/vx/ - Videogames and Paranormal

>>175682
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.

>>175683
It'll do! Amber grabs a bowl of goulash and some bread and goes to sit down.

>>175685
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

>>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?"

>>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."

>>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?"

>>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..."

>>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."

>>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."

>>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"

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]

>>175694
"Who came into your town?" Amber leans forward with interest and starts eating the goulash.

>>175695
Sasha, less paralyzed than believed, clicks rapidly
“Tlct tlct tlct tlct”

The priest nods
“The wisdom of the Crocutta. I had not considered that. Agire would have. I would not…”

>>175696
“The- the Army. The Republicans.” He answers

>>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...

>>175697
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.

>>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."

>>175702
spooky
"They didn't bother you much, did they? I mean the soldiers," she asks with concern.

>>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]

>>175702
Posey ushers Gloomy to stay behind her, and telepathically commands the ghast to defend her from whatever is about to be unleashed.

>>175704
It’s actually very simple:

She failed to kill it. No offering took place.

>>175705
The ghast is very uncomfortable, and wants - tries - to flee.

>>175703
“Not- not too much. I didn’t like being made to get the IDs. And they didn’t like equestrian flags flying in some places.”

>>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?"

>>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

>>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.

>>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?"

>>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.

>>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 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)

>>175710
Posey does, if nothing else, gain advantage of first move.

>>175711
He just looks at her in long silence, saying nothing.

>>175712
It’s still alive. Best guess is plant or fungoid type.

>>175713
The Reverend shouts something in a foreign language. It’s definitely curse words.

>>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.

>>175716
“A what now?” He asks

>>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]

>>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?

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]

>>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.

>>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?"

>>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

>>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."

>>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.”

>>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."

>>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?”

>>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."

>>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?”

>>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.

>>175730
“So back to your place once you’re finished?” He asks

>>175731
"You don't feel tired tonight?" she responds with surprise.

>>175732
“I do.” He answers. “But you missed earlier and you don’t want to upset Salt Mixer.”

>>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]

>>175733
"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.

>>175735
“So what you really mean is ‘you don’t want to’?”

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?

>>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.

>>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.

>>175740
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.

>>175741
He shrugs
"Private, away from coworkers. Much closer than your apartment. We could make it quick."

>>175742
A level appropriate monster.

>My seed is already planted in you. I will have you regardless.
It turns away from Posey, and towards the priest

>>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]

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?"

>>175746
“So…. Not at all?” He replies

>>175743
If the monster spent its turn moving, is it Posey's turn?

>>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.

>>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.

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.

>>175743
Is it Posey's turn yet?

Are we still doing this, GM?

>>175752
Salt Mixer is in the back now, locking up the cash. But she is there.

>>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."

>>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]

>>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."

>>175758
“Bahh!” He cries in terror

Opposed.
[1d20+2 = (18+2) = 20]

>>175759
“You didn’t leave with Trim? I just saw him walking away…” she remarks more to herself than as a serious question to Amber

Roll Charisma

>>175757
Her ears go back, abd eyes go wide.

>>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]

>>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."

>>175757
>>175763
She grins, and her ears go back up.
“Sure. Would you like to go back to my room?”

>>175762
“BAHHH!”
Hopper screams and cries while he thrashes about. But it is no avail. Several bones are broken, and Kira still has him in her grasp.

>>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]

>>175765
Silver grins widely. This is definitely an unexpected turn, but a welcome one.

"Absolutely."

>>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.

GM, I'm here to finish the encounter whenever you're ready.

>>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?"

>>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]

>>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.”

>>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.

>>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?"

>>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.”

>>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."

>>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."

>>175769
>>175776
Does the monster do anything else on its turn?

>>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.”

>>175779
Soon (TM). There’s several mechanics

>>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."

>>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."

>>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