or lick her, and focusing on her hoof.
With Hopper's head nearly in the center of the enclosure, Kira's full body likely doesn't enter inside the enclosure, at least not until she curls up later. Rather, a little part of her tail remains outside through the still open door. The farmer has walked away, evidently busy with other tasks. Neela stands near the open door, looking intently at the scene through the 2 by 4s and chicken wire that make up the walls of the pen, designed, presumably, to keep the foxes and coyotes out.
Kira finds that the enclosure is shorter in height than she can stand upright, but is still able to loom over the goat. Hopper is not small at all. He is massive for goat sizes, and is as big as the farmer stallion.
Kira easily bites into Hopper's head.
>>175651
Posey quickly and quietly leaves the vehicle, Gloomy trotting beneath her cloak. She telepathically commands the ghast to bring Sasha along. She goes to the church, and knocks, announcing that she's brought the volunteer.
Posey quickly and quietly leaves the vehicle, Gloomy trotting beneath her cloak. She telepathically commands the ghast to bring Sasha along. She goes to the church, and knocks, announcing that she's brought the volunteer.
>>175652
Wait. Posey doesn't have internal passports for those two, and the checkpoint would absolutely be looking for those
Wait. Posey doesn't have internal passports for those two, and the checkpoint would absolutely be looking for those
File (): 41530F0F9155D21FF98DEAC61F8505F5-25299.jpg (24.7 KB, 460x368, 229307_460s.jpg)
>>175653
You could have told me this at the beginning of the week, GM.
Fuck it, Posey spends part of her meditation time making a Forgery check for Sasha and the ghoul.
Forgery is opposed by Forgery, and NOBODY takes forgery, so unless one of the guards is a lvl 5-10 Rogue (in which case, I had better be getting a ton XP for this encounter), it's improbable that they'd think twice, especially with Posey having a modified 26 taking 10 on her Bluff check.
She repeats this for the ghoul.
Posey would already have whatever paperwork she needs to bring Gloomy around.
Forgery checks are made secretly, so roll Posey's check herself. Exhausting all of her relevant modifiers and using her own passport as an example, Posey has a +15 modifier to her forgery check.
Forgery is only a class skill for Experts and Rogues, so it's improbable that the guards have any ranks in it. They do get a +2 bonus for being familiar with the type of document.
You could have told me this at the beginning of the week, GM.
Fuck it, Posey spends part of her meditation time making a Forgery check for Sasha and the ghoul.
Forgery is opposed by Forgery, and NOBODY takes forgery, so unless one of the guards is a lvl 5-10 Rogue (in which case, I had better be getting a ton XP for this encounter), it's improbable that they'd think twice, especially with Posey having a modified 26 taking 10 on her Bluff check.
She repeats this for the ghoul.
Posey would already have whatever paperwork she needs to bring Gloomy around.
Forgery checks are made secretly, so roll Posey's check herself. Exhausting all of her relevant modifiers and using her own passport as an example, Posey has a +15 modifier to her forgery check.
Forgery is only a class skill for Experts and Rogues, so it's improbable that the guards have any ranks in it. They do get a +2 bonus for being familiar with the type of document.
>>175654
>Forgery checks are made secretly, so roll Posey's check herself
*Roll her check yourself in secret
>Forgery checks are made secretly, so roll Posey's check herself
*Roll her check yourself in secret
>>175654
And for good measure, Posey uses her Charming Gaze on the guards to smooth things along (because why wouldn't she? It's at-will, and has no components).
DC 19, as usual.
And for good measure, Posey uses her Charming Gaze on the guards to smooth things along (because why wouldn't she? It's at-will, and has no components).
DC 19, as usual.
>>175654
>>175655
>>175660
>>175656
On the one hoof, the ID cards are supposed to have a magic watermark that makes forgery very difficult or close to impossible if the magic is checked. It might be easier to leave the ghast at home and use a cover story about why the dog doesn't have one. Or in the alternative, use forgery to forge birth certificates that are then used to obtain real cards for the ghast and the dog, so that there is only ever one forgery roll.
But really, I don't think it matters, because unless this goes catastrophically wrong, how she was checked in does not matter. So we can just sidestep the issue and say sure, she gets in fine.
>>175655
>>175660
>>175656
On the one hoof, the ID cards are supposed to have a magic watermark that makes forgery very difficult or close to impossible if the magic is checked. It might be easier to leave the ghast at home and use a cover story about why the dog doesn't have one. Or in the alternative, use forgery to forge birth certificates that are then used to obtain real cards for the ghast and the dog, so that there is only ever one forgery roll.
But really, I don't think it matters, because unless this goes catastrophically wrong, how she was checked in does not matter. So we can just sidestep the issue and say sure, she gets in fine.
>>175642
Amber proceeds to get confused with the seating chart, and then, after an oddly short period of time, Amber can see Red Scabbard leaving, still thrusting his tongue out of his mouth, sometimes unfolding his wings up and outward, and looking back to Trakr angrily. Trakr has a very wide smile across his face, and giggles. Red Scabbard does not specifically look at or address Amber on his way out.
Amber proceeds to get confused with the seating chart, and then, after an oddly short period of time, Amber can see Red Scabbard leaving, still thrusting his tongue out of his mouth, sometimes unfolding his wings up and outward, and looking back to Trakr angrily. Trakr has a very wide smile across his face, and giggles. Red Scabbard does not specifically look at or address Amber on his way out.
>>175661
There's always room for that
https://youtu.be/lyXoFWSVDQk?si=gqKcFPvI5n5fDhxG
Anyway, Posey proceeds with her plan.
There's always room for that
https://youtu.be/lyXoFWSVDQk?si=gqKcFPvI5n5fDhxG
Anyway, Posey proceeds with her plan.
>>175665
The assistant from the night before opens the door. From within, Posey sees a silhouette against the candlelight, and the voice of the priest calls:
"Come in"
The assistant from the night before opens the door. From within, Posey sees a silhouette against the candlelight, and the voice of the priest calls:
"Come in"
>>175666 (checked)
"I have brought her." Posey says
She telepathically commands the ghast
>"Bring her in and keep her close. When I give the signal, paralyze her without killing her."
Posey continue
"Have you had adequate time to prepare?"
"I have brought her." Posey says
She telepathically commands the ghast
>"Bring her in and keep her close. When I give the signal, paralyze her without killing her."
Posey continue
"Have you had adequate time to prepare?"
File (): 3922C0D4EB1942880C01A69EA567C99F-1528270.png (1.5 MB, 1070x2359, Screenshot_20240831-193407.png)
File (): 53D90EA73797A1503B93B505110790BF-1072796.png (1.0 MB, 918x2044, Screenshot_20240820-224613.png)
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Whenever we get around to it, Posey requests that the priest take time to prepare Agire's body, as well as any spells, incense or items that could aid Posey in her skill check, and to call on as many of his flock as he's willing to bring to witness the ceremony.
Posey specifically requests the spell named Desecrate, a Clerical spell that she knows of specifically, as it is the envy of all Necromancers for its ability to create undead with additional HP.
Now to lay out the specifics for the sacrifice. Posey is is personally trying to hit a DC 35 sacrifice check to create the effect of Greater Planar Ally call on a Lilitu, an Apostate Demon that specializes in impersonating deities, priests and angels to trick them into worshipping demons (hitting the DC 40 for Limited Wish isn't so realistic), and to use its powers to raise Agire from the dead. HOWEVER, since Posey is doing this on an altar of the Angel, she is doing it directly under the eye of whatever spiritual entity the Kaftars actually worship. It's possible that regardless of her check or the success of her ritual, an entity from beyond the void will offer its own reward/effect as it sees appropriate for her offering, despite the specifics of her plea. It's also plausible that the Angel will become enraged by a mere pony desecrating its congregation and may smite Posey for her hubris or send one of its servants to attack her, especially if she rolls especially low... Posey cannot take 10 on this roll.
Posey makes an appeal for the audience of a ravenous spirit of hunger to reveal itself and disgorge Agire from the grave.
Posey has a base religion mod of +11. She can further increase her mod in the following ways:
>+1 taking an hour
>+2 altar
>+2 masterwork tool (grimoire)
>+1 tortured 1 day prior (disease + heartbreak)
>+1 HD
>+1 Sadism
>+1 Masochism
With these modifiers, Posey has to roll a 15 or higher to succeed in her check, improbable, but still plausible.
Further, there are other mods that could possibly increase the check, but are not guaranteed:
>+1 successful perform check (Posey's slam poetry)
>+1 race hated by the Angel?
>+1 loss of extremities by hungry demon (does a ghast count?)
>+1 10 or more followers
>+1 100 or more followers (would require rallying the kaftar neighborhood and risk exposure)
>+1 doing it in public (on the steps of the church)
>+2 presence of a ghast (in generic d&d the deity of the Gnolls also has rulership over ghouls)
The following are spell effects that could potentially increase the check:
>+1 Desecrate
>+1 Unhallow
>+1 Guidance
>+20 Guidance Of The Avatar (cheesy)
>+10 Imbue With Spell Ability to imbue Posey with Sacrificial Skill + Lore of The Gods (would also allow reroll of the check)
>+1 killed in really cool and flavorful way (Posey casting Necrotic Bloat and popping Sasha like a balloon)
Posey specifically requests the spell named Desecrate, a Clerical spell that she knows of specifically, as it is the envy of all Necromancers for its ability to create undead with additional HP.
Now to lay out the specifics for the sacrifice. Posey is is personally trying to hit a DC 35 sacrifice check to create the effect of Greater Planar Ally call on a Lilitu, an Apostate Demon that specializes in impersonating deities, priests and angels to trick them into worshipping demons (hitting the DC 40 for Limited Wish isn't so realistic), and to use its powers to raise Agire from the dead. HOWEVER, since Posey is doing this on an altar of the Angel, she is doing it directly under the eye of whatever spiritual entity the Kaftars actually worship. It's possible that regardless of her check or the success of her ritual, an entity from beyond the void will offer its own reward/effect as it sees appropriate for her offering, despite the specifics of her plea. It's also plausible that the Angel will become enraged by a mere pony desecrating its congregation and may smite Posey for her hubris or send one of its servants to attack her, especially if she rolls especially low... Posey cannot take 10 on this roll.
Posey makes an appeal for the audience of a ravenous spirit of hunger to reveal itself and disgorge Agire from the grave.
Posey has a base religion mod of +11. She can further increase her mod in the following ways:
>+1 taking an hour
>+2 altar
>+2 masterwork tool (grimoire)
>+1 tortured 1 day prior (disease + heartbreak)
>+1 HD
>+1 Sadism
>+1 Masochism
With these modifiers, Posey has to roll a 15 or higher to succeed in her check, improbable, but still plausible.
Further, there are other mods that could possibly increase the check, but are not guaranteed:
>+1 successful perform check (Posey's slam poetry)
>+1 race hated by the Angel?
>+1 loss of extremities by hungry demon (does a ghast count?)
>+1 10 or more followers
>+1 100 or more followers (would require rallying the kaftar neighborhood and risk exposure)
>+1 doing it in public (on the steps of the church)
>+2 presence of a ghast (in generic d&d the deity of the Gnolls also has rulership over ghouls)
The following are spell effects that could potentially increase the check:
>+1 Desecrate
>+1 Unhallow
>+1 Guidance
>+20 Guidance Of The Avatar (cheesy)
>+10 Imbue With Spell Ability to imbue Posey with Sacrificial Skill + Lore of The Gods (would also allow reroll of the check)
>+1 killed in really cool and flavorful way (Posey casting Necrotic Bloat and popping Sasha like a balloon)
>>175669
I could also try for the DC 30 Planar Ally to try to call an Efreeti for 3 Wishes... But that's just asking to get monkey-pawed. Genies are jerks.
I could also try for the DC 30 Planar Ally to try to call an Efreeti for 3 Wishes... But that's just asking to get monkey-pawed. Genies are jerks.
>>175662
Watching a pony doing that with his mouth cannot be anything other than amusing. Amber refrains from audibly laughing, but she does smirk as she watches Red Scabbard makes his exit, hopefully for the last time, out of the restaurant. Once he's finally out of sight she can focus on whatever late-night customers arrive, presumably for the bar.
Watching a pony doing that with his mouth cannot be anything other than amusing. Amber refrains from audibly laughing, but she does smirk as she watches Red Scabbard makes his exit, hopefully for the last time, out of the restaurant. Once he's finally out of sight she can focus on whatever late-night customers arrive, presumably for the bar.
>>175668
I'm a little busy, but we'll get to it
>>175671
However entertained Amber may be by this, it does not entertain her nearly as much as it did Trakr.
The ponies going to the bar, usually single, don't need to be guided. Well, sometimes they do, since a wall blocks most of the view of the bar from the entry point, and you kind of have to look to the far left. The time comes to stop accepting customers for the restaurant, and to close for the night. Customers are still eating, but it's helpful to begin cleaning up
I'm a little busy, but we'll get to it
>>175671
However entertained Amber may be by this, it does not entertain her nearly as much as it did Trakr.
The ponies going to the bar, usually single, don't need to be guided. Well, sometimes they do, since a wall blocks most of the view of the bar from the entry point, and you kind of have to look to the far left. The time comes to stop accepting customers for the restaurant, and to close for the night. Customers are still eating, but it's helpful to begin cleaning up
>>175674
It's part of Amber's duty to turn away latecomers, however many there might be. If there aren't any at the moment she helps the waiters, since she can't bear to stand around when there's something to do.
It's part of Amber's duty to turn away latecomers, however many there might be. If there aren't any at the moment she helps the waiters, since she can't bear to stand around when there's something to do.
>>175675
And then, closing time. Amber finds that she did indeed make a mistake, at least early in the shift, in directing too many customers to Melon Mangrove. She has half of the booths, and unlike Cream Pop's, hers are in line of sight to Amber. But it may also be from customers who slipped through Amber while she was not marering her post, as again, hers are the closest to the entrance. A few tables to clean up, chairs to put up, and of course, Mustard is doing the same.
And then, closing time. Amber finds that she did indeed make a mistake, at least early in the shift, in directing too many customers to Melon Mangrove. She has half of the booths, and unlike Cream Pop's, hers are in line of sight to Amber. But it may also be from customers who slipped through Amber while she was not marering her post, as again, hers are the closest to the entrance. A few tables to clean up, chairs to put up, and of course, Mustard is doing the same.
>>175677
"I'm sorry about that imbalance. I should've been more careful with all those customers," she apologizes to the other customers. Unfortunately it seems like her sidequest hurt her performance, at least a little. At least moving things around keeps her from dwelling on it too much.
"I'm sorry about that imbalance. I should've been more careful with all those customers," she apologizes to the other customers. Unfortunately it seems like her sidequest hurt her performance, at least a little. At least moving things around keeps her from dwelling on it too much.
>>175680
>prayers said
Okay, does he have any helpful spell prepared?
Posey wordlessly gets to work, levitating and rummaging through her components pouch while flipping through her necronomicon as she gets ready. With a single hoof, she reaches beneath her cloak to pet Gloomy.
The ghast leads Sasha inside.
"Will anycreature else be joining us for the ceremony?"
>prayers said
Okay, does he have any helpful spell prepared?
Posey wordlessly gets to work, levitating and rummaging through her components pouch while flipping through her necronomicon as she gets ready. With a single hoof, she reaches beneath her cloak to pet Gloomy.
The ghast leads Sasha inside.
"Will anycreature else be joining us for the ceremony?"
>>175680
Drat, I meant the waiters, not the customers.
She might finally get the chance to eat, and takes a gander at the kitchen to see what's available.
Drat, I meant the waiters, not the customers.
She might finally get the chance to eat, and takes a gander at the kitchen to see what's available.
>>175682
In the kitchen is extra goulash and other stew, mashed potatoes, and assorted dishes. There's also bread.
In the kitchen is extra goulash and other stew, mashed potatoes, and assorted dishes. There's also bread.
>>175681
It's just the priest and the one assistant.
"This needs no witness but the Angel." He says. A candle burns below a brass statue of a peacock in the location behind where the altar would have been.
The ghast pushes in Sasha, who is oddly stiff and drags her paws against the ground standing upright. Her eyes are wide open, and are more discolored even than before.
It's just the priest and the one assistant.
"This needs no witness but the Angel." He says. A candle burns below a brass statue of a peacock in the location behind where the altar would have been.
The ghast pushes in Sasha, who is oddly stiff and drags her paws against the ground standing upright. Her eyes are wide open, and are more discolored even than before.
>>175685
Price Run gives Amber a dirty look to the side.
Mustard Trim walks up, in his uniform, naturally. His tail wags.
"Hey, Amber"
Price Run gives Amber a dirty look to the side.
Mustard Trim walks up, in his uniform, naturally. His tail wags.
"Hey, Amber"
>>175684
>who is oddly stiff and drags her paws against the ground standing upright. Her eyes are wide open, and are more discolored even than before
Posey sees this, and decides that she's not about to let take her subject before she's done with her.
>"Paralyze her, without killing her."
Posey wordlessly commands the ghast
Posey squints at her grimoire and behind murmuring something intelligible in abyssal as ghast does it's jobs and drags Sasha forward.
"Any help would be appreciated...!" she says to the priest between between tongues
Muh buff spells
>who is oddly stiff and drags her paws against the ground standing upright. Her eyes are wide open, and are more discolored even than before
Posey sees this, and decides that she's not about to let take her subject before she's done with her.
>"Paralyze her, without killing her."
Posey wordlessly commands the ghast
Posey squints at her grimoire and behind murmuring something intelligible in abyssal as ghast does it's jobs and drags Sasha forward.
"Any help would be appreciated...!" she says to the priest between between tongues
Muh buff spells
>>175686
Amber worries about how much he suspects her. A customer running off due to spicy food probably makes the rounds pretty easily.
Mustard lifts her spirits again. "Hi Mustard! We didn't get much chance to chat earlier. How was your day?"
Amber worries about how much he suspects her. A customer running off due to spicy food probably makes the rounds pretty easily.
Mustard lifts her spirits again. "Hi Mustard! We didn't get much chance to chat earlier. How was your day?"
>>175687
The ghast bites her, though with little obvious reaction on Sasha
"What help do you need?" The priest asks
>>175688
Mustard looks down, "A bit hard... with math, and... customers" Then he looks up. "But it's better with you now. You were a bit later than I expected... I hoped you would be here early."
The ghast bites her, though with little obvious reaction on Sasha
"What help do you need?" The priest asks
>>175688
Mustard looks down, "A bit hard... with math, and... customers" Then he looks up. "But it's better with you now. You were a bit later than I expected... I hoped you would be here early."
>>175689
Amber's ears dip as she smiles at him. "After my first job I needed to pick up an ID card. It took me a little while but I'm glad to have gotten that done. Was it important?"
Amber's ears dip as she smiles at him. "After my first job I needed to pick up an ID card. It took me a little while but I'm glad to have gotten that done. Was it important?"
>>175689
She requested Desecrate by name earlier.
"Odds of, success will increase if the grounds are sanctified for the offering. I could also use any blessing or orisons you can muster up, something for good fortune or knowledge." Posey says, as she flips through her grimoire, the blackened veins appearing on her forehead betraying her own nervousness
She looks up at the peacock idol, as is second-guessing her decision to come here for this gruesome act of charity
"Things like this aren't easy. There's no telling what could happen if the spirit does not accept our offering..."
She requested Desecrate by name earlier.
"Odds of, success will increase if the grounds are sanctified for the offering. I could also use any blessing or orisons you can muster up, something for good fortune or knowledge." Posey says, as she flips through her grimoire, the blackened veins appearing on her forehead betraying her own nervousness
She looks up at the peacock idol, as is second-guessing her decision to come here for this gruesome act of charity
"Things like this aren't easy. There's no telling what could happen if the spirit does not accept our offering..."
>>175690
With a wince, his ears go back, then back up, and he pulls a hoof up and back apprehensively, before grabbing onto a glass of water he begins to drink
"You didn't already have an ID card?" He asks, genuinely surprised. He takes a sip of water. "How did you manage that?"
>>175691
"Of course we've sanctified out temple. Did you think we would not?" He replies
"The bridge to the other world may be crossed only one way. I've never heard of the angel allowing anyone back."
With a wince, his ears go back, then back up, and he pulls a hoof up and back apprehensively, before grabbing onto a glass of water he begins to drink
"You didn't already have an ID card?" He asks, genuinely surprised. He takes a sip of water. "How did you manage that?"
>>175691
"Of course we've sanctified out temple. Did you think we would not?" He replies
"The bridge to the other world may be crossed only one way. I've never heard of the angel allowing anyone back."
>>175692
She frowns with worry at the offense he seems to have taken.
"I…just did? I didn't know I had to have one until a couple nights ago, when I was stopped by police. They weren't too accusative but I was still sternly talked to. I just couldn't put it off any longer."
She frowns with worry at the offense he seems to have taken.
"I…just did? I didn't know I had to have one until a couple nights ago, when I was stopped by police. They weren't too accusative but I was still sternly talked to. I just couldn't put it off any longer."
>>175693
To clarify, he looked like that before discussion of the ID. If he's offended, that's probably not the reason.
"Huh. I didn't know you were stopped." Another wincing smile. "First time?" And after a pause, "They made us get them during that big revolt last September. Came into our town... We got them... I guess that explains why you weren't here earlier. I didn't know they missed your town. Err... Hamlet"
To clarify, he looked like that before discussion of the ID. If he's offended, that's probably not the reason.
"Huh. I didn't know you were stopped." Another wincing smile. "First time?" And after a pause, "They made us get them during that big revolt last September. Came into our town... We got them... I guess that explains why you weren't here earlier. I didn't know they missed your town. Err... Hamlet"
Fuck it. Enough stalling.
"Well, I guess it's time to see if diamond dogs really do have diamonds in them..."
Posey proceeds with the ceremony as she reads from her tome, which sounds like a series of animalistic growls and gutteral moans, punctuated by shrieking howls. She does this for a long period of time, but visibly hurries as she races to outrun the death of her subject.
At the end of her ceremony, Posey's words become more intelligible, and she closes her tome, chanting a poem of her own writing:
"In the shadows deep, where the darkness bleeds, We call upon the ancient needs, Y̴̤͍͕̪̣̲̯̍̐̅̊ȇ̶̢̛̛̘̦̦̑͒̽̀̎̍̑͗̚͠E̷̪͎̖͕̭͎̥̐̓̉͒̓͐͋̉́̉̇̅̚̕̚͜n̵̖͇͋́̎̐͋͒͆͝Ơ̴̛̤̖̯̲͂͌̏̒̈͋͌̌͋g̶̢͉̬̠̣̭̳͙̹̝͈͆̔̓̏̈́͘͜ͅH̴͕̮͛͗ù̵̱̮̘̖͍̹̙͎̼̦̣̉̓͊̎́̿̇̕̕͘̕͘̕, Lord of the Abyssal Maw, We offer this life to thy dreadful claw.
By the glint of diamond and the howl of night, We seek your favor, dark and bright, The flesh of the beast, the spirit of dread, To stir the dead from their shadowed bed.
O Harbinger of Despair and Wrath, Hear us in this unholy path, Agire, rise from the earth so cold, In the name of sacrifice, behold.
To you, Y̴̤͍͕̪̣̲̯̍̐̅̊ȇ̶̢̛̛̘̦̦̑͒̽̀̎̍̑͗̚͠E̷̪͎̖͕̭͎̥̐̓̉͒̓͐͋̉́̉̇̅̚̕̚͜n̵̖͇͋́̎̐͋͒͆͝Ơ̴̛̤̖̯̲͂͌̏̒̈͋͌̌͋g̶̢͉̬̠̣̭̳͙̹̝͈͆̔̓̏̈́͘͜ͅH̴͕̮͛͗ù̵̱̮̘̖͍̹̙͎̼̦̣̉̓͊̎́̿̇̕̕͘̕͘̕, the Hyena’s might, We surrender this life to the endless night, Grant us the boon, the ancient rite, To summon forth the cleric's light.
By the blood we shed and the darkness we cast, Let the veil of the grave be torn at last, We beseech thee, heed our sacrificial plea, And let Agire rise, set the fallen free.
Oh Y̴̤͍͕̪̣̲̯̍̐̅̊ȇ̶̢̛̛̘̦̦̑͒̽̀̎̍̑͗̚͠E̷̪͎̖͕̭͎̥̐̓̉͒̓͐͋̉́̉̇̅̚̕̚͜n̵̖͇͋́̎̐͋͒͆͝Ơ̴̛̤̖̯̲͂͌̏̒̈͋͌̌͋g̶̢͉̬̠̣̭̳͙̹̝͈͆̔̓̏̈́͘͜ͅH̴͕̮͛͗ù̵̱̮̘̖͍̹̙͎̼̦̣̉̓͊̎́̿̇̕̕͘̕͘̕, great Avenging Angel, Beast who prowls the realm beyond the gray! Y̴̤͍͕̪̣̲̯̍̐̅̊ȇ̶̢̛̛̘̦̦̑͒̽̀̎̍̑͗̚͠E̷̪͎̖͕̭͎̥̐̓̉͒̓͐͋̉́̉̇̅̚̕̚͜n̵̖͇͋́̎̐͋͒͆͝Ơ̴̛̤̖̯̲͂͌̏̒̈͋͌̌͋g̶̢͉̬̠̣̭̳͙̹̝͈͆̔̓̏̈́͘͜ͅH̴͕̮͛͗ù̵̱̮̘̖͍̹̙͎̼̦̣̉̓͊̎́̿̇̕̕͘̕͘̕, favored Son of L̸̘̯͙̮̼͇͇̦̲̭̭͇̘̗̼̼͒̀̋͊̂̄́̅̊̃́̒̀̚͜á̴̗̪̟̰̳͖̖̂̂̍̂Ṁ̴̧͎̭̺̟̤͚͓̜̳̦̌̂̓̈̍̂͜a̶̢̨̜̭̳̫̠͍͈̖͖̅̄̎̊̃͆͋̎͛̈́S̴̫͈̣̫͉̃͋͗̈́̉̍͌̊͑̓̃͗̆̚͝ḥ̵͉̱̰̖̪̠͚̰̝͈̺͇̲͇̳͗͂̆̍̐̈͌̿̍͊́́̐͑̑̂̕͜Ṱ̵̢̭̱̥͎̩̱̟͙͔̤̤̼̉̇̌̓̅͊͘̕̚ͅu̸̢̢̹̰̝̞̫̣̜̙͙̩͕̖̟͎̥̅̔̆͌̀͗̎͗̔̕̚͝͝, let us hear you Howl, for what you smell before you is your Prey!"
She then draws her knife and plunges it into her own chest, leaving it embedded in her chest as she coughs up rotten blood while gurgling the somatic components for a spell.
Posey expends two spell slots with versatile spellcaster to cast Necrotic Bloat, the cyst she implanted in Sasha's chest swelling to enormous size, dealing 8d6 damage (no saving throws), half of which is vile
[8d6 = 32]
She then immediately rips the knife out of her own chest and pierces it into the cyst, popping it in a shower of gore as a coup-de-grace
And now, the moment of truth (refer to >>175669 for any additional mods that apply)
[1d20+20 = (14+20) = 34]
"Well, I guess it's time to see if diamond dogs really do have diamonds in them..."
Posey proceeds with the ceremony as she reads from her tome, which sounds like a series of animalistic growls and gutteral moans, punctuated by shrieking howls. She does this for a long period of time, but visibly hurries as she races to outrun the death of her subject.
At the end of her ceremony, Posey's words become more intelligible, and she closes her tome, chanting a poem of her own writing:
"In the shadows deep, where the darkness bleeds, We call upon the ancient needs, Y̴̤͍͕̪̣̲̯̍̐̅̊ȇ̶̢̛̛̘̦̦̑͒̽̀̎̍̑͗̚͠E̷̪͎̖͕̭͎̥̐̓̉͒̓͐͋̉́̉̇̅̚̕̚͜n̵̖͇͋́̎̐͋͒͆͝Ơ̴̛̤̖̯̲͂͌̏̒̈͋͌̌͋g̶̢͉̬̠̣̭̳͙̹̝͈͆̔̓̏̈́͘͜ͅH̴͕̮͛͗ù̵̱̮̘̖͍̹̙͎̼̦̣̉̓͊̎́̿̇̕̕͘̕͘̕, Lord of the Abyssal Maw, We offer this life to thy dreadful claw.
By the glint of diamond and the howl of night, We seek your favor, dark and bright, The flesh of the beast, the spirit of dread, To stir the dead from their shadowed bed.
O Harbinger of Despair and Wrath, Hear us in this unholy path, Agire, rise from the earth so cold, In the name of sacrifice, behold.
To you, Y̴̤͍͕̪̣̲̯̍̐̅̊ȇ̶̢̛̛̘̦̦̑͒̽̀̎̍̑͗̚͠E̷̪͎̖͕̭͎̥̐̓̉͒̓͐͋̉́̉̇̅̚̕̚͜n̵̖͇͋́̎̐͋͒͆͝Ơ̴̛̤̖̯̲͂͌̏̒̈͋͌̌͋g̶̢͉̬̠̣̭̳͙̹̝͈͆̔̓̏̈́͘͜ͅH̴͕̮͛͗ù̵̱̮̘̖͍̹̙͎̼̦̣̉̓͊̎́̿̇̕̕͘̕͘̕, the Hyena’s might, We surrender this life to the endless night, Grant us the boon, the ancient rite, To summon forth the cleric's light.
By the blood we shed and the darkness we cast, Let the veil of the grave be torn at last, We beseech thee, heed our sacrificial plea, And let Agire rise, set the fallen free.
Oh Y̴̤͍͕̪̣̲̯̍̐̅̊ȇ̶̢̛̛̘̦̦̑͒̽̀̎̍̑͗̚͠E̷̪͎̖͕̭͎̥̐̓̉͒̓͐͋̉́̉̇̅̚̕̚͜n̵̖͇͋́̎̐͋͒͆͝Ơ̴̛̤̖̯̲͂͌̏̒̈͋͌̌͋g̶̢͉̬̠̣̭̳͙̹̝͈͆̔̓̏̈́͘͜ͅH̴͕̮͛͗ù̵̱̮̘̖͍̹̙͎̼̦̣̉̓͊̎́̿̇̕̕͘̕͘̕, great Avenging Angel, Beast who prowls the realm beyond the gray! Y̴̤͍͕̪̣̲̯̍̐̅̊ȇ̶̢̛̛̘̦̦̑͒̽̀̎̍̑͗̚͠E̷̪͎̖͕̭͎̥̐̓̉͒̓͐͋̉́̉̇̅̚̕̚͜n̵̖͇͋́̎̐͋͒͆͝Ơ̴̛̤̖̯̲͂͌̏̒̈͋͌̌͋g̶̢͉̬̠̣̭̳͙̹̝͈͆̔̓̏̈́͘͜ͅH̴͕̮͛͗ù̵̱̮̘̖͍̹̙͎̼̦̣̉̓͊̎́̿̇̕̕͘̕͘̕, favored Son of L̸̘̯͙̮̼͇͇̦̲̭̭͇̘̗̼̼͒̀̋͊̂̄́̅̊̃́̒̀̚͜á̴̗̪̟̰̳͖̖̂̂̍̂Ṁ̴̧͎̭̺̟̤͚͓̜̳̦̌̂̓̈̍̂͜a̶̢̨̜̭̳̫̠͍͈̖͖̅̄̎̊̃͆͋̎͛̈́S̴̫͈̣̫͉̃͋͗̈́̉̍͌̊͑̓̃͗̆̚͝ḥ̵͉̱̰̖̪̠͚̰̝͈̺͇̲͇̳͗͂̆̍̐̈͌̿̍͊́́̐͑̑̂̕͜Ṱ̵̢̭̱̥͎̩̱̟͙͔̤̤̼̉̇̌̓̅͊͘̕̚ͅu̸̢̢̹̰̝̞̫̣̜̙͙̩͕̖̟͎̥̅̔̆͌̀͗̎͗̔̕̚͝͝, let us hear you Howl, for what you smell before you is your Prey!"
She then draws her knife and plunges it into her own chest, leaving it embedded in her chest as she coughs up rotten blood while gurgling the somatic components for a spell.
Posey expends two spell slots with versatile spellcaster to cast Necrotic Bloat, the cyst she implanted in Sasha's chest swelling to enormous size, dealing 8d6 damage (no saving throws), half of which is vile
[8d6 = 32]
She then immediately rips the knife out of her own chest and pierces it into the cyst, popping it in a shower of gore as a coup-de-grace
And now, the moment of truth (refer to >>175669 for any additional mods that apply)
[1d20+20 = (14+20) = 34]
>>175695
>34
>target was 35
Gee, I really hope a friendly priest cast the lvl 0 Guidance orison to give me +1 to that skill check...
>34
>target was 35
Gee, I really hope a friendly priest cast the lvl 0 Guidance orison to give me +1 to that skill check...
>>175697
Posey has done her part. Does the Angel or whatever dark powers Posey was appealing to accept our offering?
Posey has done her part. Does the Angel or whatever dark powers Posey was appealing to accept our offering?
>>175697
Posey stands still as a corpse, covered in putrefied cyst blood, her golden eyes facing the peacock idol as she watches it in anticipation and fear.
Posey stands still as a corpse, covered in putrefied cyst blood, her golden eyes facing the peacock idol as she watches it in anticipation and fear.
>>175699
It's the offering, and not the angel, who does not cooperate. Black vile spills out of Sasha's chest, followed by a yellow pollen-like substance, and then a white mold-like powder. The hole in her chest gaps like the rotted-out hollow of a still-living oak tree - yet she turns her black-hole eyes towards Posey
"tlct tlct tlct tlct. AYEEAH!"
>>175700
No. They are kind of everywhere. More so then, in the Uprising."
It's the offering, and not the angel, who does not cooperate. Black vile spills out of Sasha's chest, followed by a yellow pollen-like substance, and then a white mold-like powder. The hole in her chest gaps like the rotted-out hollow of a still-living oak tree - yet she turns her black-hole eyes towards Posey
"tlct tlct tlct tlct. AYEEAH!"
>>175700
No. They are kind of everywhere. More so then, in the Uprising."
>>175702
I guess I'll roll religion to see what this means
[1d20+11 = (17+11) = 28]
Also going to roll Perform to see how well Posey sang her poem earlier
[1d20+8 = (10+8) = 18]
I guess I'll roll religion to see what this means
[1d20+11 = (17+11) = 28]
Also going to roll Perform to see how well Posey sang her poem earlier
[1d20+8 = (10+8) = 18]
>>175702
Posey ushers Gloomy to stay behind her, and telepathically commands the ghast to defend her from whatever is about to be unleashed.
Posey ushers Gloomy to stay behind her, and telepathically commands the ghast to defend her from whatever is about to be unleashed.
>>175706
"It is darn annoying, pardon my language," Amber agrees. She decides to steer the conversation back. "Well, why were you looking forward to my comin' early, besides us seein' each other?"
"It is darn annoying, pardon my language," Amber agrees. She decides to steer the conversation back. "Well, why were you looking forward to my comin' early, besides us seein' each other?"
>>175702
>who does not cooperate
Wait, is she not dead?! How did she survive 32 damage and a coup-de-grace?
The fortitude DC to survive the coup-de-grace would have been 10 + ([1d4+7 = (3+7) = 10] × 2)
>>175706
"Oh for the love of-!" Posey says
Posey immediately recasts her spell to finish off the dog [8d6+2 = (28+2) = 30], further bloating the cyst
>who does not cooperate
Wait, is she not dead?! How did she survive 32 damage and a coup-de-grace?
The fortitude DC to survive the coup-de-grace would have been 10 + ([1d4+7 = (3+7) = 10] × 2)
>>175706
"Oh for the love of-!" Posey says
Posey immediately recasts her spell to finish off the dog [8d6+2 = (28+2) = 30], further bloating the cyst
>>175707
“Well”, he looks down, then back up, with a smile that is at first awkward but then pleased.
“So we could spend time together in the back room.”
>>175708
Sasha proves a bit less helpless than her situation would imply. With a “crack,” she breaks her hands off, freeing her from the shackles. She isn’t paralyzed at all. The cyst has clearly burned through her chest cavity and removed what remained of her lungs, but it doesn’t slow her down. She now jumps back on all fours, minus the broken-off hands, and tilts her head looking at Posey. Her legs in the rear are bent to make up the difference in height, but the bones of her forearms grow down and out, extending her higher above the tile floor.
“Well”, he looks down, then back up, with a smile that is at first awkward but then pleased.
“So we could spend time together in the back room.”
>>175708
Sasha proves a bit less helpless than her situation would imply. With a “crack,” she breaks her hands off, freeing her from the shackles. She isn’t paralyzed at all. The cyst has clearly burned through her chest cavity and removed what remained of her lungs, but it doesn’t slow her down. She now jumps back on all fours, minus the broken-off hands, and tilts her head looking at Posey. Her legs in the rear are bent to make up the difference in height, but the bones of her forearms grow down and out, extending her higher above the tile floor.
>>175706
"Die, bitch!"
>>175708
That's another 15 points of vile damage
She's now taken 32 points of damage that cannot be healed by any means except within a hallowed area.
>>175709
(I would like to say that if she's undead right now, she technically still died, so our ceremony should have succeeded...)
I guess I'll roll initiative.
[1d20+10 = (20+10) = 30]
Posey lets out a sigh.
"It can never be easy now, can it?"
"Die, bitch!"
>>175708
That's another 15 points of vile damage
She's now taken 32 points of damage that cannot be healed by any means except within a hallowed area.
>>175709
(I would like to say that if she's undead right now, she technically still died, so our ceremony should have succeeded...)
I guess I'll roll initiative.
[1d20+10 = (20+10) = 30]
Posey lets out a sigh.
"It can never be easy now, can it?"
>>175709
"Oh," she exclaims with an expression of surprise and a blush. She quickly looks off to the side and taps her hooves together. "I'm, heh, touched, but, erm, we already did that this week and I don't want Salt Mixer getting mad at me. I actually was 'bout to ask if there were any other tasks that need doin' around here," she replies with a nervous giggle.
"Oh," she exclaims with an expression of surprise and a blush. She quickly looks off to the side and taps her hooves together. "I'm, heh, touched, but, erm, we already did that this week and I don't want Salt Mixer getting mad at me. I actually was 'bout to ask if there were any other tasks that need doin' around here," she replies with a nervous giggle.
>>175709
I'm going to make an intelligence check as a free action to identify whatever monster I'm encountering
[1d20+3 = (19+3) = 22]
If it's undead, the mod is +11
I'm going to make an intelligence check as a free action to identify whatever monster I'm encountering
[1d20+3 = (19+3) = 22]
If it's undead, the mod is +11
"I would like to apologize, my dear Reverend, because things might get a little messier than expected. Don't worry though, I'm no stranger to things that refuse to die." Posey says, whirling her cape as she begins for battle.
(I'm going to need to step out soon)
>>175715
Amber's smile falters somewhat. Mustard's "lost puppy" stares always leave her on edge, weighing what she possibly could have said wrong. "A bit for your thoughts?" she asks after a little while, resuming her eating.
Amber's smile falters somewhat. Mustard's "lost puppy" stares always leave her on edge, weighing what she possibly could have said wrong. "A bit for your thoughts?" she asks after a little while, resuming her eating.
>>175715
>Best guess is plant or fungoid type.
That's alive, so it can be killed. The ceremony continues.
Posey has spent four of her lvl 2 slots dealing over 60 damage to the creature.
The ghast, under Posey's control, attacks the monster with teeth and claws
[1d20+5 = (16+5) = 21]
[1d20+3 = (12+3) = 15]
[1d20+3 = (6+3) = 9]
Posey expends her final lvl 2 slot to cast Inflict Moderate Wounds on the creature. It's flat-footed, so no attack of opportunity.
Touch attack
[1d20+8 = (10+8) = 18]
>Best guess is plant or fungoid type.
That's alive, so it can be killed. The ceremony continues.
Posey has spent four of her lvl 2 slots dealing over 60 damage to the creature.
The ghast, under Posey's control, attacks the monster with teeth and claws
[1d20+5 = (16+5) = 21]
[1d20+3 = (12+3) = 15]
[1d20+3 = (6+3) = 9]
Posey expends her final lvl 2 slot to cast Inflict Moderate Wounds on the creature. It's flat-footed, so no attack of opportunity.
Touch attack
[1d20+8 = (10+8) = 18]
>>175717
"It's more of a saying. I don't have to give you a bit if you tell me what you're thinkin'. But I will, if you want me to. I just, uh, want to chat." Oh goddesses, is she rambling?
"It's more of a saying. I don't have to give you a bit if you tell me what you're thinkin'. But I will, if you want me to. I just, uh, want to chat." Oh goddesses, is she rambling?
GM, I'm sorry, but I have to step out now.
Rolling Posey's damage roll
[3d8+11 = (14+11) = 25]
Will half
The ghast is intelligent, so it's subject to undead commander. It deals +1d6 damage to the living while within Posey's aura.
Rolling for bite damage
[1d8+3 = (1+3) = 4] [1d6 = 3]
Rolling Posey's damage roll
[3d8+11 = (14+11) = 25]
Will half
The ghast is intelligent, so it's subject to undead commander. It deals +1d6 damage to the living while within Posey's aura.
Rolling for bite damage
[1d8+3 = (1+3) = 4] [1d6 = 3]
>>175719
“What do you want to chat about?” He asks, knees on the table. He never touches any if the food. Perhaps he ate already.
“What do you want to chat about?” He asks, knees on the table. He never touches any if the food. Perhaps he ate already.
>>175721
Amber mulls over things. Maybe being direct isn't the solution here. "You said math was hard today. What did you have to do?"
Amber mulls over things. Maybe being direct isn't the solution here. "You said math was hard today. What did you have to do?"
>>175722
“Well, Mr. Notion gave us a quiz on integrals, even though we just started. And evidently my homework didn’t have enough “explanation” -“ he stops himself suddenly, and ceases
“Well, Mr. Notion gave us a quiz on integrals, even though we just started. And evidently my homework didn’t have enough “explanation” -“ he stops himself suddenly, and ceases
>>175723
"I'm sure the quiz was just to see where y'all were at," she reassures him. "Wanting explanations is the same thing. It's not so much whether you got the answer right as much as seeing what your thinking process is."
"I'm sure the quiz was just to see where y'all were at," she reassures him. "Wanting explanations is the same thing. It's not so much whether you got the answer right as much as seeing what your thinking process is."
>>175724
“Yeah.” He sighs. “That’s what he said. Still doesn’t make it anymore pleasant to get the right answer, yet still get it wrong.”
“Yeah.” He sighs. “That’s what he said. Still doesn’t make it anymore pleasant to get the right answer, yet still get it wrong.”
>>175725
Amber mulls over how Mustards tends to withdraw in a shell of sorts and not express his thoughts, sometimes even with ponies he's intimate with. She can't really blame him for that, his mother seems to have caused it from what she's seen.
"It ain't pleasant but neither are a lot of the harder things in life. Maybe you could work on a habit to write down every step you take, and even your thoughts behind it? That could help."
Amber mulls over how Mustards tends to withdraw in a shell of sorts and not express his thoughts, sometimes even with ponies he's intimate with. She can't really blame him for that, his mother seems to have caused it from what she's seen.
"It ain't pleasant but neither are a lot of the harder things in life. Maybe you could work on a habit to write down every step you take, and even your thoughts behind it? That could help."
>>175726
He turns and looks back towards Amber,
“You said something about Salt Mixer and tasks when you were telling me ‘no’? What was that?”
He turns and looks back towards Amber,
“You said something about Salt Mixer and tasks when you were telling me ‘no’? What was that?”
>>175727
She leans forward toward her confidant. "I really want her to approve of my work even though…especially since I'm new here. I get the feelin' other folks here think I take it too easy since being a hostess is a lot less work, and I want to prove that notion wrong."
She leans forward toward her confidant. "I really want her to approve of my work even though…especially since I'm new here. I get the feelin' other folks here think I take it too easy since being a hostess is a lot less work, and I want to prove that notion wrong."
>>175728
“You could ask to be a waiter.” He answers simply. “Or to bus. Or to cook.” He tilts his head. “Is that what that thing about the food was earlier?”
“You could ask to be a waiter.” He answers simply. “Or to bus. Or to cook.” He tilts his head. “Is that what that thing about the food was earlier?”
>>175729
Her eyes shift away for a second. "Um, not really. I was curious." She continues, "But I will ask Ms. Mixer about what she thinks."
She should be finishing up her food now.
Her eyes shift away for a second. "Um, not really. I was curious." She continues, "But I will ask Ms. Mixer about what she thinks."
She should be finishing up her food now.
>>175718
>>175720
I'm back.
She's taken ~94 points of damage so far (if she failed that last save; otherwise it's 82]
Is she dead yet?
The Will save for Posey's inflict moderate wounds is 19. Because of the necrotic necrotic cyst, she takes a -2 penalty to the save
Ghoul bite triggers fortitude vs paralysis, also having a -2 penalty to the save
Oh yeah, and undead have an additional 1d6 on damage rolls vs her. Let me roll 2d6 for Posey's touch and the ghast's bite
[2d6 = 7]
>>175720
I'm back.
She's taken ~94 points of damage so far (if she failed that last save; otherwise it's 82]
Is she dead yet?
The Will save for Posey's inflict moderate wounds is 19. Because of the necrotic necrotic cyst, she takes a -2 penalty to the save
Ghoul bite triggers fortitude vs paralysis, also having a -2 penalty to the save
Oh yeah, and undead have an additional 1d6 on damage rolls vs her. Let me roll 2d6 for Posey's touch and the ghast's bite
[2d6 = 7]
>>175733
"I think it'd be best to rest up for tomorrow. I can walk you home if you want," the mare adds.
"I think it'd be best to rest up for tomorrow. I can walk you home if you want," the mare adds.
>>175734
Oh yeah, Posey ends her turn with a 5 foot step, the ghast moving likewise, flanking the sacrifice.
Gloomy skedaddles off to the back of the church.
Oh yeah, Posey ends her turn with a 5 foot step, the ghast moving likewise, flanking the sacrifice.
Gloomy skedaddles off to the back of the church.
Posey should have dealt 100+ damage to this creature, accounting for the additional 1d6 when she stabbed her with the dagger.
>>175715
Does it die?
>>175715
Does it die?
>>175737
"I mean, I'd like to, but I haven't been feeling too energetic all day. We'd be tired all over again tomorrow, and, and, it just wouldn't be the same…." She is looking away abashedly.
"I mean, I'd like to, but I haven't been feeling too energetic all day. We'd be tired all over again tomorrow, and, and, it just wouldn't be the same…." She is looking away abashedly.
>>175739
"Try the abandoned building?" He asks.
Actually, sense motive
[1d20+3 = (4+3) = 7]
>>175738
Posey hopes it isn't speaking to her telepathically:
>Did you thing a little gnawing and clawing would do enough? Did you think I was not ancient when your 'black magic' was created? That I had learned nothing of resistance and resilience after all of these millennia? When your masters were failing their same quest before, I was taking notes.
But it probably can't talk. And no, it isn't dead.
"Try the abandoned building?" He asks.
Actually, sense motive
[1d20+3 = (4+3) = 7]
>>175738
Posey hopes it isn't speaking to her telepathically:
>Did you thing a little gnawing and clawing would do enough? Did you think I was not ancient when your 'black magic' was created? That I had learned nothing of resistance and resilience after all of these millennia? When your masters were failing their same quest before, I was taking notes.
But it probably can't talk. And no, it isn't dead.
>>175740
She might be afraid of public perception or someone imposing judgement.
She blinks. "You don't mean…in the abandoned building? Doing…that?"
She might be afraid of public perception or someone imposing judgement.
She blinks. "You don't mean…in the abandoned building? Doing…that?"
>>175740
What kind of monster has more than 100 HP at this level?
Posey rears for combat
"Oh no you don't. I am not going through all the trouble to get another subject, so get back on the altar and DIE BITCH!"
I guess it's the monster's turn now.
What kind of monster has more than 100 HP at this level?
Posey rears for combat
"Oh no you don't. I am not going through all the trouble to get another subject, so get back on the altar and DIE BITCH!"
I guess it's the monster's turn now.
>>175743
>My seed is already planted in you. I will have you regardless.
REEEEEEEEEE
>It turns away from Posey, and towards the priest
Attack of opportunity Posey makes a Slam attack
[1d20+10 = (4+10) = 14]
The Ghast bites
[1d20+7 = (7+7) = 14]
>My seed is already planted in you. I will have you regardless.
REEEEEEEEEE
>It turns away from Posey, and towards the priest
Attack of opportunity Posey makes a Slam attack
[1d20+10 = (4+10) = 14]
The Ghast bites
[1d20+7 = (7+7) = 14]
Does a 14 hit?
>>175743
Her ears dip down and she looks at him, aghast. "'Make it quick?' Why would you want to 'make it quick' when it's such a special moment between us? Better to appreciate that…special moment, or not have it at all. Don't you feel the same?"
Her ears dip down and she looks at him, aghast. "'Make it quick?' Why would you want to 'make it quick' when it's such a special moment between us? Better to appreciate that…special moment, or not have it at all. Don't you feel the same?"
>>175747
Mustard's fillyfriend sniffles. "I…I like your company. I don't to lose this magic by spending it so carelessly." She's no longer looking at him.
Mustard's fillyfriend sniffles. "I…I like your company. I don't to lose this magic by spending it so carelessly." She's no longer looking at him.
>>175749
“I see…” he stands up. “Goodnight Amber. I can walk myself home. That’ll give you more time to get rested.” And starts to walk away.
“I see…” he stands up. “Goodnight Amber. I can walk myself home. That’ll give you more time to get rested.” And starts to walk away.
File (): 7C64DDF4B5412A6FC87054A73C79BD40-61827.jpg (60.4 KB, 625x625, enhanced-buzz-6609-1408278319-8.jpg)
Okay, the good news is, if this monster has more than 100 HP, that means that it should have enough hit points to add enough HD to add +3 to my check, so if I survive this encounter, my sacrifice will be successful... 
>>175750
Despite internal misgivings, Amber doesn't chase after him. She cleans up her dishes and looks for Salt Mixer.
Despite internal misgivings, Amber doesn't chase after him. She cleans up her dishes and looks for Salt Mixer.
Are we still doing this, GM?
>>175651
Half-lidding his eyes, Silver grins at Pear. "Heh, if they already think that, then, well...why not seal deal?"
Returning to her tangent, Silver listens along, not looking bored or annoyed and in fact looks intrigued by her vast wealth of knowledge. "Us Severyanans had some stories of spirits like that, long ago. Many were turned into saints and other holy figures within Orthodox teachings, when we adopted Celestialism as state and people. Some of those old stories, it makes you wonder what really was spirit or deity, and what is explained by something else. Creatures back then, pony and otherwise, it is possible they misinterpreted something they saw and did not understand as something they could understand. It can be easy and even calming for creature to simply go, 'oh that must just be nature spirit' or something of that sort, to have easy explanation for everything."
Half-lidding his eyes, Silver grins at Pear. "Heh, if they already think that, then, well...why not seal deal?"
Returning to her tangent, Silver listens along, not looking bored or annoyed and in fact looks intrigued by her vast wealth of knowledge. "Us Severyanans had some stories of spirits like that, long ago. Many were turned into saints and other holy figures within Orthodox teachings, when we adopted Celestialism as state and people. Some of those old stories, it makes you wonder what really was spirit or deity, and what is explained by something else. Creatures back then, pony and otherwise, it is possible they misinterpreted something they saw and did not understand as something they could understand. It can be easy and even calming for creature to simply go, 'oh that must just be nature spirit' or something of that sort, to have easy explanation for everything."
>>175651
This prey was apparently never taught any self-preservation. Pity. The lamia would have enjoyed a bit of sport. Food will have to suffice.
The bite itself is forceful, but ultimately harmless. Rather than other predators who use biting as a primary way of inflicting harm, the lamia uses it as a way to grab and hold onto a target, preventing easy escape, as well as to make the next part of her attack easier. With her mouth wrapped around the goat's large head and horns, the lamia begins wrapping the goat up with her tail, coiling around is legs and midsection to begin grappling the prey.
[1d20+12 = (12+12) = 24]
This prey was apparently never taught any self-preservation. Pity. The lamia would have enjoyed a bit of sport. Food will have to suffice.
The bite itself is forceful, but ultimately harmless. Rather than other predators who use biting as a primary way of inflicting harm, the lamia uses it as a way to grab and hold onto a target, preventing easy escape, as well as to make the next part of her attack easier. With her mouth wrapped around the goat's large head and horns, the lamia begins wrapping the goat up with her tail, coiling around is legs and midsection to begin grappling the prey.
[1d20+12 = (12+12) = 24]
>>175756
She tentatively approaches the mare.
"Hello, Ms. Mixer. I was wondering, do you need a waitress or cook? I like the hostess work, but I wouldn't mind another role if you think I'm better suited to it."
She tentatively approaches the mare.
"Hello, Ms. Mixer. I was wondering, do you need a waitress or cook? I like the hostess work, but I wouldn't mind another role if you think I'm better suited to it."
>>175760
It's no use, she's already got a hold of the prey. The goat puts up a valiant fight, but she fully wraps her tail around the prey, and already the lamia begins to constrict her coils around the prey, forcing air from its lungs and preventing it from drawing in breath easily.
[1d6 = 4]
It's no use, she's already got a hold of the prey. The goat puts up a valiant fight, but she fully wraps her tail around the prey, and already the lamia begins to constrict her coils around the prey, forcing air from its lungs and preventing it from drawing in breath easily.
[1d6 = 4]
>>175760
"I would have to warn you, though, it can get rather...messy. For me it is go big, or go home." He turns his head to looks around the quarry. "As you already saw, of course."
"I would have to warn you, though, it can get rather...messy. For me it is go big, or go home." He turns his head to looks around the quarry. "As you already saw, of course."
>>175765
A noble effort from the goat. It appears the prey has at least some fighting instincts, though if the goat truly does not wish to become the lamia's next meal then it must make a proper attempt to escape. As is, the lamia continues to constrict the prey in her coils.
[1d6+3 = (6+3) = 9]
A noble effort from the goat. It appears the prey has at least some fighting instincts, though if the goat truly does not wish to become the lamia's next meal then it must make a proper attempt to escape. As is, the lamia continues to constrict the prey in her coils.
[1d6+3 = (6+3) = 9]
>>175767
She smiles, leans in towards his face, looks into his eyes, and places her right hoof against his mouth. Then she pulls her hoof back, and taps him.
“Absolutely not. I’m working.”
And then a scrunchy face. She tries to wiggle out of Silver’s embrace, mostly by moving down.
>>175766
He has only a few kicks in him left, still bahing. But his forelegs can’t move. They are already broken.
She smiles, leans in towards his face, looks into his eyes, and places her right hoof against his mouth. Then she pulls her hoof back, and taps him.
“Absolutely not. I’m working.”
And then a scrunchy face. She tries to wiggle out of Silver’s embrace, mostly by moving down.
>>175766
He has only a few kicks in him left, still bahing. But his forelegs can’t move. They are already broken.
>>175768
Silver, the big strong unicorn, scrunches after being lured into her false promise of a kiss. He reluctantly allows her to escape before chuckling slightly.
"Okay, but do not think I have forgotten. You can not be at work forever." He gives her cute lil' snoot a quick boop before she gets out of range. "Have you found anything interesting in there that was missed during my exploration?"
Silver, the big strong unicorn, scrunches after being lured into her false promise of a kiss. He reluctantly allows her to escape before chuckling slightly.
"Okay, but do not think I have forgotten. You can not be at work forever." He gives her cute lil' snoot a quick boop before she gets out of range. "Have you found anything interesting in there that was missed during my exploration?"
>>175768
The prey weakens. Only a short amount of time is left before the goat becomes one with the lamia. Once more her coils tighten around the helpless prey. The more it bahs and kicks without escaping, the quicker it succumbs. The lamia waits for the oxygen-starved food to fall unconscious.
[1d6+3 = (2+3) = 5]
The prey weakens. Only a short amount of time is left before the goat becomes one with the lamia. Once more her coils tighten around the helpless prey. The more it bahs and kicks without escaping, the quicker it succumbs. The lamia waits for the oxygen-starved food to fall unconscious.
[1d6+3 = (2+3) = 5]
>>175771
“BAAaaa…”
Hopper falls silent, and stops moving. It is done.
>>175770
The little mare closes her eyes, flinches her head back, and then scrunching. She sits down and wraps her bright strawberry tail around herself. She doesn’t address Silver’s first statement.
“What did we find? What did you leave behind? I’ve been focused on the books, but… I know there are multiple pony corpses. Zebra corpses too… Bones in catacombs as well. The others are trying to piece that together. Who they were. How they got there. I do know some occult items have been found. It appears old Curwhinny was even more of a collector of the esoteric than the rumors suggested… it’s kind of a treasure trove of that period. Well, of several periods. Hard to believe this was all right here, and ignored. It was even found after it was sealed, by the quarrymen. And they just sealed it again. But much is still here, even if the fire took much, and… some books are missing. Curwhinny himself as well. But I have quite a bit I can look at, and find something new. Like this book here.”
“BAAaaa…”
Hopper falls silent, and stops moving. It is done.
>>175770
The little mare closes her eyes, flinches her head back, and then scrunching. She sits down and wraps her bright strawberry tail around herself. She doesn’t address Silver’s first statement.
“What did we find? What did you leave behind? I’ve been focused on the books, but… I know there are multiple pony corpses. Zebra corpses too… Bones in catacombs as well. The others are trying to piece that together. Who they were. How they got there. I do know some occult items have been found. It appears old Curwhinny was even more of a collector of the esoteric than the rumors suggested… it’s kind of a treasure trove of that period. Well, of several periods. Hard to believe this was all right here, and ignored. It was even found after it was sealed, by the quarrymen. And they just sealed it again. But much is still here, even if the fire took much, and… some books are missing. Curwhinny himself as well. But I have quite a bit I can look at, and find something new. Like this book here.”
>>175773
It is done, but not finished. The lamia notices the rope still tied around the goat. Meddlesome thing, getting in the way. She unties the rope, freeing the goat from at least one thing shackling it to this place. Much better now, now that nothing is interfering with her meal. She releases the goat's head only to readjust and place her mouth around it once more. An angle that is good for grappling isn't necessarily good for swallowing, either. Her snake coils grab the goat's body and begins to feed it down her throat slowly. It is a sizable meal especially with the horns still intact, perhaps it is among the largest meals the lamia has ever had, but her pony half stretches and morphs visibly and audibly around the goat's form in an unnatural fashion all the same. It feels good, fulfilling her natural instincts to hunt, to feed, to follow the natural order of things. Bit by bit, less and less of the goat becomes visible as she takes the prey down her voracious maw, feeding her ravenous hunger. Her coils let go of the goat's body section by section until only the hind section is left outside the predator's form. The lamia lifts her head up, swallowing down the final section of her prey whole. Her pony half regains shape as the goat slides down her neck into the snake-half of her body. It seems to settle, as it stops moving nearly as quickly as it did first going down. The lamia can't help but to let out a satisfied sigh, letting her tongue hang out of her fully-opened mouth for a bit.
She closes her eyes. There's a small pop as she closes her mouth, jaw snapping back into place. Her pony facial features return to normal, her body showing few if any signs of what had just happened save for the massive lump in her snake section. She breathes, in, then out, as her quieted primal instincts once again settle back down in her mind. She opens her eyes, returned to their normal, bat-pony like shape. Kira has returned. She turns slowly to face Neela, looking afraid to see her deer friend's reaction to what she just did. Looking afraid to see how her opinion of Kira has changed from witnessing what must have been a horrible occurrence for any prey animal to see.
It is done, but not finished. The lamia notices the rope still tied around the goat. Meddlesome thing, getting in the way. She unties the rope, freeing the goat from at least one thing shackling it to this place. Much better now, now that nothing is interfering with her meal. She releases the goat's head only to readjust and place her mouth around it once more. An angle that is good for grappling isn't necessarily good for swallowing, either. Her snake coils grab the goat's body and begins to feed it down her throat slowly. It is a sizable meal especially with the horns still intact, perhaps it is among the largest meals the lamia has ever had, but her pony half stretches and morphs visibly and audibly around the goat's form in an unnatural fashion all the same. It feels good, fulfilling her natural instincts to hunt, to feed, to follow the natural order of things. Bit by bit, less and less of the goat becomes visible as she takes the prey down her voracious maw, feeding her ravenous hunger. Her coils let go of the goat's body section by section until only the hind section is left outside the predator's form. The lamia lifts her head up, swallowing down the final section of her prey whole. Her pony half regains shape as the goat slides down her neck into the snake-half of her body. It seems to settle, as it stops moving nearly as quickly as it did first going down. The lamia can't help but to let out a satisfied sigh, letting her tongue hang out of her fully-opened mouth for a bit.
She closes her eyes. There's a small pop as she closes her mouth, jaw snapping back into place. Her pony facial features return to normal, her body showing few if any signs of what had just happened save for the massive lump in her snake section. She breathes, in, then out, as her quieted primal instincts once again settle back down in her mind. She opens her eyes, returned to their normal, bat-pony like shape. Kira has returned. She turns slowly to face Neela, looking afraid to see her deer friend's reaction to what she just did. Looking afraid to see how her opinion of Kira has changed from witnessing what must have been a horrible occurrence for any prey animal to see.
>>175773
"You did not Curwhinny?" Silver looks at the small mare, absolutely puzzled by this information. "Did you find where he had been sealed, in room surrounded by corpses?"
"You did not Curwhinny?" Silver looks at the small mare, absolutely puzzled by this information. "Did you find where he had been sealed, in room surrounded by corpses?"
>>175775
>>175775
“We found a coffin, to be sure. But there was nothing in it besides a little dust.”
>>175774
Oh my…
Having the ability to force her upper body upright and let gravity assist, while also having forelegs to hold down, help guide in and then physically push down the prey is a major benefit true snakes don’t have. All the same, the process is slow, and Kira may feel vulnerable. She may be glad to be doing this in a wooden and chicken wire enclosure.
After some time, it is done, and Kira no doubt feels much better after a true meal. This goat was was just under a quarter of her body weight, after all.
Neela stares at Kira with her observant, presumably fascinated expression.
“The Nagini’s true form reveals herself.”
>>175775
“We found a coffin, to be sure. But there was nothing in it besides a little dust.”
>>175774
Oh my…
Having the ability to force her upper body upright and let gravity assist, while also having forelegs to hold down, help guide in and then physically push down the prey is a major benefit true snakes don’t have. All the same, the process is slow, and Kira may feel vulnerable. She may be glad to be doing this in a wooden and chicken wire enclosure.
After some time, it is done, and Kira no doubt feels much better after a true meal. This goat was was just under a quarter of her body weight, after all.
Neela stares at Kira with her observant, presumably fascinated expression.
“The Nagini’s true form reveals herself.”
>>175776
"Huh. He was truly lich after all...I did not know they turned to dust after you killed them, but to be fair I had never killed lich before either. You did indeed find what had remained of Curwhinny."
"Huh. He was truly lich after all...I did not know they turned to dust after you killed them, but to be fair I had never killed lich before either. You did indeed find what had remained of Curwhinny."
>>175776
Indeed they are benefits, benefits the lamia had taken advantage of in her scarfing of the meal down her throat. But that was the lamia of a short bit ago. This is the lamia of now, who is named Kira. And Kira looks a bit...confused, about Neela's reaction. It does get her to blush and look to the side, her pony ears folding down.
"It's not...it's not who I really am. At least, it's not all of what I am. I'm not a monster. I'm Kira."
Indeed they are benefits, benefits the lamia had taken advantage of in her scarfing of the meal down her throat. But that was the lamia of a short bit ago. This is the lamia of now, who is named Kira. And Kira looks a bit...confused, about Neela's reaction. It does get her to blush and look to the side, her pony ears folding down.
"It's not...it's not who I really am. At least, it's not all of what I am. I'm not a monster. I'm Kira."
>>175777
“Or he wasn’t in there to begin with, and that was just normal dust.” She says.
“That warning on the wall did advertise a lich. Featherduster, the grad student, didn’t want to open it, but Critical Theory insisted there was no such thing.”
She looks up and away.
“Come to think of it, I wouldn’t be surprised if Feather Duster exchanged the casket for one from the catacombs…”
>>175778
“And Kira is a Nagini who strangles creatures and eats them whole.” she retorts in an almost baby-voice.
They more normally,
“Would you like more? We still have the kid. You can have more.”
“Or he wasn’t in there to begin with, and that was just normal dust.” She says.
“That warning on the wall did advertise a lich. Featherduster, the grad student, didn’t want to open it, but Critical Theory insisted there was no such thing.”
She looks up and away.
“Come to think of it, I wouldn’t be surprised if Feather Duster exchanged the casket for one from the catacombs…”
>>175778
“And Kira is a Nagini who strangles creatures and eats them whole.” she retorts in an almost baby-voice.
They more normally,
“Would you like more? We still have the kid. You can have more.”
>>175780
Those words seem to sting at Kira far more than any potential discomfort swallowing that huge goat could have done to her. She continues to look away, blushing.
"N-no, I'm good. That...that will do me for a long time. A month maybe, maybe more."
Those words seem to sting at Kira far more than any potential discomfort swallowing that huge goat could have done to her. She continues to look away, blushing.
"N-no, I'm good. That...that will do me for a long time. A month maybe, maybe more."
>>175780
"Well, let us go see." Silver stands up from where he was sitting on the ground. "I am only pony who has seen original casket and lived. If it is different, if Feather Duster really did switch them out and is hiding it, then I will know."
"Well, let us go see." Silver stands up from where he was sitting on the ground. "I am only pony who has seen original casket and lived. If it is different, if Feather Duster really did switch them out and is hiding it, then I will know."
>>175782
Her ears go down.
“Are you sure? It’s okay. No one will not but me and the farmer. Actually… I think I could jump that fence and get it for you. Won’t cost you anything. And the farmer won’t know. Only if know, and I don’t judge. I’ve known what you are when I saw you, anyways. And you’ve seen me eat. Even bought food for me. See? It’s okay. I can get the kid for you, just say it.”
>>175783
Okay, I have to note that when I wrote that Curwhinny was missing I had forgotten that the casket was there. I hadn’t intended to eliminate any ambiguity as to whether Curwhinny had taken the last step to become a lich
Her ears go down.
“Are you sure? It’s okay. No one will not but me and the farmer. Actually… I think I could jump that fence and get it for you. Won’t cost you anything. And the farmer won’t know. Only if know, and I don’t judge. I’ve known what you are when I saw you, anyways. And you’ve seen me eat. Even bought food for me. See? It’s okay. I can get the kid for you, just say it.”
>>175783
Okay, I have to note that when I wrote that Curwhinny was missing I had forgotten that the casket was there. I hadn’t intended to eliminate any ambiguity as to whether Curwhinny had taken the last step to become a lich
>>175784
Hmmmm. Does that mean we should just leave it be and move onto another topic, or do we continue down this chain of events?
Hmmmm. Does that mean we should just leave it be and move onto another topic, or do we continue down this chain of events?
>>175784
Kira shakes her head. She returns to looking at Neela, blush slowly fading. "No, no, I'm good, really. Gluttony can be very bad for a lamia, it slows us down and makes us sluggish, turns us into easy prey for the other predators of the plains. At least that's what's taught to us really early on in our hunter training. Oough...gonna have a hard enough time moving around as is." She slowly starts to slither towards the door to the enclosure, moving sluggishly and with effort. "Nnnf..."
Kira shakes her head. She returns to looking at Neela, blush slowly fading. "No, no, I'm good, really. Gluttony can be very bad for a lamia, it slows us down and makes us sluggish, turns us into easy prey for the other predators of the plains. At least that's what's taught to us really early on in our hunter training. Oough...gonna have a hard enough time moving around as is." She slowly starts to slither towards the door to the enclosure, moving sluggishly and with effort. "Nnnf..."
>>175781
I would like to finish the encounter before the end of Labor Day weekend, if possible.
She can't have that many hit points left. I just need to stop her from killing the priest before that.
I would like to finish the encounter before the end of Labor Day weekend, if possible.
She can't have that many hit points left. I just need to stop her from killing the priest before that.
>>175787
"Tell that to the...nngh...the tribe." It's a slow process, far slower than her normal slithering speed, made worse as she has to very carefully navigate the bulge in her snake section through a gap that's not very much wider than it. "It's why I'm even here in the first place. The Talons, with their technology, were faster and more powerful than us, and we turned from predator to prey." She has a rest by the fence as she manages to fully exit the enclosure. "Oh sweet Ouroboros we have a long we to slither..." She looks over at Neela. "'The god and goddess'? Who are they?"
"Tell that to the...nngh...the tribe." It's a slow process, far slower than her normal slithering speed, made worse as she has to very carefully navigate the bulge in her snake section through a gap that's not very much wider than it. "It's why I'm even here in the first place. The Talons, with their technology, were faster and more powerful than us, and we turned from predator to prey." She has a rest by the fence as she manages to fully exit the enclosure. "Oh sweet Ouroboros we have a long we to slither..." She looks over at Neela. "'The god and goddess'? Who are they?"
>>175784
Heeey, wait a minute, what do I hear about a mystery pertaining to a lich?
This sounds like a job for a licensed Necrologist.
Heeey, wait a minute, what do I hear about a mystery pertaining to a lich?
This sounds like a job for a licensed Necrologist.
[1d20 = 15]
[1d20 = 6]
>>175788
You know what, let’s just say the two attacks land.
>>175789
Once Kira’s free of the enclosure, she knows it’s only about… 3 miles or so to the row house.
“Oh, well let’s not” she looks down “let’s not focus on that.” Then back to Kira “Talons. You mentioned them before. They are like predators?”
When Kira is stopped, Neela comes closer to Kira. Then even closer. She comes right up to Kira’s mid section and taps onto Kira’s stomach, presumably trying to feel the outline of the gist underneath. Then she does it again.
“Ha. Ha ha ha. Ha ha ha ha ha!”
Neela has a bout of laughter, looking at and feeling Kira’s snake body, especially her bloated mid section.
>>175790
Well what do (You) want?
[1d20 = 6]
>>175788
You know what, let’s just say the two attacks land.
>>175789
Once Kira’s free of the enclosure, she knows it’s only about… 3 miles or so to the row house.
“Oh, well let’s not” she looks down “let’s not focus on that.” Then back to Kira “Talons. You mentioned them before. They are like predators?”
When Kira is stopped, Neela comes closer to Kira. Then even closer. She comes right up to Kira’s mid section and taps onto Kira’s stomach, presumably trying to feel the outline of the gist underneath. Then she does it again.
“Ha. Ha ha ha. Ha ha ha ha ha!”
Neela has a bout of laughter, looking at and feeling Kira’s snake body, especially her bloated mid section.
>>175790
Well what do (You) want?
>>175792
Well, I think it's a really cool, spontaneous idea, and it would actually be really cool to go along with it, but I don't want to give you any grief if you don't want it.
Well, I think it's a really cool, spontaneous idea, and it would actually be really cool to go along with it, but I don't want to give you any grief if you don't want it.
>>175792
Okay
Posey's slam damage
[2d6+8 = (3+8) = 11]
Ghoul bite
[1d8+3 = (5+3) = 8][1d6 = 5] + paralysis
I am really glad I put that Necrotic cyst in her, or this encounter would have been a lot harder.
Okay
Posey's slam damage
[2d6+8 = (3+8) = 11]
Ghoul bite
[1d8+3 = (5+3) = 8][1d6 = 5] + paralysis
I am really glad I put that Necrotic cyst in her, or this encounter would have been a lot harder.
>>175792
Neelas continued responses to Kira's way of eating continues to confuse the poor lamia. She's never seen anyone respond this way. Neela can feel something hard, presumably Hopper the goat, through the firm muscles and scales of Kira's snake body. If her touching the lamia there makes Kira feel uncomfortable or painful, she doesn't show it.
"The Talons. They're griffons who moved in and settled a colony near my tribe. Talonsvaal. They haven't been there long, they've only been around for our recent history. They got into a war with a nearby zebra nation, Roam, and to everyone's surprise the Talons won. We really didn't think it would happen, the Roamans greatly outnumbered the Talons, but I guess now we know they had a technological advantage that gave them the edge. At first we were grateful, the Roamans really didn't like lamias and we were worried they were going to attack us after they dealt with the Talons and wipe us out. Then some time after the war the Talons built a gold mine on our lands, and started dumping poisons from it into the river we used for our drinking water. A bunch of angry lamias kicked the griffons out of the mine against the wishes of the chief, and the Talons responded by launching an attack on the entire tribe." Her ears fold backwards. "I'd call it a declaration of war, but we never stood a chance. Guns, and artillery, and airplanes...we had nothing that could match them. Mom sent me off with some valuables to get help from the mythical Equestrians for our tribe, while she rallied what was left of the hunters to protect the remnants of our tribe, and...now I'm here."
Neelas continued responses to Kira's way of eating continues to confuse the poor lamia. She's never seen anyone respond this way. Neela can feel something hard, presumably Hopper the goat, through the firm muscles and scales of Kira's snake body. If her touching the lamia there makes Kira feel uncomfortable or painful, she doesn't show it.
"The Talons. They're griffons who moved in and settled a colony near my tribe. Talonsvaal. They haven't been there long, they've only been around for our recent history. They got into a war with a nearby zebra nation, Roam, and to everyone's surprise the Talons won. We really didn't think it would happen, the Roamans greatly outnumbered the Talons, but I guess now we know they had a technological advantage that gave them the edge. At first we were grateful, the Roamans really didn't like lamias and we were worried they were going to attack us after they dealt with the Talons and wipe us out. Then some time after the war the Talons built a gold mine on our lands, and started dumping poisons from it into the river we used for our drinking water. A bunch of angry lamias kicked the griffons out of the mine against the wishes of the chief, and the Talons responded by launching an attack on the entire tribe." Her ears fold backwards. "I'd call it a declaration of war, but we never stood a chance. Guns, and artillery, and airplanes...we had nothing that could match them. Mom sent me off with some valuables to get help from the mythical Equestrians for our tribe, while she rallied what was left of the hunters to protect the remnants of our tribe, and...now I'm here."
>>175792
Does the Priest respond to Zuggtmoy rudely interrupting our sacrifice to a completely different rot-related demon?
Does the Priest respond to Zuggtmoy rudely interrupting our sacrifice to a completely different rot-related demon?
Gloomy begins drawing something with his Crayola crayons in the corner
>>175796
poke
“Equestrians weren’t so mythical after all, were they? Griffins and gold, can’t say that surprises me. We have a similar problem with the ponies here, attacking and dominating. Can’t say I’ve seen very many griffins that weren’t also downtrodden. There’s a few wealthier griffins, sure, but they hardly seem like predators to me.”
The farmer walks up
“Are you - are you done?”
poke
“Equestrians weren’t so mythical after all, were they? Griffins and gold, can’t say that surprises me. We have a similar problem with the ponies here, attacking and dominating. Can’t say I’ve seen very many griffins that weren’t also downtrodden. There’s a few wealthier griffins, sure, but they hardly seem like predators to me.”
The farmer walks up
“Are you - are you done?”
>>175800
"There are griffons here?" Kira's eyes go wide, and she looks almost afraid. The farmer coming up snaps her out of it, and she looks over at him. She blushes, and slightly nods.
"Ye...yes, it's done."
"There are griffons here?" Kira's eyes go wide, and she looks almost afraid. The farmer coming up snaps her out of it, and she looks over at him. She blushes, and slightly nods.
"Ye...yes, it's done."
>>175799
He is frantically drawing a seal to activate his class feature which takes a whole minute to activate.
Anyway, who's turn is it?
He is frantically drawing a seal to activate his class feature which takes a whole minute to activate.
Anyway, who's turn is it?
Back
[1d2 = 2]
>>175801
Neela:
"Of course. Didn't you see that catty bitch with Lash at my apartment, Girka? There's quite a number of them here."
The stallion looks down at Kira's midsection
"Is that... Is that the goat? You ate it?"
To be fair to the stallion, the goat is very nearly his size, if a bit shorter. If Kira can swallow the goat, she probably could the farmer too.
[1d2 = 2]
>>175801
Neela:
"Of course. Didn't you see that catty bitch with Lash at my apartment, Girka? There's quite a number of them here."
The stallion looks down at Kira's midsection
"Is that... Is that the goat? You ate it?"
To be fair to the stallion, the goat is very nearly his size, if a bit shorter. If Kira can swallow the goat, she probably could the farmer too.
>>175805
>He jumps out of the way and draws a sword
"Oh good, you brought a sword. I was going to bring mine, but it's so complicated to bring past customs." Posey says, almost casually as plans her next attack.
I take it means that it's Posey's turn now?
>He jumps out of the way and draws a sword
"Oh good, you brought a sword. I was going to bring mine, but it's so complicated to bring past customs." Posey says, almost casually as plans her next attack.
I take it means that it's Posey's turn now?
>>175807
Okay, Posey has 6 lvl 1 spell slots left. She's hit this thing with two lvl 3 spells, and one lvl 2 spell. She has no way of knowing how many HP it has left, but she knows that with her cyst inside it it cannot withstand her attacks for long.
Posey commands the ghast to grapple the monster
The ghast charges as it grapples, flanking with the priest
Touch attack to grapple
[1d20+9 = (14+9) = 23]
This provokes an attack of opportunity
Okay, Posey has 6 lvl 1 spell slots left. She's hit this thing with two lvl 3 spells, and one lvl 2 spell. She has no way of knowing how many HP it has left, but she knows that with her cyst inside it it cannot withstand her attacks for long.
Posey commands the ghast to grapple the monster
The ghast charges as it grapples, flanking with the priest
Touch attack to grapple
[1d20+9 = (14+9) = 23]
This provokes an attack of opportunity
>>175809
drat...
Okay, Posey then proceeds to attack the flanked monster herself, casting Chill Touch
[1d20+10 = (19+10) = 29]
drat...
Okay, Posey then proceeds to attack the flanked monster herself, casting Chill Touch
[1d20+10 = (19+10) = 29]
>>175804
Oh. Right. She had honestly forgotten about her. Kira looks away from the farmer, and continues to blush. She speaks in a small, meek voice.
"...mmhmm..."
Oh. Right. She had honestly forgotten about her. Kira looks away from the farmer, and continues to blush. She speaks in a small, meek voice.
"...mmhmm..."
>>175810
I'll follow that up with a damage roll
[1d8+1 = (6+1) = 7][2d6 = 6]
DC 18 to avoid Str damage from chill touch, it takes a -2 penalty to the save due to Posey's embedded cyst
I'll follow that up with a damage roll
[1d8+1 = (6+1) = 7][2d6 = 6]
DC 18 to avoid Str damage from chill touch, it takes a -2 penalty to the save due to Posey's embedded cyst
>>175812
Rolling the grapple against the monster
... Unless I'm mistaken. 3.5e grapple rules are a mess.
Rolling the grapple against the monster
... Unless I'm mistaken. 3.5e grapple rules are a mess.
>>175817
It's just a regular grab. The touch attack was to start the grapple, the 12 was to hold.
Unless the monster rolls lower than a 12, the grapple fails.
It's just a regular grab. The touch attack was to start the grapple, the 12 was to hold.
Unless the monster rolls lower than a 12, the grapple fails.
>>175814
Step 1: If you don't have Improved Grapple, provoke an Attack of Opportunity from your target. If it hits, the grapple fails. Otherwise, proceed to step 2.
Step 2: Make a touch attack. If it hits, proceed to step 3.
Step 3: Make an opposed grapple check. If your check beats your opponent's, you are now grappling.
t.Just grappled a goat
Step 1: If you don't have Improved Grapple, provoke an Attack of Opportunity from your target. If it hits, the grapple fails. Otherwise, proceed to step 2.
Step 2: Make a touch attack. If it hits, proceed to step 3.
Step 3: Make an opposed grapple check. If your check beats your opponent's, you are now grappling.
t.Just grappled a goat
Posey's turn is over
>>175817
"No, I'm all good, thank you..." She looks back up at the farmer, meek and embarrassed despite all that Neela told her about accepting who she is. "I know this isn't ever a...pleasant transaction for a non-predator to make with a predator, but...thank you. Truly. You really do provide an invaluable service for us." She extends a hoof towards him for a hoofshake. "I know it's weird, calling what just happened a transaction, but...I hope I can call upon you and your farm again in the future. It won't be for a while though, trust me. This should do me for at least a month, maybe longer." Finally, she smiles at him, and despite the fact that she currently has a goat in her belly, she does her best to look as friendly and nice as possible.
"No, I'm all good, thank you..." She looks back up at the farmer, meek and embarrassed despite all that Neela told her about accepting who she is. "I know this isn't ever a...pleasant transaction for a non-predator to make with a predator, but...thank you. Truly. You really do provide an invaluable service for us." She extends a hoof towards him for a hoofshake. "I know it's weird, calling what just happened a transaction, but...I hope I can call upon you and your farm again in the future. It won't be for a while though, trust me. This should do me for at least a month, maybe longer." Finally, she smiles at him, and despite the fact that she currently has a goat in her belly, she does her best to look as friendly and nice as possible.
I'm going to have to sleep soon.
Does Posey's attack wither the creature away? Does it look close to dying?
Does Posey's attack wither the creature away? Does it look close to dying?
>>175822
The creature screeches, and its rear limb falls off. It's forearms, already cracked and sundered, slinter down the middle. It cries, and then bleeds more black vile - from the cyst, surely - out its mouth, followed by white mold spores. It stops, and falls to the ground
The creature screeches, and its rear limb falls off. It's forearms, already cracked and sundered, slinter down the middle. It cries, and then bleeds more black vile - from the cyst, surely - out its mouth, followed by white mold spores. It stops, and falls to the ground
>>175821
The farmer smiles, but its yet another wide, teeth-showing smile that betrays a sense of awkwardness in a social situation.
Neela taps her. Not on her belly, but on the side of her pony chest. She leans over and speaks into her ear.
"Ask him for a ride."
The farmer smiles, but its yet another wide, teeth-showing smile that betrays a sense of awkwardness in a social situation.
Neela taps her. Not on her belly, but on the side of her pony chest. She leans over and speaks into her ear.
"Ask him for a ride."
>>175823
Posey discharges 6 of her remaining 7 chill touches on the monster for good measure.
And one on herself, for giggles.
"Well, the ceremony didn't quite go as planned, but she IS dead now, so..."
Posey looks expectantly towards the peacock idol
Posey discharges 6 of her remaining 7 chill touches on the monster for good measure.
And one on herself, for giggles.
"Well, the ceremony didn't quite go as planned, but she IS dead now, so..."
Posey looks expectantly towards the peacock idol
>>175824
"A ride...oh!" Kira nods to both of them. "Yes, do you have a motor vehicle? If so, can we have a ride back home, please?"
"A ride...oh!" Kira nods to both of them. "Yes, do you have a motor vehicle? If so, can we have a ride back home, please?"
>>175825
>>175825
>>175827
The fungus finally dissipates, and dies
It helps that the lighting is so low. Several streams of orange light flow upwards towards the peacock's head in waves, until the feathers glow in the colors of the rainbow. Then a white light glows around the statue, like St. Elmos fire, and the statue is ready to give out the Angel's blessings
>>175826
"Oh, uh. you don't already have a vehicle, yeah, I can, I can uh transport you back. Where do you live?"
He presumably starts walking towards his vehicle
>>175825
>>175827
The fungus finally dissipates, and dies
It helps that the lighting is so low. Several streams of orange light flow upwards towards the peacock's head in waves, until the feathers glow in the colors of the rainbow. Then a white light glows around the statue, like St. Elmos fire, and the statue is ready to give out the Angel's blessings
>>175826
"Oh, uh. you don't already have a vehicle, yeah, I can, I can uh transport you back. Where do you live?"
He presumably starts walking towards his vehicle
>>175828
Kira follows slowly, giving the kind farmer their address just a short couple miles away.
"We're just go there ourselves, but...nngh...I'm a bit slow right now..."
Kira follows slowly, giving the kind farmer their address just a short couple miles away.
"We're just go there ourselves, but...nngh...I'm a bit slow right now..."
>>175829
"Oh... It's harder for you to move after eating... I see... Just like a snake with a rodent. Sure." He walks up to a partly rusted red pick up truck, and lowers the bed.
"Just climb in the back. I... think it will hold ya."
He tries to ask questions like "How many of you are there?" and "Here in Equestria" as well as "How long have you been here?" and "Do you normally eat goats? Back home, I mean."
"Oh... It's harder for you to move after eating... I see... Just like a snake with a rodent. Sure." He walks up to a partly rusted red pick up truck, and lowers the bed.
"Just climb in the back. I... think it will hold ya."
He tries to ask questions like "How many of you are there?" and "Here in Equestria" as well as "How long have you been here?" and "Do you normally eat goats? Back home, I mean."
>>175830
Hmm, not the best kept vehicle she's seen so far. Hopefully it holds her weight, as she gets up into the back.
If it does, and it seems to be a big if, she answers his questions.
1.) "Oh, quite a few, I came from a whole city of lamias back home in Zebrica. I haven't heard of any here in Equestria, though I did hear about those winged serpents from a local pony. Those sound neat!"
2.) "Not long, I just got off the boat today, actually. It's part of why I was so hungry, all they had were bananas on board."
3.) "Oh yeah, that and sheep and all different kinds of livestock the farmers raised. We also hunted, but there's too many lamias to have that be the main source of food. Some of the poorer lamias had to resort to eating bread or potatoes to fill out their diets."
Hmm, not the best kept vehicle she's seen so far. Hopefully it holds her weight, as she gets up into the back.
If it does, and it seems to be a big if, she answers his questions.
1.) "Oh, quite a few, I came from a whole city of lamias back home in Zebrica. I haven't heard of any here in Equestria, though I did hear about those winged serpents from a local pony. Those sound neat!"
2.) "Not long, I just got off the boat today, actually. It's part of why I was so hungry, all they had were bananas on board."
3.) "Oh yeah, that and sheep and all different kinds of livestock the farmers raised. We also hunted, but there's too many lamias to have that be the main source of food. Some of the poorer lamias had to resort to eating bread or potatoes to fill out their diets."
I fell asleep
>>175828
>Several streams of orange light flow upwards towards the peacock's head in waves, until the feathers glow in the colors of the rainbow. Then a white light glows around the statue, like St. Elmos fire, and the statue is ready to give out the Angel's blessings
"Proof of our devotion...!" Posey says, mystified by the display, being herself just an arcanist used to making transactional sacrifices to nameless horrors
Her spirit refreshed, Posey repeats her prayer from above, requesting an audience with the great Avenging Angel to return Agire to us.
She turns to the priest
"Despite the intrusion of outsiders looking to subvert our offering, it appears our prayer has been heard. Fetch Agire's body, because it's time for the moment of truth."
Gloomy stops his Crayola drawing, with a disappointed child-like pout, the drawing looking something like pic related. He gives a disgruntled groan, and for a second it looks like cinders and ashes spouted from his nostrils
>Several streams of orange light flow upwards towards the peacock's head in waves, until the feathers glow in the colors of the rainbow. Then a white light glows around the statue, like St. Elmos fire, and the statue is ready to give out the Angel's blessings
"Proof of our devotion...!" Posey says, mystified by the display, being herself just an arcanist used to making transactional sacrifices to nameless horrors
Her spirit refreshed, Posey repeats her prayer from above, requesting an audience with the great Avenging Angel to return Agire to us.
She turns to the priest
"Despite the intrusion of outsiders looking to subvert our offering, it appears our prayer has been heard. Fetch Agire's body, because it's time for the moment of truth."
Gloomy stops his Crayola drawing, with a disappointed child-like pout, the drawing looking something like pic related. He gives a disgruntled groan, and for a second it looks like cinders and ashes spouted from his nostrils
Posey conjures a Floating Disk and an Unseen Servant to assist the priest.
>>175831
It may need to be a bit larger than a pickup truck of the era, but all the same, the truck can handle loads of feed, fertilizer, and some livestock. It can handle Kira - albeit only just barely, very noticeably sagging down on its suspension with Kira's weight, and requiring her to curl up. While she adds considerable weight to the vehicle, it does at least run. The pony notices, and is careful as he puts it into gear. He says
"But are you alone here?" And "Potatoes and Bananas? Then why did you need a billy goat?"
It may need to be a bit larger than a pickup truck of the era, but all the same, the truck can handle loads of feed, fertilizer, and some livestock. It can handle Kira - albeit only just barely, very noticeably sagging down on its suspension with Kira's weight, and requiring her to curl up. While she adds considerable weight to the vehicle, it does at least run. The pony notices, and is careful as he puts it into gear. He says
"But are you alone here?" And "Potatoes and Bananas? Then why did you need a billy goat?"
>>175835
If she ever decides to invest in a motor vehicle of her own, Kira is definitely going to want something heavy duty.
"Yeah, I'm alone here. We're not really meant to be omnivores. Potatoes and bananas are really just there to keep us from starvation, but we need proper food we're meant for to actually live off of. It'd be like, well...I guess the opposite situation for ponies. Imagine if you literally had nothing to eat, and all you had was a goat."
If she ever decides to invest in a motor vehicle of her own, Kira is definitely going to want something heavy duty.
"Yeah, I'm alone here. We're not really meant to be omnivores. Potatoes and bananas are really just there to keep us from starvation, but we need proper food we're meant for to actually live off of. It'd be like, well...I guess the opposite situation for ponies. Imagine if you literally had nothing to eat, and all you had was a goat."
>>175836
"Uh..." It seems as if there's some kind of mental block preventing him from understanding Kira's point.
"Well, I know those ponies with tigers, or manticore as captive animals need goats and lams and pigs and such, and I know the gnolls and cats don't exactly need it, but they prefer it, so, I guess..." He replies
"Uh..." It seems as if there's some kind of mental block preventing him from understanding Kira's point.
"Well, I know those ponies with tigers, or manticore as captive animals need goats and lams and pigs and such, and I know the gnolls and cats don't exactly need it, but they prefer it, so, I guess..." He replies
>>175837
"There are gnolls and cats here too? Are lamias the only creatures that haven't been already let into Equestria?"
"There are gnolls and cats here too? Are lamias the only creatures that haven't been already let into Equestria?"
>>175838
"Heh heh, I don't know. What else is there in Zebrica or some far place we don't know about? Seems like just about everything has come here though, mostly in the four years or so when Twilight was in charge."
"Heh heh, I don't know. What else is there in Zebrica or some far place we don't know about? Seems like just about everything has come here though, mostly in the four years or so when Twilight was in charge."
>>175839
"Hmmph. I wish she would have thought to make contact with us. It would make getting asylum so much easier..."
"Hmmph. I wish she would have thought to make contact with us. It would make getting asylum so much easier..."
>>175842
>>175833
The Priest and his assistant walk down into the basement, and into the informal catacombs set up underneath the former church. They are down for more than a minute. The walk up slowly, chanting prayers in a mournful tone as they do so. The body is in a stretcher carried between the two. There is a white cloth placed over the body, hiding it from view. The distinct smell of decay, and a dark-red and brown stain on the white linen fabric tell that the time since the body was interred has not been kind. They lay the stretcher before the brass statue of the Peacock Angel, still muttering prayers aloud in a foreign language.
>>175840
"No, it doesn't seem everypony, err, everycreature came. To be honest, I didn't know you were even there. I think a lot of ponies didn't."
>>175833
The Priest and his assistant walk down into the basement, and into the informal catacombs set up underneath the former church. They are down for more than a minute. The walk up slowly, chanting prayers in a mournful tone as they do so. The body is in a stretcher carried between the two. There is a white cloth placed over the body, hiding it from view. The distinct smell of decay, and a dark-red and brown stain on the white linen fabric tell that the time since the body was interred has not been kind. They lay the stretcher before the brass statue of the Peacock Angel, still muttering prayers aloud in a foreign language.
>>175840
"No, it doesn't seem everypony, err, everycreature came. To be honest, I didn't know you were even there. I think a lot of ponies didn't."
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>>175845
Posey allows the priest to approach and is careful not to interrupt them; she may be an apostate by nature, but she knows better than to disrespect a priest within a temple during a visibly supernatural event.
As they finish, Posey subtly murmurs a repeat of her appeal to call on a Lilitu ally, but with some degree of defeated reservation and fear, as the light shows around the idol seem to indicate that the Angel is intending to show its blessing in its own way... It appears the reigns are no longer hers.
Posey allows the priest to approach and is careful not to interrupt them; she may be an apostate by nature, but she knows better than to disrespect a priest within a temple during a visibly supernatural event.
As they finish, Posey subtly murmurs a repeat of her appeal to call on a Lilitu ally, but with some degree of defeated reservation and fear, as the light shows around the idol seem to indicate that the Angel is intending to show its blessing in its own way... It appears the reigns are no longer hers.
>>175846
If Possy wishes to call upon the other gods, she may do so, perhaps with, or without permission
If Possy wishes to call upon the other gods, she may do so, perhaps with, or without permission
>>175847
Eh, I'll pass. Posey is interested in seeing whatever miracles the Kaftar's angel can conjure.
Eh, I'll pass. Posey is interested in seeing whatever miracles the Kaftar's angel can conjure.
>>175848
I'm confused. What's the issue? Is it that the Priest is seeking, and has some kind of response from his own set of gods, which is different to the gods Posey is appealing to? What did you think was going to happen? Posey implied that she would appeal to the priest's god, and then went and did something completely different without clearly communicating that that was what she was going to do. Posey said get the body, and appeal to the Kaftar god, and then they go and do that.
I'm confused. What's the issue? Is it that the Priest is seeking, and has some kind of response from his own set of gods, which is different to the gods Posey is appealing to? What did you think was going to happen? Posey implied that she would appeal to the priest's god, and then went and did something completely different without clearly communicating that that was what she was going to do. Posey said get the body, and appeal to the Kaftar god, and then they go and do that.
>>175845
"I guess we don't really get out much. I'm kinda surprised there are gnolls here, actually, they're far more insular than we are."
"I guess we don't really get out much. I'm kinda surprised there are gnolls here, actually, they're far more insular than we are."
>>175850
There is no issue, GM. I was just roleplaying Posey's apprehension towards a deity that she wasn't even certain existed 5 minutes ago, one that might turn her to ash.
I am actually interested in seeing what happens next. The family guy meme is just saying "the peacock is trying to do something; let's wait and see".
There is no issue, GM. I was just roleplaying Posey's apprehension towards a deity that she wasn't even certain existed 5 minutes ago, one that might turn her to ash.
I am actually interested in seeing what happens next. The family guy meme is just saying "the peacock is trying to do something; let's wait and see".
Posey steps back further from the idol to make room for the Kaftars.
She takes out a slip of parchment and begins taking notes on the supernatural phenomenon.
Gloomy starts scribbling as well, seemingly imitating her.
She takes out a slip of parchment and begins taking notes on the supernatural phenomenon.
Gloomy starts scribbling as well, seemingly imitating her.
>>175850
I didn't have any issues with this at all. I think you misunderstood me. Posey intended to make a sacrifice to a dark power to raise Agire from the dead, but whether or not the Angel of the Kaftar's actually accepted her offer was unbeknownst to her. The fact that this appears to have occurred means that her plan worked out better than she could have expected, and now she's intrigued as to whatever miracle will happen from the Angel's touch.
I didn't have any issues with this at all. I think you misunderstood me. Posey intended to make a sacrifice to a dark power to raise Agire from the dead, but whether or not the Angel of the Kaftar's actually accepted her offer was unbeknownst to her. The fact that this appears to have occurred means that her plan worked out better than she could have expected, and now she's intrigued as to whatever miracle will happen from the Angel's touch.
>>175856
"Well, gnolls really like to be among their own kind, they prefer it actually. They don't take well to outsiders usually. Or at least that's what I've heard. Most of us lamias don't mind outsiders, it's just none of the ones near our tribe are as friendly as ponies."
"Well, gnolls really like to be among their own kind, they prefer it actually. They don't take well to outsiders usually. Or at least that's what I've heard. Most of us lamias don't mind outsiders, it's just none of the ones near our tribe are as friendly as ponies."
File (): 1465622A8BCE05DE2640CCCD50BEA6B5-23858.jpg (23.3 KB, 500x291, 3n9xr2.jpg)
>>175856
Well, Posey can't precisely control whatever effect the Angel creates from her sacrifice. Her appeal was to call an audience with the Angel and to release Agire from the grave.
So, now that it appears that the appeal has been heard, does Agire's body respond? Does the Angel release Agire from the grave, alive or undead?
>What does Posey think a successful spell is going to cause to happen?
Mechanically, a DC 35 check is enough to call a Greater Planar Ally, with which Posey was aiming a Lilitu (a demon that impersonates Angels) to bring Agire back to life with a sp, but it's not guaranteed because every deity gives rewards differently according to their portfolio. Posey was aiming for that clear-cut, concise reward, as would be in-character for her transactional occultist background as a sacrificial celebrant, but she would have been willing to accept any reward that furthers her goal, so right now she can only stand back and unironically pray for a miracle.
Well, Posey can't precisely control whatever effect the Angel creates from her sacrifice. Her appeal was to call an audience with the Angel and to release Agire from the grave.
So, now that it appears that the appeal has been heard, does Agire's body respond? Does the Angel release Agire from the grave, alive or undead?
>What does Posey think a successful spell is going to cause to happen?
Mechanically, a DC 35 check is enough to call a Greater Planar Ally, with which Posey was aiming a Lilitu (a demon that impersonates Angels) to bring Agire back to life with a sp, but it's not guaranteed because every deity gives rewards differently according to their portfolio. Posey was aiming for that clear-cut, concise reward, as would be in-character for her transactional occultist background as a sacrificial celebrant, but she would have been willing to accept any reward that furthers her goal, so right now she can only stand back and unironically pray for a miracle.
>>175857
Kira may poke her head, or even much of her body, through the window into the cab. Kind of like the truck from the furniture store.
"Oh, well yeah. They came in as refugees, kind of, after the fall of the Storm king. There was a ocean liner company that would bring 'em. They would come in big families. A lot of the employers here like them because they are nocturnal and would work night shifts in industry.
You lamias, you uh... How do I say this. I think you're kind of big for uh, for the number of widgets you could make in a factory. Not as economical, I mean, as a gnoll. Or especially a bat pony, though I think the local government started to be afraid of those. You look like you need a lot of housing space, and food..."
Kira may poke her head, or even much of her body, through the window into the cab. Kind of like the truck from the furniture store.
"Oh, well yeah. They came in as refugees, kind of, after the fall of the Storm king. There was a ocean liner company that would bring 'em. They would come in big families. A lot of the employers here like them because they are nocturnal and would work night shifts in industry.
You lamias, you uh... How do I say this. I think you're kind of big for uh, for the number of widgets you could make in a factory. Not as economical, I mean, as a gnoll. Or especially a bat pony, though I think the local government started to be afraid of those. You look like you need a lot of housing space, and food..."
>>175855
>>175858
Well it's not intended to be necessarily the entity the Kaftars built the idol to, but another entity that has hijacked the idol
I'm not sure what an "sp" is, but my understanding is that it's not true resurrection that's sought, but rather some kind of undeath. This makes more intuitive sense to me, and is more consistent with the religion of the kaftars.
>>175858
Well it's not intended to be necessarily the entity the Kaftars built the idol to, but another entity that has hijacked the idol
I'm not sure what an "sp" is, but my understanding is that it's not true resurrection that's sought, but rather some kind of undeath. This makes more intuitive sense to me, and is more consistent with the religion of the kaftars.
>>175860
>but another entity that has hijacked the idol
Well, that's a discovery.
>sp
Spell. A Lilitu has Clerical spells through it's "mock divinity" ability, one of which is typically Raise Dead, for situations like this.
https://www.realmshelps.net/monsters/block/Lilitu
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Lilitu
>not true resurrection that's sought, but rather some kind of undeath
That was my plan for the DC 40 for Limited Wish, which as stated above wasn't actually very realistic because it required a nat 20, or the use of cheesy spells to boost the roll.
Of course, Posey would be very pleased if this happened, but it's not her powers at play here (she can't even cast animate dead for another 4 levels, let alone create intelligent undead).
>This makes more intuitive sense to me, and is more consistent with the religion of the kaftars.
Well, in any sense, Posey isn't actually in control here, so it is up to whatever "entity" is responding for what effect it will create, so I guess it's really up to you to tell me what manifests.
Sorry for creating all this confusion and headache, referencing obscure rules and monsters from splatbooks and making my plans unclear and half-baked. I just thought an occult ritual to gain allegiance with the Kaftar's would be a cool mini quest while Kira was busy with her quest.
>but another entity that has hijacked the idol
Well, that's a discovery.
>sp
Spell. A Lilitu has Clerical spells through it's "mock divinity" ability, one of which is typically Raise Dead, for situations like this.
https://www.realmshelps.net/monsters/block/Lilitu
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Lilitu
>not true resurrection that's sought, but rather some kind of undeath
That was my plan for the DC 40 for Limited Wish, which as stated above wasn't actually very realistic because it required a nat 20, or the use of cheesy spells to boost the roll.
Of course, Posey would be very pleased if this happened, but it's not her powers at play here (she can't even cast animate dead for another 4 levels, let alone create intelligent undead).
>This makes more intuitive sense to me, and is more consistent with the religion of the kaftars.
Well, in any sense, Posey isn't actually in control here, so it is up to whatever "entity" is responding for what effect it will create, so I guess it's really up to you to tell me what manifests.
Sorry for creating all this confusion and headache, referencing obscure rules and monsters from splatbooks and making my plans unclear and half-baked. I just thought an occult ritual to gain allegiance with the Kaftar's would be a cool mini quest while Kira was busy with her quest.
>>175859
What fun! It's almost as if these windows were made specifically for this purpose for Kira.
"We've managed to support a good population of lamias without issue. We also don't need a lot of above ground space, we build a lot of our homes underground with only a small portion not being below the surface. And I bet we would be amazing at making widgets. We can control our tails very deftly, and our tribe is even well famed for its goldsmithing. Like my bracelets!"
What fun! It's almost as if these windows were made specifically for this purpose for Kira.
"We've managed to support a good population of lamias without issue. We also don't need a lot of above ground space, we build a lot of our homes underground with only a small portion not being below the surface. And I bet we would be amazing at making widgets. We can control our tails very deftly, and our tribe is even well famed for its goldsmithing. Like my bracelets!"
>>175862
"Well they aren't importing as many laborers anymore" He looks over towards Kira's forehooves, to inspect her bracelets. "You have gold bracelets?" He tries to squint in the dim light. With no source of light within the truck, he is unsuccessful. He looks back to the road and stops the vehicle suddenly, slamming on brakes that lock. Kira's forebody is kept well enough within the outline of the window that she doesn't move much, except a little forward. Some of her coiled body moves forward, and against the back of the bed. The biggest movement is a "Hmph squeak!" as Neela slides foward and into the back of the cab, and then another hundred pounds of snake follows that.
"Well they aren't importing as many laborers anymore" He looks over towards Kira's forehooves, to inspect her bracelets. "You have gold bracelets?" He tries to squint in the dim light. With no source of light within the truck, he is unsuccessful. He looks back to the road and stops the vehicle suddenly, slamming on brakes that lock. Kira's forebody is kept well enough within the outline of the window that she doesn't move much, except a little forward. Some of her coiled body moves forward, and against the back of the bed. The biggest movement is a "Hmph squeak!" as Neela slides foward and into the back of the cab, and then another hundred pounds of snake follows that.
>>175863
Kira lets out a little surprised hiss as her snake half moves suddenly towards the front of the truck. It certainly isn't helped that in addition to her normal body weight she's still carrying around an entire adult goat inside her.
"What happened?"
Kira lets out a little surprised hiss as her snake half moves suddenly towards the front of the truck. It certainly isn't helped that in addition to her normal body weight she's still carrying around an entire adult goat inside her.
"What happened?"
>>175864
"Ah!" The driver is startled and unsettled by the hissing, and quickly looks back. In the slight delay, the vehicle is stopped on the road. He has to turn the engine back on to move it again.
"Oh, just - nothing" He places it back into gear and starts again. The vehicle did not hit anything, but it does appear he would have sped into an intersection
"Do you live in one of these row houses?" He asks, as they come upon the lines of rowhouses, having crossed the bridge and into the city
"Ah!" The driver is startled and unsettled by the hissing, and quickly looks back. In the slight delay, the vehicle is stopped on the road. He has to turn the engine back on to move it again.
"Oh, just - nothing" He places it back into gear and starts again. The vehicle did not hit anything, but it does appear he would have sped into an intersection
"Do you live in one of these row houses?" He asks, as they come upon the lines of rowhouses, having crossed the bridge and into the city
>>175866
The panic having passed, Kira returns to her usual self.
"Yup! We just moved into one, we even got furniture for it and everything. Right Neela?"
The panic having passed, Kira returns to her usual self.
"Yup! We just moved into one, we even got furniture for it and everything. Right Neela?"
>>175867
Kira can feel thin legs and split hooves push against her tail, and then hear tapping sounds as Neela tries to stand back up
"Yeah, sure" Neela says
The farmer asks "So... do you two live together, or..."
Kira can feel thin legs and split hooves push against her tail, and then hear tapping sounds as Neela tries to stand back up
"Yeah, sure" Neela says
The farmer asks "So... do you two live together, or..."
>>175873
If she can do anything, Kira tries to help her deer friend back up.
"Also yup!" Kira smiles. "I think it'll be fun having a roommate!"
If she can do anything, Kira tries to help her deer friend back up.
"Also yup!" Kira smiles. "I think it'll be fun having a roommate!"
>>175874
The side of her tail by Neela is not in any position to do anything but push her against the cab, knock her down, or try to trip Neela. But if Kira were to bend her tail around, she could move the tip of her tail to under Neela's chest and belly. Should Kira chose to do this, Neela seems a little startled, though not enough to jump out of the truck bed.
The farmer chuckles
"Heh heh" He smiles back to her
"Well, I think we're about there. Seems like I might be seeing you in the future."
The side of her tail by Neela is not in any position to do anything but push her against the cab, knock her down, or try to trip Neela. But if Kira were to bend her tail around, she could move the tip of her tail to under Neela's chest and belly. Should Kira chose to do this, Neela seems a little startled, though not enough to jump out of the truck bed.
The farmer chuckles
"Heh heh" He smiles back to her
"Well, I think we're about there. Seems like I might be seeing you in the future."
>>175875
Neela has to remember, as Kira bends her tail around to help her up, that Kira is still full of goat and is very unlikely to even consider trying to eat more. The risk of suddenly turning into the lamia's meal is far smaller than it was even before she visited the farmer.
"Hehe, I suppose so. It won't be too soon, I promise you, but I'm very, very grateful that you'll continue to do business with me!"
Neela has to remember, as Kira bends her tail around to help her up, that Kira is still full of goat and is very unlikely to even consider trying to eat more. The risk of suddenly turning into the lamia's meal is far smaller than it was even before she visited the farmer.
"Hehe, I suppose so. It won't be too soon, I promise you, but I'm very, very grateful that you'll continue to do business with me!"
>>175876
If Neela is afraid of Kira, she is more afraid of jumping out of a moving vehicle.
“Oh yeah, my livestock go to all kinds of new creatures and beasts. I’ve never seen any one so exotic as… you, yet though. Not coming onto my farm. Mostly some pony or griffin or even a diamond dog will buy and animal for others.”
He pulls up to the house, slowing down to check the numbers on buildings.
“Is this it?”
If Neela is afraid of Kira, she is more afraid of jumping out of a moving vehicle.
“Oh yeah, my livestock go to all kinds of new creatures and beasts. I’ve never seen any one so exotic as… you, yet though. Not coming onto my farm. Mostly some pony or griffin or even a diamond dog will buy and animal for others.”
He pulls up to the house, slowing down to check the numbers on buildings.
“Is this it?”
>>175877
When Kira sees her home's numbers, she calls out, "There!" and points it out.
"Well, this 'exotic animal' is a very satisfied customer, hehe!"
When Kira sees her home's numbers, she calls out, "There!" and points it out.
"Well, this 'exotic animal' is a very satisfied customer, hehe!"
File (): 53596145D00952D970CC85A861900518-575338.jpg (561.9 KB, 1071x1068, 1725660461254146.jpg)
>>175878
He pulls up to the curb by the rowhouse, in that narrow little band that allows for a single vehicle to stop. He places the vehicle in park. Then he turns back and looks to Kira with a smile that at first is genuine, but then becomes that stressed, awkward, tooth showing smile Kira may by now believe us the normal expression of ponies.
“Not like - I didn’t mean it like that.”
Kira may get out now. Kira may hear a hopping sound, and a tap, as Neela jumps out of the bed of the truck, and lands on the ground.
He pulls up to the curb by the rowhouse, in that narrow little band that allows for a single vehicle to stop. He places the vehicle in park. Then he turns back and looks to Kira with a smile that at first is genuine, but then becomes that stressed, awkward, tooth showing smile Kira may by now believe us the normal expression of ponies.
“Not like - I didn’t mean it like that.”
Kira may get out now. Kira may hear a hopping sound, and a tap, as Neela jumps out of the bed of the truck, and lands on the ground.
>>175880
"Oh I know, no need to worry about it!" She close her eyes and smiles at him equally as genuinely as he did at his. Before she hops out (not literally) of the vehicle, she turns back around to again ask the pony a question. "I just remembered, I never got your name! I'm so sorry, that was very rude of me."
"Oh I know, no need to worry about it!" She close her eyes and smiles at him equally as genuinely as he did at his. Before she hops out (not literally) of the vehicle, she turns back around to again ask the pony a question. "I just remembered, I never got your name! I'm so sorry, that was very rude of me."
>>175879
Are you looking for some specific undead? I think you said you were
>>175881
Kira slithers out of the bed of the truck, likely needing to be careful that Hopper doesn't simply fall off the bed, taking Kira with him. To Kira's left is a street light that illuminates her as she slithers past. The stallion gets out of the truck and walks towards the side, with the engine block still between him and her. He squints his eyes, and looks over at Kira, looking not just at her eyes but further down.
"My name is Bright Dye." He answers, rather warmly and with a smile.
Neela walks past, and Kira feels a split-hoof tap against her, a little below the middle of her snake section.
Are you looking for some specific undead? I think you said you were
>>175881
Kira slithers out of the bed of the truck, likely needing to be careful that Hopper doesn't simply fall off the bed, taking Kira with him. To Kira's left is a street light that illuminates her as she slithers past. The stallion gets out of the truck and walks towards the side, with the engine block still between him and her. He squints his eyes, and looks over at Kira, looking not just at her eyes but further down.
"My name is Bright Dye." He answers, rather warmly and with a smile.
Neela walks past, and Kira feels a split-hoof tap against her, a little below the middle of her snake section.
>>175882
Kira smiles, and would offer him a hoofshake if he were on the same side of the truck as her. As it is, there is an engine blocking her.
"It was amazing to meet you, Bright Dye!"
She slithers around the truck to get on the sidewalk. She waves at the pony.
"I'd invite you in for tea, but I think we didn't pick any up at the store earlier. Maybe you'd want to come and visit sometime when we do have tea?"
Kira smiles, and would offer him a hoofshake if he were on the same side of the truck as her. As it is, there is an engine blocking her.
"It was amazing to meet you, Bright Dye!"
She slithers around the truck to get on the sidewalk. She waves at the pony.
"I'd invite you in for tea, but I think we didn't pick any up at the store earlier. Maybe you'd want to come and visit sometime when we do have tea?"
>>175882
>Are you looking for some specific undead?
I did mention the Shoosuva (CR 8, 18 HD Large Undead hyena-demon; name means "The Returner", and it animated or comes up from the abyss to aid or advise gnoll tribes in need) and the Gravetouched Ghoul (LA +2 playable template that confers ghoul abilities to a character; "touched by the king of ghouls"), with links listed above: creatures that I dug up for their relationship with the d&d gnoll deity. I figured those would have required a higher DC roll (Posey rolled a 34, unless the increased HD of the sacrifice boosted her roll), but who knows?
Or to just raise him back to life normally (as Posey would have done if she successfully called a Lilitu), whatever is most appropriate for the entity in question. Beggars can't be choosers.
>Are you looking for some specific undead?
I did mention the Shoosuva (CR 8, 18 HD Large Undead hyena-demon; name means "The Returner", and it animated or comes up from the abyss to aid or advise gnoll tribes in need) and the Gravetouched Ghoul (LA +2 playable template that confers ghoul abilities to a character; "touched by the king of ghouls"), with links listed above: creatures that I dug up for their relationship with the d&d gnoll deity. I figured those would have required a higher DC roll (Posey rolled a 34, unless the increased HD of the sacrifice boosted her roll), but who knows?
Or to just raise him back to life normally (as Posey would have done if she successfully called a Lilitu), whatever is most appropriate for the entity in question. Beggars can't be choosers.
>>175883
He moves around, presumably to come closer, but that's about it. He waves back
"Yeah, maybe..." he answers
He moves around, presumably to come closer, but that's about it. He waves back
"Yeah, maybe..." he answers
>>175886
He comes closer? Hmm...perhaps now is the chance. Kira tries closing the distance between them, hoof outstretched.
He comes closer? Hmm...perhaps now is the chance. Kira tries closing the distance between them, hoof outstretched.
>>175887
Leaning over, a hoof step, leaning over a little more... He extends a hoof
the hooves make contact
And he shakes her hoof.
Leaning over, a hoof step, leaning over a little more... He extends a hoof
the hooves make contact
And he shakes her hoof.
>>175888
Perhaps Kira is just a bit overly friendly with the enthusiasm she shows for the hoofshake, but it is still a friendly hoofshake with no sense that she's trying to use it to lure Bright Dye into striking distance or anything silly like that.
Perhaps Kira is just a bit overly friendly with the enthusiasm she shows for the hoofshake, but it is still a friendly hoofshake with no sense that she's trying to use it to lure Bright Dye into striking distance or anything silly like that.
>>175889
He smiles, shakes her hoof, and looks her in her eyes
"Pleasure doing business with you. I look forward to seeing you again, Miss... Cubala."
He smiles, shakes her hoof, and looks her in her eyes
"Pleasure doing business with you. I look forward to seeing you again, Miss... Cubala."
Yeah, it didn't really come out as intended
>>175890
Kira giggles at the mispronunciation of her name. "Kubana, actually. You can just call me Kira. And same here!"
Kira giggles at the mispronunciation of her name. "Kubana, actually. You can just call me Kira. And same here!"
>>175892
"Oh, well, nice to meet you, Kira."
Kira can feel something touch the edge the edge of a part of her body, and then Neela moves up to her side, having stepped over her. She extends a thin leg and split hoof to Bright Dye
"Neela Pheeta"
He extends a hoof to shake hers, though perhaps not with the same intensity
"Oh, well, nice to meet you, Kira."
Kira can feel something touch the edge the edge of a part of her body, and then Neela moves up to her side, having stepped over her. She extends a thin leg and split hoof to Bright Dye
"Neela Pheeta"
He extends a hoof to shake hers, though perhaps not with the same intensity
>>175893
Neela has really grown comfortable with being in close proximity to Kira, and Kira has absolutely taken notice of this. Whereas before she was much like some of the ponies who had wanted to keep what they thought was a safe distance away from her, now Neela seems to have no issue with touching, being near, or even stepping over Kira. Kira, for her part, actually enjoys this.
"She's a great friend!"
Neela has really grown comfortable with being in close proximity to Kira, and Kira has absolutely taken notice of this. Whereas before she was much like some of the ponies who had wanted to keep what they thought was a safe distance away from her, now Neela seems to have no issue with touching, being near, or even stepping over Kira. Kira, for her part, actually enjoys this.
"She's a great friend!"
>>175894
Neela's head is pointed away from Kira, but Kira can see her cheeks pull up, lips pull back, and ears go back in a blushy smile.
"That's sweet. How did you two meet?"
Neela does not rush to answer his question. Bright dye looks down at Kira's form, the diamonds on her back, and the massive bulge bigger than Neela that contains his goat, which tried to eat out of his hoof not 30 minutes ago.
Neela's head is pointed away from Kira, but Kira can see her cheeks pull up, lips pull back, and ears go back in a blushy smile.
"That's sweet. How did you two meet?"
Neela does not rush to answer his question. Bright dye looks down at Kira's form, the diamonds on her back, and the massive bulge bigger than Neela that contains his goat, which tried to eat out of his hoof not 30 minutes ago.
>>175895
The bulge is perhaps a bit...distracting, but other than that Kira's actually got a nice-looking snake portion, you know, compared to snakes. And Kira has been nothing but friendly to him and Neela. As long as he doesn't think too long on what's inside that bulge in her stomach, perhaps he could appreciate the novelty of her exotic form.
"We met in customs, when I arrived in the city! She's been showing me around, helping me out, and being just a good overall friend and keeping me company."
The bulge is perhaps a bit...distracting, but other than that Kira's actually got a nice-looking snake portion, you know, compared to snakes. And Kira has been nothing but friendly to him and Neela. As long as he doesn't think too long on what's inside that bulge in her stomach, perhaps he could appreciate the novelty of her exotic form.
"We met in customs, when I arrived in the city! She's been showing me around, helping me out, and being just a good overall friend and keeping me company."
>>175896
Neela:
"Yeah, sure, let's go with that."
She smiles, and turns her own body to show off
Ignore the role
[1d20+3 = (15+3) = 18]
Neela:
"Yeah, sure, let's go with that."
She smiles, and turns her own body to show off
Ignore the role
[1d20+3 = (15+3) = 18]
>>175897
Hmmmmmmm...
Kira tilts her head for the first bit of Neela's twirling, but seems to understand a bit of what she's going for as well and tries her best to help her. You know, even if Kira has no experience with this sort of thing.
"Also she's really pretty!"
Hmmmmmmm...
Kira tilts her head for the first bit of Neela's twirling, but seems to understand a bit of what she's going for as well and tries her best to help her. You know, even if Kira has no experience with this sort of thing.
"Also she's really pretty!"
>>175898
"Indeed" He nods his head
"So, Ms... Pheeta, you said? You met at Customs."
She tilts her head down, and smiles, again offering a hoof
"Yes, I... wasn't treated well by Customs or the police... I don't want to go into it. But this Nagini here did help me."
"Customs? Where are you from?"
"I'm from Lushi."
"The Griffin Kingdom? Over in the middle of Griffonia? I would have thought you were from Hindia, with your spots and all."
"No, I am Sangee. We are nomadic, but we are from Griffonia."
"Sangee? I heard they were thieves."
scrunchy
"That's what ponies say, yes. But these are lies that come from the Griffins. We are the same as any other creatures. We are just looking to live and love, same as anyone else. Like the Nagini, we are not so threatening when you come up close."
She smiles
"Indeed" He nods his head
"So, Ms... Pheeta, you said? You met at Customs."
She tilts her head down, and smiles, again offering a hoof
"Yes, I... wasn't treated well by Customs or the police... I don't want to go into it. But this Nagini here did help me."
"Customs? Where are you from?"
"I'm from Lushi."
"The Griffin Kingdom? Over in the middle of Griffonia? I would have thought you were from Hindia, with your spots and all."
"No, I am Sangee. We are nomadic, but we are from Griffonia."
"Sangee? I heard they were thieves."
scrunchy
"That's what ponies say, yes. But these are lies that come from the Griffins. We are the same as any other creatures. We are just looking to live and love, same as anyone else. Like the Nagini, we are not so threatening when you come up close."
She smiles
>>175899
Kira nods fervently in agreement. "She's been wonderful to me, and I've been with her all day and she's been on as good behavior as any pony would be expected to!"
Of course, Kira neglects to mention that in some cases it was her who helped to keep Neela from performing any undesirable or unsociable actions. After all, what are friends for if not for keeping each other on track and helping each other out with making friends or more-than-friends with other people?
Kira nods fervently in agreement. "She's been wonderful to me, and I've been with her all day and she's been on as good behavior as any pony would be expected to!"
Of course, Kira neglects to mention that in some cases it was her who helped to keep Neela from performing any undesirable or unsociable actions. After all, what are friends for if not for keeping each other on track and helping each other out with making friends or more-than-friends with other people?
>>175900
"Mhmmm" Neela nods
"She only looks like a monster."
Smiling again
"You're certainly welcome for tea, if you wish"
"Mhmmm" Neela nods
"She only looks like a monster."
Smiling again
"You're certainly welcome for tea, if you wish"
>>175901
Kira tilts her head, and moves over to whisper in Neela's ear.
"...Did we actually get tea at the store?"
Kira tilts her head, and moves over to whisper in Neela's ear.
"...Did we actually get tea at the store?"
>>175903
"Oh." She smiles at Bright Dye. "I was wrong, we do have tea! Would you like to come in and have some?"
"Oh." She smiles at Bright Dye. "I was wrong, we do have tea! Would you like to come in and have some?"
>>175904
"Oh, that's very nice, but... My wife will wonder where I am..."
Neela scrunches, then says
"You can tell your wife that you met a Nagini, profited off the encounter, and got your hoof in the door for what may be more sales in the future." She smiles, though a bit more malignly
"How often have you met a monster that could eat you whole? How often have you had tea with one? Come on in." She places her hoof over his. "I don't bite."
"I suppose... Okay, a few minutes." He answers, looking at her
"Oh, that's very nice, but... My wife will wonder where I am..."
Neela scrunches, then says
"You can tell your wife that you met a Nagini, profited off the encounter, and got your hoof in the door for what may be more sales in the future." She smiles, though a bit more malignly
"How often have you met a monster that could eat you whole? How often have you had tea with one? Come on in." She places her hoof over his. "I don't bite."
"I suppose... Okay, a few minutes." He answers, looking at her
>>175905
Wow, it almost seems as if Neela is referencing herself. In the far future this might be called "rizz", but that word thankfully doesn't exist yet so Kira is just intrigued by her power over words. She claps her hooves together excitedly and leads the way into their humble abode for the deer and the stallion.
Wow, it almost seems as if Neela is referencing herself. In the far future this might be called "rizz", but that word thankfully doesn't exist yet so Kira is just intrigued by her power over words. She claps her hooves together excitedly and leads the way into their humble abode for the deer and the stallion.
>>175906
Kira slithers up the stairs and into the home. A flip of the switch turns on the electric lighting, making the interior of the room bright. With the couch and the radio, it's not so barren, though still sparse in decorations. Kira can feel the warmth of the heating, and the wooden floor feels better on her scales than the often rough concrete. As her tail is almost in the room, Kira can hear a hop, the tapping of small, split hooves on the floor, feel a hoof graze her tail, hear a swoosh of a wagging, fluffy tail, and then another hop as Neela jumps over Kira's body. Bright Dye follows cautiously after her.
"Oh, so you just moved in. This is a nice place, and a nice area of the city."
Neela walks up to Kira's ear and whispers into it
"Wait. Did you get a kettle? Or cups?"
Changing her tone of voice to something inviting, Neela turns back and says to Bright Dye
"Come on in and sit down"
Kira slithers up the stairs and into the home. A flip of the switch turns on the electric lighting, making the interior of the room bright. With the couch and the radio, it's not so barren, though still sparse in decorations. Kira can feel the warmth of the heating, and the wooden floor feels better on her scales than the often rough concrete. As her tail is almost in the room, Kira can hear a hop, the tapping of small, split hooves on the floor, feel a hoof graze her tail, hear a swoosh of a wagging, fluffy tail, and then another hop as Neela jumps over Kira's body. Bright Dye follows cautiously after her.
"Oh, so you just moved in. This is a nice place, and a nice area of the city."
Neela walks up to Kira's ear and whispers into it
"Wait. Did you get a kettle? Or cups?"
Changing her tone of voice to something inviting, Neela turns back and says to Bright Dye
"Come on in and sit down"
>>175908
Oh noes. Kira has to check, because a part of her thinks she might have forgotten to do shopping for all of the cooking supplies they need.
Oh noes. Kira has to check, because a part of her thinks she might have forgotten to do shopping for all of the cooking supplies they need.
>>175909
Kira may go into the kitchen and check. Slithering into the kitchen is a just a little awkward with her new weight, and she may again keep part of herself in the living room, or coil in to pull her entire body into the kitchen.
Roll Luck
Neela moves over to speak to Bright Dye
“You’ve got quite the lot, being so close to the city.”
Kira may go into the kitchen and check. Slithering into the kitchen is a just a little awkward with her new weight, and she may again keep part of herself in the living room, or coil in to pull her entire body into the kitchen.
Roll Luck
Neela moves over to speak to Bright Dye
“You’ve got quite the lot, being so close to the city.”
>>175915
Ouroboros has failed Kira...
It appears that none were left behind in the house, and the purchase of cooking equipment was neglected.
Ouroboros has failed Kira...
It appears that none were left behind in the house, and the purchase of cooking equipment was neglected.
rots silence
"This was more excited than those uneventful ceremonies back in Magehold, wouldn't you agree, Gloomy?"
"Yes, momma.."
"This was more excited than those uneventful ceremonies back in Magehold, wouldn't you agree, Gloomy?"
"Yes, momma.."
>>175918
Well that's a pickle, but nothing to panic about.
Survival: Using her memory of the trip around the city combined with her survival and tracking skills, Kira attempts to recall her trip with Neela around the city and if she saw a store along the way that sells cutlery, cookware, and kitchenware. The closer the better, though regardless of what she recalls, it's likely that this will only be a future solution and not a solution to her current predicament.
[1d20+10 = (7+10) = 17]
Well that's a pickle, but nothing to panic about.
Survival: Using her memory of the trip around the city combined with her survival and tracking skills, Kira attempts to recall her trip with Neela around the city and if she saw a store along the way that sells cutlery, cookware, and kitchenware. The closer the better, though regardless of what she recalls, it's likely that this will only be a future solution and not a solution to her current predicament.
[1d20+10 = (7+10) = 17]
>>175919
The white stream of plasma coalesces around the wings of the bronze Peacock Angel, emitting a dim light scarcely more luminescent than the candles. It flows down towards the scratched wooden floor, appearing fluid, and doubtless similar to the "saint elmo's fire" sailors tell clings to, or ejects from the ship's masts on certain nights. Silently, and like a stream of water descending a gentle slope, the plasma crawls along the floor towards the covered stretcher, which lies below and in front of the statue of the Peacock Angel. To either side of the stretcher, Di Bin Milyaketan to the left, and his assistant to the right, lie prostrate on the ground beneath and before the Peacock Angel. Their white robes cover their bodies so fully that they almost look like the covered body on the stretcher, with only their paws and muzzles extended before them and their tails behind. Their constant chanting of prayers in a language unknown to Posey is the only sound in the night, save the eternal city sounds of distant sirens, factory steam, and automobiles that make it through the thin walls of the old church.
The plasma comes onto the stretcher and seeps through the linen cloth to the concealed body underneath. Though the plasma does not consume the linen, it's dim luminesce does reveal ecru hues in the otherwise white cloth.
And all of a sudden, the pointed triangular imprint of a face in the linen jolts as if with electricity. It stretches down as a jaw beneath it opens, and there is a strained sound of an attempt to howl through a broken throat. There is no gurgle though - the voice is dry. Milyaketan and his assistant likewise jolt up, not able to keep their composure with this new development. They each look over with eager eyes, seeming mildly frightened by the unfamiliar situation. The corpse of Agire starts to sit up, almost taking the linen off in the process.
>>175920
She believes she has, one street closer than the furniture store. However, there was a more general market for dry goods only a couple streets over from here that may work.
The white stream of plasma coalesces around the wings of the bronze Peacock Angel, emitting a dim light scarcely more luminescent than the candles. It flows down towards the scratched wooden floor, appearing fluid, and doubtless similar to the "saint elmo's fire" sailors tell clings to, or ejects from the ship's masts on certain nights. Silently, and like a stream of water descending a gentle slope, the plasma crawls along the floor towards the covered stretcher, which lies below and in front of the statue of the Peacock Angel. To either side of the stretcher, Di Bin Milyaketan to the left, and his assistant to the right, lie prostrate on the ground beneath and before the Peacock Angel. Their white robes cover their bodies so fully that they almost look like the covered body on the stretcher, with only their paws and muzzles extended before them and their tails behind. Their constant chanting of prayers in a language unknown to Posey is the only sound in the night, save the eternal city sounds of distant sirens, factory steam, and automobiles that make it through the thin walls of the old church.
The plasma comes onto the stretcher and seeps through the linen cloth to the concealed body underneath. Though the plasma does not consume the linen, it's dim luminesce does reveal ecru hues in the otherwise white cloth.
And all of a sudden, the pointed triangular imprint of a face in the linen jolts as if with electricity. It stretches down as a jaw beneath it opens, and there is a strained sound of an attempt to howl through a broken throat. There is no gurgle though - the voice is dry. Milyaketan and his assistant likewise jolt up, not able to keep their composure with this new development. They each look over with eager eyes, seeming mildly frightened by the unfamiliar situation. The corpse of Agire starts to sit up, almost taking the linen off in the process.
>>175920
She believes she has, one street closer than the furniture store. However, there was a more general market for dry goods only a couple streets over from here that may work.
>>175761
"There are some, gaps in the schedule that could be filled." She tilts her head, and leans against the bar-counter to her right.
"What are you looking for?"
"There are some, gaps in the schedule that could be filled." She tilts her head, and leans against the bar-counter to her right.
"What are you looking for?"
>>175921
Knowing how loaded down with goat she is, does Kira know how long it would take to get there and back?
Knowing how loaded down with goat she is, does Kira know how long it would take to get there and back?
>>175922
Amber does her characteristic glance off to the side. "Well, erm, I can do whatever I'm best suited for. I don't really know how to cook this cuisine, but I can always start, and I think I know how to work as a waitress. I think you're a better judge than I am…."
Amber does her characteristic glance off to the side. "Well, erm, I can do whatever I'm best suited for. I don't really know how to cook this cuisine, but I can always start, and I think I know how to work as a waitress. I think you're a better judge than I am…."
>>175925
"But would you need a waitress more than a hostess in that time slot?" she asks. "I want to be the most help possible."
"But would you need a waitress more than a hostess in that time slot?" she asks. "I want to be the most help possible."
>>175925
So definitely still a solution for tomorrow. No bother, Kira has other ideas. She comes out to the living room, waving at Neela and Dye.
"I'll be back in a moment, just need to check on something outside."
So definitely still a solution for tomorrow. No bother, Kira has other ideas. She comes out to the living room, waving at Neela and Dye.
"I'll be back in a moment, just need to check on something outside."
>>175921
Posey starts scribbling in her notebook dutifully, but closes it as her excitement gets the better of her, she looks positively giddy, like a college girl who's discovered something pivotal to her major.
Gloomy seems quite curious as well, but Posey's magic restrains the little colt a good 10 feet away from the undead gnoll.
"Welcome back, Mr. Agire." Posey says, levitating a number of miscellaneous spell components and implements, one of which appears that bear a resemblance to the kind a medical examiner would use to test a resuscitated coma patient
"It appears that your motor controls are functional... Did your mind make it back to us?" Posey says, her voice dripping with anticipation
Posey starts scribbling in her notebook dutifully, but closes it as her excitement gets the better of her, she looks positively giddy, like a college girl who's discovered something pivotal to her major.
Gloomy seems quite curious as well, but Posey's magic restrains the little colt a good 10 feet away from the undead gnoll.
"Welcome back, Mr. Agire." Posey says, levitating a number of miscellaneous spell components and implements, one of which appears that bear a resemblance to the kind a medical examiner would use to test a resuscitated coma patient
"It appears that your motor controls are functional... Did your mind make it back to us?" Posey says, her voice dripping with anticipation
>>175926
She speaks,
"The busiest days are those where we most need waitresses. But they are also the days we most need a hostess... If one of the waiters or waitresses quits, or is fired, there will certainly be an opening. Until then... Thursdays, it would help to have another waiter. Same with on weekends, Saturday and Sunday both. Including in the day time."
>>175927
Neela has sat down on the couch along with Bright Dye, looking at him and nodding as he speaks about his life
Bright Dye looks over to Kira
"Uh, okay." He says
Neela says, without looking over
"We'll be here."
But then she turns her head, and angrily mouths the words to Kira "Get it!"
>>175928
The linen falls partly down, revealing the face and back of the kaftar gnoll. Death has not been kind to him. His skin is in poor condition. His eyes, though they exist, are glassed over. He moves his mouth, as if to speak. But he says nothing, and makes no sound. Nor does he move with the erratic, frightened movements one might expect of the living come back from death.
She speaks,
"The busiest days are those where we most need waitresses. But they are also the days we most need a hostess... If one of the waiters or waitresses quits, or is fired, there will certainly be an opening. Until then... Thursdays, it would help to have another waiter. Same with on weekends, Saturday and Sunday both. Including in the day time."
>>175927
Neela has sat down on the couch along with Bright Dye, looking at him and nodding as he speaks about his life
Bright Dye looks over to Kira
"Uh, okay." He says
Neela says, without looking over
"We'll be here."
But then she turns her head, and angrily mouths the words to Kira "Get it!"
>>175928
The linen falls partly down, revealing the face and back of the kaftar gnoll. Death has not been kind to him. His skin is in poor condition. His eyes, though they exist, are glassed over. He moves his mouth, as if to speak. But he says nothing, and makes no sound. Nor does he move with the erratic, frightened movements one might expect of the living come back from death.
>>175929
Kira does not need to be told twice. She quickly slithers out the door. First off...
Hide: Using the cover of darkness, Kira does her best to hide her snake half in the shadows, as to not disturb anypony she comes across.
[1d20+13 = (7+13) = 20]
Kira does not need to be told twice. She quickly slithers out the door. First off...
Hide: Using the cover of darkness, Kira does her best to hide her snake half in the shadows, as to not disturb anypony she comes across.
[1d20+13 = (7+13) = 20]
>>175930
swoop
Just slither outside of the streetlights. And when you do, try to look like the concrete pavement, colored yellow by the lights.
swoop
Just slither outside of the streetlights. And when you do, try to look like the concrete pavement, colored yellow by the lights.
[1d20+5 = (9+5) = 14]
>>175931
Hopefully Kira can do that. Thankfully the goat in her stomach isn't interfering with the silhouette of her pony half, otherwise this would be much harder to pull off.
Kira goes to her next door neighbor's door, and knocks at it.
Hopefully Kira can do that. Thankfully the goat in her stomach isn't interfering with the silhouette of her pony half, otherwise this would be much harder to pull off.
Kira goes to her next door neighbor's door, and knocks at it.
>>175929
Amber ponders on this for a moment. True, she needs the money. But she also is overworked as-is and needs time to practice music, to explore the city and to spend time with Mustard. Can she really give that up right now?
"I could help you on Thursdays, but I don't think the weekends will be possible right now. Would that work at all?"
Amber ponders on this for a moment. True, she needs the money. But she also is overworked as-is and needs time to practice music, to explore the city and to spend time with Mustard. Can she really give that up right now?
"I could help you on Thursdays, but I don't think the weekends will be possible right now. Would that work at all?"
>>175935
Before Amber finalizes anything, she thinks about what she needs to do on Thursdays. She works at the clothing shop, right?
Before Amber finalizes anything, she thinks about what she needs to do on Thursdays. She works at the clothing shop, right?
>>175935
Kira smiles brightly, and waves. She keeps her snake half out of sight, just past the edge of the door, and her pony half lowered such that she looks like just a normal pony.
"Hello ma'am! I'm your new neighbor, Kira. We just moved in today. I'm embarrassed to ask this, but we invited someone in for tea and only just now realized we forgot to buy a kettle and cups to make and serve tea with. I was hoping we might borrow yours while we have our visitor. We'll return it right after they've left, promise!"
Kira smiles brightly, and waves. She keeps her snake half out of sight, just past the edge of the door, and her pony half lowered such that she looks like just a normal pony.
"Hello ma'am! I'm your new neighbor, Kira. We just moved in today. I'm embarrassed to ask this, but we invited someone in for tea and only just now realized we forgot to buy a kettle and cups to make and serve tea with. I was hoping we might borrow yours while we have our visitor. We'll return it right after they've left, promise!"
>>175938
I'm fine with the clothing shop work being on every weekday. We don't have to go through the whole day every time.
If the waitress position is in the evening after that job, she will accept.
I'm fine with the clothing shop work being on every weekday. We don't have to go through the whole day every time.
If the waitress position is in the evening after that job, she will accept.
>>175938
Red bat pony eyes, but no wings. Odd...did something happen to them? Poor thing...
"Oh, just the empty lot next door. Well, it used to be empty, but now it's ours. It's a really nice location, I'm in love with it already!"
Red bat pony eyes, but no wings. Odd...did something happen to them? Poor thing...
"Oh, just the empty lot next door. Well, it used to be empty, but now it's ours. It's a really nice location, I'm in love with it already!"
>>175941
Amber is satisfied but a little worried about how she'll do as a waitress, on top of greater worries regarding how Mustard is feeling.
"Do you need me for anythin' else right now?" Amber asks of Salt Mixer, hoping to get home.
Amber is satisfied but a little worried about how she'll do as a waitress, on top of greater worries regarding how Mustard is feeling.
"Do you need me for anythin' else right now?" Amber asks of Salt Mixer, hoping to get home.
>>175941
Kira, looking aghast, holds up a hoof to wave off the accusation.
"What? Oh, no no, I'm not a bat, ma'am, just a normal, regular pony."
Kira, looking aghast, holds up a hoof to wave off the accusation.
"What? Oh, no no, I'm not a bat, ma'am, just a normal, regular pony."
>>175942
“Hmmmm….” She walks over, and uses her hoof to look at a paper sheet.
“No. Nothing more.” She answers
>>175943
If Kira’s fangs are only mostly retracted, she may want to make sure they are fully retracted.
“Hmmm” she squints at Kira, and moves in closer. Then,
“Welcome to the Neighborhood, Killa!” She closes her eyes, and waves.
“Let me get that tea set for you.” She slowly moves away from the door and back in
“Hmmmm….” She walks over, and uses her hoof to look at a paper sheet.
“No. Nothing more.” She answers
>>175943
If Kira’s fangs are only mostly retracted, she may want to make sure they are fully retracted.
“Hmmm” she squints at Kira, and moves in closer. Then,
“Welcome to the Neighborhood, Killa!” She closes her eyes, and waves.
“Let me get that tea set for you.” She slowly moves away from the door and back in
>>175929
Posey frowns down at the unresponsive corpse.
Posey hypothesizes that it may be malformed, either due to poor condition of the body, or lack of nutrients.
"I suspected something like this would happen... I had initially intended to let him feed on the sacrifice, but those rancid mushrooms got in the way."
She has an idea
"Clear." She says, ushering the Gnolls to stand back
Assuming they comply, Posey uses her Negative Energy Burst ability, her whole body pulsing with a dark power in an attempt to spur the Agire into full unlife.
[7d4 = 18] (the amount of damage it heals undead)
Posey frowns down at the unresponsive corpse.
Posey hypothesizes that it may be malformed, either due to poor condition of the body, or lack of nutrients.
"I suspected something like this would happen... I had initially intended to let him feed on the sacrifice, but those rancid mushrooms got in the way."
She has an idea
"Clear." She says, ushering the Gnolls to stand back
Assuming they comply, Posey uses her Negative Energy Burst ability, her whole body pulsing with a dark power in an attempt to spur the Agire into full unlife.
[7d4 = 18] (the amount of damage it heals undead)
>>175944
"Thank you so much!" She waves back, and waits patiently for the nice (if only slightly racist) mare to get the tea set.
"Thank you so much!" She waves back, and waits patiently for the nice (if only slightly racist) mare to get the tea set.
>>175945
Agire hisses, and his jaw opens again, but looking into his mouth, the flesh has in part reformed. His eyes glow golden.
“Ayee!” He cries out.
The priest says,
“If he needs flesh, we have flesh.”
Agire hisses, and his jaw opens again, but looking into his mouth, the flesh has in part reformed. His eyes glow golden.
“Ayee!” He cries out.
The priest says,
“If he needs flesh, we have flesh.”
>>175944
Conscious of how her sheltered life and poor social skills drove Mustard away, Amber decides to say goodbye to the other staff before she leaves and see if they have anything to say.
Conscious of how her sheltered life and poor social skills drove Mustard away, Amber decides to say goodbye to the other staff before she leaves and see if they have anything to say.
>>175949
With Kira's dexterity and strength, it should be no issue to very carefully take the wooden platter full of fragile porcelain items with a forehoof. Kira looks at it with wonder and stars in her eyes.
"It's so beautiful..." She looks back at the kindly mare. "Thank you so much! We'll return it to you as soon as possible, I promise!"
With Kira's dexterity and strength, it should be no issue to very carefully take the wooden platter full of fragile porcelain items with a forehoof. Kira looks at it with wonder and stars in her eyes.
"It's so beautiful..." She looks back at the kindly mare. "Thank you so much! We'll return it to you as soon as possible, I promise!"
>>175948
Melon Mangrove gives Amber a dirty look... surely there must be some other cause. The helper stallion has already left. Cream Pop is with Price Run in the kitchen. He waves "bye" to Kira as he leaves. But Price Run waits until Cream Pop has left
"Did you place that chili powder in that stallion's food?"
>>175950
"I mean we can get it. Quickly. What kind and how much?"
>>175951
Indeed it is. Kira has never seen porcelain like this. It's plain in color - all white - yet still elegant.
"I'll see you, Keela!" She waves back at her
Melon Mangrove gives Amber a dirty look... surely there must be some other cause. The helper stallion has already left. Cream Pop is with Price Run in the kitchen. He waves "bye" to Kira as he leaves. But Price Run waits until Cream Pop has left
"Did you place that chili powder in that stallion's food?"
>>175950
"I mean we can get it. Quickly. What kind and how much?"
>>175951
Indeed it is. Kira has never seen porcelain like this. It's plain in color - all white - yet still elegant.
"I'll see you, Keela!" She waves back at her
>>175953
He nods sharply, turns to his assistant, raises a paw and points towards the door, then says something firmly and loudly to his assistant, who runs out the door.
He nods sharply, turns to his assistant, raises a paw and points towards the door, then says something firmly and loudly to his assistant, who runs out the door.
>>175952
"I'll see you too!"
Kira would wave back, but one hoof is holding the porcelain set and the other has to be on the ground to sell the illusion that she's a pony and not in fact anything else. Instead she smiles and backs up like a pony would until she's out of sight of the door, where she then slithers like normal back to her own dwelling, porcelain set in possession.
"I'll see you too!"
Kira would wave back, but one hoof is holding the porcelain set and the other has to be on the ground to sell the illusion that she's a pony and not in fact anything else. Instead she smiles and backs up like a pony would until she's out of sight of the door, where she then slithers like normal back to her own dwelling, porcelain set in possession.
>>175952
Amber's heart freezes as she questions what course of events are leading to her fellow staff turning on her. She stares back in total shock.
"Wha–how–I mean…that stallion, the red one, kept insinuatin' nasty things about me, I even overheard him mention to his friend how he wanted to fool around with me. I just couldn't stand it!"
Amber's heart freezes as she questions what course of events are leading to her fellow staff turning on her. She stares back in total shock.
"Wha–how–I mean…that stallion, the red one, kept insinuatin' nasty things about me, I even overheard him mention to his friend how he wanted to fool around with me. I just couldn't stand it!"
>>175954
Posey nods as she watches the ghoul leave
"Just wait a moment, Agire. Try to find your bearings."
Posey nods as she watches the ghoul leave
"Just wait a moment, Agire. Try to find your bearings."
>>175955
Kira slithers back, back inside her own home, and sees Neela and Bright Dye are still talking.
"That's so terrible, all of your sheep getting out like that" Neela says to him, though even Kira could question the sincerity of that statement from the tone
>>175956
"So you try to poison him?"
>>175957
The assistant is a living Kaftar gnoll
Agire turns over, and stands up. He - it - tries to, anyways, having trouble keeping stable.
It's a few minutes, but he comes back with the cut-up carcass of a cow on a cart, parking it outside, and needing help to move it inside of the old church.
Kira slithers back, back inside her own home, and sees Neela and Bright Dye are still talking.
"That's so terrible, all of your sheep getting out like that" Neela says to him, though even Kira could question the sincerity of that statement from the tone
>>175956
"So you try to poison him?"
>>175957
The assistant is a living Kaftar gnoll
Agire turns over, and stands up. He - it - tries to, anyways, having trouble keeping stable.
It's a few minutes, but he comes back with the cut-up carcass of a cow on a cart, parking it outside, and needing help to move it inside of the old church.
>>175958
Amber looks positively terrified. "Nuh-uh, not poison! I'd never do that. I never heard of a pony being poisoned by chili anyhow. I just wanted him to leave."
Amber looks positively terrified. "Nuh-uh, not poison! I'd never do that. I never heard of a pony being poisoned by chili anyhow. I just wanted him to leave."
>>175958
>The assistant is a living Kaftar gnoll
I mixed up ghoul with gnoll.
Posey helps Agire up with her magic.
>The assistant is a living Kaftar gnoll
I mixed up ghoul with gnoll.
Posey helps Agire up with her magic.
>>175960
She takes a deep breath. "Yes. I couldn't take his leering and the comments he was making about me to his friend. It was disgusting and degrading, and I had to get back at him!"
She takes a deep breath. "Yes. I couldn't take his leering and the comments he was making about me to his friend. It was disgusting and degrading, and I had to get back at him!"
>>175958
Kira decides not to make too much of a fuss, and unless either of them calls to her, Kira goes to make the tea that was promised with the use of this beautiful porcelain tea set.
Kira decides not to make too much of a fuss, and unless either of them calls to her, Kira goes to make the tea that was promised with the use of this beautiful porcelain tea set.
>>175961
As Posey props him up, the priest and the assistant - and Ideally, Posey's own ghoul - drag the dressed carcass into the church.
>>175962
He sighs, and his ears go back
"You can't just sabotage the food of every stallion who tells his friend he wants to sleep with you. You're a young mare. A lot of stallions are going to want to sleep with you. Some will try, and even more will think it. And they talk about mares to their friends. That's what stallions do. They talk about mares, fighting, the latest in sports... Surely you don't expect us all to talk about politics or the weather? Celestia knows both have been depressing recently. Hell, even here I think we had two stallions who had crushes on you, or they acted like it, anyways. Are you going to poison them, too? Don't answer that. Just... I think that Stallion may have been a police officer. You're lucky he wasn't Waterfront Gang, or a Soldier. You don't want to know what they do if they think you're sabotaging their food. Just..." Words fail him at this point. "You can't do that."
>>175963
And Kira slithers along. Her stomach is now fully in the process of trying to digest the goat, and she can feel it.
Neela and Bright Dye can see the porcelain set brought in, but don't comment on the oddity.
As Posey props him up, the priest and the assistant - and Ideally, Posey's own ghoul - drag the dressed carcass into the church.
>>175962
He sighs, and his ears go back
"You can't just sabotage the food of every stallion who tells his friend he wants to sleep with you. You're a young mare. A lot of stallions are going to want to sleep with you. Some will try, and even more will think it. And they talk about mares to their friends. That's what stallions do. They talk about mares, fighting, the latest in sports... Surely you don't expect us all to talk about politics or the weather? Celestia knows both have been depressing recently. Hell, even here I think we had two stallions who had crushes on you, or they acted like it, anyways. Are you going to poison them, too? Don't answer that. Just... I think that Stallion may have been a police officer. You're lucky he wasn't Waterfront Gang, or a Soldier. You don't want to know what they do if they think you're sabotaging their food. Just..." Words fail him at this point. "You can't do that."
>>175963
And Kira slithers along. Her stomach is now fully in the process of trying to digest the goat, and she can feel it.
Neela and Bright Dye can see the porcelain set brought in, but don't comment on the oddity.
>>175964
digestion gurgles
Kira tries not to linger too much on that. Instead she has tea to make, and that is indeed what she sets out to do.
digestion gurgles
Kira tries not to linger too much on that. Instead she has tea to make, and that is indeed what she sets out to do.
>>175965
Simple enough, put water in the tea pot, put the lid back on, turn the gas on, light it (thankfully Neela bought matches), and wait for the water to boil...
In the meantime, Kira may want to engage in conversation with her guest.
Kira is surely grateful she doesn't need to move much right now.
Simple enough, put water in the tea pot, put the lid back on, turn the gas on, light it (thankfully Neela bought matches), and wait for the water to boil...
In the meantime, Kira may want to engage in conversation with her guest.
Kira is surely grateful she doesn't need to move much right now.
>>175966
Indeed! As she makes the tea, she begins to converse with her guest.
"So what was that about losing your sheep?"
Indeed! As she makes the tea, she begins to converse with her guest.
"So what was that about losing your sheep?"
>>175964
Amber droops her own ears and rubs a fetlock. She had to admit he was right. Red Scabbard may have been the worst of them, but she had noticed other stallions getting flirty towards her. Who was she to determine at what point she could inflict physical distress on them, without them getting touchy?
Inwardly, though, she was relieved she hadn't given into the temptation of more precisely explaining Red Scabbard, that he claimed he already slept with her, but she hadn't, but she did let let him kiss her (regrettably) at one point. That would undoubtably undermine her story far more and beg questions of why she let him kiss her.. Darn it, why does being honest have to be so self-destructive! She wants to be an honest mare but it's so hard.
"You're right and I'm sorry. I need to be more patient. Even if this sort of thing gets me upset, it doesn't justify that…." There is an awkward pause. "So what now?"
Amber droops her own ears and rubs a fetlock. She had to admit he was right. Red Scabbard may have been the worst of them, but she had noticed other stallions getting flirty towards her. Who was she to determine at what point she could inflict physical distress on them, without them getting touchy?
Inwardly, though, she was relieved she hadn't given into the temptation of more precisely explaining Red Scabbard, that he claimed he already slept with her, but she hadn't, but she did let let him kiss her (regrettably) at one point. That would undoubtably undermine her story far more and beg questions of why she let him kiss her.. Darn it, why does being honest have to be so self-destructive! She wants to be an honest mare but it's so hard.
"You're right and I'm sorry. I need to be more patient. Even if this sort of thing gets me upset, it doesn't justify that…." There is an awkward pause. "So what now?"
>>175968
Perhaps it's worth stopping and asking why the truth about your actions is so harmful.
"You're very lucky his friend there kept taunting him so he couldn't look into it any further. You could have been fired, or Mustard Trim. Wasn't he your coltfriend? You really should have. I didn't say anything to Salt Mixer. I'd say she'd understand, but she doesn't want to take any chances with police." He scrunches, and keeps his ears down
>>175967
"During the revolt, the Republicans set up camp on my farm. And they cut down several of my fences. Many of my sheep and other livestock ran off."
Perhaps it's worth stopping and asking why the truth about your actions is so harmful.
"You're very lucky his friend there kept taunting him so he couldn't look into it any further. You could have been fired, or Mustard Trim. Wasn't he your coltfriend? You really should have. I didn't say anything to Salt Mixer. I'd say she'd understand, but she doesn't want to take any chances with police." He scrunches, and keeps his ears down
>>175967
"During the revolt, the Republicans set up camp on my farm. And they cut down several of my fences. Many of my sheep and other livestock ran off."
>>175964
Posey watches as the meat is presented to the Agire.
The ghast is probably writhing in jealously right now.
Posey watches as the meat is presented to the Agire.
The ghast is probably writhing in jealously right now.
>>175969
If this is what comes of accepting shady work for money–tension with one's coltfriend, anxiety over being found out, and being forced to lie to not implicate oneself deeper–Amber wants no more of it. She's glad at least that nopony got hurt by her actions or else she'd feel really awful.
"He still is…if he got blamed I'd be devastated. Goddesses, I can't believe I didn't realize how badly this could have turned out." Amber shakes and starts to silently cry.
If this is what comes of accepting shady work for money–tension with one's coltfriend, anxiety over being found out, and being forced to lie to not implicate oneself deeper–Amber wants no more of it. She's glad at least that nopony got hurt by her actions or else she'd feel really awful.
"He still is…if he got blamed I'd be devastated. Goddesses, I can't believe I didn't realize how badly this could have turned out." Amber shakes and starts to silently cry.
>>175972
"I got most of them back but... some of them got run over by trucks, or eaten by alligators, or just lost... At least Manticore and Chimera don't come so far north and" he looks over at Kira's form "We don't have massive snakes..."
>>175971
"Don't do it again. My lips won't be as tight the next time." He says, and then turns around and back to his work, which is nearly over
Between the facial expressions of Scabbard, still trying to air out his mouth, and Trakr, still holding back laughter, Amber probably will never need to do it again.
>>175970
Agire runs forward and sinks his teeth into the meat, ripping pieces off and swallowing it, or trying to. He does this at a great rate of speed. Judging by the reaction, or lack thereof, from the two Kaftar, this must be completely normal.
"I got most of them back but... some of them got run over by trucks, or eaten by alligators, or just lost... At least Manticore and Chimera don't come so far north and" he looks over at Kira's form "We don't have massive snakes..."
>>175971
"Don't do it again. My lips won't be as tight the next time." He says, and then turns around and back to his work, which is nearly over
Between the facial expressions of Scabbard, still trying to air out his mouth, and Trakr, still holding back laughter, Amber probably will never need to do it again.
>>175970
Agire runs forward and sinks his teeth into the meat, ripping pieces off and swallowing it, or trying to. He does this at a great rate of speed. Judging by the reaction, or lack thereof, from the two Kaftar, this must be completely normal.
>>175973
"I won't. Thank you, and goodnight," she mumbles out. She wipes at her eyes and heads back home.
"I won't. Thank you, and goodnight," she mumbles out. She wipes at her eyes and heads back home.
>>175973
Posey watches wordlessly, taking notes.
Gloomy appears to be trying to get a closer look, but his little hooves tread air as Posey holds him away from the scene.
Posey watches wordlessly, taking notes.
Gloomy appears to be trying to get a closer look, but his little hooves tread air as Posey holds him away from the scene.
>>175974
The warm air blowing in from the sea that dominated the night has been replaced with a cold breeze from the northwest. It mixes with the moist, sea air, causing clouds to block out the light of the moon and stars and threaten more rain. It does at least keep ponies off the street, which means Amber is not harassed. Amber walks back perfectly alone.
>>175975
It eats, quickly and intensely. On the other side, the assistant tries his luck, walking up to it and ripping off a rib, eating both the meat and bone.
The warm air blowing in from the sea that dominated the night has been replaced with a cold breeze from the northwest. It mixes with the moist, sea air, causing clouds to block out the light of the moon and stars and threaten more rain. It does at least keep ponies off the street, which means Amber is not harassed. Amber walks back perfectly alone.
>>175975
It eats, quickly and intensely. On the other side, the assistant tries his luck, walking up to it and ripping off a rib, eating both the meat and bone.
>>175976
Posey waits for the presumed-ghoul to finish eating before she attempts to speak to it again.
I guess I'll roll religion to see if I know any useful information
[1d20+11 = (8+11) = 19]
Posey waits for the presumed-ghoul to finish eating before she attempts to speak to it again.
I guess I'll roll religion to see if I know any useful information
[1d20+11 = (8+11) = 19]
>>175977
It is indeed undead. But truly resurrected? No. Posey has never seen that. It's talked about a lot, sure, but not confirmed. Surely if it were possible, it would cost more than a mushroom grown out of a single squatter.
It is indeed undead. But truly resurrected? No. Posey has never seen that. It's talked about a lot, sure, but not confirmed. Surely if it were possible, it would cost more than a mushroom grown out of a single squatter.
>>175978
Well, Posey has seen ghouls before, since they make up most of Magehold, so does she recognize this?
Posey would consider her endeavor successful if it resulted in a ghoul. Ghouls are contributing members of society (sometimes).
Well, Posey has seen ghouls before, since they make up most of Magehold, so does she recognize this?
Posey would consider her endeavor successful if it resulted in a ghoul. Ghouls are contributing members of society (sometimes).
>>175980
Posey nods, seemingly satisfied.
She gives Agire as long as he needs to feed to grow back his vocal cords and get his body back into an acceptable state of preservation. She scribbles some notes in her book to gauge his progress.
Posey nods, seemingly satisfied.
She gives Agire as long as he needs to feed to grow back his vocal cords and get his body back into an acceptable state of preservation. She scribbles some notes in her book to gauge his progress.
>>175973
"Awwwwwww..." He ears fold down. "I'm really sorry to hear that. I like sheep. They're nice and fluffy. I guess it puts into perspective how powerful trucks really are, I didn't know they could run over sheep like that."
"Awwwwwww..." He ears fold down. "I'm really sorry to hear that. I like sheep. They're nice and fluffy. I guess it puts into perspective how powerful trucks really are, I didn't know they could run over sheep like that."
>>175983
Posey watches with a neutral expression
"You can keep eating for as long as you like, but you'll never, ever, ever feel full. It's something you learn to get used to..." she says to Agire
Posey reaches down to stroke Gloomy's mane. She picks up the colt and kisses him on the neck, which at first gives him a shudder before he giggles.
"You'll also find that you can fast indefinitely, but it's not recommended, as you'll grow increasingly feral until you're able to feed, or are destroyed in the process." she continues, with a casual demeanor like a mare giving mare-care advice to one of her friends
Posey watches with a neutral expression
"You can keep eating for as long as you like, but you'll never, ever, ever feel full. It's something you learn to get used to..." she says to Agire
Posey reaches down to stroke Gloomy's mane. She picks up the colt and kisses him on the neck, which at first gives him a shudder before he giggles.
"You'll also find that you can fast indefinitely, but it's not recommended, as you'll grow increasingly feral until you're able to feed, or are destroyed in the process." she continues, with a casual demeanor like a mare giving mare-care advice to one of her friends
>>175985
Agire stops, looks over towards Posey. He has his hindlegs on the ground, and both forepaws on the dressed meat. His expression suggests concern.
Milyaketan sighs
"Not such a great difference from what life was like before..."
Agire stops, looks over towards Posey. He has his hindlegs on the ground, and both forepaws on the dressed meat. His expression suggests concern.
Milyaketan sighs
"Not such a great difference from what life was like before..."
>>175983
Kira scrunches at Neela.
"Plus sheep have all of that wool. Creatures usually forget that they don't just have it so we can harvest it, wool is actually very effective at stopping predators. All of that extra cushion and distance between the surface of the wool and the surface of the skin, a lot of predators like wild dogs will simply give up if they can't bite through. That trucks still harm the sheep even through all of that wool is...poor sheep..."
Kira scrunches at Neela.
"Plus sheep have all of that wool. Creatures usually forget that they don't just have it so we can harvest it, wool is actually very effective at stopping predators. All of that extra cushion and distance between the surface of the wool and the surface of the skin, a lot of predators like wild dogs will simply give up if they can't bite through. That trucks still harm the sheep even through all of that wool is...poor sheep..."
>>175987
"If it's going with any kind of speed, yeah, a truck will kill it. These are the bigger trucks that could carry cargo, mind you."
He pauses for a moment, and then raises an eyebrow
"Would wool stop you?"
"If it's going with any kind of speed, yeah, a truck will kill it. These are the bigger trucks that could carry cargo, mind you."
He pauses for a moment, and then raises an eyebrow
"Would wool stop you?"
>>175986
Posey shrugs
"Like I said, you get used to it."
"Eating never really brought me very much pleasure when I was alive as filly, it all always tastes like ash and urine; the life of a katane. Being dead didn't make a huge difference in the end; in fact, I would say it was liberating."
She kisses Gloomy 's neck again, in a eerily deliberate fashion
"But as you shamble across this world, you'll find things to keep writhing for, those bits of sweetness in your seemingly doomed existence." She continues, her jovial tone betraying the nihilistic message to her words
"Like my little Sundae here."
I think I forgot to mention that Gloomy's full name is Gloomy Sundae, like the song Gloomy Sunday
Posey shrugs
"Like I said, you get used to it."
"Eating never really brought me very much pleasure when I was alive as filly, it all always tastes like ash and urine; the life of a katane. Being dead didn't make a huge difference in the end; in fact, I would say it was liberating."
She kisses Gloomy 's neck again, in a eerily deliberate fashion
"But as you shamble across this world, you'll find things to keep writhing for, those bits of sweetness in your seemingly doomed existence." She continues, her jovial tone betraying the nihilistic message to her words
"Like my little Sundae here."
I think I forgot to mention that Gloomy's full name is Gloomy Sundae, like the song Gloomy Sunday
It's midnight for me. I have to sleep now.
>>175988
"Hmmm...well, it can. Wool is very, very slow to digest, and it just tastes like...blegh. This isn't even to mention how bulky sheep can be with a full wool coat. But, it can be done. Probably though you'd want to sheer the sheep first, that way there's no wool to get in the way and you get the wool to use to make things with."
"Hmmm...well, it can. Wool is very, very slow to digest, and it just tastes like...blegh. This isn't even to mention how bulky sheep can be with a full wool coat. But, it can be done. Probably though you'd want to sheer the sheep first, that way there's no wool to get in the way and you get the wool to use to make things with."
>>175992
"Well...once, when I was younger." She goes to check if the tea is done. "I don't like to think too hard about eating other animals. That's the only real difficult part about it. Thinking about it."
"Well...once, when I was younger." She goes to check if the tea is done. "I don't like to think too hard about eating other animals. That's the only real difficult part about it. Thinking about it."
>>175993
Now, to place the tea bags into the kettle, or into each cup, pour the water, let it sit for a few minutes...
Neela:
"Yeah, that goat was bigger than me, and you didn't have any difficulty."
Bright Dye:
"Why not? Why is that difficult?"
Now, to place the tea bags into the kettle, or into each cup, pour the water, let it sit for a few minutes...
Neela:
"Yeah, that goat was bigger than me, and you didn't have any difficulty."
Bright Dye:
"Why not? Why is that difficult?"
>>175994
Kira puts the tea bags into each cup, and pours water into them.
"It's like, like a conflict between our primal, carnivore instincts and our sapient minds, or maybe our souls. I'm not stupid, I know I'm a carnivore. My sense, my physical characteristics, even my digestive system, they're all built for consuming other animals, and I literally can not survive on anything else forever. But I know animals have souls too, and feelings and thoughts and everything else that comes with it. Maybe not as advanced as ours, but they still have them. They're living beings, the same as us. And if I take the time to see an animal, and see its feelings and all, see it as another living being, then...well, I can see where the herbivorous species are coming from, when they say something like 'how could you eat another living being?'"
Kira puts the tea bags into each cup, and pours water into them.
"It's like, like a conflict between our primal, carnivore instincts and our sapient minds, or maybe our souls. I'm not stupid, I know I'm a carnivore. My sense, my physical characteristics, even my digestive system, they're all built for consuming other animals, and I literally can not survive on anything else forever. But I know animals have souls too, and feelings and thoughts and everything else that comes with it. Maybe not as advanced as ours, but they still have them. They're living beings, the same as us. And if I take the time to see an animal, and see its feelings and all, see it as another living being, then...well, I can see where the herbivorous species are coming from, when they say something like 'how could you eat another living being?'"
[1d6 = 3]
[1d6 = 2]
[1d6 = 2]
[1d6 = 1]
[1d6 = 2]
[1d6 = 4]
[1d6 = 6]
[1d6 = 6]
[1d6 = 3]
[1d6 = 4]
[1d6 = 5]
[1d6 = 5]
[1d6 = 3]
[1d6 = 3]
[1d6 = 2]
[1d6 = 5]
[1d6 = 4]
[1d6 = 1]
[1d6 = 5]
[1d6 = 6]
[1d6 = 2]
[1d6 = 4]
[1d6 = 2]
[1d6 = 5]
[1d6 = 2]
[1d6 = 2]
[1d6 = 1]
[1d6 = 2]
[1d6 = 4]
[1d6 = 6]
[1d6 = 6]
[1d6 = 3]
[1d6 = 4]
[1d6 = 5]
[1d6 = 5]
[1d6 = 3]
[1d6 = 3]
[1d6 = 2]
[1d6 = 5]
[1d6 = 4]
[1d6 = 1]
[1d6 = 5]
[1d6 = 6]
[1d6 = 2]
[1d6 = 4]
[1d6 = 2]
[1d6 = 5]
>>175995
Now, it's a waiting game, until the tea has been absorbed into the water.
Neela, for once, is silenced. She lowers her head slightly
Bright Dye says,
"I don't think they think and feel. Well, maybe they feel. But they live in the moment. They can't reflect on it. It's kind of just how nature is, and I don't feel bad selling animals off to griffins, gnolls, and diamond dogs."
>>175996
7, 16, 14, 11, 15, 9
Now, it's a waiting game, until the tea has been absorbed into the water.
Neela, for once, is silenced. She lowers her head slightly
Bright Dye says,
"I don't think they think and feel. Well, maybe they feel. But they live in the moment. They can't reflect on it. It's kind of just how nature is, and I don't feel bad selling animals off to griffins, gnolls, and diamond dogs."
>>175996
7, 16, 14, 11, 15, 9
>>175997
"Heh, maybe...maybe it's just different, being the one to do the eating. Or it could be I'm just soft-hearted, which I know I am. The tribe would ridicule me for it if my mother wasn't head huntress."
"Heh, maybe...maybe it's just different, being the one to do the eating. Or it could be I'm just soft-hearted, which I know I am. The tribe would ridicule me for it if my mother wasn't head huntress."
>>175998
Neella smiles
"Don't worry, when you die, your soul will be born again into a different animal, so you can see it from our point of view. Perhaps you will be a goat. Maybe you already have been."
Bright Dye
"Wait, your mother was head huntress?"
Neella smiles
"Don't worry, when you die, your soul will be born again into a different animal, so you can see it from our point of view. Perhaps you will be a goat. Maybe you already have been."
Bright Dye
"Wait, your mother was head huntress?"
>>175999
Neela's statement breaks Kira out of her funk, and actually gets her into giggle fits. She bends over laughing and is smiling widely with her eyes closed as she keeps "hehehe"ing until the tea is ready. There are even tears in her eyes from the laughter.
Neela's statement breaks Kira out of her funk, and actually gets her into giggle fits. She bends over laughing and is smiling widely with her eyes closed as she keeps "hehehe"ing until the tea is ready. There are even tears in her eyes from the laughter.
>>176000
Neela scrunches, but no one is paying attention to her
"Add some sugar to mine" Bright Dye says,
The tea is ready to be served
Neela scrunches, but no one is paying attention to her
"Add some sugar to mine" Bright Dye says,
The tea is ready to be served
>>176001
Kira's gigglefit passes, and she goes over to the teacups. She adds some sugar to Bright Dye's and her own, and carries the tray with their cups and the kettle over to the stallion and the deer.
"Thank you so much, Neela, I really needed that. Not that your belief system is funny, just that the idea of being a goat is really silly." Kira takes a sip of her tea. "Anyways, she is. I've always wanted to be like her, a great huntress, going out on the savanna to bring back food for the tribe and protecting the others when the bad guys attacked."
Kira's gigglefit passes, and she goes over to the teacups. She adds some sugar to Bright Dye's and her own, and carries the tray with their cups and the kettle over to the stallion and the deer.
"Thank you so much, Neela, I really needed that. Not that your belief system is funny, just that the idea of being a goat is really silly." Kira takes a sip of her tea. "Anyways, she is. I've always wanted to be like her, a great huntress, going out on the savanna to bring back food for the tribe and protecting the others when the bad guys attacked."
>>175976
Amber shivers in the cold breeze but at least it helps keep herself awake. She arrived at her apartment, puts away her clothing, washes up, and prays before bed. She prays for forgiveness regarding her misdeeds and how they have led her down a trail of deceit and mischief. She also wishes that she can better understand Mustard and not inadvertently drive him away. She hopes that her waitress position will work out and help her gain the respect of the rest of the restaurant staff. She wishes for future opportunity for adventure, preferably of the kind that does not involve deceiving ponies or being subject to their unwholesome advances. Finally, she wishes for the wisdom to understand what happened the night before and what led to her cutie mark glowing.
With at least a clean, warm bed, though without the warmth of company, she settles in to sleep.
Amber shivers in the cold breeze but at least it helps keep herself awake. She arrived at her apartment, puts away her clothing, washes up, and prays before bed. She prays for forgiveness regarding her misdeeds and how they have led her down a trail of deceit and mischief. She also wishes that she can better understand Mustard and not inadvertently drive him away. She hopes that her waitress position will work out and help her gain the respect of the rest of the restaurant staff. She wishes for future opportunity for adventure, preferably of the kind that does not involve deceiving ponies or being subject to their unwholesome advances. Finally, she wishes for the wisdom to understand what happened the night before and what led to her cutie mark glowing.
With at least a clean, warm bed, though without the warmth of company, she settles in to sleep.
>>176002
Kira presumably sets the cups down on a coffee table in front of the couch. Kira may attempt to "sit" on the couch between Neela and Bright Dye, "sit" on a chair to the right (their left) of the couch, simply coil up across the table, or between the table and the couch.
Neela does not see the humor and does not accept the gratitude, but sits back against the couch in silenced discontent, lips tight and forelegs crossed. Bright Dye, however, moves forward across the gap between the couch and the table, and takes his cup of tea. He takes a sip.
"So how does that work? Do you... jump out and strangle animals, or do you set traps...? Are there guns?" He lets his sentences trail off but seems genuinely curious as he looks up to his host.
Kira presumably sets the cups down on a coffee table in front of the couch. Kira may attempt to "sit" on the couch between Neela and Bright Dye, "sit" on a chair to the right (their left) of the couch, simply coil up across the table, or between the table and the couch.
Neela does not see the humor and does not accept the gratitude, but sits back against the couch in silenced discontent, lips tight and forelegs crossed. Bright Dye, however, moves forward across the gap between the couch and the table, and takes his cup of tea. He takes a sip.
"So how does that work? Do you... jump out and strangle animals, or do you set traps...? Are there guns?" He lets his sentences trail off but seems genuinely curious as he looks up to his host.
>>176005
Kira coils up on the other side of the table and "sits" her pony half on top of her coil, as it's what feels most comfortable to her.
"We didn't use guns, just spears and bows or just regular ol' constriction. A lot of it is ambush hunting, you know, setting up in a tree that could hold our weight and dropping down onto prey, hiding in the tall grass, setting traps. We have good lunge speed but we're not very good in a chase. Our tribe especially was known for turning opium from poppies into a concentrated oil for our arrowheads. We'd 'ploink' shoot an arrow into our target, and the oil would quickly go to work putting the animal to sleep. Then we would...you know..." ssiiippp "It makes us feel funny after. It definitely can be a risk if another predator comes across us in our stupor, so usually you need to first go to a safe place with your prey."
Kira coils up on the other side of the table and "sits" her pony half on top of her coil, as it's what feels most comfortable to her.
"We didn't use guns, just spears and bows or just regular ol' constriction. A lot of it is ambush hunting, you know, setting up in a tree that could hold our weight and dropping down onto prey, hiding in the tall grass, setting traps. We have good lunge speed but we're not very good in a chase. Our tribe especially was known for turning opium from poppies into a concentrated oil for our arrowheads. We'd 'ploink' shoot an arrow into our target, and the oil would quickly go to work putting the animal to sleep. Then we would...you know..." ssiiippp "It makes us feel funny after. It definitely can be a risk if another predator comes across us in our stupor, so usually you need to first go to a safe place with your prey."
>>176006
"You use opiates? And bows and Spears? How advanced are you... I mean... How different is Baltimare for you? How much is new?"
"You use opiates? And bows and Spears? How advanced are you... I mean... How different is Baltimare for you? How much is new?"
>>176007
"It's all...really new. Like that radio over there, I had heard it pulls music and sound out of the air but I had never seen one before. And all of these tall buildings...I never thought of us as being all that far behind other civilizations and cultures, but after all I've seen in a relatively short time I guess we really are a step behind everyone else." sssiiip "I mean, it's not like we're some kind of backwards savages, just...we never had any kind of technology like this."
"It's all...really new. Like that radio over there, I had heard it pulls music and sound out of the air but I had never seen one before. And all of these tall buildings...I never thought of us as being all that far behind other civilizations and cultures, but after all I've seen in a relatively short time I guess we really are a step behind everyone else." sssiiip "I mean, it's not like we're some kind of backwards savages, just...we never had any kind of technology like this."
>>176008
"So..." He struggles to put the words together. "Why do you look like ponies? I mean, you're from Zebrica, right? So why are you so much like a type of pony? Why aren't you zebras, or..." He struggles to find a word. "Monsters. I mean, you're a giant snake, right? Why are you... why are you a pony?"
"So..." He struggles to put the words together. "Why do you look like ponies? I mean, you're from Zebrica, right? So why are you so much like a type of pony? Why aren't you zebras, or..." He struggles to find a word. "Monsters. I mean, you're a giant snake, right? Why are you... why are you a pony?"
>>176009
Kira is...a bit speechless. Not in an angry or insulted manner, just...confused, puzzled. She gives a blank stare as the cogs in her brain turn, trying to figure out an answer for a question she has never considered before. She ends up tilting her head at the stallion, still looking as lost as she did before.
"I...I don't know. I've never really thought of that. I guess I've never seen a pony before coming here so that question never would have come up, but..." She ponders the question a bit longer. "...I really don't know. All of the stories of how we came to be, I suppose we've just been here since the world came into existence. I've never stopped to consider why we wouldn't look like the zebras we live so close to." A lightbulb turns on in her head. "...hmm, that would actually help my case, if it turns out ponies and lamias share an origin..."
Kira is...a bit speechless. Not in an angry or insulted manner, just...confused, puzzled. She gives a blank stare as the cogs in her brain turn, trying to figure out an answer for a question she has never considered before. She ends up tilting her head at the stallion, still looking as lost as she did before.
"I...I don't know. I've never really thought of that. I guess I've never seen a pony before coming here so that question never would have come up, but..." She ponders the question a bit longer. "...I really don't know. All of the stories of how we came to be, I suppose we've just been here since the world came into existence. I've never stopped to consider why we wouldn't look like the zebras we live so close to." A lightbulb turns on in her head. "...hmm, that would actually help my case, if it turns out ponies and lamias share an origin..."
>>176010
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8wrqe72YG4&pp=ygUseW91IGNhbid0IGp1c3QgYXNrIHNvbWVvbmUgd2h5IHRoZXkncmUgd2hpdGU%3D
He then takes a sip, and asks,
"What is your case?"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8wrqe72YG4&pp=ygUseW91IGNhbid0IGp1c3QgYXNrIHNvbWVvbmUgd2h5IHRoZXkncmUgd2hpdGU%3D
He then takes a sip, and asks,
"What is your case?"
>>176011
"I'm going to try to convince the governor of this place to let my people in as refugees. I want to convince him that we'll be responsible and loyal citizens that are compatible with the values of this land and can contribute to the wealth and prosperity of Equestria. Or, whatever it's called now."
"I'm going to try to convince the governor of this place to let my people in as refugees. I want to convince him that we'll be responsible and loyal citizens that are compatible with the values of this land and can contribute to the wealth and prosperity of Equestria. Or, whatever it's called now."
>>176013
Now, it's Bright Dye's turn to have a gigglefit,
"Heh. Haha. Hahaha" For a moment he pauses, seeming to be done, but then he starts laughing again
"hahaha"
Now, it's Bright Dye's turn to have a gigglefit,
"Heh. Haha. Hahaha" For a moment he pauses, seeming to be done, but then he starts laughing again
"hahaha"
>>176016
tilts head
"Uh...thank you?" Kira takes another sip of her tea, finishing what's in her cup. She turns to Neela next. "Are you okay, Neela? You're rather quiet."
tilts head
"Uh...thank you?" Kira takes another sip of her tea, finishing what's in her cup. She turns to Neela next. "Are you okay, Neela? You're rather quiet."
>>176017
She is still scrunchy. For the first time she leans forward, and moves towards her cup.
"Yes?"
She takes a sip
"Hmmmm. No sugar for me, I guess"
"So are you going to get a job at a factory, or..."
She is still scrunchy. For the first time she leans forward, and moves towards her cup.
"Yes?"
She takes a sip
"Hmmmm. No sugar for me, I guess"
"So are you going to get a job at a factory, or..."
>>176018
"Oh, did you want sugar? I'm sorry, you should have told me."
Kira goes to get the sugar, and comes back with it for her dear deer friend.
"Maybe someday, but I need to get the governor's attention and I'm not sure factory work will do that. The ponies at Customs told me that R&M might be in need of help, and helping there would definitely get me noticed by the governor."
"Oh, did you want sugar? I'm sorry, you should have told me."
Kira goes to get the sugar, and comes back with it for her dear deer friend.
"Maybe someday, but I need to get the governor's attention and I'm not sure factory work will do that. The ponies at Customs told me that R&M might be in need of help, and helping there would definitely get me noticed by the governor."
>>176019
Kira slithers off, and then into the kitchen
"What do you mean for work for R&M?" A small pause "You mean like... enforcement work?"
Kira slithers off, and then into the kitchen
"What do you mean for work for R&M?" A small pause "You mean like... enforcement work?"
>>176020
Sugar for her dear deer.
"I don't know. I don't really know what R&M does or what kind of help they could need. I just know it's how I can get the governor's attention."
Sugar for her dear deer.
"I don't know. I don't really know what R&M does or what kind of help they could need. I just know it's how I can get the governor's attention."
>>176021
“Revenue and Migration. They collect taxes, especially on imported goods and alcohol, they stop smuggling, and most of all they handle immigration. Any kind of work with them is probably going to be security work strong-arming creatures, at least that’s what I’d imagine.”
“Revenue and Migration. They collect taxes, especially on imported goods and alcohol, they stop smuggling, and most of all they handle immigration. Any kind of work with them is probably going to be security work strong-arming creatures, at least that’s what I’d imagine.”
>>176022
"Oh. Well, hopefully what I end up doing isn't too bad or mean." She looks over at Neela again. "Are you sure everything's alright?"
"Oh. Well, hopefully what I end up doing isn't too bad or mean." She looks over at Neela again. "Are you sure everything's alright?"
>>176023
She leans forward and places a cube of sugar in the tea. She starts to stir the sugar into the tea with a spoon, and scrapes against the side with a loud "nyee nyee nyee." She does not make eye contact.
"Considering how the day started, it's quite alright."
She looks over at Bright Dye and says,
"I don't have a job now. You want to know why? Because I was arrested because of some vague 'suspicion' by the police in some kind of mass round up. They had to admit that they had nothing on me and let me go after four days. So they sent me to R&M, who said I was to be deported, because the work visa I was given back in the time of Princess was just a '180 day work visa' or whatever. But they didn't just send me there. Oh no, that's too easy. Too professional. They sent a policemare there to personally convince them I was 'hiding something' or whatever. They had to make it personal. Probably because I couldn't tell them whatever it was they were trying to find out about my roommates. I don't know what they do, I just lived with them because wages are low and housing is expensive. And they were gone before the police found me as their... 'consolation prize'. Ha! They couldn't handle the dissapointment.
So Customs was going to deport me to Lushi. But - get this! - they said they couldn't do it because they 'couldn't confirm I was a Lushi national'. They said there were no records of me being there? Seriously? I am Sangee. No shit there are no records. There wouldn't be. The Lushians log down their births in the registry of the temple of Boreas. And their residents in the village registry. We didn't belong to the temple, and we never stayed long in the villages. And the Fascists probably burned these registries anyways when they invaded and looted the country after I left. The real reason, I am sure, they did not acknowledge my country - they could never call me 'Equestrian' - was that if they did, they would have to admit that this far off land of backwards non-ponies, was now another part of their Empire. And in any case, they would have to let me apply for another work visa. But no, they said I was 'Stateless'. Fair enough maybe, perhaps that's what we Sangee are, a nation with no homeland. But... They were going to send me off. Overseas, to a work camp. Or maybe sell me off to Zebras, I don't know."
She leans down, and starts to nibble on a sugar cube, each tiny bite taking an infinitesimal of the cube with it.
She soon looks back up
"Then this one came. One of the pony stallions working there wanted to show off how much of a stallion he was, and tried to handle her like you would a pet python. Soon enough, the whole office wanted to pet on her like she was some kind of mascot or something, and they came up with this fiction that she was an 'exotic animal' imported by herself, even though she had no right to a visa. And, for reasons I have yet to divine, she offered to take me as an exotic animal, and bribed them. And so they sold me to her, the same way you sold that goat. They said she could take me if she eats me. They were 'joking,' I am sure. But it wasn't a joke. They meant it. They were hoping it."
She looks down, and nibbles more on the sugar cube
"So I don't have an ID, and could get arrested if I am found away from her for too long. I can't get a job..."
She nibbles on the second, or rather, third sugar cube.
Bright Dye is visibly awkward after all of that
>>176024
I think you and I have two different interpretations about what it means to be undead that are of story consequence
She leans forward and places a cube of sugar in the tea. She starts to stir the sugar into the tea with a spoon, and scrapes against the side with a loud "nyee nyee nyee." She does not make eye contact.
"Considering how the day started, it's quite alright."
She looks over at Bright Dye and says,
"I don't have a job now. You want to know why? Because I was arrested because of some vague 'suspicion' by the police in some kind of mass round up. They had to admit that they had nothing on me and let me go after four days. So they sent me to R&M, who said I was to be deported, because the work visa I was given back in the time of Princess was just a '180 day work visa' or whatever. But they didn't just send me there. Oh no, that's too easy. Too professional. They sent a policemare there to personally convince them I was 'hiding something' or whatever. They had to make it personal. Probably because I couldn't tell them whatever it was they were trying to find out about my roommates. I don't know what they do, I just lived with them because wages are low and housing is expensive. And they were gone before the police found me as their... 'consolation prize'. Ha! They couldn't handle the dissapointment.
So Customs was going to deport me to Lushi. But - get this! - they said they couldn't do it because they 'couldn't confirm I was a Lushi national'. They said there were no records of me being there? Seriously? I am Sangee. No shit there are no records. There wouldn't be. The Lushians log down their births in the registry of the temple of Boreas. And their residents in the village registry. We didn't belong to the temple, and we never stayed long in the villages. And the Fascists probably burned these registries anyways when they invaded and looted the country after I left. The real reason, I am sure, they did not acknowledge my country - they could never call me 'Equestrian' - was that if they did, they would have to admit that this far off land of backwards non-ponies, was now another part of their Empire. And in any case, they would have to let me apply for another work visa. But no, they said I was 'Stateless'. Fair enough maybe, perhaps that's what we Sangee are, a nation with no homeland. But... They were going to send me off. Overseas, to a work camp. Or maybe sell me off to Zebras, I don't know."
She leans down, and starts to nibble on a sugar cube, each tiny bite taking an infinitesimal of the cube with it.
She soon looks back up
"Then this one came. One of the pony stallions working there wanted to show off how much of a stallion he was, and tried to handle her like you would a pet python. Soon enough, the whole office wanted to pet on her like she was some kind of mascot or something, and they came up with this fiction that she was an 'exotic animal' imported by herself, even though she had no right to a visa. And, for reasons I have yet to divine, she offered to take me as an exotic animal, and bribed them. And so they sold me to her, the same way you sold that goat. They said she could take me if she eats me. They were 'joking,' I am sure. But it wasn't a joke. They meant it. They were hoping it."
She looks down, and nibbles more on the sugar cube
"So I don't have an ID, and could get arrested if I am found away from her for too long. I can't get a job..."
She nibbles on the second, or rather, third sugar cube.
Bright Dye is visibly awkward after all of that
>>176024
I think you and I have two different interpretations about what it means to be undead that are of story consequence
>>176025
Kira blinks. You know, these sugar cubes are starting to look good. She grabs one and munches on it with a satisfying crunch.
"Mmm...uh, that's more or less what happened, yeah. I came here, she was in a verbal altercation with a police mare and a Customs pony while I was working out with the ponies there how I would be staying here in Equestria. By the time we had finished they were getting ready to send her away. I felt bad for her and made the exotic animal suggestion because, well, if it worked for me then maybe it would work for her?"
Kira blinks. You know, these sugar cubes are starting to look good. She grabs one and munches on it with a satisfying crunch.
"Mmm...uh, that's more or less what happened, yeah. I came here, she was in a verbal altercation with a police mare and a Customs pony while I was working out with the ponies there how I would be staying here in Equestria. By the time we had finished they were getting ready to send her away. I felt bad for her and made the exotic animal suggestion because, well, if it worked for me then maybe it would work for her?"
>>176026
Kira lacks the teeth to truly nibble. At best, she can cut it in half. She could also place one in her mouth and wait for it to dissolve, although the sugar cubes are dense enough that this will take a little time.
"Is this... a bad time for me to be here?" Bright Dye asks
Kira lacks the teeth to truly nibble. At best, she can cut it in half. She could also place one in her mouth and wait for it to dissolve, although the sugar cubes are dense enough that this will take a little time.
"Is this... a bad time for me to be here?" Bright Dye asks
>>176025
>interpretations about what it means to be undead that are of story consequence
Well, I sort of interpreted it to be "undead with sapient intelligence scores" that can also speak, particularly those with class levels.
I guess it depends on the mileau though.
>interpretations about what it means to be undead that are of story consequence
Well, I sort of interpreted it to be "undead with sapient intelligence scores" that can also speak, particularly those with class levels.
I guess it depends on the mileau though.
>>176027
"No no, it's a great time to be here, actually." Kira smiles at Bright Dye. "As you can see, Neela has had some troubles in her life recently. She needs friends and companions more than ever before."
"No no, it's a great time to be here, actually." Kira smiles at Bright Dye. "As you can see, Neela has had some troubles in her life recently. She needs friends and companions more than ever before."
>>176032
scrunch
Okay, that was kind good, even Kira has to admit it. It gets a snrk out of her in the middle of her scrunching.
"Ponies have bought goats from you to keep as pets, right? How have they handled them?"
scrunch
Okay, that was kind good, even Kira has to admit it. It gets a snrk out of her in the middle of her scrunching.
"Ponies have bought goats from you to keep as pets, right? How have they handled them?"
>>176033
"I think so, though honestly of my animals are for meet consumption by the immigrant communities. As I was telling Ms. Pheeta here while you were out, I started off working with sheep out in New Mareland and Sicameon, wool sheep, back when the wool industry out there was strong. I got my own ranch around the unicorn range some years back, and after a business trip here I found my current spot on the edge of town, and realized there was a niche. Well it's more complicated than that - there was a lot of drama over inheritance and... - well, that's the gist of it. But yes, a couple ponies have taken goats as pets. And I've kept two of them myself, kind of. Mostly to show my foals how to raise animals. But I could tell you something about how to raise them."
Neela giggles again
"I think so, though honestly of my animals are for meet consumption by the immigrant communities. As I was telling Ms. Pheeta here while you were out, I started off working with sheep out in New Mareland and Sicameon, wool sheep, back when the wool industry out there was strong. I got my own ranch around the unicorn range some years back, and after a business trip here I found my current spot on the edge of town, and realized there was a niche. Well it's more complicated than that - there was a lot of drama over inheritance and... - well, that's the gist of it. But yes, a couple ponies have taken goats as pets. And I've kept two of them myself, kind of. Mostly to show my foals how to raise animals. But I could tell you something about how to raise them."
Neela giggles again
>>176034
"Wow, you've been to so many different places! It would be interesting to learn a bit more about how they're raised. Maybe the information will prove useful in other applications, too."
"Wow, you've been to so many different places! It would be interesting to learn a bit more about how they're raised. Maybe the information will prove useful in other applications, too."
>>176035
"Heh, it's not that many. Mostly grassy or shrub-filled hillsides for sheep to graze on. Yeah, I probably could teach you something. The goats at least don't seem to be afraid of you."
"Heh, it's not that many. Mostly grassy or shrub-filled hillsides for sheep to graze on. Yeah, I probably could teach you something. The goats at least don't seem to be afraid of you."
>>176037
"Wha"
Neela's ears go back, and she blushy scrunches, and then just blushes, raising her forelegs and bending her hooves down
"She is rather cute, isn't she."
Neela manages to speak
"That must be why she didn't eat me. I looked cuter than a goat to her."
"Wha"
Neela's ears go back, and she blushy scrunches, and then just blushes, raising her forelegs and bending her hooves down
"She is rather cute, isn't she."
Neela manages to speak
"That must be why she didn't eat me. I looked cuter than a goat to her."
>>176038
"Hehe! Oh, just one of the reasons why." Kira bleps with her sort of hybrid snake/pony tongue. "I guess it's the opposite of that saying: she's so cute I just couldn't eat her up."
"Hehe! Oh, just one of the reasons why." Kira bleps with her sort of hybrid snake/pony tongue. "I guess it's the opposite of that saying: she's so cute I just couldn't eat her up."
>>176039
Her ears are down, and Kira can see her porcelian white teeth in a bashful smile. As she looks at Kira, she seems genuinely touched.
"I saw how you were looking at me. From when you first saw me at Customs. You must really think I'm cute to overcome that hunger of yours."
She turns her head over towards Bright Dye and angles it down.
"Though she's far from the first to hunger for me."
Her ears are down, and Kira can see her porcelian white teeth in a bashful smile. As she looks at Kira, she seems genuinely touched.
"I saw how you were looking at me. From when you first saw me at Customs. You must really think I'm cute to overcome that hunger of yours."
She turns her head over towards Bright Dye and angles it down.
"Though she's far from the first to hunger for me."
>>176040
D'awwwwwwwwww. That smile really works to brighten up Kira's day. At Neela's second statement, she giggles.
"Are you saying everyone's wanted a little 'venison' for dinner?"
D'awwwwwwwwww. That smile really works to brighten up Kira's day. At Neela's second statement, she giggles.
"Are you saying everyone's wanted a little 'venison' for dinner?"
>>176041
With this statement, she has to place a hoof and foreleg over her face. When she manages to look at Bright Dye and Kira, she says,
"I've got quite the flavor."
With this statement, she has to place a hoof and foreleg over her face. When she manages to look at Bright Dye and Kira, she says,
"I've got quite the flavor."
>>176043
She smiles to Kira, slowly closing her lips into a smile that is warmer than it is mischievous.
"Oh, I know you do. That's why I'm glad you're stuffed with goat right now. And I hope you stay stuffed for a while."
She smiles to Kira, slowly closing her lips into a smile that is warmer than it is mischievous.
"Oh, I know you do. That's why I'm glad you're stuffed with goat right now. And I hope you stay stuffed for a while."
File (): 8CF04660932F78D5DEC2AE6B66952859-138490.gif (135.2 KB, 457x386, 6246737.gif)
>>176046
Looking over at Neela
"I think I can sort of see where you are coming from"
And then to Kira
"But you are both very silly"
Looking over at Neela
"I think I can sort of see where you are coming from"
And then to Kira
"But you are both very silly"
File (): DBBFE8AFA765739733864ED4696AE5D2-53858995.pdf (51.4 MB, , d20 Modern Core Rulebook.pdf)
The DnD 3.5 Modern Rulebook has some interesting stuff that could be used if you're interested.
>>176003
As per her conscious design, Amber arrives home in her apartment alone, for the first time since her misadventures the previous Friday night - though even that was after a visit to the club. The room is cold and dark, which is to be expected. The bed isn't necessarily comfortable, but it's far from terrible either, and certainly welcome after such a long day and so little rest. Amber quickly loses consciousness.and enters a presumed sleep.
To say that the dreams that followed were not pleasant would not be accurate. Not because they were of pleasant or even neutral character - they most assuredly were not - but because whether they could even be properly called "dreams" was questionable. Dreams are infamous for their non-sequiturs and emanative nature, with chimerical imagery and lapses in basic logic that allow the waking mind to easily distinguish reality from dream. What Amber experienced, rather, failed to attain even that level of logical consistency, for whereas dreams mimic the waking consciousness, her experiences were closer to that undiluted delirium that occurs between dreamless sleep and wakefulness, where the most absurd combinations of thoughts arrange themselves, and where pure feeling is unmediated by reason.
Whether Amber was asleep at all when she received her visions, she cannot say. All that can be said is that in that state of simultaneous consciousness and unconsciousness, visions came to Amber of a realm wholly unlike even the unwaking world. Even dreams must abide by non-contradiction, of an at least vaguely linear time, and of three-dimensional space, as even the absurdism of dreams borrows imagery from the five senses. Amber's glimpses were not so constrained.
Time flows back and forth like the ripples of a small tidal pool. Objects, ranging from the simplest of shapes to the most fantastical of chimeras seem to phase into, then out of existence. These vague analogs of known forms appear and disappear in patterns strongly reminiscent of the refractions of light as it appears against the bottom in shallow water. Objects are not alone in their evident instability, as the field of view itself melts and folds in on itself, then reverses, stops suddenly, and moves forward.
Even the sacred individuation of consciousness fails, as Amber perceives that her mind is not her own, and she shares a cacophony of alien, incomprehensible thoughts. Without matter to mark the distinction, only the one, universal reason remains, and individual consciousness merges as so many drops of water into a great sea. All memories and all foreseen futures, all thoughts and feelings are accessible and accessed. And then just as easily, it breaks apart into many.
When the sequence of events is concluded, Amber witnesses a more mature realm, where at least some images contain recognizable forms. She floats in an infinite sea of purple, green, and orange hued ether, dimly lit by green-tinted alien suns. She stays aloft with the help of a multitude of black membranous wings, and can mold the ether with the creative action of her mind. From a consciousness not her own, there is a suggestion of glee, or true happiness in this form as she molds the ether into new forms not yet seen and certainly not named.
Amber wakes up in a cold terror, evidently from bad dreams. The room is completely dark. She may reach down next to the bed to turn on the kerosene lamp.
As per her conscious design, Amber arrives home in her apartment alone, for the first time since her misadventures the previous Friday night - though even that was after a visit to the club. The room is cold and dark, which is to be expected. The bed isn't necessarily comfortable, but it's far from terrible either, and certainly welcome after such a long day and so little rest. Amber quickly loses consciousness.and enters a presumed sleep.
To say that the dreams that followed were not pleasant would not be accurate. Not because they were of pleasant or even neutral character - they most assuredly were not - but because whether they could even be properly called "dreams" was questionable. Dreams are infamous for their non-sequiturs and emanative nature, with chimerical imagery and lapses in basic logic that allow the waking mind to easily distinguish reality from dream. What Amber experienced, rather, failed to attain even that level of logical consistency, for whereas dreams mimic the waking consciousness, her experiences were closer to that undiluted delirium that occurs between dreamless sleep and wakefulness, where the most absurd combinations of thoughts arrange themselves, and where pure feeling is unmediated by reason.
Whether Amber was asleep at all when she received her visions, she cannot say. All that can be said is that in that state of simultaneous consciousness and unconsciousness, visions came to Amber of a realm wholly unlike even the unwaking world. Even dreams must abide by non-contradiction, of an at least vaguely linear time, and of three-dimensional space, as even the absurdism of dreams borrows imagery from the five senses. Amber's glimpses were not so constrained.
Time flows back and forth like the ripples of a small tidal pool. Objects, ranging from the simplest of shapes to the most fantastical of chimeras seem to phase into, then out of existence. These vague analogs of known forms appear and disappear in patterns strongly reminiscent of the refractions of light as it appears against the bottom in shallow water. Objects are not alone in their evident instability, as the field of view itself melts and folds in on itself, then reverses, stops suddenly, and moves forward.
Even the sacred individuation of consciousness fails, as Amber perceives that her mind is not her own, and she shares a cacophony of alien, incomprehensible thoughts. Without matter to mark the distinction, only the one, universal reason remains, and individual consciousness merges as so many drops of water into a great sea. All memories and all foreseen futures, all thoughts and feelings are accessible and accessed. And then just as easily, it breaks apart into many.
When the sequence of events is concluded, Amber witnesses a more mature realm, where at least some images contain recognizable forms. She floats in an infinite sea of purple, green, and orange hued ether, dimly lit by green-tinted alien suns. She stays aloft with the help of a multitude of black membranous wings, and can mold the ether with the creative action of her mind. From a consciousness not her own, there is a suggestion of glee, or true happiness in this form as she molds the ether into new forms not yet seen and certainly not named.
Amber wakes up in a cold terror, evidently from bad dreams. The room is completely dark. She may reach down next to the bed to turn on the kerosene lamp.
>>176051
Amber wakes up with a start. At once, having been left trembling in an inconceivable terror, she craves to not be alone in her bed, if only out of a foalish desire for familiar comfort. She left her chance for that at the restaurant though, and quickly tries to instead understand what she underwent in her dream before its vivid points escape her. Words and even thought-forms failing her, she indeed reaches for her lamp and kicks off her covers. There is one method of expression that might prove reliable though, and she jumps to retrieve her mandolin. She hasn't practiced since Friday, but she does her best to put her racing thoughts to notes in a stream of musical consciousness.
Amber wakes up with a start. At once, having been left trembling in an inconceivable terror, she craves to not be alone in her bed, if only out of a foalish desire for familiar comfort. She left her chance for that at the restaurant though, and quickly tries to instead understand what she underwent in her dream before its vivid points escape her. Words and even thought-forms failing her, she indeed reaches for her lamp and kicks off her covers. There is one method of expression that might prove reliable though, and she jumps to retrieve her mandolin. She hasn't practiced since Friday, but she does her best to put her racing thoughts to notes in a stream of musical consciousness.
>>176050
I'm familiar with the material, yeah. I would strongly recommend looking at this, as even the 3.5e DMG explicitly says to refer to d20 modern for anything regarding modern (even fantasy modern) settings.
I think the part that GM might find most helpful is the conversion tables that translate wealth check DCs to gold pieces, which he'll probably want to refer to when hanging out treasure and judging the appropriate amount of equipment for each character at a given level.
The rules for guns and vehicles might be worth looking at too. I didn't really bother though, because Posey, being from the Dread League, is a low-tech character and doesn't use guns because she is not proficient. D20 modern undead get archaic weapons though, so she could use her sword, now or halberd (more civilized weapons that better complement her supernatural strength and beauty). Check out automatic weapons and their AoE rules, which is something that adds to the game as it is better than treating it as a bunch of different attack rolls, for several reasons I can elaborate on if you care about my ramblings.
The classes are worth looking into it you're not a spellcaster. It's worth noting that d20 modern classes have a LOT more skillpoints than 3.5e characters on average (which is good; 3.5e characters don't have enough skill points), as d20 modern is less magic/combat focused and much more skill/mystery/social focused. Even the Mage has 6 skillpoints per level.
The d20 modern books also have tips for writing adventures in a modern setting. There's also several modules that the GM could rip off for quest ideas.
>>176024
>>176025
>>176028
Whatever the actual story consequence is, I would like to know the answer to the question, as Posey needs to report to her masters if she was able to secure the allegiance of the Kaftar temple (alongside her "friendship lesson" as she reports potentially having been able to produce a Gravetouched ghoul or similar entity through sacrament instead of spells; which is definitely an achievement that she would write home about as it is a discovery about undeath).
Posey has a charisma score to have up to six NPC contacts, and I was hoping to have an ally in the Kaftar clergy as my reward for this mini quest. If that doesn't work out, then I guess this quest is over either way.
I'm familiar with the material, yeah. I would strongly recommend looking at this, as even the 3.5e DMG explicitly says to refer to d20 modern for anything regarding modern (even fantasy modern) settings.
I think the part that GM might find most helpful is the conversion tables that translate wealth check DCs to gold pieces, which he'll probably want to refer to when hanging out treasure and judging the appropriate amount of equipment for each character at a given level.
The rules for guns and vehicles might be worth looking at too. I didn't really bother though, because Posey, being from the Dread League, is a low-tech character and doesn't use guns because she is not proficient. D20 modern undead get archaic weapons though, so she could use her sword, now or halberd (more civilized weapons that better complement her supernatural strength and beauty). Check out automatic weapons and their AoE rules, which is something that adds to the game as it is better than treating it as a bunch of different attack rolls, for several reasons I can elaborate on if you care about my ramblings.
The classes are worth looking into it you're not a spellcaster. It's worth noting that d20 modern classes have a LOT more skillpoints than 3.5e characters on average (which is good; 3.5e characters don't have enough skill points), as d20 modern is less magic/combat focused and much more skill/mystery/social focused. Even the Mage has 6 skillpoints per level.
The d20 modern books also have tips for writing adventures in a modern setting. There's also several modules that the GM could rip off for quest ideas.
>>176024
>>176025
>>176028
Whatever the actual story consequence is, I would like to know the answer to the question, as Posey needs to report to her masters if she was able to secure the allegiance of the Kaftar temple (alongside her "friendship lesson" as she reports potentially having been able to produce a Gravetouched ghoul or similar entity through sacrament instead of spells; which is definitely an achievement that she would write home about as it is a discovery about undeath).
Posey has a charisma score to have up to six NPC contacts, and I was hoping to have an ally in the Kaftar clergy as my reward for this mini quest. If that doesn't work out, then I guess this quest is over either way.
>>176052
Amber has the distinct impression of being helpless. This is not in the ordinary way, as even a “defenseless” Amber could probably kick the jaw off of a wolf. Amber feels smaller, weaker, but paradoxically, cuter. Cute not in the way that she could expect unwanted sexual attention - Celestia knows she’s had enough of that - but rather that cuteness commensurate with smaller size and stature. Most worryingly of all, Amber feels - and her sight soon confirms - that her mandolin is nowhere near.
Amber can feel that the room is colder than her immigrant-tenement, her bed smaller, the quilt covering her thicker - and reasonably soft and cozy, may it be said - and the sounds of distant steam pipes and diesel engines replaced with the occasional sound of wind.
It takes multiple strikes to light the lamp, and Amber knows better than to allow it to tip over. When the light comes on, Amber can see that she is in a circular room
(technically a many-sided polygon) with chests, a rack of clothing, and several beds along the side, though these beds are not distinct items of furniture, but sections of an elevated protrusion of wood built into the side of the room that rings around half of the circumference of the room, and at spots has quilts placed over it. The dimensions of the room are hard to ascertain, as are Amber’s own dimensions, but certainly no more than 20 feet in radius to the far side of the wall, and likely somewhat less. The walls are made up of thin planks of grey-brown wood standing vertically, and a “ceiling” of wooden branches in a hexagon is suspended perhaps six or so feet above, with a door to the above. The walls tilt inwards, as if in a partial cone-shape. In the middle of the room is a metal stove, with a pipe extending through the center of the ceiling. There are no windows and no other sources of light.
Amber is alone.
>>176053
Okay. Soon (TM)
Amber has the distinct impression of being helpless. This is not in the ordinary way, as even a “defenseless” Amber could probably kick the jaw off of a wolf. Amber feels smaller, weaker, but paradoxically, cuter. Cute not in the way that she could expect unwanted sexual attention - Celestia knows she’s had enough of that - but rather that cuteness commensurate with smaller size and stature. Most worryingly of all, Amber feels - and her sight soon confirms - that her mandolin is nowhere near.
Amber can feel that the room is colder than her immigrant-tenement, her bed smaller, the quilt covering her thicker - and reasonably soft and cozy, may it be said - and the sounds of distant steam pipes and diesel engines replaced with the occasional sound of wind.
It takes multiple strikes to light the lamp, and Amber knows better than to allow it to tip over. When the light comes on, Amber can see that she is in a circular room
(technically a many-sided polygon) with chests, a rack of clothing, and several beds along the side, though these beds are not distinct items of furniture, but sections of an elevated protrusion of wood built into the side of the room that rings around half of the circumference of the room, and at spots has quilts placed over it. The dimensions of the room are hard to ascertain, as are Amber’s own dimensions, but certainly no more than 20 feet in radius to the far side of the wall, and likely somewhat less. The walls are made up of thin planks of grey-brown wood standing vertically, and a “ceiling” of wooden branches in a hexagon is suspended perhaps six or so feet above, with a door to the above. The walls tilt inwards, as if in a partial cone-shape. In the middle of the room is a metal stove, with a pipe extending through the center of the ceiling. There are no windows and no other sources of light.
Amber is alone.
>>176053
Okay. Soon (TM)
>>176055
She quickly forgets the terrifying aspects of her prior foray into dreamland as she is consumed by curiosity. Moreover, this place does not seem hostile, but protective and, frankly, comfortable. This room seems made to house fillies like her, and quite efficiently, so where are her roommates?
The design of the room, pointed up, intrigues her. Who would put a door six feet up and built into the ceiling, just out of reach? Just before trying to get outside, though, Amber looks into the chests which are hopefully unlocked.
She quickly forgets the terrifying aspects of her prior foray into dreamland as she is consumed by curiosity. Moreover, this place does not seem hostile, but protective and, frankly, comfortable. This room seems made to house fillies like her, and quite efficiently, so where are her roommates?
The design of the room, pointed up, intrigues her. Who would put a door six feet up and built into the ceiling, just out of reach? Just before trying to get outside, though, Amber looks into the chests which are hopefully unlocked.
>>176056
A matter of clarification: the door on the ceiling at least appears to be to a loft, attic, or some kind of space above the room, it is not the main door out of the room - or at least, it probably isn’t. There is a set of blankets hanging up that might cover a wall, but more likely cover a door or window.
Amber can discern that at least two other ponies live here, though likely more. Up against the wall is a sled with leather and wood standing upright, bigger than Amber’s new form. Amber also feels shorter than normal. The lamp is not very bright, and the stove’s presence in the center creates a sort of blind spot that the light will not reach on the other side. One of the chests is locked. Three at least are not. One contains clothing - heavy clothing, like coats and masks. Amber knows by foreknowledge that underneath these somewhat bland fur and wool coats, buried at the bottom, is a bright and colorful - and comfortable - handmade coat that is forbidden to wear outside. In another chest is blankets, either the simplest of factory-woven wool, or intricate hoof woven quilts with nothing in between. Beneath that, she does find a book. It has foreign language text, a red outline, and an image of a construction site and cartoonish figures. Presumably it is some kind of educational book. Another chest holds pots, pans, a large lamp, striker fire-lighting implements, and a first aid kit.
A matter of clarification: the door on the ceiling at least appears to be to a loft, attic, or some kind of space above the room, it is not the main door out of the room - or at least, it probably isn’t. There is a set of blankets hanging up that might cover a wall, but more likely cover a door or window.
Amber can discern that at least two other ponies live here, though likely more. Up against the wall is a sled with leather and wood standing upright, bigger than Amber’s new form. Amber also feels shorter than normal. The lamp is not very bright, and the stove’s presence in the center creates a sort of blind spot that the light will not reach on the other side. One of the chests is locked. Three at least are not. One contains clothing - heavy clothing, like coats and masks. Amber knows by foreknowledge that underneath these somewhat bland fur and wool coats, buried at the bottom, is a bright and colorful - and comfortable - handmade coat that is forbidden to wear outside. In another chest is blankets, either the simplest of factory-woven wool, or intricate hoof woven quilts with nothing in between. Beneath that, she does find a book. It has foreign language text, a red outline, and an image of a construction site and cartoonish figures. Presumably it is some kind of educational book. Another chest holds pots, pans, a large lamp, striker fire-lighting implements, and a first aid kit.
>>176057
hoofmade
Can Amber light and carry the large lamp? Having a portable light source would be helpful. The loft door was seen first, and is of more immediate interest. Can she reach the door from one of the beds on the wall?
hoofmade
Can Amber light and carry the large lamp? Having a portable light source would be helpful. The loft door was seen first, and is of more immediate interest. Can she reach the door from one of the beds on the wall?
>>176058
The large lamp, it must be understood, is designed with a reflective chamber along all but one side to force the light out of a single direction: forward. It is high powered, kerosene fueled, rather heavy. It will, however, fit on the sled, could be strapped to Amber’s head by a leather strap (awkwardly; it would limit her head movements and possibly hurt her neck) or could be carried from a handle in Amber’s mouth.
The loft door is probably not reachable from the bed. She can try to jump and catch the latch with her mouth, but the odds of failure are high, and the opposite side of the room isn’t necessarily comfortable to land on.
The large lamp, it must be understood, is designed with a reflective chamber along all but one side to force the light out of a single direction: forward. It is high powered, kerosene fueled, rather heavy. It will, however, fit on the sled, could be strapped to Amber’s head by a leather strap (awkwardly; it would limit her head movements and possibly hurt her neck) or could be carried from a handle in Amber’s mouth.
The loft door is probably not reachable from the bed. She can try to jump and catch the latch with her mouth, but the odds of failure are high, and the opposite side of the room isn’t necessarily comfortable to land on.
>>176059
Does it have a handle on it? What about the smaller kerosene lamp?
Anyway, she decides against a risky jump (isn't the ceiling made of branches? She could bring the whole roof down!) and instead elects to look behind the blankets covering a section of wall.
Does it have a handle on it? What about the smaller kerosene lamp?
Anyway, she decides against a risky jump (isn't the ceiling made of branches? She could bring the whole roof down!) and instead elects to look behind the blankets covering a section of wall.
At what point do you think the party will be able to meet up or the main quest?
>>176062
What an odd shape for a room! It's not a small room but the angled walls certainly make it feel smaller. Amber picks up the smaller lantern with her mouth and (carefully) opens the door.
What an odd shape for a room! It's not a small room but the angled walls certainly make it feel smaller. Amber picks up the smaller lantern with her mouth and (carefully) opens the door.
>>176063
Amber opens the door presumably only slightly to feel…
Cold. Extreme cold. Greater cold than Amber has ever experienced before in her life, even in the deepest of winter. Blessedly Amber is fluffier than she recalls ever being, and the wind is less aggressive than it could be. The sky is dark, and be-speckled with thousands upon thousands of bright and shining stars. Across from Amber’s position is a small hut, partially buried in the ground. Further to the right is a cone shaped building perhaps 20 feet high, and buried almost to the top with a layer of soil above it. The ground is covered in packed snow, as are the structures, except on the higher portions, which are covered in dead moss. Further away, Amber thinks she can see the tops of trees. It’s very cold outside…
Amber opens the door presumably only slightly to feel…
Cold. Extreme cold. Greater cold than Amber has ever experienced before in her life, even in the deepest of winter. Blessedly Amber is fluffier than she recalls ever being, and the wind is less aggressive than it could be. The sky is dark, and be-speckled with thousands upon thousands of bright and shining stars. Across from Amber’s position is a small hut, partially buried in the ground. Further to the right is a cone shaped building perhaps 20 feet high, and buried almost to the top with a layer of soil above it. The ground is covered in packed snow, as are the structures, except on the higher portions, which are covered in dead moss. Further away, Amber thinks she can see the tops of trees. It’s very cold outside…
>>176065
Amber hurriedly closes the door. So that's what the warm clothes are for! She puts on a bland-colored fur and wool coat, and a mask, and goes outside again. She closes the door behind her and, at a short distance, looks to see if the building she left resembles the others.
Amber hurriedly closes the door. So that's what the warm clothes are for! She puts on a bland-colored fur and wool coat, and a mask, and goes outside again. She closes the door behind her and, at a short distance, looks to see if the building she left resembles the others.
>>176066
There are also boots. Leather boots.
There seem to be multiple layers of clothing. With at least adequate clothing, Amber can stay outside and not feel cold, except perhaps in certain extremities. Going outside, Amber sees snow covered ground, distant forest, and several structures, mostly of the same construction. Looking back, Amber can see that the building she was in is another cone, buried in a foot or more of soil, with moss growing on top that has in the lower sections been covered by a layer of soil, and with a wooden top protruding out that includes a small chimney. Chimneys from other structures exude smoke, just not hers.
There are also boots. Leather boots.
There seem to be multiple layers of clothing. With at least adequate clothing, Amber can stay outside and not feel cold, except perhaps in certain extremities. Going outside, Amber sees snow covered ground, distant forest, and several structures, mostly of the same construction. Looking back, Amber can see that the building she was in is another cone, buried in a foot or more of soil, with moss growing on top that has in the lower sections been covered by a layer of soil, and with a wooden top protruding out that includes a small chimney. Chimneys from other structures exude smoke, just not hers.
>>176067
Amber would take no half-measures with such frigidness. What an oddly shaped building, she thinks. She decides to go to the larger of the structures to have a look inside.
Amber would take no half-measures with such frigidness. What an oddly shaped building, she thinks. She decides to go to the larger of the structures to have a look inside.
>>176068
Clarification: there is a small building across Amber, and one to the right of the structure Amber came from, though it too, is rather small. Then there are three cones, counting Amber’s.
Clarification: there is a small building across Amber, and one to the right of the structure Amber came from, though it too, is rather small. Then there are three cones, counting Amber’s.
>>176069
She goes to the small building first since it seems to be larger than the others. The other cones seem to be living spaces, though she's unsure.
She goes to the small building first since it seems to be larger than the others. The other cones seem to be living spaces, though she's unsure.
>>176070
The small building is a single room, wooden on the inside, has a location to hang a lantern, a (closed) wooden window, a hole in the floor… it’s an outhouse.
The small building is a single room, wooden on the inside, has a location to hang a lantern, a (closed) wooden window, a hole in the floor… it’s an outhouse.
>>176072
Amber starts to go in, and peer inside. Soon enough, a grown, brown mare responds. She is wearing a bright, blue and yellow quilted dress.
“Kultainen. What are you doing here? Where are your parents?”
Amber starts to go in, and peer inside. Soon enough, a grown, brown mare responds. She is wearing a bright, blue and yellow quilted dress.
“Kultainen. What are you doing here? Where are your parents?”
>>176073
Amber steps inside, trying to remember who this pony might be. Her dress is pretty though. "I just woke up. I don't know where they are. I think they're away."
She thinks they're on some remote farm, but then again, isn't this a remote farm of some sort? Why is everything so fuzzy?
Amber steps inside, trying to remember who this pony might be. Her dress is pretty though. "I just woke up. I don't know where they are. I think they're away."
She thinks they're on some remote farm, but then again, isn't this a remote farm of some sort? Why is everything so fuzzy?
>>176074
The fuzziness is caused by the prevalence of fur coats, although it should be said that the ponies themselves are rather fuzzy. Amber can see that the interior of this building is more or less the same as the one she woke up in. The mare kind of physically stands in her way to keep her from getting far. A small, white filly yells “Kultainen!” And rubs at incredible speed towards Amber. Before Amber can be pounced on, the mare extends a leg, and picks up the filly. Amber can see the filly is fluffy, has a black mane, and is wearing a yellow dress much like the mare. She continues moving her legs forward as if swimming, but stops after a few seconds. There is a fire lit in the stove.
Amber recognizes the mare as her neighbor.
“Are you going crazy, too?” She asks, more to herself
She leans down toward’s Amber’s level,
“Little Kultainen, your parents are probably working, or doing chores. You should be too.”
The fuzziness is caused by the prevalence of fur coats, although it should be said that the ponies themselves are rather fuzzy. Amber can see that the interior of this building is more or less the same as the one she woke up in. The mare kind of physically stands in her way to keep her from getting far. A small, white filly yells “Kultainen!” And rubs at incredible speed towards Amber. Before Amber can be pounced on, the mare extends a leg, and picks up the filly. Amber can see the filly is fluffy, has a black mane, and is wearing a yellow dress much like the mare. She continues moving her legs forward as if swimming, but stops after a few seconds. There is a fire lit in the stove.
Amber recognizes the mare as her neighbor.
“Are you going crazy, too?” She asks, more to herself
She leans down toward’s Amber’s level,
“Little Kultainen, your parents are probably working, or doing chores. You should be too.”
>>176075
Amber can't help but laugh at the filly's greeting. "Hi!" she replies.
Chores? What chores? "Oh, you're right, but I didn't think it was so late. What ought I be doing again?"
Amber can't help but laugh at the filly's greeting. "Hi!" she replies.
Chores? What chores? "Oh, you're right, but I didn't think it was so late. What ought I be doing again?"
>>176076
“Hi” the filly replies, her legs hanging limp.
“Yes, it’s late morning, and there are things to be done. The firewood is getting low. Go to the blast and get more. And Jakala. You need to go too.”
She sets the filly down. The filly runs over to a chest, and starts to put on a fur coat.
“No.” The mare says, moving over the fully. “No, Jakala. You cannot wear the gakti outside.”
The filly looks sad, and looks up at the mare.
“But no one will see it.”
Her tail goes down, between her legs, then she sits down
“No. We’re not taking that chance.”
The filly looks up at the mare, with pleading eyes.
“No. You can’t do it. Take it off. I’ll let you wear it inside tonight, okay?”
“You promise?”
“I promise. Just wear something else outside.”
“Okay…”
The filly takes off the dress, then puts on a wool undercoat, then puts on boots, then puts on a jacket, then puts on a mask. The mare helps take a sled off the wall.
“Hi” the filly replies, her legs hanging limp.
“Yes, it’s late morning, and there are things to be done. The firewood is getting low. Go to the blast and get more. And Jakala. You need to go too.”
She sets the filly down. The filly runs over to a chest, and starts to put on a fur coat.
“No.” The mare says, moving over the fully. “No, Jakala. You cannot wear the gakti outside.”
The filly looks sad, and looks up at the mare.
“But no one will see it.”
Her tail goes down, between her legs, then she sits down
“No. We’re not taking that chance.”
The filly looks up at the mare, with pleading eyes.
“No. You can’t do it. Take it off. I’ll let you wear it inside tonight, okay?”
“You promise?”
“I promise. Just wear something else outside.”
“Okay…”
The filly takes off the dress, then puts on a wool undercoat, then puts on boots, then puts on a jacket, then puts on a mask. The mare helps take a sled off the wall.
>>176077
"How is it late morning if the stars are out? Shouldn't the sun be out yet? And where's the 'blast'?" Poor Amber, or rather Kultainen, is much more confused than she ought to be.
"How is it late morning if the stars are out? Shouldn't the sun be out yet? And where's the 'blast'?" Poor Amber, or rather Kultainen, is much more confused than she ought to be.
>>176078
The mare gives Amber a genuine look of concern.
“Are you having memory loss, too?” She asks herself
Then she answers Amber’s question.
“The sun is away right now. Beaivi, who brings the sun, is away with her husband in the southern lands. She will be back with the sun in about three weeks. There will be no sun until then.”
“But that’s forever from now.” The filly protests.
“Well” looking down at the filly, the mare says. “It will go faster if you do your chores. And you better get that firewood, or you will be very cold. Go along. You don’t want to sleep tonight without a fire. You too, Kultainen.”
The mare gives Amber a genuine look of concern.
“Are you having memory loss, too?” She asks herself
Then she answers Amber’s question.
“The sun is away right now. Beaivi, who brings the sun, is away with her husband in the southern lands. She will be back with the sun in about three weeks. There will be no sun until then.”
“But that’s forever from now.” The filly protests.
“Well” looking down at the filly, the mare says. “It will go faster if you do your chores. And you better get that firewood, or you will be very cold. Go along. You don’t want to sleep tonight without a fire. You too, Kultainen.”
>>176079
"Okay…." Memory loss or not, Amber has to admit that the mare has a point. It's so cold that sleeping in the huts without a fire would be uncomfortable at best. The other filly, Jakala, looks smaller, and Amber/Kultainen also has to watch over her.
"We'll bring the firewood as quickly as can be," Amber answers. Hopefully that is indeed quick.
"Okay…." Memory loss or not, Amber has to admit that the mare has a point. It's so cold that sleeping in the huts without a fire would be uncomfortable at best. The other filly, Jakala, looks smaller, and Amber/Kultainen also has to watch over her.
"We'll bring the firewood as quickly as can be," Amber answers. Hopefully that is indeed quick.
>>176080
"Good, go along, little fillies" the mare says. The other filly, Jakala, has brown leather or perhaps burlap visible along her sides, a ring of brown fur around her face, and white wool covering her muzzle. She wears high leather boots. Even her tail is tucked under the jacket, only coming out under the end. She goes along to the sled, and places the yoke over her shoulders, then places a bridle in her mouth. The sled isn't really meant for her and is just shy of comical in its disproportionate size, but the little filly happily pulls it out of the door, and will race ahead of Amber if she lets her. She goes right outside of the door.
Looking into the night sky, there is no moon. Amber can see that the sky in the far horizon is purple tinged in color, suggestive more of nautical twilight than a true night. On the opposite side the sky is darker, and above hangs a display Amber has never seen before. Across the sky, like festive garlands hanging in decoration, are two bands of waving blue green light, dancing across the night, and casting a slight glow upon the snow.
"Good, go along, little fillies" the mare says. The other filly, Jakala, has brown leather or perhaps burlap visible along her sides, a ring of brown fur around her face, and white wool covering her muzzle. She wears high leather boots. Even her tail is tucked under the jacket, only coming out under the end. She goes along to the sled, and places the yoke over her shoulders, then places a bridle in her mouth. The sled isn't really meant for her and is just shy of comical in its disproportionate size, but the little filly happily pulls it out of the door, and will race ahead of Amber if she lets her. She goes right outside of the door.
Looking into the night sky, there is no moon. Amber can see that the sky in the far horizon is purple tinged in color, suggestive more of nautical twilight than a true night. On the opposite side the sky is darker, and above hangs a display Amber has never seen before. Across the sky, like festive garlands hanging in decoration, are two bands of waving blue green light, dancing across the night, and casting a slight glow upon the snow.
>>176081
Amber is amazed by the gorgeous display in the sky. She knows the name for it, "aurora borealis," but it feels like she had never witnessed it in person. But, she should have….
After a few moments of gawking, Amber races to keep up with Jakala. Best not to tarry in the cold. It's just firewood that's needed, after all.
Amber is amazed by the gorgeous display in the sky. She knows the name for it, "aurora borealis," but it feels like she had never witnessed it in person. But, she should have….
After a few moments of gawking, Amber races to keep up with Jakala. Best not to tarry in the cold. It's just firewood that's needed, after all.
>>176082
Jakala turns right again into an open set of land, which seems to be open tundra/plain, or possibly marsh, which is now covered in a layer of thin snow. There are a couple hills that rise a bit higher than other areas, but mostly the ground is flat. The two ponies cross a wooden bridge over a ravine that seems to have been dug out to be a bit deeper. Somewhere over towards their left, Amber sees a set of trees.
When the wind reduces in intensity, Amber can hear a sound that approximates static, with a bit of a high-pitched whining or tinnitus sound. This could be heard in the cones, but it's louder here. It's still easier to hear the wind, however.
Jakala turns right again into an open set of land, which seems to be open tundra/plain, or possibly marsh, which is now covered in a layer of thin snow. There are a couple hills that rise a bit higher than other areas, but mostly the ground is flat. The two ponies cross a wooden bridge over a ravine that seems to have been dug out to be a bit deeper. Somewhere over towards their left, Amber sees a set of trees.
When the wind reduces in intensity, Amber can hear a sound that approximates static, with a bit of a high-pitched whining or tinnitus sound. This could be heard in the cones, but it's louder here. It's still easier to hear the wind, however.
>>176082
Jakala attempts to run ahead of Amber, as she is clearly filled with great enthusiasm. But the reality is that she is pulling the sled, it is heavy, and if Amber wishes to pull ahead, she may. The two come to a small, snow covered hill, beyond which are the tall, thin outlines of snow-crusted conifer trees in a strand that seems thinner than expected of a forest.
Jakala, with greater energy than normal runs ahead. Amber can guess that what she is trying to do is to get ahead of Amber, and turn around and stop in front of her. Because she is carrying the sled, she fails, and instead only turns herself and the sled 45 degrees of the desired 180. But she does pull ahead of Amber, and turns her head back.
“Play?”
Jakala attempts to run ahead of Amber, as she is clearly filled with great enthusiasm. But the reality is that she is pulling the sled, it is heavy, and if Amber wishes to pull ahead, she may. The two come to a small, snow covered hill, beyond which are the tall, thin outlines of snow-crusted conifer trees in a strand that seems thinner than expected of a forest.
Jakala, with greater energy than normal runs ahead. Amber can guess that what she is trying to do is to get ahead of Amber, and turn around and stop in front of her. Because she is carrying the sled, she fails, and instead only turns herself and the sled 45 degrees of the desired 180. But she does pull ahead of Amber, and turns her head back.
“Play?”
>>176085
“Yes, yes!” She darts up the slope of the hill. At one point she loses traction, moving her legs in place as she moves the snow but not the sled. The sled pivots to the left, until she comes to a portion of the slope that is gentler in incline, and she moves up it. Soon enough, she is at the top, and positions the sled. She takes the bride out, gets off from under the harness, and sits at the front of the shed, waiting for Amber. She tries to move her tail side to side, though the clothing keeps it more or less in place. She looks at Amber with pink colored eyes, and a smile just visible from under the mask.
“Yes, yes!” She darts up the slope of the hill. At one point she loses traction, moving her legs in place as she moves the snow but not the sled. The sled pivots to the left, until she comes to a portion of the slope that is gentler in incline, and she moves up it. Soon enough, she is at the top, and positions the sled. She takes the bride out, gets off from under the harness, and sits at the front of the shed, waiting for Amber. She tries to move her tail side to side, though the clothing keeps it more or less in place. She looks at Amber with pink colored eyes, and a smile just visible from under the mask.
>>176086
D'awww
Amber places her front hooves on the sled, and pushes the sled to give it some momentum before jumping in behind Jakala and holding on. She laughs all the way down.
D'awww
Amber places her front hooves on the sled, and pushes the sled to give it some momentum before jumping in behind Jakala and holding on. She laughs all the way down.
>>176087
“Wee! Ahahaha!” Jakala likewise laughs all the way down. The snow is packed well, and the slope is intense enough to allow the sled to slide down easily. But the hill is not very high at all and the ride lasts only a few seconds. Jakala tells “Again! Again!” When the sled comes to a stop at the bottom of the slope, she jumps off, and tries to place the harness on her again. The first time, she fails, starting to dart off with the harness slipping off, until she comes back and places it on again. She then puts it on correctly, turns the sled around, and drags it up the hill again. She does at least only take it up the gentler slope, avoiding slipping again.
“Wee! Ahahaha!” Jakala likewise laughs all the way down. The snow is packed well, and the slope is intense enough to allow the sled to slide down easily. But the hill is not very high at all and the ride lasts only a few seconds. Jakala tells “Again! Again!” When the sled comes to a stop at the bottom of the slope, she jumps off, and tries to place the harness on her again. The first time, she fails, starting to dart off with the harness slipping off, until she comes back and places it on again. She then puts it on correctly, turns the sled around, and drags it up the hill again. She does at least only take it up the gentler slope, avoiding slipping again.
>>176088
Amber helps her with the sled, putting her head through the harness and helping to pull on it. Best not to tire out Jakala too soon. Once they reach the top of the hill, Amber helps position and push the sled again.
Amber helps her with the sled, putting her head through the harness and helping to pull on it. Best not to tire out Jakala too soon. Once they reach the top of the hill, Amber helps position and push the sled again.
>>176089
Amber doesn’t know how long it will take for Jakala to tire out, but she can suspect that when it happens, it will be sudden, without much warning, and likely timed for when there is much work left to be done. Jakala once tries to pull the sled simply by biting on the harness and pulling it backwards - with not much success. And every time, she jumps up on the sled in the front. If Amber hasn’t already gotten on, she looks back at her, and waits for her to get on and push the sled forward.
Amber doesn’t know how long it will take for Jakala to tire out, but she can suspect that when it happens, it will be sudden, without much warning, and likely timed for when there is much work left to be done. Jakala once tries to pull the sled simply by biting on the harness and pulling it backwards - with not much success. And every time, she jumps up on the sled in the front. If Amber hasn’t already gotten on, she looks back at her, and waits for her to get on and push the sled forward.
>>176090
Amber pushes and jumps onto the sled, laughing with glee as she watches the trees and snowdrifts race past. She can't remember ever having this much fun before.
Amber pushes and jumps onto the sled, laughing with glee as she watches the trees and snowdrifts race past. She can't remember ever having this much fun before.
>>176091
The downside is that, with the hill so small, every ride lasts only a scarce few seconds. This would work much better with a proper hill, but it isn’t clear there is one around. The sled does at least tend to keep moving even after it reaches level ground, if only by a few feet. Jakala happily gets up to do it again and again.
The downside is that, with the hill so small, every ride lasts only a scarce few seconds. This would work much better with a proper hill, but it isn’t clear there is one around. The sled does at least tend to keep moving even after it reaches level ground, if only by a few feet. Jakala happily gets up to do it again and again.
>>176092
Everything seems so flat around here.
"Okay, one more time, then we need to collect some firewood." Amber pulls the sled up the hill this time. She herself wishes she could ride the sled all day as well, but she's the older of the two and has to take a position of responsibility. Like the grown-ups said, if she doesn't get firewood, they all have to sleep in the cold tonight.
Everything seems so flat around here.
"Okay, one more time, then we need to collect some firewood." Amber pulls the sled up the hill this time. She herself wishes she could ride the sled all day as well, but she's the older of the two and has to take a position of responsibility. Like the grown-ups said, if she doesn't get firewood, they all have to sleep in the cold tonight.
>>176093
Jakala lowers her head, and aims her eyes up at Amber. Her ears try to lower down, but the leather backing limits their movement.
“oh… okay…”
With a little less speed, she takes the sled up the slope, and sits at the front of the sled. She turns her head and looks to Amber, waiting for her to get on and push them both down.
Jakala lowers her head, and aims her eyes up at Amber. Her ears try to lower down, but the leather backing limits their movement.
“oh… okay…”
With a little less speed, she takes the sled up the slope, and sits at the front of the sled. She turns her head and looks to Amber, waiting for her to get on and push them both down.
>>176094
Amber pushes the sled extra hard this time for as much speed as possible before jumping on it. Once again she laughs with glee.
Amber pushes the sled extra hard this time for as much speed as possible before jumping on it. Once again she laughs with glee.
>>176049
“Heh heh, Ms. Pheeta, how do you like your new roommate?”
She’s a bit scrunchy
“I’ve had worse.” She answers
“Heh heh, Ms. Pheeta, how do you like your new roommate?”
She’s a bit scrunchy
“I’ve had worse.” She answers
>>176095
“Wee!” Jakala shouts as the sled moves along. “Hehehe.” The sled moves further along the level field before coming to a start. But when it’s done, Jakala droops.
“Wee!” Jakala shouts as the sled moves along. “Hehehe.” The sled moves further along the level field before coming to a start. But when it’s done, Jakala droops.
>>176097
"We can keep playing after we get the firewood. There's no sunlight so we don't have to worry about the day being short. How does that sound?" Amber reassures Jakala.
In the dim light, she strains her eyes to look for any brambles or branches that might have fallen off the fir trees.
>>176096
Neela also a cute
"We can keep playing after we get the firewood. There's no sunlight so we don't have to worry about the day being short. How does that sound?" Amber reassures Jakala.
In the dim light, she strains her eyes to look for any brambles or branches that might have fallen off the fir trees.
>>176096
Neela also a cute
"... Speaking of hungry... I got rather worked up tonight."
pets Gloomy
"Why don't I take you out for pancakes when all of this is said and done? How does that sound? I hear Baltimare has some excellent diners; we should visit them before they're gone."
"[unintelligible excited child noises]"
pets Gloomy
"Why don't I take you out for pancakes when all of this is said and done? How does that sound? I hear Baltimare has some excellent diners; we should visit them before they're gone."
"[unintelligible excited child noises]"
>>176101
Bright Dye movies his eyes along Neela, as if examining her. Then he leans slightly forward, and looks at Kira. He would look at more of her, likely, if her snake body were not almost entirely obscured by the table. Then he says,
“You say you’re a hunter and use spears and bows… do you have those?”
Bright Dye movies his eyes along Neela, as if examining her. Then he leans slightly forward, and looks at Kira. He would look at more of her, likely, if her snake body were not almost entirely obscured by the table. Then he says,
“You say you’re a hunter and use spears and bows… do you have those?”
>>176102
Kira nods excitedly.
"Oh yeah, let me go get them!"
Kira rushes upstairs, letting Bright Dye get a brief but still very interesting view of how Kira slithers upstairs, moving along anchor points on the steps to maintain upwards motion without sliding back down. She quickly grabs her spear and bow, and slithers back downstairs to ecstatically show off her possessions to the visitor.
Kira nods excitedly.
"Oh yeah, let me go get them!"
Kira rushes upstairs, letting Bright Dye get a brief but still very interesting view of how Kira slithers upstairs, moving along anchor points on the steps to maintain upwards motion without sliding back down. She quickly grabs her spear and bow, and slithers back downstairs to ecstatically show off her possessions to the visitor.
>>176103
Kira slithers back into the room to catch the following exchange. Bright Dye, leaning over to his right towards Neela,
“Do you have any fawns?”
“N-no, I don’t. I haven’t had any.”
“Really? Your teats are enlarged.”
Neela giggles, adjusts herself to sit more firmly upright, and places her right hoof against her neck. Smiling, she looks over to him and asks, “why are you looking at my teats?” Leaning over towards him to tap his right foreleg with her left hoof. She continues giggling, and a few seconds later both creatures turn their attention towards Kira, staring at the spear and bow before she addresses them. Both of them seem somehow surprised to see weapons in the home, even though Neela has surely seen Kira’s bow and spear before.
Kira slithers back into the room to catch the following exchange. Bright Dye, leaning over to his right towards Neela,
“Do you have any fawns?”
“N-no, I don’t. I haven’t had any.”
“Really? Your teats are enlarged.”
Neela giggles, adjusts herself to sit more firmly upright, and places her right hoof against her neck. Smiling, she looks over to him and asks, “why are you looking at my teats?” Leaning over towards him to tap his right foreleg with her left hoof. She continues giggling, and a few seconds later both creatures turn their attention towards Kira, staring at the spear and bow before she addresses them. Both of them seem somehow surprised to see weapons in the home, even though Neela has surely seen Kira’s bow and spear before.
>>176104
"Oh, I'm sorry to interrupt, I was just excited to show off my things, it's not very often I get to show these off to someone who doesn't already know about them."
She holds out the bow for display. If Bright Side or Neela knew anything about archery or bowmaking they could probably tell what material it is or what it's unique shape is meant for, but otherwise all they can tell is that it looks like a bow bent backwards on itself, made with a wooden core and separate materials on the back and belly. "We make our own bows for hunting. My mom showed me how to when I was younger, and I made this! It was pretty tough to learn to use at first, you need to be really strong to pull the string, but that's the idea behind it; you build the archer to fit the bow, rather than building the bow to fit the archer. Basically you wanted to build a really strong bow first, then you trained yourself to use it. That way you can get every ounce of strength out of every draw!"
Next she shows off the spear. If either Neela or Bright Dye continue to harbor thoughts in their imagination about Kira's culture being like some primitive neolithic tribespeople, they would be quite surprised by the quality and craftsponyship (or perhaps craftsnakeship) of the weapon in front of them. The broad leaf-shaped steel spear head looks honed to a fine edge, and is fastened to a studded shaft that has been balanced near perfectly. It's bigger and heavier than a javelin, but could still be thrown in a pinch if no other option was available. "There's not really any kind of special story about this spear, it's just the average kind of spear you'd see all sorts of hunters using. I haven't actually used it yet. I definitely favor the bow over spears, but it's important that us hunters have a way to defend ourselves in close quarters."
"Oh, I'm sorry to interrupt, I was just excited to show off my things, it's not very often I get to show these off to someone who doesn't already know about them."
She holds out the bow for display. If Bright Side or Neela knew anything about archery or bowmaking they could probably tell what material it is or what it's unique shape is meant for, but otherwise all they can tell is that it looks like a bow bent backwards on itself, made with a wooden core and separate materials on the back and belly. "We make our own bows for hunting. My mom showed me how to when I was younger, and I made this! It was pretty tough to learn to use at first, you need to be really strong to pull the string, but that's the idea behind it; you build the archer to fit the bow, rather than building the bow to fit the archer. Basically you wanted to build a really strong bow first, then you trained yourself to use it. That way you can get every ounce of strength out of every draw!"
Next she shows off the spear. If either Neela or Bright Dye continue to harbor thoughts in their imagination about Kira's culture being like some primitive neolithic tribespeople, they would be quite surprised by the quality and craftsponyship (or perhaps craftsnakeship) of the weapon in front of them. The broad leaf-shaped steel spear head looks honed to a fine edge, and is fastened to a studded shaft that has been balanced near perfectly. It's bigger and heavier than a javelin, but could still be thrown in a pinch if no other option was available. "There's not really any kind of special story about this spear, it's just the average kind of spear you'd see all sorts of hunters using. I haven't actually used it yet. I definitely favor the bow over spears, but it's important that us hunters have a way to defend ourselves in close quarters."
>>176098
“Okay…” she says, looking downwards in resignation. But she looks back up, turns around, and moves through the strand of trees that are just beyond the slope. Amber moves forward past this tiny strand of trees, one or two rows, and she sees that they are more or less, already there. Past the tiny number of trees that ringed the edge of what was presumably, an arboreal forest dominated by tall, narrow fir threes, Amber sees numerous acres of fallen trees all in neat rows, approximately facing Amber. Many of trees have roots visible, some are singed, and in many areas beaches and needles are severed from the trunks. There’s an island of standing trees in the distance, besides the one Amber is standing next to, and the pattern of why these exist while trees are felled elsewhere isn’t clear. A few saplings do, however, stand up, including a couple birch trees. The trees that stand are narrow and have few branches extending far from the trunk, although whether that’s how they grew and not the product of some event cannot be said. Under the trees the ground is mostly dead with dead grass, dirt, and snow, sometimes disturbed. In several areas, trees have been cut up and branches removed, with tracks all along the ground. There is a big rectangular pile of cut up wood some hundreds of feet from Amber.
Jakala is uncomfortable with the area.
“Okay…” she says, looking downwards in resignation. But she looks back up, turns around, and moves through the strand of trees that are just beyond the slope. Amber moves forward past this tiny strand of trees, one or two rows, and she sees that they are more or less, already there. Past the tiny number of trees that ringed the edge of what was presumably, an arboreal forest dominated by tall, narrow fir threes, Amber sees numerous acres of fallen trees all in neat rows, approximately facing Amber. Many of trees have roots visible, some are singed, and in many areas beaches and needles are severed from the trunks. There’s an island of standing trees in the distance, besides the one Amber is standing next to, and the pattern of why these exist while trees are felled elsewhere isn’t clear. A few saplings do, however, stand up, including a couple birch trees. The trees that stand are narrow and have few branches extending far from the trunk, although whether that’s how they grew and not the product of some event cannot be said. Under the trees the ground is mostly dead with dead grass, dirt, and snow, sometimes disturbed. In several areas, trees have been cut up and branches removed, with tracks all along the ground. There is a big rectangular pile of cut up wood some hundreds of feet from Amber.
Jakala is uncomfortable with the area.
>>176105
“Oh!”
Bright Dye stands up, and comes closer towards the weapons to look at them. He extends his hooves.
“So you’ve shot this bow many times?”
“Oh!”
Bright Dye stands up, and comes closer towards the weapons to look at them. He extends his hooves.
“So you’ve shot this bow many times?”
>>176107
If he's asking to be handed the weapons so he can take closer looks at them, Kira gladly complies. "Yes sir! I'd like to say I'm quite the shot, all thanks to Mom!"
Bluff: While he does so, a minor aside: Kira tries to see if she can sneak a peak at Neela's teats to see if she can see what Bright Dye was talking about, without Neela either noticing or believing that's what Kira is doing.
[1d20+3 = (2+3) = 5]
If he's asking to be handed the weapons so he can take closer looks at them, Kira gladly complies. "Yes sir! I'd like to say I'm quite the shot, all thanks to Mom!"
Bluff: While he does so, a minor aside: Kira tries to see if she can sneak a peak at Neela's teats to see if she can see what Bright Dye was talking about, without Neela either noticing or believing that's what Kira is doing.
[1d20+3 = (2+3) = 5]
>>176108
Bright Dye gladly takes it.
“Neat!”
He tries to pull back the string on the bow, but has difficulty.
“Wow, this uh, strong pull.”
Secret modifier:
[1d20 = 18]
Bright Dye gladly takes it.
“Neat!”
He tries to pull back the string on the bow, but has difficulty.
“Wow, this uh, strong pull.”
Secret modifier:
[1d20 = 18]
File (): 8867D1524BA44C7E870F24F785DA9890-28070.jpg (27.4 KB, 183x275, IMG_1228.jpeg)
>>176112
Kira takes the bow in her hooves, and using the end of her tail draws back the bowstring. The bow bends as she draws, the material on the belly contracting while the material on the outside stretches. The act is not without effort as both Bright Dye and Neela can see the muscles in her tail flexing and tightening, but even then she makes it look easy compared to the trouble the stallion was having. She holds the draw for a couple seconds before carefully, slowly returning the bow to its normal state and offering it back to Bright Dye if he wishes to continue observing it.
"It's all a matter of practice, building yourself up to be able to handle the strength the bow demands."
Kira takes the bow in her hooves, and using the end of her tail draws back the bowstring. The bow bends as she draws, the material on the belly contracting while the material on the outside stretches. The act is not without effort as both Bright Dye and Neela can see the muscles in her tail flexing and tightening, but even then she makes it look easy compared to the trouble the stallion was having. She holds the draw for a couple seconds before carefully, slowly returning the bow to its normal state and offering it back to Bright Dye if he wishes to continue observing it.
"It's all a matter of practice, building yourself up to be able to handle the strength the bow demands."
>>176113
“Woah” he watches Kira pull the string back, and when offered, takes the bow back.
“What’s the furthest you’ve shot an animal from? What’s the biggest one you’ve killed? Do they like, run off wounded, or…”
“Woah” he watches Kira pull the string back, and when offered, takes the bow back.
“What’s the furthest you’ve shot an animal from? What’s the biggest one you’ve killed? Do they like, run off wounded, or…”
>>176114
"Hmm, maybe a bit over...seven tail lengths, which is probably the maximum extent of my bow's range. It loses speed pretty quickly once it gets past a certain range. As for largest there's really no contest, it would be that giant eagle. They're as big as we are, maybe even bigger if you count their full wingspan, and heavy too. They really don't like us lamias, and they tend to attack us on sight. It's unfortunate because they're actually pretty intelligent creatures. I was out hunting about a year ago when this big old eagle came swooping out of nowhere, diving at me from above, then slashing at me with its claws and pecking at me with its beak. It was honestly a pretty close call, but I managed to bring it down and carry it back to town. Most normal animals though don't tend to give you too much trouble, and a well placed shot is usually enough to bring them down in one. If not, though, then that's when you need to track."
"Hmm, maybe a bit over...seven tail lengths, which is probably the maximum extent of my bow's range. It loses speed pretty quickly once it gets past a certain range. As for largest there's really no contest, it would be that giant eagle. They're as big as we are, maybe even bigger if you count their full wingspan, and heavy too. They really don't like us lamias, and they tend to attack us on sight. It's unfortunate because they're actually pretty intelligent creatures. I was out hunting about a year ago when this big old eagle came swooping out of nowhere, diving at me from above, then slashing at me with its claws and pecking at me with its beak. It was honestly a pretty close call, but I managed to bring it down and carry it back to town. Most normal animals though don't tend to give you too much trouble, and a well placed shot is usually enough to bring them down in one. If not, though, then that's when you need to track."
>>176115
“You get attacked by eagles?!” He is genuinely surprised. “And tracking. What does that involve? Do you just follow a blood trail?”
“You get attacked by eagles?!” He is genuinely surprised. “And tracking. What does that involve? Do you just follow a blood trail?”
>>176116
Kira nods to the first question before continuing on with the second. "Well following a blood trail is part of it, but there are actually all sorts of clues that animals leave behind. It could be as simple a hoof or paw prints in the dirt, broken sticks and trampled grass, sometimes you find a tree that a certain animal has been scratching themselves on or has been marking or even sharpening their claws on in the case of predators. And then you have things like urine or dung which can also be good indicators of an animal's presence even if it can be pretty gross, and predators sometimes leave carcasses behind when they're hunting. You've also gotta make use of all of your different sense, if you're only bothered with looking for signs of animals and you're not keeping your ears open to the sounds around you or smelling the air for clues, then you're putting yourself at a disadvantage."
Kira nods to the first question before continuing on with the second. "Well following a blood trail is part of it, but there are actually all sorts of clues that animals leave behind. It could be as simple a hoof or paw prints in the dirt, broken sticks and trampled grass, sometimes you find a tree that a certain animal has been scratching themselves on or has been marking or even sharpening their claws on in the case of predators. And then you have things like urine or dung which can also be good indicators of an animal's presence even if it can be pretty gross, and predators sometimes leave carcasses behind when they're hunting. You've also gotta make use of all of your different sense, if you're only bothered with looking for signs of animals and you're not keeping your ears open to the sounds around you or smelling the air for clues, then you're putting yourself at a disadvantage."
>>176117
He nods,
“So if tracking down and killing animals is… well kind of your job, why did you not want to eat the goat earlier?” After a pause, “was it too small?”
He nods,
“So if tracking down and killing animals is… well kind of your job, why did you not want to eat the goat earlier?” After a pause, “was it too small?”
>>176118
Kira blushes, and rubs the back of her pony head with a hoof. "...small creatures like that have their own defense mechanism: being too cute. I mean, he was just this tiny little nugget of a goat, and with a name like Nippy I just...I honestly couldn't. And then Hopper...I'll be honest, even with how big he was if I hadn't blocked it out in my mind before he had the chance to bombard me with cuteness, I don't think I could have done so with him either. You're way too good at raising cute animals."
Kira blushes, and rubs the back of her pony head with a hoof. "...small creatures like that have their own defense mechanism: being too cute. I mean, he was just this tiny little nugget of a goat, and with a name like Nippy I just...I honestly couldn't. And then Hopper...I'll be honest, even with how big he was if I hadn't blocked it out in my mind before he had the chance to bombard me with cuteness, I don't think I could have done so with him either. You're way too good at raising cute animals."
>>176119
“Heh heh, thank you.” He smiles. Then the smile fades. “Though I suppose you swallowed him all the same…”
Neela shakes her head
“She has the body of a Nagini. Even the instincts of a Nagini. But her spirit is something else. Something weaker.”
“Heh heh, thank you.” He smiles. Then the smile fades. “Though I suppose you swallowed him all the same…”
Neela shakes her head
“She has the body of a Nagini. Even the instincts of a Nagini. But her spirit is something else. Something weaker.”
>>176120
Kira continues to blush as she looks away, ears folding down. "Yeah..."
She turns then to Neela, tilting her head. "I mean...probably true, but also ouch."
Kira continues to blush as she looks away, ears folding down. "Yeah..."
She turns then to Neela, tilting her head. "I mean...probably true, but also ouch."
>>176106
https://youtu.be/KZZKzJTGI9E
Amber stares at the sight for a minute. Trees fall in a forest all the time, but never this many. It's impossible for her to know how this possibly could have happened. It looks like some sort of giant had stomped over so many trees, and for some reason cut and stacked some of it up. But why were some burnt? Jakala is not the only uncomfortable pony as this looks highly disturbing.
She considers leaving Jakala behind, but doesn't completely trust her to not move and thinks better of it. In the dim light she carefully steps over the fallen logs and makes her way to the island of standing trees, making sure the smaller filly is right behind her.
https://youtu.be/KZZKzJTGI9E
Amber stares at the sight for a minute. Trees fall in a forest all the time, but never this many. It's impossible for her to know how this possibly could have happened. It looks like some sort of giant had stomped over so many trees, and for some reason cut and stacked some of it up. But why were some burnt? Jakala is not the only uncomfortable pony as this looks highly disturbing.
She considers leaving Jakala behind, but doesn't completely trust her to not move and thinks better of it. In the dim light she carefully steps over the fallen logs and makes her way to the island of standing trees, making sure the smaller filly is right behind her.
>>176121
Neela nods.
Bright Dye turns to her and asks, “Nagini?”
“Yes, the children of the Naga. They are monsters with the chimerical bodies of ponies fused with those of giant snakes. This is the only one I’ve seen. She has the killer instincts, and the strength of a python, but also that false, benign facade of a pony.”
“But why do you say ‘children of the Naga’? I haven’t heard every Griffonian legend before but, I don’t think I’ve heard that one.”
“I mean…” she looks over at Kira. “She’s quite a specimen isn’t she? I didn’t think I’d be… well, sold to one, or even see one myself. But here we are.”
Neela nods.
Bright Dye turns to her and asks, “Nagini?”
“Yes, the children of the Naga. They are monsters with the chimerical bodies of ponies fused with those of giant snakes. This is the only one I’ve seen. She has the killer instincts, and the strength of a python, but also that false, benign facade of a pony.”
“But why do you say ‘children of the Naga’? I haven’t heard every Griffonian legend before but, I don’t think I’ve heard that one.”
“I mean…” she looks over at Kira. “She’s quite a specimen isn’t she? I didn’t think I’d be… well, sold to one, or even see one myself. But here we are.”
>>176123
"So that's why you keep calling me a Nagini." Kira raises an eyebrow. "But then, what's the Naga? Is the Naga the same as a Nagini? Is there a difference?"
"So that's why you keep calling me a Nagini." Kira raises an eyebrow. "But then, what's the Naga? Is the Naga the same as a Nagini? Is there a difference?"
>>176124
“It’s just a term from a children’s story. Don’t put too much stock in it. It just means that you’re… well… how do I say this? A bit child-like. Uh, ‘young’ is the charitable way to say it.”
“It’s just a term from a children’s story. Don’t put too much stock in it. It just means that you’re… well… how do I say this? A bit child-like. Uh, ‘young’ is the charitable way to say it.”
>>176126
"I guess so. I mean, I'm 23 years old, that's definitely far from being an elder. I'd never heard of Nagas or Naginis before meeting you, though."
"I guess so. I mean, I'm 23 years old, that's definitely far from being an elder. I'd never heard of Nagas or Naginis before meeting you, though."
>>176127
“You probably wouldn’t have. It’s just a word that’s used taken from a children’s fable. Just know that not everyone is completely unfamiliar with lamias and what they are.”
“You probably wouldn’t have. It’s just a word that’s used taken from a children’s fable. Just know that not everyone is completely unfamiliar with lamias and what they are.”
>>176129
Neela is silent for several seconds, clearly unsure of what to say
“Sure, let’s go with that.”
thring
Bright Dye lets the string go on the bow and it snaps back.
Neela is silent for several seconds, clearly unsure of what to say
“Sure, let’s go with that.”
thring
Bright Dye lets the string go on the bow and it snaps back.
>>176130
Kira cringes as soon as she hears the sound.
"Please don't do that, you can damage the bow by loosing it without an arrow."
Kira cringes as soon as she hears the sound.
"Please don't do that, you can damage the bow by loosing it without an arrow."
>>176132
"When an arrow is loosed, the energy of the bow string is transferred to the arrow, but without it all of that energy goes back into the bow itself. It puts a lot of strain on the bow and can cause it to crack if done too much."
"When an arrow is loosed, the energy of the bow string is transferred to the arrow, but without it all of that energy goes back into the bow itself. It puts a lot of strain on the bow and can cause it to crack if done too much."
>>176135
"Awww..." Kira's ears fold down. "I didn't mean to be rude, it's just...that bow is really precious to me." She also says, more quietly, "...plus it takes all sorts of different materials to make one and then days to build it and then months more for it to actually dry..."
"Awww..." Kira's ears fold down. "I didn't mean to be rude, it's just...that bow is really precious to me." She also says, more quietly, "...plus it takes all sorts of different materials to make one and then days to build it and then months more for it to actually dry..."
>>176122
Jakala proceeds, still pulling the sled. She is not so fast as before, and Amber may pull ahead if Desiree. Much if that is because navigating around the downed trees is difficul, but clearly she lacks enthusiasm to be there. It’s a little journey down a kind of valley through the downed trees, past the chopped and cut up trees in the center, and towards the strand of still standing trees.
Jakala
“My mom says it was the Stallos. Coming in and ripping up trees. You know they will grab you and eat you? I think it’s just as well that they tore up the trees. It means they can’t hide in them. I think I’ve seen them before. Moving in the night.” She looks around cautiously.
Jakala proceeds, still pulling the sled. She is not so fast as before, and Amber may pull ahead if Desiree. Much if that is because navigating around the downed trees is difficul, but clearly she lacks enthusiasm to be there. It’s a little journey down a kind of valley through the downed trees, past the chopped and cut up trees in the center, and towards the strand of still standing trees.
Jakala
“My mom says it was the Stallos. Coming in and ripping up trees. You know they will grab you and eat you? I think it’s just as well that they tore up the trees. It means they can’t hide in them. I think I’ve seen them before. Moving in the night.” She looks around cautiously.
>>176136
“Ah, yeah, I see… that makes sense. I wasn’t trying to damage it. I didn’t know.” He answers
“Ah, yeah, I see… that makes sense. I wasn’t trying to damage it. I didn’t know.” He answers
>>176137
Amber doesn't pull ahead, lest she lose sight of her companion. She does wish she told Jakala to leave the sled behind before they moved forward.
"What are the Stallos? Why are they tearing up the trees? Why are we living so close to them if they're dangerous?" Amber asks. Though this is spoken aloud, it's more of thinking out loud since she doubts the little filly knows the answers. She hopes there are none of them in that stand of trees.
Amber doesn't pull ahead, lest she lose sight of her companion. She does wish she told Jakala to leave the sled behind before they moved forward.
"What are the Stallos? Why are they tearing up the trees? Why are we living so close to them if they're dangerous?" Amber asks. Though this is spoken aloud, it's more of thinking out loud since she doubts the little filly knows the answers. She hopes there are none of them in that stand of trees.
"Gloomy, did I ever tell you the story of how Gnolls first came to be? It's..." whispers
Gloomy 's eyes widen in incredulity.
"Really?"
"So the story goes. It might even be why the Society cared about courting the Kaftars."
Gloomy 's eyes widen in incredulity.
"Really?"
"So the story goes. It might even be why the Society cared about courting the Kaftars."
>>176138
Kira smiles at the stallion. "It's okay, I know. Maybe if you wanted I could try making you your own bow someday. I don't know if you'd ever use it, but I imagine it would make for something nice to hang on the wall."
Kira smiles at the stallion. "It's okay, I know. Maybe if you wanted I could try making you your own bow someday. I don't know if you'd ever use it, but I imagine it would make for something nice to hang on the wall."
>>176139
“Giants. They look sort of like ponies kind of but big. And strong. And white. They’ll eat you…” she looks up and around, and lowers herself closer to the ground, almost crawling.
“Giants. They look sort of like ponies kind of but big. And strong. And white. They’ll eat you…” she looks up and around, and lowers herself closer to the ground, almost crawling.
>>176141
“Oh no, I don’t think I could be making bows. Or should be. I’m sure it’s a whole art form to make bows in itself. And I don’t really have much of a use for them. I don’t have to hunt. There are occasional predators, to be sure that harm and harass the animals. But the biggest monsters won’t go this close to the city, or at least I haven’t seen them. And if I did, I wouldn’t try to fight them myself.
“Oh no, I don’t think I could be making bows. Or should be. I’m sure it’s a whole art form to make bows in itself. And I don’t really have much of a use for them. I don’t have to hunt. There are occasional predators, to be sure that harm and harass the animals. But the biggest monsters won’t go this close to the city, or at least I haven’t seen them. And if I did, I wouldn’t try to fight them myself.
>>176143
"It does take a lot of time to learn, but that's why I suggested that I make you one as a gift, someday." At hearing about predators and monsters, however, Kira's ears perk up. "What kinds of predators and monsters?"
"It does take a lot of time to learn, but that's why I suggested that I make you one as a gift, someday." At hearing about predators and monsters, however, Kira's ears perk up. "What kinds of predators and monsters?"
File (): CF717DE15BC02E3E0DED26AD6697786A-473696.gif (462.6 KB, 300x252, IMG_7812.gif)
>>176144
Bright Dye is, and has been staring at Kira’s body since he put down the bow. Or more accurately, at her snake body. Before, when Kira was sitting down he was too, with a coffee table between them. This is possibly the first time he’s had a chance to really take a look at her under good light, as every time before she’s been facing him, or in dim light, or partly obscured. Now he stares at her long tail, partly coiled and for a 4 foot long section, visibly very distended. When Kira says her last words, he breaks out of the trance and looks back up to her eyes.
“Oh. Uh. Oh.” He smiles widely with that toothy smile. “Oh you don’t need to do that for me, heh… yeah, we have coyotes. Sometimes dire wolves will come this far north. And alligators, though if you stay away from the waterways those are not an issue. Same with the river serpents. They won’t attack ponies, at least supposedly they won’t attack ponies, but if a sheep swims in the river it might go under. No, really coyotes are the r worst if they break in. Also there are panthers, though you don’t see that many around here. But even worse are massive rocs, chimera, and hydras, though they are almost never that close to the city.”
Bright Dye is, and has been staring at Kira’s body since he put down the bow. Or more accurately, at her snake body. Before, when Kira was sitting down he was too, with a coffee table between them. This is possibly the first time he’s had a chance to really take a look at her under good light, as every time before she’s been facing him, or in dim light, or partly obscured. Now he stares at her long tail, partly coiled and for a 4 foot long section, visibly very distended. When Kira says her last words, he breaks out of the trance and looks back up to her eyes.
“Oh. Uh. Oh.” He smiles widely with that toothy smile. “Oh you don’t need to do that for me, heh… yeah, we have coyotes. Sometimes dire wolves will come this far north. And alligators, though if you stay away from the waterways those are not an issue. Same with the river serpents. They won’t attack ponies, at least supposedly they won’t attack ponies, but if a sheep swims in the river it might go under. No, really coyotes are the r worst if they break in. Also there are panthers, though you don’t see that many around here. But even worse are massive rocs, chimera, and hydras, though they are almost never that close to the city.”
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File (): FC33111770CCCAB404FAD7849BD10C84-320732.jpg (313.2 KB, 809x1000, Gnoll_witherling-5e.jpg)
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I'm going to go ahead and dump my shitty speech that was meant to accompany my diplomacy roll, because I'm bored and want to spur some dialogue.
Surely, the vaguely Muslim-coded starving hyena will not be offended by this baseless (based on d&d lore) mockery of his people's religion and history:
"Do you know the story ponies tell how Gnolls came to be? I'm sure you Kaftars have your own story, but ponies have our own, although I can't vouch for how truthful this one is... Long, long ago, before the three tribes were united, mighty and fearsome... Angel.. descended upon this plane from the void beyond the circle of creation, it's eyes filled fire as it passed judgement on this world for its sins. The Angel and wrought havoc on this world and its ponies for their decadent lives. The Angel, so mighty, carved a path of total destruction, and a lot of ponies and other creatures died, but in its wake, hyenas fed on the remains of the countless dead. As the Angel finished its tour of the world, finally content with punishing the ponies for their hubris, it only then looked behind itself and noticed the hyenas it had fed kneeling in its glory, the first Gnolls, who no longer scavenging animals, but brilliant and cunning creatures reborn by the grace of their lord. The Gnolls were fanatics, howling prayers for the glory of their lord, even though the Angel had offered them nothing in return. They were fearsome warriors, arming themselves with flails and battle-axes as they went on to conquer all surrounding territories and slaughter all in their path, devouring their victims, and killing off fauna faster than they could eat them. To the ponies, it was just wasteful violence, but to the Gnolls, it was the gospel of their lord, for they rid the world of weakness and punished the creatures of this world for their peaceful and decadent lives, and from the mountains of corpses a new world could be born. So devoted were the Gnolls, that the Angel gave them many blessings. Gnolls priests acquired magic and cast fourth spells in its name. Monsters from beyond the void would descend on their enemies, and even deceased Gnolls would rise from the grave to fight again. The priesthood of the Gnolls was so mighty that with their potent magic they could make the skeletons of their victims rise after stripping away their flesh, and ponies fled in terror as their reanimated siblings and parents faced them in Gnoll raids..."
"Agire, the Society sought your friendship, not just for your skills as a Necromancer, but for the strength of your people, for our kind recognize the role of the Gnolls as warriors of Armageddon, creatures of faith. These are dark times, the world locked in precarious stalemates and ceasefires that will last only as long as is convenient for the powers that be; the world of violence that we dream of might not be so far away... Agire, I heard it from your brother Sevberk that in your grave you were waiting for the rebirth of the world; and so I awoke you to tell you that that time draws near. I came to this neighborhood because I believe in you, and I believe in your people and the role you'll play in the reshaping of this world; and so I pled to your lord to bring you back to lead your temple..."
"So, tell me, Agire, will you join with the Society Of Bones again? You died once for your choices, but in the Society we believe that the bonds of friendship need not end in death. You may fight with us once more, or you may shun us and be left in peace. I'll even put you back in that coffin of yours if you wish. The choice is yours."
Surely, the vaguely Muslim-coded starving hyena will not be offended by this baseless (based on d&d lore) mockery of his people's religion and history:
"Do you know the story ponies tell how Gnolls came to be? I'm sure you Kaftars have your own story, but ponies have our own, although I can't vouch for how truthful this one is... Long, long ago, before the three tribes were united, mighty and fearsome... Angel.. descended upon this plane from the void beyond the circle of creation, it's eyes filled fire as it passed judgement on this world for its sins. The Angel and wrought havoc on this world and its ponies for their decadent lives. The Angel, so mighty, carved a path of total destruction, and a lot of ponies and other creatures died, but in its wake, hyenas fed on the remains of the countless dead. As the Angel finished its tour of the world, finally content with punishing the ponies for their hubris, it only then looked behind itself and noticed the hyenas it had fed kneeling in its glory, the first Gnolls, who no longer scavenging animals, but brilliant and cunning creatures reborn by the grace of their lord. The Gnolls were fanatics, howling prayers for the glory of their lord, even though the Angel had offered them nothing in return. They were fearsome warriors, arming themselves with flails and battle-axes as they went on to conquer all surrounding territories and slaughter all in their path, devouring their victims, and killing off fauna faster than they could eat them. To the ponies, it was just wasteful violence, but to the Gnolls, it was the gospel of their lord, for they rid the world of weakness and punished the creatures of this world for their peaceful and decadent lives, and from the mountains of corpses a new world could be born. So devoted were the Gnolls, that the Angel gave them many blessings. Gnolls priests acquired magic and cast fourth spells in its name. Monsters from beyond the void would descend on their enemies, and even deceased Gnolls would rise from the grave to fight again. The priesthood of the Gnolls was so mighty that with their potent magic they could make the skeletons of their victims rise after stripping away their flesh, and ponies fled in terror as their reanimated siblings and parents faced them in Gnoll raids..."
"Agire, the Society sought your friendship, not just for your skills as a Necromancer, but for the strength of your people, for our kind recognize the role of the Gnolls as warriors of Armageddon, creatures of faith. These are dark times, the world locked in precarious stalemates and ceasefires that will last only as long as is convenient for the powers that be; the world of violence that we dream of might not be so far away... Agire, I heard it from your brother Sevberk that in your grave you were waiting for the rebirth of the world; and so I awoke you to tell you that that time draws near. I came to this neighborhood because I believe in you, and I believe in your people and the role you'll play in the reshaping of this world; and so I pled to your lord to bring you back to lead your temple..."
"So, tell me, Agire, will you join with the Society Of Bones again? You died once for your choices, but in the Society we believe that the bonds of friendship need not end in death. You may fight with us once more, or you may shun us and be left in peace. I'll even put you back in that coffin of yours if you wish. The choice is yours."
>>176146
It's likely that, as a farmer/rancher, Bright Dye has seen a fair number of snakes while dealing with his livestock, and it's likely he's seen corn snakes with scale patterns similar to Kira's, but even still her scales simply look exotic, with how smooth and metallic her golden yellow scales they look reflecting the light, contrasted with the black and red diamond patterns going all the way down the back of her tail. Her whiter underbelly looks smooth as well, but it's actually quite rough to provide traction while slithering on various surfaces.
Kira looks quite interested hearing about the various creatures that have harassed his herds and flocks, some of which like alligators and serpents she's familiar with and others like coyotes she's not. She looks particular interested when she hears panthers. But, when he mentions one monster in particular, Bright Dye sees the lamia freeze up, her face looking pale and mortified. She's scared, for the first time that either him or Neela has seen.
"R...rocs? There are rocs here?"
It's likely that, as a farmer/rancher, Bright Dye has seen a fair number of snakes while dealing with his livestock, and it's likely he's seen corn snakes with scale patterns similar to Kira's, but even still her scales simply look exotic, with how smooth and metallic her golden yellow scales they look reflecting the light, contrasted with the black and red diamond patterns going all the way down the back of her tail. Her whiter underbelly looks smooth as well, but it's actually quite rough to provide traction while slithering on various surfaces.
Kira looks quite interested hearing about the various creatures that have harassed his herds and flocks, some of which like alligators and serpents she's familiar with and others like coyotes she's not. She looks particular interested when she hears panthers. But, when he mentions one monster in particular, Bright Dye sees the lamia freeze up, her face looking pale and mortified. She's scared, for the first time that either him or Neela has seen.
"R...rocs? There are rocs here?"
>>176142
Jakala's description stirs no memories in Amber's mind, and she is just as perplexed about what she's talking about. Does she mean bears? Amber had never seen a bear in person before and wasn't sure where her conceptions of them came from. Why would they clear an entire section of forest which is what they live in?
"Then let us stay quiet," she advises. "I want to know a little more about this place, and then head back." Despite trying to sound calm, she is uneasy about the Stallos. They had been here not long ago, and if they were willing to work in this darkness then the dim light would not do much to protect the fillies.
Jakala's description stirs no memories in Amber's mind, and she is just as perplexed about what she's talking about. Does she mean bears? Amber had never seen a bear in person before and wasn't sure where her conceptions of them came from. Why would they clear an entire section of forest which is what they live in?
"Then let us stay quiet," she advises. "I want to know a little more about this place, and then head back." Despite trying to sound calm, she is uneasy about the Stallos. They had been here not long ago, and if they were willing to work in this darkness then the dim light would not do much to protect the fillies.
>>176148
Soon
>>176149
He answers
"Oh yeah. Well, not here. They don't come close to the city. But I mean in the region more generally, yes. Really the mountains, more so. They will carry off sheep and will even attack dragons. They can be a nuisance in many places, yes."
>>176150
Jakala whispers "Okay..." and looks up above the nearby low hills for any shapes. The sky is brighter, and it is clearly twilight now, rather than true night. Many of the stars are no longer visible, and the bands of green light have faded against the blue and purple background of the sky.
Soon
>>176149
He answers
"Oh yeah. Well, not here. They don't come close to the city. But I mean in the region more generally, yes. Really the mountains, more so. They will carry off sheep and will even attack dragons. They can be a nuisance in many places, yes."
>>176150
Jakala whispers "Okay..." and looks up above the nearby low hills for any shapes. The sky is brighter, and it is clearly twilight now, rather than true night. Many of the stars are no longer visible, and the bands of green light have faded against the blue and purple background of the sky.
>>176151
Amber should be getting close to the stand of trees, but she doesn't rush, both for the sake of stealth and not to tire poor Jakala out. Can she make out anything among them?
Amber should be getting close to the stand of trees, but she doesn't rush, both for the sake of stealth and not to tire poor Jakala out. Can she make out anything among them?
>>176152
Amber can indeed see that there is damage to the limbs, with many needles missing, branches missing, and in general with much of the tree besides the bare trunk sheered off. The strand is not thick.
Amber can indeed see that there is damage to the limbs, with many needles missing, branches missing, and in general with much of the tree besides the bare trunk sheered off. The strand is not thick.
>>176153
Amber gets closer to examine more closely what sheered the trees. Are there any clawmarks on the trees? Are there any creatures hiding in the stand? Perhaps an object of any variety?
Amber gets closer to examine more closely what sheered the trees. Are there any clawmarks on the trees? Are there any creatures hiding in the stand? Perhaps an object of any variety?
>>176154
There are some cuts, though likely not claws. Hard to say. No clear signs of wildlife. Some evidence of burning. Branches are broken or sheered off.
There are some cuts, though likely not claws. Hard to say. No clear signs of wildlife. Some evidence of burning. Branches are broken or sheered off.
>>176155
Doesn't seem like bears. Amber wonders what could simultaneously burn and physically take down a tree. As tempting as it is to gather the ready-made firewood here, she decides against staying in the open any longer.
"Let's go back now," Amber says, retracing the path they took from the edge. She eyes the pile of hewn lumber in the distance.
Doesn't seem like bears. Amber wonders what could simultaneously burn and physically take down a tree. As tempting as it is to gather the ready-made firewood here, she decides against staying in the open any longer.
"Let's go back now," Amber says, retracing the path they took from the edge. She eyes the pile of hewn lumber in the distance.
>>176156
Bright Dye looks over at this odd display.
"What is it?"
>>176157
"Okay." Jakala says with greater enthusiasm. She turns around in place, at one time directly turning back and getting caught by the sled, then moving away from the sled, and slowly inching it around until she's going down the hill into the little valley where the pile of chopped wood is, about halfway between the two strands of standing trees.
Bright Dye looks over at this odd display.
"What is it?"
>>176157
"Okay." Jakala says with greater enthusiasm. She turns around in place, at one time directly turning back and getting caught by the sled, then moving away from the sled, and slowly inching it around until she's going down the hill into the little valley where the pile of chopped wood is, about halfway between the two strands of standing trees.
>>176158
Amber follows close to Jakala as they approach the pile of chopped wood. Although not a woodworker she looks to see how cleanly they have been cut compared to the felled lumber everywhere else.
What sort of creatures would leave this here? she wonders.
Amber follows close to Jakala as they approach the pile of chopped wood. Although not a woodworker she looks to see how cleanly they have been cut compared to the felled lumber everywhere else.
What sort of creatures would leave this here? she wonders.
>>176159
The wood is chopped, cut, and split along natural lines. The cuts that exist are clean and straight. The pieces are all of a similar size, or rather, two sizes, one being small and for branches, the other made from tree trunks.
The wood is chopped, cut, and split along natural lines. The cuts that exist are clean and straight. The pieces are all of a similar size, or rather, two sizes, one being small and for branches, the other made from tree trunks.
>>176160
That is certainly not firewood, but intended to be used for building! Amber leads Jakala to cover in the forest at the edge of the clearing.
"We need to collect firewood and go back to tell the others," she directs.
That is certainly not firewood, but intended to be used for building! Amber leads Jakala to cover in the forest at the edge of the clearing.
"We need to collect firewood and go back to tell the others," she directs.
>>176161
“Okay.” Jakala says simply, turning her thickly-covered head towards Amber. She goes with Amber as directed.
“Okay.” Jakala says simply, turning her thickly-covered head towards Amber. She goes with Amber as directed.
>>176162
Amber starts picking up whatever dry branches have fallen onto the ground and loading them onto Jakala's sled. It's harder work than she expected, but she keeps underestimating how small she is.
Amber starts picking up whatever dry branches have fallen onto the ground and loading them onto Jakala's sled. It's harder work than she expected, but she keeps underestimating how small she is.
>>176158
"Well...normal giant eagles I can handle...but rocs...they're massive" She shrinks down a bit further. "I heard a story that they're why there's no lamias in Western Zebrica. They ate them all, carried them all off one by one to their nests."
"Well...normal giant eagles I can handle...but rocs...they're massive" She shrinks down a bit further. "I heard a story that they're why there's no lamias in Western Zebrica. They ate them all, carried them all off one by one to their nests."
>>176166
"...meep..."
A small part of Kira is reconsidering if it's actually safe to bright lamias over to Equestria.
"...meep..."
A small part of Kira is reconsidering if it's actually safe to bright lamias over to Equestria.
>>176167
Neela starts laughing in an oddly malign manner:
“Aha! Aha, ahahahaha!”
Bright Dye says
“Oh, don’t be too worried. They stay in the mountains and the dragons and the Cavalum keep them in check. I’ve only seen one around here once, maybe. Don’t worry about them. They aren’t known to carry away ponies around here.”
Neela, sarcastically:
“Why the fear, Kirafiki? How do you know they aren’t friendly here in Equestria? Who knows, maybe the fascists will let Rocs own lamias in the future.”
Neela starts laughing in an oddly malign manner:
“Aha! Aha, ahahahaha!”
Bright Dye says
“Oh, don’t be too worried. They stay in the mountains and the dragons and the Cavalum keep them in check. I’ve only seen one around here once, maybe. Don’t worry about them. They aren’t known to carry away ponies around here.”
Neela, sarcastically:
“Why the fear, Kirafiki? How do you know they aren’t friendly here in Equestria? Who knows, maybe the fascists will let Rocs own lamias in the future.”
>>176163
Jakala picks up twigs and branches with her mouth. Sone are tiny and Amber has to wonder why picking up a twig and carrying it back to the shed was worth the effort. At least one is a large branch that gets caught between two downed tree trunks.
Jakala picks up twigs and branches with her mouth. Sone are tiny and Amber has to wonder why picking up a twig and carrying it back to the shed was worth the effort. At least one is a large branch that gets caught between two downed tree trunks.
>>176168
"But you're ponies, I'm a lamia. They literally eat us for breakfast!"
Kira scrunches at Neela hard. She had better be careful, while Kira has been nothing but nice to her so far, she doesn't know when she'll cross the line where Kira decides she has a bit more room left for dessert.
"But you're ponies, I'm a lamia. They literally eat us for breakfast!"
Kira scrunches at Neela hard. She had better be careful, while Kira has been nothing but nice to her so far, she doesn't know when she'll cross the line where Kira decides she has a bit more room left for dessert.
rot intensifies
"I want chocolate sprinkles on my pancakes, momma."
"You can have all sprinkles you want, my little sweet pea."
"I want chocolate sprinkles on my pancakes, momma."
"You can have all sprinkles you want, my little sweet pea."
>>176171
Soon. I just need to figure out some dialogue. Tomorrow most likely
>>176170
“Oh, they’ll eat dragons. And ponies and sheep and cows. But the most aggressive of them have been pruned over the years, especially by the dragons and Cavalum. I wouldn’t worry too much. They won’t want to get too close to the city. It’s dangerous for them.”
Neela just stares at Kira with an expression that’s hard to interpret.
Soon. I just need to figure out some dialogue. Tomorrow most likely
>>176170
“Oh, they’ll eat dragons. And ponies and sheep and cows. But the most aggressive of them have been pruned over the years, especially by the dragons and Cavalum. I wouldn’t worry too much. They won’t want to get too close to the city. It’s dangerous for them.”
Neela just stares at Kira with an expression that’s hard to interpret.
>>176172
"I hope so...I don't think I could be able to bring one down if it tried to snatch me..."
Sense Motive: Kira may not have much experience reading deer expressions, but interpret it she shall.
"I hope so...I don't think I could be able to bring one down if it tried to snatch me..."
Sense Motive: Kira may not have much experience reading deer expressions, but interpret it she shall.
File (): 1D65EFEB8939A81D942670BD951E9C1A-216470.jpg (211.4 KB, 1024x681, IMG_1566.jpeg)
>>176175
Oh noes. Angery deer.
"I think hiding might be my only option. Good thing it's something I'm good at."
Oh noes. Angery deer.
"I think hiding might be my only option. Good thing it's something I'm good at."
>>176169
Kindling is needed too, and Jakala has got the spirit. Amber tries pulling larger downed branches onto the sled, to provide a good balance of firewood that the adults might appreciate. The constant work also serves to warm the ponies in this frigid weather.
Kindling is needed too, and Jakala has got the spirit. Amber tries pulling larger downed branches onto the sled, to provide a good balance of firewood that the adults might appreciate. The constant work also serves to warm the ponies in this frigid weather.
>>176176
“Heh heh, how could you hide? You’re so big. And… bright.”
>>176177
Jakala’s little hooves tap along the ground. Amber soon enough has to travel further and further from the sled in order to pick up branches. It seems that branches, too, have been cleared away in some areas, leaving only trunks. But Amber finds branches, and after a passage of time, has enough.
“Heh heh, how could you hide? You’re so big. And… bright.”
>>176177
Jakala’s little hooves tap along the ground. Amber soon enough has to travel further and further from the sled in order to pick up branches. It seems that branches, too, have been cleared away in some areas, leaving only trunks. But Amber finds branches, and after a passage of time, has enough.
>>176179
"Okay, let's hurry back now…so we can ride the sled again," Amber tells Jakala. She adds the second part as motivation, for as much as she wants to ride the sled again, she wants to also tell the grown-ups about the odd clearing.
"Okay, let's hurry back now…so we can ride the sled again," Amber tells Jakala. She adds the second part as motivation, for as much as she wants to ride the sled again, she wants to also tell the grown-ups about the odd clearing.
>>176179
Kira smiles proudly at the stallion. "It's sort of a special talent of mine: I'm as stealthy as a cat stalking its prey. I've already surprised at least a couple of ponies today with my ability to hide in plain sight. Like that one pony at the radio store or the mare at the restaurant, when I managed to not startle either of them while buying our stuff by hiding my tail."
Kira smiles proudly at the stallion. "It's sort of a special talent of mine: I'm as stealthy as a cat stalking its prey. I've already surprised at least a couple of ponies today with my ability to hide in plain sight. Like that one pony at the radio store or the mare at the restaurant, when I managed to not startle either of them while buying our stuff by hiding my tail."
Replies for Posey and Silver Soon
>>176181
"What..." He tilts his head. "How do you do that? You're massive and, well, yellow. You're very yellow."
>>176181
"What..." He tilts his head. "How do you do that? You're massive and, well, yellow. You're very yellow."
>>176182
Hide: Kira attempts to demonstrate her ability to their visitor by almost seemingly, magically, making her tail...disappear!
[1d20+13 = (12+13) = 25]
Hide: Kira attempts to demonstrate her ability to their visitor by almost seemingly, magically, making her tail...disappear!
[1d20+13 = (12+13) = 25]
File (): D96B216BA09F02285C878C43931A5AD7-36463.jpg (35.6 KB, 474x474, OIP (1).jpg)
>>175989
"What's a katane?" Milyaketan asks absent mindedly. But it's clear that his focus is not on Posey or anything she says, but rather with Agire. He moves towards him, slowly, cautiously, inspecting every feature of his damaged body. He moves like a family member, or a lover, carefully inspecting their long estranged loved one. Agire likewise has lost focus on the cow, and instead has his focus on Posey and her words, which have clearly rattled him. As Milyaketan comes nearer, Agire turns his attention to him.
"Agire? Agire? Do you hear me? Do you know me? I am your brother. Your bonded brother. Di Bin Malyaketan. I taught you about the Sultan and the Seven Angels; about the creation of the world from the Pearl, and how the Angels were entrusted as its custodians, and how we serve and give our faith to the Angels. How we bonded together. How you were to - how you are to - succeed me. Are you here, brother?" Di Bin Milyaketan walks closer and closer to the ghoul.
Agire stares at him, and then moves his jaw back and forth, and opens it wide before moving it back. And he speaks.
"Bin Milyaketan... Agire... Angels..." He does not blink. "Who are... these..."
Di Bin Milyaketan places a black paw on Agire's cheek, and comes closer to him. Being so close to a ghoul is self-evidently inadvisable, but Milkyaketan is beyond advice.
"Is it you?"
The ghoul, Agire, can only respond "No? I don't know?"
Milyaketan can only take his forelegs and wrap them over the cold, damaged body of the ghoul in a hug. In the light of the candles Posey can see the reflections of streams of tears.
"I did not think the Peacock would bring you back from the beyond... I don't think he has." His eyes go over towards Posey. "But I do appreciate that you have brought this much to me. He has forgotten much. It may not be... him... But I can try to teach him. You've given... at least this much for me to remember him by... after so much was taken, it is nice to... have something back..."
Milyaketan closes his eyes and holds hard onto the back of the ghoul, who in turn, reacts benignly. The ghoul speaks
"I can serve."
Milyaketan says
"Serve you shall."
>>176099
As if on cue, after Posey makes her statement, a noise can be heard in the church. It's a metallic "pinging" sound. Presumably, a wrench or some other metallic object fell some dozens of feet, and landed on a pipe, or more likely, metal scaffolding at an oil refinery not even 500 yards away from the decript church, and the secret enclave of the Kaftar. Baltimare still lives - in whatever this horrid golemn of a city could be said to be alive. Even late at night, even in your secret meetings, it's heart beat can be heard. Powered by materials wretched from the bowels of the earth, fed and grown on foreign labor imported from every far corner of the earth, it pumps its bile to other, similar machines across the planet to keep them moving in the same automaton manner. Just as it does not live with dignity, it shall not die with dignity either. And it is very far from dead and gone.
>>176148
Di Bin Milyaketan smiles and shakes his head at Posey's story.
"Of course the ponies think they were created first, and that we Kaftar took their place. No, we have been around at least as long as the pony. And why reanimate pony bones, or worse, pile corpses, when you could simply eat them? A well-fed kaftar warrior is better in battle than the corpse of even several ponies, and more in keeping with the teachings of the Angel. But I appreciate the compliments coming from a pony mouth. Even as your pony stories twist history to place ponies first, and thus closer to the divine intention, you still have to acknowledge our strength, our faith, and our spirit."
Agire tilts his head, and looks intrigued
"Society of... Bones?"
"What's a katane?" Milyaketan asks absent mindedly. But it's clear that his focus is not on Posey or anything she says, but rather with Agire. He moves towards him, slowly, cautiously, inspecting every feature of his damaged body. He moves like a family member, or a lover, carefully inspecting their long estranged loved one. Agire likewise has lost focus on the cow, and instead has his focus on Posey and her words, which have clearly rattled him. As Milyaketan comes nearer, Agire turns his attention to him.
"Agire? Agire? Do you hear me? Do you know me? I am your brother. Your bonded brother. Di Bin Malyaketan. I taught you about the Sultan and the Seven Angels; about the creation of the world from the Pearl, and how the Angels were entrusted as its custodians, and how we serve and give our faith to the Angels. How we bonded together. How you were to - how you are to - succeed me. Are you here, brother?" Di Bin Milyaketan walks closer and closer to the ghoul.
Agire stares at him, and then moves his jaw back and forth, and opens it wide before moving it back. And he speaks.
"Bin Milyaketan... Agire... Angels..." He does not blink. "Who are... these..."
Di Bin Milyaketan places a black paw on Agire's cheek, and comes closer to him. Being so close to a ghoul is self-evidently inadvisable, but Milkyaketan is beyond advice.
"Is it you?"
The ghoul, Agire, can only respond "No? I don't know?"
Milyaketan can only take his forelegs and wrap them over the cold, damaged body of the ghoul in a hug. In the light of the candles Posey can see the reflections of streams of tears.
"I did not think the Peacock would bring you back from the beyond... I don't think he has." His eyes go over towards Posey. "But I do appreciate that you have brought this much to me. He has forgotten much. It may not be... him... But I can try to teach him. You've given... at least this much for me to remember him by... after so much was taken, it is nice to... have something back..."
Milyaketan closes his eyes and holds hard onto the back of the ghoul, who in turn, reacts benignly. The ghoul speaks
"I can serve."
Milyaketan says
"Serve you shall."
>>176099
As if on cue, after Posey makes her statement, a noise can be heard in the church. It's a metallic "pinging" sound. Presumably, a wrench or some other metallic object fell some dozens of feet, and landed on a pipe, or more likely, metal scaffolding at an oil refinery not even 500 yards away from the decript church, and the secret enclave of the Kaftar. Baltimare still lives - in whatever this horrid golemn of a city could be said to be alive. Even late at night, even in your secret meetings, it's heart beat can be heard. Powered by materials wretched from the bowels of the earth, fed and grown on foreign labor imported from every far corner of the earth, it pumps its bile to other, similar machines across the planet to keep them moving in the same automaton manner. Just as it does not live with dignity, it shall not die with dignity either. And it is very far from dead and gone.
>>176148
Di Bin Milyaketan smiles and shakes his head at Posey's story.
"Of course the ponies think they were created first, and that we Kaftar took their place. No, we have been around at least as long as the pony. And why reanimate pony bones, or worse, pile corpses, when you could simply eat them? A well-fed kaftar warrior is better in battle than the corpse of even several ponies, and more in keeping with the teachings of the Angel. But I appreciate the compliments coming from a pony mouth. Even as your pony stories twist history to place ponies first, and thus closer to the divine intention, you still have to acknowledge our strength, our faith, and our spirit."
Agire tilts his head, and looks intrigued
"Society of... Bones?"
>>176183
Kira's colors, even her diamonds, have the benefit of appearing like the colors and designs of a couch, or of a carpet, and soon enough, Kira's body blends against the rug and the loveseat
gasp
"How did you do that?!"
Kira's colors, even her diamonds, have the benefit of appearing like the colors and designs of a couch, or of a carpet, and soon enough, Kira's body blends against the rug and the loveseat
gasp
"How did you do that?!"
File (): 361852F94BB0372D205DA6C60993A253-71236.jpg (69.6 KB, 1280x720, maxresdefault (3).jpg)
>>176180
Amber can hear the sounds of the wind sweep over the hill, and move past the edges of the hood of her coat. The wind is mercifully mild, as anything much greater would rend from Amber what little warmth she can maintain from her body. It makes oddly little sound passing through what remains of the few trees. Yet it is just as well that the wind keep up, given what Amber can hear when the wind dies down. From within her own hoody, Amber can hear a pair of sounds running in concert, or rather, a single sound that blends two influences that are not at all alike. One is a sound of a thousand cracks at very low volume, sounding closest to radio static, or perhaps raindrops on a roof. The other is a garbled sound like being underwater. Like tinitus, the sound is drowned out by any greater outside source of sound, but never seems to cease. The other sound comes from much further away, from beyond the rim of the small valley. Amber can hear the crackling of leaves, and the breaking of twigs. It sounds like something moving, or walking through the downed forest.
"Okay" Jakala says, trying to lurch forward, getting caught by the static intertia of the sled, then pushing against the snow to start moving the sled, and slowly pulling it up the hill and back towards home.
Amber can hear the sounds of the wind sweep over the hill, and move past the edges of the hood of her coat. The wind is mercifully mild, as anything much greater would rend from Amber what little warmth she can maintain from her body. It makes oddly little sound passing through what remains of the few trees. Yet it is just as well that the wind keep up, given what Amber can hear when the wind dies down. From within her own hoody, Amber can hear a pair of sounds running in concert, or rather, a single sound that blends two influences that are not at all alike. One is a sound of a thousand cracks at very low volume, sounding closest to radio static, or perhaps raindrops on a roof. The other is a garbled sound like being underwater. Like tinitus, the sound is drowned out by any greater outside source of sound, but never seems to cease. The other sound comes from much further away, from beyond the rim of the small valley. Amber can hear the crackling of leaves, and the breaking of twigs. It sounds like something moving, or walking through the downed forest.
"Okay" Jakala says, trying to lurch forward, getting caught by the static intertia of the sled, then pushing against the snow to start moving the sled, and slowly pulling it up the hill and back towards home.
>>175783
Pear's ears go down
"And if you find the right casket, open it, and it contains a live lich... then what?"
Pear's ears go down
"And if you find the right casket, open it, and it contains a live lich... then what?"
>>176184
>"What's a katane?" Milyaketan asks absent mindedly
"A dhampire. A pony bred from vampire stuff. I was a daughter of the Coven Of Blood, and I thought that I would be one of them one day, but... my mother had other plans..." her expression sours
>He has forgotten much. It may not be... him...
Posey's tone takes on a knowledgeable, encouraging tone
"Ghouls are one of the types of undead who retain their memories from life, albeit with their mannerisms recentered around their new unending hunger. They make up the majority of laborers in Magehold. It's likely that he still needs to recover though; makes sure he has a steady intake of flesh, especially brains. With time and luck, he may regain any of the skills he had in life."
>description of Baltimare
>And it is very far from dead and gone.
We'll see about that.
>Society of... Bones
"The Dread League, Necromancers from across the sea. My sources indicated that you were one of our friends. I was told you paid with your life for our friendship, so I figured I would... return the favor. I believed that if the Society made contact with you, your skills as a priest must be heroic, so I wished to see them for myself."
>"What's a katane?" Milyaketan asks absent mindedly
"A dhampire. A pony bred from vampire stuff. I was a daughter of the Coven Of Blood, and I thought that I would be one of them one day, but... my mother had other plans..." her expression sours
>He has forgotten much. It may not be... him...
Posey's tone takes on a knowledgeable, encouraging tone
"Ghouls are one of the types of undead who retain their memories from life, albeit with their mannerisms recentered around their new unending hunger. They make up the majority of laborers in Magehold. It's likely that he still needs to recover though; makes sure he has a steady intake of flesh, especially brains. With time and luck, he may regain any of the skills he had in life."
>description of Baltimare
>And it is very far from dead and gone.
We'll see about that.
>Society of... Bones
"The Dread League, Necromancers from across the sea. My sources indicated that you were one of our friends. I was told you paid with your life for our friendship, so I figured I would... return the favor. I believed that if the Society made contact with you, your skills as a priest must be heroic, so I wished to see them for myself."
>>176186
Amber shivers from the terrible cold, but what really chills her to the bone is the odd combination of sounds. Something is not right, indeed there is something very wrong about all of this. Are the two being stalked, or is the mysterious source of the sound approaching their home? Amber's ears are sensitive but she cannot quite tell now. While Jakala is moving she carefully, as silently as possible–despite the crunch crunch of snow under her hooves–moves towards where the cracks and garbled sound originate.
Amber shivers from the terrible cold, but what really chills her to the bone is the odd combination of sounds. Something is not right, indeed there is something very wrong about all of this. Are the two being stalked, or is the mysterious source of the sound approaching their home? Amber's ears are sensitive but she cannot quite tell now. While Jakala is moving she carefully, as silently as possible–despite the crunch crunch of snow under her hooves–moves towards where the cracks and garbled sound originate.
>>176188
Milyaketan continues to caress Agire's fur, specifically a line of fluff that rises off of Agire's backbone, like an extended mane down his back
"Societies of Bone, Covens of Blood... These are things to be consumed, not to be worshipped. Agire was a part of a society, but... I don't think it was that one... what is the benefit?"
Agire, however, is more attentive
"What... what can you do..? What do you wish?"
Milyaketan rubs Agire's fur more,
"I hope he regains his memories... that he is still him..."
>>176190
Does Amber wish to crest the ridge?
Milyaketan continues to caress Agire's fur, specifically a line of fluff that rises off of Agire's backbone, like an extended mane down his back
"Societies of Bone, Covens of Blood... These are things to be consumed, not to be worshipped. Agire was a part of a society, but... I don't think it was that one... what is the benefit?"
Agire, however, is more attentive
"What... what can you do..? What do you wish?"
Milyaketan rubs Agire's fur more,
"I hope he regains his memories... that he is still him..."
>>176190
Does Amber wish to crest the ridge?
>>176191
She pokes her little head above, yes, preferably while next to a tree to not be easily seen.
She pokes her little head above, yes, preferably while next to a tree to not be easily seen.
>>176185
Kira giggles. "It's a special talent of mine. I'm probably one of the sneakiest lamias in the tribe, and that's saying something. Hiding and sneaking is less about not being seen and is more about blending into the environment around you."
Kira giggles. "It's a special talent of mine. I'm probably one of the sneakiest lamias in the tribe, and that's saying something. Hiding and sneaking is less about not being seen and is more about blending into the environment around you."
>>176187
Silver taps his chin as he ponders. "Well, if he is hostile, then we just search around here top to bottom for his phylactery and smash it, but I am almost certain it is already found and destroyed. But hey, if it turns out he is around and he is not hostile, then you get chance to talk with pony who has been around for hundreds of years and has plenty of knowledge of esoteric and occult topics."
Silver taps his chin as he ponders. "Well, if he is hostile, then we just search around here top to bottom for his phylactery and smash it, but I am almost certain it is already found and destroyed. But hey, if it turns out he is around and he is not hostile, then you get chance to talk with pony who has been around for hundreds of years and has plenty of knowledge of esoteric and occult topics."
>>176192
Amber must necessarily be aware of three salient facts
One, Amber is small and weak. If anything were to attack her, she could not defend herself.
Second, her legs are small. If something chases her, it will likely catch her
Third, Amber is far from home. If she is in danger, help is not coming.
Are you certain whatever you're doing is worth it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnDH30m2YrM
But for only a peak, Amber can gain this much:
Against the slightly illuminated forms of an endless sea of downed trees, Amber can see a form that is closest in shape to a black wolf or other quadruped. This is only a guess, as all Amber can see is a dark silhoutte. It's significantly darker than the tree trunks, the snow, or indeed, anything else on the forest floor. unlike a fox it has no interest in sniffing or looking underneath the tree trunks, but simply moves along as if they weren't even there. But it's much, much bigger than a fox. Bigger than a pony.
Amber must necessarily be aware of three salient facts
One, Amber is small and weak. If anything were to attack her, she could not defend herself.
Second, her legs are small. If something chases her, it will likely catch her
Third, Amber is far from home. If she is in danger, help is not coming.
Are you certain whatever you're doing is worth it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnDH30m2YrM
But for only a peak, Amber can gain this much:
Against the slightly illuminated forms of an endless sea of downed trees, Amber can see a form that is closest in shape to a black wolf or other quadruped. This is only a guess, as all Amber can see is a dark silhoutte. It's significantly darker than the tree trunks, the snow, or indeed, anything else on the forest floor. unlike a fox it has no interest in sniffing or looking underneath the tree trunks, but simply moves along as if they weren't even there. But it's much, much bigger than a fox. Bigger than a pony.
>>176196
Assuming Pear is still sitting down on the ground, Silver offers her a hoof to get up with.
"Either way, with your brains and my braun, there is nothing we cannot handle."
Assuming Pear is still sitting down on the ground, Silver offers her a hoof to get up with.
"Either way, with your brains and my braun, there is nothing we cannot handle."
>>176195
Amber has to fight the urge to freeze in place and stare, as her fear is that merely looking at the monster would alert it to her presence. She lowers herself back down the hill and creeps back to Jakala. Despite herself, her eyes are as wide as saucer plates, and her ears are pointed back and twitching.
Amber has to fight the urge to freeze in place and stare, as her fear is that merely looking at the monster would alert it to her presence. She lowers herself back down the hill and creeps back to Jakala. Despite herself, her eyes are as wide as saucer plates, and her ears are pointed back and twitching.
>>176196
Kira smiles proudly at her abilities, before looking at the other two.
"What kind of talents do you guys have? You know, things you do better than most anyone else."
Kira smiles proudly at her abilities, before looking at the other two.
"What kind of talents do you guys have? You know, things you do better than most anyone else."
>>176191
>Agire was a part of a society, but... I don't think it was that one...
Oh
Well then...
>what is the benefit
"Well, I was born into it, so I can't really speak for outsiders." Posey says with a shrug.
>what can you do..?
"I can do many things!" Posey says, buffing out her chest
"... Except animate the dead through my own power..." she admits, her ears dropping
>What do you wish?
"From you? Just to be friends... That is, to continue, or renew cooperation between my masters in the League and this temple, and perhaps request spellcasting services every few weeks or so. Magic of the priestly variety is rare among ponies, especially outside of Equestria. I heard stories that priests are among the mightiest Necromancers, and so I hoped to learn a thing out two from our relationship."
>"I hope he regains his memories... that he is still him..."
"He should, or, I believe he should. The ghouls who serve in the Dread League are for the most part created through direct magic by powerful necromancers, the typical way: they retain their memories, but we have had trouble retaining all of their previous skills and powers. I have heard stories that ghouls created through divine intervention, those "Touched By The King" as we call them, have powers that equalled or exceeded those that they had in life. I'm quite curious if he will confirm those stories, and I have great hopes for his recovery, and I would like to observe his progress over the next few weeks, if possible. It would certainly be a good note on my report to my masters." Posey says, eyeing Agire with a gaze that betrays her fascination
"Anyway, the fact that he's able to speak shows that he hasn't risen with any degenerative abnormalities. He should remember most of what he knew in life in a few nights."
She addresses Agire.
"I wish you well on your recovery."
A thought pops into her head
"Actually, you could use a demonstration."
she orders the ghast forward
"This stallion may not look it, but he is in fact a ghast. The fact that he's risen as a ghast instead of if a typical ghoul proves that he was a pony of formidable power in life, before he met his watery grave." Posey says, the ghast's appearance momentarily shimmering to reveal the rotting monster underneath
She addresses the ghast
"Darling, how about you tell us your name, and a brief description of who you were in life? Show us how well your mind works, to be a good role model. Do well and I'll buy you a big chunk of something bloody from one of those kebab stands. Do exceptionally well and I might even be persuaded to promote you to a free roaming officer one day... After all, ghouls do apply for Dread League citizenship, albeit for the lower classes."
>Agire was a part of a society, but... I don't think it was that one...
Oh
Well then...
>what is the benefit
"Well, I was born into it, so I can't really speak for outsiders." Posey says with a shrug.
>what can you do..?
"I can do many things!" Posey says, buffing out her chest
"... Except animate the dead through my own power..." she admits, her ears dropping
>What do you wish?
"From you? Just to be friends... That is, to continue, or renew cooperation between my masters in the League and this temple, and perhaps request spellcasting services every few weeks or so. Magic of the priestly variety is rare among ponies, especially outside of Equestria. I heard stories that priests are among the mightiest Necromancers, and so I hoped to learn a thing out two from our relationship."
>"I hope he regains his memories... that he is still him..."
"He should, or, I believe he should. The ghouls who serve in the Dread League are for the most part created through direct magic by powerful necromancers, the typical way: they retain their memories, but we have had trouble retaining all of their previous skills and powers. I have heard stories that ghouls created through divine intervention, those "Touched By The King" as we call them, have powers that equalled or exceeded those that they had in life. I'm quite curious if he will confirm those stories, and I have great hopes for his recovery, and I would like to observe his progress over the next few weeks, if possible. It would certainly be a good note on my report to my masters." Posey says, eyeing Agire with a gaze that betrays her fascination
"Anyway, the fact that he's able to speak shows that he hasn't risen with any degenerative abnormalities. He should remember most of what he knew in life in a few nights."
She addresses Agire.
"I wish you well on your recovery."
A thought pops into her head
"Actually, you could use a demonstration."
she orders the ghast forward
"This stallion may not look it, but he is in fact a ghast. The fact that he's risen as a ghast instead of if a typical ghoul proves that he was a pony of formidable power in life, before he met his watery grave." Posey says, the ghast's appearance momentarily shimmering to reveal the rotting monster underneath
She addresses the ghast
"Darling, how about you tell us your name, and a brief description of who you were in life? Show us how well your mind works, to be a good role model. Do well and I'll buy you a big chunk of something bloody from one of those kebab stands. Do exceptionally well and I might even be persuaded to promote you to a free roaming officer one day... After all, ghouls do apply for Dread League citizenship, albeit for the lower classes."
>>176197
Pear's ears move back up, then down as she looks at Silver's hoof. She makes a small smile, moves her ears back up, and grabs Silver's hoof with her own and lets him pull her up. She looks into his eyes as he does so.
"Let's go solve an antique mystery" she says
>>176198
The creature lets Amber go, or seems to. She can hear the sounds of breathing twigs behind her, but she does not see it crest the ridge. Jakal looks back towards Amber and waits.
>>176199
Bright Dye answers
"I can handle animals. Or I do, anyways."
Neela smiles
"Was this yours?" She says, holding up the wooden leopard necklace of Kira
>>176200
Here we run into the same issue...
The manual says that a ghast created by a virus does not retain memories... as for anything else, it seems like a cheap way to obtain resurrection
Pear's ears move back up, then down as she looks at Silver's hoof. She makes a small smile, moves her ears back up, and grabs Silver's hoof with her own and lets him pull her up. She looks into his eyes as he does so.
"Let's go solve an antique mystery" she says
>>176198
The creature lets Amber go, or seems to. She can hear the sounds of breathing twigs behind her, but she does not see it crest the ridge. Jakal looks back towards Amber and waits.
>>176199
Bright Dye answers
"I can handle animals. Or I do, anyways."
Neela smiles
"Was this yours?" She says, holding up the wooden leopard necklace of Kira
>>176200
Here we run into the same issue...
The manual says that a ghast created by a virus does not retain memories... as for anything else, it seems like a cheap way to obtain resurrection
>>176201
"What the..." Kira checks her person for the necklace, finding that it is indeed missing. She looks at Neela in awe. "How did you do that? That's amazing!"
"What the..." Kira checks her person for the necklace, finding that it is indeed missing. She looks at Neela in awe. "How did you do that? That's amazing!"
>>176201
Hopefully either Pear has a light or they thought to install some when they came to catalogue the catacombs, as Silver realizes he forgot to bring one with him while he brings Pear into the previously ghoul-infested tunnels.
Hopefully either Pear has a light or they thought to install some when they came to catalogue the catacombs, as Silver realizes he forgot to bring one with him while he brings Pear into the previously ghoul-infested tunnels.
>>176202
Neela smiles
"Hehe, the true magician never reveals her secrets."
>>176203
Pear grabs a flashlight that is laying against the rock, next to the entrance. Pear turns it on and takes the lead, walking through the blasted rock into the hall, walking along the hallway of the lower floor, then up the old, stone stairs, then along the catacombs until they get to the big chamber, and then to the bedroom chamber. Silver may have to be careful not to walk into Pear as they have only the one flashlight. Pear feels no special compulsion to need to hold Silver's hoof, being more or less comfortable in the catacombs. More than once, the ponies come across a little area sectioned off, like a fallen skeleton that has been marked off for further investigation. Pear walks around these and continues.
They come to the bedroom and the coffin
Neela smiles
"Hehe, the true magician never reveals her secrets."
>>176203
Pear grabs a flashlight that is laying against the rock, next to the entrance. Pear turns it on and takes the lead, walking through the blasted rock into the hall, walking along the hallway of the lower floor, then up the old, stone stairs, then along the catacombs until they get to the big chamber, and then to the bedroom chamber. Silver may have to be careful not to walk into Pear as they have only the one flashlight. Pear feels no special compulsion to need to hold Silver's hoof, being more or less comfortable in the catacombs. More than once, the ponies come across a little area sectioned off, like a fallen skeleton that has been marked off for further investigation. Pear walks around these and continues.
They come to the bedroom and the coffin
>>176201
Amber whispers to Jakala. "Be as quiet as you can and follow me."
She leads her in the direction opposite the monster, trying to find a path that breaks a sight line from the ridge.
Amber whispers to Jakala. "Be as quiet as you can and follow me."
She leads her in the direction opposite the monster, trying to find a path that breaks a sight line from the ridge.
>>176204
Silver's not exactly thrilled to see these halls again, though getting the chance to have an adventure with Pear makes it worthwhile.
"Could you shine light on casket, please?"
With the flashlight pointed towards the coffin, Silver examines it in detail, recalling everything he remembered of the original to see if the two match, or if there are any discrepancies that point to this not being the same one.
Silver's not exactly thrilled to see these halls again, though getting the chance to have an adventure with Pear makes it worthwhile.
"Could you shine light on casket, please?"
With the flashlight pointed towards the coffin, Silver examines it in detail, recalling everything he remembered of the original to see if the two match, or if there are any discrepancies that point to this not being the same one.
>>176204
Kira takes her necklace, and puts it back on around her neck. "That was really impressive! Not that raising farm animals isn't amazing, either, but I really wasn't expecting you to be able to do that without me even knowing."
Kira takes her necklace, and puts it back on around her neck. "That was really impressive! Not that raising farm animals isn't amazing, either, but I really wasn't expecting you to be able to do that without me even knowing."
>>176201
>An afflicted humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid who becomes a ghoul in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life.
The manual says no abilities; it says nothing about memories.
I was basing my information on a handbook that an associate of mine made, which draws from various books (but excludes Dragon Magazine, annoyingly):
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1QIKsct279kZgBNdCwQmstog3fuQrjNdxpnYq3VuNN48/edit?usp=drivesdk
There are other passages in various books that support this, but I guess it's all open to interpretation.
I guess I should have asked first though. I was assuming that Posey knew about ghouls well enough because she knew so many of them in the Dread League, and was taking 10 for relevant knowledge. I certainly don't want to go forcing my interpretations on you though, since it's your setting. I would like it clarified though, since I this is relevant to my character.
I guess this is as good a time as any to roll to see what Posey actually knows about ghouls.
[1d20+13 = (10+13) = 23]
>An afflicted humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid who becomes a ghoul in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life.
The manual says no abilities; it says nothing about memories.
I was basing my information on a handbook that an associate of mine made, which draws from various books (but excludes Dragon Magazine, annoyingly):
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1QIKsct279kZgBNdCwQmstog3fuQrjNdxpnYq3VuNN48/edit?usp=drivesdk
There are other passages in various books that support this, but I guess it's all open to interpretation.
I guess I should have asked first though. I was assuming that Posey knew about ghouls well enough because she knew so many of them in the Dread League, and was taking 10 for relevant knowledge. I certainly don't want to go forcing my interpretations on you though, since it's your setting. I would like it clarified though, since I this is relevant to my character.
I guess this is as good a time as any to roll to see what Posey actually knows about ghouls.
[1d20+13 = (10+13) = 23]
>>176205
Amber may go back up the hill and cross the tree strand the way she came, or a bit to the left, going around the hill and through a tree-less area directly opposite the ridge with the monster. "Hill" is relative, as the actual variation in the topography is slight.
>>176207
Kira would have to slither over to take it, as Neela isn't super close to offer it.
Bright Dye is partly scrunchy.
Neela says "I guess this is yours" and holds up a wallet. Then Bright Dye is definitely scrunchy.
Amber may go back up the hill and cross the tree strand the way she came, or a bit to the left, going around the hill and through a tree-less area directly opposite the ridge with the monster. "Hill" is relative, as the actual variation in the topography is slight.
>>176207
Kira would have to slither over to take it, as Neela isn't super close to offer it.
Bright Dye is partly scrunchy.
Neela says "I guess this is yours" and holds up a wallet. Then Bright Dye is definitely scrunchy.
File (): B90B584B855AEF304381156C607789BB-1564147.png (1.5 MB, 1079x1924, Screenshot_20240917-221305.png)
>>176201
>it seems like a cheap way to obtain resurrection
BoVD sacrifice rules are ludicrously cheap if taken at face value, which I never expected.
Most Ghouls retain no abilities in life, and thus can't really be likened to resurrection, although it might be a good way to start taking levels in the Ghoul Class.
Gravetouched Ghouls do retain their abilities, but they can't be induced with spells, since they're only created with divine intervention (what I just tried to plead for).
That's just my opinion on the matter. I understand if you decide that sacrificing a POW on an altar is not enough to functionally bring back this NPC that was already dead at the time I started the game, that's fine with me. Agire's fate ultimately means little to Posey, but she would be very pleased if she were able to make a new discovery on creating new undead that she could write home about. I just found the idea of bringing back a priest as a ghastly undead version of his previous self through a black magic ritual as a means of "repaying debt" to be a fun character development with no actual reward other than maybe getting on the good side of the Kaftars.
>it seems like a cheap way to obtain resurrection
BoVD sacrifice rules are ludicrously cheap if taken at face value, which I never expected.
Most Ghouls retain no abilities in life, and thus can't really be likened to resurrection, although it might be a good way to start taking levels in the Ghoul Class.
Gravetouched Ghouls do retain their abilities, but they can't be induced with spells, since they're only created with divine intervention (what I just tried to plead for).
That's just my opinion on the matter. I understand if you decide that sacrificing a POW on an altar is not enough to functionally bring back this NPC that was already dead at the time I started the game, that's fine with me. Agire's fate ultimately means little to Posey, but she would be very pleased if she were able to make a new discovery on creating new undead that she could write home about. I just found the idea of bringing back a priest as a ghastly undead version of his previous self through a black magic ritual as a means of "repaying debt" to be a fun character development with no actual reward other than maybe getting on the good side of the Kaftars.
>>176209
Kira giggles, and slithers over to take both. She gives the wallet back to Bright Dye.
"Hey, no harm no foul. Plus it was a really neat trick!"
Kira giggles, and slithers over to take both. She gives the wallet back to Bright Dye.
"Hey, no harm no foul. Plus it was a really neat trick!"
>>176209
Amber decides for the latter opinion, as her instincts kick in and she looks for a more circuitous path to make being followed more difficult. Then she realizes that it's moot because of their hoofprints anyway. Thinking quick, she grabs a twiggy branch and sweeps the snow behind them as they proceed. Doing this slows down the two further.
Amber decides for the latter opinion, as her instincts kick in and she looks for a more circuitous path to make being followed more difficult. Then she realizes that it's moot because of their hoofprints anyway. Thinking quick, she grabs a twiggy branch and sweeps the snow behind them as they proceed. Doing this slows down the two further.
>>176211
Bright Dye takes the wallet back, still a little scrunchy
"Well, let's see how well you two keep a flock of sheep"
>>176212
sweep sweep
Slowly but steadily they leave the downed forests and are back on the tundra. Amber doesn't think she's being stalked, but does she really want to go back and find out?
Bright Dye takes the wallet back, still a little scrunchy
"Well, let's see how well you two keep a flock of sheep"
>>176212
sweep sweep
Slowly but steadily they leave the downed forests and are back on the tundra. Amber doesn't think she's being stalked, but does she really want to go back and find out?
>>176213
"Oh no, there is no way I could do that. I was telling the truth when I said you provide a truly invaluable service to us predators. It's very hard to do, and you do it very well!"
"Oh no, there is no way I could do that. I was telling the truth when I said you provide a truly invaluable service to us predators. It's very hard to do, and you do it very well!"
>>176213
Right now it's her priority to get back to the village. They got the firewood and Amber is exhausted from exertion and fear. How does Jakala look?
Right now it's her priority to get back to the village. They got the firewood and Amber is exhausted from exertion and fear. How does Jakala look?
>>176216
"Jakala! Stop and lie down," Amber hoarsely whispers. As if to set an example, she crouches down close to the flat, hard ground, and she strains her eyes to see what is moving.
"Jakala! Stop and lie down," Amber hoarsely whispers. As if to set an example, she crouches down close to the flat, hard ground, and she strains her eyes to see what is moving.
>>176217
Amber sees a pony walking. The pony twitches and sways back and forth slightly as it moves forward. It seems to be a beige mare, with the hood down and a single layer of a fur coat. She is speaking to herself.
Amber sees a pony walking. The pony twitches and sways back and forth slightly as it moves forward. It seems to be a beige mare, with the hood down and a single layer of a fur coat. She is speaking to herself.
>>176216
"Hmmm...well, sort of, though probably not to the same extent as others. Like it used to, way way way long ago, back when the role of predators was to keep prey populations in check as part of nature's fragile balance, but civilization has changed that. It's sort of...supplanted nature, I guess. I'm fine with that, even if I'm a predator and need to eat other creatures to live; it's just a fact of life that I am one. I'd much rather be friends with creatures if it could be helped! It did used to be an idea among some lamias, though, that because of the natural roles of predators and prey that it somehow justified that predators were placed higher up than prey on some kind of hierarchy, like we were destined by nature to rule. That was before my time, though. Recently our leaders were encouraging cooperation with the prey societies around us before this whole war thing, and the only lamias who still held that old 'predator supremacy' belief were either old snakes or just delusional."
"Hmmm...well, sort of, though probably not to the same extent as others. Like it used to, way way way long ago, back when the role of predators was to keep prey populations in check as part of nature's fragile balance, but civilization has changed that. It's sort of...supplanted nature, I guess. I'm fine with that, even if I'm a predator and need to eat other creatures to live; it's just a fact of life that I am one. I'd much rather be friends with creatures if it could be helped! It did used to be an idea among some lamias, though, that because of the natural roles of predators and prey that it somehow justified that predators were placed higher up than prey on some kind of hierarchy, like we were destined by nature to rule. That was before my time, though. Recently our leaders were encouraging cooperation with the prey societies around us before this whole war thing, and the only lamias who still held that old 'predator supremacy' belief were either old snakes or just delusional."
>>176221
Kira nods in the affirmative. "You know, societies of creatures that don't eat meat. Zebras, kirins...I haven't seen a pony eating meat yet so I'm assuming you could probably call ponies prey animals?"
Kira nods in the affirmative. "You know, societies of creatures that don't eat meat. Zebras, kirins...I haven't seen a pony eating meat yet so I'm assuming you could probably call ponies prey animals?"
>>176222
Bright Dye tilts his head
“So any herbivorous creature is ‘prey’? Is that the only reason you use that word?” The angle of his head almost exceeds 90 degrees. “Is there any other reason you use that word a not, I don’t know ‘herbivore’?”
Bright Dye tilts his head
“So any herbivorous creature is ‘prey’? Is that the only reason you use that word?” The angle of his head almost exceeds 90 degrees. “Is there any other reason you use that word a not, I don’t know ‘herbivore’?”
>>176223
Dang, that's one tilted head. Kira's not sure she could match that without bending over. "Uh...I suppose there isn't really any particular reason, other than that it's the term I'm used to hearing from other lamias. Would you prefer that I use herbivore?"
Dang, that's one tilted head. Kira's not sure she could match that without bending over. "Uh...I suppose there isn't really any particular reason, other than that it's the term I'm used to hearing from other lamias. Would you prefer that I use herbivore?"
>>176221
She does not trust this mare, especially considering the direction she originated from. In what direction is the mare headed? Amber nudges Jakala to get up and starts carefully walking toward the village, giving the mare a wide berth.
She does not trust this mare, especially considering the direction she originated from. In what direction is the mare headed? Amber nudges Jakala to get up and starts carefully walking toward the village, giving the mare a wide berth.
>>176226
The mare is travelling sort of perpendicular to the path of Amber and Jakala, slightly angled towards the direction of the settlement, though she would pass it
Amber can hear a phrase of the mare that actually sounds intelligible:
"Beaivi bring the sun. With the seraph at its head and light it."
As she comes near, Amber can see that the right side of her lip, the part that is closest to Amber, is exposed to the air and not covered by a mask. There is visible frost bite on her lip, as it has started to turn black. Her ears are likewise exposed, and the right ear is frost bit at the tip. It's hard to tell given the coat, but she looks somewhat thin. Her boots have ice high along the shaft. She is shaking.
>>176225
He stops tilting his head, and rotates his head back upright.
"No, I was just curious. For what it's worth, you seem really sweet and sincere to me. Not like some others that come to me. Not like some of the griffins who don't speak ponish well, and the gnolls, who generally kind of creep me out."
The mare is travelling sort of perpendicular to the path of Amber and Jakala, slightly angled towards the direction of the settlement, though she would pass it
Amber can hear a phrase of the mare that actually sounds intelligible:
"Beaivi bring the sun. With the seraph at its head and light it."
As she comes near, Amber can see that the right side of her lip, the part that is closest to Amber, is exposed to the air and not covered by a mask. There is visible frost bite on her lip, as it has started to turn black. Her ears are likewise exposed, and the right ear is frost bit at the tip. It's hard to tell given the coat, but she looks somewhat thin. Her boots have ice high along the shaft. She is shaking.
>>176225
He stops tilting his head, and rotates his head back upright.
"No, I was just curious. For what it's worth, you seem really sweet and sincere to me. Not like some others that come to me. Not like some of the griffins who don't speak ponish well, and the gnolls, who generally kind of creep me out."
>>176227
Kira smiles, closes her eyes, and claps her hooves together.
"Yay! Thank you so much, that really means a lot to hear! I sure hope I can get other ponies to see that, too. I know I look like a scary monster to some of them, but I hope they give me a chance to actually know me and see that I really mean no harm. You know, like all of those stories I've heard about Harmony and such!"
Kira smiles, closes her eyes, and claps her hooves together.
"Yay! Thank you so much, that really means a lot to hear! I sure hope I can get other ponies to see that, too. I know I look like a scary monster to some of them, but I hope they give me a chance to actually know me and see that I really mean no harm. You know, like all of those stories I've heard about Harmony and such!"
>>176228
He looks down at Kira's body
"Ponies can be a little... intimidated by your large size, and many of us... most of us are afraid of snakes." He looks up towards Kira and her eyes. "But you're very friendly, and you know the language and that goes far. Thank you for inviting me over."
He looks down at Kira's body
"Ponies can be a little... intimidated by your large size, and many of us... most of us are afraid of snakes." He looks up towards Kira and her eyes. "But you're very friendly, and you know the language and that goes far. Thank you for inviting me over."
>>176229
Kira smiles some more, and opens her forelegs to the stallion. "Thank you for coming! Would you like a hug?"
Kira smiles some more, and opens her forelegs to the stallion. "Thank you for coming! Would you like a hug?"
>>176232
Still with an awkward smile, he opens his forelegs and inches a few inches closer. Then a little closer. Poor stallion probably doesn't know he's been within hugging range this whole time.
Still with an awkward smile, he opens his forelegs and inches a few inches closer. Then a little closer. Poor stallion probably doesn't know he's been within hugging range this whole time.
>>176208
>>176210
Wider Ghoul world-building aside, can this roll give Posey a hint if a unique ghoul like Agire in particular might recover some of his previous potential? That's all that matters right now.
Regardless of the outcome, Milyaketan seems satisfied with the results, so it looks like this quest is successful.
>>176210
Wider Ghoul world-building aside, can this roll give Posey a hint if a unique ghoul like Agire in particular might recover some of his previous potential? That's all that matters right now.
Regardless of the outcome, Milyaketan seems satisfied with the results, so it looks like this quest is successful.
>>176237
Indeed he has been, but Kira is a polite snek and hasn't tried to hug him without his consent. Now that he has given it, she closes the gap, giving him a big pony-style hug with her forelegs. It's a very secure hug, but not uncomfortable, showing that in addition to being very sneaky she may also be adept at giving out hugs. As Bright Dye (presumably) hugs back, he makes an observation: her pony half doesn't feel all that much different from an actual pony, save for her feeling a bit firm due to all of the muscle.
Indeed he has been, but Kira is a polite snek and hasn't tried to hug him without his consent. Now that he has given it, she closes the gap, giving him a big pony-style hug with her forelegs. It's a very secure hug, but not uncomfortable, showing that in addition to being very sneaky she may also be adept at giving out hugs. As Bright Dye (presumably) hugs back, he makes an observation: her pony half doesn't feel all that much different from an actual pony, save for her feeling a bit firm due to all of the muscle.
>>176210
>>176208
It's not about whether or not the new undead creature has the same abilities as the deceased. It's about whether or not it's the same person as the deceased. Is there a continuity of consciousness such that the person is brought back from death and gains personal immortality. Memories are a similar issue, especially because it's practically impossible to know if there is or is not a continuity of consciousness, and memories are used as a proxy.
Nevermind the question of "why wouldn't the players just sacrifice a single vagabond ethnic minority to bring back a dead NPC or player character," why wouldn't every single faction in the setting simply sacrifice an unloved ethnic minority or foreigner to bring back their own dead by the hundred thousand. Killing leaders would be pointless because they would simply be brought back and live forever, spies, moles, informants, and witnesses couldn't be killed to be silenced, and death in general would cease to have meaning.
Of course I'd like to have the ghast say who he was, like the brains in cylinders in The Whisperer in Darkness, but it is indeed an issue.
>>176238
It was his mentor and the Angels who made Agire a powerful conduit. It will be they who may restore him.
>>176239
Neela:
"And for the record, it fell out on the couch"
squeaky
The pony is hugged. He's muscular under the fur, like Kira. He's shorter than some of the other ponies, particularly the mover ponies, but he's stocky and high in muscle. He's also just a little dirty.
>>176208
It's not about whether or not the new undead creature has the same abilities as the deceased. It's about whether or not it's the same person as the deceased. Is there a continuity of consciousness such that the person is brought back from death and gains personal immortality. Memories are a similar issue, especially because it's practically impossible to know if there is or is not a continuity of consciousness, and memories are used as a proxy.
Nevermind the question of "why wouldn't the players just sacrifice a single vagabond ethnic minority to bring back a dead NPC or player character," why wouldn't every single faction in the setting simply sacrifice an unloved ethnic minority or foreigner to bring back their own dead by the hundred thousand. Killing leaders would be pointless because they would simply be brought back and live forever, spies, moles, informants, and witnesses couldn't be killed to be silenced, and death in general would cease to have meaning.
Of course I'd like to have the ghast say who he was, like the brains in cylinders in The Whisperer in Darkness, but it is indeed an issue.
>>176238
It was his mentor and the Angels who made Agire a powerful conduit. It will be they who may restore him.
>>176239
Neela:
"And for the record, it fell out on the couch"
squeaky
The pony is hugged. He's muscular under the fur, like Kira. He's shorter than some of the other ponies, particularly the mover ponies, but he's stocky and high in muscle. He's also just a little dirty.
>>176227
Amber has seen that her fears from before have fueled her misgivings and feels immediately ashamed about it. After all, even her tribe of ponies are creatures of feeling and logical fear has little weight compared to their sympathy. The poor mare needs immediate help and Amber rushes to her side.
"Wait! I'm coming to help!" she shouts, hoping her voice carries across the frigid air.
Amber has seen that her fears from before have fueled her misgivings and feels immediately ashamed about it. After all, even her tribe of ponies are creatures of feeling and logical fear has little weight compared to their sympathy. The poor mare needs immediate help and Amber rushes to her side.
"Wait! I'm coming to help!" she shouts, hoping her voice carries across the frigid air.
>>176242
is squeezed
Kira lets out a small, quiet, contented sssss. Hugs are always nice, but ponies are especially great to hug for some reason Kira has yet to actually figure out.
is squeezed
Kira lets out a small, quiet, contented sssss. Hugs are always nice, but ponies are especially great to hug for some reason Kira has yet to actually figure out.
>>176243
The mare does not respond but moves forward.
>>176203
Silver goes into the small room behind the bedroom, and sees that ominous inscription in bright, white stones above the slab. The warning of a generation long ago.
THIS IS A WARNING TO ANY WHO MAY COME UPON IT, AS WHAT LIES BENEATH IS A DANGER EVEN TO GENERATIONS YET UNBORN
THIS IS NOT A PLACE OF HONOR
NOTHING IS COMMEMORATED HERE, NOR IS ANYTHING OF VALUE SEALED HERE
WHAT IS SEALED AWAY BENEATH THESE WORDS IS BOTH DANGEROUS AND DISTURBING TO US
SEALED AWAY BENEATH THESE WORDS IS A LICH, AN EVIL MAGE WHO HAS TRADED HIS SOUL FOR IMMORTAL LIFE
HE IS AS DANGEROUS IN YOUR TIME AS HE WAS IN OURS
HE MAY BE UNLEASHED ONLY BY THE PHYSICAL DESTRUCTION OF HIS SARCOPHAGUS
And below the inscription, on the slab, is a trunk made of ancient, rusting cast iron.
But Curwhinny's sarcophagus was made of stone.
>>176244
"heh heh"
The mare does not respond but moves forward.
>>176203
Silver goes into the small room behind the bedroom, and sees that ominous inscription in bright, white stones above the slab. The warning of a generation long ago.
THIS IS A WARNING TO ANY WHO MAY COME UPON IT, AS WHAT LIES BENEATH IS A DANGER EVEN TO GENERATIONS YET UNBORN
THIS IS NOT A PLACE OF HONOR
NOTHING IS COMMEMORATED HERE, NOR IS ANYTHING OF VALUE SEALED HERE
WHAT IS SEALED AWAY BENEATH THESE WORDS IS BOTH DANGEROUS AND DISTURBING TO US
SEALED AWAY BENEATH THESE WORDS IS A LICH, AN EVIL MAGE WHO HAS TRADED HIS SOUL FOR IMMORTAL LIFE
HE IS AS DANGEROUS IN YOUR TIME AS HE WAS IN OURS
HE MAY BE UNLEASHED ONLY BY THE PHYSICAL DESTRUCTION OF HIS SARCOPHAGUS
And below the inscription, on the slab, is a trunk made of ancient, rusting cast iron.
But Curwhinny's sarcophagus was made of stone.
>>176244
"heh heh"
>>176245
"I really am glad you decided to stay and chat, I'm glad to have you as a friend! Maybe sometime I could come over to visit, too?"
"I really am glad you decided to stay and chat, I'm glad to have you as a friend! Maybe sometime I could come over to visit, too?"
>>176245
Amber canters to get in front of the mare's path.
"Ma'am! We're going to get you some help!" she shouts again.
Amber canters to get in front of the mare's path.
"Ma'am! We're going to get you some help!" she shouts again.
>>176246
Pear shines the light primarily on the words above the casket.
"Feather Duster isn't exactly on an academic track... if you were the graduate student told to open that casket, would you?"
>>176246
"Heh, yeah, me too." He pulls away, and is smiling. "You probably can. Although my wife is a little afraid of snakes. Thank's for the tea and the chat. I really need to get back though." He moves away, and a little towards the couch."
"Ms. Pheeta?" He addresses Neela, who looks up at him with her ears standing up. He extends a hoof as if he's going to place it on her shoulder, but then he moves it suddenly up and
boop
Taps her on the snout
"I'll see you." He smiles to her, and walks towards the door
>>176248
She looks towards Amber finally, though her eyes dart about. One seems to have frost around it. She continues mumbling to herself.
Pear shines the light primarily on the words above the casket.
"Feather Duster isn't exactly on an academic track... if you were the graduate student told to open that casket, would you?"
>>176246
"Heh, yeah, me too." He pulls away, and is smiling. "You probably can. Although my wife is a little afraid of snakes. Thank's for the tea and the chat. I really need to get back though." He moves away, and a little towards the couch."
"Ms. Pheeta?" He addresses Neela, who looks up at him with her ears standing up. He extends a hoof as if he's going to place it on her shoulder, but then he moves it suddenly up and
boop
Taps her on the snout
"I'll see you." He smiles to her, and walks towards the door
>>176248
She looks towards Amber finally, though her eyes dart about. One seems to have frost around it. She continues mumbling to herself.
>>176249
Amber gets very close to the mare, close enough that Amber is scared by her and her condition. She reaches out to touch her on the chest.
"There's a village nearby. I'll get you help. Jakala!" She ends by shouting to the little filly, motioning her to come over.
Amber gets very close to the mare, close enough that Amber is scared by her and her condition. She reaches out to touch her on the chest.
"There's a village nearby. I'll get you help. Jakala!" She ends by shouting to the little filly, motioning her to come over.
>>176249
Silver looks at the words again.
"Well, I know that liches and evil mages are real. There is entire country of them. I also know that these ponies had to have died to something, and either they wrote that message down in their dying moments or what survivors there were from this event wrote it down. You would have to be very ignorant to want to open that casket seeing that message without knowing his phylactery was smashed. But real question is; would any of your compatriots be ignorant enough to ignore this warning and either open that casket, or steal it away somewhere?"
Silver looks at the words again.
"Well, I know that liches and evil mages are real. There is entire country of them. I also know that these ponies had to have died to something, and either they wrote that message down in their dying moments or what survivors there were from this event wrote it down. You would have to be very ignorant to want to open that casket seeing that message without knowing his phylactery was smashed. But real question is; would any of your compatriots be ignorant enough to ignore this warning and either open that casket, or steal it away somewhere?"
>>176249
Kira giggles at the cute little snout boop he gives Neela, and waves goodbye to her.
"Bye Bright Dye! I'll see you, too!"
Kira giggles at the cute little snout boop he gives Neela, and waves goodbye to her.
"Bye Bright Dye! I'll see you, too!"
File (): D9A7DD784856B0FE35F52FD92B2CB5F6-952825.png (930.5 KB, 1079x1098, 1000139750.png)
File (): D34790961744D93094CB704B21ECA281-76590.jpg (74.8 KB, 980x975, 3226081105_preview_GHOUL.jpg)
>>176240
>It's not about whether or not the new undead creature has the same abilities as the deceased. It's about whether or not it's the same person as the deceased.
It varies based on the species of undead, but many undead are considered to not be the same people, but monsters created from the remains of what were those people. Intelligent undead retaining the memories of who they were in life contributes to the the horror of their existence, but that doesn't mean they're the same. If not possessing full memories, intelligent undead should at least inherit parts of their previous memories, since that makes them more interesting.
Liches carry scrolls of their most precious memories inside their phylacteries, to avoid forgetting who they are over the centuries.
>gains personal immortality
If you consider being a hollow mockery of your former self consumed by unending hunger and hate to be immortality, then sure.
Liches for example are created in pursuit of immorality, but they lose themselves in the process: hobbies, appreciation for art, things that brought them pleasure, it all turns to dust overtime.
>Memories are a similar issue, especially because it's practically impossible to know if there is or is not a continuity of consciousness, and memories are used as a proxy.
Well, souls are a thing in d&d, so the concept of continuity is much clearer. An undead monster that inherits the memories of a person is not the same person if the soul is elsewhere.
>why wouldn't every single faction in the setting simply sacrifice an unloved ethnic minority or foreigner to bring back their own dead by the hundred thousand
Well, worshipping demons and making sacrifices to dark powers to bring back the dead as monsters has other consequences, and doing so archetypically leads societies to rot and ruin one way or another.
Although, that's kind of what the Dread League is trying to do, so maybe it could work. Who knows.
>Killing leaders would be pointless because they would simply be brought back
Resurrection spells already exist. If your leaders consider being undead to be worth it, they should invest in becoming lich kings.
>spies, moles, informants, and witnesses couldn't be killed to be silenced
We have Speak With Dead too, and could just read their entrails.
Magic complicates things.
>death in general would cease to have meaning
Well, that's part of Posey's cause, in her twisted, evil way.
>Of course I'd like to have the ghast say who he was, like the brains in cylinders in The Whisperer in Darkness, but it is indeed an issue.
That's are already unique among ghouls, having been created from people of heroic level. A ghast telling the story about the person it was before it's horrid transformation into the monster it is today shouldn't mess up the setting that badly.
Besides, I think ghouls as characters can add to this game. We can even have Fallout references. Ghouls are fun when they're more than flesh eating monsters, even if they're still flesh eating monsters. They have their own Cleric domains and magic items that only they can use. I like the idea of ghoul society.
>It was his mentor and the Angels who made Agire a powerful conduit. It will be they who may restore him.
Good enough for me.
>It's not about whether or not the new undead creature has the same abilities as the deceased. It's about whether or not it's the same person as the deceased.
It varies based on the species of undead, but many undead are considered to not be the same people, but monsters created from the remains of what were those people. Intelligent undead retaining the memories of who they were in life contributes to the the horror of their existence, but that doesn't mean they're the same. If not possessing full memories, intelligent undead should at least inherit parts of their previous memories, since that makes them more interesting.
Liches carry scrolls of their most precious memories inside their phylacteries, to avoid forgetting who they are over the centuries.
>gains personal immortality
If you consider being a hollow mockery of your former self consumed by unending hunger and hate to be immortality, then sure.
Liches for example are created in pursuit of immorality, but they lose themselves in the process: hobbies, appreciation for art, things that brought them pleasure, it all turns to dust overtime.
>Memories are a similar issue, especially because it's practically impossible to know if there is or is not a continuity of consciousness, and memories are used as a proxy.
Well, souls are a thing in d&d, so the concept of continuity is much clearer. An undead monster that inherits the memories of a person is not the same person if the soul is elsewhere.
>why wouldn't every single faction in the setting simply sacrifice an unloved ethnic minority or foreigner to bring back their own dead by the hundred thousand
Well, worshipping demons and making sacrifices to dark powers to bring back the dead as monsters has other consequences, and doing so archetypically leads societies to rot and ruin one way or another.
Although, that's kind of what the Dread League is trying to do, so maybe it could work. Who knows.
>Killing leaders would be pointless because they would simply be brought back
Resurrection spells already exist. If your leaders consider being undead to be worth it, they should invest in becoming lich kings.
>spies, moles, informants, and witnesses couldn't be killed to be silenced
We have Speak With Dead too, and could just read their entrails.
Magic complicates things.
>death in general would cease to have meaning
Well, that's part of Posey's cause, in her twisted, evil way.
>Of course I'd like to have the ghast say who he was, like the brains in cylinders in The Whisperer in Darkness, but it is indeed an issue.
That's are already unique among ghouls, having been created from people of heroic level. A ghast telling the story about the person it was before it's horrid transformation into the monster it is today shouldn't mess up the setting that badly.
Besides, I think ghouls as characters can add to this game. We can even have Fallout references. Ghouls are fun when they're more than flesh eating monsters, even if they're still flesh eating monsters. They have their own Cleric domains and magic items that only they can use. I like the idea of ghoul society.
>It was his mentor and the Angels who made Agire a powerful conduit. It will be they who may restore him.
Good enough for me.
>>176250
tap tap tap
Jakala moves closer
Amber touches her fur jacket. The mare looks in the direction of Amber, but her eyes do not focus. She mutters,
"The Sun is coming, pulled by the wings of the Seraph. It will light up all. Can you see it? Can you hear it calling?"
>>176251
"Yes. Most of them would. Peer Review doesn't believe in Liches in the sense of an immortal magician that doesn't need food or external magic. Critical theory is the same, and he's the one who ordered it. Mr. Loans and Dr. Grant would just follow orders. And Feather Duster would risk being fired by switching out the casket."
>>176252
Bright Dye waves at Kira, then looks to Neela and waves to her. He smiles towards the creatures, and leaves out the door, closing it behind him.
tap tap tap
Jakala moves closer
Amber touches her fur jacket. The mare looks in the direction of Amber, but her eyes do not focus. She mutters,
"The Sun is coming, pulled by the wings of the Seraph. It will light up all. Can you see it? Can you hear it calling?"
>>176251
"Yes. Most of them would. Peer Review doesn't believe in Liches in the sense of an immortal magician that doesn't need food or external magic. Critical theory is the same, and he's the one who ordered it. Mr. Loans and Dr. Grant would just follow orders. And Feather Duster would risk being fired by switching out the casket."
>>176252
Bright Dye waves at Kira, then looks to Neela and waves to her. He smiles towards the creatures, and leaves out the door, closing it behind him.
>>176254
"The sun won't be here for three weeks. We need to get you to our village. You…aren't well." It's a bit of an understatement. The mare has hours, if even that.
"The sun won't be here for three weeks. We need to get you to our village. You…aren't well." It's a bit of an understatement. The mare has hours, if even that.
>>176256
"Do you feel it's warmth? Do you hear it calling?" She says
>>176253
>many undead are considered to not be the same people, but monsters created from the remains of what were those people
This is my understanding of basically all undead that aren't created directly from the living. Vampires and Liches are different, because they are created directly from the living, and thus have a continuity of consciousness.
>Well, souls are a thing in d&d, so the concept of continuity is much clearer. An undead monster that inherits the memories of a person is not the same person if the soul is elsewhere.
Dungeons and Dragons is a darker and more cynical version of the world created by Tolkien. Tolkien's world is very heavily based off of his catholic faith, and thus has features of that philosophy: his world has a definite and known metaphysics, a definite and known good and evil, a definite and known theology. These work well enough for high fantasy escapism.
That isn't what this is. This campaign actually takes more thematically from Hearts of Iron 4 than it does from Dungeons and Dragons or even My Little Pony. In so far as that war-arcade game has a theme, it is how differing ideologies compel warfare in a sort of Hegelian Dialectic. This campaign seeks to explore how culture, ideology, religion, and belief motivate behavior, and how these influence interactions between different groups of people. In the real world, people have different views on metaphysics. They have completely different ideas about what is good and what is evil. They have different ideas about whatever gods may be. These ideas are tied into their ideologies, and they are not easily confirmed or disproven by observable facts. To confirm or deny that one religion is correct and another is wrong is for God himself to intervene and tip his hand on the scale of one position over the other. That is actively harmful to the entire point, which is an exploration of motivation and social psychology. So to that end, as far as possible, I will always, always, always, try to keep as much ambiguity as possible concerning the truth of religious matters.
Take the Kaftar praying to their god and getting some kind of response. Does that mean their religion is true? Possibly, but it could also be that they are getting a response from a lesser spiritual being. Perhaps these are from Lovecraftian style aliens. Perhaps the response is from a god they misunderstand the nature of. Perhaps it is from malevolent spiritual entities. Exactly what it is thoroughly besides the point. They have a religion that they think is correct. The ponies think they are devil worshipers at best. Trying to clarify the truth of that matter is to miss the story about how immigrant communities react to their host nations, and how host nations react to the foreign cultures who immigrate there. That's what this is about. This is about an immigrant group trying to maintain their culture and identity, and a native culture who fears the alien, but also wants them to work the night shift. So clarifying whether the Peacock is who Posey thinks it is harmful to the theme. The real world does not eliminate doubt. I don't think this needs to either. The Kaftar believe what they believe because they are who they are. Posey ought to believe what Posey believes because she is who she is. I don't think the truth needs to be divinely revealed in every instance.
>Resurrection spells already exist
They aren't easily powered by genocide
>We have Speak With Dead too, and could just read their entrails. Magic complicates things
I try to disregard it
>Posey's cause and what the Dread League is trying to do
Perhaps you have a different interpretation, but my understanding of the Dread League's mission, or at least, Rosa Maledicta's mission, is that existence is intrinsically evil, as it necessarily entails pain, suffering, and want. She wishes to end this by ending all life, including ultimately all undeath.
>A ghast telling the story about the person it was before it's horrid transformation into the monster it is today shouldn't mess up the setting that badly. Besides, I think ghouls as characters can add to this game. We can even have Fallout references. Ghouls are fun when they're more than flesh eating monsters, even if they're still flesh eating monsters. They have their own Cleric domains and magic items that only they can use. I like the idea of ghoul society.
While I don't think the fallout reference holds because Fallout Ghouls are created directly from living people, and thus have a direct continuity of consciousness, and are technically not undead at all - this is still a pretty good argument in favor of having intelligent ghouls
>>176255
This is actually going through the remains of a location of a quest from years ago
>>176257
"Do you think he was in to me? He was in to me a little, right?" Neela asks
>>176258
"Well, I've barely seen him. Mostly I've been looking at my book."
"Do you feel it's warmth? Do you hear it calling?" She says
>>176253
>many undead are considered to not be the same people, but monsters created from the remains of what were those people
This is my understanding of basically all undead that aren't created directly from the living. Vampires and Liches are different, because they are created directly from the living, and thus have a continuity of consciousness.
>Well, souls are a thing in d&d, so the concept of continuity is much clearer. An undead monster that inherits the memories of a person is not the same person if the soul is elsewhere.
Dungeons and Dragons is a darker and more cynical version of the world created by Tolkien. Tolkien's world is very heavily based off of his catholic faith, and thus has features of that philosophy: his world has a definite and known metaphysics, a definite and known good and evil, a definite and known theology. These work well enough for high fantasy escapism.
That isn't what this is. This campaign actually takes more thematically from Hearts of Iron 4 than it does from Dungeons and Dragons or even My Little Pony. In so far as that war-arcade game has a theme, it is how differing ideologies compel warfare in a sort of Hegelian Dialectic. This campaign seeks to explore how culture, ideology, religion, and belief motivate behavior, and how these influence interactions between different groups of people. In the real world, people have different views on metaphysics. They have completely different ideas about what is good and what is evil. They have different ideas about whatever gods may be. These ideas are tied into their ideologies, and they are not easily confirmed or disproven by observable facts. To confirm or deny that one religion is correct and another is wrong is for God himself to intervene and tip his hand on the scale of one position over the other. That is actively harmful to the entire point, which is an exploration of motivation and social psychology. So to that end, as far as possible, I will always, always, always, try to keep as much ambiguity as possible concerning the truth of religious matters.
Take the Kaftar praying to their god and getting some kind of response. Does that mean their religion is true? Possibly, but it could also be that they are getting a response from a lesser spiritual being. Perhaps these are from Lovecraftian style aliens. Perhaps the response is from a god they misunderstand the nature of. Perhaps it is from malevolent spiritual entities. Exactly what it is thoroughly besides the point. They have a religion that they think is correct. The ponies think they are devil worshipers at best. Trying to clarify the truth of that matter is to miss the story about how immigrant communities react to their host nations, and how host nations react to the foreign cultures who immigrate there. That's what this is about. This is about an immigrant group trying to maintain their culture and identity, and a native culture who fears the alien, but also wants them to work the night shift. So clarifying whether the Peacock is who Posey thinks it is harmful to the theme. The real world does not eliminate doubt. I don't think this needs to either. The Kaftar believe what they believe because they are who they are. Posey ought to believe what Posey believes because she is who she is. I don't think the truth needs to be divinely revealed in every instance.
>Resurrection spells already exist
They aren't easily powered by genocide
>We have Speak With Dead too, and could just read their entrails. Magic complicates things
I try to disregard it
>Posey's cause and what the Dread League is trying to do
Perhaps you have a different interpretation, but my understanding of the Dread League's mission, or at least, Rosa Maledicta's mission, is that existence is intrinsically evil, as it necessarily entails pain, suffering, and want. She wishes to end this by ending all life, including ultimately all undeath.
>A ghast telling the story about the person it was before it's horrid transformation into the monster it is today shouldn't mess up the setting that badly. Besides, I think ghouls as characters can add to this game. We can even have Fallout references. Ghouls are fun when they're more than flesh eating monsters, even if they're still flesh eating monsters. They have their own Cleric domains and magic items that only they can use. I like the idea of ghoul society.
While I don't think the fallout reference holds because Fallout Ghouls are created directly from living people, and thus have a direct continuity of consciousness, and are technically not undead at all - this is still a pretty good argument in favor of having intelligent ghouls
>>176255
This is actually going through the remains of a location of a quest from years ago
>>176257
"Do you think he was in to me? He was in to me a little, right?" Neela asks
>>176258
"Well, I've barely seen him. Mostly I've been looking at my book."
>>176260
"Yes, yes I do…Jakala! Bring the sled over here." Amber feels close to panicking, but realizes she needs to stay calm for her little friend.
"Yes, yes I do…Jakala! Bring the sled over here." Amber feels close to panicking, but realizes she needs to stay calm for her little friend.
>>176260
"Hmmmm...well, we cannot just go up to him and accuse him of swapping out sarcophagus. If he did it, he would immediately move to cover his tracks, including moving wherever he stashed original sarcophagus. If he did not, he will be outraged and may end up tipping off actual culprit, who will then cover their tracks. Have you truly not seen him acting at all weird, or going off on his own out of nowhere?"
"Hmmmm...well, we cannot just go up to him and accuse him of swapping out sarcophagus. If he did it, he would immediately move to cover his tracks, including moving wherever he stashed original sarcophagus. If he did not, he will be outraged and may end up tipping off actual culprit, who will then cover their tracks. Have you truly not seen him acting at all weird, or going off on his own out of nowhere?"
>>176260
Kira nods in the affirmative.
"Oh definitely. I was trying to help you out at a couple of points, I'm not sure if you noticed. I'm not very knowledgeable about this sort of thing, but...I think I did alright."
Kira nods in the affirmative.
"Oh definitely. I was trying to help you out at a couple of points, I'm not sure if you noticed. I'm not very knowledgeable about this sort of thing, but...I think I did alright."
>>176262
"This may come as a surprise to you, but I wasn't dragged away from my sabbatical to investigate the lost treasure of the Windigo Worshipers of Windy River just so I could babysit a grad student and look over his shoulder. I've barely seen him and I've hardly even worked inside the catacombs. I've been mostly here, or if I'm inside at all, I've been in the library. I was up once to investigate a Chincoteague talisman, but mostly I've been far away from him and the other grad student. I saw him when he was assigned and when he unveiled the casket, but I've been far away. Critical Theory is the one who assigned him, and if anypony has been around him, it's probably been Mr. loans. But he's been on his own for, well, probably as much as he hasn't. It's easy to have privacy in here."
>>176261
Jakala tap tap taps, and moves the sled to Amber. The mare is trying to move around Amber to continue her journey to nowhere.
>>176263
"Heh, you did something alright. Maybe next time. You really got his attention with that bow. I thought about bringing out my tambourine, but I don't think I could play it well enough to impress him."
"This may come as a surprise to you, but I wasn't dragged away from my sabbatical to investigate the lost treasure of the Windigo Worshipers of Windy River just so I could babysit a grad student and look over his shoulder. I've barely seen him and I've hardly even worked inside the catacombs. I've been mostly here, or if I'm inside at all, I've been in the library. I was up once to investigate a Chincoteague talisman, but mostly I've been far away from him and the other grad student. I saw him when he was assigned and when he unveiled the casket, but I've been far away. Critical Theory is the one who assigned him, and if anypony has been around him, it's probably been Mr. loans. But he's been on his own for, well, probably as much as he hasn't. It's easy to have privacy in here."
>>176261
Jakala tap tap taps, and moves the sled to Amber. The mare is trying to move around Amber to continue her journey to nowhere.
>>176263
"Heh, you did something alright. Maybe next time. You really got his attention with that bow. I thought about bringing out my tambourine, but I don't think I could play it well enough to impress him."
>>176264
"There are also only three ways out of these catacombs, and I would not want to drag stone sarcophagus up stairs that both other exits have. I suppose our first step would be to ask Mr. Loans about our grad student, yes?"
"There are also only three ways out of these catacombs, and I would not want to drag stone sarcophagus up stairs that both other exits have. I suppose our first step would be to ask Mr. Loans about our grad student, yes?"
>>176266
Kira looks at her deer friend, who she help with moving stuff out of her apartment, and she opens up her forelegs to her.
"Do you need a hug? I hear I give good ones."
Kira looks at her deer friend, who she help with moving stuff out of her apartment, and she opens up her forelegs to her.
"Do you need a hug? I hear I give good ones."
>>176267
"It probably never left the catacombs. Sure?" She says
>>176268
Standing up off of the couch after Bright Dye left, Neela's ears go up, and she looks at Kira with wide eyes. She moves her forelegs back - though not her hind legs - until she more or less rotates her body perpendicular to Kira, showing her her right side.
"It probably never left the catacombs. Sure?" She says
>>176268
Standing up off of the couch after Bright Dye left, Neela's ears go up, and she looks at Kira with wide eyes. She moves her forelegs back - though not her hind legs - until she more or less rotates her body perpendicular to Kira, showing her her right side.
>>176264
Amber quickly pushes off the firewood from the sled. She'll probably end up having to gather it all over, but there's no time to worry about it.
"Please ma'am, we'll pull you to where you need to be."
Amber quickly pushes off the firewood from the sled. She'll probably end up having to gather it all over, but there's no time to worry about it.
"Please ma'am, we'll pull you to where you need to be."
>>176270
The mare is non-cooperative, continuing to mutter to herself. Her language is once again, gibberish.
The mare is non-cooperative, continuing to mutter to herself. Her language is once again, gibberish.
>>176271
If the cold is making her unreasonable, then I just have to make her less cold, Amber thinks to herself.
She takes off a few items of clothing, including her mask, and tries to put them onto the mare. "Please, it's for your own good!" she begs.
If the cold is making her unreasonable, then I just have to make her less cold, Amber thinks to herself.
She takes off a few items of clothing, including her mask, and tries to put them onto the mare. "Please, it's for your own good!" she begs.
>>176260
>So clarifying whether the Peacock is who Posey thinks it is harmful to the theme.
I am content with it being a mystery, even after witnessing a miracle in its name.
>They aren't easily powered by genocide
At that point, you might just want to nerf how often dark powers are willing to give sacrificial rewards, or put limitations on what contexts they will give them. The BoVD advises doing so.
Evil gods don't just give blessing en mass for free.
>She wishes to end this by ending all life, including ultimately all undeath.
Like Orcus.
And yes, I knew that. I wrote my character based on that.
Posey's existence in her short life was nothing but suffering, and in death she is still little more than another slave, which is why she reviles the world.
It could change with character development though. I still haven't met the party.
>Fallout Ghouls are created directly from living people, and thus have a direct continuity of consciousness
D&D ghouls are created from once living people, either through spells, disease, curses or sporadic depravity.
The ghast here in particular is of the sporadic variety.
>I try to disregard it
Fair.
>To confirm or deny that one religion is correct and another is wrong is for God himself to intervene and tip his hand on the scale of one position over the other.
This is fine. It's why I tried to see some nuance in the Kaftars' culture.
>Vampires and Liches are different, because they are created directly from the living, and thus have a continuity of consciousness.
All undead, as a rule, were once living things. I'm not sure I understand the discrepancy here? I would like some clarification on the matter, because it's relevant to my character. I will adjust my roleplay to accommodate your preferred interpretation, to the extent that Posey would understand it to her knowledge (Posey has a lot of knowledge, but is still only an apprentice Necromancer who can't even raise the dead).
Vampires in particular are known to not possess the souls of their living selves. I'm pretty sure ghouls don't either. Liches destroy their souls and seal them in their phylacteries.
>So to that end, as far as possible, I will always, always, always, try to keep as much ambiguity as possible concerning the truth of religious matters.
That's fine.
Posey is a disloyal occultist when it comes to religion, an apostate by nature, having grown accustomed to worshipping various idols and surrendering her body to demons and nameless horrors for transactional favors. To Posey, it matters not what is objectively correct or what is the one true religion, only what will assist her with her goals.
>"Did I tell you about the time the Coven conjured an aspect of the Bloated Goat? He was so fat and disgusting, with those rotten rat teeth, and he didn't even have genitals... It made him such a great lover..."
Something along those lines.
>Posey ought to believe what Posey believes because she is who she is. I don't think the truth needs to be divinely revealed in every instance.
True, true.
Posey was more interested in the result of her ritual than she was about the source of its power.
>This is actually going through the remains of a location of a quest from years ago
I'm down with that.
>So clarifying whether the Peacock is who Posey thinks it is harmful to the theme.
I am content with it being a mystery, even after witnessing a miracle in its name.
>They aren't easily powered by genocide
At that point, you might just want to nerf how often dark powers are willing to give sacrificial rewards, or put limitations on what contexts they will give them. The BoVD advises doing so.
Evil gods don't just give blessing en mass for free.
>She wishes to end this by ending all life, including ultimately all undeath.
Like Orcus.
And yes, I knew that. I wrote my character based on that.
Posey's existence in her short life was nothing but suffering, and in death she is still little more than another slave, which is why she reviles the world.
It could change with character development though. I still haven't met the party.
>Fallout Ghouls are created directly from living people, and thus have a direct continuity of consciousness
D&D ghouls are created from once living people, either through spells, disease, curses or sporadic depravity.
The ghast here in particular is of the sporadic variety.
>I try to disregard it
Fair.
>To confirm or deny that one religion is correct and another is wrong is for God himself to intervene and tip his hand on the scale of one position over the other.
This is fine. It's why I tried to see some nuance in the Kaftars' culture.
>Vampires and Liches are different, because they are created directly from the living, and thus have a continuity of consciousness.
All undead, as a rule, were once living things. I'm not sure I understand the discrepancy here? I would like some clarification on the matter, because it's relevant to my character. I will adjust my roleplay to accommodate your preferred interpretation, to the extent that Posey would understand it to her knowledge (Posey has a lot of knowledge, but is still only an apprentice Necromancer who can't even raise the dead).
Vampires in particular are known to not possess the souls of their living selves. I'm pretty sure ghouls don't either. Liches destroy their souls and seal them in their phylacteries.
>So to that end, as far as possible, I will always, always, always, try to keep as much ambiguity as possible concerning the truth of religious matters.
That's fine.
Posey is a disloyal occultist when it comes to religion, an apostate by nature, having grown accustomed to worshipping various idols and surrendering her body to demons and nameless horrors for transactional favors. To Posey, it matters not what is objectively correct or what is the one true religion, only what will assist her with her goals.
>"Did I tell you about the time the Coven conjured an aspect of the Bloated Goat? He was so fat and disgusting, with those rotten rat teeth, and he didn't even have genitals... It made him such a great lover..."
Something along those lines.
>Posey ought to believe what Posey believes because she is who she is. I don't think the truth needs to be divinely revealed in every instance.
True, true.
Posey was more interested in the result of her ritual than she was about the source of its power.
>This is actually going through the remains of a location of a quest from years ago
I'm down with that.
sneezes
"What in Tartarus, I don't sneeze. I must've had too much blood..."
ears twitch
"I thought I heard somepony say catacombs for a moment..."
"What in Tartarus, I don't sneeze. I must've had too much blood..."
ears twitch
"I thought I heard somepony say catacombs for a moment..."
>>176272
"Mhmmph!
The mask doesn't quite make it's way onto the mare correctly. It covers her face and blinds her. She also can't speak.
>>176274
She twitches and moves half a step back, raising her left forehoof and twitching her right eye.
"You won't do me like you did that goat." She answers
>>176275
"Perhaps, unless you think Mr. loans knows where it is. Or you want to confront Feather Duster." She blinks. "Are you sure you want to open that casket?"
"Mhmmph!
The mask doesn't quite make it's way onto the mare correctly. It covers her face and blinds her. She also can't speak.
>>176274
She twitches and moves half a step back, raising her left forehoof and twitching her right eye.
"You won't do me like you did that goat." She answers
>>176275
"Perhaps, unless you think Mr. loans knows where it is. Or you want to confront Feather Duster." She blinks. "Are you sure you want to open that casket?"
>>176277
"Like I said, I am almost certain I destroyed his phylactery. But, it would probably not be wise to take that chance...unless that was something you wanted to do. Might make for valuable academic studies, either way."
"Like I said, I am almost certain I destroyed his phylactery. But, it would probably not be wise to take that chance...unless that was something you wanted to do. Might make for valuable academic studies, either way."
>>176277
"Like I did..." Kira shakes her head, and smiles. "Oh, silly Neela. You're my friend. I'm not going to eat you. Promise!"
"Like I did..." Kira shakes her head, and smiles. "Oh, silly Neela. You're my friend. I'm not going to eat you. Promise!"
>>176273
>At that point, you might just want to nerf how often dark powers are willing to give sacrificial rewards, or put limitations on what contexts they will give them.
The simple answer is that you don't get resurrection for a single vagabond. I think that's consistent with IRL religions.
>I would like some clarification on the matter, because it's relevant to my character. I will adjust my roleplay to accommodate your preferred interpretation, to the extent that Posey would understand it to her knowledge (Posey has a lot of knowledge, but is still only an apprentice Necromancer who can't even raise the dead).
Vampires in particular are known to not possess the souls of their living selves. I'm pretty sure ghouls don't either. Liches destroy their souls and seal them in their phylacteries.
Okay, so in general, my understanding of the undead is that undeath is about animation. You've replaced the life force of a living being with another magical force that mimics life force and gives it movement. It is not, however, the same thing, or on the same level as life force. Undead are basically golems. They are inanimate objects animated by magic. In fact I would go further to say that the only real difference between the undead and golems is the choice of material used to make them. And if you have an intelligent undead, it's still an automaton, it's just more like how we would understand a robot or an artificial intelligence, than we would understand a wind up toy. Something like a zombie is basically this. It's just an animated corpse, whether it's animated by magic, or by a parasite, it's still not at all like the creature it was born from.
Bram Stoker-type vampires, I think, are not at all like this. They are more like humans who have lost many human traits, but have maintained their consciousness. There's a section early in Dracula where the titular character talks about being the descendant of Atila the Hun, and fighting off the Turks. He's clearly the same person he was in life, just changed. Most modern depictions of Vampires, from Vampires: The Masquerade to Twilight are like this. Contrast this against old Eastern European depictions of vampires, where vampires and revenants are monsters that arise from corpses.
So let's look at this line from Posey >>176188
>I was a daughter of the Coven Of Blood, and I thought that I would be one of them one day, but... my mother had other plans...
Posey uses the term "I" to refer to the living pony she was created from. This means that Posey believes herself to be a continuation of consciousness from the living being she was created from. The same ego, or person. This is not how I would have imagined Posey to be. I would have believed her to be a different person - if she could be said to be a person at all - from what she was created from. Of course, Posey is your character, not mine. But I've always perceived Posey as basically not having any kind of soul. She may be a tortured soul, I don't know, but I think of her as a meat golem.
As for ghouls and the continuity of consciousness:
So, imagine you are a pony. Then all of a sudden, through a combination of FEV and radiation, you get ghoulified and turned into a Fallout style ghoul. Do you still percieve and experience things in this new form, or is your conscious perception extinguished and replaced by a new conscious being? I would think that you are still you... more or less, because while the body changes, and perhaps even the mind changes, you're still the same person. Now let's say that you die violently, your corpse rots, and then your corpse is turned into one of Posey's ghouls. Is the consciousness inhabiting your corpse you, or something new? If it is you, where did you consciousness go? Is it like you were in a dreamless sleep? Were you deposited into an afterlife, then pulled back? Just the fact that it isn't as obvious, makes it easier to see why this ghoul is less likely to be the same person as the fallout ghoul.
>At that point, you might just want to nerf how often dark powers are willing to give sacrificial rewards, or put limitations on what contexts they will give them.
The simple answer is that you don't get resurrection for a single vagabond. I think that's consistent with IRL religions.
>I would like some clarification on the matter, because it's relevant to my character. I will adjust my roleplay to accommodate your preferred interpretation, to the extent that Posey would understand it to her knowledge (Posey has a lot of knowledge, but is still only an apprentice Necromancer who can't even raise the dead).
Vampires in particular are known to not possess the souls of their living selves. I'm pretty sure ghouls don't either. Liches destroy their souls and seal them in their phylacteries.
Okay, so in general, my understanding of the undead is that undeath is about animation. You've replaced the life force of a living being with another magical force that mimics life force and gives it movement. It is not, however, the same thing, or on the same level as life force. Undead are basically golems. They are inanimate objects animated by magic. In fact I would go further to say that the only real difference between the undead and golems is the choice of material used to make them. And if you have an intelligent undead, it's still an automaton, it's just more like how we would understand a robot or an artificial intelligence, than we would understand a wind up toy. Something like a zombie is basically this. It's just an animated corpse, whether it's animated by magic, or by a parasite, it's still not at all like the creature it was born from.
Bram Stoker-type vampires, I think, are not at all like this. They are more like humans who have lost many human traits, but have maintained their consciousness. There's a section early in Dracula where the titular character talks about being the descendant of Atila the Hun, and fighting off the Turks. He's clearly the same person he was in life, just changed. Most modern depictions of Vampires, from Vampires: The Masquerade to Twilight are like this. Contrast this against old Eastern European depictions of vampires, where vampires and revenants are monsters that arise from corpses.
So let's look at this line from Posey >>176188
>I was a daughter of the Coven Of Blood, and I thought that I would be one of them one day, but... my mother had other plans...
Posey uses the term "I" to refer to the living pony she was created from. This means that Posey believes herself to be a continuation of consciousness from the living being she was created from. The same ego, or person. This is not how I would have imagined Posey to be. I would have believed her to be a different person - if she could be said to be a person at all - from what she was created from. Of course, Posey is your character, not mine. But I've always perceived Posey as basically not having any kind of soul. She may be a tortured soul, I don't know, but I think of her as a meat golem.
As for ghouls and the continuity of consciousness:
So, imagine you are a pony. Then all of a sudden, through a combination of FEV and radiation, you get ghoulified and turned into a Fallout style ghoul. Do you still percieve and experience things in this new form, or is your conscious perception extinguished and replaced by a new conscious being? I would think that you are still you... more or less, because while the body changes, and perhaps even the mind changes, you're still the same person. Now let's say that you die violently, your corpse rots, and then your corpse is turned into one of Posey's ghouls. Is the consciousness inhabiting your corpse you, or something new? If it is you, where did you consciousness go? Is it like you were in a dreamless sleep? Were you deposited into an afterlife, then pulled back? Just the fact that it isn't as obvious, makes it easier to see why this ghoul is less likely to be the same person as the fallout ghoul.
>>176277
Amber continues her technical foalnapping, guiding the mare until she's on the sled and lying down. She'll try to pull the sled back the rest of the way to the village.
Amber continues her technical foalnapping, guiding the mare until she's on the sled and lying down. She'll try to pull the sled back the rest of the way to the village.
>>176278
She pauses for a moment, and then she flips her tail and has a small smile.
"Sure... No risk, no reward."
>>176279
She moves her eyes towards Kira's snake body, both the mass of tail and the lump containing the goat.
"No, not the eating. The strangling and the crushing. It looked so horrible. I always thought that if I die, I want to go down fighting but... not like that. If you eat me, I'd rather I just be still and let you swallow me."
Then she looks back up towards Kira's eyes and has a smile that shows off her teeth
"But if you ever did get the craving for a deer or some other talking creature, I can help you find one. Maybe start with my exbuckfriend?"
>>176281
Amber is best off just leading her forward and letting her trip and fall onto the sled, and then trying to hold her down, possibly with leather straps.
She pauses for a moment, and then she flips her tail and has a small smile.
"Sure... No risk, no reward."
>>176279
She moves her eyes towards Kira's snake body, both the mass of tail and the lump containing the goat.
"No, not the eating. The strangling and the crushing. It looked so horrible. I always thought that if I die, I want to go down fighting but... not like that. If you eat me, I'd rather I just be still and let you swallow me."
Then she looks back up towards Kira's eyes and has a smile that shows off her teeth
"But if you ever did get the craving for a deer or some other talking creature, I can help you find one. Maybe start with my exbuckfriend?"
>>176281
Amber is best off just leading her forward and letting her trip and fall onto the sled, and then trying to hold her down, possibly with leather straps.
>>176282
Kira giggles at that one. "Hehe, I'll have to remember that offer. I'm sorry you saw all of that, though. I promise, I'm not going to constrict you. Just a simple, normal hug, like you've gotten from any other creature. Sounds better?"
Kira giggles at that one. "Hehe, I'll have to remember that offer. I'm sorry you saw all of that, though. I promise, I'm not going to constrict you. Just a simple, normal hug, like you've gotten from any other creature. Sounds better?"
>>176282
What leather straps? Are they on the sled already? Anyway, after futile attempts to budge the barely-conscious mare, she does exactly that. She also asks Jakala to help hold her down onto the sled, though that makes the load heavier.
What additional elements of clothing could Amber give to help the mare keep what little body heat she has left?
What leather straps? Are they on the sled already? Anyway, after futile attempts to budge the barely-conscious mare, she does exactly that. She also asks Jakala to help hold her down onto the sled, though that makes the load heavier.
What additional elements of clothing could Amber give to help the mare keep what little body heat she has left?
>>176282
Silver smiles, and nods in agreement. "Alright. Let us start with looking around here, eliminate most likely possibilities before we move onto less likely ones. We are looking for stone sarcophagus, there should not be so many places here to hide something like it."
If Pear needs a more thorough description of the sarcophagus before they begin their search, Silver provides it.
Silver smiles, and nods in agreement. "Alright. Let us start with looking around here, eliminate most likely possibilities before we move onto less likely ones. We are looking for stone sarcophagus, there should not be so many places here to hide something like it."
If Pear needs a more thorough description of the sarcophagus before they begin their search, Silver provides it.
>>176284
Amber could take off her coat - the outerware coat at least. Taking off her boots is possible, but particularly inadvisable.
Jakala can more or less stand on the mare, but this means Amber would need to pull the sled.
>>176283
Neela is shaking
"I know you won't eat me now because you've just eaten. I think I've gotten hugs before..." She still looks at Kira
>>176285
Pear nods affirmatively
"Makes sense to me"
Stone and rectangular in shape.
Silver can name specific places to look, split up from Pear (though he'd need his own flashlight), or roll search.
Amber could take off her coat - the outerware coat at least. Taking off her boots is possible, but particularly inadvisable.
Jakala can more or less stand on the mare, but this means Amber would need to pull the sled.
>>176283
Neela is shaking
"I know you won't eat me now because you've just eaten. I think I've gotten hugs before..." She still looks at Kira
>>176285
Pear nods affirmatively
"Makes sense to me"
Stone and rectangular in shape.
Silver can name specific places to look, split up from Pear (though he'd need his own flashlight), or roll search.
>>176286
The mare already has boots, but Amber will give her outerwear coat for what it matters. Hopefully the exertion is enough to keep the little filly warm.
Jakala has done plenty of pulling for the "day." Amber takes hold of the harness and slides them along.
The mare already has boots, but Amber will give her outerwear coat for what it matters. Hopefully the exertion is enough to keep the little filly warm.
Jakala has done plenty of pulling for the "day." Amber takes hold of the harness and slides them along.
>>176287
Taking off the over coat, Amber feels cold. Very cold. But she's not naked at least, and she's at no risk of sweating. Pulling the weight of the adult mare and Jakala is not easy, and she needs to hurry before the blinded mare makes her way off of the sled.
Taking off the over coat, Amber feels cold. Very cold. But she's not naked at least, and she's at no risk of sweating. Pulling the weight of the adult mare and Jakala is not easy, and she needs to hurry before the blinded mare makes her way off of the sled.
>>176288
"Keep her in place!" Amber neighs back at Jakala.
She double-times it back to her village, hoping one of the grown-ups is outside nearby and sees them.
"Keep her in place!" Amber neighs back at Jakala.
She double-times it back to her village, hoping one of the grown-ups is outside nearby and sees them.
>>176286
Kira looks sadly with her big sad lamia eyes at her deer friend, who won't take the chance to hug the friendly lamia.
Kira looks sadly with her big sad lamia eyes at her deer friend, who won't take the chance to hug the friendly lamia.
>>176289
Walking along the snow by the small houses near Amber's house, wrapped in thick fur clothing, is a stallion.
>>176290
Going past the small room, into the bedroom, then inti the hallway, and turning right, along a wall there's an opening used potentially for a burial. And inside appears to be stone rectangular prism.
>>176291
Her ears go down
"Does it mean that much to you that I hug you?"
Walking along the snow by the small houses near Amber's house, wrapped in thick fur clothing, is a stallion.
>>176290
Going past the small room, into the bedroom, then inti the hallway, and turning right, along a wall there's an opening used potentially for a burial. And inside appears to be stone rectangular prism.
>>176291
Her ears go down
"Does it mean that much to you that I hug you?"
>>176292
"Well..." Her own ears go down. "...it's...I guess it's a show of trust. You know, that you trust me to not actually eat you, or constrict you, or do anything bad to you, you know? So...yeah, it does mean a lot to me. I don't want to force you into doing anything, but..."
"Well..." Her own ears go down. "...it's...I guess it's a show of trust. You know, that you trust me to not actually eat you, or constrict you, or do anything bad to you, you know? So...yeah, it does mean a lot to me. I don't want to force you into doing anything, but..."
>>176292
Is this it? Silver calls for Pear to shine the light on it so Silver can see to pull it out, as well as to see how much it's been disturbed.
Is this it? Silver calls for Pear to shine the light on it so Silver can see to pull it out, as well as to see how much it's been disturbed.
>>176296
Amber is shivering despite the exertion, and looks worried. "This mare was on the tundra. She is very cold and can't think straight."
Amber is shivering despite the exertion, and looks worried. "This mare was on the tundra. She is very cold and can't think straight."
>>176296
Kira's eyes, still big but no longer looking quite as sad, lock on her deer friend. "Are...are you sure?" She sounds quite excited as she asks her this question.
Kira's eyes, still big but no longer looking quite as sad, lock on her deer friend. "Are...are you sure?" She sounds quite excited as she asks her this question.
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>>176280
>Undead are basically golems.
That would apply to mindless zombies or skeletons (the kind created with Animate Dead), but intelligent undead (ones created through greater magic, or through extraordinary means) are free-thinking creatures.
>And if you have an intelligent undead, it's still an automaton
I disagree, but I'm not the GM, so whatever. I can accept that.
Intelligent undead are capable of being cunning villains, taking heroic class levels, and even forming their own societies. If they're autonomous, it's questionable if living things are as well.
>it's still not at all like the creature it was born from.
This I do agree with.
>Vampires
Vampires vary wildly across different eras and media, yeah.
>This means that Posey believes herself to be a continuation of consciousness from the living being she was created from.
It's a bit more complicated than that, but Posey herself does not have the words to describe her own doomed existence (and I'm not sure if I can properly put them in writing). She's still haunted by memories of trauma, pain, hopelessness and betrayal, even if she's not the same creature she was before.
>I would have believed her to be a different person - if she could be said to be a person at all - from what she was created from.
Posey has died twice, and been reanimated twice just as many times. She didn't consider her old life to be worth living, since she was just a tool for the pleasure of others and unable to eat or live under the sun. Posey has never had autonomy, not even now, so she's had little time to reflect just what she is. Her existence is a bit new, and the memories of her past life are hazy, like a nightmare, so in a sense it's like she's only just been created for the first time.
>Of course, Posey is your character, not mine.
Idk, I guess I could try harder to roleplay her existential dread. I'm not exactly an excellent writer...
I gave Posey Gloomy to humanize her, as I felt she might be just an edgy, power-hungry megalomaniac without him. Posey tells herself she's just grooming Gloomy to sacrifice him and make a Slaymate, but really Gloomy is the only thing on this barren earth that Posey cares about, because he makes her feel like she's alive, and he's the only thing that belongs to her and her alone (at 100 gp, Gloomy was the most valuable piece of starting equipment Posey came into the game with).
Also, while Posey might be my character, Gloomy is actually in part based on me. I know that makes me sound fucked in the head. Pls no bully.
>She may be a tortured soul
That's kind of what I was going for. Idk. I'll explore it.
I did want to explore Posey as a character, and as an antihero. She does believe that she has a destiny beyond service to her masters, which is why she's so diligent in expanding her powers and being free of service.
Posey is based on the first horseman of the apocalypse: the white horse of conquest, which is likened to the antichrist. I wanted to develop her as a charismatic leader of her own undying legion, both powerful and beautiful, even if her ambitions are ultimately evil and nihilistic. Posey believes that if she increases her powers, she can become more than just a lowly thrall one day.
Worth noting, if Posey's destroyed, as a katane/dampire, she could potentially have a chance of rising as an actual vampire, but it's not really part of my plan for Posey (she could become a lich at lvl 20).
>Do you still percieve and experience things in this new form, or is your conscious perception extinguished and replaced by a new conscious being?
I mean, you tell me. I do believe that ghouls retain at least some memory of their previous selves, even if the ghouls themselves are monsters independent of their souls. Ghouls retaining memories makes their existence all the more horrific and tragic, imo, as it gives them enough humidity to perceive their own wretched existence.
I recommend reading Libris Mortis, as offers several different perspectives DMs can draw on.
>Is the consciousness inhabiting your corpse you, or something new?
It could be a crude mockery of you, intelligent and retaining your memories
This actually raises a point of considering the source of Undeath. Both the ghast and Agire would be considered "Sporadic" undead, not created by spells. Fluffwise, they may retain more of their past selves than ghouls created by magic. Agire in particular was created through divine intervention, so he might be a unique ghoul, such as a Gravetouched Ghoul.
Imo, if ghoul society had a hierarchy, I would imagine sporadic ghouls with the most memories of the people they once were would be at the top of the totem pole, while ghouls that have regressed to being little more than starving animals with no sense of self (see: low charisma score) would be at the bottom.
>If it is you, where did you consciousness go?
Perhaps your soul went elsewhere, or perhaps it's hopelessly trapped as a spectator inside its own body (as is the case for Juju Zombies, who are based on original zombie myths) begging for release by an adventurer who might repose it and free it from its torment.
>If it is you, where did you consciousness go? Is it like you were in a dreamless sleep? Were you deposited into an afterlife, then pulled back? Just the fact that it isn't as obvious, makes it easier to see why this ghoul is less likely to be the same person as the fallout ghoul.
I really don't know GM.
I feel like discovering more about the true nature of death and undeath and revealing the answer over Posey's adventures would be fun, as Posey is still learning to make friends.
>Undead are basically golems.
That would apply to mindless zombies or skeletons (the kind created with Animate Dead), but intelligent undead (ones created through greater magic, or through extraordinary means) are free-thinking creatures.
>And if you have an intelligent undead, it's still an automaton
I disagree, but I'm not the GM, so whatever. I can accept that.
Intelligent undead are capable of being cunning villains, taking heroic class levels, and even forming their own societies. If they're autonomous, it's questionable if living things are as well.
>it's still not at all like the creature it was born from.
This I do agree with.
>Vampires
Vampires vary wildly across different eras and media, yeah.
>This means that Posey believes herself to be a continuation of consciousness from the living being she was created from.
It's a bit more complicated than that, but Posey herself does not have the words to describe her own doomed existence (and I'm not sure if I can properly put them in writing). She's still haunted by memories of trauma, pain, hopelessness and betrayal, even if she's not the same creature she was before.
>I would have believed her to be a different person - if she could be said to be a person at all - from what she was created from.
Posey has died twice, and been reanimated twice just as many times. She didn't consider her old life to be worth living, since she was just a tool for the pleasure of others and unable to eat or live under the sun. Posey has never had autonomy, not even now, so she's had little time to reflect just what she is. Her existence is a bit new, and the memories of her past life are hazy, like a nightmare, so in a sense it's like she's only just been created for the first time.
>Of course, Posey is your character, not mine.
Idk, I guess I could try harder to roleplay her existential dread. I'm not exactly an excellent writer...
I gave Posey Gloomy to humanize her, as I felt she might be just an edgy, power-hungry megalomaniac without him. Posey tells herself she's just grooming Gloomy to sacrifice him and make a Slaymate, but really Gloomy is the only thing on this barren earth that Posey cares about, because he makes her feel like she's alive, and he's the only thing that belongs to her and her alone (at 100 gp, Gloomy was the most valuable piece of starting equipment Posey came into the game with).
Also, while Posey might be my character, Gloomy is actually in part based on me. I know that makes me sound fucked in the head. Pls no bully.
>She may be a tortured soul
That's kind of what I was going for. Idk. I'll explore it.
I did want to explore Posey as a character, and as an antihero. She does believe that she has a destiny beyond service to her masters, which is why she's so diligent in expanding her powers and being free of service.
Posey is based on the first horseman of the apocalypse: the white horse of conquest, which is likened to the antichrist. I wanted to develop her as a charismatic leader of her own undying legion, both powerful and beautiful, even if her ambitions are ultimately evil and nihilistic. Posey believes that if she increases her powers, she can become more than just a lowly thrall one day.
Worth noting, if Posey's destroyed, as a katane/dampire, she could potentially have a chance of rising as an actual vampire, but it's not really part of my plan for Posey (she could become a lich at lvl 20).
>Do you still percieve and experience things in this new form, or is your conscious perception extinguished and replaced by a new conscious being?
I mean, you tell me. I do believe that ghouls retain at least some memory of their previous selves, even if the ghouls themselves are monsters independent of their souls. Ghouls retaining memories makes their existence all the more horrific and tragic, imo, as it gives them enough humidity to perceive their own wretched existence.
I recommend reading Libris Mortis, as offers several different perspectives DMs can draw on.
>Is the consciousness inhabiting your corpse you, or something new?
It could be a crude mockery of you, intelligent and retaining your memories
This actually raises a point of considering the source of Undeath. Both the ghast and Agire would be considered "Sporadic" undead, not created by spells. Fluffwise, they may retain more of their past selves than ghouls created by magic. Agire in particular was created through divine intervention, so he might be a unique ghoul, such as a Gravetouched Ghoul.
Imo, if ghoul society had a hierarchy, I would imagine sporadic ghouls with the most memories of the people they once were would be at the top of the totem pole, while ghouls that have regressed to being little more than starving animals with no sense of self (see: low charisma score) would be at the bottom.
>If it is you, where did you consciousness go?
Perhaps your soul went elsewhere, or perhaps it's hopelessly trapped as a spectator inside its own body (as is the case for Juju Zombies, who are based on original zombie myths) begging for release by an adventurer who might repose it and free it from its torment.
>If it is you, where did you consciousness go? Is it like you were in a dreamless sleep? Were you deposited into an afterlife, then pulled back? Just the fact that it isn't as obvious, makes it easier to see why this ghoul is less likely to be the same person as the fallout ghoul.
I really don't know GM.
I feel like discovering more about the true nature of death and undeath and revealing the answer over Posey's adventures would be fun, as Posey is still learning to make friends.
>>176297
Waving over. "Well get her inside."
They aren't far away from a little hut, where he opens a door to let the ponies in.
>>176298
Right material, right basic shape but... it's not it. The dimensions aren't quite there.
>>176299
She moves a little closer. In fact, she places a hoof up, and places it on Kira's back on her snake side, probably right over Hopper's head.
"Just don't try to wrap around me with your scales." She says
Waving over. "Well get her inside."
They aren't far away from a little hut, where he opens a door to let the ponies in.
>>176298
Right material, right basic shape but... it's not it. The dimensions aren't quite there.
>>176299
She moves a little closer. In fact, she places a hoof up, and places it on Kira's back on her snake side, probably right over Hopper's head.
"Just don't try to wrap around me with your scales." She says
>>176301
Kira quickly and happily wraps her forelegs around the deer, hugging her tight (but thankfully, not too tight) and exclaiming, "Oh thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou! You're the best, Neela!"
Kira quickly and happily wraps her forelegs around the deer, hugging her tight (but thankfully, not too tight) and exclaiming, "Oh thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou! You're the best, Neela!"
>>176301
She tugs the sled over to the door of the hut, huffing and puffing, and waits for the grown-ups to carry her inside.
She tugs the sled over to the door of the hut, huffing and puffing, and waits for the grown-ups to carry her inside.
>>176302
squeeky
Neela's frame is forced up against Kira's chest, her head upwards and toward Kira's. Kira has held cervids like this before, and many more antelope, though not with such friendly intent. This is the first time she's ever actually felt Neela. She's small, a bit thicker around the belly, and her fur is short. She certainly smells like the cervids she's held before.
>>176303
"Where then?" Pear asks
>>176304
The stallion takes a moment, but if Amber doesn't pull them inside, the stallion physically moves the mare and Amber inside of the hut. A fire is already started, and there are blankets.
squeeky
Neela's frame is forced up against Kira's chest, her head upwards and toward Kira's. Kira has held cervids like this before, and many more antelope, though not with such friendly intent. This is the first time she's ever actually felt Neela. She's small, a bit thicker around the belly, and her fur is short. She certainly smells like the cervids she's held before.
>>176303
"Where then?" Pear asks
>>176304
The stallion takes a moment, but if Amber doesn't pull them inside, the stallion physically moves the mare and Amber inside of the hut. A fire is already started, and there are blankets.
>>176305
Silver puts a hoof to his chin, thinking on where he would put a stone sarcophagus containing a potentially unliving lich in these catacombs...if he had one, that is.
Silver puts a hoof to his chin, thinking on where he would put a stone sarcophagus containing a potentially unliving lich in these catacombs...if he had one, that is.
>>176305
Amber may as well bring the sled inside for the time being, as she waits for the mare's condition to be checked on. It's cold outside after all.
Amber may as well bring the sled inside for the time being, as she waits for the mare's condition to be checked on. It's cold outside after all.
>>176300
>>176301
Besides the discussion metaphysical nature of undead, I think this quest is over.
What Posey has accomplished on this mini quest
>1. Posey has re-payed the favor she promised to Agire's widow for the loss of her husband (whether she appreciates it is another story)
>2. Posey has secured good relations with the Kaftar church, which means she's found at least one venue she could solicit for paid divine spellcasting services (I guess Baka is a Cleric too though), as few other temples would accommodate her (a Cleric of Celestia could recognize her as undead, and even so they're quite rare in Baltimare)
>3. Posey has installed an undead monster into the line of succession for the kaftar clergy, who may one day become an ally of the Dread League (having an undead Cleric leading them could likely corrupt the temple in a way that is favorable to us)
>4. Posey has confirmed that the sporadic reanimation of ghouls can be induced through divine intervention, and may have even created a unique ghoul (this is good for her apprenticeship)
>5. Posey has disposed of the last witness of her previous quest, and having dealt ~60 points of Vile damage to her, she has destroyed her so thoroughly that she can't easily be brought back from the grave (this is a good mark on the Destruction Domain temple affiliation)
>6. Posey has discovered strange fungus magic associated with the Crocotta; a potential plot point to explore later
Satisfying for a mini quest.
With this, Posey wishes Agire well on his recovery, and bids them farewell as she takes her leave.
... Unless of course either of these priests would like to find some way to reward me for this charitable crime against nature, that is.
>>176301
Besides the discussion metaphysical nature of undead, I think this quest is over.
What Posey has accomplished on this mini quest
>1. Posey has re-payed the favor she promised to Agire's widow for the loss of her husband (whether she appreciates it is another story)
>2. Posey has secured good relations with the Kaftar church, which means she's found at least one venue she could solicit for paid divine spellcasting services (I guess Baka is a Cleric too though), as few other temples would accommodate her (a Cleric of Celestia could recognize her as undead, and even so they're quite rare in Baltimare)
>3. Posey has installed an undead monster into the line of succession for the kaftar clergy, who may one day become an ally of the Dread League (having an undead Cleric leading them could likely corrupt the temple in a way that is favorable to us)
>4. Posey has confirmed that the sporadic reanimation of ghouls can be induced through divine intervention, and may have even created a unique ghoul (this is good for her apprenticeship)
>5. Posey has disposed of the last witness of her previous quest, and having dealt ~60 points of Vile damage to her, she has destroyed her so thoroughly that she can't easily be brought back from the grave (this is a good mark on the Destruction Domain temple affiliation)
>6. Posey has discovered strange fungus magic associated with the Crocotta; a potential plot point to explore later
Satisfying for a mini quest.
With this, Posey wishes Agire well on his recovery, and bids them farewell as she takes her leave.
... Unless of course either of these priests would like to find some way to reward me for this charitable crime against nature, that is.
>>176309
the mare continues to mutter, in what is presumably slurred regular speech. The stallion gets her on a bed, and she wriggles her legs about and tries to get back up.
"What's wrong with her? Is she delirious?"
the mare continues to mutter, in what is presumably slurred regular speech. The stallion gets her on a bed, and she wriggles her legs about and tries to get back up.
"What's wrong with her? Is she delirious?"
>>176200
>>176310
Milyaketan moves off of Agire and looks over at fascination towards the ghast. The ghast moves slightly closer and into the candlelight. It opens its mouth, and it's jaw trembles. With a voice that is raspy and strained, he forces out:
"Hopping... through the snow. A colt jumping about. A mare calls... Evening Dew? Walking along a town path... A baton... A mare. She smiles."
>Unless of course either of these priests would like to find some way to reward me for this charitable crime against nature, that is.
Milyakaten is tall at the shoulder, but holds his head level to his shoulder rather than far above, appearing at once tall and short. With silent paw steps he moves slightly closer to Posey, like a cat.
"Did you have something in mind?"
>>176310
Milyaketan moves off of Agire and looks over at fascination towards the ghast. The ghast moves slightly closer and into the candlelight. It opens its mouth, and it's jaw trembles. With a voice that is raspy and strained, he forces out:
"Hopping... through the snow. A colt jumping about. A mare calls... Evening Dew? Walking along a town path... A baton... A mare. She smiles."
>Unless of course either of these priests would like to find some way to reward me for this charitable crime against nature, that is.
Milyakaten is tall at the shoulder, but holds his head level to his shoulder rather than far above, appearing at once tall and short. With silent paw steps he moves slightly closer to Posey, like a cat.
"Did you have something in mind?"
>>176306
nails sign to the front of her office at the university
Sign reads
[LIMITED TIME OFFER: DISCOUNT NECROLOGY CONSULTATIONS. QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO LAIRS OF UNDEAD MONSTERS COME WITH FREE ON-SITE VISITS]
>>176315
>"Hopping... through the snow. A colt jumping about. A mare calls... Evening Dew? Walking along a town path... A baton... A mare. She smiles."
"Surely you can do better than that. You were a hero in life, with powers that equalled or exceeded my own right now (lvl 4 or greater). Try to remember." Posey chides, encouragingly
Posey levitates a clump of flesh off the ground and floats it to the ground.
"Let's get some fluids in that skull of yours. The flesh of the living brings you closer to life. Remember who you were..."
>"Did you have something in mind?"
"Well, there was ONE thing I had in mind, but you might find it a bit uncomfortable..." Posey replies
nails sign to the front of her office at the university
Sign reads
[LIMITED TIME OFFER: DISCOUNT NECROLOGY CONSULTATIONS. QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO LAIRS OF UNDEAD MONSTERS COME WITH FREE ON-SITE VISITS]
>>176315
>"Hopping... through the snow. A colt jumping about. A mare calls... Evening Dew? Walking along a town path... A baton... A mare. She smiles."
"Surely you can do better than that. You were a hero in life, with powers that equalled or exceeded my own right now (lvl 4 or greater). Try to remember." Posey chides, encouragingly
Posey levitates a clump of flesh off the ground and floats it to the ground.
"Let's get some fluids in that skull of yours. The flesh of the living brings you closer to life. Remember who you were..."
>"Did you have something in mind?"
"Well, there was ONE thing I had in mind, but you might find it a bit uncomfortable..." Posey replies
>>176316
“A game on a field at night. I kicked a ball. An office… a badge and a gun. That mare. Her name is… Morning Dew. I remember that. She had a nice black mane. A paper delivered to me by a stallion. Boat down a river, with several other stallions. Trees to either side. An ambush. Hoofcuffed fi a tree. A very wicked mare.” He looks up at the flesh
Milyaketan raises an eyebrow and tilts his head.
“And what is that?”
“A game on a field at night. I kicked a ball. An office… a badge and a gun. That mare. Her name is… Morning Dew. I remember that. She had a nice black mane. A paper delivered to me by a stallion. Boat down a river, with several other stallions. Trees to either side. An ambush. Hoofcuffed fi a tree. A very wicked mare.” He looks up at the flesh
Milyaketan raises an eyebrow and tilts his head.
“And what is that?”
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>>176315
>>176316
>>176317
Posey continues
"...Umoya, the Crocutta shaman, suffered a fate similar to your own, in the same week. I had plans to visit her flock as I did yours, but I'm a very busy mare, you know..."
She looks at Agire
"Milyakaten told me that you were one to consider the wisdom of the Crocuttas, more than himself. I'm sure there's been strife between your tribes, but in the end you're both Gnolls, having more in common with one another than any of the other creatures in Baltimare."
She gestures towards towards the altar with her knife, before floating it to Agire
"I want you to do for her the same that I have done for you. However you wish to do it is up to your discretion, you are a seasoned priest afterall, it should be within your skills. Offer a life to the Angel and make a prayer in her favor, and see if your ordinance as a priest is enough to repeat this miracle for her... If you succeed, perhaps you could take it as a sign, that the Gnolls are mightier when united, in friendship."
She competes her proposal with a shrug
"Or don't. You are, afterall, the next leader of your temple. It's none of my business giving you orders you would refuse. I just think it's something to consider."
>>176316
>>176317
Posey continues
"...Umoya, the Crocutta shaman, suffered a fate similar to your own, in the same week. I had plans to visit her flock as I did yours, but I'm a very busy mare, you know..."
She looks at Agire
"Milyakaten told me that you were one to consider the wisdom of the Crocuttas, more than himself. I'm sure there's been strife between your tribes, but in the end you're both Gnolls, having more in common with one another than any of the other creatures in Baltimare."
She gestures towards towards the altar with her knife, before floating it to Agire
"I want you to do for her the same that I have done for you. However you wish to do it is up to your discretion, you are a seasoned priest afterall, it should be within your skills. Offer a life to the Angel and make a prayer in her favor, and see if your ordinance as a priest is enough to repeat this miracle for her... If you succeed, perhaps you could take it as a sign, that the Gnolls are mightier when united, in friendship."
She competes her proposal with a shrug
"Or don't. You are, afterall, the next leader of your temple. It's none of my business giving you orders you would refuse. I just think it's something to consider."
>>176317
>A very wicked mare
Posey is intrigued by this, as nothing is more poetic than an undead lamenting in it's most traumatic memories.
"Fascinating...."
>A very wicked mare
Posey is intrigued by this, as nothing is more poetic than an undead lamenting in it's most traumatic memories.
"Fascinating...."
>>176318
Agire stares in silence at Posey with reflective eyes.
Milyaketan answers
“Outside revenues like the Storm King are alone all that could unite us with the Crocutta. They are not like us. They do not have our customs. Our religion… I will take it under advisement. They will be… more receptive than us, I could say that.”
>>176319
The ghast moves up to Posey to take the clump of flesh promised to him.
Agire stares in silence at Posey with reflective eyes.
Milyaketan answers
“Outside revenues like the Storm King are alone all that could unite us with the Crocutta. They are not like us. They do not have our customs. Our religion… I will take it under advisement. They will be… more receptive than us, I could say that.”
>>176319
The ghast moves up to Posey to take the clump of flesh promised to him.
>>176314
"I don't know what that means. But when we tried to get her to come to us she didn't really understand. Jakala had to hold her down."
"I don't know what that means. But when we tried to get her to come to us she didn't really understand. Jakala had to hold her down."
>>176321
“She looks hungry and dehydrated. I’ll heat up some water and try to keep her warm. Where was she, and where did she come from?” She looks at the mare. “I think this is Kiinteä Maa’s wife, Makea Amy.”
“She looks hungry and dehydrated. I’ll heat up some water and try to keep her warm. Where was she, and where did she come from?” She looks at the mare. “I think this is Kiinteä Maa’s wife, Makea Amy.”
>>176317
>He looks up at the flesh
Posey commands (or rather, permits) the ghast to eat.
She speaks, although it's seemingly more directed at Agire than the ghast
"Ghouls are diet-dependent creatures. Although you have no need for sustenance, you need regular intake of flesh to to maintain your upkeep. Eating flesh, especially raw, will repair your lost tissues and prevent your body from rotting. More importantly, maintaining your diet is important to retain your sense of self, as a starving ghoul regresses to little more than an animal. The more regularly you eat, the closer to life you'll remain, I've even heard of cases where well-kept ghouls managed to procreate with the living... That being said, your craving for flesh will still push you away from the mortal path."
>>176320
>Our religion… I will take it under advisement. They will be… more receptive than us, I could say that.
Posey nods
"Umoya was a wise and powerful shaman, and her loss was a waste to her people. I think it's worth testing if the Angel could be persuaded to release her, certainly a good test for an upcoming chief priest." she replies
"However, for the time being, I think I am done with raising Gnoll priests myself for a long time. After all..." She turns to Agire
"...I really only came here because I told your brother and your widow that I owed them a favor, and Rosey Ring keeps her promises." Posey finishes, a bit smug
>He looks up at the flesh
Posey commands (or rather, permits) the ghast to eat.
She speaks, although it's seemingly more directed at Agire than the ghast
"Ghouls are diet-dependent creatures. Although you have no need for sustenance, you need regular intake of flesh to to maintain your upkeep. Eating flesh, especially raw, will repair your lost tissues and prevent your body from rotting. More importantly, maintaining your diet is important to retain your sense of self, as a starving ghoul regresses to little more than an animal. The more regularly you eat, the closer to life you'll remain, I've even heard of cases where well-kept ghouls managed to procreate with the living... That being said, your craving for flesh will still push you away from the mortal path."
>>176320
>Our religion… I will take it under advisement. They will be… more receptive than us, I could say that.
Posey nods
"Umoya was a wise and powerful shaman, and her loss was a waste to her people. I think it's worth testing if the Angel could be persuaded to release her, certainly a good test for an upcoming chief priest." she replies
"However, for the time being, I think I am done with raising Gnoll priests myself for a long time. After all..." She turns to Agire
"...I really only came here because I told your brother and your widow that I owed them a favor, and Rosey Ring keeps her promises." Posey finishes, a bit smug
>>176322
"We found her on the tundra to the west(?) of here, and she was walking southwards(?). She kept talking about how Beaivi was bringing the sun." Amber feels very worried about the poor mare's condition.
"We found her on the tundra to the west(?) of here, and she was walking southwards(?). She kept talking about how Beaivi was bringing the sun." Amber feels very worried about the poor mare's condition.
>>176324
He sighs, and looks back to her, sitting down next to the mare and using his right leg to press against her chest and hold her on the bed.
"This is Metsän Vaeltaja's doing. I'll heat her up with warm water and keep her in here. Could you collect some snow to make water?"
He sighs, and looks back to her, sitting down next to the mare and using his right leg to press against her chest and hold her on the bed.
"This is Metsän Vaeltaja's doing. I'll heat her up with warm water and keep her in here. Could you collect some snow to make water?"
>>176325
Amber is curious as to who exactly Metsän Vaeltaja is, but dutifully goes to collect untrampled snow a decent distance away from the huts.
Amber is curious as to who exactly Metsän Vaeltaja is, but dutifully goes to collect untrampled snow a decent distance away from the huts.
>>176326
The stallion gives a pot to help in this task. It must be filled several times, as the snow is much lower in volume when it is melted than when it is collected. He has a fire going, and though his collection of firewood is disturbingly small, it is sufficient for the moment. He seems to have kept the mare, this Makea Aamu, blinded with the improperly placed mask. She readily laps up the water.
>>176323
Milyaketan again speaks where Agire remains silent.
"As I said, it's not all that different from being alive. Again, thank you, Miss Ring. I don't know how much longer we will be here. The ponies tighten around us like a noose. I have heard they have removed entire neighborhoods up north. I think they will do that here."
The stallion gives a pot to help in this task. It must be filled several times, as the snow is much lower in volume when it is melted than when it is collected. He has a fire going, and though his collection of firewood is disturbingly small, it is sufficient for the moment. He seems to have kept the mare, this Makea Aamu, blinded with the improperly placed mask. She readily laps up the water.
>>176323
Milyaketan again speaks where Agire remains silent.
"As I said, it's not all that different from being alive. Again, thank you, Miss Ring. I don't know how much longer we will be here. The ponies tighten around us like a noose. I have heard they have removed entire neighborhoods up north. I think they will do that here."
>>176327
Amber rushes to get enough water. When she is done, she asks, "I had to leave all the firewood to bring her here. Please, let me collect more before it gets too cold." Jakala's mother's admonition still rings in her head.
Amber rushes to get enough water. When she is done, she asks, "I had to leave all the firewood to bring her here. Please, let me collect more before it gets too cold." Jakala's mother's admonition still rings in her head.
>>176327
Posey nods understandingly, walking past the two slowly, towards the door
"It's been a pleasure praying with you, Milyaketan. I wish your temple and your people well. Stay strong and endure, as your kind will be ready to take up arms in Armageddon, be it the Kaftars or the Crocutta. As for the ponies in Baltimare, you won't have to worry about them too long..."
She turns her head and makes direct eye contact, the monstrous, hypnotic glint in her ringed demonic eyes shining brightly in the darkness and her mouth twisting into a villainous fanged grin
"Because they're all going to die!"
And with that last sentence, her Unseen Servant throws open the door and she trots off into the night.
If the Kaftars were to listen closely, they might hear her say "Come on, Gloomy, let's go get waffles" in a motherly, sing-song tone, after the doors slam shut.
Posey nods understandingly, walking past the two slowly, towards the door
"It's been a pleasure praying with you, Milyaketan. I wish your temple and your people well. Stay strong and endure, as your kind will be ready to take up arms in Armageddon, be it the Kaftars or the Crocutta. As for the ponies in Baltimare, you won't have to worry about them too long..."
She turns her head and makes direct eye contact, the monstrous, hypnotic glint in her ringed demonic eyes shining brightly in the darkness and her mouth twisting into a villainous fanged grin
"Because they're all going to die!"
And with that last sentence, her Unseen Servant throws open the door and she trots off into the night.
If the Kaftars were to listen closely, they might hear her say "Come on, Gloomy, let's go get waffles" in a motherly, sing-song tone, after the doors slam shut.
>>176334
Amber pulls the sled back to the open tundra where she knows she left the firewood. It must still be there.
Amber pulls the sled back to the open tundra where she knows she left the firewood. It must still be there.
>>176335
There is no snow to cover up the firewood. It's just a matter of finding it, which thankfully isn't too difficult. The firewood is all there.
There is no snow to cover up the firewood. It's just a matter of finding it, which thankfully isn't too difficult. The firewood is all there.
>>176336
Amber loads up the sled with the wood. She wishes Jakala were with her. She had been focused on saving the mare earlier, but now this place in the dim light gives her the creeps. She still needs to tell the others what she saw earlier.
Amber loads up the sled with the wood. She wishes Jakala were with her. She had been focused on saving the mare earlier, but now this place in the dim light gives her the creeps. She still needs to tell the others what she saw earlier.
>>176334
Posey makes good on her promise to buy the ghast a kebab in the enclave. I think we can skip roleplaying that part, although it might be met with some awkward glares from the Gnolls seeing a pony buy meat.
>It's for a friend
She then seeks out Mason, and informs him that her business went smoothly.
"Oh, Mason dear, pardon me for giving you new tasks on the fly, but it's getting close to morning and I was hoping you might be able to bring us to a local die-ner if that's possible? I want to take my little Gloomy out to feed him something sweet. I'll treat you as well if you're interested in joining us." Posey requests
Posey makes good on her promise to buy the ghast a kebab in the enclave. I think we can skip roleplaying that part, although it might be met with some awkward glares from the Gnolls seeing a pony buy meat.
>It's for a friend
She then seeks out Mason, and informs him that her business went smoothly.
"Oh, Mason dear, pardon me for giving you new tasks on the fly, but it's getting close to morning and I was hoping you might be able to bring us to a local die-ner if that's possible? I want to take my little Gloomy out to feed him something sweet. I'll treat you as well if you're interested in joining us." Posey requests
>>176337
The wind has, unfortunately, picked up. Much more unfortunately, Amber does not have on her full set of clothing. She needs to get back, and soon. At least it drowns out the tinnitus, though the cold is actually threatening.
She has it soon enough. Well, perhaps not soon enough, but she does indeed collect it.
>>176339
The ghast wags its tail, and the gnoll who sells her the kebab is certainly confused. He doesn't speak ponish well at all, and the transaction is conducted mostly by means of pointing.
Mason is asleep when Posey encounters him, but he recovers quickly.
"Of course ma'am. There are plenty of diners."
>>176341
gasp
The wind has, unfortunately, picked up. Much more unfortunately, Amber does not have on her full set of clothing. She needs to get back, and soon. At least it drowns out the tinnitus, though the cold is actually threatening.
She has it soon enough. Well, perhaps not soon enough, but she does indeed collect it.
>>176339
The ghast wags its tail, and the gnoll who sells her the kebab is certainly confused. He doesn't speak ponish well at all, and the transaction is conducted mostly by means of pointing.
Mason is asleep when Posey encounters him, but he recovers quickly.
"Of course ma'am. There are plenty of diners."
>>176341
gasp
File (): 621122FF55C3C84ED606469A320CC1B5-990767.png (967.5 KB, 1342x1080, Screenshot_20240919-234400.png)
>>176342
>There are plenty of diners
"Excellent." Posey says, petting Gloomy's mane and tickling the side of his throat
>There are plenty of diners
"Excellent." Posey says, petting Gloomy's mane and tickling the side of his throat
>>176342
Merely the knowledge that the tinnitus and its frightful, mysterious source is out there makes Amber nervous. She wishes she got back her outer coat.
She hopes it's enough firewood. She quickly starts tugging along the sled once again to get to the village before it gets too cold.
Merely the knowledge that the tinnitus and its frightful, mysterious source is out there makes Amber nervous. She wishes she got back her outer coat.
She hopes it's enough firewood. She quickly starts tugging along the sled once again to get to the village before it gets too cold.
>>176345
She arrives back at the hut, which incidentally is actually further away from Amber than what she understands to be her home.
She arrives back at the hut, which incidentally is actually further away from Amber than what she understands to be her home.
>>176344
One is open at this odd hour with a few stallions inside. A few of those dreaded bats as well...
Nevertheless, it will do
One is open at this odd hour with a few stallions inside. A few of those dreaded bats as well...
Nevertheless, it will do
>>176346
She'll have to distribute the firewood, she supposes…. All in a day's work. Amber checks on the grown-ups and Jakala inside the hut.
She'll have to distribute the firewood, she supposes…. All in a day's work. Amber checks on the grown-ups and Jakala inside the hut.
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File (): 82609E2C9A60EE169E38F21583714339-70319.jpg (68.7 KB, 360x786, y9n7kgvyy3zc1.jpeg)
>>176347
Alright.
Posey goes inside with Gloomy.
>A few of those dreaded bats as well...
Th-they can't be worse company than vampires, can they?
I need to sleep.
Alright.
Posey goes inside with Gloomy.
>A few of those dreaded bats as well...
Th-they can't be worse company than vampires, can they?
I need to sleep.
>>176348
The mare is lying down, but still muttering gibberish. The stallion is preparing ersatz tea that he must have pulled out of deep storage.
Jakala is laying down with her head on a blanket on a bed.
>>176349
>They can't be worse than vampires, can they?
I don't know. Do vampires sit outside of your windows and "eeeeee" at 3 AM?
Waffle House is S-tier, by the way
The mare is lying down, but still muttering gibberish. The stallion is preparing ersatz tea that he must have pulled out of deep storage.
Jakala is laying down with her head on a blanket on a bed.
>>176349
>They can't be worse than vampires, can they?
I don't know. Do vampires sit outside of your windows and "eeeeee" at 3 AM?
Waffle House is S-tier, by the way
>>176350
"Is she going to be alright?" Amber asks quietly. She can't recall ever seeing frostbite as bad as this.
"Is she going to be alright?" Amber asks quietly. She can't recall ever seeing frostbite as bad as this.
>>176307
Neela does not offer much resistance. She almost limp.
"eeep"
Her head is straight up toward's Kira's head, and her ears are down
>>176306
Well, for one, it was probably moved with two ponies. It would have to blend in with stone. It could be behind something. It's likely intended to blend in or just be outright not visible, but out of the way enough that no one would ever bother with it.
Neela does not offer much resistance. She almost limp.
"eeep"
Her head is straight up toward's Kira's head, and her ears are down
>>176306
Well, for one, it was probably moved with two ponies. It would have to blend in with stone. It could be behind something. It's likely intended to blend in or just be outright not visible, but out of the way enough that no one would ever bother with it.
>>176351
"I don't know." He answers. "But I'll warm her up here. You should probably get back home, Kultainen."
"I don't know." He answers. "But I'll warm her up here. You should probably get back home, Kultainen."
>>176353
"I will. Thank you for taking care of her." Amber shakes Jakala. "Come on Jakala, let's go home."
"I will. Thank you for taking care of her." Amber shakes Jakala. "Come on Jakala, let's go home."
>>176354
"You did well, Kultainen" He says
Jakala peaks her head up, jumps off the bed, and follows Amber.
"You did well, Kultainen" He says
Jakala peaks her head up, jumps off the bed, and follows Amber.
>>176355
Would getting her winter clothes back in any way hurt the mare? If not, she'll put them back on before headed back outside and to the village proper. Otherwise, she'll just have to hurry.
Would getting her winter clothes back in any way hurt the mare? If not, she'll put them back on before headed back outside and to the village proper. Otherwise, she'll just have to hurry.
>>176356
No, there are a number of blankets in the hut. The only questionable part is the mask, as it's being used to cut off the mare's eyesight, and hopefully reduce her movement. But there's another mask, and Amber can get hers back and be on her way.
No, there are a number of blankets in the hut. The only questionable part is the mask, as it's being used to cut off the mare's eyesight, and hopefully reduce her movement. But there's another mask, and Amber can get hers back and be on her way.
>>176352
"You said you spent most of your time outside, I know, but do you have any idea how much of inside they have covered? If I were to hide something that I did not want found, I would put it inside room that has already been searched and catalogued."
"You said you spent most of your time outside, I know, but do you have any idea how much of inside they have covered? If I were to hide something that I did not want found, I would put it inside room that has already been searched and catalogued."
>>176352
It seems Neela really is trying to avoid having what happened to Hopper happen to her. Thankfully for her, Kira is not trying to crush her to make her easier to eat, she's merely just accidently smushing her with an overly friendly hug. She holds it for just a little bit more before she releases the poor deer.
"Thank you for that, Neela. It really meant a lot to me." She smiles at her friend, who very clearly had to take a big leaf of faith to get within what she thought was striking distance of the lamia and hug her.
It seems Neela really is trying to avoid having what happened to Hopper happen to her. Thankfully for her, Kira is not trying to crush her to make her easier to eat, she's merely just accidently smushing her with an overly friendly hug. She holds it for just a little bit more before she releases the poor deer.
"Thank you for that, Neela. It really meant a lot to me." She smiles at her friend, who very clearly had to take a big leaf of faith to get within what she thought was striking distance of the lamia and hug her.
>>176357
Amber is a little reticent to put on a mask that had been in contact with another pony's frostbitten tissue, and decides to leave it. She is glad to have her outer coat on as she makes her way back, with Jakala and much of the firewood in tow. Summer can't come soon enough!
Amber is a little reticent to put on a mask that had been in contact with another pony's frostbitten tissue, and decides to leave it. She is glad to have her outer coat on as she makes her way back, with Jakala and much of the firewood in tow. Summer can't come soon enough!
>>176358
"Hmmmm.... Maybe near the entrance. Possibly the library? I'm not certain which areas have been completely catalogued."
>>176359
mph
The does is dropped onto the wooden floor, and her legs slide apart as she drops to the ground. She can stop playing dead now.
She looks up to Kira showing her teeth and smiling awkwardly
"Uh, you're welcome?"''
>>176360
As the mask has been breathed on, Amber's reticence is... understandable. With Jakala placing her rear hooves on the skids of the sled and her forehooves over the front, the two ponies go closer to the edge of the line of huts. Just beyond Amber's hut is a little building made of wood that stores firewood and other things, and as she gets closer, she can see through the gaps in the timber that there are two ponies inside.
They are talking.
"Hmmmm.... Maybe near the entrance. Possibly the library? I'm not certain which areas have been completely catalogued."
>>176359
mph
The does is dropped onto the wooden floor, and her legs slide apart as she drops to the ground. She can stop playing dead now.
She looks up to Kira showing her teeth and smiling awkwardly
"Uh, you're welcome?"''
>>176360
As the mask has been breathed on, Amber's reticence is... understandable. With Jakala placing her rear hooves on the skids of the sled and her forehooves over the front, the two ponies go closer to the edge of the line of huts. Just beyond Amber's hut is a little building made of wood that stores firewood and other things, and as she gets closer, she can see through the gaps in the timber that there are two ponies inside.
They are talking.
>>176361
Amber knows she shouldn't eavesdrop, especially when privacy in this harsh land is hard to come by as is, but she can't resist and decides to listen without announcing herself.
Amber knows she shouldn't eavesdrop, especially when privacy in this harsh land is hard to come by as is, but she can't resist and decides to listen without announcing herself.
>>176361
"Well, I know it probably doesn't mean as much to you as it does to me, but I do consider you a friend, and the fact that you're willing to trust me even though you were afraid of getting, well, crushed and constricted, it means a lot to me." Kira rubs one foreleg with the other. "So...thank you."
"Well, I know it probably doesn't mean as much to you as it does to me, but I do consider you a friend, and the fact that you're willing to trust me even though you were afraid of getting, well, crushed and constricted, it means a lot to me." Kira rubs one foreleg with the other. "So...thank you."
>>176363
"Eh heh" She looks up towards Kira - or maybe not "up," it depends on how high above Neela Kira wishes to raise herself - and gives a teeth-chowing smile. Then she looks down and at Kira's form, and then pokes her with a hoof and taps her, again focusing on the goat, which is the closest part of her body that's on the ground anyways, assuming Kira's body is most angled away from Neela.
>>176364
With her head turned to Silver, in the dim light she seems to give a small smile. Then she moves her head forward and in the direction of the flashlight, and goes forward.
"To the library it is. I don't recall anything that looked at all like a casket but... I wasn't exactly looking and it may have happened since."
The ponies walk through the dark tunnels until going into the library. Pear helps by shining her light against the walls
Roll Search
"Eh heh" She looks up towards Kira - or maybe not "up," it depends on how high above Neela Kira wishes to raise herself - and gives a teeth-chowing smile. Then she looks down and at Kira's form, and then pokes her with a hoof and taps her, again focusing on the goat, which is the closest part of her body that's on the ground anyways, assuming Kira's body is most angled away from Neela.
>>176364
With her head turned to Silver, in the dim light she seems to give a small smile. Then she moves her head forward and in the direction of the flashlight, and goes forward.
"To the library it is. I don't recall anything that looked at all like a casket but... I wasn't exactly looking and it may have happened since."
The ponies walk through the dark tunnels until going into the library. Pear helps by shining her light against the walls
Roll Search
Gonna roll Gather Information to see if Posey has heard anything about a lich's lair nearby.
[1d20+8 = (3+8) = 11]
And Research to see if she's read anything about it at the Necromantic Security division of the university.
[1d20+7 = (4+7) = 11]
Meanwhile, at the die-ner.
Posey looks at the menu for several minutes.
"Yes, my son here will have the deluxe waffle meal for little colts. Double sprinkles, double chocolate syrup, double cream, double strawberries, double Mare&Mares, and double powdered sugar... And an orange juice. Nothing for myself."
She gestures to Mason
"He's with me, put his order on my bill."
She makes the ghast wait in the car with its kebab, since her Disguise Undead illusion isn't perfect.
[1d20+8 = (3+8) = 11]
And Research to see if she's read anything about it at the Necromantic Security division of the university.
[1d20+7 = (4+7) = 11]
Meanwhile, at the die-ner.
Posey looks at the menu for several minutes.
"Yes, my son here will have the deluxe waffle meal for little colts. Double sprinkles, double chocolate syrup, double cream, double strawberries, double Mare&Mares, and double powdered sugar... And an orange juice. Nothing for myself."
She gestures to Mason
"He's with me, put his order on my bill."
She makes the ghast wait in the car with its kebab, since her Disguise Undead illusion isn't perfect.
>>176366
Gonna roll Knowledge (Religion) too see what Posey knows about notable lich's in the area (I can roll again since last time, because Posey has since gain a rank in the skill):
[1d20+13 = (11+13) = 24]
Gonna roll Perform (Weapon Drill), with intent to attract Patrons who might be interested in requisitioning Posey's magical skills in fighting undead:
[1d20+11 = (12+11) = 23]
Gonna roll Knowledge (Religion) too see what Posey knows about notable lich's in the area (I can roll again since last time, because Posey has since gain a rank in the skill):
[1d20+13 = (11+13) = 24]
Gonna roll Perform (Weapon Drill), with intent to attract Patrons who might be interested in requisitioning Posey's magical skills in fighting undead:
[1d20+11 = (12+11) = 23]
>>176365
Kira looks down at the deer, and the hoof attached to the deer, and then to the lump in her stomach that the deer keeps poking.
"You are really interested in that, huh?"
Kira looks down at the deer, and the hoof attached to the deer, and then to the lump in her stomach that the deer keeps poking.
"You are really interested in that, huh?"
>>176368
Gonna roll Aid Another for Gloomy (emotional support colt) to see if I can hit that DC 25 Perform check to attract patrons
[1d20+2 = (12+2) = 14]
Gonna roll Aid Another for Gloomy (emotional support colt) to see if I can hit that DC 25 Perform check to attract patrons
[1d20+2 = (12+2) = 14]
>>176368
>>176370
"No Weapons in the Diner!" a pink mare yells. "And no public performances either. Like a bunch of damned Sangee looking for handouts..." She mutters
>>176367
Silver looks around and sees charred remains, a slate floor, empty holes... why hello there, is that block unstable?
>>176366
"Sure, but it's not an icecream shop. I don't think they'll have sprinkles or Mare & Mares."
>>176369
Her eyes dart up, and she jumps her forelegs up, pivoting away from Kira, looking back at her. She then walks past Kira into the kitchen, giving her as wide of a berth as she can, and looking back as she does so. She enters the kitchen, which is in an open-air format to the living room
>>176370
"No Weapons in the Diner!" a pink mare yells. "And no public performances either. Like a bunch of damned Sangee looking for handouts..." She mutters
>>176367
Silver looks around and sees charred remains, a slate floor, empty holes... why hello there, is that block unstable?
>>176366
"Sure, but it's not an icecream shop. I don't think they'll have sprinkles or Mare & Mares."
>>176369
Her eyes dart up, and she jumps her forelegs up, pivoting away from Kira, looking back at her. She then walks past Kira into the kitchen, giving her as wide of a berth as she can, and looking back as she does so. She enters the kitchen, which is in an open-air format to the living room
>>176371
>And no public...
I probably should have specified my intent to do these checks at the university later.
>"Sure, but it's not an icecream shop. I don't think they'll have sprinkles or Mare & Mares."
Posey just orders Gloomy the fanciest item that his small body could consume, with a doubled amount of any available toppings.
>And no public...
I probably should have specified my intent to do these checks at the university later.
>"Sure, but it's not an icecream shop. I don't think they'll have sprinkles or Mare & Mares."
Posey just orders Gloomy the fanciest item that his small body could consume, with a doubled amount of any available toppings.
>>176371
"Helloooooooooooo, what do we have here? Light, if you please."
Silver, with magic, might, or a combination of the two, moves the block out of the way.
"Helloooooooooooo, what do we have here? Light, if you please."
Silver, with magic, might, or a combination of the two, moves the block out of the way.
>>176371
Kira giggles. "Hey, I'm not upset or anything!" She slithers after her after grabbing the tea set. It seems like a good idea to wash it before giving it back to the nice-if-slightly-racist old mare. As she sets it down on the kitchen counter, she tilts her head at her deer friend.
"Is everything okay, Neela?"
Kira giggles. "Hey, I'm not upset or anything!" She slithers after her after grabbing the tea set. It seems like a good idea to wash it before giving it back to the nice-if-slightly-racist old mare. As she sets it down on the kitchen counter, she tilts her head at her deer friend.
"Is everything okay, Neela?"
>>176374
"Of course. Why wouldn't it be?" She answers
As Neela walks around the kitchen, she looks back and down at Kira's body to avoid it, whether out of mistrust, or a genuine concern for the massive tripping hazard her body presents. Neela grabs opens a cabinet, pulls out a set of grain, and before leaving the kitchen, starts eating it directly out of the container with numerous small nibbles
>>176372
I'm very interested to hear what kind of university you attended that allowed not merely display of weapons, but active demonstrations with them in public areas.
>>176373
With a bit of motion, the block slides out of place, revealing a cavity with several items in it.
The first item is a piece of paper that appears as if it were taken from a book. It is yellowed from age, and features a tree under a sun, with arrows point around, an evident root ball under a line that seems to be the ground, and what seems to be a connected network of roots. There are numerous symbols and letters that do not belong to the Ponish langue, particularly along the corners of the paper.
The second document is stiffer, thicker set of parchment that is likewise damaged with age, and with the words "Lady Joy" and "Manifest" in big block letters at the top. There's a date and a location "Baltimare Harbor January 1, 770, bound for Amhapura, Abyssinian Empire." Below is listed the names of crew, passengers, and cargo. A quick look at the latter shows items like hoes, rope, salt, and breadfruit saplings.
The next item is probably the most damaged by age, being afflicted by mold and moisture. It is a set of note paper - actual paper, not the hemp and linen parchment used elsewhere - that has notes like "salinity?" and "Ph level 7.5" a large number of crossed out numbers and words, "109 days sunlight," "Bury depth 2 feet?" and other similar notes.
Another document, most similar to the first, is what looks to be a floor plan. The floor is a more or less rectangular shape that intersects with a large circle in a kind of pear or lightbulb shape. There are stairs going up, support columns, notes of a block in the lower rectangle, but most interesting of all, a super imposed other shape in a blue color, opposed the to black used in most of the document. This shape is lower and most of it is near the rectangular section. It's an oblong shape with many curves that does not correspond to most rules of architecture. At the bottom, is a smaller shape that seems to be a prolife view of the same building. It implies that the floor shown is a subterrain section, and the blue shape is below that.
The final item is not any kind of paper. To the left, over top of some of the papers, and with a spider web across it, is what appears to be a fruit. The fruit is recognizable as a citrus, it has a golden color closest to that of a lemon but with an orange tint, it has a pear shape to it, it's rather large, like a grapefruit, and it has the little pits you would expect of a citrus fruit. It is bright in color and is either perfectly ripe, ready to be sold or eaten, or a damned fine imitation of a fruit made with wax or plastic.
"Of course. Why wouldn't it be?" She answers
As Neela walks around the kitchen, she looks back and down at Kira's body to avoid it, whether out of mistrust, or a genuine concern for the massive tripping hazard her body presents. Neela grabs opens a cabinet, pulls out a set of grain, and before leaving the kitchen, starts eating it directly out of the container with numerous small nibbles
>>176372
I'm very interested to hear what kind of university you attended that allowed not merely display of weapons, but active demonstrations with them in public areas.
>>176373
With a bit of motion, the block slides out of place, revealing a cavity with several items in it.
The first item is a piece of paper that appears as if it were taken from a book. It is yellowed from age, and features a tree under a sun, with arrows point around, an evident root ball under a line that seems to be the ground, and what seems to be a connected network of roots. There are numerous symbols and letters that do not belong to the Ponish langue, particularly along the corners of the paper.
The second document is stiffer, thicker set of parchment that is likewise damaged with age, and with the words "Lady Joy" and "Manifest" in big block letters at the top. There's a date and a location "Baltimare Harbor January 1, 770, bound for Amhapura, Abyssinian Empire." Below is listed the names of crew, passengers, and cargo. A quick look at the latter shows items like hoes, rope, salt, and breadfruit saplings.
The next item is probably the most damaged by age, being afflicted by mold and moisture. It is a set of note paper - actual paper, not the hemp and linen parchment used elsewhere - that has notes like "salinity?" and "Ph level 7.5" a large number of crossed out numbers and words, "109 days sunlight," "Bury depth 2 feet?" and other similar notes.
Another document, most similar to the first, is what looks to be a floor plan. The floor is a more or less rectangular shape that intersects with a large circle in a kind of pear or lightbulb shape. There are stairs going up, support columns, notes of a block in the lower rectangle, but most interesting of all, a super imposed other shape in a blue color, opposed the to black used in most of the document. This shape is lower and most of it is near the rectangular section. It's an oblong shape with many curves that does not correspond to most rules of architecture. At the bottom, is a smaller shape that seems to be a prolife view of the same building. It implies that the floor shown is a subterrain section, and the blue shape is below that.
The final item is not any kind of paper. To the left, over top of some of the papers, and with a spider web across it, is what appears to be a fruit. The fruit is recognizable as a citrus, it has a golden color closest to that of a lemon but with an orange tint, it has a pear shape to it, it's rather large, like a grapefruit, and it has the little pits you would expect of a citrus fruit. It is bright in color and is either perfectly ripe, ready to be sold or eaten, or a damned fine imitation of a fruit made with wax or plastic.
>>176375
Since Neela has evacuated the kitchen, Kira takes her turn to head inside and wash the tea set, continuing her conversation with the deer.
"Well...all of that stuff you said, just before I did my 'thing' with Hopper...it sounds like you've had a lot of it on your chest for a while now, not just when I met you earlier today."
Since Neela has evacuated the kitchen, Kira takes her turn to head inside and wash the tea set, continuing her conversation with the deer.
"Well...all of that stuff you said, just before I did my 'thing' with Hopper...it sounds like you've had a lot of it on your chest for a while now, not just when I met you earlier today."
>>176375
Hmm, no sarcophagus, but I suppose Silver should have suspected as the block was nowhere near as big as it. But, these are still some interesting items that Silver takes out to examine. The parchment set Silver first gives over to Pear.
"These probably are from boat that brought mummy over here. It is not mentioned in manifest, obviously, so it had to have been smuggled aboard, but you and your colleagues should be able to use this to follow trail right back to where he was buried. Maybe you can find out who he was, or if there were more like him undiscovered in that area."
The floor plan seems to be the next item unrelated to the rest. Silver looks at it, tilting it to different degrees to see if he can make heads or tails of either of the shapes shown. Maybe it's a floorplan of the catacombs, and it's showing an entire other section that's yet to be uncovered? Or it could be a completely different location and this is showing that there's a hidden section to it, perhaps used as a hideout or additional laboratory by Curwhinny.
The piece of paper, the note paper, and the fruit all seem to be related, at least to Silver. He's far from the smartest pony, but even he can see how 'tree', 'sunlight', and 'fruit' would related to one another. The fruit especially gives him some pause. "What in..." Grabbing it, he gives it a feel and a sniff. It would be odd to hide away a wax or plastic fruit like this, but it would also be even weirder if it was actual fruit.
Hmm, no sarcophagus, but I suppose Silver should have suspected as the block was nowhere near as big as it. But, these are still some interesting items that Silver takes out to examine. The parchment set Silver first gives over to Pear.
"These probably are from boat that brought mummy over here. It is not mentioned in manifest, obviously, so it had to have been smuggled aboard, but you and your colleagues should be able to use this to follow trail right back to where he was buried. Maybe you can find out who he was, or if there were more like him undiscovered in that area."
The floor plan seems to be the next item unrelated to the rest. Silver looks at it, tilting it to different degrees to see if he can make heads or tails of either of the shapes shown. Maybe it's a floorplan of the catacombs, and it's showing an entire other section that's yet to be uncovered? Or it could be a completely different location and this is showing that there's a hidden section to it, perhaps used as a hideout or additional laboratory by Curwhinny.
The piece of paper, the note paper, and the fruit all seem to be related, at least to Silver. He's far from the smartest pony, but even he can see how 'tree', 'sunlight', and 'fruit' would related to one another. The fruit especially gives him some pause. "What in..." Grabbing it, he gives it a feel and a sniff. It would be odd to hide away a wax or plastic fruit like this, but it would also be even weirder if it was actual fruit.
>>176375
>I'm very interested to hear what kind of university you attended that allowed not merely display of weapons, but active demonstrations with them in public areas.
The weapon in question is a touch attack specifically Chill Touch.
I sort of figured that an Arcane Academy would have testing /training grounds for various spells, especially universities concerned with securities. If there's a place where people would scout for talent, it would be there.
Those were shitpost rolls anyway though.
>I'm very interested to hear what kind of university you attended that allowed not merely display of weapons, but active demonstrations with them in public areas.
The weapon in question is a touch attack specifically Chill Touch.
I sort of figured that an Arcane Academy would have testing /training grounds for various spells, especially universities concerned with securities. If there's a place where people would scout for talent, it would be there.
Those were shitpost rolls anyway though.
>>176371
Shitpost-rolling for karaoke
"Ponies tell me my head's in the clouds...
I don't care what they say because i'm dreamin' of you
You are the treasure i've found
So bright, so bold yet so elusive
It's hard to look away even though it's blinding me
There are no words to describe how I feel inside
I'm really really stuck on you wow wow
I have to follow my dreams however crazy they seem
And I won't stop 'til I get there, you will see
You're all I need to have the strength to believe
Believe in Wonderland!
I'm gonna follow my dreams however crazy they seem
I'm gonna share them with you, a love so true
You're all I want, together we can move on
Live how we want to!
There is no limit to us, we have the power of love
And we don't wanna live ordinary lives
We have the chance to live in paradise
Believe in WON-DER-LAND~!"
[1d20+8 = (13+8) = 21]
Shitpost-rolling for karaoke
"Ponies tell me my head's in the clouds...
I don't care what they say because i'm dreamin' of you
You are the treasure i've found
So bright, so bold yet so elusive
It's hard to look away even though it's blinding me
There are no words to describe how I feel inside
I'm really really stuck on you wow wow
I have to follow my dreams however crazy they seem
And I won't stop 'til I get there, you will see
You're all I need to have the strength to believe
Believe in Wonderland!
I'm gonna follow my dreams however crazy they seem
I'm gonna share them with you, a love so true
You're all I want, together we can move on
Live how we want to!
There is no limit to us, we have the power of love
And we don't wanna live ordinary lives
We have the chance to live in paradise
Believe in WON-DER-LAND~!"
[1d20+8 = (13+8) = 21]
>>176362
The walls of the shack are made of branches and the trunks of small trees. They leave small gaps between them and are not intended to be airtight and retain heat. This means that Amber can look inside, but someone from inside could theoretically look out as well.
Amber knows these voices. She knows these ponies inside. These are her parents, her mother and father.
Mother: "And when would you want to move? Spring? You know that if you do not plant the fields in spring, we will have no food for next winter."
Father: "Look, I'm not saying that we go now, but at some time we should consider it."
"And with what money? You will need to have money saved up if you want to get an apartment."
"My old friend I worked with could let us live with him. We could share an apartment."
"You want little Kultanien to share an apartment with another family? And me as well?"
"At least it's warm there. And there's a school Kultanien can go to. It can help her in life."
"A school to learn what? What the Central Council says is true belief? They will fill her head with nonsense and she will learn nothing about the spirits or about how to be a proper mare. They will teach her... What? How to operate a loom?"
"There are more opportunities there than here."
"Opportunities to do what? To get stabbed? There is no nature there. No trees... No hills..."
"It's a hard life here. The cold, the wilderness. One mistake and you're done."
"The land sustains us. It provides for us. And we've made it. And so have our mothers and fathers before us. We've made it by living off of the land."
"But you know, we have to buy many things from the outside. Kerosene, coats. Things we cannot make on our own."
"We can make our coats just fine."
"Yes, but you know that for all of the effort it takes to make one it is cheaper to buy one made by the factories. And if we can't make our coats in our own colors, what is the point of making our own?"
"We only cannot because it is the law imposed by the Central Council."
"But it is the law all the same. And as a village councilor I must be seen to follow it."
"But you keep one at home! I even wear it on occasion, so does Kultanien."
"Not in public. But - ugh - that's not the point. The point is that we have to travel to the station to get supplies every year. It is a long and hard journey,and we would have stores to buy it from in the city."
"Our life here is stable."
"But for how long? Every year, our wood, furs, and bark buy less and less. And with bad luck we may not be able to buy kerosene at all."
"It's stable for the family. We have friends here. We have our way of life here. The way our parents lived, and the way they lived going back to the Deluge. You're a Councilstallion here for Akko's sake."
"That doesn't change the fact that we could buy so much more in the city if I had a factory job. There's electricity there. There's plumbing. Better medicine. Even cinemas..."
"Is it all about money? And would you rather be among strangers, working as a factory worker and living in a crowded apartment than to be respected by your peers, and living among friends in the lands of your ancestors?"
"All I'm saying is that it is something to consider. Auringonlasku emigrated. Let's see whatTähtien Alla has to say when we see him, back from school."
"Well if you don't decide by spring you are planting. We are not going to bet on moving then have nothing for next winter." Amber can see her mother start to move towards the door. "I still can't believe you sent Tähtien to school. He better not come back talking about this ridiculous 'science'. It's the end of all society..." She opens the door and, "Kultainen Hämärä. Where have you been?"
The walls of the shack are made of branches and the trunks of small trees. They leave small gaps between them and are not intended to be airtight and retain heat. This means that Amber can look inside, but someone from inside could theoretically look out as well.
Amber knows these voices. She knows these ponies inside. These are her parents, her mother and father.
Mother: "And when would you want to move? Spring? You know that if you do not plant the fields in spring, we will have no food for next winter."
Father: "Look, I'm not saying that we go now, but at some time we should consider it."
"And with what money? You will need to have money saved up if you want to get an apartment."
"My old friend I worked with could let us live with him. We could share an apartment."
"You want little Kultanien to share an apartment with another family? And me as well?"
"At least it's warm there. And there's a school Kultanien can go to. It can help her in life."
"A school to learn what? What the Central Council says is true belief? They will fill her head with nonsense and she will learn nothing about the spirits or about how to be a proper mare. They will teach her... What? How to operate a loom?"
"There are more opportunities there than here."
"Opportunities to do what? To get stabbed? There is no nature there. No trees... No hills..."
"It's a hard life here. The cold, the wilderness. One mistake and you're done."
"The land sustains us. It provides for us. And we've made it. And so have our mothers and fathers before us. We've made it by living off of the land."
"But you know, we have to buy many things from the outside. Kerosene, coats. Things we cannot make on our own."
"We can make our coats just fine."
"Yes, but you know that for all of the effort it takes to make one it is cheaper to buy one made by the factories. And if we can't make our coats in our own colors, what is the point of making our own?"
"We only cannot because it is the law imposed by the Central Council."
"But it is the law all the same. And as a village councilor I must be seen to follow it."
"But you keep one at home! I even wear it on occasion, so does Kultanien."
"Not in public. But - ugh - that's not the point. The point is that we have to travel to the station to get supplies every year. It is a long and hard journey,and we would have stores to buy it from in the city."
"Our life here is stable."
"But for how long? Every year, our wood, furs, and bark buy less and less. And with bad luck we may not be able to buy kerosene at all."
"It's stable for the family. We have friends here. We have our way of life here. The way our parents lived, and the way they lived going back to the Deluge. You're a Councilstallion here for Akko's sake."
"That doesn't change the fact that we could buy so much more in the city if I had a factory job. There's electricity there. There's plumbing. Better medicine. Even cinemas..."
"Is it all about money? And would you rather be among strangers, working as a factory worker and living in a crowded apartment than to be respected by your peers, and living among friends in the lands of your ancestors?"
"All I'm saying is that it is something to consider. Auringonlasku emigrated. Let's see whatTähtien Alla has to say when we see him, back from school."
"Well if you don't decide by spring you are planting. We are not going to bet on moving then have nothing for next winter." Amber can see her mother start to move towards the door. "I still can't believe you sent Tähtien to school. He better not come back talking about this ridiculous 'science'. It's the end of all society..." She opens the door and, "Kultainen Hämärä. Where have you been?"
>>176376
She stops, and her ears flip down. Then she turns her head towards Kira, angled down. She sighs.
"You have gold. Ponies like you. You're a 'predator'. Even Customs sees you as a novelty. It's not so easy for many of us."
>>176377
Pear takes the manifest
"Yeah... We could look into this... We certainly should"
>floorplan
It kind of looks like a building over a cave or similar feature, like a church or a theater.
>alleged fruit
It feels like a fruit. It smells vaguely like a lemon, though there isn't much of a smell.
>>176378
Perhaps
>>176379
Is this a pop song? An old G1 song?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTtgQvqa7Os&pp=ygUaaSBkb24ndCBnZXQgaXQgYnV0dG9uIG1hc2g%3D
>>176372
The waitress is happy to allow extra fruit and whipped cream
nom nom nom
She stops, and her ears flip down. Then she turns her head towards Kira, angled down. She sighs.
"You have gold. Ponies like you. You're a 'predator'. Even Customs sees you as a novelty. It's not so easy for many of us."
>>176377
Pear takes the manifest
"Yeah... We could look into this... We certainly should"
>floorplan
It kind of looks like a building over a cave or similar feature, like a church or a theater.
>alleged fruit
It feels like a fruit. It smells vaguely like a lemon, though there isn't much of a smell.
>>176378
Perhaps
>>176379
Is this a pop song? An old G1 song?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTtgQvqa7Os&pp=ygUaaSBkb24ndCBnZXQgaXQgYnV0dG9uIG1hc2g%3D
>>176372
The waitress is happy to allow extra fruit and whipped cream
nom nom nom
>>176381
>I don't get it
There is nothing to get. It is a rip off from some 90s anime English dub song.
>nom nom nom
Posey watches Gloomy eat intently, her ringed golden eyes glimmering in the dim light by the window, following his movements closely.
>I don't get it
There is nothing to get. It is a rip off from some 90s anime English dub song.
>nom nom nom
Posey watches Gloomy eat intently, her ringed golden eyes glimmering in the dim light by the window, following his movements closely.
>>176381
The building would likely have been built around Curwhinny's time, for him to have a floor plan of it. It's likely he could go look at local government records for those sorts of buildings built before Curwhinny was sealed away. At the very least knowing dates will let him narrow the search down a fair bit, and there's surely something hidden here to warrant having a floor plan of the place.
He shows the paper with the tree on it to Pear. "Can you read this? I have feeling it pertains to this fruit, and maybe it will shed light on why there would be perfectly ripened, strange fruit in here. And why it is still good after all of this time."
The building would likely have been built around Curwhinny's time, for him to have a floor plan of it. It's likely he could go look at local government records for those sorts of buildings built before Curwhinny was sealed away. At the very least knowing dates will let him narrow the search down a fair bit, and there's surely something hidden here to warrant having a floor plan of the place.
He shows the paper with the tree on it to Pear. "Can you read this? I have feeling it pertains to this fruit, and maybe it will shed light on why there would be perfectly ripened, strange fruit in here. And why it is still good after all of this time."
>>176381
Kira tilts her head at her deer friend.
"Well, I suppose the ponies that don't run away screaming at the sight of me do. I don't know what your story was before I first saw you at Customs. It sounds like you've had a hard life. Can you...can you fill me in on some of the details?"
Kira tilts her head at her deer friend.
"Well, I suppose the ponies that don't run away screaming at the sight of me do. I don't know what your story was before I first saw you at Customs. It sounds like you've had a hard life. Can you...can you fill me in on some of the details?"
>>176382
After an attempt to eat it with a fork, which is swiftly abandoned, Gloomy starts to eat it with his hooves. This, too, is quickly abandoned, in favor of just shoving his face into the waffles. Soon his muzzle is covered with whipped cream and syrup.
nom nom nom
Wait. Wait! THERE IS CHOCOLATE!
The waitress found some and has brought it. It's in a bar form, and yes, it will fit on a waffle.
>>176383
Pear looks at the paper, holding it in her hooves
"I think it's alchemical symbols. I suppose this set by the top means sun rays, but... I don't really know what these symbols mean."
>>176384
She sighs
"What is there to say? Living from place to place. Poverty. Harassment by Griffin sheriffs and the Baltimare police..."
After an attempt to eat it with a fork, which is swiftly abandoned, Gloomy starts to eat it with his hooves. This, too, is quickly abandoned, in favor of just shoving his face into the waffles. Soon his muzzle is covered with whipped cream and syrup.
nom nom nom
Wait. Wait! THERE IS CHOCOLATE!
The waitress found some and has brought it. It's in a bar form, and yes, it will fit on a waffle.
>>176383
Pear looks at the paper, holding it in her hooves
"I think it's alchemical symbols. I suppose this set by the top means sun rays, but... I don't really know what these symbols mean."
>>176384
She sighs
"What is there to say? Living from place to place. Poverty. Harassment by Griffin sheriffs and the Baltimare police..."
>>176385
Posey levitates and wipes Gloomy down with a napkin and assists him, levitating a fork and knife and cutting his food for him.
She chides at him softly about making a mess, still staring at him with an almost uncannily affectionate expression..
"Oh Gloomy... I need to get you home, but for now, just relax and enjoy yourself." she says quietly, seemingly more to herself than to the colt
>>176383
If only you could fine someone who were trained in arcane sciences.
Posey levitates and wipes Gloomy down with a napkin and assists him, levitating a fork and knife and cutting his food for him.
She chides at him softly about making a mess, still staring at him with an almost uncannily affectionate expression..
"Oh Gloomy... I need to get you home, but for now, just relax and enjoy yourself." she says quietly, seemingly more to herself than to the colt
>>176383
If only you could fine someone who were trained in arcane sciences.
>>176385
"When was last time you heard of sun meaning anything dangerous?" Silver looks back at the fruit. "Then again, Curwhinny was doing all sorts of alchemical experiments trying to bring back his deceased family, and one of my compatriots can testify that they did not taste great. Who knows why he would want one of these strange fruits, or what it could do." He looks again back at Pear. "But, then again...nothing ventured, nothing gained. Think I should taste it?"
>>176387
If only...
"When was last time you heard of sun meaning anything dangerous?" Silver looks back at the fruit. "Then again, Curwhinny was doing all sorts of alchemical experiments trying to bring back his deceased family, and one of my compatriots can testify that they did not taste great. Who knows why he would want one of these strange fruits, or what it could do." He looks again back at Pear. "But, then again...nothing ventured, nothing gained. Think I should taste it?"
>>176387
If only...
>>176388
>Think I should taste it?"
OOC, I would advise against that. If it's what I think it is, you'll instantly die.
>Think I should taste it?"
OOC, I would advise against that. If it's what I think it is, you'll instantly die.
>>176390
Posey hands the nearest waitress a silver doubloon with a skull stamped on it, and honors the request.
Posey hands the nearest waitress a silver doubloon with a skull stamped on it, and honors the request.
>>176391
She looks down at the coin
"Okay then... Waffle minus the waffle it is."
And she actually does bring out the whipped cream, blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, banana chocolate bar.
She looks down at the coin
"Okay then... Waffle minus the waffle it is."
And she actually does bring out the whipped cream, blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, banana chocolate bar.
>>176380
Amber doesn't know what to make of this conversation. A city? Apartment? Central Council? These are all strange concepts she isn't really familiar with. And her brother is coming? Won't that be good? But she doesn't really want to move away….
"Mom!" she exclaims, as she moves forward to hug the mare. She struggles to get words out of her mouth to explain what happened.
"I gathered the firewood like I needed to. On the way Jakala and I found a poor mare who looked badly frostbit. We took her to a neighbor's hut and he said she's Makea Aamu. I also saw and heard something odd…." She can't help but pause, not knowing how to explain just what that thing was.
Amber doesn't know what to make of this conversation. A city? Apartment? Central Council? These are all strange concepts she isn't really familiar with. And her brother is coming? Won't that be good? But she doesn't really want to move away….
"Mom!" she exclaims, as she moves forward to hug the mare. She struggles to get words out of her mouth to explain what happened.
"I gathered the firewood like I needed to. On the way Jakala and I found a poor mare who looked badly frostbit. We took her to a neighbor's hut and he said she's Makea Aamu. I also saw and heard something odd…." She can't help but pause, not knowing how to explain just what that thing was.
>>176390
"Awwwwww..." Kira's ears fold down. "I'm sorry, Neela. I don't know what I would have done without my mom being around. Are those griffin sheriffs why you came over here to Baltimare?"
"Awwwwww..." Kira's ears fold down. "I'm sorry, Neela. I don't know what I would have done without my mom being around. Are those griffin sheriffs why you came over here to Baltimare?"
>>176393
Her mother leans down and
squeaky
Picks up Amber, to where she is holding her
"One thing at a time, little Kultanein. What happened?"
She moves, carrying Amber towards the hut. Amber is not atcually that small, so this a bit laborious. She places Amber on her back.
>>176394
"Heh... alright then... All part of a normal adventure for you, I suppose..."
>>176395
"More or less, yes. That, and they were giving out work visas. We didn't know what factory work was like, so, we took it."
>>176396
He literally licked equine remains
Her mother leans down and
squeaky
Picks up Amber, to where she is holding her
"One thing at a time, little Kultanein. What happened?"
She moves, carrying Amber towards the hut. Amber is not atcually that small, so this a bit laborious. She places Amber on her back.
>>176394
"Heh... alright then... All part of a normal adventure for you, I suppose..."
>>176395
"More or less, yes. That, and they were giving out work visas. We didn't know what factory work was like, so, we took it."
>>176396
He literally licked equine remains
DM, I am ready to start this evening if you're feeling up to it. No rush of course.
>>176397
"What is it like? If I'm going to bring my tribe over here, knowing that would be great information."
"What is it like? If I'm going to bring my tribe over here, knowing that would be great information."
>>176397
"Heheh, usually how it goes." He looks at the fruit again. "There is still question of what to do with this. Should I just go ahead and eat it, or go to somepony to get it identified?"
"Heheh, usually how it goes." He looks at the fruit again. "There is still question of what to do with this. Should I just go ahead and eat it, or go to somepony to get it identified?"
>>176400
"Ugh! Misserable! Repetative, boring. I saw a deer get her hoof caught in a machine and... she only has half a hoof. Long hours. Not so great wages. The unions will hire goons to literally beat you if you try to work during a strike, and of course the factories won't pay you if you do not work... You get caught up in a war that isn't your own, and... It's miserable."
>>176401
She looks at it
"I think it's a Lumia. Maybe a citron-lemon hybrid? It's in suspiciously good condition..."
"Ugh! Misserable! Repetative, boring. I saw a deer get her hoof caught in a machine and... she only has half a hoof. Long hours. Not so great wages. The unions will hire goons to literally beat you if you try to work during a strike, and of course the factories won't pay you if you do not work... You get caught up in a war that isn't your own, and... It's miserable."
>>176401
She looks at it
"I think it's a Lumia. Maybe a citron-lemon hybrid? It's in suspiciously good condition..."
>>176397
Little Kultainen looks adorable being held. She's getting a bit big for it though and she scrunches.
"Well, Jakala and I went west past the tundra to gather firewood. We saw a huge clearing where hundreds of trees were felled, some were burned…there was a pile of logs that had been stacked, and a few standing trees in the middle of it all…"
Little Kultainen looks adorable being held. She's getting a bit big for it though and she scrunches.
"Well, Jakala and I went west past the tundra to gather firewood. We saw a huge clearing where hundreds of trees were felled, some were burned…there was a pile of logs that had been stacked, and a few standing trees in the middle of it all…"
>>176397
Posey gets ready to leave once Gloomy is finished eating. She takes her time though.
After she returns to the manor, she meditates for 8 hours during the day to recover her arcane spells, unless any more pressing matters present themselves.
She also arranges to have the ghost's haunted items mailed to their respective resting places.
Posey gets ready to leave once Gloomy is finished eating. She takes her time though.
After she returns to the manor, she meditates for 8 hours during the day to recover her arcane spells, unless any more pressing matters present themselves.
She also arranges to have the ghost's haunted items mailed to their respective resting places.
>>176402
Silver nods in agreement.
"Never heard of Lumia before. I am not particularly inclined towards getting poisoned, I will take getting shot any day over getting poisoned if it is. But I am curious."
Silver nods in agreement.
"Never heard of Lumia before. I am not particularly inclined towards getting poisoned, I will take getting shot any day over getting poisoned if it is. But I am curious."
>>176402
Kira cringes upon hearing the description, especially about the missing hoof.
"It sounds miserable. Did they at least fix the issue with that machine? It doesn't sound like it's supposed to be eating hooves."
Kira cringes upon hearing the description, especially about the missing hoof.
"It sounds miserable. Did they at least fix the issue with that machine? It doesn't sound like it's supposed to be eating hooves."
>>176403
"You went to the blast?" Mother asks
>>176405
I'm not sure what it's going to take to get her onto the next quest... She seems to have genuinely no interest
You can make a new character
>>176407
"It is rather intriguing. I wouldn't eat it. But then again, I wouldn't challenge Peer Review over a sword, or get in a knife fight in an old building, or prosition a mare I've just met for sex either..."
>>176406
That's actually kind of relevant to the next big quest
>>176408
>>176409
Yes he is. He's a Severyanan Emigre
>>176410
"They said it was her fault for putting her hoof there. You have to be quick."
"You went to the blast?" Mother asks
>>176405
I'm not sure what it's going to take to get her onto the next quest... She seems to have genuinely no interest
You can make a new character
>>176407
"It is rather intriguing. I wouldn't eat it. But then again, I wouldn't challenge Peer Review over a sword, or get in a knife fight in an old building, or prosition a mare I've just met for sex either..."
>>176406
That's actually kind of relevant to the next big quest
>>176408
>>176409
Yes he is. He's a Severyanan Emigre
>>176410
"They said it was her fault for putting her hoof there. You have to be quick."
>>176411
This gets the lamia to pout. "Well that's just stupid. No one wants to lose a hoof, it's not like she tried to. I know some jobs are just dangerous no matter what, but surely there's something to be done to make that machine or other machines safer for workers."
This gets the lamia to pout. "Well that's just stupid. No one wants to lose a hoof, it's not like she tried to. I know some jobs are just dangerous no matter what, but surely there's something to be done to make that machine or other machines safer for workers."
>>176412
She gasps
"You saw a Stallo?!?!?"
Her mother is visibly concerned
They go through the door and into the hut.
squeaky
Amber father picks her up off of her mother's back and places her other the bed, facing him. He sits down in front of Amber
"Little Kultainen Hämärä, there are no Stallos. It is but a superstition."
>>176413
"Well, they didn't have much interest in it. It was easier just to find another doe." She answers. She picks up the container again
munch munch munch
>>176415
Biting into the fruit, Silver can taste that the rind of the fruit is indeed like a lemon. That is to say, it is thick like a lemon, with a somewhat acidic taste. Then he gets to the flesh. It's simultaneously sour like a lemon, but also sweet like an orange or tangerine. It's a very sharp flavor over all. Not as bad as biting into a lemon, but definitely strong.
She gasps
"You saw a Stallo?!?!?"
Her mother is visibly concerned
They go through the door and into the hut.
squeaky
Amber father picks her up off of her mother's back and places her other the bed, facing him. He sits down in front of Amber
"Little Kultainen Hämärä, there are no Stallos. It is but a superstition."
>>176413
"Well, they didn't have much interest in it. It was easier just to find another doe." She answers. She picks up the container again
munch munch munch
>>176415
Biting into the fruit, Silver can taste that the rind of the fruit is indeed like a lemon. That is to say, it is thick like a lemon, with a somewhat acidic taste. Then he gets to the flesh. It's simultaneously sour like a lemon, but also sweet like an orange or tangerine. It's a very sharp flavor over all. Not as bad as biting into a lemon, but definitely strong.
>>176416
"Mmmm..."
Silver is surprised and delighted by the flavor. It's not bad at all, like taking the best of both a lemon and an orange. He'll have to remember this "Lumia" and look for more in the markets, the household would love these.
Are there any seeds or a pit that needs to be spit out?
"Mmmm..."
Silver is surprised and delighted by the flavor. It's not bad at all, like taking the best of both a lemon and an orange. He'll have to remember this "Lumia" and look for more in the markets, the household would love these.
Are there any seeds or a pit that needs to be spit out?
>>176416
"Awwwwwwww...we didn't have factories back home. I can't believe they would just forget that it's living being who are working the machines. You can't just leave them like that. I hope you didn't have to spend much time there."
"Awwwwwwww...we didn't have factories back home. I can't believe they would just forget that it's living being who are working the machines. You can't just leave them like that. I hope you didn't have to spend much time there."
>>176419
Silver mumbles around the fruit flesh and rind currently in his mouth, the words vaguely coming out as the question "Want some?"
Silver mumbles around the fruit flesh and rind currently in his mouth, the words vaguely coming out as the question "Want some?"
>>176416
"I did, Mama," she says with a frown.
"I saw it, Papa. While we were outside there was a very strange sound we couldn't get away from. At the clearing it was the loudest, and over a crest I looked and saw a Stallos. It was huge and dark, Papa, but it didn't see me." The filly is shivering and fidgeting nervously, but she puts on a brave face. "I hid our tracks like you showed me, Papa. There's no way it could have followed. But it's still so close to here…."
"I did, Mama," she says with a frown.
"I saw it, Papa. While we were outside there was a very strange sound we couldn't get away from. At the clearing it was the loudest, and over a crest I looked and saw a Stallos. It was huge and dark, Papa, but it didn't see me." The filly is shivering and fidgeting nervously, but she puts on a brave face. "I hid our tracks like you showed me, Papa. There's no way it could have followed. But it's still so close to here…."
>>176421
"Awwww. Well, I want to promise you this, you will never have to worry about factory work as long as you're living with me!" She smiles at the deer, before continuing on. "So what did you do for money after leaving the factory?"
"Awwww. Well, I want to promise you this, you will never have to worry about factory work as long as you're living with me!" She smiles at the deer, before continuing on. "So what did you do for money after leaving the factory?"
>>176411
>She seems to have genuinely no interest
I will make up a reason to be interested.
Posey is a blackweave warmagus who specializes in arcane securities, and she's trying to raise funds for her army. She'd be willing to do any sort of mercenary/adventure work if the job payed well.
More importantly, Posey is a Sorceress who has finally been freed of the oppressive confines of Magehold, and she's just itching to find living targets to practice her spells on and expand her powers; in fact, she's desperate to, because exceeding her master's powers (lvl ~6-8) is the only way she can end her apprenticeship and be free of their bindings. So she'd gladly do any sort of mercenary work if the job entailed fighting things.
Also, Posey is bloodthirsty. She wants to fight.
>You can make a new character
I'll consider it, but I already came this far with Posey.
>That's actually kind of relevant to the next big quest
Oh, that's good then.
For the record, Posey's forged passport is one from Farbrook. If ponies ask where she is from, she says she is from Farbrook.
Farbrook has a culture similar to Equestria, so she blends in well. It's also constantly threatened by the Dread League, which is a convenient excuse for knowing many facts about the Dread League should anyone ever grow suspicious.
>>176412
Oh yeah, I passed by Amber's hometown.
>>176419
It looks like the fruit is not what I believed it to be. False alarm.
>She seems to have genuinely no interest
I will make up a reason to be interested.
Posey is a blackweave warmagus who specializes in arcane securities, and she's trying to raise funds for her army. She'd be willing to do any sort of mercenary/adventure work if the job payed well.
More importantly, Posey is a Sorceress who has finally been freed of the oppressive confines of Magehold, and she's just itching to find living targets to practice her spells on and expand her powers; in fact, she's desperate to, because exceeding her master's powers (lvl ~6-8) is the only way she can end her apprenticeship and be free of their bindings. So she'd gladly do any sort of mercenary work if the job entailed fighting things.
Also, Posey is bloodthirsty. She wants to fight.
>You can make a new character
I'll consider it, but I already came this far with Posey.
>That's actually kind of relevant to the next big quest
Oh, that's good then.
For the record, Posey's forged passport is one from Farbrook. If ponies ask where she is from, she says she is from Farbrook.
Farbrook has a culture similar to Equestria, so she blends in well. It's also constantly threatened by the Dread League, which is a convenient excuse for knowing many facts about the Dread League should anyone ever grow suspicious.
>>176412
Oh yeah, I passed by Amber's hometown.
>>176419
It looks like the fruit is not what I believed it to be. False alarm.
>>176411
>I'm not sure what it's going to take to get her onto the next quest...
Is there any way Posey could hear about the mercenary job? Is there an [adventures wanted] bulletin anywhere? I'd it advertised in any newspaper tabloids that a shady necromancer might read, or put on posters in a dark alleyway?
I have been waiting to meet the party for more than a year. I don't care if the way to get there is shoehorned.
>I'm not sure what it's going to take to get her onto the next quest...
Is there any way Posey could hear about the mercenary job? Is there an [adventures wanted] bulletin anywhere? I'd it advertised in any newspaper tabloids that a shady necromancer might read, or put on posters in a dark alleyway?
I have been waiting to meet the party for more than a year. I don't care if the way to get there is shoehorned.
>>176422
Silver feels something like an electric tingle from his throat and mouth.
Pear comes closer to the fruit, extending her muzzle and sniffing it.
"That can't be a normal fruit...:"
>>176423
Father extends a hoof, and ruffles little Amber's mane, letting her golden mane fall and cover over her eyes.
"You did well, but I don't think that was a Stallos. That was most likely a moose. Perhaps it had rolled in ash or mud somewhere in the blast, making it look dark. But you did good to run away from it. Moose can be very scary."
>>176424
Neela smiles widely, wags her little tuft of a tail, and jumps up on her forelegs. Then she stops, narrowing her eyes and turning her head away
"Waaait... What's the catch? Do you want me to steal for you? Distract ponies while I steal from them? I mean, I could do that but uh... oh, what did I do for money? Uh, various things. Little jobs."
>>176425
>>176426
To join, Posey has to do one very simple, but very counter-intuitive thing. Go down to Customs one morning, and ask to join in for mercenary work.
Silver feels something like an electric tingle from his throat and mouth.
Pear comes closer to the fruit, extending her muzzle and sniffing it.
"That can't be a normal fruit...:"
>>176423
Father extends a hoof, and ruffles little Amber's mane, letting her golden mane fall and cover over her eyes.
"You did well, but I don't think that was a Stallos. That was most likely a moose. Perhaps it had rolled in ash or mud somewhere in the blast, making it look dark. But you did good to run away from it. Moose can be very scary."
>>176424
Neela smiles widely, wags her little tuft of a tail, and jumps up on her forelegs. Then she stops, narrowing her eyes and turning her head away
"Waaait... What's the catch? Do you want me to steal for you? Distract ponies while I steal from them? I mean, I could do that but uh... oh, what did I do for money? Uh, various things. Little jobs."
>>176425
>>176426
To join, Posey has to do one very simple, but very counter-intuitive thing. Go down to Customs one morning, and ask to join in for mercenary work.
>>176427
"No catch! Well, I guess being a friend is a catch. Can you call it a catch? I mean, you're doing pretty well on that already. But anyways, besides that there's no catch, I just like having a friend."
"No catch! Well, I guess being a friend is a catch. Can you call it a catch? I mean, you're doing pretty well on that already. But anyways, besides that there's no catch, I just like having a friend."
>>176427
>counter-intuitive
>Go down to Customs one morning, and ask to join in for mercenary work
Well, Posey had plans to infiltrate and investigate customs herself, since they had killed off several of her potential allies, and knowing what they do could lead her to other Necromancers, even if only to raid their lairs.
She's also trying to buy some property in the city, and fact of the matter is that Posey doesn't really have very many skills outside of killing (idk how much the university jobs actually pay, but I assume it's just proportional to Posey's profession or craft check), so work is work.
So yeah, Posey could do that.
>one morning
Posey prefers to do so in the evening if it's during business hours.
>counter-intuitive
>Go down to Customs one morning, and ask to join in for mercenary work
Well, Posey had plans to infiltrate and investigate customs herself, since they had killed off several of her potential allies, and knowing what they do could lead her to other Necromancers, even if only to raid their lairs.
She's also trying to buy some property in the city, and fact of the matter is that Posey doesn't really have very many skills outside of killing (idk how much the university jobs actually pay, but I assume it's just proportional to Posey's profession or craft check), so work is work.
So yeah, Posey could do that.
>one morning
Posey prefers to do so in the evening if it's during business hours.
>>176427
pony is ruffled
"It looked shaped like a wolf, just much larger. But it didn't seem interested in anything but moving along. Why do you call it a blast?"
pony is ruffled
"It looked shaped like a wolf, just much larger. But it didn't seem interested in anything but moving along. Why do you call it a blast?"
>>176404
The Loney Dove, a smaller ocean liner of the Whinny Line, is very possibly the first passenger ship from Nova Griffonia to arrive in Baltimare since the ocean lanes opened up a week or so ago. Bound from Weter, it arrives at 3 PM.
The Loney Dove, a smaller ocean liner of the Whinny Line, is very possibly the first passenger ship from Nova Griffonia to arrive in Baltimare since the ocean lanes opened up a week or so ago. Bound from Weter, it arrives at 3 PM.
>>176427
Hmmm...good tingle or bad tingle? Either way, Silver pauses, looking confused. He mumbles out a "Hold on".
Hmmm...good tingle or bad tingle? Either way, Silver pauses, looking confused. He mumbles out a "Hold on".
>>176431
A wiry griffon walks onto the deck of the Lonely Dove. He is wearing a very fine tan suit with a matching wide-brimmed hat, over a silk shirt and bowtie. He carries two heavy-looking leather-bound suitcases and descends down the gangway to the dock toward the customs area.
A wiry griffon walks onto the deck of the Lonely Dove. He is wearing a very fine tan suit with a matching wide-brimmed hat, over a silk shirt and bowtie. He carries two heavy-looking leather-bound suitcases and descends down the gangway to the dock toward the customs area.
>>176430
Mother:
"Oh, that's a place of terrible magic. Spirits came in where the other world converged with ours."
Father shakes his head
"It's called the blast because that's near where a meteor exploded in the air. Near enough to knock the trees down, anyways. That's what the Inspector said."
Mother shakes her head
"Happened over near Metsän Vaeltaja's cabin. Over the Pohjoinen Noaidi. That's a big rock in the ground under the trees which has old runes in it that the spirits often use as a gateway between our world and theirs. If you ask me, I think too many of them came in at once. Or left at once. Or something came in that shouldn't have. That's what caused the blast. I don't know what you saw, but you best be careful out there. It may not have been anything living..."
Father: "Don't tell her such stories. It was a rock from outer space. It exploded in the air because the heat and the friction of the air was too much. The stallion from the Central Council told us so. And what they say is law."
Mother:
"Oh, that's a place of terrible magic. Spirits came in where the other world converged with ours."
Father shakes his head
"It's called the blast because that's near where a meteor exploded in the air. Near enough to knock the trees down, anyways. That's what the Inspector said."
Mother shakes her head
"Happened over near Metsän Vaeltaja's cabin. Over the Pohjoinen Noaidi. That's a big rock in the ground under the trees which has old runes in it that the spirits often use as a gateway between our world and theirs. If you ask me, I think too many of them came in at once. Or left at once. Or something came in that shouldn't have. That's what caused the blast. I don't know what you saw, but you best be careful out there. It may not have been anything living..."
Father: "Don't tell her such stories. It was a rock from outer space. It exploded in the air because the heat and the friction of the air was too much. The stallion from the Central Council told us so. And what they say is law."
>>176435
"Mmmmmm!"
Silver's eyes light up in response. If Pear is sure she doesn't want any, Silver swallows his bite and munches on the rest of fruit.
"Mmmmmm!"
Silver's eyes light up in response. If Pear is sure she doesn't want any, Silver swallows his bite and munches on the rest of fruit.
>>176436
Pear moves over and licks the fruit. But Silver can certainly eat more. Be advised, it's a large fruit.
Pear moves over and licks the fruit. But Silver can certainly eat more. Be advised, it's a large fruit.
>>176434
"Who are the Central Council?" she asks her father. She also turns to her mother. "Where is the rock with the runes? And why would a Stallos be near there?"
"Who are the Central Council?" she asks her father. She also turns to her mother. "Where is the rock with the runes? And why would a Stallos be near there?"
>>176411
>>176425
makes new character anyway
Later that morning, at the die-ner
A cloaked, shadowy figure enters the diner. It moves furtively and silently, although perhaps not so gracefully as Posey does, seemingly trying to draw little attention to itself. It takes a seat at one of the chairs and gestures for service, a thin black bandage-wrapped hoof waving out from beneath its black cloak.
>>176425
makes new character anyway
Later that morning, at the die-ner
A cloaked, shadowy figure enters the diner. It moves furtively and silently, although perhaps not so gracefully as Posey does, seemingly trying to draw little attention to itself. It takes a seat at one of the chairs and gestures for service, a thin black bandage-wrapped hoof waving out from beneath its black cloak.
>>176437
munch
Silver takes another bite of the fruit, but it's gonna be gone soon if Pear doesn't ask for any. He definitely has to remember to look for more of these in the market.
munch
Silver takes another bite of the fruit, but it's gonna be gone soon if Pear doesn't ask for any. He definitely has to remember to look for more of these in the market.
>>176435
"Thank you. Nice weather for this time of year, isn't it?" the griffon remarks as he gets in line.
"Thank you. Nice weather for this time of year, isn't it?" the griffon remarks as he gets in line.
>>176439
Uh
>>176438
"The new government over in Everfrost. They have say over our village. It's up north. And there are no Stallos."
Mother: "There are Stallos, but they wouldn't go near a Noaidi. It's too sacred of a place. Unless that Noaidi has been destroyed...
>>176429
>Evening
No. It is peculiar to the morning hours.
>>176441
It's cloudy. Which is kind of like Weter at this time, actually. It's warmer here though.
>>176440
Pearf does take a slice of the fruit, maybe taking a knife to do so.
"Woah" Her eyes go wide. Silver himself is surely feeling an ecstatic effect.
Uh
>>176438
"The new government over in Everfrost. They have say over our village. It's up north. And there are no Stallos."
Mother: "There are Stallos, but they wouldn't go near a Noaidi. It's too sacred of a place. Unless that Noaidi has been destroyed...
>>176429
>Evening
No. It is peculiar to the morning hours.
>>176441
It's cloudy. Which is kind of like Weter at this time, actually. It's warmer here though.
>>176440
Pearf does take a slice of the fruit, maybe taking a knife to do so.
"Woah" Her eyes go wide. Silver himself is surely feeling an ecstatic effect.
>>176442
"Why do they say we can't wear our colored coats? And I want to see the Noaidi." Amber sits up and looks consumed with curiosity.
"Why do they say we can't wear our colored coats? And I want to see the Noaidi." Amber sits up and looks consumed with curiosity.
>>176442
>t is peculiar to the morning hours
Okay, she goes one morning, after long night of writing a boring dissertation on undead combat that painfully only reveals as many weaknesses as her masters permit her to share with the public.
"Buck this. I didn't come all the way to equestria just to do paperwork..!"
And so she finds her way to customs in pursuit of a job where she can make use of her powers.
>Uh
The breakfast goer gestures for service, evidently hungry.
>t is peculiar to the morning hours
Okay, she goes one morning, after long night of writing a boring dissertation on undead combat that painfully only reveals as many weaknesses as her masters permit her to share with the public.
"Buck this. I didn't come all the way to equestria just to do paperwork..!"
And so she finds her way to customs in pursuit of a job where she can make use of her powers.
>Uh
The breakfast goer gestures for service, evidently hungry.
>>176442
"Mmhmm!" Silver swallows his second bite. "It's good, right? We've got to find more of these." It's definitely an ecstatic feeling, to say the least. He feels tingly all over, like he's been charged up with static. He swears he can feel his fur almost stand on end from it.
munch
"Mmhmm!" Silver swallows his second bite. "It's good, right? We've got to find more of these." It's definitely an ecstatic feeling, to say the least. He feels tingly all over, like he's been charged up with static. He swears he can feel his fur almost stand on end from it.
munch
>>176443
Father: "It's an old traditional practice that is not in keeping with the modern world. They wish to bring us into the modern era, and they say factory made clothing is the most obvious way to do so. And that Noaidi is probably destroyed, though I can't say."
He extends a hoof and pets Amber
>>176445
The crowd that comes out of the ship is disproportionately pony. Actually, it's majority pony. Must be ponies who went north and got trapped, or who fled Equestria for Nova Griffonia just to find they'd rather go home. Or maybe they are Nova Griffonians who figured that land is no place for a pony... Well, it's hardly a place for a griffin, either.
The creatures are divided into lines, and the Mysterious Ranger will have to go into the "Alien" line
>>176446
Silver has a nice euphoric feeling, Pear gets another small slice, but clearly, the majority is going to Silver. His fur is literally standing on end
>>176444
Sure. A waitress walks over.
"What would you like?" She asks
Father: "It's an old traditional practice that is not in keeping with the modern world. They wish to bring us into the modern era, and they say factory made clothing is the most obvious way to do so. And that Noaidi is probably destroyed, though I can't say."
He extends a hoof and pets Amber
>>176445
The crowd that comes out of the ship is disproportionately pony. Actually, it's majority pony. Must be ponies who went north and got trapped, or who fled Equestria for Nova Griffonia just to find they'd rather go home. Or maybe they are Nova Griffonians who figured that land is no place for a pony... Well, it's hardly a place for a griffin, either.
The creatures are divided into lines, and the Mysterious Ranger will have to go into the "Alien" line
>>176446
Silver has a nice euphoric feeling, Pear gets another small slice, but clearly, the majority is going to Silver. His fur is literally standing on end
>>176444
Sure. A waitress walks over.
"What would you like?" She asks
>>176428
She lowers her ears, then back up
"Did you have many friends in... wherever it was you were from?" She asks
She lowers her ears, then back up
"Did you have many friends in... wherever it was you were from?" She asks
>>176447
>"What would you like?" She asks
A raspy it effeminate voice replies, she speaks in a hushed tone, as if worried of drawing attention to her transaction, her head still hidden beneath her hood.
"F-fourty pancakes." she says
>"What would you like?" She asks
A raspy it effeminate voice replies, she speaks in a hushed tone, as if worried of drawing attention to her transaction, her head still hidden beneath her hood.
"F-fourty pancakes." she says
File (): E1FD09701B6D1A98EA703589E4DF112E-154819.jpg (151.2 KB, 1200x1200, s-l1200.jpg)
>>176450
"No..." The cloaked figure shimmies beneath it's cloak and places a solid gold doubloon on the table, seemingly a foreign coin but worth the same in gold nonetheless
"Fourty pancakes." she repeats, more clearly this time
"And a pitcher of apple juice."
"No..." The cloaked figure shimmies beneath it's cloak and places a solid gold doubloon on the table, seemingly a foreign coin but worth the same in gold nonetheless
"Fourty pancakes." she repeats, more clearly this time
"And a pitcher of apple juice."
>>176447
Silver offers Pear one more slice before he finishes it off with a final munch. He feels absolutely amazing! He might end up swearing off of all other types of fruit after this, if he can find some more. If only he had this when he was eating his waffles earlier, he can't even imagine how good it would have been. He smiles at Pear.
"I can see why Curwhinny had notes about this, I would want to eat these every day if I could! We need to find more of these after we finish looking for that sarcophagus."
Silver offers Pear one more slice before he finishes it off with a final munch. He feels absolutely amazing! He might end up swearing off of all other types of fruit after this, if he can find some more. If only he had this when he was eating his waffles earlier, he can't even imagine how good it would have been. He smiles at Pear.
"I can see why Curwhinny had notes about this, I would want to eat these every day if I could! We need to find more of these after we finish looking for that sarcophagus."
>>176447
This ends up working toward the griffon's benefit, as this line is much shorter. Whether the staff for this section are as hospitable remains to be seen.
This ends up working toward the griffon's benefit, as this line is much shorter. Whether the staff for this section are as hospitable remains to be seen.
>>176452
"Eh heh..." Pear smiles with a little blush. "I think that may have been the only one."
>>176451
"Oh, uh... I don't think we have that many. But I'll get as many as I can." She walks away
>>176453
"You were a loner, weren't you? And none of the other lamias were as" She waves a hoof "Soft, as you. Were they?"
>>176455
>Forbidden fruit
oh my...
He scritches her head as well
"You can wear it inside. But you can't wear it out where the inspector can see you. They don't like any signs of luxury or tradition, or differentiation."
>>176456
It's kind of slow though. Eventually, he comes up to a cream colored stallion in green.
"Good afternoon. What is your
Name
Nationality
Purpose here
Occupation
Length of stay
And Race
"Eh heh..." Pear smiles with a little blush. "I think that may have been the only one."
>>176451
"Oh, uh... I don't think we have that many. But I'll get as many as I can." She walks away
>>176453
"You were a loner, weren't you? And none of the other lamias were as" She waves a hoof "Soft, as you. Were they?"
>>176455
>Forbidden fruit
oh my...
He scritches her head as well
"You can wear it inside. But you can't wear it out where the inspector can see you. They don't like any signs of luxury or tradition, or differentiation."
>>176456
It's kind of slow though. Eventually, he comes up to a cream colored stallion in green.
"Good afternoon. What is your
Name
Nationality
Purpose here
Occupation
Length of stay
And Race
>>176457
Kira first shyly nods, then slowly transitions to shaking her head at the second question.
"Yes. And not...not quite. I mean, they're not mean or anything, they would get along great with deer like you or with ponies and such, but I'm, uh...I'm definitely soft. It's why my mom wanted me here, and not fighting back at home."
Kira first shyly nods, then slowly transitions to shaking her head at the second question.
"Yes. And not...not quite. I mean, they're not mean or anything, they would get along great with deer like you or with ponies and such, but I'm, uh...I'm definitely soft. It's why my mom wanted me here, and not fighting back at home."
>>176457
>I don't think we have that many
The cloaked figure fishes more gold doubloons out from beneath it's cloak
"Anything- no, everything you have is fine..."
There's a shudder to her voice, almost desperate sounding
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HrIeP798hiQ
>I don't think we have that many
The cloaked figure fishes more gold doubloons out from beneath it's cloak
"Anything- no, everything you have is fine..."
There's a shudder to her voice, almost desperate sounding
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HrIeP798hiQ
>>176457
"You called them 'Lumia' earlier, so I assumed they have to exist somewhere. It must have come from tree like other fruit do, it is why all of these notes are here."
Hmm...this gets Silver to thinking if the floor plans and shipping manifest are actually related to this tasty fruit.
"You called them 'Lumia' earlier, so I assumed they have to exist somewhere. It must have come from tree like other fruit do, it is why all of these notes are here."
Hmm...this gets Silver to thinking if the floor plans and shipping manifest are actually related to this tasty fruit.
>>176458
Slowly,
"So you were sent here because your mother thought you wouldn't survive in a warzone? While most of them stayed."
>>176459
"Right..." The mare rushes off
She comes back with a dozen or so pancakes, oats, oatmeal, grits, hay, oranges, and a few other items.
>>176460
"I said it looks like a Lumia... Lumia don't keep for centuries. They don't... feel like that. That's not a Lumia. That's a magic fruit. I've never seen anything like that before. I don't know what it is... what it was... I think you just ate the only one..."
Slowly,
"So you were sent here because your mother thought you wouldn't survive in a warzone? While most of them stayed."
>>176459
"Right..." The mare rushes off
She comes back with a dozen or so pancakes, oats, oatmeal, grits, hay, oranges, and a few other items.
>>176460
"I said it looks like a Lumia... Lumia don't keep for centuries. They don't... feel like that. That's not a Lumia. That's a magic fruit. I've never seen anything like that before. I don't know what it is... what it was... I think you just ate the only one..."
>>176457
Amber pouts. "He's not of our tribe and doesn't live here. Why does he care so much about our luxuries and traditions?"
Amber pouts. "He's not of our tribe and doesn't live here. Why does he care so much about our luxuries and traditions?"
>>176461
Silver frowns. "Surely not. It did not even have seeds to plant. Now, granted it is odd that it lasted this long, and there is probably something magic about it, but there must be source. Fruit does not just spontaneously come into existence, especially when he has notes about trying to grow whatever tree this came from."
Silver frowns. "Surely not. It did not even have seeds to plant. Now, granted it is odd that it lasted this long, and there is probably something magic about it, but there must be source. Fruit does not just spontaneously come into existence, especially when he has notes about trying to grow whatever tree this came from."
>>176461
"Well, that's part of the reason, but...yes. I really was tasked with trying to get aid from Equestria, I know mom didn't lie. But I also know it's true that I wouldn't survive in a war."
"Well, that's part of the reason, but...yes. I really was tasked with trying to get aid from Equestria, I know mom didn't lie. But I also know it's true that I wouldn't survive in a war."
>>176462
"They want what is best for us. They want to turn us into a modern country. That is why. They want to make sure we are in compliance with the law."
>>176463
Pear looks at the notes
"So many crossed out lines... So many failed attempts... These are notes of what doesn't work."
She looks at the manifest
"Left Baltimare Harbor New Year's day 770... that's just a few days before he was killed... Curwhinny was dead before this ship got to it's destination."
She looks at the floor plan
"I don't know what this is. I think it's a church, but... I don't recognize it."
>>176464
"Uh huh." She tilts her head "Do you really think the others would get along with the ponies? Are you sure they aren't just a little less cute, a little more hot headed, maybe even just a little hungrier than you?"
"They want what is best for us. They want to turn us into a modern country. That is why. They want to make sure we are in compliance with the law."
>>176463
Pear looks at the notes
"So many crossed out lines... So many failed attempts... These are notes of what doesn't work."
She looks at the manifest
"Left Baltimare Harbor New Year's day 770... that's just a few days before he was killed... Curwhinny was dead before this ship got to it's destination."
She looks at the floor plan
"I don't know what this is. I think it's a church, but... I don't recognize it."
>>176464
"Uh huh." She tilts her head "Do you really think the others would get along with the ponies? Are you sure they aren't just a little less cute, a little more hot headed, maybe even just a little hungrier than you?"
>>176465
"No, it's nothing like that, it's just...they don't really have the same hang-ups I do about eating sometimes, or at least most of them don't, and I'm probably just, you know, exceptionally soft. They really would get along with the ponies, I know that's the case."
"No, it's nothing like that, it's just...they don't really have the same hang-ups I do about eating sometimes, or at least most of them don't, and I'm probably just, you know, exceptionally soft. They really would get along with the ponies, I know that's the case."
>>176465
Silver slowly puts two and two together, seeing the puzzle pieces match together in his mind.
"...Pear? Do you think all of this came from Abyssinia? This book paper, this fruit, that floor plan...all of it? And if there are more of these fruits, growing on actual trees, they would be there?"
Silver slowly puts two and two together, seeing the puzzle pieces match together in his mind.
"...Pear? Do you think all of this came from Abyssinia? This book paper, this fruit, that floor plan...all of it? And if there are more of these fruits, growing on actual trees, they would be there?"
>>176457
The griffon nods his head and puts down his suitcases.
"Afternoon. Name is Garv Cavaliere, from Nova Griffonia, griffon, length of stay indeterminate, and as for the rest…" he pulls out a card holder from an inside suit pocket, picks out a card, and slides it across to the stallion.
GUN FOR HIRE
♜
GARV CAVALIERE
WETER
The griffon nods his head and puts down his suitcases.
"Afternoon. Name is Garv Cavaliere, from Nova Griffonia, griffon, length of stay indeterminate, and as for the rest…" he pulls out a card holder from an inside suit pocket, picks out a card, and slides it across to the stallion.
GUN FOR HIRE
♜
GARV CAVALIERE
WETER
>>176465
"If our coats are holding us back, then why do you let us wear them indoors? That means you don't actually believe the Central Council," Amber points out. She turns to her mother. "Aren't I right? We're not being 'compliant,' just in secret."
"If our coats are holding us back, then why do you let us wear them indoors? That means you don't actually believe the Central Council," Amber points out. She turns to her mother. "Aren't I right? We're not being 'compliant,' just in secret."
>>176466
"Right..." She turns around, and walks closer towards Kira.
"I'm betting they aren't so soft and cuddly as you say they are. Or maybe even as you think they are. The Ponies certainly aren't as soft and friendly as they tell everything they are. I know that. I don't think you are as soft as you think you are... weak, yes. But not as non-threatening."
>>176467
"I don't... maybe? I suppose that would make sense." She says
>>176468
The stallion smiles, and looks back up to him
"Are you here to volunteer with the Military? Or perhaps one of the companies?"
>>176469
He frowns
"Hush, Kultanien."
Her mother does not actually answer
"Kultanien, want to come with me to the village shop? We are low on salt."
"Right..." She turns around, and walks closer towards Kira.
"I'm betting they aren't so soft and cuddly as you say they are. Or maybe even as you think they are. The Ponies certainly aren't as soft and friendly as they tell everything they are. I know that. I don't think you are as soft as you think you are... weak, yes. But not as non-threatening."
>>176467
"I don't... maybe? I suppose that would make sense." She says
>>176468
The stallion smiles, and looks back up to him
"Are you here to volunteer with the Military? Or perhaps one of the companies?"
>>176469
He frowns
"Hush, Kultanien."
Her mother does not actually answer
"Kultanien, want to come with me to the village shop? We are low on salt."
>>176470
Silver shakes his head clear. "I am sorry if I seem focused on this, but...I can smell adventure coming from this, and it smells like citrus. And, remember when you asked where I would take you on our next escapade?" He smiles at the mare. "I would like you to come with me, when it is time."
Silver shakes his head clear. "I am sorry if I seem focused on this, but...I can smell adventure coming from this, and it smells like citrus. And, remember when you asked where I would take you on our next escapade?" He smiles at the mare. "I would like you to come with me, when it is time."
>>176470
She cheers up and hops off the bed. "Sure!" She pauses. "Wait, do you think she'll be okay? The mare, I mean. I don't know why she was on the tundra or where she was going."
She cheers up and hops off the bed. "Sure!" She pauses. "Wait, do you think she'll be okay? The mare, I mean. I don't know why she was on the tundra or where she was going."
>>176470
Kira scrunches, though the scrunch feels entirely non-threatening.
"But this is different. They're my people, I know them. They just need a chance."
Kira scrunches, though the scrunch feels entirely non-threatening.
"But this is different. They're my people, I know them. They just need a chance."
>>176471
She has a smile that shows off her teeth
"Heh, Abyssinia... Let me check my schedule. Curwhinny's last mystery. Literally, it seems."
>>176472
He blinks
"Who?"
>>176473
"It's easy for you to say they should be given a chance. For someone like me, that's a chance I could end up there" She points to Hopper
"And in any case, you have too much faith in the ponies."
She has a smile that shows off her teeth
"Heh, Abyssinia... Let me check my schedule. Curwhinny's last mystery. Literally, it seems."
>>176472
He blinks
"Who?"
>>176473
"It's easy for you to say they should be given a chance. For someone like me, that's a chance I could end up there" She points to Hopper
"And in any case, you have too much faith in the ponies."
>>176470
The griffon shrugs. "That depends. Military life is behind me and I am what you could say freelance. What I do know is that there is no shortage of work in Baltimare, even compared to Nova Griffonia. There is very important work needed by some very important ponies."
The griffon shrugs. "That depends. Military life is behind me and I am what you could say freelance. What I do know is that there is no shortage of work in Baltimare, even compared to Nova Griffonia. There is very important work needed by some very important ponies."
>>176475
"Well, be mindful of the restrictions on firearm and explosive use and possession in the Baltimare Governate. It's for licensed agents and deputies of the government only. In any case. let me arrange for a work visa. There are no immigrant visas available for Nova Griffonians, but... There are war-time work visas available. Come to the next room, we can get you set up."
"Well, be mindful of the restrictions on firearm and explosive use and possession in the Baltimare Governate. It's for licensed agents and deputies of the government only. In any case. let me arrange for a work visa. There are no immigrant visas available for Nova Griffonians, but... There are war-time work visas available. Come to the next room, we can get you set up."
>>176474
Just realized that Jakala was with Amber up to where she encountered her parents
"The poor pony we–Jakala and I–saw on the tundra. One of the neighbors said she may be Makea Aamu. She did not look good, she had frostbite all over…and he said she was delirious.
Just realized that Jakala was with Amber up to where she encountered her parents
"The poor pony we–Jakala and I–saw on the tundra. One of the neighbors said she may be Makea Aamu. She did not look good, she had frostbite all over…and he said she was delirious.
>>176477
Oh that's right. She didn't stay in the hut, did she?
"Oh... I see... Is she okay now?"
Mother shakes her head
"Bad spirits have been released..."
Oh that's right. She didn't stay in the hut, did she?
"Oh... I see... Is she okay now?"
Mother shakes her head
"Bad spirits have been released..."
>>176474
"Why would you end up eaten? You're not food, you're Neela." Kira tilts her head at the deer.
"Why would you end up eaten? You're not food, you're Neela." Kira tilts her head at the deer.
>>176474
"Heh, it will be once we find where that dang sarcophagus is." Silver looks around at the room. "Where is that thing?"
"Heh, it will be once we find where that dang sarcophagus is." Silver looks around at the room. "Where is that thing?"
>>176481
"Probably not. I know we have not explored every room yet. Do we keep looking in other rooms or do we head outside and start questioning others?"
"Probably not. I know we have not explored every room yet. Do we keep looking in other rooms or do we head outside and start questioning others?"
>>176482
She shrugs, and makes a small smile
"It's worked out so far. For me it's a question of whether I'd rather more of my coworkers see me with you, or if I'd rather they see me go off in private with you... Hard choice there... How about we check out another room or two?"
>>176483
Her ears go up
"I mean... Old stories. Just... Nevermind. I just mean that the ponies may not see it your way."
She shrugs, and makes a small smile
"It's worked out so far. For me it's a question of whether I'd rather more of my coworkers see me with you, or if I'd rather they see me go off in private with you... Hard choice there... How about we check out another room or two?"
>>176483
Her ears go up
"I mean... Old stories. Just... Nevermind. I just mean that the ponies may not see it your way."
>>176484
"Then I'll half to work extra hard to change that! It's like you said, the ponies do seem to like me. I know that's not the context you used it in, but still. I'll change their minds about me and lamias."
"Then I'll half to work extra hard to change that! It's like you said, the ponies do seem to like me. I know that's not the context you used it in, but still. I'll change their minds about me and lamias."
>>176484
Silver smiles as well.
"That is true, who knows what other treasures are hidden away that even time has forgotten, that we may find along way."
Silver heads for another room to search.
Silver smiles as well.
"That is true, who knows what other treasures are hidden away that even time has forgotten, that we may find along way."
Silver heads for another room to search.
>>176476
Cavaliere looks directly at the stallion.
"I assure you, creatures in my line of business don't last long without paying attention to local law."
He follows him to the next room.
Cavaliere looks directly at the stallion.
"I assure you, creatures in my line of business don't last long without paying attention to local law."
He follows him to the next room.
>>176489
"Since last time I was here?"
Probably start with the opposite library. But first, Silver looks to see if any books have been removed (that he hadn't removed already).
"Since last time I was here?"
Probably start with the opposite library. But first, Silver looks to see if any books have been removed (that he hadn't removed already).
>>176489
"By being my best self, you know, being an example for my tribe! I suppose it's a good thing I was chosen for this task, huh? Maybe my softness can come in handy."
"By being my best self, you know, being an example for my tribe! I suppose it's a good thing I was chosen for this task, huh? Maybe my softness can come in handy."
>>176492
Kira nods. Even if she wanted to, there's no way she could say no to those eyes.
"You can live here."
Kira nods. Even if she wanted to, there's no way she could say no to those eyes.
"You can live here."
>>176492
Sense Motive: Silver tries to read Pear's face to see how she would react to the truth. On the one hoof, Silver has a suspicion that she might not appreciate the books being in the hooves of the Black Hooves. On the other...maybe it would be considered a bad boy move?
[1d20+2 = (9+2) = 11]
Sense Motive: Silver tries to read Pear's face to see how she would react to the truth. On the one hoof, Silver has a suspicion that she might not appreciate the books being in the hooves of the Black Hooves. On the other...maybe it would be considered a bad boy move?
[1d20+2 = (9+2) = 11]
>>176495
Dammit, they say honesty is the best policy. Maybe it will work here.
"Black Hooves have them."
Dammit, they say honesty is the best policy. Maybe it will work here.
"Black Hooves have them."
>>176425
>>176427
On whatever day Posey gets to the merc office, is there a test or demonstration they require for proof of skill?
Posey normally passively opposes any Assess Opponent Sense Motive checks (taking 10 for a total of 24) to read her power level because she prefers to keep her powers discreet, but when presenting her resume (I'll dialogue-post that later) and particularly when negotiating adventuring fees, she does the opposite, preferring to boast her powers. Opponents Assessing her would see her would see that she is an adventurer of heroic level (around ~5th level). It challenged for her powers, Posey may be willing to demonstrate that she is able to cast third level hexes (something that only an adventurer who qualifies as a "hero of the realm" could do).
>She comes back with a dozen or so pancakes, oats, oatmeal, grits, hay, oranges, and a few other items.
The cloaked figure stares at the incoming plates with eyes that glow like hot coals beneath its hood.
It waits until the waitress gets puts some puts some distance between them, before putting its hooded face over the plates and eating with a series of somewhat disturbing sounds...
>>176427
On whatever day Posey gets to the merc office, is there a test or demonstration they require for proof of skill?
Posey normally passively opposes any Assess Opponent Sense Motive checks (taking 10 for a total of 24) to read her power level because she prefers to keep her powers discreet, but when presenting her resume (I'll dialogue-post that later) and particularly when negotiating adventuring fees, she does the opposite, preferring to boast her powers. Opponents Assessing her would see her would see that she is an adventurer of heroic level (around ~5th level). It challenged for her powers, Posey may be willing to demonstrate that she is able to cast third level hexes (something that only an adventurer who qualifies as a "hero of the realm" could do).
>She comes back with a dozen or so pancakes, oats, oatmeal, grits, hay, oranges, and a few other items.
The cloaked figure stares at the incoming plates with eyes that glow like hot coals beneath its hood.
It waits until the waitress gets puts some puts some distance between them, before putting its hooded face over the plates and eating with a series of somewhat disturbing sounds...
>>176487
Mother shakes her head and sighs
"tssk tssk. If this is how little Kultanien is learning here with us, how much less is Tähtien learning at 'school'? Little Kultanien, the spirits are those who live in the spirit world. These are gods, to whom we give our obedience and sacrifice, in return for our blessings. And they are those who have come before us, who once lived in the world but now live amongst the spirit realm. Our ancestors. Like my mother. The spirits may commune with us at special points where the two meet, the Sieidi and the Noaidi."
>>176505
It's probably best to try to roleplay it, though again, it's a matter of timing
>>176503
She opens her mouth, turns her head to the side, and then looks back to Silver
"Wha-what. 'Blue Skies'? The Blackhooves? Who?!"
>>176502
Neela giggles, then jumps up in the air in a springing motion, forelegs followed by her hindlegs. She wiggles her tail.
"I knew I chose right!"
Mother shakes her head and sighs
"tssk tssk. If this is how little Kultanien is learning here with us, how much less is Tähtien learning at 'school'? Little Kultanien, the spirits are those who live in the spirit world. These are gods, to whom we give our obedience and sacrifice, in return for our blessings. And they are those who have come before us, who once lived in the world but now live amongst the spirit realm. Our ancestors. Like my mother. The spirits may commune with us at special points where the two meet, the Sieidi and the Noaidi."
>>176505
It's probably best to try to roleplay it, though again, it's a matter of timing
>>176503
She opens her mouth, turns her head to the side, and then looks back to Silver
"Wha-what. 'Blue Skies'? The Blackhooves? Who?!"
>>176502
Neela giggles, then jumps up in the air in a springing motion, forelegs followed by her hindlegs. She wiggles her tail.
"I knew I chose right!"
>>176508
>it's a matter of timing
I'm not quite sure what you mean.
I'm unaware of what the date is on the calendar of this universe, or if Posey's timeline is necessarily synch simultaneously with all of the others (I notice that there have been quest lengths that vary wildly at the same time, so I sort of assumed individual party members were on loosely different timescopes).
Couldn't they just... Conveniently all meet up at some point?
>it's a matter of timing
I'm not quite sure what you mean.
I'm unaware of what the date is on the calendar of this universe, or if Posey's timeline is necessarily synch simultaneously with all of the others (I notice that there have been quest lengths that vary wildly at the same time, so I sort of assumed individual party members were on loosely different timescopes).
Couldn't they just... Conveniently all meet up at some point?
>>176488
Garv is sat down, and the next step involves a series of questions that must be answered, questions like,
"Are you a Communist? A Harmonist Agitor? A Griffonian Nationalist Agitator? An Anarchist? Are you able to work? Do you know where you will be living in Equestria? Will you agree to abide by all stated laws and regulations of the Baltimare Governate? Are you travelling alone, in a group, or with family? Have you ever participated in Hellquillian Crimes against Equinity? Are you a follower of Maar? Are you a practitioner of Dark Magic?
There's quite a bit of waiting, and Garv has time to creature-watch. The easiest time to be had amongst the immigrants are the Nova Griffonian ponies. They answer a few questions, go through a few medical checks, and are ultimately stamped as residents on a quick path to citizenship. They are told of offers of subsidized or even free housing, free health and education, and guaranteed jobs if they repatriate to the Griffonian Territories or New Mareland Proper, though requirements of Military service are hinted at. Even those who insist they wish to stay are directed towards available jobs, mostly in what seem to be defense related fields. Garv sees a few ponies, what seems like two large families, that he can guess by their stocky bodies and fluffy coats are Skynavian or perhaps Cubrian ponies, who are given the same fast-track to citizenship, guaranteed jobs and housing as the Nova Griffonians, evidently as favored asylum seekers.
Another category, slightly larger, are those Nova Griffonian griffins who seek entry, like Garv. None of the griffins are offered residency (save two, who evidently have some kind of special status or connections), free-housing is not offered, and the griffins in general are asked far more questions concerning membership in political insurgent groups or even occultism.
Those with the absolute easiest time getting in are those who are believed when they say they are simply visiting. Save for a single pony couple, these are all griffins, and all comparatively well off, judging by their suits, dresses, and jewelry.
And then there are three groups who face the most scrutiny. The most skepticism is levied against who is perhaps the single largest group - returning Equestrian nationals. A decent number of these quickly satisfy the Custom's officer's questions and are let through, but many more are subjected to deeper scrutiny. When did you leave Equestria? Why did you leave Equestria? Who did you meet with there? Do you have any connections with the Equestrian Liberation Front? Do you have any connections with the Popular Front? Who are you relatives here? Where are your properties here? Did you take any wealth with you when you left? Did you leave any behind? Do your family members here have ELF or PF connections? Why are you returning now? Do you want to tell us again why you left Equestria? Customs officers try to split this group into those who can be let in, and those who need to be investigated further.
But two tiny groups are the unluckiest of all. There are a few Vedinan and one Skyanian Griffins who are seeking admission but outright turned back because they are told there are no available visas, save for very particular paths. And finally, there is a family of Nova Griffonian yaks who are turned back for similar reasons.
They make a bit of a scene, yelling and stomping.
>>176511
>Couldn't they just... Conveniently all meet up at some point?
This is basically what I intended, it just seems the other characters are not ready
>date on the calender
It's supposed to be something like January 28th, 1013, but you're trying to put Posey on a much faster timeline than the other characters, so I think the number of days that pass should not be taken very seriously as they will not line up between characters.
>>176510
"Well, yes, between being deported to be a literal slave for the fascists or worse sold to the zebras, and running away and having to support myself by" she shudders as she hints to a deeper, scarcely imaginable horror "working a job... this was the better option. Even though I am pretty sure you did want to eat me. It's all good now though."
Garv is sat down, and the next step involves a series of questions that must be answered, questions like,
"Are you a Communist? A Harmonist Agitor? A Griffonian Nationalist Agitator? An Anarchist? Are you able to work? Do you know where you will be living in Equestria? Will you agree to abide by all stated laws and regulations of the Baltimare Governate? Are you travelling alone, in a group, or with family? Have you ever participated in Hellquillian Crimes against Equinity? Are you a follower of Maar? Are you a practitioner of Dark Magic?
There's quite a bit of waiting, and Garv has time to creature-watch. The easiest time to be had amongst the immigrants are the Nova Griffonian ponies. They answer a few questions, go through a few medical checks, and are ultimately stamped as residents on a quick path to citizenship. They are told of offers of subsidized or even free housing, free health and education, and guaranteed jobs if they repatriate to the Griffonian Territories or New Mareland Proper, though requirements of Military service are hinted at. Even those who insist they wish to stay are directed towards available jobs, mostly in what seem to be defense related fields. Garv sees a few ponies, what seems like two large families, that he can guess by their stocky bodies and fluffy coats are Skynavian or perhaps Cubrian ponies, who are given the same fast-track to citizenship, guaranteed jobs and housing as the Nova Griffonians, evidently as favored asylum seekers.
Another category, slightly larger, are those Nova Griffonian griffins who seek entry, like Garv. None of the griffins are offered residency (save two, who evidently have some kind of special status or connections), free-housing is not offered, and the griffins in general are asked far more questions concerning membership in political insurgent groups or even occultism.
Those with the absolute easiest time getting in are those who are believed when they say they are simply visiting. Save for a single pony couple, these are all griffins, and all comparatively well off, judging by their suits, dresses, and jewelry.
And then there are three groups who face the most scrutiny. The most skepticism is levied against who is perhaps the single largest group - returning Equestrian nationals. A decent number of these quickly satisfy the Custom's officer's questions and are let through, but many more are subjected to deeper scrutiny. When did you leave Equestria? Why did you leave Equestria? Who did you meet with there? Do you have any connections with the Equestrian Liberation Front? Do you have any connections with the Popular Front? Who are you relatives here? Where are your properties here? Did you take any wealth with you when you left? Did you leave any behind? Do your family members here have ELF or PF connections? Why are you returning now? Do you want to tell us again why you left Equestria? Customs officers try to split this group into those who can be let in, and those who need to be investigated further.
But two tiny groups are the unluckiest of all. There are a few Vedinan and one Skyanian Griffins who are seeking admission but outright turned back because they are told there are no available visas, save for very particular paths. And finally, there is a family of Nova Griffonian yaks who are turned back for similar reasons.
They make a bit of a scene, yelling and stomping.
>>176511
>Couldn't they just... Conveniently all meet up at some point?
This is basically what I intended, it just seems the other characters are not ready
>date on the calender
It's supposed to be something like January 28th, 1013, but you're trying to put Posey on a much faster timeline than the other characters, so I think the number of days that pass should not be taken very seriously as they will not line up between characters.
>>176510
"Well, yes, between being deported to be a literal slave for the fascists or worse sold to the zebras, and running away and having to support myself by" she shudders as she hints to a deeper, scarcely imaginable horror "working a job... this was the better option. Even though I am pretty sure you did want to eat me. It's all good now though."
>>176509
"The Black Hooves have several books of Dark Magic and ancient history and religion?" She says blankly.
"The Black Hooves have several books of Dark Magic and ancient history and religion?" She says blankly.
>>176512
>but you're trying to put Posey on a much faster timeline than the other characters, so I think the number of days that pass should not be taken very seriously as they will not line up between characters
I didn't intend to. I figured Posey would need to spend some downtime to get situated at the university anyway.
>it just seems the other characters are not ready
Well, I guess that's that...
I wouldn't object to being randomly thrown into the quest surrounding the Lich's Lair, if that's plausible.
>but you're trying to put Posey on a much faster timeline than the other characters, so I think the number of days that pass should not be taken very seriously as they will not line up between characters
I didn't intend to. I figured Posey would need to spend some downtime to get situated at the university anyway.
>it just seems the other characters are not ready
Well, I guess that's that...
I wouldn't object to being randomly thrown into the quest surrounding the Lich's Lair, if that's plausible.
>>176514
So the thing about the Lich's lair is that it was the site of a quest that concluded about... five or so calendar years ago.
The idea is that after Silver's character went back to the sceneWhen I straight up just told his player that he left a massive piece of loot behind, it was populated by a set of characters who themselves were from a flash-forward dream sequence from a different player. The group is a University team who are doing an archeological survey of the quest location for construction on the site.
Silver went there this time to hide an automobile he stole from the mob, and is staying probably because he wants to screw one of the characters involved in the archeological survey.
So the thing about the Lich's lair is that it was the site of a quest that concluded about... five or so calendar years ago.
The idea is that after Silver's character went back to the scene
Silver went there this time to hide an automobile he stole from the mob, and is staying probably because he wants to screw one of the characters involved in the archeological survey.
>>176515
>The group is a University team who are doing an archeological survey of the quest location for construction on the site
Well, that is something Posey might catch wind of.
>Silver went there this time to hide an automobile he stole from the mob, and is staying probably because he wants to screw one of the characters involved in the archeological survey
Hmmmmmm, well then. Idk what I could do there then. I just like exploring dungeons.
I'm going to want an independent lair of operations at later level, and an abandoned lich's lair sounds like a good place to move in...
>The group is a University team who are doing an archeological survey of the quest location for construction on the site
Well, that is something Posey might catch wind of.
>Silver went there this time to hide an automobile he stole from the mob, and is staying probably because he wants to screw one of the characters involved in the archeological survey
Hmmmmmm, well then. Idk what I could do there then. I just like exploring dungeons.
I'm going to want an independent lair of operations at later level, and an abandoned lich's lair sounds like a good place to move in...
>>176508
"So those are good spirits…and you said there are evil spirits too. How did they get here and what do they want?" Amber leans forward as do her ears. She stares in interest.
"So those are good spirits…and you said there are evil spirits too. How did they get here and what do they want?" Amber leans forward as do her ears. She stares in interest.
>>176512
"I am not affiliated with any political group. I am here for temporary work, and I do think one of the local hotels here will be sufficient to stay at. I do agree to follow your laws. Alone. I have never been near Hellquill and do not intend to visit. I personally am not too tolerant of Maar, the Dark Arts, or their practitioners either." He talks rather deliberately, almost as if bored, and does not have the sort of distinct accent one might expect from a griffon foreigner. With the last answer, though, he gives the customs officer a small smile, the mouth behind his beak and below a thin black mustache curling up slightly.
While he waits the griffon remarks to himself on the curious customs practices. "It's like a rat maze where all are pushed to different, distinct exits. Yet their own are not given the same advantages and rewards as the Nova Griffonian ponies, or even the griffons for that matter. I think I know what to expect from this place."
"I am not affiliated with any political group. I am here for temporary work, and I do think one of the local hotels here will be sufficient to stay at. I do agree to follow your laws. Alone. I have never been near Hellquill and do not intend to visit. I personally am not too tolerant of Maar, the Dark Arts, or their practitioners either." He talks rather deliberately, almost as if bored, and does not have the sort of distinct accent one might expect from a griffon foreigner. With the last answer, though, he gives the customs officer a small smile, the mouth behind his beak and below a thin black mustache curling up slightly.
While he waits the griffon remarks to himself on the curious customs practices. "It's like a rat maze where all are pushed to different, distinct exits. Yet their own are not given the same advantages and rewards as the Nova Griffonian ponies, or even the griffons for that matter. I think I know what to expect from this place."
>>176516
Even though the archeological survey is being done by a team from a completely different university, yes, Posey is very likely to hear about it.
>Independent lair of operations.
The convenient thing is that it is right, smack in the middle of developing subdivision. It's on a property with a (now drained) lake that can be restored, an old farm homestead, and of course the subterranean lair. There's a pretty good school system to send gloomy to, and it wouldn't be hard at all to hook up to water, sewer, electricity, and gas. The owner of it may be willing to sell it as is once the required Archeological survey is complete, for the right price.
It's now being ransacked a second time, but as demonstrated, not everything has been found.
>>176517
She is silent for a minute
"Yes, from the same space and by the same means. Some old pony spirits can be malevolent for various reasons. But they go to Rotaimo, along with all those who are wicked, in the underworld, locked away there. Gods can be displeased if they are not honored... They are honored less and less, nowadays... But the spirits are by and large benign, though you must always respect them.
Though there are... gods of evil things. There is a god over every domain, after all. the god of death, the god of plague and sickness, Ruohatta, for example. They tend to lord in the underworld, mostly." She answers
>>176518
The customs pony, a big black earth pony, asks the questions coolly and more or less professionally, but he does turn around to look at the commotion. Elsewhere, a yak and an Equestrian national, are not happy.
Garv's biggest surprise is when he is moved to another area, has a submachine gun pointed at him by a golden pegasus, and is told by another pony to keep his eyes open and stare straight ahead as he shines a light above his eyes.
Even though the archeological survey is being done by a team from a completely different university, yes, Posey is very likely to hear about it.
>Independent lair of operations.
The convenient thing is that it is right, smack in the middle of developing subdivision. It's on a property with a (now drained) lake that can be restored, an old farm homestead, and of course the subterranean lair. There's a pretty good school system to send gloomy to, and it wouldn't be hard at all to hook up to water, sewer, electricity, and gas. The owner of it may be willing to sell it as is once the required Archeological survey is complete, for the right price.
It's now being ransacked a second time, but as demonstrated, not everything has been found.
>>176517
She is silent for a minute
"Yes, from the same space and by the same means. Some old pony spirits can be malevolent for various reasons. But they go to Rotaimo, along with all those who are wicked, in the underworld, locked away there. Gods can be displeased if they are not honored... They are honored less and less, nowadays... But the spirits are by and large benign, though you must always respect them.
Though there are... gods of evil things. There is a god over every domain, after all. the god of death, the god of plague and sickness, Ruohatta, for example. They tend to lord in the underworld, mostly." She answers
>>176518
The customs pony, a big black earth pony, asks the questions coolly and more or less professionally, but he does turn around to look at the commotion. Elsewhere, a yak and an Equestrian national, are not happy.
Garv's biggest surprise is when he is moved to another area, has a submachine gun pointed at him by a golden pegasus, and is told by another pony to keep his eyes open and stare straight ahead as he shines a light above his eyes.
>>176519
>The convenient thing is that it is right, smack in the middle of developing subdivision. It's on a property with a (now drained) lake that can be restored, an old farm homestead, and of course the subterranean lair. There's a pretty good school system to send gloomy to, and it wouldn't be hard at all to hook up to water, sewer, electricity, and gas. The owner of it may be willing to sell it as is once the required Archeological survey is complete, for the right price.
That sounds like good real estate. I think I'll conjure my massive enchanted castle-tower made of black crystals on top of it (which is gonna require me to be at least lvl 8, but I can wait for that part).
Hopefully the land should be cheaper than usual because the place was haunted.
>It's now being ransacked a second time, but as demonstrated, not everything has been found.
Cool. Any chance I could join? I have no idea how long the other quests are going to take.
>The convenient thing is that it is right, smack in the middle of developing subdivision. It's on a property with a (now drained) lake that can be restored, an old farm homestead, and of course the subterranean lair. There's a pretty good school system to send gloomy to, and it wouldn't be hard at all to hook up to water, sewer, electricity, and gas. The owner of it may be willing to sell it as is once the required Archeological survey is complete, for the right price.
That sounds like good real estate. I think I'll conjure my massive enchanted castle-tower made of black crystals on top of it (which is gonna require me to be at least lvl 8, but I can wait for that part).
Hopefully the land should be cheaper than usual because the place was haunted.
>It's now being ransacked a second time, but as demonstrated, not everything has been found.
Cool. Any chance I could join? I have no idea how long the other quests are going to take.
>>176521
"Of Course." She answers. "Akko, Leibolmai, Beaivi, and many others. Give them your reverence, your faith, abide by customs, follow the rituals, and venerate those who came before us. Rember though that while the spirits have a realm all of their own, they are here in this world as well inhabiting every pony, every animal, every rock and tree. Have respect for them, and they may respect you."
"Of Course." She answers. "Akko, Leibolmai, Beaivi, and many others. Give them your reverence, your faith, abide by customs, follow the rituals, and venerate those who came before us. Rember though that while the spirits have a realm all of their own, they are here in this world as well inhabiting every pony, every animal, every rock and tree. Have respect for them, and they may respect you."
>>176519
Cavaliere glances at the submachine gun and breathes out, but otherwise keeps his cool as he raises his claws and stares ahead. "You had some changelings come in?" he casually asks.
Cavaliere glances at the submachine gun and breathes out, but otherwise keeps his cool as he raises his claws and stares ahead. "You had some changelings come in?" he casually asks.
>>176520
Eh, good enough
Posey is called to an office on the third floor - the top floor - of the administrative building of the Jim Haykins Medical School. Openning the wooden door, Posey enters into a high roofed roof with ornate wooden friezes along the walls, rows of book shelves with a ladder, a big, decorated globe, a clock, a statue - statue of Princess Celestia, and a number of other ornaments. Behind a massive mohanghany desk is a black unicorn stallion with a long, pure-white mane. He's of a bit of a smaller frame, but he has a very serious expression. He wears a purple cloak and golden bracelets on each pastern. Posey knows who this stallion is. This is Ersatz Orgone, Dean over the Necrology Divisions in both the Medical School and the School of Arcane Sciences. He speaks
"Miss Ring, I've heard you have interest in local Necromantic lore. Well then, I don't know how much you know, but I'll give you the quick summary. There was a stallion who lived in Baltimare in the 700's called 'Joseph Curwhinny'. And as you've guessed, he was very far from an ordinary stallion. He was a business stallion, and one of extraordinary talent. He took his father in law's company, the 'Celestial Shipping Company,' and made it into an international juggernaut. The rich and powerful have never been liked, and have always been resented by those of lesser talent in every civilization. Naturally, he became the target of criticism. It didn't help that he was involved in practices considered unsavory today, like dealing with Zebrican slave traders and importing a number of them, and the nasty conditions sailors faced in those times. He was targeted and killed in a revolt against local authorities in 771.
Of course, that isn't why you're here, is it? Curwhinny was always known to have immense interests in the occult. 'Dark' magic, esoteric religions, the customs and practices of foreigners and long dead civilizations... Things considered untasteful or strange at the time. In his later years, he spent more time doing that than at his business. When he didn't seem to age it was considered another bad sign. There were rumors he was conducting horrible experiments on dead and living subjects, and was a full blown necromancer. Those were just rumors until a couple weeks ago.
Several weeks ago, a land developer found zombies in a previously unknown set of ruins under his property - a property known to be the location of a farm owned by Joseph Curwhinny, and a location in the aforementioned revolt. He hired mercenaries to clear them out. What was found seemed to confirm the worst of the rumors. Remains of many, many bodies from dug up graves and imported zebras. Militia who perished in the fight... It seems he was a full blown necromancer, and not of any good kind, either. There is an archeological dig being conducted now. We put in the a bid, but it looks like the University of Stableside got in first. Hmph! They have no respect for history, nor magic, and certainly not for our side of the arcane arts. They will try to twist and contort whatever they find to fit their thinly-veiled communist interpretation, and in the process will doubtless bring more infamy to our practice.
Is there something you wish to know, Miss Ring? Outside of providing evidence to the contrary, our best move is to condemn this Curwhinny, and to try to seperate ourselves from his image. All of this is on a property called 'Silver Lake,' really just an abandoned quarry filled with rainwater, in the 'Silver Lake Development Project' in the northwestern part of town."
Eh, good enough
Posey is called to an office on the third floor - the top floor - of the administrative building of the Jim Haykins Medical School. Openning the wooden door, Posey enters into a high roofed roof with ornate wooden friezes along the walls, rows of book shelves with a ladder, a big, decorated globe, a clock, a statue - statue of Princess Celestia, and a number of other ornaments. Behind a massive mohanghany desk is a black unicorn stallion with a long, pure-white mane. He's of a bit of a smaller frame, but he has a very serious expression. He wears a purple cloak and golden bracelets on each pastern. Posey knows who this stallion is. This is Ersatz Orgone, Dean over the Necrology Divisions in both the Medical School and the School of Arcane Sciences. He speaks
"Miss Ring, I've heard you have interest in local Necromantic lore. Well then, I don't know how much you know, but I'll give you the quick summary. There was a stallion who lived in Baltimare in the 700's called 'Joseph Curwhinny'. And as you've guessed, he was very far from an ordinary stallion. He was a business stallion, and one of extraordinary talent. He took his father in law's company, the 'Celestial Shipping Company,' and made it into an international juggernaut. The rich and powerful have never been liked, and have always been resented by those of lesser talent in every civilization. Naturally, he became the target of criticism. It didn't help that he was involved in practices considered unsavory today, like dealing with Zebrican slave traders and importing a number of them, and the nasty conditions sailors faced in those times. He was targeted and killed in a revolt against local authorities in 771.
Of course, that isn't why you're here, is it? Curwhinny was always known to have immense interests in the occult. 'Dark' magic, esoteric religions, the customs and practices of foreigners and long dead civilizations... Things considered untasteful or strange at the time. In his later years, he spent more time doing that than at his business. When he didn't seem to age it was considered another bad sign. There were rumors he was conducting horrible experiments on dead and living subjects, and was a full blown necromancer. Those were just rumors until a couple weeks ago.
Several weeks ago, a land developer found zombies in a previously unknown set of ruins under his property - a property known to be the location of a farm owned by Joseph Curwhinny, and a location in the aforementioned revolt. He hired mercenaries to clear them out. What was found seemed to confirm the worst of the rumors. Remains of many, many bodies from dug up graves and imported zebras. Militia who perished in the fight... It seems he was a full blown necromancer, and not of any good kind, either. There is an archeological dig being conducted now. We put in the a bid, but it looks like the University of Stableside got in first. Hmph! They have no respect for history, nor magic, and certainly not for our side of the arcane arts. They will try to twist and contort whatever they find to fit their thinly-veiled communist interpretation, and in the process will doubtless bring more infamy to our practice.
Is there something you wish to know, Miss Ring? Outside of providing evidence to the contrary, our best move is to condemn this Curwhinny, and to try to seperate ourselves from his image. All of this is on a property called 'Silver Lake,' really just an abandoned quarry filled with rainwater, in the 'Silver Lake Development Project' in the northwestern part of town."
>>176524
She nods
"It certainly was, though I am not so sure it survived the blast. Metsän Vaeltaja lived near there. He saw the blast. He tells us that it was the convergence of the spirit realm and our realm. That he himself has become a medium between the worlds, able to speak to both. He says he saw what he calls the Seraph, and that this Seraph will bring the Sun on its wings, ahead of Beaivi-"
"ENOUGH!"
Father is angry
"We do not talk about that stallion and his nonsense in here! Not in front of Kultanien, and there will be absolutely no talk of it when the inspector gets here. Do you understand?"
Mother is taken aback.
"Well, I-I - he says the spirits will live among us."
"It is nonsense and we will not have that here!"
Meakly
"I... didn't say it wasn't, just... he says the spirits will walk among the living. I can understand why that would have an appeal to the others. I would like to see my mother-"
"Iwould like many things. All he says is manure! He cannot speak to the dead and he can do nothing but lead us astray. I have respect for the old ways. I respect the old gods. But Kultanien is impressionable. She could be led astray. And in this household we respect science and the Pathway Forward. The stallions from the city said it was a meteor. A rock from space. And that is all it was. The both of you will not speak of this when the Inspector comes. You will not even speak of the Old Gods when he is around. We are in compliance with the Pathway Forward here. Do you understand?"
"Yes..." Mother says meekly. She is cowed.
>>176523
He says
"Some? They are lousing the city, probably. Not many from the sea though. We at least have that much covered"
The next step is a medical examination, with many questions about the throat, symptoms and whathaveyou. Evidently they are looking for disease. At least one griffin from Nova Griffonia fails this test.
She nods
"It certainly was, though I am not so sure it survived the blast. Metsän Vaeltaja lived near there. He saw the blast. He tells us that it was the convergence of the spirit realm and our realm. That he himself has become a medium between the worlds, able to speak to both. He says he saw what he calls the Seraph, and that this Seraph will bring the Sun on its wings, ahead of Beaivi-"
"ENOUGH!"
Father is angry
"We do not talk about that stallion and his nonsense in here! Not in front of Kultanien, and there will be absolutely no talk of it when the inspector gets here. Do you understand?"
Mother is taken aback.
"Well, I-I - he says the spirits will live among us."
"It is nonsense and we will not have that here!"
Meakly
"I... didn't say it wasn't, just... he says the spirits will walk among the living. I can understand why that would have an appeal to the others. I would like to see my mother-"
"Iwould like many things. All he says is manure! He cannot speak to the dead and he can do nothing but lead us astray. I have respect for the old ways. I respect the old gods. But Kultanien is impressionable. She could be led astray. And in this household we respect science and the Pathway Forward. The stallions from the city said it was a meteor. A rock from space. And that is all it was. The both of you will not speak of this when the Inspector comes. You will not even speak of the Old Gods when he is around. We are in compliance with the Pathway Forward here. Do you understand?"
"Yes..." Mother says meekly. She is cowed.
>>176523
He says
"Some? They are lousing the city, probably. Not many from the sea though. We at least have that much covered"
The next step is a medical examination, with many questions about the throat, symptoms and whathaveyou. Evidently they are looking for disease. At least one griffin from Nova Griffonia fails this test.
>>176527
>a statue - statue of Princess Celestia,
Posey momentarily recoils at this, as if she's been stuck by an unseen hoof, her vampiric heritage making the holy iconography painful.
>Posey knows who this stallion is. This is Ersatz Orgone, Dean over the Necrology Divisions in both the Medical School and the School of Arcane Sciences.
Oh buck.
I would assume that the Dean of the Necrology division would be able to recognize a shambling corpse when he sees one, regardless of how well she does her mane and makeup. I'm going to say that Posey casts Disguise Undead before meeting any high ranking member of the Necrology division, using the extra level of Glammer to disguise her true nature.
>They have no respect for history, nor magic, and certainly not for our side of the arcane arts. They will try to twist and contort whatever they find to fit their thinly-veiled communist interpretation, and in the process will doubtless bring more infamy to our practice.
This actually seems to motivate Posey. Those who disrespect the arts should be punished.
"Oh no..." Posey interjects softly, letting the stallion continue
>Is there something you wish to know, Miss Ring?
"Curwhinny's body... Where is it now?" Is her first question
"Has this Silver Lake site of his lair been properly exorcised before excavation? I do specialize in haunts."
>There is an archeological dig being conducted now. We put in the a bid, but it looks like the University of Stableside got in first.
>thinly-veiled communist
Posey puts on a bit of a smug, mischievous smirk
"Well, if they are commies, they shouldn't be complaining too hard if someone were to visit their site first, now would they? Property is theft, as they say..."
Take 10 for a 24 bluff (innuendo) check, for Posey to passively propose visiting the site her self, bidding results be damned
>a statue - statue of Princess Celestia,
Posey momentarily recoils at this, as if she's been stuck by an unseen hoof, her vampiric heritage making the holy iconography painful.
>Posey knows who this stallion is. This is Ersatz Orgone, Dean over the Necrology Divisions in both the Medical School and the School of Arcane Sciences.
Oh buck.
I would assume that the Dean of the Necrology division would be able to recognize a shambling corpse when he sees one, regardless of how well she does her mane and makeup. I'm going to say that Posey casts Disguise Undead before meeting any high ranking member of the Necrology division, using the extra level of Glammer to disguise her true nature.
>They have no respect for history, nor magic, and certainly not for our side of the arcane arts. They will try to twist and contort whatever they find to fit their thinly-veiled communist interpretation, and in the process will doubtless bring more infamy to our practice.
This actually seems to motivate Posey. Those who disrespect the arts should be punished.
"Oh no..." Posey interjects softly, letting the stallion continue
>Is there something you wish to know, Miss Ring?
"Curwhinny's body... Where is it now?" Is her first question
"Has this Silver Lake site of his lair been properly exorcised before excavation? I do specialize in haunts."
>There is an archeological dig being conducted now. We put in the a bid, but it looks like the University of Stableside got in first.
>thinly-veiled communist
Posey puts on a bit of a smug, mischievous smirk
"Well, if they are commies, they shouldn't be complaining too hard if someone were to visit their site first, now would they? Property is theft, as they say..."
Take 10 for a 24 bluff (innuendo) check, for Posey to passively propose visiting the site her self, bidding results be damned
>>176529
>Posey momentarily recoils at this
Orgone raises an eyebrow
"Not in keeping with your political tastes, Miss Ring?"
>"Curwhinny's body... Where is it now?"
"I have no idea. The rumors say he became a lich. I doubt that very seriously. If it's true, he was either bound and defeated in the revolt, or he made a very quiet escape to the Dread Lands. He's not in Rosemont Cemetary, I can say that with confidence."
>"Has this Silver Lake site of his lair been properly exorcised before excavation? I do specialize in haunts."
"Not to my knowledge, but I cannot say I've consulted with the church, whom I presume would be contacted first for such a procedure. They didn't contact us, I know that."
>"Well, if they are commies, they shouldn't be complaining too hard if someone were to visit their site first, now would they? Property is theft, as they say..."
He mirrors Posey with a smug, mischievous smirk of his own
"How do such rights fit in with a socialist theory of property rights? Seems to me it would be open to all who are able. Especially to those who are more able."
>Posey momentarily recoils at this
Orgone raises an eyebrow
"Not in keeping with your political tastes, Miss Ring?"
>"Curwhinny's body... Where is it now?"
"I have no idea. The rumors say he became a lich. I doubt that very seriously. If it's true, he was either bound and defeated in the revolt, or he made a very quiet escape to the Dread Lands. He's not in Rosemont Cemetary, I can say that with confidence."
>"Has this Silver Lake site of his lair been properly exorcised before excavation? I do specialize in haunts."
"Not to my knowledge, but I cannot say I've consulted with the church, whom I presume would be contacted first for such a procedure. They didn't contact us, I know that."
>"Well, if they are commies, they shouldn't be complaining too hard if someone were to visit their site first, now would they? Property is theft, as they say..."
He mirrors Posey with a smug, mischievous smirk of his own
"How do such rights fit in with a socialist theory of property rights? Seems to me it would be open to all who are able. Especially to those who are more able."
>>176530
>"Not in keeping with your political tastes, Miss Ring?"
"W-what? No. We're not all that different in Farbrook. I was just.. taken back by the quality of this lovely statue."
Bluff
[1d20+14 = (8+14) = 22]
>The rumors say he became a lich
"If he were powerful enough to become a lich, I have my doubts he would have been defeated so easily. I can't say for certain though."
>or he made a very quiet escape to the Dread Lands
I'm going to roll knowledge (Religion) too see if Posey knows of such a lich
[1d20+11 = (17+11) = 28]
>I cannot say I've consulted with the church, whom I presume would be contacted first for such a procedure.
"Yes, those with divine energy channeling powers are scarce these days. Luckily, secular energy channeling is one of my skills."
>Seems to me it would be open to all who are able.
"I believe a phrase that ponies go by is 'sharing is caring'?"
>"Not in keeping with your political tastes, Miss Ring?"
"W-what? No. We're not all that different in Farbrook. I was just.. taken back by the quality of this lovely statue."
Bluff
[1d20+14 = (8+14) = 22]
>The rumors say he became a lich
"If he were powerful enough to become a lich, I have my doubts he would have been defeated so easily. I can't say for certain though."
>or he made a very quiet escape to the Dread Lands
I'm going to roll knowledge (Religion) too see if Posey knows of such a lich
[1d20+11 = (17+11) = 28]
>I cannot say I've consulted with the church, whom I presume would be contacted first for such a procedure.
"Yes, those with divine energy channeling powers are scarce these days. Luckily, secular energy channeling is one of my skills."
>Seems to me it would be open to all who are able.
"I believe a phrase that ponies go by is 'sharing is caring'?"
>>176531
"It's marble from Canterlot. I knew the sculptor. I think all professors who can afford one should have one on display."
>"If he were powerful enough to become a lich, I have my doubts he would have been defeated so easily."
"That is my thought to, and why I do not believe he became a lich. But, between trickery, surprise, numbers, hubris, or a simple lack of will to fight, it is possible for a band of militia to defeat a lich, especially if their number included experienced mages or fighters, and that is why I cannot discount the possibility."
Posey believes she is aware of a lich who more or less fits the description in terms of years of origin and of origin region. However, she does not know him to have ever gone by the name "Joseph Curwhinny" and he does not seem to identify as being him.
>"Yes, those with divine energy channeling powers are scarce these days. Luckily, secular energy channeling is one of my skills."
"Sadly the art of harmonic divination is not as common as we would have thought it would be a decade ago. But it is far from gone, either."
>"I believe a phrase that ponies go by is 'sharing is caring'?"
He smiles
"These socialists say something like that, I believe."
"It's marble from Canterlot. I knew the sculptor. I think all professors who can afford one should have one on display."
>"If he were powerful enough to become a lich, I have my doubts he would have been defeated so easily."
"That is my thought to, and why I do not believe he became a lich. But, between trickery, surprise, numbers, hubris, or a simple lack of will to fight, it is possible for a band of militia to defeat a lich, especially if their number included experienced mages or fighters, and that is why I cannot discount the possibility."
Posey believes she is aware of a lich who more or less fits the description in terms of years of origin and of origin region. However, she does not know him to have ever gone by the name "Joseph Curwhinny" and he does not seem to identify as being him.
>"Yes, those with divine energy channeling powers are scarce these days. Luckily, secular energy channeling is one of my skills."
"Sadly the art of harmonic divination is not as common as we would have thought it would be a decade ago. But it is far from gone, either."
>"I believe a phrase that ponies go by is 'sharing is caring'?"
He smiles
"These socialists say something like that, I believe."
>>176532
>Posey believes she is aware of a lich who more or less fits the description in terms of years of origin and of origin region. However, she does not know him to have ever gone by the name "Joseph Curwhinny" and he does not seem to identify as being him.
Posey suspects that he may have changed names after metamorphosis, as many Liches do. She makes not to report this to the Society.
>These socialists say something like that, I believe
"Very well..."
She stands up, flipping through her grimoire
"I believe I heard rumors of dormant malign energies on a farm nearby. I'll be taking a period of leave to investigate it. You'll read about it in my reference book." Posey says
She turns to leave
>Posey believes she is aware of a lich who more or less fits the description in terms of years of origin and of origin region. However, she does not know him to have ever gone by the name "Joseph Curwhinny" and he does not seem to identify as being him.
Posey suspects that he may have changed names after metamorphosis, as many Liches do. She makes not to report this to the Society.
>These socialists say something like that, I believe
"Very well..."
She stands up, flipping through her grimoire
"I believe I heard rumors of dormant malign energies on a farm nearby. I'll be taking a period of leave to investigate it. You'll read about it in my reference book." Posey says
She turns to leave
>>176528
Amber recoils, her ears splayed back, at her father's outburst. It hurts her to hear him yelling at her mother especially when it's a result of her own curiosity, and she feels close to crying. But she reminds herself she is a big filly and should find a better way out of it.
"Y-yes, Papa…can we go get salt now?" she asks in a quiet voice.
Amber recoils, her ears splayed back, at her father's outburst. It hurts her to hear him yelling at her mother especially when it's a result of her own curiosity, and she feels close to crying. But she reminds herself she is a big filly and should find a better way out of it.
"Y-yes, Papa…can we go get salt now?" she asks in a quiet voice.
>>176528
"From my experience, there is no such thing as an impossible infestation," Cavaliere replies. "You just have to know how they get in and where they're hiding."
Cavaliere dutifully puts up with the examinations and is in good health for his age. Is there any sign of the Equestrian who was having trouble with entry before?
"From my experience, there is no such thing as an impossible infestation," Cavaliere replies. "You just have to know how they get in and where they're hiding."
Cavaliere dutifully puts up with the examinations and is in good health for his age. Is there any sign of the Equestrian who was having trouble with entry before?
>>176536
The stallion sighs
“Yeah, but there’s only so much we can do. We can’t do anything about land-entry here, and Central Government has told us to deprioritize them. But if we can find them, we remove them.”
Yes. It seems he’s been pulled off for special questioning in a separate room. Garv was off to the side as well, but placed back in the main room once he cleared his physical.
>>176535
Father places a hoof on her head and pat pat pat.
“Right. Let’s go get some salt. Put your mask back on, Kultaien.”
Mother:
“Akka be with you.”
Father:
“You too.”
The two ponies should leave thereafter
The stallion sighs
“Yeah, but there’s only so much we can do. We can’t do anything about land-entry here, and Central Government has told us to deprioritize them. But if we can find them, we remove them.”
Yes. It seems he’s been pulled off for special questioning in a separate room. Garv was off to the side as well, but placed back in the main room once he cleared his physical.
>>176535
Father places a hoof on her head and pat pat pat.
“Right. Let’s go get some salt. Put your mask back on, Kultaien.”
Mother:
“Akka be with you.”
Father:
“You too.”
The two ponies should leave thereafter
>>176537
"Deprioritized in favor of what? You mean to tell me that changeling infiltrators aren't your biggest threat?" Cavaliere looks intrigued.
And also: "Why was that stallion pulled aside? He sounds like a native of this land."
"Deprioritized in favor of what? You mean to tell me that changeling infiltrators aren't your biggest threat?" Cavaliere looks intrigued.
And also: "Why was that stallion pulled aside? He sounds like a native of this land."
>>176533
>>176532
>>176534
If the dean doesn't have anything else to say, Posey makes her preparations to leave for the lair, and does so with the swiftness of an experienced grave robber.
Posey takes all of her equipment with her (sword, chain shirt, etc)
She also takes Gloomy with her.
She leaves at whatever point would bring her in line with the others.
>>176532
>>176534
If the dean doesn't have anything else to say, Posey makes her preparations to leave for the lair, and does so with the swiftness of an experienced grave robber.
Posey takes all of her equipment with her (sword, chain shirt, etc)
She also takes Gloomy with her.
She leaves at whatever point would bring her in line with the others.
>>176538
Somewhat. The wind is heavier. But there is still no precipitation and no clouds.
>>176540
“No. The biggest threat would be insurgent groups like the Equestrian Liberation Front and the Popular Front. They will bomb factories, kill our soldiers and murder local politicians. They are very difficult to fight directly, so mostly we try to cut them off from any foreign sources of support or supplies.”
“That Equestrian ‘native’ is an emigre. He left Equestria after we came in, presumably precisely because he didn’t like the new government. So he claimed refugee status and moved up north, until he found out the weather is awful there and the job market is even worse, so he came back. Or maybe, he got in touch with a ‘Free Equestrian’ or Aquelian handler, who told him to come back as a spy.”
Somewhat. The wind is heavier. But there is still no precipitation and no clouds.
>>176540
“No. The biggest threat would be insurgent groups like the Equestrian Liberation Front and the Popular Front. They will bomb factories, kill our soldiers and murder local politicians. They are very difficult to fight directly, so mostly we try to cut them off from any foreign sources of support or supplies.”
“That Equestrian ‘native’ is an emigre. He left Equestria after we came in, presumably precisely because he didn’t like the new government. So he claimed refugee status and moved up north, until he found out the weather is awful there and the job market is even worse, so he came back. Or maybe, he got in touch with a ‘Free Equestrian’ or Aquelian handler, who told him to come back as a spy.”
>>176543
She continues to follow along, though her mind is distracted by thoughts of the blast, spirits and that mysterious stone. And then there's the conversation she overheard….
"Papa? Are we really going to move to the city?"
She continues to follow along, though her mind is distracted by thoughts of the blast, spirits and that mysterious stone. And then there's the conversation she overheard….
"Papa? Are we really going to move to the city?"
>>176543
"And the changelings don't do that?" he asks with curiosity.
"Well now, those are a bunch of presumptions. There are different reasons one could come up with that would explain his story as well. You just mentioned that these Fronts cause chaos and destruction, and maybe it was their violence a few years ago that convinced him to leave. It's somewhat more peaceful now and that may be the reason for his return, with family ties or simply a love for the land. Has there been any evidence of intent to spy or be a criminal?"
"And the changelings don't do that?" he asks with curiosity.
"Well now, those are a bunch of presumptions. There are different reasons one could come up with that would explain his story as well. You just mentioned that these Fronts cause chaos and destruction, and maybe it was their violence a few years ago that convinced him to leave. It's somewhat more peaceful now and that may be the reason for his return, with family ties or simply a love for the land. Has there been any evidence of intent to spy or be a criminal?"
>>176545
The wind howls and tugs at them.
“What? Oh. You heard that. Uh… maybe? We’ll see. I think we might be able to live better there.”
The wind howls and tugs at them.
“What? Oh. You heard that. Uh… maybe? We’ll see. I think we might be able to live better there.”
>>176547
"Have you been there? What are the forests like? Is there snow too?" Over the loudness of the wind, Amber's tone is of genuine curiosity rather than cynicism.
"Have you been there? What are the forests like? Is there snow too?" Over the loudness of the wind, Amber's tone is of genuine curiosity rather than cynicism.
>>176512
"Heh...I really didn't want to eat you, but it is good to hear it's all good now." Kira finally finishes washing up the tea set, and comes out of the kitchen. "So what was all that about teats you two were talking about when I accidentally interrupted?"
"Heh...I really didn't want to eat you, but it is good to hear it's all good now." Kira finally finishes washing up the tea set, and comes out of the kitchen. "So what was all that about teats you two were talking about when I accidentally interrupted?"
>>176533
"Debride is your supervisor. She has say concerning any 'leave'." Is all he has to say
>>176546
"Oh, the Changelings do. But the Changelings have the power to do more or less what they want. They've given Army Command a million reasons - well, between six hundred thousand to one and a half million reasons - why we should not give their agents much trouble.
There are a lot of ways that Garv's statement could have been taken, depending mostly on tone and the way it is said. This particular response is assuming that Garv's statement being antagonistic is at least plausible
"And presumptions? Presumptions? You know, you don't strike me as a Weter Griffin. No, you're from the Frontiers, aren't you? And you're not new to conflict either. So let me ask you this. Say a griffin - you can make him a pony if you want - say a griffin comes to your front door and asks if he can come in and have a glass of water. Tartarus, you can make him your long-estranged brother for all it matters. Say your long-estranged brother comes to your front door, asks to come inside, sit down and have a glass of water, maybe a cup of tea. He asks to come in, and you know - you know - that as soon as you go into the kitchen turn your back to him, and start pouring that glass of water, there is some not insignificant chance that he is going to pull out a gun, and shoot you in the back of the head. Shoot you dead right there. Tell me, do you let him in? Hmmm? What's the level of acceptable risk at which you'd tell him 'No, sorry, you're going to have to go down the road'? What's the level of risk? One in two? One in Three? One out of ten? One out of twenty? Well I can tell you this. I know damn sure it's less than one in one before you'd let him in. So yes, we do make decisions of national security on presumptions.
"The ELF and all of its imitators have committed many horrendous crimes in less than a year. They have bombed crowded subway trains. They have bombed our transport planes. They have blown up our offices, the restaurants we visit, and our factories. They have derailed our trains. They have invited us over for drinks after bars and then shot us in the back of a head. They snipe at us from down the street. They shoot us as we sit in the bars. They murder our informants and our local helpers in every conceivable manner possible. And they do all this while consorting with the worst of criminal scum, and foreign spies. They have murdered I assume thousands of our soldiers, thousands of our griffin allies, and twice that number of Equestrians. I don't know the actual numbers because High Command thinks it could only be bad for morale, but I hear enough. This is a war. And this is a war against an enemy that refuses to fight fairly. They refuse to identify themselves as soldiers. They refuse to wear uniforms. They refuse even to target only combatants. Well I am telling you, the ponies of New Mareland are ready to wage war in kind, and with an equal amount of respect for the rules.
This stallion's Princess decided to declare war on us after we asserted our right to exist as a free herd. His Princess lost. And when we took administration over her lands, he decided to flee with all of the movie stars out of the country. Then when the weather got cold and he wanted to come back, tail between his legs. I'm sorry, but I don't have much sympathy for him. I'd much rather he be turned back to face the snow in Weter, than a bullet through the back of my own head. Or be the stallion who let in the next Penny Station bomber.
I don't know what evidence there is. Some other stallion is handling his case. I would assume they are calling his family members and generally putting his admission into Baltimare on pause until they can figure out what in Tartarus is going on."
>>176550
Does she wish to speak to the land owner, or simply walk in? If she just walks in, then nothing.
>>176548
The two ponies pass more huts, a few trees (some of them knocked down), and shacks.
"Uh... well... Yes, I've been there. To Everfrost. I went there two years ago. But no, there's... there's no forest. There's snow on the streets. It's buildings mostly."
>>176551
"Sure you didn't. What now? Oh. He was looking at me. I think he was flirting, or trying to. It was kind of nice, actually."
>>176552
Mouth hanging open,
"Why."
"Debride is your supervisor. She has say concerning any 'leave'." Is all he has to say
>>176546
"Oh, the Changelings do. But the Changelings have the power to do more or less what they want. They've given Army Command a million reasons - well, between six hundred thousand to one and a half million reasons - why we should not give their agents much trouble.
There are a lot of ways that Garv's statement could have been taken, depending mostly on tone and the way it is said. This particular response is assuming that Garv's statement being antagonistic is at least plausible
"And presumptions? Presumptions? You know, you don't strike me as a Weter Griffin. No, you're from the Frontiers, aren't you? And you're not new to conflict either. So let me ask you this. Say a griffin - you can make him a pony if you want - say a griffin comes to your front door and asks if he can come in and have a glass of water. Tartarus, you can make him your long-estranged brother for all it matters. Say your long-estranged brother comes to your front door, asks to come inside, sit down and have a glass of water, maybe a cup of tea. He asks to come in, and you know - you know - that as soon as you go into the kitchen turn your back to him, and start pouring that glass of water, there is some not insignificant chance that he is going to pull out a gun, and shoot you in the back of the head. Shoot you dead right there. Tell me, do you let him in? Hmmm? What's the level of acceptable risk at which you'd tell him 'No, sorry, you're going to have to go down the road'? What's the level of risk? One in two? One in Three? One out of ten? One out of twenty? Well I can tell you this. I know damn sure it's less than one in one before you'd let him in. So yes, we do make decisions of national security on presumptions.
"The ELF and all of its imitators have committed many horrendous crimes in less than a year. They have bombed crowded subway trains. They have bombed our transport planes. They have blown up our offices, the restaurants we visit, and our factories. They have derailed our trains. They have invited us over for drinks after bars and then shot us in the back of a head. They snipe at us from down the street. They shoot us as we sit in the bars. They murder our informants and our local helpers in every conceivable manner possible. And they do all this while consorting with the worst of criminal scum, and foreign spies. They have murdered I assume thousands of our soldiers, thousands of our griffin allies, and twice that number of Equestrians. I don't know the actual numbers because High Command thinks it could only be bad for morale, but I hear enough. This is a war. And this is a war against an enemy that refuses to fight fairly. They refuse to identify themselves as soldiers. They refuse to wear uniforms. They refuse even to target only combatants. Well I am telling you, the ponies of New Mareland are ready to wage war in kind, and with an equal amount of respect for the rules.
This stallion's Princess decided to declare war on us after we asserted our right to exist as a free herd. His Princess lost. And when we took administration over her lands, he decided to flee with all of the movie stars out of the country. Then when the weather got cold and he wanted to come back, tail between his legs. I'm sorry, but I don't have much sympathy for him. I'd much rather he be turned back to face the snow in Weter, than a bullet through the back of my own head. Or be the stallion who let in the next Penny Station bomber.
I don't know what evidence there is. Some other stallion is handling his case. I would assume they are calling his family members and generally putting his admission into Baltimare on pause until they can figure out what in Tartarus is going on."
>>176550
Does she wish to speak to the land owner, or simply walk in? If she just walks in, then nothing.
>>176548
The two ponies pass more huts, a few trees (some of them knocked down), and shacks.
"Uh... well... Yes, I've been there. To Everfrost. I went there two years ago. But no, there's... there's no forest. There's snow on the streets. It's buildings mostly."
>>176551
"Sure you didn't. What now? Oh. He was looking at me. I think he was flirting, or trying to. It was kind of nice, actually."
>>176552
Mouth hanging open,
"Why."
>>176553
Silver shrugs.
"If you mean 'why would they want them', I have no clue, to be honest. If you mean 'why do they have them', Blue Skies is Dark Star's marefriend and he invited her along to help."
Silver shrugs.
"If you mean 'why would they want them', I have no clue, to be honest. If you mean 'why do they have them', Blue Skies is Dark Star's marefriend and he invited her along to help."
>>176553
"You seemed to enjoy it! Don't worry, I'm sure we'll see plenty more of him, and you'll get plenty more chances to woo him with your feminine charms and wiles." Kira smiles at Neela before continuing. "So what is it like having them?"
"You seemed to enjoy it! Don't worry, I'm sure we'll see plenty more of him, and you'll get plenty more chances to woo him with your feminine charms and wiles." Kira smiles at Neela before continuing. "So what is it like having them?"
>>176556
"That pony I told you about who tried to see what alchemical salts and cremated ashes tasted like. He is good pony and good friend, just...not his best moment."
"That pony I told you about who tried to see what alchemical salts and cremated ashes tasted like. He is good pony and good friend, just...not his best moment."
>>176556
"I imagine. I couldn't imagine how bothersome it would be to try to slither about with them. Well, I probably could imagine, they would probably be very sore and ouchy rubbing against the hard ground wherever I go. Makes me glad we don't have them."
"I imagine. I couldn't imagine how bothersome it would be to try to slither about with them. Well, I probably could imagine, they would probably be very sore and ouchy rubbing against the hard ground wherever I go. Makes me glad we don't have them."
>>176553
>Does she wish to speak to the land owner, or simply walk in? If she just walks in, then nothing.
Posey actually has an idea.
She will bring the haunted items from the ghosts she met on her last quest and plant them on the site, and then convince them to spook around the place to make it appear that it is still haunted. Then she can speak to the owner and convince them that "residual malign energies" have made the site into an untenable blighted paranormal hotspot, which could give her leverage to buy up the property for pennies on the dollar. Her status as a licensed practitioner combined with her high Bluff mod should make it feasible, and the lack of priests to exorcise the property may make her the only available consultant.
It's called blockbusting. Jews do it, only with niggers and gang activity.
She'll request that the ghosts do her this favor in exchange for mailing their haunted objects to their respective addresses later. Besides, they seem to like her.
Before I actually try this idea, would this be too annoying to pursue?
>Does she wish to speak to the land owner, or simply walk in? If she just walks in, then nothing.
Posey actually has an idea.
She will bring the haunted items from the ghosts she met on her last quest and plant them on the site, and then convince them to spook around the place to make it appear that it is still haunted. Then she can speak to the owner and convince them that "residual malign energies" have made the site into an untenable blighted paranormal hotspot, which could give her leverage to buy up the property for pennies on the dollar. Her status as a licensed practitioner combined with her high Bluff mod should make it feasible, and the lack of priests to exorcise the property may make her the only available consultant.
It's called blockbusting. Jews do it, only with niggers and gang activity.
She'll request that the ghosts do her this favor in exchange for mailing their haunted objects to their respective addresses later. Besides, they seem to like her.
Before I actually try this idea, would this be too annoying to pursue?
>>176553
>"Debride is your supervisor. She has say concerning any 'leave'." Is all he has to say
Posey naturally informs Debride of her leave, and since she needs some field material to finish her latest reference book.
>"Debride is your supervisor. She has say concerning any 'leave'." Is all he has to say
Posey naturally informs Debride of her leave, and since she needs some field material to finish her latest reference book.
File (): 95A97A669C4C0AE243C2B10B20DB014A-482068.png (470.8 KB, 1080x1080, No trees.png)
>>176559
This may work for buying the property, but I don't think that the sequence of events is quite there yet. Technically legally it can't be sold or developed until after the archeological examination is done... which means that the other party member will be gone and all of the cool stuff is removed... Do you want to wait several in-game months for that?
>>176557
"Huh... Black Hooves marefriend and eating pony ashes... okay then... I'm not sure what I expected your friends to be like."
>>176558
"hehe, I'm glad to have them." She walks around her thin, long legs. Well they aren't actually that long, but they are definitely longer than Kira's hindlegs.
>>176561
Reeee I shouldn't have said that
>No trees?
"Oh well that's the neat part. They don't. You see, there's a coking plant that takes coal that's brought up from further south and turns it into gas, which is then burned, like in the street lamps. And when that runs out, they have peat, like we do, or fuel oil." He says, warmly and reassuringly
This may work for buying the property, but I don't think that the sequence of events is quite there yet. Technically legally it can't be sold or developed until after the archeological examination is done... which means that the other party member will be gone and all of the cool stuff is removed... Do you want to wait several in-game months for that?
>>176557
"Huh... Black Hooves marefriend and eating pony ashes... okay then... I'm not sure what I expected your friends to be like."
>>176558
"hehe, I'm glad to have them." She walks around her thin, long legs. Well they aren't actually that long, but they are definitely longer than Kira's hindlegs.
>>176561
Reeee I shouldn't have said that
>No trees?
"Oh well that's the neat part. They don't. You see, there's a coking plant that takes coal that's brought up from further south and turns it into gas, which is then burned, like in the street lamps. And when that runs out, they have peat, like we do, or fuel oil." He says, warmly and reassuringly
>>176562
>Do you want to wait several in-game months for that?
No. Posey will go there now first. The other part is good for thought.
Posey goes down to the site with Gloomy. She'll inform the owner that she's here sweeping for malign energies. She can plant the items later.
>Do you want to wait several in-game months for that?
No. Posey will go there now first. The other part is good for thought.
Posey goes down to the site with Gloomy. She'll inform the owner that she's here sweeping for malign energies. She can plant the items later.
>>176563
Posey comes to the area, presumably taken by Mason. To every side are the frames of new houses, save on one side where there are low level apartments, and a block over, a school. The lot itself is a city block and an island in the sea of development. It has uncut grass, a couple trees, a dilapidated house, the exposed foundation of a house, and a large hole in the ground consistent with a quarry. Nearish the center is a set of tents that are set up.
Posey comes to the area, presumably taken by Mason. To every side are the frames of new houses, save on one side where there are low level apartments, and a block over, a school. The lot itself is a city block and an island in the sea of development. It has uncut grass, a couple trees, a dilapidated house, the exposed foundation of a house, and a large hole in the ground consistent with a quarry. Nearish the center is a set of tents that are set up.
>>176553
I should specify tone of voice better.
The griffon scratches the dusty grey feathers on his chin. "It's funny that you should say that. I've been in variations of that situation a good number of times. In terms of prevention I try to be a decent judge of character, and if a griffon looks likely to start causing trouble I maintain a line of sight. There have been times where I decide to trust him, and he forfeits his trust, but by reflection or the rustle of a sloppy draw he also forfeits his life. A few times I have had the misfortune of being held at gunpoint, disarmed, even cubnapped–but he always gets his due.
And once or twice I have been shot in the back and left for dead." He says this last part bitterly. "But I will tell you this. My job is to resolve conflicts, and I will always give the other side to explain himself, even if I need to tie him up first to do it safely. You would be surprised at the number of times a job is due to a misunderstanding, or the target of a bounty is innocent. I don't know this stallion, who he is or where in Equestria he comes from, but Equestrian citizenship is not lost from leaving the country and he does have a right to return to his home." He starts with a strong tone of voice but softens toward the end.
"Now, do you have a probation system for these cases where a returning national can restore his trust when the Customs Authority is undecided?"
I should specify tone of voice better.
The griffon scratches the dusty grey feathers on his chin. "It's funny that you should say that. I've been in variations of that situation a good number of times. In terms of prevention I try to be a decent judge of character, and if a griffon looks likely to start causing trouble I maintain a line of sight. There have been times where I decide to trust him, and he forfeits his trust, but by reflection or the rustle of a sloppy draw he also forfeits his life. A few times I have had the misfortune of being held at gunpoint, disarmed, even cubnapped–but he always gets his due.
And once or twice I have been shot in the back and left for dead." He says this last part bitterly. "But I will tell you this. My job is to resolve conflicts, and I will always give the other side to explain himself, even if I need to tie him up first to do it safely. You would be surprised at the number of times a job is due to a misunderstanding, or the target of a bounty is innocent. I don't know this stallion, who he is or where in Equestria he comes from, but Equestrian citizenship is not lost from leaving the country and he does have a right to return to his home." He starts with a strong tone of voice but softens toward the end.
"Now, do you have a probation system for these cases where a returning national can restore his trust when the Customs Authority is undecided?"
>>176562
For every answer she gets she is brimming with more questions. "Have I seen coal before? What is it like? Where do they farm all their crops?"
For every answer she gets she is brimming with more questions. "Have I seen coal before? What is it like? Where do they farm all their crops?"
>>176565
"Well, we're more of in the business of preventing harm than avenging it. And in an odd way, yes, Equestrian Citizenship is lost. Technically, Equestria no longer exists. This is the Baltimare Governate, not the Equestrian Principality. And no one is allowed anywhere in the principality without either an internal passport or a visa, which obviously this stallion does not and could not have. Whatever right he has to return home, I we have a right to return to ours. There's not a true probation system. If we were really sure he was a spy, we'd detain him and send him away. Unsure, we tend to just send them back. But what you're talking about, well, we can put him on a watch list for note with the political police, but honestly, we do that to most of the returning Equestrians. But that's basically what we have for 'probation'."
He looks around at the line, and at those around them. He tilts his head
"Would you like to join in?"
>>176566
"Heh, no, you wouldn't have. It's a rock that burns. It's most like peat, in what it does. They get their food from ponies like us, mostly."
>>176567
Out of the car, and onto the lot.
"Well, we're more of in the business of preventing harm than avenging it. And in an odd way, yes, Equestrian Citizenship is lost. Technically, Equestria no longer exists. This is the Baltimare Governate, not the Equestrian Principality. And no one is allowed anywhere in the principality without either an internal passport or a visa, which obviously this stallion does not and could not have. Whatever right he has to return home, I we have a right to return to ours. There's not a true probation system. If we were really sure he was a spy, we'd detain him and send him away. Unsure, we tend to just send them back. But what you're talking about, well, we can put him on a watch list for note with the political police, but honestly, we do that to most of the returning Equestrians. But that's basically what we have for 'probation'."
He looks around at the line, and at those around them. He tilts his head
"Would you like to join in?"
>>176566
"Heh, no, you wouldn't have. It's a rock that burns. It's most like peat, in what it does. They get their food from ponies like us, mostly."
>>176567
Out of the car, and onto the lot.
>>176569
I gotta sleep now. Posey moves deeper into the lot.
She possessively levitates Gloomy to keep him away from any blood-stealing ticks that might be hiding in the uncut grass.
I gotta sleep now. Posey moves deeper into the lot.
She possessively levitates Gloomy to keep him away from any blood-stealing ticks that might be hiding in the uncut grass.
>>176569
"Sounds like they need us a lot," Amber remarks with a smile. "Doesn't that mean we should stay out here so they have food?"
"Sounds like they need us a lot," Amber remarks with a smile. "Doesn't that mean we should stay out here so they have food?"
>>176571
Father tries to pet Amber, but with the thickness of the fur coats, his attempts at pets are not successful.
"Heh, maybe, but wouldn't you like to be warm?"
A pony in a heavy coat shambles and staggers along, walking along the small street.
Father tries to pet Amber, but with the thickness of the fur coats, his attempts at pets are not successful.
"Heh, maybe, but wouldn't you like to be warm?"
A pony in a heavy coat shambles and staggers along, walking along the small street.
>>176569
Cavaliere mulls this over before answering in a deep but soft voice. "Join in what exactly? I cannot tell you how things should be run, and I am a foreigner, but if you wanted to return to your war-torn home only to be turned away by…" he waves a claw around briefly as he thinks of a word that isn't "occupier" "…management under a different flag, wouldn't you feel like a foreigner in your own country? A bit upset, even? Sir, you can't make an entire populace who have done nothing but been caught in a two-front war feel like aliens and not expect increased resistance. If you had a better system of probation for returning nationals, this 'ELF' wouldn't disappear overnight, but one of its motives for recruitment would be defanged."
Cavaliere mulls this over before answering in a deep but soft voice. "Join in what exactly? I cannot tell you how things should be run, and I am a foreigner, but if you wanted to return to your war-torn home only to be turned away by…" he waves a claw around briefly as he thinks of a word that isn't "occupier" "…management under a different flag, wouldn't you feel like a foreigner in your own country? A bit upset, even? Sir, you can't make an entire populace who have done nothing but been caught in a two-front war feel like aliens and not expect increased resistance. If you had a better system of probation for returning nationals, this 'ELF' wouldn't disappear overnight, but one of its motives for recruitment would be defanged."
>>176575
"Parole would help a good amount. Or, if you must, have another pony vouch for his good behavior."
"Parole would help a good amount. Or, if you must, have another pony vouch for his good behavior."
>>176562
"Heh, I suppose I do attract interesting company. At least it makes for avoiding dull moments. Now, we still have some more rooms to explore. Maybe other library has some hidden nook in it."
"Heh, I suppose I do attract interesting company. At least it makes for avoiding dull moments. Now, we still have some more rooms to explore. Maybe other library has some hidden nook in it."
>>176577
"What if he's frostbitten?" Amber asks worriedly, remembering the mare's odd shambling gait.
"What if he's frostbitten?" Amber asks worriedly, remembering the mare's odd shambling gait.
>>176562
Long and graceful, they make for an excellent display. Kira can see where ponies like Bright Dye would find Neela attractive.
"Do males really like teats? I mean, as far as I know they're just so mammals can feed their young before they can feed themselves."
Long and graceful, they make for an excellent display. Kira can see where ponies like Bright Dye would find Neela attractive.
"Do males really like teats? I mean, as far as I know they're just so mammals can feed their young before they can feed themselves."
>>176580
"Oh no, I don't think he is. Too much clothing. Although... That gait is weird..." Father continues moving Amber forward
>>176578
"Well.... they are calling for his family now, I am sure"
>>176579
"Heh... Other library?" She asks
>>176581
She has a smug smile on her face
"Oh yeah. Gives them something to play with. Something to look at. I mean of course they like the rump much more, but the more you've got, the better."
>>176583
Inside the tent are two stallions who are examining what seems to be armor.
"Oh no, I don't think he is. Too much clothing. Although... That gait is weird..." Father continues moving Amber forward
>>176578
"Well.... they are calling for his family now, I am sure"
>>176579
"Heh... Other library?" She asks
>>176581
She has a smug smile on her face
"Oh yeah. Gives them something to play with. Something to look at. I mean of course they like the rump much more, but the more you've got, the better."
>>176583
Inside the tent are two stallions who are examining what seems to be armor.
>>176585
"Yes, you have this one that was burned and other that was relatively untouched right across from here."
"Yes, you have this one that was burned and other that was relatively untouched right across from here."
>>176585
>Inside the tent are two stallions who are examining what seems to be armor.
Cool, what kind of armor?
Posey approaches slowly.
>Inside the tent are two stallions who are examining what seems to be armor.
Cool, what kind of armor?
Posey approaches slowly.
>>176589
Kira continues to giggle.
"Do you think that means I'll be at a disadvantage here with the males? No teats, no rump...I'm pretty strong though, I've got that going for me."
Kira continues to giggle.
"Do you think that means I'll be at a disadvantage here with the males? No teats, no rump...I'm pretty strong though, I've got that going for me."
>>176592
"Awwww. But that's like my whole thing...well, that and being sneaky. I guess it doesn't change much from my previous mate situation, but still."
"Awwww. But that's like my whole thing...well, that and being sneaky. I guess it doesn't change much from my previous mate situation, but still."
>>176592
pet pet pet
We could also just say that the search roll was for both of them since they're just across the hall from each other, if I remember right, and move onto the laboratories. It's up to you.
pet pet pet
We could also just say that the search roll was for both of them since they're just across the hall from each other, if I remember right, and move onto the laboratories. It's up to you.
>>176596
Roll Search
>>176595
"Mhmmm. Of course that's not your biggest issue. Your biggest issue will be your... well, lack of a rump. That, and pony bucks barely like does as it is. I can't imagine many would want... well, a snake."
>>176594
Looking in, she can see that it is maybe 30 or so feet deep, perhaps two acres in size with some lower and higher portions, and there are a pair of gasoline powered pumps pumping out the tiny remnants of water in the lowest sections. On the more raised portions, there are three little work stations with covers. One is empty and has paper fragments. One has a few assorted items and a stallion examining them. One has what appears to be fragments of mummified pony remains and two pony stallions examining them. There is also what seems to be a hole leading into a subterranean area.
Roll Search
>>176595
"Mhmmm. Of course that's not your biggest issue. Your biggest issue will be your... well, lack of a rump. That, and pony bucks barely like does as it is. I can't imagine many would want... well, a snake."
>>176594
Looking in, she can see that it is maybe 30 or so feet deep, perhaps two acres in size with some lower and higher portions, and there are a pair of gasoline powered pumps pumping out the tiny remnants of water in the lowest sections. On the more raised portions, there are three little work stations with covers. One is empty and has paper fragments. One has a few assorted items and a stallion examining them. One has what appears to be fragments of mummified pony remains and two pony stallions examining them. There is also what seems to be a hole leading into a subterranean area.
>>176598
"Hmm, not unlike home." Posey says quietly
She walks into the hole, carrying Gloomy behind her.
"Hmm, not unlike home." Posey says quietly
She walks into the hole, carrying Gloomy behind her.
>>176599
>>176600
The hole is not one at ground level going down, although I suppose one of those exists somewhere. The hole is what is functionally, but not in design, a doorway. A horizonal entrance to the subterranean level from the quarry walls. There is a ramp leading into the quarry.
>>176601
Which set of gentlemen? I assume the two in the quarry?
>>176600
The hole is not one at ground level going down, although I suppose one of those exists somewhere. The hole is what is functionally, but not in design, a doorway. A horizonal entrance to the subterranean level from the quarry walls. There is a ramp leading into the quarry.
>>176601
Which set of gentlemen? I assume the two in the quarry?
>>176603
One stallion is a brown unicorn stallion in a semi fancy vest covered up by an overcoat. The other is a blue unicorn stallion, who is wearing something closer to a rain jacket.
The brown stallion closes his eyes
"Sweet Celestia, another one?"
He has a loud "I'm done with it" sigh, and then,
"Can I help you?"
One stallion is a brown unicorn stallion in a semi fancy vest covered up by an overcoat. The other is a blue unicorn stallion, who is wearing something closer to a rain jacket.
The brown stallion closes his eyes
"Sweet Celestia, another one?"
He has a loud "I'm done with it" sigh, and then,
"Can I help you?"
>>176604
Posey's first order of business is to charm both stallions with her gaze
DC 19 Will
"It's a pleasure to meet you, gentlemen. I am Rosey Ring, certified necrologist. I have been called here to investigate traces of residual dark magic on this site. I will be doing a tour of magical hotspots in the area. If either of you have encountered anything paranormal on these parts, I would appreciate it you could help me pinpoint the location." Posey says
She glances at the remains
"Equine remains... Well-preserved, but seemingly improperly buried. It looks like it was as I thought.."
Posey's first order of business is to charm both stallions with her gaze
DC 19 Will
"It's a pleasure to meet you, gentlemen. I am Rosey Ring, certified necrologist. I have been called here to investigate traces of residual dark magic on this site. I will be doing a tour of magical hotspots in the area. If either of you have encountered anything paranormal on these parts, I would appreciate it you could help me pinpoint the location." Posey says
She glances at the remains
"Equine remains... Well-preserved, but seemingly improperly buried. It looks like it was as I thought.."
>>176605
The brown stallion closes his eyes and shakes his head, as if hit with a strong light. The blue stallion simply stares at Posey
"There are no paranormal anythings here nor anywhere. Whatever magic was here has dissipated. There are no crystals to hold it. No living beings..."
He looks over to the remains
"Yes. Equine remains. I'm not sure what else you expected. The fact that you are here tells me that you know exactly what this place is, why there would be remains here, and why they are not buried. And you came here dressed up in that ridiculous outfit. By Celestia, you look like you're an actor about to perform in some kind of play set in the ancient era. I'm going to guess that you're with that 'Silver Sword'. That you're one of the mercenaries who were hired by Glass Horizons to clear this place. That, or you're one of his marefriends, who came by because you thought you could steal some artifacts, like he did. Well I'll tell you. There are no more artifacts, and there is certainly nothing 'paranormal' here or anywhere."
The brown stallion closes his eyes and shakes his head, as if hit with a strong light. The blue stallion simply stares at Posey
"There are no paranormal anythings here nor anywhere. Whatever magic was here has dissipated. There are no crystals to hold it. No living beings..."
He looks over to the remains
"Yes. Equine remains. I'm not sure what else you expected. The fact that you are here tells me that you know exactly what this place is, why there would be remains here, and why they are not buried. And you came here dressed up in that ridiculous outfit. By Celestia, you look like you're an actor about to perform in some kind of play set in the ancient era. I'm going to guess that you're with that 'Silver Sword'. That you're one of the mercenaries who were hired by Glass Horizons to clear this place. That, or you're one of his marefriends, who came by because you thought you could steal some artifacts, like he did. Well I'll tell you. There are no more artifacts, and there is certainly nothing 'paranormal' here or anywhere."
>>176606
>And you came here dressed up in that ridiculous outfit.
Posey is a bit offended by that
"I'll have you know that chain shirt is standard issue for ponies who need to deal with biting zombies. Besides, it matches my cape."
>I'm going to guess that you're with that 'Silver Sword'
Posey's face grows suspicious. This name sounds like a paladin's
"... Who?"
>because you thought you could steal some artifacts
"Wha? No, never..."
Bluff
[1d20+14 = (15+14) = 29]
>there is certainly nothing 'paranormal' here or anywhere
"That's what ponies always say..."
>And you came here dressed up in that ridiculous outfit.
Posey is a bit offended by that
"I'll have you know that chain shirt is standard issue for ponies who need to deal with biting zombies. Besides, it matches my cape."
>I'm going to guess that you're with that 'Silver Sword'
Posey's face grows suspicious. This name sounds like a paladin's
"... Who?"
>because you thought you could steal some artifacts
"Wha? No, never..."
Bluff
[1d20+14 = (15+14) = 29]
>there is certainly nothing 'paranormal' here or anywhere
"That's what ponies always say..."
>>176606
>there is certainly nothing 'paranormal' here or anywhere
"If that's really the case, then I guess this shouldn't take very long. I'm doing this as a matter of public service, afterall.. Pardon me, gentlemen." Posey says
"Come along, Gloomy." Posey says, as she proceeds further into the site
>there is certainly nothing 'paranormal' here or anywhere
"If that's really the case, then I guess this shouldn't take very long. I'm doing this as a matter of public service, afterall.. Pardon me, gentlemen." Posey says
"Come along, Gloomy." Posey says, as she proceeds further into the site
>>176598
Kira scratches her chin.
"Well...there was that one stallion at Customs, Free Rover. He seemed nice."
Kira scratches her chin.
"Well...there was that one stallion at Customs, Free Rover. He seemed nice."
>>176608
Posey looks for a way underground, not really worried about her own safety (she'd just throw herself into the pit normally), but a way to less-precariously levitate her child down.
Posey looks for a way underground, not really worried about her own safety (she'd just throw herself into the pit normally), but a way to less-precariously levitate her child down.
>>176611
There's some kind of misunderstanding about the geography of the site.
The quarry has a ramp leading down into it. Three of the little awnings, including the one where Posey went to the two stallions and spoke to them, are inside of the quarry. They are in the bottom of the pit, or technically, on a slightly higher level than the flooded lowest portion. They are not at ground level. They are on the floor of the quarry. Posey necessarily would have had to have gone to the floor of the quarry in order to interact with them. That's the only way that scene could have happened. There is no jumping down or levitating down or going anywhere down to enter the subterranean level from where Posey would have encountered this pair of stallions. There are a different pair of stallions at ground level in a tent, but Posey walked past them.
>>176610
Lowering her ears
"Uh huh. What. You want him for a mate, or something?"
There's some kind of misunderstanding about the geography of the site.
The quarry has a ramp leading down into it. Three of the little awnings, including the one where Posey went to the two stallions and spoke to them, are inside of the quarry. They are in the bottom of the pit, or technically, on a slightly higher level than the flooded lowest portion. They are not at ground level. They are on the floor of the quarry. Posey necessarily would have had to have gone to the floor of the quarry in order to interact with them. That's the only way that scene could have happened. There is no jumping down or levitating down or going anywhere down to enter the subterranean level from where Posey would have encountered this pair of stallions. There are a different pair of stallions at ground level in a tent, but Posey walked past them.
>>176610
Lowering her ears
"Uh huh. What. You want him for a mate, or something?"
>>176612
Posey looks around, searching for a way deeper into the underground
"Say... This supposed Silver Sword, what did he look like?"
Posey looks around, searching for a way deeper into the underground
"Say... This supposed Silver Sword, what did he look like?"
>>176612
Rubbing the end of her tail between her hooves, Kira responds, "Well, it wasn't my initial intention when I came here, but...maybe? I dunno, it feels a bit early to be saying that, I mean we literally had only just met, but maybe if we meet up more often and we actually get to know each other then it's something that might be nice to do."
Rubbing the end of her tail between her hooves, Kira responds, "Well, it wasn't my initial intention when I came here, but...maybe? I dunno, it feels a bit early to be saying that, I mean we literally had only just met, but maybe if we meet up more often and we actually get to know each other then it's something that might be nice to do."
>>176614
Neela walks over towards the couch and lays down on it, letting her forelegs hang off of it
“Get to know each other? Ha, if you feel like it just go for it. And if you two don’t work then just go your separate ways. It’s not like you’re going to be living with him.”
>>176607
>>176608
“This is an archeological site. You can’t go in there!”
>>176613
Is she actually asking them?
Neela walks over towards the couch and lays down on it, letting her forelegs hang off of it
“Get to know each other? Ha, if you feel like it just go for it. And if you two don’t work then just go your separate ways. It’s not like you’re going to be living with him.”
>>176607
>>176608
“This is an archeological site. You can’t go in there!”
>>176613
Is she actually asking them?
>>176615
Maybe I should have treated this as a stealth mission afterall...
>Is she actually asking them?
Yes, she asks them.
>“This is an archeological site. You can’t go in there!”
"I'm a licensed practitioner. Besides, can you really say with certainty that there's no residual malice in this ground? Time and time again ponies did up sites without having them excised first, and then they pay the price..."
Posey decides to punctuate this by using her Unseen Servant SLA (no visible components), to rattle the table that the undead hand is sitting on, and cause the limb to writhe slightly.
"I can sense that my services are dearly needed here." She says, closing her eyes and pointing her horn to the sky, as if reading ambient psychometric resonance.
Bluff
[1d20+14 = (2+14) = 16]
Maybe I should have treated this as a stealth mission afterall...
>Is she actually asking them?
Yes, she asks them.
>“This is an archeological site. You can’t go in there!”
"I'm a licensed practitioner. Besides, can you really say with certainty that there's no residual malice in this ground? Time and time again ponies did up sites without having them excised first, and then they pay the price..."
Posey decides to punctuate this by using her Unseen Servant SLA (no visible components), to rattle the table that the undead hand is sitting on, and cause the limb to writhe slightly.
"I can sense that my services are dearly needed here." She says, closing her eyes and pointing her horn to the sky, as if reading ambient psychometric resonance.
Bluff
[1d20+14 = (2+14) = 16]
>>176615
Kira tilts her head at her deer friend. "Really? That's all there is to it? No courtship or anything?"
Kira tilts her head at her deer friend. "Really? That's all there is to it? No courtship or anything?"
>>176619
Kira blushes, and continues rubbing the end of her tail between her hooves. "Well, no, we've only met the once and...I dunno, I don't know how these kinds of things work over here."
Kira blushes, and continues rubbing the end of her tail between her hooves. "Well, no, we've only met the once and...I dunno, I don't know how these kinds of things work over here."
>>176620
She looks away.
“It’s so weird here. They let ponies chose who they marry.” She tilts her head
“Is there a buck you’re supposed to marry back home? Are you afraid he’ll figure out you’re not a virgin?”
She lowers her head and in a hushed tone says
“Or were you already married…”
She looks away.
“It’s so weird here. They let ponies chose who they marry.” She tilts her head
“Is there a buck you’re supposed to marry back home? Are you afraid he’ll figure out you’re not a virgin?”
She lowers her head and in a hushed tone says
“Or were you already married…”
>>176621
Kira gets especially blushy at the second question.
"No, no marriage...or 'bucks'..." and, more quietly, "...or mating..." Then, back to her normal volume. "There was one male our families arranged a meeting for, but it didn't work out."
Kira gets especially blushy at the second question.
"No, no marriage...or 'bucks'..." and, more quietly, "...or mating..." Then, back to her normal volume. "There was one male our families arranged a meeting for, but it didn't work out."
>>176623
Kira lets go of her tail to wave her hooves in front of her body. "What!? Oh nononono, of course I didn't. We just really didn't mesh at all and it would have been a bad pairing. He's alright and I wish him the best, but he just didn't really get me and I didn't get him."
Kira lets go of her tail to wave her hooves in front of her body. "What!? Oh nononono, of course I didn't. We just really didn't mesh at all and it would have been a bad pairing. He's alright and I wish him the best, but he just didn't really get me and I didn't get him."
>>176624
“It’s okay, I wasn’t going to tell anyone if you did. You can tell me if you did.” She tilts her head and leans forward, looking at Kira. “I won’t tell anyone. I wasn’t sure if you lamias killed or ate your mates or after mating or… actually, do you do that, and you two just didn’t, you know, mate? We Sangee don’t kill our mates. The ponies definitely don’t. I mean, I did stab a buck once. But he didn’t die. Unfortunately.”
Her eyes go wide and both ears shoot up. Then she sits upright on the couch.
“Wait. You’re still a virgin?!?!”
“It’s okay, I wasn’t going to tell anyone if you did. You can tell me if you did.” She tilts her head and leans forward, looking at Kira. “I won’t tell anyone. I wasn’t sure if you lamias killed or ate your mates or after mating or… actually, do you do that, and you two just didn’t, you know, mate? We Sangee don’t kill our mates. The ponies definitely don’t. I mean, I did stab a buck once. But he didn’t die. Unfortunately.”
Her eyes go wide and both ears shoot up. Then she sits upright on the couch.
“Wait. You’re still a virgin?!?!”
>>176626
"No, we aren't like spiders or mantises. It's, well...I imagine it's a lot like with other species, but I don't know for sure. I do know for certain that we don't kill or eat our mates, that would be...whew, there is no stomach big enough for that. Well, maybe one of the jungle lamias or a sea lamia has the stomach for it, but even then still no. I'm curious about that story about you stabbing a buck, though."
At Neela's absolute shock, Kira confirms her worst fears by nodding. "Still a virgin."
"No, we aren't like spiders or mantises. It's, well...I imagine it's a lot like with other species, but I don't know for sure. I do know for certain that we don't kill or eat our mates, that would be...whew, there is no stomach big enough for that. Well, maybe one of the jungle lamias or a sea lamia has the stomach for it, but even then still no. I'm curious about that story about you stabbing a buck, though."
At Neela's absolute shock, Kira confirms her worst fears by nodding. "Still a virgin."
>>176627
“How are you a virgin? gasp. We need to fix that. There must be some pony or… other creature out there who would want you, and not just thing you’re some gross or scary reptile.” A pause. “I don’t think there are any other lamias here. I certainly don’t want to meet one of those ‘jungle lamias’. Maybe I can give you some pointers on how to get a mate.” She pauses again. “Well… maybe you can just be a maiden forever.”
“How are you a virgin? gasp. We need to fix that. There must be some pony or… other creature out there who would want you, and not just thing you’re some gross or scary reptile.” A pause. “I don’t think there are any other lamias here. I certainly don’t want to meet one of those ‘jungle lamias’. Maybe I can give you some pointers on how to get a mate.” She pauses again. “Well… maybe you can just be a maiden forever.”
>>176628
"That would be disappointing, to say the least. I know mom wants to be a grandma someday." She looks at Neela with big ol' pleading lamia eyes. "Can you please give me some pointers on getting a mate?"
"That would be disappointing, to say the least. I know mom wants to be a grandma someday." She looks at Neela with big ol' pleading lamia eyes. "Can you please give me some pointers on getting a mate?"
>>176629
“Sure ponies have their own courtship rituals. It’s kind of weird actually. The pony buck is supposed to try to sleep with you, and you’re supposed to turn them down and play hard to get or something, annd generally pretend like you don’t want to even though you also have to let them know you do want them because otherwise they’ll lose interest. And you’re supposed to act all shy and timid and whatever. I think it’s because their courtship is also how they select a mate for marriage, instead of just being normal and have their partners selected by their parents. Honestly the key is to just try to look attractive to them and if they want to and if you want to then do it.”
“Sure ponies have their own courtship rituals. It’s kind of weird actually. The pony buck is supposed to try to sleep with you, and you’re supposed to turn them down and play hard to get or something, annd generally pretend like you don’t want to even though you also have to let them know you do want them because otherwise they’ll lose interest. And you’re supposed to act all shy and timid and whatever. I think it’s because their courtship is also how they select a mate for marriage, instead of just being normal and have their partners selected by their parents. Honestly the key is to just try to look attractive to them and if they want to and if you want to then do it.”
Posey should probably find the owner.
I'm going to take a page out of the Chaosium book and roll a flat luck check to see if Posey would have been smart enough to find any information concerning the land owner's name or appearance before coming here.
[1d20 = 6]
I'm going to take a page out of the Chaosium book and roll a flat luck check to see if Posey would have been smart enough to find any information concerning the land owner's name or appearance before coming here.
[1d20 = 6]
>>176585
"Can't you check on him?" Amber asks worriedly, stressed from everything else that has happened earlier.
"Can't you check on him?" Amber asks worriedly, stressed from everything else that has happened earlier.
>>176585
"And would they be able to? It's been several years since he has seen them. Postage to Nova Griffonia isn't cheap either and he would be hard-pressed to have stayed in regular contact."
"And would they be able to? It's been several years since he has seen them. Postage to Nova Griffonia isn't cheap either and he would be hard-pressed to have stayed in regular contact."
"Well, if it makes you feel better, sure."
Father walks over towards the stallion, having to go back to catch up with him.
"Kuhlo? Kuhlo? Hello? Just checking to see if you are alright."
The stallion stops, though he still sways back and forth. He slowly turns his head, covered in the puffy jacket, back towards father. Amber can see his golden eyes.
"memelle mbe'..." He mutters
"Kuhlo?" Father repeats
"Do you hear the spirits? Haha. Can you hear them around us? They are here. I heard from my Seesteinen Kevät today. She will walk among us. And the sun will light up the sky, pulled by the Seraph. Convergence is upon us. I will be with my Seesteinen Kevät. Mblele mbem..."
The stallion turns his body in the direction his head now faces, and he starts walking in a different direction than he was before. Father moves out of the way while the stallion continues walking.
Father walks over towards the stallion, having to go back to catch up with him.
"Kuhlo? Kuhlo? Hello? Just checking to see if you are alright."
The stallion stops, though he still sways back and forth. He slowly turns his head, covered in the puffy jacket, back towards father. Amber can see his golden eyes.
"memelle mbe'..." He mutters
"Kuhlo?" Father repeats
"Do you hear the spirits? Haha. Can you hear them around us? They are here. I heard from my Seesteinen Kevät today. She will walk among us. And the sun will light up the sky, pulled by the Seraph. Convergence is upon us. I will be with my Seesteinen Kevät. Mblele mbem..."
The stallion turns his body in the direction his head now faces, and he starts walking in a different direction than he was before. Father moves out of the way while the stallion continues walking.
>>176630
Kira would write this down if she had anything to write with, but she doesn't, and then again what Neela tells her is almost enough to get her head to spin.
"That sounds confusing. You're supposed to pretend you don't want them but you actually do? Why not just say yes? It sounds like it would be infuriating if every female I wanted to court tried to make it as hard as possible, I mean it's hard enough as is especially when you're 'weird' like me. I guess I can act all shy and timid...what do pony males find attractive? And what are they called, are they called bucks or is it something else? I don't wanna screw up and call them something weird."
Kira would write this down if she had anything to write with, but she doesn't, and then again what Neela tells her is almost enough to get her head to spin.
"That sounds confusing. You're supposed to pretend you don't want them but you actually do? Why not just say yes? It sounds like it would be infuriating if every female I wanted to court tried to make it as hard as possible, I mean it's hard enough as is especially when you're 'weird' like me. I guess I can act all shy and timid...what do pony males find attractive? And what are they called, are they called bucks or is it something else? I don't wanna screw up and call them something weird."
File (): 21984ED6033452F1B2C8097888E0F49B-9782771.gif (9.3 MB, 845x475, 2018723.gif)
>>176636
"I know right? I guess trying to play hard to get is supposed to make you desirable... somehow... But I think that if you want to have sex with them then just have sex with them, and if you don't, then don't. Of course they say that is 'slutty', or something. Ponies like... well, look at what the pony mares who get attention do. Well groomed manes, petite figure, big butts..." Her eyes go wide
"What are male ponies called?"
"I know right? I guess trying to play hard to get is supposed to make you desirable... somehow... But I think that if you want to have sex with them then just have sex with them, and if you don't, then don't. Of course they say that is 'slutty', or something. Ponies like... well, look at what the pony mares who get attention do. Well groomed manes, petite figure, big butts..." Her eyes go wide
"What are male ponies called?"
>>176637
Kira shrugs.
"We don't really have separate names for males and females. To us lamias are just either, well, males or females." She scratches her chin with a hoof. "Okay, well groomed mane I can do...not so much petite figure and big butt. Also those seem to contradict each other, how can you be petite while also having a big butt? Why do ponies have to make this so confusing..."
Kira shrugs.
"We don't really have separate names for males and females. To us lamias are just either, well, males or females." She scratches her chin with a hoof. "Okay, well groomed mane I can do...not so much petite figure and big butt. Also those seem to contradict each other, how can you be petite while also having a big butt? Why do ponies have to make this so confusing..."
>>176638
Neela breathes in, then breathes back out.
"Yeah, I can see why you are a virgin. And now that most of your dating pool is ponies, you're not going to do any better. It's bad enough that you're a big, scary, pony-eating monster. But worse... How would a pony even have sex with you? Do you even want a pony?"
Neela breathes in, then breathes back out.
"Yeah, I can see why you are a virgin. And now that most of your dating pool is ponies, you're not going to do any better. It's bad enough that you're a big, scary, pony-eating monster. But worse... How would a pony even have sex with you? Do you even want a pony?"
>>176642
"Well..." Neela proceeds to give an explanation that makes use of her hooves and her own hindquaters
"The pony penis, well, actually all of the quadrupeds, is contained in a sheath under the lower belly and mostly between the hind legs." She stands up perpendicular to Kira and points towards the corresponding area on her body. "There's only one. I don't know how many there are on lamias but, uh, there's only one on pretty much anycreature you'll find over here. When stimulated it comes out and grows to be about" she sits down and uses her hooves to show dimensions "this long and this wide. It has a pretty consistent thickness and is flat on the end. Same with the kirin and zebras. Horses are bigger. Other creatures, like the deer, taper towards the end and are a little smaller. It's pink and soft at first but gets harder when stimulated. They like to place it in the vagina of the female. Or which ever hole, really, and, well, I'm not sure how it works with lamias but uh, they like to penetrate you and make thrusting motions until they've climaxed. Is that how it works with lamias? I don't know how much you know. It's like this." Neela proceeds to stand her forelegs over the couch, and basically hump the couch.
"Well..." Neela proceeds to give an explanation that makes use of her hooves and her own hindquaters
"The pony penis, well, actually all of the quadrupeds, is contained in a sheath under the lower belly and mostly between the hind legs." She stands up perpendicular to Kira and points towards the corresponding area on her body. "There's only one. I don't know how many there are on lamias but, uh, there's only one on pretty much anycreature you'll find over here. When stimulated it comes out and grows to be about" she sits down and uses her hooves to show dimensions "this long and this wide. It has a pretty consistent thickness and is flat on the end. Same with the kirin and zebras. Horses are bigger. Other creatures, like the deer, taper towards the end and are a little smaller. It's pink and soft at first but gets harder when stimulated. They like to place it in the vagina of the female. Or which ever hole, really, and, well, I'm not sure how it works with lamias but uh, they like to penetrate you and make thrusting motions until they've climaxed. Is that how it works with lamias? I don't know how much you know. It's like this." Neela proceeds to stand her forelegs over the couch, and basically hump the couch.
>>176643
Neela's...in-depth demonstration is certainly informative. Kira takes mental notes, trying to paint a picture in her mind. Her deep crimson blush shows she probably didn't need the mental image of Neela humping a couch to achieve this, but she gets kudos for the extra effort put into her description.
"Uh...hmm...I guess I can see why they have to, when they have four hooves. For us it's a little more, like...coiling and wrapping around each other..." Kira makes twirling and twisting motions with her hoofs. "...I mean I don't really have much or really any first-hoof experience with it but I've seen and heard enough to know, and mom explained some stuff to me a while back so I wouldn't be completely lost when it finally happens. I guess I'll still be pretty lost if I end up doing it with a pony like Free Rover or what have you, but maybe I'll be able to figure out what to do with what she's told me and what you've just, uh...demonstrated. Is that how you learned about it, did someone show you all about mating?"
Neela's...in-depth demonstration is certainly informative. Kira takes mental notes, trying to paint a picture in her mind. Her deep crimson blush shows she probably didn't need the mental image of Neela humping a couch to achieve this, but she gets kudos for the extra effort put into her description.
"Uh...hmm...I guess I can see why they have to, when they have four hooves. For us it's a little more, like...coiling and wrapping around each other..." Kira makes twirling and twisting motions with her hoofs. "...I mean I don't really have much or really any first-hoof experience with it but I've seen and heard enough to know, and mom explained some stuff to me a while back so I wouldn't be completely lost when it finally happens. I guess I'll still be pretty lost if I end up doing it with a pony like Free Rover or what have you, but maybe I'll be able to figure out what to do with what she's told me and what you've just, uh...demonstrated. Is that how you learned about it, did someone show you all about mating?"
>>176644
Her ears go down, and she is silent for a second. Then another. Then another. Then another. And another
"No... You know, you should probably just see if you find a buck who likes you. And then... go from there."
Her ears go down, and she is silent for a second. Then another. Then another. Then another. And another
"No... You know, you should probably just see if you find a buck who likes you. And then... go from there."
>>176645
Hmm...did Kira accidentally say something wrong? Hopefully she didn't make Neela upset...
"I see..." Kira smiles at her deer friend. "Hey...thanks for all of this advice. You're a really good friend, you know?"
Hmm...did Kira accidentally say something wrong? Hopefully she didn't make Neela upset...
"I see..." Kira smiles at her deer friend. "Hey...thanks for all of this advice. You're a really good friend, you know?"
>>176646
Neela has returned to laying on the couch with her forelegs hanging off. She lowers her head, has a toothy smile, and blushes
"Heh... do you really think that?"
Neela has returned to laying on the couch with her forelegs hanging off. She lowers her head, has a toothy smile, and blushes
"Heh... do you really think that?"
>>176647
Kira nods with a wider smile.
"Of course! Even with how you thought I was going to eat you (which I never was, by the way), you still have been nothing but helpful with me! You've even been going out of your way to help me!"
Kira nods with a wider smile.
"Of course! Even with how you thought I was going to eat you (which I never was, by the way), you still have been nothing but helpful with me! You've even been going out of your way to help me!"
>>176649
"Yeah! Like, where you didn't need to do anything to help, you still did. Like those police ponies after that car almost hit me while I was crossing the street, you didn't need to step in to try to help, and in fact it could have been very dangerous for you to do so."
"Yeah! Like, where you didn't need to do anything to help, you still did. Like those police ponies after that car almost hit me while I was crossing the street, you didn't need to step in to try to help, and in fact it could have been very dangerous for you to do so."
>>176635
Now Amber is very worried. "Papa!" she cries out as she tugs on his sleeve. "Makea Amy, the mare we saved, was muttering the same thing when we saw her! The stallion we brought her to said she was 'delirious.'"
Now Amber is very worried. "Papa!" she cries out as she tugs on his sleeve. "Makea Amy, the mare we saved, was muttering the same thing when we saw her! The stallion we brought her to said she was 'delirious.'"
>>176612
>>176625
>>176631
>>176632
I did this a bit awkwardly yesterday, because I was preoccupied with life, but can Posey go ahead and look for the owner of the site?
I forgot to roleplay Posey's instinctive aversion to entering homes without invitation is one of her character flaws earlier, so I'll do that now.
>>176625
>>176631
>>176632
I did this a bit awkwardly yesterday, because I was preoccupied with life, but can Posey go ahead and look for the owner of the site?
I forgot to roleplay Posey's instinctive aversion to entering homes without invitation is one of her character flaws earlier, so I'll do that now.
>>176616
>>176613
>what does he look like
"Like you don't know. Or did he never tell you his name? He'll be a grey color, with a white mane, a tripe down his back. Larger. Older. Wearing a flak jacket, most likely. I spotted him just a few minutes ago. But you suspected he was here already, didn't you? Well yes, he's off with a mare. Associate Professor Faucet."
>unseen servant
He scrunches
"You think I can't see that you are a unicorn?"
>>176652
Yes.
>>176650
"Well those police officers were assholes anyways. They want to harass all non-ponies, and probably everyone in that part of the city, because it's not the 'good' part of town to them."
>>176651
He looks at her with concern
"I see... Well, let us go to the shop."
>>176613
>what does he look like
"Like you don't know. Or did he never tell you his name? He'll be a grey color, with a white mane, a tripe down his back. Larger. Older. Wearing a flak jacket, most likely. I spotted him just a few minutes ago. But you suspected he was here already, didn't you? Well yes, he's off with a mare. Associate Professor Faucet."
>unseen servant
He scrunches
"You think I can't see that you are a unicorn?"
>>176652
Yes.
>>176650
"Well those police officers were assholes anyways. They want to harass all non-ponies, and probably everyone in that part of the city, because it's not the 'good' part of town to them."
>>176651
He looks at her with concern
"I see... Well, let us go to the shop."
>>176653
Amber is disappointed that her father won't help the poor stallion, but she doesn't want to disobey him. She follows along, glancing over her shoulder at Kuhlo.
Amber is disappointed that her father won't help the poor stallion, but she doesn't want to disobey him. She follows along, glancing over her shoulder at Kuhlo.
>>176653
"Does it make you glad we're in a good part of the city, now? Or at least it looks really nice to me."
"Does it make you glad we're in a good part of the city, now? Or at least it looks really nice to me."
>>176653
>Associate Professor Faucet
I'm going to roll Knowledge (Local) to see if Posey recognizes this name from her time at the university, if if it's from a rival uni
[1d20+3 = (8+3) = 11]
>He'll be a grey color, with a white mane, a tripe down his back. Larger. Older. Wearing a flak jacket, most likely.
Posey takes out her notebook and writes this down
>Like you don't know.
Posey puts on a flat expression, evidently not caring if the stallion believes her or not
"Silver Sword: That name sounds like that of a Celestian exorcist or warpriest. He probably invited himself in to undercut my work..." Her expression darkens somewhat
>"You think I can't see that you are a unicorn?"
B-b-but muh lack of visible components.
Posey makes a poker face, hiding her embarrassment for her transparent poltergeist stunt
"..... ANYWAY, I think it's best that I speak with the owner of the property. Would you mind directing directing me towards them?"
>Associate Professor Faucet
I'm going to roll Knowledge (Local) to see if Posey recognizes this name from her time at the university, if if it's from a rival uni
[1d20+3 = (8+3) = 11]
>He'll be a grey color, with a white mane, a tripe down his back. Larger. Older. Wearing a flak jacket, most likely.
Posey takes out her notebook and writes this down
>Like you don't know.
Posey puts on a flat expression, evidently not caring if the stallion believes her or not
"Silver Sword: That name sounds like that of a Celestian exorcist or warpriest. He probably invited himself in to undercut my work..." Her expression darkens somewhat
>"You think I can't see that you are a unicorn?"
B-b-but muh lack of visible components.
Posey makes a poker face, hiding her embarrassment for her transparent poltergeist stunt
"..... ANYWAY, I think it's best that I speak with the owner of the property. Would you mind directing directing me towards them?"
>>176656
>Knowledge roll
I think it would be best if you rolled again.
The brown stallion says,
"No, he's not a charlatan like you or the priesthood. Just a straight up thief. Of course I'm not going to tell you where the office is."
The blue stallion, silent thus far, speaks. He raises his left hoof and crosses it over to point to his right.
"The uh, owner is Glass Horizons. There's an office he may be at two blocks past the intersection. Red tile roof."
>>176655
"Yeah... It's cleaner. Nicer looking. Less likely to get mugged. The apartments are much B=better. I'm not sure the neighbors will like... immigrants moving in, though."
>Knowledge roll
I think it would be best if you rolled again.
The brown stallion says,
"No, he's not a charlatan like you or the priesthood. Just a straight up thief. Of course I'm not going to tell you where the office is."
The blue stallion, silent thus far, speaks. He raises his left hoof and crosses it over to point to his right.
"The uh, owner is Glass Horizons. There's an office he may be at two blocks past the intersection. Red tile roof."
>>176655
"Yeah... It's cleaner. Nicer looking. Less likely to get mugged. The apartments are much B=better. I'm not sure the neighbors will like... immigrants moving in, though."
>>176659
>I think it would be best if you rolled again.
[1d20+3 = (5+3) = 8]
>charlatan
"Rude! I am a licensed practitioner of Necromantic Securities."
>"The uh, owner is Glass Horizons. There's an office he may be at two blocks past the intersection. Red tile roof."
"Thank you, kind sir." Posey replies, with a cheerful smile
"Come along, Gloomy." Posey says, trotting off towards the indicated building, floating the colt behind her
>I think it would be best if you rolled again.
[1d20+3 = (5+3) = 8]
>charlatan
"Rude! I am a licensed practitioner of Necromantic Securities."
>"The uh, owner is Glass Horizons. There's an office he may be at two blocks past the intersection. Red tile roof."
"Thank you, kind sir." Posey replies, with a cheerful smile
"Come along, Gloomy." Posey says, trotting off towards the indicated building, floating the colt behind her
>>176654
The sky to their right and behind glows purple/ Closer to the horizon and above the dark silhouettes of trees it glows a brighter shade of blue. In most of the sky, the purple tinge of the sky blots out most of the stars. But to the left and in front of the ponies, a black void bespeckled by numerous stars and adorned by a green luminescent band that hangs in the sky like garland still has its hold. In every direction, the earth itself is shrouded in relative darkness. Around the ponies are many more huts. Sometimes the snow is completely blown off and only dirt is visible, and always on the same side, facing left, though invariably found on the pony's right.
The two ponies come to the store, which is a structure presumably made of wood, and having angled walls, much like the huts. It has a couple, small holes where windows once were that are blocked up by wood. Father opens the door, which does not open easily. Like the hut, thick furs must be parted to enter. Inside are two, technically three walls filled to the brim with items. Shovels, candle wicks, kerosene cans, ropes, gasoline cans, hatchets, matches, sewing kits, bandages, eating utensils, sugar, penicillin, lamps...
There is a sort of fireplace along the left wall that provides lighting for the room, as well as heat. Behind a wooden counter in the center of the far wall and slightly to the right is a single, somewhat elderly stallion wearing an undercoat and an orange cap.
The sky to their right and behind glows purple/ Closer to the horizon and above the dark silhouettes of trees it glows a brighter shade of blue. In most of the sky, the purple tinge of the sky blots out most of the stars. But to the left and in front of the ponies, a black void bespeckled by numerous stars and adorned by a green luminescent band that hangs in the sky like garland still has its hold. In every direction, the earth itself is shrouded in relative darkness. Around the ponies are many more huts. Sometimes the snow is completely blown off and only dirt is visible, and always on the same side, facing left, though invariably found on the pony's right.
The two ponies come to the store, which is a structure presumably made of wood, and having angled walls, much like the huts. It has a couple, small holes where windows once were that are blocked up by wood. Father opens the door, which does not open easily. Like the hut, thick furs must be parted to enter. Inside are two, technically three walls filled to the brim with items. Shovels, candle wicks, kerosene cans, ropes, gasoline cans, hatchets, matches, sewing kits, bandages, eating utensils, sugar, penicillin, lamps...
There is a sort of fireplace along the left wall that provides lighting for the room, as well as heat. Behind a wooden counter in the center of the far wall and slightly to the right is a single, somewhat elderly stallion wearing an undercoat and an orange cap.
>>176609
In the several rooms of the library and the laboratory, Silver finds several items. Most of these are underneath books or flasks, or behind the same. Some are in cracks. But in one instance, they are hidden in a cavity behind a shelf in a laboratory room.
A sketch of a somewhat tear-dropped shaped creature with six, short wings and no other limbs, and could be said to very vaguely resemble a cross between a honeybee, a crocodile, and a baleen whale.
A sketch of a set of trees or shrubs and the root network, with a special emphasis on what seems to be a vast network of shared roots. It is unclear if the trees depicted are or are not the same as seen earlier.
Still another sketch of a tree and mirrored root ball with a sun above, and a moon, as well as a pool of water below. This one is closer to the trees seen before
A few pages of a manuscript with the title "Remnants of Skyros?" with a sketch of an alicorn.
A map of the Equestrian South East, the Zebrican Northwest, and the chain of islands inbetween, including what Silver can immediately recognize as non-existant land masses in the ocean. There are a few noted points of interest
A map featuring the Thalassic ocean, with two fictional landmasses, one in the north and one in the south. Unlike the previous map, which was very careful with every detail of its fictional geography, this one is much more approximate with its guesses of where these paper-islands are supposed to be located. This map has a sketch of alicorn-shaped creatures, though these alicorns have more butterfly-like wings and curved horns. Beneath it are several pages of writing that seem to be summaries of captain's logs.
A book of poetry
A sketch of what are, for a lack of a better term, sea ponies. This includes what appears to be the sea ponies in a kind of religious ritual, a couple of them in warrior garb, and several of them preparing to attack, or at least approach, a wooden sailing ship.
A vial of a transparent liquid.
An open envelope with a (broken) wax seal and signed as being from the "Sisters of the Three Bodies," which likewise carries the symbols of the Celestialist Church in the South.
A map of some particular city on the water on a river mouth which has a few points of interest. The name "Pirate Jean Claw" comes up. This too has attached pages, which likewise seem to be summaries of captain's logs.
A set of notes that show what seems to be a transfiguration of animals, as well as what seems to be a process of impregnation. This has one attached note.
A very oddly shaped helmet of unknown metal.
In the several rooms of the library and the laboratory, Silver finds several items. Most of these are underneath books or flasks, or behind the same. Some are in cracks. But in one instance, they are hidden in a cavity behind a shelf in a laboratory room.
A sketch of a somewhat tear-dropped shaped creature with six, short wings and no other limbs, and could be said to very vaguely resemble a cross between a honeybee, a crocodile, and a baleen whale.
A sketch of a set of trees or shrubs and the root network, with a special emphasis on what seems to be a vast network of shared roots. It is unclear if the trees depicted are or are not the same as seen earlier.
Still another sketch of a tree and mirrored root ball with a sun above, and a moon, as well as a pool of water below. This one is closer to the trees seen before
A few pages of a manuscript with the title "Remnants of Skyros?" with a sketch of an alicorn.
A map of the Equestrian South East, the Zebrican Northwest, and the chain of islands inbetween, including what Silver can immediately recognize as non-existant land masses in the ocean. There are a few noted points of interest
A map featuring the Thalassic ocean, with two fictional landmasses, one in the north and one in the south. Unlike the previous map, which was very careful with every detail of its fictional geography, this one is much more approximate with its guesses of where these paper-islands are supposed to be located. This map has a sketch of alicorn-shaped creatures, though these alicorns have more butterfly-like wings and curved horns. Beneath it are several pages of writing that seem to be summaries of captain's logs.
A book of poetry
A sketch of what are, for a lack of a better term, sea ponies. This includes what appears to be the sea ponies in a kind of religious ritual, a couple of them in warrior garb, and several of them preparing to attack, or at least approach, a wooden sailing ship.
A vial of a transparent liquid.
An open envelope with a (broken) wax seal and signed as being from the "Sisters of the Three Bodies," which likewise carries the symbols of the Celestialist Church in the South.
A map of some particular city on the water on a river mouth which has a few points of interest. The name "Pirate Jean Claw" comes up. This too has attached pages, which likewise seem to be summaries of captain's logs.
A set of notes that show what seems to be a transfiguration of animals, as well as what seems to be a process of impregnation. This has one attached note.
A very oddly shaped helmet of unknown metal.
>>176663
This has to be the best haul Silver has gotten in many years, excluding payment from completing jobs. Well, also maybe excluding getting a house, but besides that he's very happy with the results. He looks through his findings with Pear.
"It seems like lot of this could lead into even more adventures. We could have our hooves full for while. Maybe I could find way to get some starting capital for some globetrotting adventures. Pirates, lost landmasses of alicorns and alicorn-like creatures, and whatever this chimeric-looking creature is. It would be fun to go on these adventures with you!" Silver makes a note to take a lot of this to the local university to look for somepony's help in deciphering some of the more obscure bits of information located in all of this. The vial and helmet he keeps but doesn't immediately use. Mystery fruit is one thing, but mystery vials and unknown metal helmets are a level of risk that not even Silver can conscientiously take.
There is a lot to read through, and Silver isn't sure how much time he has to go through it all especially as they still have yet to find the sarcophagus. But, he thinks he has at least a little time to go through some of these findings. He starts with the notes on animal transfiguration.
This has to be the best haul Silver has gotten in many years, excluding payment from completing jobs. Well, also maybe excluding getting a house, but besides that he's very happy with the results. He looks through his findings with Pear.
"It seems like lot of this could lead into even more adventures. We could have our hooves full for while. Maybe I could find way to get some starting capital for some globetrotting adventures. Pirates, lost landmasses of alicorns and alicorn-like creatures, and whatever this chimeric-looking creature is. It would be fun to go on these adventures with you!" Silver makes a note to take a lot of this to the local university to look for somepony's help in deciphering some of the more obscure bits of information located in all of this. The vial and helmet he keeps but doesn't immediately use. Mystery fruit is one thing, but mystery vials and unknown metal helmets are a level of risk that not even Silver can conscientiously take.
There is a lot to read through, and Silver isn't sure how much time he has to go through it all especially as they still have yet to find the sarcophagus. But, he thinks he has at least a little time to go through some of these findings. He starts with the notes on animal transfiguration.
>>176664
It needs to be noted that with the exception of the poetry, none of the papers are especially thick.
There's a note about an artifact crafted custom made for use by a disgraced former manager of the Canterlot Menagerie for the breeding in captivity of rare and exotic animals and magic beasts. The artifact was at one time owned by Vivienne Discret of Aquelia - and Queen Consort of the Grover II - though the timeline is fuzzy as to whether she is supposed to have acquired it from the manager, or vice versa. Jean Claw is said to have stolen the item after it was sold by the dynasty, or possibly stolen, though less charitable sources claim that Vivienne Discret gave it as a gift to Jean Claw directly as a sign that they were lovers. The notes are honestly kind of vague as to what exactly the artifact does, save that it aids in the creation of animals, beasts, and creatures.
It needs to be noted that with the exception of the poetry, none of the papers are especially thick.
There's a note about an artifact crafted custom made for use by a disgraced former manager of the Canterlot Menagerie for the breeding in captivity of rare and exotic animals and magic beasts. The artifact was at one time owned by Vivienne Discret of Aquelia - and Queen Consort of the Grover II - though the timeline is fuzzy as to whether she is supposed to have acquired it from the manager, or vice versa. Jean Claw is said to have stolen the item after it was sold by the dynasty, or possibly stolen, though less charitable sources claim that Vivienne Discret gave it as a gift to Jean Claw directly as a sign that they were lovers. The notes are honestly kind of vague as to what exactly the artifact does, save that it aids in the creation of animals, beasts, and creatures.
>>176665
Silver has to be especially careful with the papers, in that case. He doesn't want any to get damaged or ruined.
Hmm, that sounds like an interesting artifact to have possession of. Especially as thoughts of what happens if Jubilosa decides she wants children and Silver isn't able to provide them being a pony flash into his mind. This leads Silver to look at the pages attached to Jean Claw's map, perhaps they may lead to clues as to where she buried her stash.
Silver has to be especially careful with the papers, in that case. He doesn't want any to get damaged or ruined.
Hmm, that sounds like an interesting artifact to have possession of. Especially as thoughts of what happens if Jubilosa decides she wants children and Silver isn't able to provide them being a pony flash into his mind. This leads Silver to look at the pages attached to Jean Claw's map, perhaps they may lead to clues as to where she buried her stash.
>>176666
>she
scrunchy
Speculation centers on a cemetery plot, and not entirely defined portions of a river flood plain.
>she
scrunchy
Speculation centers on a cemetery plot, and not entirely defined portions of a river flood plain.
>>176667
Hmm, probably another task to require use of additional maps to cross-reference and maybe help from the local university, just like these other maps contained within the haul. Silver takes a look next at the opened envelope.
Knowledge, Religion: In addition to reading the contents of the envelope, if present, Silver examines the wax seal to see if he recalls anything about these "Sisters of the Three Bodies".
[1d20 = 13]
Hmm, probably another task to require use of additional maps to cross-reference and maybe help from the local university, just like these other maps contained within the haul. Silver takes a look next at the opened envelope.
Knowledge, Religion: In addition to reading the contents of the envelope, if present, Silver examines the wax seal to see if he recalls anything about these "Sisters of the Three Bodies".
[1d20 = 13]
>>176668
It appears to be a monastic order. From the symbols on the envelope itself the "Three Bodies" seems to reference the sun, the moon, and the earth. They belong specifically the Tenochtitlan Basin branch of Celestialism, and not the mainline
It appears to be a monastic order. From the symbols on the envelope itself the "Three Bodies" seems to reference the sun, the moon, and the earth. They belong specifically the Tenochtitlan Basin branch of Celestialism, and not the mainline
>>176669
"You have interest in local cultures, yes? Is there anything you can decipher from this?" Silver gives the envelope to Pear, as he looks at the poetry. Part of him feels like it's probably the weirdest item among this haul, at least until he identifies this vial and helmet.
"You have interest in local cultures, yes? Is there anything you can decipher from this?" Silver gives the envelope to Pear, as he looks at the poetry. Part of him feels like it's probably the weirdest item among this haul, at least until he identifies this vial and helmet.
>>176670
"I think" gasp "I think this might be a companion to my religious texts. Or another version of it." She seems to wag her tail.
"I think" gasp "I think this might be a companion to my religious texts. Or another version of it." She seems to wag her tail.
>>176673
Silver chuckles at the adorable display. "Go right ahead!"
Anyways, the poetry is next on Silver's list to investigate. He wonders to himself who might have made it or to what purpose.
Silver chuckles at the adorable display. "Go right ahead!"
Anyways, the poetry is next on Silver's list to investigate. He wonders to himself who might have made it or to what purpose.
>>176675
>A white unicorn mare with a red puffed-up mane behind a desk greets Posey with a smile.
Posey approaches her doppelganger
"Good [insert canon time of day here], I love how you did your mane." she greets
"I'm here to see Mr. Glass Horizons, about a site visit concerning the Necromantic Securities department of the university, pertaining to a recent malevolence on the property down the street."
>A white unicorn mare with a red puffed-up mane behind a desk greets Posey with a smile.
Posey approaches her doppelganger
"Good [insert canon time of day here], I love how you did your mane." she greets
"I'm here to see Mr. Glass Horizons, about a site visit concerning the Necromantic Securities department of the university, pertaining to a recent malevolence on the property down the street."
>>176675
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh, okay. Well, if she's excited by the poetry, then she's still welcome to keep it. No way Silver is going to disappoint her like that.
In that case, the next thing to examine would be the map of the Thalassic Ocean.
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh, okay. Well, if she's excited by the poetry, then she's still welcome to keep it. No way Silver is going to disappoint her like that.
In that case, the next thing to examine would be the map of the Thalassic Ocean.
>>176659
"It's okay, we'll make them see that we're a couple of the best neighbors they could ask for!" Kira smiles brightly at her deer friend. "I'm glad you like it, though, and that it's much safer than your old one. Also you won't have to spend any more time with that griffon from your old place if you don't want to."
"It's okay, we'll make them see that we're a couple of the best neighbors they could ask for!" Kira smiles brightly at her deer friend. "I'm glad you like it, though, and that it's much safer than your old one. Also you won't have to spend any more time with that griffon from your old place if you don't want to."
>>176678
"Oh, is this about the archeological exam?" She says
>>176679
It's a very big, open ocean, featuring two islands. One of them is massive, almost the size of Olenia, near the north. Another is much smaller, further south, and closer to Equestria.
>>176680
"Oh yes, I'm beyond grateful I'll never have to see her again. Ugh! And can you believe that Lash is with her? What happened to him? Just... So many reasons I don't want to go back there."
"Oh, is this about the archeological exam?" She says
>>176679
It's a very big, open ocean, featuring two islands. One of them is massive, almost the size of Olenia, near the north. Another is much smaller, further south, and closer to Equestria.
>>176680
"Oh yes, I'm beyond grateful I'll never have to see her again. Ugh! And can you believe that Lash is with her? What happened to him? Just... So many reasons I don't want to go back there."
>>176681
>is this about the archeological exam
"Yes and no. This is a matter pertaining to magical security in relation from recent dark magic activity in the area, although it may impact the archaeological exam. We have reasons to believe that Mr. Horizons will want to know about potential liabilities." Posey replies
>is this about the archeological exam
"Yes and no. This is a matter pertaining to magical security in relation from recent dark magic activity in the area, although it may impact the archaeological exam. We have reasons to believe that Mr. Horizons will want to know about potential liabilities." Posey replies
>>176654
>>176662
The stallion speaks,
"Hey, Keskiyön Aurinko. I didn't think I'd see you here"
Father:
"Well I had to catch you now, wasn't sure if you changed your hours."
Stallion:
"No no, the Sun is coming, and everypony is going to need all of the supplies they can get for the great home coming. I'm staying open as long as the weather allows. What do you need?"
Father:
"Oh, just salt. One bag."
Stallion:
"What size?"
Father:
"Let me go ahead and get me... I should really buy enough for the family. I really only need one merker..."
Stallion:
"The more you come back the merrier"
Father
"No no, I should really buy more than that, say... three skålpund? Yes. Let me buy 3 skålpund of salt."
Stallion:
"Sure. Now hold on. It comes to me weighed in kilograms. Let me weigh it out on the scales."
The stallion turns away.
Near the counter, to the left and lower, are hung up drawings made with colored pencil on paper. Mill made-made paper and pencils that have to be imported and are relatively expensive. Amber can tell immediately that these drawings are made by a foal, and are proudly displayed as the foal's art. However, even a young foal would attempt to imitate a known form, however poorly. Squiggly lines and colors outside of said lines are normal in representations of family members, dogs, trees, sharks, or whatever a foal may wish to depict. But that isn't what is hanging up here. Of the four images, three are simply of lines scribbled across in green, red, and black. The fourth could be said to imitate a form, only because the center of the image is a solid yellow circle.
>>176682
She flops one ear down
"Is this about that lich?" She asks
>>176662
The stallion speaks,
"Hey, Keskiyön Aurinko. I didn't think I'd see you here"
Father:
"Well I had to catch you now, wasn't sure if you changed your hours."
Stallion:
"No no, the Sun is coming, and everypony is going to need all of the supplies they can get for the great home coming. I'm staying open as long as the weather allows. What do you need?"
Father:
"Oh, just salt. One bag."
Stallion:
"What size?"
Father:
"Let me go ahead and get me... I should really buy enough for the family. I really only need one merker..."
Stallion:
"The more you come back the merrier"
Father
"No no, I should really buy more than that, say... three skålpund? Yes. Let me buy 3 skålpund of salt."
Stallion:
"Sure. Now hold on. It comes to me weighed in kilograms. Let me weigh it out on the scales."
The stallion turns away.
Near the counter, to the left and lower, are hung up drawings made with colored pencil on paper. Mill made-made paper and pencils that have to be imported and are relatively expensive. Amber can tell immediately that these drawings are made by a foal, and are proudly displayed as the foal's art. However, even a young foal would attempt to imitate a known form, however poorly. Squiggly lines and colors outside of said lines are normal in representations of family members, dogs, trees, sharks, or whatever a foal may wish to depict. But that isn't what is hanging up here. Of the four images, three are simply of lines scribbled across in green, red, and black. The fourth could be said to imitate a form, only because the center of the image is a solid yellow circle.
>>176682
She flops one ear down
"Is this about that lich?" She asks
>>176683
>green, red, and black
Darn, thought this place was too cold for pan-African nationalists
Amber points up the odd drawings. "What are these?" she asks curiously.
>green, red, and black
Darn, thought this place was too cold for pan-African nationalists
Amber points up the odd drawings. "What are these?" she asks curiously.
>>176684
scrunchy
The stallion is at the scales
"Oh, these are my daughter's drawings she made. Aren't they pretty?"
scrunchy
The stallion is at the scales
"Oh, these are my daughter's drawings she made. Aren't they pretty?"
>>176689
"Very insightful dreams. I think you know that premonitions can come in dreams, and that sometimes, the spirits will communicate to us in dreams. These are what she saw."
"Very insightful dreams. I think you know that premonitions can come in dreams, and that sometimes, the spirits will communicate to us in dreams. These are what she saw."
>>176690
"And what do they mean?" she asks excitedly, and her tail would wag if it was unhampered by the coat. "Did the spirits say anything?" she whispers, though her father is right there and she knows he'll hear her anyway.
"And what do they mean?" she asks excitedly, and her tail would wag if it was unhampered by the coat. "Did the spirits say anything?" she whispers, though her father is right there and she knows he'll hear her anyway.
>>176691
"Yes, they did. Well, to her. They confirmed what Metsän Vaeltaja tells us. That there will be a great homecoming of the spirits as they return to our world, and our world becomes more like the spirit world. And the Seraph will bring the sun, and there will be an end to the winter."
>>176692
"Ah. Yes. Let me call him." She picks up the phone at the desk and says, "Mr. Horizons. We've got another one." She places the phone down and says "You can go in."
Through a set of wooden doors and into an office that has nice glass windows and a few less bookshelves than Ersatz Orgone. He's a tan unicorn stallion with a grey mane and a blue business suit.
"Another one?"
"Yes, they did. Well, to her. They confirmed what Metsän Vaeltaja tells us. That there will be a great homecoming of the spirits as they return to our world, and our world becomes more like the spirit world. And the Seraph will bring the sun, and there will be an end to the winter."
>>176692
"Ah. Yes. Let me call him." She picks up the phone at the desk and says, "Mr. Horizons. We've got another one." She places the phone down and says "You can go in."
Through a set of wooden doors and into an office that has nice glass windows and a few less bookshelves than Ersatz Orgone. He's a tan unicorn stallion with a grey mane and a blue business suit.
"Another one?"
>>176693
>>176691
Amber feels a hoof press against her back, and then a tug. She is physically pulled backwards.
"That's enough of that." Father says, pulling Amber away from the images. Father addresses the stallion, and has the salt placed in a tin container. "How much do I owe you? Can I pay in lichen?" He asks
"No, no, can't do that now.... I can't sell that for a while. i have to buy this with marks so it has to be paid in marks. 12 skillings."
"Twelve skillings?!?! Half an ort for 3 Skullpund of salt?"
"Yes, it cost me a mark for a kilogram in Everfrost so really this is just breaking even for me... It's okay, we will not have need for money soon. I can take Lichen for the next purchase, okay?"
Father nods
"Alright. Come the conclusion of the Great Path Forward, we won't need money anyways."
Stallion lowing his head and semi scrunchy
"We didn't need money before the 'Great Path Foward'..."
Father
"Well... I'll see you at the next community meeting next week"
Stallion
"Sure. I think the sun will be here by then."
Father:
"I don't know about that but... see you soon!"
>>176691
Amber feels a hoof press against her back, and then a tug. She is physically pulled backwards.
"That's enough of that." Father says, pulling Amber away from the images. Father addresses the stallion, and has the salt placed in a tin container. "How much do I owe you? Can I pay in lichen?" He asks
"No, no, can't do that now.... I can't sell that for a while. i have to buy this with marks so it has to be paid in marks. 12 skillings."
"Twelve skillings?!?! Half an ort for 3 Skullpund of salt?"
"Yes, it cost me a mark for a kilogram in Everfrost so really this is just breaking even for me... It's okay, we will not have need for money soon. I can take Lichen for the next purchase, okay?"
Father nods
"Alright. Come the conclusion of the Great Path Forward, we won't need money anyways."
Stallion lowing his head and semi scrunchy
"We didn't need money before the 'Great Path Foward'..."
Father
"Well... I'll see you at the next community meeting next week"
Stallion
"Sure. I think the sun will be here by then."
Father:
"I don't know about that but... see you soon!"
>>176693
Posey, with no reservations against abusing her powers, immediately attempts to charm the stallion with her gaze as she enters the room.
DC 19 Will
"Good [insert canon time of day here], Mr. Horizons. I am a local Necrologist by the name of Rosey Ring." She says
"I have been summoned here on suspicion of residual malevolence on the property down the block. I've been tasked with making a site visit to ensure it is properly excised."
Posey, with no reservations against abusing her powers, immediately attempts to charm the stallion with her gaze as she enters the room.
DC 19 Will
"Good [insert canon time of day here], Mr. Horizons. I am a local Necrologist by the name of Rosey Ring." She says
"I have been summoned here on suspicion of residual malevolence on the property down the block. I've been tasked with making a site visit to ensure it is properly excised."
>>176695
He looks up to her and speaks with more real curiosity than veiled hostility
"Uh, summoned by who, exactly? And who tasked you?"
He looks up to her and speaks with more real curiosity than veiled hostility
"Uh, summoned by who, exactly? And who tasked you?"
>>176696
>he looks up at her
I reiterate my attempt to charm him
>summoned by who, exactly? And who tasked you?
"The Academy Of Arcane Sciences, by the Dean himself." Posey says
"This is a matter of public security, as it's purported that a lich resided on the property. Since the site has been disturbed, it's imperative that it be inspected for residual dark energies. Curses are serious business, a threat to pony life and property; ensuring that they are properly excised is a matter of public safety and personal liability..."
>he looks up at her
I reiterate my attempt to charm him
>summoned by who, exactly? And who tasked you?
"The Academy Of Arcane Sciences, by the Dean himself." Posey says
"This is a matter of public security, as it's purported that a lich resided on the property. Since the site has been disturbed, it's imperative that it be inspected for residual dark energies. Curses are serious business, a threat to pony life and property; ensuring that they are properly excised is a matter of public safety and personal liability..."
>>176697
"Weren't the lich and the zombies taken care of?" He says, concerned. "They were all destroyed, right?"
"Weren't the lich and the zombies taken care of?" He says, concerned. "They were all destroyed, right?"
>>176698
>"Weren't the lich and the zombies taken care of?"
"You would think so, wouldn't you?" Posey says, with a wistful expression
"But liches aren't the type to stay buried for long. That aside, there remains the issue of Haunting Presences. Just because you can't see any zombies doesn't mean they are not there; they could be lying dormant as haunting presences tied to the land. Haunting presences may either occur sporadically in places of death and misery, or artificially by powerful mages. This site meets both criteria."
These are facts about undead that Posey is sharing to spread paranoia, not lies.
"Furthermore, it's possible that the lich may have poisoned the land to make it more suitable for it's presence. It isn't always obvious at a glance, but such a monster may have cursed altered the land in various ways other than haunting presences. Curses. Contingent Spells. Manifest Zones. Hidden Portals to Tartarus. Any of these factors could reveal themselves unexpectedly if they are not dealt with immediately." Posey says, ominously
But then her tone and expression softens
"But we don't mean to cause you any unnecessary worry, Mr. Horizons. We're only wish to inspect it for the security of our fair city. We wish to ensure that you are made aware of any potential liabilities sooner, rather than later, and any measures that may need to be taken to excise residual traces of dark magic... And not to be the bearer of bad news, but.. it may affect your insurance premiums." Posey says, wincing at the last part
>"Weren't the lich and the zombies taken care of?"
"You would think so, wouldn't you?" Posey says, with a wistful expression
"But liches aren't the type to stay buried for long. That aside, there remains the issue of Haunting Presences. Just because you can't see any zombies doesn't mean they are not there; they could be lying dormant as haunting presences tied to the land. Haunting presences may either occur sporadically in places of death and misery, or artificially by powerful mages. This site meets both criteria."
These are facts about undead that Posey is sharing to spread paranoia, not lies.
"Furthermore, it's possible that the lich may have poisoned the land to make it more suitable for it's presence. It isn't always obvious at a glance, but such a monster may have cursed altered the land in various ways other than haunting presences. Curses. Contingent Spells. Manifest Zones. Hidden Portals to Tartarus. Any of these factors could reveal themselves unexpectedly if they are not dealt with immediately." Posey says, ominously
But then her tone and expression softens
"But we don't mean to cause you any unnecessary worry, Mr. Horizons. We're only wish to inspect it for the security of our fair city. We wish to ensure that you are made aware of any potential liabilities sooner, rather than later, and any measures that may need to be taken to excise residual traces of dark magic... And not to be the bearer of bad news, but.. it may affect your insurance premiums." Posey says, wincing at the last part
>>176699
His face shows concern, and that concern deepens as Posey lays out the gravity of the situation. "Can't we just bury it?" He tries to interject. However, his expression contorts into sheer horror when she mentions the potential effect on the insurance premiums. He stands up, pushing back his chair.
"What can be done?!"
>>176694
>>176693
>>176691
Behind, the door opens, and the curtain is parted
"Keskiyön" A familiar voice says with force but not at excessive volume. "We need to talk." Looking back, it's the stallion that helped Amber with the mare earlier.
His face shows concern, and that concern deepens as Posey lays out the gravity of the situation. "Can't we just bury it?" He tries to interject. However, his expression contorts into sheer horror when she mentions the potential effect on the insurance premiums. He stands up, pushing back his chair.
"What can be done?!"
>>176694
>>176693
>>176691
Behind, the door opens, and the curtain is parted
"Keskiyön" A familiar voice says with force but not at excessive volume. "We need to talk." Looking back, it's the stallion that helped Amber with the mare earlier.
>>176700
>"What can be done?!"
"Well for starters, I'll inspect the property with my magic to assess the gravity of the situation. I would appreciate any documents or maps related to underground structures. If I do sense any haunts, I will attempt to excise them on the spot, but there are powers in this world in cannot face on my own."
>"Can't we just bury it?"
"The archaeological dig seems to already have disturbed the burial of whatever lurked there, but if we're lucky we may just be able to rebury it or transport contaminated materials. Building on top of it may be another story..." She puts on a sympathetic expression
"I can understand what sort of stress you're going through. I come from Farbrook, and the menace of dark magic on our lands has been ever so dreadful, especially with frequent attacks from the shambling dead."
"But momma is-"
"Hush, sweetie. Momma is working right now."
Posey continues
"I'll inspect the site, but I would advise you to keep this under wraps, if you can. If the government, or worse, your insurer, gets wind of the situation, they'll send their own inspectors, and CelEeEHstia knows *cough*, pardon me, knows what they might do then."
>"What can be done?!"
"Well for starters, I'll inspect the property with my magic to assess the gravity of the situation. I would appreciate any documents or maps related to underground structures. If I do sense any haunts, I will attempt to excise them on the spot, but there are powers in this world in cannot face on my own."
>"Can't we just bury it?"
"The archaeological dig seems to already have disturbed the burial of whatever lurked there, but if we're lucky we may just be able to rebury it or transport contaminated materials. Building on top of it may be another story..." She puts on a sympathetic expression
"I can understand what sort of stress you're going through. I come from Farbrook, and the menace of dark magic on our lands has been ever so dreadful, especially with frequent attacks from the shambling dead."
"But momma is-"
"Hush, sweetie. Momma is working right now."
Posey continues
"I'll inspect the site, but I would advise you to keep this under wraps, if you can. If the government, or worse, your insurer, gets wind of the situation, they'll send their own inspectors, and CelEeEHstia knows *cough*, pardon me, knows what they might do then."
>>176701
"Shambling dead?" His ears are down. "We uh, we don't have maps, no, we... we didn't know it was there until a couple weeks ago.
He leans forward
"Can you clear it? Clean it. De-haunt it? Whatever, just make it not like that?"
"Shambling dead?" His ears are down. "We uh, we don't have maps, no, we... we didn't know it was there until a couple weeks ago.
He leans forward
"Can you clear it? Clean it. De-haunt it? Whatever, just make it not like that?"
>>176681
"You won't have to so long as I'm here," Kira boasts, puffing out her pony chest before she continues, "How did you all manage to become roommates? Is it like me where we just happened to meet, or did you all know each other for a while before?"
"You won't have to so long as I'm here," Kira boasts, puffing out her pony chest before she continues, "How did you all manage to become roommates? Is it like me where we just happened to meet, or did you all know each other for a while before?"
>>176702
>"Can you clear it? Clean it. De-haunt it? Whatever, just make it not like that?"
"I can try. Secular channeling is a skill of mine. I can at least attempt to make the haunt reveal itself. Bear in mind, removing a haunt isn't a simple process, and it could take a while." Posey says
"But I will try. You'll at least get an assessment of the situation, with my professional opinion. I'm doing this in the name of scientific research, and public security, so so long as you allow me to conduct searches and observe activity on the site, there won't be any service fees." She continues
"If you could sign a permission slip for me to visit the property without alarming the workers, that would be appreciated."
She pulls back her cloak, to reveal the chain shirt around her chest
"Ponies see a professional mare in a zombie-bite suit, and they assume she's up to no good. Tsk tsk..." Posey laments, shaking her head
>"Can you clear it? Clean it. De-haunt it? Whatever, just make it not like that?"
"I can try. Secular channeling is a skill of mine. I can at least attempt to make the haunt reveal itself. Bear in mind, removing a haunt isn't a simple process, and it could take a while." Posey says
"But I will try. You'll at least get an assessment of the situation, with my professional opinion. I'm doing this in the name of scientific research, and public security, so so long as you allow me to conduct searches and observe activity on the site, there won't be any service fees." She continues
"If you could sign a permission slip for me to visit the property without alarming the workers, that would be appreciated."
She pulls back her cloak, to reveal the chain shirt around her chest
"Ponies see a professional mare in a zombie-bite suit, and they assume she's up to no good. Tsk tsk..." Posey laments, shaking her head
>>176703
Maretania September 734, spotted land coordinates blah blah through fog attempt made to land abandoned for rough terrain and poor visibility
Falabella July 743 land-based birds spotted and hovered around the ship for two days. Mirage showed cone-shaped buildings and temples.
Lady Joy 762 Nimbussian cutter Petros encountered two weeks from Vanhoover. Sails at full dress, hailed us down. Said was underponied for journey as the captain and most of the crew went ashore for supplies, attacked by hostile indigenous pony-like creatures, ship barely escaped with none of the landing party making it back to the ship.
A clipping is attached about an Olenian whaling ship, that purports to have killed a juvenile devil whale in the middle of the Thalassic Ocean, though more by accident than design as it was rammed by the ship. When cut open, the whale's stomach was found to contain several very fresh specimens of a variety of crab that is known to only inhabit shallow bodies of water, 200 or fewer feet in depth. This is in an area of ocean where the expected depth is 2 miles.
>>176704
"Well Lash I've known for a while as he is of the same culture and we hang out in many of the same groups. Girka... ugh, I guess you could call her a work colleague. I met her later."
>>176705
He nods.
"Yes, yes. Those university folk... The city insisted on them. They are hardly mine. Here. Show this to anyone who challenges your right to be on the property. Be they police, other construction workers, or the university ponies." He says, and hands Posey a hoof-written ticket of permission to be on the property 'For research purposes valid until February 10' with his signature.
Maretania September 734, spotted land coordinates blah blah through fog attempt made to land abandoned for rough terrain and poor visibility
Falabella July 743 land-based birds spotted and hovered around the ship for two days. Mirage showed cone-shaped buildings and temples.
Lady Joy 762 Nimbussian cutter Petros encountered two weeks from Vanhoover. Sails at full dress, hailed us down. Said was underponied for journey as the captain and most of the crew went ashore for supplies, attacked by hostile indigenous pony-like creatures, ship barely escaped with none of the landing party making it back to the ship.
A clipping is attached about an Olenian whaling ship, that purports to have killed a juvenile devil whale in the middle of the Thalassic Ocean, though more by accident than design as it was rammed by the ship. When cut open, the whale's stomach was found to contain several very fresh specimens of a variety of crab that is known to only inhabit shallow bodies of water, 200 or fewer feet in depth. This is in an area of ocean where the expected depth is 2 miles.
>>176704
"Well Lash I've known for a while as he is of the same culture and we hang out in many of the same groups. Girka... ugh, I guess you could call her a work colleague. I met her later."
>>176705
He nods.
"Yes, yes. Those university folk... The city insisted on them. They are hardly mine. Here. Show this to anyone who challenges your right to be on the property. Be they police, other construction workers, or the university ponies." He says, and hands Posey a hoof-written ticket of permission to be on the property 'For research purposes valid until February 10' with his signature.
>>176706
"This is interesting...it could still be false reports, but I am inclined to believe it. Thalassic Ocean is big place, and much of it remains undiscovered. We would need sturdy vessel, however, and plenty of supplies and rations to last for potentially weeks..."
The map of the non-existant land masses between Equus and Zebrica, are any of the points of interest noted in places Silver recognizes, or are they noted on the mysterious land masses?
"This is interesting...it could still be false reports, but I am inclined to believe it. Thalassic Ocean is big place, and much of it remains undiscovered. We would need sturdy vessel, however, and plenty of supplies and rations to last for potentially weeks..."
The map of the non-existant land masses between Equus and Zebrica, are any of the points of interest noted in places Silver recognizes, or are they noted on the mysterious land masses?
>>176708
"What kind of odd jobs?" Kira looks at her friend with clear interest in her eyes. She really wants to know more about her new friend's story.
"What kind of odd jobs?" Kira looks at her friend with clear interest in her eyes. She really wants to know more about her new friend's story.
>>176709
"Heh, you can't actually want to go out into the ocean to look for lost islands... Can you?"
Points of interest at least seem to correspond to real land masses. Roll knowledge.
>>176710
Her ears are up, and she slowly lowers her head while staring silently.
"Like selling things on the street..."
"Heh, you can't actually want to go out into the ocean to look for lost islands... Can you?"
Points of interest at least seem to correspond to real land masses. Roll knowledge.
>>176710
Her ears are up, and she slowly lowers her head while staring silently.
"Like selling things on the street..."
>>176712
[1d20 = 8]
"Why not? Could you imagine being first pony to make official contact with these mystery pony, and what kind of prestige it would bring you?"
[1d20 = 8]
"Why not? Could you imagine being first pony to make official contact with these mystery pony, and what kind of prestige it would bring you?"
>>176715
"Could be it is shrouded in some obscuring magics. This one report mentions fog, which could be conjured rather than natural occurrence."
Hmm, alright. Perhaps places to check out in the future, and of course Silver can still take this map to a cartographer or other map expert for further information. He's been able to get through a lot more of all of this than he had originally thought he'd be able to. He finally gets to the manuscript for "Remnants of Skyros".
"Could be it is shrouded in some obscuring magics. This one report mentions fog, which could be conjured rather than natural occurrence."
Hmm, alright. Perhaps places to check out in the future, and of course Silver can still take this map to a cartographer or other map expert for further information. He's been able to get through a lot more of all of this than he had originally thought he'd be able to. He finally gets to the manuscript for "Remnants of Skyros".
>>176715
Kira bounces in her coils excitedly. "What kinds of events? And trinkets? Were they anything like the things I sold to the pawn shop?"
Kira bounces in her coils excitedly. "What kinds of events? And trinkets? Were they anything like the things I sold to the pawn shop?"
>>176716
Remnants of Skystone reference?
>>176693
>>176694
>>176700
Amber smiles apologetically as she is tugged backwards. "Sorry for bothering you, Mr. Shopkeeper." She is definitely noticing a pattern though. Everypony is talking about the sun arriving a couple weeks earlier than it should and the spirits coming into the world. Amber must talk with this Metsän Vaeltaja because that's the source of all these rumors. But then, the shopkeeper's daughter's dreams seem to confirm them too. Amber is disappointed in not having had those dreams herself, but when she thinks about it she can't remember having any dreams at all–
The stallion's entry interrupts her train of thought. "Papa! This is the stallion who helped watch over Makea Amy after we found her," she points out.
Remnants of Skystone reference?
>>176693
>>176694
>>176700
Amber smiles apologetically as she is tugged backwards. "Sorry for bothering you, Mr. Shopkeeper." She is definitely noticing a pattern though. Everypony is talking about the sun arriving a couple weeks earlier than it should and the spirits coming into the world. Amber must talk with this Metsän Vaeltaja because that's the source of all these rumors. But then, the shopkeeper's daughter's dreams seem to confirm them too. Amber is disappointed in not having had those dreams herself, but when she thinks about it she can't remember having any dreams at all–
The stallion's entry interrupts her train of thought. "Papa! This is the stallion who helped watch over Makea Amy after we found her," she points out.
>>176706
>'For research purposes valid until February 10' with his signature.
"Thank you for your understanding, Mr. Horizons. I will begin the examination immediately."
(What's the date today?)
>'For research purposes valid until February 10' with his signature.
"Thank you for your understanding, Mr. Horizons. I will begin the examination immediately."
(What's the date today?)
>>176723
Posey then leaves back for the property, with a smug, satisfied look on her face, brandishing the permission slip with the glow of her horn.
Posey returns to the site with some actual intent to do her job, and begins sweeping the site for any signs of undead activity or abnormalities that may have been caused by the lich poisoning the earth and/or laying curses on the land during his time there. The looks for phantom tracks that could indicate haunting presences manifesting around the surface. She also checks the local plantlife for uneven withering that could indicate negative energy pollution (gotta keep up that Necro-botany gig).
This naturally leads her to search the underground facilities.
Posey then leaves back for the property, with a smug, satisfied look on her face, brandishing the permission slip with the glow of her horn.
Posey returns to the site with some actual intent to do her job, and begins sweeping the site for any signs of undead activity or abnormalities that may have been caused by the lich poisoning the earth and/or laying curses on the land during his time there. The looks for phantom tracks that could indicate haunting presences manifesting around the surface. She also checks the local plantlife for uneven withering that could indicate negative energy pollution (gotta keep up that Necro-botany gig).
This naturally leads her to search the underground facilities.
>>176716
The manuscript is hardly a manuscript at all, but a collection of unrelated stories assembled under a cover page.
The first is a philosophical musing on the nature of cycles, and in particular, the fate of civilizations that exist in each cycle. The paper starts off by pointing to the acknowledged fact - or at least, the widely accepted theory - that the earth is of infinite age, that all that is on it has always existed, and that the world as a whole goes through cycles. Civilization as we see it in the world is of a relatively youthful age, and if the previous cycles left any remnants, they are not readily visible. So why is there so little remaining from previous cycles? Surely civilization developed to a high enough degree to leave behind signs. So how exactly do cycles come to an end, and why do they leave so little behind? The paper examines the speculation. A slow decline or decadence does not tend to create the complete renew we see or seem to see in the world. Disease would explain the population decline, but not the lack of ruins. A catastrophic event like a global flood is more plausible. The paper fixates on the renewal having a more divine-spiritual mechanism, like a "snap of the finger" to bring the world to an earlier state, perhaps a literal reversal of time. It also acknowledges the possibility that some outside force, especially spiritual entities, engage in a sort of culling that reduce or prune developed civilizations at the end of a cycle.
The next article is written by an explorer about ruins in the Equestrian Southeast. Temples, irrigation systems, bridges and various other ruins are relatively common in the Tenochtitlan basin especially. However, these belong to the relatively recent history of the indigenous ponies of the region and a collapse that took place around the time of the Empire of Quetzalcoatl, and from which that culture has never perfectly recovered. The account starts by detailing a few ruins seen in by the explorer and by other parties in an area further north, especially around the area inhabited by the Cavalum. These include usually large foundations, though these are often covered by dirt and soil, and columns that are made of single blocks of stone or solidified mortar. The meet of the account is of the author's personal venture into a territory that is almost entirely unexplored by Equestrians as it belongs to the Cavalum. He was told by a chief of a particularly ancient and impressive ruin in a gorge some miles north and asked to be taken there. The chief refused to allow the author nor any stallion access to the region, but a fellow party member, a mare, was allowed access. She was taken to a gorge that was more than five hundred feet in height on either side and twice as wide with a river flowing through it. At one part of the gorge, rock protruded from either side in an unantural manner and possessing unnatural angles, and seemingly composed of mortar or cement. This stretched up on either side the entire five hundred feet and protruded each direction fifty feet on average but almost two hundred feet on the left bank, though at points the eroded and chipped figure could be believed to be a natural formation. Other blocks existed further downstream, sometimes the size of a house. The author noted that the Cavalum would not claim the ruins as their own but claimed them to have been ancient at the time of their ancestors. The author speculates as to whether the dragons possessed once a civilization much greater than the culture they have today, given the grand dimensions of the ruins.
The next article is taken from a ship's doctor from the trade ship Daffodil on stop in an island in what was then the fresh new possession of the Aquelian Meredines. The island was known by Equestrian visitors to possess a set of ruins in the shallow waters on the island's eastern coast which the author decided to visit and examine. These ruins, which the author acknowledges are believed by some to be a natural formation, include long blocks of more or less rectangular stone that extend along the lagoon bottom for hundreds of feet, and are eight feet in width and five feet on average above the floor, and seem to be made from a different material than the surrounding seabed or the reef. These blocks occur occasionally in a rectangular pattern, like frames. The natives claim no memory of when these evident ruins were new, but say they have been there as far back as their stories go.
Another story is an account of a traveller speaking to Zebra king Zibn Zambusa. Zambusa recounts that he followed a caravan deep into the central desert of Zerbica, and saw through a haze of sand the base of large stone structures that he identified with tales of a lost city. A member of that caravan claimed to have entered the structures, and found the dimensions and proportions of the structures to be very large. In particular, he saw depictions of horned equine figures with wings, evidently the subjects of worship. The king likened the images in this account to Princess Celestia, which is why the king recounted the tale in the first place.
A final paper talks about caves in the Equestrian Southeast and other locations. It mentions that in most cultures in the regions, caves are considered haunted or entries into the underworld by native ponies. Some bands of the Cavalum, however, recount tails of an enter race being forced below ground in past eras by their foes and claims that some caves connect to their subterranean domain.
The manuscript is hardly a manuscript at all, but a collection of unrelated stories assembled under a cover page.
The first is a philosophical musing on the nature of cycles, and in particular, the fate of civilizations that exist in each cycle. The paper starts off by pointing to the acknowledged fact - or at least, the widely accepted theory - that the earth is of infinite age, that all that is on it has always existed, and that the world as a whole goes through cycles. Civilization as we see it in the world is of a relatively youthful age, and if the previous cycles left any remnants, they are not readily visible. So why is there so little remaining from previous cycles? Surely civilization developed to a high enough degree to leave behind signs. So how exactly do cycles come to an end, and why do they leave so little behind? The paper examines the speculation. A slow decline or decadence does not tend to create the complete renew we see or seem to see in the world. Disease would explain the population decline, but not the lack of ruins. A catastrophic event like a global flood is more plausible. The paper fixates on the renewal having a more divine-spiritual mechanism, like a "snap of the finger" to bring the world to an earlier state, perhaps a literal reversal of time. It also acknowledges the possibility that some outside force, especially spiritual entities, engage in a sort of culling that reduce or prune developed civilizations at the end of a cycle.
The next article is written by an explorer about ruins in the Equestrian Southeast. Temples, irrigation systems, bridges and various other ruins are relatively common in the Tenochtitlan basin especially. However, these belong to the relatively recent history of the indigenous ponies of the region and a collapse that took place around the time of the Empire of Quetzalcoatl, and from which that culture has never perfectly recovered. The account starts by detailing a few ruins seen in by the explorer and by other parties in an area further north, especially around the area inhabited by the Cavalum. These include usually large foundations, though these are often covered by dirt and soil, and columns that are made of single blocks of stone or solidified mortar. The meet of the account is of the author's personal venture into a territory that is almost entirely unexplored by Equestrians as it belongs to the Cavalum. He was told by a chief of a particularly ancient and impressive ruin in a gorge some miles north and asked to be taken there. The chief refused to allow the author nor any stallion access to the region, but a fellow party member, a mare, was allowed access. She was taken to a gorge that was more than five hundred feet in height on either side and twice as wide with a river flowing through it. At one part of the gorge, rock protruded from either side in an unantural manner and possessing unnatural angles, and seemingly composed of mortar or cement. This stretched up on either side the entire five hundred feet and protruded each direction fifty feet on average but almost two hundred feet on the left bank, though at points the eroded and chipped figure could be believed to be a natural formation. Other blocks existed further downstream, sometimes the size of a house. The author noted that the Cavalum would not claim the ruins as their own but claimed them to have been ancient at the time of their ancestors. The author speculates as to whether the dragons possessed once a civilization much greater than the culture they have today, given the grand dimensions of the ruins.
The next article is taken from a ship's doctor from the trade ship Daffodil on stop in an island in what was then the fresh new possession of the Aquelian Meredines. The island was known by Equestrian visitors to possess a set of ruins in the shallow waters on the island's eastern coast which the author decided to visit and examine. These ruins, which the author acknowledges are believed by some to be a natural formation, include long blocks of more or less rectangular stone that extend along the lagoon bottom for hundreds of feet, and are eight feet in width and five feet on average above the floor, and seem to be made from a different material than the surrounding seabed or the reef. These blocks occur occasionally in a rectangular pattern, like frames. The natives claim no memory of when these evident ruins were new, but say they have been there as far back as their stories go.
Another story is an account of a traveller speaking to Zebra king Zibn Zambusa. Zambusa recounts that he followed a caravan deep into the central desert of Zerbica, and saw through a haze of sand the base of large stone structures that he identified with tales of a lost city. A member of that caravan claimed to have entered the structures, and found the dimensions and proportions of the structures to be very large. In particular, he saw depictions of horned equine figures with wings, evidently the subjects of worship. The king likened the images in this account to Princess Celestia, which is why the king recounted the tale in the first place.
A final paper talks about caves in the Equestrian Southeast and other locations. It mentions that in most cultures in the regions, caves are considered haunted or entries into the underworld by native ponies. Some bands of the Cavalum, however, recount tails of an enter race being forced below ground in past eras by their foes and claims that some caves connect to their subterranean domain.
>>176728
Hmm...perhaps originally these stories were unrelated, but it's clear they were put together in this "manuscript" with a purpose. It's clear whoever put this together, possibly the artist of the first philosophical musing, means to string together a story of a great expansive civilization, ancient and lost to history. It was absolutely the intent of the author to lead whoever might have ended up reading this towards this conclusion, regardless of it's factuality. Paired with the map of the mystery landmass between Equus and Zebrica, Silver believes he might have found a guide for investigating this supposed lost civilization. He shows the manuscript along with the map to Pear.
"You have studied this region quite extensively, yes? What do you think of this?"
Hmm...perhaps originally these stories were unrelated, but it's clear they were put together in this "manuscript" with a purpose. It's clear whoever put this together, possibly the artist of the first philosophical musing, means to string together a story of a great expansive civilization, ancient and lost to history. It was absolutely the intent of the author to lead whoever might have ended up reading this towards this conclusion, regardless of it's factuality. Paired with the map of the mystery landmass between Equus and Zebrica, Silver believes he might have found a guide for investigating this supposed lost civilization. He shows the manuscript along with the map to Pear.
"You have studied this region quite extensively, yes? What do you think of this?"
>>176717
Neela looks up and then down, angling her head down. Her hooves are still curled hanging over the bed.
“Uh, yeah. Sure. Like that.”
Neela looks up and then down, angling her head down. Her hooves are still curled hanging over the bed.
“Uh, yeah. Sure. Like that.”
>>176723
Like... January 24, or... something like that. Between January 20 and January 30 for sure.
"Celestia Speed"
>>176724
This feels like at least one roll
Please be aware, there is a foundation, a small farm-house (not that old), a well ruin, a couple trees, uncut grass....
>>176740
Posey may either:
Walk down into the quarry and past the ponies while holding out her permission slip. This option is hindered by Posey's lack of a middle finger to show alongside her permission note.
Or,
Search for an alternate entrance
>>176742
"Sometimes, yes, but..." She looks down, and pauses for several seconds "... No..."
Like... January 24, or... something like that. Between January 20 and January 30 for sure.
"Celestia Speed"
>>176724
This feels like at least one roll
Please be aware, there is a foundation, a small farm-house (not that old), a well ruin, a couple trees, uncut grass....
>>176740
Posey may either:
Walk down into the quarry and past the ponies while holding out her permission slip. This option is hindered by Posey's lack of a middle finger to show alongside her permission note.
Or,
Search for an alternate entrance
>>176742
"Sometimes, yes, but..." She looks down, and pauses for several seconds "... No..."
>>176743
Kira looks with intense curiosity at her deer friend. She flicks her tongue.
"What did you like or not like about them?"
Kira looks with intense curiosity at her deer friend. She flicks her tongue.
"What did you like or not like about them?"
>>176743
>This option is hindered by Posey's lack of a middle finger to show alongside her permission note.
Posey innovates: she conjures a floating, glowing, technicolor-flashing middle finger with her magic as she strolls past the other ponies.
>This option is hindered by Posey's lack of a middle finger to show alongside her permission note.
Posey innovates: she conjures a floating, glowing, technicolor-flashing middle finger with her magic as she strolls past the other ponies.
>>176743
>"Celestia Speed"
Posey yelps and trips a bit at the words, the door hitting her in the butt as she moves out the door.
>This feels like at least one roll
Whatever it is, here it is:
[1d20 = 3]
Posey is eager to go underground or indoors ASAP, preferring to stay out of the sun.
>"Celestia Speed"
Posey yelps and trips a bit at the words, the door hitting her in the butt as she moves out the door.
>This feels like at least one roll
Whatever it is, here it is:
[1d20 = 3]
Posey is eager to go underground or indoors ASAP, preferring to stay out of the sun.
>>176746
>3
Gonna roll to see if Gloomy found anything interesting, -2 for being a child
[1d20-2 = (2-2) = 0]
>3
Gonna roll to see if Gloomy found anything interesting, -2 for being a child
[1d20-2 = (2-2) = 0]
>>176729
"So, let's see if I understand this. There's supposed to have been an entire civilization, or even several, that were at least as advanced as us? Or at least, as advanced as we were a thousand years ago? And the only evidence they left behind is third-hoof hearsay and a few rocks that are unusually straight? Heh. Could this 'Zibn Zambusa' not be bothered to go in and look at the ruins himself? A cyclical model of the universe is far from universally accepted. Sure, the old Celestialist religion, and most of our philosophers have believed it, as do, for example, the Buffalo, or the most common of the Kirin religions. But the Changelings believe the universe to be fresh and new, and the Griffonian pantheon believes something similar, as do, for example, the wolves of Equus. And I've heard of those ruins on Balamy. Those are either natural formations, or the ruins of a much more recent civilization." Breathing out
"But still, it is a fact that many things that are built are forgotten and lost. Many civilizations have come and gone already. This is a fact. The ruins of old Karthinia dot the cities and farmlands of modern Wingbardy and Toulouse. The lost city of Trot was destroyed by Changeling attackers. Both the Crystal Empire and Tambelon have into and back from the veil of darkness. Even this... bunker, this... this construct we are in right now... was lost and unknown for two hundred fifty years, despite being right here, on the edge of a manor. It is a fact that there are many cities and towns of eras long gone in the Equestrian jungles that have been abandoned after rivers moved, or disease killed ponies, or war caused them to be abandoned. And then, even those theories that reject an infinitely old world, do generally believe there was some kind of cataclysm that destroyed those who came before. So... maybe? I am sure there is something there. I just don't think it's as mystical as some may think. But personally... I think that what is there, is just as interesting."
>>176746
Kek
Posey enters inside into a tunnel going to the left and the right which is held up by stone on the floor and ceiling. She does not feel haunting presences.
>>176748
Gloomy runs off after something that is moving.
Wait. It's just a lizard. Actually, better stop him. He might run into a snake, or a poisonous spider.
>>176745
Nice
"So, let's see if I understand this. There's supposed to have been an entire civilization, or even several, that were at least as advanced as us? Or at least, as advanced as we were a thousand years ago? And the only evidence they left behind is third-hoof hearsay and a few rocks that are unusually straight? Heh. Could this 'Zibn Zambusa' not be bothered to go in and look at the ruins himself? A cyclical model of the universe is far from universally accepted. Sure, the old Celestialist religion, and most of our philosophers have believed it, as do, for example, the Buffalo, or the most common of the Kirin religions. But the Changelings believe the universe to be fresh and new, and the Griffonian pantheon believes something similar, as do, for example, the wolves of Equus. And I've heard of those ruins on Balamy. Those are either natural formations, or the ruins of a much more recent civilization." Breathing out
"But still, it is a fact that many things that are built are forgotten and lost. Many civilizations have come and gone already. This is a fact. The ruins of old Karthinia dot the cities and farmlands of modern Wingbardy and Toulouse. The lost city of Trot was destroyed by Changeling attackers. Both the Crystal Empire and Tambelon have into and back from the veil of darkness. Even this... bunker, this... this construct we are in right now... was lost and unknown for two hundred fifty years, despite being right here, on the edge of a manor. It is a fact that there are many cities and towns of eras long gone in the Equestrian jungles that have been abandoned after rivers moved, or disease killed ponies, or war caused them to be abandoned. And then, even those theories that reject an infinitely old world, do generally believe there was some kind of cataclysm that destroyed those who came before. So... maybe? I am sure there is something there. I just don't think it's as mystical as some may think. But personally... I think that what is there, is just as interesting."
>>176746
Kek
Posey enters inside into a tunnel going to the left and the right which is held up by stone on the floor and ceiling. She does not feel haunting presences.
>>176748
Gloomy runs off after something that is moving.
Wait. It's just a lizard. Actually, better stop him. He might run into a snake, or a poisonous spider.
>>176745
Nice
>>176744
Looking up and around
"Oh, ponies and griffins bitch [in a mocking tone] 'Hey, this is fake. I want my money back. You stole my wallet. myee myee myee myee myeem'."
Looking up and around
"Oh, ponies and griffins bitch [in a mocking tone] 'Hey, this is fake. I want my money back. You stole my wallet. myee myee myee myee myeem'."
>>176750
>Posey enters inside into a tunnel going to the left and the right which is held up by stone on the floor and ceiling.
Posey slowly walks into the tunnel, with intent on searching the entire underground.
She looks down both paths for anything that peaks her interest.
>She does not feel haunting presences.
Posey remains hopeful. She proceeds with intent to begin her revelation ritual once she is at the deepest point in the dungeon.
>Posey enters inside into a tunnel going to the left and the right which is held up by stone on the floor and ceiling.
Posey slowly walks into the tunnel, with intent on searching the entire underground.
She looks down both paths for anything that peaks her interest.
>She does not feel haunting presences.
Posey remains hopeful. She proceeds with intent to begin her revelation ritual once she is at the deepest point in the dungeon.
>>176752
Along either side are two doors. Going through either takes Posey into a large room which has recesses in the ground, the rusted remains of chains, and a few bones in a pile.
Along either side are two doors. Going through either takes Posey into a large room which has recesses in the ground, the rusted remains of chains, and a few bones in a pile.
>>176753
>a large room which has recesses in the ground, the rusted remains of chains, and a few bones in a pile.
Ooh, that's a great sign.
"Oooh, I like this place already. Feels a bit like home, doesn't it Gloomy?"
"I can't see, momma..."
"Oh, sorry sweetie, let me just.." (can Posey's horn produce light? I can't cast light)
>a large room which has recesses in the ground, the rusted remains of chains, and a few bones in a pile.
Ooh, that's a great sign.
"Oooh, I like this place already. Feels a bit like home, doesn't it Gloomy?"
"I can't see, momma..."
"Oh, sorry sweetie, let me just.." (can Posey's horn produce light? I can't cast light)
>>176750
Silver nods in agreement.
"It is interesting just to see what really is there, just as it is to speculate on what could have been there. I imagine there was something that came before us, though what it was or if they were even ponies or something else entirely is up to debate. I know lots of ponies have tried to claim that there was ancient alicorn civilization predating modern ponies ever since Celestia and Luna first appeared. I would like to look at these ruins and other places like them to see for myself. It also sounds like you would want to go see."
Silver nods in agreement.
"It is interesting just to see what really is there, just as it is to speculate on what could have been there. I imagine there was something that came before us, though what it was or if they were even ponies or something else entirely is up to debate. I know lots of ponies have tried to claim that there was ancient alicorn civilization predating modern ponies ever since Celestia and Luna first appeared. I would like to look at these ruins and other places like them to see for myself. It also sounds like you would want to go see."
>>176754
>Can Posey produce light
No. Well, technically yes, her magic is luminescent, and that luminescence has some utility, just not enough to illuminate a room of this size. The room is 40 or so feet across, with a few pillars to hold up the ceiling. Gloomy could see things a few feet away, but not up to the walls.
>>176755
"No... Celestia and Lune earned their alicornhood..." She says this not so much as speaking to Silver, but to no one.
"I don't think dragons built anything though... Go see them? Well, yes. Actually, that's where we are supposed to be. We are supposed to be investigating settlements belonging to the Windigo Worshipers of Windy River, rebels against the Equestrian Rule shortly after the integration of the Marexica into the Equestrian Covenant."
>>176756
"Oh, you'll have to go ask them. They didn't like the watches and bags and what have you we sold them."
>Can Posey produce light
No. Well, technically yes, her magic is luminescent, and that luminescence has some utility, just not enough to illuminate a room of this size. The room is 40 or so feet across, with a few pillars to hold up the ceiling. Gloomy could see things a few feet away, but not up to the walls.
>>176755
"No... Celestia and Lune earned their alicornhood..." She says this not so much as speaking to Silver, but to no one.
"I don't think dragons built anything though... Go see them? Well, yes. Actually, that's where we are supposed to be. We are supposed to be investigating settlements belonging to the Windigo Worshipers of Windy River, rebels against the Equestrian Rule shortly after the integration of the Marexica into the Equestrian Covenant."
>>176756
"Oh, you'll have to go ask them. They didn't like the watches and bags and what have you we sold them."
>>176757
>Gloomy could see things a few feet away, but not up to the walls.
He doesn't need to see far, so this will work.
Posey proceeds to examine the room, searching through it's contents.
>Gloomy could see things a few feet away, but not up to the walls.
He doesn't need to see far, so this will work.
Posey proceeds to examine the room, searching through it's contents.
>>176757
"Why would they complain about buying watches and bags? It's not like you forced them to buy them...you didn't actually force them to buy them, right?"
"Why would they complain about buying watches and bags? It's not like you forced them to buy them...you didn't actually force them to buy them, right?"
>>176757
"Sounds interesting, though I imagine you would much rather investigate them with different company than what you are currently keeping." Silver smiles at Pear, though whether she can see it depends on where and how the light from her flashlight is shining. "Which I suppose leads me...even from searching these few rooms, we have come across plenty of clues leading towards new adventures, finding that what has been lost or perhaps never found in first place, and what I have learned throughout my life is that adventures are always better with good company." Taking one of her forehooves in his, Silver continues. "How about it, Pear? Would you like to go on these adventures with me, be my partner, discover these lost stories waiting to be told? I have this feeling, we would do great things together."
"Sounds interesting, though I imagine you would much rather investigate them with different company than what you are currently keeping." Silver smiles at Pear, though whether she can see it depends on where and how the light from her flashlight is shining. "Which I suppose leads me...even from searching these few rooms, we have come across plenty of clues leading towards new adventures, finding that what has been lost or perhaps never found in first place, and what I have learned throughout my life is that adventures are always better with good company." Taking one of her forehooves in his, Silver continues. "How about it, Pear? Would you like to go on these adventures with me, be my partner, discover these lost stories waiting to be told? I have this feeling, we would do great things together."
>>176758
(Posey is just going to keep moving from room to room until or unless she finds something interesting. If you have a map, I would appreciate seeing it but by bit.)
(Posey is just going to keep moving from room to room until or unless she finds something interesting. If you have a map, I would appreciate seeing it but by bit.)
>>176761
>>176758
I think there is a map somewhere for part of the structure, though it's from the perspective of entering from a different entrance than Posey used. This is a quest from half a decade or more ago, and there are no formal notes, only old posts. What I can say for sure is that Posey is on a "lower" level, this lower level is ringed by hallways that ring the whole structure, there is at least a large rectangular room that Posey is currently in and that she can discern was used for keeping beasts or animals, I think there are multiple vaulted square rooms used for general storage in the lower level... somewhere, and
there are two stairs going up a level to the higher level, with stone steps that are damaged. Upstairs, there is a central room accessed by the hallways with a well in the center and a hole to the ground level, on the side closest to Posey is a bedroom/study with a chamber behind it, and on the side opposite is a library. On either side are small rectangular laboratories, about three on each side. The hall rings around in front of these with catacomb burial spots on each side, until it goes to a tunnel that connects to the surface through what was once a trap door in a house. The entire structure is very symmetrical. I'm sure I am forgetting something, like evidently a smaller, breakaway library. But Posey is only going to find stones and debris that's piled neatly into corners if she simply walks through. She must search or otherwise to discover something that hasn't already been destroyed, pillaged, or taken by the militia who stormed through here, or the raiding party, or the archeologists
>>176758
I think there is a map somewhere for part of the structure, though it's from the perspective of entering from a different entrance than Posey used. This is a quest from half a decade or more ago, and there are no formal notes, only old posts. What I can say for sure is that Posey is on a "lower" level, this lower level is ringed by hallways that ring the whole structure, there is at least a large rectangular room that Posey is currently in and that she can discern was used for keeping beasts or animals, I think there are multiple vaulted square rooms used for general storage in the lower level... somewhere, and
there are two stairs going up a level to the higher level, with stone steps that are damaged. Upstairs, there is a central room accessed by the hallways with a well in the center and a hole to the ground level, on the side closest to Posey is a bedroom/study with a chamber behind it, and on the side opposite is a library. On either side are small rectangular laboratories, about three on each side. The hall rings around in front of these with catacomb burial spots on each side, until it goes to a tunnel that connects to the surface through what was once a trap door in a house. The entire structure is very symmetrical. I'm sure I am forgetting something, like evidently a smaller, breakaway library. But Posey is only going to find stones and debris that's piled neatly into corners if she simply walks through. She must search or otherwise to discover something that hasn't already been destroyed, pillaged, or taken by the militia who stormed through here, or the raiding party, or the archeologists
>>176764
Silver looks expectantly at Pear in the dark catacombs for an answer. Part of him wonders as he waits if they thought to install lamps or something for their archaeological work, of if they're short on supply.
Silver looks expectantly at Pear in the dark catacombs for an answer. Part of him wonders as he waits if they thought to install lamps or something for their archaeological work, of if they're short on supply.
>>176763
>She must search or otherwise to discover something that hasn't already been destroyed, pillaged, or taken by the militia who stormed through here, or the raiding party, or the archeologists
And search she does, walking slowly and deliberately through every room, until she finds something interesting, or bumps into another party member.
"Now let's see if this Curwhinny fellow left any legacy behind..." Posey says, more to herself than to Gloomy, which she levitates at hoof-length
>description
Noted.
>I think there is a map somewhere for part of the structure, though it's from the perspective of entering from a different entrance than Posey used. This is a quest from half a decade or more ago, and there are no formal notes, only old posts.
Well, I can't expect a GM to reproduce a map on the fly, but I did express interest in permanently settling in here, so I might like a detailed description at some point. No hurry though.
I need to sleep now.
>She must search or otherwise to discover something that hasn't already been destroyed, pillaged, or taken by the militia who stormed through here, or the raiding party, or the archeologists
And search she does, walking slowly and deliberately through every room, until she finds something interesting, or bumps into another party member.
"Now let's see if this Curwhinny fellow left any legacy behind..." Posey says, more to herself than to Gloomy, which she levitates at hoof-length
>description
Noted.
>I think there is a map somewhere for part of the structure, though it's from the perspective of entering from a different entrance than Posey used. This is a quest from half a decade or more ago, and there are no formal notes, only old posts.
Well, I can't expect a GM to reproduce a map on the fly, but I did express interest in permanently settling in here, so I might like a detailed description at some point. No hurry though.
I need to sleep now.
>>176765
It seems they did not. All they have is the one light that was brough by Pear, and it is aimed at a wall past Silver. Neither Silver nor Pear are actually very visible in the light.
"But I, well, I have a job here. I'm on sabbatical with the university. And I do need to study the Windigo Worshipers of Windy River. I need to publish something to keep my position with the University."
>>176766
"Hmph! Ask them. I don't have to deal with them anymore. 'This isn't a real watch myee myee myee myeehm! Bah!" She lays down on her side.
>>176767
>I might like a detailed description at some point
This is doable, as all of the old posts still exist and are searchable, and I do believe incomplete maps exist. I just don't think you're going to get every stone overturned before the next big quest.
>And search she does, walking slowly and deliberately through every room, until she finds something interesting, or bumps into another party member.
What I mean by that was a dice roll or spell, but if what you want to do is to find Silver, she'd stumble upon the flashlight and the noise eventually.
It seems they did not. All they have is the one light that was brough by Pear, and it is aimed at a wall past Silver. Neither Silver nor Pear are actually very visible in the light.
"But I, well, I have a job here. I'm on sabbatical with the university. And I do need to study the Windigo Worshipers of Windy River. I need to publish something to keep my position with the University."
>>176766
"Hmph! Ask them. I don't have to deal with them anymore. 'This isn't a real watch myee myee myee myeehm! Bah!" She lays down on her side.
>>176767
>I might like a detailed description at some point
This is doable, as all of the old posts still exist and are searchable, and I do believe incomplete maps exist. I just don't think you're going to get every stone overturned before the next big quest.
>And search she does, walking slowly and deliberately through every room, until she finds something interesting, or bumps into another party member.
What I mean by that was a dice roll or spell, but if what you want to do is to find Silver, she'd stumble upon the flashlight and the noise eventually.
>>176768
"Something tells me, looking at certain members of your party, that even if you went with them they would find way to take all of credit for whatever discoveries are made. They might try to steal your work, dispute your portion of credit, or undercut your efforts by publishing group's findings before you can, leading to it looking as if you merely copied them. I am not certain university would be very happy by how it looks." Silver breathes out, then continues, "But, if you made clear that there was something else you wished to pursue on your own to your party, something tells me they would agree. They are likely more than capable of investigating Windigo Worshippers without your assistance, and it means they get you out of their manes. And as for you and for university, well, just look at any of these potential adventures. What could be more impressive than pursuing lead on your own initiative, travelling all way across world, finding something lost to time, and coming back to publish your findings on something few knew even existed?"
"Something tells me, looking at certain members of your party, that even if you went with them they would find way to take all of credit for whatever discoveries are made. They might try to steal your work, dispute your portion of credit, or undercut your efforts by publishing group's findings before you can, leading to it looking as if you merely copied them. I am not certain university would be very happy by how it looks." Silver breathes out, then continues, "But, if you made clear that there was something else you wished to pursue on your own to your party, something tells me they would agree. They are likely more than capable of investigating Windigo Worshippers without your assistance, and it means they get you out of their manes. And as for you and for university, well, just look at any of these potential adventures. What could be more impressive than pursuing lead on your own initiative, travelling all way across world, finding something lost to time, and coming back to publish your findings on something few knew even existed?"
>>176768
Kira giggles some more at Neela's silly impression. "You've got that right. Okay, I really need to see if that nice old mare is awake so I can return her tea set. Did you want to talk more after, or is it getting late for you?"
Kira giggles some more at Neela's silly impression. "You've got that right. Okay, I really need to see if that nice old mare is awake so I can return her tea set. Did you want to talk more after, or is it getting late for you?"
I have awoken.
>>176768
>What I mean by that was a dice roll or spell
I think every room requires it's own Search check, so unless a room stands out I'll say that Posey takes 10 on Search for a modified 15 for each room, unless she sees anything that looks like it invites further scrutiny (a bookshelf that looks like it could be a hidden passage, a room that looks like it hasn't been entered in years, any place that looks like it could contain treasure/curses/secrets, etc).
Posey can passively take 10 for a modified 21 on both Knowledge (Arcana) and Knowledge (Religion): she would notice things that only a skilled mage and/or undead expert would notice.
Posey has Darkvision, and might notice things that a pony reliant on a torch or flashlight would not have noticed. If Curwhinny was undead, he might've hidden his secrets in a way that only the dead would notice, and Posey takes that into consideration as she checks the shadowy corners of each room.
For spells, Posey has Detect Magic as an SLA 1/day, and can also cast it out of her lvl 1 spell slots (Dread Necromancers don't have lvl 0 spells). She can concentrate on Detect Magic for up to 6 minutes at a time. Posey intends to fully sweep the dungeon for any and all items/curses/spells/runes, but first she checks how many rooms there are, so that she can divide her spell slots well enough to cover the entire dungeon.
After Posey has completed her systemic search and divination, she will seek out the deepest area in the dungeon, mediate for 10 minutes and begin ominously chanting in tongues to begin a ritual to force any haunts or lingering undead to reveal themselves.
Unless, of course, she bumps into somepony else first.
>>176768
>What I mean by that was a dice roll or spell
I think every room requires it's own Search check, so unless a room stands out I'll say that Posey takes 10 on Search for a modified 15 for each room, unless she sees anything that looks like it invites further scrutiny (a bookshelf that looks like it could be a hidden passage, a room that looks like it hasn't been entered in years, any place that looks like it could contain treasure/curses/secrets, etc).
Posey can passively take 10 for a modified 21 on both Knowledge (Arcana) and Knowledge (Religion): she would notice things that only a skilled mage and/or undead expert would notice.
Posey has Darkvision, and might notice things that a pony reliant on a torch or flashlight would not have noticed. If Curwhinny was undead, he might've hidden his secrets in a way that only the dead would notice, and Posey takes that into consideration as she checks the shadowy corners of each room.
For spells, Posey has Detect Magic as an SLA 1/day, and can also cast it out of her lvl 1 spell slots (Dread Necromancers don't have lvl 0 spells). She can concentrate on Detect Magic for up to 6 minutes at a time. Posey intends to fully sweep the dungeon for any and all items/curses/spells/runes, but first she checks how many rooms there are, so that she can divide her spell slots well enough to cover the entire dungeon.
After Posey has completed her systemic search and divination, she will seek out the deepest area in the dungeon, mediate for 10 minutes and begin ominously chanting in tongues to begin a ritual to force any haunts or lingering undead to reveal themselves.
Unless, of course, she bumps into somepony else first.
File (): 8622570B0CBD00FAFDB39B612B39FC7A-105469.png (103.0 KB, 1080x543, Screenshot_20241002-123851.png)
>>176719
"Oh" Father says, looking at Amber. He looks back to the stallion. "Is this about Makea?" He asks, tilting his head. The stallion says nods his head, and with an annoyed tone, says,
"Yeah. It's about Makea. It's about Makea and everything else. Get your flank out here. We need to speak in private."
Father follows the stallion outside. They try to go between a set of buildings. There is piled set of logs near them, and they stand on the other side of the several barrels.
"Oh" Father says, looking at Amber. He looks back to the stallion. "Is this about Makea?" He asks, tilting his head. The stallion says nods his head, and with an annoyed tone, says,
"Yeah. It's about Makea. It's about Makea and everything else. Get your flank out here. We need to speak in private."
Father follows the stallion outside. They try to go between a set of buildings. There is piled set of logs near them, and they stand on the other side of the several barrels.
>>176774
The room that Posey is in has a few severely rusted bars remaining standing. The rusted remnants of bars jutting from the ground or from the pillars, and a few in corners that lay piled, are a hazard to hooves, and suggestive that most of this room was divided into cages or cells. A large openning in the roof has been sealed.
Posey can feel that this place has been the site of great magic and great suffering. This lower section is oddly older than the upper portion, and also much more damaged. It appears that it was submerged in water.
>>176776
Generally rolls should be respected. There is a time and place to fudge or ignore rolls. And that time and place is now, apparently.
From upstairs, Posey can hear vague suggestions of noises. To her left, something that sounds like a step, and a vague "hiss." To her right, what sounds like ponies talking.
>>176772
Her ears are back fully
"I mean... It's my area of focus. The religions of the southeast."
>>176773
Laying her head down on the couch as she lays on her side,
"Ugh, I wish we had alcohol. Or bowls... Sure." She says
The room that Posey is in has a few severely rusted bars remaining standing. The rusted remnants of bars jutting from the ground or from the pillars, and a few in corners that lay piled, are a hazard to hooves, and suggestive that most of this room was divided into cages or cells. A large openning in the roof has been sealed.
Posey can feel that this place has been the site of great magic and great suffering. This lower section is oddly older than the upper portion, and also much more damaged. It appears that it was submerged in water.
>>176776
Generally rolls should be respected. There is a time and place to fudge or ignore rolls. And that time and place is now, apparently.
From upstairs, Posey can hear vague suggestions of noises. To her left, something that sounds like a step, and a vague "hiss." To her right, what sounds like ponies talking.
>>176772
Her ears are back fully
"I mean... It's my area of focus. The religions of the southeast."
>>176773
Laying her head down on the couch as she lays on her side,
"Ugh, I wish we had alcohol. Or bowls... Sure." She says
>>176780
>hazard to hooves, and suggestive that most of this room was divided into cages or cells.
Posey levitates Gloomy up to safety, confidently relying on her damage reduction to avoid her own hooves being harmed.
>Posey can feel that this place has been the site of great magic and great suffering.
Exactly what she was looking for. Posey looks almost giddy, perfectly in her element.
>It appears that it was submerged in water.
Oof, water damage.
>To her left, something that sounds like a step, and a vague "hiss."
Posey suspects this may be a monster, or worse, a has leak, and decides to investigate the source of the hiss, levitating Gloomy behind her.
Her ears track on the sounds of the ponies, but she decides to check the source of the hiss first.
>hazard to hooves, and suggestive that most of this room was divided into cages or cells.
Posey levitates Gloomy up to safety, confidently relying on her damage reduction to avoid her own hooves being harmed.
>Posey can feel that this place has been the site of great magic and great suffering.
Exactly what she was looking for. Posey looks almost giddy, perfectly in her element.
>It appears that it was submerged in water.
Oof, water damage.
>To her left, something that sounds like a step, and a vague "hiss."
Posey suspects this may be a monster, or worse, a has leak, and decides to investigate the source of the hiss, levitating Gloomy behind her.
Her ears track on the sounds of the ponies, but she decides to check the source of the hiss first.
>>176780
"Is that all you want to focus on? This world is so vast, there are so many stories to tell and that are yet to be told, or have not been told for many centuries. Learning more about rest of world would also help to advance your studies of this region and its religions by contextualizing them in grander scheme of things."
Sense Motive: Hmm...is ears back good or bad in this context?
[1d20+3 = (15+3) = 18]
"Is that all you want to focus on? This world is so vast, there are so many stories to tell and that are yet to be told, or have not been told for many centuries. Learning more about rest of world would also help to advance your studies of this region and its religions by contextualizing them in grander scheme of things."
Sense Motive: Hmm...is ears back good or bad in this context?
[1d20+3 = (15+3) = 18]
>>176780
"We'll get both of those tomorrow, don't you worry. I'm not gonna leave us without the essentials."
Gathering the cleaned tea set together, Kira slithers outside. She makes sure to hide her tail like she did last time as she knocks on the nice-if-slightly-racist old mare's door.
"We'll get both of those tomorrow, don't you worry. I'm not gonna leave us without the essentials."
Gathering the cleaned tea set together, Kira slithers outside. She makes sure to hide her tail like she did last time as she knocks on the nice-if-slightly-racist old mare's door.
>>176781
Posey goes up the stairs to find a small, rectangular room with blocky stone walls, shelves on two sides, a counter on the far side, and in the center, a stone circle that rises up about two feet and forms a rim of something like a well, with a rusted metal grate overtop. On the counter are empty flasks. On the shelves are flasks, jars, and viles. Sometimes they are broken, sometimes they are empty, and sometimes they are filled with things like mercury, pyrite, salts, and unidentified liquids and powders. On the stone circle in the center is a yellow sticker, clearly of greatly more modern origin, with a black-outlined triangle with an exclamation point in it, and the text "Danger Wild Animals."
>>176782
The little pony is feeling awkward and conflicted
"Well, I mean... It is important to me. That's my first time out here in the south. Well, it will be. I mean, aside from the lands around Stableside. It's my first time in the Tenochtichlan Bason. Or will be. It's what I've studied the most."
>>176783
[1d20 = 3]
Posey goes up the stairs to find a small, rectangular room with blocky stone walls, shelves on two sides, a counter on the far side, and in the center, a stone circle that rises up about two feet and forms a rim of something like a well, with a rusted metal grate overtop. On the counter are empty flasks. On the shelves are flasks, jars, and viles. Sometimes they are broken, sometimes they are empty, and sometimes they are filled with things like mercury, pyrite, salts, and unidentified liquids and powders. On the stone circle in the center is a yellow sticker, clearly of greatly more modern origin, with a black-outlined triangle with an exclamation point in it, and the text "Danger Wild Animals."
>>176782
The little pony is feeling awkward and conflicted
"Well, I mean... It is important to me. That's my first time out here in the south. Well, it will be. I mean, aside from the lands around Stableside. It's my first time in the Tenochtichlan Bason. Or will be. It's what I've studied the most."
>>176783
[1d20 = 3]
>>176784
"It will not be your only chance to explore here. This place is part of world, after all, and how can we have world-spanning adventures together if we never explore here, as well? And when we do explore here, it will be under far better circumstances than you being forced out here by your university, and with far better company...that company being me, in this case, if it was not clear."
"It will not be your only chance to explore here. This place is part of world, after all, and how can we have world-spanning adventures together if we never explore here, as well? And when we do explore here, it will be under far better circumstances than you being forced out here by your university, and with far better company...that company being me, in this case, if it was not clear."
>>176784
>On the counter are empty flasks. On the shelves are flasks, jars, and viles. Sometimes they are broken, sometimes they are empty, and sometimes they are filled with things like mercury, pyrite, salts, and unidentified liquids and powders.
"Looks like an alchemist lab, or what's left of one..."
>a stone circle that rises up about two feet and forms a rim of something like a well
>"Danger Wild Animals."
Posey suspects this might be the source of the hissing.
"Looks like a breeding pit for fodder subjects; Curwhinny was a shrewd mage. Whatever living thing could have survived all this time though? Perhaps whatever was kept here already turned long ago." Posey says quietly, quite curious, but still cautious (signs exist for a reason)
Posey curiously peeks into the well, levitating gloomy Gloomy well away from whatever monster might jump out to snatch him.
>On the counter are empty flasks. On the shelves are flasks, jars, and viles. Sometimes they are broken, sometimes they are empty, and sometimes they are filled with things like mercury, pyrite, salts, and unidentified liquids and powders.
"Looks like an alchemist lab, or what's left of one..."
>a stone circle that rises up about two feet and forms a rim of something like a well
>"Danger Wild Animals."
Posey suspects this might be the source of the hissing.
"Looks like a breeding pit for fodder subjects; Curwhinny was a shrewd mage. Whatever living thing could have survived all this time though? Perhaps whatever was kept here already turned long ago." Posey says quietly, quite curious, but still cautious (signs exist for a reason)
Posey curiously peeks into the well, levitating gloomy Gloomy well away from whatever monster might jump out to snatch him.
>>176789
Poorly defined, black and white, Posey can see a grey face with sunken milky eyes looking back up to her on top of a naked equine face with plastic-like grey skin that's tight to the body. It then leaps upwards, hitting the edge of the iron grate, and slightly rattling it.
>>176787
Roll Die
>>176788
"Heh, well..." She taps her hooves together, if Silver isn't still holding her hoof.
Poorly defined, black and white, Posey can see a grey face with sunken milky eyes looking back up to her on top of a naked equine face with plastic-like grey skin that's tight to the body. It then leaps upwards, hitting the edge of the iron grate, and slightly rattling it.
>>176787
Roll Die
>>176788
"Heh, well..." She taps her hooves together, if Silver isn't still holding her hoof.
>>176790
When Pear taps her hooves together, Silver takes the opportunity to grab them from above and below with his own forehooves, as he looks right into Pear's eyes. Or, at least, he hopes those are her eyes, it's a little hard to see in the darkness.
"What say you, Pear Faucet? Will you not be my partner?"
When Pear taps her hooves together, Silver takes the opportunity to grab them from above and below with his own forehooves, as he looks right into Pear's eyes. Or, at least, he hopes those are her eyes, it's a little hard to see in the darkness.
"What say you, Pear Faucet? Will you not be my partner?"
>>176790
>grey face with sunken milky eyes looking back up to her on top of a naked equine face with plastic-like grey skin that's tight to the body
Posey tries to identify this creature, particularly if it's undead (taking 10 on Religion for 21)
>equine face
"Hello." Posey greets with a wave of her hoof, a bit mockingly
"Do you speak? I might be persuaded to let you out of there, if you're convincing."
>grey face with sunken milky eyes looking back up to her on top of a naked equine face with plastic-like grey skin that's tight to the body
Posey tries to identify this creature, particularly if it's undead (taking 10 on Religion for 21)
>equine face
"Hello." Posey greets with a wave of her hoof, a bit mockingly
"Do you speak? I might be persuaded to let you out of there, if you're convincing."
>>176793
"Ack!" It jumps up again, this time just barely missing the grate. Posey can see that actually, there is a second one in there. They appear to be undead, likely a permutation of ghast, albeit certainly a different variety from what Posey has seen before.
>>176791
"I'll-" She looks down. "I" She looks back up. "I'll think about it. It's uh, it's a lot to think about."
>>176792
No response.
"Ack!" It jumps up again, this time just barely missing the grate. Posey can see that actually, there is a second one in there. They appear to be undead, likely a permutation of ghast, albeit certainly a different variety from what Posey has seen before.
>>176791
"I'll-" She looks down. "I" She looks back up. "I'll think about it. It's uh, it's a lot to think about."
>>176792
No response.
>>176794
Kira scrunches, and figures that the mare went to sleep. She doesn't want to make her upset by waking her up from her slumber, so she decides she'll check again in the morning when the mare is awake. She returns to their home, defeated.
Kira scrunches, and figures that the mare went to sleep. She doesn't want to make her upset by waking her up from her slumber, so she decides she'll check again in the morning when the mare is awake. She returns to their home, defeated.
>>176794
"Heh, I suppose that is not no. You are extremely intelligent mare, though. I know when you think it through, you will come to right conclusion." He lets go of her forehooves. "Ready to continue search? That sarcophagus must be somewhere in here."
"Heh, I suppose that is not no. You are extremely intelligent mare, though. I know when you think it through, you will come to right conclusion." He lets go of her forehooves. "Ready to continue search? That sarcophagus must be somewhere in here."
>>176779
Amber tracks him as he goes with her heavily insulated head. What could they be saying that wouldn't be for a filly's ears? Too interested now, Amber sneaks behind the pile of logs to overhear their conversation.
Amber tracks him as he goes with her heavily insulated head. What could they be saying that wouldn't be for a filly's ears? Too interested now, Amber sneaks behind the pile of logs to overhear their conversation.
>>176794
>They appear to be undead, likely a permutation of ghast, albeit certainly a different variety from what Posey has seen before
"An aberrant ghast... Maybe an abyssal ghoul...?! No, such a monster couldn't possibly be trapped this easily." Posey says to herself
Posey suspects that this is a ghast that has gone completely feral (and thus nonverbal) as a result of going to long without feeding. She sees this as a potential asset
Posey gives a shrug
"Not feeling so talkative, I see. I guess it would be professional to force you to kill yourself right here and now, but.. your presence does lower the value of this property, so until next time, cagie." Posey says, walking away from the well.
She searches the remains of the alchemist lab for anything of value still here. If she finds nothing worth taking, she leaves and sets off in the other direction down the hall.
>They appear to be undead, likely a permutation of ghast, albeit certainly a different variety from what Posey has seen before
"An aberrant ghast... Maybe an abyssal ghoul...?! No, such a monster couldn't possibly be trapped this easily." Posey says to herself
Posey suspects that this is a ghast that has gone completely feral (and thus nonverbal) as a result of going to long without feeding. She sees this as a potential asset
Posey gives a shrug
"Not feeling so talkative, I see. I guess it would be professional to force you to kill yourself right here and now, but.. your presence does lower the value of this property, so until next time, cagie." Posey says, walking away from the well.
She searches the remains of the alchemist lab for anything of value still here. If she finds nothing worth taking, she leaves and sets off in the other direction down the hall.
>>176798
Silver resumes the search! There are still a couple of places to explore like the room underneath the well up top or the other side of this floor of the catacombs. It's also possible they overlooked something in the downstairs section.
"Have you figured out what all of this was built for in first place? It seems so...expansive, to be dug out by Curwhinny."
Silver resumes the search! There are still a couple of places to explore like the room underneath the well up top or the other side of this floor of the catacombs. It's also possible they overlooked something in the downstairs section.
"Have you figured out what all of this was built for in first place? It seems so...expansive, to be dug out by Curwhinny."
>>176800
"Storage of some kind for sure. Possibly it was for hiding items from Customs. Maybe it was for gunpowder, or aging wine... although the shape of the rooms isn't quite ideal for that. Curwhinny was a business magnate whose ships went to the far side of the earth. You should see his mansion on the waterfront in old town."
Roll Search
>>176799
The jars and flasks contain the aforementioned pyrite, mercury, and unidentified salts.
"Storage of some kind for sure. Possibly it was for hiding items from Customs. Maybe it was for gunpowder, or aging wine... although the shape of the rooms isn't quite ideal for that. Curwhinny was a business magnate whose ships went to the far side of the earth. You should see his mansion on the waterfront in old town."
Roll Search
>>176799
The jars and flasks contain the aforementioned pyrite, mercury, and unidentified salts.
>>176802
"I can not imagine how much money he must have made to maintain all of this research. How much does it even cost to import entire living mummy and its sarcophagus?"
[1d20 = 3]
"I can not imagine how much money he must have made to maintain all of this research. How much does it even cost to import entire living mummy and its sarcophagus?"
[1d20 = 3]
>>176803
Kira giggles some more, and puts the tea set in the kitchen.
"Well, I'm fairly certain she's asleep. Makes sense, she's definitely on the older side. Well, she looked like it, I don't know how long ponies live for. But regardless of species old age always comes with a propensity for sleeping. I'll try again in the morning."
Kira giggles some more, and puts the tea set in the kitchen.
"Well, I'm fairly certain she's asleep. Makes sense, she's definitely on the older side. Well, she looked like it, I don't know how long ponies live for. But regardless of species old age always comes with a propensity for sleeping. I'll try again in the morning."
>>176802
>unidentified salts
Posey looks closer at this, but if it's not anything special, she leaves down the hallway.
>unidentified salts
Posey looks closer at this, but if it's not anything special, she leaves down the hallway.
>>176804
"When you already own a ship that's going to Maregypt, not all that much. Well, I mean, many mummies have been brought into Equestria and Griffonia."
Silver does not find the sarcophagus
"But yeah... point taken. His hobby must have been very expensive..."
Roll Listen
>>176805
"Yeah, they live to be... uh... well pretty old." She moves her muzzle out of the box and looks over towards Kira. "What are our neighbors like, anyways?"
>>176806
It may very well be. Hard to say.
Roll listen
"When you already own a ship that's going to Maregypt, not all that much. Well, I mean, many mummies have been brought into Equestria and Griffonia."
Silver does not find the sarcophagus
"But yeah... point taken. His hobby must have been very expensive..."
Roll Listen
>>176805
"Yeah, they live to be... uh... well pretty old." She moves her muzzle out of the box and looks over towards Kira. "What are our neighbors like, anyways?"
>>176806
It may very well be. Hard to say.
Roll listen
>>176807
"Well I've only met the one so far. She seems nice! Though, I'm curious what she has against...'bats', she said? I mean, I don't think I look like a bat..."
"Well I've only met the one so far. She seems nice! Though, I'm curious what she has against...'bats', she said? I mean, I don't think I look like a bat..."
>>176807
"Well yes, but those are brought in for museums and like. This was living, animated mummy that he just kept in his laboratory. How much would it cost to slip that past customs?"
[1d20+3 = (18+3) = 21]
"Well yes, but those are brought in for museums and like. This was living, animated mummy that he just kept in his laboratory. How much would it cost to slip that past customs?"
[1d20+3 = (18+3) = 21]
>>176808
"Ugh! Bats! One more menace to look out for at night."
She looks over
"You sort of do, just a little. You have snake-eyes. Bats have snake-eyes. You've also got fangs, well uh, sometimes you've got fangs. You have fangs right? No no, I don't want to see. Just asking. I just thought I saw fangs. But you've got fangs, you've got snake-eyes, and you've got those tufts on your ears. You kind of look like a bat if all you see is your uh, upper half."
>>176809
"I don't know. He'd have the ship's crew on his payroll... very possibly the custom's agents, too. Paying customs at this time wasn't exactly popular. There was an established smuggling trade."
"Ugh! Bats! One more menace to look out for at night."
She looks over
"You sort of do, just a little. You have snake-eyes. Bats have snake-eyes. You've also got fangs, well uh, sometimes you've got fangs. You have fangs right? No no, I don't want to see. Just asking. I just thought I saw fangs. But you've got fangs, you've got snake-eyes, and you've got those tufts on your ears. You kind of look like a bat if all you see is your uh, upper half."
>>176809
"I don't know. He'd have the ship's crew on his payroll... very possibly the custom's agents, too. Paying customs at this time wasn't exactly popular. There was an established smuggling trade."
>>176810
"But what's wrong about the...bat ponies? That's what they're called, right? Aren't they still ponies?"
"But what's wrong about the...bat ponies? That's what they're called, right? Aren't they still ponies?"
>>176812
"They stay up at night. They may rob you or burgle you, and just generally, they are more aware in the night than you are. They and they kind of do their own thing, apart from the other ponies."
>>176814
A sound almost like a conch in the ocean, with a sort of sucking, and possibly... moaning? Whispers? Oh wait. Posey can hear a mare and a stallion talking to each other.
>>176813
"I think you might have met them all. Maybe Mr. Loans is down here." Her eyes go wide, and her ears twitch. "But I think that's a mare..."
"They stay up at night. They may rob you or burgle you, and just generally, they are more aware in the night than you are. They and they kind of do their own thing, apart from the other ponies."
>>176814
A sound almost like a conch in the ocean, with a sort of sucking, and possibly... moaning? Whispers? Oh wait. Posey can hear a mare and a stallion talking to each other.
>>176813
"I think you might have met them all. Maybe Mr. Loans is down here." Her eyes go wide, and her ears twitch. "But I think that's a mare..."
>>176815
Move Silently: Silver whispers to Pear, "Stay behind me," as he attempts to move quietly towards the source of the voice.
[1d20+4 = (1+4) = 5]
Move Silently: Silver whispers to Pear, "Stay behind me," as he attempts to move quietly towards the source of the voice.
[1d20+4 = (1+4) = 5]
>>176815
"Okay, I can get the being aware in the night. But why do they do their own thing? It's disappointing to hear that ponies don't really apply the principles of Harmony towards other creatures, but...not even their own kind?"
"Okay, I can get the being aware in the night. But why do they do their own thing? It's disappointing to hear that ponies don't really apply the principles of Harmony towards other creatures, but...not even their own kind?"
>>176817
Silver swears under his breath, hoping nopony heard that as he stands back up and resumes making his way towards the voice.
Silver swears under his breath, hoping nopony heard that as he stands back up and resumes making his way towards the voice.
>>176815
>sucking, and possibly... moaning? Whispers?
If this is actually what Posey hears, she would take the salt with her.
>Posey can hear a mare and a stallion talking to each other.
Posey freezes, not expecting to be disturbed here.
She makes a silent gesture that Gloomy, well trained, understands is meant to tell him to be silent and stay close. She uses her Floating Disk SLA and puts Gloomy on it, because I just remembered I had that.
She moves down the hall, slowly and silently, towards the sound of the speaking, the faint glow of her horn on the sheathe of her sword. Her hooves glide across the floor with supernatural grace.
Move Silently:
[1d20+9 = (7+9) = 16]
>sucking, and possibly... moaning? Whispers?
If this is actually what Posey hears, she would take the salt with her.
>Posey can hear a mare and a stallion talking to each other.
Posey freezes, not expecting to be disturbed here.
She makes a silent gesture that Gloomy, well trained, understands is meant to tell him to be silent and stay close. She uses her Floating Disk SLA and puts Gloomy on it, because I just remembered I had that.
She moves down the hall, slowly and silently, towards the sound of the speaking, the faint glow of her horn on the sheathe of her sword. Her hooves glide across the floor with supernatural grace.
Move Silently:
[1d20+9 = (7+9) = 16]
With move silently, listen, etc. sort of checks, generally the DM does a secret roll (actually two or more, including the target being fooled or hidden from) so the player doesn't know the result before its consequences. I like that air of mystery but it doesn't seem possible strictly on the board only, since everything is open. Still, if we ever have a situation for a disguise check, it would be nice to have secret rolls.
>>176819
>>176818
"To them it's not their own kind. Most of it is the usual. It's about who gets jobs, housing, who can get in line for a doctor. The kind of reasons ponies always give for why they don't like us here. The ponies don't see the bats as their own kind, apparently."
>>176819
Just move along
>>176820
Posey moves into the hall.
>>176821
You underestimate my power
>>176819
Roll Dexterity
>>176820
Roll Dexterity
>>176818
"To them it's not their own kind. Most of it is the usual. It's about who gets jobs, housing, who can get in line for a doctor. The kind of reasons ponies always give for why they don't like us here. The ponies don't see the bats as their own kind, apparently."
>>176819
Just move along
>>176820
Posey moves into the hall.
>>176821
You underestimate my power
>>176819
Roll Dexterity
>>176820
Roll Dexterity
>>176824
Inside the hallway, Posey sees a bright light coming from an electric torch. Behind it is a mare in a jacket vest. In front of her is a large stallion with a grey coat. He wears what Posey should be able to recognize as a flak jacket.
>>176826
Neela shrugs
"I don't know. It was like that when I got here."
She places more corn in her mouth, and starts munching.
Inside the hallway, Posey sees a bright light coming from an electric torch. Behind it is a mare in a jacket vest. In front of her is a large stallion with a grey coat. He wears what Posey should be able to recognize as a flak jacket.
>>176826
Neela shrugs
"I don't know. It was like that when I got here."
She places more corn in her mouth, and starts munching.
>>176827
"Hmm...I guess I'll have to ask some ponies about it next time I get a chance." Kira coils up in the nearby living room, and rests her pony half on top. "So, we have bat ponies, pegasi, unicorns, earth ponies...are there any other kinds of ponies out there? Besides lamias, I'd never heard of so many different varieties of a single species existing."
"Hmm...I guess I'll have to ask some ponies about it next time I get a chance." Kira coils up in the nearby living room, and rests her pony half on top. "So, we have bat ponies, pegasi, unicorns, earth ponies...are there any other kinds of ponies out there? Besides lamias, I'd never heard of so many different varieties of a single species existing."
>>176827
Is the Dexterity check telling me that I move first, or that I see them first?
Posey is suspicious, but doesn't show it with her usual stoic pokerface, continuing to glide closer until she's certain that she is seen.
She does duck to the side at the light though, pulling her hood up over her head as her eyes adjust to the glare.
Is the Dexterity check telling me that I move first, or that I see them first?
Posey is suspicious, but doesn't show it with her usual stoic pokerface, continuing to glide closer until she's certain that she is seen.
She does duck to the side at the light though, pulling her hood up over her head as her eyes adjust to the glare.
>>176829
It's basically an initiative roll. It means you react first.
And... Posey is blinded by the flashlight as it moves to her. At least the hood provides some protection
>>176825
Silver sees a figure in full chain mail with a longsword on a belt, a bag, and a black hood. It seems to be a mare with a white coat.
>>176828
"Yeah, they uh, that's it. Wait no. There's also crystal ponies, I think, which are kind of the same with sparkly... or something. And then there's uh, the zebra kind of look like ponies to me. Or the ponies look like zebras."
It's basically an initiative roll. It means you react first.
And... Posey is blinded by the flashlight as it moves to her. At least the hood provides some protection
>>176825
Silver sees a figure in full chain mail with a longsword on a belt, a bag, and a black hood. It seems to be a mare with a white coat.
>>176828
"Yeah, they uh, that's it. Wait no. There's also crystal ponies, I think, which are kind of the same with sparkly... or something. And then there's uh, the zebra kind of look like ponies to me. Or the ponies look like zebras."
>>176830
>full chain mail
*Chain shirt barding
>Posey is blinded
Posey is dazzled by light, but that won't stop her from doing this:
Her eyes flash with golden light as she attempts to charm the first pony that makes eye contact.
>full chain mail
*Chain shirt barding
>Posey is blinded
Posey is dazzled by light, but that won't stop her from doing this:
Her eyes flash with golden light as she attempts to charm the first pony that makes eye contact.
>>176832
>charm
It's an unusual lighting situation in the dungeon. It may work with the flashlight not quite shining on her face, but if it's too bright or too dim... not so much
>charm
It's an unusual lighting situation in the dungeon. It may work with the flashlight not quite shining on her face, but if it's too bright or too dim... not so much
>>176833
Pear does not need to be told twice. She moves back, unfortunately losing her train of the flashlight on the undead Knight.
Pear does not need to be told twice. She moves back, unfortunately losing her train of the flashlight on the undead Knight.
>>176832
The creature approaches with a stern glare, it's golden eyes shining with an ominous glow. An overwhelming feeling overtakes you.
DC 19 Will save please
It draws its sword
"Oh, just my luck..." it mutters, in a soft tone
"What's going on, momma?"
"Patience, sweetpea. Momma is working."
The creature approaches with a stern glare, it's golden eyes shining with an ominous glow. An overwhelming feeling overtakes you.
DC 19 Will save please
It draws its sword
"Oh, just my luck..." it mutters, in a soft tone
"What's going on, momma?"
"Patience, sweetpea. Momma is working."
>>176833
I should mention that the creature is also levitating a giant floating magical disk thing that has a foal on it.
I should mention that the creature is also levitating a giant floating magical disk thing that has a foal on it.
>>176836
>>176837
If this thing speaking is enough to catch the grey unicorn off guard, the second voice is absolutely enough to completely confuse him, making him pause and not even quite recognize that the first creature has drawn a sword. The sight of the foal on a floating disk is definitely just the tip of the iceberg.
[1d20+5 = (16+5) = 21]
>>176837
If this thing speaking is enough to catch the grey unicorn off guard, the second voice is absolutely enough to completely confuse him, making him pause and not even quite recognize that the first creature has drawn a sword. The sight of the foal on a floating disk is definitely just the tip of the iceberg.
[1d20+5 = (16+5) = 21]
>>176838
I did not expect +5 Will
Oh well. You pass.
The unicorn points her sword at you.
"State your business."
I did not expect +5 Will
Oh well. You pass.
The unicorn points her sword at you.
"State your business."
>>176840
>what are you doing with foal?
"This is my son, and he's here for his training."
>Who...what are you?
The mare puffs out her chest
"I am Rosey Ring, Blackweave Warmagus and licenced Necrologist. I am here on orders to examine these grounds for dark magic contamination." She states, boldly
The mare's voice is gentle and eloquent, with a vaguely-slavic accent. She speaks the local language well, although it appears to be a slightly different dialect.
>what are you doing with foal?
"This is my son, and he's here for his training."
>Who...what are you?
The mare puffs out her chest
"I am Rosey Ring, Blackweave Warmagus and licenced Necrologist. I am here on orders to examine these grounds for dark magic contamination." She states, boldly
The mare's voice is gentle and eloquent, with a vaguely-slavic accent. She speaks the local language well, although it appears to be a slightly different dialect.
>>176841
>>176840
>>176843
Now the grey unicorn notices that this strange creature--a sort-of regular mare, it seems--is brandishing a weapon at him. He makes sure to stand in between Rosey and the mare behind him.
"'State my...' Ma'am, you scared us half to death! We thought there was another undead knight Curwhinny had kept here. Can you put please your weapon away so we can talk like normal adults?" He looks over the the colt who is floating on a magic disk. "Hello there, little one."
>>176840
>>176843
Now the grey unicorn notices that this strange creature--a sort-of regular mare, it seems--is brandishing a weapon at him. He makes sure to stand in between Rosey and the mare behind him.
"'State my...' Ma'am, you scared us half to death! We thought there was another undead knight Curwhinny had kept here. Can you put please your weapon away so we can talk like normal adults?" He looks over the the colt who is floating on a magic disk. "Hello there, little one."
>>176844
>undead knight
"Undead Knight? Where? In this dungeon?" Rosey Ring replies, seemingly interested
>Can you put please your weapon away so we can talk like normal adults
"You don't look like an archaeologist. What are you here for?"
>Hello there, little one."
The white mare steps in front of the colt, glaring defensively
>undead knight
"Undead Knight? Where? In this dungeon?" Rosey Ring replies, seemingly interested
>Can you put please your weapon away so we can talk like normal adults
"You don't look like an archaeologist. What are you here for?"
>Hello there, little one."
The white mare steps in front of the colt, glaring defensively
>>176846
The grey unicorn gives an understand look towards the defensive gesture, seemingly knowing where it comes from.
"It was undead, now it is just regular dead. Torn to shreads by Roc after it was lured outside with bait. Look, I am Silver Sword, this mare behind me is Pear Faucet. She is archaeologist, I am pony who cleared this place of undead. Okay, introductions have been made...can you please just sheathe your weapon, for sake of those around us?"
The grey unicorn gives an understand look towards the defensive gesture, seemingly knowing where it comes from.
"It was undead, now it is just regular dead. Torn to shreads by Roc after it was lured outside with bait. Look, I am Silver Sword, this mare behind me is Pear Faucet. She is archaeologist, I am pony who cleared this place of undead. Okay, introductions have been made...can you please just sheathe your weapon, for sake of those around us?"
>>176848
The mare sheaves her sword
"I thought I was the only pony tasked with cleansing this dungeon. Do you work for Glass Horizons?"
>She is archaeologist
She squints at her, but says nothing
The mare sheaves her sword
"I thought I was the only pony tasked with cleansing this dungeon. Do you work for Glass Horizons?"
>She is archaeologist
She squints at her, but says nothing
>>176849
Silver relaxes, now that the threat has been dealt with.
"I was employed by him, yes. I did not think he would send...you said 'necrologist'? I did not think he would send one in after me. Did he send you here or were you sent by somepony else? How did you find out about this place?"
Silver relaxes, now that the threat has been dealt with.
"I was employed by him, yes. I did not think he would send...you said 'necrologist'? I did not think he would send one in after me. Did he send you here or were you sent by somepony else? How did you find out about this place?"
>>176797
Stallion: "We need to do something about Vaeltaja."
Father: "Yes, I can't stand him spreading nonsense around here. I keep my family away from him."
Stallion: "No. I mean he's dangerous."
Father: "Nonsense is dangerous."
Stallion: "Heh. So much more than you know."
Father: "We should address this at coun-"
Stallion: "Kultainen brought Makea to me. She was completely out of it. Muttering to herself. And she was frost bitten. She had it bad on her ears and lips. Even her eyes... it's like she hadn't blinked. She was out of it."
Father: "What was wrong with her?"
Stallion: "I don't know. Dehydration, just the cold... maybe some kind of illness? I don't know what's going on."
Father: "Will she be alright?"
Stallion: "I don't know. I gave her water and heated her up, but she was still muttering to herself."
Father: "Well what has any of that got to do with Vaeltaja?"
Stallion: "What she was muttering. She was talking about the coming sun. And spirits. When she wasn't just speaking gibberish. She's one of those ponies who follow him."
Father: "Do you think Vaeltaja gave her mushrooms? Some other kind of poison?"
Stallion: "Maybe. I don't know. She may have just wondered off into the forest looking for spirits, got lost and then dehydrated. I don't think she would have lasted that much longer either way. She wasn't wearing enough heavy clothing."
Father: "Poor Makae Amuu... She's been sad since her mother died. I think that's why she follows him. He promises the spirits will come back and so she hopes to see him. That's why religious delusions can be so dangerous. They prey on our fears and vulnerabilities."
Stallion: "You're missing the point. I know that. We need to do something about it."
Father: "Yes, we need to bring it up at the council."
Stallion: "The council?! Just- ugh! Do you understand? The Inspector is coming here this week. He is supposed to be hear tomorrow."
Father: "Heh, you know that means he won't be here and earlier than Saturday. We can address this with the council on Friday. Or even ask the Inspector for help."
Stallion: "No! You just - ugh! You don't get it. What do you think the Inspector will think when he sees these ponies spouting that religious horse shit?"
Father: "Well he will be very upset, obviously. It's against the Path Forward."
Stallion: "Exactly! So what is he going to think about the council who runs the village where this happens."
Father: "He should want to help us. To help us put down this new religion."
Stallion: "Don't you think he's going to want to know how it got this bad?"
Father: "....."
Stallion: "He's going to blame us. He's going to tell the Central Council that we either couldn't stop it, or didn't want to."
Father: "The villagers could be silent. They have been silent about their religious practices every other time the inspector has come."
Stallion: "No. They have not. We have a write up. And this is a hell of a lot worse than that old mare with her public prayers. These followers of Vaeltaja won't shut up about convergence and seraphs and the sun and whatever. I mean for Akka's sake one of them was so crazed she went outside without enough clothes and forgot to drink water."
Father: "Do you think maybe there is some kind of pathogen at the blast? I believe Vaeltaja has been taking ponies there. We should ask the Inspector to look into the blast and see if maybe the melted permafrost awoke some kind of, some kind of old bacteria."
Stallion: "You are missing the point! The Inspector can't find out!"
Father: "No, that's exactly my point. We can ask the inspector for help. Maybe intercept him at Kaukainen Piste and tell him we need help. That will make it look like we are trying to solve the problem."
Stallion: "Really? Really? You don't think his first question when he hears that a start-up prophet is taking ponies into the woods and giving them drugs or whatever is going to be anything other than 'how long has this been going on?' Do you really think he's going to believe this hasn't been going on for weeks now? Don't you think he'll ask 'when did you first notice?' Is there any answer you can possibly give that won't sound like a blatant lie or make you look horrifically incompetent?"
Father: "I had no idea it was so bad. We saw Kulho Linssejä moving listlessly. He was out of his mind too, but not frostbitten. He was talking about going to be with his dead wife."
Stallion: "Yeah, it's... I know. I didn't know either. I didn't know it would get this bad. You know, when Metsän Vaeltaja started his preaching I actually kind of liked it. He was talking about Akka and the spirits of the ancestors. I was pleased to hear someone talk about the old gods and the old ways. Such a refreshing change from that horrible silence that's been placed over all of us. It was like a pillar of the old world returning. Resisting. Then she started talking about the seraph and the sun coming early and convergence all of this other pure horse shit, and I realized it was something else entirely. Something new. Ugh! But I thought they could keep quite. But they can't!"
Father: "Well, if we explain the situation to the inspector he might-"
Stallion: "No. You don't get it. There is no explanation we could possibly give to the Inspector that will suffice, with mares and stallions walking maddly around on the streets like that. There is no way around it. The Inspector will conclude that we were willfully Non-compliant. And if you tell him we didn't have the power to do anything he'll just ask why we didn't ask for help earlier, and what's the point of us anyways."
Father: "...."
Stallion: "We need to do something."
Father: "Call an emergency meeting of the town council. Gather every pony, explain the situation. Make a show of it."
Stallion: "We need to do something about Vaeltaja."
Father: "Yes, I can't stand him spreading nonsense around here. I keep my family away from him."
Stallion: "No. I mean he's dangerous."
Father: "Nonsense is dangerous."
Stallion: "Heh. So much more than you know."
Father: "We should address this at coun-"
Stallion: "Kultainen brought Makea to me. She was completely out of it. Muttering to herself. And she was frost bitten. She had it bad on her ears and lips. Even her eyes... it's like she hadn't blinked. She was out of it."
Father: "What was wrong with her?"
Stallion: "I don't know. Dehydration, just the cold... maybe some kind of illness? I don't know what's going on."
Father: "Will she be alright?"
Stallion: "I don't know. I gave her water and heated her up, but she was still muttering to herself."
Father: "Well what has any of that got to do with Vaeltaja?"
Stallion: "What she was muttering. She was talking about the coming sun. And spirits. When she wasn't just speaking gibberish. She's one of those ponies who follow him."
Father: "Do you think Vaeltaja gave her mushrooms? Some other kind of poison?"
Stallion: "Maybe. I don't know. She may have just wondered off into the forest looking for spirits, got lost and then dehydrated. I don't think she would have lasted that much longer either way. She wasn't wearing enough heavy clothing."
Father: "Poor Makae Amuu... She's been sad since her mother died. I think that's why she follows him. He promises the spirits will come back and so she hopes to see him. That's why religious delusions can be so dangerous. They prey on our fears and vulnerabilities."
Stallion: "You're missing the point. I know that. We need to do something about it."
Father: "Yes, we need to bring it up at the council."
Stallion: "The council?! Just- ugh! Do you understand? The Inspector is coming here this week. He is supposed to be hear tomorrow."
Father: "Heh, you know that means he won't be here and earlier than Saturday. We can address this with the council on Friday. Or even ask the Inspector for help."
Stallion: "No! You just - ugh! You don't get it. What do you think the Inspector will think when he sees these ponies spouting that religious horse shit?"
Father: "Well he will be very upset, obviously. It's against the Path Forward."
Stallion: "Exactly! So what is he going to think about the council who runs the village where this happens."
Father: "He should want to help us. To help us put down this new religion."
Stallion: "Don't you think he's going to want to know how it got this bad?"
Father: "....."
Stallion: "He's going to blame us. He's going to tell the Central Council that we either couldn't stop it, or didn't want to."
Father: "The villagers could be silent. They have been silent about their religious practices every other time the inspector has come."
Stallion: "No. They have not. We have a write up. And this is a hell of a lot worse than that old mare with her public prayers. These followers of Vaeltaja won't shut up about convergence and seraphs and the sun and whatever. I mean for Akka's sake one of them was so crazed she went outside without enough clothes and forgot to drink water."
Father: "Do you think maybe there is some kind of pathogen at the blast? I believe Vaeltaja has been taking ponies there. We should ask the Inspector to look into the blast and see if maybe the melted permafrost awoke some kind of, some kind of old bacteria."
Stallion: "You are missing the point! The Inspector can't find out!"
Father: "No, that's exactly my point. We can ask the inspector for help. Maybe intercept him at Kaukainen Piste and tell him we need help. That will make it look like we are trying to solve the problem."
Stallion: "Really? Really? You don't think his first question when he hears that a start-up prophet is taking ponies into the woods and giving them drugs or whatever is going to be anything other than 'how long has this been going on?' Do you really think he's going to believe this hasn't been going on for weeks now? Don't you think he'll ask 'when did you first notice?' Is there any answer you can possibly give that won't sound like a blatant lie or make you look horrifically incompetent?"
Father: "I had no idea it was so bad. We saw Kulho Linssejä moving listlessly. He was out of his mind too, but not frostbitten. He was talking about going to be with his dead wife."
Stallion: "Yeah, it's... I know. I didn't know either. I didn't know it would get this bad. You know, when Metsän Vaeltaja started his preaching I actually kind of liked it. He was talking about Akka and the spirits of the ancestors. I was pleased to hear someone talk about the old gods and the old ways. Such a refreshing change from that horrible silence that's been placed over all of us. It was like a pillar of the old world returning. Resisting. Then she started talking about the seraph and the sun coming early and convergence all of this other pure horse shit, and I realized it was something else entirely. Something new. Ugh! But I thought they could keep quite. But they can't!"
Father: "Well, if we explain the situation to the inspector he might-"
Stallion: "No. You don't get it. There is no explanation we could possibly give to the Inspector that will suffice, with mares and stallions walking maddly around on the streets like that. There is no way around it. The Inspector will conclude that we were willfully Non-compliant. And if you tell him we didn't have the power to do anything he'll just ask why we didn't ask for help earlier, and what's the point of us anyways."
Father: "...."
Stallion: "We need to do something."
Father: "Call an emergency meeting of the town council. Gather every pony, explain the situation. Make a show of it."
>>176850
"I was sent here from the university to sweep it for dark magic contamination, and was tasked by Horizons to report on the state of the property and eliminate liabilities. From the looks of it, I still have some work to do."
"I was sent here from the university to sweep it for dark magic contamination, and was tasked by Horizons to report on the state of the property and eliminate liabilities. From the looks of it, I still have some work to do."
>>176853
>>176851
Silver looks back to the small yellow mare named Pear Faucet.
"University? Do you know her from yours?"
Returning his attention to Rosey, he resumes talking. "Well, contaminated is right, it was used by supposed lich in experiments to try to bring back his dead family. Ponies here really did good job cleaning this place up, that quarry outside was absolutely littered with remains of his experiments. What do you mean by 'liabilities', though?"
>>176851
Silver looks back to the small yellow mare named Pear Faucet.
"University? Do you know her from yours?"
Returning his attention to Rosey, he resumes talking. "Well, contaminated is right, it was used by supposed lich in experiments to try to bring back his dead family. Ponies here really did good job cleaning this place up, that quarry outside was absolutely littered with remains of his experiments. What do you mean by 'liabilities', though?"
>>176854
>Do you know her from yours?
>>176851
Do I know her?
>Ponies here really did good job cleaning this place up
"Only on the surface." She replies
"There are still corporeal monsters lurking about."
"Haunting presences. Monsters. Curses. Cursed items. Mana poisoning. Corrupted Earth Nodes. Planar manifest zones. Portals to Tartarus. Jars full of nameless plagues. Malign energies that could attract a whole host of monsters to the area. The list goes on."
>Do you know her from yours?
>>176851
Do I know her?
>Ponies here really did good job cleaning this place up
"Only on the surface." She replies
"There are still corporeal monsters lurking about."
"Haunting presences. Monsters. Curses. Cursed items. Mana poisoning. Corrupted Earth Nodes. Planar manifest zones. Portals to Tartarus. Jars full of nameless plagues. Malign energies that could attract a whole host of monsters to the area. The list goes on."
>>176858
>I presume that means you have means of detecting dark magic?
"Pfft, I wouldn't be very much of a Necrologist if I couldn't." The mare replies
"I have a sharp eye for the dark arts, and an even sharper horn."
>I presume that means you have means of detecting dark magic?
"Pfft, I wouldn't be very much of a Necrologist if I couldn't." The mare replies
"I have a sharp eye for the dark arts, and an even sharper horn."
>>176852
>>176797
Stallion: "What are we going to propose? Ban Vaeltaja? Accuse him of Non-Compliance? Many of the village ponies will be against it. Even on the council, Kaukainen Ukkonen will veto it. You know he believes that junk. He follows Vaeltaja. And what's far worse is that Vaeltaja will have a chance to speak."
Father: "It doesn't matter if we fail. What matters is that there will be witnesses to our attempt to shut it down. It will show the Inspector we tried."
Stallion: "No. No it won't. He'll wonder how we got outvoted in our own village."
Father: "So we'll look incompetent, they'll just remove us off of the council and bring in someone from the City. We'll lose some privileges. Be fined..."
Stallion: "You think all they will do is to kick your colt out of school and take you off the council? You are as delusional as Makea..."
Father: "Well it's our best shot."
Stallion: "You already know what they will think. Incompetence is Treason. Except they will never believe it is incompetence. They will think that we have been deliberately allowing Vaeltaja spout his nonsense, in defiance of the ban on religion. They will believe we are intentionally subverting their rules."
Father: "Well... Maybe."
Stallion: "Not 'maybe,' they will. Do you know why they will think that? Do you?"
Father: "Because..."
Stallion: "Because it's true."
Father: "We let this happen. I just thought that so long as it wasn't my family-."
Stallion: "Well it's going to be your family. Do you know what will happen when the Inspector judges we are not in compliance?"
Father: "I didn't think it would get this bad..."
Stallion: "I didn't either. We need to fix this problem."
Father: "Maybe go to Vaeltaja and tell him why he needs to make everyone stay silent?"
Stallion: "Vaeltaja thinks the world is coming to an end in a few weeks. And if he keeps it up, it will. For him and for us. He's not going to feel threatened by the central council."
Father: "Maybe talk to everypony individually?"
Stallion: "All seventy of them? They are too drugged up even to think coherently. No. There is only one thing we can possibly do. One thing and one thing only. Cut the head off of this problem, and hope that we can get everypony under some semblance of compliance by the time the Inspector arrives at the end of the week."
Father: "You can't mean-"
Stallion: "I absolutely do. And we have to act now. It's the only way."
Father: "It can't be..."
Stallion: "Oh yes it can. What do you think is going to happen to you if we don't, when the Inspector gets here and sees all of this. What do you think will happen to your family."
Father: "But it's not right."
Stallion: "Doesn't Tähtien Alla live in the city."
Father: "sigh.... Do you have a plan?"
Stallion: "Kind of. We go out wood cutting. I will need another pony and you've got the most to lose of any sane pony besides me. That's why you're in on this."
Father: "Very well.. Let me take Kultainen home."
Stallion: "Meet at my house."
Father starts to walk away from the stallion, looking solemn.
>>176797
Stallion: "What are we going to propose? Ban Vaeltaja? Accuse him of Non-Compliance? Many of the village ponies will be against it. Even on the council, Kaukainen Ukkonen will veto it. You know he believes that junk. He follows Vaeltaja. And what's far worse is that Vaeltaja will have a chance to speak."
Father: "It doesn't matter if we fail. What matters is that there will be witnesses to our attempt to shut it down. It will show the Inspector we tried."
Stallion: "No. No it won't. He'll wonder how we got outvoted in our own village."
Father: "So we'll look incompetent, they'll just remove us off of the council and bring in someone from the City. We'll lose some privileges. Be fined..."
Stallion: "You think all they will do is to kick your colt out of school and take you off the council? You are as delusional as Makea..."
Father: "Well it's our best shot."
Stallion: "You already know what they will think. Incompetence is Treason. Except they will never believe it is incompetence. They will think that we have been deliberately allowing Vaeltaja spout his nonsense, in defiance of the ban on religion. They will believe we are intentionally subverting their rules."
Father: "Well... Maybe."
Stallion: "Not 'maybe,' they will. Do you know why they will think that? Do you?"
Father: "Because..."
Stallion: "Because it's true."
Father: "We let this happen. I just thought that so long as it wasn't my family-."
Stallion: "Well it's going to be your family. Do you know what will happen when the Inspector judges we are not in compliance?"
Father: "I didn't think it would get this bad..."
Stallion: "I didn't either. We need to fix this problem."
Father: "Maybe go to Vaeltaja and tell him why he needs to make everyone stay silent?"
Stallion: "Vaeltaja thinks the world is coming to an end in a few weeks. And if he keeps it up, it will. For him and for us. He's not going to feel threatened by the central council."
Father: "Maybe talk to everypony individually?"
Stallion: "All seventy of them? They are too drugged up even to think coherently. No. There is only one thing we can possibly do. One thing and one thing only. Cut the head off of this problem, and hope that we can get everypony under some semblance of compliance by the time the Inspector arrives at the end of the week."
Father: "You can't mean-"
Stallion: "I absolutely do. And we have to act now. It's the only way."
Father: "It can't be..."
Stallion: "Oh yes it can. What do you think is going to happen to you if we don't, when the Inspector gets here and sees all of this. What do you think will happen to your family."
Father: "But it's not right."
Stallion: "Doesn't Tähtien Alla live in the city."
Father: "sigh.... Do you have a plan?"
Stallion: "Kind of. We go out wood cutting. I will need another pony and you've got the most to lose of any sane pony besides me. That's why you're in on this."
Father: "Very well.. Let me take Kultainen home."
Stallion: "Meet at my house."
Father starts to walk away from the stallion, looking solemn.
>>176859
"Heh, if they are even half as sharp as that sword should be, then you are doing well. Give us just one moment to discuss something, do not go anywhere."
>>176855
Silver pulls Pear off to the side, not too far away as to loss track of Rosey but still far enough that they can whisper without being overheard.
"So, hear me out. I know it is oddly convenient that this mare comes out of nowhere, dressing like she just walked out of 4th Century with knowledge about undead creatures, but...if she has ability to detect traces of dark magic, then maybe she can find where our missing sarcophagus is."
"Heh, if they are even half as sharp as that sword should be, then you are doing well. Give us just one moment to discuss something, do not go anywhere."
>>176855
Silver pulls Pear off to the side, not too far away as to loss track of Rosey but still far enough that they can whisper without being overheard.
"So, hear me out. I know it is oddly convenient that this mare comes out of nowhere, dressing like she just walked out of 4th Century with knowledge about undead creatures, but...if she has ability to detect traces of dark magic, then maybe she can find where our missing sarcophagus is."
>>176830
Kira definitely wasn't forgotten about in the heat of the moment, absolutely not.
"And Bright Dye...maybe I'm being silly, but did he look like a cross between a pony and a zebra to you? Can ponies and zebras reproduce together?"
Kira definitely wasn't forgotten about in the heat of the moment, absolutely not.
"And Bright Dye...maybe I'm being silly, but did he look like a cross between a pony and a zebra to you? Can ponies and zebras reproduce together?"
>>176861
>Give us just one moment to discuss something, do not go anywhere
"I'm not one to take orders from strangers..." The mare replies with a suspicious glare
Despite her words, she does not appear to flee, her golden eyes following silver as he retreats down the hallway
>Give us just one moment to discuss something, do not go anywhere
"I'm not one to take orders from strangers..." The mare replies with a suspicious glare
Despite her words, she does not appear to flee, her golden eyes following silver as he retreats down the hallway
>>176862
"Not particularly...but as long as we keep at least one set of eyes on her or on sarcophagus, there is not much she could do about it. She is necrologist, not magician."
>>176865
Silver returns to the armored mare.
"Okay then, we could use your help with something, but you must swear to not tell another soul about it."
"Not particularly...but as long as we keep at least one set of eyes on her or on sarcophagus, there is not much she could do about it. She is necrologist, not magician."
>>176865
Silver returns to the armored mare.
"Okay then, we could use your help with something, but you must swear to not tell another soul about it."
>>176866
"I didn't know that there were... more of you out there. I suppose but... honestly I kind of feel like maybe we should let the dead lie on this one. It's not the mare, it's... what if he is a lich? What will we do?"
"I didn't know that there were... more of you out there. I suppose but... honestly I kind of feel like maybe we should let the dead lie on this one. It's not the mare, it's... what if he is a lich? What will we do?"
>>176867
Kira is silent for a moment, before tapping her hooves together. "Do...do you think...ponies and lamias could...maybe..."
Kira is silent for a moment, before tapping her hooves together. "Do...do you think...ponies and lamias could...maybe..."
>>176868
Silver whispers back to her quickly.
"We will handle it, like I know only we could. I promise."
Silver whispers back to her quickly.
"We will handle it, like I know only we could. I promise."
>>176867
"Yes, Papa?" she calls back. Her voice sounds squeaky and trembling. "You were taking a while. Is something wrong? You don't look too pleased…."
"Yes, Papa?" she calls back. Her voice sounds squeaky and trembling. "You were taking a while. Is something wrong? You don't look too pleased…."
>>176870
"Uh... okay... I'll trust you on this... I will admit, I am curious
>>176869
"Probably not, but..." She shows her teeth in a strange smile. "Well, deer and ponies cannot. So I don't think ponies and nagas can."
>>176871
He breathes out. He definitely does not look pleased
"Yes. We are out of firewood" He says. "I need to go get some."
"Uh... okay... I'll trust you on this... I will admit, I am curious
>>176869
"Probably not, but..." She shows her teeth in a strange smile. "Well, deer and ponies cannot. So I don't think ponies and nagas can."
>>176871
He breathes out. He definitely does not look pleased
"Yes. We are out of firewood" He says. "I need to go get some."
>>176866
>"Okay then, we could use your help with something, but you must swear to not tell another soul about it."
"I do have a report to write about this site.. but, all on-scene research is confidential." The mare replies
"What is it?"
>"Okay then, we could use your help with something, but you must swear to not tell another soul about it."
"I do have a report to write about this site.. but, all on-scene research is confidential." The mare replies
"What is it?"
>>176872
"I made sure to bring plenty on the sled," Amber insists, lowering her head slightly. "I don't think we have ever run out so fast before."
"I made sure to bring plenty on the sled," Amber insists, lowering her head slightly. "I don't think we have ever run out so fast before."
>>176874
"Oh." He says. His ears move back, then back up. "Well, you know, we share firewood with other ponies so... I have to help them. We work together for the good of the herd, you know."
"Oh." He says. His ears move back, then back up. "Well, you know, we share firewood with other ponies so... I have to help them. We work together for the good of the herd, you know."
>>176873
>>176872
"We are missing sarcophagus. Specifically, we are missing Curwhinny's sarcophagus. You say you were sent here by university, so I will assume you know who he was and why it is so worrisome that his sarcophagus is missing. We think one of other archaeologists moved it somewhere else in catacombs for later retrieval. We need your help in locating where it was stashed."
>>176872
"We are missing sarcophagus. Specifically, we are missing Curwhinny's sarcophagus. You say you were sent here by university, so I will assume you know who he was and why it is so worrisome that his sarcophagus is missing. We think one of other archaeologists moved it somewhere else in catacombs for later retrieval. We need your help in locating where it was stashed."
>>176872
"Well, maybe, but...Bright Dye did make a good point. I do look a lot like a pony, at least from this end. Maybe it would be enough of a similarity to allow...you know..." She taps her hooves together some more, before taking the end of her tail and rubbing it between them. "You know?"
"Well, maybe, but...Bright Dye did make a good point. I do look a lot like a pony, at least from this end. Maybe it would be enough of a similarity to allow...you know..." She taps her hooves together some more, before taking the end of her tail and rubbing it between them. "You know?"
>>176875
She looks back up at him, her eyes wide and pleading. "Shouldn't I come with you then? We could carry more firewood and I know the best spots to find it."
She looks back up at him, her eyes wide and pleading. "Shouldn't I come with you then? We could carry more firewood and I know the best spots to find it."
>>176876
"Hmmm, the Sarcophagus of Curwhinny himself? Well, if Curwhinny really is buried here, he was likely buried with all of his favorite items, as Necromancers do get possessive that way, possibly waiting for resurrection. He was a clever mage, so it's likely that he would have had his minions carry him into a secret chamber in his final hours, sealed away to watch over him until his final hours. Such a chamber should be behind a secret door, or possibly magically sealed up with conjured stone and only accessible breaking down the wall, or through a Passwall. It would likely be deep within the dungeon, with something guarding the area to fight off whoever might disturb him... Where did you say you fought an undead knight?"
I have to sleep soon.
"Hmmm, the Sarcophagus of Curwhinny himself? Well, if Curwhinny really is buried here, he was likely buried with all of his favorite items, as Necromancers do get possessive that way, possibly waiting for resurrection. He was a clever mage, so it's likely that he would have had his minions carry him into a secret chamber in his final hours, sealed away to watch over him until his final hours. Such a chamber should be behind a secret door, or possibly magically sealed up with conjured stone and only accessible breaking down the wall, or through a Passwall. It would likely be deep within the dungeon, with something guarding the area to fight off whoever might disturb him... Where did you say you fought an undead knight?"
I have to sleep soon.
>>176878
He looks down at the little pony, kneels to her, and places a hoof on her head, patting her mane.
"Little pony... I need to go out into the forest. I am going with Pakkasen Alla. To get it. It's not really work for a filly like you. Didn't you say you saw a moose in the forest earlier? Yes, I should not have let you go out alone earlier. Moose can be dangerous. And you saw how Makea almost froze... Ugh! No place for a filly."
>>176877
"No? I don't know." She tilts her head. "You want to... get pregnant by a pony? Or have... eggs, or whatever lamias do? Why would you even want that?"
He looks down at the little pony, kneels to her, and places a hoof on her head, patting her mane.
"Little pony... I need to go out into the forest. I am going with Pakkasen Alla. To get it. It's not really work for a filly like you. Didn't you say you saw a moose in the forest earlier? Yes, I should not have let you go out alone earlier. Moose can be dangerous. And you saw how Makea almost froze... Ugh! No place for a filly."
>>176877
"No? I don't know." She tilts her head. "You want to... get pregnant by a pony? Or have... eggs, or whatever lamias do? Why would you even want that?"
>>176879
Alright duly noted.
Silver has a face that's difficult to place in the darkness of the catacombs. It suggests he's not exceptionally pleased with the answer given.
"Perhaps in other cases, yes, but not here. He was not buried willingly, but sealed by force in stone sarcophagus, costing many lives in process as invading force of militia ponies raided catacombs many years back. After I left, these archaeologists came in, and I discovered that it had been swapped out with one made of iron."
Alright duly noted.
Silver has a face that's difficult to place in the darkness of the catacombs. It suggests he's not exceptionally pleased with the answer given.
"Perhaps in other cases, yes, but not here. He was not buried willingly, but sealed by force in stone sarcophagus, costing many lives in process as invading force of militia ponies raided catacombs many years back. After I left, these archaeologists came in, and I discovered that it had been swapped out with one made of iron."
>>176880
"If I hadn't gone out with Jakala, Makea would have froze. If I kept all of us safe alone, shouldn't I be safe with you and Pakkasen Alla?" she insists. "You aren't going to attack the moose, are you?"
"If I hadn't gone out with Jakala, Makea would have froze. If I kept all of us safe alone, shouldn't I be safe with you and Pakkasen Alla?" she insists. "You aren't going to attack the moose, are you?"
>>176882
He ruffles her mane, and Amber is soon blinded by her golden mane moving in front of her eyes.
"You did well, little pony. Don't worry. We've got this."
He ruffles her mane, and Amber is soon blinded by her golden mane moving in front of her eyes.
"You did well, little pony. Don't worry. We've got this."
>>176880
"I dunno, if I found a nice pony like Free Rover and I wanted to give mom some grandchildren and he was okay with it..."
Kira continues to play with the end of her tail.
"I dunno, if I found a nice pony like Free Rover and I wanted to give mom some grandchildren and he was okay with it..."
Kira continues to play with the end of her tail.
>>176883
pony is ruffled
"I go out into the forest more often than you do. Surely I can help? What if you lose your way?" she pleads as she struggles to reorder her mane.
pony is ruffled
"I go out into the forest more often than you do. Surely I can help? What if you lose your way?" she pleads as she struggles to reorder her mane.
>>176886
He scrunches
"Why don't you go play with your little friend, Jakala? I'll take you out cutting firewood once the weather improves."
He scrunches
"Why don't you go play with your little friend, Jakala? I'll take you out cutting firewood once the weather improves."
>>176881
>After I left, these archaeologists came in, and I discovered that it had been swapped out with one made of iron."
"Then what makes you think that it's still here in this dungeon?"
"Anyhow, if the Sarcophagus was created to seal him, it must be a magical item. If I come within range of it, I could detect it with my horn. A sarcophagus is big: there's only so many places they could have hidden it." She continues
"Or, we could just go aboveground and interrogate the archaeologists up there. It shouldn't take long."
>After I left, these archaeologists came in, and I discovered that it had been swapped out with one made of iron."
"Then what makes you think that it's still here in this dungeon?"
"Anyhow, if the Sarcophagus was created to seal him, it must be a magical item. If I come within range of it, I could detect it with my horn. A sarcophagus is big: there's only so many places they could have hidden it." She continues
"Or, we could just go aboveground and interrogate the archaeologists up there. It shouldn't take long."
>>176887
"The weather isn't too bad. I can carry some firewood and it'll mean what we have will last longer. You know I wouldn't get in the way!" Again, Amber's voice is that high-pitched pleading, muffled by her mask, and she looks vaguely distraught as she looks up at him.
"The weather isn't too bad. I can carry some firewood and it'll mean what we have will last longer. You know I wouldn't get in the way!" Again, Amber's voice is that high-pitched pleading, muffled by her mask, and she looks vaguely distraught as she looks up at him.
>>176889
"That is exactly why we think it is still here in catacombs. It is big, it is heavy, and it would not be easy to move out of here without somepony noticing, especially as there is only one way out of here that could even be used for it. Both of other exits have stairs, and would you want to carry heavy stone sarcophagus up flight of stairs?
"We are hoping we can find it without confronting others, first. It would be too easy to deny accusations, then move sarcophagus out while nopony is looking. We are hoping we can avoid spooking them."
"That is exactly why we think it is still here in catacombs. It is big, it is heavy, and it would not be easy to move out of here without somepony noticing, especially as there is only one way out of here that could even be used for it. Both of other exits have stairs, and would you want to carry heavy stone sarcophagus up flight of stairs?
"We are hoping we can find it without confronting others, first. It would be too easy to deny accusations, then move sarcophagus out while nopony is looking. We are hoping we can avoid spooking them."
>>176888
"Nice?!" She scrunches and her ears go down
"You know... you said it pretty accurately a while ago, when you said there are predators and there are prey. That pony buck, and all of those with him, are predators. And they see us as prey, to be exploited as they please. That buck wasn't even afraid of you! Like... he wasn't even intimidated by you... Okay, I can see why you would want to have sex with him, but he's not nice!"
>>176890
Still kneeling and petting her
"Tell me, little Kultainen, why do you want to go?"
"Nice?!" She scrunches and her ears go down
"You know... you said it pretty accurately a while ago, when you said there are predators and there are prey. That pony buck, and all of those with him, are predators. And they see us as prey, to be exploited as they please. That buck wasn't even afraid of you! Like... he wasn't even intimidated by you... Okay, I can see why you would want to have sex with him, but he's not nice!"
>>176890
Still kneeling and petting her
"Tell me, little Kultainen, why do you want to go?"
>>176891
"Well, we could search through every room and open every door. Once we do that, I could use my magic detection while strolling down the hallway."
"Well, we could search through every room and open every door. Once we do that, I could use my magic detection while strolling down the hallway."
Sleeping now
>>176892
Kira gives her a sad, but understanding look.
"I know, I know, it's just...I dunno, I got what you could just call a feeling from him. I don't know why he wasn't afraid of me, though, not even at first. You know his first reaction upon seeing me was to just go, 'It's just a little snake', and attempt to pick me up?"
Kira gives her a sad, but understanding look.
"I know, I know, it's just...I dunno, I got what you could just call a feeling from him. I don't know why he wasn't afraid of me, though, not even at first. You know his first reaction upon seeing me was to just go, 'It's just a little snake', and attempt to pick me up?"
>>176893
"That is possible. It is not so massive that it can not be done. Though, uh..." Silver looks behind Rosey at the colt still on the floating magic disk. "...will that...thing...make detecting magic more difficult? I assume it is magic and that is why it is flying."
"That is possible. It is not so massive that it can not be done. Though, uh..." Silver looks behind Rosey at the colt still on the floating magic disk. "...will that...thing...make detecting magic more difficult? I assume it is magic and that is why it is flying."
>>176896
Under her breath,
"Of course he'd pick you up." Then normally, "That feeling is attraction. You've come upon maybe the first male that wasn't afraid of you, so your body responds by submitting to him. But that's all that feeling is. Attraction. That doesn't make him 'nice'. Being fearless isn't a sign of niceness. Quite the opposite, actually."
Under her breath,
"Of course he'd pick you up." Then normally, "That feeling is attraction. You've come upon maybe the first male that wasn't afraid of you, so your body responds by submitting to him. But that's all that feeling is. Attraction. That doesn't make him 'nice'. Being fearless isn't a sign of niceness. Quite the opposite, actually."
>>176896
>"...will that...thing...make detecting magic more difficult? I assume it is magic and that is why it is flying."
"I can easily distinguish between the magic of others and my own. Besides, if your story is true, this sarcophagus should be sealed with magic so powerful that it would easily eclipse any other auras."
>"...will that...thing...make detecting magic more difficult? I assume it is magic and that is why it is flying."
"I can easily distinguish between the magic of others and my own. Besides, if your story is true, this sarcophagus should be sealed with magic so powerful that it would easily eclipse any other auras."
>>176903
"First I'll need to see every room in this dungeon. Once we've opened all of the doors, I can douse the hallways in a systemic fashion. Since you've been here before, you can show me."
"First I'll need to see every room in this dungeon. Once we've opened all of the doors, I can douse the hallways in a systemic fashion. Since you've been here before, you can show me."
>>176905
(Posey's Detect Magic spell functions as a 60 ft cone shaped emanation. Same goes for her Detect Undead spell. It should be able to douse an entire hallway.)
(Posey's Detect Magic spell functions as a 60 ft cone shaped emanation. Same goes for her Detect Undead spell. It should be able to douse an entire hallway.)
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Has to contemplate if it’s too meta-games to explain why this course of action is extremely inadvisable
>>176907
Hmmmmmmm...well, there shouldn't be all that much left of the catacombs to search through manually.
Hmmmmmmm...well, there shouldn't be all that much left of the catacombs to search through manually.
>>176907
See, this is kind of why I wanted a map, it makes it a lot easier to understand how to search a dungeon, and avoid obvious limitations such as thick stone walls blocking lines of effect.
In any case, Posey wants to start by checking every (known) room in the dungeon, then she'll decide when and how to use her detection spells.
See, this is kind of why I wanted a map, it makes it a lot easier to understand how to search a dungeon, and avoid obvious limitations such as thick stone walls blocking lines of effect.
In any case, Posey wants to start by checking every (known) room in the dungeon, then she'll decide when and how to use her detection spells.
>>176892
The filly looks down. Dare she tell him what she knows? She's just a little filly and probably can't convince him, but he's her father! He's a good pony, but even a good pony will do anything if he's desperate….
Amber shivers in front of him as she stares into his eyes. "I know what you're going to do," she squeaks out, trying not to whimper. "Papa, I know what you're planning to do and you can't do it. You understand how wrong it all is. Killing him won't help your fears, and it won't keep us safe. You need to think of something else or we'll all be guilty because of it."
The filly looks down. Dare she tell him what she knows? She's just a little filly and probably can't convince him, but he's her father! He's a good pony, but even a good pony will do anything if he's desperate….
Amber shivers in front of him as she stares into his eyes. "I know what you're going to do," she squeaks out, trying not to whimper. "Papa, I know what you're planning to do and you can't do it. You understand how wrong it all is. Killing him won't help your fears, and it won't keep us safe. You need to think of something else or we'll all be guilty because of it."
>>176907
>Has to contemplate if it’s too meta-games to explain why this course of action is extremely inadvisable
Is it the part about searching all of the rooms, or using a spell to detect magic?
The search comes first.
>Has to contemplate if it’s too meta-games to explain why this course of action is extremely inadvisable
Is it the part about searching all of the rooms, or using a spell to detect magic?
The search comes first.
>>176909
I didn’t even think about how the stone and dirt walls would limit the effectiveness of Posey’s Detect Magic spell by 90%
>>176911
His face goes entirely pale and contorts in never-before-seen ways.
” Kultainen Hämärä.”
Taking his hoof, he wraps around Amber’s barrel, licking her up, or more likely, dragging her across the ground. He drags her away from the store, and towards a location he must think is private. This certainly scares the hell out of her.
He turns to her, and in a voice that is an attempt at a quiet shout says,
”Do you have any IDEA what is going to happen? There’s an inspector from the Central Council making the rounds to see if the villages are in compliance. He’s supposed to be here tomorrow. He’ll probably be here in five days, seven days tops. When he sees these sick ponies walking around, he’ll call in for medical doctors from Everfrost. And there will be an investigation. And he’ll hear all of these ponies talking about suns and seraphs and spirits and whatever. And do you have even the slightest idea how much trouble we are going to be in?!” He’s beyond exasperated. “No. You don’t get it. Kultainen. We’re not supposed to have those nice dresses, or talk about spirits. We’re not supposed to do anything like that. And Pakkasen, and Ukkonen, and I are in charge of the village, so far as the Central Council is concerned. It’s our job to keep the village in compliance. And when the Inspector sees this, and he hears this, it’s… You have no idea. I am in danger. You might be. Your brother might be. You definitely won’t be going to school, and he might be kicked out.”
I didn’t even think about how the stone and dirt walls would limit the effectiveness of Posey’s Detect Magic spell by 90%
>>176911
His face goes entirely pale and contorts in never-before-seen ways.
” Kultainen Hämärä.”
Taking his hoof, he wraps around Amber’s barrel, licking her up, or more likely, dragging her across the ground. He drags her away from the store, and towards a location he must think is private. This certainly scares the hell out of her.
He turns to her, and in a voice that is an attempt at a quiet shout says,
”Do you have any IDEA what is going to happen? There’s an inspector from the Central Council making the rounds to see if the villages are in compliance. He’s supposed to be here tomorrow. He’ll probably be here in five days, seven days tops. When he sees these sick ponies walking around, he’ll call in for medical doctors from Everfrost. And there will be an investigation. And he’ll hear all of these ponies talking about suns and seraphs and spirits and whatever. And do you have even the slightest idea how much trouble we are going to be in?!” He’s beyond exasperated. “No. You don’t get it. Kultainen. We’re not supposed to have those nice dresses, or talk about spirits. We’re not supposed to do anything like that. And Pakkasen, and Ukkonen, and I are in charge of the village, so far as the Central Council is concerned. It’s our job to keep the village in compliance. And when the Inspector sees this, and he hears this, it’s… You have no idea. I am in danger. You might be. Your brother might be. You definitely won’t be going to school, and he might be kicked out.”
>>176904
It’s probably possible for Neela to get scrunchier, but it isn’t clear how. She puffs up her cheeks.
“He told you to eat me!”
It’s probably possible for Neela to get scrunchier, but it isn’t clear how. She puffs up her cheeks.
“He told you to eat me!”
>>176915
Kira sinks down further into her coils. "...I told them I wasn't going to. You know I'm not going to eat you, right?"
Kira sinks down further into her coils. "...I told them I wasn't going to. You know I'm not going to eat you, right?"
>>176903
"What floor did you say you found the false iron sarcophagus on? An iron sarcophagus is even heavier than a stone one: there are limited paths through which they could have carried it. It's likely that they carried the stone one on a nearby path, or carried it to another room on that floor. If they've taken interest in it enough for them to tamper with it, it's likely that they're interested in performing ongoing tests and examinations on the actual piece, which means it needs to be stowed in a location accessible to the archaeologists, somewhere they can travel in and out of to access the sarcophagus without drawing attention to themselves."
Posey pauses
"Tampering with the grave of a lich is serious business, as it could have wide-reaching consequences on the city. This for all intents and purposes counts as egregious mismanagement of dark magic, and the false sarcophagus is evidence by itself (a sarcophagus is, by definition, made of limestone). It's possible that I could convince Mr. Horizons to order a halt on all archaeological activities on the property and order the return of the sarcophagus to its proper location for security concerns: I don't expect them to comply, but if they try to make a break for it and smuggle out the sarcophagus we could set up an ambush for them as they come to retrieve it. Of course, that plan would make a scene that I might rather avoid..."
"What floor did you say you found the false iron sarcophagus on? An iron sarcophagus is even heavier than a stone one: there are limited paths through which they could have carried it. It's likely that they carried the stone one on a nearby path, or carried it to another room on that floor. If they've taken interest in it enough for them to tamper with it, it's likely that they're interested in performing ongoing tests and examinations on the actual piece, which means it needs to be stowed in a location accessible to the archaeologists, somewhere they can travel in and out of to access the sarcophagus without drawing attention to themselves."
Posey pauses
"Tampering with the grave of a lich is serious business, as it could have wide-reaching consequences on the city. This for all intents and purposes counts as egregious mismanagement of dark magic, and the false sarcophagus is evidence by itself (a sarcophagus is, by definition, made of limestone). It's possible that I could convince Mr. Horizons to order a halt on all archaeological activities on the property and order the return of the sarcophagus to its proper location for security concerns: I don't expect them to comply, but if they try to make a break for it and smuggle out the sarcophagus we could set up an ambush for them as they come to retrieve it. Of course, that plan would make a scene that I might rather avoid..."
>>176919
First order of business would be to check for skid marks, and then the surrounding/lower floor.
First order of business would be to check for skid marks, and then the surrounding/lower floor.
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>>176918
>I bet these grad students did want to carry that heavy ass stone up or down stairs. They probably kept it on the same level.
You finally understand me!
>>176916
Posey has explored one of the laboratories, the big room downstairs, and presumably, the storage rooms on the side downstairs and the downstairs hallways. They are currently in the central room that cuts across between hallways.
>I bet these grad students did want to carry that heavy ass stone up or down stairs. They probably kept it on the same level.
You finally understand me!
>>176916
Posey has explored one of the laboratories, the big room downstairs, and presumably, the storage rooms on the side downstairs and the downstairs hallways. They are currently in the central room that cuts across between hallways.
>>176921
Posey checks every room on the way to the place that Silver says the original sarcophagus once was.
Posey checks every room on the way to the place that Silver says the original sarcophagus once was.
>>176918
The small, yellow mare, previous identified as Dr. Faucet, speaks:
“Let me clarify what is going on here. There is a room behind the… well, I suppose it’s a bedroom - there’s a room behind that that was opened and contained a casket on a stone table. There’s this large inscription, I think it’s oin chalk but I haven’t examined it in detail - that claims the casket contains a lich and do not open it. Our leader, Peer Review, does not believe lichs exist - or to be a little more accurate, doesn’t think a mage calling themselves a lich can exist for two hundred and forty years without, well, food or a replenishing magic source. So he ordered it opened, probably to prove the point. But he tasked a grad student whom I’m pretty sure is only here to avoid the draft. So apparently he defied that order and switched out the caskets, hiding the original one. I think he thinks he’s not paid enough to open a casket marked ‘contains a lich’ to find out if it contains a lich or not. The compartment is on this floor. It’s behind the bedroom. We’ve already searched that room, the bedroom in front of it, the library, the smaller library, and the laboratories on the other side from where you came.”
The small, yellow mare, previous identified as Dr. Faucet, speaks:
“Let me clarify what is going on here. There is a room behind the… well, I suppose it’s a bedroom - there’s a room behind that that was opened and contained a casket on a stone table. There’s this large inscription, I think it’s oin chalk but I haven’t examined it in detail - that claims the casket contains a lich and do not open it. Our leader, Peer Review, does not believe lichs exist - or to be a little more accurate, doesn’t think a mage calling themselves a lich can exist for two hundred and forty years without, well, food or a replenishing magic source. So he ordered it opened, probably to prove the point. But he tasked a grad student whom I’m pretty sure is only here to avoid the draft. So apparently he defied that order and switched out the caskets, hiding the original one. I think he thinks he’s not paid enough to open a casket marked ‘contains a lich’ to find out if it contains a lich or not. The compartment is on this floor. It’s behind the bedroom. We’ve already searched that room, the bedroom in front of it, the library, the smaller library, and the laboratories on the other side from where you came.”
>>176921
>grad students
Not only grad students, but commies too: they'll do as little manual labor as possible.
"The sarcophagus probably didn't move far. I would assume the archaeologists hid it somewhere near, perhaps in a closet, underneath a tarp or rug, or buried under some loose bricks and rubble. Keep an eye out for anything that could hide an object of that size. Once we hedge out possible locations on the floor, I can use my dousing to find any traces of magic related to the sarcophagus..."
She then pauses
>>176908
"... Say, what exactly did you intend to do with the sarcophagus when you found it?"
>grad students
Not only grad students, but commies too: they'll do as little manual labor as possible.
"The sarcophagus probably didn't move far. I would assume the archaeologists hid it somewhere near, perhaps in a closet, underneath a tarp or rug, or buried under some loose bricks and rubble. Keep an eye out for anything that could hide an object of that size. Once we hedge out possible locations on the floor, I can use my dousing to find any traces of magic related to the sarcophagus..."
She then pauses
>>176908
"... Say, what exactly did you intend to do with the sarcophagus when you found it?"
>>176924
"For starters? Making sure it has not been opened. Part of me is curious about couple of things, if he really did make final transition to becoming lich, or even if he was if I have managed to destroy him and put him to rest. I thought I found his phylactery and had it destroyed with help of Father Maren here in city, but there is chance that did not work or it was not actually his phylactery. Knowing for certain would put any worries to rest, but...would you want to open sarcophagus that had pony's possible final message of 'do not open, lich inside'?"
"For starters? Making sure it has not been opened. Part of me is curious about couple of things, if he really did make final transition to becoming lich, or even if he was if I have managed to destroy him and put him to rest. I thought I found his phylactery and had it destroyed with help of Father Maren here in city, but there is chance that did not work or it was not actually his phylactery. Knowing for certain would put any worries to rest, but...would you want to open sarcophagus that had pony's possible final message of 'do not open, lich inside'?"
>>176923
>Our leader, Peer Review, does not believe lichs exist - or to be a little more accurate, doesn’t think a mage calling themselves a lich can exist for two hundred and forty years without, well, food or a replenishing magic source. So he ordered it opened, probably to prove the point.
Posey bursts out laughing at this.
I think this is the first time Posey has laughed. It's such a peculiar laugh, in her usual soft and beautiful singsong voice, but something about it is... ominously dreadful, malevolent, and borderline supernatural. It booms and reverberates far further than should be proper for a mare of her size, echoing over itself until it fades out all too slowly, like howling ghost in the distance backed by a chorus of kerning spirits. It lasts only a few seconds, but it lingers, refusing to die...
Even Gloomy, the sickly little Colt on the disk, seems spooked by this development, his eyes widening in surprise. It seems his mother doesn't laugh often.
Posey finishes her outburst with a cute gigglesnort.
>Our leader, Peer Review, does not believe lichs exist - or to be a little more accurate, doesn’t think a mage calling themselves a lich can exist for two hundred and forty years without, well, food or a replenishing magic source. So he ordered it opened, probably to prove the point.
Posey bursts out laughing at this.
I think this is the first time Posey has laughed. It's such a peculiar laugh, in her usual soft and beautiful singsong voice, but something about it is... ominously dreadful, malevolent, and borderline supernatural. It booms and reverberates far further than should be proper for a mare of her size, echoing over itself until it fades out all too slowly, like howling ghost in the distance backed by a chorus of kerning spirits. It lasts only a few seconds, but it lingers, refusing to die...
Even Gloomy, the sickly little Colt on the disk, seems spooked by this development, his eyes widening in surprise. It seems his mother doesn't laugh often.
Posey finishes her outburst with a cute gigglesnort.
>>176923
>So apparently he defied that order and switched out the caskets, hiding the original one.
>We’ve already searched that room, the bedroom in front of it, the library, the smaller library, and the laboratories on the other side from where you came.
After her outburst, Posey lets the mare finish and addresses her description.
"Did you find any traces as to how he transported the real or the fake? Any skid marks or scratches on the floor?"
>So apparently he defied that order and switched out the caskets, hiding the original one.
>We’ve already searched that room, the bedroom in front of it, the library, the smaller library, and the laboratories on the other side from where you came.
After her outburst, Posey lets the mare finish and addresses her description.
"Did you find any traces as to how he transported the real or the fake? Any skid marks or scratches on the floor?"
>>176925
>I thought I found his phylactery and had it destroyed with help of Father Maren here in city, but there is chance that did not work or it was not actually his phylactery.
Rosey Ring's eye twitches somewhat
"You... Destroyed what you thought was his phylactery.. BEFORE you knew he was destroyed?"
It appears to be a rhetorical question, as the mare seems more exasperated than disbelieving
"The first impulse of those fighting liches. Destroying a Lich's phylactery doesn't destroy the lich, it just prevents them from resurrecting after being killed through other means. If what you destroyed was a phylactery and Curwhinny was indeed a lich, then he should still animate somewhere, but very, very, VERY angry."
>I thought I found his phylactery and had it destroyed with help of Father Maren here in city, but there is chance that did not work or it was not actually his phylactery.
Rosey Ring's eye twitches somewhat
"You... Destroyed what you thought was his phylactery.. BEFORE you knew he was destroyed?"
It appears to be a rhetorical question, as the mare seems more exasperated than disbelieving
"The first impulse of those fighting liches. Destroying a Lich's phylactery doesn't destroy the lich, it just prevents them from resurrecting after being killed through other means. If what you destroyed was a phylactery and Curwhinny was indeed a lich, then he should still animate somewhere, but very, very, VERY angry."
>>176927
“You laugh, but there’s a logic to it to him. He thinks that whatever energy a mage has is finite. They will need more from somewhere, and it’ll run out after almost a quarter millennium.. I tried to respond that if the mage went into a kind of stasis, or tupor, then a limited supply could well last a quarter millennium. But you must understand, Joseph Curwhinny is not an unknown figure to us. We know him as that business stallion who got rich off of carrying shipments of slaves for Zebrican traders and importing tobacco, then became a kind of weird recluse in his old age, eventually being murdered in what was basically a labor dispute. There’s not much room in that conception for him to have been a lich. To them, he’s the archetypal capitalist: the Stallion who built Baltimare. To call him a lich is an understandable exaggeration of his villainy, but ultimately unnecessary and a distraction from the real point.
I think the casket - and the term used was ‘casket’, and not sarcophagus - may have been light enough to be carried by two stallions if they were strong though for short distances. But they may have dropped it, put it down, or pushed it at some point. I didn’t see any scuff marks, but I wasn’t looking for them.”
>>176928
Concerned pony noises
“Lichs aren’t real, right? They can’t actually hurt us… right?”
“You laugh, but there’s a logic to it to him. He thinks that whatever energy a mage has is finite. They will need more from somewhere, and it’ll run out after almost a quarter millennium.. I tried to respond that if the mage went into a kind of stasis, or tupor, then a limited supply could well last a quarter millennium. But you must understand, Joseph Curwhinny is not an unknown figure to us. We know him as that business stallion who got rich off of carrying shipments of slaves for Zebrican traders and importing tobacco, then became a kind of weird recluse in his old age, eventually being murdered in what was basically a labor dispute. There’s not much room in that conception for him to have been a lich. To them, he’s the archetypal capitalist: the Stallion who built Baltimare. To call him a lich is an understandable exaggeration of his villainy, but ultimately unnecessary and a distraction from the real point.
I think the casket - and the term used was ‘casket’, and not sarcophagus - may have been light enough to be carried by two stallions if they were strong though for short distances. But they may have dropped it, put it down, or pushed it at some point. I didn’t see any scuff marks, but I wasn’t looking for them.”
>>176928
Concerned pony noises
“Lichs aren’t real, right? They can’t actually hurt us… right?”
>>176928
Silver's only physical reaction is to shrug.
"Liches have not been around in Equestria for many, many, many years. Curwhinny may have even been last 'living' lich to exist within this country. All of rest are over in Dread League, so those of us who would fight them do not get much chance to learn. And we do not get chance to research how to fight them either when we come to what we think is simple job clearing out quarry of few skeletons and zombies only to find out it is filled with literal army of ghasts. Still though, I am not so sure he will be so angry. What I saw of his journal, he had made peace with living normal life after his experiments failed. Well, before militia ponies showed up, that is."
>>176929
"I mean, there is entire country of them..."
Silver's only physical reaction is to shrug.
"Liches have not been around in Equestria for many, many, many years. Curwhinny may have even been last 'living' lich to exist within this country. All of rest are over in Dread League, so those of us who would fight them do not get much chance to learn. And we do not get chance to research how to fight them either when we come to what we think is simple job clearing out quarry of few skeletons and zombies only to find out it is filled with literal army of ghasts. Still though, I am not so sure he will be so angry. What I saw of his journal, he had made peace with living normal life after his experiments failed. Well, before militia ponies showed up, that is."
>>176929
"I mean, there is entire country of them..."
>>176929
>He thinks that whatever energy a mage has is finite.
"He knows little of magic then... The power of a mage is unlimited, the only question is how much power a horn can channel on any given day from the ambient magic so abundant in the universe, or the antithesis of such." Posey says, with a bit of a huff
>I think the casket - and the term used was ‘casket’, and not sarcophagus
"Oh, that's actually quite the difference, as it would affect what state his body is in."
>“Lichs aren’t real, right? They can’t actually hurt us… right?”
Posey does not laugh (her laughs are scarce), despite the hilarity of this question. Her paralyzed, professional face remains dead serious as she answers.
"Yes, they are, and they can."
>He thinks that whatever energy a mage has is finite.
"He knows little of magic then... The power of a mage is unlimited, the only question is how much power a horn can channel on any given day from the ambient magic so abundant in the universe, or the antithesis of such." Posey says, with a bit of a huff
>I think the casket - and the term used was ‘casket’, and not sarcophagus
"Oh, that's actually quite the difference, as it would affect what state his body is in."
>“Lichs aren’t real, right? They can’t actually hurt us… right?”
Posey does not laugh (her laughs are scarce), despite the hilarity of this question. Her paralyzed, professional face remains dead serious as she answers.
"Yes, they are, and they can."
>>176929
>I didn’t see any scuff marks, but I wasn’t looking for them.”
"Then let's go look for them." Posey says, proceeding towards said room.
>I didn’t see any scuff marks, but I wasn’t looking for them.”
"Then let's go look for them." Posey says, proceeding towards said room.
>>176933
Silver fishes around in his bags, taking a bit longer to do so than normal being in the dark and lacking night vision. After a few moments, he comes out with a hooffull of pieces that, judging from the small damaged picture among the remains, could have once been a locket. It looks like it was smashed apart with an edged weapon.
Silver fishes around in his bags, taking a bit longer to do so than normal being in the dark and lacking night vision. After a few moments, he comes out with a hooffull of pieces that, judging from the small damaged picture among the remains, could have once been a locket. It looks like it was smashed apart with an edged weapon.
>>176934
>What doses it change?
"A sarcophagus, literally meaning 'corpse eater', gets itself name from how the limestone slowly consumes the flesh of the body. If he were in a sarcophagus for centuries without proper dressings, he would be nothing but bones or even dust by now. It's why vampires prefer wooden caskets." She explains.
>Why would we want to go looking for it at all?
"Because that's my job." Posey says, flatly
"Besides, these grounds have been disturbed, and magic casket or not, some things refuse to stay buried. If we just let the casket stay misplaced, we will regret it later, inevitably." She continues
"Besides, Glass Horizons will want to know about it before his insurance finds out."
>What doses it change?
"A sarcophagus, literally meaning 'corpse eater', gets itself name from how the limestone slowly consumes the flesh of the body. If he were in a sarcophagus for centuries without proper dressings, he would be nothing but bones or even dust by now. It's why vampires prefer wooden caskets." She explains.
>Why would we want to go looking for it at all?
"Because that's my job." Posey says, flatly
"Besides, these grounds have been disturbed, and magic casket or not, some things refuse to stay buried. If we just let the casket stay misplaced, we will regret it later, inevitably." She continues
"Besides, Glass Horizons will want to know about it before his insurance finds out."
>>176938
"A memory of something precious... It's not easy to tell now that any magic it would have had has now vanished, but it's plausible." Rosey Ring replies, squinting at the locket
"A memory of something precious... It's not easy to tell now that any magic it would have had has now vanished, but it's plausible." Rosey Ring replies, squinting at the locket
>>176940
With a bit of trepidation due to the nature of the item in question, Silver nods. Realizing that it may be difficult to tell in the dark, he vocally confirms this.
"You may. Maybe it is real, or maybe it turns out Maren got his magic sword out for nothing after all, who knows."
With a bit of trepidation due to the nature of the item in question, Silver nods. Realizing that it may be difficult to tell in the dark, he vocally confirms this.
"You may. Maybe it is real, or maybe it turns out Maren got his magic sword out for nothing after all, who knows."
>>176942
"...yeah, you know I wouldn't. Anyways...enough about me, I'm a pretty boring subject. But you..." Kira rights herself in her coils. "So...have you had any crushes on males?"
"...yeah, you know I wouldn't. Anyways...enough about me, I'm a pretty boring subject. But you..." Kira rights herself in her coils. "So...have you had any crushes on males?"
>>176942
Posey would like to search the room where the casket was, to look for signs of any pony activity.
Posey would like to search the room where the casket was, to look for signs of any pony activity.
>>176944
"Hehe, I could tell. You wanted to sit in one's lap and the other you tried hitting on even though he's married. He seemed into the attention, though, so I think you had a chance. Have, since I think we succeeded in not scaring him off!" Kira beams a bright smile at Neela.
"Hehe, I could tell. You wanted to sit in one's lap and the other you tried hitting on even though he's married. He seemed into the attention, though, so I think you had a chance. Have, since I think we succeeded in not scaring him off!" Kira beams a bright smile at Neela.
File (): 700C16355F1603E98555E52ED7418F6F-183688.jpg (179.4 KB, 1024x1024, IMG_9006.jpeg)
>>176945
>No one wants to look in the only place in the entire structure that hasn’t already been checked - the only place that’s like a traditional catacomb with bodies in the walls.
I had to look up if “search” is trained check to see if maybe that’s the reason why you haven’t done it thirty posts after being told to do it.
I really am going to have to describe every single place the casket isn’t before being able to finally describe where it is, aren’t I?
>No one wants to look in the only place in the entire structure that hasn’t already been checked - the only place that’s like a traditional catacomb with bodies in the walls.
I had to look up if “search” is trained check to see if maybe that’s the reason why you haven’t done it thirty posts after being told to do it.
I really am going to have to describe every single place the casket isn’t before being able to finally describe where it is, aren’t I?
>>176950
>the only place that’s like a traditional catacomb with bodies in the walls
Pardon, I just haven't been able to fully absorb the description of the dungeon.
Now that you point it out, it sounds like an obvious location to search.
>the only place that’s like a traditional catacomb with bodies in the walls
Pardon, I just haven't been able to fully absorb the description of the dungeon.
Now that you point it out, it sounds like an obvious location to search.
"Say, are there any catacombs in this dungeon? A place where various inanimate bodies or caskets may be stored?"
>>176914
Amber shrinks beneath the scolding of her father the would-be murderer. She looks aside with teary eyes before forcing herself to look back at him. Her lips are stretched back to the point her molars are showing, and her voice is tremulous.
"But…ponies would be talking about what happened to Vaeltaja. Maybe even more than they are now, whether they know the truth or not. They'll be hanging onto his words, thinking about what was done to him. I'm scared too, Papa, but doing this will only make things worse before the inspector comes, and we'll have to bear the guilt of knowing what you did."
She sniffs. The filly is leaned back low enough to make an indent in the snow. "There has to be another way. You could, you could…send him away from the village so nopony talks to him. And there must be something we don't know about, since ponies don't act this way just from words. Something else is doing that."
>>176930
Would Silver know what the Dread League is? I thought it was basically unknown to most.
Amber shrinks beneath the scolding of her father the would-be murderer. She looks aside with teary eyes before forcing herself to look back at him. Her lips are stretched back to the point her molars are showing, and her voice is tremulous.
"But…ponies would be talking about what happened to Vaeltaja. Maybe even more than they are now, whether they know the truth or not. They'll be hanging onto his words, thinking about what was done to him. I'm scared too, Papa, but doing this will only make things worse before the inspector comes, and we'll have to bear the guilt of knowing what you did."
She sniffs. The filly is leaned back low enough to make an indent in the snow. "There has to be another way. You could, you could…send him away from the village so nopony talks to him. And there must be something we don't know about, since ponies don't act this way just from words. Something else is doing that."
>>176930
Would Silver know what the Dread League is? I thought it was basically unknown to most.
>>176946
She smiles, tilts her head, and briefly wags her puffy tail. “You think so?”
>>176953
Pear Faucet:
“Yes, the set of hallways past the entry door have recessed burial chambers. It was probably the first place we catalogued.”
>>176957
Silver perhaps recalls a skeleton becoming animated and pulling itself out of the walls in the hallway not far past the entry door where they found and fought The Corporal.
>>176954
“Little pony… You just… We have to do something to stop him. To stop this. We can’t banish him. He’s too popular. We’d have to bring it up in council, and Ukkonen would defend him. He would defend himself. It wouldn’t work. It would put us in danger, if anything. We can’t reason with him. He thinks the apocalypse is coming and will not fear the Central Council. He is beyond reason. The most obvious thing to do would be to go get the inspector, probably at Kaukainen Piste, and tell him we have a compliance and probably a medical emergency that we cannot contain. But he’ll think it only got this bad by our deliberate indifference. You must understand. I was in the War. Our Council has already been written up for much, much less egregious violations of the ban on public displays of religion. We will be suspected. Not just Vaeltaja.
I think there is something else happening. A virus, or maybe a bacteria. Probably locked in the soil, and unleashed when that meteor melted and scattered the frost. Distemper, or something else. We’re seeing it more amongst Vaeltaja’s followers because he takes them out to The Blast.
But maybe it is just religious fervor. When the role of Shaman was abolished, it created a desire for a new priest. The Pathway Forward is not popular out here as the Old Gods, even the Central Council understands that. There is a reason why Pakkasen wanted to let Vaeltaja preach when he first started. There is a reason Ukkonen follows him even now. Vaeltaja preaches of a world where we see our loved ones again - of a world that isn’t so dark and so cold. Little Kultainen, you need to understand. This is all nonsense. The pathway forward to a better world and a better life - this one and only world, and our one and only life - will be long, hard, and require great sacrifice, but it is very much worth it. And if you want us to see each other after this week, Varltaja must be taken care of.”
She smiles, tilts her head, and briefly wags her puffy tail. “You think so?”
>>176953
Pear Faucet:
“Yes, the set of hallways past the entry door have recessed burial chambers. It was probably the first place we catalogued.”
>>176957
Silver perhaps recalls a skeleton becoming animated and pulling itself out of the walls in the hallway not far past the entry door where they found and fought The Corporal.
>>176954
“Little pony… You just… We have to do something to stop him. To stop this. We can’t banish him. He’s too popular. We’d have to bring it up in council, and Ukkonen would defend him. He would defend himself. It wouldn’t work. It would put us in danger, if anything. We can’t reason with him. He thinks the apocalypse is coming and will not fear the Central Council. He is beyond reason. The most obvious thing to do would be to go get the inspector, probably at Kaukainen Piste, and tell him we have a compliance and probably a medical emergency that we cannot contain. But he’ll think it only got this bad by our deliberate indifference. You must understand. I was in the War. Our Council has already been written up for much, much less egregious violations of the ban on public displays of religion. We will be suspected. Not just Vaeltaja.
I think there is something else happening. A virus, or maybe a bacteria. Probably locked in the soil, and unleashed when that meteor melted and scattered the frost. Distemper, or something else. We’re seeing it more amongst Vaeltaja’s followers because he takes them out to The Blast.
But maybe it is just religious fervor. When the role of Shaman was abolished, it created a desire for a new priest. The Pathway Forward is not popular out here as the Old Gods, even the Central Council understands that. There is a reason why Pakkasen wanted to let Vaeltaja preach when he first started. There is a reason Ukkonen follows him even now. Vaeltaja preaches of a world where we see our loved ones again - of a world that isn’t so dark and so cold. Little Kultainen, you need to understand. This is all nonsense. The pathway forward to a better world and a better life - this one and only world, and our one and only life - will be long, hard, and require great sacrifice, but it is very much worth it. And if you want us to see each other after this week, Varltaja must be taken care of.”
>>176958
Kira nods enthusiastically.
"Well yeah! If he wasn't into it you'd think he would have stated, 'ma'am, I'm married' or something like that towards your advances. But he didn't, so...I think you have a chance!"
Kira nods enthusiastically.
"Well yeah! If he wasn't into it you'd think he would have stated, 'ma'am, I'm married' or something like that towards your advances. But he didn't, so...I think you have a chance!"
>>176957
Catacombs are something that Posey would be interested in examining even if she had no quest, just for recreation.
>>176958
>“Yes, the set of hallways past the entry door have recessed burial chambers. It was probably the first place we catalogued.”
"That sounds like the ideal place to hide a casket. Let's go check there."
Catacombs are something that Posey would be interested in examining even if she had no quest, just for recreation.
>>176958
>“Yes, the set of hallways past the entry door have recessed burial chambers. It was probably the first place we catalogued.”
"That sounds like the ideal place to hide a casket. Let's go check there."
>>176958
Tears run down Amber's cheeks as she listens to the horrible dilemma. "If you can kill him, you can drive him away. Just get him away from here without hurting him. Please don't do anything so terrible!"
Tears run down Amber's cheeks as she listens to the horrible dilemma. "If you can kill him, you can drive him away. Just get him away from here without hurting him. Please don't do anything so terrible!"
>>176960
Stilling wagging her small, tuft of a tail,
"Hey yeah, that's right. He seemed a bit receptive. You think we'll see him more, right? Maybe he'll be even more receptive in the future. It's a shame we couldn't get either of those movers to stay... Maybe if we had some alcohol. That's what we really need is some alcohol.
>>176964
He breaks eye contact and looks away. He appears to be crying to.
"We don't - we don't have much of a choice, Kultainen..."
>>176959
>>176961
>>176965
Moving away from the central area and along the hallway, past the laboratories, the hallway extends for some feet before turning at a 90 degree angle. There, it continues, coming to a busted down wooden door on the right, and then eventually ending in a mirrored 90 degree turn to the left, which comes back to the central room.
Along the walls of the hallway are recessed burial chambers like in a traditional catacomb or crypt. These are two high, each one offset from the one above or below, and with rounded ends on the top, but flat on the bottom. Some of these are sealed with brick and mortar. Some of them are completely open, and completely vacant. Where this occurs, Posey can see that these are carved into the clay, and supported by stone. A few have clear evidence of being broken open, with bricks on the ground, or with bricks partially covering them. One at least contains a complete equine skeleton.
Periodically, along the floor, there are little markings, sometimes with a small flag with a flat base to stand upright, sometimes with yarn, and most often with chalk, of locations along the floor.
But what may be most interesting is one of the burial chambers on the lower level. Barely squeezed in between the rounded portions on the top, and filling essentially the entire space, is a large stone rectangle. There are signs of chipping and scratches along the edges of the recess, and a few on the stone itself.
Stilling wagging her small, tuft of a tail,
"Hey yeah, that's right. He seemed a bit receptive. You think we'll see him more, right? Maybe he'll be even more receptive in the future. It's a shame we couldn't get either of those movers to stay... Maybe if we had some alcohol. That's what we really need is some alcohol.
>>176964
He breaks eye contact and looks away. He appears to be crying to.
"We don't - we don't have much of a choice, Kultainen..."
>>176959
>>176961
>>176965
Moving away from the central area and along the hallway, past the laboratories, the hallway extends for some feet before turning at a 90 degree angle. There, it continues, coming to a busted down wooden door on the right, and then eventually ending in a mirrored 90 degree turn to the left, which comes back to the central room.
Along the walls of the hallway are recessed burial chambers like in a traditional catacomb or crypt. These are two high, each one offset from the one above or below, and with rounded ends on the top, but flat on the bottom. Some of these are sealed with brick and mortar. Some of them are completely open, and completely vacant. Where this occurs, Posey can see that these are carved into the clay, and supported by stone. A few have clear evidence of being broken open, with bricks on the ground, or with bricks partially covering them. One at least contains a complete equine skeleton.
Periodically, along the floor, there are little markings, sometimes with a small flag with a flat base to stand upright, sometimes with yarn, and most often with chalk, of locations along the floor.
But what may be most interesting is one of the burial chambers on the lower level. Barely squeezed in between the rounded portions on the top, and filling essentially the entire space, is a large stone rectangle. There are signs of chipping and scratches along the edges of the recess, and a few on the stone itself.
>>176966
>But what may be most interesting is one of the burial chambers on the lower level. Barely squeezed in between the rounded portions on the top, and filling essentially the entire space, is a large stone rectangle.
That sounds like what we're looking for. Posey examines this first.
>But what may be most interesting is one of the burial chambers on the lower level. Barely squeezed in between the rounded portions on the top, and filling essentially the entire space, is a large stone rectangle.
That sounds like what we're looking for. Posey examines this first.
>>176966
>Some of these are sealed with brick and mortar. Some of them are completely open, and completely vacant. Where this occurs, Posey can see that these are carved into the clay, and supported by stone. A few have clear evidence of being broken open, with bricks on the ground, or with bricks partially covering them.
Does the brick and mortar appear to be more than 1 foot?
>Some of these are sealed with brick and mortar. Some of them are completely open, and completely vacant. Where this occurs, Posey can see that these are carved into the clay, and supported by stone. A few have clear evidence of being broken open, with bricks on the ground, or with bricks partially covering them.
Does the brick and mortar appear to be more than 1 foot?
>>176968
It is not decorated in any way, and fits within half of an inch of the top of the recess, and is snug with the edges, clearly having hit and slightly damaged the edges of the recess as it was placed. Best guess to the substance it is made of is a cheaper or perhaps spoiliated white marble. The lid as well as parts of the container itself show obvious signs of serious cracking and damage, very unlikely to have been caused during transport, based on the positioning of the damage on the top. There are presumably slots for iron spikes to keep the top in place, though the marble near these is cracked.
>>176969
About 7 and three quarters inches in thickness, which is to say, standard brick width.
Go ahead. You won’t desperately wish you had those spells slots later, to accomplish what could have waited a day, or have been accomplished with a hammer.
It is not decorated in any way, and fits within half of an inch of the top of the recess, and is snug with the edges, clearly having hit and slightly damaged the edges of the recess as it was placed. Best guess to the substance it is made of is a cheaper or perhaps spoiliated white marble. The lid as well as parts of the container itself show obvious signs of serious cracking and damage, very unlikely to have been caused during transport, based on the positioning of the damage on the top. There are presumably slots for iron spikes to keep the top in place, though the marble near these is cracked.
>>176969
About 7 and three quarters inches in thickness, which is to say, standard brick width.
Go ahead. You won’t desperately wish you had those spells slots later, to accomplish what could have waited a day, or have been accomplished with a hammer.
>>176971
“That’s about the sane dimensions, more or less” she says. “Maybe very slightly larger, but I don’t have a measuring tape on me.”
>if you detect magic on the burial chamber you won’t be able to detect magic on anything later
Actually, that makes things more fun
“That’s about the sane dimensions, more or less” she says. “Maybe very slightly larger, but I don’t have a measuring tape on me.”
>if you detect magic on the burial chamber you won’t be able to detect magic on anything later
Actually, that makes things more fun
>>176972
>“That’s about the same dimensions, more or less” she says. “Maybe very slightly larger, but I don’t have a measuring tape on me.”
"Have you actually seen the original?"
>you won’t be able to detect magic on anything later
I can still cast it out of my lvl 1 slots, but I would rather avoid that because I need those, and Dread Necromancers don't get any lvl 0 slots for some reason.
>“That’s about the same dimensions, more or less” she says. “Maybe very slightly larger, but I don’t have a measuring tape on me.”
"Have you actually seen the original?"
>you won’t be able to detect magic on anything later
I can still cast it out of my lvl 1 slots, but I would rather avoid that because I need those, and Dread Necromancers don't get any lvl 0 slots for some reason.
>>176973
>I can still cast it out of my lvl 1 slots, but I would rather avoid that because I need those
Correct. You do.
“Uh, well… briefly… I can confirm there were no markings and I do think it was marble. But I can’t say I did much more than a quick examination.”
>I can still cast it out of my lvl 1 slots, but I would rather avoid that because I need those
Correct. You do.
“Uh, well… briefly… I can confirm there were no markings and I do think it was marble. But I can’t say I did much more than a quick examination.”
>>176974
"I could cast a spell to detect Undead, with the same range as my magic detection. It would at least tell us if there's any monsters nearby or in this casket."
"I could cast a spell to detect Undead, with the same range as my magic detection. It would at least tell us if there's any monsters nearby or in this casket."
>>176975
Pear:
“Any monsters, in that casket or otherwise, are sealed away. They are only dangerous if we disturb them.”
Pear:
“Any monsters, in that casket or otherwise, are sealed away. They are only dangerous if we disturb them.”
>>176979
>>176977
"It would not look good for my track record if I missed undead creatures here when I had already received payment. Anyways, this casket looks like it is correct one."
(OOC, there is one issue with using detect spells I've figured out: if you use Detect Magic, you won't find any other magic items left to be found here in the catacombs, and Detect Undead is the same way for undead if Rosey was, somehow, an evil dread necromancer looking for undead minions for her new lair.)
>>176977
"It would not look good for my track record if I missed undead creatures here when I had already received payment. Anyways, this casket looks like it is correct one."
(OOC, there is one issue with using detect spells I've figured out: if you use Detect Magic, you won't find any other magic items left to be found here in the catacombs, and Detect Undead is the same way for undead if Rosey was, somehow, an evil dread necromancer looking for undead minions for her new lair.)
>>176979
>She speaks without confidence
"You can't even be sure if Curwhinny was a lich or not. And if this-" she brandishes the locket "really was a phylactery, then that means that Curwhinny is a lich just waiting to be released. It's my responsibility to identify the problem before it acutely gets worse." She replies
"A landslide, an earthquake, a flood, an astrological event, a change in local politics, a war. There's no shortage of factors that could change the behavior of undead and rouse them from their slumber. Knowing is half the battle. Besides, I owe it to Mr. Horizons to report any potential liabilities on the property to him." Posey says
>She speaks without confidence
"You can't even be sure if Curwhinny was a lich or not. And if this-" she brandishes the locket "really was a phylactery, then that means that Curwhinny is a lich just waiting to be released. It's my responsibility to identify the problem before it acutely gets worse." She replies
"A landslide, an earthquake, a flood, an astrological event, a change in local politics, a war. There's no shortage of factors that could change the behavior of undead and rouse them from their slumber. Knowing is half the battle. Besides, I owe it to Mr. Horizons to report any potential liabilities on the property to him." Posey says
>>176966
"I definitely think we'll see more of him! It's not just that he's a source of food for me, I really do think he came to like us and see us as friends, seeing well beyond our forms and origins to see that we're genuinely great creatures! And now that he sees that, I'm certain your charms will be even more effective on him!" Kira flicks her tongue as she smiles. "Some alcohol would be nice to have for occasions. I like a good glass of wine every now and then. How about you? Any beer, wine, or spirits you're a fan of?"
"I definitely think we'll see more of him! It's not just that he's a source of food for me, I really do think he came to like us and see us as friends, seeing well beyond our forms and origins to see that we're genuinely great creatures! And now that he sees that, I'm certain your charms will be even more effective on him!" Kira flicks her tongue as she smiles. "Some alcohol would be nice to have for occasions. I like a good glass of wine every now and then. How about you? Any beer, wine, or spirits you're a fan of?"
>>176983
>"It sounds as if you mean to open casket. Are you?"
"Before I decide that, I'm going to check if anything in it will leap out at us."
Posey casts Detect Undead.
>weak to bombs and gun
The white unicorn snickers.
>"It sounds as if you mean to open casket. Are you?"
"Before I decide that, I'm going to check if anything in it will leap out at us."
Posey casts Detect Undead.
>weak to bombs and gun
The white unicorn snickers.
>>176985
Silver sees that little unicorn snicker.
"What? How do you think I ended up dealing with army of undead that was holed up in these catacombs? I took potion to hide me from them, lured them out into quarry using smelly bait and gunshots, drew them over to unexploded bomb lodged in quarry wall, and blew it up from distance using rifle. Most were obliterated instantly, those that survived were missing such significant portions of their bodies that they were unable to move, making them easy targets to snipe. Only two that survived intact were undead knight and mummy as both were outside blast radius, and passing Roc that was lured by that same sticky bait I used tore both of them to shreds fighting over it."
Silver sees that little unicorn snicker.
"What? How do you think I ended up dealing with army of undead that was holed up in these catacombs? I took potion to hide me from them, lured them out into quarry using smelly bait and gunshots, drew them over to unexploded bomb lodged in quarry wall, and blew it up from distance using rifle. Most were obliterated instantly, those that survived were missing such significant portions of their bodies that they were unable to move, making them easy targets to snipe. Only two that survived intact were undead knight and mummy as both were outside blast radius, and passing Roc that was lured by that same sticky bait I used tore both of them to shreds fighting over it."
>>176987
Silver seems a little unconvinced that a lich could survive being blown to literal pieces, or would even want to survive.
>>176988
Have we mentioned that Pear is a silly pony? Still, probably a smart decision to stand next to the strong and seemingly confident Silver.
"Yes, passing Roc. Those giant birds that hunt dragons? Came out of seemingly nowhere and started fighting mummy and undead knight for bait. It is why those two were in such terrible condition."
Silver seems a little unconvinced that a lich could survive being blown to literal pieces, or would even want to survive.
>>176988
Have we mentioned that Pear is a silly pony? Still, probably a smart decision to stand next to the strong and seemingly confident Silver.
"Yes, passing Roc. Those giant birds that hunt dragons? Came out of seemingly nowhere and started fighting mummy and undead knight for bait. It is why those two were in such terrible condition."
>>176988
>Nothing in the casket.
"No undead in this casket."
>The walls next to Posey, however….
Posey cautiously moves in that direction, concentrating on the spell to read the strength of the aura.
>Nothing in the casket.
"No undead in this casket."
>The walls next to Posey, however….
Posey cautiously moves in that direction, concentrating on the spell to read the strength of the aura.
>>176990
And by move, I mean just aim the cone in that direction.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=giF3A1d2ox0
And by move, I mean just aim the cone in that direction.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=giF3A1d2ox0
>>176984
“He’s a source of foo- oh, you mean the farm. I definitely want to see him again. Hopefully with alcohol. Yes, I like all alcohols. Well, most. Vodka is the best because it works the quickest, but I’ll take a cheap wine or beer. You have wine back in… where your from?
>>176989
No ur a silly pony
>>176992
Not… that I can recall
>>176990
It’s two, one on each side besides the casket. One is on the higher level (on the left) and one is on the lower level (on the right). Both are not especially strong, but probably muffled by the brick and stone.
“He’s a source of foo- oh, you mean the farm. I definitely want to see him again. Hopefully with alcohol. Yes, I like all alcohols. Well, most. Vodka is the best because it works the quickest, but I’ll take a cheap wine or beer. You have wine back in… where your from?
>>176989
No ur a silly pony
>>176992
Not… that I can recall
>>176990
It’s two, one on each side besides the casket. One is on the higher level (on the left) and one is on the lower level (on the right). Both are not especially strong, but probably muffled by the brick and stone.
>>176993
>Both are not especially strong, but probably muffled by the brick and stone.
If it's less than a foot of stone, Posey should be able to determine the aura strength.
A lich, by definition, has 11 or more HD, so it's aura strength would be overwhelming.
Posey squints as she aims her cone of detection up and down the catacombs.
"...I can't sense any auras that match that of a lich..."
>Both are not especially strong, but probably muffled by the brick and stone.
If it's less than a foot of stone, Posey should be able to determine the aura strength.
A lich, by definition, has 11 or more HD, so it's aura strength would be overwhelming.
Posey squints as she aims her cone of detection up and down the catacombs.
"...I can't sense any auras that match that of a lich..."
>>176993
"Well yeah, did you think I meant I was going to eat him? Anyways, yeah, we've got wine, it's probably the most common option for alcohol we've got. There's beer, too, but I definitely prefer wine. I've never heard of vodka before."
"Well yeah, did you think I meant I was going to eat him? Anyways, yeah, we've got wine, it's probably the most common option for alcohol we've got. There's beer, too, but I definitely prefer wine. I've never heard of vodka before."
>>176995
"Hmm...it could be they were wrong, and he was not in fact lich. It seems weird they would use their dying moments to write that warning for nothing, however. In that case he would likely be little more than skeleton. It is also possible he could be masking his aura, somehow, such as if he is in kind of stasis. Can you detect any kind of life signs?"
"Hmm...it could be they were wrong, and he was not in fact lich. It seems weird they would use their dying moments to write that warning for nothing, however. In that case he would likely be little more than skeleton. It is also possible he could be masking his aura, somehow, such as if he is in kind of stasis. Can you detect any kind of life signs?"
Posey takes out her notebook and begins writing something.
>>176997
>Can you detect any kind of life signs?
"I can detect magic, and I can detect undead. Anything else is outside my sphere of expertise."
>Can you detect any kind of life signs?
"I can detect magic, and I can detect undead. Anything else is outside my sphere of expertise."
oh, lol