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Occupied Equestria - We’re Starting It This Thread I Swear
Anonymous
989814f
?
No.177003
177010
Continuing, and hopefully introducing new characters.

And on the wrong damn post number
1663 replies and 78 files omitted.
Anonymous
18d1eca
?
No.178585
178587 178589 178638
>>178582
Might be worthwhile for a hail Mary diplomacy roll.

>>178584
Please stop constantly antagonizing the specific player in and out of character. It only does harm.
Cavaliere
22573a8
?
No.178586
178590
>>178561
"There are millions of griffons in the world, Miss Kira. Some good, some bad. I can only try to be one of the better ones."

Cavaliere returns to chat with Adamance. "I couldn't help but overhear. We are called for a reason." He lowers his voice and leans forward such that the Major cannot overhear. "I am a new arrival myself, but the ponies in charge are rather suspicious of Equestrians, and Harmonists in particular. I am not sure how you have managed to not just avoid this, but be hired by them on a confidential mission. You probably have your ways and contacts. I appreciate that, but do exercise caution."

He gets the opportunity to listen in on Posey's message.

Listen: [1d20+3 = (8+3) = 11]
Sense motive (8 ranks + 3 wisdom modifier): [1d20+11 = (15+11) = 26]
Amber Sunset
22573a8
?
No.178587
178605
>>178585
[1d20+7 = (15+7) = 22]

>>178584
Brie, but also you.
Anonymous
6611fb3
?
No.178588
178638
[1d20+8 = (18+8) = 26] spot
Rosey "Posey" Ring
9348057
?
No.178589
178594 178616
>>178585
>Please stop constantly antagonizing
You got me wrong. I'm not trying to antagonize at all. I acknowledged that our characters should have natural disagreements, but I was roleplaying to cooperate in spite of that.

Rosey Ring doesn't want any paladins to get arrested for loyalty to the princesses by the Blackhooves, for the sake reason that she didn't report seeing August Wreath.Telling Tenebrous to keep his oath secret was genuine advice, both in and out of character.
Now that she's hidden her alignment with magic, she can confidently be friendly with him without risking exposure to herself. Perhaps later she might even tell him about August Wreath, who she secretly supports because she wants to squish all of the Changelings before they destroy everything that she herself wants to destroy, and knights of the old guard may be pivotal to that cause because of their motivation to save the princesses.
I like Tenebrous and I am rationalizing ways to be friendly with him, in spite of confliction alignment and background.
Rosey "Posey" Ring
9348057
?
No.178590
178593
>>178586
If you were right next to Adamance talking to him, the DC for Listen is much lower, so you hear the chainshirt clad unicorn whisper her secret entire message to Tenebrous.
I did not expect you to be able to make that check. Darn. Oh well.
What do you do with this information?
Anonymous
6611fb3
?
No.178592
>>178591
And you are? I roled a 26 on a spot check for whatever posey was trying to hide
Cavaliere
22573a8
?
No.178593
178595
>>178572
>>178590
He turns to the unicorn, eyes widened slightly. "You understand the situation in this land quite well. Miss, Rosey Ring it was?"
Anonymous
63be727
?
No.178594
178598
>>178589
I’m not talking about Tenebrous. I am talking about the other bat.
Rosey "Posey" Ring
9348057
?
No.178595
178596
>>178593
Rosey Ring keeps her callously-beautiful poker face, but with a check like that you can see by the twitch in her eye that she's ever slow slightly ticked-off and alarmed that the griffon saw through her bluff, ever so confident in her skills.
"Studying Equestrian history and politics is quite common in Farbrook: we try to stay in touch with our roots. It's part of my profession too: there's always work for a Necrologist where there's war..."
Cavaliere
22573a8
?
No.178596
178597
>>178595
I suppose I should roll for knowledge on Farbrook and its relation to Equestria.

Knowledge: Geography (+5 ranks, +2 intelligence)
[1d20+7 = (7+7) = 14]
Rosey "Posey" Ring
9348057
?
No.178597
178599 178616
>>178596
I think that's enough to know that it's a pony colony in northern griffonia.
They are a harmonist pony culture, surrounded by hostile countries on most sides:
https://equestria-at-war.fandom.com/wiki/Farbrook
Rosey "Posey" Ring
9348057
?
No.178598
>>178594
Okay. I was just fucking around with the sperm count bluff. I'll cut it out.
Cavaliere
22573a8
?
No.178599
178600
>>178597
"Those are truly ancient roots. Keeping abreast of current events is always valuable. For example, here in Baltimare…"

He chats about several recent events that he had read earlier in the morning. >>177970
Rosey "Posey" Ring
9348057
?
No.178600
178601
>>178599
Rosey Ring nods
"I've only been in Baltimare for about a week. I'm still getting used to this city. I had been planning to move to Equestria for years, but then the war happened..."
Cavaliere
22573a8
?
No.178601
178602
>>178600
"What interested you back then? Weren't you still studying at the time?"
Rosey "Posey" Ring
9348057
?
No.178602
178603
>>178601
"Yes, I was interested in studying magic in Equestria and seeing its culture for myself. Every apprentice in Farbrook is. It's a bit of a rite of passage for gifted students. I thought I might even raise my son in Canterlot, but it wasn't to be..."
Cavaliere
22573a8
?
No.178603
178604
>>178602
"I was aware that Farbrook is poor by pony standards and still abides by a feudal model. Given how remote it is, it must be expensive to visit Equestria, let alone stay here."
Rosey "Posey" Ring
9348057
?
No.178604
178606 178607
>>178603
"Yes, yes, I worked my entire life to get where I am now. I thought it was my 'destiny'... I'm not sure if I'll ever get to see Canterlot though."
She gives a wistful sigh
Anonymous
63be727
?
No.178605
178612
>>178582
>>178587
Metsän Vaeltaja: ”I understand quite enough. You must have labor to keep the fire going or else you’ll freeze. You must work the long day in summer to gather the lichen and ferns for the winter or else you’ll starve. Place the blossom at the shrine and light a fire to remember the dead. Cede our ancestral lands to the griffins. We can do better. The seraph can bring light and warmth. He can speak to the dead. He can conjure things unlike what we’ve seen. I know he can. You must not try to stop this.”

Kakainen Ukkonen: ”You spoke to the Seraph?! Marionettes?”
The Floof and The Noodle
7aa5c3a
?
No.178606
178608
>>178604
Silver: "I do believe Canterlot ended up on New Mareland side of border when peace treaty was ratified. Perhaps it is too close to Changeling border for your taste, but it is still under pony control."
Cavaliere
22573a8
?
No.178607
178611
>>178604
"It shouldn't be difficult. Canterlot is on this side of the Changeling border and internal migration controls are not too strict and they should let you through. It must have been difficult studying on top of raising a son. How old is he, if I may ask? Are you married?"
Anonymous
9348057
?
No.178608
178609
>>178606
I guess I'm just stupid then. Strike that part of the conversation.
The Floof and The Noodle
7aa5c3a
?
No.178609
>>178608
I don't think that's necessary. It's not as if Posey would have perfect knowledge about every single city and settlement that ended up on one side of the border or the other. It's entirely reasonable for her to believe it's under Changeling control.
Anonymous
9348057
?
No.178610
I need to find a map of the occupation so I can make up a new (fake) character motivation that involves travelling Equestria...
Rosey "Posey" Ring
9348057
?
No.178611
178613
>>178607
"He is almost 8 years old. I am not married."
Amber Sunset
22573a8
?
No.178612
178619
>>178605
Amber has a manic look to her, not unlike Vaeltaja himself. She stares indistinctly ahead and talks loudly, shrilly, and fast, at a pace a normal pony couldn't think his words through. There's definitely something with that air.

"I did speak to him, and he told me he doesn't understand our concepts of life or death, or winter and summer! How can he do better if he doesn't understand them? You try forging a tool out of a lump of iron without understanding it! Our elders teach us that life, death, cold, warmth, darkness, light, all have value, and we worship the spirits of each of these, so that we may carry on fruitfully through them. The Seraph wants to dominate the spirits, not live alongside them, and it'll throw everything into chaos! He's lying to you and what he'll do will destroy us, either with his own actions or through the 'Inspector' who is on his way now. There will be nothing left of us without the natural order!"
Cavaliere
22573a8
?
No.178613
178614
>>178611
Concern
"How is he being taken care of while his mother is at university, let alone embarking on missions that have the possibility of leaving him an orphan?"
Rosey "Posey" Ring
9348057
?
No.178614
178615
>>178613
This is the part where Rosey Ring would normally just charm you and make an opposed Cha check to get you to stop prying into her personal matters, but the DM says I can't do that, so...
"I nearly brought him with me . We've been through a lot worse together. I can leave him for one day though. I'm doing this for his sake, afterall...." She turns her head, hiding her expression
Cavaliere
22573a8
?
No.178615
>>178614
"I wouldn't want to bring him along, but I understand your need to earn money honorably. You will be in good talons, and your skills will come in useful."
Tenebrous Adamance
7526c6a
?
No.178616
178617 178618 178622 178638 178730
"If we're going to be going on a rescue mission, maybe we should bring wands or scrolls to help endure the elements. If possible, we'd want the weather to be working _for_ us, and not against us. They would also help us extract the subjects if they're in a weakened state."

(They're on some sort of island with bad weather, right? For some reason, I have an image in mind of very severe snowstorms that inhibit visibility. There is no recollection of where this image comes from, save for a trace memory of this being imagined briefly when speaking about the setting / adventure. I have little to no memory of the actual audio of the exchange.)

>>178568
"Hello, Mala Mata. You seem like you're going to be on the front lines. That's where I intend to be, too. I look forward to working with you."

>>178569
"Noted. Thank you, Silver."

>>178571
>I'm VERY MUCH not a nice pony
Tenebrous looks at Brie and activates Detect Evil.

It's a cone-shaped emanation, so depending on how we're all standing, Rosey-Undead may or may not be caught in the scan.
Honestly, I don't know how to roleplay finding evil within the party. I'm literally restricted by class features from knowingly associating with evil-aligned characters. In order to keep things flowing, the best I can think of is that the implication from my dream-granted quest is that this is the cohort I'm destined to be with while doing this quest which is very important for reasons I don't know yet.

Given Rosey's interaction with me later on in this comment, I guess we can say that she's literally on the opposite side of me to Brie.

>Associates
>While he may adventure with characters of any good or neutral alignment, a paladin will never knowingly associate with evil characters, nor will he continue an association with someone who consistently offends his moral code. A paladin may accept only henchmen, followers, or cohorts who are lawful good.

On that note, needing to act without lying or dishonourable conduct while respecting legitimate authority figures sounds pretty complicated if we're doing something tangled in this many layers of scrambled loyalties, plans within plans, layers of misdirection and secrets going every which way, and who knows what else.

>Code of Conduct
>A paladin must be of lawful good alignment and loses all class abilities if she ever willingly commits an evil act.
>Additionally, a paladin’s code requires that she respect legitimate authority, act with honor (not lying, not cheating, not using poison, and so forth), help those in need (provided they do not use the help for evil or chaotic ends), and punish those who harm or threaten innocents.

>>178572
Ten glances at Rosey's face. Then down at her extended hoof. Then back to her face. He smiles mildly and shakes her hoof in return.

(Military occupation? I thought we were in the border of a Twilight managed Equestria getting ready to do something in an unoccupied area of the world so that the exploring Griffon kingdom wouldn't get the secret stuff that might have been researched there, along with the high tech stuff in the research craft. Now that I'm typing this, I think I vaguely recall something about there being multiple griffon countries and more than one pony country. Also, what does "Your oath" mean? Where am I? Who is occupying it? Where do I go to learn this? How many hours of exploring and wandering without direction inside of the EaW Hearts of Iron 4 mod do I have to do to learn this? Is there a faster way to learn this? What do you mean by my oath? I thought the Night Guard / Lunar Harmonist Paladins semi-disbanding or becoming less active was because they were exhausted after the war ended, and that things were otherwise mostly normal. I can roleplay a head injury for partial amnesia, but I really feel like there are many complex and important things that should be present in some kind of document somewhere.)

Not understanding anything about the politics, local politics, history, or geopolitics while being in a complicated clandestine geopolitical power struggle with divided loyalties, motivations, and all this is... I dunno. I feel like I'm way outside my depth.

>>178589
>Blackhooves
...What is a blackhoof? Some kind of secret police intelligence organization, sure, but what is their alignment? Some kind of anti-princess pony faction? Are they acting within this area, or is that the name of the army that is occupying this country, which may or may not be Equestria?

As far as the changelings go, Ten dislikes them. A lot.

TTRPGs have always been a "Let's start in a generic medieval fantasy world and build the society around us as we interact with it" sort of thing.

>>178597
>https://equestria-at-war.fandom.com/wiki/Farbrook
I just saw this wiki link with that post. Are there specific pages I should prioritize? I'll start scanning the Timeline of World History, then the World Map, but the cities will take a long while to read. It'll take a bunch of my thread time
Rosey "Posey" Ring
9348057
?
No.178617
178621
>>178616
>"If we're going to be going on a rescue mission, maybe we should bring wands or scrolls to help endure the elements. If possible, we'd want the weather to be working _for_ us, and not against us. They would also help us extract the subjects if they're in a weakened state."
"I completely agree."
Rosey Ring proposes crowd-funding the following items:
>Wand of Lesser Vigor (750 gp, half that if half-charged)
>Swan Boat Feather Token
>Divine Scroll of Animal Messenger (150 gp)
She presses the Feather Token the most
>Honestly, I don't know how to roleplay finding evil within the party. I'm literally restricted by class features from knowingly associating with evil-aligned characters. In order to keep things flowing, the best I can think of is that the implication from my dream-granted quest is that this is the cohort I'm destined to be with while doing this quest which is very important for reasons I don't know yet.
Yeah, I knew that, so I took the initiative to conceal my alignment so that you wouldn't have to deal with that.
>(Military occupation? I thought we were in the border of a Twilight managed Equestria getting ready to do something in an unoccupied area of the world so that the exploring Griffon kingdom wouldn't get the secret stuff that might have been researched there, along with the high tech stuff in the research craft. Now that I'm typing this, I think I vaguely recall something about there being multiple griffon countries and more than one pony country. Also, what does "Your oath" mean? Where am I? Who is occupying it? Where do I go to learn this? How many hours of exploring and wandering without direction inside of the EaW Hearts of Iron 4 mod do I have to do to learn this? Is there a faster way to learn this? What do you mean by my oath? I thought the Night Guard / Lunar Harmonist Paladins semi-disbanding or becoming less active was because they were exhausted after the war ended, and that things were otherwise mostly normal. I can roleplay a head injury for partial amnesia, but I really feel like there are many complex and important things that should be present in some kind of document somewhere.)
I think the GM would do us all well to make a long post clarifying the exposition, for new players and for current players (like me). We can adapt your backstory based on that.
Rosey "Posey" Ring
9348057
?
No.178618
>>178616
>Not understanding anything about the politics, local politics, history, or geopolitics while being in a complicated clandestine geopolitical power struggle with divided loyalties, motivations, and all this is... I dunno. I feel like I'm way outside my depth.
I felt the same way when I joined. You'll figure it out eventually.
Anonymous
a806d2d
?
No.178619
178620
>>178612
Metsän Vaeltaja: “Because he’s above the natural order. He will take us to something higher than, and better than the frozen world around us. The elders are wrong! Their ‘natural order’ was just their own way of having power over us while we are content in misery.”

Father is wearing his scarf over his mouth to give him a thicker covering than normal. He interrupts:
“Little pony, you did not speak to any spirits or any ‘Seraph’. There’s something in the air here. It’s making you hallucinate, and you are hallucinating what Vaeltaja suggests. I could hear them chanting behind us. But you are right about something." Father looks over towards Vaeltaja.

"At best, you are 'high on your own supply' and have forgotten your own fires you lit. But whether you know that what you are saying is false or not, you are spreading mistruths that will result in the ruin of all of us. Paradise is not coming, save for the future we collectively build for ourselves. But the Inspector is coming from the Central Council and he will have you arrested. As a part of the village council, I demand you cease."

Metsän Vaeltaja: “Keskiyon, how do you close your mind to so much? Listen to it. Feel it. Convergence between the spirit world and ours is coming, and soon your Central Council, and your village council will have no meaning. The sunrise is upon us, and your "Path Forward' cannot stop it. No. You shall not go to any inspector, and the Seraph will protect his own."

Kakainen Ukkonen: "I am on the village council..."

Father: "Aha! So you do admit that your 'sunrise' can be stopped. Otherwise, it wouldn't matter if I went to the Inspector, would it? End your charade."
Amber Sunset
22573a8
?
No.178620
178625
>>178619
"Is this what this is about? You hate the elders and our way of life! That's why you want to destroy it! You don't even know what he's planning, just as he doesn't understand our way of life! But you want to let us all perish just because you're unhappy about everything else. Your 'Seraph' wants to dominate both the spirit world and our world and you're letting it happen!"
Tenebrous Adamance
7526c6a
?
No.178621
178623 178671
>>178617
Do we have anybody here who can use Message or other communication related magic? That could be very useful if we split up.

(Side note: One idea for a small magic item that isn't as powerful as a numeric bonus could be something that lets us use a cantrip or message spell once a day.)
Anonymous
a806d2d
?
No.178622
178645 178655
>>178616
>They're on some sort of island with bad weather, right?
Not yet. They are currently in an immigration office in Baltimare.

>For some reason, I have an image in mind of very severe snowstorms that inhibit visibility
That reason is either because I mentioned severe fog on the island when we talked about it in Bulgaria, or because you live in Canada

>"Hello, Mala Mata. You seem like you're going to be on the front lines. That's where I intend to be, too. I look forward to working with you."
The creature comes out and walks closer to Tenebrous, albeit cautiously.
"What uh, what do you do, exactly? I mean, how do you fight? Where do you fight? I'm uh, not super used to it. I mean it's not my first time, but uh, it's my first time in a big group. Like this..."

>Honestly, I don't know how to roleplay finding evil within the party. I'm literally restricted by class features from knowingly associating with evil-aligned characters.
Just consider it a work relationship. What the rules say about "henchmen, followers, and cohorts" doesn't apply here, because those words refer to NPC characters that are below and under the control of player characters. Not player characters.

A blue pegasus pony in a blue uniform speaks to Tenebrous.
"Ah, Hello Tenebrous Adamance. I am Captain Shoal Water of the New Mareland Republican Naval Air Service. I can see that you're not very into the loop, so let me give you the quick rundown.

Equestria was ruled by a Princess. Maybe there was another one, I don't really recall, but she was getting old and going senile and she knew it, so she stepped down and let this purple one be in charge. But the Purple one had more love for griffins and yaks and hippogriffs and minotaurs and what have you than her own ponies, and was too trusting of the rich ponies who had been long kissing up to the throne. So the old colony of New Mareland went its own way and acted to secure the resources necessary for its own survival against the greedy claws of its neighbors. The Purple one's foreign advisor didn't like this, so she tried to stop us. But then the Changelings invaded Equestria, and the Equestrians were too weak to stop them. Thankfully, we were able to save about half of Equestria from itself, and now that half of Equestria is administered in Autonomous Districts under our hooves.

I understand that our government is kind of complex, and you wouldn't know it as an outsider. But basically it's this. On the one hoof, here in Balatimare, you have the local government. The Baltimare City Council. They do things like criminal law enforcement, Healthcare, and what have you. Above that, you have the New Mareland State. The New Mareland State is divided into three branches. There is the old civilian government, whose power segment is the Revenue and Migration Service. They are responsible for enforcing immigration and customs duties. And some taxes. Then there is the New Mareland Military, who are responsible for prosecuting the War that continues in Griffonia and Northern Zebrica and defending New Mareland and her Sister Republics. That's what I am a part of, the New Mareland Navy. And then the last segment is the Blackhooves Political Party and their enforcer agency, The State Security Administration. They are a Republican and Fascist political organization and technically in charge of everything. They have their own political police force to try to keep things in order.

Further west, in Western Equestria, you have the Changeling Hegemony in charge. And up north, there is Stalliongrad. But more on them later."
Anonymous
9348057
?
No.178623
178671
>>178621
>Do we have anybody here who can use Message or other communication related magic? That could be very useful if we split up.
Kita can cast Animal Messenger. Dusty can cast Helping Hand. They would need time to prepare spells again though.
Anonymous
a806d2d
?
No.178625
178626
>>178620
Metsän Vaeltaja shakes his head "Then we will stop you."

From behind,
"I'm stopping your Blasphemy!"
The other stallion runs and jumps, slamming down an axe that he has been holding in his mouth into Vaeltaja's back. Vaeltaja makes a "Gack!" sound, and starts to move towards the ground.

Kakainen Ukkonen "PAKKASEN! What are you doing?"

Stallion, with the axe still stuck in Vaeltaja's back,
"What I should have done a month ago. Even the Atheists are not this insolent."
Amber Sunset
22573a8
?
No.178626
178627 178628
>>178625
Amber screams and attempts to gallop away. She cannot bear to look at the sight, and at the last moment tries to find Jakala to bring her along, away from this place.
Anonymous
a806d2d
?
No.178627
178628 178629
>>178626
Vaeltaja does not seem to be out, and tries to rise up. From further behind, a third pony jumps on Pakkasen, who takes the axe out of Vaeltaja's back, and attempts to sling it back.

From beyond the rim of the depression, from the leveled forest, Amber can hear a roar, a loud "Ahreeee" howl or roar. Father hears it too, and looks over towards the source of the sound

"RUN KULTAINEN! Pakkasen! Get out of here!"

Father lets Amber go, and quickly rushes over towards the other stallion.
Anonymous
a806d2d
?
No.178628
178629
>>178626
>>178627
Jakala just sits on the top of the sled, which Amber has presumably dragged there.
Amber Sunset
22573a8
?
No.178629
178630
>>178627
>>178628
Without a word she picks up the sled harness with her mouth and drags it with all her strength. Unfortunately she lost her adjustment to the darkness and is functionally quite blind.
Anonymous
a806d2d
?
No.178630
178631
>>178629
Father speaks,
"To Tuonela with the sled, get the filly and go!" Father shouts. He seems to have started to get the other stallion free, but is kicked in the face, knocked down, and then starts to run as he flees.

Again, from the dead forest, a very loud "Ahreeee" howl that seems closer than before.

Father:
"Akka, Beaivi, forgive me!"
Amber Sunset
22573a8
?
No.178631
178632
>>178630
That howl does not sound like a pony, or really anything she's heard about. She books it in the opposite direction from that sound, trying to make it out of the forest.
Anonymous
a806d2d
?
No.178632
178633
>>178631
No. No it does not. It sounds big. And coming closer.

Amber is able to move over the frozen surface of the of the depression more quickly that she likely though, pulling the sled.

Jakala mumbles,
"mmmemben membe"

They reach the end of the depression, and Amber pulls it up the mud and out of the depression. Father runs past her and stops at the sled.

"Come on Kultainen, get the filly and forget the sled!" He grabs onto Jakala.

As Father grabs onto the filly, he starts to levitate into the air, as if something unseen is grabbing him. "Ah! Ah!" His hindquarters go up first. Amber can see his eyes go wide and then turn to her with a look of fear and desperation. His forelegs move apart, dropping Jakala who herself screams with an "Ah!" as she falls a few inches to the ground. Then Father flails his legs and screams as he is dragged upwards until he disappears into an unseeable black night, still screaming, which starts to fade.
Amber Sunset
22573a8
?
No.178633
178635
>>178632
"Papa!" she screams up at the sky, tears springing to her eyes.

She doesn't pause for long though, as her survival instincts kick into gear. She puts Jakala onto her back and bounds away, trying to get away from the area.
Anonymous
a806d2d
?
No.178635
178636
>>178633
"AAHHHH" She hears the scream before it is cut off. Looking up she believes she sees shadows moving, perhaps her father, and likely she could see more in if she had her night time vision. But nothing reflects the dim light of the glow and there is no moon. Amber gets the filly, and goes.

Her headache continues, and the world around her becomes oddly disconnected as she feels more and more tired. She can hear the sound of the music again, with its high-pitched glass harmonica sound. Gradually the ground beneath her lightens, until she can see the burnt-out trees and the snow.
Amber Sunset
22573a8
?
No.178636
178637
>>178635
Perhaps insulting the interdimensional conquerer of the spirit world was not the right move. But she cannot reflect on it now, as she races across the treacherous, snowy ground. Her exhaustion threatens to collapse her, and she mentally vows to get Jakala to flee if that happens. But she will use every ounce of energy she has to get away from this accursed place.
Anonymous
a806d2d
?
No.178637
178640
OIP.jpg
>>178636
Amber trots along through the burnt out remains of the forest, through so many charred hulls of trees. As she does so, she hears the music slowly increase in volume and distort and shift in tone. The ground around her becomes slowly lighter and lighter. She feels herself become oddly disconnected with herself, and what she sees is more and more fuzzy. It's a sensation almost like falling asleep, though Amber can see what is happening ahead of her. Her body moves forward more and more as if on pure rote muscle memory.

Eventually Amber comes to the end of the forest, and to a permafrost covered marshy field. She can see the small plumes of smoke emanating from the cone huts, and other buildings covered in snow. She can see the snow along the ground oddly reflective or luminescent. And she can see droves of ponies come from all directions. Jakala jumps off of Amber's back. She can see, walking from the village, her mother, Makea, and the salespony. From the forest she sees Ukkonen and other ponies. She sees everypony converge until every pony in the town is walking along in a straight line, including herself.

They walk past graves that are oddly disturbed, dug up and with snow and soil removed. Past storage houses, past huts with the stoves left on and smoke rising. Everypony in the town walking in a straight line. In front of them, they can see the reflection in the snow of a rising light as the world around them becomes more reflective. It could be compared to a rising sun, but the angle and the yellow tint of the light almost seems suggestive of a flare launched from a gun, or a flood light. Amber feels much warmer, certainly much too warm for what she is wearing. She would take it off if she could, though she can see many of the ponies around her are not wearing as much clothing as her. Jakala is behind her, and mother is somewhere in front of her. She can hear the music, which has changed from a representation of the sky above to something more frantic

They walk around the village, and slightly past it, over a small bridge and then inside of a ravine that has been dug out and excavated into a canal, useable by canoes in the summertime. Now, it is covered in ice, though Amber can feel with her hooves as she steps into it, water that is not so cold as to drain the life out of her. The music has a scratchy quality.

By this point, though she feels separated from herself, she feels definitely constrained. Like she's being physically held or forced as her hooves move along, as the entire village moves along and into the canal. Then every pony sits down. Then Amber feels her own legs bend as she, and Jakala, and her mother, and every other pony, goes prone into the canal. She faces down, as the light rises above her. The music comes to a crescendo, angry and screeching.

Amber awakens in her bed. The sun is out.
Anonymous
6611fb3
?
No.178638
178649
>>178588
1st item, the dice roll was a spot check to notice Posey hiding the sword, clearly a success. Brie can be said to have observed her hiding the sword (which wouldnt fit into saddlebags, it would jut out awkwardly no matter what like trying to fit a baseball bat in a small duffel. Idgaf about any whispering, or I'd have rolled a listen check).
>>178585
2 he does this to somepony every game, good luck getting him to stop, we're at 6 years and counting
>>178616
>Posey is opposite direction
Awfully convenient
Brie registers as neutral evil, and seems quite unabashed, almost expectant that you would see through any attempt to try to hide who he is. In fact, his demeanor while your scanning him seems almost placating.
Amber Sunset
22573a8
?
No.178640
>>178637
Amber sits up in bed, drenched in sweat and trembling. That dream was nothing short of horrible, and she tries to get that music out of her head. She feels if she has a fever, as if that is the only thing that could explain such visceral terror and that unpleasant warmth.

Those ponies had actual names, and faces, and voices, and they seemed as real as herself. She struggled to remember the name of the singular city she heard, but she wasn't sure if it was real or a figment of her imagination. Wherever it was, it was in the distant north, though she never heard of ponies living that far north. Don't penguins and polar bears live up there? No matter, it would be best for her to forget. And yet, the mere possibility of that dream being real in some distant place sets her heart to aching for those poor ponies.

She shakily climbs out of bed, as if she was learning to walk again, and immediately prays for Luna to come back so all ponies would be guarded from such nasty dreams. She washes up, puts on a dress and a few choice belongings, and sets out to go to work. She is surprised to find 100 bits in her possession, being so used to being penniless at this point. It was an advance payment after all, so she'll have to make it last extra long until next payday. If there is time, she'll stop by a cheap diner before going to High Sewn's clothing shop–the exact name escapes her.
Anonymous
6611fb3
?
No.178641
178649
>>178580
Allow me to clarify. Posts that are in quotations are speech, in character. If theres no quotations, it probably means it is not in character.
Anonymous
6611fb3
?
No.178642
178649
st,small,507x507-pad,600x600,f8f8f8-685071594.jpg
Typically, OOC posts are more direct and conceptual, whether questions or comments.
RP posts tend to be anything from story-form dialogue where:
"He said," she said, doing a thing before continuing "With more."
When one feels comfortable, they are encouraged to write short paragraphs (and more) describing things their character is doing in detail; it is an opportunity to add color and flavor to the scene/story, making increasingly memorable/gratifying experiences for everyone. It doesn't always go this way by necessity/efficiency, but it has it's time and place.
Alternately one can be succinct and brief with their descriptions, play how you're comfortable.

Alot of the time things that players want their character to do will require skill checks, and it isn't required that the player know in advance which skill check to make, though many players do more or less. Several players may seem to be needlessly spamming skill checks - including times where they claim boredom - but there is function in doing so even if it seems disruptive. I for example have made random skill checks without saying what it was for, and will DM the GM about what that roll meant for my character. Moreover, any time ANY character (PC or NPC) makes a bluff, sleight of hand, or any sort of attempt to conceal, any other observing player can make a spot check to notice.

Assuming that spot check succeeds - as it did - I could have rolled a sense motive check, but that wasn't what my character would do, he would simply observe and take notice of everything.

It can be alot to take in, but aside from how characters present themselves, as players we all want everyone to have a good time, including the GM who is expending extraordinary levels of autism and effort to make this happen consistently/regularly. More experienced players can offer suggestions and answer some questions in thread if advice/information is needed, but it always comes down to GM's decision/discretion even in the face of canon rules.
And let's also remember we're autistic retards ourselves - who don't always get along - and try to cut each other a little slack for the benefit of the GM and the other players. This is what is known as the RP Gamer's Contract, and while it can get overlooked, it is essential to having the best time possible.
Anonymous
6611fb3
?
No.178643
178649
Spoilered
Also, we shit/funpost in this bitch, though it pays to be mindfull and not driven to excess
Anonymous
6611fb3
?
No.178644
178649
DM-2821772529.jpg
8692fb4dfe50b970626db17cafb37602-3326650714.png
Being a GM is all things:
Laborious, time/resource consumptive, often (though not entirely) thankless, but on a more experiential level it involves lulls and extremes of frustration, aggravation, irritation, personal demand, and in some cases (for a dozen reasons), heart-break.
Being a GM often means doing things to characters/players you wish you did not have to do, who you have grown to know and love as disting universes of their own actively participating in yours.
Anonymous
6611fb3
?
No.178645
178646
And with all that said:
>>178622
"Captain, are we to understand that the possible areas of conflict will be onboard the ship with the potential for wilderness engagement, depending on the response from Stalliongrad,... as well as any unexpected guests if we should come the ship was sabotaged, boarded, or otherwise attacked?" Brie says, raising an eyebrow and watching very carefully for any sign from the captain that he may know of a possible threat/problem he isn't letting on about.
Spot Check [1d20+8 = (4+8) = 12]
The spot check is based on the idea that if Brie's suspicions are true, there is a chance that the Captain's face will betray recognition of something, discernable to a sharp eye. Whether there is something or not, he's looking for it.
The captain - if there IS something he wants to keep concealed - will roll a bluff check to not reveal any recognition, as well as to deny/divert-from the question.
Having said, the GM won't want me to know if the captain is being honest or not, so will likey roll a bluff check regardless.
Anonymous
6611fb3
?
No.178646
>>178645
"... come to find..."
Anonymous
6611fb3
?
No.178647
178649
Also, a correction: GM will likely roll in person or elsewhere, so as to avoid my knowing whether the captain is being honest or not, as even if he succeeds on his spot check, only a follow up sense motive would give a better idea why anything might have been observed.
Its a little complicated, but you grt the hang of it through repetition
Rosey "Posey" Ring
3498275
?
No.178649
178650
>>178638
>>178642
>>178641
>>178643
>>178644
>>178647
I really think all of these ooc posts would be better served in a separate thread.
It hasn't been a substantial issue before because the party wasn't together and thus had no need to communicate ooc.
But now it has become an issue.
Anonymous
6611fb3
?
No.178650
>>178649
During active gaming including most/all players I tend to agree, once the mission gets going there will be a greater need to not disrupt gameplay and activity, but thats also why it seems positive to outline these things before we start, to potentially avoid having to do so as we go.
Anonymous
6611fb3
?
No.178651
Moreover, it's fair to say that ooc is unwarranted when [i]anyone]/i] is playing, and it wasn't my intention to suggest otherwise. There is a case to be made that ooc could occurr during lulls and periods of inactivity, and I would appreciate a clarification as to what GM/everyone prefers, though this will be my last such post unless specifically warranted.
Anonymous
6611fb3
?
No.178652
178655
Brie continues: "The only disqualifier I'm aware of with using a boat token - at least exclusively - is that such things tend to be rather identifyingly distinct and easy to target by a suitably competent Unicorn spell-caster. Our priimary mission being rescue, it would put us in quite the predicament if halfway through our escape the ship was dispelled and we found ourselves suddenly struggling against a current, potentially with guns drawn on our position. I maintain the use of a Bird token rather than or alongside a boat token - assuming either/both are available - so that at the very least we can extract all personnel, absolving us of the liability of baby-sitting - no offense Captain - until we can ourselves extract.
Anonymous
6611fb3
?
No.178653
Yes, I realize I mixed up the 3.5e bird token with the 5e bird token, and if pressed in convo I can make a 4th wall break comedy bit about it
Rosey "Posey" Ring
3498275
?
No.178655
178657 178660 178663 178671
>>178652
I forgot about the bird feather token. It's probably a safer bet than the divine scroll of animal messenger, if only because it's still usable if Kira is killed.
The combined cost of the swan boat and the bird tokens is 750 gp: the cost of a single lvl 1 wand. If we take it out of the reward, we can split the cost evenly. Let's do that.
Gosh, I love feather tokens.
>>178622
Rosey Ring approaches Shoal Waters and proposes her intent to buy the items mentioned above, to improve the chance of success for the mission. She requests to take the money for the items out of the reward for the quest. To ensure that she doesn't just run off with the money, she offers to leave him her special vampire-slaying sword (which, for the record, is worth more than a grand house), as collateral.
"I believe that these items would strongly improve our chance of success, and more importantly our chance of returning home alive. If we find we don't need them, we may simply return them."
The Floof and The Noodle
7aa5c3a
?
No.178657
178658 178671
>>178655
>if only because it's still usable if Kira is killed
concerned snej noises

Perhaps it might also be worthwhile explaining to Kira why it would be useful to have one of her spells be Animal Messenger.
Rosey "Posey" Ring
3498275
?
No.178658
178659
>>178657
Did Kira prepare her spells yet? Or did she leave her slots open to prepare now?
The Floof and The Noodle
7aa5c3a
?
No.178659
178661
>>178658
She has yet to prepare them, as she didn't know what spells would be needed and I forgot until recently that Ragners do indeed have magic. She already has a couple ideas in her mind for what spells to use, and having input from another creature may prove useful.
Anonymous
6611fb3
?
No.178660
>>178655
Bluff [1d20+3 = (20+3) = 23]
Brie's head inclines slightly to the right.
Rosey "Posey" Ring
3498275
?
No.178661
178662
>>178659
Okay, then take 10 minutes to prepare them now. How many Slots do you have?
I request Lay Of The Land and Animal Messenger.
The Floof and The Noodle
7aa5c3a
?
No.178662
178664
>>178661
3. Also I don't think Lay of the Land is an actual spell, or if it is I can't find it anywhere.
Anonymous
6611fb3
?
No.178663
>>178655
"Agreed, though none of this is to suggest that either resource - if available - would be undesired, and if indeed collateral is required," he shoots the captain a look as if to imply that "I really hope you arent expecting us to finance that level of resource ourselves" before continuing verbally, "then perhaps we can negotiate with the prize money; In any case, the first question is if."
*smiles in (dc 1 sense motive check) knowing his smoke grenades just became a whole lot smaller of an ask*
Anonymous
3498275
?
No.178664
178668
>>178662
https://srd.dndtools.org/srd/magic/spells/spells/spellsph.html#LAY%20OF%20THE%20LAND
https://srd.dndtools.org/srd/magic/spells/classSpellLists/rangerSpells.html
Anonymous
6611fb3
?
No.178666
178667
"But," he holds up his right forehoof, peering at what one assumes to be a nonexistent watch, "My associate approaches. Post haste!" [R]Brie says, again slipping out of the room, again trying to 'accidentally' startle Miss Skies.
[1d20+12 = (1+12) = 13]
This is the number that would need to be beaten on with listen check, if "on the clock"
Anonymous
6611fb3
?
No.178667
>>178666
>the second time he's rolled a nat 1 trying to scare Miss skies
The Floof and The Noodle
7aa5c3a
?
No.178668
178669
>>178664
Alright, I can see why you recommended these two spells together. Lay of the Land would give Kira all of the knowledge of the island's geography she could need in order to make Animal Messenger work to its fullest. Of course I'm still a bit confused as to why Animal Messenger is the requested spell, unless the idea is that Kira can be sent ahead as a scout to find the opposing Stalliongrader patrol and can send a field mouse or something similar back to the party with their location, heading, strength, and equipment written down on a small piece of paper. There are also other options for spells to be considered that could be useful to the party in a combat scenario, such as Summon Nature's Ally or Entangle.

It should also be stated that while she does have 3 slots, only 2 will be available because one of the three will be taken up by Endure Elements. Kira may be warm blooded unlike regular snakes, but she is still entirely unused to freezing temperatures and she has no warm weather clothing like a nice comfy sock or what have you.
Rosey "Posey" Ring
d54f333
?
No.178669
178670
>>178668
>why Animal Messenger is the requested spell
Because then we could use a seagull to call for help in case our radio fails.
It's just a suggestion though.
Lay Of The Land is just nice to have in general.
>Entangle
Always great battlefield control.
>Summon Nature's Ally
I have summoning spells. You don't need to prepare any.
Speaking of animal allies, where is your animal companion? Did you trade it for an ACF?
>Endure Elements
Fine selection, but you already have Endurance as a bonus feat, don't you? I think you'll pass most saves vs cold.
The Floof and The Noodle
7aa5c3a
?
No.178670
178676
>>178669
Hmm, an interesting use for the spell, though I'm not sure Kira can find a morsel easily enough that a seagull would like to eat.

>summoning spells
It's true that Posey has summoning spells, but something tells me her summoning giant demonic amoebas that have a chance of turning against the party may cause characters to get weirded out, unlike if Kira summoned a wolf or something similar.

>animal companion
It didn't seem like an appropriate feature for a lamia to have an animal companion, so I asked the GM if I could have an extra point to spend on Kira's abilities instead.

>Endurance
Yeah, it's one of the first class features Rangers get, but as I understand it she would still be exceptionally cold and miserable. Passing the saves would basically just her avoiding freezing to death. Something tells me the lamia would prefer to not have to deal with the cold at all if it can be helped, she's not like Silver who's half snowpony or Posey who's undead.

Also, since we're still waiting on the GM pone to return...once Kira is set down again by Free Rover, she slithers up to the chain-adorned mare.

Kira: "So...how do you train to resist landmines? Is it like that saying where 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger'? Did you find a field of landmines and stepped on them one by one to build up your immunity to them? Did you ever get exploded, like bwoosh?" The lamia spreads her legs out to enhance the impact of her mouth-made sound effect. "Not like being regular blown up, like actually exploded, with body parts flying here, there, and everywhere. If you got exploded, how did you manage to get put back together? Is it possible to use unicorn magic to put someone back together after they've exploded?"
Anonymous
a806d2d
?
No.178671
178673 178674 178676
>>178621
>>178623
>>178655
>>178657
You know this is a setting with two way radios, right? And that people have been trying to find mundane ways to communicate in wars for centuries. Like messenger pigeons. Just placing little notes on the legs of mundane pigeons and having them fly. Or using colored smoke from grenades. Or flag signals. Or flare guns. Or having Kira's deer slave serve as a runner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygA8AZXR7IA&pp=ygUUcGlnZW9uIGJhdHRsZWZpZWxkIDE%3D

No? You don't want any mundane solutions? Alright
The Floof and The Noodle
7aa5c3a
?
No.178673
>>178671
pet pet pets u
Anonymous
6611fb3
?
No.178674
178677
>>178671
You said we only get one tho, (which doesnt make sense, 2 radios are needed to be functional)
Anonymous
6611fb3
?
No.178675
(I may be retarded and missing something)
Rosey "Posey" Ring
d074b62
?
No.178676
178678
>>178670
>so I asked the GM if I could have an extra point to spend on Kira's abilities instead.
I would have picked the Spirit Companion ACF, but you do you.
>summoning giant demonic amoebas that have a chance of turning against the party may cause characters to get weirded out
Posies's Puppies are not demonic. They are just congealed blobs of metaphysical hunger and insanity.
I can also summon skeletons and zombies. That might have similar effect though.
We have a pretty big party. Idk if we'll need summons for anything other than to trigger traps.
>"So...how do you train to resist landmines? Is it like that saying where 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger'?
"In a way... I learned to reinforce my body with magic.
>"Not like being regular blown up, like actually exploded, with body parts flying here, there, and everywhere. If you got exploded, how did you manage to get put back together? Is it possible to use unicorn magic to put someone back together after they've exploded?"
"... Um... No?" (Lie)
[1d20+14 = (19+14) = 33]

Rosey Ring is acutely begining to regret bragging about her supernatural durability.
>>178671
Maybe we're overthinking this.

Posey doesn't know how to handle a pigeon. Her Unnatural Aura makes birds freak out near her.
I think Kira might be able to handle it though. Rangers are good at that kind of stuff.
>flare guns
I mentioned this last week. I thought we were already doing that.
Rosey "Posey" Ring
d074b62
?
No.178677
>>178674
Presumably, Shoal Waters has the other.
The Floof and The Noodle
7aa5c3a
?
No.178678
178684 178685
>>178676
>Spirit Companion ACF
Explain pls

Kira has no real reason to think Rosey is lying, and as such the lie goes uncontested. She looks at her with an intense curiosity evidenced by her big lamia eyes. Her tongue flicks out of her mouth, causing her to scrunch at another taste in the air she's apparently picking up.

"No as in you've never been exploded or no as in unicorn magic can't put someone back together after they've exploded? Also, how have you reinforced your body with magic? Is it like the thing you did with the cutie mark you gave me? I don't see any markings on you, but I guess you're wearing all of that chain armor. And how do you ignore caltrop wounds? Those have to hurt stepping on them with your hooves! It makes me glad for my snake tail, it's pretty sturdy when it comes to sharp pokey things on the ground and I can always just zig zag around stuff. Well, normally I could, I'm not sure how easily I can with this big ol' goal inside me."
Rosey "Posey" Ring
b761873
?
No.178684
178686
>>178678
>Explain
I fucked up. It was actually called spiritual guide:
https://srd.dndtools.org/srd/classes/baseCore/ranger.html#spiritual-guide
One of the several ACFs rangers can trade their companion for.
It's not much for combat, but great utility. Commune With Nature 1/day is nice at lvl 5.
The only reason I don't take it on my Ranger builds is because I prefer Mystic Ranger, which doesn't get an animal companion and delays most features, but has much faster spell progression.
Combat-wise, Solitary Hunting is great (adds FA bonus to attack rolls), but I find it boring.
Utility Wise, Urban Companion, which gives a familiar instead of an Animal Companion, is great for skilled classes Rangers who are most likely to use their companions as scouts anyway. It's actually stronger than most familiars because it has higher HP.

An ability score boost is nice too though.
>how have you reinforced your body with magic?
"It's complicated unicorn stuff. I could explain it, but you wouldn't understand."
Rosey Ring is evasive, she's already said too much. Also the GM threatened to nerf me earlier, so I'm going to stop flexing.
Rosey "Posey" Ring
b761873
?
No.178685
>>178678
Oh yeah.
Gloomy was left at Silver's house. You said there were other foals there. What are they like?

Gloomy, unless approached, would keep to himself. He's rather shy. He's also rather... Creepy. He busies himself drawing weird symbols with the crayon in his mouth.
The Floof and The Noodle
7aa5c3a
?
No.178686
178687 178688 178689
>>178684
Hmm, interdasting.

Kira's ears fold down, and she pouts. "Oh. Okay..." She sounds a bit sad and/or disappointed. Perhaps Posey could make it up to her (and move the conversation away from herself) by asking about her, her tribe, or lamias as a whole, since Posey seemed to show an interest in the knowledge that there's an entire tribe of lamias like her.

If Silver is asked about the other foals at his house, he would respond thusly:

Silver: "There are two, both orphaned. I am caring for them now, sort of like foster parent, and I would like to adopt them if state would allow it. Unfortunately state for some reason has little faith in single fathers' ability to raise foals. Anyways, those foals have...well, I will not get into it now, but they have been through lot. More than any foal should have gone through. White Orchid is bit older. He has expressed interest in camping, boating, and he seems to love being outdoors. Usually if I can not find him in house, he is outside looking out across water. Mint Marine is younger by couple of years. He likes reading, and shows much interest in marine biology. Devil whales are one of his favorite sea creatures, and he also gets along famously with Mala. Just this morning I saw Mint and Mala sharing same bed. I can tell you both like candy very much, and they are definitely looking for chance to live normal lives as part of family."
Anonymous
a806d2d
?
No.178687
178690
>>178686
Free Rover crouches, looking at Kira
"It's okay. You can come back to me."
He extends a leg and beckons her over
Rosey "Posey" Ring
b761873
?
No.178688
178690
>>178686
>Perhaps Posey could make it up to her (and move the conversation away from herself) by asking about her, her tribe, or lamias as a whole
"So... You are a type of naga, am I correct?"
Rosey "Posey" Ring
b761873
?
No.178689
178690
>>178686
>If Silver is asked about the other foals at his house
Rosey Ring doesn't care, but I was asking ooc because I thought I might want to RP Gloomy for a bit
The Floof and The Noodle
7aa5c3a
?
No.178690
178691 178697
>>178688
>>178687
Kira beckons Free Rover to come over to her instead. If he does, Kira gets back on him, draped across his shoulders as she was, and continues conversing with Rosey.

Kira: "Well, I've heard my deer friend Neela call me a 'nagini', while sounds a lot like 'naga'. Maybe it's her people's name for us? She's one of those Hindi deer that live in the mountains to the north of my tribe. I forget what her specific group of deer is called, though. I'm going to say yes, but we usually just call ourselves lamias. Maybe one of the other types of lamias call themselves nagas, though."

>>178689
Ahhhhhhh. This would be a good question to ask GM pone then, as he would know far more in depth about the two colts.
Anonymous
a806d2d
?
No.178691
178692 178693 178696 178699
>>178690
He does not come to her

But as she is talking to Posey
yoink
[1d20+4 = (18+4) = 22]
The Floof and The Noodle
7aa5c3a
?
No.178692
178695
>>178691
the lamia is yoinked
Rosey "Posey" Ring
b761873
?
No.178693
178695 178696 178699
>>178691
Hey! That's my potential bone naga! You can't just drag her away.
Counter yoink. Tug of war.
[1d20+7 = (15+7) = 22]
Rosey "Posey" Ring
b761873
?
No.178694
178696 178697
1869960__safe_artist-colon-shpoople_oc_oc+only_oc-colon-filly+anon_earth+pony_human_pony_cute_disembodied+hand_female_filly_hand_holding+a+pony_long_long+pony_l.png
>tie
The noodle is stretched.
Anonymous
a806d2d
?
No.178695
178697
>>178693
>>178692
Free Rover scrunches, and places the lamia back over his shoulders. Posey presumably gets the tail as there is quite a lot of lamia
The Floof and The Noodle
7aa5c3a
?
No.178696
178698 178699
>>178691
>>178693
>>178694
Kira: "eep!"

The noodle is indeed stretched, with one pony taking her tail, the other taking her pony half. Perhaps the noodle's friend seeking has gone too far...
The Floof and The Noodle
7aa5c3a
?
No.178697
>>178695
>>178694
>>178690
Despite being yoinked from both sides, Kira is still available for Posey to continue talking about the different types of lamias with if Posey still wished.
Da Zeeb
9291553
?
No.178698
>>178696
Mr. Zeeb simply shakes his head at the antics going on around the noodle, wondering who got this crazy group together.